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BlackBerry 'Mercury' brings back the QWERTY keyboard

The next BlackBerry phone revives a trademark feature.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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BlackBerry "Mercury" may only be a rumored name, but the phone is real enough for us to have seen it at CES 2017.

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Or at least a phone being called "Mercury". Here's what we know.

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We know for sure that this preproduction model is made of aluminum.

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And that it has a headphone jack...

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...with a QWERTY keyboard...

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...Android 7.0 Nougat software...

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...and a grippy back with no removable parts.

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The BlackBerry logo means there's plenty of specialized software like the BlackBerry Hub.

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And that signature keyboard can take all your typing...

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...as well as swipes to move left, right, up and down.

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Check out more angles in the next several slides.

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