BlackBerry Priv gets first unboxing courtesy of Carphone Warehouse

It’s hard to believe this day has finally arrived: once a far-flung pipe dream, then a realistic rumor, and now an undeniable unboxing, BlackBerry has finally made an Android phone. The Priv, originally referred to as the Venice, is set to ship on November 6th for customers in the USA. On the other side of the pond however, UK retalier Carphone Warehouse has received a release unit and unboxed it for all to behold:

The segment begins with a quick look at the box, with the lovely lady featured in the video pointing out the packaging contains the words “Privilege” and “Privacy”. While offering an idea of how BlackBerry ultimately chose to name the phone, it is her British pronunciation of the latter word that may give some North American viewers an “a-ha” kind of revelation.

Inside the box are standard tools-of-the-trade, including the device itself, a SIM ejector tool, manuals, headphones, and a USB cable.

The video also demonstrates several unique BlackBerry features. Carried over from BB10, BlackBerry Hub is retained and can be accessed by holding down the Home button and swiping to the right. Hub is a one-stop go-to for all notifications. The Priv’s virtural keyboard allows you to “flick” word predictions into the text field by swiping up from a key,

The physical keyboard borrows from the Passport, meaning that not only is it a traditional typing device, but also allows includes trackpad functionality for navigation.

BlackBerry Calendar is demonstrated, as well as BlackBerry Search, the latter of which allows you to search both the phone and the internet and can be activated by swiping up and left from the Home button.

The video ends with a quick look at DTEK by BlackBerry, a unique app that places proper priority on privacy and allows users to fine-tune and beef-up the Priv’s security.

Wrap up

The BlackBerry Priv is set to go on sale in roughly a week’s time, however the entry requirement is not for the cash-conscious: the phone is $749 unlocked. Depending on the success – of lack thereof – this may end up being the company’s swan song to the hardware market.

What do you think? Has the unboxing video made you more motivated for a potential purchase? Is the hardware just what you’ve always wanted, or does it cost too much to be considered? Leave us your comments below.