(Image: Wowcher)
Tech fans snap up Blackberry phones as they're slashed to £13 online
by Kerri-Ann Roper · Manchester Evening NewsRemember the Blackberry? There was a time when these physical keyboard-equipped smartphones were vying with iPhones as the latest tech status symbol, but nowadays you can snap one up for less than the price of your average cocktail. Now you can currently pick up a Blackberry 9720 for just £13 through Wowcher.
Unlocked and ready to use with O2, EE, and Vodaphone SIMs, there’s still plenty of function to go along with the nostalgia. Equipped with front and rear-facing cameras, solid battery life, internet connectivity, and a host of useful productivity apps, the Blackberry 9720 still pulls its weight as a decent handset.
If you’re looking to scale back your screentime, you could view this as a step between a “dumb phone” and smartphone, as this vintage tech will struggle with most modern apps whilst still enabling internet browsing.
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These refurbished handsets have been restored to almost-new condition, but it should be noted that you won’t be entitled to any manufacturer warranty. That said, purchasing refurbished tech helps minimise waste, which is a massive issue in the smartphone space with its constant cycle of new releases.
As this is an older handset, recent reviews are somewhat limited. However, there’s a good selection of user reviews on Google that cover the refurbished experience.
“My refurbished BlackBerry 9720 is in good condition and very good value. It would not be to everyone's taste, but I hate touch screen and I prefer a Qwerty keyboard,” said one Google review. “Incredibly light, especially when compared to any of the Q5/Q10 BBs. Long battery life, weeks without charging if, like me, you use it as a phone and not a laptop,” said another.
(Image: Wowcher)
One five-star review added: “The phone did far more than I expected when all I wanted was for it to text. I could install WhatsApp and even browse the web.”
On the less-positive side, some users have reported issues with their refurbished handsets. “Very slow and always crashes. Also makes a weird noise when receiving a phone call, even when the phone is on silent,” said one. “You also cant download much onto it and there’s only enough storage to store 31 photos and 0 videos and 1 song at any one time.”
Elsewhere, there are huge savings to be had on smartphones at Amazon. The brand new HONOR X6b Mobile Phone Unlocked normally costs £129.99, but is now down to £89.99 in a limited time deal.
The Samsung Galaxy A15 Black 4G 128GB is £116.50, down from £169.99. And the Motorola G84 5G, 12GB RAM+256 GB Storage, Midnight Blue is £169 instead of £249.99.