BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition hits Amazon for $549

 

BlackBerry continues to defiantly churn out smartphones despite dwindling sales. The new Silver Edition of the Passport has coincided with the launches of competitors -- using the term somewhat loosely -- like the Moto X Style and OnePlus 2 over the past week or so. Having gone on sale through BlackBerry earlier this week with a bunch of added accessories, Amazon also now has the device up for sale at the same $549 price point. But if you do opt to purchase through the online retail giant, be mindful of the fact that you don't get the bundled goodies valued upwards of $130. 

BlackBerry World posts promo for the BlackBerry Classic

While not stuffed to the gills with apps the way that the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store are, BlackBerry World is where those using the platform turn, to download games, apps and content. Since a large contingent of 'Berry users turn to BlackBerry World religiously, it turns out to be a great spot for the company to post information relating to the next new BlackBerry handset release.

This morning, visitors checking into BlackBerry World might have been excited to see a promotional ad on the top of their screen, showing a partial image of the BlackBerry Classic. This is the handset with the old-school trackpad and function keys, but with many of the modern capabilities that BlackBerry 10.3 can offer.

BlackBerry Passport Gold Edition is an eye-catching premium version of the phone

The BlackBerry Passport has already caught many an eye with its unique shape, boxy screen and a QWERTY keyboard that doubles as a touchpad. The device has already sold out twice on BlackBerry's online store. While we have seen the business-oriented handset strut its stuff in black and white, a new variant of the phone has been revealed.

The BlackBerry Passport Gold Edition not only has the look that makes you drool, it adds a luxurious looking Gold trim to the handset. Even the volume and power buttons are covered in Gold.

Update after launch could give BlackBerry Passport 4K video capture

A report published Saturday, states that BlackBerry is testing out 4K video capture for the BlackBerry Passport. But don't expect to see the feature on the phone when the eagerly awaited model is unveiled later next month. Instead, if the company is happy with the results of the test, it will add the 4K video capture to the phone with the BlackBerry 10.3.1 update.

Like the rest of the phone, the Passport's rear camera