BlackBerry, once thought to be gone for good after an unsuccessful Android revival, is now getting a new lease on life. A project called 'Zinwa' is reviving old BlackBerry devices by updating their internal specs and installing the Android operating system.

Zinwa is starting this revival project with the BlackBerry Classic from 2014. The company is using the original shell, screen, and physical keyboard of the device but upgrading the internals. The new BlackBerry Classic will feature a MediaTek Helio G99 chip, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a larger 3,000 mAh battery, new cameras (50MP rear-facing and 8MP front-facing), USB-C, NFC, an updated modem, and will run Android 13 out of the box. While software updates are planned, major Android updates are not currently in the pipeline.

For those interested in reviving their own BlackBerry Classic, they can purchase the 'Q25' kit for $300 or a fully ready device for $400. Both options will be available for shipping starting in August.

In addition to the BlackBerry Classic, Zinwa also has plans to revive the BlackBerry Passport and the BlackBerry KeyOne. The KeyOne, released in 2017, attempted to bring back the QWERTY form factor with the help of Android.

While there are privacy concerns associated with buying a device from a lesser-known brand that doesn't make strong commitments to future updates, the concept of reviving old BlackBerry devices with updated specs is intriguing. For fans of the brand who miss their BlackBerry devices, this revival is a welcomed development, especially since the official BlackBerry reboot ended about five years ago.

Would you consider purchasing one of these revived BlackBerry devices?