Day: July 22, 2014
BlackBerry Z3 first impressions
We just came from the local launch of the BlackBerry Z3 where we got the chance to fiddle around with the company’s newest 5-inch smartphone that runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the latest BlackBerry 10 OS. Here are our first impressions. 
The BlackBerry Z3 flaunts a 5-inch display with a screen resolution of 960 x 540. Its entire face is slapped with one piece of solid glass that stretches from edge to edge. The lower part of the screen only shows the company’s logo – there are only on-screen but no capacitive buttons present on the Z3.
On the right side is where the micro SIM and microSD card are housed under a flap. This is the only thing visible on this side of the device, while the opposite side is populated by the volume controls and the lock screen button. One thing we immediately noticed is the positioning of the lock screen button at the top left of the device that’s hard to reach when we held it using one hand.
This is how I usually hold a phone. But Z3′s awkward placement of the lock screen button all the way up top makes it hard to reach.
On the top of the device you’ll find the 3.5mm audio jack residing on the left side, while a microUSB port sits alone at the bottom.
Z3′s physique doesn’t concentrate much on making the body slim like what other companies are working hard on. Instead, it’s got a bit more thickness to it at 9.3mm but has a solid form factor that veers away from an all-plastic build.
The Z3’s back is what makes the device stand out. Apart from the neatly-placed 5MP camera and single LED flash, it has BlackBerry’s signature dot-textured rubber that covers the entire back and adds grip to the device. The added layer of protection looks good too and the rubber material doesn’t feel cheap at all.
Laser-drilled audio holes for the speaker are located at the bottom part of its back.
The BlackBerry Z3 is a midrange device that certainly looks good and feels good to hold. Apart from its lock screen button that’s hard to reach, we have nothing against the overall physique of this phablet. For Php10,990, it’s got a strong, solid build that has balanced weight all around. It’s available starting today at authorized BlackBerry retailers for Php10,990.
BlackBerry Z3 specs:
5-inch capacitive display @ 960 x 540 resolution, 220 ppi
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor
1.5GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Adreno 305 GPU
5MP rear camera with LED flash
1080p video recording
1.1MP front camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
3G, HSPA+
140 x 72.8 x 9.3mm
164 grams
2500mAh battery
BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS
Price: Php10,990
The post BlackBerry Z3 first impressions appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.
BlackBerry Z3 first impressions
We just came from the local launch of the BlackBerry Z3 where we got the chance to fiddle around with the company’s newest 5-inch smartphone that runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the latest BlackBerry 10 OS. Here are our first impressions.
The BlackBerry Z3 flaunts a 5-inch display with a screen resolution of 960 x 540. Its entire face is slapped with one piece of solid glass that stretches from edge to edge. The lower part of the screen only shows the company’s logo – there are only on-screen but no capacitive buttons present on the Z3.
On the right side is where the micro SIM and microSD card are housed under a flap. This is the only thing visible on this side of the device, while the opposite side is populated by the volume controls and the lock screen button. One thing we immediately noticed is the positioning of the lock screen button at the top left of the device that’s hard to reach when we held it using one hand.
This is how I usually hold a phone. But Z3′s awkward placement of the lock screen button all the way up top makes it hard to reach.
On the top of the device you’ll find the 3.5mm audio jack residing on the left side, while a microUSB port sits alone at the bottom.
Z3′s physique doesn’t concentrate much on making the body slim like what other companies are working hard on. Instead, it’s got a bit more thickness to it at 9.3mm but has a solid form factor that veers away from an all-plastic build.
The Z3’s back is what makes the device stand out. Apart from the neatly-placed 5MP camera and single LED flash, it has BlackBerry’s signature dot-textured rubber that covers the entire back and adds grip to the device. The added layer of protection looks good too and the rubber material doesn’t feel cheap at all.
Laser-drilled audio holes for the speaker are located at the bottom part of its back.
The BlackBerry Z3 is a midrange device that certainly looks good and feels good to hold. Apart from its lock screen button that’s hard to reach, we have nothing against the overall physique of this phablet. For Php10,990, it’s got a strong, solid build that has balanced weight all around. It’s available starting today at authorized BlackBerry retailers for Php10,990.
BlackBerry Z3 specs:
5-inch capacitive display @ 960 x 540 resolution, 220 ppi
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor
1.5GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Adreno 305 GPU
5MP rear camera with LED flash
1080p video recording
1.1MP front camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
3G, HSPA+
140 x 72.8 x 9.3mm
164 grams
2500mAh battery
BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS
Price: Php10,990
The post BlackBerry Z3 first impressions appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.
Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker announced
Along with the new Mi 4 flagship smartphone, Xiaomi has also announced its own fitness tracker – the Mi Band.
The Xiaomi Mi Band is a Bluetooth-equipped fitness monitor and sleep tracker. It features a sleep-cycle smart alarm, and allows you to unlock your smartphone without having to enter a password.
In addition, the Mi Band is IP67-certified so it’s dust tight and waterproof, and has a battery that can last for up to 30 days.
The Xiaomi Mi Band has an approximate price tag of Php550 each.
The post Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker announced appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.
Xiaomi Mi 4 officially announced
Xiaomi has officially announced the Mi 4, the company’s latest flagship that sports a 5-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB RAM, 13 megapixel Sony stacked CMOS camera, 3,080mAh battery, 4G LTE connectivity, and MIUI V6.
Xiaomi Mi 4 specs:
5-inch Full HD Sharp/JDI IPS OGS Full Lamination display, 441ppi
2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core CPU
3GB LP-DDR3 RAM
16/64GB eMMC 5.0 internal storage
13 megapixel Sony IMX214 stacked CMOS rear camera w/ LED flash
F1.8 aperture, AF Object Tracking, Real-time HDR, 4K video recording support
8 megapixel Sony stacked CMOS front camera, f1.8 aperture
4G LTE
WiFi
NFC
Bluetooth
IR blaster
GPS,A-GPS
3,080mAh battery
MIUI V6 (August 16 release)
Nano Anti-Fingerprint Film coating
Stainless Steel Frame
149g
Wood, leather, ceramic, bamboo rear covers
The Xiaomi Mi 4 has a price tag of 1,999 Chinese Yuan ($322) or around Php14,000 for the 16GB model and 2,499 Yuan ($403) or around Php17,500 for the 64GB model.
The post Xiaomi Mi 4 officially announced appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.