Day: November 8, 2014

First look at the Meizu MX4

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment



Earlier today, Novo7 Tech, the official distributor of Meizu and THL devices in the country, held a short gathering at their store in Gateway Mall to showcase one of the latest additions to their portfolio, the Meizu MX4. We took this opportunity to give you a quick look at Meizu’s new flagship smartphone and answer if the handset is worth all of the hype that it’s getting.

The first thing we noticed when we saw the MX4 in the flesh was that it looks somewhat similar to the iPhone 3G/3GS when viewed head-on. This is mainly attributed to the handset’s all-screen façade that’s framed by a shiny metal rim that runs around the rounded edges of the MX4.

Meizu MX4 Philippines

Meizu seems to have forgotten to put bezels on the sides of the MX4’s Gorilla Glass 3-laden 5.36-inch display as it nearly occupied every inch of the smartphone’s front panel. Good thing Meizu was still able to make room for front-mounted components such as the earpiece, 2MP selfie camera and a single capacitive button right below the screen.

You’ll be able to find all the of the MX4’s external controls and components around the edges. At the top you have the Power button and the 3.5mm audio jack, on the left is the volume rocker, and at the bottom is the Micro-USB port that’s sandwiched in between the speakers and main microphone.

MX4 (Web)

At the back is the handset’s removable back cover that has a smooth matte finish to it. It feels very nice to the touch and well complements the entire theme of the MX4. Apart from the Meizu branding at the bottom, the only other note-worthy component in this area is the MX4’s 20.7-megapixel rear camera with its accompanying dual-tone LED flash units.

It’s also good to note that the back of the device has a slight curve to it, making it easier to pick the MX4 up when it’s lying on top of a table.

Initial Verdict

Our main takeaway from our short encounter with the Meizu MX4 is that it’s got a well-designed and well-constructed body to match its beefy internals. It does look like a blown-up version of the iPhone 3GS at a distance because of its rounded edges, bordered by metal rims (sans the glossy back panel), but not to a point that it looks like a cheap knock-off.

Meizu MX4 Main (web)

Those who are picky about thick bezels (ehem… Abuzalzal) surrounding the display will certainly appreciate the effort that Meizu has done to keep it so thin that it’s hardly noticeable.

We’re not sure how the MX4’s single capacitive button will fly with users as it take some getting used to before you get the hang of it, but based on our short time with the handset it felt very responsive and, together with the FlyMe OS, works as advertised.

Meizu MX4 specs:
5.36-inch (1920 x 1152) IPS OGS display (Sharp/JDI), 418ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2.2GHz MediaTek MT6595 True octa-core CPU
PowerVR G6200 GPU
2GB RAM
16/32/64GB internal storage
20.7MP Sony IMX 220 Exmor RS BSI sensor rear camera
f/2.2 aperture, dual-tone LED flash
4K video recording, 720p slow motion feature
2.1MP front camera
4G LTE, HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
3,100mAh battery
Flyme 4.0 OS (Android 4.4.4 KitKat)
144 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm
147 g
Gray, Gold, White

The Meizu MX4 is now available at Novo7 Tech’s stores for Php14,990.

The post First look at the Meizu MX4 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Nine Windows 8 Phones Under Php10,000

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

Unlike Android smartphones, Windows Phone 8 handsets that are priced under ten grand are few and far in between. So if you’re in the market for WP8-powered smartphone within the said budget, then this list may be of help.

Smartphones in this list are arranged in descending order based on its SRP when it was first released locally.

lumia-636LTE

1. Nokia Lumia 636 (Php9,100) – Of all the handsets under the Lumia 63X family, only two are LTE-capable. One of which is the Lumia 636 which, unfortunately, was not officially launched by Nokia in the country, though you can get one through CMK Cellphones.

Specifications:
4.5-inch FWVGA ClearBlack display, 218ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core CPU
Adreno 305 GPU
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
Single SIM
LTE
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio
5 megapixel rear camera
Windows Phone 8.1 OS
1,830mAh battery
129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2mm (dimensions)
134 grams (weight)

ascendw1

2. Huawei Ascend W1 (Php8,990) – Back when Windows Phone devices were still expensive, one of the cheapest WP8 smartphones you can get was the Huawei Ascend W1. It’s also one of the few smartphones running on Windows Phone 8 that sports a One Glass Solution (OGS) display panel. Check out our review.

Specifications:
4.0 inch IPS OGS display @ 480×800 pixels, 233ppi
Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon 1.2GHz dual-core Krait
Adreno 305
512MB RAM
4GB internal storage (microSD card support)
3G/HSDPA 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
5MP rear camera @ 720p
VGA front-facing camera
GPS w/ aGPS, GLONASS
Li-Ion 1950mAh battery
124.5 x 63.7 x 10.5 mm
130 g
Windows Phone 8
Blue, Red, Black

lumia520

3. Nokia Lumia 520 (Php7,990) – When Nokia transitioned in to Windows Phone 8, it released the successor of the Lumia 510. Dubbed as the Lumia 520, this 4-inch smartphone filled in the role of the entry-level smartphone under the Lumia lineup. We got to take the Lumia 520 for a spin here.

Specifications:
4? WVGA (480 x 800) IPS LCD, 233ppi
Qualcomm MSM8227 Dual-core 1 GHz
Adreno 305
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage
microSD up to 64GB
5MP AF camera
720p video recording at 30fps
HSDPA, 21.1 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual band
Bluetooth 3.0
GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
Li-Ion 1,430mAh battery
119.9 x 64 x 9.9 mm
124g
Windows Phone 8

lumia-630

4. Nokia Lumia 630 Dual (Php7,990) – Unlike its predecessor, this mid-ranged WP8 smartphone was priced within the Php8K range when it was announced back in May.

Specifications:
4.5-inch FWVGA ClearBlack display, 218ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core CPU
Adreno 305 GPU
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio
5 megapixel rear camera
Windows Phone 8.1 OS
1,830mAh battery
129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2mm (dimensions)
134 grams (weight)

lumia630

5. Nokia Lumia 630 (Php7,800) – If you don’t fancy the dual-SIM variant, then you might be interested with the plain old Lumia 630. It has the same specification as the Lumia 630 Dual, sans the extra SIM card slot. We’ve got a quick review of the Lumia 630 here.

Specifications:
4.5-inch FWVGA ClearBlack display, 218ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core CPU
Adreno 305 GPU
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
Single SIM
HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio
5 megapixel rear camera
Windows Phone 8.1 OS
1,830mAh battery
129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2mm (dimensions)
134 grams (weight)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

6. Nokia Lumia 525 (Php6,480) – The reign of the Lumia 520 as the cheapest handset in the lineup was short-lived as Nokia released Lumia 525 nine months after the debut of its predecessor. But not only did the Finnish firm make the handset more affordable, they also equipped with 1GB of RAM. We have a quick review of the Lumia 525 here.

Specifications:
4? WVGA (480 x 800) IPS LCD, 233ppi
Qualcomm MSM8227 Dual-core 1 GHz
Adreno 305
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
microSD up to 64GB
5MP AF camera
720p video recording at 30fps
HSDPA, 21.1 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
Li-Ion 1,430mAh battery
119.9 x 64 x 9.9 mm
124g

Cherry-Mobile-Luxe-Web

7. Cherry Mobile Alpha Luxe (Php4,999) – Cherry Mobile surprised the local tech scene when it announced that it will be releasing handsets that will run on Windows Phone OS. Leading the charge for the local brand was the CM Alpha Luxe which sports 5-inch HD display complete with Dragontrail protection. We got our hands on the Alpha Luxe and see what we have to say about it.

Specifications:
5-inch HD IPS display, 294ppi
Dragontrail Glass
1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8212 Snapdragon 200 quad-core CPU
Adreno 302 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
8 megapixel rear camera
2 megapixel front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
Windows Phone 8.1 OS
2,000mAh battery
145 x 72 x 9 mm
160 g

lumia 530_6

8. Nokia Lumia 530 Dual (Php 4, 990) – The Nokia Lumia 530 is an entry-level Windows Phone device that rocks a 4-inch display, Snapdragon 200 quad-core CPU, dual-SIM connectivity, Windows Phone 8.1, and a price tag of just almost Php5K. Check out our Lumia 530 Dual review.

Specifications:
4-inch FWVGA TFT display, 245ppi
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core CPU
Adreno 302 GPU
512MB RAM
4GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
free 15GB via OneDrive
5 megapixel rear camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
HSPA+, 3G
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
FM Radio
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
1,430mAh battery
Windows Phone 8.1 OS
MS Office, Action Center, Word Flow, Cortana
119.7 x 62.3 x 11.7 mm
129 g
orange, green, white, dark grey

CM-Alpha-Style1

9. Cherry Mobile Alpha Style (Php2,999) – CM is known for their competitively-priced smartphones, and when the home-grown company decided to take another shot at Windows Phone, they kept the same game plan which is evident on the CM Alpha Style that has a sub Php3K price tag. Check out our Alpha Style unboxing video.

Specifications:
4-inch WVGA IPS LCD display, 800×480 @233ppi
Qualcomm MSM8212 Snapdragon 200 1.2GHz quad-core processor
Adreno 302 GPU
512MB RAM
4GB internal storage
Supports up to 32GB microSD
5MP rear camera
0.3MP front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual Standby
3G/HSPA
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
1500mAh removable battery
Windows Phone 8.1

Editor’s note: Carl Lamiel contributed to this post.

The post Nine Windows 8 Phones Under Php10,000 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Memory Matters: List of Smartphones with 3GB RAM

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

Whether you’re a power user who multi-task a lot or you usually play 3D games on you mobile device, chances are you’re looking for a formidable smartphone with the highest RAM capacity in the market which, at the time of writing, is set at three (3) gigabytes.

3GB Ram

Having said that, we decided to compile a list of smartphones with 3GB of RAM that are available locally. Smartphones on the list are arranged in chronological order based on the time local release date.

note3-ph

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (September 2013) – The third iteration of Samsung’s celebrated Galaxy Note is one of the first flagship smartphones that came with 3GB RAM.

Specifications:
5.68-inch full HD Super AMOLED display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 388ppi
Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 2.265GHz quad-core
Adreno 330 Graphics
3GB RAM
32GB, 64GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD card
LTE Category 4 150Mbps
WiFi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
IR Blaster
GPS w/ aGPS support, GLONASS
13MP rear camera, BSI sensor
1080p @ 60fps
1.9MP front-facing camera
1080p video @ 30fps
3200mAh Li-Ion battery
8.3mm thin
168 grams
Android 4.3 Jellybean

LG G Pro 2

2. LG G Pro 2 (April 2014) – Not to be outdone by Samsung, LG also released the G Pro 2 which also features 3GB of RAM but has a bigger screen than the Galaxy Note 3.

Specifications:
5.9-inch IPS LCD @ 1920×1080 pixels, 373ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor 2.26GHz quad-core processor
3GB DDR3 RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Smart Ready Bluetooth (BT5)
NFC
LTE, LTE-A, LTE broadband
13MP OIS plus rear camera (supports 4K UHD video recording)
2.1MP front camera
High Power 1W speaker
Li-Ion 3,200mAh removable battery
Android 4.4 Kitkat
157.9 × 81.9 × 8.3mm
172g
White, Black, Silver colors

oppo find 7

3. Oppo Find 7 (April 2014) – When Oppo made its local debut, the Chinese firm brought along what was then their flagship smartphone called the Find 7.

Specifications:
5.5-inch Quad-HD (2560×1440) IPS LCD display, @534ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Processor (2.26GHz Quad Core)
3GB DDR3 RAM
Expandable 32GB internal
Supports 128GB microSD card
13MP autofocus rear camera with 2 LED flashes
2160p video recording @ 30fps, 1080p @60fps & 720p @120fps
5MP front camera
HSPA+/LTE
WiFi (802.11 /b/g/N/)
Bluetooth 4.0 w/ A2DP
NFC
3,000mAh removable battery
Android 4,3 Jelly Bean
152.6 x 75 x 9.2 mm
171g

z2-review

4. Sony Xperia Z2 (June 2014) – Sony came out with the third iteration of their flagship smartphone earlier this year, but it wasn’t until the second quarter of the year before this handset arrived locally.

Specifications:
5.2-inch Triluminous display @ 1080×1920 pixels, 424ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.3GHz quad-core processor
Adreno 330 Graphics
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
LTE 100Mbps (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20)
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
ANT+ wireless technology
NFC
MHL, DLNA
GPS with aGPS support
20.7MP rear camera, f/2.0, 1/2.3-type Exmor RS
IP58 Certified
Li-Ion 3,200mAh battery
Android 4.4 Kitkat
163 grams (weight)
146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2mm (dimensions)

lgg3-reviewphilippines

5. LG G3 (July 2014) – Riding on the success of their previous flagship smartphone, LG unveiled the G3 in the second half of the year which features a vibrant 5.5-inch display with Quad-HD resolution.

Specifications:
5.5-inch QHD IPS display @ 2560×1440 pixels, 538 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz quad-core processor
Adreno 330 578MHz Graphics
3GB DDR3 RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD card
13MP rear camera with OIS, laser autofocus, and dual LED flash
2.1MP front camera
4G LTE
NFC
WiFi 802.11ac, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Miracast
Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX support
GPS w/ A-GPS support
Wireless Charging support
1-watt Speaker with Boost AMP technology
3000mAh battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat
146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm
149g

oneplus-one-black

6. OnePlus One (July 2014) – Many regarded OnePlus as the company that hit the ground running, and rightfully so because not only was their first device came with a beefy specs, it also comes pre-installed with CyanogenMod.

Specifications:
5.5-inch full HD 1920 x 1080 LTPS LCD, 401ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC quad-core CPU
3GB RAM
16GB, 64GB internal memory
13 megapixel f/2.0 rear camera w/ dual LED flash
5 megapixel front camera
4G LTE
HSPA+
WiFi 802,11 a/b/g/n/ac
NFC
Bluetooth 4.1 w/ A2DP
GPS, A-GPS
3,100mAh battery
CyanogenMod 11S (based on Android 4.4 KitKat)
152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm
162g

xperia-z3-ph_1

7. Sony Xperia Z3 (September 2014) – Sony caught the tech world off-guard when it unveiled the Xperia Z3 just seven months after releasing the Z2. What’s more baffling is that it doesn’t offer a lot of new things compared to its predecessor.

Specifications:
5.2-inch Full HD IPS display, 424ppi
Shatter proof glass, Triluminos, X-Reality
Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 quad-core CPU
Adreno 330 GPU
3GB RAM
16/32GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
20.7 megapixel Sony IMX220 Exmor RS rear camera, f/2.0 aperture, LED flash
2.2 megapixel front camera
4G LTE, HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP
FM Radio w/ RDS
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
3,100mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 4.4.4 KitKat
IP68-certified (dust proof, water resistant)
146 x 72 x 7.3 mm
152 g

lenovo-vibe-z2-pro_1

8. Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (October 2014) – Unlike their two previous flagship devices, the Vibe Z2 Pro is equipped with a 6-inch display which is complemented by a Quad-HD resolution.

Specifications:
6-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) IPS display, 490ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC quad-core CPU
Adreno 330 GPU
3GB RAM
32GB internal storage
16MP BSI OIS rear camera w/ dual-LED flash
4K video recording
5 megapixel front camera
Dual-SIM support
4G LTE, HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n ac
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
USB OTG
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Android 4.4 KitKat w/ Vibe UI 2.0
4,000mAh Li-Po battery
156 x 81.3 x 7.7mm
179 g

galaxy-note-4-launch-ph_1

9. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (October 2014) – Samsung incorporated the Heart Rate Monitor and the Fingerprint Sensor, features that were first introduced in the Galaxy S lineup, and combined those with all the niceties that users like with the Galaxy Note handsets on their latest flagship smartphone.

Specifications:
5.7-inch WQHD Super AMOLED display @ 2560×1440 pixels, 515ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Samsung Exynos 5433 1.9GHz Octa-core processor
Mali-T760 GPU
3GB RAM
Expandable 16GB/32GB internal storage
Supports up to 64GB Micro SD card
4G/LTE
16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
Built-in Optical Image Stabilization
2160p video recording @30fps, 1080p @60fps
3.7-megapixel front camera with 120-degree angle lens
1080p video recording @30fps
Fingerprint Sensor
Heart Rate Monitor
Android 4.4 Kitkat
3220mAh battery
Dimension: 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm
Weight: 176g
Color: Charcoal Black, Frost White, Bronze Gold and Blossom Pink

mx4-appearance-1

10. Meizu MX4 (October 2014) – Rounding up our list is Meizu’s current flagship smartphone. It was recently made available in the country through Novo7 Tech.

Specifications:
5.36-inch Full HD IPS display @ 1920 x 1152 resolution, 418ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Aircraft-grade aluminum frame
MediaTek MT6595 processor (quad-core 2.2GHz Cortex-A17 and quad-core 1.7GHz Cortex-A7)
PowerVR G6200 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB, 32GB, 64GB internal storage
20.7MP rear camera with Sony IMX 220 Exmor RS BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture, dual-tone LED flash
4K video recording, 720p slow motion feature
2.1MP front camera
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi
3G, LTE
147 grams
3100mAh battery
Android 4.4 KitKat with Flyme 4.0
Colors: Gray, gold, and white

Did we miss anything? Drop your comments down below.

The post Memory Matters: List of Smartphones with 3GB RAM appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Smart iPhone 6, 6 Plus Postpaid Plans revealed

Abe Olandres Leave a comment

Smart has now revealed their postpaid plans for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Check out the table of the all the different plans fro the iPhone below.

iPhone 6 Models
iPhone Plan 999
iPhone Plan 1799
Data Plan 2000
Data Plan 3000
iPhone 6 16GBPhp19,200 cash-outPhp10,800 cash-outPhp6,000 cash-outFREE
iPhone 6 64GBPhp25,200 cash-outPhp15,500 cash-outPhp12,000 cash-outPhp5,000 cash-out
iPhone 6 128GBPhp27,700 cash-outPhp26,300 cash-outPhp16,600 cash-outPhp10,000
iPhone 6 Models
All-In Plan 1200
All-In Plan 1800
All-In Plan 2500
iPhone 6 16GBPhp21,400 cash-outPhp16,900 cash-outPhp11,700 cash-out
iPhone 6 64GBPhp26,000 cash-outPhp21,600 cash-outPhp16,400 cash-out
iPhone 6 128GBPhp30,700 cash-outPhp26,200 cash-outPhp21,000 cash-out

* 0% installment for 24 months is applicable for all cash-outs under Plan 999 via participating credit card partners: BDO, BDO – American Express, BPI, Citibank, Diners Club, EastWest Bank, Metrobank, Security Bank, Unionbank.

** Special Pricing available for Retention Upgrades. Get the iPhone 6 64GB or iPhone 6 Plus 16GB at waived cash-out.

*** 24-month lock in period. All cashouts and offers are subject to change without prior notice

iPhone 6 Plus Models
iPhone Plan 999
iPhone Plan 1799
Data Plan 2000
Data Plan 3000
iPhone 6 Plus 16GBPhp25,200 cash-outPhp15,500 cash-outPhp12,000 cash-outPhp5,000 cash-out
iPhone 6 Plus 64GBPhp27,700 cash-outPhp20,100 cash-outPhp16,600 cash-outPhp10,000 cash-out
iPhone 6 Plus 128GBPhp32,300 cash-outPhp30,900 cash-outPhp21,300 cash-outPhp15,000 cash-out
iPhone 6 Models
All-In Plan 1200
All-In Plan 1800
All-In Plan 2500
iPhone 6 16GBPhp26,000 cash-outPhp21,600 cash-outPhp16,400 cash-out
iPhone 6 64GBPhp30,700 cash-outPhp26,200 cash-outPhp21,000 cash-out
iPhone 6 128GBPhp35,400 cash-outPhp30,900 cash-outPhp25,700 cash-out

Prices for the prepaid kit iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are found here.

Pre-orders start today and subscribers will be able to claim their iPhone 6 on November 14.

You can read our full review of the iPhone 6 here and the iPhone 6 Plus here.

In comparison, Globe’s Postpaid Plans are found here.

The post Smart iPhone 6, 6 Plus Postpaid Plans revealed appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.