Oppo officially confirms, no curved edge to edge screen for the R7

To some fans who expects the R7 to have an edge to edge display, this might dissapoint you. Oppo officially confirmed that the R7 won't have a curved edge to edge display as opposed to what the leaks state by releasing some official press images of the device. Nevertheless, we can still assume that it would have very thin bezels on the side, almost bezel-free to say the least.

But don't lose hope just yet, this phone may still pack a punch when it comes to specifications.

Here is the unofficial list of specs for the R7 according to GSMArena.com :

R7

• 5.2" AMOLED display (1920x1080 pixels, 424ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4
•  MediaTek MT6795 chipset
• 2.2Ghz quad-core Cortex A57 and 1.7Ghz quad-core Cortex A53 (big.LITTLE)
• 700Mhz PowerVR G6200 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage (not expandable)
• 20.7MP autofocus camera w/dual-tone LED flash
• 5MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE Cat.4
• WI-FI a/b/g/n (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0 (USB host)
• 2000mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• 4.85mm thick

As you can see, if the specifications above will become official, this phone can pack a punch especially on the performance. And as expected, it may become the thinnest smartphone in the world (4.85mm thick)

Looking on it's design as revealed by the press images, the R7 looks like a hybrid between the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6 and Xperia Z3. It's also very thin

Anyways, let's just wait for the phone to become official this May. No specific date provided but it would surely be announced next month.

Xiaomi Redmi 2 release date confirmed !

Mark your calendars folks ! For those who are planning to get or to own Xiaomi's newest bang for the buck phone, start saving this date.

Starting this April 28 which is on Tuesday, Xiaomi Philippines would start selling the Redmi 2. No particular place we're given but let's assume that it would become available first to online shops particularly at Lazada.com

A quick refresher, so for a price of just P5,499.00, you would get a pretty decent device with a full laminated HD display, a quad-core chipset which supports LTE connectivity, amazing optics and above average battery life.

Unfortunately for those who are loyal Smart subscribers, their LTE band is not compatible with this phone so if you're planning to use this as your daily driver especially using it for LTE surfing, then you should plan on purchasing Globe's LTE sim

(Credits to : Unbox.ph)

Asus Philippines 2015 Latest Price List (Full Specs included)

After bringing their top of the line laptops, gaming rigs, monitors, video cards and other PC needs, Asus Philippines wants to bring us something new. Their affordable but powerful mobile devices. We have seen it already after the release of Zenfone 5.

Below is their latest offerings with their respective price tags and specifications :

- Smartphones -

ZENFONE 4

• 4" IPS LCD display, (480x800 pixels, 233ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Intel Atom Z2520 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 300Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus camera
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1,200mAh Li-Po battery
• Android 4.3 Jellybean upgradable to 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 124.4 x 64.4 x 11.2mm, 115g

SRP : P3,995.00

ZENFONE C

• 4.5" IPS LCD display, (480x854 pixels, 217ppi), Oleophobic coating
• Intel Atom Z2520 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 300Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus "Pixelmaster" camera w/LED flash
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,100mAh Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI

SRP : P4,595.00

ZENFONE 5 LITE

• 5" IPS LCD display, (540x960 pixels, 220ppi), Oleophobic coating
• Intel Atom Z2520 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 300Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus "PixelMaster" camera w/LED flash
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,500mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 148.2 x 72.8 x 10.8mm, 160g

SRP : P5,595.00

ZENFONE 5

• 5" IPS LCD display, (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Intel Atom Z2520 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 300Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus "PixelMaster" camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,110mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 148.2 x 71.5 x 10.9mm, 155g

SRP : P6,495.00

ZENFONE 2 ZE501CL

• 5" IPS LCD display, (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Intel Atom Z2560 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.6Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 400Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus "PixelMaster"camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Free lifetime Asus Cloud storage (5GB)
• 2,500mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop w/ZenUI
• 148.1 x 72.8 x 10.8mm, 160g

SRP : P7,000+

ZENFONE 2 ZE551ML

• 5.5" IPS LCD display, (1920x1080 pixels, 403ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Intel Atom Z3580 Moorefield chipset
• 2.3Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 533Mhz PowerVR G6420 GPU
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP autofocus "PixelMaster"camera w/dual-tone LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Free lifetime Asus Cloud storage (5GB)
• 3,000mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop w/ZenUI
• 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9mm, 170g

SRP : P10,000 - P12,000

ZENFONE 6

• 6" IPS LCD display, (720x1280 pixels, 245ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• Intel Atom Z2580 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 533Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP autofocus "PixelMaster" camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 3,300mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9mm, 196g

SRP : P12,995.00

- Tablets -

FONEPAD 7 FE171CG

• 7" IPS LCD display, (1284x600 pixels, 170ppi), Oleophobic coating
• Intel Atom Z2520 Clover-trail+ chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 300Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus camera
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 15Wh non removable Li-Po battery
• 196 x 110.6 x 7.9mm, 280g

SRP : P6,995.00

FONEPAD 8 FE380CG

• 8" IPS LCD display, (1280x800 pixels, 189ppi), Oleophobic coating
• Intel Atom Z3530 Moorefield chipset
• 1.33Ghz quad-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 457Mhz PowerVR G6420 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus camera
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, EDR, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Android 4.4 KitKat w/ZenUI
• 15.2Wh non removable Li-Po battery
• 214 x 120 x 8.9mm, 328g

SRP : P8,999-P9,999

O+ USA 2015 Latest Price List (Full Specs included)

Pursuing their position as one of the top local brands, O+ continuosly introduced new devices enhanced with their own innovative features catered for our casual Pinoy consumers and listed below are their complete line of devices for this year with their respective prices, features and specifications.

- Smartphones -

360 ALPHA

• 4.5" IPS LCD display (480x854 pixels, 218ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Touch sensitive panel at the back
• 1,700mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• 135.4 x 66.8 x 9.1 mm

SRP : P4,995.00

360

• 5" IPS LCD display (540x960 pixels, 220ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera w/Selfie Fix feature
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Touch sensitive panel at the back
• 2,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P6,395.00

GRANDE

• 6" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 245ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Gesture controls (Air Shuffle)
• 2,700mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 168.5 x 87.4 x 10.1mm

SRP : P5,995.00

EVO 4G

• 5" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• MediaTek MT6732 chipset
• 1.5Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-T760MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE cat. 4
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• Miracast ready
• 2,500mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 145.8 x 72.2 x 9.3 mm

SRP : P7,995.00

360 EXTREME

• 5.5" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 267ppi)
• MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 1.7Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 8MP autofocus wide-angle front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• NFC support
• Gesture controls (Air Shuffle)
• Touch sensitive rear panel
• 2,400mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P12,995.00 w/free Sennheiser earphones

IMAGINE

• 5" IPS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 441ppi), Scratch resistant glass (Front and back)
• MediaTek MT6589T chipset
• 1.5Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 357Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage (not expandable)
• 13MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• Gesture controls (Air Shuffle)
• 2,000mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean

SRP : P16,995.00

AIR

• 5" Dual-crystal "LUMI" display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• Gesture controls (Air Shuffle)
• 2,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P15,995.00

FAB ELITE 2.0

• 6.5" IPS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 339ppi)
• MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM (TBC)
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P17,495.00

- Tablets -

CONVERTIBLE

• 11.6" Full-touch IPS LCD screen (1280x800, 130ppi)
• Intel Atom Z3735F Baytrail-T chipset
• 1.8Ghz quad-core processor with Hyper-Threading technology
• 667Mhz Intel HD graphics Gen 7 "Silvermont"
• 2GB LDDR3P RAM
• 32GB internal storage (Tablet), 500GB HDD (Keyboard dock)
• 2MP fixed-focus camera
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth
• 3.5mm audio jack, USB 2.0 ports, micro HDMi out
• Microsoft Windows 8.1

SRP : P15,995.00

- Peripherals -

TAG/TIME

• Basic SMS, notifications, call receiver
• Bluetooth 3.0 support
• 200 Hrs stand-by (BT Off, LCD off)
• 150 Hrs stand-by (BT Sync, LCD off)
• 80 Mins. talk time
• 150mAh Li-Ion battery

SRP : P1,995.00

Starmobile unveiled the Up Vision, their second phone with digital TV

Starmobile is again making a new trend in our local mobile phone industry. After releasing a series of smartphones with front-facing LED flash, their now venturing into something new. Their next goal is providing us with quality phones supporting digital TV.

After releasing their first ever digital TV phone which is the Knight Vision, they're doing it again. This time, under the Up series which as we know, is their budget phone line-up. Yes folks ! introducing the Up Vision.

So when you want to taste digital TV goodness on your mobile device but can't afford the Knight Vision, this is Starmobile's answer for your problem.

Let's look further on the specs sheet :

UP VISION

• 4.7" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 312ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP autofocus BSI (Sony sensor, blue glass lens) camera w/LED flash
• 8MP autofocus (Samsung sensor)  front facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+,
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• Miracast ready, Chromecast support
• Digital TV (ISDB-T)
• 1,800mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P5,990.00

Yes, it rocks some pretty decent specs, good rear and front facing camera both coupled with a single LED flash, of course for your casual photography and selfie needs. Of course it has a digital TV receiver (ISDB-T to be exact), it also supports wireless display via Miracast and Chromecast so if you want something new, you can cast your digital TV session on your HD TV (Haha LOL.)

The biggest gripe I think is the modest amount of battery. Well if you will include a digital TV to an HD phone then why not include a larger amount of battery to maximize the usage ? They should've made it atleast 2400mAh.

What do you think ? Yay or Nay ?

Firefly Mobile unveiled the Intense 64 LTE

Firefly Mobile, an indistinct player in the mobile phone industry finally broke their silence after unveiling a new smartphone with 64-bit chipset and LTE, they named it as Intense 64 LTE.

To start with, it has a rather impressive and attractive slim profile with some of its design elements similar to that of the SKK Lynx. Well, I researched about it and found out that the Lynx and Intense 64 LTE is from the same OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) from India or China. If the OEM would be the basis, it is basically an upgraded version of the Lynx. In other country, both of them are being sold by a brand called "ulefone".

So the front is dominated by a large phablet-sized screen at 5.5-inches and has a resolution of 720x1280 pixels or simply HD. It is an IPS  panel, like the usual so expect that it would deliver good viewing angles on all sides. It's OGS though for better sunlight legibility and to avoid light diffusion. It's also good to know that it's covered by an Asahi Dragontrail Glass to protect your device getting scratched.

The main highlight of this release is the chipset running inside the device which is the MediaTek MT6732. Frankly, it's the quad-core version of the chipset used by Meizu for their M1 Note which coincidentally is priced the same with the Intense 64 LTE (in this case, for the White 16GB version). So I guess it's performance should be 50% that of the M1 Note. For some quick info, the aforementioned chipset utilizes four ARMv8 based Cortex A53 cores running at 1.5Ghz and a Mali-T768MP2 GPU running at 500Mhz. Multi-tasking should be smooth, thanks to a sizeable amount of RAM at 2GB.

Camera wise, it packs a 13MP BSI maim camera with f/2.2 aperture and is coupled with a single LED flash. Selfies are handled by an 8MP BSI front-facing camera which according to them, is a Samsung sensor with f/2.8 aperture.

To finish this off, here are the full list of specifications :

INTENSE 64 LTE

• 5.5" IPS OGS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 267ppi), Asahi Dragontrail Glass
• MediaTek MT6732 chipset
• 1.5Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-T760MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 13MP autofocus BSI camera (f/2.2 aperture) w/LED flash
• 8MP fixed-focus BSI (Samsung sensor, f/2.8 aperture) front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE cat. 4
• Dual SIM/Dual LTE stand-by
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual band), Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• USB OTG support
• Hotknot sharing
• NXP audio chipset
• 2,820mAh Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P7,999.00

FREEBIES

• Smart Circular Window Flip Cover (worth P600)
• 2 Back Covers
• 2 Screen Protectors (worth P200)
• Basic Phone (worth P449)

So here it is folks, the Intense 64 LTE. It has tons of great feature, tons of freebies included which really shouts great value for money.

Like I mentioned, it is priced the same with the Meizu M1 Note, you can check it out HERE.

So it's your choice whether you would get this phone or invest into a phone made by known brands.

MyPhone 2015 Latest Price List (Full Specs included)

Here are MyPhone's latest devices with their respective prices and specifications

- SMARTPHONES -

RIO JUNIOR 2G

• 3.5" TFT LCD display (320x480 pixels, 165ppi)
• MediaTek MT6571 chipset
• 1.3Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 256MB RAM
• 512MB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 1.3MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1300mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P1,599.00

RIO JUNIOR TV

• 3.5" TFT LCD display (320x480 pixels, 165ppi)
• MediaTek MT6571 chipset
• 1.3Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 256MB RAM
• 512MB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 1.3MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1,300mAh Li-Ion battery
• Analog TV
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P1,799.00

RIO JUNIOR 3G

• 3.5" TFT LCD display (320x480 pixels, 165ppi)
• MediaTek MT6572 chipset
• 1.3Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 1.3MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1,300mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P2,199.00

RIO CRAZE

• 4" TFT LCD display (480x800 pixels, 233ppi)
• MediaTek MT6571 chipset
• 1.3Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 256MB RAM
• 512MB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 1.3MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1,300mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P1,999.00

RIO LITE

• 4.7" IPS LCD display (480x800 pixels, 199ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582M chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 416Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 1.3MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean

SRP : P3,999.00

UNO

• 4.5" IPS LCD display (480x854 pixels, 218ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 5MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 1,700mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 5.0 Lollipop w/ daily updates from Google for two years

SRP : P3,999.00

RIO LITE 2

• 4.7" IPS LCD full-laminated display (480x854 pixels, 208ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus (Samsung sensor w/Blue lens) camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,120mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• USB OTG support
• Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

SRP : P4,599.00

RIO

• 5" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean upgradable to 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P4,999.00

RIO 2

• 5" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 294ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI (Sony IMX179 sensor w/5-piece blue lens and IR filter) camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,800mAh non removable Li-Po battery
• USB OTG support
• Android 5.0.1 Lollipop

SRP : P5,499.00

INFINITY LITE

• 4.7" IPS LCD display (720x1280 pixels, 312ppi)
• MediaTek MT6592M chipset
• 1.4Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 650Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4.2 KitKat

SRP : P7,999.00

INFINITY

• 5" IPS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 441ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 2
• MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 1.7Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage (not expandable)
• True 16MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 8MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 2,350mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• USB OTG support
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean

SRP : P12,999.00

- TABLETS -

TIERRA MYPAD 4

• 7.85" IPS LCD display (1024x768 pixels, 163ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.2Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP autofocus camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Single SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• 4.500mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• USB OTG support
• Miracast ready
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean

SRP : P10,999.00

Xiaomi Mi4i Now Official !

After weeks of teasing their new "global Mi phone", Xiaomi finally unveiled it yesterday in India.

And yup, speculations were right, it has an "i" on its name and it's a lighter, more cheaper version of their flagship smartphone last year.

So what's new ? Well, it's now made from plastic as opposed to the metal-glass build of its predecessor. It's pretty obvious that they made it that way to reduce the price.

Looking at the display, it has the same 5-inch IPS display rocking a Full HD resolution which results in to ~441ppi. It's OGS though and I'm not pretty sure if it is covered in Gorilla Glass.

Running inside that premium plastic-y build is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset, which is Qualcomm's first octa-core chipset by the way, coupled with 2GB of RAM. It has 16GB of internal storage, which unfortunately, isn't expandable.

Camera wise, it has a 13MP autofocus BSI rear-camera with dual-tone LED flash, Xiaomi invested a lot at this category. They made some cool new features to cater mobile photography lovers. For selfies, it has a 5MP front-facing camera.

For the battery, it has a 4.4v, 770kh/L high density polymer battery rated at 3120mAh. So, according to them, Mi 4i is one of the first smartphones to use this kind of battery which basically is made to fit on thinner smartphones like this without sacrificing the battery capacity. It is also quick-charge enabled.

Here are the full specifications for you to look at :

XIAOMI Mi4i

• 5" Sharp/JDI IPS OGS LCD display (1920x1080 pixels, 441ppi)
• Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core chipset
• 1.7Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 and 1Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
• Adreno 405 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage (not expandable)
• 13MP AF BSI camera (Sony sensor w/5-element lens and f/2.0 aperture) w/dual-tone LED flash
• 5MP AF wide-angle front-facing camera (80° wide angle and f/1.8 aperture)
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE (World-mode)
• Single SIm
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual band), Bluetooth 4.1 A2DP, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 (USB host)
• 3120mAh non-removable high-density Li-Po battery
• Android 5.0.2 Lollipop w/MIUI 6.0
• 138.1 x 69.6 x 7.8 mm , 130g

Xiaomi isn't releasing statements yet wether it would be available here in the Philippines, while the price is not yet announced.

Starmobile 2015 Latest Price List (Full Specs included)

Below is Starmobile's price list for this year, with their respective specifications.

- SMARTPHONES -

VIDA
"affordable KitKat smartphone w/HSPA+"

• 3.5" TFT LCD display (320x480, 165ppi)
• MediaTek MT6572M chipset
• 1Ghz  dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 433Mhz ARM Mali-400MP
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP fixed-focus camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM/Dual 3G stand-by
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 1,300mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 115 x 61.5 x 11.9mm, 108g

SRP : P2,490.00

PLAY CLUB
"affordable dual-core KitKat smartphone w/playful colors"

• 4" TFT LCD display (480x800, 233ppi)
• MediaTek MT6572M
• 1Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM/Dual 3G stand-by
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 1,450mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P2,690.00

JUMP MAX
"dual-core KitKat smartphone w/huge battery"

• 4.5" TFT LCD display (480x854, 217ppi)
• MediaTek MT6572M
• 1Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP fixed-focus camera w/LED flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM/Dual 3G stand-by
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P3,690.00

UP MINI
"affordable quad-core KitKat smartphone w/gesture recognition"

• 4.5" IPS LCD display (480x854, 218ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582M chipset
• 1.2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 412Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 1,550mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Gesture recognition (double tap to wake/sleep, swipe, etc.)
• 133.4 x 66.4 x 9.3mm, 137.6g

SRP : P3,690.00

UP LITE
"stylish quad-core KitKat smartphone w/front-facing flash"

• 4.5" IPS OGS LCD display (480x854, 218ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582M chipset
• 1.2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 412Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus BSI front-facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 1,650mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Gesture recognition (double tap to wake/sleep, swipe, etc.)

SRP : P4,590.00

UP+
"5-inch quad-core KitKat smartphone w/upgraded storage"

• 5" IPS LCD display (480x854, 218ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 2000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• USB OTG support, Miracast ready
• 146 x 73 x 9.99mm, 173 grams

SRP : P4,990.00

UP HD
"affordable HD quad-core KitKat smartphone"

• 4.7" IPS OGS LCD display (720x1280, 312ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front-facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 1,800mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Miracast ready, Chromecast support
• 137 x 68 x 8.1mm, 137g

SRP : P4,990.00

UP SNAP
"5-inch quad-core KitKat smartphone w/UltraPixel rear-camera and large battery"

• 5" IPS Display (480x854, 196ppi)
• Broadcom BCM23550 chipset
• 1.2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• Broadcom VideoCore IV GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8MP autofocus 'UltraPixel' camera w/LED flash
• 5MP autofocus front-facing camera
• 8GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM/Dual Standby
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 2,900mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• USB OTG support
• 147 x 73 x 9.5mm

SRP : P5,990.00

UP VISION (New !)
"HD KitKat smartphone with digital TV and front facing LED flash"

• 4.7" IPS LCD display (720x1280, 312ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 13MP autofocus BSI (Sony sensor, blue glass lens) camera w/LED flash
• 8MP fixed-focus (Samsung sensor) front-facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• Miracast ready, Chromecast suppprt
• Digital TV (ISDB-T)
• 1,800mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat

SRP : P5,990.00


TURBO
"5-inch HD quad-core KitKat smartphone"

• 5" IPS OGS LCD display (720x1280, 294ppi), scratch-resistant glass
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 64 GB
• 12MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus BSI (Samsung sensor) front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 2000mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• USB OTG support
• 145 x 71.5 x 9.9mm, 172 grams

SRP : P5,990.00

KNIGHT VISION
"5.5-inch HD KitKat smartphone w/Digital TV and OIS camera"

• 5.5" IPS Display (720x1280, 267ppi)
• MediaTek MT6582 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 13MP AF BSI (Sony sensor) camera w/ LED flash and OIS
• 8MP autofocus (Sony sensor) front-facing camera
• 16GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 64GB
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM/Dual Standby
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 2,450mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• Digital TV (ISDB-T)
• 154 x 78 x 8.5mm, 161g

SRP : P9,990.00

OCTA
"Feature packed octa-core KitKat* smartphone"

• 5" IPS LCD display (1920x1080, 440ppi), Asahi Dragontrail Glass
• MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 1.7Ghz ARM Cortex-A7
• 700Mhz ARM Mali-450MP4 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage (not expandable)
• 13MP AF BSI camera w/LED flash
• 8MP fixed-focus front-facing camera w/LED flash
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio
• 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0 (MHL-support)
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 2,300mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean, *upgradable to KitKat
• NFC enabled
• Wireless charging

SRP : P10,990.00

KNIGHT X
"High-end KitKat smartphone w/dual LTE"

• 5.5" IPS OGS LCD display (1920x1080, 401ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• MediaTek MT6595M chipset
• 2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A17 and 1.5 quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 (ARM big.LITTLE)
• 450Mhz PowerVR IMG Rogue G6200 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage (not expandable)
• 13MP AF BSI (Sony IMX135 sensor, f/2.2 aperture) camera w/LED flash
• 5MP fixed-focus front-facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+, 4G LTE (World-mode), TD-SCDMA
• Dual SIM/Dual LTE
• WI-FI a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.0
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3,350mAh non-removable Li-Po battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• USB OTG support
• NFC enabled
• IR Blaster
• 152 x 77.7 x 8.9 mm

SRP : P15,990.00

- TABLETS -

ENGAGE 7 LITE
"Slim and light dual-core Jellybean tablet"

• 7" TFT LCD display (1024x600, 182ppi)
• Rockchip RK3168 chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9
• 400Mhz PowerVR SGX540MP
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 2MP fixed-focus camera
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• WI-FI b/g/n
• 3.5mm audio jack, 5-pin microUSB, AC plug
• 3,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• 190 x 110 x 10.2mm, 283.6g

SRP : P2,990.00

ENGAGE 7 TV+
"dual-core Jellybean tablet w/analog and digital TV"

• 7" TFT LCD display (1024x600, 182ppi)
• AllWinner A20 chipset
• 1.2Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 350Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 2MP fixed-focus camera
• VGA fixed-focus front facing camera
• WI-FI b/g/n
• 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB 2.0
• 3,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• Mobile TV (Analog/Streaming/Digital ISDB-T)
• 191 x 110.3 x 11.8mm, 305g

SRP : P4,290.00

ENGAGE 7 3G+
"quad-core KitKat tablet w/call and text capabilities"

• 7" IPS LCD display (1024x600, 182ppi)
• MediaTek MT8382 chipset
• 1.3Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7
• 500Mhz ARM Mali-400MP2
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 8MP autofocus BSI camera w/LED flash
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• 2G GPRS/EDGE, 3G HSPA+
• Dual SIM
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB 2.0, FM Radio
• GPS w/A-GPS
• 3,000mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 188 x 108 x 9mm

SRP : P4,990.00

ENGAGE 9i
"8.9-inch Jellybean tablet powered by Intel Atom w/rich multimedia capabilities"

• 8.9" IPS LCD display (1920x1200, 245ppi)
• Intel Atom Z2580 Clovertrail+ chipset
• 2Ghz dual-core processor w/Hyper-Threading technology
• 533Mhz PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB
• 5MP autofocus camera
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0
• 3.5mm audio jack, 5-pin microUSB
• 6,500mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• USB OTG support
• 235.5 x 180 x 8.6mm, 441.7g

SRP : P7,990.00

ENGAGE 10 PRO
"10.1-inch full-pledged Windows 8.1 tablet-laptop hybrid"

• 10.1" IPS LCD display (1280x800, 150ppi)
• Intel Atom Z3735F Baytrail-T chipset
• 1.8Ghz quad-core processory w/Hyper-Threading technology
• 667Mhz Intel HD graphics Gen 7 "Silvermont"
• 2GB DDR3L RAM
• 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 64GB via microSD
• 5MP autofocus camera
• 2MP fixed-focus front facing camera
• WI-FI b/g/n, Bluetooth
• 3.5mm audio jack, 1x USB 2.0 port (Tablet), 1x USB 2.0 port (keyboard dock), mini HDMi out, 5-pin micro USB port
• 7,500mAh Li-Ion battery
• Microsoft Windows 8.1 w/free 1-year Office 365
• 257 x 172 x 10.1mm, 1.18kg

SRP : P11,990.00

TOP 4 BEST SMARTPHONES UNDER 5K

This is my first try in making a top 5 list and I will base this one according to user feedbacks and reviews listed on the web. I will also provide their respective pros and cons to help you decide on what to choose.

TOP 5 Best Smartphones under Php. 5,000

#4. ASUS ZENFONE C

First on the list is the upcoming Zenfone C, I know that its not yet available but talking about its price to specs ratio, it should be added on this list. Basically, it is placed between the Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 5. Here is a quick rundown of the specs, so as mentioned, a 4.5" IPS display, an Intel Atom Z2520 dual-core chipset w/HyperThreading technology, 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM, 5MP "PixelMaster" camera w/LED flash, VGA front facing one, your usual set of connectivity options like 3G, WI-FI, etc. It also sports dual SIM support and a 2100mAh battery.

Again, its still not available for purchase but it should become available soon. So, why is it on this list ? Well, i tried to read some reviews about this phone and to my surprise, somehow they praised it for its affordability. So, according to them, it has a good gaming capability which is the usual for a phone sporting an Intel Atom chipset, running on Asus' custom ZenUI, it offered a smooth and fluid user experience plus some cool features to complete the package. The camera is also decent, it has tons of features which were also available to Zenfone 5. With all of that, you're also ensured that this device is well-built, coming from a reliable smartphone maker, so that's an added point.

PROS :

- Good gaming performance, smooth and feature-pack UI
- Pretty decent camera w/tons of cool features
- More likely to receive an update
- Good battery life
- Good build quality, awesome design

CONS :

- Average display quality, very reflective and sunlight legibility is poor
- Gets warm after hours of moderate use

PRICE : Php. 4,590

Again, if you're willing to get your hands on this smartphone, kindly visit Asus Philippines' website.

#3. STARMOBILE UP LITE

Making it to the number four slot is Starmobile's budget smartphone under their Up line. Released at Q4 last year, the Up Lite remains one of the top contender under the 5K price range. It has the typical mix of specifications like a 4.5" FWVGA IPS OGS LCD display, a quad-core MediaTek MT6582M, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD, 8MP BSI rear-camera w/LED flash, 2MP BSI front-facing selfie camera w/flash (which is very rare for a phone at this price range), a 1,650mAh battery and your usual set of connectivity options, it's also Dual SIM by the way.

So according to symphonyx7's review, it has a pretty decent display which according to him, is one of the best at this price range. It also has a very good camera, comparable to phones which are priced 6K below and don't forget the front facing camera w/LED flash. Plus, it has a pretty attractive classy design for those who are "fashionistas". With all of that being said, the Starmobile Up Lite made its way on this list.

PROS :

- Pretty decent display (one of the best at this price range)
- Very good rear-facing camera
- Above average front-facing camera
- Classy and elegant design
- Generous packaging

CONS :

- Poor audio quality
- Battery isn't enough for its hardware

PRICE : Php. 4,590

Up Lite is still available at your nearest Starmobile kiosks, outlets and concept stores.

#2. SKK MOBILE LYNX

By far, the SKK Lynx is the cheapest octa-core smartphone with an HD screen available. Initially, this is my choice for the best smartphone under 5K but there's one con that made it just sit on the number two slot. (More on that later)

So for its very affordable price, you'll get a phone with a MediaTek MT6592M octa-core chipset partnered with 1GB of RAM, an 8GB internal storage which can be expanded via microSD card. It has a 5" HD IPS display, a 13MP BSI camera, a 2MP front-facing one, your usual set of connectivity options, dual SIM and a 2500mAh battery. Actually, it's very promising, no negative comments from users except one (kindly look on its Cons)

PROS :

- Affordability meets performance, cheapest smartphone with this kind of specs
- Rather enough battery life
- Very good camera performance, both rear and front-facing
- Awesome and attractive design, well-built and no squeaks present

CONS :

- Its so difficult to find stocks, even on their official online store

PRICE : Php. 3,990

So yeah, that made this phone only positioned on the number two slot, but then again, this phone is almost perfect in terms of specs and price. If you're willing to get one, prepare your PATIENCE in waiting for stocks, you can purchase it on your neares SKK stores, kiosks and outlets or you can order online, just visit : www.easyshop.ph

The best smartphone under 5K goes to  ......... (drum rolls)

#1. CHERRY MOBILE FLARE S3 POWER

So, yes it goes to Cherry Mobile's newest offering, the Flare S3 Power ! . So basically, if you already heard the Flare S3, this phone is actually it with an octa-core chipset, an HD screen, and a large 4000mAh battery.

The biggest gripe of the Flare S3 is its battery life, which is just rated at 1800mAh. So Cherry Mobile decided to release an upgraded one with a larger and better battery. So 4000mAh is more than enough for casual to heavy usage. Gaming wouldn't also be a problem because it has an octa-core chipset coupled with 1GB of RAM. What's best is that you will only add Php. 1,000 more from Flare S3's original price. Amazing !

PROS :

- Good performance, its octa-core chipset is reliable in gaming
- Big battery, expect longer battery life
- Good price to specs ratio

CONS :

- Cherry Mobile is known for its poor customer support

PRICE : Php. 4,999

So yeah, this marks our Top 4 best smartphones under 5K ! Stay tuned for more articles of the same kind

Xiaomi Mi4i leaks

After teasing their "global Mi phone" which is going to be announced on Thursday, rumors began spreading out that the new Mi phone is going to be called "Mi4i" which I think is possible. Remember their teasers ? it used a very prominent letter which is a lower case "i".

According to some sources, Mi4i is a cheaper and tuned down version of their flagship Mi4 from last year. As expected, it should also come with lowered specsheet to make the device cheaper. Sources also said that instead of using a combination of metal and glass like what they did to the Mi4, Xiaomi opted to use plastic for this one, again to lower the price down.

Still, it should still boast the same 5" display w/Full HD resolution. A lower end chipset (probably a Snapdragon 605), 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, dual SIM capability, LTE, and according to the teasers, a bigger than usual battery.

For the price, it is rumored that it should bear a price tag close to $210. But it is not yet confirmed, that's what we're going to find out on Thursday so stay tuned !

Sony Xperia Z4, now official in Japan !

After weeks of speculations and countless leaks, Sony unveiled the much awaited Xperia Z4 ! But for now, it is only announced for Japanese market, but it should become available on other regions soon.

So looking at the phone, as expected, it boast the familiar OmniBalance design which runned through the Xperia line for quite some time now, basically it is nearly identical to its predecessors sporting dual-glass design with metals surrounding the body. It is also enforced with the same IP68 certification for dust and water proofing.

Its also very thin at 6.9mm, well for an IP68 certified device.

At the front is a 5.2" Full HD display, still no QHD resolution unfortunately but it will help alot especially for the battery life. Running inside is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 64-bit chipset coupled with a sizeable amount of RAM at 3GB. It has 32GB of internal storage, the good news is it has a microSD card slot for memory expansion which can reach up to 128GB.

For the camera, Sony opted for a 20.7MP Exmor RS sensor taking advantage of their own G lens, it has a sensor size of 1/2.3-inch which can deliver up to ISO12800 for night sensitive shots. Almost DSLR-like if you ask me. Sony also made some new "cool" features like the "Cooking-mode" which basically enhances your #FoodPorn photos. Sweet !

At the front is a 5MP Exmor R camera w/ the new "Shake" feature which makes front-facing videos shake free. Of course you can still uses it for your usual #Selfies or #Groupies or whatever you call it.

It has a 2,930maH non-removable battery which I think is enough especially that it only sports 1080p display.

Again, Sony is not yet releasing any statements on when it will become available outside the Japanese territories. So kindly stay tuned for that !

Get two Cherry Mobile Me series phones for Php. 1999.00 each

Cherry Mobile doesn't want to stop, after three consecutive sales and price drop, they're doing it again and this time, for their Me and Me Fun. Remember? you can get free customized back cover for every purchase or a phone belonging to this series and yes, they're giving us a price drop for the mentioned phones.

So both of them are receiving a price drop, from their initial price of Php. 2999, both will be just priced at only Php. 1999. Exactly Php. 1000 off ! But yeah, its on you on what are you going to choose between the two, basically both of them are nearly identical sporting a 4" IPS display but the Me Fun has OGS though, both are quad-core and as mentioned, both of them are getting free customized back cover exclusively from Cherry Mobile.

The sale will start on April 30 and will last until May 3, so if you're planning to get one, mark your calendars and prepare your PATIENCE (for the lining, LOL.)

Xiaomi set to unveil a new smartphone on May 23

Xiaomi, the chinese company behind the successful Mi3 is teasing their new smartphone set to be launched in a press launch in India this May 23. So we have exactly three days left before the unveiling. For now, we don't have any idea on this new smartphone for not a single leak has been spotted. But Xiaomi is generous enough to provide us with hints on what the new smartphone will bring.

Looking at the three teasers, the most prominent is the letter "i" which gave me the speculation that the new Mi phone would have a letter "i" on its name. (maybe Mi4i ? or Redmi 2i ?) Nobody knows. Well, let's proceed to the teasers shall we ?

The first teaser shows to pictures of "Mona Lisa" but the other one is pixelated and the other one is clear and beneath it is a tagline that says "Looks the same ? i Disagrees" meaning that the new Mi phone should sport a hi-res screen which I think is more sharper than others.

The second teaser shows two fried eggs, one egg is bigger and one is smaller, but the bigger egg has a smaller egg yolk while the smaller egg has a bigger yolk. Beneath it is a tagline that says, "Bigger battery, bigger phones?, i Disagrees" meaning that you don't need a bigger phone to pack a bigger battery so the new Mi phone should be a compact device packing a large battery.

The last teaser shows to two drawings, but the other one looks like a scribbled figure while the other one shows a perfectly drawn figure. Beneath it is a tagline that says, "Crafted the same ?, i Disagrees" meaning that the new Mi phone should sport a premium and precisely-built body.

But behind all the specifications, let's just wait for the official announcement on May 23. Of course, I will immediately announce it here so stay tuned.

Looking Back : Galaxy S series

It's been almost five years since the first the first Galaxy S smartphone came out and it has been a month since the latest member of the successful series was launched. So I'm going to make a timeline for the S series, just to give you a recap on how the Galaxy S smartphones grew and evolved as the tech world advances. So sit back, and enjoy.

For this article, I'm going to compare them one by one from Galaxy S to S6 and emphasize the changes made between them.

Samsung I9000 Galaxy S

- It's no doubt that the design for the Galaxy S drew so much attention. It even made Apple file a lawsuit against them for "copying" the design of the late Apple 3GS. So much for that, let's stay with describing the design. Looking at it, we can say that Samsung opted for a cleaner and simpler look, as opposed to their previous sophisticated designs as evidenced with the late Omnia line. Unfortunately, being made from plastic, it drastically reduced the premium feel of the device. But nevertheless, the 4" Super AMOLED display w/WVGA resolution felt quite good to look at, it will remind you that you're paying for a flagship device, plus it is covered with a Gorilla Glass. Running inside the plastic shell is an ARM Hummingbird SoC which utilizes a single-core 1Ghz Cortex-A8 processor with a PowerVR SGX540 GPU and is coupled by 512MB of RAM. For the camera, it has a 5MP snapper w/o flash partnered w/VGA front camera. With that kind of combination, it made it the most powerful smartphone of its time, not to mention that it selled like pancakes for almost Php.30,000+ when it was launched here in the Philippines. Just look at how technology advances. Software wise, it runs on Android 2.1 Eclair with Touchwiz UX 3.0 on top out of the box and it can br upgraded to 2.3 Gingerbread with a software update. Some users even managed to upgrade it to KitKat through AOSP-based CyanoGen Mod.

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II

- Talking with the design, we can safely say that Samsung made some small changes regarding this aspect, but the most notable change is it's size. It's taller, wider but thinner (9.9mm vs. 8.5mm) they learned from the controversies surrounding the design so they made the S II more edgy and squarish. They also made the home button squarish compared to the rectangular-oval of its predecessor. Regardless of that, its still made from plastic so it removed again some premium feel for the device but then again, just by looking at its larger 4.3" Super AMOLED (still covered with Gorilla Glass) with the same WVGA resolution, we can safely say that its worth for its price. Running inside the same plastic shell is a Samsung Exynos 4210 SoC which utilizes a dual-core Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.2Ghz with an ARM Mali-400 GPU. It is also coupled with 1GB of RAM Camera wise, it has an upgraded 8MP snapper with autofocus and fortunately, they decided to couple it with an LED flash. It has 2MP front-facing camera for Skype video calls (still, selfies aren't that popular). Let's move on to the software department, so it has Android 2.3 Gingerbread installed out of the box topped with Touchwiz UX 4.0 and through software update, it can be updated to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and eventually, 4.2 Jellybean.  Pointing out the specs, we can safely say that it's worth of an upgrade from its predecessor.

Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III

- Starting with the aesthetics, Samsung preferred to made it look like a pebble sporting rounded edges as a reference for their tagline "inspired by nature, made for humans". Still, the design language remains the same like its older brothers sporting a large Super AMOLED display at the front which is 4.8-inches diagonally at a resolution of HD 720x1280 and is covered in Gorilla Glass 2. Beneath the gigantic display, are the familiar set of buttons namely Menu, Home and Back with the Home Burton being a hardware one. Running inside is a Samsung Exynos 4410 Quad chipset which utilizes four Cortex A9 cores clocked at 1.5Ghz with an ARM Mali-400MP GPU and is coupled with 1GB of RAM. Going on to the camera, it has an upgraded 8MP rear-camera w/LED flash and a rather impressive 1.9MP front-facing one which can record 720p videos @30FPS. Moving the software side, it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box again, topped with Touchwiz Nature UX but can be further updated to 4.3 Jellybean. To be honest, with that specs, I can point out why Samsung said that it was " designed for humans" was it originally designed for aliens ?! (LOL), nobody knows.

Thank you for your patience in reading, you're almost there (LOL.)

Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4

- The fourth generation Galaxy S smartphone sports a rather familiar design (as usual) and also, still made from plastic. But Samsung has made a good job adding some premium touches (like the glazed back-cover) to remind you that, "hey, this is a flagship device you're holding". It's also pleasurable to see especially when that large 5" Full HD (1920x1080) Super AMOLED display covered in Gorilla Glass 3 is turned on. Colors just pop out !. Anyways running inside the same plastic shell is the Samsung Exynos 5410 Octa chipset, which I think is one of the first octa-core chipsets available on its time. It utilizes four Cortex A15 cores clocked at 1.6Ghz and another four Cortex A7 cores clocked at 1.2Ghz with a PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU. Multi-tasking is handled by the doubled amount of RAM now at 2GB. The camera is worth of an upgrade from its predecessor now at 13 megapixels. It has autofocus and tons of "smart features" to enjoy with like the "photo voice", "dual-video recording" etc. it is also coupled with LED flash. The front has a 2MP snapper which surprisingly, capable of recording up to 1080p videos with a smooth framerate of 30FPS. On the software side, it runs on Android 4.2 Jellybean with a fresher Touchwiz Nature UX UI w/some manufacturer installed apps, most of them are "bloatwares" but some are useful like the "S Health". Thankfully, it can be updated to newer Android version and it might get the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop as well.

Samsung SM-G900 Galaxy S5

- Sporting the same plastic build, it's not a question why man people got frustrated when the Galaxy S5 was revealed, but Samsung has an answer for them, "hey folks, its WATERPROOF". But the problem is, other waterproof phones (such as the Xperia Z2) has an impressive build which made the Galaxy S5 choked on its dust in terms of aesthetics. Anyways, it has a 5.1" Super AMOLED display with the same Full HD resolution with the same Gorilla Glass 3 protection (the hell was wrong with you Samsung?). Running inside the waterproof plastic frame is a Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 chipset which utilizes four Krait 400 cores clocked at 2.5Ghz with an Adreno 330 GPU. At least it's an upgrade. It is also coupled with 2GB of RAM which is quite pleasant to hear. Moving on, it has a 16 megapixel camera w/LED flash which makes use of their own ISOCELL sensor which according to them can take "better" shots at night. What's unusual is that underneath the camera module and beside the LED flash is the "heart-rate sensor/monitor" which (as the name suggests) measures your heart rate. Well, I guess, its making its job very well. It also sports a 2MP front-camera which can record 1080p videos @30FPS as well (I guess, its just the same with it's predecessor) Software wise, it's running on Android KitKat by default, again, with Touchwiz UI on top. Recent updates for Lollipop are just released but it may vary depending on the model number you're using. On the paper, it's not that promising to look at but somehow, it managed to differentiate itself from its predecesors by offering tons of new features for health conscious smartphone users.

Samsung SM-G920 Galaxy S6

- At last, just recently announced last March 1, Samsung once again shocked the world (including me) when they unveiled the Galaxy S6, Then why not ? because after years of patienly waiting (and praying), people can now enjoy a "premium" smartphone from them. Enough of talks, it has a dual-glass design both of which are Gorilla Glass 4 encased in a metal (particularly Magnesium-Alloy) frame which screams premium from every perspective. It has the same 5.1" Super AMOLED display but the good news is, it's now sporting a QHD resolution (job well done Samsung !). Beneath the awesome display is the usual set of buttons but the main attraction is the "fingerprint scanner" integrated on the home button. It's not new, but Samsung made read your fingerprint by simply swiping it from left to right. Inside the metal-glass or glass-metal body is a Samsung Exynos 7420 chipset which utilizes four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.5Ghz and four Cortex A57 cores clocked at 2.1Ghz with an ARM Mali-T760MP8 GPU. Pretty impressive hardware indeed ! not to mention that it has 3GB of on-board RAM. Talking about the optics, it has a 16MP camera w/LED flash (Sony IMX245) and coupled with an impressive 5MP front facing one for selfies and video-calls which can record 1440p videos maxed-out at 30FPS. (Very very WOW.) Although, the heart-rate sensor thing is still present, in my opinion, they should've just placed another flash (probably another tone) to make the camera a complete package. Software wise, it runs on Android Lollipop out of the box with Touchwiz UI on top. This phone clearly is an upgrade from every angle but as expected, it's also a bit pricy.

VERDICT

Here it is folks, there's no doubt that the Galaxy S line made Samsung snatch the throne from Nokia. It's their stronghold against the fast-paced smartphone wars. Again, thank you and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

MediaTek unveiled two new 64-bit chipset for tablets

MediaTek has been always on the run producing different solutions for smartphones and tablets and yet again, they unveiled another duo of SoCs but is optimized and made specifically for tablets, the MT8163 and MT8735 both which sports a 64-bit processor.

So MT8163 sports a rather impressive 64-bit ARM Cortex A53 processor. GPU is not yet announced but probably, it maybe a Mali-T768 GPU. It doesn't sport any radio connectivity but it has the usual galore of wireless options like a dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It supports Android 5.1 Lollipop by default so we assume that newer tablets will sport this chipset.

Moving on, the MT8735 on the other hand is basically the same with MT8163 but now has radio connectivity, specifically 4G LTE and has 6-mode world options. It also packs the usual set of connectivity options like its sibling.

Let's wait for its mass production, we are just step away from cheaper tablets running on 64-bit processor.

Scribblenauts Remix Review

Scribblenauts has been listed at Google Play's top games for quite some time now and I've been playing it for weeks. So here is my short review about the game.

Scribblenauts is a puzzle-logic game wherein you have to solve every puzzle for every level, of course there will be a hint. It's available for Windows and Mac for such a long time and it's been recently released on Android. So it gave me the chance to try the game since I'm using an Android smartphone.

So to solve the puzzle, you have to use your imagination. Every level has different puzzles to solve and as you progress through each level, the puzzle gets difficult. You can use the "freedraw" mode of the game to solve puzzles, whatever you write will jusy pop out like magic. For example, the hint shows that I have to cut the tree to get the starite (needed to proceed to the next level) so I imagined a giant flaming chainsaw, so I wrote it on freedraw mode and yes ! it suddenly pop outed in the mid-air and now, I can use it to cut the tree and proceed. Note that there's limitations using freedraw mode and you will know it when you downloaded the game. You can also experiment in the free play mode. You can also choose different avatars to represent your character, of course you have to buy every characters and collect them all.

The game is simple, yet entertaining. It can also help you in boosting your imagination and creativity. By the way, the Remix edition brings new levels to play with so if you already installed the standard edition, kindly update it if you like.

Again, kudos ! to Warner Bros. Games for bringing this to Android. Thank you for reading my very very short review.

Here are some in-game screenshots :

Official Philippine pricing of Alcatel Flash Plus announced, to become available on May 1

For those who are waiting and eager to get their hands on Alcatel's latest smartphone, then this one is for you.

Recently, they announced that the official pricing for their Flash Plus smartphone starts at Php. 6990.00, for those who are wondering, this phone is a MONSTER and for that price, you're getting a large HD display, powered by MediaTek's latest 64-bit octa-core platform coupled with a sizable amount of RAM at 2GB.  It also packs a rather large amount of battery to get you through the day. Here are the list of specifications for you to start with :

ALCATEL ONETOUCH FLASH PLUS

- 5.5" HD (720x1280) IPS LCD display, ~267 ppi
- MediaTek MT6752 64-bit chipset (1.5Ghz octa-core ARM Cortex A53 and Mali T768MP2 GPU)
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD
- 13MP AF BSI rear camera w/LED flash
- 8MP AF front-facing camera
- GSM/HSPA/LTE
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS w/A-GPS
- Android 5.x Lollipop
- 147g, 8mm thin

I can safely say that this phone can go head to head with Meizu M1 Note that causes more than a thousand and the more expensive Zenfone 2 (5-inch variant). I think it is also the cheapest smartphone available in our country bearing MediaTek MT6752 chipset.

For those who are excited, kindly prepare your pockets because this phone will become available starting on the first day of May. So you have more than two weeks left if you're planning to get one.

Xiaomi Redmi 2 price announced

Nowadays, our local smartphone scene is getting clogged with new and more cheaper releases, heck this is what Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone brand which opened a franchise here in the Philippines is known for. They're also one of those smartphone brands to offer a monstrous phone with cheaper price than what others has. And up to this day, they're still surprising us with fresh releases with even more cheaper price tag - Introducing the Redmi 2 !

Basically Redmi 2 is the successor of their first Redmi which also selled very well that's why they brought it's succesor here. What so special about this ? Well for a very cheap price tag (more on that later), you can get a smartphone with HD screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, a decent f/2.2 camera, and dual 4G capable. Here are the list of specs to complete this off

XIAOMI REDMI 2

- 4.7" HD (720x1280) Full Laminated IPS LCD display, ~312ppi
- Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 64-bit chipset (1.2Ghz quad-core ARM Cortex A53 and Adreno 306 GPU)
- 1GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 8GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD
- 8MP AF BSI rear-camera w/5-element lens, f/2.2 aperture and LED flash
- GSM/HSPA/LTE
- Dual SIM/Dual 4G
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
- Android 4.4 KitKat w/MIUI 6
- 133g, 9.7mm thin

So all of this for a price of Php. 5,999.00 but no words from Xiaomi Philippines as of now for it's availability so stay tuned for an update or you can visit their Facebook page to know more.

That's it folks, the Xiaomi Redmi 2

Starmobile outs a... bluetooth headset ?

Well, Happy Man by Starmobile proudly posted their first ever bluetooth headset on their Facebook page. I think they're the first local brand who invested into a headset, hmm pretty interesting.

For starters, it is a Bluetooth 4.1 capable headset which is sweat proof, so I guess it's more ideal to use when you're out for jogging plus combine it with it's wireless functionality for a hassle free experience then you're on the go. It is also NFC capable so you can easily pair it with any NFC enabled devices like their own Octa. Other features include a dedicated controls for music and answering calls and I think it has a microphone. Starmobile promises that this earphones which is an in-ear type, can deliver "Hi-Fi" sounds for your music.

All of this for only, Php. 1,490 and is available at your nearest Starmobile outlets and kiosks nationwide. It may not deliver the solid sounds like what Beats or Soul does but it's good to know that our local brands are starting to expand their product portfolio by introducing new products that suits our lifestyle.

Zenfone C announced by AsusPH

This week, Asus Philippines officially announced their newest phone which is the Zenfone C.

Basically, it is set between Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 5 in terms of specifications. It's good to know that for it's price, it sports a very decent Intel Atom dual-core chipset which features the touted "hyper-threading" technology to ensure almost lag-free user experience. They're also proud to announce that it sports a 5MP "Pixelmaster" camera with a dedicated low-light mode for better features at night, I think it's the reference for it's tagline "C what others can't see" making a pun for other smartphones from international brands that bears the same price tag but with cheap camera optics with even no autofocus or whatsoever (I'm looking on you Samsung)

Well anyways, here are the list of specifications for your to look at :

Asus Zenfone C

- 4.5" FWVGA (480x854) TFT LCD display, ~217ppi
- Intel Atom™ Z2520 (1.2Ghz dual-core with Intel Hyperthreading™ technology)
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
- 5MP AF "Pixelmaster" camera w/LED flash and f/2.0 aperture
- VGA front-facing camera
- 2G, 3G
- Wi-Fi, hotspot, Bluetooth, GPS w/A-GPS, GLONASS support
- 2100mAh battery
- Android 4.4 KitKat

Pretty decent specs right ? but comparing it to local brands with the same price tag won't help but remember, it came from the maker of the famous Zenfone 5 and you're always ensured for updates and support.

Asus said that this phone costs Php. 4,590.00 but no words as of now for it's availability. So stay tuned for an update.

By the way, Asus Philippines are currently doing a contest on their Facebook page and three lucky winners would get a Zenfone C so kindly check their page for more info and be one of the first owners of this phone.

Huawei P8 : In Focus

Before I begin, I just want to give credits to my reliable source, GSMArena.com

Yes, like what I have said on my previous article, I'm going to make a seperate article just to focus on Huawei's newest flagship discussing it's features, improvements, and highlights. So Huawei P8 : In focus, after the jump.

So let's begin on its design. I mentioned on my previous article that Huawei P8 sports a full-metal unibody design like any other. Here is a fact, it took them a whole 810 minutes or approximately 13 1/2 hours just to carve the smartphone's frame from a solid aluminum. With that being said, we are rest assured that it is precisely made from scratch to perfection. They also made some really premium looking color choices to complete the package.

At the front of the device is the 5.2" Full HD IPS LCD display protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3. They made the bezels as thin as possible to make the device more compact despite of it's screen size. The display takes up to 78.3% of the front of the device vs. 70.8% and 65.9% of Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 respectively. Speaking of the display, they made some special or should I say, new ways to interact with the screen. By just using your knuckles ! I think it's useful when you have sweaty hands. You can also take screenshots by double-tapping the screen and crop simultaneously by drawing gestures.

Let's proceed to the hardware, running inside the metal unibody is a HiSilicon Kirin 935 chipset that utilizes four ARM Cortex A57 cores clocked at 2Ghz and four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.5Ghz with a Mali-T628 GPU. According to Huawei, the new chipset is 80% faster when it comes to CPU performance versus it's predecessor, the P7, and 100% increase in 3D performance.  Smoothness in operation is expected especially that it has 3GB of RAM.

Talking about the optics, well, Huawei also made some cool or usable things on it's camera. Like using world's first RGBW 4-color imaging. It promises up 78% less noise in darker places and up to 32% higher brightness on higher-contrasted images. It also features optical image stabilization for shake-free video recording. Selfies are handled by it's 8MP front snapper.

On the connectivity side, Huawei also made some improvements utilizing their latest technology when it comes to wireless connectivity. They used to tiny seperate antennas on this phone which results in making the device more compact but ensures seamless switching. It has dual-SIM slots, both of which are LTE capable. What's unusual is that the secondary SIM slot doubles as a microSD slot.

Huawei also made different accessories available for purchase and one of them is the "E-ink" flip cover which uses E-ink display, really helpful under direct sunlight and night time reading.

Lastly, it has 16GB and 64GB variants both which are called "Standard and Premium versions" respectively. For the 16GB variant, it is priced at €599 and for the 64GB variant, it is priced at €699. Huawei said that Europe, South Africa and Middle East would receive P8 first while others would receive as time comes.

So what are your thoughts regarding this phone ? is the price worth it ?, let me know by leaving your comments below