Your Php5,999 could get you this good-looking device that is packed with efficient features and performs up to snuff.

Here are some insights on O+ 8.52 from a consumer’s perspective.

LOOK

• At a glance, the device has a classy look for its price. It is mainly touch-screen and has only 3 capacitive buttons which gives more space for visual display.
• Back cover is matte finished so it’s free from scratches and can remain neatly.
• I find it handy as well, just enough width that can be grasped easily by one hand.

CAPACITY

• Performance wise, this phone is a clever device for the standard uses of a Smartphone.
• Common games such as Candy Crush run well, even those with tilting requirements like Temple Run.
• I tried to play YouTube videos via wifi connection and it played smoothly.
• It has dual-camera, of which the back captures 5MP photos, has auto-focus and flash features.
• I did video recording too, and the output was polished although a little bit grainy.
• The phone has a dual-sim capability, which can be a plus for those keeping two numbers.
• Also, O+ 8.52 has a special feature of air shuffle, which provides a lesser effort for users should they want to take pictures by themselves or change songs when listening to music.
• I should say too that this handset has a good standard connectivity for an affordable mobile phone.
• Although its battery life is not so much for gaming, it is good enough for standard use.

The O+ 8.52 box comes complete with the contents below. It even comes with a memory card, all ready to give you a fun mobile experience.

• Handset
• battery
• micro USB adapter
• charger adapter
• earphones
• manual
• warranty card
• Free 4GB micro SD

This surely is a competitive device considering its price. Here are its specifications for your better scrutiny.

• Dual Core 1GHz Cortex A9
• Android 4.1.1 (Jellybean)
• 4” capacitive touch screen camera
• Air Shuffle FM, Music, Photos, Camera
• Front camera (VGA)
• Back camera (5MP autofocus, LED flash)
• Download unlimited apps via Andorid Play Store
• Quad band GSM
• 3G connectivity
• With voice command navigation over GPS/AGPS
• 512 MB RAM
• 4gb internal memory and up to 32gb expandable memory card
• Easy file sharing via Bluetooth

The post O+ 8.52 Review from a Consumer’s Perspective appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

Unboxing

Being part of the mid-range lineup of O+, the 8.6′s retail box is similar to 8.5 and 8.52. It’s placed in a transparent container, which can be upcycled and be used as a jewelry container or a plant box. The box contains the following:

• O+ 8.6 handset
• Free 4GB SanDisk Memory Card
• 3.5mm headphone
• 1,500 mAh lithium ion battery
• Micro USB cable
• Charger Adapter

The inclusion of the 4gb memory card is indeed a bonus, as the phone only has 2gb available user-memory. 2gb may be enough for casual smartphone users (social media apps, puzzler and social gaming, emailing, etc.), but it’s definitely not sufficient for power users.

The unit I received does not contain a screen protector, but you can definitely score one in any of their branches and retailers nationwide. Click this for locations.

Unboxing Photos

Build and Hardware Specifications 

The device, like any other phones of O+, is designed in the US. As expected, although it doesn’t have any sophisticated design, the device looks sturdy and has a premium feel. The 8.6 looks pretty similar the Galaxy S Duos sans the home button. It’s almost as big as the One Touch Idol Ultra but significantly thicker. Its matte and almost rubbery curved removable back panel gives the phone a premium feel. The vertical perforation that exposes the mono speakers looks perfect on the device. The aluminum bezel, although subtly designed, perfectly matched its overall look.

Top: 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Micro USB port

Right side: NTSH (nothing to see here)

Bottom: Microphone

Left Side: Sleep/Wake button and Volume Rockers. The sleep/wake button is unorthodoxly placed on the left side.

The notification light is neatly hidden just under the capacitive home button. It lights green when there’s a notification, and lights red when you’re charging the device.

As for the technical specifications, the 8.6 is pretty decent considering its less-than-8k price tag. The 1Ghz dual core processor and 1GB RAM performed well as expected especially when playing casual games like Nimble Quest, Temple Run 2, Candy Crush Saga and Fruit Ninja.

The device registered an average FPS of 24.2 on Nenamark 2, making slightly better than Galaxy S and significantly better than Xperia Play. The device isn’t exactly fit to run games with high system requirements as evidenced by my experience when I tried playing Real Racing 3 and Arcane Legends. Don’t get me wrong though. These games are playable on this device but don’t expect flawless performance without lag and hiccups.

The device is clocked lower to conserve battery, so if you want to make Real Racing 3 playable on this device, you may want to untick CPU power saving mode.

For your reference, here’s the full specs of this device:

• 1Ghz Dual Core Processor
• 1GB RAM
• 4.5″ Capacitive Touch Screen
• Air Shuffle Music, Camera, Photos, and FM Player
• Notification light
• Wi-Fi
• Quad band GSM and Dual Band WCDMA
• 3G
• Up to 32GB expandable memory card
• Dual Sim
• 1,500 mAh

The 4.6″ screen with 540×960 resolution is pretty nice. It registered 240 dpi on Phone Tester, which I believe is high enough to make the icons and screen elements pop out. Screen saturation is quite mediocre though. It does not give off the right saturation to render the right color of my photo subjects. Viewing angle is limited too as the qHD IPS screen is not OGS (one glass solution).

As for benchmark, I used PassMark, Antutu and Quadrant to test how technically capable this device is and how this fares compared to competition. Please note though that benchmark scores are relative scores as benchmark applications consider the current state of devices. It is possible for this device to have a different score after a week or two. This means that benchmark scores are sometimes irrelevant. But I’ll still show them to you for your reference.

• 1,331 on PassMark (CPU tests)
• 6,216 on Antutu
• 2,505 on Quadrant

Software, Features and Camera

The 8.6 is running on Android Jellybean 4.1.1 out of the box. There is probably no upgrade for 4.2.2 in the future, so it looks like we’re momentarily stuck with 4.1.1.

The device is preinstalled with custom icons, wallpapers and software features. The pull-down bar, which shows the notification and hot switches, looks like the stock version. The same “stock” look can be seen on some widgets, settings menu and stock applications.

Of course, Oplus’ most celebrated software feature, Air Shuffle, is very much available on this device. Sure, the Galaxy S4 already has this feature, but you don’t want to spend more than PhP25,000 just to get that feature, right? With Air Shuffle, you can take pictures, browse pictures and skip to your most favorite song with a simple wave gesture. You just really have to add a bit of finesse to make this feature work. Also, be sure to wave your hand infront of the sensor (on top of the screen) within .5 to 1 inch range.

If you don’t dig the preinstalled launcher, then you may replace it with Facebook Home or Apex Launcher. As of this writing, Facebook Home may already be installed in most Android devices, including O+ 8.6. There is no need to sideload the application on this device. Just update the preinstalled Facebook app, install Facebook Home and Messenger and you’re good to go. Just be sure to tap “Use Home anyway” when you receive a notification that your device is not yet fully supported.

The 8.6 has 5 megapixel (with AF) rear facing camera. It produces good photos in well-lit conditions, but photos taken in dark environments look mediocre and quite grainy. Thankfully, the camera software has lots of extra features and settings. So if you wish to optimize your output based on certain conditions you’re in, then all you have to do is break away from auto and tweak the settings.

You put 2 SIMs on this phone with dual on and standby. However, only 1 SIM is WCDMA compatible so, if you’re subscribed to unlimited internet, be sure to jack the corresponding SIM to port 1.

Battery life is ok for casual usage. But as this phone only has 1,500 mAh, be sure to always bring your charger with you especially if you’re into playing games and browsing through your social media feeds like every minute. In my experience, as I’m always attuned to my social media feeds and emails, the phone was barely up for a day.

Verdict

The O+ 8.6 stands at the middle of 8.52 and 8.9. Priced at PhP7,995, this device is packed with decent features and average but adequate performance. O+, as a US brand, values original design, sturdy build and innovative features. The 8.6 epitomizes what O+ values and as such makes this phone a bang for your buck.

The Good Stuff

• Design and considerable heft
• Air Shuffle
• Notification Light
• Rear facing camera (in well-lit conditions)
• Elements on screen pop out
• Free 4gb MicroSD card

The Not-So-Good Stuff

• Unorthodox placement of Sleep/Wake button
• Screen saturation isn’t enough
• Camera settings to optimize shots

*UPDATE: The O+ 8.6 along with 8.9 and 8.12 are on sale until tomorrow, May 12, 2013. Price is down for PhP6,995 from PhP7,995.

The post O+ 8.6 Review appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

Now, I suggest that we all go to their first store on Saturday! They have prepared a lot of goodies for all of us like.

• First 100 peeps to buy O+ 8.15 Android will get Php 3k off! (only from 10-11am only)
• Other models will also be on sale during this time:

Here’s the official poster for your reference, guys:

The post O+ To Open First Concept Store at SM North Edsa appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

One of our favorite Cherry Mobile distributors allegedly leaked the specifications of the 2nd iteration of Sky Fire 2.0. Be sure to check out this link if you want to check it out yourself.

According to the leaked information, Skyfire 2.0 will be launched this weekend, ready to take the spotlight from the MyPhone A919i and the soon to be launched O+ 8.15. Priced at PhP7,999, this phone features a 5-inch IPS scratch proof screen, 1.2 Ghz quad core processor, 1gb ram and 2,000mAh battery.

So, what can you say about this guys? If you don’t mind me asking, what are you interested in buying – MyPhone A919 or the Cherry Mobile Skyfire 2.0?

The post Cherry Mobile Skyfire 2.0 Specs Leaked appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Specifications

• 1.2GHz Quad-core CPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
• 5.0-inches HD IPS display
• 8.0-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and BS 2.0-megapixel front-facing camera
• WiFi, WiFi Hotspot, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS with AGPS Support
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (Still needs to be confirmed)
• 2,000mAh Battery
• Air Shuffle
• Price: PhP12,995

I’m big fan of O+ as they continuously exercise innovation as evidenced by Air Shuffle featured in most of their Android smartphones. The build quality of their smartphones are very solid, almost similar to the material used by Samsung and Nokia. It’s also worth noting that their retail packaging also stands out, something akin to Alcatels’ and HTC’s.

This week, we are slated to release our review of the 8.52 and the 8.6. These phones can readily take on Samsung’s budget smartphones, Galaxy Fame and Galaxy S Duos respectively.

*Update: We have just confirmed from O+ that they will indeed launch the O+ 8.15 this Saturday, May 11.

The post O+ To Launch 8.15 This Week During Opening of Concept Store? *UPDATE appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

For as low as PhP999 plan plus PhP600 monthly cashout, Globe subscribers can get to enjoy the LTE version of the Galaxy S4 over a 24-month contract period. This means, that if you’ve got PhP1,599 a month, owning a Galaxy S4 is easier than ever. With this plan, subscriber will enjoy LTE with burst speed of 25mbps (based on real-life experience).

With the best-ever Globe My Super Plan, subscribers get more than what they pay for with plans bundled with peso value amounts that are almost double the plan value. The peso value amount can be allocated among combos in the form of call, text, and surfing services, consumable amount, and gadgets. Subscribers also have the flexibility to choose their contract periods ranging from 6 months to 30 months.

This isn’t a surprising move by Globe as it’s expected for them to continuously pioneer plans and plans that are customer-centric. At this fast-paced iteration of devices among different phone manufactures, it’s but proper for telcos like Globe to adapt to the needs of customers. The new and improved MySuperPlan will also be available for all devices. It isn’t just exclusive to Samsung handsets.

What’s being offered by Globe is technically the i9505 variant of the Galaxy S4. This variant has the following specifications:

• OS: Jellybean 4.2.2
• Processor: Quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300, Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600
• GPU: Adreno 320
• Internal Memory: 16/32/64 GB storage, 2 GB RAM
• External Memory: Expandable
• Display: Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 1920 pixels (441 ppi)
• Screen Size: 4.99 inches
• Camera: 13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels, Autofocus (with 2mp front-facing camera) – both can record up to 1080p @30fps
• Battery: 2600 mAh

First Impressions

The Galaxy S4 looks like its predecessor at first glance, but it felt like I was holding a bigger version of Blackberry Bold 9900 without the physical buttons. It’s way lighter than the Galaxy S3 too! Although Globe only showed us the White Frost variant of the i9505, we were also informed that Black Mist variant will also be available.

Globe Galaxy S4 (left), One Touch Idol Ultra (right)

Galaxy S4 (top), Galaxy S3 (bottom)

Galaxy S4 (left), Galaxy S3 (right)

In terms of processor speed, at quad-core 1.9Ghz, the S4 is definitely one of the fastest phones we’ve seen so far. As expected, the Galaxy S4′s TouchWiz UI that sits on top of the stock UI of Jellybean is much faster and offers more value added apps, which make the Galaxy S4 a true life companion. Most people these add-on apps bloatwares, but to me, such apps are all worth keeping.

Get the Samsung Galaxy S4 at the plan of your choice at www.globe.com.ph/galaxys4. If you wish to visit their stores, this smartphone will be available this Thursday, May 2. You can still avail of this handset if you’re still on contract. Just call Globe and ask a retention service representative to recompute your cashout, which includes the existing handset penalty plus additional cashout for the Galaxy S4 (if applicable).

The post Globe Starts Selling Galaxy S4 at Highly Affordable and Customizable Plans appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

It was last 1999 when I first used an Alcatel phone. I was in third year high school then. I forgot the phone model but it was an orange bulky safeguard-soap-shape like phone, probably one of the largest phones at that time. But of course that is already one of the high end phones during then and only a few have GSM phones. And now, I am using an Alcatel phone but this time I am using the thinnest smartphone in the market—the Alcatel One Touch Idol ULTRA 6033. Let’s take a look at this new phone from ALCATEL.

After being out of the mainstream in the past few years, Alcatel made a big come back with their Alcatel One Touch Series phones. I am really excited to try it and to see for myself what Alcatel is really up to right now.

Unboxing

The box is made of hard paper with a smooth finish. The phone is displayed side view on a background with the phone Model written on the upper part of the box. You will see the specs and other information at the back. I couldn’t understand some of the details as the language is in French. Trust that the language on retail units being sold in the Philippines is in English. In my case, I had to download the English version of the manual.

The box contains the following:

• Alcatel One Touch Idol ULTRA 6033
• Charger
• Micro USB cable
• Headset
• Micro USB to 3.5 jack headset adaptor
• Manual
• Information Sheet
• Screen Guard

The Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra has a very appealing appearance as well as the feel. It is said to be the thinnest smart phone in the market right now.

Alcatel One Touch Idol ULTRA 6033 has 4.7” HD Display (1280 x 720 pixels, Capacitive touch), 13.3GB internal memory, 1GB of RAM, 1.2 Ghz Dual Core Processor. The phone has a unibody design and the battery is not removable. I compared it to my other phones and it is indeed very thin.

Top Side: Power/Sleep Button, Charging/Headset Port

Bottom Side: Microphone

Left Side: Volume Controls

Right Side: Micro Sim Card Slot

Phone Specifications:

• Specifications: 134.4 x 68.5 x 6.45mm
• Display: 4.7” HD 720p (720 x 1280 pixels)AMOLED displayCorning GlassOleophobic coating
• Camera: 8 Mpxl camera autofocus with LED flashSub-camera HD 720p, 1.3MpxlHD video 720p recording and playback front and back
• Mobile Features: Android Jelly Bean 4.1Dual-Core, 1.2 GHz CPUGSM Quadband (850/900/1800/1900)Micro SIM, EAPUMTS 900/2100 and 850/1900, 850/21003G data up to 7.2Mbps DL and 5.76Mbps ULWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/nGPS with AGPS; Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP; Internal memory: standard 16GB EMMC + 1GB RAM; (8GB/32GB EMMC + 1GB RAM depending on the market); End user memory 13.3GB  (single SIM version); SplashProof coating technology by P2i
• Battery: Battery 1800 mAhTalk time: 12h(2G) / 7h(3G)Standby time: 400h(2G) / 400h(3G)
• In Pack: Slim charger head and Micro USB cableIn ear 3.5jack stereo headset3.5 mm jack to micro USB adaptor

The Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra is a lot different from what we used to know about Alcatel phones. Being a smartphone, the speed and functionality is very interesting. It also has built in apps like Facebook, Twitter, Office Suite, Evernote, Linkedin, and PicSay. It even has a one-year subscription of AVG Mobile AntiVirus for Android. These apps make the phone suitable both in social and business. It has One Touch Manager which makes Files and Data Transfer easier using the USB cable or Wifi connection. It also supports wifi tethering.

Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra is available for Php14,990. You can also visit Sun Shops and this is free at Sun Plan 999. It also appeared several times in Iron Man 3 as it is dubbed as the movie’s official mobile phone.

The Alcatel One Touch Idol debuts on #IronMan3! Get yours on Sun Plan 600! See you at The Sun Shop! #TheGoodChoice goo.gl/aW1rY

— Sun Cellular (@suncelldeals) April 23, 2013

@alcatelph is touched by the mighty phoenix. Welcome back, Alcatel! #NexusOnAlcatel #wishwishpagmaytime

— GadgetPilipinas.net (@gadgetpilipinas) April 24, 2013

The post Unboxing and First Impressions: Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra 6033 appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

New set of tabs will be seen in the Play Store and also has added a new tab for Trending Application. I have already downloaded it and was able to browse on it already. Indeed it is more appealing to the eye because of its simple look. It is more organized than the previous version of the application. They also have a simplified process when purchasing paid application.

Google has brought what they have promised.

Download Google Play Store now and enjoy

The post Redesigned Google Play appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

Unboxing

The box is made of hard paper with a smooth finish. The image of the phone is displayed in front on a blue background and Flame 2.0 on silver print. At the back if the specs of the unit.

The box contains the following:

• Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0
• Wall Charger
• Micro USB Cable for charging and Data Transfer
• Standard 3.5mm headset
• Instruction Manual

Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0 physically looks like an ordinary Android device. It’s indeed thinner and lighter from the previous models released. I find it look better than the previous Flame.

Flame 2.0 has a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, 4GB internal memory, and 1GB of RAM making it smooth when playing 3D games and Multi-tasking. I tried comparing its size to the Samsung Galaxy S3. Flame 2 is a bit thicker than the S3 but S3 is taller and wider than the Flame 2.0.

Galaxy S3 (Left) and Flame 2.0 (right)

Cherry Mobile, Flame 2.0, Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0, Quad Core, Snap Dragon

The size of the Flame 2.0 has a comfortable feel that makes it easier to hold. However, because it is quite tall; it is a bit hard to reach the Power/Sleep button when using one hand.

Top Side: Power/Sleep Button and 3.5mm Headset Jack | On top of the screen: earpiece, VGA front-facing camera and proximity sensor.

Bottom Side: Micro USB port for charging and Data transfer

Right Side: Nothing is on this side

Left Side: Volume Buttons

Back Panel: 5MP Camera with Flash, Batter slot, Micro SD slot. GSM SIM Slot, WCDMA SIM Slot, and Speakers at the bottom (sorry for the low-res pic)

Flame 2.0 has the specs, features, and price that most of the local consumers have been waiting for. On top of the specs mentioned above, this smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon S4 processor. Snapdragon processor is best for multi-tasking and this is also the processor used by some leading brands of smartphones and tablets. With this Snapdragon Quad core processor, Cherry Mobile is really getting into the mainstream in the mobile phone business.

FLAME 2.0 will be available to the public this coming April 2013 with the srp of Php 6,999. We are expecting a huge crowd on this event so watch out for the announcement before all units become sold out.

The post Unboxing and First Impression: Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0 appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.

Let’s have a recap of the specs of Omega HD:

• Android Jellybean 4.1.1
• 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• 5″ HD IPS Capacitive Screen
• Dragon Trail Glass Technology
• 12mp Camera with Flash (2mp Front)
• Dual SIM
• Wifi b/g/n
• 3G/Bluetooth/GPS
• 1GB Ram
• 4GB Internal Memory (expandable)

There isn’t much to talk about its processor. If we’re going to base this on Xolo A1000 or i-mobile iQ6, its processor is basically made by Mediatek, MTK6577 to be more precise. I just to need check though if this is the H or T version of the said processor. I would be very happy if could share your thoughts on the comments section below.

The build pretty much resembles the i-mobile iQ6 or the Galaxy Grand sans the physical home button and notification light. It has a very slim form: 71mm width, 143.5mm height and 9mm thick.

In front, you will see 3 capacitive buttons, proximity sensor, ear piece, 2 megapixel camera with BSI and HD IPS screen with Dragon Trail technology.

Volume rockers and camera hotkey can be found on the left side.

The Sleep/wake button is neatly placed on the right side.

The 3.5mm headphone jack and micro-usb port are located on top.

There are actually 3 things that we liked about device: HD IPS Capacitive Screen, Dragon Trail Glass Technology and BIS Technology on the front and back cameras.

The new Omega is the first Cherry Mobile smartphone that has an HD IPS display with 1280 x 720 resolution with 294 ppi. That isn’t retina-busting, but pictures and HD movies will look better on this device compared to the previous devices that CM launched.

Omega HD is also the first device that features a Dragon Trail Glass technology, which basically makes its screen resistant to damage. You can also find this technology on i-mobile IQ6 smartphones and Xperia Active. Cherry Mobile even did an Omega Challenge during the press event this afternoon. Basically, they asked us to take on the challenge of trying to damage, if not just to  scratch, the screen using cutter or swiss funny. It’s quite funny because they even asked us to slam the phone’s screen to open a pistachio.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This new device’s cameras also have BSI (back-illuminated sensor), another first among Cherry Mobile phones. Such sensor allows easier penetration of light onto the sensor, thus making this device a bad-ass and highly efficient when taking pictures of subjects in low-light environment. The 12mp camera at the back and the 2mp camera in front have this technology. Unfortunately, I was not able to test this feature but that’s something to look forward to when I finally review it in April.

The Good Stuff

• Awesome HD IPS Display! This is best in consuming multimedia.
• Dragon Trail technology
• BSI Technology on its 2 cameras
• 2,100mAh battery
• 1Gb RAM
• PhP7,999 price tag

The Not So Good Stuff

• Mediocre processor
• Availability: April 2013. I will have to wait for a month to get this

My impressions are not conclusive though as I need to experience the phone further. I, for one, can’t wait to receive a review unit from Cherry Mobile and give you guys a definitive review. Meanwhile, please watch Big Time Show on Saturday as we talk about this device and Flame 2.0 further. I’ll be joined by my co-hosts Alexei Rivera of Technoclast, Raf Oca of HobbyMash, Jam Ancheta of Jam Online and TJ Panganiban of TJS Daily. We might also have Randolph Novino of PinoyScreenCast in the show!

The post Cherry Mobile Omega HD First Impressions appeared first on Gadget Pilipinas.