Lazada Product Review: XY-01 Wireless Bluetooth 4.1 Smart EarPhone (Yellow/Black)

In a previous entry, I wrote about hankering for a Bluetooth Bone-Conducting Zungle Sunglasses-headset. And while I'm perfectly content on waiting for that particular brand to become available and affordable for my bone-conduction-bluetooth-spectacle-headset needs, I really need a bluetooth headset ASAP to take the place of a pair that I purchased late last year that I inadvertently destroyed (it got stuck in the space beside a desk and a wall and I yanked when I should've moved the damned table).

So I went ahead and purchased this cheap ass very reasonably priced pair from Lazada, available at Php 366.

XY-01 Wireless Bluetooth 4.1 Smart EarPhone (Yellow/Black)

Photo from Lazada. Item linked.

It comes in several color variants (all black, white/red, white/green) and is undrbanded, though the packaging says it's made by "BestGot". According to the package, it's capable of 5h talk time, with an effective 10m range, and bluetooth 4.1 support.

It was scheduled to arrive by August 22, and arrived this morning. Despite being slightly late, I don't mind as I had requested delivery to the office, and the hours don't lend itself to weekend delivery.

Visual Impact
Here are some photos of what the package looked like and what came in the box.

Bubble Wrapped

Yet-unopened. Looks nice. Better than what they used on the site.

They provided 2 identical manuals. For no apparent reason.

Package inclusions

The package came with 2 sets of identical manuals, a short usb cable for charging, 2 extra earbuds, the clip and 2, um, whatever you call those claw-like things that help it stay on your ear when you're active. However since it's really meant to sit deeply into your ear anyway, it feels like those were just a nice bonus.

The build is a bit plasticky, slightly less impressive than my previous one (which was all white). The volume up button seems sit a little deeper than the volume down. Doesn't change the functionality any though.

The clip doesn't have any rotating pieces so it's slightly less comfortable than what I previously had but I think it just needs getting used to.

I tried using them straight out of the box but there wasn't any charge to speak of so I charged them for 30 minutes before giving it another go.

Audio Quality
Listened to a bit of music on it and tried using it to record audio on the sound recorder. The gave good results for the former, and pretty lousy results for the latter. I tried calling myself to test it on a call, but not hearing myself talking to myself on the other phone kinda defeats the purpose. I did have to make an actual call later in the day after a full charge and letting it stand by for a bit as well. There was a lot of static but the other party could hear me OK.

Hang-ups
Aside from the static on the call, and the slightly questionable build quality, there's only one minor gripe I have about the bluetooth headset. And it's this:

On the phone, when you pair, it doesn't appear as a standard bluetooth headset. It appears as an "input device" ~ as a keyboard, which it is most definitely not. The only other instance I've seen that happen was with a bluetooth camera trigger I purchased a year or two ago and that was most likely also made in China.

To use it like a usual headset, and to be able to use the phone's onscreen keyboard, I just unticked the "input device" option.

Verdict
For Php 366 (roughly 8.14 USD), you really shouldn't expect much. But honestly, it's a bargain. Audio for music's pretty good, despite the static on the call. The color combination's pretty nice. Won't really know how long this will last so will keep my finger's crossed.

Bottom line, pretty good bargain. If you need a bluetooth headset and don't have a big budget and are willing to put up with a bit of static, go for it!

Hankering for a Bluetooth Headset: Zungle Panther, Bone-Conducting Audio Shades

In my life as an auditory media consumer, be it music, radio, or podcasts, I have found that the use of cabled headsets problematic. You get a free headset with your phone, or can easily buy a better one to replace that for cheap, but the cables always get in the way and sometimes break easily and often.

As you can imagine, I've found the answer in bluetooth headsets. I've owned and gone through at least 4 myself, and while these were mostly wire and tangle free, and often had additional controls on the headsets themselves, I've yet to find one that gives me the freedom to use them in almost any setting, be it at the gym, riding a motorcycle, or just doing my regular thing. 

Behold the Zungle Panther: the world's first bone-conducting audio shades. 

These specs carry bone conduction technology, which transfers the audio signal received via bluetooth through your skull, leaving your ears free to receive environmental sounds. With the built-in mic and once paired with your phone, you'll be able to answer calls easily. 

The built in battery, chargeable via hidden usb port, gives up to 4 hours of listening time on 1 hour charge, while the innovative jog-dial gives you immediate intuitive control.

The frames come in different colors, while the lenses are easily replaceable and compatible with Oakley Frogskin lenses, giving the user endless options to express their style. Personally, I'd love to use them as my everyday specs. 

This revolutionary bit of audio-optical kit isn't yet out on the market. The company is still running a Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaign to fund their efforts. 

Definitely tech worth hankering for. 

Hankered, Purchased and Experienced. Now a Review: Cherry Mobile Flare

Greetings to all my readers and Flarenatics. If you're reading this you're either a new Flare owner verifying your personal experiences with the units and rationalizing your purchase, or you're one of those who wasn't able to make it to the Flare Day earlier this month and you're waiting for the next batch, perhaps reading up on user reviews to help you decide if you will actually go for the Flare.

For new readers who happen to be here, here are the CM Flare's specs at a glance:
1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S4 processor
4.0" WVGA (800x480) IPS capacitive display
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Adreno 203 GPU 512MB of RAM
4GB of internal storage (with roughly 3GB user usable: 2.57GB as Internal Storage and and 581MB System Space)
microSD up to 32GB
5MP autofocus camera with LED flash
VGA front-facing camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800/1900MHz WCDMA 900/2100Mhz
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
GPS with aGPS support
Bluetooth 2.1
microUSB 2.0
Li-lon 1500 mAh battery
131×68.2×11.3mm (dimensions)
152g (weight)

I was one of those fortunate enough to be able to purchase a unit, the second to the last one in fact, last November 17 at SM North Annex. When I got to the store, they had officially sold out all of their supplied units (all 1000 of them) but just as I was about to leave, the lady at the counter who was in line for a Flare announced that she was actually buying something else. Lucky me! But enough about me, on to the "review"!

Some Basics

After having been able to experience the Flare for the past 9 days, I can tell you that it's quite a solid piece of hardware. It doesn't feel plasticky at all, like the W100 did. The display is crisp and bright and the 4.0 inch size is just right (and I'm a big guy). The response time is stellar (having come from a Samsung Galaxy 5 with Android 2.1, I probably would've been wowed with less) and the stock Android 4.0 ICS interface was great. However I've installed GO Launcher Ex There are some Cherry added apps in there, classified as bloatware by some, but size-wise they're negligible.

Appearance-wise, the Flare is basically a black touch-screen phone. Not special by any means. Cherry Mobile is selling colored back covers however, for Php 290 a pop. I do not feel the need to buy one at the moment as my back cover is still ok.

The charger works well and there are no touch screen bugs when charging with the provided charger. However if you use something with a higher power output, you encounter a glitch with the touch screen.

Speaking of the touch screen, it's sensitive and works well. It only has 2 points of touch contact, which may prevent you from using some HD games and multi-touch apps that you may want to download.

The 1500 mAh batt is does pretty well when using just 1 sim in the phone, with wifi access and some music. On a single charge, I was able to get the phone to last more than 24 hours. Using two sims, specially ones that may need to hunt for signal more often than not, drains the battery significantly. However if you bring a charger to work, or have a charger in your car, this isn't much of an issue. I haven't gotten to the point where the phone itself tells me that it needs to charge however. I'm just charging / erring on the side of safety.

The provided headset does what it should do, but it isn't the most comfortable thing to wear, specially while jogging. The phone, however, won't work with my third party headset, an Urban Ears Tanto, that I used with my previous phones without issues. My Bluetooth headset works well enough with the Flare, though the Mic seems to be getting dodgy.

Messaging

The onboard messaging app allows you to choose between sims when sending messages, however its current version doesn't let you rotate the phone and type with the landscape keyboard. To remedy this, I installed GO SMS Pro, the messaging app I'd previously used on my older phone. However, GO SMS Pro doesn't let you pick which sim to send with. Even if you receive the message in Sim2, it will automatically use Sim1 to send out your reply. This will be a bit confusing for your recipients if they don't know both your numbers.

     This one pet peeve is going to be addressed in a software update that Cherry Mobile will be releasing for the Flare soon. I'd love to be able to use an FM radio on this. No date on that though.


Storage

One of the things that confuses me with the unit is that it has two sets of internal memory. The "System Memory" is comprised of 581MB of space, with perhaps half of that as user-usable. Then there's also an "Internal Storage" space with 2.5GB user usable space. I personally wonder if its at all possible to just merge the two into one.
     When you insert a microSD card in the slot, the phone selects it as your default storage and deactivates the "Internal Storage" space.
     One thing I've observed regarding the external storage microSD card, the Flare that I'm currently using sometimes spontaneously removes said microSD card when I'm accessing Apps or Music that are currently installed there. Rebooting the unit fixes the issue, however it's kind of annoying. This may be a card related issue however, so please wait for an update or ask other users if they're experiencing the same issues. For my part, I've recently purchased a new 16GB microSD (though the phone can support 32GB which there doesn't seem to be stock of in any CDR King branch anywhere) and we'll see if this affects performance positively.

The Verdict

All of that being said, I would still like to reiterate that I'm glad I bought my new phone. It's not 100% perfect, but then what phone is? Specially considering the Php 3,999 price tag. It's value for your money, that much is undeniable. Would I recommend this to anyone? Yes. Would I buy it for anyone as a gift, heck yeah.

Hankering for a Phone: Cherry Mobile Flare FlareDay

For those, like me, who've been to every other Cherry Mobile Kiosk in town since the beginning of this week, it looks like we're going to have to wait just a bit longer to get our hands on the Android 4 ICS toting, 3G and front camera-having, 4.0 inch IPS WVGA screened handset.

Cherry Mobile's facebook fan page caused quite a stir yesterday with their announcement that there was going to be an announcement today. Well, you have said official announcement above. Folks who want to be first in line will really have to be first in line on Saturday, November 17, 2012, at either the SM City North EdSA annex store or the outlet in Robinsons Place Manila. While selling starts at 1:00PM, I think the Flare has generated enough buzz and created enough of a following for people to begin lining up when the mall opens. If only I could do the same.

Hankering for a Phone: Cherry Mobile Flare ROOTED

I was debating with myself if I should create another post for this or if I should just append the first post, but I think this is significant enough to warrant a post of it's own.

Everyone's been looking forward to the Cherry Mobile Flare since it was announced. I've been to several kiosks / stores myself asking for scheduled date of availability. They all say the same thing: it will be available by the 2nd week / mid month of November. That's only 12 days away so all we have to do is wait.

But one does not have to do this waiting passively. I, for one, want to be ready for when the Flare comes home with me so I've been reading up on it (or rather the A9+) and I've found instructions on how to root the 4" Android 4.0 ICS phone. :)

These steps will, most likely, work on the Flare IF it truly is the rebranded Karbonn A9+.

Disclaimer: Attempting to root your device will void your warranty. Any damage to your device that occurs because of rooting will be all on you. 

According the Gaurav Gahlyan of Droidiser, you'll be needing two programs to root your Flare / A9+. Download UnlockRoot and PdaNetA350 first.

Then follow the steps (as outlined by Gaurav here): link updated 11.20.12

1. Enable USB debugging on your device by going to Settings > Development > USB Debugging. 
2. Install Pdanet
3. During its installation, it will ask for your device's manufacturer. Select "Others" and confirm the driver installation when a few pop-ups appear regarding whether you trust the application. 
4. Connect your device to the PC using USB cable. Don't turn on either USB tethering or USB Storage. Just connect it as is. 
5. Open UnlockRoot downloader you downloaded above, it will download about 10 MB of data. UnlockRoot will be installed once the download finishes. 
6. Start UnlockRoot and click the big green ROOT button.
7. Let the process complete, make sure no power interruption occurs during this process. 
8. Once the process completes, your device will reboot.
9. Congratulations! You've rooted your phone!

To whomever attempts to do this, please let me know how your attempt goes. :)

UPDATE: I got myself a Flare (One of the last people to be able to buy at the FlareDay event at SM North Annex. :)) I thought I could hold out on rooting it for a week, but decided to try it out. :) ROOT SUCCESSFUL. 11.19.12

Hankering for a Phone: MyPhone A848i

One of the phones that have been generating a lot of buzz as of late is the Cherry Mobile Flare, a 4.0 inch, dual core, Android 4.0 ICS phone that's going to be selling for 3,999 and will be available by mid November. Not to be outdone, MyPhone is set to release a 4.0 inch with nearly identical specs in the form of the MyPhone A848i.

photo credit to Harold Dela Fuente

Like the CM Flare, the MyPhone A848i Duo is going to run on a 1Ghz Dual core processor, with 512 MB RAM, 4GB Rom, and will have a 4.0 inch IPS-WVGA display. It will also have 3G connectivity and a VGA front cam. Unlike the CM Flare, the battery rating for this phone is a little bit bigger, but only by an additional 100 mAh at 1600 mAh (but this is still to be confirmed). This unit also seems to be a rebrand of the i-mobile i-style Q3 coming out of Thailand (I think. I can't be sure. The pages are all in Thai).

So far no release date has been announced and the price that's been floating around has only been hearsay and rumor, but if it's true, the A848i can be yours for Php 6,999 (as much as an A878).

Now, seeing as this unit has nearly identical specs to the CM flare, but is more expensive by Php 3,000, would you buy it? Knowing that there's a 4.3 inch 3G toting, front facing VGA camera having A898 out there for just 500 pesos more, would you buy it?

Personally, if I had to choose between a rebrand carried by MyPhone and a rebrand carried by CherryMobile, it will more than likely come down to price.

Rumored Specs of the A848i Duo
• Dual Sim / Dual Standby
• 4" IPS-WVGA Capacitive Touchscreen (480 x 800 pixels)
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 512MB RAM / 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• 4GB internal memory, 2.56GB usable, expandable to 32GB via microSD
• 1600mAh Lypolymer Battery
• Motion Sensor / Proximity Sensor
• Triband GSM
• 3G / WiFi Hotspot / GPS
• HSDPA 7.2Mbps / TV-Out
• Dual Camera: 5MP Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash (Main) / VGA Camera (Front)
• 720p HD Video Recording
• Bluetooth
• JAVA / EDGE / WAP / GPRS / SMS / MMS
• MP3 / Multimedia Player / FM Radio
• Pinoy Phone Apps.
• 3.5mm Headset Jack / 2.0 Micro USB
• Rumored SRP: Php 6,999

Hankering for a Phablet: MyPhone A919

I've been visiting the MyPhone kiosk often lately because I've been interested in getting the A878. I recently learned that they'll be releasing the A898 soon for 500 pesos more than its 3G-less counterpart so I decided to hold back on buying one. However, my curiosity was piqued by a flyer for this promo which states that people who purchase several phone models have a chance of winning an A919, a model they didn't even have specs for, at least at the time.

I spotted this on PINOY Phones on facebook and thought I'd share it.

Now, where this photo was taken, I can't be sure, but if this is to be believed, it would seem that the A919 is MyPhone's weapon of choice to attract the 5.0 inch market.

According to the specs, the A919, like its two 4.3 inch brothers, will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It will probably have roughly the same amount of storage space (4GB, with around 2.56GB user usable) and Ram (512 MB) and run on 1GHZ Dual Core Processor. Like the A898, it will have 3G and a front cam, but instead of a 5MP main camera, the A919 will be sporting a 8MP auto focus cam with LED flash. The slightly larger 5.0 inch IPS-WVGA Capacitive touch screen will eat up more juice, and to compensate, the A919 will be packing a 2000mAh Lypolymer battery. It will reportedly be available for  Php 7,999.

Like the Cherry Mobile W500 Titan I wrote about in a previous post, the A919 is more of a phablet than just a phone. However, aside from the price, what the Titan has going for itself is a higher batt capacity rating, with 2350mAh, 350mAh more than the A919. The A919 will have an a higher MP count for the rear camera though, so if that is what matters to you, you might still opt for it over the Titan.

If anyone's been able to hold either, or both, please let me know about comparative build quality.

When this will be officially released is anyone's guess. As it is, the A898 has yet to make it to any MyPhone store. But if this doesn't get released soon, MyPhone's going to have a lot of ground to cover specially since the W500 Titan is already available for sale in selected Cherry Mobile stores.

A919 Duo specs at a glance:
• Dual Sim / Dual Standby
• 5" IPS-WVGA Capacitive Touchscreen (480 x 800 pixels)
• 5-Point Multi-Touchscreen
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4GB ROM / 512MB RAM / 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• 2000mAh Lypolymer Battery
• G-Sensor / Proximity Sensor / Accelerometer
• Triband GSM
• 3G / WiFi Hotspot / GPS
• HSDPA 7.2Mbps / TV-Out
• Dual Camera: 8MP Auto Focus Camera with Dual LED Flash (Main) / VGA Camera (Front)
• 720p HD Video Recording
• Bluetooth 3.0
• JAVA / EDGE / WAP / GPRS / SMS / MMS
• MP3 / Multimedia Player / FM Radio
• Pinoy Phone Apps.
• 3.5mm Headset Jack / 2.0 Micro USB
• Micro SD up to 32GB / 2.56GB Internal Memory
• SRP Php 7,999

Hankering for a Phablet: Cherry Mobile W500 Titan

Ok, let's see. Where do I start with this post? I want to ask the world, what makes a phone a phone, and a tablet a tablet and what makes a phablet, well, neither of the previous two and at the same time both of them?

Well, personally I guess a phone ceases to be a phone when you hold it up to your head when answering a call and it blocks half your face, but is not quite a tablet when it can still ride somewhat comfortably in your pocket. That's what the Samsung Note was. Something else the Note was also was expensive. If you're looking something with a reasonably large screen to watch videos on, but don't want to spend the money for a Note, then you can check out the Cherry Mobile W500 Titan.

Launched at roughly the same time as the CM Flare, the Titan also shares many of the same specs, like 3g connectivity, a dual-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, 5MP digital cam with LED flash and a VGA front facing camera for video chat. Two major differences would be a larger display, 5 inches to be exact, and battery capacity, at a whopping 2350 mAh. The picture above shows a pen, though you can bet that you won't get any S-Pen functionality. While it can't compete with the Samsung Note II, or the first Note either, it's a phablet you can afford at Php 6,499 (it's even cheaper than the A878!).


If you really need a cheap phablet, I'd give it a go. But since I'm not inclined to get one, I'll leave it up to the future owners.

Cherry Mobile W500 Titan Specs:
MediaTek MT6577 1GHz dual-core processor
PowerVR SGX531 GPU
5.0″ capacitive touch panel (800 x 480)
512MB RAM
4GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
Bluetooth 2.1
GPS w/ aGPS support
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
5-megapixel rear camera with flash
VGA front-facing camera
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
2350mAh battery
SRP: Php 6,499.00

source

Hankering for a Phone: Cherry Mobile Flare

The malls are playing holiday jingles, the weather's getting colder, sales are getting more prevalent and everyone's breaking out their decorations. Christmas starts with the Ber months. And it seems that two of the bigger local mobile brands are breaking out new models. MyPhone recently came out with the A878 last month, and should be officially the A898 by end of this month. Not to be outdone, Cherry Mobile has recently launched the Flare.

(photo credit: Pinoytechblog.com)

The Dual-SIM Cherry Mobile Flare will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, on a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S4 processor, with Adreno 203 GPU. It'll run with 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage (though I'm betting you'll be able to use less than that for sure) expandable to 32GB via microSD. It'll be packing a 5MP autofocus cam with LED flash, and will have a VGA front facing camera for video chatting. The 4.0 inch WVGA IPS capacitive display will more than likely have a plastic covering instead of glass. It will reportedly go for Php 3,999 and be available by the middle of next month. 

(photo credit: Pinoytechblog.com)

Considering the price, it will render the W100 obsolete and trigger buyer's remorse in a lot of users. My hope though is that the display will be better than the W100's clearly low quality displays, and hopefully not plagued by the touch-screen issues while charging.

Why buy this phone? Well, it's smaller than the MyPhone a898 but pretty much has the same specs, but at just over half the price. I haven't handled it yet, but if it's anything like the W100, you can almost be assured that the feel will be a bit plasticky, whereas the A878 and A898 are of decent quality for twice the price. But hey, if you consider the specs, you really do get bang for your buck. 3G connectivity with a 4.0 inch screen with a dual core processor running Android ICS... for 3,999 pesos. Wow.

If, and only if, the display's decent and the touch screen doesn't get buggy when the charger is plugged in, I'd probably get this. However, since the MyPhone A878 has both been rooted and now have Custom Roms available (and I assume that the same techniques and Roms will work on the A898), I may think twice.

Cherry Mobile Flare Specs at a glance:
1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S4 processor
4.0" WVGA (800x480) IPS capacitive display
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Adreno 203 GPU
512MB of RAM
4GB of internal storage
microSD up to 32GB
5MP autofocus camera with LED flash
VGA front-facing camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800/1900MHz WCDMA 900/2100Mhz
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
GPS with aGPS support
Bluetooth 2.1
microUSB 2.0
Li-lon 1600mAh 1500 mAh battery
131×68.2×11.3mm (dimension)
152g (weight)

Would anyone who gets to handle this unit test it out with a charger attached to it and let me know in the comments how it goes. Thanks!

UPDATE: Several netizens have pointed out that this is actually the a rebranded Huwawei unit, the Huawei Ascend G330.

If you check the specs, they're pretty spot on. The only difference you'd notice is that there is no mention in any G330 spec sheet of the Huawei G330 as being dual-sim, dual standby. It could be more of a clone than a rebrand. Plus the LED flash is located under the camera lens in the G330, while in the Flare, it is to the right.

It seems to be more like the Karbonn A9+ which comes out of India.

   However, if it really is made by Huawei, I've known several people who've owned Huawei phones before, and they seem sturdy enough. I guess I'll have to wait until I get my hands on one and find out for myself. (10.26.12)

UPDATE (10.31.12)
Closer inspection and other reader comments from different blogs have convinced me that the CM Flare is the Karbonn A9+, however with a bigger battery capacity (the A9+ comes with a 1420 mAh batt VS the 1600 mAh 1500 mAh on the Flare). Other web sources say that the front camera on tha A9+ is a 1.3MP cam, while the one on the Flare is just VGA. Either the other sources are getting it wrong, or CM is marketing it wrong. But what the heck....

If you want to check out actual Karbonn A9+ user reviews from their Indian owners, check this page out. It seems that the owners who cared to post their reviews about the A9+ are generally happy. Mind you, the phone seems to have been only recently released in India earlier this month as earliest user review stated they bought it then. But if it's good enough for them, it should be good enough for us. And at Php 3,999, you get what you pay for, but you'll be getting quite a fair bit. I wonder if anyone has rooted this yet.

Local Blogger Alexie, from thetechnoclast.com, has been able to unbox a flare and test it out. Check the video here. He's noticed two bugs on his unit so far. The gyro sensor doesn't seem to be calibrated correctly, or at least not for Temple Run. I believe that the sensor can be recalibrated, though I have no idea how to do this in ICS. Another thing he noticed was that, when Skyping, the picture of himself in the screen is upside down, however the video is right-side-up as far as his Skypee is concerned so not a real issue. Whether this will be an issue when it comes to the retail units remains to be seen. Better test your unit thoroughly before leaving the store. edited 11.03.12

UPDATE 11.03.12
   I've been to at least two Cherry Mobile stores the past few days and I've noticed that a lot of people are looking for the Flare. Well people, according to the sales staff, the Flare will be available mid-month / 2nd week / around November 15. :) For those like me who can't wait, well, I'm sorry to say we'll really all have to. But only just a little while more.

Hankering for a Phone: MyPhone A898

Yep. You read it right. I'm blogging about the MyPhone A898. The phone that everyone was hoping for when the A878 came out but had to wait for til, well, apparently later this month. This was rumored to be MyPhone's flagship android handset, but since launching this recent promo, it has become apparent that something better than even this will be coming out probably by year's end, if not early next year. But lets get back to the phone, shall we?

I present to you the A898 as caught in the wild...

(Image Source: PINOY Phones | Photo Credit: www.tjsdaily.com)

Why would you want to buy this phone? Why would you not?

It's got everything that the A878 has...

• Dual Sim / Dual Standby
• 4.3" IPS-WVGA Capacitive Touchscreen (480 x 800 pixels)
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• Downloading Thousands of Applications and Games
• 4GB storage (2.56 GB user usable) / 512 RAM (484MB usable) / 1GHz Dual Core Processor
• 1800mAh Lypolymer Battery
• Motion Sensor / Proximity Sensor
• Triband GSM
• WiFi Hotspot / GPS
• HSDPA 7.2Mbps / TV-Out / Video Call
• Dual Camera: 5MP Auto Focus Camera with Dual LED Flash (Main)
• Bluetooth
• JAVA / EDGE / WAP / GPRS / SMS / MMS
• MP3 / Multimedia Player / FM Radio
• Pinoy Phone Apps.
• 3.5mm Headset Jack / 2.0 Micro USB
• Micro SD expandable up to 32GB

... plus a couple of things that it lacked...
• VGA Camera (Front)
• 3G connectivity.

Those two things which may have been deal breakers for the previous model will give this newer unit the edge. Plus, if the web chatter is to be believed, it's going to sell for a measly 500 pesos more than the A878. The A898 Duo can be yours for P7,499. That, my dear readers, is a real steal. Really.

I'm betting that the folks who jumped at the chance at buying the A878 might be experiencing a bit of buyer's remorse. But, then again, maybe they're already happy with what they have. :) I'm betting though that some people might be letting go of their A878 for cheap when this one actually hits the market.

Hankering for a Phone: MyPhone A878

I've been looking around at phones lately, and last time I was talking about a budget Cherry Mobile offering in the W100. However, considering the screen quality, and the pitiful usable phone memory, I decided I'd keep my options open and look at what other brands had to offer. While exploring the newly opened Robinsons Magnolia mall on the corner of Aurora Blvd and Hemady, I discovered the MyPhone a878, and now I can't get it out of my mind.

Some of the key specs are on the image itself (click to enlarge). The MyPhone A878 is selling for a measly Php 6,999. For that bargain price, you get a 130 x 69 x 10.8mm, 4.3 inch WVGA (800x480) IPS capacitive touch screen, a 5MP auto focus cam with LED flash, with 4GB (2.5GB user usable) internal storage (expandable to 16GB via micro SD), 512 RAM, running Android 4.04 Ice Cream Sandwich, with 1Ghz Dual ARMv7 processors. Oh yeah, and it's dual sim capable.

 4.3 inches is a lot of screen folks. Think Samsung Galaxy S2. Ok, so it has no 3G connectivity. But really, if you're not the type who has to flood the world with details of your life via twitter or status updates every second of the day, who needs 3G? It has no front cam, but that's not a big loss. Remember, you're paying Php 6,999.

Supposedly there's going to be a better unit coming out soon, which will cover the "deficiencies" of this particular unit, but be assured that the price will adjust accordingly. For me though, this seems like a pretty good deal.

 Anyone want to buy a Samsung Galaxy 5? 2 years old. Still in good condition. :) 

Oh yeah. If anyone wants to look at some user reviews and some general info (like where to buy a jelly case) learned by actual owners and users, check out this link from Tipidcp.com.

Now if you are a new owner and you want to root the phone, you can check out this link. Users say that version 11 is the one to use. (updated 10.09.12)

Hankering for a Phone: Cherry Mobile W100

A lot has happened in the mobile phone industry since my last post. The success of Android OS phones for one has given people with less dough options to the iconic, and still ever expensive Apple iPhone. The way technology is moving, even those on a strict budget can purchase multi-touch screen capable, 1Ghz processor powered phones on the cheap. One of the latest to be announced in the Philippines is the W100 by Cherry Mobile. 

Cherry Mobile W100 Specifications: 
Dual Sim / Dual Standby
3.5-inch HVGA (320x480) IPS Display
Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Qualcomm MSM7X27A Snapdragon S1 1GHz Single-Core Processor
Adreno 200 GPU
512MB of RAM
512MB of internal storage
Micro SD up to 32GB
3.2MP Camera with LED flash (Main) VGA Camera (Front)
Quad band GSM 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900
3G/ UMTS 2100
Motion Sensor / 5-Point Touchscreen
Bluetooth / WiFi Hotspot / GPS
MP3 / Multimedia Player / FM Radio
3.5mm Headset Jack / 2.0 Micro USB
Li-ion 1,400mAh Battery
Talk time: Up to 6 hours
Standby time: Up to 200 hours
117 x 62 x 12.9mm (dimension)

While I can't exactly post a user review, I've been able to handle the phone several times at the Cherry Mobile Kiosk in SM Megamall Cyberzone. Some comments:

• It feels plasticky. The housing itself seems to be made of a brittle plastic, which I guess is what you get for the price. The white version looks a little less plasticky though, but I guess this is really somewhat subjective. 
• The HVGA 3.5 inch screen, which on paper seems like a great deal, seems a bit poorly made. The icons are noticeably pixelated. My current phone, a Galaxy 5, which is only QVGA, handles photos and android graphics better. 
• When charging, the phone is effectively unusable. Touch screen is all over the place. Cherry Mobile sales people say that this is something inherent in all their Android devices, but honestly I've never heard of such a problem affecting any other brand of phone running droid. 

If you're interested in reading user reviews and other comments, follow the W100 user thread on Tipidcp.com here.

If you're not too picky about the build quality, and you're ok with the graphics that the W100 has, it promises to be a good buy for Php 3,499. Dual Sim, dual camera, with 3G capabilities, running Gingerbread. Not bad at all.

Hankering for a Phone: iPhone in the Philippines

Up until recently, those who've been wanting to own an iPhone in the Philippines have been forced to buy their unit abroad, have it unlocked, and risk bricking it everytime they use it (ok, maybe a bit over exaggerating with this line, but you know what I mean). They might have the newest Apple toy on the block, but they won't have the full functionality of the fully-working official deal.

Lately however, one of the biggest networks in the country have decided to officially bring the iPhone to the Philippines. Globe has recently announced and started selling the iPhone locally. Lucky you if you happen to subscribe to one of the higher plans that globe provides, or if you intend to get a line and stick yourself with the minimum 2 years at those rates, but if you're thinking of just buying the phone outright, as a prepaid kit, and keep your old prepaid number, get ready to shell out at least Php 37,599 (for the 8 gig model) or Php 43,799 (for the 16 gig).

Hankering for a Camera: Olympus E520

Woohoo!! I mentioned this model in a previous entry about the E420. And it's finally arrived. Was it worth waiting for? Well, near as I can tell, it is.

pictures from dpreview.com

Announced May 13, 2008, the E520 is Olympus' upper-entry level camera upgrade to the E510. The E520 sports similar features to its older counterpart, with nearly identical external features, even down to the measurements and weight. One of the few cosmetic differences one would notice between the two would be blue markings instead of green. Another would be a differently texutrized and finished command dial. However, one of the biggest differences between the E510 and E520 comes in a bigger 2.7 inch, 230,000 pixel LCD screen.

E510 rear (photo from dpreview)

VS

E520 rear (photo from dpreview)

While both the E510 and E520 have the sensor-shift image stabilization feature, (a feature you won't find in their compact little brothers, the E410 and E420), other improvements you'll find in the later model are...

• Contrast detect autofocus (with select lenses)
• Face detection in live view mode
• Auto Gradation (Dynamic Range enhancement)
• Faster continuous shooting speeds (3.5 vs 3.0 fps)
  
• Wireless flash control (Up to three groups)
• Additional Image Stabilization mode for panning

While most of the features that the E520 possesses would be a considerable upgrade from the E410, or even from the E420 that it came out with, if you're able to do without the above mentioned new features, you'd probably be set with the E510. But then again, who wouldn't want additional Image Stabilization for panning, or wireless flash control? :)



For a more indepth interview, please visit depreview.

cross-posting: photobu.

Hankering for a Phone: iPhone gets Better Batt life and good Glass

After receiving so much criticism over the short battery life, seems like Job's people have given in and given the potential consumers what they want. The latest on the iPhone is that it's going to be able do deliver more with a better battery life.

From the promised battery capability times published before: 5 hours of talk, internet use, video viewing and 16 hours of audio playback, Apple has promised that the iPhone's capabilities have increased to 8 hours of talk, 6 hours of internet, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of music. I assume those are dedicated-task times. I don't think it could be capable of giving all of that on one charge. Anyway, they've also announced that they're genius box is capable of up to 250 hours of stand-by time. That's 10 days and 10 hours of not being touched, contacted or what so ever... I don't think any one owner of any mobile gadget could go 1 day not touching his tech, never mind 10. I guess we'll never know if it would be capable of such eh?

The other upgrade has to do with its display. What used to be plastic is now going to be optical-quality glass. Meaning the display will be more scratch resistant and hopefully be clearer.

In a statement / comment about the improvements, Steve says that it outlasts any smart phone and many MP3 players out on the market. How it will actually perform in the hands of a real owner is still up for questioning though. We'll soon find out I'm sure, seeing as the launch is 9 days a way.

To those intent on getting 1, good luck lining up. :)

source

Hankering for a Phone: AT&T fine tune its EDGE network, Apple Preps 3 Million units

With the launch date looming ever so near, two companies most invested in the iPhone are making some last minute preparations.

AT&T has been busy upgrading their EDGE network for the past 6 weeks now. Scheduled to finish by the 15th of June, project "Fine Edge" involves adding T-1 connections to some of AT&T's poorest performing towers in an effort to improve the network's throughput, latency and coverage, to double their current data rate of 40kbps to the current industry minimum of 80kbps.

Apple on the other hand are busy preparing 3 million units of the iPhone. While it's been said that there will be an intentional supply shortage of the revolutionary handheld, this latest tidbit of news should be enough to put it to rest. Then again, there was also something in the news about 3 million being the maximum number of iPhones to be sold this year. Whether they'll really be able to stagger sales throughout what remains of 2007 remains to be seen.

If AT&T isn't going to be able to deliver the service that the projected 3 million potential new subscribers will need or if any of the 3 million Apple iPhones turn out to be lemons, iPhone critics are going to have a hay day, and lawyers from both companies are going to have their hands quite full.

(fine edge source)

(3 million source)

Hankering for a Phone: Motorola F3, W220 or W375

Ok. Not exactly the newest phones on the block, I know. Well, while these phones might not exactly be hightech, I think any of these three would afford its potential owner a bit of style with a lot of base-functionality. If you're torn between simplifying your cellular-phone experience and staying in the technologically functional world, you might consider owning one of these. I am at any rate.

Why am I blogging about them at all? Well, I'm looking for a new phone to replace my sickly 2 year old C651 that's breaking apart. I'm not really looking for the most hightech of phones (for personal security while on the road, among other reasons) and since I'm sort of on a budget, I've been looking at Motorola's lower end handhelds for options. With a budget of around 5000 pesos, I can choose from the Motorola F3 Motofone, the Motorola W375 and the W220.

Of the 3, the F3 is the cheapest. Not surprisingly so. It is the simplest of all three phones, only allowing the most basic of tasks such as SMS and calling, without storage or even color to speak of. On the plus side, it is easily the slimmest of the lot (one of the slimmest phones available on the market today), and because it does away with all the power-zapping extraneous functionality and uses a more reader and power friendly display, it boasts of an impressively long battery life. However, it is a bit too spartan for me.

I cannot look at the W220 without comparing it to the W375. Upon inspection of available information on the web as well as from available pamphlets, both seem to have more in common than just the clamshell form factor. Both carry FM radios, and, as models under the W series, were designed to come cheap. However, it seems that the W220, compared to its newer, VGA camera toting brother, the W375, carries more bang for the buck.
While the W375 might possess a camera and thus allow for picture phonebook entries, said entries are limited to just 100 contacts. The W220 on the other hand allows the user to store up to 600 phonebook entries on the phone itself. While no information is known as far as inbox capacity for the W375, available literature says that he W220 can accomodate 250 SMS, which is 215 more than what either of my current phones (a C651, and an E398) are capable of keeping.

I guess those two differences mentioned above are the swing vote for me. While having a camera phone might be fun initially, knowing that, within the budget I'm shooting for, I won't be getting anything better than VGA quality anyway grounds my phone desires closer to reality. And while the thinness of the F3 might be fashion forward, its simplicity is a bit too much, or rather too little for me.

That settles it. I'm getting a Moto W220.

This entry was more of an exercise in rationalization and shopper-guilt justification for maybe buying the phone for myself. Heaven knows if I had the money, or if someone who had money were generous enough to give me a phone condition free, I'd be asking for maybe an Apple iPhone. Haha. But for now, until either of my old phones or this new one conks out, I'm going to be a loyal Motorola-head for awhile.

Hankering for a Computer: Coffee-table-top Computer from Microsoft

Who wouldn't want one of these?

The "surface computer" was designed to replace the mouse and keyboard interface with voice, pen and touch. The computer, dubbed Microsoft Surface, will have a 30-inch display under a hard-plastic tabletop, which will enable the user to manipulate objects on screen (sorta kinda like a giant iPhone, don't you think? Well, at least I think so).
Possible applications might include a more personal order-placement at restaurants and the like. Another boon to technophiles using this interface: the Microsoft Surface can interact with devices placed on its surface. Cell phone users could get access to the latest ringtones, or even change payment plans by placing their phones on in-store displays of these computers. I wonder if, just by placing, say, a digital camera on top of the display, could one be granted access to memory card contents? One could hope.

Being one of the first to own one of these Windows Vista OS-using table-tops will cost you a pretty penny, with units ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. However, Microsoft is aiming to reduce prices to a consumer-affordable range, and introduce other different shapes in the next 3 to 5 years. One wonders, however, if anyone in the Open Source world be able to come up with something like it by then. Only time will tell.

source

Hankering for a Camera: 50 Megapixels crammed in Canon CMOS Prototype

Ok. No camera yet. But heck, if a camera does come out with one of these, I'd want one.

Apparently, the 50 megapixel CMOS sensor that the company is working on is meant for a large format surveillance camera for monitoring a massive and active area, such as parking lots and theme parks. It could also be used to monitor detail heavy work in factory part inspections. However, seeing as they've been able to make a 19 x 28 mm sensor prototype, the same dimensions as the sensors currently used in DSLRs, we might, one day, in the far future, see one of these babies mounted in a commercially available camera. When it does, I bet it's going to cost an arm and a leg... heck, I've got two of those. I can take pictures with just one of either, can't I?

source

Hankering for a Phone: iPhone Release slated for the 29th

Yes. It's confirmed. The iPhone can be yours on the 29th of June, not the 20th as it was formerly assumed to be.

The commercial was aired on 60 minutes, and is available for viewing at the apple site. Apple iPhone owners-to-be are shaking in their shoes, sweating in their seats, and are getting ready to camp out in front of the nearest Apple store near them. No doubt the line is going to go around the block, and might even cross several pedestrian cross-walks.

It's rumored that there's going to be an iPhone stock shortage shortly after the release, not for the volume of pre-orders or the shortage of parts or anything like that though. Apparently, AT&T is going to control iPhone outflow from the source. It's supposedly standard practice when selling high-end phones.

So if you've got your heart set on owning one of these sought-after handsets on the first day, either get a-camping in front of the apple store bright and early several days in advance, or try falling in line at AT&T/Cingular outlets.

Good luck to you and anyone else attempting either though. :) if you happen to have $600 to spare, send one my way? :) I'll pay for shipping. Promise.