Mobile Phone Reviews

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra Hits the Market

2023-07-30T01:10:00.002-07:00

I present to you a comprehensive and unbiased review of the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra. In the ever-evolving world of smartphones, the concept of foldable devices has captured the imagination of tech enthusiasts and consumers alike. While the market has been buzzing with various options, the availability of truly functional and practical foldable phones has been limited. Samsung, as a leader in this category, has set the benchmark with its innovative offerings, and Motorola, with its revived Razr brand, has stepped into the ring to compete for a piece of the foldable phone pie.

Foldable phones are intriguing, but I must admit that small flip phones have never quite appealed to me. I have always favored the larger ones that fold outward, transforming into small tablets, as they offer more screen real estate and a sense of enhanced productivity. Flips, on the other hand, have often felt like a compromise, offering less functionality compared to their non-folding counterparts. However, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has managed to change my perspective on flip phones in the simplest and most elegant way possible.

At first glance, the unfolded Razr 40 Ultra appears much like any other 6.9-inch smartphone, with a sleek and modern design that sets it apart from the classic Razr style of its predecessors. However, it's when you fold up the device that its not-so-secret weapon is revealed. The Razr 40 Ultra features a bright, 3.6-inch AMOLED external display, which effectively acts as a second screen. Unlike previous flip phones that only provided notifications, this external display supports various widgets like calendars and weather reports, as well as a choice of clock displays. However, the real magic lies in its ability to run most Android apps.

To be clear, the external display doesn't work perfectly with every app, as some on-screen elements may appear tiny and not optimally usable. Nonetheless, it offers significant convenience by reducing the need to constantly unfold the device. From reading emails and texts in full to performing quick web searches and even taking properly framed selfies, the external display brings a new level of functionality to the foldable experience.

The Razr 40 Ultra's external display works like a charm, making it an attractive proposition for users seeking enhanced productivity and quick access to essential information on the go. Its utility is not limited to a mere notification panel; rather, it opens up new possibilities for maximizing the phone's potential in various situations.

As with any device, the Razr 40 Ultra does come with its fair share of compromises. Motorola has chosen to equip the device with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which, while still fast and capable, is last year's model. In a market where advancements are being made rapidly, this may raise concerns for some consumers looking for the latest and greatest processing power. Competing devices from other manufacturers are already being powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which offers even better performance.

Another factor to consider with foldable phones is durability, particularly concerning flexible screens. Motorola has taken a cautious approach, rating the Razr 40 Ultra as IP52, meaning it can withstand a bit of rain without damage and is sealed from light dust ingress. By comparison, Samsung's Z Flip 4 boasts an IPX8 rating, meaning it can handle full immersion in water (in theory), but may not be as resilient to dust particles.

While both approaches have their merits, I personally appreciate Motorola's approach, as dust can be a common nuisance that affects device performance over time. The added protection against dust ingress provides peace of mind for daily usage in various environments.

Battery life is another critical aspect of any smartphone, and foldable phones, due to their foldable nature and smaller size, often come with reduced battery capacity. In the case of the Razr 40 Ultra, the 3800-mAh battery proved to be quite impressive. With moderate use throughout the day, the battery held up remarkably well, lasting from morning to evening without any major concerns. It's safe to say that for typical day-to-day use, the Razr 40 Ultra performs admirably in the battery department.

However, as with any device, there are certain trade-offs that must be considered. The camera capabilities of the Razr 40 Ultra, for instance, leave something to be desired. While the primary 12MP f/1.5 sensor delivers decent regular photos, the ultrawide sensor struggles in challenging lighting conditions. The ultrawide, which also functions as a macro lens, may not deliver the kind of results that avid smartphone photographers are accustomed to at this price point. For those who prioritize smartphone photography, alternatives from Google, Samsung, or Apple may be more suitable.

Despite the few shortcomings, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has surprised me in more ways than one. I initially approached it with some skepticism, assuming it wouldn't align with my preferences for foldable devices. However, the external display and its added functionality have truly won me over, showcasing the potential of flip foldables when executed thoughtfully and innovatively.

In conclusion, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has managed to strike a balance between form and function, offering a unique foldable experience that sets it apart from traditional smartphones. Its external display serves as a game-changing feature, delivering enhanced productivity and convenience for everyday tasks. The battery life, while not extraordinary, is more than sufficient for typical daily usage.

However, the device is not without its drawbacks, particularly in the camera department and the use of last year's processor. Nevertheless, the Razr 40 Ultra presents an enticing proposition for those seeking an innovative and forward-thinking smartphone experience. It is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for the foldable phone market, and I'm eager to see how this category evolves in the future.

As technology continues to evolve and manufacturers refine their offerings, the world of foldable phones is bound to see exciting advancements and greater adoption. The Motorola Razr 40 Ultra serves as a testament to the possibilities of innovative design and functional features within the realm of foldable devices.

In a market where new smartphones are released frequently, the Razr 40 Ultra stands out as a distinctive and intriguing option, presenting a new way of experiencing and interacting with our beloved handheld devices. For those who value unique design, enhanced productivity, and cutting-edge technology, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra is a foldable phone worth considering.

Motorola Moto G Google Play Edition

2014-01-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

The good: The Moto G Google Play Edition runs pristine Android 4.4 KitKat right out of the box and for a rock bottom price. It's compact, has a premium build quality, and powerful speakers.

The bad: The Moto G's processor is slow, it has no LTE, and storage is limited to 16GB. The dim screen lacks contrast and vivid colors, and its camera takes blurry photos and lacks an HDR mode.

The bottom line: If you yearn for pure Android KitKat on the cheap, the Moto G Google Play Edition is worth the price, but power users should look elsewhere.

Up until now, the most affordable way to get your mitts on an unlocked Android smartphone was the Motorola Moto G. For true 'droid diehards though, the device's software, which is only slightly tweaked by Motorola, may not be quite pristine enough. Enter the new Moto G Google Play Edition (GPE). Priced at the same incredibly low price as the first Moto G, $179 (8GB) and $199 (16GB), this model offers completely unadulterated Android 4.4 KitKat at bargain basement rates.

Of course the Moto G GPE also proves the old maxim that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Even with its advanced operating system, the phone suffers from the same hardware shortcomings as its progenitor, namely a pokey processor, lackluster screen, and an underperforming camera. Many will also ask, why bother with a Google Play Edition of this handset as well since the original Moto G is just as capable? I counter this question with the fact that though other unlocked Android gadgets such as the Nexus 5 ($399 for 32GB) and Moto X ($449 for 32GB) boast better components, you'll pay twice as much for those bragging rights. That's why the Moto G Google Play Edition is the clear choice for Android fans on a tight budget.

Editors' Note: For this review, I focused on how the Motorola Moto G Google Play Edition differs from the carrier-branded versions of the handset. For my complete assessment of the Moto G's design, features, and performance, please see the full review.

Design
Physically speaking, the Moto G Google Play Edition is identical to the original Moto G. Trust me though, that's a good thing, since for an unlocked phone with such a rock-bottom price, the Moto G to feels almost as good in the hand as its more expensive sibling, the Moto X. You'll find many of the handsome design elements I love in Motorola's current flagship model.

These include a compact chassis that's easy to manipulate one-handed, along with a curved back intelligently designed to fit comfortably in your palm. Measuring 5.1 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.5 of an inch at its thickest point, the Moto G shares an almost identical footprint to the Moto X (which only differs in thickness, at 0.4 inch). That makes both gadgets svelte enough to slip into tight pockets and tote around with ease.

The compact Moto G is easy to grip.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

And while the Moto G isn't sculpted out of luxurious materials such as aluminum or polished steel, its plastic body is reassuringly solid and radiates quality craftsmanship. Even so, I definitely prefer the soft-touch back surface of Moto X to the G's matte finish as it does a better job of repelling fingerprints and grease. That's why I strongly suggest buying one of the Moto G's shell backings for an extra $14.99, which feature a soft-touch texture and come in a choice of six snazzy colors.

The stock Moto G uses a basic black back plate.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

There are other small physical differences between the phones, such as the Moto G's slightly heftier weight (5 ounces), and thicker profile. Besides that, thanks to an identical button layout, the Moto G could easily be mistaken for the Moto X. A tiny power key and trim volume bar sit on the right side, while a 3.5mm headphone jack occupies the top edge.

Around back is the G's main 5-megapixel camera and LED flash. The phone even has a little circular dimple (matching the Moto X) placed just below the camera lens -- right where your index finger naturally falls. Here, too, is the Moto G's speaker, which I can confirm gets pretty darn loud without distorting.

The back has a dimple to place an index finger.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Unlike the Moto X's sealed chassis, the Moto G has a removable back plate. Don't get your hopes up, though, because underneath the phone's back cover isn't an SD Card slot, but merely an embedded 2,070mAh battery (2,200mAh on the X), and spring-loaded micro-SIM receptacle.

Screen
To meet the Moto G's low sticker price Motorola had to make some sacrifices and a major one was the handset's display. At 4.5 inches across, the G's screen is certainly big, especially considering the phone's small footprint. Its 720p resolution (1,280x720 pixels) is also acceptably crisp. Sadly, however, the Moto G's display is neither bright, nor high contrast.

Sadly the Moto G's 4.5-inch screen isn't that bright.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

In fact, when viewed side-by-side against the Moto X (with both devices set at maximum brightness), the G's LCD panel literally pales in comparison. Not only is the Moto X significantly brighter, its OLED screen technology produces very wide viewing angles with deep blacks and vibrant (if oversaturated) colors.

Core components
Motorola dialed back the Moto G's processing power as well. Under the phone's hood is a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor paired with Adreno 305 graphics and 1GB of RAM. It's less muscular than Motorola's X8 processing platform tucked inside the Moto X, which consists of a 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (dual-core Krait) backed up by 2GB of RAM and quad-core Adreno 320 graphics.

The Moto G's standard 8GB allotment of internal storage (16GB on premium versions) is less impressive compared with the Moto X's base 16GB and 32GB options. The handset's CPU is a far cry from true powerhouse devices such as the Nexus 5 and Galaxy Note 3, both powered by 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chips, Qualcomm's finest slice of mobile silicon to date.

The Moto G's battery is embedded.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Software and interface
In my view the most compelling quality of the Moto G Google Play Edition is its status as a GPE device. As a result the phone ships straight out of the box running pure Android 4.4 KitKat. That trumps the original carrier and Motorola-branded version of the Moto G which, while promised, a KitKat upgrade (from Android 4.3 Jelly Bean) may take its sweet time reaching your device.

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Asus Zenfone 4 Phone Review

2014-01-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

The Asus Zenfone 4 is Asus's new ultra-budget Android phone. It's not going to blow you away with its packed features list, but if it sells for the right price in the UK, this could certainly be one of the more capable, and desirable, low-end phones.

SEE ALSO: Bookmark our daily CES 2014 news round-up

As you'd expect from a phone set to sell for $99 in the US, the Asus Zenfone 4 is a plastic-bodied phone that doesn't feel particularly fancy or expensive. It's light, it's basic and it's quite small thanks to its 4-inch screen.

However, Asus's simplistic design results in a decent-looking cheap phone. It's not without design tweaks either, as the bottom of the front of the phone bears the concentric circles texture seen in Asus's much more expensive Transformer tablet devices, and its Zenbook Ultrabooks.

It's not a particularly slim phone at 11.2mm, but then cheaper, smaller-screen phones rarely are.

The one element that really marks the Asus Zenfone 4 as a low-end phone is its screen. It's not the 4-inch size that's the issue, but the resolution.

This is a 800 x 480 pixel display, a resolution that these days is only seen in phones that need to cut a lot of corners in order to keep the price down. It's a TFT screen, but screen quality is fairly good in its class. Colours aren't heinously washed out and while the pixel density is limited, the Zenfone 4 screen does not look truly blocky.

Its processor power is also pretty good among entry-level Androids. Rather than using an basic processor from a big name like Qualcomm or a chip from a company that frequently turns up in low-cost phones like MTK, the Zenfone 4 has an Intel Atom chip, a dual-core 1.2GHz Z2520. We didn't get to spend a great deal of time with the phone, but it seems less laggy than many truly cheap Android phones.

You only get 4GB of internal memory with the Zenfone 4, but there is a microSD memory card slot under the plastic battery cover. The cover comes in five colours too – red, blue and yellow and well as white and black. Connectivity is fairly basic. You get Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi, but miss out on NFC.

The version of the Zenfone 4 we played with ran Android 4.3, which the phone will launch with, but the new ZenUI had not yet been plastered on top. As is generally the case, the ZenUI doesn't look quite as good as standard Android to our eyes, and there's a good chance the custom interface may introduce a bit of lag. Fingers crossed performance will remain sold, though.

The last of the Zenfone 4's features is its array of two cameras, a 5-megapixel one on the back and a basic VGA sensor on the front. There's no flash and we wouldn't advise expecting too much from the phone's image quality, but phones of this price often leave out the front camera as a cost-saving measure.

Once you get your hands on the Asus Zenfone 4, it's pretty clear that this is a budget phone. However, if it sells for the right price in the UK, this could become one of the most capable ultra-budget phones around thanks to its Intel Atom processor. However, if it gets anywhere near £100, the existence of far more capable phones like the Motorola Moto G could sink it.

Next, read our best mobile phones round-up

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Asus Zenfone 6 Phone Review

2014-01-24T04:52:00.000-08:00

The Asus Zenfone 6 is the largest phone in the new Zenfone line-up. It has a 6-inch screen but is set to sell for under £250 SIM-free, if we don't get done over when the the phone comes here from the US.

We think the Zenfone 5 is the sweet spot in the new range, but this should prove one of the cheapest ways to get a 6-inch phone.

Plastic parasite won't be included in the final version...

Like any 6-inch phone, the Asus Zenfone 6 is very large. It's a real handful, which is one of the main reasons to consider another phone in the Zenfone range instead of this one.

Build is much the same as the other Zenfone mobiles. Its rear is plastic, and comes in red and gold and well as the more standard black or white. Common to many larger phones, it's slimmer than its Zenfone brothers at 9.9mm thick.

It weighs 200g, which is about the norm for a phone of this size. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 weighs 199g, for example.

The bit of Zenfone series visual flair is the area of shiny concentric circles below the screen. It's just there for the look, as the soft key virtual buttons sit just above this bit.

The key way the Zenfone keeps its price down is by using a lower-resolution screen than some of its rivals. Despite being six inches across, the phone has a 720p display, rather than a Full HD one.

Unlike the Zenfone 5, you can tell this deficiency, but it's a relatively minor issue. Texts looks a little bit softer than it would on a 1080p screen. Otherwise the IPS display provides decent image quality for a low-cost phone with good viewing angles and OK colour reproduction.

Like all the Zenfone mobiles, the Zenfone 6 uses an Intel Atom processor. It's the same one used in the Zenfone 5, a 2GHz dual-core Z2580 chip. This is a chip first seen in the Lenovo K900 back in 2013, and rarely used since, but it provides good performance for a phone this cheap. Asus claimed that it outperforms almost every Android phone out there, but such claims should be treated with a pinch of salt as Intel Atom performance versus things like Qualcomm chips varies a lot between benchmarks.

The version of the Zenfone 6 we played with ran a largely vanilla version of Android 4.3. However, by the time the phone launched it'll run ZenUI, Asus's new Android interface.

As well as a new look and extra features, it could come with some performance issues like other third-party interfaces. We'll look into this once the phone is released.

Across the board, the Zenfone 6 is similar to the Zenfone 5, but it does have a superior camera. Its main sensor is a 13-megapixel model rather than an 8-megapixel one.

One of the main software features of the new Zenfone phones is the software's ability to downgrade the camera's resolution to improve low-light performance. This involves virtually grouping together sensor pixels to create virtual, larger sensor pixels. We'll wait for our review sample to see if it really works, though.

The Asus Zenfone 6 also has an LED flash and a 2-megapixel front camera.

As with any 6-inch phone, the Asus Zenfone 6 comes into some slight handling problems thanks to its size. We imagine many of you would be better off with a Zenfone 5. However, if it's priced right in the UK this will be easily the cheapest 6-inch phone from a known brand.

Next, read our best phones round-up

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Huawei Ascend Mate 2 Phone Review

2014-01-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

Key Features: 6.1-inch 720p IPS display; 4G enabled;4,050mAh battery; 2GB RAM, 13-megapixel main camera; 5-megapixel front-facing camera; Emotion UI 2.0

Manufacturer: Huawei

The Huawei Ascend Mate 2 is the follow-up to the Huawei Ascend Mate launched last year packing the same 6.1-inch display and a 4,050 mAh battery Huawei claims will last two days and has the ability to charge up your other gadgets.

A rival for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Xperia Z Ultra, the Android-powered phablet is quad-core powered, and comes with 4G. There's a 13-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera among the most desirable and innovative new features.

SEE ALSO: Bookmark our daily CES 2014 news round-up

Measuring in at 9.5mm thick, it’s slightly thinner than the first Mate (9.9mm) and weighs 202g so like its predecessor is actually surprisingly light to hold in one hand for such a big phone.

The matte grey plastic has been replaced with a glossy white look and silver band that’s gives it that cheap Samsung Galaxy look we are not particularly the greatest fans of. It does also come in black so you are not just restricted to the ‘Pure White’ version, though.

The back is removable where you’ll find the MicroSIM and MicroSD card slots, although there’s no way to get at the battery.

Huawei has adopted the same quality display squeezing a 241 ppi pixel density into the 6.1-inch screen. While it only manages ‘720p HD’ resolution the quality is still strong. The IPS plus panel means viewing angles are great and colours are excellently reproduced. For a mid-range phablet, the Mate 2 is a more than suitable place to read on and watch movies.

The Mate 2 runs a customized version of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean that Huawei calls Emotion 2.0. The company talked a lot about the idea that Android as a UI can be complicated for some users to get to grips with so its aim with the latest version of the Emotion UI is to make it easier to use.

One way it hopes to achieve this is by adding the new One-Hand UI to make single-handed operation easier. The size of applications shrink down so it’s a less of a stretch with the thumb. Huawei has also added a new Floating Windows multitasking function to access functions like notes, messages and the calculator much quicker.

It’s powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU with 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 306 GPU to take care of gaming. There’s 16GGB of built-in storage backed up the MicroSD card support and there’s Bluetooth 4.0 built-in so it will play nice with devices like fitness trackers.

Both cameras sound impressive with the Mate 2 including a 13-megapixel BSI main camera from Sony that’s equipped with a 28mm lens, LED flash, HDR and f/2.0 aperture to shoot better quality low-light pictures.

Up front is a 5-megapixel sensor with a f/2.4 aperture with the ability to shoot vertical panorama shots and a new preview window to make sure you are looking at the camera when you are taking selfies. For video recording you can shoot footage in Full HD 1080p at 30 frames per second.

One of the most talked about features is the mammoth battery that also featured in the original Mate. It has a larger battery capacity than rival big phones like the Note 3 and the Xperia Z Ultra and Huawei claims will give you two full days use and can handle 100 hours of music playback off a single charge. Best of all, you can harness the battery power to charge up other devices using a micro USB cable.

For such a big phone, the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 fits surprisingly well in one hand and with the battery staying power, the ability to use it as an external battery charger and some two decent quality cameras there’s a lot to like. What we are not particularly fans of is the design. The white glossy plastic is not the prettiest and we hoped Huawei would have attempted to create something more unique.

Currently, there are no details on UK pricing, but we anticipate it to fall into the same £350 price bracket as the original making it cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. It should make for an affordable alternative to Samsung's big phone, but we don't think it will be better.

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Acer Liquid Z5 Phone Review

2014-01-24T01:57:00.000-08:00

The Acer Liquid Z5 is an affordable phone with a big screen. It has a 5-inch display, and is one of the largest phones you can get at the price – around £150. However, with the Motorola Moto G available for less money, the Acer Lquid Z5 has a tough time ahead.
The Acer Liquid Z5 is a plastic-bodied phone, and conspicuously so. Its body feels light and plasticky, failing to impress with its build.

Its approach to its connections feels a little bit clumsy too. There are flaps that cover the SIM slot and microSD card slot, and they don't look or feel particularly great.

The Acer Liquid does have some interesting hardware elements, though. It's extremely slim – 8.8mm – although the camera lens housing does stick out a bit, so it's not that slim throughout. There's also a button on the back, just below the camera. It can be used to awaken the phone, to head to a pre selected favourite app, and work as shortcut to the camera when held down.

Adding rear buttons like this is a fairly recent trend that can feel awkward in some phones, but as it's a completely optional extra – as there's also a dedicated power button up top – there's not too much to complain about.

Being on trend in this respect does highlight quite how behind the times the screen is, though. The Liquid Z5 display is big, but fairly pixel-poor. It has a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels, where most other screens of this size offer 720p or 1080p resolution. As such, text and images don't look very crisp.

Its colours are quite weak too, looking quite washed-out against the top competition – most crucially the Motorola Moto G.

The Liquid Z5 runs an only slightly out of date version of Android – 4.2 Jelly Bean. The latest at the time of writing is Android 4.4.

Acer has customised Android with its own skin, which brings a few of its own features. The most notable are floating widgets, such as a calculator that you can use while – for example – reading your emails.

Basic performance seems solid, but the processor is not particularly notable. It's a dual-core MTK chip, similar to those used in previous Acer Android phones. It's likely to struggle with some top-end games.

One area of the phone that Acer boasts as being 'best in class' is the camera. There are two, but it's the main rear one we're interested in here.

It's a 5-megapixel sensor – a fairly standard resolution by current standards – and has an f/2.4 lens. This means you get 1.4 micron sensor pixels – larger than much higher-res mobile cameras – but none of these specs are unusual or that worth shouting about. This is one element we'll have to wait for our review unit to properly assess, but it could certainly outpace the fairly poor Moto G on this front.

The Acer Liquid Z5 is a low-cost phone with a very large screen, given the price. However, it is a phone that seems to trade away some important things for a few eye-catching gimmicks, such as the rear button. With a low-res screen, we can't imagine many people picking this phone over the superior Motorola Moto G.

Next, read our best phones round-up

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Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Phone Review

2014-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Key Features: 20.1 megapixel camera; Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM; 4.3-inch 720p screen 341PPI; microSD; Android 4.3

Manufacturer: Sony

The Sony Xperia Z1 is a handsome beast of a phone. Made of glass and metal it looks all business but a 5-inch screen and dimensions that surpass even the angular Xperia Z means it's a phone for those with large hands, or those happy with using a phone two-handed.

Step forward the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact – the 4.3-inch little brother to the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra.

Watch the video hands on of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact:

This isn’t a "mini" version of the Z1 in the same way as the compromised Galaxy S4 mini and HTC One mini are. There's a reason Sony has called it the Z1 Compact and not the Z1 mini - very few concessions have been made. The Z1 Compact has all the chops of the standard Z1, but it doesn’t require the thumb juggling most 5-inch phones do. It’s a phone for the person who wants flagship standards but doesn’t get on with the ever increasing screen sizes on offer.

While Sony didn’t get it quite right with the Xperia Z Ultra (who really needs a 6.4-inch phone without a digitiser stylus?) it certainly appears on the right track with the Xperia Z Compact.

SEE ALSO: Our daily CES 2014 news update

The Xperia family of phones: Z Ultra on the left to the new Z1 compact on the right

It comes with the same solid 20.7 megapixel rear camera as the Z1 and the same lightning-fast 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor that's supported by 2GB of RAM. You also still get 16GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. In our hands on time with the phone it zipped through menus and apps.

Waterproof microSD card slot - check. There's 16GB of internal memory too

Sony has trimmed the resolution of the screen to 1280 x 720, or 720p, down from the full-HD screen on the Z1. The smaller screen size means it’s not particularly noticeable though – you’re still getting 341PPI, which is more than the 326PPI on the iPhone 5S.

The screen is bright and colourful, and uses many of the clever technologies the boffins at Sony’s TV department have learned over the years. Viewing angles are also excellent as we’d expect from an IPS screen, but it still comes with the obligatory plastic screen protector that gathers more greasy fingerprints than a KFC bargain bucket.

The screen is bright and colourful but gathers grease marks easily

With the same machined aluminium frame and toughened glass back as the Z1, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact looks exactly like its sibling. In fact from a distance and without a scale marker you really can't tell the difference. That is, of course, unless you’re looking at a lime or pink Z1 compact. These two new colours are both surprisingly tasteful, down to the carefully coloured shaved aluminium edges of the frame. The other available colours are black and white. The purple version of the Z1 doesn’t make it to the Z1 Compact.

The lime and pink Xperia Z1 Compacts are surprisingly tasteful

In hand the Xperia Z1 Compact doesn’t feel like a very small phone, it’s chunky, but feels solid and just about the right size for one-handed use. You won’t have to crane your thumb to reach the top left corner to type in a web address (if you’re right handed) as you would on the Z1 and the softly rounded corners help it nestle comfortably in your hand.

At 140g it’s heavy for a 4.3-inch phone and is 1mm thicker than the Xperia Z1. It’s actually heavier than quite a few 5-inch phones – the Galaxy S4 and Nexus 5 are both 10g lighter. That’s not to knock it, though. It’s still not a chore to hold and we’re happy to sacrifice some weight for the way the premium materials feel in hand.

Add to that the IP55 and IP58 dust and waterproof ratings and a 2300mAh battery (that’s the same as the Nexus 5 but with a lower res and smaller screen, which should translate to better stamina) and we can forgive the love-handles.

It’s clear that Sony has put one phone in the crosshairs with the Xperia Z1 Compact and that’s the iPhone 5S. Two key reasons iPhone owners don’t shift to Android is the larger size of flagship devices and the hassle of setting up a new phone in a new ecosystem.

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is aimed squarely at the iPhone 5S

Sony has tried to make this transition as pain-free as possible. If you have a NFC capable Android you can simply tap the phones together and transfer everything across using a Sony app called Xperia Transfer.

iPhones lack NFC so Sony will be bundling a USB to microUSB adapter in with every Xperia Z1 Compact allowing you to connect and transfer data using an iPhone’s charging/data cable.

Not only will it copy contacts, notes, reminders etc automatically, it will also look at your iOS apps and try to find their counterparts in the Play store. We’ve not had a chance to try this yet, but we’re intrigued to see how well it works in practice.

We don’t know yet how the Xperia Z1 Compact will be priced other than that it will be cheaper than the Z1. Bearing in mind the high specs and premium build materials we don't expect it to be much cheaper, though.

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact release date will be some time in the latter half of February. It will initially run Android 4.3 but will get an Android 4.4 KitKat update set for March.

Sony is giving people what they want – a flagship spec Android phone with a hand-friendly size. The range of four-colours is sure to enthuse those who like their phones to be fashion statements and the Z1 Compact retains the Xperia waterproof USP.

Sony should have ignored the phablet market and made this phone before the Z Ultra – better late than never, though. The Xperia Z1 Compact may well fill a major niche and sell like hot-cakes. Our initial thoughts are that it deserves to do well.

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ZTE Nubia 5

2014-01-23T22:02:00.000-08:00

The good: The competitively priced ZTE Nubia 5 has a polished design, a sharp camera, and a crisp 1080p screen.

The bad: The handset lacks LTE and storage gluttons won't dig the device's lack of expandable memory.

The bottom line: Although it doesn't have LTE, the ZTE Nubia 5's impressive specs and reliable performance make it a great value for an unlocked, high-end phone.

Though ZTE has plenty of low- and midrange devices under its belt, the number of high-end handsets that it releases for the US are few and far between. So when the Chinese-based manufacturer launched the impressively souped-up Nubia 5 and made it available to US consumers online and through Amazon, needless to say, I was excited.

Compared with ZTE's most recent top-tier phone, the Sprint Vital, the Nubia 5 shows marked improvements: a faster processor, a slimmer profile, and a higher-resolution screen to name a few.

The device does have a couple of drawbacks, however. For example, it lacks LTE capabilities, and offers only 16GB of storage (which turns out to be about 9GB or so left of usable storage) without any option to expand.

But while these factors may keep the handset from being wholly comparable to the current flagships of other, more successful manufacturers (not to mention there's the highly anticipated Nexus 5 to factor in as well, which is expected to be as unlocked and global-ready as its predecessor), the phone still performs great, is reasonably priced at $450, and is a working testament to ZTE's determination to make a serious name for itself in the US.

Design
The Nubia 5 has solid, high-end build quality. Though its aesthetic is nothing we haven't seen before (in fact, it uncannily looks like HTC handsets of recent past, like the Droid DNA or the Butterfly 2), I like its matte, rubberlike back, and the faux-metallic trimming along the phone's sides. Those accents lend a professional feel, and the way the top edge slightly tapers off is also a nice detail.

The device weighs 4.51 ounces, and measures 5.43 inches tall and 2.7 inches wide. It has a slim 0.29-inch profile. If you're like me and have a small grip, you may find the phone hard to maneuver with just one hand. True, the handset isn't noticeably any bigger than some others on the market, like the Samsung Galaxy S4, but it may seem somewhat tall inside certain pockets.

On the left and right edges are a narrow volume rocker and sleep/power button, respectively. Because both keys sit rather flush with the surface of the Nubia, it's difficult to find them by feeling around. Up top is a 3.5mm headphone jack and on the bottom edge is a Micro-USB port for charging.

The Nubia 5 has a trim, 0.29-inch profile.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

The back of the smartphone houses a 13-megapixel camera with flash and two small clusters of perforations for the audio speakers. The camera lens, accented with a stylish red rim, bulges slightly outward from the surface. Because you can't disassemble the back, the 2,300mAh battery is nonremovable.

Equipped with a 5-inch IPS touch screen, the device's display is one of the sharpest I've seen on any ZTE handset. It has a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution and 443ppi, so HD videos and images appeared crisp, and colors were accurately portrayed. Menu icons and text looked smooth, and the screen had a satisfyingly wide viewing angle. In addition, an issue I've often had with ZTE phones is finding their touch screens less responsive than they should be. The Nubia's display was sensitive and responsive to the touch; typing was accurate and tapping on items was a breeze.

However, the display could be brighter. Though it's indiscernible on a day-to-day basis, it was notable when I saw how much dimmer a video or a swatch of white looked on maximum brightness compared with on the GS4 and the LG G2.

Above the display is a 2-megapixel camera, and below it are three hot keys that light up red when in use. Although it's obvious that the middle circle button is the home key (which you can also long-press to launch recent apps), the other two keys are just small red dots, and their meanings aren't immediately clear. To clarify: the left calls up settings and the right is the Back key.

Software features
The Nubia 5 features a UI that has simple but sleek icons and menus, and lets you choose between a black and a white color themes. I like this UI more than the somewhat immature aesthetic of LG's Optimus 3.0 UI.

Oddly enough, the device doesn't feature an app drawer. Instead, you'll find all your apps in the pages of your home screen, where you can also organize individual app folders. While iOS users may not have any trouble with this, Android users will definitely find this inconvenient. The drawer allows users to have a clean, uncluttered homepage. Without it, your homepage will begin piling up with apps, and you'll inevitably end up having to swipe through several pages or create numerous folders just to get to them all.

No app drawer here: similar to in iOS, all apps will be accessible only through the home page.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET)

The device runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and includes the regular mill of Google apps you come to expect: YouTube, Search, portals to the Play Store for Books, Games, Magazines, Movies & TV, and Music, Chrome, Maps, G+ Photos, Hangouts, Gmail, and Google+.

You'll also get basic apps such as native browser and e-mail clients, a calendar, a notepad, a clock with alarm and stopwatch functions, a news and weather app, video and music players, a sound recorder, and a calculator.

ZTE also threw in some extra goodies, like an FM radio and a flashlight, a Smart Tag app that works in conjunction with the phone's NFC capabilities, Twitter, Facebook, the Kingsoft Office mobile office suite, Evernote, Dropbox, and the WeChat messaging app.

The phone has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of ROM. Unfortunately, there is no expandable microSD card slot, so unless you start getting into cloud computing or transfer out your Nubia's contents every so often, there's the (likely) chance you'll run out of storage. Especially since those 16GB end up being more like 9GB of usable, formatted memory.

Camera and video
The device's 13-megapixel camera features a Konica Minolta sapphire lens and image stabilization. Though ZTE has made handsets with a 13-megapixel shooter before with the Sprint Vital, the Nubia's photo quality was much better. Check out the photos below and be sure to click each one for the full-resolution version.

Even given the dim lighting, cups and other objects inside this Starbucks still come out clear.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In this outdoor photo, these blown-glass figures are vibrant and sharp.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) A close-up photo of this flower-print scarf shows plenty of detail.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET) In our standard studio shot, you can see the flash gives a blue cast to the white background, but objects remain well-defined.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

For one thing, the camera operated much quicker (though if you're shooting in HDR mode, you will have to wait awhile for image processing), and images were well-defined and in focus. Though there is no obvious macro zooming function, close-up shots turned out detailed and sharp. Moreover, colors had more pop and were more accurate than with the Vital, and images taken in dimmer lighting still came out less grainy or "crunchy-looking."

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HTC One Phone Review

2014-01-23T20:27:00.000-08:00

Excellent build and ergonomicsFab screenSense 5 is visually slickGreat performanceNon-expandable memoryMediocre battery lifeKeyboard needs a visual refreshThe HTC One has now been out for almost a year. Since we originally reviewed the phone, it has been crowned our phone of the year 2013, beating the Google Nexus 5, iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S4.

As you might have guessed – we still like it.

Since our original review, a few different versions of the phone have been released, other than the standard silver type we initially looked at. The Google Play edition has vanilla Android rather than the HTC Sense software used in the original. However, it is not available in the UK – a real shame.

A few new colours have also been outed, and these are a bit easier to get hold of here. There’s a deep red, a striking blue, a gold shade and a near-black dark grey.

Here are a few pictures to see how they compare to the version seen in the review below.

What has changed?
In the year since the HTC One’s launch we’ve seen its processor go from cutting edge to being a slight ‘has been’. The Snapdragon 600 processor of the phone is no longer used in new mobiles, discarded in favour of the Snapdragon 800, which allows for faster clock speeds and has an updated graphics processor.

However, it’s not something we notice much in actual use. The HTC One can play pretty much every game the newer top-end phones can handle (that we’ve tried) and sequential updates have only improved the performance of the phone.

The phone’s superlative features remain top of their game too. The HTC One is still the phone that feels best in-hand out of all the top-end Androids, and it has better internal speakers than any of its big-name rivals.

HTC One – never been topped

What is also interesting – and a bit sad – is that HTC has not quite managed to recreate the spark of genius that resulted in the HTC One in its subsequent phones. There have been two other One-series phones in the range, the HTC One Mini and the HTC One Max, but neither has been quite as good. Unlike the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z Ultra it’s not quite a case of a bigger and smaller version of the HTC One.

Part of this is down to the way the phones are made. The HTC One has an aluminium frame with plastic inlays, but the Mini and Max look and feel more like plastic phones with some aluminium plates grafted onto them. They are not as classy or immaculate as the phone that inspired them, the HTC One. The One Max in particular looks like a bit of a mess next to it.
The HTC One is much better-looking than the One Max

HTC One Software
Since the HTC One’s launch there have been a few little software changes too. First of all, the Deals app no longer works – the service has been discontinued. This makes being unable to install it even more annoying, but it was never an asset in the first place so at least we haven’t lost out on anything.

The latest build of the HTC One software also comes with a new app, KeyVPN. This lets you securely connect to your work computer with your phone – it was a very easy way for HTC to make the phone more Enterprise-friendly. Other than that, you still get everything we talk about in the software section of this review.

One neat little improvement is that HTC now lets you get rid of the BlinkFeed widget if you like - one of the most common criticisms of the phone when it launched. However, one obvious niggle remains. It sounds tiny, but it's irritating. It's far too easy to switch the keyboard into a different language when typing, and we recommend switching to a third-party keyboard as soon as you get hold of the phone.

Carry on reading for our full review of the HTC One.

HTC has had a bit of a rough time in the mobile market over the last two years. Odd decisions and disappointing flagship phones have seen Samsung sail past HTC, where once it was a fierce rival for the title of King of Android. HTC wants to change all that with the HTC One, a powerful, advanced and mostly seriously impressive Android phone.
One thing HTC has been pretty good at over the last few phone generations is in experimenting with different phone constructions. We’ve seen mobiles made of plastic, ceramic and metal – often within the same range.

The HTC One opts for a mix of aluminium and white plastic. It’s a plastic-metal sandwich. The meat of the phone is aluminium, with just thin strips of white plastic running along the edges. Some have reported that these plastic parts are prone to cracking, but we didn't experience any such issues.

These aluminium plates give the phone the cool, hard feel that you get with an iPhone 5. If anything, though, the HTC One is ergonomically superior. Its rear is smoothly curved to hug your hand and its edges are bevelled to remove any sharp bits. Although its look may be a little severe, the feel of it is anything but.

This is certainly one of the most attractive phones availale, with a more striking, cohesive look than either the Sony Xperia Z or the Samsung Galaxy S4. It's only the slightly aggressive styling that makes this feel like an HTC-designed device, rather than the one that could have slipped out of Apple's labs.

The HTC One’s roll-call of attention grabbing elements is fairly long. We have the dual front speaker grilles, the oversized camera housing, the concentric circles texture of the volume rocker, and the high-contrast look of the front camera, light sensor and power button up top.

The HTC One is a looker, and a phone that’s easy to recognise in the ever-expanding sea of mobiles. It's far more interesting to look at than its top rival the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Build quality is excellent too. The seams between the HTC One’s plastic and aluminium layers are tight aside from a tiny gap on the top edge of our review sample, and there’s none of the flex you’d see in a plastic-bodied phone. In-hand it feels much more expensive than the top Sony and Samsung phones.

The cost of such immaculate design is that the innards of the HTC One are inaccessible unless you get out your Dremel and saw the thing in half. You have no access to the battery here, and there is no memory card slot, which you do get with the Sony Xperia Z. The phone also lacks that handset’s waterproofing, although this means you don’t have to deal with any irritating rubber-sealed flaps – used in ruggedised phones to keep water out of sockets.

The HTC One’s body also won’t appreciate rough treatment much. Aluminium feels great on the fingers, but it’s a relatively soft metal that will eventually get scratched by loose change and your car keys. However, after using the phone for weeks without masses of care, its bodywork is still looking good, with only the shiny sides of the body bearing particularly visible scratches.

The white plastic of the silver edition is a terrible dirt magnet, though – it’ll be fine one minute and covered in dark smudges the next. Unless your personal hygiene is much better than ours, of course.

Like any phone this size, one of the trickiest bits to get used to is how large the screen is. It’s smaller than some – at 4.7 inches across when many new phones rock 5-inch displays – but reaching to the opposite end of the screen with a thumb is a real stretch. For right-handers, the power button also requires a stretch.

It’s one to add to the growing list of first-world problems – having a phone so big you need two hands to operate it.

However, the HTC One disappears into pockets easily enough, thanks to its fairly slim body. Its ergonomic curves ensure it’s not aggressively thin at 9.3mm thick, but we’d rather have a comfy phone than one whose figurative ribs poke through into your palm.

The HTC Phone’s two soft touch nav keys are easy enough to operate one-handed too, handling “back” and “Home” functions. They’re lit-up with swish-looking cool blue light when operated.

With no removable backplate and no memory card slot, the HTC One keeps its on-body features simple. Offset from the centre of the phone’s bottom edge is the microUSB slot, which is used not only to charge the battery and transfer data, but can also transmit video and audio to an HDMI-equipped TV. This is because it’s MHL-compliant, giving it similar skills to a microHDMI connection. The required cable isn't supplied with the phone, mind.

The only other connector socket you get with the HTC One is the obligatory 3.5mm headphone jack on the top edge.

Much like an iPhone 4S or a Nokia Lumia 720, the HTC One has a discreet microSIM tray that needs to be popped-out with the help of a paperclip – or the tool HTC supplies in the box.

Wireless connectivity is far more comprehensive than the old fashioned wired kind. Connections like GPS, HSPA and Bluetooth go without saying, and the HTC One also features NFC and – most interesting of the lot – an IR blaster. This is integrated into the power button up top, which helps to explain why it’s translucent black rather than more congruent matt white plastic. We’ll cover exactly what this is capable of when we talk about Sense TV later.

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ZTE Warp 4G (Boost Mobile)

2014-01-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

The good: Available for a low $199 off-contract, the ZTE Warp 4G delivers swift 4G speeds, and is equipped with a feature-packed camera. It also has long battery life, clean call quality, and solid construction.

The bad: The ZTE Warp 4G’s processor is slow, and its camera struggles under low light.

The bottom line: At $199 sans contract, the ZTE Warp 4G is the best choice for frugal shoppers on Boost Mobile.

It’s usually the case that nabbing a smartphone off-contract requires lots of concessions. Not so with the $199 ZTE Warp 4G. Flaunting a swift 4G LTE data link, a big 4.5-inch screen, and sturdy build quality, this compact Android handset is currently the shrewdest option on Boost Mobile’s network. It certainly makes a heck of a lot more sense than forking over $350 for the privilege of owning a Boost-connected Samsung Galaxy S3. Now factor in the Warp 4G’s satisfyingly long battery life and relatively unmucked-around-with Android Jelly Bean software, and I’m sure you’ll forgive the phone’s effective but less-than-stellar processor.

Design
My jaw dropped and eyes popped wide open when I learned of the ZTE Warp 4G’s low $199 no-contract price. That’s because when I scooped the device up and placed it in my hands, it felt good, I mean really good, an emotion rarely conveyed by plastic handsets. Not only does the phone have a sturdy and solid construction that doesn’t bend or flex, its textured back is easy to grip and repels grease and fingerprints. As a matter of fact, I prefer its backing to the Samsung Galaxy S3’s slippery back cover; Boost sells the S3 at a steeper $349.99 price.

The ZTE Warp 4G's small chassis is compact enough to operate in one hand.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

The Warp 4G may lack the faux-silver accents of Samsung’s newer smartphones, namely the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3. Even so, I found the device’s all-black color scheme sophisticated if a bit conservative. Dark gray, almost metallic, highlights ring the Warp 4G’s body and add an extra touch of distinction.

Measuring 5.2 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide and 0.41 inch thick, the Warp 4G is by no means wafer-thin. The Galaxy S3 (5.4x2.8x0.34 inches) is slightly larger, but the Warp’s profile is noticeably thicker. Tipping the scales at 4.7 ounces, however, the Warp 4G has the exact same weight as Samsung’s 2012 superphone.

The Warp 4G is compact but not ultrathin.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Above the warp 4G’s sizable 4.5-inch screen is a 1-megapixel front-facing camera and notification light. Sitting below the display are three backlit capacitive buttons for basic Android control (Back, Home, and Menu) represented by easy-to-comprehend symbols.

The ZTE Warp 4G's back surface has a nice textured pattern.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Along the phone’s left edge are two discrete buttons for adjusting volume up and down. Here, too, is a Micro-USB port for both charging the phone and physically connecting to PCs to transfer files. The right side of the device houses a dedicated camera key that engages the Warp 4G’s imaging system. It will not wake the handset up from sleep, though, to launch the camera app. Up top is the power button plus a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack for plugging in wired headsets.

Fans of battery swapping will appreciate the Warp 4G’s removable 2,070mAh battery hidden under the phone’s back cover. Separate slots for SIM cards and microSD memory cards are located here as well.

Under the back cover are slots for microSD and SIM cards, plus a removable battery.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Screen
ZTE, the manufacturer of the Warp 4G, decided to go big in terms of the phone’s screen size. The device flaunts a large 4.5-inch 720p HD LCD panel (1,280x720 pixels). While this can’t measure up to the Samsung Galaxy S3’s bigger 4.8-inch OLED screen in terms of color saturation, contrast, and viewing angles, it boasts the same 720p resolution.

That said, the Warp’s display gets decently bright, and its IPS (in plane switching) LCD technology does an admirable job of showcasing photos with lifelike colors and pleasingly crisp details.

Software and interface
The Warp 4G runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, not the most recent OS iteration from Google, Android version 4.3. In the Warp’s defense, though, none of Boost Mobile's other phones features Android 4.2, let alone 4.3. There's not that much of a difference, either, in terms of features and functionality, between Android 4.1 and Android 4.2. Additionally, the handset’s software is mostly stock and therefore unadulterated, with a funky skin or unfettered by bloatware. That's always a positive trait in my book.

You have five home screens on the Warp 4G to customize, either by dropping widgets or app shortcuts onto. There are some carrier-branded apps preloaded , such as the Air G youth-targeted social media network, and Boost Zone to access your wireless account or view Boost-suggested applications.

Since the Warp 4G is a genuine Android phone, it links to Google’s vast ecosystem of software and services. These include all the usual suspects such as Gmail, Google Search, the Google Play digital storefronts for music, video, and books, plus the Chrome mobile browser. The Warp also links to the Google Play store to download apps from its wide selection of third-party software developers.

Camera
The ZTE Warp 4G uses a decent but not stellar camera with an 8-megapixel sensor and LED flash. The phone’s camera app does offer plenty of settings, features, and shooting modes to choose from. Picture sizes range from VGA resolution (640x480) all the way up to 8 megapixels (3,200x2,400). There are also manual settings for white balance, ISO, along with exposure, contrast, and saturation. The Warp boasts 16 scene modes (not counting Normal) such as Macro, HDR, Burst, and Panorama, just to list a few.

Outside details weren't too sharp, but colors were bright.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

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Asus Zenfone 5 Phone Review

2014-01-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

The Asus Zenfone 5 is a low-cost Android phone with a large screen. It may not be all that phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 are, but it certainly seems to get you a lot for your money.

UK prices for the Zenfone 5 haven't yet been announced, but as it's set to sell for $200 without a contract in the US, this should prove to be one of the cheapest ways to get a 5-inch screen phone.

As a relative newcomer to phones, it's not surprising that Asus has kept the design of its new Zenfone mobiles pretty simple. The Zenfone 5 is a plastic phone with a single-piece plastic battery cover that comes in five different colours.

The one piece of Asus visual stamping is the texture of concentric circles that you'll see under the screen. It feels a little light and basic compared with something like the HTC One, but the Zenfone 5 should sell for around half the price of our 2013 phone of the year.

It weighs 144g and is 10.3mm thick. It's light enough, but it's not super slim. But again, superlatives are really not what the Asus Zenfone 5 is all about.

The screen too lives in a comfortable middle ground. It's five inches across and the resolution is 720p, where other high-end phones this size use 1080p displays. However, given the phone's expected price we're more than happy to live with 720p.

It's sharp and the IPS panel provides respectable image quality. Colour reproduction wasn't quite spot-on, but the phone may ship with Asus Splendid, an app that lets you fine-tune the colour temperature and saturation to your own tastes. Our demo model wasn't loaded with the final software so we can't be sure though.

The Asus Zenfone 5 is a mobile that has sprung from the strong relationship between Intel and Asus. It uses an Intel Atom processor, the dual-core 2GHz Z2580. It's a very capable processor for a budget phone like this.

Asus boasted during the launch of the phone that it could outperform virtually every mobile processor seen in an Android phone. Our experience has been Intel Atom chips are often a little poorer with tasks in which power matters – mostly gaming – due to relative lack of optimisation on the developers' side. However, things like the Zenfone range are out to change that. And the raw power you're getting means the Zenfone 5 is a bit of a bargain.

Asus says the phone will have 4GB, 8GB or 16GB, but this will depend on the demands of the market in question. An 8GB or 16GB model seems likely for the UK.

The Zenfone 5 does pretty well in the camera department too. It has an 8-megapixel main camera with a fast f/2.0 lens. This is a great start, but when camera performance relies so much on things like shutter lag and the software image engine, we're not going to praise the phone too much yet. We'll wait for the final review unit.

The main camera does have a LED flash, though, and there's a 2-megapixel front camera for selfies and video chat.

One thing that could trip this phone up is software. We saw the phone running a largely vanilla version of Android 4.3, but it'll launch with a new custom ZenUI. Although it promises plenty of extra features, including a rather interesting camera one that groups sensor pixels in low light to improve performance (i.e. it reduces resolution), it could result in a phone with more lag than we'd hope.

Few custom UIs get their navigation completely right too, and Asus hardly has the most experience in the market in this field.

If the ZenUI is a moderate success and we get a fair translation of the US selling price, the Asus Zenfone 5 could offer a pretty good larger-screen alternative to the Motorola Moto G.

Next, read our best phones round-up

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Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition

2014-01-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

The good: The Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition squeezes a stunningly bright, and colorful display, stock Android 4.4 KitKat, and a muscular processor into an extremely thin package. With sealed ports, the water-resistant Z Ultra needn't fear liquid or exposure to dirt and dust.

The bad: Even considering the Sony Z Ultra GPE’s carrier-unsubsidized status, $649 is an exorbitant amount to pay. The Z Ultra’s overblown size makes it unwieldy to operate and its camera is disappointing.

The bottom line: The Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition's insanely large size and stratospheric price make the Nexus 5 and Note 3 better options for pure Android power.

Sony smartphone lovers have long waited for a Google Play Edition (GPE) device they can crow about, but unfortunately the $649 Sony Z Ultra GPE isn't it. Ridiculously large and awkward to use, at least as a traditional mobile handset, the Ultra is far from a flagship, pure-Android device like the HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4. What's more, it can't manage one of the Nexus 5's most impressive feats of balancing a compact size, affordable price, and excellent features. Even the Galaxy Note 3, while a big product takes up much less room in your fist and is ultimately a better phablet buy.

Yes, since this Z Ultra is officially sanctioned by Google, it runs a pristine version of Android 4.4 KitKat and it's available for purchase directly from the Google Play store. But even with those upsides, the Ultra is priced well out of reach of even the most well-heeled Android users. Now throw in the gadget's lackluster camera, and even the Z Ultra GPE's water-resistant feature can't save it from drowning.

Design and build
I used to think that massive handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC One Max were as big as a phone could possibly get. Boy, was I ever wrong. The Z Ultra Google Play Edition busted through my preconceived notions with the impact of a speeding 18-wheeler. Sporting a screen that measures a vast 6.4 inches across and a chassis spanning 7 inches tall by 3.6 inches wide, the Z Ultra really pushes the phablet envelope and lands squarely in small tablet territory.

The Sony Z Ultra GPE's main draws are stock Android 4.4 KitKat and a lovely 6.4-inch screen.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Amazingly the phone has a larger footprint than the Note 3 (6 inches by 3.1 inches by 0.33 inch) and One Max (6.5 inches by 3.2 inches by 0.4 inch), both astoundingly oversize mobile phones. The mighty Z Ultra even manages to dwarf the Samsung Galaxy Mega (6.6 inches by 3.5 inches by 0.3 inch), once the physical king of phablets.

I must give kudos to Sony for trimming down the Z Ultra's profile, though. At a mere 0.26 inch thick, the Ultra is noticeably thinner than HTC's and Samsung's phone/tablet hybrids. As a matter of fact, the device's slender frame makes it the most svelte smartphone I've seen in recent memory. Of course, with the gadget tipping the scales at 7.5 ounces, the Ultra is by no means lightweight.

Despite its massive screen size, the Z Ultra is breathtakingly thin.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

No doubt the Z Ultra's density is a direct result of its extensive use of glass, both in front and back. This, coupled with the Z Ultra's angular shape and dark black colors, helps the device achieve a very sophisticated and elegant look. Sony crafted the Z Ultra to be highly dust- and water-resistant too. That means that turning on the kitchen faucet all the way and casually tossing the device into the sink isn't a reckless move.

The glass backing of the Z Ultra is a smudge and fingerprint magnet.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

As a matter of fact it's your best way of keeping the phone clean since all of the handset's shiny and reflective surfaces translate into one serious fingerprint and grease magnet. As I found with the Sony Xperia Z before it, the phone's flashy exterior becomes soiled from the moment I picked it up. Just be sure you remember to seal all the Z Ultra's flexible flaps closed. They create a barrier against liquids for the phone's ports.

The Z Ultra's ports have protective flaps to guard against dust and water.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

The only physical controls are on the right side -- a silver, circular power button and trim volume bar. Also here is a 3.5mm headphone jack which Sony says is also waterproof despite lacking a protective flap.

For the Z Ultra, a proper dunking is all in a day's work.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Display
It was clear to me from the second I scooped up the Z Ultra into my hands that the device's raison d'etre is its 6.4-inch screen and the sprawling visual real estate it provides. The Z Ultra's LCD panel has a crisp full-HD 1080p (1,920x1,080 pixels) resolution as well. It packs the same amount of pixels as do the Samsung Galaxy Note, HTC One Max, and Google Nexus 5. That said, since all those handsets have smaller displays, they also benefit from slightly higher PPI counts than the Z Ultra (342ppi).

I didn't notice any loss of detail and I enjoyed consuming all types of screen-centric content on the Z Ultra GPE. Whether it was Netflix movies, Web pages, photos, or skimming Flipboard news articles, the Z Ultra served up a fantastic view. Also, while the device's screen lacks the truly arresting colors, contrast, and wide viewing angles of the Note 3's OLED display, it does get pretty bright and serves up vivid hues.

The Z Ultra GPE lacks the Google Experience Launcher you'll find on the Nexus 5.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Software and interface
A huge part of the appeal of any Google Play Edition handset is its pure and unadulterated Android software, and here the Z Ultra doesn't disappoint. While not a true Google Nexus device, the phone runs a squeaky clean version of Android 4.4 KitKat and all the bells and whistles that go with it.

This includes a smarter, sharper-looking interface, Google Now notifications and advanced search, plus access to the company's vast catalog of digital content, apps, and services. Be advised, though, that the Z Ultra does not feature the Google Experience Launcher; that's only found on the Nexus 5. That means there's no enhanced quick launch bar at the foot of each home screen, nor will swiping all the way to the left fire up Google Now functions. For a full play-by-play breakdown of KitKat and how it handles on the Nexus 5, read our full Android 4.4 review.

The Z Ultra GPE runs stock KitKat and supports landscape home screens.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

The Z Ultra GPE does have one interesting software twist. Like its bigger tablet sibling, the Nexus 7 (and further evidence that the Ultra is more slate than phone) turning the gadget on its side activates a landscape view of the home screens and app tray.

View the original article here

Sony Xperia Z1 S (T-Mobile)

2014-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

The good: The Sony Xperia Z1S has a striking, waterproof design, a fast processor, and a feature-packed camera that takes quality pictures.

The bad: The Xperia Z1S' screen pales in comparison with other flagship smartphones' displays. The handset’s glass chassis feels slippery and collects prints and smudges easily.

The bottom line: The Xperia Z1S is the most impressive smartphone Sony has ever sold on any carrier, but an inferior screen makes Samsung's Galaxy handsets better deals.

At least in the US, Sony has yet to create a blockbuster smartphone on par with the Samsung Galaxy S4 or Google Nexus 5. With the Xperia Z1S, its latest flagship handset, the company makes a brave attempt at a smoother sail in American waters, but a disappointing screen makes the Z1S founder. Sure, its 5-inch display is big and boasts a full-HD resolution, but it lacks the visual impact of Sony's high-end competitors like the Nexus 5, the S4, and the Galaxy Note 3. Heck, even older handsets such as the HTC One serve up more inviting eye candy.

Still, there is plenty right about the Z1S. Equipped with a speedy Snapdragon 800 processor, a full 32GB of internal storage, elegant glass construction, and a sharp 20MP camera, the Xperia Z1S is Sony's best carrier-branded smartphone yet. And available exclusively through T-Mobile, it's reasonably priced for the carrier's no-contract model ($528 up front or 24 monthly payments of $22). But even so, I wish that T-Mobile were selling the Xperia Z1 Compact instead. Astonishingly, the Compact matches the Z1S spec for spec and it boasts a higher-quality (if smaller) 4.3-inch display.

Design and build quality
If you have a soft spot for Sony's current Xperia lineup of mobile devices then you'll quickly warm up to the Z1S. It uses the same jet-black color scheme, sharp lines, glass panels, and silver accents gracing the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, and Z1 Ultra. I admit I like the Xperia design language, which manages to be both sober yet sophisticated. It also helps Sony phones to stand out in a world overcrowded with look-alike plastic mobile gadgets.

The premium aesthetics of the Xperia Z1S do come at a price, however, namely glossy and highly reflective surfaces that attract finger grease and prints like it's going out of style. The Z1S' smooth sides also felt slippery in my hands, which caused me to yearn for the soft-touch frames of other phones.

Measuring a svelte 0.34-inch thick by 5.74 inches tall and 2.91 inches wide, the Xperia Z1S is quite pocket-friendly, though. Indeed, it's way more practical to grip and operate in one hand than Sony's behemoth Z1 Ultra. With the exception of a dedicated camera shutter key on the right edge, Sony keeps the phone's physical controls to a minimum too.

Sony places all the physical controls for the Xperia Z1S on its right side.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

A circular silver power button and thin volume rocker are the only other hardware keys. To keep them protected from the elements, the Xperia Z1S hides its microSD card slot, SIM card slot, and Micro-USB port behind stiff flaps. Up top is the 3.5mm headphone jack, while the device's bottom lip houses a trim but long stereo speaker.

Display
With a full-HD resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, the Xperia Z1S' big 5-inch display is bright and renders crisp text and images. The screen's colors looked vibrant as well, though its LCD technology can't match the eye-popping hues and high-contrast of Samsung's OLED handsets. And in the short time I spent with the device it was clear that viewing angles drop sharply when not viewing the screen head-on. Also, colors adopted a distracting milky sheen when I twisted the phone slightly left, right, or up and down. I even experienced the unsettling effect when the device was placed flat on nearby desktops -- within arm's reach from my chair, mind you.

Sadly, the reason for this visual shortcoming is that the phone's LCD screen lacks IPS (in-plane switching) technology. Because they have much higher contrast than traditional LCDs and don't wash out off-angle either, IPS displays have become standard in today's LCD-equipped smartphones. It's really a shame that Sony chose not to outfit the Z1S accordingly.

Ports and expansion slots are sealed behind watertight flaps.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

Fearless of spills and grime
Thanks to Sony's dedication to giving the world water- and dust-resistant smartphones, all it takes to get the Xperia Z1S sparkly clean is a quick rinse. Just like the company's other Xperia gadgets, the Z1S is able to withstand submersion in water and exposure to rain as well as dirt particles.

Sony Xperia phones have a history of being waterproof.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Sony says the Xperia Z1S is rated to meet the IP58 durability standard -- essentially that means in addition to shrugging off sand and grit the device can survive prolonged dunks (30 minutes) in up to 4.5 feet of water. I can confirm that my Z1S test unit was as hardy as advertised. It's also a great comfort knowing that wet sink countertops or the odd drink spill won't faze this gadget.

Camera prowess
Around back you'll find the handset's main 20.7-megapixel camera and LED flash. Sony also touts that the Xperia Z1S uses its more premium G Lens, which it claims is superior to ordinary camera phone glass (though I bet it's constructed from quartz or clear plastic). Indoors the Z1S handled itself well and pictures of still-life images were well exposed, with accurate colors and clear details.

Indoor shots were clear and well-exposed.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

Outside photo quality was high as well, even when I shot under the weak winter sun and overcast skies of New York. I was able to capture images of wily, quick-footed children as well. The only real complaint I have is that the Z1S' camera takes its own sweet time to focus, which forced to me to fire many shots in a row for fear of missing the action. I also noticed that the camera's shot-to-shot speed was sluggish, at about a second between consecutive photos.

The camera was capable of nabbing shots of kids, that is, when it could focus in time.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET) The camera app features many image-processing bells and whistles.

(Credit: Brian Bennett/CNET)

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Motorola Moto X Phone Review

2014-01-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

Classy, simple designNeat 'active display' notificationsExcellent HDR shotsOut-of-date processorPoor low-light camera shotsSlightly overpricedThe Motorola Moto X is the more expensive, more powerful brother of the Moto G, our budget phone of the year 2013. It is a totally different proposition, though. It costs £380 SIM-free, similar to the current best deal for the Samsung Galaxy S4. If you want a relatively small phone with good specs it’s solid, but tumbling SIM-free prices of phones from the big names make it a slightly tough sell.

SEE ALSO: 10 best mobile phones round-up

The Motorola Moto X looks very similar to the Moto G. It’s a curvy phone with a plastic shell that has a clear seam where the rear battery plate connects with its frame.

In the US, people buying a Moto X get to choose from thousands of different style variations, including a wood finish. However, this has been dropped for the UK. You can pick between ‘woven’ white and black finishes, designed to look like they are made out of something fancier than plastic. The smooth, soft finish feels better than a basic plastic shell, but it’s still a polycarbonate case. And unlike the Moto G, the back is non-removable.

Where the Motorola Moto X design excels is in fitting in quite a large screen into what feels like a small body. There’s very little screen bezel, particularly towards the bottom of the phone. You get the same 4.7 inches as the HTC One with a Moto X, but this is a significantly smaller mobile.

It’s the height of the phone that is most notable. The Moto X is 129mm tall – petite compared to the 137mm HTC One, 138mm Nexus 5 and 136mm Galaxy S4. This is the least obtrusive, least showy ‘high-end’ phone you can get.

You pocket will thank you for buying a Moto X, but it means this is likely to be confused for a lesser phone by many people.

Squashing down the footprint of the phone has also ensured that it’s not all that thin. At 10.4mm it’s quite chunky for a £400 phone – at least 1mm thicker than the phones it competes with. However, the curvy back is most similar to the top-notch HTC One’s, giving a smooth and easy grip.

SEE ALSO: 10 Best Android Phones

Another comparison you can’t help but make here is with the Moto G, a phone that looks the same but costs a third of the price. While they look similar, the Moto X is finished more gracefully in a number of places. The most obvious is the screen surround. Where the plastic juts out beyond the screen a fraction in the Moto G, it curves around to form a much tighter join in the Moto X, avoiding the rough feel of its cheaper brother.

Its backplate is also glued on, for a zero-creak body, and it’s significantly slimmer. The Moto X also uses a pop-out SIM tray on its side, rather than a slot hidden under its battery cover. It’s the unusual nano SIM type, used in the iPhone 5S.

A final little hardware improvement, the Moto X also has superior, tighter vibration feedback motors. That the Moto X and Moto G are brothers is unmistakable, but those claiming the Moto X is merely a Moto G with some upgraded insides are wrong. It’s at least five per cent classier. And it has the 4G and NFC connections missing from that budget phone.

SEE ALSO: 5 best cheap mobile phones

The Moto X comes with either 16GB or 32GB of internal memory and, like many top-end Androids, there’s so memory card slot to let you add to it. Its USB port is MHL-compatible, though, letting you plug the phone directly into a TV if you have the right adapter. One does not come included but they are available for as little as £10 online.

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ZTE Source (Cricket Wireless)

2014-01-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

The good: The ZTE Source is competitively priced, features the recently updated Muve Music subscription service, and has expandable memory.

The bad: Data speeds are sluggish without an LTE connection, and both the handset's photo and call quality are mediocre.

The bottom line: The ZTE Source offers Cricket customers inexpensive LTE, but if you can spare a bit more money, pass it over for better devices.

Assuming you're able get Cricket Wireless' LTE coverage in the first place, the ZTE Source delivers LTE speeds at a decent $189.99 price. In fact, that's the carrier's most budget option for an LTE device by quite a wide margin. Its second-cheapest handset, the Samsung Galaxy Admire 2, costs $250.

True, the Source isn't banging on all cylinders (naturally, you'll have to spend more dough if you want better specs): it can be sluggish at times and its camera's image quality is less than stellar. However, it does feature a decently sized 4.5-inch screen, expandable storage, and Cricket's recently revamped Muve Music service. Altogether, that makes the handset a worthy value if you're on a tight budget.

Design
The ZTE Source measures 5.31 inches tall and 2.64 inches wide. Given that it's 0.40 inch thick and weighs 5 ounces, the device is hefty. I immediately felt its weightiness the moment I picked it up, and it feels bulky when I put it in my front pockets.

The edges are accented with a silver chrome-like finish, and on the left is a Micro-USB port for charging and a narrow volume rocker. Up top is a 3.5mm headphone jack and on the right edge is a sleep/power button.

The Source features a 5-megapixel camera and a matte, soft-touch battery door.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

The back houses a 5-megapixel camera with flash, and on the bottom left corner are two small slits for the audio speaker. Coated with a matte soft-touch material, the battery door surprisingly traps a lot of fingerprints and oils, but you can easily wipe them off. Using a small indentation on the bottom left corner, you can pry the battery door off to access the microSD card slot (which accepts cards of capacities up to 32GB), and the 2,070mAh battery.

Equipped with a 4.5-inch display, the handset has a 480x854-pixel resolution and 218ppi. This isn't the sharpest resolution, and indeed, you can see a subtle "crunchiness" when it comes to default wallpaper photos and high quality YouTube videos. The graininess isn't overly distracting, however, and the screen is still sensitive and responsive to the touch. I had no problem typing (either by pressing on the individual keys or by Swyping), and tapping on apps with my fingertips was a breeze.

Above the display is a 1-megapixel camera and below are three hot keys (for back, home, and menu). You can long-press the center home button to access recent apps.

Software features
The phone features many of Cricket Wireless' own apps, which include its own navigator; a My Account app to manage your phone payments; and MyBackup, which lets you store your contact information in a cloud. There's also a White Page-esque app called Cricket 411, where you can access information for the nearest pizza joint or grocery store; and a Cricket storefront that lets you purchase graphics and applications.

Finally, there's Muve Music. Muve is a subscription service tied to your service plan, and it lets you download and play (offline, even!) thousands of songs and albums. It's preloaded onto the Source, and after finally receiving a desperately needed face-lift, the service is more manageable and easier to use than ever. Features include Muve Mixes (formerly known as My DJ), which lets you access premade playlists organized by musical genres. There's also a New Releases section and Shazam, the popular music-searching app. The app can be accessed as a home-screen widget, wherein you can launch the Shazam tool directly, and pause and skip music tracks.

The device runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and as such contains several Google apps: Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Hangouts, Maps, access to the Play Store's Books, Games, Movies and TV, Music, and Newsstand portals, and YouTube.

The Muve Music widget (left) along with other Cricket apps, and the Muve app itself.

(Credit: Lynn La/CNET)

Other apps include Facebook and Twitter, an alarm clock, native browser and e-mail clients, a calculator, a calendar, a news and weather app, a notepad, a sound recorder, a timer, a voice dialer, and a world clock.

Camera and video
Casual shutterbugs shouldn't mind the handset's photo quality too much, if all you're looking for is to take some informal shots here and there. However, don't expect to take impressive photos. For one thing, colors tended to look muted, and ran on the cold, bluish side. The camera also struggled to focus at times; even when I held it extremely still, nonmoving objects still managed to appear blurry with ill-defined edges. It also didn't take much to take pictures riddled with digital noise. Even a well-lit indoor setting can produce the issue quite easily. For more on the camera's picture quality, check out the images below. And feel free to click on them to view them at full resolution.

Both the 5-megapixel and front-facing camera has autofocus, a 4x digital zoom, five white balance options, five ISO levels (from 100 to 1600), geotagging, compositional grid lines, and three photo qualities. However, the rear camera can shoot in five photo sizes (from 640x480 to 2,592x1,944 pixels), while the 1-megapixel camera can only shoot in two (from 640x480 to 1,280x720 pixels).

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ZTE Grand S II Phone Review

2014-01-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Key Features: 5.5-inch Full HD 1080p display, 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor; 2GB RAM; 16GB internal memory; 13-megapixel main camera; 2-megapixel front-facing camera; 3,000mAh battery; Micro SD card slot

Manufacturer: ZTE Corporation

The ZTE Grand S II is the Android smartphone successor to the ZTE Grand S adding a bigger, 5.5-inch screen, a more powerful processor and voice activated skills like the Motorola Moto X.

The Chinese manufacturer has not confirmed a UK release date or pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 alternative that has the specs on show to suggest it has all the makings of being a great big phone.

Measuring in at around 9mm thick, the Grand S II loses its slender frame and is now considerably chunkier than the Grand S (6.9mm). Weighing in at 150g, it's lighter than the Note 3 (168g) and feels nice and comfortable to hold in one hand even if it’s a stretch to reach the top of the screen. Elsewhere, it’s a familiar setup to the Grand S with a trio of hardware soft keys below the screen. Over on the right, you’ll find volume rocker, on/off button and Micro SD card. The headphone jack sits up top, with SIM card slot over on the left and speaker on the back.

While the Grand S was one of the best-looking phones the company ever produced, the Grand S II feels like a step backwards despite its metal frame. Whether it’s in the glossy black or white, the two-toned back doesn’t really work for us and we much preferred the pure colour look of the previous handset. Up front, the bezel on the side of the display is nice and slim however there is nothing that really screams wow factor with the Grand S II.

Jumping from a 5-inch to a 5-5-inch full HD 1080p display, the Grand S II manages to squeeze in a pixel density of 401ppi, which is actually less than the Grand S. It does still manage to deliver exceptionally sharp image quality. Running some sample video colours are nice and accurate although the top level brightness does appear quite dim.

The Grand S II has a pretty impressive list of core specs. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz, an Adreno 330 GPU to cater for gaming with 2GB RAM to take care of multiasking. There’s 16GB of internal storage with a Micro SD card slot to give the space a bump up.

In the camera department there’s the same 13-megapixel main camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear-facing camera is also capable of shooting full HD 1080p video at 30fps. In our brief shooting time, photos are nice and sharp and looks set to match fellow 13-megapixel-packing smartphones like the Galaxy S4.

Running on Android 4.3, ZTE has included a small number of pre-installed applications that include Kingsoft Office and its own Mi-Assistant software to keep the phone secure, monitor performance and battery life.

ZTE has also tinkered around with the operating system to it feel more unique so you will have to long press on the screen to unlock it. Using three microphones, the Grand S II also includes enhanced voice control tech similar to that used on the Moto X. As well as recognizing multiple voice, it will also work with Drive mode and is capable of taking photos without having to touch the screen.

In terms of battery life, the Grand S II features a massively upgraded 3,000mAh capacity battery that’s slightly smaller than the Note 3 (3,200mAh) but should give the ZTE phone plenty of staying power.

Unattractive looks aside, the ZTE Grand S II has all the specs to make it a great big phone. The sharp screen really impresses, the voice control is an interesting addition and there’s plenty of processing power on board to keep things running nice and quick. ZTE says it expects to the Grand S II to launch in Europe later this year, and if it’s cheaper similar-sized smartphones could be a decent 5.5-inch phone to look out for.

Read more: Best Android phones

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Verykool s470 Black Pearl

2014-01-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

The good: The Verykool s470 Black Pearl smartphone is a great value at only $230 off-contract and it has a sharp screen.

The bad: The phone's camera takes mediocre shots and there's no support for LTE.

The bottom line: Verykool's premium Black Pearl is far from high-end, but its unique features, like the dual-SIM setup, make it one of the better unlocked low-cost smartphones out there.

In any other company's smartphone lineup, the $230 unlocked Black Pearl would be the budget option. For San Diego-based manufacturer Verykool, it's the premium model.

At its price, the Black Pearl is a great value for what you get. It has a crisp screen, fast processor, dual-SIM capability, and a few software extras that make it more than just another budget Android handset.

The Black Pearl beats the Verykool Vortex in every way. Though it's the company's most expensive model, at $280, and has a water-resistant, rugged exterior, the Vortex is plagued by an out-of-date operating system and an inferior screen.

The Verykool Black Pearl

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Design
Despite its name, nothing about the design of the Black Pearl reminds me of an actual pearl. It has a slightly curved rounded body and slick matte back cover, and comes in two colors, black and white. I tested the black model.

Sizewise, it's nearly identical to the Samsung Galaxy S4, just thicker. Officially, the phone measures 5.4 inches tall, 2.7 inches wide, and 0.4 inch deep. It weighs 5.6 ounces, which makes it feel hefty and solid in my hands.

The smooth polycarbonate back cover wraps around the sides of the phone and there's a speaker grille near the bottom. Remove the cover to reveal the battery, two SIM slots, and a microSD card slot. You need to pull out the battery to access either card slot, which is a pain. The dual SIM slots are stacked one on top of the other, with SIM 1 behind SIM 2. The Black Pearl uses full-size SIM cards, which, compared with today's standard micro-SIM, is outdated.

You can easily fit the phone into a pocket.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Though overall the phone feels solid, the back cover feels flimsy in places. Occasionally, it would lift up when I plugged in Micro-USB cable. Aside from that, the phone is sturdy. Though there's no official documentation on what kinds of falls it can sustain, I can say that it showed no damage when I accidentally let it fall about 2 feet onto a hard carpeted floor.

The power button is up top, and is built into the back cover. Next to that is the headphone jack. On the bottom, there is a Micro-USB port for charging.

There's a volume rocker on the left side.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

The volume rocker is on the left side and has two raised nubs for volume up and down, making it easy to press without looking at the phone. However, it's a bit too high up on the left side for me to comfortably reach it when I hold the phone up to my ear while on a call.

The Black Pearl sports a 4.7-inch diagonal HD IPS 1,280x720-pixel-resolution (312 ppi) screen, which is on par with other smartphones with similarly sized displays. I was really impressed by the screen; it looks sharp, crisp, and bright.

Additionally, colors look natural and vibrant. My only criticism is that the display can look a little dim on automatic brightness under normal office lighting conditions, but it's remarkably readable in direct sunlight, which is a plus.

OS and features
Though it looks as though the Black Pearl is running a vanilla version of Android Jelly Bean 4.2, there are a few modifications. Verykool included a handful of apps, such as a file manager, a notepad app called NoteBook, a setup guide, and an app called OOBE (short for out-of-box experience).

OOBE helps you tweak a few system settings and toggle between SIM cards if you're using more than one. You can even change the color of each SIM's signal bars, so you can tell them apart. OOBE is not to be confused with the Quick Start Guide, which gives you an onscreen demo of how to use the phone.

The phone is running Android 4.2.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

There's also a persistent search bar at the top of each home screen that looks just like the standard Google search bar from Ice Cream Sandwich, but when you tap it, it brings up a bare-bones search app that's reminiscent of the Google search widget in Android 2.2 Froyo. This is puzzling, because the phone comes with the most recent version of Google search, which includes Google Now, but you can't get to it from that home screen widget. You also can't get rid of that search bar unless you install a different launcher or flash a new ROM.

In settings, you can quickly change the phone's sound settings by choosing a preset audio profile from General, Silent, Meeting, and Outdoor. You can tweak the settings of General, but the rest have predetermined settings. For instance, Meeting is vibrate-only, while Outdoor has the loudest ring volume level and also vibrates. You can also add your own profiles and set the volume level, key press sounds, and notification tones. Also switch profiles in the Quick Settings drop-down menu.

In that same audio profile section, there's option to enhance the audio on the earpiece for better sound quality during a phone call, though the differences in call quality with it on and off were negligible.

Lastly, there's a stock Android browser preinstalled which has an extra feature; you can pop out a Web page into a smaller window that hangs out on top of the home screen or other apps. You can't resize the window, which is a bummer, but you can move the view around to see every part of the page. This a neat feature that you can find on Samsung and LG phones as well. It's useful for when you need to reference a tidbit of information from Web site -- say a product name or business number -- to use elsewhere, such as while sending an e-mail or entering an address into Google Maps.

On the back, there's an 8-megapixel camera.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Camera and video
There's an 8-megapixel main camera on the back of the phone, which protrudes slightly above the back cover. There's also an LED flash right below the lens. Overall, it takes decent photos, with a few caveats.

In most of my test photos, the Black Pearl's camera struggled to take clear, well-lit shots. Though the camera has an autofocus, with an option to tap the screen to manually focus, close-up shots didn't always turn out sharp. That led to photos with very small focus areas with anything not in focus looking blurry. Also, the camera had a hard time capturing color variations in close-ups as well.

Here, the camera struggled to show the color variations in the flower's petals.

(Credit: Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)

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LG G Flex Phone Review

2014-01-23T06:36:00.000-08:00

Key Features: 6-inch flexible plastic OLED display; Self-healing rear; 13-megapixel camera

Manufacturer: LG

The LG G Flex is a new 6-inch smartphone and the first to benefit from a curved plastic OLED display that is capable of bending under pressure. Built around the foundations of the flagship LG G2, this phablet-sized phone has a powerful quad-core processor and 13-megapixel camera, but it's the flexible body that's the real eye-catching feature.

It's the first flexible phone to enter mass production and although the LG G Flex is currently only available in Korea, it will be in the UK in early 2014. It's a damn exciting and genuinley interesting phone, so we were keen to see how this curved phone compared to more standard phones.

Editor's note: This isn't a full review but our first impressions based on initial time with the product. We will publish a full review when it's available on sale in the UK.

First things first, the LG G Flex has a very noticeable and pronounced curve to its design. With both the phone’s body and screen featuring a vertically concave bend, the G Flex’s curve is relatively deep with a 700mm radius. While this curve is hard to quantify, it means the phone now hugs the curve of your face while making a call, putting the microphone closer to your mouth.

This isn't the only benefit, however. The idea, on paper, is it makes the phone less liable to damage if sat on or squashed within a bag. During our hands-on with the LG G Flex we found that the G Flex is capable of withstanding considerable amounts of pressure; you can, for example, bend the phone into the shape of a standard, non-curved smartphone without any trouble.

The phone’s curved nature isn’t its only standout feature, however. Like the LG G2 before it, the LG G Flex’s physical buttons are all on the rear. They feel more natural than on the G2, too, which makes us wonder whether the G2's design had half an eye on the G Flex all along.

Despite the LG G Flex weighing in at a considerable 177g, it doesn't feel particularly cumbersome. The curved body gives it an ergonomic fit and the weight is evenly distributed. Although almost 50g heavier than the rival Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the G Flex is much lighter than the identical size Nokia Lumia 1520.

While having its undoubted benefits – the phone fits very comfortably in your pocket – the G Flex’s curved nature isn’t without its niggles. During early use we found that performing everyday smartphone tasks such as typing a message felt awkward and unnatural, though given we only used it for a short time we could put this down to unfamiliarity.

For all the talk of the curved screen, the G Flex has another potentially more practical feature: a self-headling body. LG has given the G Flex a 'self-healing rear' thanks to a specially modified resin coating over the standard plastic body. While we have seen video evidence of this self-healing back in action, during our limited hands-on time with the G Flex we were unable to test it first-hand. We will take keys and coins to the phone’s rear during our full LG G Flex review when it goes on sale in the UK.

At this stage, then, we're tentatively optimistic about the curved design. That said, it does come with one important compromise. While the LG G Flex's screen is pleasantly bright and vivid, it only has a 1,280 x 720 resolution where 1,920 x 1,080 has become the norm.

Although video content still appeared sufficiently detailed on first viewing, getting closer to the screen does reveal a slight amount of pixelisation. We can’t see this being an issue for many, but it's a shame LG can't match its closest rivals just yet.

On first impressions the LG G Flex camera looks like a solid but far from standout performer. With a 13-megapixel camera lining up on the phone’s rear, early test shots in less than ideal indoor lighting proved sharp and detailed with just a smidge of noise creeping in.

The camera app has the same plentiful number of options and modes as the G2, which is great for some but may prove overwhelming for novices. We'll need to spend more time with the G Flex to find out whether it performs the same as the G2 here, but it seems more than likely it will.

The front camera is 2.1-megapixels, but we didn't have time to try it out.

Like most phones these days, the LG G Flex feels more than capable of tackling basic tasks with complete ease. That's little surprise given it retains the 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM seen in the G2, a combination that should ensure it matches the fastest phones out there.

It's not running the latest version of Android, however. Instead it runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS with LG's UI overlay. It's not the worst Android skin by any means, but the LG UI can at times feel slightly convoluted and over engineered. We would hope to see some minor refinements moving forward.

Given the phone’s, large, curved shape, LG has produced something special for the battery: the world’s first curved battery. A 3,500mAh Lithium-Polymer offering, the LG G Flex battery should easily see users through a full day’s moderate usage. Further testing is needed to verify this, but that's one of the highest capacity batteries we've seen in any phone.

The curved screen of the LG G Flex is certainly more than just a gimmick, but it's bound to come at a premium (LG has yet to announce UK pricing). As with all new technologies, it might still be a bit raw to tempt many to jump in early, but LG should be applauded for the engineering and design innovation at work here. It's the kind of phone makes us excited about phones again.

Next, read 7 Reasons Why Curved Phones Will Be Awesome

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Huawei Valiant (MetroPCS)

2014-01-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

The good: A basic Android smartphone, the comfortable Huawei Valiant delivers Android 4.1 for one of the lowest off-contract prices around. It has consistent 3G speeds and strong call quality.

The bad: The Valiant lacks LTE and a touch-focus camera, and offers very little internal storage. Apps on my review unit sometimes flickered, and the slower processor can't handle popular resource-intensive games.

The bottom line: Despite its notable drawbacks, the Huawei Valiant is one of the better ultrabudget, off-contract Android smartphones.

For $80 off-contract, MetroPCS' Huawei Valiant is an affordable Android 4.1 handset. However, set your expectations accordingly. This phone has strong call quality and consistent 3G speeds over T-Mobile's GSM network (since T-Mobile purchased Metro). However, 4G LTE connectivity is absent, and the camera's lack of autofocus could be a deal breaker for some, even though image quality is high for a 3-megapixel shooter. My device also showed signs of software instability that made apps like the camera, gallery, and Google Maps flicker.

If you can look past the stunted camera and moments of instability, the Valiant is a decent ultrabudget performer. However, if you can afford to spend a little more, I recommend scoping out the Huawei Vitria and Samsung Galaxy Exhibit, both $130 options with LTE.

Design and build
The Valiant has a simple, but comfortable, design, mostly due to its rounded spines and corners and soft-touch backing. While the phone's face is glossy black (and quite thick of bezel), its navy-blue posterior shakes up the usual basic black.

With dimensions of 4.96 inches tall by 2.51 inches wide by 0.45 inch thick, the Valiant has a hearty build that's nevertheless comfortable to hold, pocket, and stow in a blazer, bag, or purse. The 4.94-ounce weight is certainly heavier than some, but its solidity fits with the phone's proportions.

With its 4-inch screen, the Huawei Valiant has an easier time slipping into pockets than some.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Most of the $80 Android phones you can buy today sport 3.5-inch screens. The Valiant cranks it up a notch with a 4-inch display that's colorful and bright, despite its smaller color palette (262K instead of the 16 million you'll find in higher-end phones). Most eyes won't notice an appreciable difference when looking at Web sites, photos, and navigating around. The 800x480-pixel resolution is just fine for the screen's dimensions.

Huawei's usual three capacitive navigational buttons rest below the display. Press and hold the Menu key to bring up recent apps, and the Home button to invoke Google Now. You'll take a screenshot by pressing and holding the power button on the phone's crown and the Volume Down button on the right spine. Charging takes place on the phone's left edge.

A 3.2-megapixel camera lives on the back, and the microSD slot, capable of holding 32GB in external storage, lives below the back cover. Incidentally, the back panel is easy to take off and put back on thanks to a helpful indentation at its base.

OS and apps
The Valiant has the upper hand over its $80 rivals because of its more up-to-date Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system; others use Android 4.0. Huawei more subtly makes its presence known through a lighter customized layer than manufacturers like LG, HTC, and especially Samsung use.

You'll see Huawei's custom four-directional lock screen that lets you swipe to unlock the phone to the camera, dialer, and message inbox in addition to the home screen. There's some styling on app icons, the notifications menu, and the settings options, but other than that, Huawei's version of the OS is fairly straightforward and easy to navigate around. For a more artistic look than the wallpapers present, Huawei's Themes app gives you a few other options.

The Valiant is a thicker phone, but it feels good in the hand.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

If you're familiar with Android and with MetroPCS, then you won't be at all surprised at the apps you see preinstalled. Google's regular bucket includes mainstays we've cone to rely on, like its Maps and Navigation, search, Chrome, and YouTube. There's the Google Play store for content purchasing and downloads, and an option to jump onto Google's social network, Google+.

MetroPCS loads on a bunch of carrier-specific apps to help you manage your account and use visual voice mail. Of course you've also got essentials in the calendar and calculator, the music player and file manager, and a handy FM radio. There's a sound recorder preloaded, too.

Although you won't see it in the app tray, the Swype virtual keyboard is another preinstalled app that you'll use every time you go to type anything. With it, you can trace words in addition to typing them out with your thumbs and fingers. You can disable Swype if you'd like, adjust its settings, and use Google's voice dictation.

Cameras and video
The camera is one major area where Huawei had to compromise in order to hit the lower price point. Color reproduction is strong on the 3-megapixel shooter, but where it falters most for me is that it's fixed-focus. That means if you're not so hot at judging distances and sharpness, you're going to be snapping a lot of blurry photos.

A fixed-focus camera is a huge stumbling block for me. It's a shame there's no touch focus.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

You should also be aware that there's no flash here, which isn't unusual for an entry-level smartphone committed to a starter price. A front-facing camera isn't in the cards, either. However, phone owners will find a handful of booster modes and filters in the native camera app, including panorama, geotagging, and white-balance presets.

The controls are easy to use, at least, and switching from camera to camcorder requires a simple onscreen flick of the finger. Low-resolution VGA video capture is your best choice; the other option is to limit the clip length for multimedia messaging.

Both the native camera and gallery apps acted rocky at times, flickering more than once while I was reviewing or taking photos, and not responding to my gestures. Rebooting the phone or app fixed the problem, but the instability occurred more than once during my testing process. It didn't really get in my way, but it was an annoyance.

It's possible this was an isolated incident that affected just my review unit, but I also had some issues with the Huawei Vitria as well. At the very least, you should be aware of possible bugginess.

View the original article here

Huawei Pal (MetroPCS)

2014-01-23T04:01:00.000-08:00

The good: The Huawei Pal is incredibly easy to use.

The bad: The Huawei Pal has very few features and call quality was unreliable.

The bottom line: With its limited features and poor call quality, the Huawei Pal isn't worth your time, even as a basic phone.

Do you want a phone that does absolutely nothing except make a call and send a text message? If so, then you might be considering the Huawei Pal for MetroPCS. You also might be thinking about the Pal if you're going to a costume party dressed as 2001. OK, that last one was a bit harsh, but there's no denying that the Pal is from another age. Its squat candy bar body is clad in plastic, the screen is tiny, it has only a numeric keypad, and you could count its features on two hands. Heck, it doesn't even have a camera.

Now, believe me, there's nothing wrong with a basic handset. As hard as it may be to believe, even in 2013, not everyone wants a smartphone that can do a million things. Sometimes, it is just about communication. The Huawei Pal, however, takes that simplicity too far. And for a phone that's all about communication, call quality is middling. That's why I'd opt for the Samsung Freeform M instead. It's also free, but you get a full keyboard for texting and more features like a camera (though we haven't reviewed the Freeform M, the Freeform 5 on U.S. Cellular is similar).

Design
My guess is that it's been a long time since you've seen a phone like the Pal. At 4.37 inches long by 1.85 inches wide by 0.57 inch deep, it's so small that I can almost close my hand completely around it. It's also so light (2.65 ounces) that I barely knew I had it in my hand. Both of those things are fine, it actually feels nice not to lug around a brick for a change, but the Pal's plastic skin hardly inspires a feeling of confidence.

The Pal has a small, serviceable display and user-friendly navigation controls.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

The 1.8-inch TFT screen is full color. Of course, it's not amazingly bright and vibrant, but that's not really the point here anyway. You can change a few options like the wallpaper, the brightness level, and the backlight time duration. The list-based menus are deadly simple to use.

Below the display is deliciously-retro navigation array. There's a raised circular toggle with a central OK button, a dedicated speakerphone control, a Clear key, and the Talk and End/power buttons. There are two soft keys, as well, one of which you can use as a shortcut to a feature of your choice. Below them is the alphanumeric keypad. The individual buttons are raised and a comfortable size, though the keypad as a whole feels rather cramped. And horror of all horrors, you'll have to use T9 to text. Trust me, once you stop using it, it is hard to go back. The only other features on the Pal's exterior are a 3.5mm headset jack on its top end and a Micro-USB charger port on the right spine. It does not have a dedicated volume rocker.

There's just a speaker on the back of the Pal.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Features
The Pal's phone book holds 1,000 contacts, which should give you plenty of space. Under each contact, you can store four phone numbers, an e-mail address, and a URL. You can pair contacts with a photo, as well, but without a camera, a memory card slot, or USB syncing, you'll have to have your pals (pun intended) send photos to you. So, yes, it's more trouble than it's worth. Alternatively, you can pair contacts with a (polyphonic!) ringtone and organize them into groups.

View the original article here

YotaPhone

2014-01-23T02:39:00.001-08:00

The good: The low power usage of the E Ink second display means it can be left permanently on, helpfully displaying notifications without seriously draining battery life.

The bad: The quality of the second display is poor, and there's not much you can do with it as there's no third-party support as yet. The phone relies on awkward gestures for navigation, it has unimpressive specifications and it's running on an old version of Android.

The bottom line: The YotaPhone's second screen is an interesting concept and one I'm quite keen on. Both the E Ink screen and the rest of the phone need serious refinement, however.

With so many Android phones to choose from, it's difficult for individual handsets to stand out from the crowd. The YotaPhone solves this problem with an unusual second display on the back -- but creates a bunch of new problems in the process.

This extra screen uses E Ink technology -- the same as you'll find on an Amazon Kindle -- which is theoretically more comfortable to read on, and uses considerably less power than a regular LCD screen, but it is limited to black and white. It's an interesting concept and it certainly caught our eye when it was first shown off at CES in 2013. Now that it's in our hands, does it still stand up to scrutiny?

E Ink display

It might seem daft having a second screen on the back of your phone, but the theory is sound. E Ink displays aren't backlit and aren't refreshed until new information needs to be displayed, so they use very small amounts of power. A Kindle, for example, can give over a month of battery.

In theory, the low-power rear display can be used for reading books, websites, RSS feeds and so on, meaning the power-hungry front LCD display isn't always on, sucking juice like a thirsty toddler.

(Credit: Andrew Hoyle/CNET)

While that sounds all well and good, the execution falls short of the mark. The biggest issue lies with the poor quality of the display. It has a low 640x360-pixel resolution, which makes text and icons look fuzzy -- when I put a shot of the Android homescreen on the E Ink display, I was barely able to read the app names, and images taken on the camera looked very fuzzy. Larger text in notifications is mercifully more legible.

Reading e-books is manageable, but the poor resolution means it's simply not as pleasant as reading on a Kindle. That's not helped at all by a kind of 'burning-in' of images, which means every new image shows a faint ghost of the previous image over the top. If the YotaPhone hopes to make its way into the pockets of the ebook-loving masses, it's going to need to seriously improve the quality of the display. Right now, it's just not up to scratch.

E Ink apps

The other big issue is the lack of software that supports the second screen. While you have access to the hundreds of thousands of apps in the Google Play store, the only apps that will work with the rear display are the few from YotaPhone itself that come preloaded on the device. These include a notepad -- admittedly handy to bring up your shopping list on the back screen while trawling the aisles of your supermarket -- as well as a calendar, RSS news reader app and the app that allows you to customise the rear wallpaper.

Read also: YotaPhone: The genesis of a crazy dual-screen phone (Q&A)

Without support from third-party developers to bring more common Android apps to the rear screen, it's very limited. You can grab the Kindle and Kobo ebook apps from the Google Play store for example, but you aren't able to display them on the back screen.

YotaPhone does have access to e-books service Bookmate, which works with the screen and lets you use the touch panel below to move through the pages. Its selection is extremely limited, however -- none of the top 10 books on the Amazon Kindle store were available, for example -- so I highly doubt it will suit anyone who's keen enough on reading to buy a phone with an E Ink screen.

Yota also reckons it's great for personalisation, as you're able to pop various wallpapers -- including your own images -- on the back for the world to see. There’s a bunch of different wallpapers preloaded, including a rather charming giraffe, and you can pop down widgets over the top to update with information. The most obvious ones are a battery indicator, a weather icon and a clock, but you can show upcoming meetings too and it'll show incoming calls with a hard-to-miss fullscreen image.

It's probably the best part of the YotaPhone, in fact, as you can simply leave your phone on your desk and glance down to see the time, as well as incoming notifications from texts, emails, calls and so forth without needing to wake the phone up, or use much battery. I find myself checking my phone numerous times throughout the day to check on emails and WhatsApp messages, so I found having the E Ink screen permanently displaying notifications to be particularly handy.

Your Twitter and Facebook feeds can be displayed on the back panel too, thanks to Yota's RSS app, although the official Twitter and Facebook apps won't display on the back screen. In my own use, neither social feed seemed to want to update with new posts, meaning I was sat looking at the same posts until I turned the phone over to refresh it. The same was true of RSS feeds of websites I subscribed to. If this service worked properly, the back screen would be much more useful.

Software and processor

You'll be making your way around the now slightly old Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on the front LCD display. Apart from the few bundled apps and the fact that you use gestures to go back and go home, the interface isn't really any different from what you may have seen on other Android devices. Five homescreens are available, with four app icons sitting on the tray along the bottom for quick access.

(Credit: Andrew Hoyle/CNET)

It's powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, which, when it was first shown off at the beginning of 2013, wasn't too bad. Times have moved on somewhat though and a dual-core chip really doesn't impress, particularly when phones such as the Motorola Moto G pack quad-core processors for rock-bottom prices.

Still, it has a nippy clock speed and it achieved a respectable -- although hardly inspiring -- 1,999 on the Geekbench 2 benchmark test. Swiping around Android was relatively swift, with only the odd small stutter here and there. The multi-tasking panel opened quickly (once I got the gesture panel to work properly) and flicking between apps was hassle free.

The device coped fine with streaming video on Netflix too. It handled water racer Riptide GP 2 acceptably, but it stuttered in more intense moments. Casual gamers looking to fling some Angry Birds are adequately catered for, but if you're keen on playing the latest, glossiest games, the YotaPhone is not for you.

Design and display

View the original article here

iPhone 5 officially announced with 4-inch display, A6 CPU

2012-09-12T13:06:00.004-07:00

Yes! the All New iPhone was Announced today and here are few of its Dashing Features

It's even 20 percent lighter at 112 grams, which is even less than the mostly plastic Galaxy S III. It's all those "magical" things and it packs a larger 4-inch in-cell display. The new version of Apple's Retina panel is 1136 x 640, which clocks in at a more than respectable 326ppi. It also sports better color saturation with full sRGB rendering. That new longer screen allows for an extra set of icons to be displayed on the home screen, and first party apps have already been tweaked to take advantage of the additional real estate. The iWork suite, Garage Band and iMovie have all been updated. Older apps will still work too, though they'll be displayed in a letterbox format until an update is issued. The tweaked ratio puts the iPhone 5 display closer to 16:9, but it's not quite there.

The most exciting news is likely the addition of LTE. There's still HSPA+, EV-DO, EDGE and all that jazz on board, but it's the true 4G that is really generating excitement. In the US Sprint, Verizon and AT&T will all be able to take advantage of the single chip (data and voice) LTE solution inside. And, if you're stuck on one of those tiered data plans, the 802.11 a/b/g/n antenna should help you keep your wireless usage in check. Notably missing however is NFC, which had been rumored to make its Apple debut with the iPhone 5, but is nowhere in sight. What that means for the burgeoning mobile payment industry (or for Apple's ability to keep pace with its competitors) remains to be seen. However, it does add EV-DO rev. B to the mix and keeps both GLONASS and GPS for navigating your way around the globe.

If the brand new radios weren't enough of a raw spec update to get your geek blood pumping, the new A6 CPU inside should push you over the edge. Apple claims its a full two times faster than the chip inside the 4S, but we'll have to wait and see how accurate that assertion is. The A6 is reportedly 22 percent smaller than its predecessor, which probably helped Cupertino achieve such slim dimension on the iPhone 5 and it's also more energy efficient -- allowing the handset to chug along for 8 hours of talk time, despite the addition of LTE. Keeping your data usage to Wi-Fi will allow you to milk up to 10 hours out of the device.

As for the camera, it's more or less the same as that in the iPhone 4S, just a little bit slimmer. It's abackside-illuminated 8 megapixel sensor with a 5 element lens and an f/2.4 aperture. The biggest improvement in the image capturing department is the "shutter" speed. Apple is claiming the new setup is 40 percent quicker at turning a beautiful sunset into a cold hard series of 1s and 0s. There's also a new panoramic shooting mode that stitches together an "effective" 28 megapixel photo. And, what camera update would be complete without the ability to capture 1080p video. The front facing cam has also received a mighty boost, getting its own backside-illuminated sensor capable of capturing 720p clips. Even better, that iSight cam can be paired up with FaceTime for high-res video chats over that fancy new 4G network you'll be surfing on.

Micromax Q7 Codes

2012-09-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Short Codes for the Micromax Q7 ( Ezpad )

*#8375# - Software Version
*#8929# - Reset
*#1111# - WiFi
*#87# - Auto Hardware Test
*#1234# - A2DP Normal/PTS mode (no idea what PTS Mode is)
*#900# - BT Local Test (no idea about use)
*#901# - BT Local Test 1 (no idea about use)

Phone Specs are

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 900 / 1800 - SIM 1
		GSM 900 / 1800 - SIM 2
	Announced	2010, May
	Status	Available. Released 2010, May

BODY	Dimensions	110 x 59 x 10.7 mm
	Weight	100 g
	Keyboard	QWERTY

DISPLAY	Type	TFT, 256K colors
	Size	320 x 240 pixels, 2.2 inches (~182 ppi pixel density)
		- Trackball

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, Polyphonic(64), MP3 ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes
		- Built-in Yamaha audio amplifier

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 4GB
	Phonebook	1000 entries, Photocall
	Call records	Yes
	Internal	78 MB

DATA	GPRS	Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
	EDGE	Class 10, 236.8 kbps
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
	Bluetooth	Yes, with A2DP
	USB	Yes

CAMERA	Primary	2 MP, 1600x1200 pixels
	Video	Yes
	Secondary	No

FEATURES	Messaging	SMS, MMS
	Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML (Opera Mini)
	Radio	Stereo FM radio
	Games	Yes
	GPS	No
	Java	Yes, MIDP 2.0
	Colors	Black, White
		- Dual SIM - Facebook, NimBuzz apps - MP3/WAV player - MP4/H.263 player - Voice memo - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Standard battery, Li-Ion 800 mAh
	Stand-by	Up to 144 h
	Talk time	Up to 4 h 30 min

Micromax Superfone Canvas A100

2012-09-01T01:39:00.000-07:00

Micromax, which is intently eyeing the smartphone space, has launched two new Android smartphones in the Indian market - Superfone Canvas A100 and Superfone Pixel A90.

Micromax Canvas A100 sports a huge 5-inch screen with 854x480 pixels resolution . It is a dual-SIM device that runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich and has 1GHz dual-core processor on-board. A100 also comes with a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 2000 mAh battery, 4GB internal memory and can be expanded up to 32 GB with the help of a microSD card slot. It will be available for Rs. 12,990.

On the other hand, Micromax Superfone Pixel A90 comes with a 4.3-inch Super-AMOLED screen with a resolution of 800X480pixels. This smartphone too has a 1GHz dual-core processor and runs on Ice Cream Sandwich. It packs in 1600 mAh battery and 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 0.3 megapixel front camera. The market operating price of this smartphone is Rs. 12,990. (INDIA)

Both these smartphones come with Micromax's voice assistant AISHA pre-installed and will be available in the market from Friday (August 17, 2012).

Specs:

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
	3G Network	HSDPA 900 / 2100
	Announced	2012, August
	Status	Coming soon. Exp. release 2012, Q4

BODY	Dimensions	142.2 x 72.6 x 11.9 mm
BODY	Weight	-

DISPLAY	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	480 x 800 pixels, 5.0 inches (~187 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes
		-Touch-sensitive controls

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 32 GB
MEMORY	Internal	4 GB storage, 512 MB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	Speed	HSDPA
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
	Bluetooth	Yes, v3.0 with A2DP
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Features	Geo-tagging
	Video	Yes
	Secondary	Yes, VGA

FEATURES	OS	Android OS, v4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
	CPU	1 GHz
	Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	HTML
	Radio	TBD
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
	Colors	Black
		- Dual SIM - SNS integration - MP3/AAC/WMA/WAV player - MP4/WMV/H.264/H.263 player - Organizer - Document viewer - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, Youtube, Calendar, Google Talk - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Standard battery, Li-Ion 2000 mAh
	Stand-by	Up to 180 h
	Talk time	Up to 5 h

Huawei Ascend P1

2012-09-01T00:26:00.005-07:00

Huawei Ascend P1

Design

This super-skinny new smartphone claims to be one of the thinnest ever at just 7.6mm -- the famously slimline Samsung Galaxy S3 is 8.6mm after all, though the Motorola Razr is 7.1mm. That stat doesn't include the protruding lens for the eight-megapixel camera however, or the bulge at the bottom of the handset, which houses the speaker.

The casing is glossy black plastic with a carbon fibre effect and to be honest feels a little on the cheap side, with rattly buttons. The SIM card slips into a slot on top covered by a rather flimsy plastic grommet -- hopefully you won't need to fiddle with this too often, as it doesn't feel like it would stand up to much attention.

Features
The 4.3-inch Super Amoled display shining out from behind protective Gorilla Glass is bright and vibrant, but perhaps not as sharp as it could be, with a pixel count of 960x540. So it's not quite HD, and you may miss some of those extra pixels when viewing HD video or playing HD games.

The dual-core 1.5 GHz Cortext-A9 processor is backed by 1GB RAM and it delivered an impressive AnTuTu performance benchmark score of 5,814, which puts it behind quad-core brutes like the Galaxy S3 or the LG 4X HD, but ahead of fellow dual-core smarties like the Sony Xperia P. it seemed to have no trouble multi-tasking, while streaming video and playing intensive games likeBlood & Glory held no terrors.

Software and camera
It's running the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS straight out of the box, and while that's nice, we've already had a glimpse of the Jellybean future with the Google Nexus 7, which takes the shine off a little. Still, there's little to complain about with the OS, which is slick, intuitive and fast.

The eight-megapixel camera comes with a bright, if rather severe, dual LED flash (though it works very well as a flashlight) and autofocus, as well as quite a few extras, like face detection, red eye reduction and HDR (High Dynamic Range), which helps to compensate for extreme levels of contrast in an image. Picture quality is pretty good overall, though it lacks that level of sharpness you'll find with the best camphones, such as the S3 or the Nokia 808 PureView.

Memory and battery life
It has 4GB of memory on board, a goodly amount, though you can beef it up to 32GB with a microSD card if you feel the need.

Actually, one of the most impressive things about the P1 is its exemplary battery life. We've all got used to high-end smartphones that struggle to deliver a full day's use, but the P1 made it through a good day and a half of pretty intensive use.

Conclusion
It might not stand with the very best screens or processors, but for a midrange smart phone the Huawei Ascend P1 offers a solid range of features and impressively long battery life too.