O+ 8.16 Announced: 5.7-inch Full HD Screen, Quad Core, 13 Megapixel Camera, Android 4.2 Jellybean

O+ USA unveiled their answer to Starmobile Diamond V7 and MyPhone Agua Iceberg – the O+ 8.16! Just like Starmobile and MyPhone’s phablet, this device has similar specs too. But the only difference here is that the display has a FULL HD 1080 x 1920 resolution. Nice! According to tech blog NOYPIGEEKS, a TV commercial was seen in a noontime show (I guess its EAT BULAGA because Vic Sotto is endorsing it while ITS SHOWTIME’s Vice Ganda is endorsing Starmobile) yesterday. Anyway here are the specs:

O+ 8.16 specs:

• 1.2 GHz Quad Core Mediatek MT 6589 processor
• PowerVR SGX544 graphics
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal memory expandable via MicroSD
• 5.7 inch IPS Full HD display (1920 x 1080 pixels)
• 13 megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 2 megapixel front facing camera
• HSPA+, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, USB On-The-Go
• Air Shuffle – Music, Photos, Camera, FM Radio
• Android 4.2 Jellybean

The price – P12,995. Man, that’s steep! But I think this is one of the most affordable 5.7 inch Full HD screen to date. There is no official date of availability yet.

Source: Noypigeeks

Cherry Mobile Apollo vs Starmobile Icon: Which is Better?

Competition among local brands has been intensifying this year. Cherry Mobile leading the assault with the launching of the CM Apollo which has been creating a buzz lately. At P6,999 SRP, the device is the most affordable smartphone with a 12 megapixel camera with BSI (Back Side Illumination), a camera sensor that takes good pictures in low light situations that is found usually on expensive smartphones like the Apple iPhone 5, Nokia Lumia line among others. Local brands have recently included BSI sensors on their top of the line smartphones ranging from P9,000 and up.

Starmobile, on the other hand, released the Starmobile Icon last July. It has been the company’s best selling device aside from the Starmobile Knight.

Cherry Mobile Apollo specs:

• 1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6589 processor
• PowerVR SGX544 graphics
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD up to 32GB
• 4.5 inch HD LCD display (720 x 1280 pixels) IPS LCD display
• 12 megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 5 megapixel front facing camera
• HSPA+, Bluetooth, Wi-FI hotspot, Wi-Fi
• GPS, A-GPS
• Dual Sim, Dual Standby
• 1,800 mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P6,999

Starmobile Icon specs:

• 1.2 GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD  up to 32GB
• 4.5 inch qHD LCD display (540 x960 pixels)
• 8 megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and BSI (back side illumination)
• Dragontrail Glass (scratch resistant)
• 5 megapixel front facing camera with autofocus and BSI
• dual sim, dual standby
• 3G/HSDPA, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, FM Radio
• GPS with A-GPS support
• 1,800 mAh battery
• Android 4.1 Jellybean
• SRP: P7,990

See who wins on every category:

• Camera – Looking at the spec sheet, the obvious winner here is the Cherry Mobile Apollo with its 12 megapixel camera vs 8 megapixel camera of the Starmobile Icon. BUT, remember its not about the pixels. I transferred the pictures from the phone to my PC and compared it. Both photos taken in good light are stunning. They are vibrant, good amount of sharpness and contrast. However, photos in low light, photos taken from the Icon is brighter and more alive. WINNER: STARMOBILE ICON
• Performance – Based on Antutu Benchmarks, the Starmobile Icon scored a 9,853 vs 13,330 from the Cherry Mobile Apollo. On day to day use both phones ran smoothly but there are lags but minimal during my time with the device. If you are buying the Icon but you don’t want any lags, better download the Nova Launcher which free on Google Play Store. The Apollo, on the other hand, is very smooth and lag free. I had a short time with the device and I guess there is no need to download a launcher. WINNER: CHERRY MOBILE APOLLO
• Battery – The Cherry Mobile Apollo’s 2,000 mAh battery has surprisingly good battery life compared to Starmobile Icon’s 1,800 mAh battery. I was a bit disappointed on the Icon’s battery. I just played a few games for a few minutes the battery dropped from 83% to 61% in just a few minutes. I expect juicier battery life from the device because the qHD display consumes less power compared to Apollo’s HD display. WINNER: CHERRY MOBILE APOLLO
• Display – The Cherry Mobile Apollo wins another round here. The Apollo’s IPS HD screen is just stunning. WINNER: CHERRY MOBILE APOLLO
• Price: P7,990 vs P6,999? I think we all know who wins this round. WINNER: CHERRY MOBILE APOLLO.
• Design: Both phones sports the same design from the curved edges, to the back and the sides.  I prefer Starmobile Icon’s look and feel. It has some resemblance with the iPhone and I always prefer the soft matte finish of the Icon versus the glossy plastic from the Apollo. WINNER: STARMOBILE ICON
• After Sales: Starmobile remains undefeated among local brands when it comes to after sales service. The main advantage of being a Cherry Mobile owner is when your phone needs to repaired, you have no choice but to wait for long time before it gets repaired. Cherry Mobile has been releasing so many phones every month and buyers are attracted to their jaw-dropping prices. Quality is always Cherry Mobile’s problem. I noticed on their phones lately are becoming more durable and after sales are improving although still behind Starmobile’s excellent service. WINNER: STARMOBILE ICON.

Note: Photo of the Cherry Mobile Apollo courtesy of Unbox.ph.

Price Drop Alert! Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 and Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0 Now Only P7,999

Those reported leaked photos of a barrage of new smartphones from Cherry Mobile  seems to be true because the company is now slashing the price of their bestsellers – Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 and Blaze 2.0. Click here to see the article. Both phones are now priced at P7,999 from its old SRP of P8,999 (Omega) and P9,499 (Blaze).

Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0 specs:

• 1.2GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6589 processor
• PowerVR SGX 544MP graphics
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal memory expandable via MicroSD up to 32GB
• 5 inch IPS HD display (720 x 1280 pixels) 294 ppi
• Asahi Dragon Trail Glass
• 12 megapixel rear facing camera with BSI (back side illumination), autofocus and LED flash
• 2 megapixel front facing camera with BSI (back side illumination)
• HSPA+ WiFi 802.11 b/g/n,WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS, A-GPS
• 2,100 mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P7,999

Cherry Mobile Blaze 2.0

• 1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6589 processor
• PowerVR SGX 544 graphics
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD up to 32GB
• 5.7 inch IPS HD display (1280 x 720 pixels)
• 12 megapixel rear facing camera with BSI, autofocus and LED flash
• 3 megapixel front facing camera with BSI
• HSPA+, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth
• Dual Sim, Dual Standby
• GPS, A-GPS
• 2,500 mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P7,999

Question is, will you be getting one or will you wait for the new batch of Cherry Mobiles coming this Christmas?

HTC One Max Review From International Bloggers

HTC One Max is definitely coming to the Philippines! Mark your calendars – November 15, 2013. The price is steep – P37,990. Still wanna buy despite the pricetag? Then, you must watch first and consider what the international bloggers take on the HTC One Max. You must weigh first their likes and dislikes about the device.

Here is a short rundown of specs:

HTC One Max specs:

• 1.7GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• Adreno 320 graphics
• 2GB RAM
• 16/32GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD up to 64GB
• 5.9-inch Full HD display (1080 x 1920 pixels) 373 ppi
• HTC Boomsound dual front stereo speakers
• 4 megapixel Utrapixel rear facing camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 2.1 megapixel front camera
• LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n, WiFi direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared Port
• GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
• 3,300 mAh battery
• Android 4.3 Jellybean

POCKETNOW

ENGADGET

CNET

THE VERGE

BlackBerry Z30 Now Available at Kimstore For P25,300

BlackBerry’s new flagship, the Z30, has not been officially announced yet but online store Kimstore is now selling it for P25.300.

BlackBerry Z30 specs:

• 1.7GHz Dual Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
• Adreno 330 graphics
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD up to 64GB
• 5 inch Super AMOLED display (720 x 1280 pixels) 294 ppi
• 8 megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 2 megapixel front facing camera
• LTE, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
• GPS, A-GPS
• 2,800 mAh battery
• BlackBerry 10.2

The price is just right, in my opinion. I know there are still loyal BlackBerry users here and owning a 5-inch BlackBerry Z30 for P25.300 is a good choice.

Its not a good year for them. We all know that BlackBerry has a dropping market share and lackluster performance of their BB10 handsets. Keep the faith BlackBerry fanboys. I believe that BlackBerry could bounce back

Cherry Mobile W900 LTE Leaked, More Cherry Mobile Smartphones Coming For The Holidays

We all know that Cherry Mobile has been releasing new phones very often than usual but I never expected that they will release a new barrage of smartphones for the holidays. That is based on the leaked photos spreading throughout the internet. One phone caught my attention. That’s the Cherry Mobile W900 LTE. This the first smartphone from a local brand that supports LTE connectivity! Let’s check out the specs.

Cherry Mobile W900 partial specs:

• 1.5GHz Dual Core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• 1GB
• 8GB internal storage expandable via MicroSD
• 4.3 inch HD OGS (one glass solution) display (1280 x 720)
• 12 megapixel front facing camera with LED flash and Back Side Illumination (BSI)
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P11,499
• Free Power Bank

What made me gain more interest is the price – P11,499. This is already the cheapest LTE capable Android phone I’ve seen. I would definitely wait for this phone to available and expect a review.

Anyway, here are the other phones seen on the leaked poster meant for Christmas.

Photo from Pinoytechnoguide

Photos from Pinoyscreencast

Alcatel One Touch Magic vs Gionee Pioneer P2: Which Is Better?

We will compare the Alcatel One Touch Magic and the Gionee Pioneer P2. Just like my previous posts comparing the Pionner P2 with the Cherry Mobile Life, the Alcatel One Touch Magic has the same specs with the Gionee smartphone. This time, both phones have the same exact SRP.

Gionee Pioneer P2 specs:

• 1.3 GHz dual core Cortex A7 processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal memory expandable via MicroSD up to 32GB
• 4-inch WVGA TFT display (480 x 800 pixels) 233 ppi
• 5 megapixel front facing, fixed focus camera with LED flash
• VGA front facing camera
• HSPA+, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0
• Dual Sim, Dual Standby
• GPS
• 1,700 mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P 4,490

Alcatel One Touch Magic specs:

• 1.3 GHz dual core Cortex A7 processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal memory expandable via MicroSD up to 32GB
• 4-inch WVGA TFT display (480 x 800 pixels) 233 ppi
• 5 megapixel front facing, fixed focus camera, no LED flash
• VGA front facing camera
• HSPA+, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0
• Dual Sim, Dual Standby
• GPS, A-GPS
• 1,300 mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jellybean
• SRP: P 4,490

As you can see, just like the comparison with the Cherry Mobile Life, the Gionee Pioneer P2 and Alcatel One Touch Magic have almost identical specs. However, there are some notable differences.

• The Pionner P2 has a bigger battery than the OT Magic
• The Pioneer P2′s camera has LED flash

What phone that you will get more out of your money? The obvious winner here is the Gionee Pioneer P2. Battery life, for me, is very essential. Having an added LED flash is a good addition when taking snapshots. But if you prefer a better camera check out the Cherry Mobile Life. The 5 megapixel camera has autofocus and LED flash.

Click the link below:

Cherry Mobile Life vs Gionee Pioneer P2

I already posted a review for the Gionee Pioneer P2. Check it out:

Gionee Pioneer P2 Hands On Review