Tag Archives: Android 5.1

Cube T8 8-Inch Phablet Mixes Android 5.1 and 4G

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Cube T8 Android 5.1 4G Phablet 02

Budget tablets rarely sport 4G connectivity, and when that happens, manufacturers usually don’t include phone functionality into them. Cube T8 is a clear exception, as it has some rather impressive specs at a small price.

Cube has quite a few tablets in its portfolio, running Windows, Android, or both. The T8 is based solely on Android 5.1, but given the price, I can understand the lack of a dual-boot environment.

MediaTek’s MTK8735, on which the T8 is based, is a 64-bit chipset that’s designed specifically for phablets. It includes a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.3Ghz, and while there’s no word on the manufacturer’s website about the GPU, some sources claim it’s made by AMD, which sounds really weird. Cube equipped the T8 with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of ROM, which might not sound like a lot, but judging by the performance of other devices, I’d say that this is enough for Android 5.1.

To make sure that you’re using the device to its entire capacity, the manufacturer made the T8 a dual-SIM phablet, meaning you can use one SIM for data and another one for voice and texts, or just two SIM cards from two different operators. I’m not sure what combination of frequencies is supported, but at least one SIM will work in 4G networks, both FDD and TDD.

Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, dual-mode Wi-Fi (working in the 2.4 and 5Ghz frequencies), OTG, and GPS, which is yet another great feature to see in a budget tablet. A data connection paired with a GPS sensors can really save lives in an unknown area. In addition to that, it’s far better to use an 8-inch GPS while driving, rather than staring into a 4 or 5-inch display. Assuming that the GPS is accurate, this might really represent a great solution while traveling.

At 1280×800, the 8-inch display isn’t jaw-droppingly good, but on the other hand, it’s also less harsh on the 4,000mAh battery, which allegedly can keep the devices running for up to 5 hours when playing videos. For a casual user, that should be enough.

Cube T8 is currently sold by GearBest for $95.99. This price is more than adequate for its specs, and more than that, it’s less than what the manufacturer itself sells it for.

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Mlais MX with IR, Massive Battery, Approaches Launch Date

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MX-1

To provide a certain degree of diversity, most smartphone makers also include devices with great battery life in their portfolios. In Mlais’ case, it’s the MX Base, an Android phone with a gigantic 4800mAh battery.

Mlais MX Base’s battery capacity is by no means record breaking, and neither is the performance of the chipset, but 4300mAh is far more than what most manufacturers are offering nowadays. Coupled with some decent specs, the MX is capable of ensuring an impressive battery life, without sacrificing performance too much. In fact, Mlais promises that the removable battery will keep the device running through 3 days of normal use or a week of stand-by. On top of that, the smartphone will also double as a power bank, enabling you to charge the iPhones of your wall-hugging friends.

Unlike many other smartphones powered by MediaTek’s 64-bit MT6735 chipset with World Mode 4G, the MX Base packs the p variant, which includes a CPU clocked at 1.3Ghz. It should be noted that the i version has the processor running at 1.0Ghz. Other than that, the smartphone features all the usual suspects: 2GB of RAM, 16GB of ROM (expandable with the help of a microSD card), a 5″ HD display, an 8MP snapper on the back and a 5MP one in the front. It should be noted that the MX Base comes with Android 5.1 out of the box, so you don’t have to worry about updating the phone or flashing the ROM manually.

The MX Base also features a built-in infrared emitter. In other words, the smartphone sports remote control functionality. With such a device at your side, you won’t have to worry about where the kids or your significant other placed the zapper.

Batteries with a capacity as large as MX Base’s tend to be very thick, so potential users might be worried about the smartphone’s design. However, at its thickest point, the Mlais MX measures 9.9mm. That’s 1mm thinner than the Asus Zenfone 2, but all other comparisons between the two phones end there.

The pre-sale of the Mlais MX Base will end on June 30, and the orders will be shipped by Mlais’ 11 partners soon after that. Available in black, white, or green, the MX Base is sold by GearBest for $139.99, or $128.79 with the coupon code RMNTGB.

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Bluboo X550 Dons Android 5.1 and a 5300mAh Battery

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Bluboo X550 01

Until the battery life-increasing technologies currently developed by researchers become mainstream, the only option available now to mobile manufacturers is to increase the capacity of the batteries.

Bluboo is not exactly a newcomer on the Chinese smartphone market, but the company seems to have been dormant last year, as it only launched a couple of devices that didn’t grab the attention of the public. This year, however, the manufacturer will surely make some heads turn with the X550 and several other great performing and competitively priced devices.

Much like the Elephone P4000, the Bluboo X550 sports Mediatek’s MT6735 chipset with 4G LTE World Mode. Included in that chipset are a 64-bit Cortex A7 CPU running at 1.3Ghz, and a Mali-T760 GPU. All of this is paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, to make sure that multi-tasking doesn’t represent a challenge for this phablet. The storage can be furthermore expanded using a microSD card. On the software side of things, the X550 will run Android 5.1.

The 5.5″ OGS display may not have a great resolution (it only features 1280×720 pixels), but it still has a decent pixel density of 267 ppi. Below the display are the three capacitative buttons almost all Android smartphones have, but these lent a bit from Google’s Material Design.

The pictures taken with the 8MP rear camera or the 2MP front-facing camera should look sharp enough on this display. Given the small resolutions, relative to the cameras found in the competitors’ phones, I’d dare to say that these are not interpolated, but we’ll have to wait until the phablet hits the market to see how its cameras compare to others.

Bluboo lists the following frequencies for the X550:

  • 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
  • 3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
  • 4G: FDD-LTE 800/1800/2100/2600MHz

Besides these, the phablet includes GPS, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity. NFC or HotKnot would have been nice, but such features will probably make their way to Bluboo’s more expensive models.

The most important feature of the X550 remains its battery capacity. This phablet allegedly comes with a 5300mAh battery, which is definitely something other manufacturers cannot say about their phones. Charging such a large-capacity battery would normally take ages, if it weren’t for the quick charging technology. Coupled with the HD resolution, the battery should be able to keep the phone up and running (and I literally mean screen-on time by that) for up to 10 hours or more. As a result of packing such a hefty battery, the phablet tops the scale at 198 grams, but the battery life should make this worth it.

Bluboo X550 is currently available on pre-sale at GearBest, where you can pre-order yours for $152.89 if you apply coupon code X550 during the checkout procedure. The pre-sale will end on May 19, so orders placed by then will start shipping towards the end of next month.

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