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Gionee Elife S5.1 arrives in the Philippines

Jam Ancheta
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Gionee Elife S5.1 arrives in the Philippines

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Last year, Gionee has introduced the world’s slimmest smartphone, the Gionee Elife S5.5. And now, the newest slimmest smartphone of Gionee at 5.1mm has arrived in the Philippines. The Gionee Elife S5.1 is now available in the Philippines for a reasonable price of PhP12,499. Compared to the Gionee Elife s5.5, this one has a different specifications. It uses a Qualcomm processor and it is now sporting LTE and a Super AMOLED HD display. Check out the full specifications below:

 


Gionee Elife S5.1 Specs

  • 1.2 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Processor
  • 4.8-inch HD IPS Super AMOLED display
  • 16GB Internal Memory
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8-Megapixel Rear Camera w/ LED Flash
  • 5-Megapixel Front Camera
  • LTE
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth
  • A-GPS
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with AMIGO UI
  • 2100mAh battery
  • 5.15mm thin
  • Gorilla Glass 3

 

Despite having a very thin profile, this smartphone still boasts an aluminum frame which makes the phone more premium and elegant. This smartphone might not be more powerful than the Gionee Elife S5.5 but I’m pretty sure the Quad-Core Snapdragon 400 processor of the smartphone would be enough for most games and applications. If you’re planning on getting a Gionee Elife S5.1, it is now available at Gionee kiosks and concept stores for P12,499.

Cherry Mobile Selfie Hands-on and First impressions

Jam Ancheta
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0
Cherry Mobile Selfie Hands-on and First impressions

Cameras have been the main focus of most mobile companies today. Gionee has made their flagship’s front camera a wide angle camera, Samsung has introduced new features on their flagship smartphones this year and Apple has greatly improved the cameras on the new iPad Air 2. And recently, Cherry Mobile has introduced their newest phone that really focuses on taking pictures, the Cherry Mobile Selfie.

This phone is very interesting because from the name itself, Cherry Mobile Selfie is really made for selfies. Why? Well, this smartphone sports a 13-megapixel camera on both front and back. The front camera also came with an LED flash while the back have a dual LED flash. Do you want to know more about this device? Check out my unboxing and hands-on below

Cherry Mobile G2 Hands-on and First impressions

Jam Ancheta
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Cherry Mobile G2 Hands-on and First impressions

Cherry Mobile G2

Werables devices have been one of the hottest gadgets this year and Cherry Mobile doesn’t want to be late in the game with their Cherry Mobile G2 smartwatch. Unlike its predecessor, the Cherry Mobile G2 can connect to your smartphone and display its notifications. The dimensions and design looks better too however the keypad and sim card slot are gone. But don’t worry guys because this smartwatch still sports a music player, camera and some some cool new features like Pedometer. Check out my unboxing and hands-on below

 

JAM Online’s Best Cars of 2014

Jam Ancheta
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JAM Online’s Best Cars of 2014

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone! Today I’m going to talk about what I think are the best cars of 2014. After carefully evaluating every car I test drove this year and reading a lot of reviews and comparos by some car magazines and car blogs based in the Philippines, I came up with my own list of winners in every category that not only give the best bang for your buck, but also revolutionizes its whole category. Let’s start!

MINI COMPACT – MITSUBISHI MIRAGE GLS

Yes, it may be in the market for quite sometime, but nothing can still beat it in terms of how much you get for how much you pay for. The Hyundai Grand i10 and the Honda Brio are really close behind and actually the Brio is a better car to drive with its more powerful drivetrain and playful handling but they cost almost 100k pesos more while having less kit inside. There is also the Toyota Wigo which is much, much cheaper than the 3 but I don’t like how Toyota cut corners on the Wigo. Kudos to Mitsubishi for making a stellar package.

SUBCOMPACT – HONDA CITY VX/HONDA JAZZ VX

Not a lot may agree with me on this because of how much Honda have priced their new vehicles. It may be pricey but when you consider its safety features, crash test ratings and amount of space and tech inside, it’s hard to beat the City and the Jazz. I got to test most of its competitors including the City and I must say the City feels the best. It has the best in-car entertainment because of how easy you can connect and use your gadgets. The City/Jazz may not be a diesel but it can rival the fuel economy of diesel competitors easily thanks to Honda’s “Earth Dreams” campaign. What makes it really good also is that the Honda City is assembled here in the Philippines.
COMPACT – MAZDA 3 2.0R

Oh, the darling of the compact category. I really love this car. A lot of my friends (some of them are race instructors) praise its really great handling for an all-stock car. The ride is still comfortable but not as soft as the Nissan Sylphy and Corolla Altis. Mazda’s design language called “Kodo” is both striking and beautiful with those flowing lines and it continues inside the interior where you are greeted with a sporty and inspiring dashboard and readouts. There is also a very cool heads-up display. The 2.0 liter Skyactiv engine in this car paired with Mazda’s own 6 speed automatic transmission is a gem to use and the most responsive I’ve tested in this class.
EXECUTIVE – MAZDA 6

Source: www.topgear.com.ph

I never drove one of this but it caused so much hype in the motoring world. A lot of its competitors have a big V6 engine while this Mazda only has a 2.5 liter Skyactiv engine but because of the Skyactiv technology, the difference in power is only felt when you really push it hard in a straight line. But when the road gets twisty, it is where the others fall behind. With its very beautiful “Kodo” design, Skyactiv technology, purposeful interior and competitive pricing, the Mazda 6 wins my vote. Did I mention it won the prestigious Car of The Year Award last year?
SPORTSCAR – SUBARU WRX STi

With the Mitsubishi Evolution X being out of production, there is no better sportscar for your money than a Subaru WRX STi. Ok, the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ maybe the more popular choice now for its price along with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe especially if you’re into rear wheel drive cars and drifting but I love the concept of a family sedan with four wheel drive and a big engine with a turbocharger upfront. In one side you have a 5 seater car with a big boot that you can use with your family for trips and groceries while on the other side you got a track day warrior than can blow the competition on the race track.
MPV – KIA CARENS

The first time I saw this car in the news made me love Multi Purpose Vehicles. Kia’s new design language made MPVs desirable but it doesn’t end there. This new generation Kia Carens may be smaller than the old gen but it is actually bigger inside and the engine might be smaller too but it actually produces the same amount of power in a smaller and lighter package paired with a smooth shifting 6 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission making it produce very good fuel economy figures. The Toyota Innova is bigger but it doesn’t feel as premium as the Carens and it’s already old and needs an update. Actually, nothing in its class feels as premium and as safe as the Carens. The only disadvantage you can get is the quite steep price for some people because at above 1 million pesos price point, you can get a much bigger base model SUV but with less kits, poor fuel economy in the city and more expensive maintenance cost.
PICKUP – CHEVROLET COLORADO 2.8 LTZ

It’s a close call with the Ford Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak. Both are great trucks with great tech inside and out of this world capabilities. I have driven both of these behemoths and I liked the updated Colorado more. Actually it is a dead heat for both of these trucks in terms of the ability they have but the smaller 2.8 liter engine of the Colorado produced the same amount of horsepower and more torque than the Ford’s 3.2 making the Chevy a little bit ahead in the game.
COMPACT SUV – MAZDA CX-5 2.5 AWD

It’s been a really great year for Mazda. Every car magazine, in print or online, favors the Mazda CX-5 in every compact SUV comparison they make. Its actually easy to see why. The CX-5 is the best looking, it has one of the best engine and transmission combo in the segment and it drives the best which is all according to every reviews I read.
MIDSIZE SUV – HYUNDAI GRAND SANTA FE

This is the much larger and pricier variant of the Santa Fe but still is classed as a mid-size. Even if this doesn’t classify as a mid size, the ‘normal’ Hyundai Santa Fe would still be the winner for me here. It is the most comfortable of the lot based on my test drives and it is the most powerful before the 200hp Chevrolet Trailblazer came along. I actually love how spacious it is and how premium it feels inside plus the fact that it does have a lot of technology for your entertainment and safety making the premium price justifiable.
FULL SIZE SUV – TOYOTA LAND CRUISER

It is hard not to consider this giant thing the most loved full size SUV in the country. Politicians love it, businessmen loves it, or any high profile person has one. Even if a lot of horrible stories of ‘power tripping’ has been made with this SUV, there is no denying the amount of presence and security it gives to the person driving it. Plus in this country, the love for Land Cruisers started decades ago and every generation never failed to impress.

MINIVAN – CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

Once again, when it comes to comfort and space, Americans always do it right. The Town and Country was and forever will be designed for the convenience of the American family. The result is always a big people mover with a lot of storage areas for those long out of town trips we all love.

PEOPLE CARRIER – HYUNDAI GRAND STAREX

Nearing its 10th year in the market, nothing can still beat Hyundai’s formula for an ideal van for the filipinos. The Toyota Hiace Super Grandia may look more compelling but it is so big that it becomes a chore to drive. The Hiace also has an underpowered engine for its heft and an outdated 4 speed automatic transmission. The Grand Starex meanwhile has the most powerful 2.5 liter diesel engine in its class since 2006 and a more superior 5 speed automatic transmission. There are also many variants to choose, from a very spacious 10 seater to an extended family hauler 12 seater or if you are the type of person that wants the van for yourself and some of your friends in complete luxury, they have 7 seater variants that have captain seats in the middle and a choice between two 6.5 inch screens mounted on the frontseat headrests or a 22 inch TV screen paired with high fidelity sound system.

About the author:

J.I. Alvarez is your average car enthusiast that loves…well…cars and also the people behind it. I love driving but hate Metro Manila traffic. For any questions or violent reactions you can always contact me through my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Never Drink and Drive.

Get discounts at Samsung Galaxy of Christmas Wishes!

Jam Ancheta
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0
Get discounts at Samsung Galaxy of Christmas Wishes!

Samsung Galaxy of xmas wishes

Are you planning on getting a new Samsung phone after getting your Aguinaldos from your ninongs and ninangs? Well, you better buy one before 2015 because Samsung’s Galaxy of Christmas Wishes is on-going until December 31, 2014 only! So what’s up with Samsung’s promo? Well, you could get Samsung products at a more affordable price. Some of the products that are included in the promo are the affordable Galaxy V, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 and many more. Check out the list of devices that are included in the promo below.

Screen Shot 2014 12 28 at 2 54 42 PM

If you’re not familiar with Samsung Galaxy Core 2, it has a 4.5-inch display, a Quad-Core processor, and it is powered by Android 4.4 Kitkat while the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 has a 5.2-inch display, Quad-Core processor, and an 8-megapixel camera. If you would compare those prices from the prices on online stores, there is really a big difference but you should take note that if you get a Samsung device at authorized dealers, you would get a manufacturer warranty instead of a service warranty.

Cherry Mobile Me Review

Jam Ancheta
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0
Cherry Mobile Me Review

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Cherry Mobile Me is the company’s latest smartphone that allows you to customize the back cover. You could create your own design or you could choose the designs made by Cherry Mobile and no, this smartphone doesn’t come with a price. Actually, this smartphone is priced below P4,000. Check out my review below.

PC010084

Before we proceed to the review, let’s talk about how you can get a customized back cover for your smartphone. There’s a card included in the box in where it will give you a code that you could redeem at www.cherrymobile.com.ph/personalize_me. And there, you could create your customized back cover for free however, you’ll have to pay for the shipping fee which will cost you P59 if you’re within Metro Manila, and P99 for provincial area.

Construction and design

This device is very similar to the Cherry Mobile Alpha Style but this one is powered by Android. The smartphone is purely made up of plastic, and the original back cover is a bit thicker than the one that you can customized and it is harder to remove from the phone.

If you’ve ordered a customized printed back cover, you might notice the sides too messy just like the one below:

PC010085 

Since the smartphone only have a 4-inch display, the dimensions of the smartphone isn’t really big. The curvature of the laptop was quite good and the smartphone was very light too which makes the phone very comfortable to hold.

PC010094

There’s a dual sim card slot on this device and there’s only a 4GB of storage that’s why it’ll be better if you’ll get a MicroSD card for apps and media files. Unfortunately, this device doesn’t support OTG. The audio quality isn’t really that loud and sometimes, I couldn’t hear my notifications

Display

PC010092

There’s a 4-inch WVGA display on the Cherry Mobile Me and I was a little bit surprised with its display because It looks pretty well although I notice that the display is a little bit bluish but for a smartphone at PhP3,000, it’s quite okay. I didn’t had any problems when it comes to responsiveness. At direct sunlight, you could see most of it however, there is still too much glare on the display. But overall, I think the display of this smartphone is quite good for its price.

Software

Cherry Mobile Me is powered by Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and there were no customizations on the phone but there are some preinstalled apps on the Cherry Mobile Me. Thanks to the Mediatek Quad-Core processor along with the 512MB of RAM of the device, the smartphone performs pretty well. Actually, the device is very smooth and fun to use.

PC010087

At Antutu, I got a score of 16292 which is pretty good for a smartphone with a specifications like this. I didn’t had any problems with games however, the 4GB of internal storage won’t be enough for larger games. Some heavy games would run on this device however, you might not fully enjoy it because demanding games like GTA:SA wouldn’t run at max settings.

Battery life

There’s a 1500mAh battery on the Cherry Mobile Me. If you’re a heavy user, the smartphone wouldn’t probably last a day so I really recommend you guys to get a power bank or bring your charger with you all the time.

Camera

PC010091

Cherry Mobile Me got an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash but unfortunately, the camera isn’t auto-focus that’s why you couldn’t do macro shots on this device. The camera can shoot fast and the color output weren’t washed out but again, you can’t focus on objects if you’re shooting at close objects. Overall, the lack of auto-focus on its camera is a big deal breaker for me.

Verdict

You might be disappointed with the lack of auto-focus on the camera but this is the only smartphone that you could really personalize. The smartphone is super smooth and the performance was great too. If you want a smartphone that you could really customize, then you better get this one. Cherry Mobile Me is now available for PhP3,000

Arc Mobile Android TV 403D, 503D & 550D hands-on and first impressions

Jam Ancheta
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Arc Mobile Android TV 403D, 503D & 550D hands-on and first impressions

I recently unboxed three new phones from Arc Mobile and all of them sports a mobile TV inside. It’s not the first on an Android smartphone but there are only a few Android smartphones that packs an Analog TV feature. The Android TV series of Arc Mobile comes in 3 different sizes — 4.0-inch, 5.0-inch and 5.5-inch. Do you want to know more about these devices? Check out my unboxing of the Arc Mobile Android TV 403D, 503D & 550D below.



Qube X-Cam Action Camera now available!

Jam Ancheta
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Qube X-Cam Action Camera now available!

Action cameras are getting popular these days and now, Qube has joined the race with their Qube X-cam action camera. It’s their first action camera and compared to the very popular GoPro, this one is way more affordable.

Despite having an affordable price tag, the Qube X-cam action camera still packs some awesome features like the 1.5-inch LCD, Wi-Fi & HDMI. This action camera also comes with A waterproof mount however, I’m not yet sure if clip and mounts are included.

This action camera can capture 12-Megapixel stills and it can record 1080p@30fps videos. Not bad for a P3,990 action camera. Right? If you’re planning on getting one, head over to Qube’s website and order one now.

Verus Iron Shield Review for Galaxy Note 4

Jam Ancheta
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Verus Iron Shield Review for Galaxy Note 4

Whenever we have a new tablet or smartphone, the first accessory that we always look for are screen protectors or cases. Why? Because we don’t want to damage our brand new and still shiny gadgets that we recently bought. But whenever we buy cases for our smartphones, we always make it sure that cases that we bought for our devices not only protects our devices but it should fit our needs and lifestyle and one of the cases that I really love to use is the Verus Iron Shield. Why? Because not only it protects my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 but the case also looks awesome. Check out my review below:

LG L70 Dual Review

Jam Ancheta
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LG L70 Dual Review

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L series smartphones of LG are the affordable Android smartphones of LG. We’ve reviewed the LG L40 Dual before and now, we’ll review its bigger brother, the LG L70 Dual. The LG L40 Dual and the LG L70 Dual have the same processor the but the latter has a better camera & bigger RAM. The LG L70 Dual also has a bigger and better display than its smaller brother.


Design

LG L70 Dual Back

The design of the LG L70 Dual is similar to its smaller brother but this one got a more mature design and lost its cute looks because of its size. The back cover still has the same textured back which adds more grip when holding it. I would actually prefer this one compared to other smartphones that has a cheap glossy plastic feel. The smartphone is slim, but not super slim and the LG L70 Dual feels very comfortable to the hand. The weight feels just right too. Both dual sim card slots of the phone supports  mini sim card size and it’s very easy to switch from one sim to another thanks to the capacitive button below the display. However, if you’re a new user, you might find it hard to get used to it since most dual sim smartphones doesn’t have easy sim switch button.

LG L70 Dual buttons.jpg

There’s a 4GB of internal storage on this device so I highly recommend to use a MicroSD card for this device because I’m pretty sure, the internal storage of the device won’t be enough for you. Unfortunately, this device doesn’t support OTG. The audio quality of the device feels just right.

Display

There’s a 4.5-inch IPS display with 800×480 resolution on this device. At today’s standards, 4.5-inch might be small for some people. The WVGA resolution isn’t really pleasing to the eye these days but of course, we have to remember that this phone is an entry-level smartphone and not a mid-range one.

The display has a good viewing angles and you can still see the display at direct sunlight however, I’m not satisfied with the color out put of the display. I think it still lacks lively colors. But again, this is just an entry level smartphone so don’t set your expectations that high.

Software

Just like the LG L40 Dual II, the bigger brother packs the same LG G2 UI but this one has more features and it is a little bit better. The icons are cartoonish but you can download new themes at LG’s SmartWorld store. It’s also nice to see that this device has the features that can be seen on flagships like KnockOn and KnockCode and oh, this smartphone is already powered by Android 4.4.2 Kitkat. However, I don’t expect Lollipop will arrive on this smartphone.

LG L70 Dual Apps

Unlike its smaller brother, the LG L70 Dual has Qslide. So what the hell is that? Well, it’s a cool feature of LG that lets you open apps in window mode which helps you do multi-tasking and be more productive. But this feature only works on some built-in apps.

LG L70 Dual antutu

When it comes to gaming, don’t expect too much on the Dual-Core Snapdragon 200 inside the device. This device could run light games like Dead Trigger 2 but heavier than that? You might have problems with it. Actually, I already experience some lags on that game. At Antutu 5, I got a score of 11323 for the LG L70 Dual.



Battery Life
 LG L70 Dual parts

This smartphone has a 2100mAh of battery inside and I was able to use this smartphone for a day. I highly recommend to charge this smartphone everyday because the juice inside it won’t be enough for 2 days of average use.


Camera

There’s a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera on this device and most shots that I took were grainy but it was brighter than I expected at low-light conditions. Unlike its smaller brother, there’s LED flash on this. For an entry-level Android smartphone, the camera quality of the phone isn’t really bad.


Verdict

LG L70 Dual verdict.jpg

If you want a taste of Kitkat with the very user-friendly cartoonish UI of LG, you might want to consider this. It’s easy to use and it feels comfortable to use however, if you’re a power user, the Snapdragon 200 processor and the 5-megapixel camera might not be enough for you.

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