Showing posts with label Affordable Androids. Show all posts

The Android Searcher: Alcatel OneTouch Press Launch


Android Alliance Philippines has seen many Android Searchers like me help in their decisions on the best Android phones and tablets for them. Twenty-twelve (2012) holds much promise for the Android as an ecosystem. Ever since its boom in the Americas in 2010, and its rise in Asia in 2011, there seems to be no stopping the Android's growth.

Last January 10, the Android Alliance Ph Team was invited for the press launch of Alcatel's latest line of OneTouch phones at Relik Tapas and Bar in Bonifacio Global City. Android Pub and I were there to check out this proud new product of Alcatel. On the event, I was able to meet some Android App developers who were just happy to introduce to me their new app, which I will write about soon on a separate article.

The event was graced by none other than former Ateneo Blue Eagles top player and Smart Gilas shooting guard Chris Tiu, a proud user of the Alcatel Blaze Glory 918N, one of OneTouch's Android phones. The phone runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has a good set of useful default apps like a podcast app and app killers to save on battery life and resources. Apart from the tons of apps that one may get, the phone is Dual SIM and will help with people who are always on call from different network services. With two colors to choose from, white and black, one can follow in his own style and preference. For yfrog ethusiasts and with Instagram now available for Android users, photosharing is easy with the 3.0 megapixel camera.
This phone line aims to attract working class people who want premium-quality phones, yet with affordable prices. Indeed, for Php 5,999, it is an awesome buy for a phone with full features, directly competing with Samsung's Galaxy Y.

The question, though, is not the price but the phone's performance. Good thing that the event organizers got us to try out the phone, for the duration of the event at least. For a phone that is relatively cheap in price, I expected to see lags like that of Cherry Mobile Orbit but I was proven wrong. Alcatel's Blaze Glory 918N has a smooth touch and none of that dreaded signature lags I have noticed with Android phones which gives the product some plus points.

Alcatel Blaze Glory 918N is now available on the market for my fellow Android searchers to try out. Aside from this one, the Asia Pacific General Manager for Alcatel, Harry Au, promised that more of these cheap but quality phones will be available on the market, and soon. They are working on their tablet line, as well, though there is no timetable yet for a launch.

With Alcatel stores spread all over the country, it will be hard to miss the Alcatel OneTouch line of mobile phones. If you ask me the usual question if I will get this phone to replace my current Android phone, that is one big possibility, though I'll always be on the lookout for awesome Android phones, tablets, and possibly other devices that may be invented. If you want a phone that is budget-friendly yet is worth more than the price, I'd recommend this one.
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The 12 Days Of Christmas Android Alliance Ph Special: Day 1 -- Top Three Cheapest 3G-Capable Android Phones


Today officially marks the 12th Day before Christmas. From now to December 25, we'll be featuring one Android phone model, up until the very day when Christ's birth is celebrated. While most (if not all) of your Christmas presents would have been opened and enjoyed by the 25th, any day is always a good day to think about an Android machine. Plus, post-Christmas and post-New Year sales and price drops will abound, not to mention that most employees will be getting their 13th Month Pay. From now until the end of January may well be a great time to think about upgrading your Android, or even getting your first Android.

So, to open our 12 Days of Christmas series with a bang, we're giving you the Top 3 Cheapest Android Phones.

If you wonder why these picks aren't actually the market's cheapest models, here is the one single standard for the brands and models that made it to this list:

The Android phone has to have 3G. Androids make no sense if they're WiFi-only. They just don't. Why? For one, being able to use your Android as a Portable WiFi Hotspot is a major feature. Also, downloads from the Android Market, and even basic online navigation is much faster on a 3G connection. So if you were to enjoy your Android to the maximum, you're going to have to choose one with 3G/HSDPA.

However, for those who don't mind using a WiFi-only Android, as long as it's the market's cheapest, we're going to feature the Top 3 Cheapest WiFi-Only Androids in a future post in this series.

Ready? Here you go:

#3 Php 5,499 SRP -- It's a Tie!

Cherry Mobile Cosmo

  • ROM: 512MB (User-available Internal Storage is around 150 to 170MB)
  • RAM: 256MB
  • Processor: Qualcomm MSM7227, 600 MHz
  • 3.2” HVGA Capacitive Touchscreen
  • Android Froyo 2.2
  • 2MP Camera

Alcatel OneTouch Blaze 906

  • User-available Internal Storage: 200MB
  • RAM: N/A
  • Processor: N/A
  • 2.8" TFT Resistive Touchscreen
  • Android Froyo 2.2
  • 2MP Camera

#2 Php 4,990 -- Samsung Galaxy Y

  • User-available Internal Storage:180 MB
  • RAM: 290 MB
  • Processor: ARMv6, 830 MHz
  • 3.0" TFT Capacitative Touchscreen
  • Android Gingerbread 2.3
  • 2MP Camera

#1 Php 4,799 -- Alcatel OneTouch Blaze Duo 890D

  • User-available Internal Storage:150 MB
  • RAM: N/A
  • Processor: MTK6516, 420 MHz
  • 2.8" TFT Resistive Touchscreen
  • Android Froyo 2.2
  • 2MP Camera
  • Dual SIM

The Samsung Galaxy Y is offered at that rate when you buy it via Smart Rewards, as we mentioned before. Cherry Mobile Cosmo and the Alcatel OneTouch phones are on special sale rates. Cherry Mobile Cosmo's price may stay that way, because Cherry Mobile has the tendency to keep their sale prices as the new price of their phone models after the sale seasons.

Alcatel, on the other hand, keeps their phones at sale prices for months, though they do revert to regular price after.

So if you're on the market for good, 3G-Capable Androids, these are the most affordable options the market has to offer!

***

Photo Credits: Best Christmas Gift For
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The Android Searcher: Cherry Mobile Orbit (The Android Searcher's First Android)




An ordinary week it was, or so I thought, until Android Pub got me interested with something. Seems like your Android Searcher stumbles upon a pot of Android gold ever so often, doesn't he? This time, it was not a mobile phone stall or a chance encounter with a new Android store.

Rather, this recent "pot of Android gold" was...

My first-ever Android phone!

Yes, my very own Android phone. Android Pub just bought his new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc from Macau, and since two phones suffice for what he needs, he interested me in starting out on Android with the Cherry Mobile Orbit.

Cherry Mobile Orbit had been a pretty memorable model, since this is the phone that Mom proposed as the replacement to her "ancient of days" touch screen phone. On the technical side, the Cherry Mobile Orbit is a Dual-SIM Android that runs on Froyo 2.2, and powered by 528 MHz of a Qualcomm MSM7225 Processor, as well as 512MB ROM and 256MB of RAM.

Android Pub introduced me to a lot of Android features that definitely caught my interest. One feature he particularly liked and is the Phonebook sync with Gmail and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, which, after discovering the potentials of this function, I also instantly liked. True enough, when I added contacts on the phone and tried the sync features, it did sync with my Gmail and Facebook contacts. It means that if I chance upon another good Android phone and will replace this one, I need not move my contacts manually but just have to open Gmail and sync in.

Applications-wise, I did not have a hard time finding games and other app necessities on the Android Market. Sure enough, all those apps I am interested in come for free in the Android Market. From FourSquare, Food Spotting, to Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, I had was like a child in a candy store, downloading everything I wanted -- and needed -- immediately. A little bit of a damper, however: while playing some game apps, it didn't take long before I encountered the same problem the befalls almost every Android phone (except for the Sky Vega Racer, so far): The Lag.

Angry Birds did not have that problem but when it came to some games that required a lot of touch screen moves, that's where the problem came in. Nevertheless, I love how it has GPS features which interested my Mom very much and scared me a bit. Will it be possible for me to be tracked wherever I go? Not really; it turns out that the GPS is just for you (and me) to find your way back when you're lost.

How was my first Android phone experience? Not bad at all! Apart from my issues with lag and occasional mysterious exits while I am surfing through Facebook, it's a good entry level phone. How will I fare with this Cherry Mobile Orbit? My Mom got interested with the phone and gave me a juicy offer I could not resist.

So for now I'll take my sweet time while on the road to finding the best Android phone that I would surely love. I have my sights on the Sky Vega Racer, but since it is not yet available in the Philippines, I'll bring you the latest releases of Android phones from your most trusted brands soon.
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The Android Searcher: Cherry Mobile Candy


My phone has been with me for almost two years now. As technology advances, it seems that my current phone is getting outmoded as smartphones are invading the local market. I decided, that's it! I need to replace my phone, and soon. While people are mostly attracted to smartphone platforms like the iPhone and Blackberry, a freeware innovation attracted my attention: the Android. Just to backtrack a little, the Android was released in 2005, derived from the Linux kernel. For those who are most familiar with Linux, it is a free operating system. Even though Google bought the development rights and absorbed the Android Dev team as a sub-unit of Google, the Android continues to be a free operating system for mobile smartphones and tablets. Since the Android is a free operating system, a number of companies, most notably Motorola, Samsung, HTC and LG to name a few, adopted the mobile OS. 

In the Philippines, a mobile phone company called Cherry Mobile took the chains in providing cheap but quality mobile phones. And in its moves to expand and grow its market, it also released a good selection of Android phones. The mobile phone brand has been popularized by variety show host Willie Revillame in his show at the local television network, TV5.

On my way to church, I passed by a Cherry Mobile booth in the lower ground floor of Robinson's Galleria. Having Android in mind, I decided to check it out. What caught my attention is the Cherry Mobile Candy and its QWERTY version, Candy Chat. At less than PhP4,000, Cherry Mobile Candy is the cheapest in the market and comes in different colors: even purple, my favorite. 

The phone boasts of being powered by Android Froyo 2.2 Froyo, the Android Kernel version before Android Gingerbread 2.3. Froyo is also the second most utilized Android platform in the market, second only to Gingerbread.

I got to hold an actual phone which is actually lightweight and easy to carry around. The saleslady mentioned that the Cherry Mobile Candy and Candy Chat boasts of a wide variety of apps which one can get for free! Yes, for free, the advantage of Android phones. 

I got to check how the touch screen works but the resistive screen does not go well with my touch; which falls short for me, as I'm pretty fond of mobile games. The resistive touchscreen creates a gaming handicap, as mobile games require a lot of pressing. If you are not a game freak though, the touch resistance may be just fine. For a phone that costs less than PhP4,000, its a good deal with wi-fi capabilities and a 16gB capable SD Card memory slot. Stylish and reliable at a cheap price: not bad at all. 

Will this finally be my new Android phone? Maybe or maybe not. I need to soul-search more for Android phones in the market to find "the one" for me. Follow me as I search for more of Android, its market perks and features that would be worth my pocket's spend.

***

-The Android Searcher
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A Cherry Android for Christmas?


I saw a question on the Facebook Page of the Philippine Android Community revolving around the Cherry Mobile brand. Well, here's some candid talk on Cherry Mobile phones. I got a Cherry Nova early this year. The main reason why I got it was because I knew that the chip inside was a Qualcomm chip. This phone did not disappoint at all. It has been dropped a few times and is still in perfect working order.

Furthermore, last summer, I brought this to the US and inserted a T-mobile SIM with 4G service. I must say that the performance was impressive! Wow if only we had that kind of service, we can really maximize our Android phones to the level they were designed to operate.

Net, I can really say that if you are looking for an entry level Android, the Cherry Nova is a good unit to start with.

-Pub
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Sale Watch: What's Happening This Christmas



It’s already December next week, and we’re sure that we’re all excited about the sales that are coming our way. While we’re still populating our comprehensive table of Cherry Mobile Android Phones, we thought it’d be great to alert you on what’s bound to happen this Christmas month.
  • Cherry Mobile has already published its “12 Cherrys of Christmas” price list. If you recall from Cherry Mobile’s promotions last year, they put on promo one Cherry Mobile phone a day, ramping up the sales until they finally released premium phones for a steal. This year, we’re waiting with bated breath, as they may put Cherry Mobile Androids on sale.
  • Even if Cherry Mobile Androids are NOT on sale, they’ve already bumped down the prices to affordable price points. So if you’re no longer in the mood to wait for the Droids to plummet to possibly obscene prices, check out Cherry Mobile’s Droid catalog.
  • The Samsung Galaxy Y has been put on Smart Communications and Sun Cellular’s best plans. On Plan 349 for Smart and Plan 350 for Sun, getting yourself a Droid has now gotten more sensible.


These are the Droid sales we've caught so far; we’ll keep gathering what we can find as the days hurtle into Christmas.

Watch out for more sales and bargain updates!

***
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Bargain Hunter: Samsung Galaxy Y


Two things about the Samsung Galaxy Y for you Android Fanatics today: A bargain and the Samsung Galaxy Y Netphone Edition.

The Samsung Galaxy Y, or Samsung Galaxy Young, is an entry-level Samsung phone designed to serve the basic needs of Android users, with a price that’s also at the baseline. These are the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Y: 

  • Android OS v.2.3.5 (Gingerbread)
  • 256MB RAM
  • 832MHz CPU
  • 160MB Internal Memory

If you’re about to turn your nose up at these specs, wait till you read the price of the Samsung Galaxy Y that we saw in Robinsons Pioneer.

Five-thousand, eight-hundred eighty pesos. That’s right, the openline Samsung Galaxy Y we saw at MultiCom is less than Php 6,000. 

However, for nothing  more than Php 110 extra, you get to tether your Samsung Galaxy Y to the SmartNet system. 

Yup, you read right. Smart Communications is selling the Samsung Galaxy Y at only Php 5,990 on Prepaid, and you get to use the SmartNet network for free until December 31, 2011. Remember that though SmartNet may be made available for other users to use on non-Netphone Androids, so far, only Smart Communications Consultant Jayvee Fernandez has been able to get his hands on the SmartNet app. Not only that, there are rumors that Smart will only give access to SmartNet for free on its Netphone models, and may charge non-Netphone users certain fees for the use of the system. Thus, if you want to get the most out of a Samsung Galaxy Y as a Netphone, it’s no biggie to spring an extra Php 110 for SmartNet access, right?

But if you prefer to save the Php 110, and Robinsons Pioneer is accessible to you, head on over to MultiCom for the cheapest Samsung Galaxy Y we’ve seen so far. If you find something cheaper, do let us know!

Subscribe to our feed for more Android Bargains on our Bargain Hunter deal specials!
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Smart Communications' Netphone: Brilliant Concept, Brilliant PR



Smart Communications seems to have its PR machine run tight. In just around 15 days after the Netphone was launched, we have seen not only the high profile bloggers tote their new Netphones, we've also seen friends colleagues wield brand spanking new ZTE Blades powered by SmartNet, or, as it is known by the brand, the Netphone 701.

Since the different high-profile bloggers have already said their piece about the phone, here is a collection of their opinions about it:


If there's anything we can just say about the whole Netphone 701 campaign, it's that Smart was very brilliant to lock its SmartNet service to the Netphone. While you can sign up for an account and even update your Facebook and Twitter via a SmartNet account on its website, you will not be able to enjoy the full benefits of SmartNet if you were on another Android. We tried using the service via a Cherry Mobile Nova, and, the website does not convert to a mobile site on the Opera Mini. It has the same proportions as the PC-based version. On the Dolphin HD Browser, the proportions are still the same, though it looks a tad bit more bearable. You may probably learn to like posting from SmartNet in landscape mode, but with Facebook for Android or even the mobile browser-based Mobile Facebook, we doubt you'd switch to SmartNet if you were on another Android.

What is more advantageous in having a Netphone is not just the dedicated app for SmartNet; it's really the free use of SmartNet. You can have only Php 1 in your Smart prepaid account, and as long as you keep the settings on "SmartNet" and not "Internet," you'll be fine. You can toggle these settings on the second panel of your Smart Netphone, as Karen Ang mentions in her post. 

Thus, the brilliance of the Netphone is really locked into the SmartNet system. However, the service will only be free until December 31, 2011. After that, expect to pay Php 999 per 1GB of data monthly. Smart also has other denominations in its Always On plan suite, so you may be able to take advantage of SmartNet at lower rates.

Did Smart Communications hit the jackpot by copying the big companies and their whole software/hardware ecosystem (think Apple's iTunes, the Android Marketplace and the Blackberry Internet Service)? Did they also hit a PR jackpot by creating an effective viral campaign with the help of local and influential bloggers? Will Smart Netphone users stay on the system after December 31, 2011? Only time will tell.


***
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Why You Should Get An Android Tablet




Much has been said about the iPad, and because of it, we now have a new wave of technology and innovation revolving around tablet computers. If there's anything the iPad ushered in, it's a renaissance in touch-screen and tablet computing.

Prior to the iPad, tablet, touch screen and convertible computers have existed, but they never got into the mainstream market because of the prohibitive price. And according to this Forbes article by Mark Tobias, one other reason that the Tablet never really caught onto the market was that the hardware/software implementation wasn't smooth enough.

There are three touch-screen tablet players in the market today: The Apple iPad (currently on iPad 2), the Android tablet (which will differ in awesomeness, depending which brand and model you choose), and the Blackberry Playbook.


Here are the reasons why we recommend an Android tablet:

1. Integration with Google. We can't say it more often enough. The integration with Google services is what makes an Android extra-awesome.

2. The Android Tablet is consumer/casual-user-friendly. If you're buying a tablet as a consumer, a lot of Tech pundits do not agree with choosing a Blackberry Playbook if you're buying it as an end-user or regular consumer. While the experts believe that it's a great business device still, an end-user who may want to use a tablet as both a plaything and a workhorse, may not be happy with the dearth of applications, especially games, on the Blackberry ecosystem.

3. It is more economical to own an Android Tablet in the long run. While the iPad is definitely the king of tablet computing at the moment, a budget-conscious user may not like the fact that he would need to purchase nearly all the apps he may want to have from the Apple Store. Yes, there are free apps, but these are trial versions. Full versions will cost $0.99 and up. This may be affordable for some, but for a good majority of the Filipino users, paying for software isn't something most of us would like to do. If you can get something else for free, why would you have to pay for it.

On this note, needing to use a credit card to pay for your app purchases is also an inconvenience that a Filipino consumer may not be willing to contend with. Most Filipinos don't own a credit card, and those who have never owned one may not be willing to apply for a credit card just to be able to buy software. Also, with the incidences of credit card fraud in recent times, even credit card holders may not be willing to use their credit cards for online purchases.

Thus, if you can relate to these characteristics, then you may benefit more from an Android Tablet than an iPad. Yes, there are credit card alternatives like Unionbank EON or Smart Money, but nothing beats free, really.

If you've decided on getting an Android device in the near future but are torn between an Android tablet and an Android phone, well, keep watching this space in the coming days, as we'll be helping you decide which to get. You may also subscribe to the Android Alliance RSS Feed to follow our updates.

Indeed, the Android is going neck and neck with Apple's offerings. In the end, the final shootout may well be between these two Tech industry players. In the meantime, these are lists of the best Android tablets in the market, as of June, July and September 2011:

September 2011: Top 10 Best Android Tablets In The World by ZoomZum
July 2011: The Best Android Tablets by PC Mag
June 2011: 12 Best Android Tablets In The World by TechRadar


Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Android Newbie's Guide To Buying An Android


Are you a n00b?

...An Android n00b, a.k.a Newbie, that is. If this is your first time to buy an Android, fear not. The decision-making process is pretty straightforward.

The dozens of Android models on the market may be intimidating for those who hate needing to compare and canvass for the best model to buy. That's why the iPhone is such a hit -- just one item on the list. The only decisions you need to worry about are whether you're getting the White iPhone or the Black iPhone, or if you're getting it in 16GB or 32GB.

With the Android, you'd have to decide which brand to refer to, which model to choose, what "flavor" Android you should get, among other crazy mind-bending questions to answer.

That being said, we created a simple process for you to filter out your Android choices:

1. Look at the tech specs before anything.

While 256MB RAM/512MB ROM/600MHz Qualcomm CPU is pretty decent and standard for an Android, higher specs will always be better, when it comes to gadgets. You'll come face to face with this truth when you're a rabid gamer and you acutely feel the micro lags during a furious session of Angry Birds or Pumpkins vs. Monsters.

Thus, first determine the tech specs that would make you happy, then start looking at the models that have this benchmark. We believe that around 768MB RAM/1GB ROM/1GHz CPU would be a decent starting point. If price is no problem, you can start looking at the Super Droids that are coming our way.

As for Android "flavor," never choose anything released earlier than Froyo (Android 2.2). That way, you will be able to move your apps to your SD Card.

Here's a quick guide to the Android Flavors in the order by which they were released:

  1. Cupcake -- v.1.5
  2. Donut -- v.1.6    
  3. Eclair -- v.2.1
  4. Froyo -- v.2.2
  5. Gingerbread -- v.2.3.x
  6. Honeycomb -- 3.x.x 

2. Form factor counts.

If you have big, chunky fingers (sorry), forget about the thinner and sleeker models. They'll only make you want to hurl your unit across the room. When you're checking and testing units in cellphone kiosks, try the soft keypad in portrait form. If you can type a whole 160-character message without mistyping, then you're in soft keypad heaven.

If you've reconciled with the fact that you absolutely hate touchscreen phones, forget about the models that are fully touchscreen. Think about the sliders or the Blackberry-type QWERTY models instead.


3. Now you can think about the price.

If money is not a problem, then, as we mentioned, a Super Droid would be a better buy than one of the regular droids. But if price is a major factor, then filter our your picks with this point.

Here are the low-end to mid-range Droids available on the market:



Here is the spreadsheet version of the list:



With this list, we've gotten you started on the low to mid-end Android phones with the best value for money. As you can see, Samsung has opted to keep its phone models with lower internal memory, possibly to keep price points lower. Since all of their models are on Froyo anyway, users can keep their apps in their SD Cards.

Judging from the specs, we believe that the HTC Wildfire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Sony Xperia Mini Pro, and the Cherry Mobile Magnum offer the most bang for the buck. Also, we recommend the Cherry Mobile Magnum because of its screen size: texting in portrait orientation will be a lot easier because of its screen real estate. And if you're all for dual SIM phones, the Cherry Mobile Orbit is not a bad choice, either. But if the phone's camera quality is also a consideration, Sony Ericsson is known for having the best cameras on cellphones. The Smart Netphone could also be a great buy, if you consider the SmartNet perks. SmartNet services are free until December 31, 2011. So remember, specs first, form factor second, then let the axe fall with the price. And if you care about the brand, factor that in, as well. But the bottom line really is, after you try everything that catches your fancy, it's all about the total package.


***

***We didn't include Android players like LG and Acer because of the dismal specs for their products. Neither did we include the Motorola line because they're not readily available in Philippine malls, but are available via online sellers.


Photos, specs and prices are available on the links provided. Go ahead, click on!



Photo Credits: Quantrimang
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Smart Communications Makes New Waves With The Smart Netphone



Smart Communications is undoubtedly the Philippines' biggest mobile network, with a subscriber base of at least 45 Million, as reported in June 2010. This 2011 saw Smart Communications make very aggressive moves, with the launch of Smart's 4G service via LTE in Boracay this summer 2011, the newsmaking purchase of the majority shares of Sun Cellular, and now, a heavy drive of venturing into the Android scene.

Close on the heels of summer 2011's major moves by Smart Communications, Smart drove heavily into the emerging Android smartphone wave by launching a particularly seductive postpaid line of HTC phones. And now, Smart Communications is making new waves with its own Android, the Smart Netphone.

Smart Communications is not new to the smartphone scene. It is not even new to launching its own smartphone model. Remember the Smart Amazing phone? It was one of the more affordable smartphones to hit the market. Smart made an attempt to make the smartphone readily available to consumers, and the Smart Amazing phone was their answer.

As they say, history repeats itself. Tomorrow's market launch of the Netphone is not a case of "history repeats itself," however. In our opinion, it is more about "Find out what works. Rinse. Repeat."

They say that the key to success is bumping into something that works or brings in results, and then repeating the formula until the results dwindle. With the Netphone, this seems to be seeing that the Android pie is selling like hotcakes at the moment, and wanting a slice of that pie. If it clicks, if it works, we bet Smart Communications will, indeed, "Rinse and Repeat."

Indeed, who wouldn't want a piece of the Android action? At 550,000 Android activations a day, that number alone spells a phenomenal profit. That number says that there's room for quite a few players. And if that isn't impressive enough, we're not sure what is.

The thing is, how do you seduce a brand-conscious Philippine consumer base? Filipinos have been known to have a preference for Nokia. But when Cherry Mobile, Torque and China phones entered the market on the low end, and the iPhone, the Blackberry and the Android posse made a scene on the high end, brand no longer remained relevant. Today, the Filipino cellphone-buying public is more concerned about durability and the gadget's specs. If the Netphone proves to be better than the Cherry Mobile Androids, it may be a viable midrange option for the Android aficionados.

For more information on specs, first impressions and unboxing, please visit these websites:


Here's the Netphone's Official Website:


Smart officially unveils the Netphone to the buying public tomorrow morning.



Photo Credits: Smart Netphone Official Website
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On The Lookout For A New Android? Bear These Tips In Mind.



When buying a cellphone, a cellphone user would usually look for these features:

  • The phone's form factor: Candybar, touch screen or QWERTY
  • A great camera
  • Bluetooth
  • Whether it has WiFi
  • Whether it has 3G
  • How many SIM cards it can accommodate
  • Internal memory
  • Expansion memory limits (maximum SD card size it can accommodate)
  • Whether it has a media player or FM Radio
  • Whether it has a free-to-air TV or not

For those who are concerned about the phone's stability and resistance to malware, they may consider the phone's OS as well. A lot of people choose and adhere to certain brands for that very reason. On the other hand, if you are an Android die-hard, we'd recommend that you look out for these features when looking for your next Android:

  • ROM size
  • RAM size
  • CPU type and speed
  • Maximum SD Card expansion size

After these factors, the ballgame is yours.

ROM means "Read-Only Memory." It is basically the hard-drive of your Android device. Unlike other phone models, where you can store and execute apps from your SD Card, Androids carrying the Android OS version 2.1 and below will not be able to host the App 2 SD application, which allows your Android to keep and run your apps from your SD Card. So if you're carrying an Android with versions 2.1 and below, you would have to content yourself with the ROM size that your phone came with.

You see, most Androids come with ROM sizes from 256MB to 512MB. If you're an app freak, you'd get mad at your Android when you max out the memory the moment you try to install your third Angry Birds pack. Just to illustrate, a 512MB ROM can house around 25 apps ranging from 48KB to 22MB. And you would have to leave around 20MB so that your phone won't give a warning notification that your internal disk space is getting low. The moment you leave only 15MB free, your phone will constantly "complain" that it's getting low on space. Something a power user will definitely get annoyed with.

RAM (Random Access Memory) and the CPU (Central Processing Unit) speed are crucial in determining how fast your Android will go. The CPU brands trusted by Android device makers are Qualcomm and NVIDIA. The more powerful phones use the Snapdragon model, but any phone using a Qualcomm chip is great. NVIDIA's Tegra 2 claims to be blazingly fast, on the other hand. While the higher the processor speed, the faster the unit should be, 600MHz with 256MB RAM is good enough, actually. Just keep a Task Killer handy for when you max out your RAM.

Lifehacker constantly claims that rooting your Android is the best way to go. Indeed, if you're annoyed by the apps that your manufacturer installed on your unit, rooting is a great way to delete those apps and install apps of your own preference. You get to free up ROM space and you have the privilege of installing more apps that you prefer.

Indeed, when you'll be on the prowl for your next Android, bear these features in mind, and you won't go wrong.
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