Get a discounted on an Apple iPad with Retina Display with a Smart Data Plan

Smart Communications is offering Apple iPad's and iPad's mini's discounted when bundled with a data plan. Bundled with Data Plan 999 you get a Php8,000 discount on a 3G/LTE iPad with Retina Display.

Bundled with Plan 499, you get a Php1,000 discount and deferred payment over a period of 24 months.

Plan 499 falls under Smart Anti Bill Shock plan, so even if you exceed your 65 hour allocation, you will never go beyond Php999.

Get a discounted on an Apple iPad mini with a Smart Data Plan

Smart Communications is offering Apple iPad's and iPad's mini's discounted when bundled with a data plan. Bundled with Data Plan 999 you get a Php8,000 discount on a 3G/LTE iPad mini.

Bundled with Plan 499, you get a Php1,000 discount and deferred payment over a period of 24 months.

Plan 499 falls under Smart Anti Bill Shock plan, so even if you exceed your 65 hour allocation, you will never go beyond Php999.

Cloudfone Thrill 430x now upgraded to Jelly Bean

The Cloudfone Thrill 430x is undoubtably the most successful phone from the company. With a reasonably sharp 4.3-inch qHD display and a reasonably fast dual core Qualcom S4 Play processor it is still a good phone for the money half a year from the time it was released. The real jewel in the Cloudfone offering is the large 4160 mAh battery. The large battery gives the Cloudfone Thrill 430x two to three times the battery life of other entry level smartphones.

The only thing that made the phone feel dated as of late is that it ran Android 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich. That is the thing of the past. The Cloudfone Thrill 430x now ships out of the box with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Olders of existing units can have their phone updated at the Cloudfone service center at Paseo de Magallanes.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 4.3-inch qHD (540 x 960) display
• Dual sim support
• 4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 768 MB RAM
• 1.2 GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor
• 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 0.3 MP front camera
• HSPA
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 4160 mAh battery

You can read more about the Cloudfone Thrill 430x at this link.

In search of the best mid-sized compact LTE smartphone

Looking at the best LTE smartphones in the market, the Samsung Galaxy S4, it feels just a bit too big. It feels great in hand. The size of the display is not a problem. But at nearly 137 mm tall and 70 mm wide, I will have a hard time keeping it in a belt pouch or my pocket when wearing my suits and the slim jeans I am fond off. 

The Sony Xperia Z is a lovely phone, but that is even taller and wider, and with its blocky body, feels much larger than that Galaxy S4 in hand. The HTC One is narrower than the Galaxy S4, Xperia Z or Xperia ZL, but is a tall 137.4 mm. 

One step below the flagships you have the Xperia ZL. The Xperia ZL is shorter 131.6 mm length, so it does fit a bit better in a belt pouch. The plastic case also feels better in the hand than the glass case of the Xperia Z. Overall, at 131.6 x 69.3 x 9.8 mm, the Xperia ZL is looking like one a good option for a 5-inch smartphone. LG's Optimus G is just about the same size as the Xperia ZL.

Scaling down in size does not really result in a more compact smartphone. The Xperia ZL really is not all that much bigger than the 4.6-inch Xperia ZR and the Xperia SP. The 4.3-inch Xperia V is much narrower at 65 mm, as compared to the Xperia ZL, but only a bit shorter at 129 mm. The length really bothers me more than the width.

Going on the other extreme, the 4-inch iPhone has a display 10% smaller than what I have been using for the last three years. Still, it is a nice compact 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm.

On the Windows side of things, the 4.3-inch Nokia Lumia 820 looks nice at 123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9 mm, although I am not sure I want a phone with a WVGA resolution. 

From RIM... the 4.2-inch BlackBerry Z10 is all 130 mm tall. 

Did I miss out anything? 

Sitting in between the tall 137 mm Android's and the 123.8 mm, the 131.6 mm Xperia Z is looking like the best all around choice. Would appreciate any input before forking out my hard earned money.

Globe's My Best Ever Super Plan Options Compared

Globe Telecom's new plan allow you to unbundle the plan from a "free" device. The reality is that we actually play for the free device we get from out carriers in out monthly bill.

To compare how this works, I used Globe's online My Super Plan creator to compute what it would cost me to get a Samsung Galaxy S4 at Plan 1799.

The plan I put together comes out as follows:

• Device - Samsung Galaxy S4
• Cash out - Php4,800
• Unlimited Data
• Consumable for calls and text - Php1,101

Now I created another Plan 999, without a bundles phone.

• Device - None
• Cash out - 0
• Unlimited Data
• Consumable for calls and text - Php701

If you use about Php1,000-Php1200 of calls and text a month:

You would pay Php800 less a month, but would get Php400 less consumable. So assuming that I used the Php1,101 consumable a month I would save Php400 a month. This would make Plan 999 at total of Php14,400 cheaper over two years, without a bundled device.

Given that a Samsung Galaxy S4 will cost you twice that much, it is still worthwhile getting a phone with your Globe Plan, comparing these two plans.

If you use about Php600-800 of calls and text a month:

The entire point of a data plan is to use less calls and SMS. If you font used the Php1,101 consumable at Plan 1799, the comparison would be different,  This would make Plan 999 at total of Php24,000 cheaper over two years, without a bundled device.

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Plans: Globe Telecom at Plan 1799 versus Smart Data Plan 2000

Globe Telecom will give you a Galaxy S 4 at Plan 1799 for a 24 month lock-in and Php4,800 cash. Bundle in Unlimited Data and you will have Php1,101 a month consumable for calls and SMS.

The closest Plan from Smart is Data Plan 2000. At this plan you can get a Samsung Galaxy S 4 with a 24 month contract for Php4,000.

Total commitment under the contact: 

Globe - Php47,976

Smart - Php52,000

Consumable:

Globe - Php1,101. Globe to Globe calls @Php6.50 per minute, and other local calls @Php7.50 per minute. SMS a Php1.00.  The consumable can be converted to other bundles like unlimited call and test with the Globe network.

Smart - 150 minutes of calls and 200 SMS to all networks. Calls in excess of 150 minutes at @Php5.09 per minute or Smart to Smart calls, and other local calls @Php6.11 per minute. SMS a Php1.00. 

Unli Data:

Globe - LTE

Smart - LTE until June 30, 2013. Not certain if there will be an additional charge after that.

All-in-all total cost is cheaper with Globe, the consumable aspect of the plan is more flexible and can be converted to thing like unlimited calls and text or other bundles and LTE is a certainty. Smart offers lower per minute and SMS rates.

The Smart LTE Question

Undoubtably, between Smart Communications and Globe Telecom, the former has a fair lead in the deployment of LTE technology. The problem is, they do not have a clear LTE policy yet. If you got a new Apple iPhone 5 last year, you had free LTE until April 30, 2013. The LTE "promo" has been extended to June 30, 2013.

If you are planning to get one of those nice new LTE handsets, like a Samsung Galaxy S 4 or Sony Xperia Z, you also get LTE connectivity till June 30, 2013, after which time what Smart does next is not clear. 

Notice the fine print "Until June 20, 2013"

In the case of Globe Telecom its regular data plans are also LTE plans. 

Basically, if you are like me, you are a Smart Subscriber about to renew his contract, it is pretty confusing at Smart right now. It feels like Smart is not sure what it wants to do with its LTE plans, and unfortunately they are leaving their customers uncertain of whether they will have to spend more in the future to maintain LTE connectivity. The uncertainty about plan pricing, minor data billing issues plus changes in retention policy makes Globe Telecom suddenly look a lot more inviting.

If you want to be sure that you get a Smart plan with LTE, without having to pay more in the future, you can avail of the Sony Xperia V or ZTE T82 which come with LTE Plans. The  Apple iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S 4 and Sony Xpreria Z come with 3G Unli Data Plan with free LTE until June 30, 2013.

When the promo ends, it looks like you will have to pay Php1,000 over and above your current plan to maintain LTE connectivity.

Sony Xperia ZR will be coming to the Philippines

CNET has been able to confirm that the Sony Xperia ZR will be coming to the Philippines, as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. 

The Sony Xperia Z is my favorite of the current crop of handsets, mainly because it has a 4.55-inch display. I belong to the camp that feels that 5-inches is just a little too big. The Xperia ZR will me a upper mid-level handset, packing the same processor as the Google Nexus 4 rather than the newer more powerful Qualcom S600 or S800 processors. Still, I think it packs enough power to be your electronic companion for the next two years. There are three versions of the Xperia XR including an LTE version.

The Sony Xperia Z will not be coming to other parts of the region like Singapore and Australia, indicating that the Xperia ZR will not be release widely. This may be of concern to those who like to root their phones and install custom ROM's,

I expect the Sony Xperia ZR to hit Philippine shores by June or July 2013.

Sony Xperia Z software update improves picture quality

Sony has released a software update for its Xperia Z flagship. The new update is supposed to improve image quality. Thanks to pbatacan of TipidCP, we have a set of comparison shots. To the left are the pictures before the update, and to the right, the images taken after the update.

Asus Fonepad Tablet - Intel Inside

We are seeing more Android devices with Intel Processors inside. The latest is a 7-inch Asus tablet which has full call and text functions, and HSDPA connectivity. In essence, it is a 7-inch smartphone, much like the original Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Priced at Php14,995 the Android powered Asus Fonepad Tablet is a competitively priced product, undercutting the price of the 3G version of the Asus built Google Nexus 7 and the Apple iPad mini. It comes with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) a 7-inch HD (720 x 1280) display, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage, expandable via a MicroSD card. It also comes with a 3 MP primary camera and a 1.2 MP from camera. 

What makes it different from the rest of the Android tablets is the dual core Intel Atom Z2420 inside. This single core processor benches around 12000 to 13000 points on the AnTuTu benchmarks with a HD display. This puts it neck and neck with the quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 found in the Nexus 7. Asus also promises that this tablet has a good 9 hours of battery life.

Creative Gadgets Protects iPad Ready for Game

Are you finding some creative gadgets for your iPad/iPad mini or your cell phone?
Here are some gadgets necessory to protective your devices when playing games.

First is the ipad mini matte screen guard is anti-fingerprint for whom used to play the game with friends.

This iPad Mini Matte Screen Guard for Game has some features for gamers:

1. Compatible with iPad Mini.
2. Provides invisible protection; scratch-resistant and improves grip, made by military-grade material.
3. High permeability, anti-glare, anti-wear engineered for iPad Mini, specially for whom used to play the game with friends.
If this is your first time to apply an ipad mini screen protector, it is recommended that purchase two or more, so it will be able to paste it once more. Or keep aside.

Another creative gadgets is the General Stylus Pen Laser Stylus Pen:

It compatible with iPad Mini, iPad, iPhone, Samsung Phone, other phones, tablet PC, iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, HTC HD2 Samsung and other capacitive touch screen. Especially suitable for thick fingers, nails longer fingers sweating. Practical laser light, an essential tool of conference presentations.

It has higher touch accuracy, it is an effective way to avoid using fingers to operate due to input errors. With practical laser light, it is really an essential tool of conference presentations.

This laser stylus pen is made by aluminum material, reset pin design, perfect to solve the crash problem. The conductive adhesive is soft, but durable, 100% protective care phone touch screen.

By the way, the best partner for the screen guard and laser stylus pen is the Thinnest iPad Mini Premium Leather Cover Case

By virtue of its natural curvature and the stiffness, can be very simple to change the shape used as thinnest ipad mini stand case, has an almost unlimited amount of angle adjustment, it is not only sleek but stylish.

Acer Aspire AO756-877BC - Just Php12,990

While many argue over that the desktop is not dying in defense of their preferred platform, there are benefits to be reap as desktop sales go down: Lower prices. The Acer Aspire A0O756 is all about keeping sales up as Acer transitions its production to include tablets.

Acer's lastest Aspire One cuts it specs to the bone to keep priced down. It does not come with Windows and does not have USB 3.0. It comes with a modest 1.4 GHz Celeron processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard drive. That is actually better than it sounds. Those new generation of Celerons are pretty fast, and 2 GB of RAM can run Windows 8 well enough if you decide to replace the installed Linpus Linux operating system (but really I would recommend Ubuntu with a Gnome or LXDE desktop instead). By doing all this, Acer has been able to give you a decent 11.6-inch HD (768 x 1366) laptop, which is just over an inch thick, and just 3 pounds in weight, for just Php12,990. 

Acer Aspire P3-171-3322Y2G12ass - Fast forward

The Acer Aspire P3 is a 11.6-inch Windows 8 Ultrabook. Well at least that is what Acer calls it. At Php33,900 with a HD display, Core i3-3229Y processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 120 GB SSD, it seems to be a reasonably equipped laptop for the money. What really merits discussion though it the form factor. 

The good. In use design is similar to a slider, but when closed, keyboard really serves as a protective case. What makes this package interesting is its portability. The entire package weighs in at a light 1.74 pounds. That is three-fourth of a pound less than a 11-inch MacBook Air. It is also incredibly thin at 0.4-inchers. Battery life is also rated up to 6-hours. This is pretty much as good as it gets for ultralight 11-inchers.

The bad. For the laptop fan, well the Acer Aspire P3 has no touchpad, so you are really left with just the touchscreen. This type of design which really showcase what Windows 8 is all about. But this is also a bit worrisome. Without the touchpad, it won't be the best option for using it with traditional Windows apps. Software designed for mice and touch pads are not necessarily finger friendly. Things like the Microsoft Surface Pro seem like a better transitional device, with touch for "Metro" and a touchpad for your good old Windows desktop apps.

Cherry Mobile Skyfire 2.0

Cherry Mobile has released another 5-inch Android phone. The display is a qHD display, which has a 540 by 960 pixel resolution, and not the higher resolution HD (720 x 1280) display we have in the new crop of low cost (below Php10,000) 5-inch smartphones. 

The new low cost 5-inch HD Android phones includes the Cherry Mobile OMEGA HD, MyPhone A919i Duo and Starmobile Diamond. Of the three, the A919i Duo is the best overall package since it combines a HD display with quad core processing and a faster graphics chip. The Omega HD and Diamond are far behind the A919i Duo in terms of performance. 

How does the Cherry Mobile SkyFire 2.0 stack up? Overall, I think it is a better balanced package than either the Omega HD or Diamond. The lower resolution qHD display still has a reasonably sharp 220 pixel per inch density. While it does not march the sharpness of the HD displays on the Omega HD and Diamond, the sharp display on those phones does come with a penalty in terms of HD video playback and 3D graphics performance. 

Quick specs:

• Dual SIM
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 5-inch IPS qHD display (540 x 960) 
• 4 GB internal storage, expandable via a microSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.2 GHz quad core Qualcomm S4 Play processor 
• Adreno 203 Graphics
• 8 MP primary camera, autofocus with flash
• 2 MP (BSI) front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

It won't outrun the MyPhone A919i. That phone mates that 5-inch HD display with fast PowerVR SGX544MP graphics.

Best to wait for the actual benchmarks, but basically you can expect AnTuTu Benchmarks to look like this:

MyPhone A919i - 120000 to 13000 point range

Cherry Mobile SkyFire 2.0 - 10000 to 11000 point range

Cherry Omega HD - 6000 to 7000 point range

Starmobile Diamond - 6000 to 7000 point range

Priced at Php7,999, which is at the same price as the Omega HD, I am inclined to recommend the SkyFire 2.0. If you are looking for the best low cost 5-inch phone, the MyPhone A919i still is the best choice.

Updated Samsung i9505 Galaxy S 4 battery life tests

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 i9505 got a software update and GSM Arena updated their battery life tests. Overall the new software has resulted in longer talk, video playback and standby time, while reducing web browsing endurance a bit.

Talk Time

Samsung Galaxy S 4 (after update) - 18 hours and 3 minutes

Sony Xperia Z - 16 hours and 3 minutes

LG Optimus G - 15 hours and 30 minutes

Samsung Galaxy S 4 - 13 hours and 53 minutes

HTC One - 13 hours and 38 minutes

Apple iPhone 5 - 8 hours and 42 minutes

Web Browsing

HTC One - 9 hours 58 minutes

Apple iPhone 5 - 9 hours and 56 minutes

Samsung Galaxy S4 - 8 hours and 42 minutes

Samsung Galaxy S 4 (after update) - 7 hours and 24 minutes

Sony Xperia Z - 6 hours and  27 minutes

LG Optimus G - 5 hours and 15 minutes

The Super AMOLED display does consumer more power when displaying light colored or white backgrounds, and thus will suffer a bit in web browsing tests, most webpages being white.

Video Playback

Samsung Galaxy S 4 (after update) - 12 hours and 30 minutes

Samsung Galaxy S 4 - 10 hours and 16 minutes

Apple iPhone 5 - 10 hours and 12 minutes

HTC One - 10 hours and 2 minutes

LG Optimus G - 7 hours and 30 minutes

Sony Xperia Z - 5 hours and 39 minutes

The Super AMOLED display is more efficient in video playback tests. 

Standby (with 1 hour of calls, video playback and web browsing per day)

Samsung Galaxy S 4 (after update) - 69 hours

Samsung Galaxy S 4 - 63 hours

Apple iPhone 5 - 51 hours

Samsung Galaxy S III - 50 hours

HTC One - 48 hours

Sony Xperia Z - 48 hours

LG Optimus G - 45 hours

Overall, the update is a plus insofar as battery life is concerned.

Sony Xperia Z now available from Smart Coomunications

Sony's flagship smartphone is now available from Smart Communications. The Xperia Z is offered free at Unli Data Plan 2000 and All-In Plan 2500. It joins the Apple iPhone 5, Blackberry Z10, Google Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy S 4 as the top handsets offered by Smart Communications.

O+ 8.15 - O+ enters the 5-inch HD fray

O+ has is launching its own 5-inch smartphone with a HD display, the O+ 8.15.

Quick specs:

• Dual SIM
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• 5-inch IPS HD display (720 x 1280)
• 8 GB internal storage, expandable via a microSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.2 GHz quad core Mediatek processor
• PowerVR SGX544MP graphics 
• 8 MP primary camera, autofocus with flash
• 1.9 MP front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

The specifications are nearly identical to MyPhone's newly released A919i Duo. There are two substantial differences. The O+ 8.15 comes with a newer version of Android Jelly Bean, coming with Android 4.2 instead of 4.1 found on the MyPhone A919i. Given that lower end phones do not get software updates frequently, a newer version of the operating system is a big deal. The O+ 8.15 also has a thinner case, being a slim 8.4 mm, while the MyPhone has a case about 10.7 mm thick. 

The O+ 8.15 is priced at Php12,990. That is Ph3,400 more than the MyPhone A919i duo. Adding to the value of the O+ 8.15 is its additional internal memory, which is 8 GB, which gives you roughly three times the internal storage of the MyPhone A919i Duo. It also ships with a 8 GB SD card, both of which combine to make the price difference smaller than it seems.

On its launch day on May 11, 2013, the first 100 buyers at the O+ concept store in SM North EDSA will be able to buy the phone at a discounted price of Php9,990.

LG Optimus L7 II

LG has released its second generation Optimus L7 handsets, the Optimus L7 II. Selling at Php11,200 for the single sim version, and Php11,750 for the dual SIM version the new L7's, the specifications are what you would expect from a first tier manufacturer.

Quick specs:

• Single SIM and dual SIM models
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 4.3-inch IPS WVGA display (480 x 800)
• 4 GB internal storage, expandable via a microSD card slot
• 768 MB RAM
• 1.2 GHz quad core Qualcomm S4 Play processor
• Adreno 203 graphics 
• 8 MP primary camera, autofocus with flash
• 2 MP front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2460 mAh battery

If you compare it to similarly priced handsets from second tier manufacturers LG offering is not necessarily the best value for money choice, but this is to be expected. 

The Lenovo P770, which sells for Php11,490 also has dual SIM capabilities and comes with a larger 4.5-inch qHD (540 x 960 display), a more power 1 GHz dual core processor, a full 1 GB of RAM and a larger 3500 mAh battery.  

The future of the tablet is at US&169

Reading an article about Acer's new Iconia A1, it dawned on me. The future of the tablet is US$169. That just amazed me. A year and a half ago, Amazon, subsidizing its Kindle Fire tablet managed to bring it to the market for US$199. Several months later, a Google subsidized tablet, the Nexus 7 managed to hit the market at US$199. That US$199 price point was viewed as an amazingly low price.

Now, Acer's new offering will start at US$169, and it has decent specifications. The Acer Iconia A1 has a 7.9-inch (768 x 1024) display with a quad core processor, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot. For an operating system it will run Android 4.2. 

Now this is not a subsidized price. Acer will be selling this tablet for US$169, and will be turning a profit selling it at that price. This release will follow in the heels of the equally inexpensive ASUS Memo Pad and Acer Iconia TAB B1. Tablets from lesser known brands sell for even less. Products like the Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt comes it at less than US$100 with a HD display and quad core processor.

At these prices, everyone will buy one, whether they need a tablet or not. For many, in developing countries it will be their first opportunity to buy a computer.  For educational institutions, it will be the most cost efficient way to move into the paperless 21st century, with books and notebooks being replaced by eBooks and Apps. Tablets have gotten so expensive, that even people who primarily need a notebook will find a tablet worthwhile buying as a bedside device.

Simple math says that tablets will sell in more quantities than desktop computers ever have. 

MyPhone A919i Duo - Blows the Omega HD and Diamond away

Cherry Mobile, MyPhone and Starmobile have been engaged in a battle to become the top local smartphone brand. By my own estimation, Cherry Mobile has had the upper hand so far releasing phones matching their competitors specifications at a substantially lower price. Recently we looked at two nearly identical devices, the Cherry Mobile Omega HD and the Statmobile Diamond. The biggest difference between these two offerings is that the Oemga HD is priced 2K less than the Diamond.

But MyPhone, the oldest local brand new A919i Duo looks like will the 5-inch round of the battle. Priced at Php9,590 the MyPhone A919i is priced Php1,600 more than the Cherry Mobile Omega, but it is worth every pesos of the price difference. 

The new offering makes the right compromises. 

Quick specs:

• Dual SIM
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 5-inch IPS HD display (720 x 1280)
• 4 GB internal storage, expandable via a microSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.2 GHz quad core Mediatek processor
• PowerVR SGX544MP graphics 
• 8 MP primary camera, autofocus with flash
• 2 MP front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

While MyPhone's new 5-inch offering will probably lose out on the photo quality comparisons, overall this is the budget 5-incher to buy. It is no so much the quad core processor which interests me but the newer more power PowerVR SGX544 graphics chip used in the MyPhone A919i Duo. The Cherry Mobile Omega HD and the Starmobile Diamond have the older PowerVR SGX 531 graphics chip which is really pushed to its limits when playing 720p video or 3D graphics on the HD display. The PowerVR 544 graphics chip on the MyPhone Duo 919i does this with ease, MyPhone has posted benchmarks of this phone at a impressive 12430 Antutu Benchmark points. 

MyPhone A919i Duo Antutu Benchmarks: 12430
CherryMobile Omega HD Antutu Benchmarks by TechLocal: 5999
Starmobile Diamond Antutu Benchmarks by Yugatech: 5577

I think the numbers speak for themselves. While the Cherry Mobile Omega HD and Starmobile Diamond have their own merits, when buying lower costs phone, compromises have to be made. MyPhone made the right one by prioritizing power and performance.

LG Optimus L3 II

When LG released its original Optimus L3 phone in 2012, I wondered if anyone would buy these Android phones with there small 3.2-inch displays and low 240 x 320 pixel resolution display.  The 240 x 320 display was particularly disappointing, since it is below the original 2009 Android specification of a 320 x 480 resolution. Consequently, a fair number of apps do not display properly on lower resolutions. Still, people must be buying these phones, since LG has launched a second generation of these entry level devices. 

The second generation Optimus L3 phones bump up processor speed to 1 GHz and internal storage up to 4GB.  Two versions have been released, with the one supporting a single SIM priced at Php4,990 and a dual SIM version at Php5,490.

The LG Optimus L3 is a reminder of what entry level Android phones would be like if we did not see the rise of the Philippine branded ODM phones and Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE. If you are looking for an entry level Android phones, I would start with the Huawei Ascend Y300, and  if you need a dual SIM Android, I would look at one of the newer Alcatel, Cherry Mobile or MyPhone offerings.

Are you a JRPG fan on an Android?

If you are, you should check out KEMCO's selection of titles on Google Play, as for the next three days or so, everything is on sale for US$1. While the graphics are a bit dated, I think Symphony of Eternity is a must have for the true JRPG aficionado. Symphony of the Origin with its more modern graphics and faster gameplay will appeal to the hardcore RPG fan and casual gamer. I decided to pick-up Silver Nornir, my fourth KEMCO title.

Square Enix's Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III are also available at half the regular price, I am not sure if this is a sale or a permanent price drop. In any event, I picked up Final Fantasy III.

After having given up gaming a decade ago, I have picked up seven JRPG's in the past year.  It has become a nice stress reliving 30-minute a day habit.

Sony Xperia SP - Setting the standards for the mid-range Android

Sony Mobile Philippines has confirmed that the Sony Xperia SP will be landing in the Philippines this month, with a suggested retail price of Php19,990. The Sony Xperia SP represents the first of the new breed of 2013 mid-level Androids, and the mid-level Android have become very awesome indeed.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
• 4.6-inch HD (720 x 1280) display
• 8 GB internal storage (5.8 GB users available), expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.7 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 320 graphics
• 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• VGA front camera
• HSPA+ or LTE/HSPA+ depending on the model
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2370 mAh battery

Do not get disappointed by the dual core processor. The dual core Krait on the Xperia SP, outperforms last years quad core phones by a fair margin. It is faster than the Galaxy S III and HTC One X. Equipped with the same Adreno 320 graphics that you have in the latest generation Galaxy S 4, HTC One and Xperia Z, but mated to a lower resolution HD display, the Xperia SP also has excellent 3D performance, being able to match or exceed the performance of the fastest Androids. It is not magic. The Xperia SP Adreno 320 graphics processor only has to power a 720p display. A Adreno 320 graphics chip on the Qualcomm variant of the Galaxy S 4  has to power a 1080p display. 

The 2370 mAh battery, which is as large as that found on the Xperia Z and ZL, will also need less juice to run Xperia SP. The large battery plus mid-level specifications promise long battery life.

Apple's iPad mini and cheap iPhone conundrum

Apple sold 19.5 million iPad's during its second fiscal quarter of 2013. That is a healthy 65% year on year growth. But the numbers are actually give Apple reason to worry.

iPad mini cannibalizes iPad sales. Of the 19.5 million iPad's sold by Apple in its second fiscal of 2013, 12.5 million were iPad mini's. That's about 64%. The problem with that figure is that year on year, 9.7-inch iPad sales dropped from 11.8 million in Apple's second fiscal quarter of 2012, to 7 million in the same period this year.

Basically, 12.5 million iPad mini sales, came at the cost of 5-6 million 9.7-inch iPad sales.

65% growth is sluggish in a market which has a year-on-year growth of 142.4%. While Apple increase sales, year on year by 65%, its share in the market dropped to 39.6%, from 58.1% for the same period in the previous year. This seems to indicate two things. The market for tablets is big. But the bigger market is for cheaper tablets.

What the numbers spell for the cheap iPhone? When people talk about a cheap iPhone, I am not sure what they are talking about. Apple keeps three generations of iPhone's in manufacture at any given time, so at present you have the iPhone 5, 4S and 4 all for sale. I do not think anyone suggest making an iPhone with specifications lower than the iPhone 4. This nearly three year old design with its single core processor is hard pressed to keep up with budget Android's and Windows Phone's these days.

A cheap iPhone would probably mean a new model, which is cheaper than the current flagship, but more current than a two year old model. Basically, a cheaper iPhone would replace the iPhone 4, but have better specifications to make it a more attractive choice.

The problem with this, is that it will really just replace an existing option, and it might even cannibalize sales of the iPhone 5 and 4S, like the effect the iPad mini had on the full sized iPad.

What the numbers say about the market in general. There is a big market for smartphones and tablets. When Apple entered this market, it was probably hoping it could maintain what Nokia and BlackBerry has been doing for years. Keeping the lions share of a small, but premium priced smartphone market. Nokia and BlackBerry captured the market and were able to keep prices high because there was no viable "other" operating system.

Than came Android. With Android, anyone could build an Android phone or tablet. The result. Instead of Apple having to fight to win a smaller but premium smartphone market, it has to face a new market. One, much larger than Apple ever envisioned, but where the smartphone and tablet are cheap.

This is Apple's conundrum. As the market gets bigger, mainly by offering cheaper products, it share in the smartphone and tablet market gets smaller. Apple will make tons of money, even if its market share in smartphones and tablets drops below 20%. It would be a healthy company with half of that. Or it could try to reach for a broader market with more low cost offerings, which would mean lower margins. This is probably more worrying for the tech giant. 

In the long run Apple's apprehensions go beyond that. With more and more Android devices in the market every day, developers might start to prefer that platform. If that happens, iOS might follow the path of the Mac. 

Source of data: IDC

May 2013 High End Smartphone Buyers Guide

If you are looking to buy a new smartphone this month for cash, with a unlimited budget, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 has landed. For those who don't want an Android, it might want to wait for the next generation iPhone or for the price of BlackBerry Z10 to drop. There are other phones worth looking at other than the Galaxy S 4.

As in the past months, LTE is must to make it on the elite list.

All prices posted are for units covered by a manufacturers warranty.

1.  Nokia Lumia 920 (Php22,600) - A price adjustment makes this phone attractive enough

There are two really good reasons to buy this phone. First, it is the best Windows Phone 8 in the world. Second, it has an excellent video camera. 

The 8MP primary camera has Carl Zeiss Optics and optical image stabilization, the first for a smartphone. A gyroscope is used to detect the motion of the phone and the whole optical assembly moves in the opposite direction to cancel out the movement. That happens 500 times a second. This really does wonder for HD video capture, especially for the action junkies. The still image quality is not really up to par with the Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4 and Note 2 camera, if you are an action junky, the video capture mode of the Lumia 920 will make you forget all that.

Quick specifications:

• Windows Phone 8
• 4.5-inch HD (768 x 1280) display
• 32 GB internal storage, not expandable
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 225 graphics
• 13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

The price of the Nokia Lumia 920 dropped recently, and at its new price, it is spec'ed just right. If you cannot get a good price on it, I recommend you look at the other offerings.

We wrote more about the Nokia Lumia 920 in a previous post at this link.

2. LG Optimus G (Php24,500) - Nexus 4 with LTE

The LG Optimus G is the phone on which the Google Nexus 4 was based. Basically, think of it as a Nexus 4 with double the storage and LTE.  

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 4.7-inch HD (768 x 1280) display
• 32 GB internal storage, not expandable
• 2 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz quad core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 320 graphics
• 13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2100 mAh battery

The LG Optimus G put together the best of 2012 technology. It won't stand up to the best 2013 offerings, still priced Php5K below the Samsung Galaxy S 4 it is worth a look. It is priced awfully close to the Sony Xperia ZL, though.

You can read more about the LG Optimus G at this link.

3. Sony Xperia ZL C6503 LTE (Php26,850) - By the skin of its teeth

The Sony Xperia ZL combines 2012 and  2013 technology. Basically, todays Full HD display tech, with last years quad core processor. Basically, at a bit over Php2K more than the LG Optimus G, the Full HD display is worth the additional money. It also comes with a dedicates camera button with a half press to focus function.

It is also the most compact 5-inch smartphone in the world. By comparison, it is 5 mm shorter, and 0.5 mm narrower than the Samsung Galaxy S 4.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 5-inch Full HD (1080 x 1920) display
• 32 GB internal storage, not expandable
• 2 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz quad core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 320 graphics
• 13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2370 mAh battery

About the caveat, when you go from spending Php24.5K for the Optimus G, to Php26.8K for the Xperia Z, you are getting awfully close to the Php29.9K for the Galaxy S 4.

4. Samsung Galaxy S 4 i9505 (Php29,990) - The best smartphone ever built

It is still made of plastic and it no longer has an FM radio. Oh yes, the software is being given so many features it is starting to look gimmicky. Those are about the only bad things you can say about the Samsung Galaxy S 4. The Galaxy S 4 is basically a Galaxy S III with a larger, higher resolution display, in a smaller case. It is also faster, comes with LTE, and the camera and battery life have been improved. Basically, it improves on everything.  

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 5-inch Full HD (1080 x 1920) Super AMOLED display
• 16 GB internal storage, expandable via a MicroSD card
• 2 GB RAM
• 1.9 GHz quad core Qualcomm S600 processor
• Adreno 320 graphics
• 13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2600 mAh battery

Get over the plastic. The phone has a user replaceable battery and is easy to repair because of it... and you are going to keep this phone in a plastic or leather case anyway.

Want to be really impressed, look at the battery life tests.

May 2013 Mid-Level Smartphone Buyers Guide

Under mid-level phones I grouped those priced at Php10,000 or higher, but below Php20,000. To get a better perspective of what we are looking for in a mid-level handset this month, I suggest you take a look at the entry level guide first. 

At the entry level you have the 4-inch Windows powered, Huawei Ascend W1 you have a low cost handset which is in touch with current trends. Internally, it is a modern handset, not powered by yesterdays ARM Cortex A5 and A9 processors, but by the current generation of ARM Cortex A15 and Qualcomm Krait grade processors. In the case of the W1, it is a dual core Krait. It also comes with a HSPA+ 3G radio. Poor battery life is also no longer acceptable, and the W1 will not disappoint in this regard. All-in-all a well rounded package. 

It is not for everyone. The smaller number of Windows Phone apps will likely affect gamers the most. For them, Cherry Mobile Flame 2.0 is a better choice. Large screens and HD is the big thing in mobile these days, and if that is you priority, the Cherry Mobile Omega HD will be happy to oblige. The Omega HD also packs a very decent camera to boot.

Basically, it is a tough act to follow, and for the most part the available mid-level phones are not up to the task.

The prices posted are those covered by an official manufacturers warranty.

1. Nokia Lumia 720 (Php13,990) - Picking up where the Huawei Ascend W1 left off

The newly launched Nokia 720 is another Windows Phone 8 device. For Php5K more than a Ascend W1 it gives you a larger 4.3-inch display, four times the internal storage and a better front and rear camera.  

That is a big gap in the price. I will leave it for you to decide if it is worth it. 

Quick specifications:

• Windows Phone 8
• 4.3-inch ClearBlack WVGA (480 x 800) display
• 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 512 MB RAM
• 1 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait Snapdragon processor
• Adreno 203 grpahics
• 6.7 MP autofocus primary camera with a  Carl Zeiss lens and a LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery

You can read more about the Lumia 720 at this link.

2. Nokia Lumia 820 (Php16,000) - Windows Phone with LTE onboard.

This Nokia Lumia 820 is similar to the lower cost Lumia 720. It has a better AMOLED display, double the RAM and a faster dual core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Krait processors and comes with SoC LTE chip.  It is not all up. The Lumia 820 is an older design from 2012, comes with a smaller 1600 mAh battery.

Quick specifications:

• Windows Phone 8
• 4.3-inch WVGA (480 x 800) display
• 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 225 graphics
• 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 0.3 MP front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 1650 mAh battery

The LTE chip is the main reason to select this over the NokiA Lumia 720.

You can read more about the Nokia Lumia 820 at this link.

3. LG 4X HD P880 (Php16,920) - Blast from the past

On release this phone was overshadowed by the Samsung Galaxy S III and the HTC One X. But several price drops and a Jelly Bean update make it look really good at the twilight of its life.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.0, upgradeable to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
• 4.7-inch HD (720 x 1280) display
• 16 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor
• ULP GeForce graphics
• 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 1.3 MP front camera
• HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2150 mAh battery

You can read more about the LG 4X HD P800 at this link.

4. Sony Xperia V (Php18,250) - A price drop makes the Xperia V shine again

With newly released models from Sony, the price of the LTE equipped Xperia V has dropped, moving it from the high end category where it was starting to become uncompetitive, to the mid-level where is shines brightly. This gives a nice 720p + LTE option at the mid-level. The dual core Qualcomm krait processors on the Xperia V can give quad core phones a run for their money.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.0, upgradeable to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
• 4.3-inch HD (720 x 1280) display
• 8 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.5 GHz dual core Qualcomm Krait processor
• Adreno 225 graphics
• 13 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• VGA front camera
• LTE/HSPA+
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 1750 mAh battery

Other than sharp screen, LTE and fast processor, the IP57 certified dust and water resistance certification is another very good reason to take a look at this phone.


That is all for this month. A solid and nicely priced with the Nokia Lumia 720, flanked by two LTE options, and a Tegra 3 HD phone for gamers and those wanting a larger display.