Author: Chris Eilers

So far we’ve got Antutu scores of 4 best flagships in this quarter. What are they and how many points did they earn? Check out the following ones now!

1. Vivo Xplay 5: 162,610

Firstly, it is the first 6GB RAM smartphone in the world, also the one earning the highest score so far: 162,610 points to be exactly. Spec-wise, there are three features claimed to be on board: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip, 6GB RAM, and Hi-Fi 3.0 tech. Meanwhile, other Vivo Xplay 5 specs are still unknown for now. But, let’s wait just a bit more and you will be informed of a full sheet of its specifications.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is the latest operating systems for smartphones of 2016. And Asus has just announced the list of Zenfone to get an upate soon

Asus Zenfone – list of device to update Android 6.0

To many users, Asus is known for being kinda behind the pace when it comes to updating to a new OS. Asus users used to have slower upgrade than most other manufacturers. However, this time, they are doing a great job by leading the trend and already announced which of the Zenfone devices will get a version of Android 6.9. The update will be starting this month, March 2016. So take note if you are using one

Below is the list of Asus Smartphone models that will received Android 6.0 Marshmallow in March 2016:

·         ZenFone 2 (ZE550ML, ZE551ML)
·         ZenFone 2 Deluxe (ZE551ML)
·         ZenFone 2 Laser ( ZE500KL, ZE550KL, ZE601KL)
·         ZenFone Selfie (ZD551KL)
·         ZenFone Max (ZC550KL)
·         ZenFone Zoom (ZX551ML)

The list doesn’t mean to be put in any chronological order or imply which among the above models will be the first to get this new OS. Other than this, Asus did not reveal any further information about the exact date for each smartphone. We recommend that if you are a Zenfone user, keep on track and stay aware so that you can download and experience Marshmallow as soon as possible.

If your Zenfone model does not show up in this list, chances are you wont be experiencing Android Marshmallow any time soon. We will keep you posted as soon as we get to know something from the company.

Asus Zenfone 2016

This month, Asus will be launching the budget version of Zenfone 3 with at least 2 different variant. A premium version is said to come along 2 months later. With new devices on that way, and previous devices getting fast update, it looks obvious that the Taiwanese company is trying hard to prove their brand to the market of 2016

There are many elements that decide whether a smartphone is a viral bomb in our market or not, one of which is its sale records. That explains why many producers announced their records to attract even more customers into buying their flagships.

1. Xiaomi Mi5: 14 millions registration

Latest reports are saying that, Xiaomi got 14 millions registration for the Mi5 smartphone, after its release a few days ago in late February. Xiaomi Mi5 is predicted to be dominating the lower-end category of smartphones in 2016. And in less than a week after the release, Xiaomi had collected more than 14 millions of registration from users in and out of its hometown. Everyone seems to be very fond of this $300 flagship, with goes along with 3GB RAM/64GB ROM, Snapdragon 820, 16MP camera and a beautiful 5.15 inch FHD display

2. LG V10: 10,000 units in 1 day

LG V10 is a very qualified flagship smartphone by the Korean company. Although the phone had not caught as much attention as it should have, LG mobiles managed to sell 450,000 units of the V10 in North America in 45 days, which is equivalent to around 10,000 units in solely 1 day. And this is not at all a small number. LG V10 has a huge 5.7 inch display, an extra 2.1 inch minor display, SND 808 chip set, 4GB RAM, 16MP camera and classy design!

3. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus: 13 millions in 1st weekend

The reason why iPhone 6S and 6S Plus (as well as any other iPhone Apple ever launched) have so much attention and sell so well is still a topic of debate until now. Specifically, back in 2015, Apple sold out 13 millions of iPhone 6s and 6s Plus just in the first weekend after opening. This is indeed an impressive record and made Apple product even more appealing for a lot more customers.

4. Lenovo Zuk Z1: 40,000 in first minutes

Lenovo is also among those best selling smartphone brands in our market. For instances, their Zuk Z1 – a minor brand belonging to the company sold out 40,000 units in only a few minutes after launch. Of course, the phone is an awesome deal, since it costs only around PHP 13k (USD 275) and comes with very good specs. Zuk Z1 specs include 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, 13MP camera and a huge 4,100 mAH battery.

5. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2: 800,000 in 12 hours

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 was among the most popular budget smartphones of all 2015. Truth be told, the young Chinese company made it to sell out an amazing 800,000 unites in just the first 12 hours after open. The reason for this crazy consumption is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 specs are very good compared to its tiny price tag (of only USD 160, which is less than PHP 7,5K). This Xiaomi super star had a 5.5 inch display, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and a 3,060 mAH battery together with beautiful 13MP/5MP camera sensors

Their flagships being a best seller is every smartphone producer’s target and dream come true. With amazing records, these smartphones were and are the most popular devices we know. We can’t wait for better and better product with even more surprising sale record in the near future.

ASUS ZenFone 3 is said to be on the way. Last time, we heard that it will be a mid-ranger. However, rumors are saying there would be a version of  Zenfone 3 Premium on the way

ASUS ZenFone 3 premium: Bigger and stronger than Zen 2?

Lately, a picture showing alleged ASUS ZenFone specs has been seen on the internet. Accordingly, the phone is coded as Z010DD, using a 5.9-inch HD, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chip, 3 GB RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage. Besides, it sports a combo of 13 MP rear plus 5 MP camera and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. Well, to be honest, they are not top specs we want the flagship ASUS ZenFone 3 to pack. But, don’t worry! Z010DD can totally be one of the coming ASUS ZenFone 3 variants.

And we can even be surer after spotting a reliable piece of news from Taiwan. It informs us that the company is preparing for their ASUS ZenFone 3 launch occurring in May or June 2016. Mr. Jerry Shen, CEO of ASUSTeK Computer Inc., claimed that ASUS ZenFone 3 would be equipped with a fingerprint scanner and powerful hardware.

In case of being a lower-end version of ASUS ZenFone 3, hopefully Z010DD will have a much stronger sibling boasting 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 20MP main snapper, a Quad HD display, a Snapdragon 820 chipset, and an at least 4,000 mAh battery. However, let’s wait a bit more for the firm’s official announcement in the next weeks.

ASUS ZenFone 3 premium – price and availability

We all know how successful ASUS ZenFone 2 was last year! It is a supper affordable handset owning excellent hardware. As a result, Zen 3 is expected to be more than that. ASUS ZenFone 3 release date is some day in the Q2 of 2016. As for ASUS ZenFone 3 premium price, it is predicted to range from $300 to $400. What do you think? Reasonable? Share with us your opinions!

We have very good news for all Nokia fans. Today we show you the Nokia N73 Smartphones, one of the best new Nokia Smartphones with Nokia’s Pureview Camera and Snapdragon 820…

Nokia N73 Snapdragon 820 Beast and Awesome Design

After appearing at MWC 2016 and talking about the company’s plan to come back, Nokia is receiving a lot of attention as well as expectation. Besides, many people, including us, also wonder how their first flagship smartphone will look like and what it can offer us. Well, so here is a very potential model for the firm to take into consideration: Nokia N73. That’s a pretty memorable name, right?!

Speaking more specifically, Nokia N73 was designed by Deviantart, carrying a totally premium and modern appearance. On the front surface, it seems to sport a large screen and a physical home button on the bottom. On the back, the device’s main camera and Nokia logo are placed in the middle in a very harmonious way. Overall, we will feel absolutely excited if this machine can be turned into real life. How about you?

Nokia N73 Spec-wise, though, there is not much information related to the N73 getting revealed. Nonetheless, Nokia N73 specs are expected to contain a 5.5-inch 2K display, 4GB RAM, a Snapdragon 820 chip, a 3,500mAh battery, a combo of 20MP PureView rear plus 8MP front-facing snapper, 5G network, and of course Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. Then, once again, Nokia can compete strongly with others.

Nokia N73 price and Release Date in India

No doubt the N73 can become an excellent candidate for the Nokia’s best flagship 2016 title this year. Yet, let’s wait and see if this handset will be introduced in the next announcement of Nokia for the Nokia N73 Release in India.. As for Nokia N73 price, we guess it will cost around $300. What do you think about the Nokia N73? Affordable enough?

Being the first smartphone to launch with a certain feature is such a great advantage to help that model sell well. Here are 6 recent smartphones that became the first of their own kinds…

1. Asus Zenfone 2: first 4GB RAM smartphone

Asus Zenfone 2 was launched and hit the shelves in the first half of 2015 and became world’s first mobile to be backed by powerful 4GB RAM. That made Asus Zenfone 2 such a huge hit back then (well, even until now to be very fair). Following their success, Asus have since launched many different variants of the phone. We could say that this is one of the most inspiring success stories in our smartphone industry.

2. Vivo Xplay 5: first 6GB RAM smartphone

Using the same strategy with Asus Zenfone 2, Vivo Xplay 5 made it to the title first ever 6GB RAM smartphone in the world. This is definitely a huge advantage for the the mobile in terms of sales. The company also announced Vivo Xplay 5 Antutu Benchmark result to convince customers that their flagship is true beast. Yes, it surely helps, because the phone scored up to 162,610 points, which is currently the highest ever witnessed.

3. Zopo Speed 8: first deca-core smartphone launched

Having a huge RAM is awesome. How about an enormous processor of up to 10 cores? Zopo Speed 8 is the one who pioneered in experimenting that feature. Produced by a Chinese company, Zopo Speed 8 still managed to speak up its own voice and prove itself in the intense competition between smartphones. The handset runs on premium Helio X20 chip set, has a  21MP Sony IMX230 camera and 3,600 mAH battery

4. Oukitel K10000: First 10,000 mAH battery smartphone

Oukitel K10000, as its name suggests, is the first and only smartphone that has a whooping 10,000 mAH battery up to now.   Oukitel K10000 also has with fast charge support, taking you only a few hours to fully charge the phone then go for many days without worrying about power. According to Oukitel, their latest battery beast K10000 can act as a power bank for other fellow smartphones. Others Oukitel K10000 specs include 4G LTE, a 5.5 inch display, 2GB RAM and 8MP rear camera. Oukitel K10000 price is as low as USD 240.

5. Samsung Galaxy Note 6: first smartphone to have 256GB ROM

Rumors are recently suggesting that, Samsung is prepping to mass produce a new memory chip that has up to 256GB capacity. And Samsung Galaxy Note 6 will very likely be the first smartphone to run on that. If this comes true, the Note 6 will be carrying the biggest built-in memory known among smartphones nowadays. Let’s see if 256GB ROM will be available soon

6. Comet smartphone: First Buoyant smartphone

Have you ever heard of a smartphone that can literally swim the water? Meet Comet smartphone, the first and only one that is capable of this feature. The phone has a special design and made with special material to help it float in the water surface. It can even emerge when being dropped deep into a pool or sea. With this unique design, you never have to worry again about ruining or loosing your phone on your trip near the water. Under water photos is moved up to a whole next level also. For details about Comet smartphones specs, price and availability, please refer to the company’s official site.

As you may already noticed, being the first to have a certain feature makes it a huge advantage for any smartphone in terms of sales. In the intense race of our smartphone industry, more and more producers are trying to equip their flagship with a new feature.

Apple is known for always keeping secret about their upcoming smartphones. However, very recently, we have spotted some leaked image of the 4.7 inch iPhone 5se as well as its release date…

Apple iPhone 5se – release date unveiled

Many people were a bit sad when iphone 5se did not show up at MWC 2016, happening earlier in late February. However, latest rumors are suggesting that, Apple will official introduce their latest smartphone at a company event, set on March 22nd. It is not very far away, so keep your patience still and wait for one of the most talk-about smartphones in our market recently. iPhone 5se is predicted to be the center of attention when it comes to the shelf.

Some iPhone 5se features we know so far are rather interesting and explain why it is being waited by so many people. iPhone 5se design will be a replacement for the current entry-level iPhone 5s, with 3 color options: Rose pink, space grey and silver. It is a pity yet definitely understandable that the rose gold color is not available, as it is meant for the more premium iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. However, these 3 color options have received very positive feed back from users everywhere in the world.

Other iPhone 5se specs we know for now include an A9 chip set, like that used for iPhone 6s, 1GB RAM, a handy 4.7 inch, OLED display and highly scratch and shatter resistant. The smartphone will also be likely to have a 8MP and 1.2MP camera sensors. Apple, undoubtedly, hasn’t said a word about iPhone 5se price, but the internet is guessing a tag about USD 400 – USD 500.

Apple iPhone 5se – anticipated smartphone 2016

With a long waiting time and rumors everywhere, iPhone 5se release date will definitely be one of those events smartphone lovers will not miss. And it is coming very close by also. Be patient and you will see the real machine with full specs and official price soon. See you in 3 weeks, we will be back with latest updates!

If you are planning on buying a new smartphone any time in this 2016, here are 4 among the very cool features you should not miss out. Help us to fill up this list by suggesting the new smartphone feature you are impressed by

1. A decent battery life

There are more than one reason to convince why you should concern more about your smartphone’s power life, especially when 2016 is said to be the year of battery smartphone explosion. Having a decent battery life here doesn’t mean caring only about the “figures” of its capacity, but how the cell actually works on the mobile. For example, a 4,000 mAH battery of high quality can still work longer hours than a 5,000 mAH battery of lower quality. So, the next time you plan to buy a new smartphone, take note about the working hours of that new handset, and choose one with decent durability so either your work or enjoyment won’t be interrupted.

2. Huge internal storage and expandable

If you are still confused what the different between a 32GB ROM smartphone and a 16GB ROM smartphone + a 16GB memory card s, please refer to our previous article to find out the answer. A smartphone with a rather big internal space, preferably from 32GB and above should be highly appreciated and considered, especially when smartphones with 128GB internal are already available and when Samsung is even developing the first 256GB memory chip to launch soon.

3. Always-on-display mode

Since LG V10 was launched with a second display to always showcase some important notifications and information without the need to unlock the main scene, other newly launched flagships are introducing the same function too, yet under different form. For example, Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 were confirmed to have always on display mode, that allows part of the main screen to always show users the necessary details to check any time (time, weather, etc). This is actually a very cool feature that you should not miss when buying a new phone.

4. Fingerprint scanner

When having a more high-end smartphone, security is quite a huge concern for many users. Therefore, most premium smartphones nowadays come with a fingerprint scanners to allow users to unlock their phones by a simple press of the finger on the device, besides the typical pass code like those in any other smartphones. This would help a lot if you use your smartphone frequently. Imagine typing the password or draw the unlock pattern 50 times a day, and 50 times simply pressing your finger?

In this H1 of 2016, we bet there will be a lot of handsets getting launched, including Huawei smartphones. Some of them will be super cool with high-end hardware; some will be very affordable. Check out what Huawei has given and will give us in the first 6 months of the year!

1. Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus: Affordable mid-ranger

First of all, it is a model with a pretty long name: Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus. Spec-wise, it features a handy 5.0-inch HD screen, a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735P processor, 16GB of ROM (expandable up to 32GB), and 2GB of RAM. In addition to Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus specs, there are Emotion UI based on Android 5.1 Lollipop OS, a massive 4,000mAh batt enabling the phone to last about 3 days with just one charge, and a combo of 13MP primary and 5MP secondary camera on board to run the whole phone.

Recently, Samsung has announced their plan for mass production of an enormous 256GB memory chip. And looks like Samsung Galaxy Note 6 will be first smartphone to feature…

Samsung Galaxy Note 6: 1st smartphone to have 256GB internal storage?

Are you a smartphone user craving for a smartphone with maximum build-in memory? And the current winner 128GB internal storage by Asus is not enough to impress you? Wait up, because one of the leading flash memory producers – Samsung – has just made if official about their mass production for 256GB UFS 2.0 memory chips. This new innovation is believed to aimed for high-end smartphones in the near future. And their flagship Galaxy Note 6 is absolutely not out of the game.

Talking about Samsung’s newest memory chip, it made quite an impression on many users. Described as “paradigm shift”, the chip can mange up to 45,000 and 40,000 input/output operation per second (IOPS). This chip has a data transfer speed of up to 850MB/s read and 260MP/s write. In order words, to make it easier to comprehend, the new 256GB memory chip runs 3 times faster than any high-performance micro SD cards we know for now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 6 + 256GB chip = beast

For what we know about the Galaxy Note 6 by Samsung, it could be the first smartphone that create the technical term “phabtop” and bring it to real life. With the combination of 256GB memory, Galaxy Note 6 will no doubt become one of the most compelling mobile devices that everyone will be dreaming of.

ASUS ZenFone 3 is on the way but we’ve already known what it offers. So, let’s see how Zen 3 competes with the beautiful, powerful and some months older Lenovo Vibe X3! 

ASUS ZenFone 3 VS Lenovo Vibe X3: Great specification battle

About ASUS ZenFone 3 specs, the handset is said to come with 2 variants coded as Z012D and Z010DD. The first one is will have a pretty common 5.5-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 650 chipset, a 13MP rear camera, 3GB of RAM paired with 32GB of internal storage. Meanwhile, the other model, Z010DD, will pack a bigger 5.9-inch HD screen, a Snapdragon 615 chip, 3GB of RAM and the same 32GB ROM. So, to make the comparison more specific and clearer, we would like to only take Z012D into consideration because it boasts the same size as Lenovo Vibe X3 display, which also measures 5.5 inches with Full HD resolution.

Apart from the similar screens, other Lenovo Vibe X3 specs are much different. Specifically, it uses a Snapdragon 808 processor, 32/64GB ROM (expandable up to 128GB), and 3GB RAM to be basic. They are just a bit stronger than the Zen 3. Yet, if it comes to camera comparison, the Lenovo product is surely the champion here thanks to its 21MP main shooter working with an 8MP selfie one.

In general, we cannot deny that Lenovo Vibe X3 is the better smartphone here in terms of hardware. However, perhaps we also need to look at their prices to see which one is the more suitable device for consumers. Check out the following part for more information.

ASUS ZenFone 3 VS Lenovo Vibe X3: Price and availability

No doubt both phones are very good machines that can do any task you want. In case of focusing more on photography, the Lenovo product will be an ideal choice. Lenovo Vibe X3 price is 2,499 Yuan or about $385 for the 32GB version and 2,999 Yuan or about $460 for the 64GB. Though, if you need a decent but more affordable handset, Zen 3 can be the one. Despite no words made for official ASUS ZenFone 3 price, we are predicting it will not cost more than $250.

Both LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 have just been introduced at MWC 2016, coming with gorgeous designs and powerful specifications. But, which one is the stronger flagship? Check out the following battle now!

Samsung Galaxy S7 vs LG G5: Exynos 8890 vs Snapdragon 820 on benchmark

Well, no doubt both phones look breathtakingly beautiful, so they are all true beauties in our hearts. As a result, we would like focus more on their strengths inside, coming from hardware, to pick out the champion here. First of all, we want to talk about Samsung Galaxy S7 that is powered by the new Samsung’s own Exynos 8890 (4 x 2.3GHz + 4 x 1.6GHz) chipset. Basically, Galaxy S7 specs pack a 5.1-inch 2K Super AMOLED screen, Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, 32/64GB ROM (+ 200GB), 4GB of RAM, a set of 12MP main plus 5MP secondary camera, and a 3,000mAh battery supporting Quick Charge 3.0.

As for LG G5 specs, it has many similar features such as a 2K display (though, it measures 5.3 inches, a bit bigger than the S7), Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, 32GB ROM (+ 200GB) (but, there is no 64GB variant like the S7), 4GB RAM, and Quick Charge 3.0. Apart from those similarities, LG G5 owns some specifications better than its rival and vice versa. Say, the LG flagship seems to boast a stronger shooter set combo which consisting of an 8MP selfie cam and a dual rear one (16MP f/1.8 + 8MP f/2.4) with laser autofocus, OIS and LED flash. However, Galaxy S7 has a larger batt compared to the G5’s 2,800mAh cell and more advanced tech IP68 rating to be dust and water resistant. At this point, maybe you will think Samsung Galaxy S7 is the winner. Nonetheless, there is still one thing left we have not mentioned yet: the processor.

Lately, both Exynos 8890 and Snapdragon chip have been brought into a few benchmark tests to measure their capabilities. And the result showed that LG G5 with SD820 is more powerful than Samsung Galaxy S7 with Exynos 8890. Nevertheless, in general, they are much more excellent than other chips so far. So, now, which one is your hero?