Category: Moto

Lenovo teases the Moto Razr, making a comeback?

Daniel Morial

A teaser video was uploaded to the YouTube channel of Motorola Mobility and it shows something that we’d love to see to come back to life — the Moto RAZR.

moto-razr-lenovo-tease

Lenovo, which now owns Motorola, has some good tease here with all the teenagers having their own Moto RAZR in a nostalgic-themed 45-second video. That’s complete with the tinkering of the RAZR’s body with small design pieces and text acronyms that were popular back in the day of alphanumeric keypads and 160-character limit in SMS.

Also, there’s the soundtrack “The Great Escape” from Boys Like Girls and a classic “Hello Moto” tagline heard in the end. But, where does this goes? Lenovo is recreating the RAZR? Maybe. Lenovo will release a clam-shell phone? Maybe. Is Lenovo still sane? Maybe.

Well, from the looks of it, Lenovo is taking Moto’s popularity to their benefit and the RAZR is a good way to go. But still, what’s the meaning of all this? We’ll find out on June 9 where they will most likely announce new Moto devices.

The post Lenovo teases the Moto Razr, making a comeback? appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

How’s it like to live with 1GB RAM Android smartphone

Daniel Morial

To give you a background on what you’re about to read, I’m writing this after a month of owning an Android smartphone with just 1GB of RAM — specifically a Moto E (2nd Gen). It was a personal decision to go back to the basics of smartphone that’s affordable but can perform well in telephony. I know it’s not as basic as cheaper handsets but I hope you get my point.

As we know, Google’s smartphone operating system can be a resource hog at times. In order to smoothly run things on your Android device, it should at least have 2GB of RAM or if you can, go for those with up to 4GB. I just do basic tasks and use key apps on my phone, not really into mobile gaming that much since I have a tablet for that.

moto-e-1gb-ram-memory

Moto E (2nd Gen) average memory used reaches 100% per day

So, how am I holding up? Here’s what I have learned.

You can’t do much without slowing down

In terms of general performance, I really don’t have any major complaint. Transitions and scrolling have been smooth thanks to the optimization of Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the smartphone. The lack of bloatware from Motorola helps too. But, once I am already doing some task that needs different apps open like Facebook, Twitter, and Inbox, I can feel the chokepoint or the limit of my phone’s memory. Switching between apps is not as easy as it seems. Also, using the phone throughout half of the day will cause it to imply a message of “slow down, please” or a more peevish thought of “I am not made for this”.

It gives you a lesson about patience

If there’s one thing that you should possess when it comes to owning such devices, it’s patience. While the sluggish performance of the smartphone, when pushed to its diminutive limit, does give me a headache especially when the task needs to be done promptly, i.e. immediate need to contact, it helps me lengthen my patience. Why? First, I have to live up to my stingy decision about my purchase. And second, being impatient about it will not speed up the phone, right?

It helps you disconnect and do more

As a result of slow loading times, limited open apps, and low expectation from what I can do with my phone, i put it down on the desk often and do things differently. I’ve always been a smartphone-centric person to accomplish a task, with the aid of a laptop for some typing, of course, so seeing my phone spending more time on the table rather than on my hand is a good thing. No more “puro ka nalang cellphone” remarks from friends and colleagues. Also, it helped me sleep better at night since I don’t use my phone for long before bedtime.

moto-e-multitask-360

Closing recent apps or using memory managers can help ease the memory pain

Before, having an Android with 1GB RAM is something to brag about but now, it became a chore to handle every day. What more if you have a 512MB RAM with today’s super budget devices meeting the 2016 phase of smartphone usage? So, the real lesson here is this: 2GB RAM for Android should be the mandatory minimum for smartphones. Period.

The post How’s it like to live with 1GB RAM Android smartphone appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

How’s it like to live with 1GB RAM Android smartphone

Daniel Morial

To give you a background on what you’re about to read, I’m writing this after a month of owning an Android smartphone with just 1GB of RAM — specifically a Moto E (2nd Gen). It was a personal decision to go back to the basics of smartphone that’s affordable but can perform well in telephony. I know it’s not as basic as cheaper handsets but I hope you get my point.

As we know, Google’s smartphone operating system can be a resource hog at times. In order to smoothly run things on your Android device, it should at least have 2GB of RAM or if you can, go for those with up to 4GB. I just do basic tasks and use key apps on my phone, not really into mobile gaming that much since I have a tablet for that.

moto-e-1gb-ram-memory

Moto E (2nd Gen) average memory used reaches 100% per day

So, how am I holding up? Here’s what I have learned.

You can’t do much without slowing down

In terms of general performance, I really don’t have any major complaint. Transitions and scrolling have been smooth thanks to the optimization of Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the smartphone. The lack of bloatware from Motorola helps too. But, once I am already doing some task that needs different apps open like Facebook, Twitter, and Inbox, I can feel the chokepoint or the limit of my phone’s memory. Switching between apps is not as easy as it seems. Also, using the phone throughout half of the day will cause it to imply a message of “slow down, please” or a more peevish thought of “I am not made for this”.

It gives you a lesson about patience

If there’s one thing that you should possess when it comes to owning such devices, it’s patience. While the sluggish performance of the smartphone, when pushed to its diminutive limit, does give me a headache especially when the task needs to be done promptly, i.e. immediate need to contact, it helps me lengthen my patience. Why? First, I have to live up to my stingy decision about my purchase. And second, being impatient about it will not speed up the phone, right?

It helps you disconnect and do more

As a result of slow loading times, limited open apps, and low expectation from what I can do with my phone, i put it down on the desk often and do things differently. I’ve always been a smartphone-centric person to accomplish a task, with the aid of a laptop for some typing, of course, so seeing my phone spending more time on the table rather than on my hand is a good thing. No more “puro ka nalang cellphone” remarks from friends and colleagues. Also, it helped me sleep better at night since I don’t use my phone for long before bedtime.

moto-e-multitask-360

Closing recent apps or using memory managers can help ease the memory pain

Before, having an Android with 1GB RAM is something to brag about but now, it became a chore to handle every day. What more if you have a 512MB RAM with today’s super budget devices meeting the 2016 phase of smartphone usage? So, the real lesson here is this: 2GB RAM for Android should be the mandatory minimum for smartphones. Period.

The post How’s it like to live with 1GB RAM Android smartphone appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Deal Alert: Moto X (2014) drops to Php 8,499 only

Daniel Morial

Attention deal seekers, Motorola Philippines has a good sale for those looking for a brand new former flagship smartphone and it’s no other than the Moto X (2014).

moto-x-review-philippines

Motorola re-entered the local market back in July of 2015 and has brought three handsets including the Moto X (2014). It was initially priced at Php 16,999 before it went down to Php 14,999, and then to Php 10,999. Now, it’s currently listed at just Php 8,499.

moto-x-lazada-sale-8499

For a refresher, the handset has 2014 flagship specifications like a 1080p AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, 2GB RAM, non-expandable 16GB of storage and 13-megapixel rear camera. It was launched with Android 5.1 Lollipop but you can upgrade to 6.0 Marshmallow via an over-the-air update.

Motorola Moto X (2nd-gen) specs:
5.2-inch AMOLED display @ 1920 x 1080 pixels, 423ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor
Adreno 330 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
13MP rear camera with f/2.25 lens and ring flash, 4K video
2MP front camera
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0
NFC
GPS, GLONASS
2,300mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop, upgradable to Android 6.0
140.8 x 72.4 x 10 mm (dimensions)
144 grams (weight)

The deal is available in Lazada (see listing here) and includes free shipping and cash on delivery (COD) option. You can check out our review of the Moto X (2014) here.

The post Deal Alert: Moto X (2014) drops to Php 8,499 only appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Smartphones Under 5 Inches You Can Buy Now

Daniel Morial

Mobile phones are getting bigger and bigger. It does have an advantage to have a phone with, let’s say 5″ display and above, but having a smaller phone is also a preference for some. That’s why Apple released a refreshed iPhone 5S with an 6S internals called the iPhone SE. How about the others? Here’s a list of smartphones with displays not bigger than 5 inches that you can buy in the local market.

Note: We omitted handsets from local manufacturers since they have a wide range of small devices.

Apple iPhone 6

Apple is a bit hesitant before to increase their screen size but they finally did back in 2014 with the iPhone 6. While it’s not the latest iPhone around, it’s still a capable and relevant handset with all the Apple goodies. It’s officially SRP is still steep starting at Php 31,990.

iphone-6

Apple iPhone 6 specs:
4.7-inch IPS LCD @ 750×1334 pixels, 326ppi
Apple A8 1.4GHz dual-core Cyclone processor
PowerVR GX6450 quad-core GPU
1GB RAM
16GB, 64GB, 128GB internal storage
HPSA+/LTE 150Mbps
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
NFC, Apple Pay
8MP rear camera, dual-tone LED flash
1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps
1.2MP front facing camera
Fingerprint sensor
iOS 9
Li-Po 1810mAh battery
129 grams
138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm

Apple iPhone 6s

Still one of the latest iPhone around, the iPhone 6s is virtually identical to its predecessor but with better internals and beefier power. You get the best iPhone hardware available without having the need to submit to larger screen sizes. It’s priced starting at Php 37,990.

Apple iPhone 6s specs:
4.7-inch IPS LCD @ 1334 x 750 pixels, 326ppi
Force Touch
Apple A9 64-bit processor
Embedded M9 motion coprocessor
2GB RAM
16GB, 64GB, 128GB internal storage
12MP iSight BSI camera w/ dual-tone flash
4K video recording at 30fps, Slo-mo video – 1080p, 120fps / 720p, 240fps
5MP BSI front camera w/ Retina Flash
LTE Advanced
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO
Bluetooth 4.2
VoLTE
NFC
2nd-gen Touch ID
iOS 9
1715mAh Li-Po battery

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)

Samsung’s A series brings the sophistication of the S series flagship to a lower price tag. It has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display, quad-core Exynos 7578 processor, and 1.5GB of RAM plus all the up-to-date wireless connectivity intact. The camera is in check thanks to the main 13-megapixel sensor with f/1.9 aperture lens and a 5-megapixel selfie cam. It’s on sale with an SRP of Php 19,990.

galaxy a3 2016_1

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) specs:
4.7-inch HD (1280×720) Super AMOLED display
1.5GHz quad-core Exynos 7578 processor
1.5GB RAM
16GB internal storage
Up to 128GB via microSD
13MP rear camera, f/1.9 aperture, LED flash
5MP front camera
Dual-SIM option
LTE Cat.6
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.1
ANT+
USB 2.0
NFC
Android 5.1 Lollipop
2,300mAh battery
134.5 x 65.2 x 7.3mm
132g

Xperia Z5 Compact

For those who want power in a small package, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is for you. While the 4.6″ HD display and 2GB RAM are pretty low by today’s standards, the rest of the specifications are at par with flagships like Snapdragon 810 processor, a 23-megapixel camera, a full suite of connectivity features, and waterproofing to top it all. It’s officially priced at Php 29,990.

SonyXperiaZ5Compact2

You can our review of the Z5 Compact here.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact specs:
4.6-inch IPS LCD @ 720×1280 pixels, 323ppi
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810
ARM Cortex A53 1.5GHz quad-core, ARM Cortex A57 2.0GHz quad-core
Adreno 430 Graphics
2GB LPDDR4 RAM
32GB internal storage
Up to 200GB via microSD
23MP rear camera, autofocus, LED flash
5.1MP front-facing camera
LTE Cat. 6
Single SIM, Dual-SIM
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, DLNA
NFC
Bluetooth 4.1, A2DP, apt-X
ANT+ support
GPS with aGPS, GLONASS/Beidou
IP68 certified
Fingerprint Sensor
FM Radio Tuner, RDS
microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out)
2,700mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
127 x 65 x 8.9mm
138 grams

Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)

Motorola’s local presence is still alive and they bought the budget Moto E (2nd Gen) to much cheaper tag. As of writing, the device is currently listed on Lazada PH for just Php 3,999. The handset’s quality build, decent internals, and great software support are already pretty good selling points for those looking for an affordable option with a trusted brand labeled to it.

moto e 2015_2

You can read our review of the Moto E (2nd Gen) here.

Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) specifications:
4.5-inch IPS LCD display @ 540 x 960 pixels
1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor
Adreno 306 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage, up to 32GB via microSD
5-megapixel rear camera, 720p @ 30fps
VGA front-facing camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-standby
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, A-GPS
Android Lollipop
2,390mAh Li-Ion battery
129.9 x 66.8 x 12.3 mm
145g

Acer Liquid Z330

Acer’s own Liquid Z330 has a 4.5″ display and is powered by a 1.0GHz Snapdragon 210 processor with 1GB of RAM. It has Android 5.0 Lollipop onboard that’s sprinkled with Acer’s own customization. Cameras are 5-megapixel shooters, both in front and back. It also has LTE and an ample 2000mAh battery. All for the price of Php 3,990.

acer-z330

Acer Liquid Z330 specs:
4.5 FWVGA display @ 854×480 px, 218ppi
1GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8909
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
expandable via microSD
5MP AF rear camera w/ LED Flash
5MP FF front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual Standby
WiFi
Bluetooth
LTE
2000mAh battery
Android 5.0 Lollipop

Lenovo A2010

With Lenovo A2010, you’ll get a 4.5-inch display, a quad-core MediaTek processor, 1GB of RAM, and expandable 8GB storage. There’s LTE as well and it’s running Android 5.1 Lollipop. You can grab one for Php 3,990.

lenovo a2010_1

Lenovo A2010 specs:
4.5-inch 480 x 854 display, 218ppi
1GHz MediaTek MT6735M quad-core CPU
Mali-T720 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
5M rear camera w/ LED flash
2MP front camera
Dual-SIM (micro)
4G LTE, 3G
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, A-GPS
2,000mAh battery
Android 5.0 Lollipop
131.5 x 66.5 x 9.9 mm
137 g
Black, Pearl White

Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016)

Of course, Samsung has some budget offerings for the consumer market starting with the Galaxy J1 (2016). It’s a pocket-friendly smartphone thanks to its 4.5″ display plus it’s an AMOLED panel, ensuring you’ll get a good viewing experience. The internals are nothing to write home about with a quad-core 1.3GHz Exynos 3475 processor, 1GB RAM, and 8GB of expandable storage. The phone has an SRP of Php 5,490.

samsung galaxy j1 2016_1

Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) specs:
4.5-inch Super AMOLED (480 x 800) display, 245ppi
1.3GHz Exynos 3475 quad-core CPU
Mali-T720 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
5MP AF rear camera w/ LED flash
2MP front camera
Dual-SIM
3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, A-GPS
FM Radio
2,050mAh battery
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Black, Gold, White

Samsung Galaxy J1 mini

The Galaxy J1 (2016) has smaller brother dubbed as the J1 mini. Everything about the phone is shrunken aside from the design. It has a 4-inch TFT display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor, less than 1GB of RAM, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. You can say that everything is basic about the handset. Samsung is selling this for Php 3,990.

galaxy-j1-mini-body

Samsung Galaxy J1 mini (2016) specifications:
4-inch TFT LCD (480 x 800 pixels), 233ppi
1.2GHz Spreadtrum SC8830 quad-core chipset
Mali-400MP2
756MB RAM
8GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD (uses SIM 2), up to 128GB
5-megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash
VGA front-facing camera
Dual SIM / Dual Standby
3G HSPA+
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS w/ A-GPS
Removable Li-Ion battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop

Samsung Galaxy J2

A slightly bigger sibling of the J1 is the Samsung Galaxy J2. It’s got a 4.7-inch AMOLED display with a 1.3GHz Exynos 3475 quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM. Storage is expandable via microSD starting at 8GB internally. You can spot one in retail stores for Php 6,999.

samsung-galaxy-j2-white

Samsung Galaxy J2 specifications:
4.7-inch qHD (960 x 540) Super AMOLED display, 234ppi
1.3GHz Exynos 3475 quad-core CPU
Mali-T720
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage, up to 128GB via microSD
5MP AF rear camera w/ LED flash
2MP front camera
Dual-SIM (micro)
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS, A-GPS
FM Radio
2,000mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
136.5 x 69 x 8.4 mm

Microsoft Lumia 550

There are also Windows 10 options for tested and loyal Microsoft users. The Lumia 550 is the cheapest from the line-up and it’s also appropriately sized at just 4.7-inches. Its specifications won’t impress everybody but we know that Windows 10 doesn’t need much power to run well on a mobile device. It’s being sold with an SRP of Php 6,490.

lumia-550-render-leak

Microsoft Lumia 550 specs:
4.7-inch IPS LCD display (1280 x 720 pixels), 315ppi
1.1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 quad-core CPU
Adreno 304 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 200GB via microSD
5MP rear camera w/ LED flash
2MP front camera
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.1, A2DP
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio
2,100mAh battery
Windows 10
136.1 x 67.8 x 9.9 mm
142g

Acer Liquid M330

Another compact and budget Windows 10 Mobile handset is the Acer Liquid M330. Basically, it’s a Windows 10 version of the Z330 from the same manufacturer. Everything is identical from the 4.5″ display, Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and two 5-megapixel shooters. It’s on sale for just Php 4,490.

acer_m330

Acer Liquid M330 specs:
4.5 FWVGA display @ 854×480 px, 218ppi
1GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8909
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
expandable via microSD
5MP AF rear camera w/ LED Flash
5MP FF front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual Standby
WiFi
Bluetooth
LTE
2000mAh battery
Windows 10 Mobile

Those are the devices we were able to find around. If you have some handset to add, feel free to comment below.

The post Smartphones Under 5 Inches You Can Buy Now appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.