Over 900 million Android phones affected by QuadRooter flaw

A new flaw called QuadRooter has been identified by researchers at security firm Check Point revealing a set of four vulnerabilities on Qualcomm-powered handsets. It’s been reported that over 900 million Android phones are affected including BlackBerry’s DTEK50 which claimed to be the most secure Android smartphone.

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Apart from DTEK50, Google’s Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, and Nexus 6P are also affected as well as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge — even my personal LG V10 is also at risk.

Once exploited, this flaw grants attackers full access to the phone (or tablet) including the camera and microphone and could get expose private information. Google has released a QuadRooter Scanner app to know if these vulnerabilities exist on your device but it doesn’t really do anything to prevent it.

However, all is not lost when you find out that your device is affected by this flaw. For attackers to fully take control of your handset, they must still trick you, the user, to install a malicious app that wouldn’t require any special permissions.

This means that you have to be careful with the apps that you install and give permission to access your phone.

So far, a fix is available by updating your system software from manufacturers since Qualcomm has already issued patches for the three out of four flaws — with the last one coming this September.

The bottom line is that we have to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious programs asking for permission to gain access to the contents of our devices.

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Best Smartphones with 3GB of RAM Under Php12K

We’re done with some of the affordable phones carrying 3GB of RAM where we established a Php8K limit. This time, we now raise the bar to Php12K if you guys want slightly beefier internals to go along that healthy RAM. Here are some of the best smartphones available in PH that struck a good balance in memory and price.

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OPPO F1

The OPPO F1 is one of the company’s selfie-centric smartphone. It boasts a 5-inch display, Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 8MP front camera, Android Lollipop, and a price tag under Php12K.

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This phone proved to be a good imaging device with a premium build and design, good performance, and a reasonable price tag. If you’re looking for a phone with the said strengths, the OPPO F1 is definitely worth considering.

OPPO F1 specifications:
5-inch IPS LCD (720 x 1280 pixels), 294ppi
2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4
1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core CPU
Adreno 405
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD (up to 128GB)
13MP rear PDAF rear camera w/ LED flash
8MP front camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP
GPS w/ A-GPS
Android 5.1 Lollipop w/ Color OS 2.1
2,500mAh battery (non-removable)
143.5 x 71 x 7.3 mm
134g
Price: Php11,990

Vivo V3

The Vivo V3 just had its local price revealed this month. It sports a 5-inch HD display which has a 2.5D Gorilla Glass that makes for livelier images. Inside, a Snapdragon octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM is making sure that operations are smooth, transitions are fluid, and tasks are done efficiently.

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Vivo V3 specs:
5-inch IPS HD display
Corning Gorilla Glass 2.5D
Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 1.7GHz octa-core processor
Adreno 405 Graphics
3GB of RAM
16GB/32GB internal storage
Up to 128GB via microSD card
4G LTE
WiFi 802.11n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0
AK4375 HiFi Chip
13-megapixel rear camera, PDAF, LED flash
8-megapixel front-facing camera
Fingerprint Sensor
Funtouch OS 2.5
2,550 Li-Ion battery
Price: Php11,990

Elephone P9000

Elephone’s local presence is now official thanks to their partnership with Lazada in initially bringing three devices to the Philippine market. Leading the pack is the Elephone P9000 which sports a Helio P10 chipset, 4GB RAM, USB Type-C, and wireless charging.

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Its design gives it a sophisticated impression, the power it has is a feat for its price, and it has good optics which what most users want. For its price, the handset gives you more compared to other manufacturers in the market.

Elephone P9000 specs:
5.5-inch LG LTPS OGS Full HD display
2.0GHz MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 octa-core CPU
Mali-T860 GPU
4GB RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 256GB via microSD
13MP Sony IMX258 F/2.0 rear camera w/ Laser AF, dual-tone flash
8MP OV8858 84-degree wide-angle front camera
4G LTE, 3G
Dual-SIM (micro)
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth
NFC
GPS, A-GPS
Fingerprint scanner
USB Type-C
3,000mAh battery w/ Quick Charge
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
148.4 x 73.2 x 7.3mm
145g
Price: Php11,499

Lenovo K4 Note

The Lenovo K4 Note, apart from its Full HD display, octa-core CPU, and 3GB RAM, it also has more features up its sleeve like Dolby’s virtual surround sound, dual 1.5W speakers, and a special audio codec for an improved listening experience.

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Lenovo is doing great in the smartphone game. With devices for different markets, they sure know how to play. Coming from the success of the K3 Note or the A7000 Plus when it arrived locally, the successor aims to prove itself as an entertainment phone.

Lenovo K4 Note specs:
5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, 403ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
64-bit MediaTek MT6753 1.3GHz octa-core CPU
Mali T720-MP3 GPU
3GB LPDDR3 RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 128GB via microSD
13MP PDAF rear camera w/ LED flash
5MP FF front camera
Dual-SIM (micro)
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
GPS, A-GPS
FM Radio
NFC
Fingerprint scanner
Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound
Front ported 2X1.5W stereo speakers
WM8281 audio codec
3,300mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
153.7 x 78.74 x 9.14mm
160g
Price: Php10,699

ASUS ZenFone Laser 5.5S

ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser 5.5S is an upgraded version of last year’s ZenFone 2 Laser with better CPU, bigger RAM and bigger storage. This device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 along with 3GB of RAM and now equipped with a bigger 32GB of internal storage compared to the previous 16GB. It also got its Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade this month which promises to improve the overall experience of the device.

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ASUS still has a strong yet affordable offering with the Zenfone 2 Laser 5.5S. With it, buyers can get a Lollipop-powered smartphone with a good build and design, decent display and a more capable performance, plus great battery life.

ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser 5.5 S (ZE550KL) specs:
5.5-inch IPS HD display, 267ppi
1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939 octa-core CPU
Adreno 405 Graphics
3GB
32GB internal storage
Up to 64GB via microSD card
13MP rear camera with Laser AF, LED flash
5MP front-facing camera
Dual-SIM, micro-SIM card
4G LTE
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS w/ aGPS, GLONASS
3,000mAh Li-Po removable battery
Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI (upgradeable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow)
152.5 x 77.2 x 3.9 ~ 10.8 mm
170 g
Gold/red/grey/white
Price: Php8,995

Firefly Aurii Envy

The Firefly Aurii Envy comes with a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, a 64-bit octa-core processor with 2GB or 3GB of RAM, 13MP rear/8MP front Sony camera, and 3,480mAh battery with fast charging capability.

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With a hardware configuration almost similar as the Flash Plus 2, the Firefly Aurii Envy offers a slightly lower price tag starting Php6,990 for the 2GB/16GB variant and Php7,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant (check our specs comparison here). Take note though that this handset is not yet available in the market but the company is now accepting pre-orders with a target release date on the first week of July.

Firefly Mobile Aurii Envy specs:
5.5-inch Full HD display
Gorilla glass front and back
64-bit 1.3GHz MT6753 octa-core processor
2GB/3GB RAM
16GB/32GB internal storage
13MP Sony IMX214 rear camera
Expandable up to 128GB via microSD
8MP Sony IMX219 front camera with front flash
Glass and metal build
4G
Wi-Fi
Digital audio processor
Fingerprint scanner
USB-OTG
3480mAh battery w/ fast charging capability}
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Gold and silver colors

Cherry MobileZoom

Cherry Mobile’s smartphone dubbed as Zoom sports your usual 5-inch HD display but its power is supplied by a large 4000mAh battery suited for road-warriors and the like.

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The Cherry Mobile Zoom’s main feature is its large battery capacity and support for quick charging up to 2A. While the ‘Zoom’ moniker is more suited for a camera-centric device, it’s nice to see a quick charging device w/ large battery for an affordable price.

Cherry Mobile Zoom specs:
5-inch IPS LCD @ 1280 x 720 pixels
1.0GHz MediaTek MT6735P quad-core processor
Mali-T720 GPU
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD
13MP rear camera w/ LED flash
8MP front camera
Dual-SIM
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-band
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS w/ A-GPS
4000mAh non-removable battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Price: Php4,999

Deal alert! The following smartphones are either spotted or announced for a discount, making them qualified for our list. Spot them below.

ASUS Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML)

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ASUS Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) specs:
5.5-inch full HD IPS display, 1920×1080 pixels @ 403ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
1.8GHz Intel Atom Z3560 64-bit quad-core processor
PowerVR G6430 GPU
4GB LPDDR3 RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
13 megapixel Pixel Master camera w/ dual LED flash
5-megapixel front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-Active
4G LTE, HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, EDR
NFC
GPS with aGPS support, GLONASS
Android 5.0 Lollipop w/ ZenUI
Li-Ion 3,000mAh battery
152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9mm (dimensions)
170 grams (weight)
Red, Gold, Black, Silver
Price: Php9,995 (Lazada)

Huawei Honor 6

Huawei Honor 6 specs:
5-inch IPS LCD full HD display @ 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Kirin 920 octa-core processor (4 x ARM Cortex A15 1.7GHz and 4 x A7 1.3GHz cores)
Mali-T624 GPU
3GB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD card
HSPA+, LTE Cat. 6 300Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, dual-Band
13MP rear camera with Sony IMX214 sensor and f/2.0 aperture
Dual-LED flash
5MP front camera
IR Blaster
GPS with aGPS support
Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Emotion UI 2.3
Li-Ion 3100mAh battery
139.8 x 68.8 x 7.5mm
135 grams
Mall Price: Php8,990

Those are our pick for smartphones with ample RAM for uninterrupted usage. Want more? Check out the other smartphones we’ve listed sporting 3GB RAM for under Php8K! You may also suggest more alternatives as long as it belongs to this list.

The post Best Smartphones with 3GB of RAM Under Php12K appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

ASUS intros Zenfone Pegasus 3 – budget Marshmallow phone

ASUS is squeezing in one more model into its recently-launched lineup in the form of the Zenfone Pegasus 3. It is an entry-level contender but aims to offer a bang-for-the-buck performance.

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ASUS Zenfone Pegasus 3 specs:
5.2-inch HD display @ 1280 x 720 resolution
2.5D front glass
1.3GHz octa-core processor
2GB/3GB RAM
16GB/32GB internal storage
13MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture
5MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture
Fingerprint scanner
Dual-SIM
LTE with VoLTE
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
GPS
4100mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ZenUI 3.0

In addition to those specs, it features a metal unibody so it doesn’t feel like a toy. There are two variants with an asking price of CNY1,300 (approx. Php9.1K) and CNY1,500 (approx. Php10.5K) for the 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB variants, respectively.

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The post ASUS intros Zenfone Pegasus 3 – budget Marshmallow phone appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

ASUS intros Zenfone Pegasus 3 – budget Marshmallow phone

ASUS is squeezing in one more model into its recently-launched lineup in the form of the Zenfone Pegasus 3. It is an entry-level contender but aims to offer a bang-for-the-buck performance.

asus-zenfone-pegasus-3

ASUS Zenfone Pegasus 3 specs:
5.2-inch HD display @ 1280 x 720 resolution
2.5D front glass
1.3GHz octa-core processor
2GB/3GB RAM
16GB/32GB internal storage
13MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture
5MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture
Fingerprint scanner
Dual-SIM
LTE with VoLTE
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
GPS
4100mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ZenUI 3.0

In addition to those specs, it features a metal unibody so it doesn’t feel like a toy. There are two variants with an asking price of CNY1,300 (approx. Php9.1K) and CNY1,500 (approx. Php10.5K) for the 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB variants, respectively.

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The post ASUS intros Zenfone Pegasus 3 – budget Marshmallow phone appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Cherry Mobile Flare HD 2.0 spotted, carries Php3K price

A successor to the Cherry Mobile Flare HD that was released two years ago, the homegrown company out the Flare HD 2.0 and was spotted with a price tag of less than Php3K.

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Cherry Mobile Flare HD 2.0 specs:
5-inch HD IPS display @ 1280 x 720 resolution
1.3GHz quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
8MP rear camera
5MP front camera
Dual-SIM
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
2200mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop OS

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The Flare HD 2.0 was seen at Cherry Mobile SM Light Mall with a Php2,999 price tag.

The post Cherry Mobile Flare HD 2.0 spotted, carries Php3K price appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.