Category: yugatech gadget reviews

November Gadget Reviews Roundup 2014

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

It’s finally December! Christmas is just around the corner and that also means the much awaited 13th month pay, Christmas bonus, and holiday shopping. If gadgets are part of your shopping list then first take a look at our Gadget Reviews Roundup for November. This includes the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Huawei Ascend Mate7, Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, and the Nokia Lumia 830.

Full Review:

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro

With Lenovo’s Vibe Z2 Pro, you get the bells and whistles of a flagship device – you have a large display with QHD resolution, 3GB RAM, 4K video, LTE connectivity, and a big 4000mAh Li-Po battery. So with an asking price of Php30K, is it worth looking into considering other flagships are in the same price range? We would say yes if you’re more of a multimedia buff who loves shooting, playing games, and watching videos on your device since these are the characteristics the Vibe Z2 Pro is really good at.

NEO Basic B11W Notebook

The Neo Basic B11W is an affordable yet very capable notebook that doesn’t look cheap. It features a slim build, a nice metallic finish, complete set of ports, and very decent performance that is also enough for light gaming. On the downside, there are times that it is sluggish, has weak speakers, and a short battery life. But for Php12,999 we still consider it a good deal.

Huawei Ascend Mate7

The Huawei Ascend Mate7 has so many things to brag about. Among them is the premium build, dual-LTE capability, huge battery, powerful hardware — all in an affordable price. It’s by far the phone that has the longest battery life we’ve ever tested.

Acer Iconia Tab 8

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 was able to achieve the balance between performance and affordable price. It has a slim metallic body, great display, expandable storage, decent battery life, good camera, and it performs well. There are trade-offs, of course, like the small usable internal storage, lots of uninstallable apps, and below average speakers. The good news is, it is priced at just under Php11k which won’t break the bank.

Nokia Lumia 830

To conclude, the Nokia Lumia 830 is a solid mid-range smartphone that feels looks and feels like a flagship. It’s well crafted, has a beautiful design, packs a great PureView camera, brilliant display, fantastic speakers, long battery life, and good performance.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

The Note series has always been regarded as Samsung’s secret monster — a humongous, beastly and powerful handset that lacked the finesse and elegance that many people look forward to in a flagship handset. It’s not only intimidating and gargantuan but it also showed radiance and flamboyant posture, much like the characters of “Beauty and the Beast” but this time the Note 4 is both the pretty lady and the monstrous beast rolled into one.

Quick Review:

KingCom S!gma Stone

The S!gma Stone is a pretty decent device. For a suggested retail price of Php6,888, KingCom offers a nice handset with fairly capable hardware specifications. The price point can be very competitive for the local market but the S!gma Stone is worth a second look. If KingCom can provide a better after sales than other local brands, then that might help them differentiate themselves from the dozen or so local players in the market.

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August Gadget Reviews Roundup 2014

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

Lazada Philippines

It’s the start of the -ber months and that means we’re just a few months away from the Holidays, which also means we have new exciting gadgets to look out for this season. But before we get excited let’s have a quick glance at the list of gadgets we’ve handled last month which includes the Nokia Lumia 930, Xiaomi Redmi Note, and the Cherry Mobile Tegra Note 7. Read on for our Gadget Reviews Roundup for the month of August 2014.

Full Reviews:

Harman / Kardon NC Noise-Cancelling Headphones

harmankardon nc_1

The Harman / Kardon NC can certainly deliver what it promises – a pair headphones made of high-quality materials with exceptional acoustic performance. The premium build, impressive noise-cancelling technology and passive playback mode are great features that are well implemented. In terms of sound quality and usability, it is one of most enjoyable over-ear headphones we’ve used so far.

Playground BS-200 Bluetooth Speaker

Playground BS-200(web)

The Playground BS-200 Bluetooth Speaker is easily one of the best looking wireless speakers in the sub-Php1,500 segment. It’s got a respectable build to match its straightforward design, and the hands-free feature adds more value to this speaker.

Lenovo S850

lenovo s850_1

The Lenovo S850 sets a good example of what features a mid-range smartphone should start with – good form factor and build quality, really clear and vibrant display, and good performance and battery life.

Xiaomi Redmi Note

redmi note_1

The Xiaomi Redmi Note is one of those phablets that we don’t mind recommending, not just because of the specs but because of the price. At an expected price tag of around Php7,000 and with this kind of build and quality, this is almost a steal.

Quick Reviews:

AKG K550

AKG_K550_7

The AKG K550 is a rugged-looking pair of cans that would look great on anyone. Although we’re definitely not fans of its uncontrolled brightness in sound reproduction, it’s a trade-off we’re willing to take in exchange for its wide soundscape and powerful mids. Their claim of producing headphones that both have the quality of both designs was impressively met.

Playground Cam100 Action Camera

PlaygroundCam100_8

For those who want an alternative camera without breaking the bank, there’s the Playground Cam100 action camera that’s way more affordable than mainstream sports cameras. It’s capable of good video quality, has a built-in display, comes with a handful of accessories, and a battery that lasts a but longer than the GoPro’s.

Playground Smart Watch

playground smartwatch_7

The Playground Smart Watch is an interesting piece of gadget as it not only functions as a regular smart watch that can display time and notifications but also works as a dialer. It’s a bit awkward to use in public though but if you dig this fancy feature, this smart watch’s got you covered.

Nokia Lumia 930

nokia-lumia930

The Nokia Lumia 930 features an aluminum alloy frame, polycarbonate back cover, Gorilla Glass 3, and a 20 megapixel PureView camera with Zeiss optics. It is powered by a Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and Windows Phone 8.1 OS, which makes it one of the most desirable WP-powered smartphone to date.

Cherry Mobile Tegra Note 7

Cherry_Mobile_Tegra_Note_7_3

The Tegra Note 7 is an able device with its performance built both for gaming and multimedia – there’s no doubt about that. Speakers give off good sound and navigation of the interface is a breeze. The device is hefty too, which can be a curse or a blessing depending on the one using it. The implementation of an HD display leave us wanting more, but is generally capable of producing good colors and clear details.

Bose QuietComfort 20

Bose-QC20-set

The Bose QuietComfort 20 is the first in-ear noise cancelling headphones from Bose. It has the looks to appease stylish users and top-notch noise cancelling performance to satisfy demanding users. It retails for Php17,000, which is steep, but the quality and overall experience will be worth the extra buck.

Starmobile Quest

starmobile quest_5

At Php6,590, the Starmobile Quest is a nice offering for those who need a capable smartphone with decent performance and dual-SIM capabilities at a low price.

Cherry Mobile Flare 3

cm flare 3_2

The Cherry Mobile Flare 3 is a device that brings a lot to the table without asking for much. Although we’re not fans of an all-plastic build, it’s got the latest version of Android OS, a decent processor, and a spacious display all under Php4K. We could say that it’s worth the Php3,999 if you’d snag a Flare 3 for yourself.

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April Gadget Reviews Roundup 2014

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

We’re done with another month folks and that means we have a new round of gadgets that have been reviewed and tested. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S5, Oppo N1, and the Sony PlayStation 4. Have a look at our gadget reviews for the month of April.

Gionee Elife E7

gionee-e7-philippines

The Gionee Elife E7 takes what already is a great smartphone and makes it better in terms of hardware, software improvements, feel, camera features and more. However, that comes in with a higher price to pay at Php24,500, and whether that is justifiable is up to you and your needs.

OPPO N1

oppon1-review

The OPPO N1 has a lot of good things to it. Good design and build quality, one-of-a-kind camera, a feature rich custom Android-based OS all packed in a nice, large full HD display. If LTE connectivity weren’t an issue, the OPPO N1 is a phablet to consider.

Samsung Galaxy S5

galaxy-s5-manila

The Galaxy S5 is definitely bigger, faster and meaner than any of its predecessors. Samsung has refined its custom UI to make look remotely different from Android and they’ve done it pretty well. The loads of features and functions are a mixed bag of both gimmicky and practical use.

Moga Pro Power Controller

moga-android

Just like what was advertised, the Moga Pro Power did indeed transform our Android devices into “mobile gaming systems with its precision controls and console-style comfort.” The controller certainly makes gaming on your Android device more addictive than usual. In fact, what used to be minutes of casual gaming turned into a couple of hours of daily hardcore play.

Sony PlayStation 4

Sony PlayStation 4 review YugaTech Philippines

The Sony PlayStation 4 improves from its predecessor with its slim build, powerful hardware, detailed graphics, and responsive UI. It’s not without flaws though as it heats up easily, couldn’t play media files, and PSN is currently not supported in the country. But if the PlayStation has always been your console-of-choice, the 4 is definitely the best one to get.

ASUS Zenbook UX302LA

ASUS Zenbook UX302LA 1

The ASUS Zenbook UX302LA has definitely got the looks. Using it is like riding a beautiful car with people couldn’t help but take quick glances at it. Performance is also satisfactory, although we would recommend it for casual use and nothing too heavy (sorry gamers and video editors). Yes, the glossy display panel was bad news but we could easily let that go if we’ll talk about the Ultrabook as a whole. Touchscreen is responsive, but we didn’t need it as much in order for us to efficiently navigate through.

JBL Pulse

jbl-pulse

The JBL Pulse is definitely one of the best portable speakers out there. It packs a great build, portable body, long battery life, good set of wireless functions, visually enticing customizable light themes, and very good sound quality. On the downside, it is expensive at Php8,995.

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December Gadget Reviews Roundup

Louie Diangson+ Leave a comment

2014 is finally here and before we bid our final farewell to 2013 let’s take a quick look at all the gadget reviews we’ve done last month. This includes the LG G Pad 8.3, ASUS Transformer Book T100, Nokia Lumia 1520, and the Apple iPad mini 2.

LG G Pad 8.3

lg-g-pad

The LG G Pad 8.3 is probably among the best Android tablets you an get around these days, right up there with the Nexus 7 2013. We can definitely say that the G Pad 8.3 is a great comeback in the tablet market for LG Mobile. It’s got the right mix of everything — beauty, performance and price competitiveness.

Acer Liquid Z3

Acer Liquid Z3

The Acer Liquid Z3 could have and would have been an amazing phone if it was released probably a year ago. It offers a great balance of things from the vibrant display, good camera and solid build quality, along with the inclusion of a free flip cover.

Alcatel One Touch Idol Mini

idol mini

With the One Touch Idol Mini, Alcatel proves that affordable smartphones don’t have to be devices made of ugly pieces of plastic. Sadly though, the AOTIM is a good example of style over substance as it failed to deliver a satisfactory performance, making a tough pick for specs-oriented crowd.

ASUS Transformer Book T100

Asus Transformer Book T100

The T100 provides a beautiful balance of work and play, hardware and software. This isn’t meant to be the reinvention of the netbook or a reimagination of the tablet – it’s basically an evolution of both. If you’re the one who’s considering getting a tablet that can get work done, that comes with Windows 8.1 OS, Microsoft Office, a set of powerful internals, great battery life, and an attractive price tag, then the Asus Transformer Book T100 is one of the best buys out there right now.

Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2X

omega hd 2x

The Omega HD 2X offers a large screen size, beautiful display protected by Dragontrail glass, a healthy 32GB of internal storage with microSD support, quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, dual-SIM support, decent battery life, thin profile, and a well-built body. Based on the pros mentioned, the Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2X is a good choice if you’re looking for a phone that sits on top of the Cosmos line but still won’t break the bank.

Nokia Asha 502

Nokia Asha 502

The Asha 502 offers a good balance of everything such as its predecessor, only with a few improvements. It’s still on 2G though and the battery capacity was lowered down quite a bit, but no major effects are noticeable. The rest of the story is just about a recycled Asha 501.

O+ Imagine

o-imagine-review

O+ has a really good contender with the Imagine. It’s a pretty solid smartphone with a unique design and premium materials, packaged with a very good set of hardware. The lack of key features like LTE, NFC and microSD card is somewhat excusable at its price range but we were really hoping they could lower the price just a little bit more. In any case, we believe the Imagine with definitely change the image of O+ as a handset-maker.

Urbanears Zinken

IMG_6632

The Zinken is both gorgeous and purposeful. The maker addressed most of the caveats that users faced when using a headphone; from the build quality down to the versatility that the TurnCable brings to the table. Sadly, because the nature of the headphone’s sound output, it’s not a good all-around performer. If you’re in to club music, then the Zinken should be a viable option.

Gionee Elife E6

elife e6_front

The Elife E6 features a really good build and design, good battery life and one of the most amazing displays we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. The cameras are great when shooting stills but falls behind when it comes to video recording. As for performance, it feels average probably because of the MediaTek CPU or its heavily skinned UI. The real disadvantage here is the high price tag which would turn most heads away.

Nokia Lumia 1520

nokia-lumia1520-review

No doubt that the Lumia 1520 is the best and most exciting Lumia phone Nokia has ever built. It’s got all the hardware, design and multimedia capabilities that consumers are looking for when picking a new phone. The remaining weakness though is the Windows Phone ecosystem. However, it is slowly catching up and this is evident with the release of more popular and download-worthy apps in the WP Store.

Dell Venue 8 Pro

venue-8-pro

The Dell Venue 8 Pro has a lot of promise and potential. It can be a netbook or laptop replacement, although you might need an external mouse or keyboard every once and a while. It’s a companion device and a capable productivity tool. It’s like having a laptop right in your jacket pocket with very long battery life.

Cherry Mobile Superion Odyssey

cm superion odyssey_10

The Superion Odyssey is a strong offering for those who are looking for budget Android tablet that comes with data connectivity and full phone and text functionality. Although very much inspired by the iPad mini, the design cues turned out to be a great feature for the Odyssey. It’s a double-edge sword though as some might perceive it as just “second-rate, trying hard, copy cat.” On the bright side, the Odyssey is slim, well-built, performs well, and packs a good display which is essential for a tablet.

Apple iPad mini with Retina display

ipadmini-retina

The iPad Mini with Retina display is essentially the same iPad Mini we used to know and love. It’s just faster and better. The improvements are exactly where we wanted them. Our only complaint is that Apple priced it way higher than we expected (almost 20-25% from the previous version) putting it in the same price range as the bigger iPads.

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July Gadget Reviews Roundup

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

It’s time yet again for another roundup of all the gadgets we’ve reviewed in the past month. This includes the HTC One, Lenovo K900, and the Nokia Lumia 925 to name a few. So if you missed out on any of our reviews then read our Gadget Reviews Roundup for the month of July below.

HTC One

htc-one-review-yugatech

HTC has a very strong and solid position with the HTC One. It’s absolutely beautiful, powerful, and has a great set of multimedia features and impressive UltraPixel camera.

Of course, it has its fair share of shortcomings. The average battery life and the lack of expandable memory are just some of the things you might want to nitpick about it. Nevertheless, we still believe that its strong suit outweighs the minor inadequacies.

Logitech t650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad

t650

The Logitech t650 is a great partner for a Windows 8 machine. If you spend most of your time utilizing gestures to navigate the OS then t650 becomes a powerful tool. However, for us who mostly do our work on desktop mode which means working on word documents and editing photos, the mouse is still the best option.

Canon Vixia HF R40

vixia-r40

After spending some time the Vixia HF R40 is a good camcorder all in all. It has a lightweight body, exceptional OIS with dual-recording mode. With its decent specifications, performance, features and price, it’s a bang for your buck.

Arc Mobile Tab 720M 3G

arcmobile_720M_3G

Arc Mobile is offering something good here with the Tab 720M 3G. Although it carries a modest look and specs, it didn’t fall short when it comes to performance. In fact, it performs better than most affordable quad-core tablets with a gig of RAM. In addition, it has a full dual-SIM phone functionality, 3G internet capability, and an affordable price tag to boot.

Huawei Ascend Mate

ascend-mate-review-manila

The Ascend Mate may not be for everyone but for those looking at over-sized smartphones, this could be it. It’s a very capable smartphone and could be an ideal replacement for a tablet-smartphone combo at a very compelling price point.

A combination of an XL display and an XXL battery in a M-sized price, the Huawei Ascend Mate is as good as you can get for an affordable flagship handset.

ASUS VivoBook S400C

asus vivobook s400

The ASUS VivoBook S400C is a solid all-rounder in the 14-inch category. It’s a marriage of decent specs and well-constructed body with a hint of Zenbook on the side.

It may not be too big of a deal for some, but we also like the inclusion of a touchscreen panel in its arsenal considering that Windows 8 is optimized for such displays. In addition, we were impressed at how it was able to handle our usual blogging needs.

Logitech G500s Gaming Mouse

SONY DSC

One of the things we liked most about the G500s is its body which has a well-engineered contour that follows the natural angle of the hand when holding a mouse. Although the buttons are a bit too recessed for our liking, we also like how each of them are conveniently placed and have just the right amount of give for a comfortable but reassuring press.

Sony Xperia ZR

xperia zr

The Xperia ZR is for those who prefer an IP58-certified smartphone but don’t mind missing out on the 5-inch full HD display and glass back of the Z. In addition, it has a great build, good camera, amazing performance and above average battery life. So if your preference fits this description, then the Sony Xperia ZR is the right phone to choose.

BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Q10

For QWERTY loyalists, the BlackBerry Q10 is, without question, the best portrait QWERTY handset out there in the market. However, it doesn’t have enough fire power to convince long-time Android and iOS users to make the switch. On the bright side, the great build, BB 10 OS, and snappy performance will surely make loyal BlackBerry users want to upgrade from their old BB 7 device.

Nokia Asha 501

Nokia Asha 501

The Asha 501 has a lot of potential to be perfect feature phone for everyone. It has a pretty good camera, great speakers, a beautiful design, and most of all, a very interesting OS.

Asha’s Fastlane UI is one of the best I’ve seen, and while it still has a lot of things missing, we should not forget that it’s only version 1.0. There will be a lot of improvements along the way if only Nokia puts more focus in it.

Nokia Lumia 925

lumia925-ph

The Lumia 925 is a very solid contender from Nokia. It has a really nice design, a very capable hardware and platform, with a superb PureView camera to boot. It might not have the best hardware when compared to handsets in the competing Android ecosystem but the one that runs the Lumia 925 is a very capable one.

In the world of Windows Phone 8, the Lumia 925 is without a doubt the most compelling handset to be had.

Lenovo K900

lenovo-k900-display

A combination of a good hardware, great design, capable OS and impressive camera makes the K900 an easy pick among the dozens of selection in the market. The lack of LTE connectivity and expandable storage are its only Achilles’ heel (and we know there’s a variant that comes with a microSD card slot, though not the one released in the Philippines) but its a weakness that many might not reconsider or simply overlook.

Sierra Wireless 4G/LTE pocket WiFi

AirCard® 754S

It’s such a shame that the AirCard® 754S, with its well-constructed body, just turned out to be just another pocket WiFi that is only capable of HSPA+ speed, for our country at least. Unless you’re planning to use the device in a country that has 700/1700MHz frequency or Smart/Globe just decided to add such frequency on their arsenal, we think that this pocket WiFi just isn’t worth your dough.

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