Microsoft Lumia 550 Hands-on, First Impressions

Announced back in October last year, the cheapest of current Lumia devices arrived in the local market about 3 months ago. The Microsoft Lumia 550 is aimed to give budget consumers a Windows 10 Mobile option. With its very modest specifications, can the Lumia 550 steal some spotlight in its range of smartphones? Here’s our initial impression of it.

lumia-550-philippines-review-6

To begin with, the Lumia 550 is one of the latest Windows 10-equipped smartphones from Microsoft themselves. It sits below the Lumia 950 XL, 950, and 650, and also the successor to the Lumia 540.

lumia-550-philippines-review-4

In terms of design, there’s not much going on with the 550. On the hand, it feels like Microsoft did sacrifice in the choice of materials. The black color option we have has a matte cardboard-like texture on its back panel which attracts grease easily (as you can observe from the product shots). We feel like they should have opted for soft-touch polycarbonate just like what they have before. It’s also angular, so gripping it doesn’t exactly feel ergonomic.

lumia-550-philippines-review-5

Good thing the 4.7″ IPS LCD panel is of great quality. It has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels or at 315ppi of pixel density. It’s sharp and has a good contrast to it. It’s no AMOLED but the black level seems to be good and does compliment the dark theme of the UI well. It’s surrounded by a good amount of bezel that hides the front-facing camera and a couple of sensors.

lumia-550-philippines-review-8

The power button and volume rocker are located on the usual right side of the device leaving the left completely bare. The top has the 3.5mm headphone jack while the microUSB port is located at the bottom end.

lumia-550-philippines-review-14

Continuing with the tradition of low-tier Lumia devices, we have a removable shell that gives access to the replaceable battery and the card slots at the back. Since it’s already 2016, Microsoft now requires you to put in a nano-SIM card. For those who are asking, there’s no dual-SIM variant of the 550.

lumia-550-philippines-review-12

What’s powering this candy bar phone is the inferior Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 with four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.1GHz each. Graphics is then handled by an Adreno 304 while the memory is quite low for today’s demands at just 1GB. Storage-wise, you get 8GB with a dedicated microSD card slot for expansion. Initial usage performance is smooth but it is slow in loading apps and switching tasks. The familiar Windows Phone fluidity is not present here, sadly.

lumia-550-philippines-review-13

Imaging is handled by a 5-megapixel rear shooter with LED flash and a 2-megapixel selfie camera. We took some few shots in our humble studio and from previewing it on the device, it gets the job done. Here’s a couple of full-size samples:

Indoor selfie with plenty of light Indoor shot with room lighting

Lastly, before we conclude this first impression, we noticed that the included charger has an underwhelming 5V 500mAh output. Charging the 2100mAh could take some time when used with it, if you have a more powerful charger lying around, you’re better off using that.

lumia-550-philippines-review-16

The Microsoft Lumia 550 does give an account that it’s the cheapest among the new Lumias but with a Php 6,490 price tag, it will be quite a hard sell for some who not keen using Windows 10 Mobile as their daily driver. We’ll take the Lumia 550 for a spin, so watch out for the full review. If you have any particular concern you wish to know about the device, hit the comments below and we’ll try to answer it in our review.

The post Microsoft Lumia 550 Hands-on, First Impressions appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Windows 95 was installed on an Apple Watch

Someone was able to install the legendary Windows 95 computer operating system by Microsoft on a tiny smartwatch called Apple Watch. The result? Well, probably the smallest full-blown PC.

win95-applewatch

Nick Lee, a developer, posted in Medium and YouTube the magic he was able to do showing the operating system running on his Apple Watch complete with the Start button. Despite the superior hardware for the old OS to enjoy, it’s painstakingly slow.

You can know more about how Nick was able to port the Win95 to the Apple Watch through his blog post. He can navigate the OS on the Watch with a few swipes and tap to move the mouse.

Via

The post Windows 95 was installed on an Apple Watch appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Smartphones Under 5 Inches You Can Buy Now

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.

Microsoft announces Anniversary Update for Windows 10

Microsoft has announced at the Build Developer Conference the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 which will bring improvements and new features to the said operating system.

The Anniversary Update tackles five key improvements – Biometric Authentication with Windows Hello, Windows Ink, arrival to Xbox One with Store, Holo Lens, and updates to Cortana.

For Biometric Authentication, Microsoft’s promises a safer and more secure OS with the help of Windows Hello. It will integrate with the Edge browser so users can login using biometrics if the website supports it.

Windows Ink aims to improve productivity using devices with touch displays and stylus, enabling professionals, aside from graphic artists, to take advantage of the feature. It will utilize waht Microsoft calls the Ink Workspace which is a pen-friendly layout of the Desktop.

It will also update Stick Notes to recognize key texts for quick transitions to other productivity apps like Calendar, can be used on MS Office applications, Bing Maps, even Adobe Illustrator CC.

For the Xbox platform, the new update allows users to turn a retail Xbox One and turn it into dev kit with a simple registration and a click of a button. This allows developers to deploy their Desktop apps, with the help of Visual Studio, to the Xbox. The update will also bring unified a Microsoft Store and Cortana to the Xbox One.

Microsoft has also announced that it is now shipping their Microsoft HoloLens dev kits to developers. Devs and Microsoft customers may soon start creating apps for the said wearable Windows 10 device which will be soon enjoyed by consumers. One example is interactive learning through holographic experiences, shortening the time for students to learn a certain topic. NASA engineers and scientists are also using it to develop space technology and to train its astronauts.

Microsoft has big plans for Cortana as well. The company aims to offer the best voice conversation experience with the digital personal assistant. Cortana will also be smarter, recognizing your tasks and make suggestions such as calendaring, creating appointments and recommending apps appropriate for the task.

For example, if Cortana learns that you have received a receipt in your e-mail it will suggest that you log it to the Microsoft Expense app. There will also be an app store dedicated to Cortana as well as integration to communication apps like Skype.

The Windows Anniversary Update is coming this summer for free to all Windows 10 users.
 

The post Microsoft announces Anniversary Update for Windows 10 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Windows 10 Mobile rolls out to select Windows Phone 8.1 devices

Microsoft has finally rolled out the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade to select Windows Phone 8.1 devices.

Here’s the current list of phones and devices that can upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile:
Lumia 1520, 930, 640, 640XL, 730, 735, 830, 532, 535, 540, 635 1GB, 636 1GB, 638 1GB, 430, 435, BLU Win HD w510u, BLU Win HD LTE x150q, and MCJ Madosma Q501.

Window 10 Mobile brings new features to new and existing supported devices like Windows Hello, refreshed UI, Continuum, Edge browser, Cortana, more functional Action Center, and support for newer apps.

To check if the upgrade is available for your phone and install the upgrade, go to the Store, install the Upgrade Advisor app, run the app to see if the update is available, and then select Enable Windows 10 upgrade.

source: Microsoft

The post Windows 10 Mobile rolls out to select Windows Phone 8.1 devices appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.