Meizu MX5 on Gearbest: Flagship performance at half the cost?
The MX5 is a 4G LTE smartphone made by Chinese manufacturer Meizu. The MX5 comes with 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a Helio X10 SoC from Mediatek clocked at 2.2GHz.
You may be wondering right now, “Why should I care about a Chinese phone with a Mediatek chip inside of it?”.
Well the Helio X10 is nothing to scoff at. The Helio X10 is a 64-bit CPU with 8 cores. These 8 cores utilize Mediatek’s CorePilot 2.0 technology for maximum power efficiency.
The Mediatek chip coupled with 3GB of RAM will be able to power through daily tasks and activities.
This phone isn’t just about its CPU and memory either, the phone packs a 20.7MP back camera and 5MP front camera. While megapixels aren’t everything, the specs of the cameras give the MX5 the potential to take amazing photos!
Good pictures would be pointless if you didn’t have a good screen to view them on. Have no fear, the MX5 also packs a 5.5-inch display with a 1920×1080 resolution. That is 401 pixels per inch.
For reference, the HTC One M9 packs 441 pixels in a square inch and the second generation Moto X brings 424 pixels per inch.
Wrapping up the specs overview, we have a 3150mAh battery. Unfortunately, the battery is non-removable and there is no expandable storage to increase the supplied 16GB of storage.
Perhaps the best part of this device is that physical home button. Not because it is a physical button but because of what it also doubles as. That’s right, that is a fingerprint scanner.
You will be able to use your fingerprint to quickly unlock your device. While the design does scream iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 clone, it is a powerful device running near the latest version of Android, Andriod 5.1.
Unfortunately, it is a skinned version of Android titled Flyme OS. However, it will be easy to make it feel more like stock Android by installing a 3rd party launcher like Nova Launcher.
If you are wondering how well the MX5 will handle Android 5.1, you can check out PhoneRadar’s review of the device.
The reviewer is a little hard to understand, but he does provide some good information.
The Meizu MX5 is priced at $329.99 from Gearbest right now. It would seem that Meizu is offering a near flagship performance for a fraction of the cost.
A new Galaxy S6 is priced at around $600 off contract while the MX5 comes in at $330. Yes, there are some trade-offs like the Flyme OS and sub-par battery life, but at that price difference, you can buy half a dozen battery packs to store around your home/car/office for extra juice throughout the day and still have plenty of money left over.
If you have read through the spec sheet of the Meizu MX5 and are considering purchasing it from Gearbest, you will have to make sure that it will work on your carrier.
It won’t work on any CDMA carriers like Sprint or Verizon. The good news is that it will work on most GSM networks like T-Mobile and AT&T as the device is sold unlocked.
Supported bands are below. Make sure that your carrier uses any of the mentioned bands.
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz
Note: Your carrier does not have to have all of the MX5’s bands, and your phone doesn’t have to have all of your carrier’s bands. You just need to make sure that at least one of the bands are supported by both and that band is in your area.
You can visit this site to help you determine if this phone will work with your service provider.
The post Meizu MX5 on Gearbest: Flagship performance at half the cost? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Earth’s orbiting observatories and their literally awesome images
While the Voyager 1 probe, launched in 1977, cruises into interstellar space (the farthest man-made object from Earth) and missions like New Horizons capture snaps from the outskirts of the solar system, we’ve been keeping the heavy hitters close to home. Massive space telescopes that scan the cosmos with augmented eyes have been orbiting the Earth for years to get a clear view of the universe without atmospheric distortion. The Hubble Space Telescope’s 1990 launch set a new precedent for these space-based observatories in terms of scale and abilities. These new instruments have helped scientists gather an incredible amount of data and mind-bending photos from deep space. With Pluto hogging the spotlight lately, we decided to take a look back at some of these powerful orbiting eyes and their visual achievements.
[Image credit: JPL]
Filed under: Science
Sony to release new phone with the next James Bond movie?
A leaked promo picture has surfaced that suggest Sony will release it’s next big smartphone along side the new James Bond movie, SPECTRE, when it’s released on November 2015.
The picture reads “Made for Bond” with “XPERIA 5″ underneath. In front of the “5” there is a blurred out letter or number. We would assume it will say “Z” for the “Z5″, but it could also be a new letter for a new line of Sony phones.
The pictures came from Digi-wo who have had many other big Xperia leaks. At the same time the picture could of been made by anyone. All we know is Sony has been trying very hard to get their next Xperia phone into the movie.
Source: Digi-wo
Via: Xperiablog
Come comment on this article: Sony to release new phone with the next James Bond movie?
Talk Android Weekly Recap: July 19 – July 25, 2015
We’re coming up on some exciting releases, as the OnePlus Two, Moto X (3rd Gen), and Moto G refresh is all supposed to be unveiled this coming week. However, we’ve seen some hefty leaks ahead of next week’s press conferences, and from what we’ve seen, these devices are going to be insane.
OnePlus claims the OnePlus Two is “ahead of its time”, sporting features that most devices won’t have until Android M launches. Motorola’s new Moto G was accidentally leaked in a promo video, and the Moto X (3rd Gen), well, we have yet to see much of that ahead of time.
Hit the break to check out these exciting stories!
- Moto G (2015) promo video leaks
- Motorola accidentally posts Moto Maker options for Moto G (2015)
- Moto X (3rd Gen) rumored to be seen in white and gold
- OnePlus says the OnePlus 2 is “ahead of its time”
- Pebble Time received first major update
- YouTube app gets a facelift and new editing tools
- Save up to 90% on games in the Play Store this weekend
- AT&T says its raising many of its upgrade fees
- Huawei Watch packaging is anything but cheap
- Google+ Photos is shutting down August 1
Have a great weekend!
Come comment on this article: Talk Android Weekly Recap: July 19 – July 25, 2015
Rooted Samsung phones won’t be able to use Samsung Pay
Samsung first introduced Samsung Pay at the same time they showed the world their S6 and S6 Edge. What sets it apart from the competition is it can use both NFC (near field communication) and MST (magnetic secure transmission). This means stores don’t have to buy more equipment in order to accept it.
So far Samsung Pay isn’t out in North America, but Samsung has started a testing trial in their home country, South Korea. Although not confirmed by Samsung the testing trial has shown rooted devices getting denied access to use the service.
Users are getting an “Access denied” screen that reads “Samsung Pay has been locked due to unauthorized modification.” when trying to use the service on a rooted device.
Source: Sammobile
Come comment on this article: Rooted Samsung phones won’t be able to use Samsung Pay
AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV is complete
If you have visited the AT&T web site in the last day, you may have noticed some prominent advertising for DirecTV. That is a result of AT&T concluding their acquisition of DirecTV once the government decided it would not stand in the way. As a result, AT&T is now the largest pay TV provider not just in the U.S., but around the globe. Just in the U.S. AT&T will have 26 million customers thanks to the acquisition.
AT&T chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said in a statement,
“Combining DIRECTV with AT&T is all about giving customers more choices for great video entertainment integrated with mobile and high-speed Internet service. We’ll now be able to meet consumers’ future entertainment preferences, whether they want traditional TV service with premier programming, their favorite content on a mobile device, or video streamed over the Internet to any screen.”
AT&T indicates the new diversification the addition of DirecTV brings to their business will help them continue deployment of their GigaPower fiber Internet access service to 14 million customer locations. AT&T plans to continue to work on joint ventures like Otter Media to develop over-the-top video services.
According to AT&T, existing customers will not notice any changes initially to their services or customer care. Integration between the two companies will take several months. AT&T does anticipate offering new integrated service bundles eventually.
source: AT&T
Come comment on this article: AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV is complete
ICYMI: Power-ballad singing tech, foldable bridge and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: A computer-like display, singing power ballads from the ’90s, simply must be seen; Japanese engineers unveiled an emergency bridge that can unfold in five minutes; and the game Half-Life gets hacked to work on an Android Wear watch.
We also run through the biggest headlines of the week but think this Stephen Hawking goes searching for ET story is the most shared over brunch worth (after you’ve already touched on Chrysler).
And from the whatever you do, don’t miss this files: A new kitten app “Cat Shake” gives you an endless stream of cats. Guess I just found what I’m doing for the weekend.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Meta, Robots, Transportation, Science, Internet, LG
Recommended Reading: The Jeep hack that led to a massive recall
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you’ll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.
Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway — With Me in It
by Andy Greenberg
Wired
This piece from Wired actually sparked a recall that affects 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles. During the test, hackers were able to use an exploit to “kill” the engine, disable the brakes and track location. Pretty scary stuff.
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For the Love of God, Bring Back the EA Sports ‘NCAA Football’ Games “Nobody should have to endure another summer without this game dropping into July to save us from the real world.” That’ll preach. |
Meet The Chuck II, The First New Converse All Star Design In 100 Years While the first new pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars in 100 years may not look that much different, new features like Lunarlon footbed tech from Nike offer enhanced comfort. |
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Sex Abuse Survivor Finds Comfort In Video Games Final Fantasy VII comforted an abuse victim when it “helped him realize characters, like people, could be deeply flawed and still live fulfilling lives that weren’t completely defined by past trauma.” |
Game Design Deep Dive: The Save System of ‘Alien: Isolation’ Napper, a veteran game designer, weighs in on Alien: Isolation’s method for saving, which requires a player to locate terminals before logging progress. |
[Image credit: Jeep/Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
Recommended Reading: The Jeep hack that led to a massive recall
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you’ll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.
Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway — With Me in It
by Andy Greenberg
Wired
This piece from Wired actually sparked a recall that affects 1.4 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles. During the test, hackers were able to use an exploit to “kill” the engine, disable the brakes and track location. Pretty scary stuff.
|
For the Love of God, Bring Back the EA Sports ‘NCAA Football’ Games “Nobody should have to endure another summer without this game dropping into July to save us from the real world.” That’ll preach. |
Meet The Chuck II, The First New Converse All Star Design In 100 Years While the first new pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars in 100 years may not look that much different, new features like Lunarlon footbed tech from Nike offer enhanced comfort. |
|
Sex Abuse Survivor Finds Comfort In Video Games Final Fantasy VII comforted an abuse victim when it “helped him realize characters, like people, could be deeply flawed and still live fulfilling lives that weren’t completely defined by past trauma.” |
Game Design Deep Dive: The Save System of ‘Alien: Isolation’ Napper, a veteran game designer, weighs in on Alien: Isolation’s method for saving, which requires a player to locate terminals before logging progress. |
[Image credit: Jeep/Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]
Watch the trailer for ‘Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine’
Quite a few filmmakers have already unleashed their take on the life of Steve Jobs, with Aaron Sorkin’s Michael Fassbender-starrer slated to be released in October. But if you’d rather watch that Jobs documentary that premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in particular — the same one Apple SVP Eddy Cue found “mean-spirited” — then, well, here’s a taste of it. Oscar winner Alex Gibney’s The Man in the Machine doesn’t only depict the CEO as a visionary, but also as a ruthless leader. “His stuff was beloved, but it wasn’t that he was beloved,” a voiceover said in the trailer below the fold, which also shows parts of Gibney’s interview with some of Jobs’ old co-workers. The documentary will precede Sorkin’s movie by a month and will be shown in select theaters on September 4th.
[Image credit: Magnolia Pictures]
Via: Mashable
AIVAnet 