Blu R1 HD review: Is it possible to go wrong with a $50 phone?

Announced in late June, the Blu R1 HD is predominately known for one thing: it’s the so-called $50 smartphone. Indeed, the price starts as low as $50 if you are an Amazon Prime customer. Otherwise, it’s an extra $50 for the experience.

As one of the initial phones under the new Amazon Prime discount promotion, the R1 HD positions itself as a first-time users smartphone. It’s not here to break any benchmarks or perform heavy multi-tasking. It is, rather, here to provide customers with something affordable that’s also free from carrier contracts.

As an unlocked handset, the R1 HD works with either AT&T or T-Mobile’s networks as well as any of their respective MVNO brands. It’s a dual-SIM device which means you can actually pull service from two cariers at once. Additionally, it’s breathing room for when you might travel to another country and need a local SIM card.

General Impressions

Let’s be honest – there are definitely going to be corners that need cut if you plan to offer a phone as low as $50 without a subsidy. Where does Blu trim the excess? It starts with the box itself; it feels like the least amount of cardboard you could put together to qualify as a box. The thickness is about half that of any other phone you’ll find and it’s a one-piece cutout that folds together. Think of how a pizza box might be constructed.

Get into the box and you find there are no headphones and the charger is about as “basic” as you’ll find. There’s nothing extra about what comes with the phone, however we would have never expected anything special here.

Putting this aside, you go straight to the phone and generally leave the other stuff on the shelf. Chances are a seasoned user already has some headphones they love anyhow. And, since we’re not dealing with any Quick Charge or USB Type-C cables, they’ll probably already have those where they need them, too. This no-frills cord is essentially just a spare. First time users, though, won’t be concerned with charging speeds and/or the newer standard for cables.

Hardware

Speaking in the strict terms of hardware specs, the R1 HD has the makings of a mid-to-high-end Android phone from 2014. Does that matter to you? Well, if you’re replacing your current phone from the last couple of years, you’ll find the Blu model to be a side-step or a step backwards. If you’re new to Android and the world of smartphones, you won’t even know the difference.

Those of you who have spent time with a more premium smartphone or a flagship from the last year or two will recognize the build quality differs here. We were immediately reminded of how the early Android phones from LG felt. By comparison, the R1 HD feels cheaply designed; on its own, though, you’d not really get the sense that the phone is “cheap”. There’s a difference between cheap and inexpensive, and, on the surface, Blu opts for the latter.

Key Specifications

• Android v6.0 Marshmallow
• Mediatek 6735 | 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor with Mali-T720
• 16GB/8GB Internal Storage with microSD (up to 64GB)
• 2GB/1GB RAM Memory
• 5.0-inch 720 x 1280 pixel displau
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera
• 2,500mAh battery
• Network:
  • 2G: 850/900/1800/1900
  • 3G: 850/1700/1900/2100
  • 4G LTE: 2/4/7/17 (12 will be available over-the-air)

Display

The R1 HD offers up a 5-inch display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. It’s technically HD, but not the same as you’ll find in the 1080p and higher phones. How does this translate to you, the typical user? It matters little in the overall scheme of things and looks totally fine for text and images.

There was a time when displays had lower resolution and nobody batted an eye. It’s only when you compare it to what else is available that you see shortcomings. This is actually a common thread for Blu phones; they are more than adequate for what they set out to be and the price is more than fair. Dig just a little deeper, though, and you uncover some of the spots where corners are cut.

Whether indoors or outdoors, we had no problem using the R1 HD. The screen size is right in line with what we like for one-handed use and it’s easy to see from all angels. The Gorilla Glass 3 protection on top ensures the phone handles scuffs, scratches, and minor drops.

General Impressions

Holding the R1 HD, you don’t get the sense that it costs as little as it does. In fact, it looks and feels like something that could fetch at least another fifty bucks. Look under the hood, though, and you see that it just doesn’t have the same horsepower as something else in the $150 space. But, taken as a whole, Blu does a great job of making sure you don’t end up with a “generic” design.

The phone is housed in a metal frame with a polycarbonate backing and matte finish. This offers up a decent grip and non-slip texture that doesn’t attract oils and fingerprints. We’ve felt much more slippery phones.

As for the configuration of the phone, the volume rocker and power buttons are on the right side of the display. Both buttons have the same metal finish and provide a decent level of feedback and response. The headphone jack is found at the top right of the phone while the microUSB port is at the bottom left.

The rear cover is removable, opening up access to the microSD card slot and dual microSIM card slots. It’s worth noting that the battery is not removable. At 2,500mAh it’s plenty to get users through a full day of use. Give the phone extended usage of LTE, such as video streaming, and you’ll find the battery ends up around 8-9 hours, or more — still respectable.

Camera

The Blu R1 HD features an 8-megapixel rear camera with a f/2.0 aperture and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter. Both cameras offer up LED flashes to help users capture better shots in lower lighting conditions. On paper they’re right about the middle of the pack, edging toward the low end. In practicalilty, though, it’s better than it sounds.

We were impressed with the camera, especially considering the price tag of the phone. We’re certainly not trying to imply that it should replace your current setup, but you might be surprised by it. And, when you get technical about it, the camera does overexpose some photos, especially as you get into darker environments. Keeping in mind what you’re likely to do with the images, though, they suffice far more often than not.

If the camera is a main priority for you, pass on the R1 HD. That should go without saying, actually. You’re probably looking at something else for your needs anyhow. But, it has not been all that long since we had much more expensive phones that took much worse photos.

Shutter speeds were quicker than expected, even in cases of HDR. A word of caution, though as you might end up with some odd double-exposure or ghosting. Still images and slower moving things captured nicely, but be careful with the quicker subjects.

You can see from the embedded gallery that photos generally come out rather nicely. Factor in some editing and processing via Snapseed or another app and you have photos totally worthy of social media sharing. It won’t take long to figure out what you can and cannot get from the R1 HD’s camera.

As for the camera app itself, there are a number of options for shooting, including panoramic, night, face beauty, sports, and professional (manual). Each works well in their respective intended situations, but the auto is where we suspect you’ll play most often. There’s also a DualView mode which uses both cameras, leaving a selfie on top of your main photo. It’s weird, with the selfie shaped like a ‘W’, and didn’t do much to wow us.

Software

If there’s one thing we’ve come to appreciate in Blu, it’s that it doesn’t spend time messing with a custom version of Android. Essentially a stock build, this doesn’t come across as having any particular agenda. To us, there’s few things worse in smartphones than a bunch of carrier-branded apps that we rarely use.

The same goes for the R1 HD, for the most part. While it doesn’t come loaded with a host of random apps, games, or services, it does come with its share of Amazon titles. This applies to both the standard Blu R1 HD as well as the discounted Prime Exclusive one for Amazon Prime subscribers. Indeed, each has Amazon, Amazon Drive, Amazon Music, Audible, Amazon Kindle, and Amazon Video. There are just a few others between the two, but those are largely the overlapping apps.

Should you opt for the default R1 HD, that’s about the extent of the UI and app changes. Oh, and it’s worth pointing out here, that you can uninstall some of those titles, but not all. Pick up the $50 and/or $60 the R1 HD Prime Exclusive, though, and you’ll have more Amazon presence.

The Prime-exclusive version displays offers and ads, on your lock screen and in your notification shade. Moreover, they are said to be personalized deals and product recommendations so they don’t feel like random advertisements.

If you are a fan or user of the Amazon ecosystem, you probably won’t have an issue with the ads and offers. Heck, if this is your first Android phone, you probably don’t even know what it would be like without. It’s not a simple case of full screen ads every time you unlock or something random in your pull down shade. It changes every time you use it, but doesn’t ever feel so heavy that we’re upset about it. We didn’t find them any more intrusive than what we get on a Fire tablet. Really, they do seem to skew more toward things we’d use or buy.

The R1 HD runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is the the lastest version available today. The 7.0 Nougat stuff comes later this year; it’s unclear whether this phone will even see it. If you absolutely expect your handset maker to support your device with an update or two, this is not going to be the route to take.

To us, if you’re looking to snag a phone for $100-$150, you might want to consider it an almost “as is” device. This doesn’t mean you have a burner, or a disposable phone, but you’ve got what you’ve got for as long as you’ve got it.

The 6.0 means you’ve got some of the latest in protection from Google, plus all of the recent design principles. It also means you can conceivably run many of the apps and games on the market. Many, but not all; the hardware might place limitations on what you plan to do.

We wager that the target audience doesn’t even know what to expect in terms of software updates, version numbers, etc. First-time buyers and casual users aren’t going to concern themselves with the various releases.

Performance

This is one of those areas where you cannot help but compare to other phones. As a site that routinely reviews smartphones, we get our hands on all sorts of devices. Typically, though, we use the more flagship stuff for ourself as we like to stay on the cutting edge. But, that doesn’t mean we necessarily have to keep up with the latest and greatest.

Using the R1 HD as a daily driver was difficult for us, particularly at first. We noticed there would be some lag in hopping around from one app to another. Get more than a few games going in the background and you’d see a little chugging happening. Nothing crazy, but stuff we notice after spending time with more powerful phones.

On its own, the R1 HD handles your typical daily tasks without much griping. Emails, calls, text, Facebook, and other stuff doesn’t present much of a challenge to it, so long as you have the 2GB RAM model.

It’s here where we implore you to consider dropping the extra $10 for the 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. Not doing so would be about the silliest thing you can do as it essentially shuts the door to apps and future capabilities sooner rather than later. Yeah, the ten bucks is all it takes to add at least a few more months of life to it. You never know when you’ll be on the edge of not being able to install a game like Pokemon Go.

Conclusion

It’s really hard to find fault with a phone that costs as low as $50 for Amazon Prime customers. Even at $99, it’s still a good choice. Why? It’s unlocked and ready to work with a variety of carriers; it supports two SIM cards. The stock Android experience and very little preloaded apps ensure you get as much as you can out of the storage.

Blu does a great job of balancing low cost with “cheap” build materials. It’s not a luxury model or anything that pretends to be more than what it has under the hood. The R1 HD is a great utilitarian phone for someone who is just dabbling in Android. Moreover, it’s a hell of a band-aid if you need something to tie you over until the next phone.

Blu is quickly becoming one of our favorite unlocked smartphone makers. The US-based company is constantly putting out new models that span the entire spectrum for consumers. It just so happens that the R1 HD is on the low end. That doesn’t mean it’s a poorly made phone or one that’s not worth considering. The opposite is true, actually.

If you’re in the market for something that’s no-frills and aimed at first-time buyers, you’ll want to start with this phone. For $50-$100, depending on how you buy, there’s nothing else to consider. Heck, you’ll probably have a tough time convincing yourself to spend more on anything else. It’s no wonder that, as of today, this is a #1 best seller on Amazon.

Storm: Another weather app from Weather Underground

The Essentials

Developer:Weather Underground
Category: WeatherLink:
Price: Free with ads and a $1.99 a year in app purchase to remove ads

Link: STORM APP

What you need to know

Storm is a weather app from the folks over at Weather Underground. It’s a deeper dive into the weather around you. The normal WU weather app gives you some of the same functionality as Storm but this app  takes it even further for you weather nerds out there.

We get all sorts of cool (pun intended) features in this app. There are so many options here it is almost overwhelming. So let’s get started!

Opening the app brings us to a “Let’s find you some weather” page. We can search for a location or let the app use GPS to find our current location. Once we pick a location we are dropped onto a Map of that location. Along the bottom, we have Current, Hourly and Daily forecast boxes. Clicking on each gives you a ton of info about each one. For
instance clicking on the current box brings us to a beautiful looking screen that has the current Temp, feels like temp, wind speed, humidity, gusts,dewpoint,pressure, visibility, and even the look back in the weather history for today showing record HI record LOW and averages for both too. We get just as much or more in the other boxes.

If that was not enough to impress your friends, channel your inner Al Rocker and throw some lightning and tropical storm tracking on that map and WOW everyone with your mad weather skills.

The app is supported by ads, but you can pay $1.99 a year to remove them. The ads did not get in the way when I was using the app and for the most part blended into the background then i was using Storm. This is a good thing and more ad-supported apps should take this approach.

There are a ton of weather apps out there. Some are really good and others are very basic and don’t give enough info. Storm is near the top on my list because of all the info that is right at your fingertips. I did notice that the lighting near me was not as accurate as some of the other apps I have used.  If you are a weather nerd this app is sure to satisfy your need for weather domination. If you just want to know how far that lightning strike was from your current location, or how hot it is outside Store does that too.

If you are a weather nerd this app is sure to satisfy your need for weather domination. If you just want to know how far that lightning strike was from your current location, or how hot it is outside Storm does that too!

Find it in the Google Play Store Here

Summer Gear: Rock your pool parties with the UE Boom 2 and UE Roll 2

Look, just because some of you have to go back to school soon, doesn’t mean that the summer is over. Based on some of the recent temperatures we suspect it will be quite a while until things have cooled down and we’re all back inside and bundled up. In other words, there’s still plenty of time left to hit the beach or a backyard pool to cool off.

If you’re looking to spend some time at the lake or some other water-based environment, you’ll want to pack a speaker that’s designed to handle the situation. You’ll want to pack something from Ultimate Ears (UE).

We’ve recently spent some time in the pool “conducting research” on the two speakers from UE. We’re happy to report that both of them handled dips and dunks in stride and kept the tunes coming. There are a few differences between the two, of course, but either of them is a perfect solution for customers looking for a waterproof speaker.

UE Boom 2

The larger of the two, the Boom 2 is a cylindrical speaker that doesn’t occupy as much as space a roll of paper towels. It’s designed to stand upright with power and Bluetooth pairing buttons at the very top. On the front face is where you’ll find the volume buttons.

Interestingly enough, the Boom 2 produces sound that seems to come from all sides of the speaker. Place it front and center on the patio, crank the music, and your guests will be dancing in no time.

Rather than go with a standard black or white color, UE designs the Boom 2 with vibrant colors that seem to pop and stand out. Moreover, it looks and feels like a party starter. The model we tested was Brainfreeze; other options include Tropical, Greenmachine, Cherrybomb, and more.

You might not suspect it by looking at it, but this speaker can withstand water up to one meter for thirty minutes. Yeah, that means your crazy friend can accidentally kick it over into the pool. It also means that a summer shower isn’t going to do anything to it, either.

The internal battery is rated to play back music up to 15 hours, but that depends on how loud you like the tunes. We were highly impressed with the life of the battery as it went all day long and had plenty left over. Charging from empty to full takes roughly 2.5 hours.

UE Roll 2

Shaped like a flying saucer, this speaker is right at home floating in the pool. No, literally, it wants to be in the water with you. Included in the box is a blow-up raft-like accessory which keeps the speaker floating in the pool next to you.

Lightweight and rather unobtrusive, the Roll 2 can go anywhere you go, especially if that means under waterfalls and into lakes. The backside of the speaker features a bungee cord and clasp which allows for easy clamping to your backpack, swimsuit, or handrail. Strong and secure, it keeps the speaker snugly connected to just about anything.

The Roll 2 doesn’t put out quite the powerful sound that the Boom 2 does, but we were impressed nonetheless. Really, when you think about it, you don’t want overpowering music right next to you anyhow. Nevertheless, it’s a robust and clear experience that livens up any atmosphere. You won’t have to go above mid-levels for volume. Much higher and it drowns out conversation.

Like its sibling, the Roll 2 comes in pretty flashy colors which beg for attention. We tried out the Habanero model, but you can also pick up color combos such as Volcano, Sugarplum, and Reef.

Battery comes in at nine hours per charge with a longer 5.5-hour charge time. There’s enough juice to get through a typical shindig, but set aside more time for recharging.

In addition to the waterproof aspect of these two speakers, the UE devices also have a few other tricks up their sleeves. For instance, download the UE app and you’ll be able to pair them for a true stereo sound. Heck, pick any two UE models and they can pump out music together from upwards of 100 feet away from the source. Further, you can connect up to two source devices at the same time.

A recent firmware update for the Boom 2 lets you tap into Google Now and Siri capabilities. Yes, just like you would get from your phone. A quick press of the Bluetooth button lets you switch playlists without getting your Android wet. Oh, and we also love being able to tap the speaker to work with tracks. The internal accelerometer lets users pick up the speaker and tap the top to pause and play music. Nifty.

Where to Buy

The UE Boom 2 retails for $199.99 while the UE Roll 2 comes in about half the price, at $99.99. We are more than happy to recommend either one as you can’t go wrong. You’ll just need to figure out when and where you plan to use it. Go it alone and more intimate with the Roll 2 or double down with the extra features and louder sound of the Boom 2.

You can pick up either speaker at retailers such as B&H Photo Video, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

Machines at War 3 is a quality strategy game for Android (review)

Overview

Machines at War 3 is a recently released strategy game for Android by developer Isotope 244. It’s a game with a futuristic/mechanical feel that features a lot of strategic base/infrastructure building for acquiring enough money and electricity/power, as well as troop deployment and engagement to conquer you enemies. It can be played by gamers from school-age on up, though more mature folks will have an easier time with what can be a more sophisticated interface.

Setup

The game can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, but it does cost $6.99. After download you simply open the game and you’re off & running.  At the first screen you have several options with which to go with:

• Campaign: 20 levels of objective-based gameplay. More on this mode in a bit.
• Skirmish: Take on the AI in a almost limitless combination of difficulty, landscapes, and climate.
• Multiplayer: Take on up to three other players for map supremacyTutorial: A full-on tutorial that can play almost as long as a standard game.

Gameplay

If you’ve played any strategy game before, this will feel pretty familiar in terms of play. Your success relies heavily on raising our army’s capital in terms of money, electrical power, and resources.
Money you gain over time and activity.
Electrical power you create through construction of various generators & turbines.
Resources can be found throughout the map you are playing on….these are not just game fodder, but truly important and needed to advance and win.  They are key in building mega-units that are particularly effective in battle and tactics.

And yes, units. Units are the battle vehicles (there’s over 130 ones to access & build) that you create and utilize as you build your capital. Each unit has a set combination of features that can (and should!) be exploited to their maximum effect, such as ‘explore’, ‘fight’, ‘range’, etc.
Once created, you can amass multiple groups of units over your game map to set up offensive, defensive, and exploratory positions. You can only build facilities (factories, storage buildings, fixed weapons, lookout posts) where you already have units, but you can only get units by building from your facilities…..so having a good sense of balance is key.

And this building takes time; you need to and get rewarded for planning ahead in this game.  And this planning and building can take some time in and of itself.  It works and is very cohesive as you progress, but for me it can be a bit tedious.

Plot/Story

The plot line to the ‘Campaign’ mode goes like this: You are a military leader tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of an elite group of scentists and researchers known as the Omicron Initiative from their top-secret lab. The staff are missing, the lab’s been ransacked, and years of research data is gone. Your investigation mission quickly turns into a rescue mission, and you progress through the game exploring the world attempting to find the parties responsible, with the ultimate goals being 1.) rescue your scientists, 2.) recoup the lost data, and 3.) vanquish your newfound enemies.

Graphics and Sound

it’s evident that this game is originally a PC/Mac creation, ported to a mobile interface. Both the visuals and sound are very PC-esque. The controls are even more so; there are literal “keyboard & mouse” options in the setting menu. Also, while playing, there are areas of the screen where a mouse and click-and-drag & right click-ability is evidently the native option; but with a touchscreen, you end up swiping and pinching-to-zoom like a crazy person to get where you want to go quickly.
All in all it works on a touchscreen, but it’s also clear that the game didn’t start with mobile in mind.

Conclusion

I did enjoy playing Machines at War 3, but only for a little while at a time. As stated earlier, the game takes a long time to ramp up, as you spend hundreds of clicks building your facilities and units solely in preparation to actual combat. For me the combat was the great fun and easily the most fun, but that admittedly has more to do with my general patience than the actual game.
To each their own, and this game would be a great fit for gamers who enjoy building their empire in addition to defending and growing it.

Download for Android here.

Download for iOS here.