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REVIEW: VZW Galaxy S4 (from Note 2 user) w/lots of Pics!!!

Seven months ago I was standing in the Best Buy, with Note 2 in one hand and S3 in the other hand, comparing both phones. After about 5-10 minutes - decision was easy, and I walked away without a single doubt in my mind that I will go with Note 2. Called Verizon the same day and had it shipped to my door right away. Fast forward to today. I was given an opportunity to review newly introduced VZW S4 and wanted to share some of the details of this new flagship model from Samsung. So here I am, with Note 2 in one hand and S4 in the other hand, and let me tell you - the decision is no longer an easy one. Let me go into more details why.
First of all it's a natural evolution of technology where the latest phone model will have better spec of its predecessor (S3) and will match or even surpass other models (Note 2). Since I'm referring to Verizon version of S4, the spec might differ from other versions, but not significantly (with an exception of models with a different processor). S4 stepped up to the latest Android 4.2.2 with a refreshed TouchWiz UI from Samsung. Featuring 5" Super AMOLED display with next gen Gorilla Glass 3 and full HD (1080p) the display is breathtaking. Along with 1.9GHz quad-core processor, 2600 mAh battery, 13MP rear and 2MP front cameras, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal memory, and expandability with microSD up to 64GB - we are talking about powerhouse hidden inside of a slim 130g (4.6oz) package. I'm sure you all familiar with this dry technical info. For benefit of those who are still deciding or just got your new S4 - let me go into more exciting part of what I found special about this phone as a current user of Note 2.
Unboxing of the new phone is always fun, and with it's new "natural wood" theme the packaging is very eye appealing. Beside the phone, the box also included Samsung wall charger (2A) with a removable usb/micro-usb cord. The charger and the cable are golden. Keep that in mind this is a true 2A charger with a quality thick usb cable designed to carry 2A of current in order to take full advantage of fast charging of your battery. It also comes with headphones, a wired in-ear with in-line remote that will allow you to change the volume up/down and control music/video with multi-function play-pause button that also picks up and hangs up calls. Don't expect any heavy bass from these, but the sound was very clear, no distortion at high volumes. It came with extra ear tips, and also this new version of headphones has noodle shaped wires.
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Just for you to get an idea of "visual" when comparing S4 to N2, I think it worth while to take a closer look at these side-by-side. Basically, depending how you look at it, its a scaled up or scaled down version of one versus the other.
Keeping it's layout consistent with other Samsung phones, you can see all around pictures of S4 and location of its buttons and ports. I have to mention that built quality is very solid. Probably not the same premium material as the latest iPhone or HTC One, but it doesn't feel cheap at all. Since I'm on a subject of hardware, I do want to mention a few points. People always bring up visibility of display outside under direct sunlight. Its typical for any phone with a quality glass screen - bring it up to full brightness, and there is no issue. It's definitely better than my Note 2 under the same settings. Also I found 4G LTE speed/signal to be on par with my Note 2, really no difference holding them side-by-side. Call quality was excellent, something to expect from Verizon. And last but not least, I was also happy with a volume level of the built-in speaker. Again, it's not HTC One with it's Beats technology, but it's for sure above average. If you want to turn your phone into boombox, that's what bt speakers are for
Once you remove the battery cover, you are faced with a removable battery (2600 mAh), micro-SD slot for expansion, and removable SIM card slot. NFC is built into the battery, so you will not see any external visible antenna. Now, here is a BIG surprise for Verizon customers: wireless charging connectors are BACK and accessible!!! For those who are familiar with N2, those were not accessible before in Verizon version of N2. That is a great news! Now you have an option of getting an alternative battery cover with a built-in charging coil and metal contacts for the back of the phone. You will also need to get a charging pad for that. I think it's a great option since you can either stay with a slim version of the battery cover or upgrade to wireless charging which does add a little bit of bulk. Here is how it looks under the hood:
And since I'm on a battery subject, here are the stats after my first full charge. I do have to admit, it was a light use with some web browsing, testing various apps, making a few phone calls, and all the services running by default in the background. This 2600 mAh got me through 2 days and 6 hours with 16% still remaining!!!
Also, just FYI, the capture of phone info so you can see model number, Android versions, hw version, etc.
Of course, the fun really begins when you start using this phone and dive into all the new features introduced with Android 4.2.2 and TouchWiz UI, supported by new hardware. First thing you will notice right away is a partitioning of functions when you go into Settings. This makes it easier to navigate being split into Connections, My Device, Accounts, and More.
In addition to listing all the new features, I wanted to capture it in actual setting menu so you can get a better idea. Here we have Motions and Gestures that include Air Gesture, Motion, Palm Motion, and Motion Calibration with g-scope
Smart screen with it's Smart Stay, Smart Rotation, Smart pause, and Smart Scroll
Air View with Info Preview, Progress Preview, Speed Dial Preview, and Webpage Magnifier
A more detailed Voice Control for Incoming Calls, Alarm, Camera, and Music
Obviously these are just descriptions to wet your appetite. To show how these look in action, I tried to capture it in the following series of shots. Keep in mind, those are all air gestures where I do not touch the screen. I just hover my finger over it to take advantage of the new gesture sensor located at the top to the right of the front speaker.
Webpage Magnifier
Txt message Magnifier (my first junk txt msg addressed to someone I have no idea who)
Picture preview with air-view (remember, I'm not touching the screen)
Video preview/scroll air-view (amazing where you can scroll frame-by-frame to get to the exact position in timeline)
With a new 13MP/2MP rear/front cameras, you get some new cool features as well.
Camera - effects you can preview in real time with different filters
Dual camera photos - back camera and embedded front camera image where you can change the frame of embedded image
Camera - different modes, amazing idea of animated mode with multiple shots in one or erasing an unwanted subject from the background
Camera - voice commands for taking pictures and recording videos
While browsing different new apps, S-Translator really caught my eye. You can type and translate between 9 common worldwide language, and actually have an option of phone saying out loud the translation.
Multi-window view is not new for Note 2 users, but now it can be enjoyed on S4 as well. With 5" screen you have plenty of real estate to have two screens side by side, and a lot of apps already come pre-configured for that use.
Something I found absolutely amazing is when you touch any app/widget icon it shows you a new target screen without a need to drag it across multiple screens. Even better, you can wave your hand above air view sensor and the screen will move from one to the other until you stop at a new target screen where you want to drop your app/widget.
Further, Notification Panel selection was improved where you can use 1-finger to pull it down to reveal a scrolling selection or 2-finger pull down to reveal matrix selection where each icon is visible
Of course, I saved the best for last - IR Blaster to blast you right through the control of your tv and cablebox!!! All I had to do is to tell it a brand of my tv and cable box, and it paired up within seconds. Just amazing, I was using my phone as a remote control
I'm sure there are more new features but I decided to highlight those above as the top worth mentioning. Keep in mind, this is a review of Verizon version of S4. Even so the gap between different providers has been closing, there are still some differences. Like for example, you will get more bloatware with VZW S4 version. Luckily, you can go in App manager and Disable a lot of the unwanted apps. It will not permanently remove it from the phone (you still will have an option to enable it later), but rather will prevent these apps from loading into your memory and checking for updates. There is also a question why WiFi toggle was removed and Blocking Mode toggle is not available. But in my opinion these are very minor details. For me the most important detail is the Network where I know I can get my maximum number of signal bars and clear calls that don't get dropped. Being on East Coast in tri-state area - Verizon is the ONLY reliable choice for me.
In Conclusion, this is one Amazing phone!!! When I got Note 2, beside big screen everybody was carrying on about s-pen. It's nice and makes a great conversation piece, but I personally found not much use for it. Just my personal opinion. With all these new features introduced in S4 - I actually can see myself using a lot of it, and don't consider them as just a gimmick. For the last few days, beside doing my own testing, I have been demoing S4 to a lot of my friends and co-workers, and everyone's reaction is the same - outstanding! I wasn't able to capture this in pictures, but you can actually scroll through the webpage up/down just by using your eye movement. Something that was only seen in si-fi movies, now available in the palm of your hands!!! And again, backed up by VZW 4G LTE you can really enjoy this new technology to full potential!!!

Thanks for taking the time to review. It's nice to hear it from a regular user. How do you feel about it only being 16gb? That's the only thing holding me back and keeping me on my gnex.

Mayajw said:
Thanks for taking the time to review. It's nice to hear it from a regular user. How do you feel about it only being 16gb? That's the only thing holding me back and keeping me on my gnex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would have been an issue if you don't have microSD card option. You can add 64GB without a problem. Plus, if you are rooted, you can clean up some bloatware to free up more space. Honestly, its NOT a show stopper!!!
and don't forget DropBox and other services to store your extra data files.

vectron said:
It would have been an issue if you don't have microSD card option. You can add 64GB without a problem. Plus, if you are rooted, you can clean up some bloatware to free up more space. Honestly, its NOT a show stopper!!!
and don't forget DropBox and other services to store your extra data files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much space did getting rid of the bloat free up?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Mayajw said:
How much space did getting rid of the bloat free up?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could easily be over a gig. But I'm not rooting the phone since it was provided to me for a review, and I have to return it back. My Note 2 came with 16GB and I'm not rooted. I yet to fill up the space. Also, have 32GB microSD where I store my picture and music. I think space is not an issue. On the other hand, when I bought Nexus 7, I choose the highest built in storage because I can't upgrade that. Again, just my personal opinion, 16GB is not a deal breaker with some many options to expand your storage.

Thanks for the review, I did a much smaller comparison/review myself a week ago from my Note2 to the S4..
I made myself a deal that if I couldn't sell off my N2 to someone within my 14 day return period on my S4 I would have taken the S4 back and just kept the N2. I just sold my N2 last night with about 5 days left in my 14 day return period.
Honestly I feel that the Note2 is a every part last-gen Android device today and I actually just encourage people to keep their N2s and skip the S4, it's not a major change.. mostly in size.. The screen difference is nice but it shouldn't be a deal breaker on the N2. . 720p looks great even at 5.5".

16GB is a little tight
vectron said:
Could easily be over a gig. But I'm not rooting the phone since it was provided to me for a review, and I have to return it back. My Note 2 came with 16GB and I'm not rooted. I yet to fill up the space. Also, have 32GB microSD where I store my picture and music. I think space is not an issue. On the other hand, when I bought Nexus 7, I choose the highest built in storage because I can't upgrade that. Again, just my personal opinion, 16GB is not a deal breaker with some many options to expand your storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've rooted and tried freeing up space and even tried a couple early ROMs (AOKP & CM). My estimate of bloatware savings is it's less than a gig, but there might be ways to get it up in that ballpark. Also, adding the microSD storage does not provide seamless additional storage for apps. Even a rooted phone (at least right now) still requires some third party apps and mulitstep work to move apps and (app) data to the external storage. I'm not saying it can't be done, but even if you root, I'm not sure it will ever be simple to move apps and data to microSD.

Why do you need applications on the SD card? Just put pictures and music and miscellaneous files there, which should be the largest files anyway.

Your prayers have been ANSWERED!!! http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/06/galaxy-s-4-software-update/ - New S4 software update will allow moving of apps to SD card seamlessly without any need for 3rd party apps or rooting!!!

Some apps are big (a gig or so). I have not run into a capacity issue yet, but I only have about 5gb left for internal storage. Also Google services for Music and Video only allow content to be downloaded to internal memory. I just wanted to make sure it's made clear that adding an SD doesn't solve everything.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app

Great review, how do you get rid of the 4G Symbol while Wifi is on?
Why are they both at the top of the screen?
Also, how can you tell how strong the Wifi signal is, I dont see my bars moving like my Galaxy Nexus did

gt5oh said:
Great review, how do you get rid of the 4G Symbol while Wifi is on?
Why are they both at the top of the screen?
Also, how can you tell how strong the Wifi signal is, I dont see my bars moving like my Galaxy Nexus did
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4G signal stays on when wi-fi is off; you can see number of bars as well. Once you turn wifi on, 4G signal disappears on my phone and replaced by wifi signal with its own bar meter in there. That other symbol you refer to is not wifi. I think its GPS, although I'm not sure yet what those side-bars in there mean.

jamosjamos said:
Some apps are big (a gig or so). I have not run into a capacity issue yet, but I only have about 5gb left for internal storage. Also Google services for Music and Video only allow content to be downloaded to internal memory. I just wanted to make sure it's made clear that adding an SD doesn't solve everything.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But you can move apps to SD, so that should solve a problem? Unless in some cases you can only move an app but not the data, and the data could take 10x as much space as the actual app. Either way, I think it's always a good idea to store your pictures and music on SD card (and have that backed up periodically) and either keep apps locally or on SD card. So even if data stays locally - you are still freeing up a lot of space. Of course, rooting is another great way to get rid of all the stock bloatware which you will not be able to move or uninstall

[Reviews] Oppo N3 Review Thread

Oppo N3 Review Thread​
Hey all
This thread is to collect the available reviews for the Oppo N3 into one place. Feel free to post reviews found on the web or when the device becomes available create your own:good: If anybody feels one should be added to the OP, please PM me. I'll kick off with a few i found on the net:highfive:​
Reviews/Previews
http://www.stuff.tv/oppo/oppo-n3/review
Stuff.tv Hands-on/Preview
http://www.cnet.com/uk/products/oppo-n3/
CNET - Hands-on​
Video Reviews/Previews
Android Authority - First Look​

Good And uPDATE
So Nice i See Specification .But Cost Some High

Review Quick and Dirty
Bought it today after comparing it with Mate 7 and here is my quick and dirty review:
Plus
+ very impressed by the motorised camera
use of o click: can control manually in small increments, on screen or through the o click;
+ sound quality and volume;
+ extremely fast camera focusing and shot to shot speed;
+ finger print scanner is good once i've figured out how to use it (and this coming from a person whose corporate finger print scanner cannot read mine...)
+ despite the weight of 192 g, it feels solid instead of heavy
+ without using the VOOC charger, charging speed is snail like; with the VOOC, it is really fast
+ O click pairs quickly and works very well (as compared to the previous version)
+ ps. heard from some reviewers that the camera head is loose but mine feels satisfactory. Some also mentioned about the rattling from the loose volume button, but mine seems fine too. Heng ah.
+ despite the many complaints about the faux leather over the camera/ear piece, after using it, I think i like this choice as it makes long conversation where I place my ear tightly next to the ear piece more comfortable. In short, it looks like a misfit, but it feels good when used.
+ Oh i love the gesture functions esppppppppppppppppp the double tap to wake, 3 fingers to screenshot
Minus
- crazy location of ear phone jack (though, fortunately, I use wireless earphones, so it is irrelevant.)
- coming from Note 4, somehow this screen looks small, although both are 5.5 inches
- mass storage option is gone (previously oppo had it right?)
- auto brightness is too aggressively dim indoors
In all, i think it is an excellent phone. However, at this price point, I don't think it'll move many pieces.
As compared to Mate 7, I think where Mate 7 trumps N3 is its screen to fascia ratio since Mate 7 doesn't have a rotating camera and uses on screen keyboard. However, i found mate 7 to be a tad unwieldy and the speaker to be too 'thin'/too shrill.

Largely agree with the above.
The good:
The phone is overpriced. I pre-ordered from OppoStyle and got a free VOOC battery pack, 32GB SD Card, and an iLike case for it, so the price of £430 actually felt ok, but without those freebies I'd feel a little bit ripped off, and that offer is gone now.
The camera is fabulous, only taken one selfie with it so far which was after a 4 day long course and 140 mile drive home, no makeup and really tired, but still somehow made me look good: http://lum.uk/temp/IMG20150122211859.jpg
The shutter speed on the camera is really fast too, so great for taking cat photos. http://www.imgur.com/p5dwFqR.jpeg
Dual-SIM on a flagship phone is wonderful. Work have me using a Blackberry Curve with a data bar on it and only Blackberry services allowed, so I've never been able to shove my work SIM into an Android and still get email before. Words cannot express how much I hate that Blackberry but I can't even dial on it without either using a pen to poke the keys, or end upbreaking a nail.
Color OS is actually surprisingly nice. This is the first Android I've owned where I haven't felt the need to immediately rip out the entire OS and replace it with Cyanogen or AOKP (My previous androids were an HTC Desire Z and a Motorola Droid 4). I've still had to replace the launcher with Nova Launcher though.
VOOC charging is really clever. I read a bit about how it works, the phone basically has 3 batteries and charges them at 1.5A each, so it's not going to kill the battery too fast. I really don't mind that a standard charge is slow. I charge it overnight at 2.1A from a USB mains socket by my bed, so that'll be 0.7A per battery which is going to make it really nice to the batteries longevity.
Battery life is superb. Even during a day of heavy use, my second day of owning the phone, including much tinkering, gaming and also using a lot of data in the doctor's waiting room, it was only down to 40% by midnight.
The "Skyline" notification light is actually quite good in these days of LEDs that are far too bright, however whenever I see the name I always think of a Nissan, not a fancy LED.
An SD card slot on a high end phone released in 2015!
The downsides:
The dual-SIM layout is slightly odd. It takes a micro SIM as its primary and a nano SIM as the secondary. 4G is only available on the micro SIM, not the nano!. This strikes me as an odd decision as nano SIMs are more likely to be 4G capable, and to be the primary SIM for the phone, with the larger SIM being from a crappy company phone. Fortunately for me my girlfriend is very good with a craft knife and the Blackberry SIM is now a perfectly good nano SIM. I guess some folk would rather use up their works data allowance for everything and then stick in a personal nano SIM for calls.
The position of the power button is annoying. I keep grabbing it and locking my phone when I want to just hold the phone. I wonder if there's a way to make that button unlock only, not lock, as I can lock it by either closing the case or double tapping the home button.
Opening task manager by doing a long press on menu, rather than home, takes a little bit of getting used to.
The Oppo widgets only work on their own launcher. I had to install Google Calendar to get a working calendar widget, which then left me with two calendar entries in the app drawer.
There is still a little bit of bloat to be removed. Google Chrome should not be baked into a ROM as it's 80mb and is almost invariably out of date when the phone ships, plus I use Firefox anyway, also the above mentioned oppo calendar.
There's a hidden app with the name still in Chinese that had me nervous at first as I had no idea what it did. Turns out it's EngineeringMode.apk and is triggered by *#*#4636#*#* and has a few things to tinker with, but use with caution.
No kernel source code available, no fastboot files available. This is especially annoying given that the OTAs failed for me.
Most information about the phone, and about ColorOS is only available in Chinese.
Non-removable battery.
SD card can't be used at the same time as a second SIM. I wonder if careful shaving of both cards could get around this, but unwilling to try it as getting a card stuck in that slider would basically ruin the phone.
The SIM slider can be completely removed and if you lose it you have a £430 tiny overpriced tablet!
All in all I'm quite happy with my purchase. I'm not sure it'll do that well as the phone doesn't know what it wants to be. The dual-SIM thing is great for business people, but the selfie camera is obviously targeted at young women, yet the size is likely too big and they're competing with Samsung who actually have physical shops in the UK. They're also doing zero marketing. For me it is (almost) the perfect phone*, but I'm weird and have multiple often contradictory requirements. I love it but not sure I'd recommend it to anyone else.
* for it to be perfect it would have to have a 5-row QWERTY slider. This is my first non-QWERTY phone and I'm struggling with typing having come from a Droid 4. Guess I need to look for an external keyboard.

so far battery life seems to be as good as my note 4.
very happy with the phone so far but knowing me, soon, i will revert to note 4 cos i like the pen.
the motorised camera is quite amazing.
my main gripe is i wish the finger print scanner were as big as the huawei one.
Comparing with Note 4
Note 4 over N3
- generally faster esp with file copying
- slimmer
- feels better in the hand
- a more sensible headphone jack
- better screen
- better auto brightness
- Spen!!!!
- GPS is better
- more RAM
N3 over Note 4
- faster camera
- more wow factor with the camera module
- much better mono speaker
- better finger print scanner
- colorOS is a more user friendly OS than touchwiz
- can be dual sim (not checked whether it is dual standby though)
- lower price point plus got freebies
- gestures are great!!
- fast charging is quite phenomenal
The placement of the monospeaker is particularly smart. It is at the bottom but more importantly, because of the skylight notification portion, the speaker is not the last part of the phone. This is important because for phones with bottom-mounted speakers, when i play games and hold the bottom, my palm covers the speaker. Additionally, when the phone is placed on the table, with the skylight bulge and the table flanking the speaker, there is a lot of resonance, making the speaker pretty loud!! At the same time, on speaker phone mode, i can cup my palm over the bottom to increase the volume. In all, this is the best implementation of bottom speaker.

what do you mean by "dual standby"? I have two SIMs in there, so I'll test it for you.

i suppose to find out whether both lines can be called through or whether only one can be used (despite there being two sims in the phone).
Lum_UK said:
what do you mean by "dual standby"? I have two SIMs in there, so I'll test it for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

both sims work at the same time
inertiaholic said:
i suppose to find out whether both lines can be called through or whether only one can be used (despite there being two sims in the phone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can receive calls or texts on both sims at the same time....the sim settings are also great...you can set it to default reply so that if someone texts or calls you on sim1 the phone will default reply on sim1....also when you go to make a call or send a text there is an option for both sims you just press the one your using

Review by Music.Photo.Life.
I'm happy to share my review of the OPPO N3 here.
http://musicphotolife.blogspot.sg/2015/04/oppo-n3-swivel-camera-smartphone-review.html
Thanks for reading!

[Review] ZTE Blade S6 PLUS

Hello,
here is my review of the new ZTE Blade S6 PLUS. The original review is written in German language (my native language) and you can find it here: Link removed. I will sometimes compare the Plus with the normal model that I have already tested some weeks ago Link removed
Order
I have received the ZTE Blade S6 Plus for this review.
Specs
Brand: ZTE
Model: Blade S6 Plus
Betriebssystem: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
Networking: 2G: GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) / 3G: WCDMA (900/2100MHz) / 4G: FDD-LTE (B3/B7/B8/B20 (1800/2600/900/800MHz))
SIM-card: DualSIM with DualStandby (both are MicroSIM-cards)
Attention: Only SIM-Slot1 supports 3G and 4G LTE, SIM-Slot2 only supports 2G
CPU: Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, 64Bit, 1.5GHz
GPU: Adreno 405
ROM: 16GB
RAM: 2GB
External memory: MicroSD up to 32Gb
Display: 5,5“ IPS Display
Resolution: 1280 x 720 (HD 720p)
Camera (back): 13MP, F2.0 aperture
Camera (front): 5MP, F2.2 aperture
Battery: 3000mAh
Notification led: Yes, blue pulsating homebutton
Radio: Yes, with headphones
GPS: Yes
WIFI: Yes, 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth: Yes
Size: 157,9 x 78,9 x 8,4 mm / 6,21 x 3,10 x 0,33 inches
Weight: 0,150 kg
Unboxing: What’s in the box?
It is one of the first cellphones that I have received factory sealed. So I was able to say that it was a brand new phone and no one else has ever used it.
After removing the sealing I could see the phone, a small foldable manual and an USB/data cable with a power adapter in two different boxes. The power adapter is suitable to EU wall-socket.
Casing & Build Quality
The build quality is very good. Nothing knars and there is a nice looking silver frame around the front of the phone. The whole body is, like the one of the normal Blade S6, made out of plastic but it doesn’t feel cheap. Some users of the normal S6 mentioned that they are able to push in the back of the phone with their fingers. This isn’t the case here. Maybe because the backcover is removable on this phone (on the normal version it isn’t).
If we stay at the back of the phone we will find the dual LED flash in the top left corner. Next to it the 13MP back camera and a microphone. The camera is framed by a silver circle just like the front of the phone. Approximately 2cm below you can find the ZTE logo imprinted in light-grey.
At low range you can a CE logo, the number „1588“ and a picture of a crossed out bin. The writing „Designed by ZTE in California Assembled in China“, that you can find on the normal Blade S6, is missing. Lately there is the loudspeaker with a small bump next to it so that the phone doesn’t lay flat on the backside and covers the loudspeaker.
On the right-hand side you can detect the volume control and the on-off switch down below.
The micro-USB connector is in the middle of the bottom and next to it in the right corner you can find a microphone. The USB-port is a bit special because you use it to remove the backcover of the phone.
The left-hand side of the phone is clean. There are no buttons or for example SimSlots like on the normal Blade S6.
The 3,5mm headphone jack and the IR-blaster are placed on top of the phone.
If we look at the front of the ZTE Blade S6 Plus we will be able to see the all-white borders and the black display. The position of the earpiece is at top in the middle. Left besides is a sensor bar and lately the front-camera. Below the screen is a blue circle. It’s the homebutton. If the phone is turned off or in standby the two buttons left and right next to the homebutton aren’t noticeable.
There is one more thing to mention. The phone has rounded edges.
As previously reported is the backcover, in contrast to the normal Blade S6, removable on the Plus version. If you remove the back of the phone you will find the 3000mAh battery, the two micro-SimcardSlots and the micro-SdSlot. Of course there are the dual LED and back-camera visible, too.
With its rounded edges and the thickness of 8,4mm the ZTE Blade S6 Plus feels very good in the hand. The plastic housing doesn’t feel cheap because everything is well build and it isn’t too lightweight.
The borders around the screen are big and according to this the dimensions of the phone are bigger than other 5,5“ screens, too.
Display / Touchscreen / Multitouch
The used 5,5” 1280x720 IPS HD-Display is great. I can’t see any pixels and the colors are natural. The viewing angle is stable and watching YouTube videos makes a lot of fun. You can adjust the brightness very high and this is why there should be no problem using this phone in sunlight. The automatic brightness adjustment also works well and reacts fast on changing ambient light conditions. So far there have been no ghost-touches or something like that. The touchscreen is very snappy and precise. Finally I have to say that it is a five point multitouch screen.
Processor & Storage
The ZTE Blade S6 Plus has the same processor like the normal version. It is the solid Snapdragon 615 octacore processor with an Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB RAM.
It’s a 64bit Prozessor and there are no lags noticeable. Not even if you switch fast between the different homescreens. Apps and games starts fast and works well. I could even play graphic intense games like Asphalt8 and RealRacing3 on highest settings without any problems. 2Gb RAM are enough space to run various apps at the same time. For example it is possible to hear music in the background and to surf on the internet at the same time.
The phone has 16Gb of internal storage. The storage is partitioned in System Rom, User Rom and Internal SD card. You can expand it with a micro SDcard with up to 64Gb. I have tested a 64Gb micro SD card from Sandisc and it worked like a charm.
2G / 3G / 4G
The ZTE Blade S6 Plus supports DualSim (two Micro-simcards) and 4G LTE. The reception is very good and without any abortions.
Attention: SimSlot2 only supports 2G! You can only use 3G and 4G LTE in SimSot1. But of course you can make calls or write sms with in both SimSlots.
Sensors
To see the supported/build in sensors please check the GoogleDrive link that I have provided at the end of my review.
Wlan
The Wlan reception/range is very good. It is even better than on my Meizu MX4.
Bluetooth
The Bluetooth range is very long, too. I have tested it with several phones and Bluetooth speaker.
Cameras
The front-camera has 5MP with a F2.2 aperture and a 80° wide-angle lens. The main camera on the back has 13MP with a F2.0 aperture and gets support by a dual LED flash.
The camera quality of both camera is decent in my eyes. The front-camera is good enough for selfies and apps like Skype and with the back-camera you can make snapshots and semi-professional pictures.
Please conceive an opinion by yourself by looking at the pictures at my GoogleDrive folder (link provided at the end of my review). All pictures were made with the preinstalled camera app without any changes in the settings.
Benchmark Tests
Please check the results in the GoogleDrive link that I have provided at the end of my review.
Firmware
The ZTE Blade S6 comes with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop out of the box. Everything works fast and reacts snapppy.
The preinstalled launcher is called „MiFavor 3.0“ and looks good. There is no app drawer, so you find all the installed apps on the homescreen just like on FlymeOS or MIUI. You have to sort your Apps with folders for a better user experience. If you don’t like it you can easily download a different launcher with the preinstalled Google PlayStore.
Sliding up on the homescreen or pressing the menu button (left or right next to the homebutton) opens a menu where you can change the background/wallpaper or the animation when you scroll through the different homescreens. In the settings is possible to change the function of the two buttons around the homebutton. You can select that the back button is on the right and that the menu button is on the left side of the homebutton or the other way around.
If you hold the homebutton for a while (not only touch it) GoogleSearch will open. The ZTE Blade S6 Plus has a multilingual firmware and supports a lot of languages just like German, English, Spanish, French… .
Unlike the normal ZTE Blade S6 the Plus version doesn’t support SmartGestures (I couldn’t find any settings) but on the other hand there is another launcher called „Family Mode“. With this launcher every icon is very big and so it is easier to handle for older people who are sick of the sight of small things.
Moreover ZTE has implemented a service with the name „ZTE AliveShare“. ZTE claims that it is 40 times faster than Bluetooth. With this App you can get connected to your friends, share e.g. pictures and play games against them. I wasn’t able to test it in depth because I’m the only one in my area with a ZTE smartphone.
There is no option to see the battery percentage preinstalled. You can easily fix this if you install the app „Battery Percent Enabler“ by kroegerama. After the installation you have to set a check mark and reboot the phone. Then you will see the battery percentage and you can delete the app without losing the notification.
Root
It is possible to root the ZTE Blade S6 Plus using the curren version of KingRoot (4.0.0.233).
You can download it here: http://203.205.136.145/mmgr.myapp.co...&f=d388&p=.apk
Copy the downloaded .apk file to your phone, install the app, start it and click on "Root".
Audio
The sound quality is good and phone calls are clear as well on both sides of the line. Just like on the normal Blade S6, the Plus version has the little bump next to the loudspeaker as well. It really helps to improve the sound and the loudness if you lay the phone on its back while listening to music or watching a movie.
Notification LED
The ZTE Blade S6 Plus has a notification led in the form of the blue pulsating homebutton. It looks very nice and I like it more than the normal LEDs of the most phones.
Battery
The 3000mAh battery is non removable. It will always be hard to say if the stated value is real or fake because you can’t for example scale the weight of a built-in battery. The battery lasts very long and a screen-on time of more than five hours was unproblematically possible. Please don‘t forget that this really depends on the user behavior and can differ very hard from user to user. Maybe if you play games for a long time you only get three hours of screen-on time.
GPS
Supported
Compass
Supported
IR-Blaster
The ZTE Blade S6 Plus has a built-in IR-blaster on top of the phone. It performs vey well. I have tried it with the free app „Remote for Samsung TV“ from the PlayStore. Even long distances approximately 6m away from my television were no problem.
Radio
There is a radio preinstalled but you have to use headphones to be able to use it. It doesn’t support DRS.
Conclusion
All in all is the ZTE Blade S6 Plus a good looking phone, with great specifications and an outstanding reception of GPS, Wlan and networking. Everything works out of the box and all GoogleApps are preinstalled so that you can directly download tons of apps and games. The phone comes with the newest Android version (5.0.2 Lollipop) and until now I couldn‘t find any bugs or lags. Everything starts fast and reacts snappy. At the moment there is no working method to root this device. So if you definitely need root for some apps I give you the advice to wait a bit of time before you order (there is still no root for the normal Blade S6, too). The display and battery are good and the reception of GPS, Wlan are very good. I really like the IR-blaster but I see it as a gadget and will still use my normal remote. One thing that I can’t understand and where I really see potential for improvement are the large bezels around the display because they make the phone very big in comparison to other 5,5“ and especially to the new borderless smartphones like the Nubia Z9. An improvement would make the operation with one hand a lot easier.
Pro:
- powerful processor
- very good reception of Wlan, Bluetooth and GPS
- Infrared blaster supported
- Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with GoogleApps preinstalled out of the box
Neutral:
- Cameras
- Notification LED with only one color (blue)
- price
Contra:
- only SIM-Slot1 supports 3G and 4G LTE
- less accessories in the box (no case or screen protector)
- huge bezels around the display
To see the pictures of the ZTE Blade S6 Plus please click on the following link:
https://drive.google.com/folderview...BaRW9yT0JaRHZDblh1RUhpc0dvay1Bd0k&usp=sharing
If you have any questions or want me to test something special then please leave a comment in this thread.
Mod Edit: Links to off-site registration removed
Droidriven
Forum Moderator

Hey, very nice review.
Can you confirm, that shaking phone don't turn the LED on? I really like this gesture on my blade S6.
IR blaster is nice to use in pub, where is something ugly in TV you don't want to see
But for practical use I doubt about using it at home...Maybe if you lost your remote.

Do I have to change something in the settings before I test it?
With normal setting nothing happens when I shake the phone.

Settings - gestures & motions - turn on.
If you don't have this menu in settings, it is probably not supported.

This menu doesn't exist on the Plus model.

It is now possible to root the device. Please check my review for more information.

IceTea7 said:
It is now possible to root the device. Please check my review for more information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And follow these steps to switch to SuperSu http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=60818978

Firmware ZTZ_Blade_S6_Plus_B02 available for download since 26/05 rom ZTE Hong-Kong support.
For rooting B02 I used KingRoot-4.1.0.249-release-nolog-201505211812_105001.apk (previous one did not work) and then I used SuperSUme.zip making it easier to replace the Kingsroot against SuperSU.

Thank you very much for the information.

hi, i have this phone its good but one thing i can not get to work is usb OTG. i have used 3 cables and 4 or 5 usb sticks all formated to different formats but to no use. all work fine on other android tablets or phones etc
any idears? thanks.
oh its on android 5.0.2 not rooted

Sorry for my late reply.
At the moment I can't test it because I have only a damaged OTG-cable. I will test it soon.

wonderful thank you. i have re set phone but still not working.
Sent from my ZTE Blade S6 Plus using XDA Free mobile app

Is the headset plug 3 pin or 4 cos I need 4 pin for a card reader

The answer to my own question is yes
Sent from my MID using XDA Free mobile app

jonezy8873 said:
wonderful thank you. i have re set phone but still not working.
Sent from my ZTE Blade S6 Plus using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Today I was able to test OTG with a brand new cable.
I'm sorry but it doesn't work with my S6 Plus on StockRom B01.

IceTea7 said:
Today I was able to test OTG with a brand new cable.
I'm sorry but it doesn't work with my S6 Plus on StockRom B01.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thanks. What rom is used in video then as its working on that?

Hello,
How is the partitioning style of the internal flash? One big partition or the 4/4/7 of the S6 EU/AS version?
Sent from my Blade S6 using XDA Free mobile app

this phone suport double tap?

It's not a built-in feature but maybe you can fix it with an app.

it possible instal another s roms in this device?
how best to install root for this phone?

DOOGEE S60 - Information & Reviews - 5.2" FHD | MT6757CD | 6GB | 64GB | IP68

DOOGEE S60
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Specs:
Dimensions: 81 x 164 x 15.5 mm
Weight: 286 g
Chassis: Rugged
SoC: MediaTek MT6757CD (Helio P25)
CPU: ARM Cortex-A53, 4x2600 MHz, Cores: 8
GPU: ARM Mali-T880 MP2 1000MHz, Cores: 2
Network: 4G Cat.6 (300MBps) with VoLTE Support
RAM: 6 GB, LPDDR4
Storage: 64 GB
Memory cards: microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC
Display: 5.2 in, 1080x1920, IPS
Protection: Gorilla Glass 5
Battery: 5580mAh, Li-Polymer
OS: Android 7.0 Nougat
Back Camera: 5104 x 4092 pixels (21MP), Sony IMX230 Sensor
Front Camera: 3264 x 2448 pixels (8MP), Samsung S5K4H8 Sensor
SIM card: Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
Wi-Fi: a, b, g, n 2.4GHz/5.0GHz, dual-band, Wi-Fi Hotspot
USB: Micro-USB, 2.0
Bluetooth: 4.0
Positioning: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Other Features: Fingerprint Scanner, Mediatek Pump Express, NFC, Wireless Charging
Colors: Black, Gold, White
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official Website:
http://www.doogee.cc/detail/ip68-rugged-smartphone/112
Development & Support:
by @Chamelleon : https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/doogee-s60-one-thread-firmware-recovery-t3697563
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reviews:
My own review: Post #2 & #3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
​

Review (part 1)
Introduction
This is the DOOGEE S60.
Hardware
Taking the name from the CAT S60, the most powerful rugged device ever made with a thermal camera, the DOOGEE S60 tries to follow, at least in part, the idea of providing decent hardware even in rugged devices. As a result, DOOGEE choose to use a Mediatek Helio P20/25 with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM, with probably everything you can fit in a device, such as NFC and Wireless Charging.
Unboxing
It comes packages in a pretty standard DOOGEE box, i would have expected something different for this kind of device though, with some accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable, 1x 5 to 12V Pump Express USB Charger, 1x Quick Start Guide, 1x Warranty Card, 1x Plastic Screen Protector. 1x Screwdriver with extra screws and the Smartphone (of course). A screen protector is already applied.
When it comes to the design, this is the best rugged device i have ever held in my hands, with no crazy coloured parts or any other weirdness. I got the Black Version and the full-black design looks gorgeous. It is also solid of course as you would expect from an IP68 device, but it isn't perfect, since keys can be pressed too easily (must have been harder).
It is 16.2x8.33x1.52mm, that translated in a single word would mean "big", with a weight of 286g, not too much considering that also non-rugged devices sometimes reach this weight.
On the front side there is a classic flat glass with a FHD IPS panel underneath, with big bezels.
The upper front side features the earpiece, the sensors hole that includes both light and proximity sensors and a front-facing camera. An RGB Notification LED is also here.
Here you can see the LED in action.
As regards the lower front side, there isn't anything at all except a nice-looking DOOGEE logo. On-screen keys are used here.
On the back side there is a world of things, with screws to remove the whole back cover.
The upper rear side of the device features a big Sony IMX230 camera sensor with dual-tone dual-LED flashlight, an hole that seems to be for the secondary microphone and a cover for the SIM-Card/MicroSD area that can be removed with the provided screwdriver. Almost in the center there is the fingerprint scanner that has been cut in the photo ^^.
On the lower rear side there is the NFC/Wireless Charging pad, the supposed stereo speaker grills and some words about the device itself.
Device
Screen
Being the first 5.2 inches smartphone i ever review, i don't know how other panels behave, but the one i found here is pretty good, with excellent color accuracy and an overall nice viewing experience.
The light sensor works reasonably well, and the screen brightness is higher than average.
Viewing Angles are perfect thanks to the flat glass, with no distortion on any side.
Camera
Photos taken using the rear camera, that is a Sony IMX230 (21MP), look just OK, with a low noise level but also low image detail. Consider the number of megapixels, i would have expected some better results.
HDR works pretty good though, with some nice gain in brightness and image detail. Sometimes photos look warmer than usual though.
The Flashlight is pretty powerful and, being dual-tone, is doesn't mess up color accuracy.
Video Recording is a kind of flashback of what happened on the BL7000, videos recorded at 1080p30 show an high level of noise, and this is confusing considering that in photo mode this doesn't happen.
As regards the Front-Camera, it is a wide-angle variant with the same noise level found on the rear camera so photos look a bit noisy.
Audio
Starting from the speaker, it is really important to report that even though DOOGEE declares a Stereo Speaker system, only one of the two holes provides audio so it is clear that there is only one speaker inside unless my unit is faulty.
Anyway, from the single speaker unit the sound is really loud and powerful, probably one of the best i have ever found on a smartphone, with minor distortion at maximum volume.
Both Microphone and Earpiece instead work decently well, with a nice hearing esperience and no single problem while in-call.
GPS
Even though there is an high amount of Metal on this device that could interfere with the GPS Antenna, here it works great, nearly perfect, with excellent accuracy outdoors and impressive accuracy indoors. The signal is stable, and GLONASS is supported.
Indoors on the left, outdoors on the right.
Telephony, Mobile Network & WiFi
The same consideration i made for the GPS Antenna applies here. With full support for European 4G Bands (Band 20 included), i managed to stay connected to my 4G Network everywhere, with even better results compared to my Redmi Note 4. Outstanding results for a Mediatek device.
WiFi Performance is great too. Of course WiFi 5GHz is supported, and i was able to reach the same speed i get on my laptop, the maximum reachable using my VDSL internet connection.
Battery Life
Battery Capacity is slightly disappointing since it doesn't match the declared value, and the amount of missing mAhs isn't low at all. (declared 5580mAh, real ~4970mAh)
Battery Life is still good though, considering the power-hungry SOC, a result of 15h and 7min using the PCMark Battery Test isn't bad at all. (WiFi on, minimum brightness, Sync on)
Thanks to the Mediatek Pump Express charger, it is possible to recharge the battery completely is more or less 2 hours (as long as you keep the device cold of course), but it reaches a maximum of 9V even though the Charger is made to reach up to 12V.
Last but not least, Wireless Charging. Working just fine with a wireless charger i have here, made for Samsung devices.
Software
Similar to most DOOGEE devices released in the past few months, also this one runs on DOOGEE OS based on Android 7.0 Nougat. Basically, it is a slightly skinned OS with a custom launcher that i recommend to replace. Except Xender and Zello, there isn't any bloatware preinstalled and both apps can be uninstalled/disabled.
The OS runs pretty smooth with no lags at all (excluding the launcher), and the Toolbox app is also pretty useful to use all features included with the device.
Just like most Mediatek devices, also this one features the usual set of features such as Gestures, Double tap-to-wake and MiraVision.
All kinds of sensors are here, including a Barometer.
No malwares detected using Malware-Bytes Anti-Malware.
The fingerprint scanner is another thing that requires heavy optimization on this device, it is accurate and fast when it works, but it frequently stops recognizing fingerprints even while the screen is on (as you can notice in the video).

Benchmarks
I am sorry for all of you readers but i have to say goodbye to the good and old Vellamo Mobile Benchmark, it doesn't upload anymore results to the server thus, i guess, it has been discontinued 4ever. RIP Vellamo.
I have used 3DMark, AndroBench, Antutu Benchmark, Epic Citadel, GeekBench 4, GFXBench, PCMark (Work 2.0, Computer Vision, Storage & Work 1.0) and PassMark PerformanceTest to stress the device to the limit. I won’t test Games or Video Playback because there are already some related tests included in these Benchmark suites.
3DMark – A FHD screen isn't the best for the GPU used in this SOC, so results might not look that high. Still, i would have expected way worse results.
AndroBench – Excellent internal storage performance, probably the maximum reachable on this SOC.
Antutu Benchmark – I won’t say a lot about this benchmark, this isn’t as reliable as others. I’m providing this just for benchmarks lovers.
Epic Citadel – Not buttery smooth frame-rate, but still over 30fps that is the minimum required for a decent gaming experience.
GeekBench – It is nice to see that Mediatek CPUs are gradually reaching previous gen Qualcomm ones, but single-core performance still requires lots of work from the company. Multi-core performance is pretty good though.
CPU
Compute
GFXBench – Almost impressed by the results provided here, i got way worse results in the past even on more powerful devices. Interesting.
PCMark – Just some standard scores, maybe i would have expected an higher storage score considering the AndroBench result, but it is still good.
Work 2.0
Computer Vision
Storage
Work 1.0
PassMark PerformanceTest – I don't have any other devices tested with this new-entry benchmark, as a start, use this results just for reference.
Conclusions
DOOGEE S60, a device full of great features and powered by some great hardware, but the software requires lots of work to get the maximum from the hardware. The potential is here, it just needs to be unlocked.
Excluding the software, the device is well-made, a good example of how a rugged device should be designed with no weird parts that would make the device look like a toy. Still, this is not for everyone, since you must have specific needs to choose this device instead of a classical more portable one.
So, do i recommend it? Well, as long as you can wait for some camera fixes or just don't mind about camera quality, then yes, definitely recommended.
Pros:
Excellent WiFi and 4G Performance
Outstanding GPS Accuracy
Solid and well-made
Good IPS Panel
Complete of all kinds of sensors
Cons:
Battery Capacity doesn't match the declared value
Both cameras require heavy software optimizations
Only one side of the speaker grills is actually working
A bit too easy-to-press HW keys
Sleepy (or freezy) fingerprint scanner
Rating: 8.3
Packaging and Accessories: 8.5
Design and Materials: 10
Performance and Heat Dissipation: 9.5
Screen: 9
Camera: 6.5
Sound: 8
Battery Life: 8
Software: 7
OEM Support: 8
Price: 8.5
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: https://imgur.com/a/yVI76
Official Website: http://www.doogee.cc/detail/ip68-rugged-smartphone/112
You can buy it on many online shops. Official, and authorized, Retailers are listed in the DOOGEE website.​

There is one speaker only
Unfortunately, the doogee's autopsy shows that on the back there is one speaker only. And some people have problem with it: sometimes it begin to produce the sound like if it has water inside. After you open the back tamp for sim-cards or one of the rubber ramps, it normalize. But in few time it can repeat. Several people are complaining about this. ..

Oksi said:
Unfortunately, the doogee's autopsy shows that on the back there is one speaker only. And some people have problem with it: sometimes it begin to produce the sound like if it has water inside. After you open the back tamp for sim-cards or one of the rubber ramps, it normalize. But in few time it can repeat. Several people are complaining about this. ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So mine isn't faulty then, but I don't have the "water" issue.

This seem a very solid device. I am going to see more reviews about this one as i´m needing a very solid phone

@Alberto96 which model of wireless charger did you use? I tried a couple of chargers but the phone seems not able to comply with the communication protocols or something along the line: the charging process starts and then stops a few seconds later. Thanks!!

pittapittae said:
@Alberto96 which model of wireless charger did you use? I tried a couple of chargers but the phone seems not able to comply with the communication protocols or something along the line: the charging process starts and then stops a few seconds later. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iVoler MPA-WFC-000012, it is an high-power model.

Alberto96 said:
iVoler MPA-WFC-000012, it is an high-power model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! And you didn't see any drop of connection with the pad during the charging right? Did you charge it for some time? Just asking before jumping on the "buy" button!

sar value
can you tell me the sar value of s60? seems it's impossible to find it ! thanks

Hi, great in depth review!thanks a lot. Can you some post pictures of the inside of the Doogee S60 (motherboard, chipset etc.).

Maatje said:
Hi, great in depth review!thanks a lot. Can you some post pictures of the inside of the Doogee S60 (motherboard, chipset etc.).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't want to mess its IP68 certification e.e

Alberto96 said:
Don't want to mess its IP68 certification e.e
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, that's understandable.
I was curious about the inside and motherboard.
I read some people experience problems with the wireless charging. I thought maybe a view on the innards could help identify the problem.
I wondered what wireless charging standard is used (QI? PMA? Multiple standards?) and if it is implemented in the p25 chip, or is there a separate chip for that.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn D5803 met Tapatalk

Hi guys,
please, can you (somebody) tested Bluetooth? Do it work with bluetooth headset, car-radio with handsfree, BL speaker without any issue? Music play and telephone call is smoothly without chopping.
And what is specification for wireless charging?
Thank you

winco206 said:
Hi guys,
please, can you (somebody) tested Bluetooth? Do it work with bluetooth headset, car-radio with handsfree, BL speaker without any issue? Music play and telephone call is smoothly without chopping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used it with Sony MDR-1000X bluetooth headphones and Inateck Bluetooth dongle (call capable, can plug wired headphones in to make them bluetooth headphones). Everything works just fine.
winco206 said:
And what is specification for wireless charging?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Qi wireless chargers are compatible. I have tested this on both Raynic and RavPower Qi charging pads. One tip is that placement should be with the NFC area on the charging pad, not the centre of the phone (so it will sit slightly 'high' on the pad). I noticed that the display keeps turning on and off and thought this was to do with charging. It's not - it's to do with the oversensitive fingerprint reader (thanks to another post I read for the clue). It does get warm, though the metal case should help dissispate the heat (and is probably why it feels so warm as conduction is better).
HTH.
This device replaces a Blackview BV6000 for me, which had a couple of issues too many (firmware updates, USB OTG & proximity sensor).
---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:43 PM ----------
Alberto96 said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What app are you using to show that it has an IR blaster? This is the one thing above all others this phone is missing (maybe it's not?!).
And I agree that the buttons are a little too easy to press and the fingerprint sensor is too sensitive when you don't want it to be and not sensitive enough when you do. It also only seems to recognise the first finger I set up, any further ones do not work (so much for using it left-handed).
H.

Huey said:
What app are you using to show that it has an IR blaster? This is the one thing above all others this phone is missing (maybe it's not?!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's DevCheck, but I completely forgot to say that it is just a "false alarm" xD

thanks for your answer.
I have problem to choose Xiaomi redmi note 4 Global version or Doogee S60.
I want rugged phone but I dont have to have it. Doogee S60 is very good phone, CPU speed, RAM capacity and more, but is large and heavy. However Xiaomi have official distributors in the Europe (Slovakia) so waranty are notproblem. Doogee's waranty is problem.
What is your opinion.

winco206 said:
thanks for your answer.
I have problem to choose Xiaomi redmi note 4 Global version or Doogee S60.
I want rugged phone but I dont have to have it. Doogee S60 is very good phone, CPU speed, RAM capacity and more, but is large and heavy. However Xiaomi have official distributors in the Europe (Slovakia) so waranty are notproblem. Doogee's waranty is problem.
What is your opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nobody can answer that but yourself. If you like the specs of the Xiaomi better, then you have the benefit of the European warranty. If the S60 is more tempting, you take a chance with warranty :fingers-crossed: but the phone does not cost as much as a flagship...
I'm in Europe and I bought the S60

winco206 said:
thanks for your answer.
I have problem to choose Xiaomi redmi note 4 Global version or Doogee S60.
I want rugged phone but I dont have to have it. Doogee S60 is very good phone, CPU speed, RAM capacity and more, but is large and heavy. However Xiaomi have official distributors in the Europe (Slovakia) so waranty are notproblem. Doogee's waranty is problem.
What is your opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on your needs. In my opinion, Qualcomm-based devices are always superior, so, if you don't need a rugged device, then go for the Xiaomi.

thank you guys. Finaly, I take Xiaomi note 4X (global). Performance is same like a S60 (cca) but CPU is Qualcomm not MediaTek and cost is 150€ less.

HOMTOM HT70 6.0" HD+ 18:9 - MT6750T- 4GB - 64GB - 10000mAh

Hi There,
HT70 seems to be one of the best Battery Phone for 170$/150€ price tag.
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}
I received some days ago and i'm able to give you my thoughts:
5.99 "HD +, Mediatek MT6750T 1.5Ghz, 4Gb Ram 64Gb storage, Android 7.0, Cam IMX135 13Mp + 2mp secondary (not specified) + Flash dual led and front 8Mp, 10000mAh, Type-C, Led Notification, OTG, GPS Glonass , Dual Band Wifi, Gyroscope + Compass.
Bundle
Very compact package for this HOMTOM HT70, does not reveal the brick inside ... matte black box containing the phone, the English manuals, the USB Type-C Red cable, the OTG Type-C USB-A cable (Also for Reverse Charge), a Transparent Silicone Case, an additional plastic protection for the front glass, the 9V 3A charger with EU socket and a Type-C adapter to 3.5mm headphone jack. As mentioned the charger is 9V 3A and allows a complete charge of the 10000mAh integrated battery in about 3 hours 30 minutes.
Design, Display, Materials, Ergonomics, Keys, Performance
Good use of materials for the price range of the device, the frame is in metal and the back in plastic with a "reflective" effect like the Honor 8 (holds the fingerprints), 2.5D rounded front glass and 5.99 "18: 9 display with resolution HD + 720x1440 and about 268ppi Very cumbersome and bulky (165x77x14.4mm approximately for weight 310g), although heavy it seems to be balanced in handling.
At the top right of the headset there is a notification LED, hiding screen keys (with the possibility of customizing the back and multitasking position) and rear fingerprint reader moved to the left with respect to the dual camera. The MT6750T CPU with a Nougat stock ROM guarantees fair performance and usability of all contents.
The rear fingerprint reader is just a touch (no physical), you have to make a hand a little bit, since the position is not really natural for the right hand.
The 5.99 "screen proves to be a discrete IPS LCD unit, HD + resolution and has a density of 268 ppi. Good color rendering (customizable in various aspects with Miravision) unfortunately , no rounded corners as we have seen in the least screen 18: 9.
Volume and Power keys on the left, tray for two Sims (NANO format) on the right hybrid 2in1 (by renouncing the second sim you can use a MicroSD).
Memory, Battery, Sensors, Reception and Audio
The memory cut for this Homtom HT70 is equal to 4Gb Ram + 64Gb Storage, possibility of expansion with MicroSD (up to 128Gb definitely supported) renouncing the use of the second sim.
The battery is performing very well and allows records in terms of lasting, (at least 13 hours of screen, allowing about 3 days of intensive use mixed WiFi + 4G).
the sensors are complete and we have Sensor Brightness, Proximity, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Compass .. the Type-C port has OTG compatibility.
The telephone reception is of good quality, stable 4G hookup with the tested some carriers, audio quality of the headset capsule and the speaker (placed in the lower left frame), more than discrete, very high volumes and good range of frequencies. The presence of the Dual Band Wifi 2.4 and 5Ghz is interesting.
FM radio present using type-c adapter and headphones (not supplied).
Photos and Videos
The rear camera sensor is Sony IMX135 f / 2.8 13Mp (interpolated to 16Mp), focus of the previous generation (not PDAF), good quality of the day shots, even if the focal aperture does not help; the photos enabling the HDR function lead to a good dynamic range, but the very clear areas appear during the shooting of purple (the shot is still good). Video side is the FullHD at 30fps. Only the dual LED flash is sufficient, which in any case helps in the dark. The yield in critical lighting conditions is very poor .. both for focusing and for details ..
The front camera is an 8Mp F / 2.4 module, the results are more than discrete for all uses.
Final Considerations
it HT70 the Battery Phone of the year?
Let's say that this Homtom HT70 does not reach excellence in anything in particular, it combines an old-fashioned cpu with the new "fashion" 18: 9 form factor, but it does it trying to keep the price low and adding the Type-C that in the price range to is proposed, do not mind.
Obviously we can not expect miracles, both for the nature of the Homtom itself, and for the price range.
An honest terminal, for those looking for a robust terminal and to bring with them without worries in case of distance from the socket.
The price that varies between € 150 and € 180 based on the shop, puts it in the low-end market ... and take those figures a 6 "HD with 4 + 64Gb of memory and 10000mAh battery, is not to be underestimated .
PROs:
- 10Ah HUGE battery
- Low price range for 4GB of Ram and 64GB of storage.
- Design and excellent construction.
- 6 "HD + 18: 9, 2.5D glass with Gorilla Glass protection with good characteristics.
- Good support of 4G, including B20 (there are also other bands for USA / World) and good Audio.
- Package Contents, Extra Film and Silicone Case, OTG Type-C Adapter and Type-C Jack 3.5mm ..
- Off-screen gestures and various personalizations included in the ROM.
- Wifi both at 2.4Ghz and at 5ghz.
- Rear fingerprint reader, LED notification, OTG compatibility.
- GPS with good accuracy and quick fix
- Compass and Gyroscope
CONs
- Resolution is "only" HD + that maybe is poor for a 5.99 " screen.
- Cpu is an old gen, perhaps the use of a P23 would have been more appropriate.
- Very heavy and cumbersome (it's pretty normal for a 10000mAh 6 inches screen).
- No 3.5mm audio jack and need to use the adapter type-c (provided)
- Secondary rear camera for "bokeh" is useless (software effect)

Some reviews :
English:
https://youtu.be/LvK8rOaACJM
https://youtu.be/cXsaU4bgeBk
German
https://youtu.be/SuUh2zT9ezM
Italian
https://youtu.be/MP6nYSezvlI
Versus
Ht70 vs p10000
https://youtu.be/gHDTBDfqzZ8
Ht70 vs Redmi Note 5
https://youtu.be/xVPASHq0ywo

How to root this monster?

dcoelho said:
How to root this monster?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems that a custom recovery TWRP was compliled and with the help of Magisk, you can have root. Please check :
https://www.stupdroid.com/2018/06/HOMTOM-HT70-root-twrp.html
P. S. I'm not responsible for any damage or brick, the guide was not tested.

I already tried but seams to be impossible to unlock bootloader of the monster.
I have flashed the TWRP recovery with spFlash tools with no problems but after reboot the stock recovery is always present.

I am throwing this as an open question to everybody here!
I have checked the firmware of HomTom HT70 MTK ROM structure. (Maybe I am a bit outdated, but based on all previous "old "MTK firmware that I have "modified" , I am familiar with them). In this stock newer HT70 ROMs there included a duplicates file e.g."recovery-verified" or "boot-verified" whereas in the older ROMs there are only "recovery" or "boot" image files. I have checked on SPFlashTool either one of these will be read as normal e.g if in one ROM there is only "recovery-verified" or "boot-verified" without the "recovery" or "boot" files it will be loaded as normal. I have checked on a Lenovo ROM K9-Lite there are only "recovery-verified" or "boot-verified" files and the SPFT load it all the same.
Now what if we modified the structure to load only the "recovery" or "boot", etc (without the "-verified") and change the stock recovery to TWRP? (this is what I usually do with my ROMs). Will the TWRP recovery stick? Normally with my Lenovo ROMs after a full reflash with stock revovery substituted with TWRP recovery , I could immediately boot into TWRP and there is no trace of the stock recovery accept for the function of "power & vol+ button".my I will be receiving HT70 sometime towards the end of August. ( got it at USD 128) and as usual will immediately root an install TWRP (all my 11pcs personal Androids have TWRP +rooted)My main worry is what is contained in the "trustzone.bin"??
,
https://pin.it/ynx7elcbal4juw

Keep us posted whatever you try

Please try it and post here your results.

hi i try it and dont work bootloop and reflash stock firmware with sp flash tool
I want to root this phone please how to make this?

^Stand in the line buddy, you're not the only one

Yes . The litlle monster is a hard one.

hi Any new news about the root?

Added screen captures
I just got my HT70 and had already reflashed it 5 times in order to find a method to flash TWRP recovery. But I got my phone with a flaw it doesnt respond to recovery using Vol+Power buttons and it always shows a blank screen out of the box.
But a word of CAUTION here! There are many claims to TWRP for "HOM TOM HT70" from TWRP 3.1 to TWRP 3.2.2 and I found out the hard way when I tried to flash the 3.2.2 version that it was a dud. It got my HT70 into a frozen state stuck at boot up screen forever even its size is questionable the stock is 12k but the TWRP 3.2.2 is 16k normally difference in size are 15-25% only. So be careful what you try to flash on your device.
But I have unlocked the bootloader successfully and I can confirm it is permanent even after a reflash of the ROM (using "download" , I have not done an "upgrade" reflash after unlocked in SPFLashTool)but you will have a slightly "dirty" boot up screen with " Orange State - Your device has been unlocked and cant be trusted" message written on "HOMTOM" colored boot up logo. (lucky thing it is in a very tiny font).
The best I can think of doing is temporary reboot into TWRP without flashing(if you found the correct one) and doing your operations from TWRP and after reboot it is back to stock recovery. ( Oh! wait I cant even access my stock recovery!)
I did all my operation on Win 10 Pro x64 using Windows PowerShell (Admin) - less headache. I found my \adb folder somewhere in my C:\Users\**yourname**\adb\ and since Windows PowerShell (Admin) defaults to C: Windows\system 32\, I copied the adb folder into that address and as you can see all my commands were executed from there. ( the reason I used PowerShell (Admin) is because it is an elevated privilaged command and on some occasion using normal PowerShell it will request for an Admin privilage.
If you are having problems "boot unlocking" (seems like the PC is waiting on you and you waiting on PC) assuming that you got everything correct upto "fastboot oem unlock" and hit enter. You actually have to immediately press the "Vol +" button. and within a split second it is unlocked permanently.
I even managed to flash recovery but it was a dud. I am really puzzled as to all this prolifiration of TWRP recovery supposedly for HT70 because the model was only launched in April then suddenly by June/July there were many claims that they had TWRP ported to HT70 already. Based my other MTK unlocked/no lock bootloader models especially my favorite Lenovos it will take at least a few month for a dedicated modder to mod a TWRP recovery (that is if he happens to buy the same model as us and he has free time) Please remember HT70 is a 4Gb/64Gb MTK 6750T model and if I am not wrong, there arent many 6750T 4Gb/64Gb models floating around and 6750 and 6750T would require different version of TWRP.
I would have to ask my MTK specialist friends to see whether they are willing to help out. But nobody is working on TWRP as far that I know.If you still insist then try a temporary boot into TWRP rather than flashing these questionable TWRP (especially if the website is based in India).
If you trying to flash or just reboot or flash anything on your gadget , please ignore other forum advise that you copy the "recovery.img" or "**.img" into the same folder i.e. in ":\adb" folder it will give you error message [ cannot load '**.img' : No such file or directory ]. For me to make it simple I copied whatever *.img file onto my root D:\ directory and there immediately got no error message. Thats all folks! I will visit again when I have an actual working TWRP and root methodoloy in the future hopefully somebody would beat me to it.

My observation of the performance of HT70 thus far. After 1 week of heavy usage of device the battery lifespan seems to be getting shorter. Standby is reasonable for an active gadget (I guess my daughters Lenovo Tab A8-A5500 can last longer in standby mode than my touted HT70 almost 3 weeks in sleep mode with instant on at that).
The camera really, really sucks : in room 10 feet away from a window in broad daylight (of course at 10 feet away it gets darker - low light but not to the point that you have switch on the light, at worst it is "romantic") I want to take the picture of my 3 months old grandaughter lying on the bed and it was so "grainy" using the native camera app that it was unusable. But picture is alrite in outside the house. Even my 6 year old Lenovo 8Mp camera have not captured a low light picture so grainy that it is unusable even at night without flash.
But then I installed my favorite Open source camera "Open Camera" (I always installed a second camera app on my gadget)and the picture quality significantly improved without the grainy effect that I got using the native MTK camera app. So I guess it was the MTK app that played a significant role in the poor camera performance. have not tried any other special effects camera yet.
It is best for you to place your replacement battery order ASAP with its Charger also. Have you notice that it doesnt conform to any USB C fixed charger specs. It is a 9V /3.3A power behemoth. The USB 1/2/3/C all calls for a 5V supply for fixed voltage charger only variable voltage chargers have different specs. Your power banks, after market USB chargers, PC (intelligent) USB outputs would have a tough time coping up. And tough times means you run the risk of premature death of your PC USB port , USB, chargers, Power Banks not to mention the slow charging up time. The current standard charger can charge the HT70 to 100% from <5% in 1.5- 2hours. In case of emergency your best bet is to use your PC USB port.
And my assumption is correct you can or should remove from you ROM all files with "**.verified" into a temp folder out from the main ROM and flashed without problems. And when you have found out the correct TWRP find a way to root it first and in the "build.prop" of the HT70 delete the last entry line as it contains a reference to the stock recovery with this line
"ro.expect.recovery_id= 0x5c4eb26c22b2e0939f468197a33940618b8e170200000000000000000000000" it expects to read the recovery signature everytime it reboots! I have a copy of the "build.prop" that I was able to extract. But unable to do much until I can root it successfully. Feel free to check out the "build.prop"

I am thinking of getting this monster device. It seems to have good performance and a strong battery. If it has the google feeds then I won't need to root, these days I only root to get the feeds and that's it.

^What feeds are you referring to?

ashafura said:
I am thinking of getting this monster device. It seems to have good performance and a strong battery. If it has the google feeds then I won't need to root, these days I only root to get the feeds and that's it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I belief what he is referring to is it Google compliant.
Yes, it is a "world" ROM. "ROW" - Rest of World" ROM rather than CN(China) ROM. What heck would anybody wanna buy a gadget with CN ROM when you are outside of China, I am puzzled? If you ordered online then clearly you had been scammed , if you come across a model that is not available on AliExpress (a reliable yardstick that the model is either Google compliant or if the seller scammed you that a ROW ROM is available somewhere). There are models that is CN only and no matter how much mod you do (a bastardised ROM that have some Google apps but non functional) will not get you YouTube, Playstore to function. Dont be fooled by the price, there is always a catch. Example 2Gb / 32 Gb specs for less than the price of those memory chip and it actually turns out 1Gb/8Gb. Have seen those on local online store with customer screaming murder at the seller. Guess people are suckers from their own stupidity. Experience makes you wiser. I bought many years ago a Lenovo A880/A889 with a bastardise ROM and when it boot up it welcome users in Chinese it set up as China Unicom model but that model has a version with a barely Google ROW ROM (Gmail,Google Search, Playstore, non functional YouTube) that I managed to stitched together with a Russian modder but it took us 2 month. Never again!

So far no one click root is able to root HT70. I have tried nearly all of the known One-click-Root on Android or on PC (result from the same root prgram on PC can vary. Like a device I currently owned it cannot root using the PC version but successfully rooted using the "***.apk" bear that in mind.)
This is the list :
VRoot.apk(MgyunRoot.apk/Romastersu)
KingoRoot.apk/PCversion
KingRoot.apk/PC version
Framaroot.apk
360Root.apk
RootMaster.apk
UnversalAndroot.apk
BaiduRoot.apk
UniversalAndroot.apk
At least these are the only root app from China that I dare to install the rest I'll pass!
Need to write up a script to install using ADB exploit.
Cant live without root!

cracktech said:
I belief what he is referring to is it Google compliant.
Yes, it is a "world" ROM. "ROW" - Rest of World" ROM rather than CN(China) ROM. What heck would anybody wanna buy a gadget with CN ROM when you are outside of China, I am puzzled? If you ordered online then clearly you had been scammed , if you come across a model that is not available on AliExpress (a reliable yardstick that the model is either Google compliant or if the seller scammed you that a ROW ROM is available somewhere). There are models that is CN only and no matter how much mod you do (a bastardised ROM that have some Google apps but non functional) will not get you YouTube, Playstore to function. Dont be fooled by the price, there is always a catch. Example 2Gb / 32 Gb specs for less than the price of those memory chip and it actually turns out 1Gb/8Gb. Have seen those on local online store with customer screaming murder at the seller. Guess people are suckers from their own stupidity. Experience makes you wiser. I bought many years ago a Lenovo A880/A889 with a bastardise ROM and when it boot up it welcome users in Chinese it set up as China Unicom model but that model has a version with a barely Google ROW ROM (Gmail,Google Search, Playstore, non functional YouTube) that I managed to stitched together with a Russian modder but it took us 2 month. Never again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying the HT70 is CN based rom and not Stock Android? I am not talking about the Google Compliant, From the videos it appears that it is running stock android, or looks like stock android. I like Stock android especially the launcher, I only root phones now just to get the Pixel Experience. If this has the Swipe Left too Google Feeds then i'll go for it. I am currently using Leagoo T5c and it does everything. Had to unroot and stick to Lawnchair, though the Lawnfeed needs root to give me what I need, but I will manage for now. Hometome is my next Gadget. Jumia in Nigeria has made it easy to buy stuffs only and the return policy makes it interesting.

Actually, you swipe to the right in order to get to the panel that's on the left, and there is Google Assistant and feed, yes. Swiping to the left reveals right-side panels with randomly scattered app icons.
I just wanted to say that I didn't see any updates, but now I checked manually and there's a June patch available.