Huawei P20 Pro: Beautiful inside out

The new P20 Pro smartphone is an upgrade to the higher end of Huawei's flagship smartphones. — Bloomberg

The Huawei P20 Pro is catered to photography enthusiasts with other features that many can appreciate.

I FOUND myself really popular over the last two weeks, being asked to parties and events. At first, I thought that it was due to my dazzling personality, but my friends brought me back to reality quite bluntly. “We just want you to take photos using the Huawei P20 Pro.” They are not my friends anymore.

The P20 Pro has a stunning 6.1in screen that takes up almost the entire front. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

Hey good lookin’

This is by far the prettiest ­smartphone I have reviewed. Named Twilight, the colour is inspired by the Northern Lights, and one is supposed to see purple fading to blue and then green on the panel. Don’t worry, I don’t always see the green either.

The P20 Pro in Twilight has to be one of the prettiest smartphones in the market right now. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

The aluminium finish gives it a sleek and gorgeous feel, but I ­seriously cannot handle the amount of fingerprints it attracts. Don’t get me started on how slippery it is. If I don’t lay it flat on a flat surface, it will slide, threaten to fall and give me mini heart attacks.

And then there’s the notch, which unfortunately is an OCD freak’s nightmare in this case because it’s uneven. Gasp! So how did I deal with it? I just opted to hide the notch.

The P20 Pro has a 6.1in OLED (organic light emitting diode) screen, slightly bigger than the 5.8in LCD screen sported by its ­sibling, the P20, and both have an aspect ratio of 18.7:9 for an ­immersive viewing experience.

As someone who could watch an entire movie and more on a ­smartphone, I love its vivid colours and the brightness is just right.

If you don't like the notch on the P20 Pro, you can opt to hide it. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

Because I didn’t have the ­earphones with a USB Type-C jack that were supposed to come with the review set, I had to watch my shows with the speakers on blast – but only when I was alone, and the stereo speakers at the bottom ­deliver clear and rich audio even from a few metres away.

What makes it work

The device runs on Android 8.1 with Huawei’s EMUI 8.1 user ­interface, and is powered by the company’s Kirin 970 processor.

The P20 Pro has a 4,000mAh ­battery while the P20 has a 3,400mAh one.

I used the P20 Pro while ­covering the GE14 nomination day, and I was so worried that the phone would run out of battery.

The standard earphone jack is gone so you will need Type-C earphones. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

Well, I Wazed my way to and from the nomination centre while listening to Spotify in the car, took hundreds of photos and videos of the candidates, recorded ­interviews, wrote articles, WhatsApped bosses, checked social media accounts, made phone calls, and still didn’t have to charge the phone till the next day.

And when I needed to charge the phone, the SuperCharge capability brought the battery from 1% to 100% in about 60 minutes or so. Unfortunately, the P20 Pro doesn’t support wireless charging.

With 128GB memory and 6GB RAM, I didn’t have to worry about running out of space or even ­dealing with a lagging phone.

Smile for the camera

If you haven’t heard the hoopla surrounding the three rear ­cameras on the P20 Pro, then ­welcome back from the year you spent in a cave.

The phone is equipped with three cameras – 40-megapixel RGB sensor, 20-megapixel monochrome sensor and 8-megapixel sensor with 5x hybrid zoom telephoto lens.

The P20 Pro has three rear cameras: 40-megapixel RGB sensor, 20- megapixel monochrome sensor and 8-megapixel sensor with 5x hybrid zoom telephoto lens. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

I am not great at taking ­photographs, so I let someone who knows cameras test out this ­feature. One of the outstanding results was the crisp and clear night time images taken without a tripod. Even when you zoom into your subject, with slightly shaky hands, the photo doesn’t turn out blurry.

If you’re a photography ­enthusiast, be sure to check out the Pro mode where you can play around with the shutter speed, aperture and ISO level (which goes up to 6,400, by the way).

I particularly like the Ultra Snapshot feature which lets you take a quick snapshot even when the screen is off. Just double-press the down volume button and voila! You get a picture.

And of course, selfie fans will love the 24-megapixel front-facing camera that takes impressive ­portrait shots and even throws in dramatic blurred backgrounds.

The special Twilight colour is only available for the P20 Pro. — Bloomberg

You don’t have to worry about the lighting as the 3D lighting effect automatically adjusts the setting to make sure that you get a great ­selfie each time.

Conclusion

The Huawei P20 Pro is absolutely worth the hype. This device gives everything you possibly want from a smartphone – amazing photos, fast performance and a long-lasting battery.

The P20 Pro is priced at RM3,299 while the P20 goes for RM2,599. They come in Black, Midnight Blue and Pink Gold. The special Twilight edition is only available for the P20 Pro.

PROS: Excellent cameras; fast performance; sleek design. 

CONS: No wireless charging; slippery.

P20 Pro
(Huawei)
Android smartphone
NETWORK: 4G
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 8.1 Oreo
DISPLAY: 6.1in (1,080 x 2,240 pixels)
PROCESSOR: Hisilicon Kirin 970
CAMERA: 40-megapixel RGB + 20-megapixel monochrome + 8-megapixel (rear); 24-megapixel (front)
MEMORY: 128GB storage, 6GB RAM
CONNECTIVITY: WiFi 802.11, Bluetooth, NFC
BATTERY: 4,000mAh
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 73.9 x 7.8 x 155mm
WEIGHT: 180g
RATING: 4 stars

Huawei Honor 8 Pro

Huawei has combined butter-smooth performance, premium looks and an enjoyable camera to come up with a ‘flagship killer’

It would take quite a phone to offer some competition to the popular ‘flagship killer’ OnePlus 5. But Huawei’s Honor 8 Pro seems to be that quite-a-phone. Huawei has tried to give as much as they could manage within a rather attractive price of ₹29,999 — and really, they’ve succeeded just fine.

The Honor 8 Pro looks great. On the front, curved glass gives way to blue glass bezels that glint beautifully in the light. The navy blue matte-finish back is all smooth metal with two overly thick antenna lines running through. The only other things that break the smoothness are a no-bulge dual camera setup and a fingerprint sensor.

The 8 Pro has a huge 4,000mAh battery so it isn’t on the light side. Added to the smoothness of the metal edges, the phone is a bit slippery. It’s very solidly built, so it doesn’t look like it would suffer any damage from a light drop on a softer surface, but who knows what would happen if it fell on hard concrete, for example. Since the phone is not too broad, you can find and maintain a good grip on it. It’s only if you have extra small hands that you would have to be extra careful. Overall, it’s a great looking phone that looks more expensive than it is.

On the design front, the 8 Pro beats the OnePlus 5 in looks and originality as well as sturdiness, but the OnePlus 5 is biscuit-thin, lighter and easier to hold. It’s a bigger phone than the OnePlus with its 5.7-inch display but somehow doesn’t feel it. The 2560 x 1440 or 2K LCD display is really nice, offering pleasing colours and legibility. It’s rare to get a 2K screen within this price — and One Plus 5 doesn’t have one.

Nothing says OnePlus 5-competitor more than 6 GB of RAM, which is what Huawei has put in the Honor 8 Pro. That’s coupled with Huawei’s own HiSilicon Kirin 960 2.36GH processor and ensures the phone works smooth.

Blazing fast

With some smartphones, you can tell straight off that this is a no-stutter no-lag device and that’s the feeling you get as you first use this phone and feel that buttery fluidity. The 8 Pro matches OnePlus’ 8 GB model for space because it has 128 GB of internal storage and comes with the memory card slot.

I’ve never been overly fond of Huawei’s EMUI interface, but in this version and on this phone, it’s been integrated and optimised to work beautifully. Other than a lot of under-the-hood changes to make it smoother, Huawei says machine learning is being used to adapt to what apps are used and allocate resources accordingly.

EMUI is absolutely stuffed with features so it’s all the more surprising that the phone works as fast as it does. When you look into Settings, you’ll find all sorts of customisations such as enabling an app drawer, which is most welcome, and a floating dock for quick actions. There are also some rather unnatural ones such as using your knuckles to get a screenshot. Huawei could still do something to reduce its preloaded apps.

A fun camera

Huawei has been very early to the game with dual cameras and it’s used them to get one lens to shoot monochrome images, adding depth when combined with the other. Shooting black and whites, specially when you select from the many filters available on board, is one of the most enjoyable aspects of using the Honor 8 Pro’s cameras.

The 12 MP rear camera set with f/2.2 aperture focuses and shoots fast enough and you can adjust the aperture too. The camera app is as feature-filled as the rest of the phone. A quick swipe to the right will pull out a whole bunch of shooting modes, some of them not easily found on other phones. That includes document scanning, a 3D creator, watermark, an interesting night mode, a Pro mode for photos and one for video, time lapse, audio note, light painting, etc. This is a camera you won’t get bored of. It also does 4K video recording. The one thing it lacks, however, is optical image stabilisation. Its low light performance isn’t bad but noise creeps in sometimes. The front camera is pretty good even in indoor light.

The Honor 8 Pro is a surprise competitor to the OnePlus 5. On several counts, it beats it, while the OnePlus 5 has raw speed on its side and an equally good camera. The purer form of Android on the OnePlus 5 may also be a draw for many. But the Honor 8 Pro certainly holds its own and in fact, when asked for recommendations in the 30k category, I will no longer be limited to a choice of one.

Conclusion

The Honor 8 Pro is a solid smartphone with good features. It pretty much has something for everyone – a decent camera for casual photographers, stunning display for video fiends, and ­powerful performance for ­gamers.

PROS: Sleek and stylish design, vivid display, powerful performance.

CONS: Slippery without a casing, battery takes a long time to charge.

Honor 8 Pro

(Huawei)

Android smartphone

NETWORK: 4G

OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 7.0 Nougat

DISPLAY: 5.7in (1440 x 2560 ­pixels)

PROCESSOR: HiSilicon Kirin 960 octa-core processor

CAMERA: 12-megapixels ­monochrome + 12-megapixels RGB (rear); 8-megapixels (front)

MEMORY: 64GB internal storage, 6GB RAM

CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi, GPS, USB Type-C

BATTERY: 4,000mAh

DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 77.5 x 7 x 157mm

WEIGHT: 184g

RATING: Four stars

What's new in Android Nougat

After its first presentation in May 2016 at the Google I/0 conference, summer brings more news on the latest version of Android – version 7.0, also known as Nougat – ahead of its official launch this fall. 

Virus detection blocks system booting
Android is the world's most popular mobile operating system (84.1% market share for Q1 2016, according to Gartner), and also the OS most at risk from malware attacks. Android Nougat will help combat viruses by analyzing mobile devices each time they restart. The OS can then prevent a device from booting if a virus is detected or restrict access to a limited-use mode, like the "safe mode" in Windows PCs. 

Split-screen mode
The main new feature landing in Android Nougat is the split-screen mode for using two applications simultaneously, open side by side (tablet) or one above the other (smartphone). This function is all the more hotly awaited since it already features in several third-party Android user interfaces, like those from Samsung and LG, as well as in competitor systems, iOS and Windows.

Updated notifications
Android Nougat brings revamped notifications, promising a faster and easier-to-use system no matter what applications are open. Launcher shortcuts also let users create custom shortcuts to specific features in certain applications. This could, for example, be a shortcut to message a particular contact or to access a specific folder in an email inbox. 

Video watching
The "picture in picture" (PIP) mode lets users keep videos running while using other applications. The video will play in a separate window in the corner of the screen, which could be useful for following live streams while working or surfing in other apps. 

Improved battery saving
The new version of Doze – the Android battery saving function – will now kick in whenever the screen goes off rather than only when the system is inactive. What's more, Android Nougat will bring options for limiting data use by reducing the quality of images and video streams, which could prove handy for users with limited data packages. 

Seamless integration for VR
Finally, there's no doubt that the latest version of Android will be optimised for Daydream, Google's new virtual reality platform set to land this fall. However, it's as yet unclear what exactly Google has in store.  

Watch the Android Nougat statue being unveiled in Mountain View, California here.

— AFP Relaxnews

Huawei Honor 5C

Deciding what phone to buy is never easy because there are so many choices at almost every price point. 

And the latest contender in the budget category is the Honor 5C which boasts a full metal body, ­fingerprint sensor and motion co-processor for just under RM800.

The beautiful 5.2in screen is of the IPS (in-plane switching) variety, which has better viewing angles and colours – something not ­commonly found on a budget phone.

It has no physical buttons for navigation – instead you get virtual buttons that are configurable. You can reposition the back, home and review buttons to suit your style but lose out on tactile feedback.

Sharp shooter

Images taken with the 13-­megapixel main camera turned out pretty good and sharp which is a surprise given that the Honor 5C is an affordable smartphone.

You just have to ensure your hands are steady as the camera lacks OIS (optical image ­stabilisation).

The 13-megapixel camera shoots decent pictures but doesn’t feature OIS.

 

It also has many camera modes such as Pro photo and Pro video which give you manual control over exposure, white balance and ISO.

Other modes include Beauty (for souping up your selfies), Good Food, Slow-mo and Light Painting (long exposure mode for capturing light trails from cars).

The front-facing camera has also been improved – it’s 8 megapixels now and gets most things right but is still a little grainy.

Power play

The Honor 5C runs on Huawei’s latest in-house processor, the HiSilicon Kirin 650 octa-core. The processor was manufactured on 16nm process, which the company claims makes it more energy- ­efficient.

The smartphone could easily last a full day when it was used heavily for social media (such as accessing Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and shooting photos, as well as casual gaming.

It also has a co-processor for tracking motion – this allows it to count the steps you have taken without impacting battery life much.

The only downside is the ­charging time. As it doesn’t feature fast charging, it take a little longer to charge.

The smartphone is also a capable gaming device – it was able to ­handle graphics-intensive games such as This War Of Mine, Dead Run and Need For Speed: Most Wanted without any performance issues.

The 5C comes with a dedicated motion tracking processor to track your daily activities without greatly affecting battery life. — LOW LAY PHOON/ The Star

 

Sadly, it doesn’t shine in the audio department – sound quality was below par for both games and music.

Android 6.0

The Honor 5C runs on the latest Android (Marshmallow) which offers better security and app ­management.

It’s also one of the first Honor smartphones to run on Huawei’s EMUI 4.1 user interface which has a few new cool features.

For instance, you can have ­hidden apps on the homescreen, which can be revealed by making a pinching-out motion.

A feature called Scrollshot allows you to take a screenshot of an entire webpage, even if it is longer than your screen.

The fingerprint sensor was very fast and accurate – it rarely failed to recognise our fingers and unlocked the smartphone almost instantaneously.

The sensor can also be used for navigation. You can, for example, use it for scrolling webpages and viewing your photo gallery which is handy.

Conclusion

The Honor 5C is a budget phone that offers more for less. For RM799, you are getting a smartphone that looks great, has a fingerpint sensor and decent cameras.

Even the battery life is great which is really important if you are planning to playPokemon Go when (and if) it arrives here.

Definitely a smartphone you should check out if you are looking for an affordable Android.

Pros: Excellent battery life; good performance; improved user interface; beautiful display; fast fingerprint sensor; decent cameras.
Cons: Lacks fast charging feature; so-so speakers.

Honor 5C
(Huawei)
Android smartphone
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with EMUI 4.1
NETWORK: 4G LTE
DISPLAY: 5.2in (1,080 x 1,920 pixels)
PROCESSOR: Octa-core Kirin 650 (4 x 2.0GHz A53 + 4 x 1.7GHz A53)
CAMERA: 13 megapixels camera (rear); 8 megapixels (front)
MEMORY: 16GB internal ­memory
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.1 WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
OTHER FEATURES: Fingerprint sensor
BATTERY: 3,000mAh lithium-ion
SIZE (W x D x H): 73.8 x 8.3 x 147.1mm
WEIGHT: 156g
PRICE: RM799 (inclusive of GST)
RATING: ★★★★✩

Review unit courtesy of Honor Malaysia, 1800-22-3366

- LEE KAH LENG, The Star

Huawei P9

Huawei’s flagship phone is an unexpected surprise.

I’M the type of person who picks the same flavour of ice-cream every time – pralines and cream – because it’s my favourite. I use a bag until it is well-worn, seams splitting at the sides, before I am forced to get a new one. I have lived in the same house for the last 16 years, and I have clothes dating back to the 1980s. Why change if you’re happy with what you’ve got, I ask? And so for the last three years I had been content using my iPhone 5. Though battered and bruised (not to mention, ghastly out of date), I never had the urge to run out – let alone queue up – for the next big thing on the mobile phone market.

But here I am now with the new Huawei P9 nestled comfortably in the palm of my right hand. And I am astonishingly happy.

The Huawei P9 is nice and slim at 0.28in. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

I wasn’t expecting much, truth be told. This is, after all, a China-made handphone.

But right off the bat – or out of the box, to be more precise – I was surprised. Even the packaging has a minimalist chic to it – the P9 comes in an elegant white textured box with both Huawei and Leica branding on it.

And once I got to the phone – neatly fitted in a protective wrap – again I was bowled over. The mobile phone’s Titanium Grey body is instantly captivating. And Huawei has very thoughtfully included a clear phone case along with the other usual suspects – headset, charger, a high speed USB cable, eject tool and quick start guide – all very compactly ­packaged, and is easy to unbox and setup.

The phone is made up of what looks like just glass and metal, much like modernist architecture, and its curved edges add to this appeal.

It’s a snap

You’ll have heard of how the P9 is set to “reinvent photography”. The phone is co-­engineered with German camera company Leica and features two cameras, its main ­selling point.

The Huawei P9 carries the German Leica camera branding on the top right hand corner. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

The camera reputedly captures more light because it has two sensors, one RGB and one monochrome, that work together to create higher detail. I especially like the fact that these sensors are flush with the phone’s back – not just so grime doesn’t get in, but that it adds to the overall sophistication of design.

I like taking photos with my phone camera and the P9 gives you all the confidence you need to take great photos. The phone comes with pro features, but I am content using the auto-mode. Night-time photography turned out fine, and the colours in the day are super vibrant. Even the black and white photographs look much sharper.

Check out the one I took of my cat Bobby – you can see his whiskers in all their glory and even trace out the cornea of his eye.

A photo of my cat Bobby taken using the monochrome mode indoors, at night. — ANN MARIE CHANDY/The Star

There’s also a range of modes and filters to mess around with, and a really cool wide aperture feature which allows you to take a photo with a shallow depth of field (the object must be at least within 2m of you and, more importantly, must be clearly defined). What this feature does is it blurs out everything else in the background. Then there’s the 8-megapixel selfie shooter, which you can also trigger from the back of the phone, but more on that in a little while.

Speaking of selfies, I’m not sure I enjoy the beauty tips the camera suggests (make your face thinner, smoothen out that rough skin, darken this bit or that – the phone actually identifies a “beauty level” that suits you if you let it!) – I like my face as is, thank you very much.

Fit for a spy

Okay, so fingerprint sensors on phones may have been around for the last three years, but this is the first time I have had the pleasure of testing one out. Did I feel like James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever? Well yes and no. Yes, because after a quick six touches to recognise my pointer finger, the P9 now calls me master and is happy to do my bidding. (No, because I didn’t have to resort to chopping someone’s finger off.)

At the bottom of the P9, you’ll find the Type C connector, loudspeaker, jack and microphone. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

The pattern or pincode method works just as well, so if the phone is lying on its back, fret not, you can resort to less ­spy-like tactics to unlock your device.

Oh and yes, I can even take photos using this function which makes it a cinch, ­especially for selfies.

Does size really matter?

I am just barely over five feet and so I’ve never ever liked to think that if something were bigger, it would equate to it being ­better. But I have to say, the 5.2in full HD screen on the P9 has made a convert out of me. If this review came with background music, you’d be hearing Johnny Nash’s I Can See Clearly Now.

Reading messages, watching YouTube videos, playing Candy Crush (the Jelly Version) have all just become so much more breezy on the P9. — AFP

Reading messages, watching YouTube videos, playing Candy Crush (the Jelly Version) have all just become so much more breezy. And while I previously used to gawk at people who used such LARGE ­handsets, in just three days I’ve grown so accustomed to lugging the P9 around. Of course, there will be those more used to a 6in screen who find this too small!

It’s a wrap

The battery life seems good enough – it lasts me throughout the day, and takes about an hour and a half to fully charge up at night. The phone also comes equipped with a large range of free downloadable themes which are quick to install.

The P9 is not just sleek, it's got Leica on its side when it comes to taking photos. — Huawei

There are lots of cool details which I find very helpful – for instance, the volume rocker comes with individual settings so you can ­customise different sound levels for ringtone, media, alarm and calls. Also the power button is textured which makes it easy to identify, even while it’s buried in your handbag.

Enough gushing then. Is there anything I don’t like about this phone? There are a few minor niggling details here and there.

No. 1 is that the phone comes with its fair share of bloatware – there are just so many apps here that I would never use, and I thought they could easily have been left out.

I also wasn’t a fan of the Huawei keypad, and kept hitting all the wrong buttons. But it was easy enough for me to switch to Google.

The home buttons appear on the screen rather than the body, and this takes a bit of getting used to. — AFP

The home buttons also appear on the screen, rather than the body, and this takes a bit of getting used to. On WhatsApp, I find I am hitting the photo icons instead of opening messages, but that’s just me being used to how the iPhone works I think.

All in all, I’m quite smitten with the P9. And it’s fast becoming a favourite, like pralines and cream.

Pros: Camera has many modes and takes great photos; sleek design; speedy fingerprint sensor. 

Cons: Bloatware; average battery life.

P9
(Huawei)
Android smartphone
Operating system: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
Network: 4G LTE
Display: 5.2in (1,080 x 1,920 pixels)
Processor: Octa-core (4 x 2.5GHz A72+ 4 x 1.8GHz A53) Kirin 955
Camera: Two 12 megapixels cameras (rear); 8 megapixels (front)
Memory: 32GB internal ­memory
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; WiFi Direct; USB Type C
Battery: 3,000mAh lithium-ion
Size: 45 x 70.9 x 6.95mm
Weight: 144g
Price: RM2,099
Rating: 4 stars
Review unit courtesy of Huawei Technologies Malaysia, 1800-22-3366

- ANN MARIE CHANDY, The Star

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (8.0)

The latest tablet in Samsung’s Galaxy Tab series comes in an unfamiliar size.

Looking for an Android tablet can be quite a daunting task, as the market for tablets running on Google’s operating system is so crowded that you will be spoilt for choice.

Samsung is the biggest hardware manufacturer for Android smartphones, and it has a healthy tablet lineup. The Galaxy Tab series, Samsung’s main product line in the Android tablet market, has reached third ­generation. This time Samsung has added in an 8in ­version of the Galaxy Tab 3 to its current mix of 7in and 10.1in devices.

We take a look at the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and see if the additional 1in sets it apart from the rest of the 7in tablets in the market.

Sizing it up

Samsung has made an excellent choice in including an 8in version, as 7in tablets are a little too small for comfort, while those at 10.1in are cumbersome to carry around. The Tab 3’s 8in size is the best of both worlds: Big enough yet still portable.

The Tab 3 sports a very thin bezel, unlike the first 8in tablet released by Samsung, the Galaxy Note 8.0. This makes the overall device a little easier to hold with one hand, although there is a slight setback — the narrow edges surrounding the screen makes it harder to hold the device without accidentally touching the screen.

As with other Samsung devices, the Tab 3 has a plastic build. The design is also unmistakably Samsung, with the same structure as what you would expect from any of its other devices.

A notable change from previous Galaxy tablets is that the Tab 3 comes with a physical home button accompanied by the Menu and Back capacitive buttons, just like the Galaxy smartphones. Whether the physical home button is a good thing or not is pretty subjective — we were a little annoyed because we kept accidentally pressing the Back capacitive button.

Another notable change is that the Tab 3 uses the more commonly found micro USB port. This is great news as almost every other smartphone uses the micro USB port so your wallet can heave a sigh of relief as all your cables and chargers should be compatible with this device.

The Tab 3 uses a TFT screen — while not as vibrant as the Super Amoled screens used in the high-end Galaxy smartphones, the screen has its advantages as the colours are not overly saturated.

The 5-megapixel camera is one of the best we’ve tested on a tablet but it doesn’t have an LED flash.

Feature-packed

The Tab 3 ships with Android 4.2.2 Jellybean. This puts it on par with Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4.

Specs-wise, the Tab 3 is not much of a powerhouse with only dual cores. The user experience is fluid most of the time but do expect the occasional lag. Worry not as the lag is not to the extent where it will frustrate the user.

Multi windows, now a staple feature in Galaxy devices, is also present in the Tab 3. The feature allows two apps to be opened simultaneously on the screen. The list of compatible apps is also slowly growing and it is now pretty respectable, compared to when it was first introduced.

One thing that we would like to highlight is the Group Play feature which has been improved. This new version allows one Android to become the main device that blasts out its portable WiFi hotspot for other devices to connect to.

Once connected, the devices can either share music, images, documents, or even play multiplayer games. It is extra impressive when sharing music, as the different devices can be assigned to be either the left or right speakers for an entertaining surround sound experience.

This tablet works as a full-fledged phone and even has a earpiece for you to put up to your ear to talk like on a normal phone.

The Tab 3 that we reviewed is the LTE-enabled version, making it one of the few Samsung devices released here thus far to offer LTE connectivity. There is also a cheaper WiFi-only version available.

Final note

Samsung has been flooding the market with way more products compared to their competitors and ultimately it gives consumers a broad range of options to choose from.

We feel that at 8in, this version of the Tab 3 is an interesting option for those who find the size of 7in tablets a little too cramped, while not willing to sacrifice mobility with a 10.1in device.

In addition to that, the size is also more optimised for reading as it is shaped very similarly to the size of a regular notebook.

In terms of usability, the device is still fluid despite only having dual cores. This can be attributed to the stability that comes with Android Jellybean 4.2.2.

All in all, it is a device meant for those who felt that 7in devices were too small while not wanting to be burdened by a huge 10.1in tablet.

Pros: 8in is a good size for a tablet; light; not too wide, making it easy to hold with one hand; runs on Android 4.2.2 Jellybean.

Cons: Bezels too thin to hold the device comfortably without accidentally touching the screen; no NFC.

GALAXY TAB 3 (8.0)
(Samsung)
Android tablet
NETWORK: GSM 850/900/1800/ 1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/ 2100, LTE 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
PROCESSOR: 1.5GHz Exynos 4212 dual-core
DISPLAY: 8.0in TFT display (1,280 x 800-pixels)
CAMERA: 5-megapixels with autofocus; 1.3-megapixels (front facing)
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.0, Wireless 802.11 abgn, dual-band, DLNA, WiFi Direct, WiFi hotspot, microUSB 2.0
MEMORY: 16GB internal memory, 1.5GB RAM
EXPANSION SLOT: MicroSD (up to 64GB)
FEATURES: GPS, stereo speakers, multiscreen, Group Play
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 209.8 x 123.8 x 7.4mm
WEIGHT: 314g
WEBSITE: www.samsung.com.my
PRICE: RM1,499
RATING: 3.5 stars
Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd, 1-800-88-9999

- Donovan Quek, The Star

SONY Xperia Z Ultra

Xperia Z Ultra: Bigger is better

GARGANTUAN: The Xperia Z Ultra is huge, sporting an enormous 6.4in screen.

Sony’s 6.4in phablet gives users an Ultra multimedia experience.

DO YOU find your smartphone screen too small? Don’t like the hassle of carrying around a tablet? 

Sounds like what you need is a phablet: a hybrid of phone and tablet. It’s larger than a phone, yet smaller than a tablet. 

In terms of phablets, it doesn’t get much bigger than Sony’s first foray into this growing market segment: the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. 

Beautiful Giant 

The Z Ultra is huge, sporting an enormous 6.4in screen. The good thing about the gargantuan screen is that it is not too wide, just exceptionally long. That makes it still very manageable when using with just one hand. 

Sony devices have always been known to look good, and the Z Ultra is no exception — it has a beautiful unibody design that is not only solid, but very classy looking as well. 

SUPER SLIM: The Z Ultra is marketed as the world’s thinnest full high definition (HD) smartphone.

Being made of glass, the device feels premium but it is also a fingerprint magnet. Users should also be careful not to drop the device as it will be costly to repair. 

The Z Ultra is marketed to be the world’s thinnest full high definition (HD) smartphone available in the market, and it does indeed feel extremely thin. 

The size of the screen is not the only selling point — the Triluminos full HD display used by the Z Ultra is very impressive, making it one of the better looking screens we’ve seen. It is excellent for viewing pictures and videos, which isn’t surprising as it is backed by Sony’s X-reality engine. 

Talking point 

As a phone, users are definitely going to feel awkward having a device of such proportion being placed against their face during phone calls. Sony seems to acknowledge this fact as they introduced a new Bluetooth headset together with the Z Ultra when the phablet was first announced. Sony had even packed in an SBH50 Stereo Bluetooth headset together with our review unit.  

AWESOME: The Triluminos full HD display used by the Z Ultra is very impressive, making it one of the better looking screens we’ve seen.

In terms of pocketability, the Z Ultra could fit in this reviewer’s slacks and pants, but it sure wasn’t comfortable as the device is too long. The bulge it made was also too obvious for comfort. 

As with the other, newer Xperia devices released in recent times, the Z Ultra is dust-proof and water-resistant. It is IP 55/58 compliant, meaning that provided all ports and covers are firmly closed, the device is protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions in compliance with IP 55; and/or can be kept under 1.5m of freshwater for up to half an hour in compliance with IP 58. 

For the device to attain the waterproof status, flaps are required to cover the ports, i.e. the micro USB port. However, the flaps are subject to wear and tear and thus might not last very long — users should be wary of this before subjecting the device to water. 

Despite the certification, it is safer to take the feature as a form of protection for your device against accidental spills rather than for purposely dunking the device into water. 

DON'T DUNK IT: The Z Ultra may be water-resistant, but it's safer to take the feature as a form of protection against accidental spills rather than an excuse to go crazy with the dunking.

Another adverse side effect from having a waterproof device is that the volume of the loudspeaker is in fact not very loud. The speakers are coated to prevent water from seeping in. A software update has helped to mitigate the problem, but don’t expect brilliant sound quality from this device’s speakers. 

The Z Ultra comes with an 8-megapixel camera. We were disappointed with the picture quality, as it was very grainy especially under low light conditions. Another drawback is that the device is not equipped with an LED flash, so photo taking in total darkness is out of the question. That would also mean that you can’t double the device as a torch light. 

Underneath your clothes 

This phablet has Android 4.2.2. Jelly Bean on board. As with other devices running on Jelly Bean, the user experience is buttery smooth. This is also because the device is equipped with the best of specs, coming with 2.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 quad-cores under the hood. 

Games with better graphics such as Temple Run looked amazing on the Z Ultra’s huge screen. 

The Z Ultra has 16GB of memory built in, and this can be expanded with a microSD card of up to 64GB. 

WRITE PATH: One of the main features that Sony had highlighted about the Z Ultra is the ability to use any pen or pencil as a stylus for the device.

One of the main features that Sony had highlighted about the Z Ultra is the ability to use any pen or pencil as a stylus for the device. We find this to be more of a gimmick as it is very hard to get it working properly in practice. 

To top it off, there is no palm rejection, thus writing won’t work if your palm touches the screen. It is very tough to hold the device comfortably with one hand while trying to write with the other without either hand touching the screen for an extended period of time. 

Conclusion 

The Z Ultra is a device that really pushes the limits of screen sizes, even for a phablet. At 6.4in, it is the biggest device we’ve seen that isn’t labelled as a tablet. 

If you can look beyond its enormous size, it is a very capable and powerful device from Sony. 

With such a large and beautiful full HD screen, it is an excellent media device but only if you have a pair of earphones as the speakers are below par. 

It is also handy that the device is waterproof, so you don’t have to worry too much when you use it around wet areas. 

This is one of the few devices in the market that can give the other ‘Note’able phablet a run for its money. 

Pros: Large, beautiful screen; waterproof; smooth UI. 

Cons: Too huge to place in the pocket comfortably; speakers not loud enough; no LED flash; handwriting more of a gimmick. 

Xperia Z Ultra (C6833)
(Sony)
Platform: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
Processor: 2.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor
Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1700/2100, LTE 800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600
Camera: 8-megapixel, 2-megapixel (front)
Display: 6.4in (1,920 x 1,080-pixels) Triluminous touchscreen
Memory: 16GB Internal memory, microSD slot (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC
Features: 1080p full HD video recording and playback; dust-proof and water-resistant (IP55/IP58); shatter proof and scratch-resistant glass; X-Reality engine
Battery: 3,050mAh lithium-on
Size: 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5mm
Weight: 212g
Price: RM2,299 (non LTE version)
Rating: 4
Review unit courtesy of Sony Mobile Malaysia, 1-800-88-7666

- Donovan Quek, The Star