Omio News Blog

ZTE Launches Grand Memo: hands-on pictures

We are now publishing these hands-on pictures of ZTE’s latest addition to the mobile phone world, the Grand Memo.

It is a handset that could firmly sit in the phablet category (a cross between a tablet and a phone), as it sports a 5.7-inch screen.

That has a 1,280 x 720 resolution, while driven by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor.

On-board is 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and a 13-megapixel camera.

Running the Memo is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, with the ZTE Mifavour UI.

These hands-on pictures show the phone from various angles, to highlight its dimensions.

That is followed by the lock-screen; the main home-screen, and an adjacent one; with two pictures of its flip-around clock/stop-watch.

Next up are the pre-installed applications; the transition animation from app screen, to app screen; and the last two screen of apps, with the about phone screen.

Nokia Music+ can be used on Android and Apple iOS; off-line mixes could be coming

Omio has had confirmation by Michael Bebel – Global Head Of Music at Nokia - at Mobile World Congress, that the recently launched Nokia Music+ can be used on other devices – besides just a Windows Phone 8 Lumia handset.

We started by asked the head of Music how the update is, after just a week after its launch?

“It’s going well, we are very pleased. With Nokia Music+, we were really listening to the feedback coming in from our free user base and have tailored that around a lot of the features they were asking for”

“High-quality audio was one. People were streaming it to their home stereo or car stereo system. Lyrics kept coming up [as a requested feature], certainly synchronised lyrics – where they’re available; they’re a great Karaoke feature”

“And then this ability to take it off the device, and have it ability to virtually any device. We have done that now through the HTML5 interface”

“That is in beta form right now, but it will be as feature rich as the on-device offering. You have to have an account [as a subscriber]; then you can login, using that account, to the HTML5 interface”

“So, anything that can render that [can use it] and it can be rendered to many different screen sizes”

“The only limitation, you can’t have the offline mixes. Right now, we have the curated mixes and the store. All other features, except for off-line caching of mixes will be available via HTML5 – as part of the subscription”

We asked if that is coming, or could be coming.

“We are always evaluating what can be added and the need for it.”

That isn’t an outright no, so watch this space folks.

Sony Xperia Z mobile phone: hands-on video walkthrough

Omio has captured a hands-on video walkthrough of the new Sony Xperia Z mobile phone, at MWC, by the very person that trained everyone to demo the phone.

It is available today, but was launched at Las Vegas CES – back in January.

The 5-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 display-based device arrives running Jelly Bean 4.1, with access to many of Sonys’ services, such as its unlimited music and beyond.

The Z is really the first Sony designed phone, after the split with Ericsson. Even the James Bond Xperia T had the look of the arc and arc s, from 2011.

Our 7-minute plus footage covers the design of the Sony Xperia Z; materials used; its waterproof capability tested out; the transition of the screen lock, to the main screen.

It also goes into the full HD screen; the Bravia engine; the one-touch NFC connectivity in action; the specifications of the phone, among its other features.

Sony Xperia Z mobile phone: hands-on pictures

Sony’s Xperia Z goes on sale today in the UK, where Omio is now publishing these hands-on photos of the handset – captured at Mobile World Congress 2013.

This is the first mobile phone by the company that has been designed from the ground up, away from its former involvement with Ericsson.

It has a full high definition 1,920 x 1,080 5-inch screen, while it is driven by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and support for 32GB microSD cards.

The Xperia Z is both waterproof and dust tight, with a 13-megapixel camera and a front 2.1MP version.

It has 4G LTE support, and runs Jelly Bean 4.1 – with 4.2 coming soon after launch.

Our hands-on images show the phone in-hand, to get a better perspective of its size.

After that, is the lock-screen; home-screen, and a following one; the pre-installed apps, with the screen transitions; Omio loaded on its web browser, and the complete specifications of the device.

ZTE Grand Memo announced at MWC 2013, with a 5.7-inch screen

Renown maker of low-cost phones ZTE has launched its 4G LTE Grand Memo handset, which is due to arrive in the UK later in the year.

It has a 5.7-inch screen that comes with a resolution of 1,280 x 720, and is powered by the new quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm 800 processor.

There is 2GB of RAM on-board, 16GB of internal storage; a 13-megapixel camera, with a front-facing 1MP variant and a 3,200mAh battery.

ZTE’s Grand Memo is just 8.5mm thick, and runs from Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with its Mifavour user interface.

The handset has an in-car mode, with voice control for safer driving – where outside of a vehicle is can offer high quality gaming and video playback.

“The ZTE Grand Memo’s large, high definition screen makes it perfect for media and entertainment, but its uses reach far beyond that,” said Mr He Shiyou, ZTE EVP and Head of the Mobile Devices Division.

“With ZTE’s custom Mifavor UI, a powerful processor, and LTE connectivity, this device offers users a wide array of benefits that go well beyond the capabilities of the typical handset.”

Stay tuned to Omio, as we are publishing hands-on photos and a video walkthrough of the Grand memo – this week.

Sony Xperia Z tablet: hands-on walkthrough on video

Omio caught up with Sony Mobile at MWC 2013, with its new Xperia Tablet Z. We have already published hands-on pictures of the device today – and now it is the turn for the 12-minute detailed video walkthrough, by a product spokesperson.

The 10.1-inch screen tablet is both waterproof and dust tight, while powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, with either 16 or 32GB of internal storage; support for 64GB microSD cards, and it has four speakers, plus an 8-megapixel camera.

Our hands-on video covers the design and materials used; claim of the world’s slimmest and lightest tablet; the waterproofness; its connectivity; features; specifications; durability and OS, among other aspects.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z: hands-on pictures

Sony has added to the Xperia range at MWC this year, only with a tablet and not a mobile phone.

This is the Xperia Tablet Z, taking design cues from its handset’s namesake, with the OminBalace form factor (see the last photo).

It has 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 HD display, which is made from durable glass – where the entire unit is both waterproof and dust tight.

The tablet will be available in May, in both a Wi-Fi and an LTE version.

These are powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, with 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB amounts of internal storage, and support for 64GB microSD cards.

Our hands-on images start with the device from various angles, to show its dimensions and thinnest of 6.9mm.

That is followed by the lock-screen; home-screen and an adjacent one; the Sony Walkman app and the universal, pop-out, remote control.

These shots wrap up with its app store and all the pre-installed versions; the about screen, showing that Jelly Bean 4.1.2 is installed; Omio running inside the web browser; the Sony Xperia Tablet Z in water, and stacked up against the Xperia Z mobile phone.

Asus unveils four new Android Jelly Bean devices at MWC: PadFone Infinity, Fonepad and two MeMO Pads

Innovative peripheral manufacturer Asus has used Mobile World Congress to launch an array of products destined for the UK. These are the next generation of the phone-cum-tablet, called the PadFone Infinity; the 7-inch screen based FonePad, and two tablets – in the 10.1 inch MeMO Pad and its 7-inch counter part.

Asus’ PadFone Infinity is said to cost £799, but hasn’t been given an exact arrival date – as yet.

It is a 4G LTE mobile phone, with a 5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 full HD corning gorilla glass display with a 441 ppi.

The Infinity is powered by a quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, with 2GB of RAM and will be available with 32 or 64GB amounts of internal storage.

Just like the original PadFone and its successor, it can be added to a dumb tablet – in this case, a 10.1-inch screen – and powers that whole unit.

There is a 13-megapixel camera with a f/2.0 five-element lens, and a 2MP front-facing variant.

Asus 10.1-inch screen MeMO Pad is due in March, with a retail price of £249.

It has a resolution of 1,280 x 800, in an IPS panel, which is driven by a quad-core 1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset – with a 12-core GPU.

There is also 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5-MP camera and a front-facing 1.2-megapixel version.

The 7-inch display version is arriving in April, with a cost of £129.

That has a 1,024 x 600 resolution; a 1GHz VIA WM8950 CPU; 1GB of RAM; 16GB of storage capacity and a front-facing 1MP camera.

Asus Fonepad is a 7-inch tablet that can be used as a mobile phone, and is set to arrive in May/June with a cost of £179.

It has a 1,280 x 800 resolution and is driven by a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 processor, with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and support for 32GB microSD cards – plus a 1.2MP camera.

Asus has also noted the PadFone 2 is arriving on the 1st of March in the UK, priced at £599.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z announced, as a slim, light and waterproof device

Formerly Sony Ericsson, now Sony Mobile has unveiled the Xperia Tablet Z at Mobile World Congress 2013 with a 10-inch screen, and that it is due to arrive in May.

It has a 1,920 x 1,200 HD display, backed by the Mobile Bravia Engine 2 (as does the Xperia Z handset).

There is a similar look to that mobile phone, with its OmioBalance flatness concept that has been taken across to the tablet

Sony has noted that it has the world’s slimmest and lightest design, coming it at 6.9mm thick and weighing in at 495g.

This is along with carrying a durability rating of IP55 and IP57, making it both dust and water resistant – with a durable glass screen.

Powering the tablet is a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, with 2GB of RAM and support for 64GB microSD cards.

It will be available with 16 or 32GB amounts of internal storage – in the Wi-Fi edition – where the LTE version, has 16GB.

On-board is an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that has the Sony Exmor R sensor, with a 2MP front facing version: both are capable of HD video recording.

There are also four speakers at the front, with the company’s S-Force Surround 3D sound; NFC; an infrared adaptor, allowing the Z to become a universal remote, and it runs Jelly Bean 4.1 – with 4.2 coming after launch.

Stay tuned to Omio, as we are publishing hands-on images and a video walkthrough of the Xperia Tablet Z, this week.

Alcatel OneTouch Fire: hands-on video walkthrough of the Firefox OS and mobile phone

Omio caught up with Alcatel at the start of the week, where we caught on video a hands-on walkthrough of the Mozilla Firefox operating system run device – the One Touch Fire.

The footage below complements our hands-on pictures from earlier today, but the true fluidity of the platform is best experienced in this video.

The 3.5-inch screen, 1GHz powered low-end device is suited for the single-layer OS. Mozilla is used by over 500 million people, where its mobile phone OS is destined to add to that number.

Covered below is the OS; specifications; its aim for the emerging markets; camera and loud-speaker; access to microSD card; HSPA+ connectivity and a walkthrough of the whole Firefox OS.