2015 in the Kenyan smartphone market has seen its fair share of budget smartphones. There’s no shortage of low-cost smartphones in the market. Have Kshs 13,000? There are several smartphones you can choose from. Have just under Kshs 7,000, you won’t miss a smartphone as well. Just how low can device makers get in the quest to tap into the largely untapped African market? The Snokor Rocket Z5000 is proof that rock bottom is not unimaginable in this race to win the hearts and minds of the ordinary Kenyan.

We’ve had the pleasure of using quite a number of lowly-priced smartphones hitting the Kenyan market this year but the Snokor Z5000 is likely to end up being the only smartphone that walks the talk. Like we’ve pointed out before, on all low-cost smartphones, corners are cut to keep the prices low. In the case of the Snokor Rocket, that’s not any different. It’s the same story. However, the compromises are not openly visible as the device redeems itself in both high quality build and design, impressive performance and outstanding battery life.

What is Snokor?

Our first impressions of the Snokor Rocket is that it is arguably the most all-round entry-level smartphone in the Kenyan market but who or what is Snokor?

Snokor is a new smartphone brand from the same minds that have in the last one year heralded the Infinix brand in several markets including Kenya. The Snokor brand is meant to directly target the ordinary Kenyan. With smartphone penetration in the country still being low and the success of Infinix smartphones which have always thrived on their attractive pricing, it makes sense to make another effort. In the case of the Snokor brand, just like Infinix, this will be achieved by cutting out the middlemen and selling directly from the factory to the consumer through e-commerce platforms. In the case of the Snokor Rocket, the chosen e-commerce website is Kilimall which will have it exclusively.

Kenya is the launch country of the Snokor brand with the Rocket smartphone but it will also be available in several other countries in Africa and Asia including Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Pakistan.

In the box

The Snokor Z5000 arrives in a bright orange packaging which contains a neatly coiled USB cable, a charging adaptor, the battery, a user manual and a basic pair of headsets. The focus is providing real value and as you can see, nothing you would expect is missing.

Specifications

• Size: 145 x 73.2 x 10.1mm
• Display: 5-inch FWVGA 480 x 854 pixels (196 ppi)
• Processor: Quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731 clocked at 1.2 GHz
• Memory: 8 GB internal memory; 1 GB RAM
• Camera: 5-megapixels rear sensor with LED flash; 2-megapixels front-facing sensor
• Operating System: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
• Battery: 3,600mAh
• Network: 3G
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• Others: Dual-SIM, FM radio, USB OTG (for charging other devices or connecting flash drives)

First Impressions of the Snokor Rocket

An quality entry-level smartphone at just Kshs 6,500 is too good to be true, right? Yet that is exactly what the Snokor Rocket is. You don’t get the feeling that you are handling such an affordable device when you hold it. It’s right at home in your hand thanks to the hardened plastic frame which comes between the removable glossy plastic back cover and the glass panel on the front.

It took an entire day to drain the device from the 57% its battery was at when it was unboxed to 0% before its first charge. That was the first hint of the great battery life the device has. We’ll have more on that in our full review coming soon.

The soft buttons on the front of the device give it an old look but make no mistake, it’s running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop underneath and any software customizations have are as minimal as possible resulting in overall smooth performance. The performance is something we’ll need to keep an eye on for the next few days before making our conclusions.

The Snokor Rocket Z5000 is available on Kilimall at the above-quoted price of Kshs 6,500.

Read On Web → First Look at the Insanely Priced Snokor Rocket Z5000 Smartphone

There has been a trend over the last four years: people preferring large devices and manufacturers acting quickly to grant their wishes. As a result, it’s been a race to see who can make the largest devices and market them better. So much that what was once ridiculous, like smartphones over 5 inches, is now an accepted standard.

Everyone from the big smartphone brands like Apple that for quite some time still held on to the belief that big was not always better have also crossed over and even newer brands like Infinix, have joined the fray.

The line between smartphones and tablets faded long time ago. User habits have also changed. Previously, phones were mainly taken for what they were, phones. Devices one would only turn to for just communication. Today, they’ve evolved to become everything. They are the most personal devices. Statistics show that more and more people are reading eBooks on their smartphones than on specialized devices meant just for that like eReaders. TV shows and movies and other video content are now, more than ever before, being consumed right from the smartphone. That is what has fueled the race to make bigger smartphones.

Amidst all that, there are still a handful of smartphones that don’t aspire to be tablets or close to that. They are just smartphones. You can pick them up with one hand, reply to a text message using just one hand and when walking, your hand will still cover them whole and you’re not at risk of having them snatched. Those smartphones include the Compact series of smartphones from Sony like the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The only problem with the Z3 Compact? It’s a bit dear. Is there an alternative?

Enter the 4.7 inch Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3. Small, light, well-designed and packing all the power you’ll need as a modern-day smartphone user. We spent some time with the Idol 3 and it managed to convince us that it may just be the one.

Specifications

• Size and weight: 134.6 x 65.9 x 7.6 mm, 110g
• Display: 4.7 inch HD IPS 1280 x 720 pixels (312ppi)
• Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 clocked at 1.2 GHz
• Memory: 16 GB internal memory; 1.5 GB RAM
• Camera: 13 megapixels rear sensor; 5-megapixels front-facing sensor
• Operating System: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
• Battery: 2,000mAh
• Network: 3G, 4G LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• Others: Dual-SIM, FM radio

Design

Thin, light, sleek and well thought out. That’s my overall assessment of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3’s design.

The device is all plastic with subtle chrome accents breaking the monotony to give an attractive finish.

The non-removable back of the device is brushed to provide even better grip if the Idol 3’s already small frame wasn’t enough for you. The end result is a striking beauty. So much that if you are in our position and have had the opportunity to play around/use other smartphones in its price range then you’ll start questioning the design decisions that went into the making of those devices, your knowledge of the subject notwithstanding. What we’re saying, in a few words, is that the Idol 3 is one hell of a beauty. It doesn’t even struggle to stand out.

The front of the device is occupied by the 4.7 inch HD IPS display and two front-facing speakers at the top and at the bottom.

The top right corner of the back of the device is home to the 13-megapixel camera.

If you’re keen enough then you may notice the front-facing camera’s sensor on the front of the display. This is important because unless you turn over the device, you’ll be hard pressed to tell the top from the bottom. That is done deliberately. The Idol 3 is meant to make it convenient for you to use it without having to care which way you’re holding it. There are microphones on both ends of the device while the two front-firing speakers also double up as earpieces making it a non-issue which way you hold the phone when either playing games, music or answering phone calls.

Display

As already noted, the Idol 3 packs a 4.7 inch HD IPS display. On a smartphone, the display is front and centre of everything. It is where all the action takes place. On the Idol 3, the display not only dazzles you with its bright and vivid colour reproduction but is also largely responsible for the overall size of the device which is its main attraction. Being a small display, the pixels are packed and you’ll struggle to find any fault in it.

Camera

The 13-megapixel Sony sensor on the Idol 3 is at par with what you’d expect from a device of its price and even more. You won’t get out of this world performance (which is what, coincidentally, we’ve had to say of the Idol 3’s biggest rival as well) but you’ll be able to get just good enough snaps. Detailed. The same goes with the 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Snaps in darkly-lit areas have too much noise while selfies when basking in the sun or anywhere else where there’s sufficient lighting will more than guarantee you hearts on Instagram and “likes” elsewhere.

Software

There is little interference with the overall stock Android experience save for the way icons appear and a few pre-loaded applications. It is not your average cluttered Android experience. It is clean with only an icon pack applied for the sake of differentiation and curving out an identity unique to the Alcatel OneTouch brand.

One of the things one is likely to notice is that besides a few add-on applications, there’s little effort to over-customize the device and the user is not overwhelmed with features they’ll never need. Swiftkey keyboard is the default keyboard and if you’re already a user from your old device then that’s one less application you have to bother installing. Thankfully, for all the other applications that you are likely not to have much use for like Boyaa Texas Poker then you are at liberty to dump them. There are no restrictions.

The Idol 3’s lock screen is one of the few areas where you can see the device’s software customization at play and it brings front and centre shortcuts to apps like the camera, music and others that you’ll mostly find yourself accessing more often. Normally, the best users get on other devices by default is just quick access to the dialer and the camera.

Performance

The only smartphone we’ve reviewed here at Techweez with the Snapdragon 410 processor, the Samsung Galaxy J5, faired just well and so does the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3. It will take with grace almost anything reasonable you throw at it with your only worry having to be the battery life. The device does get quite hot when you do things like play NFS No Limits or some other graphics-intensive game.

Since there’s very little interference with the general user interface, there are no signs of lag whatsoever, quite a feat for such a device.

Battery

Under normal use i.e. casual texting, a few calls, a selfie or two, some social media activity and light web browsing, the Idol 3 will last you from the time you leave the house in the morning to the time you get back in the evening. Anything out of the ordinary and you’ll need to carry the charger with you. The battery is not one of the phone’s greatest strengths if you are going to push it to its limits.

Sound/Speakers

The Idol 3 has one of the best-sounding speakers one can find on any smartphone in the market at the moment. They are not necessarily very loud but the quality of the sound you get is unmatched among its peers and puts to shame some notable smartphones higher up the food chain. This is thanks to JBL’s audio enhancements which bring music to life when played on the Idol 3. When Adele sings “Hello, it’s me” you may turn around thinking she’s actually by your side breathing down your neck. Yes, they’re that good. The speakers are complemented by a pair of JBL headsets that you get in the box but those are a quarter the story. The speakers on the device, coupled with their placement on the front, are the real deal.

Other

One of the things you may not immediately notice is the incorporation of some gestures in the device. Double-tap to wake works just fine.

4G network reception is good as is the call quality.

What we liked about the Idol 3

• Well-designed. The Idol 3 is probably one of the few smartphones in its class whose plastic construction you’re likely to approve of.
• One-handed use. When was the last time you comfortably used a smartphone on one hand? It doesn’t get better than the Idol 3. Handling is easier thanks to its small profile.
• Crispy display. It’s too good. While others almost trample over themselves over who can make the most bogus HD display, that’s not the case here. It pops, it’s vivid and makes reading text and watching video a pleasurable experience. I guess this is one of those smartphones where you actually appreciate 720p displays and don’t feel the need to remind yourself that the world has since moved from them.
• It doesn’t matter which way you hold the device; it will just work. It’s awkward handling any other device upside down. That’s not the case with the Idol 3. You’ll only limit yourself.
• The best-sounding speakers on any mid-range smartphone. There’s no argument on this one. You need to test them to know what I’m talking about.

What needs work

• Battery life could be better. Since the Idol 3 is a small device and to be able to maintain that thin profile and remain light, the much that could be squeezed in was a 2,000mAh battery unit and that is probably the phone’s main undoing. Yes, it will get you through the day if you’re a “lite” user but it could do better if it was a bit beefier. Sadly, that’s not the case.
• Depending on which model you pick, you may or may not have the ability to expand memory. The review unit we had (model number 6039K) did not have a microSD card slot. While some have learned to live without them, to some of us, they are essential moreso when at least 5 GB of the 16 GB internal storage is not accessible by the user.

Final Word

The beauty of the mobile phone market today is that you are spoilt for choice regardless of the amount of money you intend to spend on a device. The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 brings the much-needed choices to the mid-range smartphone segment in the Kenyan market.

Not only does its pricing make sense but its feature set is impressive. Bright, crispy display, best handling, bearable software, best-sounding speakers and 4G LTE capability are all worth the Kshs 25,000 price tag.

TCL, the makers of the device will need to speed up the rate at which they update the software on their devices if they are to make a lasting impression on users. While its rivals at that price have Android 5.1.1, the Idol 3 is still stuck on Android 5.0.2. Being one of the most high profile Alcatel OneTouch devices, our guess (and hope) is that updates will start arriving in the new year.

Read On Web → Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 Review: The Best Things in Life Come in Small Packages

The Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 tablet is for those who want a tablet without breaking the bank for one. As a result, what you get is an average product tailored with such a user in mind. It shows in both specifications, the feature set and what you can and cannot do with it. I spent a little over a week using it and below you’ll find what I make of its various aspects.

Specifications

• Size and weight: 245.2 x 146.4 x 7.9 mm, 380g
• Display: 9.6 inch 800 x 1280 pixels (157 ppi)
• Memory: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage (expandable to 32 GB via microSD slot)
• Camera: 5 MP main; 2 MP sensor on the front
• Processor: Quad-core Snapdragon 410 clocked at 1.2 GHz
• Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Battery: 4,600 mAh (non-removable)
• Network: 3G, 4G LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Tethering, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB 2.0

Design

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Tab A we recently reviewed, the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 tablet has an aspect ratio of 16:10 which may not be great for some forms of content but which I prefer over 4:3. This actually makes it perfect for consuming multimedia content like movies and TV shows in my case. That also makes its profile a bit slimmer and easier to hold using one hand than the Galaxy Tab A.

Besides that, it has a rubbery back making it pleasurable to hold when using it.

It is also at the back that one will spot the 5-megapixel shooter which is on the upper right of the device with the ‘Alcatel OneTouch’ branding appearing at the centre. The speakers, which are just loud enough, are at the bottom and can be easily blocked when you’re holding the tablet in landscape mode.

The volume rocker and the power button are on the right side of the device and are just clicky enough to get you to accomplish what you want. In my case, that was only when I needed to take screenshots which proved to be quite a task considering the size of the tablet. But it wasn’t as tasking as it was on the Galaxy Tab A even though that device has a physical home key.

An infrared blaster is on the top of the device as is the headset jack. Coupled with the Peel application which comes pre-installed on the tablet, the IR blaster is handy for the couch potatoes and just about everyone who has or will be getting this tablet and prefers not to start looking for the remote control all the time.

The bottom of the device only has the microUSB 2.0 port to charge and transfer content, something you’re sure to be doing all the time since the device’s storage is limited.

Display

Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A, the 9.6 inch Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 is quite a breath of fresh air. Yes the display is still as pixelated as ever since you can make out the grains when up and close but it’s way better than the Galaxy Tab A’s.

What that translates to is some half-decent viewing angles and “just ok” display to read eBooks and magazines, browse the web, play a game or two and access social media applications like Instagram without feeling isolated.

Software

The tablet runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and the software has been customized to provide a tailored experience to its users. The end result is a mixed bag. On one hand, users get a balanced approach with handy applications like Peel which takes advantage of the IR blaster to allow users to switch channels on their television sets and other compatible home electronics. On the other hand, users are stuck with a lot of pre-installed applications they may not necessarily need.

It is a relief to know that unlike other devices, users can uninstall almost all the preloaded applications and customize the tablet to their needs.

However, even in that case, they are still stuck with a tablet that is already halfway full despite already having limited onboard storage. If you’re to install many applications more so games or other “heavy” apps, a microSD is highly recommended.

Performance of the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10

The Snapdragon 410 is one of Qualcomm’s low end processors but it is no slouch when it comes to performance. At least on paper. On the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 tablet, thanks to other limitations like the RAM, you should not try to push it hard because it will actually break. More so when the internal storage is almost filling as was the case most of the time during my review period.

I was able to clock several hours of watching past James Bond movies without encountering any issues but that is as far as it gets. Any resource intensive application will most likely ground things to a halt. Light stuff like puzzle games, eReader apps like my favourite, Moon Reader Pro and a few others will do just fine.

To the Pop 10’s credit, I was able to read the Business Daily ePaper religiously every morning without any glitches using WPS Office, an office application that is not quite light. However, firing up Microsoft’s Word application for the purposes of penning this review complicated matters a bit which is quite a shame since I really liked the Bluetooth keyboard which is available for purchase alongside the tablet and is absolutely fantastic.

Battery

As is expected of any tablet large or small, the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10’s battery life was just what I expected. Nothing out of the ordinary.

On days like when the Pope was visiting and I was using it heavily to access my Twitter feed from time to time and watch his mass live on the Vatican YouTube channel, it held up well and lasted well into the night having only been charged the previous night. For just reading my morning newspapers and catching up on John Grisham’s Rogue Lawyer with its sibling, the Idol 3, handling my mobile apps well, I was able to get up to two days of battery life.

If you are a heavy user, the Pop 10 will last you a full day. It may do a little under that if you actually pop in a SIM and use it fully as your phone and accessing the internet using cellular data. You can easily squeeze up to 2 days or more if you are not that aggressive though.

Others

What makes the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 tablet stand out is actually an accessory, the Bluetooth keyboard. It not only instantly converts it from just another Android tablet that you can pick up for your various daily needs to something you can actually use to type a really comprehensive response to that email your boss sent you while on your morning commute.

For the selfie obsessed, the Pop 10, as listed in the spec sheet above, has two cameras. A 5-megapixel sensor at the back will urge on anyone who fancies taking photos on a 9.6-inch device while a 2-megapixel shooter on the front promises not to make your WhatsApp profile photo grainy while still coming through when you need to Skype. Like I’ve noted before, taking photos with tablets, especially large ones like the Pop 10, is never a great idea but since it seems to be a thing, there you have it.

If taking photos using a device that is almost 10 inches is awkward then how do you describe making calls using such a device? The Pop 10 has a SIM slot to enable users to take advantage of cellular service (both 3G and 4G LTE) to access the internet but you can also go against the grain and make calls on it as well. I tried it, it works just fine. Save for, of course, the curious stares you’ll have to contend with.

The Good

• The tablet, unlike others, is easier to handle. This is not only because of its slim profile but also because of that rubbery back which provides a perfect grip and makes it comfortable to hold it by one hand when the need arises.

The Bad

• The display, though obviously better than the Galaxy Tab A’s grainy one, could be better.
• The internal storage is not sufficient. 8 gigabytes of storage can be enough to the most basic of users but only if they can actually get something close to that. Only under 4 gigabytes are actually user accessible leaving little room to install applications, games and load media to consume. With an excellent accessory in the form of the Bluetooth keyboard, it is hard to take advantage since Microsoft’s Office apps on Android need a lot of space which is hard to get on the Pop 10.

Final Word

What you get with the Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 is choice, freedom and variety. It gives you more options. What it has going for it is the price. For just Kshs 26,000, you can own the Pop 10. Throw in Kshs 3,000 more and you can have it and that really nice Bluetooth keyboard. What complicates matters is that Kshs 29,000 is what you’ll also find the Tecno WinPad 10, a tablet that is quite popular with the Techweez reader base, priced at. To further complicate matters, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A which besides having that display we’ve battered already, also features 16 gigabytes of onboard storage that you may desperately need. The choice is yours to make. And it is not an easy one.

Read On Web → Alcatel OneTouch Pop 10 Tablet Review

The smartphone today is characterized, mainly, by two things: big bright displays and terrible battery life. Save for rare cases like the 4.7-inch Idol 3 (small bright display) or the Galaxy J7 and its long lasting battery and a few wildcards here and there, this is almost always the case.

The reason is that as smartphone manufacturers figure out how to optimize performance, pack fast charging adaptors and cut back on our device’s legendary battery-sapping traits, they also introduce new components that complicate matters a little bit. It’s even more complicated when the smartphones in question are meant to be very affordable since not much thought usually goes into such devices.

The new Infinix Note 2 is none of those. It builds on the success of its predecessor almost entirely without going back on anything it got right while still remaining progressive. That, like a double-edged sword, cuts both ways. While features like the legendary battery life of the Infinix Hot Note are built upon and are even better and the software’s over-customization is toned down, the same plastic build with colour that will slowly start peeling off in no time lives on.

Specifications

You can check out all of the Infinix Note 2’s specifications here.

Recommended read: 6 Things You Need to Know About the Infinix Note 2

Design

Big, bulky and plastic. That’s what the Infinix Note is in one sentence. At 16cm, the Infinix Note 2 is a towering device. At 9.3 mm thick it is not thin either. And it is bulky, which, contrary to what you may expect, I find to be a good thing. For a device of its size, it helps when you actually feel that you are holding something. The size of the Infinix Note 2 dictates every other physical feature on the device.

The power button, for instance, is centrally placed on the left side of the device to make it easy to access it. It is also textured to make it more clicky and you certainly can’t miss it.

The back is glossy plastic that has been textured and curves slightly making it easy to hold in a design that its makers have dubbed “Arc Design”. The back is removable to reveal the non-removable battery and the two microSIM and microSD card slots.

The top of the front side of the device has a proximity sensor, the front-facing camera, an LED notification and earpiece in that order.

Display

The Infinix Note 2 packs a very bright 5.98-inch IPS LCD panel that, thanks to its sheer size, is well-suited for consuming content like videos, reading eBooks or even gaming. Its visibility outdoors is quite good and you won’t miss a thing while at it.

Camera

The two cameras on the Infinix Note 2 just perform as one would expect. For starters, it is a budget device so even what you get with the cameras in terms of output despite the otherwise impressive specifications on paper (13-megapixels…), is in sync with that assertion. Nothing out of this world and nothing mediocre either. You get what you paid for.

Software

If there was one annoying thing about the Infinix Hot Note then it has to be the software. It was too colourful, cartoony and mostly out of place. The Infinix Note 2 arrives packing a reworked version of Infinix’s custom Android user interface named XUI.

XUI is mainly minimalist and close to what one gets on a device running stock Android. And Infinix would know how that works out since it is the maker of the only Android One smartphone in this part of the world. The dialer app. The notification dropdown and the Quick Settings. The settings application. All three are the best examples of how Infinix has grown in terms of delivering a clean, functional and non-intrusive software.

There are some instances where the additions go overboard like in the camera application which has so much going on that an ordinary user will have to take some time to learn the ropes. On the other hand, this is actually likeable since the Google Camera application which is what the Infinix Hot 2 ships with, is pretty much barebones. You can choose to tune your snaps further or just leave things as they are.

There are some preloaded apps that you are likely not to find any use for and, thankfully, you can uninstall all of them without any restrictions. X Club, X Contacts, Palm Chat, Palm Play and other Xs can all be done away in a heartbeat. Not all of the preloaded applications are as evil as I’m making them look, though. An application like Xender, known as Flash Share in older Infinix and Tecno smartphones, is an application of its own kind. It makes sharing of large files across mobile devices seem like a breeze. There are other useful preloaded applications as well. Like Opera Mini, WhatsApp and a few others.

As one will quickly note, in a quest to tone down on the preloaded apps, some of the Google apps one usually finds pre-installed on other devices like the Chrome browser are not pre-installed. There’s the stock browser instead and Opera Mini for those in need of more. The Play Store is only a click away so for those desiring options, they are not limited.

That also brings up another interesting thing I noticed. You can actually go ahead and start using the Infinix Note 2 without having to sign in to a Google account. In fact, during the set up process after first boot, you are not prompted to sign in to anything. Since there are parallel app stores, contact syncing apps and others, one can actually use the device without having any ties to Google. That’s a good thing. Some ordinary users just want a phone they can use to make calls and message. The smart side of the phone is messaging using Whatsapp, updating their Facebook status and taking a few photos. In that regard, the Infinix Note 2 is one of the best phones to consider because it has all that figured out and a user need not wade into the unknown. For the young (even at heart) and adventurous, customization options are endless.

Still on apps, you can make them look however you want using XTheme, the Infinix Note 2’s own theme store which features a selection of themes. One will make your device look like an iPhone, another like a BlackBerry while yet another will mirror the user interface on the Tecno Phantom 5. The downside? Like I noted in the preview, these themes, just like the XUI itself, only play nice with the built-in applications. Third party apps look out of place.

With the Infinix Note 2 being a rather large device, it helps when gestures are supported as well. Double tap to wake works just fine as is drawing M on the screen when it is off to launch the music app or C to fire up the camera application.

Performance

For the most part, things are ok. The only gaps in performance witnessed are the result of limitations in technical specifications like the amount of memory available to the system. The Infinix Note 2 only has 1 GB RAM and that somehow limits the much you can get off it if you happen to push it to its edges. When overwhelmed, it will stutter and lag a bit but nothing out of the ordinary. Just what you would expect of a device of its stature and specifications.

Battery Life on the Infinix Note 2 is Excellent!

Battery life is excellent. No two ways about it. You won’t get the kind of battery life you’ll get on the Infinix Note 2 anywhere else amongst devices in its price range.

I was able to squeeze up to 8 hours of screen on time from the Infinix Note 2’s beefy 4,040 mAh non-removable battery unit regularly. The lowest I got was 7 hours screen on time when doing some heavy gaming and web browsing using mobile data. I couldn’t ask for more. 2-day battery life is assured. In fact, if you’re not the kind to always be looking up something online using 3G data and playing some random game, you can as well go for 3 days on a single charge.

When the 2 or 3-day honeymoon is over and you’re running low on charge, turning on Ultra Power saving in the settings app (you’ll also be prompted) will keep you going for quite some time. For instance, you can still get 3 hours talk time if you turn on Ultra Power when the Infinix Note 2’s battery is at 10%.

When the time comes to charge up the device, your time won’t be wasted either. The Infinix Note 2’s fast charging capabilities are as advertised. Provided you use the charging adaptor that you’ll get in the box and its accompanying cable, the device is fully charged from 0% in just one and a half hours.

Others

There’s only one visible microphone, at the bottom of the device so I was left wondering what happens to noise cancellation and the like. All in all, all the calls I made and received on the device were clear and not once did I encounter any issues. For such a large device, another two microphones on the top could’ve done it some justice though.

I also never encountered any issues with 3G network reception.

The speaker, located, at the lower right side of the back of the device, is loud enough for just about anything you will ask of it.

The Good

• Just like the Infinix Hot Note set the bar when it comes to the best battery life on a low-cost smartphone, the Infinix Note 2 does exactly the same. And it does it in style. We’ve seen quite a number of low-cost smartphones introduced into the Kenyan smartphone market this year and none of them comes anywhere close (okay, the Snokor Z5000 is close but not that close) to the kind of battery life that the Infinix Note 2 guarantees its users. If there was ever any need of a benchmark for battery life for such phones, this is it!
• The biggest selling point of the Infinix Note 2 is the large display. There’s so much one can do with a 6-inch high definition display and one can only limit themselves. Some may point out the 6-inch display as being too large (and it is!) but the main reason you’ll be going for the device in the first place is that display size since there are other options available to you.
• 16 GB onboard storage! Plus, you can expand that if you have a microSD card. 8 GB is very little even when you’re shopping for a phone and are on a budget. I was able to bring along my long list of preferred applications and they all fit right in. I had very little use for my 32 GB SanDisk microSD card something I can’t say of the other budget smartphones I’ve reviewed this year bar the Tecno Boom J7 which also packed 16 gigs of internal storage out of the box.

The Bad

• Considering the size of the Infinix Note 2, it would’ve been quite handy if the device’s software was customized to include the ability to minimize apps to boost one-handed use. The keyboard would have been a great place to start as much as users can explore several other alternatives available on the Play Store. It’s quite a task using the Infinix Note 2 using one hand and neither the pre-installed or third party applications make that easier.
• The device really heats up when fast charging is in action. I had to shut it down when I plugged it in because it would get very hot.
• The chromium-like coating on the rim of the camera is already peeling off. For a device one is likely to want to stick with for some time, this is not good. What’s not happening?

Final Word

The Infinix Note 2, while very likeable, is not a smartphone for everyone. If, for instance, you’re still living in denial and believe that there is no place for very large smartphones, then this is not the device for you. You may want to look at the Snokor Rocket which is a bit smaller but still maintains the same excellent battery life. However, if you’re in the market for a smartphone that you can carry with you anywhere you go and size is not an issue then look no further. The Infinix Note 2 is not the most attractive of the bunch (you can get the gold-coloured one to lighten up things a bit) but it gets the job done. If you’re just a budget smartphone buyer, you may be overwhelmed by the number of options you have but none of them is likely to be as attractive as this. It’s up to you.

Read On Web → Infinix Note 2 Review: The Battery Warrior

I came across this application accidentally as I was looking for another one. My curiosity and cooperative phone storage allowed me to download it and have a feel of it. According to the description posted in the Google Play Store, this app basically lets you discuss and rate the service of our matatu industry. They pose a question.

 “Which are the best rides in Kenya? The funkiest, loudest, most obnoxious, pleasantest, beautiful graffiti? MyRide Kenya tells you all that”

From this, I gather that this application targets the vibrant Matatu culture that we have in Kenya. We all know it exists. There are people who fuss and fight and scramble to get into the notoriously deafening and most colorful (almost seizure-causing display of lights) matatu that they can find and those who like me, go looking for the abandoned, quiet, and mostly old and breaking down matatu with an aged crew because we treat matatu rides as a moment of reflection and blaring music and weird sounding horns doesn’t allow for that.

But MyRide does more than that. It has a lot of features and cool tools that are meant to make your matatu commute not only easier but also safer. How does it do that? Well I will go on to explain how this app tries to achieve simplicity, effectiveness and safety in our matatu industry. I must say, I cannot stop thinking about Ma3Route as I write this. Do they have the same goal in mind? Are they targeting the same audience? Can they exist in parallel?

There are a couple of things that you meet with when launching the application for the first time, a little tutorial if I may call it that, giving you a basic understanding of  what the application does. It describes 3 levels or segments of  interaction with the application. There is social whereby your posts are directed to the other users. Social posts are for fun as you get to chat with other users and share media like photos and videos about your experience. The other level is owner whereby you can chat directly with the PSV owner and possibly rate their service. The last one is called critical where they say that you can make your ride safe by being able to report dangerous behavior to the authorities i.e. NTSA (National Transport and Safety Authority).

You are then prompted to give yourself a nick name as this service identifies you anonymously.

Design

Well there isn’t much I can say about the design. I think they can do much better. If a few things didn’t spark my interest as I continued using the app, I would have just uninstalled it. However, I do not mind the layout. I like the  news feed design that allows you to see appropriately sized photos, username, time stamp, some title (I’ll explain what I mean later) and a love heart icon that I don’t know what to feel about just yet. I don’t think it works pretty well.

You can almost miss the text box at the bottom of the screen that prompts you to write a post. I say that you can almost miss it because it doesn’t really stand out. It almost blends in with the post you are looking at. With material design, you can design this in such a way that it ‘floats’ by possibly adding a floating button. Material design creates some kind of hierarchy and focus that created an immersive user experience. A little dimension would go a long way in the design of this application, making the user experience a bit less cumbersome.

The colors used are bland to say the least if at all they want to play in the matatu industry which we call all agree is not devoid of color!

Usability

Herein lies my problem. Using this app with some expectations, or even without can be rather frustrating. I was just pressing things randomly because I did not exactly understand how I could use it. What bothered me as I used it and especially as I was writing this is that I felt scattered. So many things were poorly executed but others seemed genius!  I don’t know if I will be able to bring this out appropriately but I will try.

Adding a post

When writing a post, you can tag it at social, owner or critical. These choices are laid out using radio buttons which I can’t help but remember using as I was studying ‘Introduction to Android Programming’ meaning it is all very rudimental. Hasn’t time moved on or is this still a school project? Anyways getting over that, you are then prompted to add the plate number of the matatu you want to talk about. This is okay however what confused me is that as I was scrolling through other people’s posts, the title (as I mentioned above in design) varied between number plates and the state of the road, as in whether there was traffic or an accident. So clearly the plate number part just doesn’t accept a number plate, it also takes in various forms of text. Should it do this? I don’t think so. If you want to base conversations around matatus while identifying them with number plates, then you shouldn’t be able to add anything else there. Unless you also want to do traffic updates. There has to be a better way to do that.

Plus number plates really? My mother always tells me that it is good behavior to get the number plate of a matatu before boarding it, but come on, if you connect various matatus throughout your journey and most of the time hastily board them because they can’t really come to a full stop to allow you to get in, will you really be able to get the number plate? One thing I do keep track of however, is the Sacco name. That how I identify them and I suppose they should probably focus on that. But that’s just me!

Search feature layout

There is a search feature that lets you search for a specific matatu either using a plate number or the Sacco name or whatever name is used to identify it. The results show you any related posts published in reference to it helping you make some kind of decision I guess. This is a how I think they implement rating matatu services but I feel like it isn’t very obvious. It feels like it hasn’t been given the focus and importance that it should have if at all this app is to be a guide of the best or worst matatus in Kenya.  They say that this app can tell you about the most obnoxious, funkiest, loudest, pleasantest matatu out there, shouldn’t this feature be brought out in a more obvious way? Isn’t that the point? I think it is hidden and averagely executed.

Maybe its the name. Search doesn’t give it justice.

I can go on and on about the little (or big) things that confuse me when using it but I shall not dwell.

Safiri

Reading that word, what does that make you think of. I personally think of a long scenic car ride, so when I saw it on the menu drawer I was curious. Well I was bummed out for a moment because I didn’t get what I expected but that was quickly overtaken by an ‘aaahhhh’ moment. Apparently, the Safiri feature is basically a speedometer. You are again prompted to type in the number plate of the vehicle and start the speedometer. What it will do is track your speed in the vehicle you are in and alert you once the vehicle exceeds the regulation speed. With that alert then you can either send a message directly to the owner of the vehicle or to the appropriate authorities.

I think this is a nifty tool. I can see some good use for this. Many a times you’re cruising down the highway at 90 km/h in your car when all over sudden a Kenya Mpya bus comes flying past. That should not be possible. Don’t they have speed governors or rather working speed governors?

Like I said, I find this handy and it works. It isn’t as responsive as other speedometer apps available but it is working. However the name bothers me. Safiri doesn’t seem right, it doesn’t really explain much and you can overlook it if you are not in the mood for a road trip!

Maps

Here is another mislabeled feature. Well of course there is a map but it’s more than just a map and that sentiment should be felt in the name. First impressions matter. You do get a map and if your location is on, it will pinpoint where you are. What made me look a little deeper was the banner at the bottom that read ‘How To Use Matatu Map’. ‘I think I know how to use a map’ was my first thought. Reading through it basically showed some tricks on how to get more out of the map when navigating Nairobi by matatu. Once it has pinpointed your location, tapping that area or any area you are interested in puts location pins and names of all the nearest matatu stages. Holding the screen for 3 seconds allows you to preview routes and other options. Public transport navigation is not new. Our very own Ma3Route tried it and Google Maps Navigation added our public transport system in navigation. MyRide Kenya implementing it in their own different way is exciting and I went on just tapping randomly for no apparent reason just to see how it responds.

The first screenshot shows the basic map, after tapping the nearest stage is shown and alternate routes. you can also search for specific stages as shown on the right.

Final Thoughts

A little thing to note. As you can direct your posts or complaints to the owner, not all of them are on the platform but MyRide say that they themselves can contact the owners and pass along the complaint or comment. This all looks clumsy but in time, with more users on board, this should change.

One other problem I have about the application is the name. It is called MyRide Kenya. I understand that getting a unique name can be hard, therefore adding Kenya is okay. What I didn’t understand however is Kenya is that right at the top of the menu drawer and it is clickable, meaning that in the future you can change country. Do we want to do that? Is there any evidence that other countries fuss about their matatus like Kenya? I don’t know, someone tell me. What should be there instead is a county, whereby you can get information based on the county you stay at be it Nairobi, Machakos or Mombasa. Whichever that may be. I think that makes more sense.

So should you download and use this app? Why not. You could send in feedback and watch it grow and develop into a pretty fabulous application. One of the reviewers in the Play Store termed it as a waste of time, but I don’t think it is. There is some value they can deliver to users if they really work on the application by reviewing their approach and key focus areas. I believe there is something there, you cannot help but feel it. There is a lot to be done to make this app useful. It will just be a shame if it stays the way it is. Something has to be done.

What about Ma3Route, can they exist in parallel? I do not see why not. Ma3Route clearly went a different way as the name suggested and I explained it here and here. This I believe is something different, something more focused on the Matatu sector. It still feels like an infant where you aren’t completely sure what direction they will take but you do see some hints here and there.

Read On Web → MyRide Kenya App Review: A Little Refinement can go a long way

The Snokor Rocket X5000 is the first of a new brand from the Transsion mothership company that also has brands Tecno and Infinix. Snokor stands out as the budget proposition sitting pretty at the bottom of the food chain. In a few words, it’s the proper entry level that someone who is just migrating from feature or dumb phones to the smartphone world seeks. It gives you a taste of everything and also feels for your pocket.

See specifications of the Snokor Rocket Z5000 in our preview here.

Design & Display

It is well-designed and the plastic build feels solid. The glossy plastic removable back cover is complemented by a sturdy plastic frame around the device that separates the back from the glass front which features the 5-inch display.

The first thing you notice about the IPS display is that it is too bright. You won’t have issues using it in well-lit surroundings but you’ll definitely notice how washed out it is outdoors.

The bottom of the screen is marked by Android Jelly Bean-esque soft buttons for recent apps, home and back.

The 5-megapixel camera protrudes slightly at the top left corner of the device’s back with the LED flash right next to it. The speaker grille is at the opposite end with five cut-outs on the plastic to let out all the sound the device is capable of when you start playing Sauti Sol’s Kuliko Jana.

Software

The Snokor Rocket’s software, while not pure Android like it is on the Infinix Hot 2, has many touches of Android purity save for the obvious. Like the launcher and a few interventions to cover up for the deficiencies of stock Android. Google applications are what you will turn to for things like music and snapping photos.

Everything is simple and basic further telling you what the device is all about and what it sets out to accomplish. That should not fool you, however, into thinking that there isn’t much you can get off it. You’ll only be limited by obvious things like the memory.

Performance

The device is very responsive and I found it to perform much better than I expected. One thing that is worth pointing out is that no effort has been made to curtail how applications operate. Unlike what I encountered on the Infinix Note 2 where applications are aggressively hibernated moments after you exit them and there’s no way to reverse that in the settings, on the Snokor Rocket, anything goes and the device still doesn’t lag or stutter as was the case on the Infinix Hot 2, a device that is several thousand shillings more expensive and packs slightly better internals and unadulterated software.

Battery

Removing the back cover reveals a beefy 3,600 mAh battery unit. With it, 2 days without looking for a charger is guaranteed for the average user. A full day of exhaustive usage is guaranteed for everyone. This is the main highlight of the phone. Yes, it is cheap and smart but can it really last you all the way? The answer is a firm yes!

Others

Call quality and 3G network reception is okay as is the sound you get off the speaker at the back of the device.

Its makers say that the device is able to charge up other devices as well. You may need to give that a try since I wasn’t and see whether it’s true or not.

The Good

• The price. Kshs 6,500 for a decent smartphone? Hell yeah!
• Some thought was put in the phone’s design. You only need to hold it, have a second look and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
• The device’s performance is above average. Performance being above average is usually nothing to talk about since it is what you expect but it is something you don’t expect to get at such level. My experience has taught me that not even having pure Android can hide that. My experience has also taught me that tampering with the software also goes a long way in degrading the performance and overall user experience. That is not the case here. Maybe my expectations were too low or the phone is that good. I am not sure.
• You also get some headsets in the box, something that is usually omitted in most budget smartphone buys. The Infinix Note 2, just like most such phones, doesn’t ship with earphones in the box. This phone that is half the price does! Not that they are the best headsets (far from it!) but half a loaf of bread is better than none at all, right?

The Bad

It is not hard to spot the Snokor Rocket’s rough edges. They are quite a number. The display for instance may not appeal to people who’ve used other smartphones. The camera as well could be better. However, focusing on these rough edges for too long will only serve to distract us from the bigger picture: the Snokor Rocket’s mission.

Anyone picking up the Snokor Rocket gets a device they can use to take good enough selfies, play a game or two without having to contend with a non-responsive device and browse using their preferred mobile network operator’s 3G network all-day long without having to worry about charging.

The device impressed me with its feature set and ease of handling/use. The only issue I have is, with a package so good, what’s the catch? I mean, Kshs 6,500 for the impressive device that the Rocket is, still doesn’t add up. I’m awed as much as I am shocked.

Final Word

Where the Snokor Rocket Z5000 succeeds single-handedly is in being able to marry its low pricing and what it actually brings to the table. This is something that has been lacking for so long. Only the Infinix Note series has been able to fix that, in my opinion. But the Infinix Hot Note and its successor the Infinix Note 2 sell at over Kshs 10,000.

What if you don’t have such an amount? You have several options but all those options are now mostly inferior to what you get with the Snokor Rocket. At Kshs 6,500 you get a 5-inch display, 8 GB internal storage (expandable using a memory card), 1 GB RAM, a 1.2 GHz processor, better battery life and the option to slot in an extra SIM card. You can visit your nearest mobile phone store or look around online and see for yourself smartphones that cost twice that and offer half that. Your only reservations? That you may never have heard of the Snokor brand before. Now you have!

Read On Web → Snokor Rocket Z5000 Review

Another year, another Infinix smartphone. This time round it is the Infinix Zero 3 which will soon be available in Kenya.

In the box

The first thing you’ll notice is that the box of the Infinix Zero 3 is exactly the same as that of its predecessor, the Infinix Zero 2.

Inside the box you get a clear TPU case that really looks nice on the device, a user manual, a SIM ejection tool, a USB cable and a power adaptor. There are no headsets in the box.

Specifications

• Display: 5.5 inch HD IPS 1920 x 1080 pixels (400ppi) protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3
• Processor: 64-bit Octa-core MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 maxing at a clock speed of 2.2 GHz
• Memory: 16/32 GB internal memory (expandable expandable via microSD); 3 GB RAM
• Camera: 20.7 megapixels rear sensor with Point Detection Autofocus (PDAF) and a dual-tone LED flash. Also shoots 4K video; 5-megapixels front-facing sensor
• Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
• Battery: 3,030mAh (non-removable)
• Network: 3G, 4G LTE
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• Others: Dual-SIM, FM radio, fast-charging support
• Colour: Luxurious Gold

Impressions

Late last year, we reviewed the Infinix Zero 2, the second iteration of Infinix’s mid-range Zero smartphone lineup. It was impressive, yes, but there was a but. It got basics like the memory right. Still, something felt amiss. I don’t know what it was since the design was on point and save for the colour peeling off and a camera that was neither here nor there, there was hardly anything wrong with it. Well, that changes with the new Infinix Zero 3. I’ve had the device for just a day and it has already left a lasting impression.

There are several upgrades that the Infinix Zero 3 brings. A new design that sees Kevlar dropped for a new glass back. A move to the new XUI that we saw on another Infinix smartphone, the Note 2. A bigger battery unit and a new 20.7 megapixel Sony camera sensor are just some of the most notable improvements to the Zero lineup. The Infinix Zero 3 also happens to be the first 4G LTE smartphone from Infinix in the Kenyan smartphone market. While the LTE version of the Note 2 is already out, it is yet to hit the market locally so this one goes first and this is huge for the Infinix brand.

The Infinix Zero 3 has a marked price of Kshs 25,000. Buyers will likely get it at a much lower price as is always the norm with Infinix smartphones. This means that it competes directly with other notable mid-range smartphones unveiled in the past one year like the Samsung Galaxy J5 and the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3.

We’ll be taking the Infinix Zero 3 through its paces in the next few days before posting our full review soon.

[UPDATE]

The phone starts selling on Monday, 18th January at Kshs 18,500 through e-commerce site Jumia.

Read On Web → Unboxing and First Look at the Infinix Zero 3

I am a proud Kenyan. I would stand up for my country no matter the situation because I believe that I was meant to be here, to be a part of this great nation. Our lands and people are warm and beautiful and have this uncanny way of simply taking your breath away. If you find it hard to see that,  all you have to do is change your perspective. Many of us, not only those foreigners we bash and condemn for portraying our country in unpleasant ways, fail to see the beauty and magnificence of our own country.

Some of us need that extra push to simply move our attention away from the heaps of garbage that sprout up almost daily on our streets, to the little kids jumping and dancing right next to those heaps like nothing matters more to them than that single moment. Safaricom has been on the move to show us a view of Kenya that we might ignore through their calendars. The last campaign was different however. This time, they made it more than a calendar, they wanted to share it with the entire globe through the This is My Kenya app, which was the theme of this past campaign. This should be the push we need, the guiding light to be thankful of what makes us truly Kenyan, but does it actually do it?

I downloaded this app the moment it was available, because I was eagerly waiting for it. Since the campaign started, bloggers who were on the road during this campaign were documenting the trip. The stories they told on the lengths the team of talented photographers, writers, producers and drivers took to get the perfect shots of our country and the different interesting individuals they met on their journey were exhilarating. I felt connected to parts of the country I had only read about, some that I cannot even locate on a map but all in all they felt familiar, because it is my country and through the app, I would finally be able to merge my imagination with the reality.

Content is King

It is not about raising our voices and banging the table, it is about strengthening our argument – that we have everything and so much of it. 

-Magunga Williams

You cannot miss it. Once you open the app, you are immediately transported to various parts of the country. You get to experience the emotion of the moments captured and identify with people you have never met. It is truly a beautiful experience. Scrolling down the homepage opens you up to many more pictures and you never want it to end. This is what I expected to see once on the app. This is what brought me here and I am glad that it was the main focus of the application. The content. I have written a lot about content before and its importance. I think they hit this right on the head when structuring the application. Remember this as I will come back to this, first impression matters and so far so good.

So what do you do next after scrolling all the way to the bottom? You go back up and find out what else you can do on the app. This is when you discover that it is more than just a collection of pictures taken by the crew. There is more to it.

This is an application that introduces Kenya to the world, the way Kenyans want their story to be told. What I hope we do not forget is that it is a whole package. The content and the application itself are a representation of the Kenyan experience. The application is the medium that presents the content. The content is fabulous, does the medium do it justice?

The experience is part of the story

Like I said before, this is a whole package. The content and the medium are shipped as a unit, therefore, each should support the other. The content, I feel blew it out of the park, the medium however, not so much. There are a little things about the app experience that are a let-down. It feels incomplete or rushed, like a few building blocks are missing or incomplete.

This application represents our country and the Kenyan experience, therefore it should do that from the word go. Once I was satisfied by the pictures on the homepage, I took a closer look at the application right from the icon. I honestly didn’t understand that icon, I do not know what it represented. Maybe I was alone on this, and therefore I won’t dwell too much on it. Did I expect something else? Yes. Do I know what? Not really, I’m not a designer so unless I see what I think I expected, I can’t really go on much about that. However I did catch a glimpse of what I thought made more sense. On the website, there is a different (but similar) icon, more like a logo of sorts with My Kenya written on it. That one is beautiful, but I imagine it does not scale down gracefully.

I believe the purpose of this application is to allow people tell their story, and they have ways for you to do that. On the menu drawer, you are given the option of logging in with your Facebook or Instagram account to identify you. I tried logging in with my Facebook account. I didn’t see any change. I thought that maybe I didn’t do it right so I tried again, but it said I was logged in. I need to see that guys, otherwise I will not believe you! Once that ‘failed’ I went on to log in with my Instagram account and once it was successful I saw and immediate change, showing the number of posts I have posted (on the app) and likes garnered. I can forgive that oversight. It’s just a small bug that made Facebook ‘fail’. I move on. I am excited to put up my own pictures now and see that number rise from zero, you know, share my amateurish taken pictures of my view of Kenya.

On the amateur gallery tab, you can add you own picture, either from your gallery or from your camera. I then decided to post a picture from a recent trip I took to the beautiful Rapids Camp Sagana. I was mesmerized by the thundering waterfall that rung clear through the camp and tried to capture that in a picture that I was proud to share with everyone. Perfect medium right? So I put in all the necessary details and hit the post button eager to have that beauty out there. I waited. I refreshed the page over and over again only to get an error message saying that user doesn’t exist. What do you mean?Didn’t I just log in with Instagram? Or should I have registered first? I didn’t see that option anywhere. Again, I am willing to forgive. Just a slight hiccup, right? Nothing that can’t be fixed with a few lines of code. I’ll just take a breather and scroll through more pictures while you fix that.

So you want more pictures? Go on over to the discover tab, where you can view images from different counties. I think this will be a mixture of amateur and professional photos taken in those counties as I was asked to specify the county the picture was taken from. It gives you a chance to view areas you will probably not get a chance to go to. Being a new app still creating a wide user base, a number of counties do not have pictures. You might see that as a problem, I see it as a challenge. A challenge to go to this areas to explore and share with others.

There are a few more things that I do not fully understand, to be specific the feature on ‘Most Popular Journeys’ and ‘Make the Journey’. The first one looks like a curation of videos however, none of those displayed there did anything but direct me to an error web page on their website. The second takes me to a page where I get to pick 6 pictures to share as part of my journey. I didn’t get it.

I love the idea of making some video to share experiences. I think that’s a fantastic idea especially due to the popularity of Snapchat and Instagram videos. This could be a very social and immersive way of sharing the Kenyan experience. If this is what they were going for, I think there is a lot more work to do, because it doesn’t do it. If not, don’t you think this something that should be implemented? How else would I get to share the deafening beauty of the waterfall I instantly fell in love with.

The overall design of the application feels like it is longing to be better. It knows it is not there but it also knows it can amount to more, to better match the content that it carries across the globe. Well at least I hope it knows that.

When patience wears thin

My first impression of this application was mixed. I cannot reiterate how much I loved the content, so much so that I could almost forgive the medium, but not for long. You see, patience wears thin.  Luckily I have the patience to give it a second, third or even forth view.

Imagine you were from Europe or Asia hoping to catch a glimpse of Kenya while you figure out where to explore next. You stumble upon this app and get excited about the chance to really understand Kenya. You don’t just get the pictures, you get the app too. Your experience of this beautiful country starts with your interaction with the application.  It is a representation of our country. What do you think you will see? You will see the beautiful pictures but have this nagging feeling of inefficiency, of a missing piece, of wanting more than what you are presented with. Maybe you get distracted by something else and don’t give the app a second look until a few months afterward when your savings can finally allow you to seriously consider travelling to Kenya. You check to see if you can finally get that missing piece and truly get the essence of Kenya. Maybe you do not have enough money but still want to experience Kenya. Isn’t this app supposed to be the solution?

Someone had a great idea. What if, instead of letting the calendar die, the dead parts could be shaved off and the beauty of the aesthetics used for all time 

-Owaahh

This app is meant to be more than a calendar. A calendar represents a finite number of captured moments many of which are forgotten once a new year begins. An application lets the moments be infinite and timeless. I think this app fails in letting others share THEIR Kenya with the world.  It fails in making a social environment where many can experience the beauty of parts of the country they may never get to visit. Its all about the experience but the medium that shows it is lagging behind. But again, I can forgive that, for only so long. Soon enough not only my, but everyone’s patience will wear thin.

You see me here giving excuses and forgiving this app, willing it to be better. I am not lost or without a backbone, I am simply Kenyan. This is what we do for Kenya. We know we are imperfect, but we are willing to hold on to some hope. We are forgiving to our country as I am forgiving to this app. The app is not perfect, but neither is Kenya. However, it is man-made. We can get it near perfect of what we hope Kenya to be.

Read On Web → A Taste of The Truly Kenyan Experience: “This Is My Kenya” App Review

For the last 18 or so months that Infinix has managed to reignite passion in the budget smartphone category in Kenya and elsewhere, its biggest weapon has been consistently being able to put on the table desirable devices at unmatched rock bottom prices. Even then, there have been compromises we couldn’t overlook. The display panel and what protects it. The front-facing and the back camera. Who wants selfies that look like they’ve been lifted off a new oil canvas painting? The battery life (somehow). The frequency of software updates to patch annoying bugs. The performance. Some of these are worthy trade-offs and compromises considering the price but still… Fast forward to January 2016 and there’s an Infinix smartphone that just seems to get it right without leaving you in shock when you look at the pricing.

The Infinix Zero 3 is not the first of its name but I hope it is the first of what we can now expect to be a standard from the Infinix brand. I don’t know how this will manage to hold up after a year of vigorous use but I can tell you what I was able to get after two weeks with it in, hopefully, a few words.

Specifications

See here.

Design

Infinix pulled all the stops in order to deliver a device worthy of being the Zero 2’s successor.

The most notable upgrade on the Infinix Zero 3 is the design. In place of the plain looks of the Zero 2 one gets a more vibrant device with flat sharp corners. By contrast, the Zero 2 had more rounded corners.

The Infinix Zero 2 boasted of having a dual speaker setup at the bottom. Its successor takes one step back. Centrally tucked right after the Zero branding on the lower half of the device’s back is the speaker.

Just as was the case on the Infinix Zero 2, the microSD card pop-up tray, the volume rocker and the power button follow each other in that order on the right-hand side of the device. The dual micro-SIM tray is on the other side of the device. On many occasions when doing SIM swaps I have ended up popping the microSD tray instead of the SIM tray since, like in the Zero 2, there is no slight hint which is which. One has to learn by heart. If you’re the sort that is always swapping memory cards and SIM cards then you’ll get used to this pretty quickly. If you hardly ever do that and you’ll be fine once your Safaricom/Airtel/Equitel line(s) are setup then you won’t have any issues to start with.

The front of the device houses the 5.5-inch full HD display. At the very top is the front-facing camera sensor on the left, the earpiece at the centre and the LED flash on the right. In between the earpiece and the flash is something you may not recognize unless you are so keen, the proximity sensor. While it looks like you can simply park a four-wheel drive on the bezels, you’ll appreciate them when you are holding the device in landscape and doing things like gaming or watching a video. They make it easy to hold and interact with the device at the same time.

The back of the device is where you come face to face with the biggest change in the design of the device. Instead of the Kevlar back that was on its predecessor, the Infinix Zero 3 has a textured back that you can’t feel since there’s a transparent plastic top that does just fine resisting the urge to be scratched. The back is not removable.

Display

The Infinix Zero 3 gets a bump in the size of the display from the 5 inches on the Zero 2 to 5.5 inches. The underlying tech also changes. The Zero 2 had an AMOLED display. That has been dumped in the Zero 3 for an IPS LCD panel. The change is welcome since the Zero 2’s display was oversaturated and colours were almost unreal to the naked eye. In exchange, you get a brighter display though still not bright enough for you to read PDFs out in the sun comfortably. Using the device with auto brightness on most of the time was more than satisfactory, though.

Just as was the case with its predecessor, the Infinix Zero 3 is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3. That means it is likely to survive an accidental fall and you won’t have to visit a CarlCare centre looking for a screen replacement. However, that is not a license for you to experiment. The concrete always wins, FYI.

Camera

The Infinix Zero 3 packs a Sony CMOS IMX230 camera sensor with Sony’s Exmor RS technology. Forget the many terminologies, here’s what you need to know about it in a few words: it is fast (you shouldn’t miss a moment), images have less noise and are really sharp. In short, it is good.

The Zero 3’s camera is the first one I have used on an Infinix smartphone and really liked. The work of a smartphone camera is simple: to take great photos. End of story. That’s not asking for too much, right? The 20.7-megapixel camera at the back and the 5-megapixel sensor on the front do exactly that. The dual-tone LED flash at the back helps when there’s need for proper lighting. Another LED flash at the front of the device makes sure the selfie-crazed are not ignored.

For the video freaks, the main camera can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second.

The pros among us have not been forgotten. There is a “Professional” mode on the viewfinder that users can switch to for manual controls. If you are the sort who loves having control over the white balance, the ISO and the like, this will be your home. Though I am not a camera buff, I tried it just for the sake of this review and the results were pleasant.

With the camera setup, Infinix already did a lot and I am not sure where else you can turn to get such decent shooters without having to sell some body parts. So it is odd to ask for some extras like optical image stabilization which is clearly missing.

Both cameras (more so the front one) at times overprocess the images they capture.

Here are is a sample:

Software

The software on the Infinix Zero 3 is not any different from that on other Infinix devices we have reviewed recently like the Note 2. There’s Android 5.1 Lollipop with a custom overlay on top, XUI. That means you also get lots of apps you may or may not need. As we have noted before, you can delete all of these if they are not your cup of tea (it is what I did anyway).

What you’ll find different are a few things. Like the new features and apps that arrived recently after the device received an update.

Performance

The best thing about the Infinix Zero 3 besides the refreshing design and the good camera is how it handles everything you throw at it. It is fast and it looks like it is well optimized for what its makers anticipated you’ll be doing. It is not surprising to see why. The device packs one of MediaTek’s top of the line processors, the Helio X10. There’s 3 GB RAM as well which comes in handy.

Applications are kept in memory for as long as you want them to be and there are no random freezes and force closes. Lag is also a word that won’t cross your mind because you won’t encounter it.

Battery

One is guaranteed at least a full working day without looking for a charger. I average 10 to 12 hours on a single charge. Based on your usage, this can stretch to up to 16 hours. The same is the case with the overall screen on time. I average 4 hours but when I am wholly on Wi-Fi and the device’s LTE radios are on French leave, I get an extra hour.

Again, battery use is highly subjective and depends on how you use your device. The 3,030 mAh unit which you can’t swap with another easily is more than enough to see you through your most pressing hours. I usually turn on ultra power saving mode when the battery level drops below 10% and just by doing that I get an extra 3-4 hours which is more than I need to be near a socket and get a refill.

Others

Connectivity on both Safaricom and Airtel networks is excellent. Calls are clear and there’s nothing to suggest otherwise. The Zero 3 is Infinix’s second LTE smartphone in the Kenyan market. We had expected its predecessor to be the first but since it never was, the Note 2’s LTE variant takes the honour. It was only recently made available in Kenya. In fact, just a few days before the Zero 3 was made official. I am yet to test that particular model but I know about the Zero 3: it’s just fine on LTE.

Double tap to wake and double tap to sleep work well. Other gestures like drawing C on the lockscreen to activate the camera app also work just fine and come in handy. For some reason, the M gesture fires up Google Music and not the new music application Infinix bundled in the last update.

The Good

• Camera
• Sleek design
• LTE
• Excellent performance
• Well-priced

The Bad

• Overheats when charging and when you push it to its limits like when you play some resource intensive games.

Final Word

The Infinix Zero 3 is, at the moment, the best smartphone Infinix has ever brought to the Kenyan market. Its blend of acceptable performance, a good camera and eye-popping design makes it quite a steal at its offer price of Kshs 18,500. For that amount, you will be hard-pressed to find an alternative that is as compelling as the Zero 3.

Read On Web → Review: Infinix’s Best Smartphone Yet Has a Lot to Offer at a Reasonable Price

Earlier this week, we mentioned that the Cubot Note S will be launched globally in Nairobi on February 12^th 2016 and will be available exclusively on Kilimall. The Cubot Note S has been described as a super budget phone which is something that is appealing for the wider African market, especially young people and first time smartphone buyers. In as much as we want cheap phones, we also expect some good quality devices, something that Cubot is aiming to deliver with the Note S. As we said, partnering with Kilimall will ultimately cut the costs of this device offering it at a very competitive price. The price and the seemingly good quality of this device will definitely shake up the budget smartphone market that currently exists.

In the box

The Cubot Note S comes in a pretty compact, smooth, plain white box with a quote on the side “Stop following, take the lead”, something that they hope the Note S will inspire maybe? Inside, we get the Note S, a clear TPU case with a misty back, a quick start guide, power brick and USB cable.

Specs

Display: 5.5 inch HD IPS 1280 x 720 pixels (267ppi) 2.5D touchable display creating smooth curved edges into the phone.

Processor: MediaTek MT6580, Quad-core processor clocked at 1.3 GHz.

Memory: 16 GB Internal storage (expandable via microSD), 2GB RAM.

Camera: 8MP Samsung rear camera with LED flash with face recognition, burst mode, HDR and panoramic view. 5MP front facing camera with intelligent beauty.

Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Battery: Removable 4150 mAh Lithium battery.

Network: 3G/GSM and 2G/WCDMA.

Connectivity: Wi Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0

Others: Dual-SIM (microSIM), FM Radio

Colours: Matte black, pearl white and champagne gold

Thoughts

One thing that I’ll be quick to mention is the premium feel of this device. Its build quality feels and looks awesome and well thought out. The materials do not feel cheap or flimsy. It has a minimalistic, smooth to the touch (not the slippery kind) plastic rear with cut outs for the camera, LED flash and speaker grill. It has a metallic edge all around the device that gives it a strong, premium look and feel with smooth curved edges all around. They have employed a 2.5D one glass solution whereby the edges of the screen curve into the phone creating a unified fluid feel. I must admit that I love holding this device in my hands and I should note that it has some weight on it because of the huge battery but it is well balanced giving you a steady firm grip.

Display wise that 5.5 inch HD screen offers a bright and sharp display which is pleasant but if you look closely you can pick put individual pixels as it stands at only 267ppi. I wish it was a Full HD screen but I have to remember that this is a budget phone with a couple of compromises, but I am not complaining. The colours look bright and I feel like the phone is using up the 5.5 inch real estate quite well. I can live with this screen.

Another sacrifice on the device that is unfortunate is the lack of support for 4G LTE which is a shame because this is where we are headed, but I am sure as more and more people switch to 4G then phone manufacturers will surely make it a standard, even on budget devices.

The battery is what I’ll be keen on when using this device. It has a huge 4150 mAh battery to support the 5.5 inch screen and performance of the Cubot Note S. It will be interesting to see who this fares with extensive and heavy use. Will the battery last for 2 days? Only time will tell but it should come somewhere close. One thing I have noticed is that it takes quite a while to charge up, which can be a bit frustrating if you in a hurry, but if it takes longer to discharge then I think it should be acceptable.

I’ll be using this phone for a while and hopefully by the end of the period I’ll have answers to the questions I raised above. Overall, I like this phone from the get-go. It looks good, it feels good and works pretty well. Be sure to check out for the full review of this device in the coming weeks.

You can pre order the Cubot Note S on Kilimall  now as you wait the February 12th launch date.

Read On Web → Cubot Note S Unboxing and First Impressions

A budget smartphone doesn’t have to scream budget right? Buying a budget phone should not tie you down to a lacklustre device with less than mediocre specifications or a device that will break down in less than a month. It shouldn’t be a device that you rather not pull out in public or share with your friends. You shouldn’t be punished for not spending an arm and a leg on a phone. It should work just fine. Many companies are churning out devices that are pretty awesome without making you broke and Cubot is one of them. We said that this is one company we should be on the look out for this year as they continue making devices for our market and they started out this year with this.

The Cubot Note S launched on Friday, February 2016 much to the delight of many who might be out searching for a budget smartphone that will not disappoint. Cubot describes the Note S as a device ‘for the young’. Being that it is being sold at a very low price, I believe the desired market is the young in the African market who want to own a cool phone without breaking the bank. That is what Cubot is offering in the Note S.

On paper, it seems to be a very appealing device for the target market. It has a huge 5.5 inch HD screen, big battery, 8MP and 5MP front and back cameras, 2GB RAM and a pretty capable CPU. I have used the device for a few weeks now and I got to test how efficient or good all the features are and to see if it’s really worth the money and spoiler alert, I think it is pretty good for that price.

It is being sold exclusively on Kilimall at Ksh 8,888 which is a bargain! Having the device at Kilimall is an advantage as it will cut down on costs making the price very competitive.

Design & Display

• 3 x 77.2 x 8.8 mm.
• Plastic back with metal edge around the device
• Rear speakers.
• 5 inch IPS multi-touch touchscreen
• 1280 x 720 pixels HD display, 267ppi
• One-glass solution using 2.5D technology (curved edges into the phone)

I feel like the Cubot Note S has a solid build structure. The metal edge going around the device gives it a premium look and feel while also allowing for better grip. The plastic used at the back has a soft feel to it with a cut outs for the camera, LED flash and speaker grills. Cubot will also be releasing some interchangeable colorful back covers that should really let you customize your experience.

The volume rocker and power button on the side. the Cubot Note S has a metallic edge all around it

I am not a fan of back facing speakers as they are muffled when placed down on the table. However the speakers on the Note S are quite loud allowing for enough sound to seep through. In the box, you get a clear TPU case with a misty back that fits just right on the phone, without making it feel bulky. This is a necessary addition to the phone as it feels a bit vulnerable when dropped, especially due to the ‘protruding’ touchscreen.

Talking about the screen, Cubot say that the Note S uses 2.5D technology on its one glass solution screen whereby the edges curve into the phone creating a rounded, almost bubble like effect. I like this screen as it offers an interesting shape to the device. The edges also feel smooth to the touch and continue bringing the premium feel to the device.

Colour representation on the Note S’s screen is quite brilliant. The screen is not overly bright or muted, very well balanced in my opinion with decent outdoor visibility. Viewing angles are also quite large. Add this to the huge screen, watching a video with a few people should offer standard viewing for everyone.

What I am disappointed about is the fact that the screen is not Full HD. This would be a welcome feature for sure but because of its budget price, some things had to be sacrificed. Despite this fact, I feel like the Cubot Note S is making good use of that screen as it is very clear and in as much as you can pick out individual pixels, the overall clarity allows you to forgive that.

Software

• Android 5.1 Lollipop

On launch the device comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. You do not get the pure Android experience as there is a skin on it. I do not like the icon pack at all but that shouldn’t be much of a problem as there are many different launchers on Google Play with different icon packs so you can change that to your preference.

All in all Android 5.1 Lollipop runs pretty smoothly on this device. Another thing to note is that the Cubot Note S does not come with a lot of installed apps which is good, allowing you to truly customize your device according to your needs.

Whether the Cubot Note S will receive Android Marshmallow I am not too sure.

Hardware and Performance

• MediaTek MT6580, 1.3GHz Quad Core
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB Internal storage
• Expandable microSD card slot, up to 32GB
• Mali -400MP GPU

The MediaTek CPU is an average performing chip with a maximum clock speed of 1.3GHz, which is not particularly fast and snappy but good enough to keep up. In terms of multitasking, the processor has 4 cores that make multitasking extremely efficient when compared to dual core processors. This means that the Cubot Note S can handle a number of processes at the same time. Add this to the 2GB of RAM that comes with this device, the performance achieved is satisfactory. However, there are some instances of lags and a few stutters here and there but nothing too substantial to ruin your experience.

It has 16GB internal storage with 12.17GB usable storage. This will not be enough to store all your apps, Whatsapp videos and photos. It’s a good thing that the Note S comes with an expandable microSD card which can support up to 32GB additional storage. This gives you the much needed additional storage to support you.

The phone heats up at the top when running certain processes that max out the CPU. This can be felt when playing highly demanding games and applications, however given a few moments it cools down and continues working as usual.

Battery

• 4150 mAh Lithium Battery

The Cubot Note S comes with a 4150 mAh battery which is huge and very necessary to support the size of the screen. It is said that the battery could last up to two days but that I feel is for conservative users who use their phones sparingly. I am constantly on my phone and the estimate for 2 days battery life is long shot. My normal day starts with the device fully charged and data is always connected. On my commute to work, I either stream music from Spotify or listen to podcasts. The device remains connected to Wi-Fi in the office as I sometimes surf on it, play games, use apps like Pomodoro that I use to organize my time, enjoy Instagram or just open up the screen for no reason at all. My commute back is characterized by more streaming and podcast listening. By the time I go back to bed after more social media stalking and news reading, I end up with just about 40% charge left.

That amount is pretty good compared to other devices I have used that require constant charging up during the day. If you are not constantly on the phone then 2 days can definitely happen. It also has a battery saver feature that further elongates your battery life by sacrificing few features.

On the down side, due to the big size of the battery, charging up the phone to full charge takes quite a while. This is not a device that you can charge up on the go. It would be fantastic if it offered fast charging but we have to remember they had to cut down on costs to make this a really budget device

Camera

• 8MP Primary Samsung camera
• Blue glass infrared camera
• Supports face recognition, real time HDR mode, panoramic view and beauty face function
• Secondary 5.0MP front facing camera with intelligent beauty

Having an 8MP primary camera is something standard in most mid-range phones, but you should note that the number of mega pixels in a camera doesn’t necessarily equate to the quality of the camera. The camera app takes a few seconds to open revealing a rather old looking crowded interface. It has black bars on both sides of the screen showing various settings and options that reduce viewing field of the scene you wish to capture.

The camera takes pretty good shots outside when there is a lot of natural light flowing into the lens. I specifically found it very good at close up shots of flowers and bugs if you are into that sort of thing. However the camera struggles when taking wide angle shots and landscapes as a number of details disappear in the picture. The quality of pictures deteriorates even further when taking pictures in low light conditions. The LED flash comes to play but color distortion and over emphasis of details due to excess light is the undesired result.

On the bright side, the camera has a lot of cool features to play around with and I have to admit that I wasted some amount of time on it. These include HDR mode while shooting, capturing pictures using the peace sign (which I haven’t gotten to work yet), panoramic pictures and my favorite, multi angle shooting that takes several shots of an object from various angles and constructs a single image for you to go through, like a 180 degree camera view. Only drawback, the quality of the images is wanting.

The 5MP selfie camera is just okay. Works well outside but can be frustrating indoors. It also has the intelligent beauty feature to make all your selfie smooth and beautiful.

Connectivity

• Dual SIM
• 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM
• 900/1900/2100 MHz WCDMA
• Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS, A-GPS
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor

The Cubot Note S supports 2 micro SIM cards allowing you to access 2 networks at one time. One thing to note in terms of connectivity is that this device does not support 4G. Seeing that they are focusing sales of this device in Africa which is still predominantly on 2G and 3G, this should not pose a big problem. However it is still unfortunate as more networks are rolling out 4G for extremely fast browsing something that is the next step for us following the increased rates of internet penetration and usage across the continent.

Conclusion

The good:

• Affordable
• Premium feel
• Solid build quality
• Good display
• Expandable storage
• Large battery

The bad:

• Lacklustre camera
• No Full HD
• No 4G

I like the Cubot Note S. It feels good, it looks good and it works just fine. Its not the perfect device but you get a lot for that price. Even with all the sacrifices that went on to make this device cheap and accessible, it till turned out to be a device that offers you a good smartphone experience. Be sure to check out the device on Kilimall. It is currently retailing for only Ksh 8,888

Read On Web → Cubot Note S Review: Remake of A Budget Smartphone?

Microsoft’s Garage team has a new app on the Google Play Store. It is a keyboard this time round. It has been out for at least two days already. I spent the better part of yesterday trying out the latest effort from the same team of engineers that has previously brought us an alarm clock, a launcher and many other Android applications.

Like any other keyboard application, Microsoft Hub’s main mission is to aid in text entry on our tiny mobile keyboards. That it does perfectly. Only that as a result of having been spoilt by far superior alternatives, the experience can turn out to be underwhelming once the initial excitement is all gone.

For starters, Microsoft Hub, like most Microsoft products, has to find a way to tie in with other products from its maker, Microsoft. This it does by making it easy for those with Office 365 school and work accounts to attach documents straight from the keyboard. Using a new feature called Extensions that places, well, extensions on the first keyboard row, users can access such and several other shortcuts. Like copy and paste, adding contact details and, a major one, translating text into several languages all without opening another app. All from the keyboard. While we have seen several keyboards with the copy and paste shortcuts, the translator is a brilliant implementation and since this is a work in progress, we can only hope it gets better.

Hub’s drawbacks are its departure from what we are used to. While one can take the lack of predictions since this is no Swype or SwiftKey, it’s unforgiving to think that all will be well when keying in text without autocomplete suggestions on the top row when the extensions are toggled on. Lack of the all-too-important emojis and not much in the way of user control in the settings add to the misery of the new keyboard.

If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in your mobile typing experience on Android then Hub is worth a look but if you’re the sort to be prone to lots of typographical errors when out and about without the guidance of autocorrect and the assistance of autocomplete then this is not the keyboard app for you. At least not in its current early form. Microsoft is promising several new extensions/shortcuts as we go along and those could be real game changes but for now it is what it is. It would do no harm though to let users attach documents without having to sign in to their Office 365 accounts. Oh, and for one to properly do that, you need to have Microsoft’s Office apps installed so that it can redirect as soon as it is done signing you into your Microsoft account. One step forward, three steps backward.

Microsoft’s interest in mobile keyboards is unlikely to end with Hub. The company recently acquired SwiftKey, the company that makes a popular mobile keyboard by the same name. It has also been reported to be working on an iOS keyboard app. That should be enough consolation for iPhone users since Microsoft Hub is only open to Android users at the moment. Even then, access is restricted to those in the United States. There’s still APK Mirror for the sideloaders though.

Read On Web → Microsoft’s New Android Keyboard Has Extensions for Added Functionality

Huawei has its P smartphone lineup for showcasing all things sexy about today’s mobile devices. They’re thinner, lighter, faster and pack the latest and greatest in both hardware and software specifications. While deservingly celebrated, the P lineup sacrifices certain aspects in its quest to be at the head of the smartphone sales race.

While the P series is meant for the races, there is another smartphone range that Huawei has been fronting for the last couple of years that is meant to just stick around and not go anywhere. Provide real power while not in a rush to match up to anyone’s standards. It’s the Mate series.

Huawei’s Mate smartphones (at one time calling them smartphones was unimaginable) have always been huge, powerful and enduring. The late 2015 take of the series, the Mate 8 which was finally showcased in early 2016 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is all that and better.

It looks good and will convince you right away to part with your hard-earned cash, it has one of the best mobile processors in the market that is no slouch when it comes to delivering real power and it can last at least two days if you happen to be the business user Huawei had in mind when crafting the device.

Unboxing

In the box…

You get a free clear plastic case as well

Specifications

You can check out all specifications of the device here.

Form

They say looks can kill. That is especially true for some other objects of desire whether real or imagined but may not be true for devices. Well, most large devices to be specific. You mostly get a blown up version of a much smaller device or something that doesn’t have much going for it in the makeup department.

Design

That is not the case with the Huawei Mate 8. It stands out because of its design. The aluminium unibody with drilled speaker holes at the bottom, a 3.5 mm headphone jack at the top, a microphone you can easily miss and a microSD cum dual-SIM card slot will momentarily make you forget that you are actually staring at a gigantic device.

Thanks to its huge frame, it doesn’t matter where the volume rocker and the power button are placed (as long as it’s not the top), they’ll almost always feel out of reach. It takes a little getting used to before you eventually feel at home.

With a 6-inch full high definition display, the Huawei Mate 8 is a big device by all standards. You will feel that when you hold it in the hand. What you won’t feel however, is bulkiness or slipperiness. It is light. That is relative though since at 185 grams, it is heavier than the last member of the Mate lineup, the Mate S. It is however just as heavy as its predecessor, the Mate 7, was. And of course, it is every bit the better device.

Display

The IPS-Neo display on the front, made by Japan Display Inc (JDI) goes from edge to edge giving the impression of an infinity display. Like the panel on the P8 we saw last year, the Mate 8’s display is perfect for outdoor content consumption as it is for your day-to-day usage indoors. However, it is not as pixel dense as the display on a similarly-priced device, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (which has a QHD display panel), at just 367 pixels per inch.

Function

Camera

The Huawei Mate 8 has a 16-megapixel camera at the back and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. They are both accompanied by LED flash. At the back though, it’s dual-tone LED flash to better light up your late night snaps.

Huawei has added several features to the camera software that users can take advantage of. You can create some insane Time-lapse videos without having to seek the services of third party solutions like Microsoft’s impressive Hyperlapse app. Slow-motion videos are also possible by just hitting ‘Slow-mo’ in the camera app’s settings menu. If you’re the sort to use your device’s camera to capture documents then scan them using one of the many apps available for doing so, then you’ll find the ‘Document readjustment’ feature tucked away in the camera app’s settings menu quite handy.

As was the case when I reviewed the P8 last year, two features still stand out as far as the software goes: Super night and HDR. They do what they are meant to so well and you will, for a moment, forget that the Mate 8’s camera, while impressive and the best of its time, is still behind superior modules we’ve seen and used on other devices from the past year like the Galaxy Note 5.

The Professional mode is where all the magic happens for those who know what to do with their cameras. One notable missing feature is the ability to save snaps in their RAW format for further editing. Granted this is a feature the business person Huawei has in mind with this device won’t miss, it doesn’t hurt to include it since every other top device in the market at the moment has it. Maybe we’ll see it in the upcoming P9.

Object tracking when you tap an object you want the camera to keep its focus on is excellent and results in some rather nice shots, making up for the lack of an outright “Selective Focus” mode. It even works when you’re shooting videos.

Another glaring omission shows up in video capture. While 4K files are rather large and take up lots of space thus limiting users to a few minutes of video recording, it is always nice to have the ability to record 4K video. The most the Huawei Mate 8 can do is 1080p video at 60 frames per second.

There’s a whole tonne of features a user can take advantage of when using the Huawei Mate 8’s stock camera app. Thankfully, they’re hidden behind the settings menu and unless you actually need to use them or have an idea of what you’re doing, you’re not overwhelmed by stuff you will never use.

As can be seen in these sample images, in sufficient lighting, the Huawei Mate 8 does take some nice shots. In low-lighting situations, things could be better.

Software

The software on the Huawei Mate 8 draws mixed feelings. It is a hit and miss. A hit in that Emotion UI 4.0 has received several upgrades making it more stable than its predecessors and a miss because it still suffers from a lot of the things that made some of us not really like past versions of the software. Like the overdoing of optimizations and Huawei’s insistence on an iPhone-like user interface that eschews the app drawer for a free-form approach that reminds us of Apple’s iOS.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is onboard

There are several nifty additions to EMUI that make it so pleasant to use. Like the inclusion of a screen recorder that you can simply have sitting in the Quick Settings panel ready for action anytime you feel like. Or the one-handed mode that can be turned on and off by simply sliding one’s finger across the bottom black bar that houses the on-screen keys. For a device as gigantic as the Mate 8, the presence of a one-handed mode cannot go unappreciated. Hand in hand with it is Huawei’s own take on another feature that is only coming to stock Android later in the year, multi-window.

Spot the screen recorder in the Quick Settings

So Huawei

The Floating Dock makes it very easy to use the large device.

About multi-window… the feature could be better utilized if more applications actually supported it besides Huawei’s own apps and a handful of others. It’s untapped potential.

The one glaring miss is the way the system is overzealous about killing applications running in the background. Granted they are not the best things on earth as they keep sipping your battery but some of us just need some things to continue running albeit temporarily.

In my case, I have a game whose implementation is not the best. It stores some game data temporarily and it is immediately erased if the application happens to be terminated without warning. You know what that means? Downloading almost 100 megabytes of data every time I fire up Need for Speed No Limits. Another application, my favourite music player, Poweramp, suffers a similar fate. Music playback stops after a few minutes and I am forced to use the stock Huawei music app. This is despite having added both applications and 30 others to the ‘Protected apps’ list, a whitelist of sorts that the system uses to avoid closing processes you deem important or you want to be maintained.

The upside of being forced to use the stock music player is that I soon discovered how beautiful and fully functional it actually is, a big departure from the application I encountered in the P8 mid last year. However, I can’t seem to play music stored on my media card. Just the music on the device’s internal storage.

Unlike other devices I have used in the last few months that have poorly implemented fingerprint scanners, the Huawei Mate 8’s fingerprint sensor is excellent. It is not only spot on when it comes to fingerprint recognition, it also plays nicely with several third party applications like LastPass, Telegram and even the Google Play Store making it easy to log in to applications and make purchases on the Play Store.

Pressing and holding on the fingerprint reader at the back of the device (a more natural place than the home button) for several seconds when the device is locked and the screen turned off results in it turning on and automatically unlocking.

A third-party screen recorder application is not the only thing you won’t need if you have the Mate 8. An Internet speed indicator like my favourite, Internet Speed Meter, won’t be needed since Huawei has a network speed indicator built right into its software. You can turn it on and you’ll always be abreast of the drop or rise in network speeds by just looking at the notification bar. Great!

The software is also tuned to play nice with a couple of gimmicky features. Gimmicky because since the day of the Mate 8’s launch in Kenya when I used them at the demo area, I have never used them again up to the time I was penning this review. These are knuckle gestures. They are made possible by Huawei’s Knuckle Sense technology. You use your knuckles to fire up apps like the music app and the camera by drawing the letter M and the letter C respectively. Using one’s knuckle to draw a line while using an app that supports multi-window results in multi-window mode kicking in. Double-tapping the screen using your knuckles takes a screenshot. The effort required to get all that done is not worth it in my opinion but if you can get used to it then well and good.

Performance

The Huawei Mate 8 has the benchmark-topping Kirin 950 processor powering it. As a result, everything is snappy and thanks to the optimizations in the software, lag is non-existent. Playing heavy games is a breeze thanks to the chip and its accompanying graphics processor, the Mali-T880.

Endurance

Battery

Huawei plays up the Mate 8’s battery performance by saying that it can last a whole two days or four days when you’re just playing music. They are right. The most outstanding feature of the Huawei Mate 8 other than the exquisite design is the battery life.

You’ll struggle to power down the 4,000mAh non-removable battery unit found in the Huawei Mate 8. Thanks to the large battery unit and Huawei’s extensive software customizations to keep rogue apps at bay, carrying a charger or staying close to a wall socket is not one of the things you have to do when you have this device. And when you need to do it, things will be sped up a bit thanks to the device’s fast charging capabilities.

Others

The Huawei Mate 8 happens to pack some amazing sound. It is not just loud. So much I found its speakers to be far much better when playing my Discover Weekly than the speakers on some of this year’s high profile devices like the Galaxy S7 Edge. Yes, that. It could’ve been better still if the seemingly dual-speaker setup at the bottom of the device was actually a dual setup. Let not the two grilles fool you. Only the right grille has the speaker behind it, the left one is just there to look beautiful. Cosmetic.

Voice calls are loud and clear and LTE browsing speeds depending on the strength of the signal wherever you are, are great.

Whereas the Huawei P8 had Signal+ to receive cellular network signals from all directions and make sure the signal is always strong even when one is in a high speed vehicle or train, the Mate 8 adds another interesting feature: Wi-Fi+. It is part of the Link+ features. What it does is allow the user to determine certain locations where he/she wants their device to automatically switch on Wi-Fi and connect to a particular network. No frills, just that. And it works so well. It will also switch between cellular networks and Wi-Fi depending on the strength so as to make sure your Netflix experience is not degraded. While this is great, I just wish there was a way of separating the two features since I am only interested in the device connecting to my home or office Wi-Fi and not reverting to LTE when I’m in the middle of some Apple Music playback hence depleting my data bundles.

Raising the device to your ear to make or receive a call when you have connected it to a Bluetooth music player results in the call not being broadcast to everyone through the player; the device intelligently shifts it to its earpiece, giving you some privacy. You only need to toggle the feature on in the Motion settings.

The Good

• The battery life is simply amazing. It is the best battery life I have got on a high-end device over the last two years. No kidding. In the race to make slimmer, good-looking, metal-only devices, the battery has suffered. There’s still hope thanks to devices like the Mate 8.
• It’s stunningly gorgeous. I had the Moonlight Silver Mate 8 and while it doesn’t radiate as much as the Champagne Gold model does, it’s just too beautiful.
• Performance is great. It should even be much better with the 4 GB RAM variant since it gives the power user a little bit more wiggle room.
• The IPS-Neo display is great in every way you look at it. Being the most central feature of any smartphone, it goes a long way in making the Mate 8 the desirable smartphone that it is. With a big 6-inch display and long battery life, the device can easily double up as your go-to eBook Reader.
• The dual-SIM/microSD card hybrid implementation is great. Gives users lots of choices normally not available for devices of the Mate 8’s stature this side of the world. This is usually nothing to write home about in the case of mid-range and entry-level devices which almost always have dual-SIM capability. It is something when talking about premium devices in the Mate 8’s range since such is either overlooked or only makes it to certain regions like China and India.

The Bad

• The overzealous termination of active applications ought to be checked. Let the system actually keep apps the user desires to keep as per their options in the settings application (Protected apps).
• There’s also this:

  Log files that huge! Results in valuable wasted space. *The yellowish screen is because of a blue light filter I use, Twilight.

Final word

My main misgiving with Huawei devices has always been in the software department. While I will eventually learn to live with the company’s extensive alterations to Android, I may never learn to accept the slow or even total lack of updating devices. If what we have seen with releases of the monthly security patches by Google is anything to go by then the Mate 8 may be the first of Huawei’s devices to exorcise the ghost of slow or no updates. It will have to pass the Android N test though to convince me (and others as well) fully since one year later, the P8 is yet to get Marshmallow this side of the world. One year later!

For a business smartphone that goes head to head with the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5, Huawei manages to put out an excellent alternative that is pleasant to own and use. The best part is that, like the P8 and the Mate S before it, the Mate 8 remains one of the most fairly priced super premium smartphones in the Kenyan market. At just Kshs 60,000 for the 3 GB RAM+32 GB internal storage variant and Kshs 70,000 for the 4 GB RAM+64 GB internal storage model, it is priced better than its competitors which have more or less the same features and specifications.

Read On Web → Huawei Mate 8 Review: When Form and Function Meet Real Power

This week I take a look at apps coming from ‘across the pond’ and see what they have to offer. Uganda has been seeing some notable growth in terms of technology with many more brilliant minds coming up with applications and business ideas every day.

I take a look at two applications, one that is a widely popular game and another from a startup that is hoping to add an application to support one of  most our common trades with a little inspiration from the ever so popular app, Uber (and no, it is not another Uber-like transportation app).

1. Matatu

This has nothing to do with Matatus, absolutely nothing close to what we Kenyans associate Matatus with at least. This caught me off guard, but I had to remember that this is Ugandan, how silly would I be to assume that it may mean the same thing?

It is a card game. I love card games. I love card games so much so that I often play 2- player games alone or even reconstruct ( or try to) computer games like Solitaire during blackouts, or…when I don’t have playing cards, I usually make some myself by cutting up paper and cardboard. I know, weird but I digress.

This game has 100,000 (+) downloads on Play Store so it is right to assume that it is widely popular.

On the main page, you can start appreciating the minimalistic design of this game. It’s pretty simple and clean with ‘floating’ buttons showing the 3 playing modes; Classic, Joker and 2 player. You can also see how many players are online, access help to know how to play Matatu, see the weekly leader board and your own profile, showing your points and a tab to customize the theme of the playing board. You can either get the default wooden board theme, another theme with the Ugandan flag as the backdrop or one of those casino blue flowery backdrops.

One thing I noticed is that the game automatically picked up my Gmail username as my game play username if I choose to skip logging in with Facebook. I didn’t like that since it didn’t ask me if it was okay to do that. You can still log in with Facebook, at least there you have a choice.

So is the game any good?

Yes, yes it is. At first I wasn’t sure I understood how to play it after reading the tutorial but I played a game with some tips and tricks until I figured out that it was almost exactly like the poker we grew up playing. Note, I say ‘almost exactly like’. This can be because of one of these two reasons.

When I first played this game, I thought that maybe these are the set rules, the originals, the ones that were made at the beginning to govern the game by our forefathers.

Or, maybe Ugandans just play it like this. That makes sense. I don’t know why I would assume it would be the same thing. Again.

Or most logically of all, its a game called Matatu, not ‘Kenyan-style-poker’

Point it, it’s an easy to learn game, just need a little rewiring before you can win a game. Took me 5 tries but I finally got a hang of it but when I did, I spent a very long time on it. It is very addictive.

If you are tired of beating the computer, you can challenge someone from those online and hope one of them is up for the challenge. I prefer playing with humans other than a computer so I love the fact that that option exists in this game.

I can see how this game got this popular. It is a fun and social game that you probably play with your friends so it’s one of those that can travel very fast through word of mouth. The guys who made this game, Kola Studios, have a number of other games available which are also good, but none is as popular as Matatu. Why don’t you give it a go?

Did I mention that I saw no ads while I played this game and I was online??

2. Yoza

I know you have moments where you look at that big pile of dirty clothes tucked away in a corner somewhere and wonder how you can change that to a clean, wonderfully smelling clothes without doing the actual work. You will probably consider hiring someone to do that for you.

Dubbed as the Uber for dirty laundry, the basic premise here is that using the app, you can find the nearest person around who offers laundry services. This is perfect for those with busy careers (or those who simply do not like to wash clothes) to get their laundry done.

This is not a new concept as this is something that is very popular here. During weekends and holidays, you cannot miss the people who sit outside estates and gates waiting for cleaning jobs from washing clothes to cleaning up the house and so forth. What these guys from Uganda did was create an app for that. One that connects you to the people who want the job nearest to you.

Using the app, you get two options, either book a washer or look for dry cleaning services.  When you choose to book a washer, you enter some specifics of the job you want. Do you want them to clean your clothes, your house or both? Do you want a man or a woman? How often do you need the service? This time only, weekly or monthly? What is your location and phone number?

For laundry services, you list the laundry items, your location and date and time for pick up. Everything is well listed and explained, so using the application seems pretty straight forward.

I couldn’t try this application as I am not in Uganda. Also in case the washer does not have a smartphone to install the app on, Yoza come in the middle there to complete that line of communication.

You can subscribe to this service, with four subscription models; Student at UGX 100,000 (approx. Kshs 3013) for 4 months for 16 washes, Standard at UGX 120,000 (approx. Kshs 3616) for 3 months covering 12 washes, Premium package at UGX 240,000 (approx. Kshs 7241) for 3 months, 12 washes, house cleaning and ironing of clothes and lastly, Family for UGX 1,000,000 (approx. Kshs 30,131) for 6 months covering 50 washes, twice a week plus washing the house and ironing clothes.

My thoughts on this are pretty simple. Most of the time, when you hire someone to do your laundry, in most cases, you will look for the same person every time, so the idea of using the app to get a new person, or the ‘nearest one’ each week can be lost , however, if you look at it at the point of discovery, such that you eliminate the walk to find this said person who sit outside there, many of whom may come from far places, then using the app to find someone who suits you better in the long run makes sense. I believe this is their ploy, but that is just an assumption.

So that’s it for Uganda right now, ill still be on the look out for apps that seem interesting, useful and fun!

Read On Web → App Review: Matatu and Yoza, Interesting Apps Coming From Uganda

In the box

The Tecno Boom J8 is finally here. It was launched at a fun filled affair at Nairobi’s Garden City mall on April 2nd 2016, where dancers entertained guests and models showcased the new device, with a number of people getting goodie bags with the device and other Tecno products.

Away from that, we are excited for the new Tecno Boom device and there are a couple of upgrades we expect to see on it as compared to last year’s Tecno Boom J7. This year’s iteration of the Boom device is no different from the previous model as it is still meant to appeal to music lovers who want the device to deliver some awesome sound.

Aside from that similarity, their differences are obvious, and hopefully for the best. Right out of the box, you get to see that there is a huge upgrade in terms of design. If at all last year’s Boom J7 was termed beautiful, I am not sure what we would call the Boom J8. All I can say is that it received a much appreciated facelift resulting in a clean, modern and minimalistic design that looks very pleasing to the eye.

Another thing that you will notice as you get this device is that with every purchase of the Tecno Boom J8, you will also get Boom headphones. Last year’s J7 came with some well-designed earphones with a pretty pouch to store them. Not too much could be said about their quality. They were simple and satisfactory. This time, Tecno has forgone the earphone and instead are giving out the Boom headphones and sadly no storing pouch. I cannot say much about the quality as yet but I think they might just sound the same as the previous earphones. We will keep you updated on that later on.

You can also expect a revamp of the Boom Player on the Boom J8, version 2.1. Basically the Boom player is how Tecno attempts to merge the hardware and software to provide an outright music experience to its users. You can stream music from different genres and also download the ones you like to your device. The Boom player on the Boom J7 was okay but suffered by having limited selection of music, mostly Nigerian music and taking way too long to update top music charts. I hope this version of the Boom Player fixes those issues.

The Tecno Boom J8 will also come running Tecno’s new user interface design, HiOS with hopes of having a more streamlined experience across all other Tecno devices. This is still a new experience so we will give you a more detailed account about HiOS as we continue to use the device so that you can get to know it better.

More specifications of the device include an upgraded camera set with 13MP at the back and a 5MP selfie camera. It has a 5.5 inch 720p HD display, with 320ppi, resulting in a brilliant screen. It is running Android 5.1 Lollipop with Tecno’s HiOS on top, Maxx Audio speakers and an upgraded battery at 3000mAh. It also has 16GB internal storage which is expandable up to 128GB with 2GB RAM.

It is retailing at Kshs 17000, a few thousands more than the price the Boom J7 when it launched which we hope is a good deal with all the upgrades the device has received. With more usage, we will be sure to come to a conclusion soon.

Check out the unboxing and first look video we made of the Tecno Boom J8 as we use the device over the next couple of weeks in order to give you a detailed review.

Read On Web → It’s here! Unboxing and First Impression of Tecno Boom J8

The Infinix Hot 3, which started selling on 29^th March on Kilimall is the successor of the underwhelming Android one device, the Infinix Hot 2. Android one is a project where Google partners with phone manufactures to release a very low cost device, giving you the best that Android offers. This means stock Android, immediate roll out of updates and not having to deal with other preloaded application and gimmicky software from phone manufactures. Google partnered with Infinix Mobility to release the first Android One device in Africa, the Infinix Hot 2.

It was impressive, but not for too long. In no time, the allure of having an all Android device was let down by unimpressive hardware that ended up producing a lacklustre, laggy experience. Will the next Infinix Hot device be a reworked model of the Android one project?

No. It is its own device, with its own identity and hopefully a much needed upgrade from the previous Infinix Hot 2.

Out of the box, you get the device, some earphones, which is becoming rare with many manufacturers, a charger and USB cable.

Straight out of the box, you can get to appreciate the change in design from the previous Hot device. I have the Space Grey variant (Apple anyone…), which looks quite good. Other than the back cover having some texture, it also curves inwards, similar to how the Samsung Note 5 does and this combined increase grip and beauty of the device.

Other than that the general design of the Infinix Hot 3 isn’t much different from what we expect from Infinix. Here is a breakdown of more specs of the device:

• Runs Android 5.1 lollipop with Infinix’s XUI
• 5 inch HD Touchscreen
• 1280*720 resolution
• Quad core CPU 1.3 GHz
• 16 GB internal memory, expandable
• 1GB RAM
• Dual SIM
• 8MP back camera with LED Flash , 2 MP selfie camera with soft flash
• 3000mAh removable battery

First impressions

So far, I love how this device feels in the hand. It is a big phone, but doesn’t feel out of reach, maybe we are used to 5 plus inch devices now. Design wise, I would give this device a 7 out of 10. It’s not perfect, but you can live with it. If the capacitive buttons were backlight however, maybe that score would increase a bit.

I like how the screen looks. It is quite brilliant and clear although, some colours suffer and seem very washed out. I have to point it out that I am not a fan of XUI. I do not like how the icons are sharp and 2 dimensional. Now you cannot get a pure Android experience as you would on the Hot 2, but there is an app called XThemes to get your phone to look like something else. You can choose an Apple theme, Google, Valentine’s Day theme and even a World Cup theme (this should be perfect in a couple few years right).

Now that we are on those ‘X’ apps, they are many already preloaded on the device. From Xwallpaper, Xclub, Xcontacts and a few more. If you do not mind them you can use them or simply uninstall them, no big deal.

Performance wise, it seems to keep up, but I haven’t really pushed it yet. I do expect some stutters here and there, but hopefully not too much. You have to remember that this device comes with 1GB of RAM so multitasking might be an issue.

I’ll be using the Infinix Hot 3 for a couple of weeks as my primary phone in order to test it out and give you a comprehensive review about it. It is priced at Kshs. 7,899, a very low price, so I hope that it works very well in spite of its budget price.

Be sure to watch out for it!

Read On Web → Hands on and First Impressions with the Infinix Hot 3

Secretary General Kenya Red Cross Society, Dr. Abbas Gullet

Yesterday saw the launch of Kenya Red Cross Society’s app that they were keen to describe it as the world’s most advanced humanitarian aid app, once again putting the nation at the forefront, using technology to bring humanitarian services closer to the people of Kenya.

The application, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms, was developed and is powered by Connectik Technologies Limited, who provide a collaboration platform that connects an enterprise with its management, employees, customers and partners in an open cross-platform, cross-channel ecosystem.  Sponsorship for the development came from Willful Capital with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

There are three main features that Dr. Abbas Gullet, Secretary General Kenya Red Cross Society wanted to focus on; the ability of its users to get emergency services at a touch of a button, get emergency news and alerts and the ease of finding blood donation points.

So other than that, what is in this application that makes it stand out from the rest? Dubbed as the most advanced humanitarian app, I am curious to find out and share with you what exactly it has that will make it Kenya’s next frontier.

So let’s get started.

What can you do on this App?

Emergency Alerts and Kenya Red Cross Society News

These are two different features on the app, but I can put them in the same category. Basically  you should be able to get real time and possibly lifesaving information during a crisis or an emergency situation. I normally wait to receive Red Cross Tweets when there is an emergency situation in order to get accurate, or even truthful accounts of a situation. Sometimes, you just cannot trust tweeps in Kenya.

They are obviously arranged in a chronological order and when you click on an alert, you can get more information about the situation. You can also donate some money to help allocate some resources needed for that situation. This is definitely much better than the present way for reading a tweet where information is simply a broadcast and user cannot chip in or learn more. This makes a lot of sense to me.

Now on the KRCS News section, imagine it as a blog section for KRCS whereby they give some reports of things that they have been involved and activities that they have participated in. So basically the whole idea here is to keep you up to date with all that they do. Is this relevant for everyone? I do not think so. I don’t know, unless you have enrolled to be a member of Kenya Red Cross Society and have a stake in it, then it makes sense to follow that up. This is probably a feature I will not be too keen on.

Ambulance, Blood Donations and supporting Kenya Red Cross.

These are the next three features of the app, and by far the most interesting and curious is the feature that enables you to get emergency services easier.

“…KRCS Eplus ambulances have been operating in all parts of the country responding to over 10,000 emergency calls every year. Now through the app, we have brought emergency support closer to you so requesting an ambulance will be a click away”

So you need an ambulance, well open the app and request for one. Not only can you call for an ambulance, you can take a picture of the situation, give a brief description, identify the incident type, like whether the person as fainted, unconscious or talking and lastly, you can add your location or any other just in case you want to request an ambulance for somebody else. Now this is useful, I love the implementation of this, though I cannot help but think of Mobile Life.

What is Mobile Life you ask? Well it’s an app created by some brilliant minds which does something similar. It aims to get you the appropriate emergency service response in relation to what is happening. This includes ambulances, firefighters and police. It is a brilliant application but it needs the support of emergency service responders like Kenya Red Cross, but they went ahead and created their own. Sigh!

Kenya Red Cross Society is hoping to increase levels of blood donated by highlighting the various donation points and their proximity to app users in order for them to easily donate. Blood is always an issue at Kenya Red Cross with a demand of 70,000 pints of blood monthly and being unable to fulfill that. Hopefully this makes that better.

You can also donate some money to Kenya Red Cross Society through the app by either using MPESA, Airtel Money or Credit/ Debit card.

Volunteering, Membership, Training and Projects.

Kenya Red Cross Society is an intricate network of volunteers and first responders who provide the much needed man power needed in times of crisis. According to Dr Abbas Gullet, bringing the volunteers together and sending them real time updates has not been easy and through the app, they will be able to inform and send them alerts when appropriate. If you wish to be a volunteer, you can do so by inputting your data and they will contact you directly.

Kenya Red Cross Society is a membership organization, meaning it largely relies on members to fulfill its mission. Therefore on the app, you can enroll to different membership levels from Youth member in school paying Kshs. 100 annually to Life Membership at Kshs. 5000 one –off. During the launch, Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore and Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Mr. Joe Mucheru signed up for lifetime membership and got some badges. Now will you receive the same from Dr Abbas Gullet when you sign up for Lifetime Membership? I highly doubt it.

You can also enroll for training via the app. Training includes courses in advanced trauma life support, advanced cardiac life support, disaster management courses, basic fire safety among many others. I mean this app is full of layers of features such that not only can you sign up for the classes, you can also navigate to the location where the course is offered. I wish however that I could access some tips and basic free training on the app in order to use I emergency situation before trained help arrives.

Marketplace and Hospitality

Lastly, there are many ways to support the Kenya Red Cross Society. One of them is buying merchandise from them. You can access the market place on the app and be able to purchase stuff but I do not think they are able to deliver, I stand to be corrected. As you pay, you are prompted input when you will be available for pick up, hence the conclusion.

Another way to support the Kenya Red Cross Society is to stay at one of their luxurious Boma hotels and all proceeds go straight into financing the society. They make the booking accessible via the app, however, you are redirected out of the app and into the Boma Inn website’s section for booking a room. Therefore it isn’t exactly booking through the app, rather making it accessible, if that makes any sense.

Conclusion.

Well, I went into this expecting something quite shallow to be honest. Having first interacted with Mobile Life, I felt like maybe Kenya Red Cross Society kind of rushed this in order to come to market before Mobile Life, and being as big as they are, a presence in the app world is all that they need.

But after using this, I got to appreciate the work put in this. Let us imagine they rushed to build this, it doesn’t show. It seems deliberate and intentional. I was, to say the least impressed.

The features available on this app are so vast, I do not think I have discovered all of them. Maybe this can be a bad thing, if at all you have so much choices, won’t some go unattended.

Another thing on the downside of this app is the fact that it is limited to smartphones running Android and iOS. The Kenya Red Cross Society has nationwide reach, therefore limiting it to only a small percentage of people. Feature phone use is vast, they should find a way to incorporate that too. Should the very countable Windows and Blackberry users also get their version? I mean Facebook stopped Blackberry support, so maybe that is a sign.

Be sure to download the app and see how and if you can add it in your daily life.

Read On Web → An Introduction to Kenya Red Cross Society App created to Expand their Reach

Xiaomi is not a name or brand that is familiar with most Kenyans outside our space (in mobile tech coverage). Yet soon it will, hopefully, be on everyone’s lips. That assumption that Xiaomi will be able to become a household name in Kenya is pegged on how well it manages to play its cards in a market as competitive as this one.

Last week, Xiaomi, a top 5 global smartphone vendor, started selling its smartphones in Kenya. We have had in our possession one of the two devices it is starting its Kenyan operations with, the budget Redmi Note 2, for the last two weeks.

Xiaomi’s rise to the top of the global smartphone sales charts was as a result of managing to release devices that were pocket-friendly while still not compromising on quality and features. We set out to find if the Redmi Note 2 fit the bill and if at all it had any chance of upsetting the status quo locally.

Let’s just say we were impressed. As you will see throughout this review, the Chinese device maker may as well end up capturing the imagination of the African market just as it has managed to make inroads in Asia and Latin America. Well, at least if the lawsuits by Mi-Fone don’t push it off the tracks.

Redmi Note 2 Specifications

• Size and weight: 152 x 76 x 8.25 mm, 160g
• Display: 5.5-inch full HD (401 ppi) IPS LCD
• Camera: 13-megapixel main camera that can shoot full HD video at 30 fps + LED flash; 5-megapixel selfie camera
• Memory: 16 GB onboard storage (expandable); 2 GB RAM
• Processor: Octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 MT6795 clocked at 2.2 GHz + PowerVR G6200 GPU
• Operating System:  MIUI 7 layered on top of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop
• Battery: 3,060mAh
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, dual-band, ac, Infrared, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0
• Network: 3G, LTE
• Other: Dual-SIM

Unboxing

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 comes with one of the simplest packages you are likely to find these days. A brown box with user guides, a USB cable, a wall adaptor, the battery and the device itself are all there is in the box. The package reveals the true nature of the device. Unnecessary expenses were shelved in order to provide the best possible smartphone one can come up with for a little over $150. This can also be seen in other global budget smartphones like the Motorola Moto G and Moto E.

Hardware

Where Xiaomi manages to score extra points and probably one-up its competitor’s offerings at the same price range is in getting its act together as far as the hardware goes.

Design

Don’t get us wrong, there is nothing exciting about the general outlook of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. It has this curvy plastic design that for a black model like the one we have been using, is more reminiscent of a cold black slab than a smartphone. Competitors like the Infinix Zero 3 and the Alcatel Idol 3 are more visually appealing. Then again, we still loved the Galaxy J5 and its very ordinary looks. What the Redmi Note 2 lacks in the looks it makes up for in the feel and handling. Despite packing a huge frame, it is actually comfortable to handle and use. The rounded corners and smooth back go a long way in making this possible.

On the left side of the device are two shiny plastic buttons that act as the volume rocker and the power buttons respectively. They are not the most tactile or ergonomic of the bunch but they get the job done. A 3.5 mm headphone jack at the top, two microphones at the top and bottom (one for noise cancellation) and a USB 2.0 port break the monotony of the plastic frame separating the glass front and the plastic removable back cover.

At the top frame of the device, there’s a unique addition: an infrared (IR) blaster. Yeah. That.

IR blasters have been popular features on high-end smartphones for the last 3 years. At one time, they were considered deal breakers when choosing between the various premium smartphones in the market. While they have pretty much fallen in the pecking order of value add-ons in today’s top-of-the-range devices (Samsung’s highly rated Galaxy S7 lacks one. Only LG still has it on the G5), IR blasters have not yet become a familiar sight on upper mid-range devices leave alone lowly ones like the Redmi Note 2. Yet it’s included on Xiaomi’s device. Xiaomi has even preloaded an application, Mi Remote, to make it easier to use the feature to flip through channels when you can’t trace your television set’s remote control in that messy living room of yours.

In that black slab, Xiaomi successfully manages to cram all that matters.

Display and Performance

There’s a 5.5-inch full HD IPS LCD panel that does a great job vividly displaying its contents when you need it to. It’s not the brightest of the bunch though and outdoor visibility may not be all that.

There’s the 11 gigabytes of onboard storage that you can access as a user after the system has had the remainder of the 16 GB the device ships with. There’s the 2 GB RAM and MediaTek’s Helio X10 processor to make sure device performance is not compromised. In fact, for the entirety of the two weeks we’ve used the Redmi Note 2 proactively, performance issues were the least of our concerns, something commendable for a low mid-range smartphone.

Cameras

There isn’t much to write home about the cameras on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. The 13-megapixel shooter at the back and the 5-megapixel sensor on the front do an “ok” job. Ok, more than an “ok” job to be fair. You should be able to get some good shots in well-lit outdoor settings. Low light shots for this device are kind of a myth.

The selfie camera goes a step further to cheekily try to estimate one’s age based on their facial outlines and expressions at any given time. From tests with random people, it is almost never correct. It is worse than Microsoft’s tool that does the same. Either we are doing a really bad job of maintaining our bodies that we end up with faces that are likely to belong to people who are 15-20 years our seniors or the software in question is just not up to standard or was made with the ageless Asian faces in mind not us (no offence).

Battery

The battery is a 3,060 mAh removable unit that manages to push through any given day, delivering nearly 5 hours of screen on time in the process while on mobile data all along! Under heavy use, the results can be a bit disappointing. Also, the battery drain is faster than we expected.

Two battery profiles, Marathon and Sleep, can be called into action when there’s need to conserve the battery after it drops below 15% to turn off mobile data and Wi-Fi or turn off just about any network function leaving you with only the alarm clock working.

Speaker

The speaker, located at the lower back side of the device, while pretty much average when compared to other devices in the Redmi Note 2’s price range like the pleasant Alcatel Idol 3’s JBL-tuned front-firing speakers, still manages to belt out tunes without you getting the feeling that sound is muffled. It is clear and crisp. Just nothing more than you can ask for a device of the Redmi Note 2’s standing.

Since the speaker is located at the back, cupping the mono speaker grille when doing things like watching video or playing games results in it being loud enough thanks to the concentration effect that results in.

Sensors

The device’s broad range of sensors is something of a surprise for a device of its price when you factor in the kind of devices we’ve gotten used to seeing from competing brands. Other than the traditional three that we are used to getting (proximity, accelerometer and light), there are six more sensors that users who know what they are doing can exploit to full potential using relevant apps. For a start, the compass app is already bundled with the software.

Software

Like everyone in the Android smartphone space, Xiaomi uses its own customized software on its devices: MIUI. The Redmi Note 2 arrives with version 7 of the same which is built atop Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Custom overlays like MIUI are every Android device maker’s attempt at differentiating their products from the competition.

With the Redmi Note 2 and just about any other Xiaomi device you will lay your hands on, you can clearly tell they are different. First things first, you are greeted by a home screen that lacks an application drawer. As a result, all apps that users install spill over into the second, third, fourth (and so on) home screens. This may seem like a turn off for some (it is) but the company does so for familiarity’s sake. While we agree that things should be as simple as possible to make everyone at home, MIUI’s core mission, there can always be a middle ground as to how this is implemented.

Unlike Huawei’s approach which has us switching to a third party custom launcher as soon as we unbox a device, we managed to go a whole week using Xiaomi’s launcher. This was not just inspired by the need to experience the device as everyone else who is not into Android customizations will be but by the fact that MIUI is soft on the eyes. The iOS-style icons are so much fun to look at. We also found that the software is quite clever at auto-naming folders users create to place common apps. Putting more than one app in a folder results in the system automatically detecting what the apps do and giving that folder the right name e.g. Social for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps or Music & Video for Poweramp, Spotify and Apple Music. Clever.

Just like Facebook is enticing users to use its Messenger application for making calls to friends and family around the world, Xiaomi is keen on having users of its devices use its own baked in international calling and messaging services. It makes the whole process easy and seamless. You only activate your SIM card (yes, that), sign up for a Mi account and you’re good to go.

The ability to use the device using just one hand is further enhanced by the presence of a one-handed mode in the settings which when toggled on (by sliding one’s finger across the capacitive buttons) results in the screen shrinking in size to either 4.5, 4.0 or 3.5 inches depending on user preference.

MIUI has its strengths as well as its weaknesses. It drops the ball on a number of things. The task switcher screen does not offer previews of ongoing processes in open apps, it just shows the app icons on a small horizontal strip from which users can either switch or exit apps.

The other major shortcoming of MIUI, and it is really a major one, is the way the SIM toolkit (STK) works. The SIM toolkit, for those of you not in the know, is that app where you go to access career-specific services. Locally, this is very important because it is here that one can access crucial services like mobile money transfer services. Safaricom’s M-PESA simply doesn’t work here. Since the Redmi Note 2 is a dual-SIM device, we tried out Airtel Money. Same result. You can’t transfer money to anyone. Neither can you do basics like purchasing airtime for your device. For this, you’ll need to eject the SIM card and find another device that can do so.

From where we sit, such issues with the SIM toolkit are not new. We have for long encountered such devices. Samsung devices from other countries have been the most culprits we have come across. This is because in developed markets, the SIM toolkit is rudimentary at best, something that is hardly used and therefore not deemed important. In our developing economy, that SIM toolkit could be what stands between you and your payday. Hopefully, Xiaomi can deliver a software update fixing this sooner rather than later (42% of Kenya’s GDP is transacted on M-PESA remember?).

In a meeting with representatives of Xiaomi’s distributor, Mobile in Africa, we were assured of quick-fire monthly software updates. The SIM toolkit will be a good place to start.

Other

While network reception is generally good, the Redmi Note 2 as an LTE-capable device, as will all devices Xiaomi is bringing into the country, falls short. LTE reception throughout the period we have actively used it has been an issue. It’s intermittent and not as consistent as on other devices we have used over the last one year. Granted LTE coverage in Nairobi is not the best at the moment but the device was primarily stuck on 3G most of the time in areas where we have no issues getting full bars when using other devices.

The Good

• The inclusion of an IR blaster is a pleasant surprise.
• MIUI is really easy to use and navigate. The notification shade and quick settings are well done.
• Device performance is excellent.
• The number of pre-loaded apps is at an all-time low on the Redmi Note 2. Good luck finding any other device selling in the Kenyan market that can boast of such.
• You can insert 4G LTE SIM cards in either of the two micro-SIM card slots, a stark contrast to current devices from the competition that only take one LTE SIM.

The Bad

• M-PESA is the biggest app/service in use in Kenya. Forget everything else, the SIM toolkit needs to work well with a service relied upon by more than 13 million Kenyans. No two ways about it.
• The selfie camera goes overboard in processing images. They are over sharpened most of the time. The main camera, while better than most devices in this price range that we have come across over the last one year (yes, including the most recently launched ones – they are no match), still leaves a lot to be desired.
• Network connectivity issues, particularly LTE, need to be looked at.

Final Word

According to Xiaomi, they are in Kenya to stay. That already should send some shivers down the spines of all the players in the Kenyan mobile space. Considering what the company has been able to achieve elsewhere, everyone should be very afraid.

The Redmi Note 2 is one of two devices that Xiaomi is testing the Kenyan waters with. It and the Redmi 2 Pro’s success, could be what stands between us and getting more Xiaomi devices. Even then, as can be seen in the observations we have made in our interactions with the Redmi Note 2, Xiaomi’s first problems as far as its devices are concerned are just related to its newness to the market. We can be sure that any issues with the software will be resolved soon. Xiaomi has a proven track record when it comes to maintaining its MIUI software so that should not worry you.

Other gripes we have with the device like the camera are what we have with just about any other lower midrange device we get to review here. In fact, we can’t recall the last time a lower midrange smartphone’s camera we reviewed really wowed us so there’s that. They will always get the job done, nothing much. Isn’t that what you need them to do anyway?

The Redmi Note 2’s main strength is first and foremost the reputation of Xiaomi in the global market. Xiaomi is not just any other device maker coming into the Kenyan market like the many others we cover every so often. It is known for two things: quality devices and prices that don’t break the bank. At Kshs 21,000, the Redmi Note 2 is exactly that and from what we’ve seen and experienced, you can’t go wrong with it.

Read On Web → Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Review: More Bang for Your Buck

We’ve had with us the Huawei Mate 8, the latest device in Huawei’s Mate lineup of super-phablets, for over two months. Long story short, it’s one of the best devices we’ve handled from Huawei and if this is a sign of what we can expect from the company going forward then we’re in for a ride. Here’s the video review of the Huawei Mate 8:

For a deeper look at the device and more details, our written review of the same has been around for a while now. Dive in!

Read On Web → Video Review of the Huawei Mate 8

Tecno Mobile’s latest smartphone in Kenya and elsewhere on the continent, as was the case around the same time last year, is focused on music. The Tecno Boom J8, the successor to last year’s Boom J7, went on sale almost two weeks ago. Here’s what we have to say about it after spending some time with it. You can watch the quick video review below or buckle up and wade through the long and detailed write up that follows. Or you can do both; it doesn’t hurt.

Specifications

Design

As can be seen from the above spec sheet, the Tecno Boom J8 is thinner than last year’s model and equally lighter. Tecno is even taking the high road of comparing it to past hero devices like Apple’s really large iPhone, the equally-sized iPhone 6 Plus (5.5-inch display). The company also compares the Boom J8 to the 18-month old iPhone by way of screen-to-body ratio.

Since similar comparisons when it comes to the device’s other features are not made, it is best to leave it there.

The Tecno Boom J8 is every bit better in design than last year’s model. This is an expected natural progression so no fuss there.

Like the Boom J7 last year, the Boom J8 does not bear any Tecno branding on the front. That is reserved for the centre of the removable back.

The volume buttons move to the left of the device on the Boom J8 as opposed to the right on last year’s model. The power button is right below them.

The speaker grille moves from the back to the bottom of the device.

In-between the speakers at the bottom of the device is the microUSB port which moves there from the right where it was located on the Boom J7.

The Tecno Boom J8 has a removable back cover. The white coloured model we have been using has a slippery plastic back. However, unlike in last year’s model, the removable back cover does not translate to a removable battery. You only remove the back cover to access the two micro-SIM card slots on the right and the microSD card slot on the left.

The metal frame that separates the plastic back cover of the device and the glass front is accentuated by white plastic cut outs not for network reception but more for style (and may be imitation?).

The Tecno Boom J7 had capacitive buttons at the bottom of the screen. Those have been dropped in favour of on-screen controls on the Boom J8.

One of the most notable features of the device is the horizontal light at the bottom of the device’s display that Tecno calls the “Breathing Light”. It reminds one of a similar implementation in Oppo and Sony devices even though Oppo’s Skyline was more pronounced than the latter. Like the blinking home button in the Boom J7, the Breathing Light comes alive when there are new notifications. It also pulsates when you play music on the device.

Display

The 5.5-inch HD IPS LCD panel on the Tecno Boom J8 is very vibrant and really pops when you’re reading text on white background outdoors. The display, after the design and the battery life (as you will see), is one of the high points of the Tecno Boom J8.

Camera

The Tecno Boom J8 packs better sensors than last year’s model. Not only has the megapixel count been increased for both cameras but users also get a few additional features. There’s a new viewfinder for instance as well as the addition of the ability to capture shots every time you flash the V sign, a feature that never worked throughout our testing.

The front-facing camera gets a bump from 2-megapixels in last year’s sensor to 5-megapixels for more clear selfies. There’s also an LED flash on the front. As has been said before, more megapixels does not mean better quality snaps and that is very visible on the Tecno Boom J8.

Depending on what you desire in a smartphone camera of the Tecno Boom J8’s price and stature, results from either camera will be mixed. One good shot here, a blurry one there, all in a day’s work. While you will be able to sneak in a shot or two that really pop in well-lit areas, the opposite is true when light is scarce.

Performance

Save for interactions that are mostly interrupted by a sticky screen, the device works just fine. The new Tecno user interface seems to be well optimised for the device. There are instances where things may freeze but that will only happen in cases where you force the device to bite more than it can chew.

Battery

The Tecno Boom J8’s battery manages to outdo itself when it comes to longevity. It lasts and lasts. It looks like the bump from 2,020mAh in the Boom J7 to the 3,000mAh battery unit in this device was well worth it. Overall, squeezing a full day out of it is possible. We managed to get 6 hours of screen on time throughout our testing in between using Wi-Fi and LTE networks, subtle gaming and moderate browsing.

Sound

Tecno is fronting the Boom J8 as a music device. Is the sound any better?

It’s loud, yes, thanks to the speaker at the bottom of the device. We say “speaker” because only one of the two sets of drilled holes at the bottom is actually a sound outlet, the right speaker. Music is crisp but as you will notice, the bass you may desire is not as pronounced as you would expect it to. Results may vary though depending on other forms of sound output you will employ including the free Boom headphones Tecno is bundling every purchase of the Boom J8 with.

About those Boom headsets: they are very uncomfortable but will get the job done nevertheless.

Audio tuning improves a little bit when you toggle on Boom Maxx but that’s just that.

Software

The Tecno Boom J8 is the first device to ship with Tecno’s new custom overlay, HiOS. See, Tecno wants to differentiate itself in the market and offer users an interface and experience they can only associate with Tecno. Hence HiOS, layered on top of Android Lollipop.

It is not a radical approach and most users of Tecno devices will find themselves at home despite the many changes that HiOS brings. The most notable change is, of course, the fresh coat of paint.

There are other changes as well besides the new flat and minimalist icons. The notification shade and the quick settings page have been merged and given a facelift.

The Tecno Boom J8’s credentials as a music smartphone don’t just come from tuning the speakers to output sound that can be perceived to be better, there are also some enhancements on the software side as already partially highlighted. Those are in the form of an updated Boom Player application and another app, Boom Maxx.

Gestures have also been incorporated on the Boom J8 just like on last year’s Boom J7. You can control music (play next, rewind) using gestures, draw C on the device when the screen is asleep to launch the camera, draw M to fire up the music player and so on. Double tap to wake and vice versa works just fine. As does the three finger swipe up/down for taking screenshots.

There is one feature that you can easily miss because, well, because it is a hit and miss – smart message sorting. When using the built-in messaging application, the system should automatically detect any unintended messages and dump them together in a notification app instead of your inbox. If this sounds familiar then it is because Facebook does a similar thing with the messages hitting your inbox.

There are some other features that the targeted user of this device will definitely love: the Bandwidth Manager and the network speed meter. While advanced Android device users will likely have their own preferred means of achieving the same using third party solutions like Internet Speed Meter and Onavo, the two features come in very handy. For a budget user, you don’t want to be caught off guard when your data bundle runs out before the day, week or month ends. It pays if you can have an easy way of having your device remind you of the data you are consuming than suddenly finding yourself disconnected.

Here’s a quick video of the features of the software on the Tecno Boom J8

We liked

• Improved design. Much better than the Boom J7. Actually, miles ahead. More sleek and good looking than most of the other devices in this range.
• Elegant display.
• Good battery life.
• 4G/LTE is great on the device.
• Even though the software is a mixed bag, a few features like the Bandwidth Manager, the network speed meter and the new look notification shade and quick settings panel are well done.

We did not like

• The screen is sticky. Most of the time you have to use a little unnecessary force to interact with the device.
• Very average cameras. Not much of a step up but at that price we should either not be complaining or getting used to them.
• The bundled Boom headphones. What if all the time and energy spent on them was transferred to a neat pair of earphones with sound output a bit better than what we had in last year’s Boom J7 earphones (which were just fine by the way)?

Conclusion

The Tecno Boom J8 is a worthy successor to the Boom J7 we reviewed last year. It packs a boatload of upgrades in features and specifications and as a result, you have to pay more for it. Whereas the Boom J7 set you back some Kshs 13,000 or thereabout, you will have to part with Kshs 17,000 to get the Tecno Boom J8. At that price, it becomes kind of hard to decide which one to pick when this device is pitted against the Infinix Zero 3 which costs Kshs 1,500 more. Luckily, we’re not in that position. You are. The choice is ultimately yours.

Read On Web → Another Attempt at Sanitizing Sound at a Low Cost: Tecno Boom J8 Review