Features

This cool smartphone doubles as an e-ink reader

Published

December 7, 2016

Monch Lopez

We’ve seen a handful of devices touting two rear cameras recently, but, strictly in terms of hardware tricks, this hardly compares to what one Philippine-based smartphone brand has in store for its customers by the end of the year.

Meet the Cherry Mobile Taiji. At first blush, looking at it from a certain angle, it looks unassuming enough, lame even. This black box made of screen and plastic and Android doesn’t seem any more promising than the last black box you’ve seen, and the tens of others before it. Right? No. But allow us to elaborate.

[irp posts=”7115″ name=”Cherry Mobile Flare S5 Power review”]

On the other end (or back?) of the Taiji is an e-ink display — just like the one the Kindle has only smaller. It measure 4.7-inches, and like the Kindle, it displays everything in black and white to save power. What’s the point of a monochrome display within Android, you ask? Well, it’s primarily for reading ebooks and Japanese manga, but you can also use it to browse the web and check messages and email. You know, basic smartphone stuff.

But you shouldn’t use it for playing games and watching movies. As anyone who owns a Kindle can testify, e-ink displays have a slow refresh rate, meaning things can get laggy, and the one slapped on the Taiji is no exception.

As for the rest of its parts, the Taiji comes with a 5.2-inch display running at full resolution; an octa-core MediaTek processor with 3GB of RAM; 13- and 8-megapixel rear- and forward-facing cameras; a 2,500mAh battery; and Android 5.1 Lollipop. Of course, there’s a catch.

But the good news is that you don’t have to pay a large sum to get it; the Taiji is priced at P12,999, which works out at roughly $260, in the Philippines. Consider the street price of the latest Kindle, which starts at $80 before taxes, or that Russia’s YotaPhone 2, an Android smartphone with an e-ink display, sold for almost $900 when it was released in the UK in 2014. Unfortunately, the Taiji won’t be getting an international release, and you may be hard-pressed to find one on eBay or other auction sites.

[irp posts=”1504″ name=”Cherry Mobile’s smartphone empire is targeting Europe next”]

Hands-On

Leica virgin? Try the Xiaomi 13T Pro

Cameras powered by Leica

Published

September 26, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

Xiaomi is going all in on their partnership with Leica making it the headliner even in the “T” editions of their flagships. The company is flexing it even more with the Xiaomi 13T Pro and the Xiaomi 13T.

The extra push is warranted. Just ask my colleague Vincenz who has refused to let go of the Xiaomi 13 ever since being handed the unit for review. Even myself was enamored with the photo-taking capabilities of the flagship released earlier this year. The thing made me look like a pro when I took it around Barcelona.

The Xiaomi 13T Pro isn’t that much different. You still get to choose between Leica Authentic or Leica Vibrant when you first launch the camera app. Don’t fret though as the choice isn’t final. You can easily toggle the selection by tapping on the upper-right area of the screen when using the camera app.

You also get the Leica custom photographic styles that add so much character to your shots when used appropriately. There’s plenty to choose from with the Leica BW NAT, F-50, and Gold Vibes being some of my personal favorites.

But talk is cheap. So, enjoy some of these photos taken over the past few days.

Leica Authentic

Filtered

Portraits

Photo-taking experience

You don’t have to think much when using the Xiaomi 13T Pro to take photos. Even after just a few days with it, I can say it delivers some of the best photos from the many smartphones I’ve tried this year.

It makes things easy too. The color science applied by Xiaomi and Leica does a lot of the heavy lifting. All you have to do is to learn how to compose better shots and you’ll look almost like a pro in no time.

Incredibly smooth

One of the first things I noticed when I started using the Xiaomi 13T Pro is how incredibly smooth the display is. The 144Hz refresh rate on paper delivers without fail. It’s super evident especially since I’ve been splitting my time between this and another smartphone. Although, to be fair, that one’s an upper mid-ranger that doesn’t have this high of a refresh rate.

It makes doom scrolling feel extra fine. Yes, the world is burning on the Internet but hey, you’re seeing it through a Full HD AMOLED Display that slides effortlessly each time you scroll. It’s all good. I guess.

I also watched my fair share of short videos on this thing. Particularly, some fancams from TWICE’s Ready To Be Tour that happened over the weekend in Bangkok. I’ve yet to watch any HDR-capable content, but I can say the general viewing experience is enjoyable. It helps that the speakers aren’t too shabby either. The sound is clean and does not distort even when pushed to maximum.

The audio was enjoyable too when listening to my favorite tracks. One night I put Yena’s “Love War” on repeat and I was jamming to it until I fell asleep. I also listened to some of my favorite hoop podcasts on the Xiaomi 13T Pro. And well, no complaints here. I got my NBA fix through The Lowe Post and The Hoop Collective all while playing them on the phone.

Battery and charging

It’s only been a few days so I can’t say anything definitive here. Plus, my usage varied so much and I haven’t been keeping track of it completely. I can say I felt the 5,000mAh capacity drained faster than I expected, especially after a night of intense doom scrolling.

However, topping it up was fast and easy. With 32% left, I watched a couple of anime episodes on TV and found the thing already fully charged after.

Between upper-midrange and flagship build

The unit we have in particular is the Meadow Green that has a glossy finish. And while it’s slightly heavier than its Alpine Blue sibling, it still felt so much lighter than what I’m used to using. For context, I rock an iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and HONOR Magic5 Pro when I’m not reviewing a smartphone.

I’m personally not a fan of the glossy finish and that’s a fact for any smartphone. It’s not completely a smudge magnet but you’re probably better off using a case with this one. I’ve been rocking it in its birthday suit since it feels tough enough on its own. But if you’re forking out your hard earned cash on a smartphone, my general advice is to always use protection.

Experience Leica

The main draw of the Xiaomi 13T Pro, without a doubt, is how it lets you experience a Leica camera without it costing you an arm and a leg. We all know how expensive Leica cameras are but Xiaomi is giving you the chance to experience it at a fraction of the cost. Now, I’m not saying you get the exact same photo quality. But output-wise, this is about as close as you’re going to get.

Elsewhere, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is also a winner. The silky smooth display catches your attention immediately, and its general size and overall build makes you feel secure. You just have this peace of mind that what you’re holding is made with care and won’t break easily. There’s also something about it that’s hard to describe or quantify. You just know, you’re using a device that’s better than most.

Xiaomi 13T Pro Specs

Display — 6.67″ FHD CrystalRes AMOLED display. Up to 144Hz refresh rate, Pro HDR, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Processor — MediaTek Dimensity 9200+
RAM+ Storage — 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+1TB
Battery and Charging — 5,000mAh, Xiaomi 120W HyperCharge
OS — MIUI 14 based on Android 13
Connectivity — Dual SIM, Wi-Fi7, NFC9, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G
Cameras:

LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/15-50mm ASPH.

24mm Leica main camera

50MP wide angle camera
1/1.28” sensor size
1.22μm pixel size, 2.44μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel
f/1.9, 7P aspherical lens, OIS
Supports HDR10+ video recording for up to 4K at 30fps
Supports 8K video recording at 24fps
10-bit LOG video recording, supports LUT import

50mm Leica telephoto camera

50MP
f/1.9, 5P aspherical lens

15mm Leica ultra-wide camera

12MP
f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens

20MP front camera

f/2.2, 5P aspherical lens
Night mode
Portrait mode
HDR

Price and availability

The Xiaomi 13T Pro retails for PhP 37,999 for the 12GB+512GB variant and PhP 39,999 for the 16GB+1TB variant.

Accessories

Apple Watch Series 9 + Watch Ultra 2 Unboxing

Featuring the bundled bands plus the new FineWoven and Nike Sport bands

Published

September 26, 2023

GadgetMatch

Apple’s September 2023 “Wonderlust” Event isn’t just about the new iPhones. They’ve also announced updates to the well-loved Apple Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 may not look so different from their predecessors, but the new features cater to older Apple Watch users to upgrade.

Aside from the upgraded S9 SiP (System in a Chip), this also enables new features like having a built-in Siri and even Double Tap using your two fingers and wrist.

And thanks to Apple’s Carbon Neutral goal by 2030, the new Apple Watches (at least the Ultra 2 and aluminum-cased Series 9s) are now more sustainable for the environment.

This also means saying bye-bye to our good ol’ leather Watch bands — but wait until you see what Apple has to offer.

Watch our latest unboxing of the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9 (in Aluminum and Stainless Steel), plus a plethora of bands to try out!