Features

‘We don’t need cameras that pop up’ — Pocophone Global Head

It’s about getting back to the basics

Published

August 27, 2018

Rodneil Quiteles

If you’re leading a team of eight that’s focused on making sure that users get a no-fuss, no-frills product, it’s understandable if you’re not fond of gimmicks.

Speaking to media after the Pocophone F1 launch held in Jakarta, Indonesia, Pocophone Global Head Alvin Tse said this while discussing their strategy:

“We don’t need cameras that pop up.”

He elaborated saying, “We’re focused on the users. Companies today are in a race to come up with something new but that something new may not be useful.”

All about performance and ‘getting back to basics’

Tse said what they are after is making sure the user has access to the best that technology has to offer today. To make that happen they “do the hard work of removing features that doesn’t add to the experience but adds to the cost.”

This approach has many tech journalists and enthusiasts labeling them as the new flagship killer. However, he insists that Pocophone is all about the users.

The Pocophone F1 has no problems running PUBG Mobile on high graphics settings

“We don’t label ourselves by what it (the Pocophone F1) will do to the market. We label ourselves by what the phone can do, which is why we’re calling it the master of speed.”

To Tse, this means taking out everything that’s unnecessary and “going back to basics” when making a phone. By combining a top-tier Snapdragon 845 processor with up to 8GB RAM along with liquid cooling technology, the Pocophone F1 is in indeed placing its crosshairs firmly on performance.

Why Poco?

Tse ended the media session by saying why they chose to go with the Poco name. He said Xiaomi means small in Chinese, and Poco also means small in Spanish. The idea is that even though they are starting with a small team, they have the possibility of doing something big in the industry.

He also discussed the many advantages of being a sub-brand which include access to Xiaomi’s resources — meaning they get materials from top-tier suppliers. Another huge benefit is there’s no profitability margin.

“As long as we’re not losing money, we’ll be fine,” said Tse. “We’ll leave the money-making problems to Xiaomi,” he said in jest.

SEE MORE: Pocophone F1 Review: Un poco loco!

Related Topics:Poco F1 Pocophone Pocophone F1

Hands-On

Xiaomi Mi 9 Hands-On: 2019 Flagship Killer?

BEAST!

Published

February 20, 2019

Chay Lazaro

Top of the line specs, amazing cameras, and high-speed wireless charging. MWC hasn’t even officially started yet, so it might be premature to say this, but has Xiaomi just unveiled the 2019 flagship killer?

We recently got to spend time with Xiaomi’s latest flagship and this is our hands-on video.

Hands-On

Samsung Galaxy M20 hands-on: Give the users what they want

Awakening of the sleeping giant

Published

February 18, 2019

Shivam Vahia

Samsung has been the smartphone market leader for half a decade now, and its flagship phones continue to be an inspiration for everyone. However, while the brand is dominating in developed markets, it has taken a massive beating in the developing ones.

Thanks to players like Xiaomi, the South Korean brand has consistently lost market share in countries like India. Samsung slowly prepared itself to change strategy by the end of last year and intends to go hard in 2019. It announced the new Galaxy M-series lineup of phones in the budget segment and the M10 and M20 are the first ones to roll off the shelf.

The M20 has been launched in India for INR 10,990 (US$ 154) and comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The option with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage costs INR 12,990 (US$ 182). The phone goes up against the Redmi 6 Pro, Realme U1, and even the Mi A2.

To start with, Samsung has opted to go with a basic design, consisting of a plastic body that is curved at the edges and is pretty glossy. The phone is extremely comfortable to hold, and the build quality is top-notch. Even the buttons are very tactile and bezels are smaller.

On the front is a 6.3-inch TFT display with a Full HD resolution and small water-drop style notch on the top. This is the first Samsung phone to feature a notch, and the display quality is surprisingly good. The color production is vivid and satisfying, while the viewing angles are perfect. It is easily visible even under direct sunlight.

For authentication, a fingerprint scanner is located on the rear and it is fast enough. You also have the option of face unlock and it works quickly in well-lit conditions. It has dual-SIM support and there’s a separate slot for microSD card, as well.

Powering the phone is an octa-core Exynos 7904 processor, which is considered to be on par with the Snapdragon 636. It is a very power-efficient processor with more emphasis on the cameras. Day-to-day tasks are handled smoothly and games like PUBG are playable with low graphics.

It has a dual-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 13-megapixel primary shooter and a 5-megapixel wide-angle sensor. The pictures clicked during daytime are decently saturated but lack sharpness. Even focus tends to get slow in low-light conditions. The wide-angle lens works best in bright surroundings only and is a very handy tool. For selfies, it has an 8-megapixel shooter with built-in beauty enhancements.

It ships with Samsung Experience 9.5 out of the box and is actually well optimized. There is barely any lag and the UI offers a plethora of customizations and features. The company announced that the Android Pie update will be landing soon. Lastly, it has a massive 5000mAh battery that’ll get you through two days of usage.

Xiaomi has been successful because it offers users a balanced product that suits everyone’s needs. With the M20, Samsung goes down the same road. While the recently announced A-series phones were for photography enthusiasts, the M20 is good enough for everything.

The M20 is no disruptor, but an indication that Samsung is gearing up. And as a generation-one product, it’s performing fairly well.

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Cameras

Fujifilm Instax SQ20 hands-on: How good is it?

Trying out the new Motion Mode on doggies!

Published

February 14, 2019

Isa Rodriguez

Fujifilm’s sequel to their first ever digital/analog hybrid is here and it’s looking better than ever. The Instax SQ20 is one classy-looking instant camera but what can it do? With a set of built-in filters and new features like the Motion Mode, it looks like a promising device.

I finally try it out, with help from some doggies, on our hands-on video.

The SQ20 retails for US$ 199 in the US, PhP 12,999 in the Philippines, and SG$ 299 in Singapore.

In case you’re having trouble viewing, watch HERE.