Whoa. Cool!

Tony… is that you!?

My wife and I had our movie date at Resorts World Manila last night (we were supposed to watch Fast and the Furious 6) and we were pleasantly greeted by a bunch of superheroes at the lobby of Newport Mall. Apparently Resorts World Manila was having a weekend-long event called “Epic Weekend” and part of the program for Saturday was cosplay, toy displays, and even a mini fans day for Alodia. Anyway, we took some photos of the awesome figurines on display at the lobby and we just want to share them with you in this post. FYI all shots were taken with the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Tony! Ikaw nga!

Hello there you sweet sezzy thing!

Cap and Hawkeye!

Thor doesn’t look like Thor without his hammer, lol.

CAMP BIG FALCON! Woot.

Alien??? ALIEN!

HECTOOOOOORRRRR!!!!

Parang malalim iniisip ni Conan.

Bakit nasali si Pacman dito? hehe

Cool eh? The Epic Weekend at Resorts World Manila continues today. Visit their site for more information on the schedule of activities.

One of the nicest looking headphones in the market today

AKG K619: Perfect for Bassheads

Each headphone has a signature sound and if you’re really into a specific kind of music you should invest in headphones that match your taste. The AKG K619 Premium DJ Headphones are undoubtedly for people who love music with a lot of bass. I’m talking disco, electronic (Daft Punk anyone?), house, and R&B. Other than the sound quality, the design of the headphones probably will appeal to people who like music like this as well so it’s really a perfect match, hehe. Read on for our review of AKG Philippines‘ latest offering.

Build: A lot of padding and style

Outer ear face comes in a variety of colors! We picked the red one. Goes well with the Nokia Lumia 920, lol.

The frame of the AKG K619 is mostly made of plastic and a lot of padding. The foam is there to make it more comfortable to wear since that was the main complaint with the AKG K518 DJ headphones. AKG made the padding thicker and softer to ensure longer listening hours without fatigue.

AKG also did the same treatment with the ear pads/pillows. They used softer and better padding making it the perfect cushion for your ears. We were actually able to keep the cans on for a trip to Tagaytay (with traffic) without having to take them off because it was getting sweaty, hot, or tight.

Lots of padding!

The bigger pads probably helps with the sound leakage since there’s only minimal audio that escapes into the open. Again that’s something they improved on since the K518 had some issues with leakage. For noise isolation there’s a decent natural level but you’ll still hear what’s happening around you unless you amp up the volume.

Even more padding below the frame to cushion top of your head

In-line remote control and mic

The cans are also quite portable since you can just fold them up and stash them in the accompanying pouch (comes with the box). If you have an iPhone the in-line remote control will also function as a microphone. For some reason we can’t get it to work with our Android or Lumia devices.

Sound Quality: BASS BASS BASS

Perfect for the new Daft Punk album that came out recently

The AKG K519 has powerful but tight punching bass that will get you tapping your feet and maybe even dancing when listening to tracks from Daft Punk or Justin Timberlake. We daresay that the bass is so good that it will not fail to get you moving, hehe. Plugging it into an amp like the FiiO E11 or E12 will even make the bass better so we recommend you guys pair it with either one of the two when you’re gearing up for a long listening session.

Unfortunately the pay-off for the bass-heavy sound quality is that the mids and highs suffer. If you’re the type that loves detail-oriented music like acoustic, jazz, and rock then you should consider other options.

Verdict: BASS BASS BASS!

Like we’ve been saying throughout the review, if you’re a certified bass head then you should probably consider the AKG K619. Not only will it give you that punch you want, it also looks good, hehe. Note that there’s a variety of colors to choose from. Just get one that matches your personality.

Looking good!

The AKG K619 sells for Php5,990 and you can get them in Astro Plus, Astro Vision, or other gadget stores carrying AKG products.

Tech 21 Snap Impact with Cover for the Galaxy S4

Tech 21 Impact Snap with Cover

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been out for a few weeks now and as expected we’re starting to see more peripherals, accessories, and cases enter the local market for it. When we got our unit we were inclined to just get the Samsung Galaxy S4 S-View or the Flip Cover but we knew from experience with the Note 2 and the Galaxy S3 that the paint of the sides of this device would chip easily so we wanted a more secure case. That’s how we ended up getting the Tech 21 Impact Snap with Cover case for the Galaxy S4 from Digital Walker. At just Php1,450 it offers fantastic protection and keeps your S4 looking classy and premium.

How Impactology Works

Tech 21 uses some sort of special material that helps absorb and spread the force when the case falls to the ground or bumps something. Here’s a quick video which will explain to you guys how the technology works.

Cool eh? The application of the liquid thing is spread on the sides and at the back of the case. Here’s what the case looks like without the Galaxy S4 in it yet:

Orange and black. Awesome.

With the Galaxy S4 in it

With the cover closed

As you can see in the pics the case has a leather front cover with a soft lining to keep the screen clean. The back cover also completely protects the sides with open spaces for the important ports, buttons, and controls. While it can’t possibly be as secure as an Otterbox Commuter or Defender series case, this is still a pretty good buy considering how you’re able to keep the GS4 looking good while in your hand, hehe.

Want one? Php1,450 from Digital Walker. FYI they just opened a new store at the 5th floor of the Shangrila Mall extension and it looks gorgeous. Check it out when you guys have time!

Two thumbs up!

Fascinating.

Torque Droidz Drive: Most Affordable Call and SMS 7-inch Android Tablet?

Torque is gearing up to give local tablet brands a major run for their money with the impending release of the Torque Droidz Drive. The specs aren’t really mind-blowingly good but it’s a killer deal considering the crazy price of Php3,999. Based on what we’ve found online so far, the Torque Droidz Drive has a 7-inch display, runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and is powered by an AllWinner 1.2Ghz processor. What makes it a compelling offer though is that it has call and text features. Coolness.

Here’s what we know so far about the specs. Note that this isn’t all confirmed since we just got this from various sources online.

Toruqe Droidz Drive Partial Spec Sheet

• 1.2GHz AllWinner CPU
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD Card
• 7.0-inches WVGA Capacitive Touchscreen, 800×480 resolution
• 2.0-megapixel rear-facing camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• SIM Card slot, Call and Text features
• WiFi
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• Supports 3G Dongle

3G not built-in?

Based on the specs it looks like the Torque Droidz Drive does have a SIM card slot but not necessarily good for 3G mobile internet connectivity. Instead of indicating in the spec sheet that it has 3G and WiFi tethering/hotspot, they just said that it supports 3G dongles. We’ll confirm this once we get more info from Torque.

Anyway, we’ll keep you guys posted on this budget tablet when it launches on May 31.

Specs via CMK

Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire at the Unbox HQ!

Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire

The Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire was launched hot off the heels of the Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt. It sported almost the same specifications including the 1GHz Quad-core CPU (ATM7028 chipset) but it had a bigger form factor with a 10.1-inch display. We were able to secure a unit for review last week and we’d like to kick things off by sharing with you guys the unboxing and our initial impressions.

Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire Spec Sheet

• 1GHz quad-core CPU ATM7028 chipset
• Vivante GC1000+ GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage
• 10.1-inch IPS Display
• 1280×800 resolution, 149 pixels per inch
• 2.0-megapixel rear-facing camera
• VGA fron-facing camera
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 8,000mAh Battery
• micro USB On-the-Go support

Packaging: Kinda like the Microsoft Surface

Nice box.

Unlike the Cherry Mobile smartphones which came in colorful printed carton boxes, the Fusion Fire tablet comes in a thin, big, and solid black box with a printed carton partial slip-on. The look and feel is definitely far more premium, cleaner, and sleek compared to the packaging of their smartphone products. Note though that the wall charger comes in a separate box so make sure you have that one if ever you buy this from a store in the malls.

Unboxing was straightforward. We pulled off the carton sleeve and we were left with the black box with the centered Cherry Mobile logo. We took off the lid and we immediately saw the Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire with a printed screen protector. Just below the device was a small rectangular compartment which hosted the cables and peripherals.

Different POV

Without the carton slip-on

Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire is OFFICIALLY unboxed!

The style of packaging reminded us a lot of how Microsoft did it with the Surface Pro. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since we kinda liked how Microsoft did it, hehe.

Hardware Check: Thin, light, and feels premium

Gorgeous smooth black matte finish for the back

We were expecting the usual cheap plastic chassis for the body but we were pleasantly surprised with the smooth black matte finish they used for the Fusion Fire. It definitely didn’t look or feel like a sub Php10,000 tablet. As for the buttons and controls they were all located in their usual places at the sides of the device. The only noticeable difference was that there seems to be a dual-speaker set-up at the back which we haven’t tested yet (we’ll cover this in the review later on though).

What the back looks like

Fusion Fire manages to keep a thin and slim profile

Usual Cherry Mobile logo for the wallpaper

At the front we have the 10.1 IPS display with 1280×800 resolution. Display quality itself is pretty standard and not something that will blow you away. The viewing angles are nice though thanks for the IPS technology.

Software Check: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

The Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire uses a quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM and those specs definitely powers through a decent Android Jelly Bean experience. Our only concern with the performance is the memory leak. The longer it’s turned on the laggier it becomes. We were able to address this initially by installing the Memory Booster app and setting it to Auto Boost. However it still slowed down after several hours. We were finally able to “fix” it though by manually managing resources by occasionally using the Task Killer feature of the Memory Booster app.

Memory leak sux!

Initial Verdict: Good for browsing and watching videos at home

Given the 10.1-inch form factor and the feature set, the Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire is more of a media consumption device. It’s the type of machine you leave at home, pick up when you get back, and watch stuff on it and browse the web while you’re on the sofa or in bed. The expandable storage definitely lends itself for being a viewing and storing machine for your favorite TV series and movies.

The Cherry Mobile Fusion Fire is now available for Php7,999.

Cloudfone Thrill 430x can now be updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean!

Manual Android Jelly Bean Updates for the Cloudfone Thrill 430x Now Out!

The much awaited Android 4.1 Jellybean software update for the owners of Cloudfone Thrill 430x is now available! However there’s a catch. There is no OTA (over the air) update which means you cannot get Jelly Bean by over the internet. If you want to upgrade to Jelly Bean you can actually go to their stores in SM City Sta. Mesa and SM Southmall during mall hours on May 24-29. Hopefully lines won’t be crazy long.

If you won’t be able to go to SM Sta. Mesa or Southmall on those dates you’ll still be able to update your device but you’ll have to wait. Cloudfone will post “do-it-yourself” instructions with appropriate download links in the coming weeks. They’re also working on training their kiosks so they can do the manual updates for customers as well.

Alcatel’s “Small Wonder”

Meet the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2!

Alcatel is aggressively gunning after the budget-conscious market with their newest entry-level smartphone, the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2. Priced at just Php3,990 (or free at Plan 350 with Sun Cellular) the device boasts of a quality build, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 3G connectivity, and Dual SIM functionality. Now you’re probably thinking… hey some local brands offer higher specs at the same price. What should make you seriously consider Alcatel though is that they have their own manufacturing plant and QA process in place (not rebrands). They also have a fairly competitive after sales support system (1 year warranty with 34 authorized service centers).

Here’s a quick rundown of the specs:

Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 Spec Sheet

• 1GHz MediaTek 6575M CPU
• PowerVR SGX531 GPU
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive display
• 320×480 resolution, 165 pixels per inch
• 3.2-megapixels rear-facing fixed-focus camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• Dual SIM, dual standby
• FM radio, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/aGPS
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 1,400mAh Battery

We’ve had a unit for a few days now and we’d like to share with you guys our unboxing experience as well as our initial impressions.

Alcatel knows how to package their goods

Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 Box

If there’s one thing that Alcatel has been doing pretty well with their One Touch product line it’s how they package their products. Not only are boxes sturdy and tough, the art direction is pretty awesome as well. We love how they went minimalist with their designs. We have a clean product shot with a few accents at the front and product iconized specifications and features at the back.

We peeled off the two adhesive tapes keeping the lid and popped it open. As usual the first thing that greeted us was the device itself. Underneath the phone were the peripherals and accessories which included the micro USB to USB cable, wall charger, earphones, screen protector (yay), manuals, and the warranty card.

Hello there sezzy!

Lots of stuff under the phone

If you guys want to see the packaging of other Alcatel smartphones check out our unboxing posts for the Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra and Alcatel One Touch Idol.

Not the slimmest phone in the block but feels sturdy, durable, and reliable

The Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 measures 115 x 61.2 x 12.2mm and weighs in at 122g. It’s not the slimmest nor lightest phone in the block but the quality of the materials and the heft makes it feel solid and compact. We found the 3.5-inch screen though to be a little too small especially since most entry-level devices are already using 4-inch displays.

Smooth matte finish for the back

The back of the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 has a smooth black matte finish which gives it a more premium feel. Fortunately it doesn’t attract smudges and fingerprints like crazy (which some smartphones with matte finishes do). All the ports, controls, and buttons are located on their usual spots on the sides of the device.

Sideview POV

In short, the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 does not feel cheap despite the affordable price tag.

Software Check: Android Jelly Bean works on a single core CPU!

Let’s turn this bad boy on!

We were expecting the user experience on the Glory 2 to be a lag fest considering it just had a single-core processor running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Fortunately for everyone that’s not the case. While there are occasional delays and slow-downs they’re not at the level that you can call deal-breakers. Over-all Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is a good experience on this device especially if you manage memory and running tasks (we suggest you guys download Memory Booster app from Google Play, works wonders).

Alcatel pre-loaded several apps already on the device to save you the trouble of downloading them again. Some of the notable ones are the the usual social networking apps, TouchPal keyboard, and Skype.

Lots of pre-loaded apps

We tried playing with a few games with it and for the most part the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 worked. You shouldn’t have any problems with casual titles like Candy Crush, Temple Run, and Angry Birds. It did stutter quite badly though when we loaded up graphics intensive games but that’s to be expected given the processor and RAM.

Initial Verdict: Not bad Alcatel!

Everything considered the Alcatel One Touch Glory 2 feels, sounds, and looks like a good buy. Yes there are other local brand alternatives with “better” specs but after-sales service and durability has always been the most common problem. That’s something that Alcatel hopes to address with their 34 authorized service centers scattered nationwide.

To see testimonials on the durability of Alcatel smartphones you guys should check out the feedback they’ve been getting on their Facebook page. Read through some of the comments and see for yourselves.

Alcatel is definitely on the right track. They’ve been churning out very competitive products lately and all they need to do now to get better market share is to turn up the volume of their marketing efforts. Congratulations Alcatel and good luck to you guys!

Looking good Alcatel!

Disclosure: As you guys can see Alcatel is an advertiser on Unbox. However they don’t have any say on editorial content so the views of this writer.

When we first heard that Visionary Director-Writer Baz Luhrmann was going to remake F. Scott Fitzgerald’s opus, the Great Gatsby, we here at Unbox met it with both excitement and a bit of skepticism. The reason for such are two-fold:  one, his last work, Australia, was a great departure from the visual style that we grew to love in Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge and, two, the attempt to bring to film the iconic American novel has been done quite a number of times with some not as successful as others. In fact, it’s hard to compete with the 1974 classic (and probably its most popular iteration) with Robert Redford as Gatsby and penned by the Francis Ford Coppola.

I mean, look at that!

However, when we saw the first trailer of Luhrmann’s take, we were riveted with excitement! The visual flair is back and it is meaner than ever along with an eclectically unique soundtrack. This jazzed-up, highly sensual retelling of the beloved classic is one for the books. Gatsby has never looked sexier.

The wonderful cast of the Great Gatsby

Official Synopsis:

“The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan(Joel Edgerton). It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

The man in the cool shirt.

Luhrmann’s vision of Gatsby is simply exhilarating. The sets and hyper-stylistic approach greatly echoes the era when the story was set. It’s not just the visual style that captures you but the absolutely thrilling performances of each character grips you. Leonardo Di Caprio is Gatsby. There’s really no two-ways about it. It takes a prolific actor to be able to convey Gatsby’s emptiness as well as draw the audience in whenever he’s on screen. Truth be told, every time I heard him say “Old Sport” I cringed. I was checking his performance against Robert Redford’s and when Redford says “Old Sport” it sounded right like it’s part of his speech pattern. However, Leo’s was different. It sounded fake—which it should have been. It’s brilliant because DiCaprio consciously gives you the uneasiness of the phrase that when the reveal of his character’s story is given it all makes perfect sense. It takes an inspired actor to be able to add that layer to give the reveal a fuller, richer experience.

Tobey Maguire is the audience in this journey. He is the silent observer that can’t really change the course of the story even if he wanted it to. He knows what’s going to happen, but he does nothing. His is the social commentary voice, the one where we all take part of when viewing a tragedy from a distant.

The famed confrontation scene at the Plaza.

Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgeton, Elizabeth Debicki and Isla Fisher all gave equally screen-grabbing performances. However, while all of these are happening, we’re treated to some amazing visuals and equally mesmerizing music. Executive producer Jay-Z (yes, you read that right) brings with him his music producing chops in creating an unseen character all throughout Gatsby: the music.

Jordan: …I like large parties, they’re so intimate…

Mixing era-Jazz with modern beats, Jay- Z helped solidify Luhrmann’s vision fully. Luhrmann himself isn’t new to mixing the old and the new. He’s always been unconventional ever since his Romeo & Juliet days and with the broader collaboration with Jay-Z they were able to produce one of the most fun musical soundtracks ever heard in a movie. Listen to some of these mad sick beats.

All in all, Gatsby is a welcome return for the visionary director. If Moulin Rouge closed the curtains of his loose Red-Curtain trilogy (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge) then could Gatsby be the start of another loose trilogy arc? I sure hope so!

P.S. We found this rather cool (always so cool) trailer over the internet where the guy used clips from 1974 to re-create the Gatsby trailer above. The result is marvelous!  Check it out!

The Great Gatsby stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgeton, Elizabeth Dibicki and Isla Fisher and is directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Cherry Mobile Sonic Unboxed!

Meet the Cherry Mobile Sonic

When it comes to product releases Cherry Mobile is firing on all cylinders! After the back-to-back successful launches of the Cherry Mobile Omega HD and the Cherry Mobile Skyfire 2.0, they’re now focusing on their entry-level offerings. Priced at Php2,999, the Cherry Mobile Sonic is their newest budget Android smartphone. It has a 4-inch HVGA capacitive screen, 1GHz MediaTek MT6515 processor, and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. We were able to get our hands on a unit and we’d like to share with you guys our unboxing as well as our initial impressions.

Before anything else let’s quickly go through the specs.

Cherry Mobile Sonic Spec Sheet

• 1GHz MediaTek MT6515 processor
• PowerVR SGX531 GPU
• 256MB RAM
• 512MB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 4.0-inches HVGA (320×480) capacitive display, 144 pixels per inch
• 2.0-megapixels rear-facing fixed focus camera
• VGA front-facing camera
• 2G, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS/A-GPS, WiFi, WiFi Hotspot
• Dual SIM
• 1,200mAh Battery
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• Comes in Black and White

Not really groundbreaking but hey it costs only Php2,999, hehe.

Packaging: Usual Cherry Mobile Box

The Sonic came in the standard issue Cherry Mobile hard box. There’s the product shot at the front and the spec list at the back. Just like previous Cherry Mobile products we pushed the inner compartment out and we immediately were greeted by the Cherry Mobile Sonic wrapped in plastic. All the peripherals and accessories were in the bottom compartment. Here are a few photos:

Cherry Mobile Sonic box

Officially… unboxed!

What else is inside? Usual stuff.

No extra stuff inside like screen protectors or jelly cases. Just the earphones, micro USB to USB cable, wall charger, manuals/certificates, and the battery.

It kinda looks like a Lumia, hehe

Nokia Lumia 720 is that you?

With the screen turned off the phone actually looked a lot like a Nokia Lumia! The black front, 4-inch form factor, and the glossy plastic white back reminded us a lot of both the Nokia Lumia 720 and the 620. The device itself is relatively thin and kinda light as well. Not bad considering this is just Php2,999!

Not really thin but not that thick either

All the usual buttons, ports, and controls are on the sides of the phone: micro USB, audio jack, volume rocker, and power lock. At the back you’ll find the Sonic and Cherry Mobile branding and the 2MP camera. If you remove the backplate you’ll find the two SIM card and SD card slots.

Two SIMs and a MicroSD

Everything considered, the Cherry Mobile Sonic actually looks good. It’s actually more visually pleasing than a lot of other devices with more monstrous internals.

Software Check: Android Gingerbread Through and Through

Why manufacturers still ship Android 2.3 Gingerbread is just beyond me but that’s the OS version we get with the Cherry Mobile Sonic. Fortunately though the internals do a good job of keeping up with the archaic system demands of Gingerbread. We encountered slight lag with transitions but nothing of the sort that would make us say it totally sucks. The user interface though is very Gingerbread and that could be a major point of improvement.

Gingerbread through and through

Gingerbread and specs probably won’t let you enjoy all the awesome apps at Google Play

Gingerbread is probably the biggest limitation of this device. Not all apps will play nice and work without issues. The good news though is that most core services should be okay like messaging, e-mail, social networking, web browsing, and media consumption.

Initial Verdict

If you can afford Php1,000 more, go for the Cherry Mobile Flare so that you have a dual-core processor and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. If you’re really on a tight budget though and can’t afford the extra Php1,000 then you can probably settle with this one. However we really think you should just get the Flare if it’s available.

Cherry Mobile Sonic unboxedddddd~~~!!!!

For those looking for something just to give as a gift to their kids, friends, or people in the household this is a good entry-level offering though.

Cherry Mobile Sonic on the Unbox Podcast

If you want to see the Cherry Mobile Sonic live on video, check the latest episode of the Unbox Video Podcast out. The full ep is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

Our review of the Samsung Galaxy S4!

Review: Samsung Galaxy S4

It wasn’t easy for Samsung to reach the top. During the days when Apple’s iPhone was the sole ruler, Samsung was playing catch up. Everything changed though when the Korean tech company launched the venerable Galaxy S3. Sales were off the charts! The device racked praises left and right, earning thumbs up even from previously critical international tech blogs. The Galaxy S3 was definitely a tough act to follow. Fast forward one year we now have the successor to the S3 — the Samsung Galaxy S4. People were initially skeptical it would do well since it still had a plastic chassis and it looked a whole like the S3 but it’s now the fastest selling smartphone in history! Samsung definitely did an excellent job building hype for it and they matched it with an impressively mind-blowing set of internals. We’ve been playing around with it for the last few weeks and we wanted to share with you guys our review.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Spec Sheet

• 5-inch Super AMOLED Full HD display (1080 x 1920 pixels), 441 ppi
• Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 1.9GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• Adreno 320 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16/32/64GB internal storage with expandable storage up to 64GB
• 13 megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus and LED flash
• camera feature: dual shot, HDR, image stabilization, touch focus, simultaneous HD video and image recording
• shooting modes: beauty face, best photo, best face, drama shot, animated photo, sports, panorama
• 2 megapixel front facing camera
• LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, DNLA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared port
• Features: S Voice, Smart Stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll, Air gestures, TV out
• 2,600 mAh battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jellybean

Design: Evolution of the Galaxy S3

Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S4.

Like what we mentioned earlier, the Galaxy S4′s chassis is mostly plastic. However the execution is far superior compared to previous Samsung products. The Galaxy S4 is a little less curvy than its predecesor and far more compact and tight. Samsung has used plastic so many times already that they’ve mastered and refined it to a level that other manufacturers can only gawk at, hehe.

Less curvy but still inspired by the design of the S3

That said though plastic can still be polarizing. Not everyone will appreciate it. Some people who’ve bought the GS4 have actually said that the phone doesn’t have a premium feel. That’s understandable though since you’d think a manufacturer would go beyond plastic if they priced their product at Php30,990, hehe.

Anyway, despite the 5-inch display you can still use the GS4 with one hand. The reason you can still do this is because the phone is very thin, lightweight, and ergonomic. It rests easily on your palm without biting into your flesh. When it comes to the looks department though it definitely still looks like the Galaxy S3. The only major difference other than the slightly less curvy shape is the thinner screen-to-bezel ratio (which is just gorgeous).

Display: STUNNING

The 5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080 x 1920 pixels is stunning! This maybe one of the S4′s greatest strength. Its vibrant and warm colors tones makes it one of the best screen displays we’ve ever seen. Colors are more natural and less saturated than its predecessor. Watching videos, playing graphing intense games will be a nice experience because of the big and sharp screen. Using the phone under direct sunlight is no problem because the screen remains very visible at 100% brightness. Viewing angles are impressive for it is like IPS-like standard.

Amazing display

Software and Performance: Crazy Fast and Fluid Android Experience with lots of Extras

The Samsung Galaxy S4 runs with Android 4.2.2 Jellybean with a heavily customized ToucWiz UI on top of it. The UI feels so cluttered like there are so many functions and features to learn especially when you are a first time Android and TouchWiz user. Thankfully, Samsung made a Home Screen Mode where you can choose Easy Mode for first timers and Standard Mode for those who have been using TouchWiz for a long time.

Just so you have an idea of all the features, check out this photo of the controls on the settings bar:

Andami!!!

Samsung packed the GS4 with tons of features that make use of motion gestures. Smart Pause is when you turn your eyes away from the screen the video you are watching takes a pause. When we tested it there were times it didn’t work perfectly. The other gesture features were the same. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn’t. Smart Scroll lets your eyes control the scrolling using your eyes while Air Gestures lets you navigate without touching the screen (perfect when your hands are covered with Cheetos). Note though that when it doesn’t work on all apps. Smart Scroll, for example, works only on the stock browser and not the Google Chrome app. Hopefully Samsung will release an update that will make them more universal.

When it comes to transitions and core services the Samsung Galaxy S4 overdelivers. The 1.9Ghz Quad-core CPU is a BEAST. Playing graphics intensive games was a breeze while the usual phone animations were ridiculously buttery smooth. Definitely one of the best implementations of Android when it comes to fluidity. Perfect marriage of hardware and software.

Camera: Excellent Shots with a lot of Smart Features

GS4 Camera

If you’re in mid to good lighting environments, the Galaxy S4′s camera will blow you away. It’s no doubt the best Android camera out there right now. However it’s still not as good as the Lumia 920 when it comes to low light photography. No one still comes close to PureView. Here are a few sample shots:

The S4′s new camera features are the scene modes – Drama, Beauty Face, Best Photo, Sound and Shot, Best Face, Eraser and Panorama. We liked the eraser mode where you can erase anybody or anything you don’t like to see on you picture. We also love the dual shot. The one taking the picture is included in the photo. For more info on these shots, click here.

Battery: Very Good

The 2,600 mAh battery gives more than enough juice to last you for most of the day. We unplugged the charger with 100% battery at 7am. With Wi-Fi hotspot and LTE turned on plus auto brightness off with intense web browsing, playing Candy Crush for 3 hours and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram turned on, and watching You Tube videos for 4 hours (not straight actually), the battery died at 4:30pm. That’s about 10 hours with extreme usage. Not bad.

Verdict: A lot of Gimmicks but it’s a damn Good Android Smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has tons and I mean TONS of features but not all of them you’ll end up using. For example, the motion gestures are fun to use at first but in reality won’t be useful everyday. Beyond the gimmicks though the Galaxy S4 is an excellent Android smartphone with monstrous internals.

Which leads me to our final reco. If you think you’ll use the Samsung extra features, go for this one. If not then just wait for the Galaxy S4 with stock Android which Google announced during Google I/O 2013.