Add another layer of security to your daily commute with the P1 MINI

One of the cardinal rules of commuting here in the Philippines is that you should never take out your smartphone in public, lest it be swiped by the numerous criminals that prowl the streets. But like any rule, there are exceptions – if you have a fairly inexpensive dumbphone for instance, you’re in the clear as far as them swiping your device is concerned (your wallet is another matter), as they’re usually more trouble than their worth when it comes to actually offloading them. Cherry Mobile has taken advantage of this little fact, and is marketing their newest device, the P1 Smartphone Dialer, as a device that adds an extra layer to your security as far as commuting is concerned.

Cherry Mobile P1 MINI specs

• 1.77-inch QVGA LCD, 176×220 pixels
• Dual Band GSM
• Bluetooth 3.0
• Single SIM
• VGA Camera
• Built-in Radio
• Php 799

Design: Plasticky and cheap – which is just what you want

The build quality of the Cherry Mobile P1 MINI is what you’d expect from its Php 799 pricepoint. It feels light, plasticky and cheap. Usually we’ll admonish any manufacturer that makes a product that has that trifecta of terrible qualities, but in the P1 MINI’s case, it’s just what you want. Remember, this device is designed to be your safety net when you’re out commuting with your more expensive smartphone, and to that end the P1 MINI does its job beautifully. The phrase ‘it’s so bad, it’s good’ definitely applies to the overall appearance of the P1 MINI.

That doesn’t mean that the P1 MINI is cheaply built together. While it does exhibit some flaws (like a bendy LCD) in the construction of its body, overall it’s very well put together. We tried our best trying to induce creaks in its small plastic frame but was unsuccessful. The overall look of the device is dumbphone through and through, which again, makes it a great device to fake-out ne’er do wells while travelling in skitchy neighborhood. Despite its relatively small frame, it has a VGA camera on the back, as well as a built-in radio, though you will have to annoy the people around you if you want to listen to your tracks – there is no 3.5mm jack. You can even use the P1 MINI as a standalone device as it has its own SIM slot.

Performance: Does a great job with Android, has problems with iOS

We paired up our P1 MINI with the Lenovo Vibe Z that we were reviewing to see if it really does what it says it does. We’re happy to report (on Android at least) that it works well enough. We were able to make calls and send text messages to our contacts using the P1 MINI. We did notice a few things though. First off, sound quality for calls isn’t the best with the P1 MINI – while you will be able to understand the person you’re talking to, their voice will sound tinny and artificial. Another issue that we encountered is that the P1 MINI will not display the names of the people who sent you messages on the paired Android device, even though you have them saved in your primary device. Which is weird, because it’s able to show us the names of the contacts saved in our primary device, as well as displayed their names when we made and received calls through the P1. As far as dual-SIM devices are concerned, the P1 MINI will follow the specified settings in your primary dual-SIM device when it comes to calling and sending messages.

You’ll also want to put your primary phone in silent when you’re using it, because both it and the P1 MINI will ring when there’s an incoming call. Strangely enough, the P1 MINI didn’t notify us of new text messages, although our primary device did vibrate and give us an alert when we received a message.

We tried to pair the P1 MINI with an iPhone 4, with mixed results. While it did pair with the device, we had trouble getting it to make a call or send a text. Poking around the web, it seems that our problems weren’t unique. A quick chat with a Cherry Mobile rep in one of the malls confirmed that the P1 MINI is designed for Android devices for now, though you’re free to give pairing your iOS device with it a try.

Battery life: Seems to go on forever

One of the great things about dumbphones is that you only need to charge it once and it’ll go on for days. That was the case with the P1 MINI – we charged it up last Sunday and went about our day. On the day these pictures were taken (Tuesday) we were only 2/3rd’s of the way through its battery, which is pretty good, considering we were texting and calling through it for the past few days.

Verdict: If you commute in any shape or form, you need to buy this

We wholeheartedly recommend you pick-up the Cherry Mobile P1 MINI if you commute everyday. It’s an affordable gadget that adds a safety net between your nice, expensive smartphone and criminals looking to add your expensive gadget to their collection. If they do swipe it from you, you’re only out Php 799 bucks, which is better than forking over thousands of pesos for a replacement smartphone.