Cherry Mobile Flare Quick Review, Touch Response Check, In the Flesh Photos!
When it comes to cheapness, few Android smartphones (by any manufacturer - both local and international) can stand shoulder to shoulder with Cherry Mobile Android handsets these days and not feel shy.
Take Cherry Mobile Flare, for instance, which sells for only Php 3,999. Hard to believe that for such a low amount, you already get an Android device that has a 4-inch IPS display, Ice Cream Sandwich OS, a 5 MegaPixel autofocus camera flash with LED flash, Dual Core processor, and Dual SIM capability.
You best believe it because it's already out.
Having relatively good specifications matched with an oddly low price tag has its obvious advantages -- but it also has down sides. For one, it can make people feel skeptical about the release.
"Does it feel cheap when you hold it?", "Is it reliable?", "Madali po bang masira?", "Baka po they cut corners nalang sa ibang aspects ng phone?", "Smooth po ba ang touch response?", "Can you recommend it to others?": These are only some of the questions I usually get in the TP Mailbox and on Twitter about Cherry Mobile Flare. Reading them, it's clear that people want to be sure if the cheap product is 'for real'. Is it something that they can trust? Is it worthy of their hard-earned cash?
As I've told you before, I haven't owned a Cherry Mobile phone, so I really wouldn't have been able to answer some of those queries if it weren't for my fellow tech blogger, Robbie Muyrong, who let me play with his Cherry Mobile Flare a few weeks ago -- hence, the photos.
You already know how I do my TP Quick Review (which is straight-forward via bullet points). This time, I'll do something different; I'll try to answer the above-mentioned inquiries:
1. "Does it feel cheap when you hold it?" Well, not really. Somehow the OEM in China managed to make the handset look more expensive than it really is. I'm not sure if it was the designer's intention but the phone ended up looking like a thicker version of the LG Optimus Black, which is one of the most gorgeous handsets from two years back. As for the build, well, it obviously lacks any metal or metallic accents but Cherry Mobile Flare feels well-constructed and sturdy. Also, the matte finish on the back cover makes the handset easier to hold and less likely to slip from your grasp accidentally.
2. "Is it reliable?", "Madali po bang masira?" I'd have to spend more time with the device to be able to answer these. But off hand, I don't think it will conk out on you just like that. As I said, it feels well-constructed when you hold it.
3. "Baka po they cut corners nalang sa ibang aspects ng phone?" I don't think so. To be honest, I feel that the handset is under-priced. I mean, all features considered, it's truly hard to believe that the phone only costs Php 3,999. Heck, even the 5 MegaPixel camera delivers quite decent shots. In fact, I wonder if Cherry Mobile is even making profit with every unit sold.
4. "Smooth po ba ang touch response?" It's alright. Not quite as smooth as the touch response I get from my ZTE Blade III V889M - which is kind of in the same category as this one - but the touch response is acceptable. Don't just take my word for it though, watch my quick hands-on video of the smartphone:
5. "Can you recommend it to others?" As you all know, I only recommend products by brands that I have experience with or have owned. I do that not because of any personal bias or whatever but because that's the right thing to do. I've told you everything I know so far about Cherry Mobile Flare; It's up to you if you want to check it out.
So do you own a Cherry Mobile Flare? What can you say about your phone? What are the things you like about it? What are the things you don't? Can you recommend it to other consumers who are looking for an ultra-cheap Android smartphone?
Take Cherry Mobile Flare, for instance, which sells for only Php 3,999. Hard to believe that for such a low amount, you already get an Android device that has a 4-inch IPS display, Ice Cream Sandwich OS, a 5 MegaPixel autofocus camera flash with LED flash, Dual Core processor, and Dual SIM capability.
You best believe it because it's already out.
Having relatively good specifications matched with an oddly low price tag has its obvious advantages -- but it also has down sides. For one, it can make people feel skeptical about the release.
"Does it feel cheap when you hold it?", "Is it reliable?", "Madali po bang masira?", "Baka po they cut corners nalang sa ibang aspects ng phone?", "Smooth po ba ang touch response?", "Can you recommend it to others?": These are only some of the questions I usually get in the TP Mailbox and on Twitter about Cherry Mobile Flare. Reading them, it's clear that people want to be sure if the cheap product is 'for real'. Is it something that they can trust? Is it worthy of their hard-earned cash?
As I've told you before, I haven't owned a Cherry Mobile phone, so I really wouldn't have been able to answer some of those queries if it weren't for my fellow tech blogger, Robbie Muyrong, who let me play with his Cherry Mobile Flare a few weeks ago -- hence, the photos.
You already know how I do my TP Quick Review (which is straight-forward via bullet points). This time, I'll do something different; I'll try to answer the above-mentioned inquiries:
1. "Does it feel cheap when you hold it?" Well, not really. Somehow the OEM in China managed to make the handset look more expensive than it really is. I'm not sure if it was the designer's intention but the phone ended up looking like a thicker version of the LG Optimus Black, which is one of the most gorgeous handsets from two years back. As for the build, well, it obviously lacks any metal or metallic accents but Cherry Mobile Flare feels well-constructed and sturdy. Also, the matte finish on the back cover makes the handset easier to hold and less likely to slip from your grasp accidentally.
2. "Is it reliable?", "Madali po bang masira?" I'd have to spend more time with the device to be able to answer these. But off hand, I don't think it will conk out on you just like that. As I said, it feels well-constructed when you hold it.
3. "Baka po they cut corners nalang sa ibang aspects ng phone?" I don't think so. To be honest, I feel that the handset is under-priced. I mean, all features considered, it's truly hard to believe that the phone only costs Php 3,999. Heck, even the 5 MegaPixel camera delivers quite decent shots. In fact, I wonder if Cherry Mobile is even making profit with every unit sold.
4. "Smooth po ba ang touch response?" It's alright. Not quite as smooth as the touch response I get from my ZTE Blade III V889M - which is kind of in the same category as this one - but the touch response is acceptable. Don't just take my word for it though, watch my quick hands-on video of the smartphone:
5. "Can you recommend it to others?" As you all know, I only recommend products by brands that I have experience with or have owned. I do that not because of any personal bias or whatever but because that's the right thing to do. I've told you everything I know so far about Cherry Mobile Flare; It's up to you if you want to check it out.
So do you own a Cherry Mobile Flare? What can you say about your phone? What are the things you like about it? What are the things you don't? Can you recommend it to other consumers who are looking for an ultra-cheap Android smartphone?
.jpg)