Bluboo are heading in to flagship territory with the Bluboo X500 Dragon. A flagship boasting specifications that rival the best of the best.
Someone at Bluboo turned around at the start of 2015 and said “no more” to generic devices, and made the decision to turn the fortunes of the company round with some well designed phones capable of disrupting the phone market.
Phones we have seen from Bluboo so far are the C100, a $99 phone with Android 5.1, LTE, 2GB RAM and HD display, and the Bluboo X550 with 5300mAh battery, Android 5.1 and 2GB RAM. With the entry-level and mid-range bases covered it is time to tackle the flagship end of the market.
Gizchina News of the week
The Bluboo X500 ‘Dragon’ will be Bluboo’s top of the range phone for 2015. These images are the first time the phone has been shown to the public and were sent to us from Bluboo along with a few specification highlights.
Bluboo tell us that they plan to release 2 models of the X500. Both phones will share the same 5-inch display and Mediatek Helio X10 chipset with the only differences (so far) being the choice of either 3GB or 4GB RAM.
Those specs would make it one of the most powerful Chinese Mediatek phones on the market with 5-inch display, a display size often overlooked by makers of flagship phones.
We’ve asked for more information and will post details as soon as we get them.
I guess those with “smaller hands” will be happy with this news. Let’s get to hear more about it.
I don’t think so. 5 inchers are only useful to those with big hands as they are the only ones who can comfortably use them one handed, and if they have giant bezels not even them. People with small hands can as well go to 5.5 inchers as they’re still a “two-handed deal” but offering more screen estate…
I always found the 5 inchers too akward: too big for comfortable one handed use for most people, but too small for everything else. Apple was smart to create a 4.7 incher (biggest possible phone for relatively good one handed use) and a 5.5 incher (the go to size for two hands, big enough yet pocketable). Well I’m not that crazy for their bezels, but I’m a fan of their screen size choices regardless.
I have normal size hands and I have no problems using my Mi4 one handed which is 5 inches.
You mean that you reach most of it without relocating your palm? Anyway my post is not about anecdotes, it’s about studies showing that 4.7 inches is the limit of usability. If one doesn’t go for usability he/she better go for size, no?
Still agree with balcobomber. 5″ is easy to operate with one hand and I never really noticed the difference between 4.7″ and 5″ (from LG optimus 4x HD to nexus 5) however from 5″ to 5.5″ is a different story since its becoming more difficult now for me to use my phone (ulefone be touch) with one hand.
Well those two phone are about the same size, no? Try to use a Moto X (1st gen) and then use a Xiaomi Mi4, there’s a great difference (my progression).
Anyway, here’s a chart from a study showing that response times take a flight when bigger that 4.7 inches is used : http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/phone-screen-size-2.png
Apple is conducting usabiliy studies like this all the time which is why they chose 4.7 inches (instead of 5”) for iPhone 6. Again there are always outliers, but on average the 4.7” is the max size for comfortable one handed use.
Well there’s no 5″ in that chart so that says nothing about the point I was making. And I’ve never used a moto X or an mi4 so wouldn’t know that. Maybe it’s just that I have large hands (I’m Dutch, and I’m pretty tall) but to me there’s no noticeable difference between 4.7 and 5 inch. And yeah the 4x HD and the nexus 5 are quite similar in size to me but then again for me 4.7″ and 5″ are also similar in general.
The line that goes to 5.3 inches is passing through the 5 inch territory. But I’m struggling to find some non-paid sources to reference, still the 4.7 -> 5 inch is referred as the “barrier” of one handed use.
But like I said there are and always will be outliers. If you’re 6.3 (1.9 metres) for example you find no difficulty on screen size that a 5.3 woman (1.6 meters) woman does…
I question where and how these studies were done because my Asian girls with tiny hands (and all of her friends) can use their 5.2 inch Samsung S6’s with ease one handed. Visit any Asian country and ride the Metro and you will see tiny Asia girls operating huge phones one handed.
To be fair that study does not show that one handed use is impossible on large screen, merely that it is not comfortable. Of course there are counter measures to that like moving all the icons on the side of the screen you’re holding the phone or by moving the grip, or indeed using the one handed mode.
Of course one handed use can be done even on the largest screen, but what do you do when you have to reach the opposite side of the screen? Probably using a second hand, no? In fact that’s what the study showed, slower response times, not inability to use one handed.
On a 5 inch phone one handed use is very comfortable for me and I don’t have giant hands. Studies like that one are so incredibly subjective based on the limited participants. I could do a study of nothing but large phone owners and the numbers would be skewed in my favor. At the end of the day it’s all personal preference, I don’t need studies too tell me how comfortable it is to use a phone, I know from personal experience.
So you reach all of your screen with your thumb? I think you haven’t answered this question before. To be happy with you device is one thing, to be comfortable with it is another, but to actually reach all of its surface one handed without needing to constantly displace your hand is physically impossible to most people.
Even common sense tells you that those findings are correct, why do you resist them so? Both the smaller distances need to be covered, the fact that the grip remains relatively constant and of course the fact that no 2nd hand is needed makes a 4.5 inch phone incomparably faster to a 5 inch phone to most people’s hands. Those studies find 4.7 inches to be the human limit, anything more you face limitations to usability. Even if you’re OK with them, you still face them. Actually the only way around them is to be *too* tall…
My thumb can reach 95% of the screen without moving the phone at all, the other 5% (which is areas I never need to reach) takes about a fraction of a second and a mm shift of the phone to reach. It’s is completely comfortable for me.
Your so obsessed with your study being correct that you won’t accept the fact that we all have different opinions, thoughts and ideas when it comes to ‘ one handed use/comfort’. Were you one of the lead authors on this study? That is the only reasonable expectation for why your so obsessed with your study being the only possible answer. For you a 5 inch screen isn’t comfortable one handed. For me it is even close to a problem.
OK, then you are right, in your case 5 inches are almost completely comfortable. But you use a Xiaomi, if you were using an HTC which is about a centimeter taller and a few mm wider whilst still a 5 inches your response time would become quite slower (a lot more adjusting needed), and if you go to 5.2 inch phone things would get even worse.
Imagine this to be the situation for at least half of the population (women) at 5 inches already. *Now* you understand why 4.7 inches is the biggest a phone can be for most of the population. After that we enter “phablet” category. Not for you since you reach most of your phone, but for most of the people. I hope you now have an understanding -too- why Apple chose 4.7 inches…
” and if you go to 5.2 inch phone things would get even worse.” Just tried it on my wife s6, I could comfortable reach the majority of the screen without adjusting. I did have to adjust to reach the outer most edge or top/bottom but again it took a mere half a second of wiggling the phone slightly.
Again I see Asian woman every day using phones 5 inches and over one handed, most of them never skip a beat and can operate those things faster than anyone I have ever seen. Imagine that more than half of the worlds population lives in Asia and people here love bigger phones. Now imagine there is not one single answer for “what is comfortable to you when using a phone one handed”. Now you understand why your study is completely flawed. There is no “for most of the people” answers. For you personally 4.7 inches is the biggest you can use comfortably, that’s it. Apple went with 4.7 inches because they are always playing catch up with Android. The iPhone 7 will be 5 and 6 inches and people like you will say “see its the perfect size”.
I don’t use Apple products. It’s merely the only ones who actually bother with usability tests.
The rest of the bunch merely release phones in the hopes that people would get used to them. Well it didn’t work as evidenced from Asian girls constantly adjusting their grip for one handed use. Now imagine those same girls handling sth close to their size, say a 4.3 incher, they would be twice as fast.
In fact that’s what those studies show. That after 4.7 inches response times fall significantly,not that Asian girls can’t be fast with their phones, just that they would be a lot slower as compared to the screen that their thumbs can actually cover without adjusting. This trench of usability exists between the sizes of 4.7 and 5 inches. So 4.7 inches is the biggest a phone can go, but not the optimal, around 4-4.3 inches is the optimal but then you lose screen estate. So 4.7 inches is the best compromise. Not too small, not too unusable.
It’s just so happens to be that most of everyone is using a phablet (mini tablet) these days. Not that it is much of problem, I merely commented that usability suffers due to this choice of the hive mind…
Again you fail to comprehend that different people have different feeling and opinions towards this subject. It’s like you are only capable of seeing things in black and white and if they don’t fit into your way of thinking they are wrong. It’s really kind of funny at this point. 4.7 is not the “best compromise”, for many that is too small of a phone, it is the best comprise for YOU! That is the part you can’t understand, not everyone has the same mentality that you do.
Again I’m referring to studies. It’s irrelevant what you or I like, we’re anecdotes. The studies found that there is a trench of response times between 4.7 and 5 inches. In short that means that 4.7 inches is the bigger size where size is not much interfering with user experience. Still it’s slower than 4-4.3 inches.
In short the iPhone 5 size is the most usable, while the iPhone 6 size is less usable, but it avoids the “jump into the abyss” of response times that unresearched phones like Mi4 “offers”.
iPhone 6 is a big phone though, a Moto X can show that point further. It’s a shame really that most such studies are offered only to those that have subscriptions so I can’t post them here, but I’ll try to find free sources on the ‘net.
Best Size: 4-4.3 inches (depending on bezel size)
Maximum Size: 4.7 inches (small bezels preferable)
Phablet size (uncomfortable use): 5+ inches
Again, that’s what *studies* show. I only prefer those sizes because the human body/thumb prefers those. If I was 7 feet tall I would prefer other sizes.
Again your studies mean nothing in the real world, you don’t seem to grasp this. My human body and thumbs prefer a 5 inch phone and I am only 6 feet tall. That right there shows that your study is flawed. A study like that relies on a small sample size and then makes inferences based on that sample size. According to your studies those sizes you list are the best and maximum. According to actual people who use phones those are too small. You can continue to quote all the studies you want it’s not going to change the fact that there is no right or wrong answer only opinions. You can accept that study as being the only answer, I will accept it as being incredibly flawed.
The point of a study is to show what happens in the real world. If not it’s not a real study. Also sampling is part of conducting a study. It’s possible from a few people to know what happens to all. As a 6 feet person you’re an outlier already, the vast majority of the world is below that size.
Also I’m still not convinced that you can use your phone one handed, I’m most certain that you move your grip every time you want to press the back button and then see the notifications, I have seen people bigger than you do that exact thing on Galaxy S4 (similar size to Xiaomi).
You may feel comfortable with your phablet but it doesn’t mean that you are fast with it or indeed that most people are. Nothing wrong with it of course, I’m merely commenting how content consumption took precedence to usability (for which in fact I prefer 5.5 inchers, better content consumption there, 5 inches is an awkward size, thankfully the new Xiaomi would be bigger).
The point of the study is to show whatever the authors want it to show. I have done numerous market studies and it’s incredibly easy to get whatever results you want or need and construe the “science” in your favor. Studies like this show nothing of what happens in the real world, they show what happens for a small sample size and nothing more. Of course your not convinced I can, in your world there is only one way of thinking and anything that moves away from that way of thinking can’t be correct.
“the vast majority of the world is under that size”. More nonsensical facts from you. I personally travel all over the world for work to Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania. In the actual real world the men that I see are often times my height or a few inches bigger or smaller than me. I am sure you have some “scientific” study that looked at a random group of people and says otherwise. I base my opinions off what I actually see on a daily basis not off of numbers on a paper.
I feel very comfortable with my phone (a phablet to me is 5.5 inches or over). I am incredibly fast with it and most people I see on a daily basis (again people not numbers) are fast with their 5+ inch phones as well. Your problem is you need to get out and observe and talk to actual people not look at numbers. I asked all of our female friends here in Asia, most who are under 5’4 and all of them said they prefer the feel and comfort of the S5/6 to the S3 (4.8 inches) and felt they use them just as fast.
Heh of course they feel comfort, I mean they even feel comfortable walking on platform shoes, that doesn’t make running shoes not to be *objectively* many times more comfortable for the vast majority of people. Similarly with phones, of course they say they feel comfortable, they consume more information, but since thumbs do not spontaneously increase in size it also means that they would be far faster on a phone that their thumbs could actually reach without constantly changing their grip.
Like you I talk to people too, unlike you I don’t believe them. Self-deception is a favourite past time for people since times immemorable. It’s not even that they lie to me, they lie to themselves like … all the time.
That’s why I trust numbers , unlike people they don’t lie if one uses the correct technique to extract them they always tell *sth* true about the world.
Take your travels for example, so many and they moved you away from the truth further merely because you didn’t use statistical analysis. If you had you would know that the average female height is 1.6 meters: http://www.averageheight.co/average-female-height
and the average male height is 1.73 meters: http://www.averageheight.co/average-male-height
Since in such large sample average almost always means that it is also the median height, what we get from these statistics is that 50% of women are less than 1.6 meters and 50% of men less than 1.73 meters and that’s a *certainty*. It also implies that at least 80% of world’s population is less that 6 ft (if we take human height to be a bell curve, which most possibly is).
So yeah, you’re an outlier. So even if you were as fast as you claim (you most probably ain’t since you constantly move your grip to reach the back button and then the move again to reach the upper screen), it would still mean very little.
4.7 inches is the max that human dimensions allow and even then sub optimal (4-4.3 inches is closer to optimal). That’s *defined* from human thumbs’ reach which has remained pretty much constant for the at least the last 100 thousand years. So 100 thousands of years of human evolution tells me (and you, and everybody) that any bigger is not a phone, it’s a phablet.
Now how big phablets can be? Depends on how pocketable they are. If present fashion is to be taken as granted then 5.5 inches is the most a phablet can be, if deeper pockets are to be employed then the limit can be stretched to 6 inches. From then on we enter the mini tablets (non pocket able gadgets).
So yeah up to 4.7 inches is a phone.
4.7 – 5.5 inches is a phablet.
More than that a mini tablet.
When Apple introduced the iPad I said “this is even bigger than iphone”. Apparently most people agreed with me. Smartphones are a thing of the past, we’ve entered the era of tablets. Phone-tablets on the low end (like your Xiaomi) and full blown mini tablets on the higher end (MI Note). I’m happy ’cause I always sported a tablet, people finally saw the reason of the bigger screen, of course I’m also sporting a smartphone, most people don’t these days, I just happen to find it incredibly useful, it is all. No need to take it personal.
My tablet is 7 inches and it fits in my pockets. I’ll wait while you try to find a “study” that says that’s not possible.
The same studies that show you to be an outlier. Roughly 50% of human population is women. Women do not wear cargo pants. So 50% is down. Now onto men: There are big men, small men and those somewhere in the middle. Depending on given fashion most often than not it’s only “big” men that can fit a 7 incher on their pants and of course those who like to wear pants with deep and wide pockets.
5.5 is not chosen at random, I would say about 50% of the population can fit this size, which is why it is a limit. Some women and most men.
If I was to be honest with myself the true range of the phablet is 4.71 to 5.2 inches. But then I remembered the LG phones (G3 et al) that actually often fit on womens’ pants. iPhone plus is more of a mini tablet though, which is why it cannibalizes iPad mini’s sales (another mini tablet) so overtly.
I’m sure that I can find studies showing the average volume of pockets circa 2010 … There are studies for everything these days, it seems :p, I do not expect to be far off though…
I don’t wear cargo pants, just normal Levi jeans and my Nexus 7 fits in there, it sticks out ever so slightly but it fits. You can find a study for whatever you want. There are studies that try to claim second hand smoke doesn’t cause cancer and that oil spills cause no harm to the environment. By your logic both of those have to be true because they were done by “scientists”.
Well no, it doesn’t matter who does what. Don’t put words in my mouth. But if you have plenty independent studies using proper statistical analysis and sampling and all show towards a certain direction then even if it is not *the* truth, it’s certainly towards that direction, meaning those who purport the opposite are completely wrong.
I merely right some wrongs it is all, I’m not trying to tell you what device to use. I have seen people using 10 inch tablets as phones. I don’t judge , honestly, I just call a spade (to be) a spade.
You don’t judge but you quote studies like they are the be all end all and anything that doesn’t fit their findings is wrong to you. Go out and talk to actual smartphone users and ask them what they prefer and what is comfortable to them. Don’t rely on numbers on a piece of paper, don’t have any preconceived notions based off of studies. You will be surprised the variety of answers you will get.
Yeah but like I said their responses don’t matter, not unless I have turned those questions into a proper study. That is to say proper sampling, proper analysis afterwards and pretty much following all the guidelines of a study.
I follow studies, because research studies pretty much made the modern world, most of everything you read or touch around you was part of some study or was invented by some research group somewhere. Unstructured empirical knowledge could at most create a world as it was in the 15th century. It was the scientific resolution that let people see beyond the veil of their preconceptions.
Now what I do is not look at one study, but subscribe in scientific journals and look at a bunch of them or metastudies (studies that study studies). That way even if one study is incorrect, its “wrong” is being found by the subsequent studies. Studies is the only way to truly know the world. That’s why all serious nations fund them. Knowing the world gives you a strategic advantage on worldwide affairs. Or in our case let’s you differentiate trends from robust phenomena, research studies is a fantastic perspective to look at the world, almost intoxicating.
Research studies had nothing to do with the modern world, people made the modern world into what is today. Most of what you see around you was made by people not in a study. Most products you use on a daily basis were made by an inventor or a team of inventors who figured out a way to make your life easier. It had zero to do with research studies. I can point out hundreds of research studies that turned out to be completely bogus or false. If your base your entire life on research studies you have a problem.
Research studies had nothing to do with the modern world, people made the modern world into what is today. Most of what you see around you was made by people not in a study. Most products you use on a daily basis were made by an inventor or a team of inventors who figured out a way to make your life easier. It had zero to do with research studies. I can point out hundreds of research studies that turned out to be completely bogus or false. If your base your entire life on research studies you have a problem.
I guess those inventors were not researchers of their own using scientific vigor, they had a light bulb moment like the one I see in cartoons. I’m convinced now. An invention takes a genius not methodical work of years, even decades … oh wait, that’s exactly the opposite of how inventions happened and where they were based.
Yeah papers often go to nothing. But then there are papers like Einstein’s, Turing’s, Shannon’s that completely changed the world …
That’s why I’m using meta studies, I. E. the study of many studies. Thus the individual methodological faults are concealed.
There’s a huge difference between a research paper done by someone like Einstein and a research study about phone size. Now your just grasping for anything and looking incredibly foolish in the process.
No, there is not, that’s my point. You cannot know the significance of a paper before seeing its impact. Usability research (like the one I told you) lead to the creation of modern smartphones as we know them.
Apple actually has an in-house usability research team without which a lot of things we take for granted on “smart devices” would simply not be there.
Also the point of a research -again- is to inform you of how the world works. You may choose to heed to its conclusions, you may not, but -again- that’s irrelevant. What I’m trying to tell you is that if sth quacks like a duck, walks like a duck yet it’s called differently, it’s still a duck.
Like your phablet, you call it a phone, you use it like a phone, in your hands it may *be* a phone, but -still- it’s more proper name would be tablet-phone. I have no issue that people has taken a liking to them, in fact it makes sense, to most it’s their primary digital device, so the bigger the better, comfortability takes a back seat.
To me a handset is not a primary device, which is why I don’t like phablets. If they were, I would be using a phablet, but unlike you I would be honest with myself and note how far less comfortable they feel than a phone. That’s *all* I’m saying, you’re in denial, that’s my only issue. Not that you like your device.
Lastly I’ve used a Mi4 for one week. It was the best device I ever had and if it was not for its size (i.e. a phablet) I would had not sold it. I *want* this experience, but on a phone size.
No, there is not, that’s my point. You cannot know the significance of a paper before seeing its impact. Usability research (like the one I told you) lead to the creation of modern smartphones as we know them.
Apple actually has an in-house usability research team without which a lot of things we take for granted on “smart devices” would simply not be there.
Also the point of a research -again- is to inform you of how the world works. You may choose to heed to its conclusions, you may not, but -again- that’s irrelevant. What I’m trying to tell you is that if sth quacks like a duck, walks like a duck yet it’s called differently, it’s still a duck.
Like your phablet, you call it a phone, you use it like a phone, in your hands it may *be* a phone, but -still- it’s more proper name would be tablet-phone. I have no issue that people has taken a liking to them, in fact it makes sense, to most it’s their primary digital device, so the bigger the better, comfortability takes a back seat.
To me a handset is not a primary device, which is why I don’t like phablets. If they were, I would be using a phablet, but unlike you I would be honest with myself and note how far less comfortable they feel than a phone. That’s *all* I’m saying, you’re in denial, that’s my only issue. Not that you like your device.
Lastly I’ve used a Mi4 for one week. It was the best device I ever had and if it was not for its size (i.e. a phablet) I would had not sold it. I *want* this experience, but on a phone size.
There’s a huge difference between a research paper done by someone like Einstein and a research study about phone size. Now your just grasping for anything and looking incredibly foolish in the process.
Yeah but like I said their responses don’t matter, not unless I have turned those questions into a proper study. That is to say proper sampling, proper analysis afterwards and pretty much following all the guidelines of a study.
I follow studies, because research studies pretty much made the modern world, most of everything you read or touch around you was part of some study or was invented by some research group somewhere. Unstructured empirical knowledge could at most create a world as it was in the 15th century. It was the scientific resolution that let people see beyond the veil of their preconceptions.
Now what I do is not look at one study, but subscribe in scientific journals and look at a bunch of them or metastudies (studies that study studies). That way even if one study is incorrect, its “wrong” is being found by the subsequent studies. Studies is the only way to truly know the world. That’s why all serious nations fund them. Knowing the world gives you a strategic advantage on worldwide affairs. Or in our case let’s you differentiate trends from robust phenomena, research studies is a fantastic perspective to look at the world, almost intoxicating.
Don’t let the bumble bees know that according to some studies they shouldn’t be able to fly due to their big body and small wings
I nearly spit my coffee out when reading this. Why do I enjoy punishing myself by arguing with these people?
Don’t let the bumble bees know that according to some studies they shouldn’t be able to fly due to their big body and small wings
Really getting fed up with the handsets released this year, it seems 95% follow the same formula with a 5.5″ screen. This breaks the mould with a 5″ screen and looks really promising, but what about those of us who want something in the 5.7-6″ category? There’s been absolutely nothing worth buying in these sizes so far this year, the Gionee E8 looks promising but is bound to be very expensive and who knows when it will get released? Vivo are still quiet over the xplay series, some of us currently have no phone and NEED a good handset released now! Rant over.
What about the Mi Note/Pro those are both 5.7″?
yup mi note is a really nice device
Have you ever used the Samsung Note 3/4? How would you say it compares. The Note 3 is my favorite device over 5.5 inches in terms of build quality and how it feels in the hands I just hate Touchwiz.
Looks quite good and the first Xiaomi I woul even contemplate having but way too expensive. Waiting on the Gionee or Vivo over the next few weeks and then I’m gonna have to buy something to use.
Vivo is not going to be cheaper than MI Note
I know, but for me to even contemplate paying out that kinda money it has to be exactly what i want. The Xiaomi is too small and no sd card slot so wont even consider it.
Fair enough
Big money though…
You REALLY like Xiaomi! A phone has to excite me and Xiaomi phones do absolutely nothing for me, besides they are big bucks and I wouldn’t pay that sort of money out for a Chinese phone with no warranty or comebacks.
I do really like them they are well built, excellent quality phones that just work. I have never had a major problem with any of the Xiaomi phones I have had. That’s something I can only say for two other brands Lenovo and Gionee.
😀
I hope you’re joking with 5.7-6 category.
There is a need for updated smaller sized phones. Jiayu s4 FTW.
Nope, so far all we’ve seen this year is mostly 5.5″ phones with the odd 5″ and NOTHING ELSE. Really hoping the Gionee materializes sooner rather than later, or Vivo get their act together and release the Xplay.
go allin and get a 8″ tablet!
🙂
Been there and done that! My last phone was technically a tablet and made me love the big screen even more.
See, there you go then, if you like them that big there’s 7 inch tablets that look very sexy when being held as a phone.
I don’t mind people liking bigger displays but let’s not forget a phone is a portable device that you’d like to keep in one hand, put in a decent size pocket and not feel like you’re carrying a brick around.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, we get you like child size phones so get an iphone. As for walking around with a 7″ tablet stuck to your ear thats taking the p**s. The reason there are so many different sized phones is because everyone is different and we all like different things. The point i made when this story was posted is that nearly every phone being released is 5.5″ and there is little choice if you dont like that size, we need phones of all sizes.
Well, that’s the good of android, we have from 1″ to 6″, imagine if you were an apple fan stuck on 4″ for so long.
I get your point, being a fan of large screens there are no many choices, but you understand that, speaking of market, 6+ inches don’t have a big share and that’s why we have more choices on 5.5′ displays.
Two years ago it was all about 4.7″ displays and one year ago 5″ was what 5.5″ is today .
The trend shows that people are more willing to get bigger screen so you should be able to find your perfect phone soon or simply get a 3g/4g enabled tablet.
The problem is that below 5″ there’s really nothing worth mentioning and I’m afraid it’s never gonna happen.
Again, there’s really nobody to blame of, it’s just how the market goes.
Yes 5.5″ is definitely the ‘sweet spot’ for phones this year and anything above or below it tends to be more expensive with poorer specs. There are a few options around the 5-6″ mark but I want one where the price doesn’t make my eyes water! I think there are lots of exciting phones being announced this month by a lot of the major players so here’s hoping the right one finally come along…..
Read my reply to max above if you are looking for a good & not much pricy 6+ incher.
Good old 4.7-4.8″= today’s 5.0″ with tin bazel’s.
In a 6.4″ category original Xperia Z Ultra still represents good value for money as it can be found for 300$. It’s good for gaming, movies, comes with FHD triluminos display but it also comes with only 8MP rare shoter & without led. It’s also water and dust resistant (at least wile it’s new). Best part is it will have AOSP suport for a long time. So much for those who love really huge ones.
I am more into the 5.5″ – 6″+ devices. A 5″ device looks kida small to me to game on or even watch a video. I am looking at the LeTV Le Max but the price is putting me off.
Gotta look for another 6″ – 6.5″ device to buy. Gionee Elife E8? Looks somewhat ugly to me plus with 3GB of RAM, I’ll pass. Looking for 4GB phone to buy along with the Asus Zenfone 2 4GB/64GB
You’re not considering upgrading to Nubia Z9 Max. Why?
Z9 Max is 5.5″ and already, the Zenfone is same size. I dont want to have 2 phones with same screen size. And since I already made up my mind to buy the Zenfone 2, the next one has to be more than 5.5″ since I wont go lower. And 5.5 and 5.7 is almost same so I wont buy a 5.7″ phone either.
go for ZenFone 2 is very good.The 64GB ever better. I have the 32GB 2.3GHz
Is it true the chip in the ZenFone precludes the use of Nokia HERE maps?
I completely share your sentiments. After using a 6.5″ phone for the last 6 months anything smaller is like a kids toy! Hopefully we’ll have a few 6″+ phones announced in June that may be THE one 🙂
Exactly my point Rob. I am still waiting to see that phone (6″ and above) that will tickle my fancy and not make me wish I have a gun to rob a bank.
Perhaps the Elephone Vowney will soothe you.
see, I LOVE GAMES too!
and im glad to see 5.5 dominating!
games look GOOD on 5.5 !
what do you do to need more than 3gb of ram? I never found how to saturate a 2GB phone!
Sounds exciting but tough to say with two blacked out generic looking pictures. Need to see the complete phone first.
Who’s the marketing guy(s) who comes up with these names?
“Daddy a Doogee made a BluBoo in the living room!”
“Did you hear about the Elephone who got his foot stuck? He stepped on a Goophone!”
” I ocean!”, “I UNI!”, “I New!”, I Man!, …”well f#ck you all, I No.1!”
What kind of smartphones do they give out in prisons? “King Sings”
What kind of smartphone does Sylvester Stallone carry? A “Runbo”, of course!
What kind of smartphones do German grandparents use? An “UMI” & “Oppo”
What kind of smartphones do Danish kids use? “LeaGoo”
Aren’t “uHappy” you read this? “Mi”? I’ll stick with my Moto G. Simple to pronounce and easier to remember!
Andi, love your site!
Stop blabbering dude and make an intelligent contribution.
Dude. You clearly prove that for some people the sense of humor and the intellect to detect some irony are often somewhat overrated…
“Xiaomi” the money 🙂
Man, you made my day XD
Are they really any worse than Samsung, Sony, Motorola, Toshiba, Asus, Microsoft or any other name for a smartphone company? In the grand scheme of things none of them really make any sense as with most famous product names.
Yep, when you get used to them they seem not “idiot” anymore. I remember when people heard samsung for the first time here a couple of decades ago they were laughing their arse off , now they spend their whole (or almost) salary to buy one and no one seems to complain at all 🙂
My point exactly the names only sound bad because we never heard of them before and they are a different language.
The difference between these stupid-sounding Chinese brands and the mainstream international brands is the Chinese brands lack identity — and I’m talking about brand identity in a marketing context, not in the simple “do people know it or not” context.
If they can make an identity for their brands, the names will lose their stupidness. If they fail at making an identity for their brands they will sound stupid forever. Take “Coolpad” for example, been around for quite a while now and it still sounds stupid. Why? — Because they failed at developing an identity for their brand.
What you’re actually referring to is brand recognition and it can take decades for some brands to achieve that, some never do. Samsung wasn’t always a household name associated with great electronic products/manufacturing. Look away from electronics at another major South Korean company: Hyuandai/Kia. For years Kia was the end of car related jokes about horrible names and horrible cars, now they are looked at as one of the top companies on the rise and the “new” Honda.
What about DingDing?
Ding Ding is one of the worst brand names in any industry. For those of you who don’t know the slang meaning for that, check on urban dictionary…
Anyway, it could be an acceptable name for a company that makes door bells… I don’t know! 😛
Good thinking!
“Daddy a Doogee made a BluBoo in the living room!”
LOL
LMAO! Brilliant!
Very excited, if they can keep it under 8.9mm and have a battery larger than 2500mah, also FHD would be a must considering its a helio x10. I’m looking at buy 2 phones now, this phone or the jiayu s4 (when ever that appears)
My thoughts exactly. Whichever comes first, gets my money. I’m done waiting already.
Finally, a 5 inch phone…yes!! For me it’s a Mi4i, cheap and big battery =)
nice 5 inch finally
@tako, @KS: I couldn’t agree with you more.
Sounds interesting. I still prefer a larger phones. The 6″ plus size is my favorite. With that size I don’;t need a computer or tablet, just a phone. I actually didn’t know how much I would like that large size till I tried it and it is great. It didn’t take long to get used to. I carry this size phablet in a little shoulder bag just the size of the phone, works great. No, pockets are not practical with this size phone, nor or pockets really practical with 5.5″ phones.
i hope this is good !
all eyes on CAM performance !
WOuld also like to see the full package.. i dont kow i kinda love my mx4 currently and i dont knwo actually if i move to a next phone it should be a bit smaller so 5 inch would be good but only if it got a good camera and decent battery 3gb ram would also be nice 🙂
i dont know but the “make your phone in 5 minute kit” seems to be limited to 5,5″ this year..even if i find the letv 1 to be quite sexy x.x
but i’m not sure if i wouldnt regret buying that phone..i was happy with the samsung note 2 but the oneplus wasnt that comfortable for me and i sold it..and its not like you can simply try the letv in your hand and judge it before you ship something over the world ^^
5+ inch comfortable one hand, bullsheet. Are your eyes my friend. Same with tv. do you remember old tv 20 inch. Your brain is choosing who is most comfortable for you, and eyes come first.
No in the case of the phone your thumbs do.
Also in the case of TVs the resolution does. At 480i even a 20 inch seems big (pixels can be seen). By comparison an 65 inch 4G TV is smaller (more comfortable viewing due to higher PPI).
What is big or not is anchored on human senses and dimensions and those haven’t changed much in the last few thousands years at least. Your brain does jacksh**.
Now once cybernetics come into play then we’d start changing the definitions of big/small. In the case of phones it hasn’t changed either, people started using small tablets instead, of course they still call them phones, but if you call a crocodile to be a tree doesn’t make it a tree, it’s still, a crocodile by another name. Same with mini tablets called phones these days. True phones (as in comfortable in one hand) are rare…
how’s the frequency coverage in the US? i assume its crap, but haven’t heard much about this chip.
Chinese phones are crazy in big RAM