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THL's W11 'Monkey King' phone packs a 13MP camera on both sides
THL is a name that makes us cringe whenever we come across it, not only because its logo is clearly "inspired" by HTC's older counterpart, but more so because it's been shamelessly cloning designs from the likes of HTC, LG and Samsung. Alas, these KIRF phones sell well in China, thus letting THL rapidly expand its retail business in recent years -- there are now a handful of THL stores in Shenzhen alone. But today, the company finally has something worth writing about: the Android 4.2.2-powered W11, also known as "Monkey King" (a main character from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West).
Sprint Vital review: a decent mid-range phone that faces tough competition
A year or two ago, mid-range devices were nothing to gush about at neighborhood barbeques. Fast-forward to 2013, however, and smartphones listed at those middling price points are much more desirable. After all, a large number of them would have been considered high-end flagships -- had they launched last summer. The ZTE-made Sprint Vital may well have been one of those phones, given its specs: the handset features a 5-inch 720p display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset, 13MP camera and solid battery. In short, the Vital is very much a 2012 phone trying to find its way in 2013. Sprint's strategy, therefore, is to sell the device for the standard mid-range price ($100 for existing customers on-contract), and see if people are willing to spend the next two years of their lives with this curious piece of workmanship. Throughout this review, we'll see for ourselves if it's worth our time, energy and focus, especially as it goes head-to-head against headlining phones from LG and Samsung. Head beyond the break for those answers and more.%Gallery-192084%
Gionee ELIFE E6 smartphone leaks with 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core SoC and 13MP cam
It looks like the battle for affordable smartphone flagships is heating up. Hot on the heels of TCL / Alcatel's tasty $280 Idol X comes word of Gionee's ELIFE E6, also boasting a 5-inch 1080p display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor (MediaTek MT6589T) with 2GB RAM and 13-megapixel BSI camera with flash. In addition to these main specs, the Chinese handset allegedly packs a 5MP front-facing shooter and 2000mAh+ battery, runs Android 4.2.1 (Jellybean) and features a svelte 8mm profile. Gionee is officially expected to launch the ELIFE E6 in Beijing on July 10th for somewhere between $320 and $360. Availability is unknown, but with MediaTek's SoC supporting both 42Mbps HSPA+ and TD-SCDMA (no LTE here, folks), this phone is likely destined to China, India and other APAC nations.
Sprint Vital coming June 14th for $100: 5-inch 720p display, 13MP camera, 1.2GHz dual-core processor
The Sprint Vital is now more than just a phone featured in a simple leaked video -- it's a reality. The Now Network has publicly unveiled the ZTE-made device, confirming it's on course for a June 14th release for $100 with a two-year commitment. The specs are all there as well: as expected, the device will boast a 5-inch 720p IPS panel, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a 13MP rear camera paired with a 1MP front-facing cam, 2,460mAh battery, NFC, 8GB internal storage and microSD support for up to 64GB. On paper, it's not too bad for a solid mid-range device, but how will the final product turn out? We imagine we'll find out soon enough.
Huawei Ascend P2 flaunts svelte profile in more leaked shots
As MWC draws near, it's not surprising to see an increase in leaks, and today we bring you a few more pictures of Huawei's Ascend P2, which recently made a cameo in some unofficial product shots. The 4.7-inch full HD handset is expected to feature Android 4.1.2, a quad-core 1.8 GHz processor (developed in house), 2GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage (plus microSD), a 13MP shooter and a 2200mAh battery. Slotting below the 5-inch Ascend D2 and 6.1-inch Ascend Mate we saw at CES, the Ascend P2 is rumored to be less than 6.45mm thick with Nexus 4-like on-screen buttons. Of course, since the FCC is unlikely to certify such a svelte device, it's likely we'll see a tweaked version of this phone if it ever makes it to the US -- then again, it looks thicker to us in the pictures. Pricing is supposedly targeting the 3,000 Yuan mark ($480), unsubsidized. Guess we'll find out more in Barcelona, right? Hit the break for a couple more images.
Huawei Ascend P2 product shot leaked, confirms 13MP camera in slim body
If the 170g Huawei Ascend D2 is a bit too imposing for your hands, then you may be curious to know of the Ascend P2, a previously teased smartphone that was just leaked by @evleaks. While there's no further info to go along with this image, it does show off a 13MP camera on the back of the phone, which makes us wonder how Huawei even managed to pack that into the sub-6.45mm-thick metallic body. A little digging around also showed that the company's Consumer BG CEO Richard Yu was seen fondling the P2 during a meeting back in December -- you can recognize the phone in the photo after the break. Naturally, we look forward to this successor to the Ascend P1 at Mobile World Congress next month. Richard Lai contributed to this report.
