MT6589
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Neo N003 may deliver a 1080p smartphone for $145, but don't expect miracles
Neo is known for building smartphones with price tags so low that a Nexus 4 would seem like a luxury. If GizChina's contact (and convenient product render) is accurate, that bang-for-the-buck ratio may grow especially wide in the near future. The N003 will supposedly include a 5-inch, 1080p display and a quad-core processor for a target price of ¥899 ($145) in China for a basic Youth version, and ¥1,499 ($241) for a Premium model -- both big deals for the size, we'd reckon. However, there's little doubt that the N003 at those prices would be slower than a truly high-end phone like the HTC Butterfly, especially considering its pedigree. The N002 uses a MediaTek chip and just 4GB of storage, and earlier rumors have the N003 using MediaTek's frugal MT6589 alongside either 8GB or 32GB of space for its respective trim levels. Neo hasn't confirmed the details as of yet, let alone set expectations. Any alignment between the claims and reality could nonetheless see the N003 punching well above its weight, even if most Americans would never feel the impact.
Lenovo S920 and S820 leak, could pack Android 4.2.1, quad-core CPUs and dual-SIM slots
Lenovo's still far from a boldfaced name when it comes to Android smartphones. Its Clover Trail+-packing K900 aside, the company's mobile focus tends to skew towards the lower-end. And so it seems the company's prepping two new Jelly Bean handsets for the Asian market, the purported S920 (pictured above) and S820, judging by a few leaked blurrycam shots over on MyDrivers.com. From what we can see, the devices appear to share a similar slim, rounded edge design language with a rear-facing camera protruding prominently on back. According to the rumored specs, both are tipped to rely on MediaTek's quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, include dual-SIM support and run Android 4.2.1 (skinned, of course). It's not clear what resolution Lenovo has in store for the phones, but if the S920's 5.3-inch screen size proves true, it's likely to be of the 720p variety. The S820 is more of an unknown, but the Chinese site maintains it's meant for a more fashionable, female demo. Here's to hoping it launches with a charm dongle. Remember that?
ZTE U956 poses for pics, said to offer a 5-inch 720p screen, quad-core CPU
ZTE's no stranger to phones that provide more bang for your buck, so it's hardly surprising to see evidence of a new mid-range phablet from the Chinese outfit. The leaked images may not point towards another world first, but the U956 apparently runs Android 4.1.2 and is rumored to pack a 5-inch, 1,280 x 720 display and a quad-core MediaTek MT6589 SoC. There's also support for China's TD-SCDMA networks, while an 8-megapixel camera joins some China Mobile branding on the back. Some specifications are still missing, but if the pricing is as low as expected, the smartphone could likely be an option for penny-pinchers who can't afford its designer cousin.
Huawei G520 outed as an inexpensive, quad-core smartphone for China
Huawei put its best foot forward (twice) last week at CES, but it seems that the company has yet another smartphone up its sleeve: a 4.5-inch Android device known as the G520. According to Gizchina, the phone is said to wield a quad-core 1.2GHz Mediatek MT6589, but its key selling point will be the price -- it's said to be in the neighborhood of ￥1,399 ($225). The specific resolution of the G520 is currently unknown, and the same is true for the version of Android it'll ship with. That said, Ice Cream Sandwich seems most plausible, as the smartphone includes just 512MB of RAM. The Huawei G520 also includes a 5-megapixel rear camera and is said to go up for sale on January 21st within China. Hopefully by then, we'll know a bit more about this one.
Alcatel reveals 5-inch One Touch Scribe HD smartphone (hands-on video)
Alcatel wasn't shy about letting the world know that it had plans to debut a quad-core 5-inch smartphone here at CES, but now we have a better understanding of the company's lofty ambitions for the One Touch Scribe HD. The Android 4.1.2 handset features a 5-inch HD (1,280 x 720) IPS display, 1GB RAM and offers enhanced functionality with an optional capacitive stylus and specialized apps such as a notebook and movie editor -- this in addition to packing that previously announced 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589 SoC from MediaTek. With the One Touch Scribe HD, Alcatel is aiming to bring stylus functionality to those unable to afford Samsung's Galaxy Note II. The phone will sell in the ballpark of $400 and is set for US availability in Q3, complete with an optional flip cover. The Scribe HD sports an 8-megapixel rear shooter, a front-facing camera that captures 720p video, 4GB built-in storage, a microSD card slot and a 2,500mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the handset supports quad-band GSM and offers HSPA+ in three different configurations: 900 / 2100MHz, 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz and 850 / 1700 (AWS) / 2100MHz. We spent a few minutes with the Scribe HD in Las Vegas and it felt well made. In terms of design the smartphone is somewhat reminiscent of both HTC's One X (the overall shape and unibody shell) and Samsung's Galaxy Note II (the camera pod and shiny finish). The screen looks decent enough, sort of middle of the pack for an HD IPS display. Performance was a bit more sluggish than during our Mediatek hands-on -- then again, the Scribe HD we handled was not running final software. We particularly enjoyed the flip cover, which latches on magnetically like Apple's Smart Cover and provides the same premium experience. Check out the gallery below and ht the break for our hands-on video and Alcatel's PR. %Gallery-174937% Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Alcatel prepping One Touch Scribe HD phone with quad-core MediaTek chipset
If you remember the MediaTek MT6589 that we recently took for a spin, you might recall that it holds the curious designation as containing the world's first quad-core Cortex A7 1GHz+ CPU. Interestingly, we've just learned that this snappy, efficient chip will be included in Alcatel's upcoming One Touch Scribe HD smartphone. Alongside that announcement, the company has confirmed to us that it'll soon debut the One Touch Idol Ultra, which counts as its thinnest smartphone to date, along with a modular tablet that's dubbed the One Touch Evo7 HD. Not to stop there, Alcatel also promises that a mobile hotspot known as the One Touch Link W800. Other details remain elusive, but we're hopeful that we'll learn more in a few days time.
MediaTek launches world's first quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC, we go hands-on (video)
There's a new player in the quad-core SoC game and it's called the MT6589. MediaTek announced today that it's launching the world's first quad-core Cortex-A7 SoC and gave us the opportunity to take it for a spin -- in prototype form, of course. The MT6589, which includes the aforementioned quad-core Cortex A7 1GHz+ CPU, also features a PowerVR Series5XT GPU, high-performance multimedia support (13MP / 3D camera, 1080p video and display, Miracast) and a built-in 42Mbps HSPA+ / TD-SCDMA-capable dual-SIM dual-active radio. By combining competitive performance with high thermal efficiency and low power consumption in an affordable package, MediaTek's new chip is well suited for a wide-range of smartphones and tablets running Jelly Bean and beyond. The MT6589 will be available in devices starting Q1 2013. Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our impressions and benchmarks plus MediaTek's videos and PR.
