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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%
Aio Wireless gains LTE support, intros the ZTE Overture to match
Now that AT&T is willing to offer LTE on budget services like GoPhone, the floodgates are open: it just extended the faster cellular data to its Aio Wireless prepaid brand. An automatic update is rolling out that enables LTE on Aio customers' existing SIM cards when they're in one of the provider's coverage areas. To mark the occasion, the carrier is launching the ZTE Overture, a 4-inch phone packing LTE alongside a 4-inch display, Jelly Bean, a 5MP rear camera and an unspecified front shooter. Aio hasn't divulged pricing for the Overture, but we wouldn't expect a large outlay when the handset ships within the next month.
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.
ZTE Imperial for US Cellular leaks in official docs, poised for June 17th launch
Now that the mid-range LG Optimus F7 has joined U.S. Cellular's lineup, the carrier's getting ready to welcome another budget-minded smartphone to the clan. We've gotten ahold of internal documents indicating that the ZTE Imperial will arrive on June 17th carrying a 4-inch 480x800 display, and will run Android 4.1 on a 1.2 GHz single-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of built-in memory and a 2,5000 mAh battery. A 5-megapixel rear-facing shooter and a microSD slot will make an appearance on the hardware as well, along with LTE data, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and GPS. There's no price attached to the handset just yet, but with these specs, you can expect it to be easy on the wallet.%Gallery-190736% [Thanks, Anonymous]
Mobile Miscellany: week of June 3rd, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought additional peeks at the purported Nokia EOS cameraphone, leaked screenshots of the BlackBerry OS 10.2 update and the arrival of a new budget smartphone from Huawei in the UK. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 3rd, 2013.
ZTE phone for Sprint clears FCC, shows signs it's the Vital
We're starting to get a pretty clear picture of the smartphones that Sprint has in its pipeline, which include an LG Optimus F3, a new Windows Phone from HTC, the Moto X, the Kyocera Hydro Edge and the Sprint-branded Vital. In a buildup to the debut of the latter, a ZTE-manufactured handset has made its way through the FCC that carries plenty of telltale signs it's the Vital. First and foremost, this one's easy to peg as a Sprint smartphone, since it includes requisite CDMA support and compatibility with LTE Band 25. What's more, while it's difficult to nail down the handset's exact dimensions, it's clear that this one will be in excess of 60mm wide and over 130mm tall -- a likely candidate for a 5-inch smartphone. An encouraging sign for Sprint-lovers, if this does indeed turn out to be the Vital, it'll have a removable battery (and a very healthy 2,500mAh one at that). Sadly, FCC documents also reveal that the handset won't offer connectivity to GSM / WCDMA networks, which means it'll be unsuitable for use as a world phone. Nonetheless, the Vital might very well give stock Android fans a reason to cheer, and this FCC approval seemingly brings it one step closer to fruition.
Sprint Vital leaks out: 5-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 13MP camera, Android 4.1 (video)
Looks like Sprint really is prepping a 5-inch Android flagship of its own: the Vital. Thanks to an anonymous source, Engadget's received a motherlode of details on the upcoming, white-labeled device, giving us a glimpse at everything from renders to a slickly produced promo video. Based on the information at hand, the ZTE-made Vital should rep an HD display (resolution unspecified) of the 5-inch variety, an unnamed dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and paired with 1GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), NFC and a healthy 2,500mAh battery. As you can see from the image above, the Vital will also be running what appears to be an unskinned version of Android Jelly Bean -- version 4.1, according to the documents -- and will run on Sprint's 4G LTE network. We're not so sure the Vital's going to sway consumer interest away from its more bold-faced rivals (i.e., HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4). But competition's always a good thing and if Sprint can price this one right, it might even have a fighting chance. Hit the break for the promo video. %Gallery-190357%
The Daily Roundup for 05.28.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Strategy Analytics: Samsung topped China smartphone share in Q1
Many analysts believe that Samsung led the Chinese smartphone market throughout much of 2012, and there are already signs of a repeat coming in 2013. Strategy Analytics now estimates that the Galaxy maker sold 12.5 million smartphones in the country during the first quarter of this year, or enough to stay in front at 18.5 percent market share. Others didn't come close, although there was a fierce battle for the runner up spot. Huawei (8.1 million) barely pushed past Lenovo (7.9 million) to become number two in China, while Coolpad (7.1 million), ZTE (6.4 million) and Apple (6.1 million) were locked in their own fight for fourth place. While it's true that market share isn't the only yardstick for smartphone success, having the most popular devices in the world's most populous country undoubtedly helps with bragging rights.
The Engadget Interview: Lixin Cheng on ZTE's US future at CTIA 2013
Last week at CTIA, we sat down with Lixin Cheng -- CEO of ZTE USA -- for a candid discussion about the company's future in the US. The conversation started with ZTE's current portfolio in the US, which consists of 18 SKUs -- primarily inexpensive Android smartphones (most with LTE) for the prepaid market. Mr. Cheng mentioned that the company's doing quite well in the US thanks to an 85.7 percent year-to-year growth in market share. ZTE is now in third place among prepaid handset manufacturers with a market share of 17 percent. He explained that carriers are seeing revenue growth from prepaid services which now account for 22.5 to 29 percent of revenue. This puts the company in a strong position for the future, despite last year's investigation by Congress. So we asked Mr. Cheng if and when ZTE would bring flagship phones like the Grand S or Grand Memo to the US in partnership with the four major carriers. His reply: I have promised you at CES that we're going to bring the Grand S or Memo series into [the] US, and we are working on that, and I think that very soon we will announce some good news. That's good news indeed. Hit the break for more, including our video interview and full transcript.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 20th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought hints of a revitalized Galaxy Exhibit for T-Mobile, news of two additions to the lineup at Cricket and a peek at the next GoPhone for AT&T. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 20th, 2013.
ZTE Grand X2 In official with Clover Trail+ Atom processor, takes photos at 24 frames per second
While Intel's Clover Trail+ Atom platform has been slow-moving so far, with only a handful of noteworthy unveilings, it just got a big shot in the arm through the official launch of ZTE's Grand X2 In. The 4.5-inch, 720p Jelly Bean phone is smaller than the Geek we saw not long ago, but it still carries that 2GHz Atom Z2580 inside -- and it's quite the screamer for shutterbugs between its 24 frames per second burst shooting, zero shutter lag and image stabilization. It otherwise sits in the middle of the road like its ancestor, carrying an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1-megapixel front camera, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. We're digging that soft-touch purple finish, though. Europeans should receive the Grand X2 In sometime in the third quarter of the year; there's no word on launches elsewhere, but you can be sure that we're interested in giving this x86 headliner a proper shakedown.
ZTE's 2013 Q1 sees profits of $33 million despite three percent sales slide
ZTE has managed to break a run of two straight quarterly losses by posting a net profit of $33 million in its first 2013 financials. Unfortunately, the extra cash has come from selling a $133 million stake in surveillance firm Shenzhen ZNV, rather than any surge in handset popularity. A three percent fall in sales, project holdups, and squeezed margins have all helped to heap woes onto ZTE's plate -- not to mention the ongoing hostility from the folks in Congress.
ZTE licenses Microsoft's Android-related patents
Just last week Microsoft added Foxconn's parent company to its growing list of licensees for patents it asserts are key to Android, and now ZTE has inked a deal with Ballmer and Co. as well. Now that the pact is in place, Microsoft says it's struck patent accords with roughly 20 hardware makers, and that 60 percent of phones sold with Google's open source OS are covered by such licenses. With HTC and LG already paying Redmond royalties for devices using Android, that leaves the likes of Google, Motorola and Huawei as the odd manufacturers out. If Motorola has its way, however, that won't change.
ZTE Director arrives at US Cellular, takes charge of entry-level Android
US Cellular has had precious few truly low-cost smartphones running an Android build that wasn't baked in 2010. For those who'd like something a little fresher, the ZTE Director is here. While it's only slightly ahead of the trailing edge with stock Ice Cream Sandwich, that's an improvement on a category where Gingerbread still rules. Likewise, no one will be floored by the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.5-inch 480 x 320 screen, 4GB of storage (plus microSD slot) and 3-megapixel rear camera, although the 1,500mAh battery is ample for the size. We imagine that customers will mostly be enamored by the price -- when the Director costs a penny on contract and $200 contract-free, it may bring in those who'd have held on to that basic flip phone for a little while longer.
The Daily Roundup for 04.10.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
ZTE Geek unveiled with 2GHz Intel Clover Trail+ and a terrible name (video)
Oh ZTE you cheeky monkey. Towards the end of day one at IDF in Beijing, we stumbled upon this awkwardly titled Android Jelly Bean phone that is the Geek at ZTE's booth. Needless to say, this is yet another phone powered by an Intel processor -- a 2GHz Clover Trail+ Atom to be exact, which is what Lenovo's K900 also has. The rest of the device isn't too shabby, either: you get a nice 5-inch 720p display with Gorilla Glass, along with an 8-megapixel main camera, a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, 8GB of storage space, 1GB of RAM, 2,300mAh battery and wireless charging. Radio-wise we see UMTS 900/2100 courtesy of Intel's XMM 6260 chip, and there's also the usual lot of 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE and GPS. Design-wise the Geek takes a huge step away from the Grand X IN and shares a similarly clean look with the Grand S, but without the black eye around the main camera. This particular unit had a glossy white finish as well, but we'd prefer a matte finish for a more premium feel. Since ZTE admitted that it had to rush this prototype for exhibition at IDF, we'll come back to the build quality once we see a final retail unit. Until then, check out our hands-on video and the press release after the break. %Gallery-185196%
Congress adds cyber-espionage review for government tech purchases, scrutinizes Chinese products from Lenovo, Huawei
Huawei's having a tougher time getting its network tech into the US, but Congress is apparently looking to shore up its security with other Chinese manufacturers too and has added a new purchase review law for NASA, Justice and Commerce departments of the government. Reuters reports that these branches won't be able to buy any IT system equipment without a federal law enforcement official giving it the okay, after assessing "any risk associated with such system being produced, manufactured or assembled" in China. The new restriction is folded into a 240-page spending law document and Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei has already requesting that the US to abandon the law. While it's difficult to spell out the repurcussions yet, it could affect more than just the telecoms infrastructure that ZTE and Huawei were selling, with the ever-expanding Lenovo likely to be buffeted by the same new regulations -- stripped down or not.
ZTE Grand Memo and Grand S on sale now in China
Two of ZTE's Android flagships have just gone on sale in China: the Grand Memo and Grand S. If you'll remember, the Chinese OEM introduced the devices earlier this year, unveiling the 5-inch 1080p Grand S at CES and the stylus-less, 5.7-inch Note competitor, the Grand Memo, at MWC. Although the big buzz around the Memo's introduction had much to do with its Snapdragon 800 heart, the variant hitting the Chinese market won't have that claim to CPU fame -- it'll ship with an S4 Pro instead and should retail for 2,688 yuan (or $432 USD), while the S will run about 3,399 yuan (or $547 USD). Still no word on whether we'll ever see either handset stateside, but given ZTE's bold new brand push, it's likely one of the two'll make the transcontinental trek in some fashion soon.
ZTE Grand X Quad shows up in product shots, @evleaks style (update: already available)
Another day, another @evleaks leak. This time it's a pair of official product shots of the ZTE V987 we saw back in January, and apparently the official name here is the Grand X Quad -- not quite as elegant-sounding as the more powerful Grand S, perhaps. That's pretty much it from the mysterious leakster, but thanks to TENAA's database, we already know most of the specs from last time: 5-inch 720p gapless display, 1.2GHz quad-core chip, 8-megapixel camera, dual-SIM support (WCDMA plus GSM) and a removable 2,500mAh battery. Assuming this Grand X Quad will be sold cheaper, we'd imagine it'd do pretty well if it features the same build quality as its sister device -- we'll let you guys know once we get to do a hands-on, naturally. Update: Well this is weird. It turns out that ZTE's been very quietly selling this budget phone for ¥1,699 or about $270 in China since late February, though availability is very limited by the looks of it. No wonder ZTE didn't even bother with a press release.
