The launch of the Cherry Mobile Flare last year cemented their position as a serious competitor in the smartphone segment of the local mobile phone market. This year, they’re going to do it again with the 2nd generation of the Flare – the Flare 2.0.
Here’s a quick rundown on the specs:
OS: Android 4.1 (Jellybean)
Processor: 1.2 GHz Qualcomm 8225Q Snapdragon Quad-Core processor
Display: 4.0” WVGA Capacitive Touch Panel
Wireless Connections: 3G/HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS
Memory: 4GB Internal Storage, MicroSD up to 32GB, 512MB RAM
Camera: 5.0MP with LED flash (Main), VGA (Secondary)
Battery: 1,600 mAh
THE UNBOXING
These are the accessories of the Cherry Mobile Flare 2.0. The Android sticker at the bottom is not included 🙂
The charging head in the package is a surprise. I don’t recall seeing this kind of charging head in other unboxed phone models of Cherry Mobile, especially their high-end models. The prongs can be folded for protection and it feels very sturdy. I wonder why they have included this in the package.
THE OLD AND THE NEW
To help me with my first impressions, I borrowed the original Flare for my mom (I gave it to her last Christmas) to compare with the Flare 2.0. The Flare is the one with the black color.
The Flare 2.0 is slightly longer than the original Flare. The navigation panel is now down to 3 as they have removed the search button. Also noticeable is the presence of the sensor on the Flare 2.0 beside the front camera.
The back cover of the Flare 2.0 is glossy compared to the matt finishing of the original Flare. The new version now has a dual LED flash.
The picture above shows that the Flare 2.0 is slimmer at 9.25mm compared to the Flare’s 11.8mm. The sides of the Flare 2.0 are curved and I find it easier and more comfortable to hold. The weight is slightly lighter too. The charging port on the Flare 2.0 was moved on top while the power button is now located on the right side.
Here’s another picture of the 2 Flares.
Comparing the 2, the Flare 2.0 navigates faster and smoother. It’s very responsive and I can feel the quad-core processor of Qualcomm at work. I will add my accounts and apps and see how its performance would fare during my review. So far, I think the Flare 2.0 is better than its predecessor in terms of size, ergonomics and speed.
So there you have it. I’ll be posting my full review of the Cherry Mobile Flare 2.0 soon, so stay tuned and keep on visiting this blog. You can like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DRontheGO or follow me on Twitter twitter.com/dronthego for immediate updates.
I’ve been using cherry mobile phone for a year, so far I have no problem with my phone. You can get the features of high prices smartphone in cherry mobile with low cost. Nice comparison…