Cherry Mobile Desire R8 Giveaway, Unboxing, Key Features Check

Cherry Mobile Desire R8 is currently the flagship smartphone or top-of-the-line release of the proudly Pinoy handset company. And as such, it has the best design and build as well as set of technical specifications out of all mobile devices that the brand offers as of writing.

As a sign of gratitude to my readers and to allow one of you to fully experience the best that Cherry Mobile has to offer, I have decided to raffle of my own Cherry Mobile Desire R8 unit.

Before I give you my mechanics for the raffle, let's do a quick unboxing of this cool model just to show you everything that you're getting.

The Desire Series is the Cherry Mobile's latest line of premium line smartphones -- and that's well reflected in this phone's packaging. The outer sleeve has deep red, black, and gold hues that blend well together to exude an air of elegance.

At the back of the outer sleeve, we find a list of Cherry Mobile Desire R8's key technical specifications, including the 5.5-inch Full HD IPS OGS display protected by 2.5D Curved Gorilla Glass 3 touchscreen, Dual Camera Module - made up of a 13 MegaPixel main shooter plus a secondary 5 MegaPixel lens, an 8 MegaPixel front cam for selfies with Soft LED flash, Fingerprint Scanner for quickly unlocking the phone, USB Type C port, and non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Ion battery pack.

Under the hood, this Dual SIM, 4G-LTE-enabled phone runs its near vanilla Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa-Core 1.5 GHz MediaTek MT6750T chipset that incorporates a Mali-T860 GPU, handles multitasking with 3GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of internal storage that can be beefed up using the hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot that supports microSD card memory expansion. This set of innards gives this model an Antutu Benchmark Score in the range of 43,000 to 45,000, which reflects decent - albeit not exemplary - 3D gaming experience and overall performance.

Pulling the outer sleeve off, we see the plain black box -- which, unlike the ones for the Cosmos line, doesn't have the image of the phone printed on top.

Lifting the lid, we are greeted by the Cherry Mobile Desire R8 with the familiar screen protector - showing a list of the phone's specs - and the soft foam cradle protecting the device during shipment.

This is the complete retail package, which you can purchase for Php 9,999 at all Cherry Mobile Concept Stores, kiosks, and partner retailers nationwide.

The pack includes the unit itself, the 2A charger, the USB Type C cable, user manual, Cherry Mobile App list, SIM tray ejector pin, and earphones with in-ear silicone buds and microphone.

Design-wise, I'd say that the Cherry Mobile Desire R8 looks like a mash-up between the OPPO F1s and the Huawei Mate9. It has a 'square with rounded corners' footprint and its shell is made predominantly of anodized aluminum. Surprisingly, despite having a rather thick metal frame, the phone feels light compared to the far heavier Cherry Mobile Cosmos Three, which has similar build.

If you're wondering, the handset's Dual Camera set-up lets the user apply interesting bokeh or depth of field effect on the photos, ranging from f/9.0 to f/0.8 for maximum background blur behind a clear subject.

Now, as for our giveaway, we've decided to do it via Rafflecopter. It's very easy to join, simply use the widget below to complete all requirements and to send your entries:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join now and let your friends know about our giveaway!

Cherry Mobile Flare J1 2017 Price is Php 2,699 : Affordable Android Smartphone with Durable Glass Touchscreen

Are you the type of mobile user who just always seems to accidentally drop his or her smartphone on the floor - shattering its display - no matter how careful you are in handling the device?

Well, here's a budget-friendly Android smartphone that could be right for you both as a primary or secondary unit.

Priced at only Php 2,699, the main feature of the all-new Cherry Mobile Flare J1 2017 is its rather thick glass touchscreen that could very well be shatter-proof, protecting the 5-inch FWVGA TN display.

I've personally tested the toughness of the touchscreen by slamming it against the side of a table multiple times and I'd say it's really durable. I believe the glass can certainly survive the hard knocks and rough bumps of daily use.

Aside from the tough glass face, CM Flare J1 2017 also has other cool features and selling points.

For one, it flaunts a rather attractive design language given its budget price point.

The rim is crafted from polycarbonate but has a nice metallic sheen. The removable back plate, on the other hand, has a nice leather texture reminiscent of Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Flare J1 2017 also has decent imaging capabilities -- thanks to its 8 MegaPixel autofocus rear camera with Dual LED flash for enhanced low light performance and 5 MegaPixel front cam for selfies.

The phone's internal hardware are pretty standard for a mobile device in this price bracket. The handset runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with a Quad-Core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A7 and Mali 400 GPU based Spreadtrum SC7731C processor, has 1GB of RAM, and comes with 8GB of internal storage that can be beefed up using the microSD card expansion slot. Flare J1 2017 is powered by a removable 2,300 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, which I think is just right given the size of the display and the internal specs.

Dual-SIM Dual-Standby, 3G HSPA+ enabled Cherry Mobile Flare J1 2017 is now available at all CM Concept Stores, Kiosks, and authorized retail channels nationwide. It's out in two colors, Black and White.

Cherry Mobile Flare P1 Dual Camera Android 7.0 Nougat Smartphone Specs, Unboxing, Actual Unit Photos

Cherry Mobile Flare P1, the first dual camera Android smartphone by the Philippines' top local handset brand, is now officially available in the market. You can purchase it for Php 3,999 and it comes in two colors: Black and Silver.

Let's do a quick unboxing and design check.

Cherry Mobile Flare P1's packaging is largely the same as that of other 2016 and 2017 Flare models from the company -- albeit having a more subdued color palette.

An outer paper sleeve covers the inner white box with but an image of the front and back of the handset printed on top.

At the back of the outer sleeve, you'll find a list of Flare P1's key technical specifications.

This is the complete retail set inside the box.

We have the standard earphones with microphone for calls.

The Travel Charger

The microUSB 2.0 to USB connector cable

This brochure has information about the pre-installed applications from Cherry Mobile.

The quick user guide gives relevant information about the handset. If  you have time, read it.

And finally, of course, we have the handset itself.

Installing the removable 2,350 mAh removable Li-Ion pack inside Cherry Mobile Flare P1, we are able to appreciate the phone's 5-inch HD IPS display better. As you can see, the glass touchscreen has fairly rounded edges, reminiscent of what you'll find on more expensive handsets.

The phone's sleek and durable mid-frame is made of real metal, which is a real treat on a phone at this price point.

The back plate is made of plastic and is removable, giving access to the battery and to the slots for two microSIMs as well as the microSD card for expanding the 16GB of internal storage.

On top, we have the 3.5mm combo jack beside the microUSB 2.0 port, which is right smack in the middle.

At the bottom, we have the loud speaker as well the microphone, marked by a row of holes similar to what you'll find on the iPhone.

As I've mentioned, the main selling point of Cherry Mobile Flare P1 is its Dual Camera module at the back, which is made of a 13 MegaPixel main optic supplemented by a secondary 2MP lens. Together, these two work to deliver images with interesting, adjustable depth of field effect, which I'll talk more about in a separate TechPinas post -- so stay tuned for that.

In front, the handset flaunts a 5 MegaPixel camera for selfies, which I would say is probably the weak point of this otherwise amazing mid-level release. That's not to say, however, that it works like a potato but if you're looking for a phone with a great selfie cam, you might want to look at other offerings by the company like the Cherry Mobile Flare Selfie, which I personally recommend.

Under the hood, the Flare P1 runs near stock Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 1.3 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A53 and Mali T720 based MediaTek MT6580 processor and handles multitasking with 1GB of RAM; A combination which is pretty standard from Cherry Mobile at this price point. If you want something more powerful, consider getting the Cherry Mobile Flare P1 Plus, which has 2GB of RAM and a faster 1.5 GHz Quad Core MT6737T processor.

Is this smartphone right for you? I'd say Cherry Mobile Flare P1 is ideal for budget-conscious aspiring mobile photographers who enjoy sharing images they took themselves in social media. I believe this cameraphone particularly shines in snapping portraits and food photos as you can blur unnecessary details around the subject.

Top Android Smartphones Priced Under Php 3,000 : 2016 to 2017 Models

If you're a mobile consumer here in the Philippines who's currently tight on budget but is keen on getting a new smartphone or if you're looking for an affordable secondary handset to be your daily companion, we made this list for you.

Here are several 2016 to early 2017 Android smartphones that are priced less than Php 3,000 but have features and technical specifications, which should be enough to allow them to deliver a pretty decent mobile experience. Let's go through them one by one.

Cherry Mobile Flare J2s - Php 2,999

What's special about this model are the extremely thin side bezels framing the display - making it more visually appealing - as well as the relatively big battery pack.

5-inch 854 x 480 pixels qHD IPS Display
8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash
5 MegaPixel front facing camera
1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6580 processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (Regular Mini + Regular Mini)
Removable 2,500 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

Cherry Mobile Flare HD 3 - Php 2,999

Not only does this model run on the new Android 7.0 Nougat operating system but it also has a high-definition display and a 5MP selfie cam with soft LED flash!

5-inch HD 1280 x 720 pixels IPS Display
8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash
5 MegaPixel front facing camera with Soft LED flash
1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6580 processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 7.0 Nougat
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (micro + micro)
Removable 2,000 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

CloudFone Thrill HD - Php 2,999

This model continues to do well in the market thanks to its attractive design as well as its sleek and durable real metal back plate.

5-inch 1280 x 720 pixels HD IPS Display
8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash
2 MegaPixel front facing camera
1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6580 processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (Regular Mini + micro)
Removable 2,000 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

Starmobile Play Boost - Php 2,790

One of the best-value handsets by Starmobile, the Play Boost comes with free monthly data allocation from Smart Prepaid.

5-inch 854 x 480 pixels qHD IPS Display
8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash
2 MegaPixel front facing camera
1.2 GHz Quad Core Spreadtrum 7731C processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (micro + micro)
Removable 2,000 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

MyPhone My87 DTV - Php 2,999

Currently one of the best-selling handsets from MyPhone, My87 DTV offers a hodge-podge of cool features, including DTV functionality, a 64-Bit processor, and a relatively big battery.

5-inch 1280 x 720 pixels HD IPS Display
Digital TV functionality
13 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash
5 MegaPixel front facing camera
64-Bit 1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6753 processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (micro + micro)
Removable 2,500 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

MyPhone My87 DTV - Php 2,999

The best thing about this wallet-friendly Flare model is its 8MP rear cam with phase detection autofocus and back-side illuminated sensor for enhanced low-light performance.

5-inch 1280 x 720 pixels HD IPS Display
8 MegaPixel PDAF camera with LED flash, BSI
2 MegaPixel front facing camera
64-Bit 1.2 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6753M processor
1 GB of RAM
8 GB of ROM
microSD card memory expansion slot
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G HSPA+
Dual SIM Dual Standby (micro + micro)
Removable 2,200 mAh Li-Ion battery pack

Alright! These are our recommended Android smartphones priced under Php 3,000 that are now available here in the Philippines. Which one do you think is ideal for you? Let us know your thoughts via our FB comments section below.

Cherry Mobile Desire R8 is a Dual Camera Phone with Great Specs!

With an official suggested retail price of Php 9,999, Cherry Mobile Desire R8 is the most expensive of all new handsets running Android 7.0 Nougat operating system that the local handset company recently launched as part of its 2017 summer promo.

The good thing, though, is that Cherry Mobile made sure that buyers will get great value for the money that they will spend to purchase this model by giving the phone great features and technical specifications.

Looks-wise, Desire P8 flaunts a real metal enclosure that should give it an air of durability and elegance and make it a joy to hold and behold.

As for specs, the handset sports a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, an 8 MegaPixel front cam for clear selfies, Dual SIM capability (micro + nano), 4G LTE support, Fingerprint Scanner, USB Type C, Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, 1.5 GHz Octa Core processor (to be specified), 32GB of internal storage, and 3GB of RAM for smooth multitasking.

But what's really cool about this smartphone is that it is equipped with a Dual Camera module at the back, incorporating a 13 MegaPixel main shooter plus and additional 5 MegaPixel optic.

These CM Desire R8 poster photos were snapped by TP Correspondent, Charles Quiachon, today at SM North EDSA Annex CyberZone.

The combination of these lenses allow this powerful cameraphone to snap photos with interesting depth of field or bokeh effect, wherein the background appears blurred in contrast to the clear subject which is closer to the camera. This effect is usually achieved using expensive mirrorless or DLSR cameras.

Although CM has yet to release an official PR article about this model, Cherry Mobile Desire R8 is actually now available at select CM Stores and official retail outlets across the country. Stay tuned for updates regarding the handset's technical specifications and main selling points.

Cherry Mobile Flare P1 Price is Php 3,999, Has Dual Camera Module!

Local handset giant Cherry Mobile has quietly launched a number of affordable handset models just in time for your summer gadget shopping.

One of their more interesting new smartphones is the Cherry Mobile Flare P1, which has - get this - a Dual Rear Camera set-up!

Selling for only Php 3,999, the relatively budget-friendly Flare P1 sports a 5-inch HD IPS display, a 5 MegaPixel front cam for selfies, Dual SIM capability and 3G HSPA+ support.

Inside, it runs the latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 1.3 GHz Quad Core processor (yet to be specified), has 1GB of RAM, and comes with 16GB of internal storage.

All photos in this post were taken by TP Correspondent, Charles Quiachon.

But again, what's truly special about this release is its Dual Camera set-up, which is made up of a 13 MegaPixel shooter plus an additional 2 MegaPixel optic.

So what exactly can this module do, you ask? Well, according to our trusted source from CM, this duo allows the user to snap photos with interesting 'depth of field' or bokeh effects! Can't wait to try that out.

The secondary rear cam optic of Cherry Mobile P1 is for depth perception.

As of writing, we have yet to receive an official press release from Cherry Mobile about this specific smartphone model -- so all information that we are presenting here are based only on what we got from their stores. That said, Cherry Mobile Flare P1 is now available at select CM Concept Stores and authorized retail outlets across the country.