Fantastic phone, I was a passenger in a car the other week with no road atlas on board, we were a bit lost so one guy gets his iPhone 6 out to use as a Sat Nav. About three quarters of an hour later his battery was almost dead (he'd charged it up before setting off). I fired up Google Maps on mine and stuck it on the dashboard (the supplied case means it doesn't slide about), two and a bit hours later at journeys end it was still going strong, and not missed a beat all the way. Battery had dropped to about 63% from nearly full.

The Apple guy was saying "That's quite impressive, how much was it out of interest?" I told him I'd paid £120 and £7/month, and I think at that point he started to see the error of his ways haha. :stuck_out_tongue:

Supposedly a Marshmallow update around the corner, there's a beta firmware of it somewhere but I don't think it's complete yet i.e. use at own risk.

P.S. the only slight quirk I've had with it, not sure if it's something I've messed up, but I could never view a contact, or add a contact from e.g. recent phone calls. It kept saying "No contacts app available" or "No app for that on this device".

To fix, just Sideload the google Contacts app (com.google.android.contacts) from a source like this:

http://www.apk4fun.com/apk/78051/

(if you go to the Play Store it doesn't show up/says device not compatible).. and you'll be able to use as normal.

Hope this helps someone, but it's probably just something I've screwed up somehow.

I have this its a cracking phone. 3 days with moderate use without charging!
64bit Android 6.0 due on it soon so should improve performance and battery life!

Got this from Gearbest for £112. Great phone for the money and the battery lasts ages.

Fantastic phone, I was a passenger in a car the other week with no road atlas on board, we were a bit lost so one guy gets his iPhone 6 out to use as a Sat Nav. About three quarters of an hour later his battery was almost dead (he'd charged it up before setting off). I fired up Google Maps on mine and stuck it on the dashboard (the supplied case means it doesn't slide about), two and a bit hours later at journeys end it was still going strong, and not missed a beat all the way. Battery had dropped to about 63% from nearly full.

The Apple guy was saying "That's quite impressive, how much was it out of interest?" I told him I'd paid £120 and £7/month, and I think at that point he started to see the error of his ways haha. :stuck_out_tongue:

Supposedly a Marshmallow update around the corner, there's a beta firmware of it somewhere but I don't think it's complete yet i.e. use at own risk.

I have this its a cracking phone. 3 days with moderate use without charging!
64bit Android 6.0 due on it soon so should improve performance and battery life!

P.S. the only slight quirk I've had with it, not sure if it's something I've messed up, but I could never view a contact, or add a contact from e.g. recent phone calls. It kept saying "No contacts app available" or "No app for that on this device".

To fix, just Sideload the google Contacts app (com.google.android.contacts) from a source like this:

http://www.apk4fun.com/apk/78051/

(if you go to the Play Store it doesn't show up/says device not compatible).. and you'll be able to use as normal.

Hope this helps someone, but it's probably just something I've screwed up somehow.

Thanks for the useful info everyone. I was actually looking for a Umi Touch and was worried if there are any problems on arrival, will have to deal with Gearbest or Banggood. Found this one on Amazon and ordered. Only slight inconvenience for me is not having 5Ghz wifi. Also hoping for 64bit Android 6.0 in June.

Can also fully recommend this. Replaced my old Nexus 5 - only due to battery life being <1day. I've set this up with Google Now launcher and its very close to my old setup. Very pleased. Have faced exactly the same snobbery from iphone followers, seemingly happy to carry booster battery packs or charging leads and constantly look for free wall sockets!

Can any owners comment on the sound quality of music via wireless BT headphones? Does it have the random audio glitch (random and short 'vinyl skip like' stutter) feature common amongst a lot of android versions including my Note 4?

Mine came from China warehouse, took about 2 weeks I think. Was tracked all the way (Inc. a photograph of your parcel as it leaves GearBest) paid with PayPal to be safe. No customs to pay, was marked as 'HD Media Player $19.99'

Also have this phone. Bought via Amazon for next day delivery and easy returns. Also came from Nexus 5. Get 2.5 days heavy usage. Not having 5ghz WiFi not a problem for me but others may disagree. Well built. Great screen. Installed Google now and difficult to distinguish from stock. Only downside is camera is not that great. Have stuck a 128GB microSD card in it. Hope that helps.

I got one from Amazon and it didn't have a sim tray in it. Amazon were quick to replace. only problem I've found is whatever browser you install it sets the homepage as http://www.lmuch.com with inappropriate content all over the page. can't find a way to get rid, even fresh install of Firefox and chrome, homepage reverts to this damn site!

Can anyone confirm if this phone will accept 2 Three 3G sims for calls and texts and be able to swap sims for data as required?

Now you know why it's cheap.

Have you checked the services that are running to make sure there is no spyware? A lot of them aren't picked up by anti malware scans. Had similar issue with a jiayu s3, specs were superb for the price, but software was useless.

Such a huge battery :O

Might be worth trying a scan with Malwarebytes Mobile.

​bought this from Amazon the other day, mines been fine. did you get it from hifone seller? this phone has been great so far, it's so fast and responsive, wasn't expecting so much from a "mid range" phone as I've always had high end (galaxy notes)

would that detect everything though? a lot of stuff is built into the os and framework

Didn't pick up the 5 services running on the s3, luckily Amazon took it back and then stopped supplying it when I showed them my findings. They seem to be a lot more careful in stocking these dodgy cheap Chinese phones now, a surprising amount end up with crap on and the same model from one supplier can be safe but not from another.

guessing this isnt the galaxy s3
so it's all down to the seller if there is bad things on the phone not the manufacturer?
what if the box is sealed on arrival would that be ok or does that mean the seller has just resealed it.
i bought a phone of this seller on ebay ..... http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/iampioneer?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2754 now worried it'll be infected :/ -_-
also just noticed it says china on the profile yet in the listing said would be shipped from somewhere in england. confused

​Sounds dodgy. Possibly the reseller has installed something in the ROM, mine from GearBest is basically vanilla, had a few apps but you could uninstall them. The browser is spot on, very fast indeed, I did try Firefox but it was very laggy, like it didn't know how to harness the not inconsiderable hardware.

I've not had any issues with the camera, in fact it was one of the main reasons I got it (Sony IMX-214 f/1.:sunglasses: good in low light, sharp, plenty of options etc.

Also for those that like to tweak stuff there's MTK Engineer Mode :wink:

EDIT should say f / 1 . 8

Also on my parents Motorola Xoom which is obviously stock ROM, they keep getting random full screen annoying ads/pop-ups and I've no idea why, done a malwarebytes scan and TrustGo etc. but it doesn't pick up anything.

So there's obviously a way for malware to be installed that's extremely difficult to remove/detect on any Android device. :neutral_face:

As per a post in xda forums, the screenshots confirm 64bit Android 6.0 beta, but not everything works at the moment.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66397334&postcount=460

​Can you please let me know who the seller is?

Anyone who has this phone know how much memory is available for apps? It's the only issue that's stopped me ordering this phone already (well that and my HTC M8 is still going strong). I had a tablet which was 16gig but had only 2gb for apps so once you've got a couple of decent sized apps on you're struggling for space (even with moving stuff to SD card)

Of the 16, 12.11 of available space for your phone. About 1.5 of that is taken up with the preinstalled apps (not bloatware at all, just the standard apps) then you get the rest for yourself.

It's also a little different in that you set your primary storage to the SD card rater than the internal memory which helps too.

Surely the Elephone P8000 at £129.99 fulfilled by Amazon is a better buy the P8000 is a fantastic phone with a massive battery and has a very good reputation i have had one since launch as a second phone but used it for a couple of months when my main handset broke and was blown away by it. The P8000 will also be getting Android 6 and theirs a lot of development for it which is a bonus. Or the M2 for a tenner more and that has 32gb storage and is all metal construction.

M2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elephone-FDD-LTE-Smartphone-Android-Cameras-Grey/dp/B01B94G0NG/ref=pd_sim_sbs_107_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51HaxMB%2BfpL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=VD3PVQCP1QKZK3AWS702


P8000
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elephone-P8000-FDD-LTE-Smartphone-Fingerprint-Grey/dp/B01208C9TE/ref=pd_sim_sbs_107_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51tAc3I7M7L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=DCFK7F51JPSR39WQDEZR

I considered M2 and P8000. But ended up with ulefone power because of the fingerprint scanner. P8000 doesn't seem to have good feedback on the fingerprint scanner and M2 doesn't have one.

My Lg had 24 months warranty. Worth to check it.

I'll never buy another phone off these scammers after the awful experience with the Ulefone Betouch 2. Touted as a flagship killer, it turned out to be a pile of cr*p with fake specs and no support/updates as the company moved on to its next 'flagship killer' soon after launch'-moreover the company constantly lied about the battery capacity/gorilla glass (there was none)/the OS (made to appear like 5.1 when it was in fact 5.0) even after they were repeatedly exposed on XDA and even their own FB page (comments since deleted). Based on this I wouldn't believe a thing on that spec sheet personally..

The company had overstated the battery capacity of the Betouch 2 by 25% so I'd expect this to be in the region of 4500mah if you are lucky.

Avoid like the plague and get a Xiaomi Note 3 Pro which is available for £135 from Gearbest EU warehouse instead!

​I will try contacting them. Website says 12 Months.

Anyone who has this does it come with a case in the box?

Can two sims be used at the same time as a SD card?

What's the camera like on this?

Is this worth upgrading to from a Huawei 4X?

Feature packed but the picture quality is distinctly average and not in the same league as premium smartphones. Everything else about the phone is positive though. Look at youtube reviews for actual samples. Build quality, screen etc brilliant. Got mine from Gearbest. Box was sealed and it has an EU rom with zero chinese apps and zero bloatware. Charges from almost zero to full in little over 90 mins and lasts me 3 days. If/when the delayed marshmallow update arrives it will be a nice little bonus but dont count on it. As ever with this chinese stuff you need to choose the actual product and the seller very carefully indeed to minimise your risk. The rewards can be innovative, interesting devices at astonishly low prices. Bear in mind though that the chinese makers have relatively short production runs before quickly moving on to the next product, so do not expect long term support.

Sounds like this has a really good battery life. You hardly hear compliments about battery of a phone.

Regarding spy Ware and the like the issue comes done to the rom as well. Some times companies the malware is baked into the rom and its not always done by 3rd party seller. Xaomi had this issue with its Chinese rom but the international rom came without any form of malware as far as reports go. Iam not saying this one has or has not malware but if it's baked into the system you will find it near impossible to get rid of unless you flash another rom.

Gonna be buying a phone today, this, M2 or P8000?
Is there root and custom roms available for these?
I've got £180, anyone have any other recommendations?
Your help would be appreciated. :smiley:

I think it's more likely that it's the third party seller that is installing the dodgy rom rather than it coming from the factory like that, at least with the bigger brands anyway. Certainly Xiaomi has been the victim of this and is one reason why they decided to lock the bootloaders on all their phones from now on.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro Prime is also a good option at that price. Lots of info and some alternative sellers in this thread:

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/xiaomi-redmi-note-3-pro-prime-32gb-3gb-ram-gold-mettalic-snapdragon-650-5-5-smartphone-2435280

Yes. But missing the 800MHz 4G Frequency.

Yes, was replying to New Born who didn't specify. Chinese phones like the Power that support 800 MHz are definitely in the minority though.

Thanks :smiley: Will look into it

Anyone bought this one yet looks excellent spec around same price:

http://www.pandawill.com/elephone-m3-smartphone-3gb-32gb-mtk6755-20ghz-android-60-50-inch-hd-gold-p113198.html

I think this is more to do with implementation rather than the camera/sensor itself. Look in the MTK EngineerMode and there's loads of information on the camera, e.g. it can produce RAW files, the image itself I find very sharp (perhaps a bit soft at the edges, but when you think of the size of the lens it's forgivable)

Anything else is to do with how the phone handles White Balance/ISO/Auto Focus etc. I gather the MM update might improve Image Quality but we'll see.

Like you say, it's a fantastic phone as it is, if and when the MM update comes it could make it an absolute monster.

I'd now never buy another phone that doesn't last as long as this.

Taken the plunge and bought this.
Thanks op :sunglasses:

Decisions, anyone found a case for either the Ulefone or the 2 Elephones mentioned ?

Ive got a Nexus 5 and the Ulefone looks a step up.

You're wrong.

Any good screen protector and case for this please?

How much better than su6 is this ?

A good price and battery size - but a little heavy at 190g.

Gonna have to start pumping iron then :disappointed:

How would this compare to a Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro? I am torn. :confused:

Presumably the advantage of the Ulephone is that you don't have the proprietary MiUI operating system? (nothing against it, just not keen on messing around with flashing etc. to get EU Android spec)

Update: Never mind, I bought this!

​Roger, you seem to know your stuff camera wise. I've currently got an LG G3 which I like, the camera is great as a point and shoot, I have young kids so the majority of my picture taking involves trying to get my two year old to stand still. How would this phone cope do you think. I generally have to take 3 to 5 shots with the G3 to get one that doesn't have some level of blur. As a point and shoot camera it is a good choice?.

Also, have read reports that the finger print scanner isn't great or very reliable compared to competitors, any experience?

Many thanks.

Rich

Did u get ur phone from the hifone seller? Did u contact them for replacement? I got this phone a few days back and the touch buttons stop responding at times leaving the phone useless! Have contacted the seller who has asked for pics (which I will provide when it happens again) and said that if there is an issue, they will refund "some money"!! Just wondering if I am already at a loss

​You should deal directly with Amazon.

​That's one of the reasons I got this I.e. if you're out and about without the DSLR, I was tired of only being able to get crappy pics on my old HTC.

With this, in daylight all pictures come out really well. In lower light you can generally get a decent picture (I.e. capture the moment with no motion blur) even without flash, might need 2-3 tries if object moving. I'm still getting used to it though and there's tons of options e.g. touch and hold an object to track focus. Good panorama mode for landscapes.

Fingerprint scanner is spot on. Before the Feb update it would sometimes fail several times and you'd have to use your PIN, but now it seems to work all the time. It can sometimes take about 1s to unlock but the position of it means that just picking up the phone, by the time you're ready to use it it's unlocked.

Overall (especially for the money) I'm massively, massively impressed. I've lost count of the number of times I've wanted it to do something, or it's done something just as I'd hoped with no annoyances, and thought 'Wow. That's well good'. You can tell UleFone have put a lot of work into getting it right.

I'd be tempted to get it direct from GearBest though, I wouldn't want the risk that an Amazon seller has changed the ROM as ultimately that's what makes this phone so great. :smiley:

I got mine yesterday and haven't found any issues with the Rom. I got an ota upgrade as soon as I turned it on. The update was dates 22nd March.

Can't comment on BT headphones as generally they're rubbish (delay, pops, clicks), but the audio from the headphone socket is spot on. Just tried it some Sennheisers and it's great. It build for a 4 wire 2.5mm plug, the one I tried was 3 wire and found it kept popping out as it was slightly shorter than the 4 wire one. Dunno if this is the standard but a few minutes with the Dremel fixed it. :stuck_out_tongue:

PS if you need to tweak levels etc. on phone speakers/headset/headphones, just go into MTK Engineer Mode (Dial *#*#3646633#*#*) and you can tweak them in there. Be careful though.

Thanks for your response. How do I do that? I clicked on return item and it took me back to the seller

Thanks :smiley: Great to hear it works OK wired. I go for long walks/short jogs and the BT headphones, although not as good as a decent pair of wired, are adequate. I only really get those little stutters with my Note 4 when the display is off - apparently something to do with the cpu going into sleep mode so I've come up with a workaround but would like a new spare phone that doesn't need messing about with.

​Excellent, thanks for the response. I think I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

Is there a way of flashing a new ROM, guessing there is, I'm tempted to stick with Amazon purely from a warranty point of view and it'll help having a UK seller with insurance if ever it's dropped or broken...... Never happened before, but you can guarantee it will at some point.

Many thanks,

Rich

Possibly, check over on xda-developers, not sure why you'd need to though as the stock ROM seems spot on (not that I've ever dabbled with custom firmware) but over on there they've shown it can be rooted etc.

£111.91 from BangGood, are they OK to buy from?

Your text here

​chat or call. I believe Amazon is responsible for customer service if you buy it through fulfilled by Amazon.

I seem to be having a slight problem with the music app. while playing music through Bluetooth headphones, it completely stops. Bluetooth is still connected. I am having to close and open music app. sometimes music app is closing by itself. I will try using other headphones and apps and see how it goes.

I think lots people have used them, get better feedback than Gearbest.

I would agree - preordered my F5 from BG & have to say that their CS was pretty good - felt sorry for poor 'Bob' on their forum - he basically hated DooGee for putting him in that jackpot! By contrast I ordered some X5 Pro from GB as Christmas presents at the same time as they were in stock - took over a week to dispatch & their CS was poor.

Yes, it comes with a clear silicone case, a screen protector fitted and a spare one too.

Anyone debating over this phone , just buy it!
it's a stonker :smiley:

Anyone find a case that fits it?

I found one on AliExpress. There is not much choice.
http://m.aliexpress.com/item/32657386651.html

guys, I've read reviews saying that the phone isn't good with push notifications and you have to unlock your phone to receive them? is this true, and there a fix for this?

I have read if you root the phone and make them system apps that sorts it but I haven't had a problem with it myself

​I feel that WhatsApp notifications are erratic for me. But other seems to be fine.

The update to Marshmallow, that I believe was originally promised for the end if February, then put back to the end of April is now delayed again until 15/05 but it will be 64 bit and it gives instructions to install the beta version http://blog.ulefone.com/update-on-ulefone-power-android-6-0-beta-version-final-version-postponed-but-coming-soon/

I can confirm there is an issue with push notifications and apps running on background. I am not receiving push notifications from google inbox and WhatsApp. Facebook is fine. Also I have avg Antivirus installed. It is supposed to scan all apps being installed. But this happens only if I launch avg manually before installing the app. I don't have to do this on my Samsung tablet. I guess to make the phone more power efficient, ulefone may have put some restrictions on the background apps. I hope this will be fixed in android 6.0 update.

According to the below post from xda forums, the notification issue is probably resolved in android 6.0 beta.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66659681&postcount=589

Balls, just ready to order and Amazon have run out of the wooden version..... Damn.

​I got the wooden version, but I think black would have been a better option as the bezel around the screen would match the rest of the screen.

Although I believe that there are a few black ones, most are like I have a dark blue with hatching type marks in it, I think it looks pretty good.

Must the battery on this phone is as good if not better than I expected. Took it off charge at 3am yesterday morning at 99% was at work with 4g, location and sync on, didn't charge it last night, now atn42%with 6h10mins screen on time. Finally a phone you can use without worrying about it running out of charge:)

Has the marshmallow update arrived yet?

Yes it has, not OTA yet though and think it will be a while. It's only available to flash yourself at the moment instructions are here http://blog.ulefone.com/ulefone-power-android-6-0-final-version-comes/ although there are a few bugs people are having with it, a few have reported issues with charging, quick charge isn't working, doesn't charge above 700mAh.

No longer avaialbe as 'forfilled by Amazon'...