2nd try, after the first deal failed: you get the Ulefone Paris for £56.88 from Banggood. Delivery is from the EU, so there are no further taxes. Use the code "bgpairs20" (you have to be logged in to use it).
It will even get the update to Android 6 - officially announced.
Next price: around £80 from China
Model Paris
Color Metal Grey / Silk White
Dimensions 144.5 x 71.7 x 8.0
Weight 128g (with battery)
Operating system Pre-install Android 5.1 Lollipop -> Update to Android 6
CPU 64Bit MTK MT6753 processor Octa-core 1.3GHz CPU
GPU ARM Mali -T720 GPU
RAM 2GB LPDDR3 RAM 1866 MHz
ROM 16G EMMC(Miro SD card Up to 128GB)
Battery SONY 2250mAh Lithium-ion Polymer Battery
Standby Time 268 Hours
MAX.SAR Head: 0.323 W/kg, Body: 0.807 W/kg
Display
Size 5.0 inch
Resolution HD 720*1280 pixels
Type On-cell IPS LTPS, full Lamination (2.5D Arc screen)
Material Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Cameras
Rear camera 13MP Omnivision OV13850 F1.8 aperture
Front camera 5.0MP OmniVision OV5648
Video 1080P,720P
Connection
Network GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 (band5,band8,band3,band2）
WCDMA: 900/2100 (band8,band1)
FDD-LTE: 800/1800/2100/2600 (band20,band3,band1,band7)
SIM Dual sim dual standby, Micro SIM and Micro SIM
Both SIM slots are compatible with 4G, respectively.
WiFi WiFi802.11 b/g/n/, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0
Positioning GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Hall Effect Sensor, Gravity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Touch Sensor,OTG
In the box
Paris Phone x 1
Charger x 1
USB Cable x 1
Multiple Languages Manual x 1
Screen Protector x 1
Earphone x 1
Top comments
Jack-L92
6 Jun 163#61
i hadnt done lol!
I worked it out before checking hotukdeals for replies (honest)
All in all, very good first impressions with this phone. Doesnt take as long to charge as others have suggested
All comments (162)
dwl99
3 Jun 16#1
I cancelled my order from the previous deal as it seems to take a very long time to charge no matter what charger is used.
compadre
3 Jun 16#2
Thanks, missed out on the code last time!
icavak
3 Jun 16#3
Sold out :disappointed:
aaqeel
3 Jun 16#4
Missed it again. :disappointed:
Pokemon_Nr_0815
3 Jun 16#5
Nah, just wait until it has finished loading. More than 100 units available.
aaqeel
3 Jun 16#6
shows out of stock to me
aaqeel
3 Jun 16#7
I have checked through computer broswer and it was in stock. ordered. Thanks.
It was showing me out of stock in Banggood andriod app and mobile browser.
supermann
3 Jun 16#8
Code doesn't work anymore unfortunately. says its been used.
supermann
3 Jun 16#9
That's normal. The charger is rated under 1 amp.
dwl99
3 Jun 16#10
There are loads of comments on the web about higher-rated chargers taking the same time to charge, it seems to be throttled by the charging circuitry.
supermann
3 Jun 161#11
Sorry I meant that is not able to charge any faster than that. It's in the specification I think. I just meant that there's nothing wrong with your phone.
dwl99
3 Jun 16#12
I didn't actually buy this because of this issue! It seems to be poor design.
Deedie
3 Jun 16#13
reports of 7hr charge time, is a deal breaker for me. pity, as everything else is great for the price
supermann
3 Jun 161#14
The 'EU Warehouse' is not as it seems,
I received mine today and it had a sticker on it with the return address below..
Good price, just ordered, and was fine with the discount code, so still working.
danielonline
3 Jun 16#16
sold out :disappointed:
Hammer2006
3 Jun 16#17
There's 100+ in stock! read post 7
rizel23
3 Jun 16#18
cheers, got one for holiday, paid via Paypal to be safe.
Jimmyboy
4 Jun 16#19
I'm using an Elephone P8000 and have the same issue. The battery is actually great but it just takes too long to charge. I don't trust these cheap Chinese phones enough to leave charging overnight so I rarely get a 100% charge.
hcc27
4 Jun 16#20
Just stick a smoke alarm right next to the charger. That's how I charge my Chinese phones overnight, oh and I only use branded chargers. Some protection is better than none.
supermann
4 Jun 16#21
Worth taking precautions. The Ulefone seems like one of the better ones, Elefone is one of the worst in my opinion. The build quality of the Ulefone Paris seems pretty high.
firstofficer
4 Jun 16#22
Anyone seen the hammer?
firstofficer
4 Jun 161#23
I would steer well clear.
**Fire risk**
Hot - due to fire potential
Cold - for deal
jaro2k
4 Jun 16#24
ordered thanks op
atiqkamran
4 Jun 16#25
Sold out?
Jimmyboy
4 Jun 16#26
Good plan!
I have always used branded chargers too. The one that came with it looks like a fake iPhone mains plug.
MarkH888
4 Jun 16#27
Just ordered, worth a go.
Many thanks
dijital
4 Jun 161#28
"It will even get the update to Android 6 - officially announced."
Never believe a Chinese company when they say things like this.
djk
4 Jun 161#29
I've had one of these for 4 months. Has performed well so far. Much faster than my previous phone - GPS is particularly speedy - I'm using using Google maps and 'Here'. I seem to remember thinking the charging time was excessive when the phone arrived, but after an OTA update charging time has been similar to other devices. I chose this particular phone because it covers all the UK 4G frequencies. I'm no expert, but, as a Giffgaff user I may have struggled on some Chinese models with selective 4G coverage. I have not had any problems with reception in the UK or Spain. TIP: If not already included, buy the dedicated cover for this phone - not much protection , but, has a window for clock / media player when closed.
jun19
4 Jun 16#30
Do you own the same model, how about the charging time and battery life ?
Anthonis
4 Jun 16#31
So whats the benefit of fast charging? really none apart from fast charge...
Pros of slow charging:
1. no excessive heat from battery during charge
2. slower charged batteries hold charge longer
3. battery life time is longer as it does not heat so much
4. being chinese phone with slow charge there are ten times less chances for fire....
Fast charge is just a feature which is given to people as they wanted it, but you do kill your battery and have more chances of fire with fast charge!
Yes, same model.....I charge it for an hour or so most days - but- I'm a light user & have my phone auto shut down from 11pm to 8am. On days when i.e. sat-nav has been used for a few hours it will take a bit longer to charge.
HugoSpinner
4 Jun 16#35
Bought two Chinese Android phones for children recently, this and the Doogee X5 Pro.
This is far better, IMO. The difference is the build quality. This looks and feels like a top end phone. The Doogee was fine, but is plastic with a nasty bevel.
Zek
4 Jun 16#36
Just bought it, it was out of stock earlier but seems it came back in stock, was gutted as thought I missed it. I charge my phone overnight from a USB 2 port on my desktop (have it set to put power to USB when turned off) most of the time so slow charging isn't so bad, its only going to be a spare phone too. Heat!
kirstyjane72
4 Jun 16#37
Do ther supply a smoke alarm with phone
RiverDragon8
4 Jun 162#38
The phone battery was on 54% when it first arrived, I watched the second set of the women's French open final and a hour later its on 96% (I'm using an Anker QC 2.0 USB charger).
The phone is actually better than I thought it be.
Solly92
4 Jun 16#39
To replace a 1st gen Moto G.
Processor has twice as many bits and twice as many cores.
Twice the RAM
Twice the FLASH
Twice the SIMS
Twice (more than) the pixels on both cameras
+ an SD card slot and + marshmallow soon (hopefully)
Stonking phone for 56 quid in the EU.
aleem
4 Jun 16#40
No, but they do supply a spell checker :wink:
aleem
4 Jun 16#41
Ordered for the Mrs upgrading from a first gen Moto G.
Thanks OP, heated!
rok263
4 Jun 16#42
Saying OOS now, so looks like they have all sold
rok263
4 Jun 16#43
Ah, just seen an earlier post you have to look at stock and order via a computer, not a tablet !
eye will
5 Jun 16#44
ordered thanlk, heat added excellent reviews on line.
BKOK
5 Jun 16#45
Just a quick warning, on the other thread for this phone people have mentioned that they are finding malware "pre-installed" on this phone so I downloaded AVG myself and did a scan and this is what I found:
"Malware detected
Search Service is classified as Potentially unwanted program. This app was pre-installed by your phone vendor and we cannot remove it."
More info: com.android.tools.callassistant
BKOK
5 Jun 16#46
From amazon review:
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Good hardware, good phone, but with adware preinstalled, 17 Feb. 2016
By O.
Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: Ulefone Paris 4G Smartphone MTK6753 Android 5.1 Lollipop 64 bit Octa Core 5.0" 2.5D Arc HD IPS 2GB RAM 16GB ROM Dual Cameras 5MP 13MP with Phone Stand (Electronics)
The phone itself is really good, excellent screen and battery life. My problem came after checking in detail what's inside the stock operating system and in particular the non-google applications that are installed as services (ie don't show up as running apps). One of them, 'Search Service' I found cited as virus/adware after some googling, and sure enough after installing Kaspersky Antivirus it was detected as a threat (see screenshot). Since this is part of the operating system and it can't be uninstalled I can't really recommend this phone to anyone unless you are technical enough to be able to disable it and to remember to do it again every time there is an update. There's another app installed here (com.rc.hallview) that controls the clock the shows up on screen lock but also has the ability to do basically anything it wants with the device for no reason whatsoever.
Seems to me that Ulefone is trying to get some extra money by embedding these spyware/adware applications, which kind of makes sense since this is such a cheap phone.
That is the same as what I found btw. I recommend everyone do a scan [who hasn't already], for your own safety, if nothing else, although it would be great if you could let us know if you find the same.
RiverDragon8
5 Jun 16#48
I used 360 Security - Antivirus to disable 'Search Service' app. AVG managed to pick it up in a scan, Antivirus & Security from Avast missed it and so did Kaspersky.
HEUR: = Heuristic meaning it isn't detecting a known virus or trojan but something that looks like one.
Probably a false positive. I searched for accusations of ulefone installing adware/malware and didn't really come up with anything.
me_Amirali
5 Jun 16#52
guys I placed an order the day this deal was posted and yesterday on inquiring was told that the phone is OOS and has been OOS for s couple of days...if your order is still at the processing stage it would be worth just checking if it is actually going to be processed
Cheers
Solly92
5 Jun 16#53
I checked about 20 minutes after you posted and my order status was processing. Checked about 2 hours later and it is showing as shipped. Ordered black in case it makes a difference.
jun19
5 Jun 16#54
It is possible to cancel the order as no body was available on chat and just sent email to cancel it, my order was showing to ready to process ?
dennisuv1
5 Jun 16#55
Does it have warrenty
Jack-L92
6 Jun 16#56
Got it today. Wont turn on, wont charge.
missleading
6 Jun 161#57
Have you removed the sticky tape from the battery terminal?
missleading
6 Jun 16#58
Mine dropped through the letterbox today too - 6 days from China. The separate tempered glass screen protector I ordered is still on its way from Laos. Not sure if I'm going to keep it yet. Didn't need it, but it was cheap!
compadre
6 Jun 16#59
Supposed to come from EU. Did you get any tracking info before delivery?
darrecky
6 Jun 16#60
ordered 2, black and white. both arrived today. also there were flip cases and tempered glass protectors in the box, when banggood said there is none of the extras in the box. so, I've ordered them on aliexpress :disappointed: anyone fancy a flip case?
Jack-L92
6 Jun 163#61
i hadnt done lol!
I worked it out before checking hotukdeals for replies (honest)
All in all, very good first impressions with this phone. Doesnt take as long to charge as others have suggested
gtd65
6 Jun 16#62
Do you still have the X5 Pro phones? I bought the X6 Pro which I think is the same phone but a larger 5.5" screen? I've got varied opinions of it. Build quality is reasonable. Performance is decent. Battery life is a bit crap. Takes an age to charge compared to any other phone. Very unreliable at recording Skype video messages for some reason but works flawlessly with WhatsApp video messages.... weird....
compadre
7 Jun 16#63
Anyone who got this phone delivered, did you get any tracking information? Mine says despatched but no info!
Solly92
7 Jun 161#64
Not delivered yet but I do get useless tracking information. I get a code under tracking info. Clicking it takes me to https://www.trackyourparcel.eu/index.php where I have to manually enter that code (ensuring no leading or trailing space) and country and post code and press a button. I have to do that every time, no facility to include that information in a URL.
It currently tells me "Your parcel is forwarded from our warehouse to the distribution center of your post office. As soon as the parcel arrives at your post office, you will be able to track your parcel."
The most awkward and useless tracking system I have ever seen.
rocky1man
7 Jun 161#65
Mine showed the same for a day or so, then updated to Hermes tracking. Ordered from other thread on Monday 30th May and received received Friday 3rd June- HTH
compadre
7 Jun 16#66
I see what you mean by manually inputting the number, got to Hermes but not much help!
theblackbuck
7 Jun 16#67
Unfortunately the code has been used 500 times and is no longer valid :disappointed:
compadre
7 Jun 16#68
Keep looking, another popped up last time the code expired.
theblackbuck
7 Jun 16#69
Yeah I will do - it seems like a really good value phone.
blaster
8 Jun 16#70
Yes agreed mine says the same as yours on the tracking site and as said the same for the last 2 days , how long have others taken before delivery.
compadre
8 Jun 16#71
Ordered Friday, not arrived, but Hermes have it.
Hammer2006
8 Jun 16#72
The one i ordered took 7 days, probably would of got it a couple days earlier but the Hermes courier guy was away the weekend.
Been using it for a couple of days and very impressed.Build is really high class, nice and solid with looks to match.
The only neg is the camera its pretty rubbish especially indoors.I guess I've been spoilt owning a lg g3 which is superb in all conditions.
For £56 which includes the flip case and screen protectors it is amazing value.
BTW battery seems OK, certainly no worse than my lg g3 which gave me a solid 5 hrs of screen on time through the day.
One last thing using a 2amp charger it takes 4.5 hrs to charge, double of my g3 but as I charge over night not too bothered.
blaster
8 Jun 16#73
I didn't know it came with a free flip case did you order from banggood
Hammer2006
8 Jun 16#74
Yep from banggood.
In the box is the flip case with a tempered screen protector and another spare standard screen protector.Didnt expect any of the extras but was a nice surprise.
blaster
8 Jun 16#75
thanks for the update the phone is for the other half upgrade from a doogee x5 pro and she prefers a flip case, cheapest place to buy cases and accessories is aliexpress, I will have to have a look see how this phone compares to my umi rome, phone is now tracking on hermes site but just says order generated.
scanner
9 Jun 16#76
I received the phone today which does include the flip case.
However, I have been using it for about 15 minutes, and the phone does really get hot!
Has anyone else experienced the same?
grandwazoo
9 Jun 16#77
Got mine yesterday, working fine, doesn't seem hot at all. Mind you I'm in Portugal, it's 32 degrees here anyway :smiley:
aaqeel
9 Jun 161#78
Received mine today. Working fine. Looks good with the case.
Solly92
9 Jun 16#79
Mine turned up today, at £56 this deal really should be hotter than it is.
Battery was half charged and it pulled 0.9A which would make a full charge about 2 and a bit hours, however, at 80+ % the current dropped off quite a lot so a 100% will take longer.
ericcc123
9 Jun 16#80
Yes it pull 0.9A when the power off. But when it power on or sleep, it only take 0.39A (battery is 60%).
Lippo999
9 Jun 16#81
Mine's arrived, but won't turn on? I've left it charging for a few hours. It's the single button below the volume control on the right isn't it?
compadre
9 Jun 162#82
Have you removed the tape from the battery? If not you've not read this thread, if you have removed it then there is something wrong with your phone.
Lippo999
9 Jun 162#83
Haha, I read the first posts and the last posts as any lazy person would do!!
Thank you, the phone is booting up now.
Trickyjabs
10 Jun 16#84
Was about to order but code not working, will wait to see if becomes available again, phone sound very goodvalue
hartswood
10 Jun 16#85
Received mine yesterday, very impressed. Feels almost stock. Took it into a three store to swap sim for a micro, they said they would cut it down for me. I handed the Paris over. On examination they all agreed I was wrong as iPhones needed a nano sim not micro. The Paris is very good value at £70 and an absolute steal with the voucher and TCB. It feels much more stable and sorted than my Letv x600. WiFi and 4G reception excellent. Charging seems fine. Avira security didn't highlight any issues.
Zek
10 Jun 16#86
I got the phone the other day, seems good, only problem was during ordering. I used my debit card and it threw up some error so then I used my paypal as it said it wasn't paid for yet. I noticed in my bank that money was removed from my available balance but thought it would come back as they sometimes do that to check funds. A few days later it showed up on my statement, so I had paid for it twice (I had the funds in my paypal so it wasn't taken from my bank). Talked to them on chat and they said they could see that I paid for it with paypal, so they told me to take a screenshot of my bank and I sent it to them, they said they would refund me but that it may take up to a few weeks to clear in my account. I guess I can always try a paypal chargeback if they refund me to my bank?
I'm using perfect ROM v2 as well and its working really well. Tried the Vibe ROM from same developer but found the battery life was poor and had a couple of other issues so switched back to perfect ROM.
wenttoabetterplace
10 Jun 16#88
Avira security might not have found issues, but Kaspersky will...
I agree though - the phone is superb (a week in with mine). It is so stable and fluid....a far cry from how I remember Android being!
Also, having switched (begrudgingly) from Windows Phone, I am v.pleased to see that Microsoft have released the Arrow home screen launcher, and the Next lock screen. Both of which are significant improvements over the stock screens on this phone. Arrow in particular is SO good! It constantly refines the home page so my most used apps are at the top. No more creating folders etc - I just leave Arrow to work out what's best. The 'people', 'widgets', 'recent' and 'reminders' home pages are all genuinely useful and innovative in their own way. Just a really nice addition.
Oh, and for anyone that banks with Barclays, you can get Kaspersky Internet Security for free (saving £35). A good addition to an Android phone I reckon
icavak
11 Jun 16#89
Coupon code no longer works. You get the below message:
"This coupon could only be used 500 times"
wenttoabetterplace
11 Jun 16#90
Bluetooth doesn't seem to be as good as on my other phones. I have an Anker A7908 cube speaker that connects flawlessly to my Windows Phone, but fails to connect to my Paris citing incorrect pin code...
Not a deal breaker - but annoying. Hopefully Android 6 will sort out such issues (assuming it does actually get released)
Zek
11 Jun 16#91
I didn't know there was a Vibe ROM, though not much a fan of it. I flashed reboot original.zip (as for some reason the reboot menu was in Italian even when set to English) and stagefrightfix.zip in TWRP. I also used LogoBuilder_v1.6 to change the power on logo, I tried flashing the update.zip it made in recovery but it didn't work, but flashing logo.bin with spflashtool worked.
wenttoabetterplace
11 Jun 16#92
What benefits does all that get you? (I haven't had an Android in ages....so am still in the learning stage :smiley: !).
Can you still use financial apps etc? Do you still get OTA updates from Ulefone? (Apparently there is an Android 6.0 in development).
rocky1man
11 Jun 161#93
Hi wenttoabetterplace - benefits of the custom rom are that the phone is rooted (you can therefore do a lot more with it eg remove system apps), and for me biggest advantage is that it doesnt have any viruses/malware which he stock rom seemed to have - although I know some people are saying the scans show a false positive.
With a rooted/custom rom I've found Barclaycard app won't work but I'm ok with; Paypal, Co-op, First Direct & Halifax. Also because it's custom you won't get OTA updates AFAIK, unless the developer updates his rom. HTH
winchman
11 Jun 16#94
I thought I'd put the vibe rom on but it's the perfect v2... as others have said seems fine. When they do produce the 6.0 it's easy enough to swap over.
wenttoabetterplace
11 Jun 161#95
I found that installing all of the updates from Ulefone removed the UBrowser virus...and the second bit of reported malware I have disabled - and it now does not show on Kaspersky scans.
Good enough for me :smiley:. The only issue I have with this ROM is that Bluetooth doesn't work, and charging is slooooow...but I doubt putting on a flashed ROM will solve that issue.
rocky1man
11 Jun 16#96
I thought some of the issues were from ibingo? Anyway, Bluetooth works fine for me on perfect ROM or at least it's working OK with my pebble watch and car speaker.
wenttoabetterplace
11 Jun 161#97
I just disabled iBingo and deleted the theme from the launcher options. It doesn't come up in Kaspersky searches anymore.
Oh, and I should have been more detailed :smiley:...bluetooth works fine on my car system, but it won't work on my Anker cube speaker (A7908). My Blu Windows HD LTE phone works fine...so it's a Paris specific issue (or, less likely, Android)
Image casting works perfectly though - so I can listen to my music via my Miracast equipped screen/speakers.
All good for ~£50 :smiley:
meshosa
12 Jun 16#98
Missed out
fxr
13 Jun 16#99
I put a vodaphone sim from a contract Lumia into mine and its showing as 'no service'.
Anyone think of reason for that?
blaster
13 Jun 16#100
bet u have sim in wrong way
blaster
13 Jun 16#101
phone is for other half and cost me £53 with the voucher code discount and quidco which as tracked, and to find a case included in the box and 2 screen protectors was a bonus, quality phone and a big step up from gf doogee x5 pro , she as all her apps runs no problem including co pilot , only issue ive had is getting smart watch app to run but after trying 3 different versions think that's working now.
compadre
13 Jun 16#102
Must get mine out of box!
Hammer2006
14 Jun 16#103
I've put mine back in.
Charging is a big problem especially if you use any sort of car navigation (was using google nav) as it cant keep up the charge while plugged in, on longs journeys its flat within 2 hours.
Thats the first phone ive had do that and even the one i got for my gf does the same in her car.
wenttoabetterplace
14 Jun 16#104
Discovered this last night. Screen on lowest brightness, but still discharging.
I really don't know how they managed to get everything else so right, but then mess up so badly on the charge port. I am wondering whether it is just a poorly written driver (forcing a slow charge). In which case, might it improve with Marshmallow (or is that just wishful thinking on my part? :smiley: !)
Annoyingly, the iPhone Waze app allows the screen to be turned off between turns - but I can't see the same on the Android version. I would be quite happy to continue using it for nav if it turned off between turns...
Hammer2006
14 Jun 16#105
I know chargers and cables can be detrimental but ive been done the research so i know everything i got installed in my car would charge the biggest screened phone on full brightness no problem.
So its disappointing as you said theyve fecked up on this when theyve got pretty much everything else near spot on.
wenttoabetterplace
14 Jun 16#106
What are you planning to do? Send it back....or just consider it as being a lesson learned?
(I only infrequently use my phone for in car sat nav - so it isn't a deal breaker....but it is V.annoying!)
Hammer2006
14 Jun 16#107
Dont know yet, i could send it back but i know from experience with chinese retailers it wont be pain free.
Thats probably the pitfall saving a few quid i suppose.
Solly92
15 Jun 16#108
Mine isn't that bad. Sitting on the table running Here maps with max brightness screen and GPS on. Not moving so not much processing needed but it is charging.
Gone from indicated 68% to 78% in 25 minutes. A reasonably accurate power meter on the charger reads 6.4W most of the time which means about 5W going into the phone. I would guess about half is going into the battery.
blaster
15 Jun 16#109
strange all this battery charging problems , gf one as not been a problem she charges it thru the night and it lasts all day , was at 85% at 6pm last night after on stand by all day and a few calls, will have to try it in car using co pilot on charge and see how it performs , as anyone tried using a power bank as I find that charges my umi rome very fast compared to the mains charger
wenttoabetterplace
15 Jun 16#110
I don't have any standby issues (battery is very good in that regard). Regardless of charger used, it discharges when the screen is on (especially when navigating).
If you get a chance, could you try yours with Waze when driving? Would be good to know if I just got a particularly bad phone...or if this is just a standard 'feature' :smiley:
Solly92
15 Jun 16#111
I don't have a decent car charger or the need to go anywhere soon. I did leave it running and the battery reached 100% with about 2.8W drawn from the mains.
Later: I tested some more and I think the phone needs a charger that tells it it is allowed to draw more than 0.5A.
Dumb USB charging is a can of worms. Years ago the Chinese said short the data lines, later the Europeans said connect them with a resistor. Apple decided to apply voltages to the data lines to indicate how fast it can charge. The latest is to take as much current as you can without letting the voltage drop too much.
I am pretty sure the phone wants a short or resistor across the data lines, something which modern chargers (especially apple compatible ones) may not have. Without that it seems not to draw more than 450mA which probably isn't enough to power an intensive activity like navigation.
It would explain the different results people here are reporting.
Solly92
15 Jun 161#112
Later: I have an accurate power supply and USB sockets with and without the data lines shorted. I let the battery discharge to about 80%.
At 5.2v it pulls 424mA from the socket with no short and 922mA from the socket with a short. In both cases the current periodically drops to zero, maybe 5% of the time. The phone being awake or sleeping made no difference.
wenttoabetterplace
15 Jun 16#113
I actually tried out the charger that comes in the box (via a EU to UK adapter) -- with navigation on -- and the phone still discharges....
So I think mine is probably faulty.
How do you short a data line by the way? I've got loads of USB cables -- but no idea how to make them into non data transmitting cables
I've installed an app called Ampere. According to that app, the charger that comes with the phone is giving 480mA. Using the same cable with a different charger gives me 920mA initially, and then drops gradually (down to 810mA at the moment, and falling!)....
The charge % has at least gone up by 1% (screen on full brightness).
*Edit - the charge rate is now going up again...to 840mA. Not sure if apps like this can be trusted - but it did verify how rubbish the charger is that comes with the phone....so maybe it is relatively accurate.
Edit #2 - the charge rate has fallen to 670mA. There is definitely something dodgy about the charging circuitry/logic - it's all over the place!
I've lodged a refund request with BangGood - although I like the phone, the malware and this charge issue makes it a bit of a non starter for long term use.
Solly92
15 Jun 161#116
Ampere will be showing battery current which you would expect to fall as it gets more charged, also the USB current is limited and needs to power the phone first then what's left can charge the battery.
wenttoabetterplace
15 Jun 16#117
Shows how little I know about such things :smiley:
Anyway, I seem to have found a cable that has managed to add 3% power whilst having Waze on screen and on full brightness....
Perhaps I'll have a workable sat nav after all.
compadre
16 Jun 16#118
Just charging mine, doesn't seem too bad. Phone off.
tfish
5 Jul 16#119
how is everyone doing with this handset? updates please.
wenttoabetterplace
5 Jul 161#120
I have a hotspot on my screen. My uncles one no longer charges. The phone is also starting to lag - and the tinniness of the speaker is really annoying.
Now using my old iPhone 4S as it has VASTLY better headphone audio, a vastly better loudspeaker, a vastly better camera, and better standby battery life too (now on the lookout for an iPhone SE).
There was a reason I avoided Android - and I am reminded of why when using this phone ! (Both of the Paris' I bought are being returned for a refund)
tfish
5 Jul 16#121
I got a hotspot on my doogie within a fortnight.
The iPhone 4S is still a hell of a chunk of tech available for £50 A grade now.
Naith
6 Jul 161#122
What do you expect from a cheap handset like this? Don't forget, the 4S cost a small fortune when it came out. Try Android on a decent handset and you'll see a huge difference... :wink:
wenttoabetterplace
6 Jul 16#123
OK, here's the bare minimum of what i expect;
1. An operating system that maintains itself so it runs as well on day 30 as on day 1. (I have NEVER had to reinstall my Lumia 1020 or Blu Win HD LTE because of performance degradation).
2. A phone that will hold network signal
3. A phone that will not give me random outgoing call errors about 'quota exceeded'
4. A phone that allows me to integrate with my own contacts system (Outlook) rather than one that forces me to switch to Google.
I just don't think Android is there yet. It ticks all the boxes...but the user experience just isn't nearly as good as iOS. & if the solution to my problems is to get a more expensive Android phone, then there really isn't much point in getting one of those in preference to something like the iPhone SE.
This Paris was my first time using Android in 3+ years. It still has many of the same shortcomings that caused me to leave it all those years ago.
Jimmyboy
6 Jul 161#124
I think Naith has a point. All those issues you won't find in a more expensive Android handset. If the first handset you come back to on Android after 3 years is a Chinese brand then its not entirely a fair comparison. Try something like the Moto G4 which isn't a lot more.
(Yes I know the Moto G4 is a Chinese brand now but at least warranty issues will be dealt with in the UK)
wenttoabetterplace
6 Jul 16#125
I guess I've been spoilt in the past by operating systems that perform well on low spec hardware. iOS and Windows Phone also never seemed to degrade over time....whereas this Ulefone - despite having v.good Antutu scores and 2GB of RAM - already feels sluggish.
Although that slowdown problem could be resolved by a significantly more powerful/more expensive phone, I just don't want the hassle of having to find solutions for optimisation problems that should be dealt with by the operating system.
Also, Google failing to provide a way to integrate Outlook contacts is just silly.
iOS just doesn't have the glaring issues that I have seen so far with Android. It just works. I even find the keyboard on my 3.5" screen 4S more accurate/reliable than the Google keyboard on this 5" Ulefone. I've looked around for alternatives....but haven't found any that are equivalent.
Basically, Android remains my least favourite OS. If Windows Mobile had a good version of Waze, then I wouldn't have switched at all. But in lieu of that, iOS is the only viable option for me.
Naith
6 Jul 161#126
From what I know, it is possible to integrate Outlook contacts into Android, though it does take a little setting up so that names appear instead of just numbers for contacts. As for a phone slowing down after a short time that is down to a combination of poor hardware and lazy software.
I just know that my Note 4 (which is almost 2 generations old) is as fast as the first day I switched it on. When I compare it to my friend's iPhone 6+ I'm more than convinced I made the right choice (ie. the lack of freedom in the 'high walled garden' known as iOS).
But hey, each to their own :smiley:
wenttoabetterplace
6 Jul 16#127
This Ulefone has a pretty vanilla version of Android....which was kind of why I gave it a shot. It was v.v.fluid when I first got it....but it definitely isn't that way now. Maybe it requires the kind of software tweaks that Samsung provide for their phones; but if that is the case, then it kind of suggests that Android has fundamental issues that only the manufacturer's efforts help overcome...
I really did want to like this phone - and I did...fleetingly. I also don't know what benefits there are to being outside of the iOS walled garden - so perhaps if I knew them, I'd value Android more. As it stands though, the apps I use the most work better on my old 4S than on this phone.
I'm sure I'll give Android another shot in the future - but for the time being, the iPhone SE looks like my ideal phone (just need to bag a bargain via Gumtree - if that's possible with iPhone's :smiley: ).
tfish
5 Aug 161#128
I'm getting unsolicited adverts on my Paris now. It's never been connected to the Play Store and I've only installed Telegram and Signal. 100% Malware activation!! Shocking.
MDDr
5 Aug 16#129
I haven't had any issues of unsolicited ads on mine yet, shame if it is the case as it's been a good phone. Had one issue where it drops the wi-fi connection.
wenttoabetterplace
5 Aug 162#130
Just use Kaspersky to identify and disable the malware module. Doesn't make it a good phone - but does at least make it safe to use
tfish
8 Aug 16#131
Its a very good phone. No complaints other than the malware from me. Zero battery problems.
jumpinoffthbed
10 Aug 16#132
It's not android that's your problem, going for a brand like this is like buying a knockoff rolex and getting it wet, many people have learnt this the hard way. If you'd gone for a tried and tested Chinese brand like xiaomi or huawei you'd have a different opinion, p8 light for instance is under a hundred and a very good phone.
wenttoabetterplace
10 Aug 16#133
Yep, true. Though even the mechanics of Android I find to be really offputting. It's just too....busy.
I'll probably give it another try in the near future (running out of alternatives now that iOS is the only other show in town!)
kay1992
12 Aug 16#134
Anyone feel as if they're being monitored with this phone?
MDDr
12 Aug 16#135
I bought this phone for family member so have used it only a few times and have not noticed anything unusual. What have you noticed, I'll have a look too?
Thnx
kay1992
12 Aug 16#136
There's this application type thing installed on the phone. It's in the 'spyware' category, not sure to what extent the 'spying' is happening though. Usually it's data collection about your search/usage habits but the paranoia in me says there's more to it than that hence the low low price for this phone. 'You give us a bit of money and in return we monitor your whole life, thanks.'
Wifi randomly disconnects every 30 secs (toggling it on/off will eventually sort it) but bigger issue is the terrible battery life (which is the whole point of mashmallow upgrade I thought?!)
May settle down in time but can't say I'm impressed at the moment.....
compadre
4 Sep 16#150
Ta, tried that but no success, must be doing something wrong! I try to download it and it starts but finishes very quickly,then I can't find it anywhere!
Crossbow
4 Sep 16#151
Download it (900Mb size) using a PC/laptop & it's fine.
I tried it & it's the fastest I've ever downloaded a large file of this type - took just 3.5 min. My PC has a direct ethernet fibre bb connection of ~37Mbps, but even then easily the fastest ever for such a large file hosted anywhere.
compadre
4 Sep 16#152
Well, finally got it downloaded. I'll have to see the results!
compadre
4 Sep 16#153
Did it with phone, few glitches-said it wanted to re-format the SD card, then kept on jumping around. Seems ok now, fingers crossed.
wenttoabetterplace
5 Sep 16#154
I can't say I've noticed a drop in battery life (I did do a clean install as there were bugs in the upgrade installation). What I am noticing is that the phone now charges whilst being used as a sat nav. Only just - and only on one of the lowest brightness settings. But it does at least charge.
I am also liking the idea of using the SD as fixed storage so I can download iplayer stuff etc without running out of internal storage space. Haven't tried it yet - but that was one of the big reasons for me to install the Marshmallow update.
I'm also now looking at upgrading to a phone with a better camera, fast charging and a better headphone jack. This Paris has been very useful over the past few weeks - but the camera is truly woeful :smiley:
wenttoabetterplace
5 Sep 16#155
By the way, for those of you still using the stock launcher/home screen...try Microsoft's Arrow Launcher and Next lock screen. They work brilliantly on this phone - and are definitely a big step up from the things that came preloaded.
poolman
5 Sep 16#156
Possible workaround on the wifi issue (quite a few affected it seems reading the XDA forums) is to toggle airplane mode on/off once you are on the wifi connection required. This seems to make it stick!
tfish
6 Sep 16#157
Facebook.5.apk or similar. Make sure you 'Make hidden files visible' in the file browser. I cant remember which folder it was in.
wenttoabetterplace
23 Oct 16#158
Any idea where to find the official Android 5.1 ROM for this phone? I'm trying to flash back as Android 6 isn't stable (esp' wifi)...but the 5.1 rom seems to have been removed from the Ulefone website.
Also, can I install it from the phone via the wireless update - or do I need to flash via a computer?
Many thanks
rocky1man
23 Oct 16#159
Hi wenttoabetterplace, XDA have links to the stock ROM.
Try this thread...."Ulefone Paris (Full Review & Discussions) 5.0 Inch HD, Metal frame, MTK6753" you need post 34
You'll have to flash via spflashtool. HTH
wenttoabetterplace
23 Oct 16#160
Cheers. I was just working my way through the SPFlashtool technique....BUT, hit a brick wall with the VCOM drivers (they only install *easily* on Windows 7 and below).
Getting there...but my god, what a chore (especially compared to the software I've used for the last 2 years to restore phones; Windows Device Recovery Tool!).
I'm reminded again why I try to avoid rooting/custom roms at all costs :smiley:
Thanks for the suggestion though...I'll check out that thread.
wenttoabetterplace
23 Oct 16#161
Got there in the end. Required starting my Surface 3 in the equivalent of safe mode (selecting option 7 which disabled driver signature checks). That allowed me to install the VCOM driver - and thereafter, it was all plain sailing :smiley:
So I now have a hodge podge of a phone (made of two :smiley: !) with a big old hotspot on the screen...and the usual slow charging. BUT, it is at least running Android 5.1 with stable wifi. So my uncle has a phone again.
poolman
1 Dec 16#162
Couple of things which I've discovered which may help people
1)Wifi disconnecting issue was due to running the router with the old WEP security. Switched to WPA2 and is now solid as a rock
2)Battery life after upgrading to marshmallow was 50% of that on lollipop. By removing my data sim from slot 2, it's now 100% better!
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
![[Xbox One] Q. u. b. e: Director's Cut on Deals with Gold](/images/topics/208716_1.jpg)
Opening post
2nd try, after the first deal failed: you get the Ulefone Paris for £56.88 from Banggood. Delivery is from the EU, so there are no further taxes. Use the code "bgpairs20" (you have to be logged in to use it).
It will even get the update to Android 6 - officially announced.
Next price: around £80 from China
Model Paris
Color Metal Grey / Silk White
Dimensions 144.5 x 71.7 x 8.0
Weight 128g (with battery)
Operating system Pre-install Android 5.1 Lollipop -> Update to Android 6
CPU 64Bit MTK MT6753 processor Octa-core 1.3GHz CPU
GPU ARM Mali -T720 GPU
RAM 2GB LPDDR3 RAM 1866 MHz
ROM 16G EMMC(Miro SD card Up to 128GB)
Battery SONY 2250mAh Lithium-ion Polymer Battery
Standby Time 268 Hours
MAX.SAR Head: 0.323 W/kg, Body: 0.807 W/kg
Display
Size 5.0 inch
Resolution HD 720*1280 pixels
Type On-cell IPS LTPS, full Lamination (2.5D Arc screen)
Material Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Cameras
Rear camera 13MP Omnivision OV13850 F1.8 aperture
Front camera 5.0MP OmniVision OV5648
Video 1080P,720P
Connection
Network GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 (band5,band8,band3,band2）
WCDMA: 900/2100 (band8,band1)
FDD-LTE: 800/1800/2100/2600 (band20,band3,band1,band7)
SIM Dual sim dual standby, Micro SIM and Micro SIM
Both SIM slots are compatible with 4G, respectively.
WiFi WiFi802.11 b/g/n/, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0
Positioning GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Hall Effect Sensor, Gravity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Touch Sensor,OTG
In the box
Paris Phone x 1
Charger x 1
USB Cable x 1
Multiple Languages Manual x 1
Screen Protector x 1
Earphone x 1
Top comments
I worked it out before checking hotukdeals for replies (honest)
All in all, very good first impressions with this phone. Doesnt take as long to charge as others have suggested
All comments (162)
It was showing me out of stock in Banggood andriod app and mobile browser.
I received mine today and it had a sticker on it with the return address below..
https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/UB18-7HK-post-code-SCAM/td-p/4353720
**Fire risk**
Hot - due to fire potential
Cold - for deal
I have always used branded chargers too. The one that came with it looks like a fake iPhone mains plug.
Many thanks
Never believe a Chinese company when they say things like this.
Pros of slow charging:
1. no excessive heat from battery during charge
2. slower charged batteries hold charge longer
3. battery life time is longer as it does not heat so much
4. being chinese phone with slow charge there are ten times less chances for fire....
Fast charge is just a feature which is given to people as they wanted it, but you do kill your battery and have more chances of fire with fast charge!
This is far better, IMO. The difference is the build quality. This looks and feels like a top end phone. The Doogee was fine, but is plastic with a nasty bevel.
The phone is actually better than I thought it be.
Processor has twice as many bits and twice as many cores.
Twice the RAM
Twice the FLASH
Twice the SIMS
Twice (more than) the pixels on both cameras
+ an SD card slot and + marshmallow soon (hopefully)
Stonking phone for 56 quid in the EU.
Thanks OP, heated!
"Malware detected
Search Service is classified as Potentially unwanted program. This app was pre-installed by your phone vendor and we cannot remove it."
More info: com.android.tools.callassistant
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Good hardware, good phone, but with adware preinstalled, 17 Feb. 2016
By O.
Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: Ulefone Paris 4G Smartphone MTK6753 Android 5.1 Lollipop 64 bit Octa Core 5.0" 2.5D Arc HD IPS 2GB RAM 16GB ROM Dual Cameras 5MP 13MP with Phone Stand (Electronics)
The phone itself is really good, excellent screen and battery life. My problem came after checking in detail what's inside the stock operating system and in particular the non-google applications that are installed as services (ie don't show up as running apps). One of them, 'Search Service' I found cited as virus/adware after some googling, and sure enough after installing Kaspersky Antivirus it was detected as a threat (see screenshot). Since this is part of the operating system and it can't be uninstalled I can't really recommend this phone to anyone unless you are technical enough to be able to disable it and to remember to do it again every time there is an update. There's another app installed here (com.rc.hallview) that controls the clock the shows up on screen lock but also has the ability to do basically anything it wants with the device for no reason whatsoever.
Seems to me that Ulefone is trying to get some extra money by embedding these spyware/adware applications, which kind of makes sense since this is such a cheap phone.
Good hardware, good phone, but with adware preinstalled
I used 360 Security - Antivirus to disable 'Search Service' app. AVG managed to pick it up in a scan, Antivirus & Security from Avast missed it and so did Kaspersky.
Probably a false positive. I searched for accusations of ulefone installing adware/malware and didn't really come up with anything.
Cheers
I worked it out before checking hotukdeals for replies (honest)
All in all, very good first impressions with this phone. Doesnt take as long to charge as others have suggested
It currently tells me "Your parcel is forwarded from our warehouse to the distribution center of your post office. As soon as the parcel arrives at your post office, you will be able to track your parcel."
The most awkward and useless tracking system I have ever seen.
Been using it for a couple of days and very impressed.Build is really high class, nice and solid with looks to match.
The only neg is the camera its pretty rubbish especially indoors.I guess I've been spoilt owning a lg g3 which is superb in all conditions.
For £56 which includes the flip case and screen protectors it is amazing value.
BTW battery seems OK, certainly no worse than my lg g3 which gave me a solid 5 hrs of screen on time through the day.
One last thing using a 2amp charger it takes 4.5 hrs to charge, double of my g3 but as I charge over night not too bothered.
In the box is the flip case with a tempered screen protector and another spare standard screen protector.Didnt expect any of the extras but was a nice surprise.
However, I have been using it for about 15 minutes, and the phone does really get hot!
Has anyone else experienced the same?
Battery was half charged and it pulled 0.9A which would make a full charge about 2 and a bit hours, however, at 80+ % the current dropped off quite a lot so a 100% will take longer.
Thank you, the phone is booting up now.
I'm using a rom called perfect rom v2 which seems OK, its a custom stock rom pre rooted/recovery etc.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/rom-perfect-rom-1-0-t3294978
I agree though - the phone is superb (a week in with mine). It is so stable and fluid....a far cry from how I remember Android being!
Also, having switched (begrudgingly) from Windows Phone, I am v.pleased to see that Microsoft have released the Arrow home screen launcher, and the Next lock screen. Both of which are significant improvements over the stock screens on this phone. Arrow in particular is SO good! It constantly refines the home page so my most used apps are at the top. No more creating folders etc - I just leave Arrow to work out what's best. The 'people', 'widgets', 'recent' and 'reminders' home pages are all genuinely useful and innovative in their own way. Just a really nice addition.
Oh, and for anyone that banks with Barclays, you can get Kaspersky Internet Security for free (saving £35). A good addition to an Android phone I reckon
"This coupon could only be used 500 times"
Not a deal breaker - but annoying. Hopefully Android 6 will sort out such issues (assuming it does actually get released)
Can you still use financial apps etc? Do you still get OTA updates from Ulefone? (Apparently there is an Android 6.0 in development).
With a rooted/custom rom I've found Barclaycard app won't work but I'm ok with; Paypal, Co-op, First Direct & Halifax. Also because it's custom you won't get OTA updates AFAIK, unless the developer updates his rom. HTH
Good enough for me :smiley:. The only issue I have with this ROM is that Bluetooth doesn't work, and charging is slooooow...but I doubt putting on a flashed ROM will solve that issue.
Oh, and I should have been more detailed :smiley:...bluetooth works fine on my car system, but it won't work on my Anker cube speaker (A7908). My Blu Windows HD LTE phone works fine...so it's a Paris specific issue (or, less likely, Android)
Image casting works perfectly though - so I can listen to my music via my Miracast equipped screen/speakers.
All good for ~£50 :smiley:
Anyone think of reason for that?
Charging is a big problem especially if you use any sort of car navigation (was using google nav) as it cant keep up the charge while plugged in, on longs journeys its flat within 2 hours.
Thats the first phone ive had do that and even the one i got for my gf does the same in her car.
I really don't know how they managed to get everything else so right, but then mess up so badly on the charge port. I am wondering whether it is just a poorly written driver (forcing a slow charge). In which case, might it improve with Marshmallow (or is that just wishful thinking on my part? :smiley: !)
Annoyingly, the iPhone Waze app allows the screen to be turned off between turns - but I can't see the same on the Android version. I would be quite happy to continue using it for nav if it turned off between turns...
So its disappointing as you said theyve fecked up on this when theyve got pretty much everything else near spot on.
(I only infrequently use my phone for in car sat nav - so it isn't a deal breaker....but it is V.annoying!)
Thats probably the pitfall saving a few quid i suppose.
Gone from indicated 68% to 78% in 25 minutes. A reasonably accurate power meter on the charger reads 6.4W most of the time which means about 5W going into the phone. I would guess about half is going into the battery.
If you get a chance, could you try yours with Waze when driving? Would be good to know if I just got a particularly bad phone...or if this is just a standard 'feature' :smiley:
Later: I tested some more and I think the phone needs a charger that tells it it is allowed to draw more than 0.5A.
Dumb USB charging is a can of worms. Years ago the Chinese said short the data lines, later the Europeans said connect them with a resistor. Apple decided to apply voltages to the data lines to indicate how fast it can charge. The latest is to take as much current as you can without letting the voltage drop too much.
I am pretty sure the phone wants a short or resistor across the data lines, something which modern chargers (especially apple compatible ones) may not have. Without that it seems not to draw more than 450mA which probably isn't enough to power an intensive activity like navigation.
It would explain the different results people here are reporting.
At 5.2v it pulls 424mA from the socket with no short and 922mA from the socket with a short. In both cases the current periodically drops to zero, maybe 5% of the time. The phone being awake or sleeping made no difference.
So I think mine is probably faulty.
How do you short a data line by the way? I've got loads of USB cables -- but no idea how to make them into non data transmitting cables
This guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9-rfImR86g shows a cable hack.
The charge % has at least gone up by 1% (screen on full brightness).
*Edit - the charge rate is now going up again...to 840mA. Not sure if apps like this can be trusted - but it did verify how rubbish the charger is that comes with the phone....so maybe it is relatively accurate.
Edit #2 - the charge rate has fallen to 670mA. There is definitely something dodgy about the charging circuitry/logic - it's all over the place!
I've lodged a refund request with BangGood - although I like the phone, the malware and this charge issue makes it a bit of a non starter for long term use.
Anyway, I seem to have found a cable that has managed to add 3% power whilst having Waze on screen and on full brightness....
Perhaps I'll have a workable sat nav after all.
Now using my old iPhone 4S as it has VASTLY better headphone audio, a vastly better loudspeaker, a vastly better camera, and better standby battery life too (now on the lookout for an iPhone SE).
There was a reason I avoided Android - and I am reminded of why when using this phone ! (Both of the Paris' I bought are being returned for a refund)
The iPhone 4S is still a hell of a chunk of tech available for £50 A grade now.
1. An operating system that maintains itself so it runs as well on day 30 as on day 1. (I have NEVER had to reinstall my Lumia 1020 or Blu Win HD LTE because of performance degradation).
2. A phone that will hold network signal
3. A phone that will not give me random outgoing call errors about 'quota exceeded'
4. A phone that allows me to integrate with my own contacts system (Outlook) rather than one that forces me to switch to Google.
I just don't think Android is there yet. It ticks all the boxes...but the user experience just isn't nearly as good as iOS. & if the solution to my problems is to get a more expensive Android phone, then there really isn't much point in getting one of those in preference to something like the iPhone SE.
This Paris was my first time using Android in 3+ years. It still has many of the same shortcomings that caused me to leave it all those years ago.
(Yes I know the Moto G4 is a Chinese brand now but at least warranty issues will be dealt with in the UK)
Although that slowdown problem could be resolved by a significantly more powerful/more expensive phone, I just don't want the hassle of having to find solutions for optimisation problems that should be dealt with by the operating system.
Also, Google failing to provide a way to integrate Outlook contacts is just silly.
iOS just doesn't have the glaring issues that I have seen so far with Android. It just works. I even find the keyboard on my 3.5" screen 4S more accurate/reliable than the Google keyboard on this 5" Ulefone. I've looked around for alternatives....but haven't found any that are equivalent.
Basically, Android remains my least favourite OS. If Windows Mobile had a good version of Waze, then I wouldn't have switched at all. But in lieu of that, iOS is the only viable option for me.
I just know that my Note 4 (which is almost 2 generations old) is as fast as the first day I switched it on. When I compare it to my friend's iPhone 6+ I'm more than convinced I made the right choice (ie. the lack of freedom in the 'high walled garden' known as iOS).
But hey, each to their own :smiley:
I really did want to like this phone - and I did...fleetingly. I also don't know what benefits there are to being outside of the iOS walled garden - so perhaps if I knew them, I'd value Android more. As it stands though, the apps I use the most work better on my old 4S than on this phone.
I'm sure I'll give Android another shot in the future - but for the time being, the iPhone SE looks like my ideal phone (just need to bag a bargain via Gumtree - if that's possible with iPhone's :smiley: ).
I'll probably give it another try in the near future (running out of alternatives now that iOS is the only other show in town!)
Thnx
I found the apk simply removed it. Done.
http://blog.ulefone.com/ulefone-paris-8th-update-comes-to-improve-marshmallow/
Wifi randomly disconnects every 30 secs (toggling it on/off will eventually sort it) but bigger issue is the terrible battery life (which is the whole point of mashmallow upgrade I thought?!)
May settle down in time but can't say I'm impressed at the moment.....
I tried it & it's the fastest I've ever downloaded a large file of this type - took just 3.5 min. My PC has a direct ethernet fibre bb connection of ~37Mbps, but even then easily the fastest ever for such a large file hosted anywhere.
I am also liking the idea of using the SD as fixed storage so I can download iplayer stuff etc without running out of internal storage space. Haven't tried it yet - but that was one of the big reasons for me to install the Marshmallow update.
I'm also now looking at upgrading to a phone with a better camera, fast charging and a better headphone jack. This Paris has been very useful over the past few weeks - but the camera is truly woeful :smiley:
Also, can I install it from the phone via the wireless update - or do I need to flash via a computer?
Many thanks
Try this thread...."Ulefone Paris (Full Review & Discussions) 5.0 Inch HD, Metal frame, MTK6753" you need post 34
You'll have to flash via spflashtool. HTH
Getting there...but my god, what a chore (especially compared to the software I've used for the last 2 years to restore phones; Windows Device Recovery Tool!).
I'm reminded again why I try to avoid rooting/custom roms at all costs :smiley:
Thanks for the suggestion though...I'll check out that thread.
So I now have a hodge podge of a phone (made of two :smiley: !) with a big old hotspot on the screen...and the usual slow charging. BUT, it is at least running Android 5.1 with stable wifi. So my uncle has a phone again.
1)Wifi disconnecting issue was due to running the router with the old WEP security. Switched to WPA2 and is now solid as a rock
2)Battery life after upgrading to marshmallow was 50% of that on lollipop. By removing my data sim from slot 2, it's now 100% better!