When I first opened the box, I was amazed to see such a slim phone. The bright red looks really good on this one. I've been told that the camera clarity on this phone is really good so I can't wait to put it to test straight away.
The Ninetology U9 R1 is a super slim lightweight smartphone powered by Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with a quad-core 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM. As far as where endurance is concerned, this phone did well for me. After I installed the usual apps, it still performs well under harsh usage on daily basis.
The box is quite big for keeping in something so small. But it's ok I guess.
All comes standard. Phone (duh), USB charger, earphone, rear plastic case and the warranty/manual booklet.
Here's a brief specifications on the R1
- Platform Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1.2GHz Quad Core CPU
- OS Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
- Memory 4GB ROM/1GB RAM, up to 32GB MicroSD
- Display 4.3 inch screen with 960 x 540 resolution
- Camera 8 megapixel rear shooter, 2 megapixel front camera. Autofocus, LED flash and face detection.
- Battery Polymer 1800 mAh
- Other features Dual SIM, Snapdragon Battery Guru, FM Radio
The mid range specification is similar to some of the budget smartphones out there but so far, the R1 is the prettiest. The slim design made it feels premium and unique. Although it is small by today's standards, it is quite comfortable to hold. But having a shiny rear casing surface made it highly prone to fingerprints.
On the right side of the phone, we have the power/standby button whereby the volume rocker button is on the left side. Under the cover is the non-removable polymer battery that is unfortunately didn't last long enough for an entire day use. I did a full charge in the morning and by noon, the battery is down to 60%. The Snapdragon Battery Guru helped a little. I probably managed to save about 10% battery when I activate this function.
Good thing about Android phones by Ninetology, they use the original Android interface rather than having a customized launcher. What's good about it is that it maintains the original Android experience which is easy to use without having to understand how to customize a certain launcher, like others by Samsung's TouchWiz or HTC Sense.
This is what I call simplicity. It's not much of a looker but it's simple. Besides, there are so many other launchers that we can choose from in the Play Store. Launchers that I like are Nova, Apex and Smart Launcher.
Jelly Bean 4.1.2 is considered old by now. I do hope that Ninetology have an update for this phone so that at least I feel better to use a more up-to-date device. If they can port this phone to use Android 4.3, that would be great. Better yet, upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat. Nice.
From the title of this blog review post, I did mention something about "Imaging Wonder". And I mentioned that the rumours I heard about the camera clarity is much to talk about. Let's see how the photos that came out from this phone looks like.
First, the camera interface. It is basically the basic camera UI that comes standard with every Jelly Bean powered phones. Easy to understand and, well, standard.
It is still using the old interface but it's okay.
Camera Functions and Sample Photos
This is one of my favourite. This little wonder snaps awesome and punchy looking picture outdoors. The colours are bright and vibrant, and I did not change any settings at all. This is straight from the camera with default settings. And no, I did not edit the photo as well, except that I add in my watermark only. Next.
Inside the building, the colour is less punchier. But still maintain the clarity and some details. The photos taken with the R1 is sharp and the autofocus is spot-on.
The next day I head over to Pavilion. Notice that this picture is clear? That is one of the things that I notice about the R1. It has a really good camera. At this point, I don't mind the low specification of the platform. I will forget about the hardware. I'm just gonna use this phone for the camera (LOL). But on low light, I can start to see some "noise" in the picture. Noise means grainy, like little dots you see on a television when you don't have any reception...back in the 90's. Nevermind.
Indoors and low light, take a look at the pillar on the left side of the image. Can you see the "noise"? I don't want to go into details on why it happened but briefly, on auto setting, high ISO is being used in low light. Higher ISO = more grains. This can be reduced by changing the ISO setting manually to about 100 or 200. But the picture will turn out darker.
What about close-up?
I have to thank my friend Bob for letting me take a picture of his Tamiya for this. Again, sharpness and details are obvious. Not much "noise" this time although it was taken outdoors at night because of the overhead light. To see the clarity and details, look at the tyres. Clear right?
Here it is again zoomed at 100%.
Actually, this is not bad coming from a phone's camera. Some DSLR cameras can have problems getting an image this sharp. But this is really good. The R1 really packs a strong punch with its imaging capability. Hence why I called it The Slim Imaging Wonder.
Conclusion
The Ninetology U9 R1 is simply a mid-range smartphone that is powered by Android. Well, all smartphones nowadays seems to be using Android anyway but what matters the most is what comes with it. I have nothing much to say about the hardware platform in the R1. The usual 1.2GHz quad core CPU with 1GB RAM, that is quite normal. The only downside that I don't quite fancy is the 4GB of space. It can be better with at least 8GB of built-in space though. Oh yeah, and the battery performance too. It can be better with higher capacity. If they can address these issues for their next future phones and maintaining the superb camera, they will have a damn good entry level phone in their arsenal.
Bottom line is that the phone is slim and sleek, easy to use, small enough to be handled in one hand and suitable for those with small hands. The R1 will appeal more to the ladies who wants something slim. And for those who love taking selfies and use Instagram, they may love the camera clarity of the R1. The retail price for this small wonder is RM799 and is sold nationwide. [Find a dealer]
What I like:
- Great camera
- Slim, easily fit in jeans pocket
- Standard Android "Vanilla" interface
- Clear display (I didn't mention this but yeah, display is crispy clear)
What I don't like:
- Battery life is below par
- 4GB ROM/storage space is too low
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