What's a better way to combat the latest round of phablets? Well naturally it's to release your own, so here's ZTE's answer to the Galaxy Note, it's the ZTE Grand Memo!
So how good is the screen on this device? Well ZTE have equipped this phone with a 5.7-inch 720p HD TFT display which should be good enough for most people's eyes! Other than that the Grand Memo is the first device to feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU out of the box. In this instance the processor will be clocked at 1.5GHz and it'll be paired with 2 GB of RAM. On the optical side of things there is a 13MP rear camera and a 1MP front shooter so you photos will happily fill up the 16GB of internal storage! As you'd expect Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is running the show and the only real limit here seems to be the internal storage on the device.
ZTE will be customising your interface on this device with their 'Miflavour UI' and there's one unique addition which is the ability to "tap and hold on the screen for a few second, or you can do a pinch-out gesture that brings up a few shortcuts, like the phone, calendar, camera, etc" which should be quite useful for jumping straight into your apps, assuming you don't have a pin code on your device.
All of that will be crammed into a chassis which is 8.5mm thick and ZTE have also put a well size 3200mAh battery in there too! As you would expect with a device which is targeting the higher end of the market you'll get WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a gyro sensor and LTE connectivity!
The Grand Memo will be coming to China in March this year and those of you in Europe can pick it up 'later this year'. For the moment there's no word on pricing and we don't know if it'll land on US shores!
Just in case you missed ZTE's other big announcement, the Firefox OS powered ZTE Open is detailed here!
The full press release is embedded below:
ZTE Launches Grand Memo 5.7-inch handset using Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Processor
Featuring leading performance, battery life and a 13MP camera, the ZTE Grand Memo offers high functionality for home and office use
25 February 2013, Barcelona, Spain – ZTE has launched the ZTE Grand Memo 5.7-inch handset running on Qualcomm ® Snapdragon ™ 800 processors.
The ZTE Grand Memo offers the ideal balance between the portability of a handset and the larger viewing and easier touch-interaction experience of a tablet. It features a 5.7-inch, high definition, 720 x 1280 display, and a powerful Qualcomm 800 processor with quad-core Krait CPUs and 2GB of RAM. Combined with a 13MP rear-facing camera, 1MP front-facing camera and 1080 HD video playback, this gives users a smooth, high quality multimedia experience that is perfect for gaming and video.
The Grand Memo caters for those who are always on-the-go, with voice-response technology which allows users to answer calls safely while driving, and A-GPS and car-mode navigation system for high quality mapping and directions. It comes with a HD version of ZTE’s Mifavor user interface that is specially designed for smartphones, providing a simpler user experience, and ZTE’s Z Cloud service for the security and access-anywhere provided by cloud services. It also includes a 3200mAh battery for super-long standby time.
“The ZTE Grand Memo’s large, high definition screen makes it perfect for media and entertainment, but its uses reach far beyond that,” said Mr. He Shiyou, ZTE EVP and Head of the Mobile Devices Division. “With ZTE’s custom Mifavor UI, a powerful processor, and LTE connectivity, this device offers users a wide array of benefits that go well beyond the capabilities of the typical handset.”
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors target premium mobile and computing devices. They are designed to deliver outstanding overall user experience, expand the possibilities of seamless connected computing and enable brand new mobile experiences while maintaining industry-leading battery performance.
“Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms are at the heart of over 770 announced smartphones and tablets, and we are thrilled to work with ZTE to bring the Grand Memo to consumers” said Raj Talluri, senior vice president of product management at Qualcomm Technologies.
The Grand Memo is a slim 8.5mm, ensuring that its advanced performance is matched by its sleek appearance. The 1080P HD video and 13MP rear-facing Intelligent Camera, coupled with the 16GB storage memory make movie watching as sharp and detailed as the capturing of users’ own multimedia. Combined with high-speed LTE capabilities of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, integrated Qualcomm WCN3680 802.11ac/.11n dual-band Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth solution for high-bandwidth communications, MHL and DLNA connectivity for mobile entertainment, the ZTE Grand Memo is perfectly suited for both personal and office use.
“We have really tried to make this device fun for use at home, and practical for use in the office. By combining both of these factors, we have created a well-rounded large-screen handset that is suitable for any situation. It’s perfect for videos, gaming and music, and also for sending e-mails, checking news and making calls on the go. For those with a busy lifestyle, the ZTE Grand Memo will be indispensable,” said Mr. He Shiyou, ZTE.
Key specifications of the Grand Memo
ü Android 4.1 – Jelly bean
ü Thickness: 8.5mm
ü 5.7inch, HD.TFT, 16M color, multi-touch capacitive screen
ü Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with quad-core Krait CPUs
ü 3200mAh super-long standby battery
ü Memory: 16GB Rom +2GB RAM
ü Mifavour UI user interface
ü WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, gyro
ü LTE 100/50Mbps
ü 13MP Intelligent AF Camera with face recognition and panorama,1MP front-facing camera, 1080p HD video playback
The ZTE Grand Memo is on display at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona at Stand 3C64/3C74, Hall 3. ZTE Grand Memo is expected to launch the second quarter of 2013 with specifications varying between countries and regions.
