What exactly is a Smartwatch?

What is a smartwatch, and what exactly can I do with one? It seems like most things now are turning smart. Our phones have long since left behind being plain old boring ans have become smart. The same thing is now happening to our watches, but what exactly is a smartwatch, and what can yu do with one? Do you really need one? With more and more on the market and on sale on electronics websites, let’s take a look at exactly what they are and what they can do for you.

The Rock

Just like the smartphone took the humble telephone and turned it from a solely call making device into a full blown life organizer and entertainment system, the smartwatch is taking the meagre time telling device and expanding it into the realms of a James Bond watch. OK, so you won’t be able to take out the enemy with some cool hidden gun, but certainly you can do more with a smartwatch than just tell the time.

The idea is that the smartwatch works hand in hand with your phone. On the watch you can receive notifications of calls, messages and emails without having to take your phone out of your pocket. Currently there are two types of smartwatch. Ones that work together with your phone, such as the Galaxy Gear 2, and ones that work independently, like the E-Ceros Nano, which actually takes a Sim card inside and make make calls and surf the net without the need for a phone.

InWatch Z

However, the smartphone market is very young, and a lot of the products aren’t fully realised yet. You will find that the majority of them will let you receive and send text messages and emails, receive and make calls, browse the web and tell the time. That said we have tested a couple out and will let you know their strengths and weaknesses, what you can actually do with them, and whether one would actually be for you.

If you fall into the following category of person, you would probably benefit from a smartwatch.

E-Ceros Nano

You want to receive notifications about calls and messages, but you don’t want to, or possibly can’t spend a lot of time on your phone. With a smartwatch, it will vibrate discretely on your wrist, and you can take a look, just like you were telling the time and see if the alert is important or not. This for me is the real important thing for a smartwatch. Nobody like to be out with friends only to have them receive a message, they whip out their phone as though it’s the most important thing in the world and ignore you for the next 5 minutes. With the smartwatch you won’t look bored in a meeting, disinterested while out with your partner and you won’t bother everyone in the cinema with your super bright AMOLED high res 7 inch mobile phone screen. You can stay connected without interrupting your life.

Another thing about the smartwatches is that they don’t actually cost more than an ordinary watch. In fact in some cases, they are cheaper, but you get a lot more functionality for your money. I stopped wearing a watch a long time ago because it only tells the time, something my smartphone can do for me. In the case of the smartwatch, at least it offers me something else to boot.

As smartwatches are electronics devices with their own operating systems they can be upgraded, so the watch you buy now can be brought up to spec in the next 6 months. As I said earlier, it is still a new technology, so advance are being made on almost a daily basis, offering more apps, and more functionality. Currently, not only can you send and receive calls and messages, you can have weather updates and even play a few simple games on them. The developer community is constantly growing and offering new apps for smartwatches. Another good thing is that the majority of smartwacthes are Android based, being they are open source and anybody can code for them.

ZGPAX S5

Despite all the things that smartwatches offer just now, you might want to wait while before buying one. The technology is still young, but it is something that is evolving very quickly. If you are the type of person that loves being in the cutting edge of technology, or if you need discrete ways to be in contact then they are for you.

If you are interested in buying a smartwatch, take a look at our smartwatches on China Electronics.

If you have enjoyed this article please feel free to share it or leave a comment below.

ThL Ultrathin 4400 Review

THL is maybe an unknown phone company to many in the western side of the world, but in the far east it is well known as a producer of innovative and well built products. With the THL 4400 there is no exception. This quad-core android mobile really surprised us as its the first THL phone we have been able to review.

THL 4400

First of all let’s take a look at the accessories that come bundled in the box.

Accessories

• 1 x THL 4400 black version phone

• 1 x Built-in 4400mAh Battery

• 1 x USB Cable

• 1 x Charger

• 1*OTG Adapter

• 1 x User Manual

• 1 x Headphone

Pretty bog standard stuff really, nothing that surpised us, but at least we saw eveything we expected to see in a mobile phone box.

Design

The design of the THL 4400 is nothing to shout about, it looks pretty much like any other mobile phone. On the front we find the camera, an 8MP offering, not bad for a front camera, the call peaker and three soft buttons. One surprising thing we did find was that the usb port and the headphone jack at the top of the phone. A little different to the norm perhaps but we didn’t find it too unnerving, once we had got used to its location.

THL 4400

The side of the phone has quite a nice bevel to it. It is comfortable to hold despite its size. The feel is good. Strong and solid, how any decent electronic item should feel. The left side holds the power button and on the right you have the volume rocker.

The backside of the phone holds all the typical features you would expect, the rear camera, a pixel shattering13MP one, the LED falshlight, the THL logo and a nice Technology Happy Life slogon. Very Chinese. Once we remove the back cover we unveil the ‘built in’ battery (!!!!!) and three card slots comprised of two SIM card slots and one TF slot. At the base of the battery we have the THL 4400 speaker.

Display

THL 4400

Remeber the days when phone manufacturers tried to make their phones smaller and smaller? If you do, you’re from my generation. However, nowadays bigger is better. Bigger screens, better resolutions they’re all the rage for better video game playing and video watching. The THL 4400 doesn’t diasppoint with its 5 ich gorilla glass screen. The resolution is a dandy 1290*720 HD and gives crisp, celar and sharp images.

Processor

The THL4400 runs a 1.3GHz MTK6582 Quad-core processor along with 1G RAM and 4G ROM That doesn’t quite make it a super giant, and couldn’t possibly compete with its octa-core counterparts but still has plenty to offer to your average, daily, android smartphone user. To be able to quantify how well it works, take a look at the Anutu score benchmark. It scores a total of 17036 points, which actually puts it ahead of the Google Nexus 4!

Battery

THL 4400

The THL 4400 ships with a hefty 4400mAh battery, really quite a monster compared to many brand name phones. It is a lot larger than, for example the Galaxy Note 3 which only has a 3200mAh one.

The THL 4400 easily lasted all day without having to worry about where the nearest plug socket was.

Camera

THL 4400

The THL 4400 has an 8MP front facing camera, and a 13MP rear facing camera. Both cameras were tested extensively, and we are happy to say that they exceeded our expectations. Both still and moving video recording were well up there, even with some of the best.

Summary:

What can I say about the THL 4400 in conclusion. Is it earth shatteringly fantastic? No. Is it rubbish? No. It’s around about middle of the road. A good, solid, decent day to day camera for your average person who is looking to make calls, take a few photos or videos, publish them on the social networks and browse the internet. If you are wanting a super fast, eye shattering, bright, super densely piixelated camera capable of launchin the nex international space mission, this is not for you. But for quality/price ratio, it is perfect.

When I compare these phones, and consider wether they are worth buying or not I always liken them to what is on offer in Britain. If I had to choose between the THL 4400, or say, it’s closest rival, the Galaxy S4, I would take the THL 4400 hands down.

What lets the phone down? Only 1GB Ram, it could have more, and a non changeable battery. Good points? Its price, its looks its all round performance.

If you are intested in the THL 4400, take a look at my website, China Electronics. For a direct link, follow this link THL 4400

Have you enjoyed this review? If so, please share. Feel free to comment below.

5 Reasons You should Buy a Chinese Android Smartphone

I have been in the market selling Chinese Android smartphones for quite some time now and I have seen many changes over the years. Not surprisingly, the biggest change I have seen has been in peoples attitudes towards our far eastern brothers smartphones. When I decided to start selling Chinese Android smartphones, I did so because when I visited the far east I saw how much more technologically advanced all their electronics items were and I thought, why not sell this in Britain? At first people were reluctant to buy, and it was a struggle, but as I said above, peoples attitudes are starting to change.

Oppo N1

More and more I see people with Chinese Android smartphones, proud owners, really happy with their products, and loving the attention their cool looking phone gets. I ask everyone I see with a Chinese phone, why it is they bought it, and I have whittled their answers down to the following five reasons. If you are on the fence, then read on. I will give you 5 reasons you should buy a Chinese Android smartphone. 

Design and Innovation

 

If you look at all the latest phone offerings from the major brand phone companies, such as Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG, you will soon realise that they are all very similar design wise, and incredible similar specification wise. Once you peel back each companies brand name, the phones are really quite similar. Each new phone model is basically just a slight tweak on the previous model and nothing new.

iOcean X7

If you compare them to the latest models from the best Chinese phone manufacturers such as, Nubia, Xiaomi, Oppo, JiaYu and Zopo you will see how these manufacturers really push the limits in their phone designs and specifications.

Latest Hardware

 

The devices that we receive in the European or American markets, although they are the latest technology for us, are actually last years technology in China. The Chinese, when we were still fascinated by the first colour (non touch) screen, the Chinese phones already had 4 inch touch screens. That’s the way it is. In the far east all the technical advances and manufacturing processes are done so it’s only natural that they are technologically more advanced.

iNew V3

The average Chinese android phone is already far more advanced technology wise than our ‘top of the range’ offerings. For example, Vivo, and possibly Oppo will have the worlds first 2K display phone on offer before the end of the year, nearly all Chinese phones have wireless charging, NFC, gesture controls and ETC. They also generally have better processors, cameras, sensors and lenses.

Choice

 

So it’s time to renew your smartphone, you head down to your local Vodafone store, have a look around, you will probably see the Galaxy S5, Note 3, iPhone 5, HTC One, Moto G. None of which really catch your eye because, lets face it, they’re the same as their previous models, with slightly improved specs. You’re not interested so you pop next door to the Orange shop, seee what they offer… Galaxy S5, Note 3, bla bla bla, and the story repeats in every mobile shop, the same choices, practically the same prices.

xiaomi mi3

Not so in China.

 

Have a look on my website China Electronics and any other website dedicated to the Chinese mobile market just to see the range of phones available.

Individuality

 

iPhone, Nokia, HTC and Samsung, when was the last time you saw anyone that wasn’t using one of these brands of phone. Have you seen anyone ever with a phone that you saw it and thought, what phone is that? Well any phone that you buy from China will be a head turner for sure. You will be bombarded with questions such as where did you get that? How much did that cost? Where can I get one????

Although on the inside our smartphones are very personal, our music, photos of our friends and family and our contacts, on the outside they are all very similar and bland. Make your samrtphone personal and individual on the outside, just like you with the latest offerings from china like the Oppo N1, iOcean X7, iNew V3, JiaYu G5, Gionee E7, Xiaomi Mi3 and Meizu MX3

Value for money

 

Meizu MX3

This really is the major selling factor for all Chines Android smartphones, their value for money. In the British market you would never find a 5.5inch, gorilla glass screened, 8 core quad processor for only £160 like you can in China with the Zopo ZP988. Or altenatively a Snapdragon 800 powered android smartphone for only £170 like the Xiaomi Mi3.

I have given you a couple of reasons for choosing a Chines Android smartphone, let’s see if you are willing to try it out? Do you already own a Chinese smartphone? What were your reasons for choosing it? Do you regret it? Would you recommend it? Please feel free to comment below, and if you like it, please share it!

What to Expect from New Android L Release

Android L update

The worlds most popular mobile phone operating system is without doubt the one with the little green man. The bitten fruit is going into steady decline as more and more people realise that the advantages and flexibility of android far outweigh the media hype of Apple.

 

With all the interest in the Android operating system we ask ourselves, what will the next iteration of Android have in store for us? Rumour has it that the next Android update, due in a round three months time, will be a biggie. Android L, or Lollipop as some are calling it is going to be spectacular, and we want to share with you our thoughts on what it could hold in store for us.

 

Android L round-up with features.

First of all, we’re not sure if the new version of Android will be Androis 4.5 of Android 5. It doesn’t really make much difference, but it could tell us a lot about how radically the operating system is going to change. A simple change of 0.1, from 4.4 to 4.5 would imply a small change, whereas to make the jump to 5 would hint to a radical change. Lets hope it goes to 5!! What we do know is that the new version is going to include nearly 5000 new API for developers and the default runtime is changing to ART.

 

With all these new API’s that are going to be integrated in the latest release we should see some new functionality and hopefully better battery life. A few of the new items will be Screen Capture, shown at Google I/O, burst mode for the camera, JobScheduler, low latency audio, do not disturb mode, path animations, Battery Saver mode and many, many more features. As we get closer to the release date we can expect the multicolour named search engine giant to give us more hints as to what to expect. Here at China Electronics we will keep you posted.

 

With all these added features for developers, we can expect to see much more functionality in the new Android release. Applications will be able to be more complex and achieve much more.

 

What are your expectations from the new android operating system? Is there anything you would particularly like to see? Longer battery life? Better Android user interface? A radical new design? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below, and if you have enjoyed the article, please share it!

 

Check out all the Android Smartphones available on China Electronics.

 

Source> http://www.androidorigin.com/android-l-4-5-0-lollipop-update-google/#ixzz37c2RPi8c

The 5 Best Action Cameras on the Market

More and more people today are participating in adrenaline fuelled sports and death defying feats as technology advances to make these types of sports safer. One of the major joys of doing these things is being able to share the amazing moments with our friends and family. Since the introduction of the sports camera everybody including novice mountain climbers, X-Games, athletes, intermediate mountain bike riders and paraglider pilots can share their extreme moments and insane stunts in point of view, HD glory.

The market for action cameras has risen dramatically over the past couple of years and thanks to the demand of these first person view cameras, many new makes of sports camera have arrived on the market. Everybody is familiar with the current market leader, GoPro, but there are many other alternatives out there, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. We have whittled down all the vast alternatives into 5 of what we consider to be the best action sports cameras on the market today.

 

GoPro Hero3 Black Edition

GoPro Hero 3 Black

The current market leader and benchmark for all sports cameras, the GoPro Hero 3 Black edition boasts a plethora of specs that others cameras only dream to have. With its 12MP CMOS sensor, and wide angle f/2.8 lens you can record eye popping 4K uhd footage at 12fps (frames per second) that will blow your friends away. Other video modes available are 2.7K/30 fps to 720p/120fps both of which are HD type footage. The camera comes with its own WiFi operated remote control and can be controlled with the free GoPro app for your mobile phone. It comes bundled with CineForm video editing software which had various digital filter effects and editing controls to produce eye popping, spiced up footage. This really is the best of the best at the moment but it will set you back a cool £300

 

Buy now from http://www.amazon.co.uk

 

Drift HD Ghost

Drift HD Ghost

The Drift HD Ghost is marketed towards outdoor athletes and is really an all rounder in the action camera scene. One advantage over the market leader is that it has a 2 inch LCD screen, toughened with Gorilla Glass so you can see the footage you are filming which helps you to set up the perfect shot. The lens on the Drift Hd Ghost can be rotated a whole 360 degrees which helps to level out any shots from awkward angles and the lens itself can take in a whole 170 degree wide angled spectrum. It offers a broad range of HD recording modes and has wind reducing software so the microphone records a much better sound quality than other action cameras. The built in WiFi allows you to transfer and edit clips on iOS devices (Android not currently available) and has a removable battery pack so you can change batteries to extend video recording time. It comes boxed with a handful of flat and curved mounts so you can attach it to a variety of surfaces.

 

Buy Now £250 from http://www.wexphotographic.com

 

Sony Action Camera with Wi-Fi

Sony Action Camera

This camera really is a beast and is built to last and endure the hardest treatment. It shares the majority of features with its two main rivals above, but it has been built to a much tougher standard and has been designed to outlive even its own operator. It has a super slim and aerodynamic design that lends itself to super fast, adrenaline filled, video filming moments and you won’t even feel that the camera is there. This camera boasts the longest battery life of all the cameras we have shown here with an estimated life of three to four hours.

 

This camera is also WiFi controlled and you can start it recording remotely in various modes such as 1080p 30/60fps and 720p 30/120fps. The most important factor is that the lens is a Carl Zeiss creation, renowned worldwide as one of the best lens manufacturers. All this coupled with the ability to share your videos on social media directly from the camera itself should persuaded you that its not to hefty price tag is worth it.

 

Buy Now: £198 http://www.wiggle.co.uk

 

SJ4000

SJ4000

The SJ4000 is a budget action camera that is not shy of features. At only £60 you would be forgiven for thinking that this camera is no good. Au contraire, mon ami. Don’t let its budget price fool you. It may not be as high ion specs as the others but it has 90% of the specifications at 25% of the price. Capable of filming at a maximum of 1080p 30fps on its 12MP sensor you can film some amazing footage at amazing HD quality. It does lack a little on the battery life, filming for only 1 hour at full HD, but as spare batteries only cost £3, carry a couple extra and film all day. It comes with a 1.5 inch LCD screen on the back to be able to line up and see exactly what you are filming. The tough case lets you submerge the camera in up to 30 metres of water without worrying about it breaking and it is compatible with all GoPros accessories. If you’re unsure about what you can really achieve with an action camera, you can try this one out without taking out a second mortgage for the GoPro. Most people, once they buy the SJ4000 find it is enough for their needs and prefer to spend another £60 on a second one rather than change it for a GoPro.

 

Buy now £60 http://www.chinaelectronics.co.uk

 

GoTop HD

GoTop

This other budget camera also boasts some impressive features at a not so high price. Its 16MP CMOS sensor (better than the GoPro) is capable of filming 1080p footage at 120fps. This make for some awesome footage that rivals anything the GoPro can kick out. Submersible at up to 30 metres you really can take this camera anywhere. It comes bundled with 5 mounting accessories allowing you to place it anywhere you want to record any kind of adrenaline fuelled footage.

 

Buy Now £130 http://www.chinaelectronics.co.uk

The 5 Best Tough Smartphones

Today we like to be connected at all times, able to take photos and publish them on twitter even in the most extreme situations. Things like “Look ay my selfie hanging off this cliff”. However most modern phones are too fragile to risk taking with us, any slight drop or bang and the screen is broken and we are left with a very expensive door siop in our pockets.

But it doesn’t have to be like that, many mobile phone manufacturers have started making ‘rugged’ smartphones. These little babies are tough and ready for adventure. If Action Man had a smartphone, he would have one of these. Toughened and reinforced in all the right places these ‘rugged’ phones can be taken almost anywhere.

I have decide to compile a list of the 5 best rugged smartphones on the market just now so you can compare the differences and see what is available out there for your outdoor lifestyle.

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2

£190, www.amazon.co.uk

This phone is the new version of the Xcover and comes out of the box running Android 4.1, Jelly Bean. It features a double core processor capable of running many applications without any problem. It features a 5 inch screen with a resolution of 800×480. The camera is a 5MP offering, which although it isn’t the best, it does make this phone a mid range contender. Apart from its normal phone features it boasts IP67 certified ruggedness. What does that really mean? Well it means that it is dust and sand proof and can endure other types of rough treatments as well as up to 30 minutes in one metre of water.

JCB Toughphone Pro-Smart TP909

JCB Rugged Phone

£280 (PAYG), http://www.carphonewarehouse.com

When you think of the company JCB you immediately think about diggers and construction sites and big compressed hammer wielding, butt crack showing workmen. Well those types of guys will need a tough phone and the JCB Toughphone does just that. It certainly looks the part, and this TP909 looks as though it could survive a direct nuclear attack. But it doesn’t stop there, it also boasts Android 2.3, a 5MP camera and microSD slot. It isn’t the fastest with only an 800mHz processor and 256MB of ram.

Sony Xperia Go

Sony Xperia Go

£220, www.sonymobile.com/gb

One of the major selling points of this Sony phone is the fact that it doesn’t have that characteristic ‘rugged’ look. If you need a tough phone, but aren’t too keen on the rough look then this phone could be the one for you. Below its well made up outside it does hide a rugged interior that is waterproof and scratch resistant. It isn’t too expensive really, but that does reflect in the battery life and screen resolution which aren’t of the best in this smartphone range.

Bison II

Bison II

£140

http://www.chinaelectronics.co.uk/35_Inch_Rugged_Android_Phone_-_Bison_II/p2815400_12510666.aspx

 

This rugged Android phone runs Androis 4.2 and hides in its interior a 1GHz Dual Core MTK6577 making it a fast contender in the rugged phone race. It holds the IP67 rating making it dustproof, sand proof, shock proof and able to withstand 30 minutes in one metre of water. It boasts a toughened screen with a resolution of 960×640 making it perfect for looking at photos and streaming videos. Although it isn’t from a well known brand name it is a perfectly viable rugged phone.

Ox Black

Ox Black

£170

http://www.chinaelectronics.co.uk/Android_Quad_Core_Rugged_Phone_-_Ox_Black/p2815400_12510707.aspx

 

This 4.3 inch screen Android phone is about as tough as they come. Running Android 4.2 it boasts a 3000 mAh battery for up to 8 hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby time. Completely toughened it complies with IP67 being sandproof, dustproof and submersible in water for up to half an hour. It’s not too bad looking either, easy on the eye as well as easy on the pocket.

 

Buying Electronics from China

We are all used to seeing brand name electronics in our stores both online and in the high street, but have youo ever considered buying your electronics online direct from China? Most people would be surprised at the quality and cheapness of the products available.

My name is Philip Dodd and I am the owner of China Electronics. In this article I would like to introduce you to the world of online electronics direct from the manufacturer in China. I have been importing products from China for some time now  and in my experience I always get asked the same questions over and over again so I have decided to write this article to help answer some of those doubts.

Are the items good quality, won’t they just be cheap copies?

This is the main question I get asked over and over again. The answer is no. Nowadays 99% of our consumer electronics are manufactured in China or some other far eastern country. The manufacturing companies in China are well versed in the making of electronics items and are renowned as being some of the best in the world. That said you will also find the majority of the cheap fakes are also made there too. Thats where people like me come in. I have spent years sourcing the best manufacturers to offer tried and tested products with my own personal seal of approval. In reality the same factories that produce items the likes of the GoPro or Samsung mobile phonesm also produce ‘No Brand’ electronics items to the same specifications that are identical in every way to the branded item, except for the price.

Won’t I have to wait a month for delivery? Will my item really arrive?

This question is a very valid question. It’s normal to expect thing to take a long time to arrive, especially when they are coming form almost halfway round the world. When we compare to the 24-48 hour delivery times we are used to in the UK. In fairness the average delivery time for item sent from China is in the region of 7 to 15 days if you choose the standard international delivery option. Of course, items can be delivered in much less time if you use international courier companies like UPS or DHL. In which case items can take as little as 2 or 3 days. Of course, the international delivey companies will charge a fee for their express services, but more often than not, the item price plus postage is still a lot cheaper than the branded item on sale in the UK. If you are not in amy rush to receive your item, quite often the economy international delivery is more than enough.

Will I pay enormous import costs?

One of the major advantages of posting with economy international postage is that the sender doesn’t have to declare quite as specifically the contents of the package. This is a great advantage when it comes to importation. Many of our manufacturers will send out items in incospicuous packages with the minimum possible price declaration on the packaging. This means that in 99% of sent items there wil be NO importation duty to pay, especially if you only order one item at a time. When it comes to international couriers like UPSor DHL, they tend to need more specific item details when posting and therefore are more lilely to suffer from import duties. We always send our items as economy international postage as standard, but if you prefer to receive your item a little faster, we will send them by other international couriers.

What if my item arrives faulty, I can’t just nip back to the shop.

Like with any other online website, the fact that you buy your item online doesn’t affect your statutory rights. If you receive a faulty item you can send it back either for a replacement or a refund, depending on which you would prefer. Certainly here at China Electronics, we value our customers more than anything and all we ask is for you to send us your faulty items back to us and we will refund the item price and the return postage. We have a European return address so that the postage is cheaper for all returns. If you have any trouble just reach us on our contact page for full retuns details.

What if my item isn’t what I expected?

Like with any online retailer, its always difficult to let your customers know exaclty what your products are like because you can’t come into our online store and touch and feel the product you wish to buy. For that reason we offer a 30 day, no quibbles money back guarantee. On our website we try to describe in excellent detail all of our products, but in the case that you feel our item doesn’t match exactly the description, just send us the item back followin the same instuctions as in the previous chapter.

As with all purchases online you run the risk of buying something ‘blind’ as it were, and the fat that your items come from so far away causes more concern still. I only hope that this article helps you to understand that buying items from China has no need to be any more untrustworthy that going to the high street, or compared to any other online sale. Please feel free to check out all our items at China Electronics