ASUS ZenFone 2

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS ZenFone 2 Review: Excellent Android Value

The rate at which the industry is pumping out smartphones these days is staggering. Even more impressive is the rate at which truly outstanding phones are shipping, even from names that weren't significant just a few years ago. BLU, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and ASUS (just to name a few) have all produced handsets in recent months that rival the best offerings from Apple, LG, Samsung, and other historical greats. It signals a shift in the industry where we've reached a certain level of market maturity at the hardware, software and ecosystem level. It's just that much easier to launch a smartphone in market than it was a few years ago.

The ASUS ZenFone 2 is one of the more interesting devices to hit the HotHardware reviews desk in some time. We spent a bit of time previewing it earlier this month, and now we've assembled a full review after using it more regularly as our daily dialer. The higher-end model, which is what we're testing here, is available widely for just $299 unlocked.

To put that in perspective, most flagship Android phones retail for upwards of $599 unlocked.

image: http://hothardware.com/ContentImages...enfone-2-1.jpg

And we're quickly approaching a point where the hardware available in a $299 smartphone isn't just sufficient for those on a budget, but also capable enough for power users that demand more performance and all the latest technologies. Here's a glance at what's inside the ASUS ZenFone 2 and as you'll see, there's a lot under the hood for its modest price tag...

image: http://hothardware.com/article_helpe...s/features.gif

ASUS ZenFone 2 Specifications & Features

OS	Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with Asus' custom ZenUI overlay
CPU	64-bit 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor
GPU	6430 PowerVR 533MHz
Memory	4 GB RAM 64GB built-in flash eMMC storage
Display	5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Rear Camera	13 MP PixelMaster Rear-facing Camera f/2.0 Aperture, 85-degree Wide-Angle Lens Dual LED Real Tone Flash
Front Camera	5MP Front-facing Camera
Network	GSM / HSPA / LTE; Dual-SIM support
Wireless	NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz), GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, SBAS, BDS
Ports	3.5 mm stereo audio jack, micro-USB 2.0
Size	170 grams 77.2 x 152.5 x 3.9 ~ 10.9 mm (WxDxH)
Battery	3000 mAh Li-Polymer (non-removeable)
Color Options	Black/White/Red/Gray/Gold
Price	$299 off-contract and unlocked

image: http://hothardware.com/ContentImages...l_IMG_6358.jpg

This ASUS smartphone is one of the few phones to ship this year with an Intel Atom chip inside. Intel is surely looking to get its label onto more handsets as time marches on, but it'll be tough to oust platform players like Qualcomm and Samsung that already have a firm grip. On paper, the ZenFone 2 looks like a mid-to-high range phone, but again, it's the $299 price point that keeps everything in focus.

Can ASUS' latest (now finally available in the US as well) come close to matching the performance of phones that cost twice as much? We'll find out in the pages ahead.

Toda a review:
http://hothardware.com/reviews/asus-...MWUZ7veIQ5P.99

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS to launch its ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM, 128GB storage in Taiwan

ASUS will be launching its new ZenFone 2 smartphone in Taiwan later this week, with the 64GB version costing around $310, while the 128GB model will bump that price up to around $375.

image: http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/news/...age-taiwan.jpg

The ZenFone 2 was released in March, selling over 100,000 units in Taiwan alone. The Taiwanese giant is now looking to continue this, pushing out a 128GB variant of the ZenFone 2, with it already being listed as "coming soon" on India's Flipkart.

Inside of the ZenFone 2, we have a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 4-core 2.3GHz Intel Atom Z3580 CPU, 4GB of RAM, LTE connectivity, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with 5-megapixel camera up front, and a 3000mAh battery.

Noticia:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/45941/...wan/index.html

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS ZenFone 2 Bootloader Unlocked, Custom ROMs Await

Well, that didn't take long. When we took a look at ASUS' ZenFone 2 a couple of weeks ago, we found it to be a great phone for the money. It looks great, has a beefy processor, and has one feature too few smartphones do: an Intel SoC.
As good as the phone is out-of-the-box, we couldn't blame you if you wanted to go the route so many Android power users do and root the device and unlock its boot loader. Thanks to XDA Developers user ravian29, that's now possible.
image: http://hothardware.com/ContentImages...enfone-2-1.jpg
In order to unlock the device, it needs to be updated to the latest firmware, which is 2.19.40. If for some reason that firmware is not available to your device, you will have to sit on the sidelines for the time being. You'll also need to root the device, and likewise have adb working and active on your PC. After a mere four lines of commands, the phone will be unlocked after a reboot.
There are two important things to note about this process, however. First is the fact that this should be performed by experienced users only, or at least users that don't mind voiding their warranty and potentially bricking their device. Second, as it stands right now, this process is completely irreversible. If that doesn't bother you, hit up the XDA Developers link below!

Noticia:
http://hothardware.com/news/asus-zen...m9uU9Z4h6k0.99

[Jorge-Vieira]

Huh. Someone Installed Windows 7 on an ASUS ZenFone 2.

So this is kind-of cool. The ASUS ZenFone 2 is based around an Intel Atom processor, which uses an x86 processor. Its performance is not comparable to a Haswell PC with discrete graphics, but the machine language will correctly guide voltages through the appropriate logic and end up in the proper memory locations. This means software that doesn't require high performance (or access to more advanced hardware) can run without translating the instruction set, which is harsh on performance.




Note that “more advanced hardware” could refer to something as simple as a floppy drive, which is not required to be classified as an x86 device but might be required for seemingly trivial software.

In this case, someone decided to load Windows 7 on ASUS' smartphone. It technically runs in an emulator but, as stated before, it does not need to translate the underlying instruction set. Even though it's a cute project, I wonder if it's possible to boot some version of Windows on an Intel mobile platform. Of course, it's not enough curiosity to make me research the BIOS standards and make an actual informed statement.

Noticia:
http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Te...ASUS-ZenFone-2

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS teases Zenfone 2 smartphone with 256GB of on-board storage

We live in a day and age where smartphone storage is almost as important as storage on your PC or notebook, but it looks like ASUS takes the cake when it comes to cramming as much storage into a smartphone as possible.

image: http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/news/...rd-storage.jpg

ASUS has teased a new Deluxe Special Edition of its Zenfone 2 smartphone in a 256GB version, but it will only be made for a special run in Brazil, in September. ASUS hasn't said whether this 256GB model will reach any other countries just yet, but with enough waves made, it shouldn't be too hard. Do it, ASUS.

Noticia:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/47213/...age/index.html

[Lima21]

Brutal !!!

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS ZenFone 2 said to be the fastest-charging smartphone in the world

The new ZenFone 2 smartphone from ASUS is making waves, with Tom's Guide recently publishing an article that has three smartphones competing against one another to see which one recharges the fastest.

image: http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/news/...hone-world.jpg

Many of the biggest and best smartphones out were tested, including iPhone 6, Nexus 6, LG G4, OnePlus 2, ASUS ZenFone 2, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Motorola Droid Turbo. The ASUS ZenFone 2 was the winner, hitting 53% from 0% in just 30 minutes, and was the fastest to reach 80% and full charge. When battery capacity is factored, the ZenFone 2 still beat the Galaxy S6, but not by much.

Noticia:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/47239/...rld/index.html

[Jorge-Vieira]

Brazilian and Indian Zenphone will be made by Foxconn

Arima for Indonesia
Asustek has named the manufacturers who will be behind its next Zenphone.

Foxconn who will make its ZenFone smartphones for the Brazilian and Indian markets will join the usual suspects, Pegatron and Quanta Computer. Arima will make the phones for the Indonesian market.
Asustek shipped 8.5 million ZenFone smartphones in 2014 and aims to ship 21 million units in 2015, the sources said. Asustek aims to ship 40 million units next year.
To do that the phone has to get into some tricky markets. Brazil has some protective customs tariffs on imported consumer electronics, but Foxconn's factories there will make ZenFone devices specifically for local sale. Asustek wants to ship a million
ZenFone smartphones in 2015 just for Brazil and three million in 2016.
ZenFone smartphones for the India market are made in India and China currently, with India-made models equipped with Qualcomm processors and China-made ones with Intel's, the sources said.
Asustek will have Foxconn produce ZenFone equipped with MediaTek processors for sale in India. Asustek wants to ship three million ZenFone smartphones to India in 2015 and four million in 2016, with production in India to account for more than half in 2015 and over 70 per cent in 2016.
For the Indonesia market, Asustek expects to ship at least 3.5 million ZenFones in 2015, most of them to be produced by local ODMs.
Arima has built a factory in Indonesia and Asustek will have Arima produce most of the ZenFones for the Indonesia market in 2016.
Asustek has also cooperated with Indonesia-based mobile telecom carriers to set up a smartphone plant in Indonesia with initial monthly production capacity of 300,000 units, and the plant will start production in January 2016.

Noticia:
http://www.fudzilla.com/news/mobile/...ade-by-foxconn

[Jorge-Vieira]

ZenFone 2 Laser is out for $199

16GB Snapdragon 615 with FHD 5.5 screen
Asus has been successful with its notebook, PC business but it is not doing that well with its phone line. Some of this might have been because it was one of the brave few that went for the Intel phone SoC. Now it has released The Asus Zenfone 2 and chosen Qualcomm SoC this time.

The Asus Zenfone 2 just started selling in the States. This Snapdragon 615 octa-core powered phone comes in 16GB and 32GB storage options. Some of its best bits include its Lightning-fast laser auto focus 13 mega-pixel PixelMaster 2.0 camera, It has a Dual active SIM with selectable LTE data connectivity and a removable battery.Fudzilla played with the original Asus Zenphone 2 powered with Intel Moorefield processor clocked at 1.8GHz and it was pretty good.
This version comes with 3GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB storage plus support for the SDXC cards with up to 128GB storage. The phone ships with dual antenna for a better signal reception and comes with a Cat 4 modem LTE support.
The display is shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and it has a 5.5 inch IPS FHD 1080x1920 with 178’ wide view angle, 401 PPI screen. Asus packs a few of its unique features including ASUS TruVivid Full Screen Lamination Technology, ASUS ZenMotion touch and motion gestures (Double tap to wake up and ASUS SonicMaster for better sound clarity and deeper bass but we are not sure how well these features work.

One of the best thing is the price. The 16GB version sells for a reasonable $199 while the 32GB sells for $249. There is a deluxe version with 128GB storage and 4GB RAM selling for $399. There will be a 256GB version of this phone but we could not manage to find the price.

Noticia:
http://www.fudzilla.com/news/mobile/...is-out-for-199

[LPC]

Boas!
Smartphone a bom preço!!

O mercado está ao rubro na gama dos 5 e 5.5" !!!

Muita escolha e cada vez melhores terminais...

Acho que é desta que ofereço á minha Mãe o meu Ascend G7 e compro um destes "novos"...

Cumprimentos,

LPC

[hypnox]

Comprei um na semana passada, o ZE551ML. Porta-se bastante bem, a bateria aguenta quase 3 dias, só é pena o bloatware.

[Nirvana91]

Boas!
Smartphone a bom preço!!

O mercado está ao rubro na gama dos 5 e 5.5" !!!

Muita escolha e cada vez melhores terminais...

Acho que é desta que ofereço á minha Mãe o meu Ascend G7 e compro um destes "novos"...

Cumprimentos,

LPC

É verdade... E nem vamos falar dos telemóveis chineses que esses partem-me todo. É com cada negócio....!!

[Jorge-Vieira]

Asus Launches Special Edition ZenFone 2 With More Storage, Special Covers

Asus launched the ZenFone 2 in May with some pretty impressive features, including an Intel Atom Z3580 SoC and 4 GB of available memory. The largest storage option was 64 GB of internal space with the option of an additional microSD card with capacities up to 64 GB. With the release of the new Special Edition, you can now get a ZenFone 2 with twice as much internal storage space.
The Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition comes equipped with 128 GB, but it otherwise shares most of its specifications with the $300 ZenFone 2. You'll find the same Z3580 SoC paired with 4 GB of RAM. It also offers dual-SIM support, just like the less expensive phone. The ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition does offer a couple of exclusives beyond the extra capacity, though.
Asus has included two special back covers for the new phone. One of the covers is made of carbon fiber, and the second cover is a faceted design with different shades of silver, which the company said is designed to feel great in your hand. In addition to the special back covers, the ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition features red trim around the screen. Asus altered the UI to match the red outline as well, giving the icons on the device appear black with red details.

	ZE551ML-23-4G128G-SE
OS	Android Lollipop 5.0
Processor	Intel Atom Quad Core Z3580 (2.3 GHz), Power VR G6430, with OpenGL 3.0 support
Storage	128 GB with Micro SD Card slot support up to 64 GB
RAM	LPDDR3 4 GB RAM
Display	1080 x 1920 FHD IPS (403 ppi) with Gorilla Glass 3
Battery	3,000 mAh, non-removable battery
Camera	13MP Camera f/2.0 aperture, dual-flash LED
5MP front-facing, wide-angle camera with f/2.0 aperture
Connectivity	802.11ac, BT 4.0
Cellular and Wireless Bands	GSM/EDGE: 850, 900,1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz
WCDMA: Band 1/2/4/5/8
FDD-LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/17/20
Network Compatibility	GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile and providers utilizing GSM networks such as Straight Talk, MetroPCS, and Cricket Wireless
SIM Card	Dual micro-SIM
- Primary SIM - 2G/3G/4G
- Secondary SIM - 2G
Price	$399

The ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition is available now from Asus's webstore, Newegg, B&H and Amazon.com. Asus's MSRP for the phone is $399.

Noticia:
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/zen...ges,30499.html

[Jorge-Vieira]

Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition Has Arrived For The US With Very Impressive Hardware

While Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition is quite a mouthful for an Android powered smartphone, consumers will be pleased to know that the handset has made its way to the United States, and that too with improved aesthetics and a terrific price tag.

Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition Comes With 4GB of RAM, Killer Camera Sensor And Of Course A $399 Price Tag

Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition is going to be compatible with the following United States carrier networks:

• AT&T
• T-Mobile’s network

Additionally, the handset is also compatible with GSM pre-paid networks like Straight Talk, MetroPCS, and Cricket Wireless. So what exactly is so special about the Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition? For starters, the smartphone comes with terrific aesthetics and its packaging is even more attractive. Secondly, the specifications of the device are impressive too; the 5.5 inch device with a resolution measuring at 1920 by 1080 is powered by Intel’s Atom Z5380 SoC. The processor running inside the chipset is a quad-core 2.3GHz one, and its performance will be completed with a PowerVR G6430 GPU.

There is also 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM present inside, which is acceptable, seeing as how incorporating 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM will force the price of the handset to skyrocket. For storage junkies, there is 128GB of internal storage, along with support for expandable storage too (listed in the hardware specifications table).




A 13MP rear camera has an aperture of f/2.0, which will give you an added advantage of being able to capture images, objects and other points of interest comfortably due to more light entering the lens. Furthermore, the 5MP front camera also has the same aperture, which always has an added benefit in when snapping images. To provide sufficient battery life to the user, there is a 3000mAh non-removable battery. Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition is available for pre-order for $399 and you can purchase it from the following online retailers.

• Newegg
• B&H
• Amazon

Given below are all the necessary hardware specifications of the smartphone that you need to concern yourself with. For its price, Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition has all the ingredients that will make it a worth contender? Do you guys agree with us? Whatever your decision maybe, let us know your thoughts.

Model name	ZE551ML-23-4G128G-SE

Model name	ZE551ML-23-4G128G-SE
Chipset	Intel Atom Z3580
Processor	Quad-core 2.3GHz
GPU	PowerVR G6430
Screen size	5.5 inches IPS LCD
Resolution	1080p
Internal storage	128GB
External storage	Expandable up to 64GB
RAM	4GB LPDDR3
Rear camera	13MP Camera f/2.0 aperature, dual-flash LED
Front camera	5MP front-facing, wide-angle camera with f/2.0 aperature
Wi-Fi adapter	802.11ac
Bluetooth	BT 4.0
Cellular and Wireless Bands	GSM/EDGE: 850, 900,1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz WCDMA: Band 1/2/4/5/8 FDD-LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/17/20
Network Compatibility	GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile and providers utilizing GSM networks such as Straight Talk, MetroPCS, and Cricket Wireless
SIM card compatibility	Dual MicroSIM Primary SIM: 2G/3G/4G Secondary SIM: 2G
Price	$399

Noticia:
http://wccftech.com/asus-zenfone-2-d...#ixzz3r09W4yBl

[Jorge-Vieira]

ASUS will include built-in ad blocking on their mobile devices in 2016

Next year, ASUS will be including ad-blocking software on its mobile devices. The Taiwanese giant has said that all of its web-capable mobile devices will ship with AdBlock Plus.

Not only that, but the included web browser will have it turned on by default. So if you visit sites with ads - you know, like TweakTown which allow us to pay our staff and provide kick-ass kick ass content - then these ads will be blocked by default. The exposure for ASUS will be limited, as only 15 million people use the built-in web browser on mobile devices made by ASUS.

Noticia:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/49209/...016/index.html