It seems that Digicel is geared towards keeping the DL line
of phones up to date with new iteration ever so often. Who would have thought
that years later we would have newer models being produced? This week we bring
to you the full review DL 1000.
DL 1000 Specification as “listed on the Box”
- OS Android 5.1 Lollipop
- Quad Core 1.3GHz Processor
- 13MP Rear Camera
- 8MP Front Camera
- 5.5’’ Touch screen display
- 1GB Of RAM
- 8 GB (ROM) of internal Storage
- Battery: 2910 mAh
The box information on the DL1000 seems to have improved
since the DL900. The essential information that most users and potential buyers
want to see are now projected right at the side of the box. Just one small
problem though. One of the specifications above isn’t technically true. So here
I go again digging for the truth… The truth is that the DL1000 has 8GB of
internal storage but the user is only allowed to utilize 4GB of that space.
Build Quality and Design
The DL1000 looks and feels wonderful in the hands. It’s
pretty slim for a DL phone and very light compared to phones in its size
category. Also, the DL1000 is the first Digicel phone we have seen that doesn’t
have a removable battery. It still comes with your standard memory card slot
which is a relief these days. The construction is all plastic like it siblings
DL900 and DL800 which is a given at its approximate $13,000 price point.
Camera Quality
The DL1000 has an 8MP front camera which is amazing to see
in a budget Smartphone. The front camera takes decent photos but there is room
for improvement, and the rear 13MP camera performs similarly too. The phone
also comes with a flash and handles pictures in the dark or poorly lit areas
pretty well. The only problem I find with the DL1000 camera is the delay in
taking the photo and the actually processing of the photo. This delay will make
it difficult for anyone to take quick photos on the go. These quick photo shots
usually come out looking blurry most of the times. That being said, it should also be mentioned
that the camera isn’t able to record videos in HD. The phone uses 3GP as the
file format for the videos recorded. The only quality adjustment you can make
is between fine, high, medium, and low.
Performance
It doesn’t get any better than this for Digicel phones. The
DL1000 is by far the best performing phone in the DL line up. I know I have
said this before, but this has out done the DL900 and taken the crown. It is
considerable faster than the DL900 in games and all other categories. Also, it doesn’t have that limited amount of
internal storage which plagues the DL900 and DL800. Thus I was able to fit FIFA
16 on it, Implosion – Never Lose Hope, and Candy Crush with no storage problem.
Display
Everyone needs a decent screen to look at on the go, and the DL1000 screen is a beautiful thing to look at. The DL1000 has a 720p display that will blow your mind when you see how sharp and colorful it is. Your smart phone should be the one stop for movies, games and pictures and the DL1000 does an awesome job in all categories. I was most impressed with the clarity and vibrant colors of the DL1000.
Outstanding Features
We all know by now that the DL750 and DL800 have a TV
function that makes you watch local stations. Well the DL1000 has a radio, and
a pretty nifty feature in the camera called time lapse. This feature lets you
video record a long moment in time and view it back in mere minutes. So it’s
possible to record the sun rising and save it as 10 minute video. Also, the
navigation buttons are backlit to alleviate use in the dark.
Finally Thoughts
The
DL lines of phones have grown considerable since their conception, so much so
that their only competitor is themselves. The DL1000 just made the competition
harder… Now the hot topic will be should I buy the DL800, DL900 or the DL1000?
We can’t answer that question, but we can say that the DL 1000 gives you your
money’s worth.
Samsung Galaxy J7
The Samsung Galaxy J7 (J7) is not the usual high-end specification that the company usually offers, but more of a modest offering to a budget constraint consumer. The specification sheet is still above what most other companies would put in their mid-range phone though.
Specification List
- Dual SIM
- Display 5.5 inches Super AMOLED 720 x 1280 pixels (~267 ppi pixel density)
- Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop)
- CPU: Octa-core 1.5 GHz
- MicroSD card slot, up to 128 GB
- Internal storage 16 GB, and 1.5 GB RAM
- Primary Camera: 13 MP, f/1.9, 28mm with LED flash
- Secondary Camera: 5 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, with LED flash
- FM radio with RDS, and recording
Display and Built Quality
The J7 feels sturdy in the hands and has a premium feel to
it. The front display is covered with gorilla glass that helps with reducing
scratches or cracks that might happen through daily use. The loudspeaker is located
at the back of the phone and capable of pumping out some decent audio for its
size. The phone also has a removable
battery and a SD card slot. These two things may look simple on paper, but
removable batteries and SD card slots are essential if you plan to maximize
your storage and extend battery life the cost effective way. Although, the one
thing that stood out for us was the vibrant and sharp display. The J7 doesn’t
have a QHD display like the Samsung Galaxy S6, but we couldn’t tell the
difference between them by just looking. The display is sharp and produces
vibrant colors that will compete with any other phone.
Features and Camera Quality
When last have you seen a FM radio on a Smartphone? This is
none existent in most Galaxy S phones, but the J7 has a fully functioning one
preinstalled. The J7 comes with all the bells and whistle you would find on a
new Smartphone from Samsung. It comes with even the theme application
preinstalled to help you fancy up your new phone. The 13 megapixel rear camera
takes superb picture in the days and acceptable photos in low lighting, but the
front camera is kind of iffy when it comes to quality though. Most photos taken
by the front camera looks average, but there are some odd moments when the
photo would come out not so great or amazing. This conundrum is still a mystery
to us. The J7 also offers a LED flash for the front camera which is a first for
any phone we have reviewed here. Now it’s possible to take selfies in the dark!
Battery Life
The battery life for the J7 is the best we have seen in a
while. Unlike other phones that struggle to make it past two days of average
use; the J7 lasted a solid three and a half days before it needed to be
charged. The phone seems to use almost zero battery power while in the idle,
screen off state.
Final Thoughts
Samsung
seems serious about controlling all shares in the android market, and the
Samsung Galaxy J7 with its mid price point is a strong contender for the budget
consumer that wants more for less. The product mentioned in this article was
provided by the Samsung Experience Store
in Tropical Plaza Telephone#: 754-6370.
Schneider Electric, a
global specialist in energy management and automation, announced that it will
support the use of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries as an alternative to Valve
Regulated Sealed Lead-Acid (VRLA) batteries for many of its three-phase uninterruptible
power supplies (UPSs). Schneider Electric is
helping customers address some of the key challenges they face with using UPSs
including:
- Significantly reducing UPS footprint and weight to allow for a more effective use of space: Li-ion batteries pack a lot of energy into a much smaller footprint. As a result, they take up only about one-third the space (or less) of a comparable VRLA-based solution that delivers the same power. This helps customers increase the footprint available for IT equipment while also reducing cooling requirements, which saves both capital costs and ongoing operating costs.
- Extending UPS battery life and reducing maintenance overhead: Lithium’s long design life greatly reduces the cost and maintenance burdens of performing battery replacements.
“While VRLAs remain
the dominant UPS energy storage technology due to their low cost and high
reliability, lithium-ion is becoming a more attractive option for a growing set
of customers,” said Pedro Robredo, Vice President of Secure Power Systems,
Schneider Electric. “While the initial cost remains higher than comparable
VRLA, the price gap has reduced significantly in the last few years. Based on
the application, Li-ion solutions can offer a projected Total Cost of Ownership
savings from 10 percent to 40 percent over their design life.”
Lithium-ion battery
options are available immediately for select projects supporting Symmetra MW,
Galaxy 7000 and Galaxy VM with broad availability in the second half of 2016.
Additional three-phase product line support will be rolled out through 2017.In support of this
launch, Schneider Electric will showcase its Li-ion battery solution at its
Technology Center in St. Louis. To learn more about Schneider Electric’s portfolio of 3-Phase UPS systems please visit our website here or contact your
local Schneider Electric representative.
