Happy to say but best A5 review so far. Thanx and please try keep on it that way!

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words! I'm doing my best to make a satisfying full review.

Good preview. Really like it. I'm looking forward to the complete review 😊

thank you for this quick impression-- eager to see a full review :D

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Eager to finish it! It's gonna be around 30 min long to cover as much as I can.

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

@galvosaur

3 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Super excited to see it thank you!

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

@@galvosaur Uploading it right now, should be up within the hour ^-^ Thanks!

Dasung and Hisense are taking the e-ink to another level. with this pace I think I'd b ready to get one next year.

I bought the hisense A5 after watching both your reviews on this phone . It's a great review and it's a great phone for me. I would really like to see another review on any further apps that you think work well on this phone if you have time. Thanks

Oh yes Anna! Been waiting for a device like this for my e-reading.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Right? This is perfect for reading on the go! Small and lightweight and you don't have to carry an extra phone with you 🤓📖

Wonderful first impressions video, Anna! (And I love palindromic names like yours. That's why one of my shows is CapicúaFM.)

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I also happen to like palindromic names 😁

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou As you probably know, the word CAPICÚA (which is the beginning of the name of my CapicúaFM show) is a Castilian word borrowed from Catalán and means either palindrome or palindromic. CAPICÚA is actually a compound word in Catalán: CAP I CÚA which literally means HEAD AND TAIL. Enjoy your HiSense A5 (named after an obscure paper size?) and I look forward to your continuing coverage. I am curious to know what is the latest Android security update it has received and whether it supports Project Treble or not. Theoretically it should, since it was born with Android 9.0, but since it does not come with Google Services, who knows? I hope it has Project Treble. To find CapicúaFM and other shows I do (either in English or in Castilian), visit radio.AllanTepper.com

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

I didn't know that, I don't speak that language but it's still interesting 😁 Latest security patch as of today: November 4, 2019 I didn't think it would support Treble but I run the command getprop ro.treble.enabled and got true So apparently it does.

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Yes, if not true monthly security updates, at least quarterly (we hope).

Looking forward to your full review! Could you give more info on how to side load on it etc? Thanks!

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Sure, thanks! You can sideload applications the same way you would on any other phone. That is: find a .apk file (Android application package) on the web (good websites include ApkMirror and APKPure), download it, click on it and follow the instructions to install it (the installation process only lasts a few seconds and isn't complicated at all.) I'll mention where to download apps + alternative app stores in the full review (maybe also a more in-depth extra video) 😀

Amazing review, you got a new subscriber

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🤩 By the way, I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Thank you for posting this "First impressions" video of an actual example of this phone. I love your setting -- with the coffee! It seems you're in Europe. Are you able to share your location and mobile service provider? What kind of download and upload speeds do you get? I'm in the US, and we don't have as much experience matching unlocked phones to networks! (unfortunately) I understand if you just want to include this in your upcoming full review.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome and thanks for the feedback. I thought the coffee cup would be a nice touch and I'm glad you agree. 😁 Indeed, I live in Europe. I don't think my exact location matters since the whole EU follows the same standards when it comes to mobile telecommunication. With that said, I'm on T-Mobile. I know you have T-Mobile in the US too, but I'm not sure if that actually matters since they might be very different. Practically all phones in Europe are sold unlocked, so I don't have any experience with that. It's crazy that they lock them in the US! I mean, it's your own phone, don't let them lock it! Anyway... You can always look that information up online. Hisense shares the supported bands and everything so you can check your carrier's website to see if they match. You could also call them and ask directly~

Nice overview. Thank you!

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching

Great review. Looking forward to the complete review. Do you think the price would come down after a while?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yes, I think so. The phone supposedly costs around 150 $ in China, but to get it in Europe you have to pay 200 € or more. That's likely because Hisense does not export them themselves. I actually thought about waiting and getting it later but I couldn't wait. I have everything I need for the full review, now I just need to actually record the video 😁 Will do my best to upload it within the week.

Thanks for the review, I'm waiting for the full lenght review :) Unlock with facial recognition... can it not unlock with regular pin code instead ?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! Yes, you can open it with a PIN, of course. Facial recognition is the only kind of "biometric" unlock method though, since there's sadly no fingerprint sensor. So if you wanna unlock it fast, you have to use your face. It's not real biometrics of course, the phone even warns you that it's not very secure.

Great review! What Launcher / Widget / Icons are you using? They look great!

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Smart launcher + built in widgets + Caelus & Nimbii icon if I remember it right (i have a different setup now) By the way, I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Hi ! Very good review. Please, add video which showing browsing on the web. I am looking for e-ink device to read some web articles on it. What is your impression, is it enough convinient for reading news on the web, because some other e-ink devices were very laggy and slowly?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, thank you! It's VERY convenient for reading articles online. The screen is fast enough (there is a bit of lag because of the nature of e-ink but it's not annoying). Preferably you're gonna want a browser that offers a reading mode (e.g. Firefox and Chromium based browsers) or a read-it-later type of app (I use Instapaper). I got this phone because most of the time I spend on my phone is spent reading articles. I'll definitely show what regular web browsing looks like in the full review, thanks for suggesting it!

Hi! Great video! How did you go about obtaining the phone? I live in the US and plan to try to get the Hisense A5CC (a upgraded version of the A5) in June. I noticed most of these phones are available from "JingDong Mall".

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I got it from CERT-Shop! It's a German / Chinese company, so I'm not entirely sure if they do deliveries outside of Europe but it's worth checking. They also sell the Global Edition now which has Google Play Services.

@kevinnieves3258

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Good to know! I couldn't find CERT-Shop but I found CECT-Shop. Is that the right site?

Great and clear review . Waiting for the full review , i am keen to see how the kindle app works compare to a dedicated kindle device .

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words! 🙏 To address your concern: it works pretty much just as well as a dedicated Kindle. When you install the app, it gets its own Kindle email address too, so you can email it books and docs. Of course you can also use the "Send to Kindle" share menu option too. It's more convenient than a Kindle because you can download books from any source. But of course it's smaller! Detailed review coming soon (likely this weekend or early next week), stay tuned ☺️

@hosammansor6631

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou I am greatful for your response and appreciate your detailed explanation , well done !

Nice first impressions. I will look forward the review. Can you share the apps that you are using and how was the experience? Do you listen to podcasts? If yes, how is that? Thank you a lot. It is hard to find information about this device

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Very hard to find info about this device indeed; that's why I'm gonna be sharing as much as I can, to help others who are undecided due to lack of information. I don't usually listen to Podcasts but I gave it a try to see what works. Google Podcasts unsurprisingly doesn't. There must be many that do, but I found one called "AntennaPod" which is open source, modern, completely free and works! (You can download it from F-Droid.) I'm thinking about creating an additional video about viable alternatives to Google apps and other mainstream apps, for people who have a phone without Google Services, like the Hisense A5, or who just don't like being tracked. 🤔

@otaviofsousa

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Thank you. You gonna help a lot! I will try this app (AntennaPod). Someone did something like this on reddit: www.reddit.com/r/fossdroid/comments/cashk9/alternative_android_apps/

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the link! Very helpful thread

Good review

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! This is more like a mini review. Full review coming soon.

Great review. I'm getting the color version of this phone. Obliterates the competition, and I love not having to support Google or Apple so much that I'll buy Chinese, who is less anti-american.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

I'm jealous, I want the color version too! 😆 I think I might sell my own after the color version comes out and buy that instead. The biggest negative about the Hisense A5 is the absence of a fingerprint sensor. Both the A5 Pro CC (color) and Classic will have one though! Regarding buying the Chinese version... jeep in mind that the model I have has a ton of typos and some strange layouts. They did a really bad job with the translation. Hopefully it's not going to be so terrible in the next model.

@moved2bitchute779

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Thank you for the helpful information! I'm gonna wait for those models with the fingerprint sensor then. Very exciting. Been waiting for e-ink to get here forever.

Hi, Anna. Great review! Question for you: I've been looking for a "digital detox" phone. I'm just trying to be more intentional about my screen time. The Light Phone II is what I've been most interested in. However, I'm concerned with it's small size. If you're unfamiliar with the Light Phone, it's a "premier" e-ink phone that only offers calls & texts as well as an alarm & calander. It's expensive. I'm wondering if the A5 could be fashioned into something similar? The larger size is preferable and access to the Kindle store would be welcome. Essentially, I don't want an internet browser or access to KZread. I know many phones don't allow the uninstallation of web browsers. Any input would be helpful. Thanks!

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hello Nathaniel, thank you! I was actually thinking about making a video like that (something along the lines of "Affordable Light Phone II Alternative - Hisense A5") 😄 In my opinion the Light Phone is way too overpriced considering its limited functionality. The makers said they would add support for navigation and other things which they still haven't added years later, as far as I know. Would you be interested in such a video? Thankfully there are many minimal launchers available for Android, many of them actually inspired by the Light Phone. Regarding the browser, well you cannot "uninstall" it per se, but you can disable it, which completely removes the app from your phone (no icon, no background process, impossible to actually open links.) If you change your mind you have the option of going into the phone settings and enabling it. I would totally recommend the Hisense A5 since you also have access to the Amazon Kindle Store and can read your books as you would on your Kindle!

@nathanialhaworth6669

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Very helpful! Thank you. I would love a video detailing your thoughts. I imagine many people would. The Light Phone concept is great-- but I can't bring myself to pay a premium price for a phone that offers so little. The full keyboard is really the primary factor preventing my return to a non feature phone. The A5 looks like it has the potential to bridge that gap.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly! The Hisense A5 is a fully capable smartphone if you want it to be, but because of its monochrome display and relatively low refresh rate, you're not going to want to use it for extended periods of time, unless it is for reading (which is the main purpose of this phone anyway, so of course it's great for that) Thanks and stay tuned! ☺️

Finally the phone I wanted for the long time -- navigation on the bike! Where/how did you buy it?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, it's great for outdoor navigation BUT you should note that it does NOT have a compass! Navigation apps work fine, but they don't know which direction you're facing before you actually start moving (afterwards they know of course). It most likely won't be an issue, but you should know. I got it from CERT-Shop.com 😊

@agonf

4 жыл бұрын

Maciej Pilichowski why would it be good for navigation ?

@WanderABit

4 жыл бұрын

@@agonf Because of battery life. When using classic phone for navigation the main problem is screen, not GPS. I can use my old Galaxy Ace 2 for a day with GPS turned on (with screen off, mostly) and I still have some juice at the end of the day. E-ink translates to having screen all all the time (plus nice perk like full readability in the sun).

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

2 reasons: • Screen can be "on" all the time without draining battery (E-Ink uses very little energy) • Perfect outdoor visibility. You must have noticed that your phone's screen is hard to see in bright sunlight, right? Like, the screen looks almost black even though the brightness is an the way up. Well, loking at an E-Ink screen outside on the sun is the same as looking at a piece of paper. That's the whole point 😁

I'd like to see full review! I'll subscribe just to see it)

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Some things got in the way but I still intend to do a full review and still use the phone. I'm very satisfied with it, for what it's worth ☺️

@vanessamichaels9512

3 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou full review pls :)

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Thanks for real user review, indeed funny that you can only change the back panels color...will probably buy the black version. Have you not managed to remove Chinese text from idle screen? What if you select an image that uses 100% of the screen and no clock? Clock updating does use some energy every minute.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome ☺️ The lock screen is customizable! They call the quotes "motto" (lol) and there's a switch to turn them on and off. I like the quotes so I keep them on! The Chinese doesn't bother me. But you can change anything. You can choose any wallpaper you want (the built-in ones are great though), remove the clock, switch to an analog clock, etc. The clock updating every minute uses negligible energy. No difference in battery life if you turn it off! Since I put in my SIM card I've noticed a significant battery drain though, so GSM standby and 4G do use a lot of energy 😅 Hope the battery life won't be crap now, but we'll see! Once I have enough data, I'll make a full review and mention everything. PS: your profile picture startled me, I thought it was a real fly 😂

@ne1up

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Great initial review and definitely curious on how the battery life holds up! Also curious how apps like Twitter and Reddit(is Fun) run. But ahhh I think I'm gonna buy this thing. Right in my minimalist book-loving soft spot.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

​@@ne1up all apps that don't rely on Google Services (and most don't) run absolutely fine. The only difference being you can only view them in grayscale 😄 If they have bad contrast, you might have to turn the screen's contrast up, but that's rarely the case. If you're worried about the speed, don't be. It's perfectly fine. If you're into minimalistic products, I can almost guarantee you'll like this phone! Battery life is stellar! If you mostly read and don't use your data connection often, then we're taking ~5-7 days. Otherwise 3-4 days (which is still amazing!) Basically: the less the screen has to move/refresh, the longer the battery lasts.

Thanks for the review, Anna. I am looking for a phone to treat my eyes. I use youtube, waze, whatsapp, google translate, gmail, and chrome browser very often. Is it possible to install and run all of these? (I know things such as youtube videos will not be very smooth but not a problem for me)

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Ozzy, it is possible to do all of these, just keep in mind that the phone doesn't have Google services. You can use Gmail through imap with any compatible email client though. By the way, I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

I love it A7CC is far more better than the Kindle Experience it has 128/6GB and upgradeable to 256GB SD card and with Android you can do everything you want to do, read Manga- Manhwa , news, and a lot of Epub books 💖😍😍

interesting ive always wanted more e ink devices. is this phone allowed to be sold in the states?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

It certainly is allowed (as in "legal," there's no ban on the company Hisense in the US)! 😀 I can't personally guarantee that it works with US SIM cards, but I've read it does and see no reason it wouldn't.

@janglestick

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou cool i guess ill wait for the engrish to get set up by someone else. thanks for early adopting that its very interesting

Hey thank you for great preview ;p. ... where is the review?

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Good question, LOL I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Can you make a full review, please, It's really needed as there is not many video about it still, even 6 month later.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're right. I have written an outline of what I need to mention in the review, but haven't found the time and motivation to make it yet. I'll do my best to get it out soon! In short though, I think this is a good phone for most people thinking about buying it (and there's an international model WITH Google Play Services available now) :) I want to go through all the details, of course, but it's a very good phone overall.

@MrManiac360

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou I understand it takes take to make a Video, a lot of people probably have the same phone but don't make any video about it. Thanks I probably won't take the internal version as I think you can't get the updates if they are any as it's not an official internal version (unless I misunderstood something)

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Hey, I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Hi! Excellent review! How long is the battery? two weeks? two years? LOL Whrere we get one? How much?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Haha 2 weeks only if you use it just as a phone and it's mostly on standby. Realistically, 5-7 days with normal use, around 4-5 days with very heavy use. I'd say the battery life is stellar. I got it for 200 € from CERT-shop.com

Thank you @Anna what’s the battery life like on this?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Around 4-7 days with medium use, 2-4 with heavy use, 10+ on standby ☺ 🔋

Hello! What about apps like Gmail and Photos?

Hi How can you make screen like this in 3:25-3:35，Did you Change the theme?Thank you...

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, I think I mentioned I use a launcher called Smart Launcher. You can download and install any launcher! 😊 Also using a custom icon pack.

@nyko7684

4 жыл бұрын

Anna F. Thank you..haha

how do you set up voice mail please help I have had it for months and there is no support from anywhere for this phone I like it but I seriously need voicemail for work

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

No idea, sorry. My plan doesn't support voice mail anyway so I've never used it 🤷‍♀️ From what I've heard though, all carriers have some codes that you "call" to set up such things, so it probably depends on your carrier. Try asking them.

After the latest firmware update the phone can be used in speed mode. Even now you can root and install Google play store and services( search xda developers forum)

if I download a PDF file will it fit to screen fairly large print ? Does it download all pdf files fairly easy? On my Samsung some pdfs won't fit to screen really unless you scroll around you can't read them

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, I'm not sure what you mean. The way PDF files open does not depend on the brand of your phone but on the app that you use to view them (so Samsung's built-in PDF reader might not suit your needs, but you're free to download another one). The Hisense A5 is a regular Android phone that you can install any app on; so you can find a good PDF reader in advance and it will work fine! ☺️ Hope this helps.

Very nice review, but the one thing unfortunately was ignored. Im pretty curious about battery life of this cutie phone. Especially in airplane mode.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, check out the comments. Battery life is stellar in airplane mode. At least a week of daily reading, depending on usage of course. I still intend to do the full review to cover more things!

@maximvlrvch5514

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Thank you. That was what i actually have been interesting about. 👍

A small correction, it's a frontlight, not a backlight since Eink screens reflects light.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hmmm you must be right. 🤔 I know on the Kindle it's a front-light so, rationally, the Hisense should have a front-light too. I'm just so used to saying "backlight" that I didn't think twice about it!

How did you navigate to get the English keyboard side loaded?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

I sent it via Bluetooth using my other phone! 😂 But, there is another way to do it. When you go to the browser and try to enter text in the URL bar, you get a Latin-character keyboard (since of course, even in China, URL are written with Latin characters) so you could use that to perform a web search and sideload the keyboard. You could also use a computer and a regular USB to micro USB cable.

I want to see a E-ink gaming monitor!

@IndianDayTrader0255

4 жыл бұрын

@Venturing into the Brine 144hz dude

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Sadly E-Ink screens can only handle low FPS and ghosting would be a serious issue. It's barely noticeable when reading, but ghosting is severe when watching a video. The screen would need to refresh all the time to counter that, and so it'd be even slower.

Hi Anna! Great review! I just got one but I have a problem. I setup the phone with a 4 digit pin but it's asking me for a 6 digit pin. I'm locked out of the phone. How can I get back in? I tried the factory reset it but it's still asking for the 6 digit pin. I never gave it a 6 digit pin, only a 4 digit pin. Any advice would be great. Thanks

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, I'm not able to help you with that, I'm sorry. I only know that the phone asks you to create a 6-digit PIN. One would assume that it wouldn't let you create one with 4 digits, if a 6-digit one is required... Perhaps it automatically fills the missing digits with zeros (or another number)? Have you tried entering your 4-digit pin + two zeros?

@escobonio

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Yes, I have tried that... I asked a Chinese person and he told me that it happens with Chinese phones, the carrier sometimes gives you a code to use the phone. I am going to try to hack the software or something.. thanks! ;-)

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hm, that sounds very strange... How could that be a bug in Chinese phones in particular, regardless of the manufacturer? Doesn't really make sense... 🤔 And by carrier, I assume you mean the manufacturer?

@escobonio

4 жыл бұрын

By carrier I mean the company that provides the service to call and receive data... I know, it is strange but it is the only thing I could think of. I have tried contacting the company that sold me the phone but they haven't answered yet. So I am entering the realm of developer fora, with all their technical language. Hope to find my way there :-)

@escobonio

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Anna! just to let you know i managed to solve it. The seller sent me a pdf where you have to install a bypass and you can set your 6-digit code.

Can you review the battery capability and comment on how long it actually can last when using it as a phone. How much battery does it use when talking for 3 or 4 hours at a time over multiple days?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! To answer your specific question, it lasts about 3-4 days if you use it ~3-4 hours per day. Of course it depends on what your do with it! For example, a data connection requires more power than WiFi. GPS will drain your battery, just like it would drain the battery of any phone. The screen only amounts to around 5-10% of the battery drain, compared to around 70% that a regular screen uses, and that saves A LOT of energy. But everything else (GSM standby, GPS, Android OS etc.) drains the battery just as fast as they would on any phone.

Hi are you still using this phone? Is the battery still going strong?

@annafilou

Жыл бұрын

Hi! Yes, I am. The battery is still great. Note that I don't use it most days though. I keep it turned off when I don't use it for long periods of time. My most frequent use happens in the summer, when I use it as a GPS navigator (perfect visibility in strong sunlight) and as a more durable phone so my main one won't break when we go have fun outside.

hello, can you tell me, can it run "split screen"? to use 2 apps at the same time. And can it run pop-up apps? like Fb's Mesenger, or Papago's mini Windows (translation). thank you

@annafilou

Жыл бұрын

I don't see any such features, so I'd say it does not. (sorry for taking three years to reply, but I'm answering in case anybody else has this question in the future)

@MsLukhach

Жыл бұрын

@@annafilou oh, thanks, it's too long time...😅. It's ok. And since that to now, i bought: hisense a6l, a6, a7cc, q5.... All good for me.... And now I'm just waiting Eyemoo S1 , a tablet with full color RLCD.... It's perfect, it's better than Tcl S8.,..

How does it look like when you press the power button? Because when you put it into your pocket, you'll probably accidently touch on a lot of things. It would be good if turning off screen just turns off touching of screen.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, you can actually see the lock screen in the video and the thumbnail! It's a regular lock screen but the display is always on so you can see the time, battery percentage and lockscreen wallpaper all the time 😉

@ArmadusMalaysia

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou That's great! In checked on AliExpress but they sell it for such a high price, and I heard buyers aren't getting their package. Where's did you buy yours? Is there another site where I can buy it?

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

@@ArmadusMalaysia CECT-shop

Wie lange hält die Batterie? Wieviel kostet das Gerät in Österreich?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hallo! Das ist ein chinesisches Gerät, man muss es importieren, kann in Österreich nicht direkt gekauft werden. Beim CERT-Shop kostet es 200 € + 15 € "Europe Priority Line" Lieferung (wichtig: wenn du die Option Priority Line NICHT wählst, dann musst du Import-Steuer zahlen!) Batterie: 2-3 Tage wenn du es oft verwendest/viel liest, 4-6 wenn du es weniger benutzt. Eine komplette Review kommt bald ☺️

@duytbbp9763

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Danke fuer die Info

I’m wondering how well WhatsApp works on it. And if it’s as annoying typing on it as it is on a Kindle.

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

You can install a third party keyboard that will work on all other apps that require input. I have been using my smartphone without SIM card for a while now, cuz WhatsApp and Discord are so great. (Had to install microG core for Discord to function)

@annafilou

Жыл бұрын

WhatsApp can run without Google Play Services. I tried it and it works fine, no different from how it runs on a typical phone. (Sorry for taking a while to reply. I wasn’t using WhatsApp before.) It's not it's annoying to type on as on a Kindle. The refresh rate on the Hisense is a lot faster, so it's not frustrating. If you type very fast like I do, it does get annoying, but I find it almost doesn't bother me if I use the Fleksy keyboard because the auto correct is so good (it was originally made for blind people, so you don't need to be able to see the keyboard refresh to type right).

hi, was the protective film applied already??

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, that's right! A matte screen protector was already applied. It's a shame that no replacements are included.

@ree-l

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou thanks Anna, just received the same device. Can you share the theme and the icon pack you are using with smart launcher?? Also, any knowledge on how to sync contacts from google account. Thanks

Hey Anna, got mine today. Its great but installing stuff is a bit painful :) .. Did you installed fdroid, and checked the "risk tips - no official application - phone or data can be attacked..bla bla? Could you give me some tips, how you setup´ed your device! Any chance to get KZread App on Bord? vanced.app/ - wont load Many thanks from PL

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

app called NewPipe works, can't tell it's youTube from the name... installing microG services core helps with getting some google apps working

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, I hope you don't mind my late reply. In short, yes I didn't install F-Droid and also the Aurora Store (you download that through F-Droid) which let's you download free APK from the Play Store even without an account. Ignore the "security messages," they're just scare tactics. Hisense wants you to use their own (Chinese) store and that's why they show these messages.

Google services can actually drain the battery relatively fast. If you want to have an E-ink reader with some basic smartphone features, this phone can be a good choice. For people who prefer Google services, I'll suggest you should wait until either people find an easy way to get the Google installer, or online vendors start shipping the phones with the international version.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

You're right! Google Services run in the background and drain battery. Battery life on this phone seems very good so far. I've been using it for 3-4 hours a day (mostly reading, but also GPS navigation, browsing, GSM standby because I use it as a phone, WiFi always on and occasionally 4G) and it's on 10% after 3 days without charging. 🔋🔋🔋😄 An international version might be released in the future, since Hisense does sell some smartphones with Google Services in Europe (if I'm not mistaken.)

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

microG services core is a open source solutions if you really want to run google apps

Still waiting for the full review

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the patience! I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Can you do things like mobile deposit checks on these phones?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

We don't use checks in my country, but I assume that you would need your bank's app to do a Mobile check deposit. The problem is that most, if not all, western bank applications don't work on phones without Google Play Services for "security reasons" (as if the Google Play Services somehow make your device more secure). if that's something you can do from the bank's website though, then it should work.

Could you test any VNC viewer app ? like "VNC viewer for android" or any other app of this kind ?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

I added that to my todo list 👍 It's remote desktop software, right? It should work normally. The only difference being the slower screen :P

@01aniruddhaislam26

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou yes it's remote desktop software. And if it works, then the phone could be used as an e-ink typewriter (to some extent) for word processing purposes and even for coding 🙆‍♂️ and to code on a low price e-ink screen is one of the main reasons I am thinking of buying this phone 🕺🕺🕺

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hmmmm may I ask, why not just connect a Bluetooth keyboard to the phone itself instead of having it mirror your computer's screen? 🤔

@01aniruddhaislam26

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Yeah the Bluetooth keyboard idea may work, I don't know. But then the whole "processing work" would be done in the phone and we would need to install several apps that must exactly work like the desktop code compilers and word processors. and even these might be possible too. But having a (tiny) second e-ink monitor would be more comfortable for me😴 And It would really really mean a lot if I could see this screen mirroring experience in your review🥀

I had no idea that the white version had black bezels, for some reason I assumed it should be all-white?

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

If you take a look at the photos they have on all the websites that sell it, there's no photo of a white front side, so I suspected it was gonna be black. But they don't explicitly mention it.

Great to see you enjoy your phone, but hisense actually provide Google certification registration services if you buys directly from them (and have to asked them for it), at a cost about 200 yuan roughly 30 dollars and probably wait a days or two. Though, many people who use it prefers the open sourced android(without Google), for security or privacy reasons. Though usually without Google service is actually a plus, when you get use to it. Actually I recommend people not to get Google services. Hisense actually mades industrial blast/explosive resistant phones for people who work in mines and candy factory which are dangerous environments.

I'm very interested in this phone, but Hisense being state owned is kinda a deal breaker for me. I hope somebody makes an alternate rom for it, I might be okay buying it then.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Ouch, I didn't know it's state owned. But in any case, the Chinese government has pretty much total control over every Chinese company, so it doesn't change much. The phone is full of Chinese apps and obviously sends data to Chinese servers to get you weather updates, quotes of the day etc and that data stays in China. It's not really different from what Google does though.

Has anyone been able to load and run the google play store on on of these?

@snigel4321

3 жыл бұрын

If anyone happens across this and has the same question, I found this: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hm13ubRwg9rNhLA.html&feature=emb_logo

The only bad part so far is no way to change what long hold of eink button does, without changing OS... this default voice assistant is driving me crazy.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Ah yes, me too. 😩 I wish I could make it launch the camera or something. Now I have to unlock the phone to do that.

So, no Kindle App to read Amazon books ?

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

You can install the Kindle app and it works just like on any other phone! I recorded the full review a couple of days ago and will upload it once I'm done editing! 😃

Can you replace the battery?

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Technically you (like with most phones) could but it's not meant to be replaced, like the batteries in older phones. Can't really imagine why you'd need to though. The battery lasts for a long time and you can always carry a Powerbank if you'd like.

@martinlilik

3 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou just in case... sometimes I forget to unplug the charger, and it shorting battery's lifespan..lol... nice info tough... thanks Anna.. Bless you

Can you change the OS?

@annafilou

2 жыл бұрын

I don't think so but take a look at the XDA Forums. There might be a way. In my opinion, it's best not to change it as it's optimized for the e-Ink screen and has various special settings for it.

@amb600cd0

2 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Thank you for the response. I'll definitely take that into consideration if i do purchase the phone

Anna, how do I install f-droid???

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

From f-droid.org ! Just click "Download F-Droid" and allow the installation when your phone asks you to.

👍☝️

Can we use Kobo application? Audible? Kindle? Google maps? Why Google services are not support!!!

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Hey, don't worry! You can use Kindle (I use it, works normally) so I assume Audible and Kobo will work too. Google Services aren't installed because this is a Chinese phone meant to be used in China, and they don't use Google in China because the government censors everything about the outside world. You can use Google Maps, I just installed it and, strangely, it works! You could always audio use the Google Maps PWA (progressive web app), also known as Google Maps Go, which is basically a website, if the app doesn't work for any reason. You can also install and use OSMand, Moovit, MAPS.ME, HERE WeGo and more. Navigation is not gonna be an issue 😃

@remi1213

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Thank you!! It seems to be a good phone during bed time and maybe for a second phone... Maybe i will buy it... But where to buy it?? It is not available on Amazon store...

@remi1213

4 жыл бұрын

Can we use messenger Facebook???

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

I got mine from cect-shop.com! Good service, fast delivery, no issues. Just downloaded Messenger but didn't log in (because I don't want Facebook to track this phone too) and it seems to work. (By the way, Messenger Lite would work much better on this phone because of the white design, lack of animations or any other bells & whistles.)

@remi1213

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou Should i buy kindle paper white or this hisense phone? What is your opinion?

I just got it. Doest work with Tmobile in USA. Only work for 2g Network

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Um are you sure? I'm in Europe but 3G works fine. I know not only because it says so but also 2G data connections suck (terribly slow) but this one connects to the internet and downloads stuff using a data connection just fine (it's as fast as any other recent phone.) I just checked and it also supports 4G. So claiming it only works on 2G networks is incorrect. No idea why it wouldn't work on T-Mobile in the USA, I guess you should ask them as it might be a simple configuration issue. For what it's worth, I'm on T-Mobile too, but in Europe.

@willievarner2936

4 жыл бұрын

Mr Li, have you tried Verizon wireless?

@yiangli

4 жыл бұрын

@@willievarner2936 i only have Tmobile, dont have verizon services

The handle of the cup is growing and shrinking...

@annafilou

3 жыл бұрын

Lol the digital stabilization is just distorting things 😂

Battery life battery life battery life

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

good if you don't watch videos...

How can I get one though?

@TheChameleon2008

4 жыл бұрын

you can buy them on aliexpress for 235 euro for the 32gb model and around 285 euro for the 64gb version.

@utkangezer

4 жыл бұрын

@@TheChameleon2008 That's the first place I had checked. I cannot find any, neither then, nor now.

@7MeansLuck

4 жыл бұрын

Go to ali express, it's easy to search now

@TheChameleon2008

4 жыл бұрын

@@utkangezer aliexpress.com/item/4000332109213.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1a6daa36IdNNSm&algo_pvid=f79d92a5-e62a-425f-baa1-1cd407ffd50a&algo_expid=f79d92a5-e62a-425f-baa1-1cd407ffd50a-0&btsid=0b0a0ad815840582589895538edaca&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

Cheap and reliable CECT-shop, they even gave 10 EUR coupon for next purchase

Many user buy it in India

@Z_Pavel

4 жыл бұрын

now i know why i can't find it in my country)

Ist lagging??

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

If you're asking if there's lag, the answer is not really. The phone itself does not lag, but the screen refreshes more slowly than a traditional LED screen. That's because of how E-Ink screens work (Google it), and not an issue that the phone has. They get faster every few years and this is probably the fastest it gets right now. You get used to it pretty quickly. TL;DR: it's not lag, it's just the slower refresh rate of E-Ink screens.

I thought it is a wonderful idea but just doesn't look it is ready to sell this phone yet.

@annafilou

2 жыл бұрын

Why not? 😊 Been using it for years, works perfectly. Hisense has new models with better specs and color screens now too.

I mean the chinese make great hardware and are pushing the boundaries even more then the western market BUT when it comes to software they dropping the ball every time it seems. My questions i have about this device is the battery life and if google books works without any major problems?

@MiniRockerz4ever

4 жыл бұрын

why not download free books instead, clearly not buying to test... microG services core helps with running google apps.

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Some people use Google Books to read free books as well, since you can upload any file you want. 😉 Honestly I don't want to connect my Google account to that phone, partly because I know most things won't work anyway, but I also like the idea of a Google-free phone. Google Maps works fine though, but I haven't attempted to login in.

Where did you bought it?

@annafilou

4 жыл бұрын

Bought it from CERT-shop.com

@otaviofsousa

4 жыл бұрын

@@annafilou I found a typo: www.cect-shop.com/ :)

Can I download Instagram using this phone?

@annafilou

Жыл бұрын

Yes. It's not as nice of an experience of a high contrast black and white screen though.

love the Brave browser