latest
We spend a lot of time talking about phones that cost $1000 or more, but not everyone needs or wants to spend that much. When it first launched, the BLU G9 Pro undercut these prices with a substantially lower MSRP of $250. However, after a recent price drop, the device can be now be purchased for $180 on Amazon with free Prime shipping.
Most of the focus when it comes to smartphone news is on expensive, flagship phones — the latest features and designs are just more interesting subjects. But mid-range phones show how those features percolate down with time, like the recently announced Blu G9 Pro. Specs include an 8-core MediaTek SoC, 4,000mAh wireless and quick charging battery, 128GB of expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, three rear-facing cameras, and a teardrop-notched full HD screen. Set to be $250 later, the company has dropped the price by to celebrate the launch.
My, my, color me surprised. Looks like Blu, the notorious "manufacturer" of budget Android phones in the U.S., is keeping to its word. Back in August, the company claimed that it was rethinking its product strategy — you know, the one where it spams the market with a lot of devices — and would be focusing on quality and software support going forward. This new philosophy would start with its latest flagship, the Vivo XI+.
In August, budget phone maker Blu admitted that its tendency to release tons of devices wasn't the best thing. It committed to releasing fewer but better devices, and announced its new flagship, the Vivo XI+, for $299.99. Somewhat contrary to the company's new less-is-more outlook, they also released a lower-tier version, the (non-plus) XI. That phone is now $50 off its already low normal price of $219.99 at Best Buy, going for just $169.99.
There is perhaps no better analogy to describe BLU phones than, "You get what you pay for." While the company's phones are often great values on paper, updates are non-existent and security problems are not unheard of. BLU is now trying to change that, starting with the launch of its new Vivo XI+ flagship.Last week, BLU CEO Samuel Ohev-Zion released a statement expressing that the company's "obsession with frequently launching new devices" has become excessive. Moving forward, BLU promises to release fewer devices, with "guaranteed software updates & support" across the board.[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/BLU_Products/status/1031656139107127296[/EMBED_TWITTER]The first device to be released under this new policy is the 'VIVO XI+,' the eleventh generation of the company's flagship Vivo lineup. It's built from a solid metal body, and looks an awful lot like the iPhone X.The phone will ship with Android 8.1 Oreo, but BLU promises an update to 9.0 Pie will arrive before the end of Q1 2019. The company didn't mention how often security updates will roll out.[review-specs]Display: Curved 6.2-inch Incell Full HD+ 2246 x 1080, 19:9 aspect ratio, 402 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3Processor: MediaTek Helio P60, 2.0GHz Octa-Core, 4 ARM Cortex-A73 up 2.0 GHz and 4 Arm Cortex-A53 up to 2.0GHzOS: Android 8.1 Oreo upgradable to Android 9.0 PieDual Rear Cameras: 16.0 megapixel, with LED Flash, Phase Detection Autofocus, HD 1080p@30fps video recording + 5.0 megapixelFront Cameras: 16.0 megapixel, LED Flash, HD 720p@30fps video recordingConnectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth v4.1, Hotspot, USB-Type CMemory: 6GB RAM, 128GB Internal Memory, MicroSD Slot (up to 128GB)Dimensions: 155 x 75.5 x 7.8 mm I 199gBattery: Non Removable Li-Polymer 3,050mAhSoftware: Android 8.1, Pie update coming before Q1 2019Network: (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, (4G HSPA+ 42Mbps) 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz, (4G LTE Cat 7 Up to 300Mbps) FDD 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/28/66[/review-specs]The specifications are fairly impressive for the most part, given the $349.99 price point. The MediaTek Helio P60 isn't a fantastic processor, but the 6GB RAM and 128GB of expandable storage are definitely flagship-level.You can already buy the Vivo XI+ from Amazon, and the phone is $100 off ($279.99) for a limited time. Hopefully BLU will stick by its promise to deliver updates, because great budget phones are still hard to come by in the United States.Thanks: Jeffrey
Blu is known for selling inexpensive phones that punch above their weight, but the company's new smartwatch seems like a very odd product. The X Link has a 1.1-inch round display, no apps, and 2G wireless connectivity. So, why would you want that? Well, it's only $50.In case it wasn't clear, this is not a Wear OS device. It's running a much simpler OS that has basic smartwatch features like notification sync, step tracking, and heart rate. If you toss a SIM card in the watch, it can do phone calls and SMS, too. However, the device can only connect to 2G networks (850/900/1800/1900Mhz). AT&T has already killed 2G service, and T-Mobile plans to do so by next year.
You've spent all week slogging away at work, earning that cheddar. Now the weekend is here, and it's time to relax, unwind, and do your own little part to contribute to the grand machinations of capitalism by putting some of that cash back into circulation. Luckily for you, we've been keeping an eye on some of the best tech deals to surface over the past few days. Here are five of our favorites, lined up and ready to make your money stretch just a little bit further.
Blu might not be the most famed of Android OEMs, but it does make some serviceable budget devices. If you're looking for a dirt cheap phone — maybe as a second burner handset for taking to festivals or something like that — Daily Steals has got some Blu models for as little as $35 right now. With our $10 coupon code that price can come down to just $25.
Blu has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that it afforded Adups, a Chinese device management firm, inordinate access to personally identifiable user information. The FTC's complaint said that Blu misled its customers when the company claimed it had taken appropriate measures to protect user privacy.
Blu is best known for its large variety of budget Android phones - some good, some not so good. Today the company announced two new devices - the Vivo XL3 and Vivo XL3 Plus. But unlike most of Blu's lineup, they aren't a good value at all, unless you buy one of them on sale.
Unsurprisingly, Blu has announced another new phone. The company's latest flagship, the Vivo X ticks almost all of the buzzwords when it comes to smartphones: octa-core CPU, quad cameras, an 18:9 display, and an attractive price point.
BLU makes a lot of phones—it can actually be hard to keep them all straight. The latest device to join the collection is the BLU Life One X3. To set this one apart, BLU has equipped the Life X3 with a gigantic 5,000mAh battery. The phone has some other interesting qualities, but that battery is probably something else.The BLU Life One X3 has a 5.5-inch 1080p LCD under curved glass, and the frame is all aluminum. The 5,000mAh battery won't charge as fast as the Life One X2, though. The X3 lacks Qualcomm Quick Charge because it's running a MediaTek chip. It's the octa-core Mediatek 6753. You also get 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.This phone will eventually cost $249.99, but BLU is selling it at $149.99 for a limited time. At $250, this phone seems like a tough sell, but the discounted price is solid. It's in stock on Amazon already with Prime shipping.
Around a week ago, BLU issued a broken software update for its Life One X2 phone. In at least some cases, users who applied the update were locked out of their phones. Late this afternoon, BLU's official Twitter account—which, much to the chagrin of affected users, was silent on the subject for almost a week—issued a statement that the problem had been fixed via a new update.
We first heard about the BLU S1 nearly two months ago, and the leaked specifications were spot-on. Now, the device has officially been announced as BLU's first Sprint-compatible and Sprint-certified device, and although the specs are nothing impressive, it'll cost just $179.99 (or $129.99 if you order very soon).
If you're into frugality and football (or what us commoners call "soccer"), we've got a deal that could make your weekend. Use our exclusive Daily Steals coupon code to purchase a brand new, unlocked BLU Vivo XL2, with a case and screen protector in tow, for a mere $129.99. Hop on that deal and you'll also give yourself a chance at winning a five-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Spain, including premium seats at the Real Madrid vs. Valencia CF match in January.
It seems like you can't turn around without BLU releasing another budget-oriented unlocked phone. The VIVO line is BLU's slightly more "premium" product family, and the latest addition to it packs some interesting hardware. The BLU VIVO 8L has similar internals to other BLU devices, but the front-facing camera packs a whopping 20MP of resolution.The VIVO 8L is an unlocked GSM/LTE (1/2/3/4/7/12/17/28) phone with Android 7.0 on board. It runs on a MediaTek 6753 octa-core chip with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The 5.3-inch LCD is only 720p, despite the listing calling out "Full HD." The built-in 4,000mAh battery should keep it running for ages at that resolution, though. The phone even comes with a "reverse charging" dongle so you can power other devices with it. Presumably, the necessity of a dongle means it's microUSB instead of Type-C.
The rear camera is 13MP, but the front one eclipses it with a 20MP resolution. There's also a front-facing flash, which BLU says is calibrated to a temperature of 5500k for natural skin tones.The BLU VIVO 8L is already on sale today via Amazon. The regular price is $199.99, but it's on sale for $50 off as a launch special.Source: PR Newswire
A couple of months ago we learned that BlackBerry CEO John Chen decided a good way to arrest his company's decline was to go into patent lawsuit mode. His first victim was rival manufacturer BLU, against which BlackBerry filed two separate infringement lawsuits covering 15 different patents. One of the suits was mainly based on software while the other looked at hardware, specifically relating to phone signal transmission.
BLU doesn't make the best phones out there, but they present a fantastic value. The company has a history of delivering "good-enough" at a great price. So with Sprint's coverage site spilling the beans on the upcoming BLU S1, customers on the CDMA carrier should have reason to celebrate.
Blu devices aren't having the best time lately, what with the whole privacy and alleged spyware story and their sad update track record that's left almost the entire lineup at Marshmallow. But the value for money proposition of Blu is still nice and for a non-geeky user, their devices might still carry a lot of appeal. Besides, the spyware snafu seems to be resolved now. So keep that more positive outlook in mind as I tell you about the new VIVO 8.As far as I can tell, this is Blu's first Nougat 7.0 device (I could have sworn one phone got an update to Nougat, but I can't find any info on that now). I'd say it's 'bout time, why isn't it even 7.1, and don't hold your breath for Oreo. Blu is boasting an 87.5% metal to body ratio, thanks to CNC polished aluminum on the back, minimal plastic, and a curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the front.It has a 5.5" 1080p display, 13MP Sony IMX258 back camera and a 16MP front camera, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage plus MicroSD slot, and a MediaTek 6755 Helio P10 2.0GHz processor. There's a fingerprint sensor, "ultra quick" 9V/2A charging, and thankfully Blu didn't skimp on the battery like most brands and fitted this one with 4010mAh. Unfortunately, it charges with MicroUSB and not Type-C.The VIVO 8 is compatible with GSM networks and has 4G and HSDPA+ connectivity. It is already available for purchase in either black or gold, and it should retail for $299. However, now and for the first two days, you can get it for $199 on Amazon at the link below. That's not a bad price at all.Source: Blu, Amazon
Earlier this week Amazon took some of the low-budget manufacturer BLU's phones off the retailer's digital shelves, following allegations that BLU had included spyware in its products. It seems to have been a false alarm, though, as today BLU has announced in a tweet that Amazon is back to stocking its phones. Customers looking to pick up a cheap and capable phone can again purchase them at the US' biggest online merchant. [EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/BLU_Products/status/893596903048347650[/EMBED_TWITTER]Regardless of the original allegations, there's certainly more to the story, as BLU claims to have disabled the offending features in its phones. In a press release pushed out earlier this week, BLU argued that, after being notified by security firm Kryptowire of the data collection problem in 2016, the functionality was disabled from the offending Adups OTA application. Furthermore, it promises that all future BLU products will use Google's GOTA instead of Adups OTA.Amazon's knee-jerk reaction was likely a result of Kryptowire's announcement at the recent Black Hat security conference, in which the researchers alleged BLU only replaced the offending software with "nicer versions" that continued to infringe user privacy. At its worst, the data being collected included "Browser history, call log, text message metadata (phone number with timestamp), IMEI, IMSI, Wi-Fi MAC Address, list of installed applications, and the list of applications used with timestamps.” BLU's recent changes may have trimmed that list down a bit, though.It could be that the devices examined were running older versions of the Adups OTA software. But either way, Amazon seems to have determined that they'd like to continue selling the BLU phones again. Interested parties looking to pick up an inexpensive phone at Amazon can again scratch their budget-phone itch with BLU's products.Source: Twitter