14 DAY TRIAL // Chinese mobile phone maker ZTE Corporation has made official yet another highly appealing Android-based smartphone, albeit only a mid-range device, namely the ZTE Blade Vec 4G.
The handset was rumored a few times before, with one of the reports on it suggesting that ZTE might announce it with the Google Now Launcher pre-loaded right from the start, and this is exactly what ZTE has revealed for it.
The new ZTE Blade Vec 4G is set to arrive on the market with a 5-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering an HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution.
Moreover, the smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) processor, which is complemented by 1GB of RAM, thus capable of providing users with pretty decent performance capabilities.
At the same time, the new mobile phone has been announced with 16GB of internal memory, yet no info on a microSD memory card slot has been offered. However, we can assume that users will be provided with the possibility to expand the available storage.
The new device has been revealed with an 8-megapixel camera on the back, with CMOS sensor, LED flash and Auto Focus, which should be able to record videos in full HD resolution. The handset also sports a 1-megapixel front-facing camera for making video calls while on the go.
The specifications list of ZTE Blade Vec 4G also hints at support for 4G LTE networks, along with the usual 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities. Moreover, the smartphone arrives on shelves with built-in GPS receiver for navigation purposes.
The mobile phone is powered by a 2300mAh battery and runs under the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system right out of the box. The main selling point of this handset, however, is the aforementioned Google Now Launcher.
At the moment, the new device is available for pre-order in Hong Kong via Expansys.com, with a price tag of HK$1,499 ($193/€144) attached to it. Unfortunately, no specific info o when it will start shipping has been provided as of now.
“ZTE has been working closely with Google to pre-load the Google Now Launcher onto ZTE smartphones. Having GNL pre-loaded on Android KitKat 4.4, ZTE Blade Vec 4G becomes the first non-Nexus systemic terminal voice control device,” the retailer explains.
“By just saying ‘OK Google’ at standby mode, hand free voice command can be triggered. Users can then tell the phone what to do, which includes but not limited to unlock the phone, make/receive phone calls, play songs, get directions, take photos, set reminders and alarms, open apps, etc.”