ZTE Grand Memo and Grand S on sale now in China

Posted on 27/03/2013 by Joseph Volpe

Two of ZTE's Android flagships have just gone on sale in China: the Grand Memo and Grand S. If you'll remember, the Chinese OEM introduced the devices earlier this year, unveiling the 5-inch 1080p Grand S at CES and the stylus-less, 5.7-inch Note competitor, the Grand Memo, at MWC. Although the big buzz around the Memo's introduction had much to do with its Snapdragon 800 heart, the variant hitting the Chinese market won't have that claim to CPU fame -- it'll ship with an S4 Pro instead and should retail for 2,688 yuan (or $432 USD), while the S will run about 3,399 yuan (or $547 USD). Still no word on whether we'll ever see either handset stateside, but given ZTE's bold new brand push, it's likely one of the two'll make the transcontinental trek in some fashion soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: Engadget Chinese (Translated)

ZTE Grand Memo hands-on: a first look at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 in action (video)

Posted on 25/02/2013 by Joseph Volpe

ZTE caught us by surprise today, outing a Snapdragon 800-infused version of the Grand Memo at its MWC 2013 presser. The device, which still features the same 5.7-inch 720p display, 13-megapixel rear camera and 3,200mAh battery, is nearly indistinguishable from the other variants we've seen. But for this go-round, ZTE's added in Dolby Digital Plus Surround for a superior audio experience and an extra GB of RAM.

Its external chassis may have remained the same -- plasticky and lightweight -- but the difference in this 8.9mm thick Memo's real-world performance is immediately noticeable. OS actions on the skinned Jelly Bean UI don't just zip, they now quite literally fly -- truly, this device is deserving of the long-deceased "beast" moniker. Although international tradeshow WiFi connections are typically dreadful, we did manage to successfully run the Sunspider benchmark to get a quick taste of its rendering performance. The result? The Grand Memo notched a score of 1,186.7ms -- an unimpressive result when contrasted with the Tegra 4's 499ms (as derived from a reference tablet).

As for ZTE's MyFavorite UX layered atop Android 4.1.2, well, we're pleased to say it yields some neat animations. The entire homescreen, including widgets, revolves with a smooth 3D effect that just imbues the handset with a special "feel." It's a shame then that the Memo's encased in a less than premium shell, as it creates a disconnect between the smoking internals and humdrum exterior. But with a newly announced commitment to building its brand (a sentiment popular with Chinese OEMs as of late), this particular Memo is proof positive that ZTE's serious about raising its profile and consumer perception.

You won't be seeing this Grand Memo hit US shores anytime soon -- it's a China and Europe-only affair for now. So while you wait (and hold onto hope), check out our video tour after the break.

Gallery: ZTE Grand Memo with Snapdragon 800 hands-on

Gallery: ZTE Grand Memo reappears at MWC 2013

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ZTE Grand Memo hands-on: a Galaxy Note competitor without a stylus (video)

Posted on 25/02/2013 by Joseph Volpe

Nothing's changed since last we saw ZTE's Grand Memo in Hong Kong last January. But the Chinese OEM's trotting it out once again at MWC 2013 here in Barcelona, reintroducing the palm-stretching device for the global press. From the name alone, it's clear that ZTE's angling this tabletphone (sorry, no stylus included) at Samsung's successful Note line; a competition that's already been won by the recently unveiled and incredibly massive Note 8. The Grand Memo's specs have remained the same -- 5.7-inch 720p TFT display, quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, 1GB RAM, Android 4.1.2 and 13-megapixel rear camera module -- but now we have an English-language demo to walk you through it. So check out the video tour after the break and stay tuned for our live coverage of ZTE's press event.

Gallery: ZTE Grand Memo hands-on at MWC 2013

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ZTE’s 5.7-inch, 8mm-thick Grand Memo teased ahead of MWC launch, we go hands-on

Posted on 30/01/2013 by Richard Lai

Huawei may have its 6.1-inch Ascend Mate for the convenience of hiding your face, but ZTE's also prepping its very own tabletphone to go head to head with its main rival. Dubbed the Grand Memo (V9815), this 5.7-inch 720p device made a surprise appearance at a ZTE event in Hong Kong today, and we got to snap some photos of it. The device looks identical to the P945 leaked earlier this month but packs some slightly different specs: 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro (same as the more premium Grand S), 13-megapixel camera, 8mm-thick body and Android 4.1.2.

While the specs aren't too shabby, our colleague Stone Ip said the choice of finish on the body didn't feel as nice as the Grand S', and the silver bezel made the Grand Memo look worse, but in ZTE's defense it was a prototype and the design may improve in the retail version. On a more positive note, the new phone does include a microSD slot despite its slimness, and it comes with a "one-hand" T9 keyboard that can stick to either side of the screen for better single-handed typing, just too bad we were asked not to take a video of the device at the time. That said, the Grand Memo will be officially unveiled at MWC next month, so stay tuned for more.

Gallery: ZTE's 5.7-inch, 8mm-thick Grand Memo teased ahead of MWC launch, we go hands-on