The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Story and photos by Alvin I. Dacanay
More than three months after introducing its TheaterMax virtual-reality (VR) technology with its Vibe X3 and Vibe K4 Note smartphones, top computer and mobile-phone firm Lenovo continues its drive to cater to more VR users by launching its new Vibe K5 Series smartphones.
During the Vibe K5 Series’s launch at Shangri-La at The Fort in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, on July 27, Lenovo described the Vibe K5, K5 Plus and flagship K5 Note as its “second set of smartphones that enable a new kind of reality to come to life.”
It said that they boast of “bigger screens, more vivid displays, and enhanced Lenovo TheaterMax technology,” and are “set to transform the way people experience entertainment.”
“Given today’s mobile culture, consumers have the freedom to choose how they want to [enjoy] entertainment. With the new Lenovo Vibe K5 Series, Filipinos will enjoy a complete cinematic experience with bigger screens, premium audio outputs, and blazing-fast processors wrapped up in these sleek and stylish smartphones,” Lenovo Smartphones Philippines Country Manager Dino Romano said in a statement.
All three phones run on the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, which, Lenovo said, can be upgraded to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Lenovo described the entry-level Vibe K5 (P6,999) and its slightly pricier twin Vibe K5 Plus (P8,999) as designed for “multimedia enthusiasts on a budget,” and offering five-inch “Wide-View HD [high-definition] displays for rich [and] smooth videos, LTE [long-term evolution] connectivity, [and] an optional octa-core processor [64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 415, 1.4 gigahertz, for the former and 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 616, 1.5GHz, for the latter] [that] delivers blazing speeds for the latest games,” as well as equipped with Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers.
Both smartphones have 2GB RAM; 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB with a microSD card; a 2750-milliampere-hour interchangeable battery with a standby time of up to 322 hours and talk time of up to 32 hours; dual micro SIM (subscriber-identity module) slots; and a 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED (light-emitting diode) flash and a 5MP fixed-focus front camera.
The two have fingerprint-resistant display panels and aluminum rear covers, and come in three colors: Platinum Silver, Champagne Gold, and Graphite Gray.
Of the two, only the Vibe K5 Plus is equipped with TheaterMax, and comes bundled with a VR headset and the new TheaterMax controller, which Romano said “lets users navigate through the screen without direct tough while on VR mode.”
Lenovo described the Vibe K5 Note (P11,999) as a “gorgeous smartphone” with a 5.5-inch “Full HD wide-view IPS screen, Dolby Atmos stereo [speakers], and state-of-the-art codec,” as well as a fingerprint sensor on the back that “allows [for] simple and secure authentication.”
The series’ flagship phone has a Premium 64-bit Helio P10 1.8GHz octa-core processor; 3GB RAM and a maximum of 32GB of internal storage than can be expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card; a 3500mAh embedded battery with a standby time of up to 364 hours and a talk time of up to 33 hours; and a 13MP phase-detection autofocus rear camera with five composite lens and a 5/8MP fixed-focus front camera.
Its back cover is made of metal, and comes in Platinum Silver and Champagne Gold. Like the K5 Plus, the K5 Note is bundled with a VR headset and the TheaterMax controller.
For more information, visit www.lenovomobile.com.ph.