BLU VIVO XL2 Unboxing & First Impressions
Video transcript provided below...
Hey guys, Dan here from CLE Tech and today we're going to unbox and get my first impressions on another new phone from BLU, this one being the follow up to last years BLU VIVO XL and that is the BLU VIVO XL2.
Before we get into everything, I want to let everyone know that if you are interested in purchasing this device after watching this video, Amazon will be hosting a ligthining deal for 6 hours starting at 11am EST! The phone usually retails for $150 but during this sale you can pick one up for only $99. Links will be in the description below.
So I have only had this phone for roughly 48 hours now and going into this video, I kind of expected it to be a lot like other BLU devices but I was actually a little surprised with the VIVO XL2. For some good reasons and some bad. We will get into those in a minute but what is the same is the unboxing experience and that's a good thing.
Inside this minimal all black box, you have all of the accessories that BLU loves to throw in the box like a Micro USB to USB-A adapter, Micro USB cable and wall adapter, some headphones, SIM ejector tool, some information guides along with a case and screen protector.
The design of the new VIVO XL 2 is drastically different than last years model, it feels a bit more premium, even with the glossy plastic backing but it is a unibody device with some metal rounding out the sides. The camera placement is also much different and so is the curved edges around the glass on the display. Speaking of the display we have a 5.5” 720p IPS display with subtle curved edges just like the Life Max we checked out last week.
An interesting difference here is the move to go back to IPS over AMOLED like the previous version, the VIVO XL.
You do get a...
- Quad Core 1.4ghz processor
- 3gb of RAM with 32gb of internal storage
- a 3150mah battery with quick charge
- a 13mp main camera with an 8mp front facing camera
Something that also stood out to me in the design of the VIVO XL 2 is the fact that they went from USB C in the last model back to Micro USB. I am assuming the reasoning behind this move was because of price but it's still something I wish they would have stuck with, especially if you're a VIVO XL owner and are upgrading to the XL2.
In terms of form factor, the device is almost indentical to its predecessor but a little more premium looking and feeling than the recently released Life Max.
In terms of software, BLU also chose to go with it's more advanced skin of Android, which is usually not my favorite but not the worst skin we have ever seen so I don't mind this move so much.
What is unique, however, is the new and possibly improved lockscreen. I have only had this phone for a couple of days and I haven't made a final decision yet but the new lockscreen features are interesting to say the least.
Pressing and holding the main button will get you into the what reminds me of older KitKat custom roms where you slide up to access different apps or shortcuts. With this, you can slide up the camera and access even more shortcuts to multimedia apps, messaging apps, and more. Dont want to to do that? Well then sliding to the right will unlock your phone.
Need some quick information? Well the entire left side of the screen is filled with a panel of shortcuts to different news feeds, quick settings and even applications like Twitter and YouTube. Now unfortunately, Twitter and YouTube only open up in mobile browser versions and the news feeds are a bit strange. I am not sure if I would ever visit the sites on a daily basis where the articles are being pulled from but I do appreciate the attempt that BLU is making by trying to make your lockscreen a little less boring.
You can even launch into games from your lockscreen but you have to download them first and for some reason when I try, the Play store doesn't recognize them as actual apps. I will have to do more research on this but will try to keep you all posted when I find anything out.
Finally, the rest of the software is pretty snappy and simple. The launcher has a couple of other key BLU features like smart gestures that launch even when your screen is off. Of course, there is no app drawer but this can always be fixed with a custom launcher.
One thing I am also puzzled on is why they didn't include a fingerprint sensor either. BLU’s latest devices, even the LIFE MAX have all had fingerprint sensors and I don't think cost was an issue for this one but yet, they still decided to not include one. An interesting move to say the least.
Finally, I haven't really taken any photos yet with the camera but the camera app does seem to have robust set of features. One that immediately caught my eye was the GIF feature, where it takes a continous set of photos and automagically creates a GIF for you. Granted, my GIF was a little boring but I really just wanted to see how it works.
If you have any specifc questions or things you might want to see a dedicated video on about the VIVO XL 2, be sure to let me know in the comments down below. Also, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss more videos like this one in the future.
Thanks for watching guys and I will see you in the next one.
BLU VIVO XL2 - http://amzn.to/2jcwIfg