Arc Mobile Memo Review: Memorable Note

Arc Mobile Memo

INTRODUCTION:

I encountered Arc Mobile with their first quad-core phone the Nitro 450QD and I was pretty impressed with it not just for having a low price tag but also with its performance. This time it is the Arc Mobile Memo that caught my attention, a 5.3" phablet for only Php 6,299.

The Memo is powered by the popular MediaTek MT6589 chipset, with four cores clocked at 1.2 GHz, PowerVR SGX544MP for GPU and 1GB of RAM for smooth multitasking experience.

Key Specs:

• Dual SIM , Dual Standby
• Tri-Band GSM/EDGE/GPRS (both SIMs) and  Dual Band HSPA+ (SIM 1 Only)
• 5.3" capacitive qHD LCD (960x540), 5-point multi-touch
• Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1
• 1.2GHz Cortex-A7 Quad Core CPU, PowerVR SGX544MP GPU MediaTek MT6589 chipset
• 1GB of RAM
• 4GB internal (2.75 GB available), expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 8MP auto focus main camera with LED Flash, geo-tagging, HDR, Burst Shot, panorama, photo-sphere, simultaneous still and video capture
• 2MP secondary camera
• Video Recording up to 720p (Rear Camera), VGA for front camera
• GPS with A-GPS and EPO assistance
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct
• 3.5 Audio Jack
• Stereo FM Radio
• Multi Media Player
• Micro USB 2.0
• Bluetooth
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Light, Proximity, Sound 
• 2000mAh Li-Ion Battery

Main Disadvantages:

• Bezels are relatively big
• Mediocre sunlight legibility
• No OTG function

UNBOXING:

The package includes the unit, battery, capacitive stylus,charger with detachable USB cable, in-ear wired headset and manual/warranty card. My package includes a screen protector but some users reported that they don't get any, the sales package content printing on the box doesn't show either.

Retail Package

It is available in two colors, white and blue but I choose the latter. The device front has a large 5.3-inch screen of qHD resolution. It is almost unusable to use the unit under direct sunlight, you will have a hard time seeing what is on your screen.

The bezels are noticeably thick on all sides, which is a point deduction for its look. Notice that some pictures below include photos with jelly case, and this case it originally made for the Samsung Galaxy Note II and fits perfectly with the Memo.

Front

Front with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Case

There is a notification LED (which turns red/green) on the upper left portion on top of the display and on the left of the earpiece. The hidden sensors and secondary camera can be found on the opposite side.

LED Notification, Earpiece, Secondary Camera & Sensors

The capacitive keys (menu, home and back) lit when in use are located below the screed.

Capacitive Keys

At the top you will only find the 3.5mm audio jack.

3.5mm Audio Jack at the Top

Top with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Case

The bottom houses the microphone and the micro USB 2.0 as well as the built-in stylus.

Micro USB and Mic at the Bottom

Bottom with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Case

The stylus is a capacitive type, there is a rubber at its tip that come in contact with your screen. There is no special software installed for it and I guess many user's will just ignore it especially that pulling it out from its slot is quite a tough job.

Built-in Stylus

The power key is placed at the right side while on the opposite side you will find the volume rocker.

Power Button at the Right

Volume Rocker at the Left

The back cover is plastic with some glistering effect, it is prone to smudges but a bit resistant to finger print.

Back

Back with Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Case

As you would see in the below image, it has a strong similarity with Note II. The camera, LED, stylus etc. is placed to complement the Samsung phablet.

Samsung Galaxy Note II v.s. Arc Mobile Memo

The 8MP main camera is almost level with the back cover it has a chrome lining that looks classy and accompanied by a single LED flash.

8MP Main Camera & LED Flash

The loudspeaker grill can be found in the lower section of the back with the branding just above it.

Loud Speaker Grill and Arc Mobile Branding

You will find the slots for Micro SD and two SIM cards together with the 2000mAh battery once you remove the back cover.

INTERFACE:

The Memo runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1 and does not use any proprietary interface of its own (although some icons look cartoon) so you will be very familiar with its operation which is almost identical to what we have reviewed so far.

On a lockscreen, dragging the lock icon to the left will unlock the device, while doing the opposite will bring the camera interface and swiping up will launch Google Now. Any notification will appear above the lock icon and can be dragged towards it to see the contained information.

Unlike other units that runs on Jelly Bean 4.2.1, it does not have a lockscreen widget.

Lockscreen

Once you passed the lockscreen you will see the homescreen which has five panes. There is no way that you can add any additional pane or delete them. There are five shortcuts on the lower portion of the screen, the middle always opens the app drawer while the other four can be customize depending on your preference. The Google Search is always accessible on the top of the homescreen.

Homescreen

Like the Nitro 450QD  it does not include annoying bloatwares, it has a limited pre-installed applications wherein some of them can even be removed. The Play store shortcut is always available on the upper right hand corner in case you need to add apps or games.

Default Apps

Default Widgets

Accessing the notification panel is done by swiping one finger from the top of the screen going down. Strange enough it does not have collapsible notification. Swiping two fingers will reveal the device settings shortcuts namely Airplane mode, Battery, Wi-Fi, BT, GPS, Data Connection, Data Usage, Audio Profile, Brightness, Timeout and Auto Rotation. The owner will only be populated if you are signed-in to your Google+ account.

Notification Panel

BENCHMARKS:

The Arc Mobile Memo has the same MT6589 chipset used by its competitor, so we can expect that its performance would be almost similar.

Antutu, 13381

The quadrant score of 4022 is almost the same with SKK Silver score of 4032 despite having a lower screen resolution.

Quadrant, 4022

51.5 fps Nenamark2 score ensures that you can have fluidity in terms of graphics.

Nenamark2, 51.5 fps

The Vellamo test scores are also similar to what we have seen before from local brands.

Vellamo, HTML5 1485 & Metal 444

DUAL SIM FUNCTIONALITY:

Under SIM management, you can switch each SIM on or off to help you save battery. Below are some other options you can change which can also be accessed via the notification panel.

1. Voice Call - you can choose SIM 1, SIM 2 or Always ask
2. Messaging - you can choose SIM 1, SIM 2 or Always ask
3. Data Connection - you can choose SIM 1, SIM 2 or off

SIM Management

Only SIM 1 is capable of high speed data connection. You can change the name and background color of each SIM and can also include your phone number.


TELEPHONY:

Telephony has smart dialing which searches both names and numbers stored in your contacts and call logs. Speed dialing is also present, you can set-up 8 numbers for that. The call history can be filtered either by SIM used and can be further trimmed down by incoming, outgoing or missed calls. The screen turns off automatically with the help of proximity sensor when you bring the phone to your ear. The call quality is good and you can record it if you want to.

Telephony

PHONEBOOK:

The phonebook can hold virtually unlimited entries, with plenty of additional information can be added per contact. You can also sync online contacts from social media and emails like Facebook, Yahoo, Google etc. and you can join them so that you won't see multiple entries from one person. Adding a new contact or new group will prompt you to which account you want it to be saved.

The interface is the standard stock Jelly Bean with tabs for groups, contacts and frequently contacted. Search icon is always present at the lower left portion to assist you when having trouble in looking for a contact or a group.

Phonebook

MESSAGING:

The messaging icon may look different but it does not offer any additional feature. Creating a new message can be done by selecting the + icon on the lower left corner. The recipient box accepts numerical or word inputs and you can also do it by selecting the icon beside it (in which you can choose multiple contacts for batch sending).

Composing a message is done by the default keyboard (QWERTY type), the input box starts with a single line and grows up to maximum of 5 lines only. Auto-capitalization, spelling auto correction, haptic feedback (vibration on key press) and sound on key press can be enabled/disabled under setting>language and inputs.

New Message

The message threads background is color coded, gray for the recipient and blue for the sender. The handset symbol is always present at the upper right corner if in any case you want to call the person on that particular message.


Converting an SMS to MMS is a simple step, just add any attachment thru the green + icon and you are good to go. Smileys are also present to add a little attraction to your message.

Messaging

The Arc Memo doesn't include any online messaging app but you can easily get it in Play Store and they works without any issue. Video call is also possible, thanks to the secondary camera, however please take note that you need a good background lighting in order your face to appear clearly on screen.

Online Messaging

EMAIL:

The generic email app is there to handle your POP3, IMAP or Exchange emails. Adding a new account is simple just type in your username and password and hit next, it will automatically fill out settings it finds on the web.

You can attach any file you want to your email, add CC/BCC or append your signature. Navigation between messages is done using the greater than or less than symbol at the upper right.

Email

The Gmail is there as well, it will automatically sync the account you used in Play Store or any Google related service.

Gmail

Both emails can handle multiple accounts and change their sync intervals the way you want.


MULTIMEDIA:

Gallery:

The gallery houses your pictures and videos which you can arrange by Albums, Locations, or Times. The camera can be accessed anytime via its shortcut at the upper right hand. Under grid view, the videos appear in a live tile while you can further view pictures in a slide show.

Gallery

Both pictures and videos can be shared locally via Bluetooth and wi-fi or shared online via social accounts. You can trim a video but only limited on a two point contact, which means you can only reduce it in the beginning, middle or end.

Gallery Options

The photo editor comes pre-installed with the unit, you can edit pictures anytime by selecting the 3 overlapping circles. On the editor, you can add effects, frame, adjust contrast and apply some alteration.

Photo Editor

Video Player:

The video player will list all files associated or with file extension related to video. If the player can play it, icons will be displayed otherwise unsupported videos will have no icon.

Video Interface

The 5.3-inch screen makes it a great pleasure watching your favorite video. It can play almost everything I throw at it even .mkv and .flv. Sadly it can only play 720p, no subtitle support and limited options. So if you want to complete your viewing experience downloading third party player is highly recommended.

Video with different format

Music Player:

The music player will list all songs on your device, you can view it by Albums, Artists, Songs or Playlists. While playing you have the option to shuffle, repeat current songs or repeat all songs. The album art will also be displayed when you have it. The equalizer is there to tweak some audios and with some pre-sets as well. When you minimized the player, you will have a mini player accessible via the notification area.

Music Interface

FM Radio:

The FM radio needs a wired headset to act as antenna before it can work, the good thing is that when the radio is already on it will remain that way even you remove the headset (making it work like wireless FM). The channels can be searched automatically or encode it one by one. You can also record a music or play it via loudspeaker.

FM

Camera/Video:

The camera and video share the same interface, their shutter keys are on top of each other. The main camera can shoot up to 8MP still and 720p videos while the front camera max out at 2MP and VGA videos. One of the highlights is, it can shoot 720p video and capture 2MP still at the same time.

Camera Options

The interface is quite simple, the shooting modes (normal, HDR, Panorama, Photo-Sphere etc) is located on the right side. The camera options which gives you a lot of tweaking privileges to Exposure, White Balance, Color Effect, Scene Mode & others can be found on the lower right corner. Existing pictures or videos can be viewed by the icon on the upper right or simply by swiping the screen to the left.

Camera Settings

Sample Shots

Night

Night_1

Day

Day_1

4x Zoom

4x Zoom_1

Close-up

Close-up_1

Panorama

Front

Sample Video, 720p - Main

Sample Video, VGA - Front

The image produce at night is quite acceptable, macro shots are also great since it can focus correctly on the subject. The overall picture quality is good but not spectacular,  it has the same color tone with the previews phone that we reviewed.

When capturing video, it automatically zooms by itself and there is no way to alter it. The video is good with clear audio especially when it was taken with good lighting conditions.

Browsing:

The browser is stock Android, it load web pages quite fast with up to 16 tabs. Incognito mode is also there to use especially when you share your device with someone else and you do not want them to know your browser recent activity. Due to low resolution, you need to zoom-in for smaller texts or activate mobile mode for better viewing.

Browser

Gaming:

I tested the casual games you will see below and all of them work fine, although there are times that it takes a while to load (like the pictures in 4 pics 1 word) but everything is OK and I haven't encountered forced close issue.

4 pics 1 word

Candy Crush Saga

Subway Surfer

Temple Run 2

The Arc Memo is also great at playing graphics intensive games like Asphalt 8, Asphalt 7 and Dead Trigger.

Asphalt 8

Asphalt 7

Dead Trigger

The above games required large storage and I am thankful that the Memo's default location is the external SD card.

Move To SD Card

CONNECTIVITY:

The Memo, supports HSPA+ but only on SIM one slot (SIM 2 is up to EDGE only), you can share the mobile data connection via USB or Wi-Fi tethering. The Wi-Fi supports 802.11 b/g/n and can detect long range signals.

Wi-Fi

There is also Bluetooth for sharing files and connecting your accessories. The micro USB 2.0 does NOT support OTG function. The 3.5mm audio jack is the last on the list, supplied headset is in-ear type and audio output is quite good.


SENSORS:

The sensors are just basic which includes proximity, light, accelerometer and sound. All of them works fine and you can verify it using Android Sensor Box or CPU-Z.

Sensors

PRODUCTIVITY:

Below are some pre-installed productivity tool all of which are stocked Android apps, one thing missing is the document viewer/editor but you can easily download it for free in the Play Store.

Calendar

Clock

Calc

Sound Recorder

ToDo

Notes

File Manager

GPS

The GPS has A-GPS and EPO assistance for easy satellite lock, using in-built Google Maps manage to acquire the location for less than a minute.

GPS

BATTERY:

The Memo is equipped with 2000mAh hour, I was not able to monitor the battery life since the battery stats did not reset when I charge it. But based on my normal use, it can last at least for a day.

Battery Stats

OTHERS:


News & Weather

As the name suggests is a hub for local news and weather which is very usable.

News & Weather

Google Apps

The Google apps are also present, Map, Now, Search, Navigation etc.

Google Apps

Stylus

The Memo has inbuilt capacitive stylus, I download a drawing application to check its usability and I am a bit disappointed (as expected). Drawing a line usually skips a certain portion.

Drawing App

CONCLUSION:

The Arc Mobile Memo is currently the cheapest quad-core phablet based on MediaTek MT6589 processor with 1GB of RAM. It has an SRP of 6,299 pesos which is the same price tag with its competitor the CM Thunder 2.0 with half the RAM.

The Memo, seems to be a good name for a device with built-in stylus, however it won't live to its name since using the stylus is a hit or miss thing. Having the same outline with Samsung Note II, is a great thing since you won't have a hard time looking for case you want.

If we talk about performance, it can match those much expensive phone from other the local brand since their innards are pretty much the same. All I can say is that this is the best buy in terms of balance pricing and good performance.

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