I like Chinese mobile phone maker Doogee. Their kit is great. Their marketing sucks more than a Hoover.
Today’s global launch was for the T5 “business” handset, which looks very like my trusty T2 (aka Titan 2, aka DG700). Except it’s supplied with two different backs so you can switch it for a silicone-looking one instead of the crocodile skin effect. Actually, the T2 was supposed to have interchangeable backs. But if you’re worried about what it looks like you now have a choice. I don’t care for the leather look, but then mine is kept in a case anyway.
Over the last few weeks it’s body has variously described as plastic (I don’t think so) or titanium, as opposed to the chromed steel of the T2. I suspect it’s really made of unobtanium, and I won’t believe otherwise until I see one for myself.
Confusingly, Doogee has been announcing lots of successors to the fantastic T2, but the cheaper plastic X5 has really taken off in a big way so perhaps they’re busy flogging those instead. As the T2 is pretty much indestructible (shock proof, waterproof and being used as a hammer-proof), I don’t think I’m going to have to replace it any time soon.
So it turns out T5 has a similar specification – IP67 waterproof and a sturdy metal case. I know, because I’ve dropped the thing from height on to concrete several times, that the floating screen is very hard to crack. There videos of YouTube of lorries running over it. But unlike all the toughened phones I’ve had, it doesn’t look out of place in a boardroom.
The T2 has a 4Ah battery, which keeps me going for a couple of days – or even a week if I’m careful how I use it. My kind of specification. And the T5 looks to be identical, but the battery holds slight more. Okay, it’s got a faster processor too (8-core, ARM Corex A53, if you please), 3G of RAM instead of 1G, and 32Gb of internal storage instead of 8Gb. And of course the cameras have a lot more megapixels, but it’s still a phone camera. The 5″ screen is also full HD this time, if you’re using an magnifying glass.
Enough to tempt me away from the T2? Well not really. The T2 is damn good, and the only criticism I have of it is that the chrome has worn out on the corner I hold it by. That, and the silly case. The greatest practical difference will probably be the use of Android 6.0; the T2 was stuck on 5.0. Depending on your point of view, Android 5 may be A Good Thing.
But what the new phone appears to lack is the NFC chip needed for Android Pay. And a finger printer reader. These were the only thing missing from the T2. Come on guys!
But Doogee has communication problems with the English speaking world. They announce a lot of things, not all of them turn up and some are better than described. There is also supposed to be a T3, which has a small screen on the top edge (where you’d expect to plug stuff in!) and a smaller battery. But not waterproof or hardened in any way. The internal hardware spec seems similar, but I have no idea if/when it will every be available. There’s also a T6, again not waterproof but with similar hardware specification to the T5, other than less megapixels on the cameras. It’s noteworthy for having a 6.5Ah battery – nice! But it’s Android 5.1. On the other hand, you can at least buy it for around £90.
(Footnote – mobile phone cameras are all bad in my eyes, but then I use lenses that cost twenty times the price of a smartphone).