ZTE Introduces the Grand Memo, another Phablet Competing with the Galaxy

Phablet manufacturers seem to be going after one brand when it comes to emulating what most consider the perfect compromise between a smartphone and a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The latest addition is the ZTE Grand Memo which looks almost identical to the Galaxy. Although the physical dimensions might appear the same, the Grand Memo has some good qualities that could make it very attractive for budgets conscious consumers, the company generally addresses. The phone will be available in China and Europe later this year, but there is no release date for the United States.

The most obvious feature of the phone is the big 5.7 inch screen which is only less than 1 ½ inches smaller than the Google tablet. If this is an important feature for you than ZTE probably has gotten your attention. The big screen is housed in a relatively small profile with a 0.33-inch (8.5mm) thickness, 6.3 inches tall and 3.25 inches wide.

The phone has a high definition 720 x 1280 display, and a 1080P HD video with a 13 megapixel rear facing Intelligent Camera and a one mega pixel front facing camera. The autofocus camera comes with face recognition and panorama features.

The engine that runs the phone is the QUALCOMM Snapdragon 800 processor with quad-core Krait CPU, 2GB of RAM with the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. QUALCOMM also provides the 802.11ac/.11n dual-band Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth solution for high-bandwidth communications and DLNA and MHL connectivity for mobile entertainment.

Some of the applications and utilities on the phone include: voice response technology, A-GPS and car mode navigation, ZET’s Mifavor user interface, ZTE Z Cloud service, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, and gyro.

According to the company the 3200mAh batter has a “super-long standby time.”

“The ZTE Grand Memo’s large, high definition screen makes it perfect for media and entertainment, but its uses reach far beyond that. With ZTE’s custom Mifavor UI, a powerful processor, and LTE connectivity, this device offers users a wide array of benefits that go well beyond the capabilities of the typical handset,” said Mr. He Shiyou, ZTE EVP and head of the Mobile Devices Division.

The company says it made the phone for fun use at home, while also making it practical for use in the office. Manufacturers on the other hand are still trying to figure out the viability of the phablet market, while consumers are trying to figure out how to carry it.