O+ 8.31z Price Php 2,995, Specs, Initial Review, Unboxing Photos : Affordable Dual SIM, Dual Core Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean Phone

You don't have to spend a fortune to experience the many benefits of one of the more updated versions of Android operating system.

American electronics company, O+, has recently launched the very affordable O+ 8.31z in the Philippines. The device is an entry level dual SIM smartphone that runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS with 1GHz Dual Core ARM Cortex A7-based MediaTek MT6572 processor and handles multitasking with 256MB of RAM.

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Priced at only Php 2,995, O+ 8.31z sports a 3.5-inch 320 x 480 pixels TFT display, a 3.1 MegaPixel main camera with LED flash, 0.3 MP front cam, VGA video recorder, and 1,500 mAh Li-Ion battery pack. As for connectivity, the handset supports WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G. And, of course, you can use it as a WiFi Hotspot.

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Like all O+ Android smartphones, O+ 8.31z features the company's patented Air Shuffle technology, which permits a touch-less Android experience. With this innovation, you can take photos, view images in the gallery, and play music simply by waving your hand above the phone's display. This is particularly useful for taking selfies using the phone's main camera since the device - like most other Android handsets - doesn't have a physical camera button.

When I had a meeting with our dear friends from O+ last week, they happily informed me that all of their upcoming Android phones - including O+ 8.31z - will finally support over-the-air or wireless software update! This means that users won't have to bring these new O+ Android handsets to the company's service centers just to get the latest firmware running on their device.


Looks-wise, the phone flaunts a very simple yet cute design language, which most young consumers - especially students - should find fairly attractive. Below the capacitive touchscreen display, you will find the three familiar touch-sensitive buttons for navigating the interface. A faux metal accent (made of silver paint with glossy finish) runs down the sides of O+ 8.31z, which is perfectly complemented by the curved, shiny black back cover.

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Since Android 4.4 KitKat has yet to be released, Android Jelly Bean is still the latest version of Google's mobile operating system that's available to consumers. As earlier explained on TP, the most notable improvement implemented on JB is Project Butter, which brings smooth transitions and snappy touch response to smartphones running the OS. Users also get the ability to create multiple profiles - be it for work or play - all in one device. Although O+ 8.31z merely runs Android 4.2 instead of 4.3, which is the latest version of Jelly Bean that's out, having played with the phone for a week now, I can say that it still comes with all the key features that Android fans have grown to love about JB.

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While I think that the device's screen is a bit small, considering that O+ 8.31z only costs Php 2,995, I really can't complain about it. Overall, I'd call O+ 8.31z a 'very strong release' and a 'tough competitor to beat' in its price echelon. I definitely recommend it to Android fans of all ages who are very conscious about their budget but still want to get the best that their money can buy.

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To those who are interested in purchasing this smartphone, this is what its packaging looks like. On the right side, you will find the phone's key features and at the bottom of the plastic case, you'll see O+ 8.31z's technical specifications.

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Now, let's check out the other stuff inside the box.

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Of course, the have the earphones with microphone, which you can use for making calls.

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The 1,500 mAh Li-Ion battery pack.

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The 4GB microSD card that O+ generously included in the package for free.

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We have the O+ 8.31z User Manual, which contains everything you need to know about the phone.

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The microUSB to USB cable for connecting the handset to a Mac or PC. You'll also need this for charging the handset.

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And finally, we have the charger.

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So there you go, TP Friends. Again, I highly recommend this cool smartphone. I mean, while we can't really expect it to have the powerhouse performance and stellar imaging capabilities of midrange and flagship releases from O+, for a device that sells for just Php 2,995, I think it delivers far more than what you pay for it.

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I invite you to give the phone a test run at all O+ stores and kiosks in major malls nationwide. One thing I love about O+ concept stores - especially the one in SM North EDSA - is that all of the handsets that they have on display are working units so you can actually play with them to see if they're really the one for you. Isn't that nice, TP Friends?