Unihertz Titan Slim first look overview

Three years in the past I attempted out the huge Unihertz Titan smartphone with a really massive bodily QWERTY keyboard. I beloved the BlackBerry Passport, however the Titan was simply too massive for me to hold each day and use it to get work performed often. In 2021, I examined the Titan Pocket which was shut in measurement and design to the BlackBerry Daring so I discovered it a bit interesting. 

For the previous couple of weeks, I’ve been testing an early prototype of the Unihertz Titan Slim and I feel somebody at Unihertz meant Titan Slim and never Titan Slim. The Titan Slim is without doubt one of the thickest telephones I’ve examined in years, measuring 12.35mm in depth. That is simply 2mm thinner than a folded Galaxy Z Fold 3 and has no enterprise calling itself slim.

professionals and cons

Professionals

• Giant variety of out there keyboard shortcuts
• Excessive capability battery
• Cheap

Cons

• Tiny keyboard
• Thick
• Low-cost supplies
• Subpar digital camera efficiency

Specs

• Processor: MediaTek Helio P70
• Show: 4.2-inches 768×1280 pixels decision
• Working system: Android 11
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage: 256GB inside storage (examined as 128GB)
• Cameras: 48-megapixel rear digital camera and 8-megapixel front-facing digital camera
• Wi-fi know-how: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS/BEIDOU/GLONASS, FM radio, infrared
• Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient gentle, and compass
• Battery: 4,100mAh non-removable
• Dimensions: 146.85 x 67.6 x 12.75mm and 204 grams

The Titan Pocket is the sixth telephone launched on Kickstarter by Unihertz and I’ve had the chance to check out the final 5. The telephones are affordably priced, even outdoors of the Kickstarter particular affords, and goal area of interest segments of the smartphone market. Each has far exceeded the modest Kickstarter targets and with the Titan Slim we see there are already greater than 2,000 backers with pledges virtually reaching $535,000 (on the time of publishing this text).

{Hardware}

When Unihertz first reached out to me concerning the probability to check out a Titan Slim, I used to be excited as a result of I assumed it could be an up to date model of one thing like a BlackBerry Key2. I rapidly opened up the plain bundle and virtually fell out of my chair laughing on the thickness of a telephone with slim within the title. The Key2 measures 8.5mm in thickness, 4mm lower than the Titan Slim. For sure, this isn’t a slim or glossy telephone.

Overview: BlackBerry KEY2: An old-school idea, up to date

Now, in comparison with the opposite Unihertz Titan telephones, this one is glossy and slim, however these different fashions are large. The telephone is pretty slender at 67.6mm so Titan Slim could be a extra applicable title. Nonetheless, the width of the telephone additionally implies that the keyboard is pretty tiny and my ageing fats fingers had bother sustaining any kind of pace on the keys. Somebody with small fingers could benefit from the tactile expertise, however in 2022 I see no cause for a {hardware} QWERTY keyboard on a smartphone.

The central fingerprint sensor is practical and likewise serves as a succesful dwelling button. The keyboard features enabled by means of the software program appear like they have been copied from BlackBerry with very related icons if you arrange shortcuts. You’ll be able to set up a large variety of fast launch shortcuts, swipe up and down on the keyboard to scroll by means of lengthy pages of textual content and knowledge, and the tactile really feel is respectable on the tiny keys. The area bar is small, the shift and different vital keys are method up on the highest row, and there’s simply an excessive amount of bouncing round between the keyboard and the show to offer a seamless expertise.

Beginning on the entrance, we’ve got the 4.2-inch LCD display, which is okay for viewing textual content content material on the telephone. The colours look nice on the show and it is vibrant sufficient for any lighting situation.

The headset speaker and front-facing 8MP digital camera are above the show. There’s an IR transmitter on the highest, however regardless of the telephone thickness, there isn’t a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s software program included on the telephone so you possibly can manipulate distant controls for numerous digital merchandise. The USB-C port and mono speaker are on the underside of the telephone.

The quantity buttons are positioned on the higher proper facet with the ability button beneath it. A customizable purple button is discovered on the left facet with the 2 SIM card trays above this button. There’s a utility to customized a press and a press and maintain of this button.

Additionally: Unihertz Titan first impressions: Massive, rugged, long-lasting, QWERTY Android telephone

The 48-megapixel digital camera is discovered within the higher left nook with a flash to the appropriate of the digital camera. The again is affordable, shiny black plastic, and mixed with the shiny black sides offers the telephone a moderately horrible really feel. I suppose on the estimated $250 worth, we will not ask for an excessive amount of.

The cameras have been moderately poor with timelapse, video, picture, and handbook modes out there. Most pictures have been blown out with poor colours and focus so they could be good for primary doc seize or sharing restricted pictures on social media.

Software program

The Unihertz Titan Slim launches with Android 11 out of the field and the prototype I examined has a September 5, 2021, Android safety replace put in. I checked a few different Unihertz telephones, and there’s no document of updates for firmware or month-to-month safety updates. Android 12 has been out now for practically a yr and Android 13 is correct across the nook. Don’t purchase this telephone with an expectation of ever receiving updates, which might pose a safety threat for anybody shopping for this for enterprise use.

The telephone runs a reasonably inventory model of Android. The Google Uncover web page is accessible if you swipe from left to proper to the primary panel, very similar to a Pixel telephone.

Along with the Google fundamentals comparable to calculator, calendar, digital camera, Chrome, Gmail, Maps, Messages, and extra, you get a number of apps from Unihertz. These embody an FM radio, IR distant management app, music participant, NoteBook, sound recorder, and Toolbox.

The Toolbox is filled with helpful utilities that improve the performance of the telephone. The instruments within the Toolbox embody:

• Sound meter
• Compass
• Flashlight
• Bubble stage
• Image hanger instrument
• Coronary heart fee monitor
• Peak measuring utility
• Magnifier
• Pedometer
• Speedometer
• Alarm
• Plumb bob
• Protractor

It is cool to see the digital camera used with a few of these instruments to offer an augmented actuality expertise that gives you with a tool for correct measurements.

The house display helps widespread app widgets too so you possibly can customise your Android expertise. The Fast Controls part from the notification shade can be custom-made to your private preferences.

Additionally: Unihertz Atom XL hands-on: 4-inch show, 48MP digital camera, and DMR help for lower than $330

Preliminary utilization experiences

Unihertz appeals to a distinct segment market and it seems there are a number of thousand individuals around the globe who’re enthusiastic about low cost telephones with a QWERTY keyboard.

Whereas I didn’t take pleasure in utilizing the keyboard, I did like {that a} BlackBerry-esque interface exists to arrange customized shortcuts. It is also good to have the keyboard perform as a trackpad for scrolling with out touching the show.

The telephone often locked up and froze on me in settings and a few apps. I didn’t must reset it although and switching again to dwelling and one other app appeared to get out the problem. The inventory Android expertise is nice, however safety updates and firmware help are horrible.

I loved the soft-touch matte designs of previous Unihertz merchandise and am not a fan of the shiny end used on the Titan Slim. Fingerprints collect all around the sides and again whereas the fabric feels low cost within the hand.

Battery life appeared high-quality, however I actually could not preserve my SIM in too lengthy to try it out as a result of I didn’t benefit from the expertise of utilizing the telephone. Primary community help is supplied with no 5G functionality. The Unihertz Titan Slim isn’t a telephone I can advocate, however there are clearly a number of individuals who do not thoughts spending about $250 to check out one thing distinctive.