MyPhone myT2 DTV Quick Review

MyPhone invested in DTV features for their latest devices. One of them is an 8-inch tablet that just cost above Php3k with workable specs on its sleeve. Here’s our quick review of the MyPhone myT2 DTV tablet.

Design and Construction

The front is dominated by the 8-inch IPS LCD with a fair amount of borders. It resembles the size of the iPad Mini for comparison. Even though it’s primarily a tablet, above the display is an earpiece along with a proximity sensor and the front-facing camera with a dedicated LED flash. It’ll be awkward to place the tablet on your cheeks when calling, though.

The right-hand side is where the physical buttons for volume and power/lock function are located. The lower-right corner has the slit for the built-in antenna for the DTV function that we will talk about later. There’s nothing to mention on the left since it’s completely empty.

On top are the 3.5mm headphone jack and the micro-USB port for charging and data connectivity while the bottom end has the small hole for the only microphone on the device.

Flip the device on its back and, yes, the iconic Philippine map is still printed since it’s a MyPhone device. The back has a matte texture giving it a good grip on hand. The rear camera and its LED flash sit on the top portion while the loudspeaker is positioned at the lower left. The back is sealed but the upper part is removable to give access to two SIM cards and a dedicated microSD card for storage expansion.

The tablet is made out of polycarbonate and surprisingly, it’s well-built and feels solid on hand. The lack of scratch protection for the display is a concern even with the included screen protector as it is still prone to scratches.

Display and Multimedia

The display measures 8-inches with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10. The ratio is ideal for web browsing and viewing documents. It’s an IPS LCD with wide viewing angles although it lacks the vibrancy of more expensive devices. There’s also a noticeable air gap between the screen itself and the protective panel. The brightness could use some boost thoug has it’s still relatively dim even when pushed to its max settings.

The loudspeaker, just like the display, is lackluster. We were hoping for a loud driver as the tablet is meant for media consumption due to the built-in DTV receiver. You’ll need an external speaker or earphones for better quality.

Speaking of, as with any new MyPhone devices released, the myT2 DTV has a built-in full seg ISDB-T receiver. It can receive high quality digital terrestrial television signals currently on air. Since the introduction of ISDB-T in the country, a number of TV networks are already doing their test broadcast in various areas in the country. The Digital TV app is simple with options available for screen recording, snapshot, electronic program guide, and favorite list.

So far, we’re able to get a lot of channels within the Greater Manila area. In the provinces, only a few are broadcasting with ABS-CBN having the widest coverage among them. Part of the scan are the encrypted channels of ABS-CBN but you won’t be able to view them since it’s exclusively available through the TV Plus only. To check out the list available channels in the country, you may check the listing from Wikipedia here.

OS, Apps, and UI

The tablet boots Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box and so far, there’s no available Android 6.0 Marshmallow update and perhaps there will never be. Good thing, MyPhone left the OS almost untouched.

The skin is close to stock Android with just a few tweaks with the icons. There’s a number of pre-installed software (Fotoku, GigGo, Kungfood, NoInk, OnSale, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and PayMaya) as well but can be easy uninstalled when you wish. This is good news as the device only have 5.62GB of usable space out of the total 8GB internal storage.

Camera

The myT2 DTV uses the Google Camera launcher and is equipped with a 5MP rear shooter and a 2MP front-facing camera. Both are fixed-focus but they do have their own LED flashes to help in low-light. Still, no bright flash can help these shooters achieve decent shots.

The subjects are out of focus and outdoor shots have an unusual glow to them. Same goes with the front-facing camera making them more suited for video chat only if you’re fine with low quality. Here are a few samples:

To our surprise, the rear camera can do 1080p video but the quality is nothing to write home about.

Performance and Benchmarks

The slate is powered by a 1.3GHz Spreadtrum SC7731 quad-core processor with Mali-400 MP2 as its GPU and just 1GB of RAM. With this setup, there’s not much to expect in terms of performance. General navigation is mainly smooth with minor stutters after a long period of usage and amount of content on the display.

The tablet is for general entertainment, everyday apps, and some light casual gaming. The struggles of the low-end processor and low amount of RAM show when shifting between apps. It is recommended to keep apps and activities light on the tablet to minimize the slow down.

Call Quality and Connectivity

The phone has cellular connectivity giving it the ability to receive and make calls. The earpiece on the device is soft and tinny so it’s best to use earphones.

There are two SIM card slots with 3G connectivity for mobile data. There’s also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the device. The dedicated GPS on the device is questionable but it supports location services through Wi-Fi and cellular network.

Battery Life

The slate has a 4000mAh battery. It’s non-removable and having it replaced will definitely need the assistance of an authorized service center. The cell can last for about 8 hours and 20 minutes on a full charge with our video loop test using a 1080p clip in 50% brightness and airplane mode with earphones plugged in.

Conclusion

Overall, the myT2 DTV from MyPhone is a decent tablet if you’re looking for a cheap entertainment device. The DTV feature will depend on your location so it’s best to check or ask around first if your area has good coverage.

The tablet currently retails for Php3,199 through authorized dealers nationwide or if you prefer shopping online, MyPhone has just launched their online store. Check out the listing here.

MyPhone myT2 DTV specs:
8-inch IPS LCD @ 1280 x 800 pixels, 189ppi
1.3GHz Spreadtrum SC7731 quad-core processor
Mali-400MP GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Expandable via microSD, up to 32GB
5-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera w/ LED flash
2-megapixel front-facing camera w/ LED flash
Dual SIM
3G HSPA+
Bluetooth 4.0
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
GPS w/ A-GPS
USB OTG
Accelerometer, Proximity sensor
4000mAh non-removable battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop

Pros:

• Functional DTV feature
• Good build
• Wide-viewing angle
• 3G cellular connectivity

Cons:

• Weak speaker
• Inept cameras
• Low performance