Category: UMi

  • MT6757 Helio P20 is coming. UMi Plus vs UMi Plus Extreme review of specifications

    MT6757 Helio P20 is coming. UMi Plus vs UMi Plus Extreme review of specifications

    MTK6757 Helio P20 UMi Plus Extreme / UMi Plus E preview

    UMi, one of the longest running China brands, has officially announced their phone– UMi Plus Extreme, also known as UMi Plus E. (more…)

  • MTK6757 Helio P20 is the new SoC from MediaTek. Helio P20 will be released in Q4 2016.

    MTK6757 Helio P20 is the new SoC from MediaTek. Helio P20 will be released in Q4 2016.

    GizBeat first broke the news regarding MTK6757 Helio P20 back in May, 2016. Now we’re seeing P20 trending because it’s about to hit the street in the UMi Plus Extreme Edition. (more…)

  • UMi Super TWRP and root UMi Super MT6755 Helio P10

    UMi Super TWRP and root UMi Super MT6755 Helio P10

    For those looking to root their UMi Super, the first step is to install TWRP custom recovery on the UMi Super. The process contains quite a few steps, but most of them take just a few seconds.

    If it looks daunting, don’t worry, take each step one by one and you’ll come through with a rooted UMi Super within just a few minutes.

    1. Download

    [spoiler style=”steelblue” collapse_link=”false” title=”KNOWLEDGE POINT about scatter files. Click here to read”]NOTE: A scatter file is what tells SP Flash Tool where to flash various parts of the firmware on your phone’s EMMC.

    This scatter came from 2016-06-16 UMi Super ROM. If you’re on a different ROM, it’s extremely unlikely the recovery.img location will change, but there’s always a slim possibility of it.

    If you’re at all in doubt, download the ROM that you’re currently on if you don’t already have it downloaded, and use the scatter from that.[/spoiler]

    2. Install MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 preloader drivers

    If you don’t already have MTK Preloader Drivers installed, we’ll go through that step now. NOTE: If you get an unsigned driver error and can’t continue with the driver install, then go to step #3. NOTE: Use #1 pack or #2 pack. Do not need to use both.

    [spoiler style=”steelblue” collapse_link=”false” title=’If MTK MediaTek preloader vcom driver pack #1, click here’]

    • Open the MTK adb vcom auto install driver pack #1 in WinRAR / unZip
    • No need to extract, double click DriverInstall.exe or installdrv64.exe for x64 bit Windows
    • Allow any permission requests
    • At the end you should see something like this[/spoiler]

    [spoiler style=”steelblue” collapse_link=”false” title=’If MTK MediaTek preloader vcom driver pack #2, click here’]

    • Open the MTK MediaTek auto vcom driver install pack #2, and go to Win7_WinXP folder for 7 / XP, or Win8 folder for Windows 8 / Windows 10.
    • No need to extract, double click DriverInstall.exe
    • Allow any permission requests
    • When you see “Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software”, click “Install this driver software anyway”
    • At the end you should see something like this[/spoiler]

    3. Turn off driver signature enforcement

    Do this step if:

    • You don’t already have MediaTek preloader drivers installed

    and

    • Getting error from Windows telling you drivers are unsigned and can’t be installed with pack #1 or pack #2

    [spoiler style=”steelblue” collapse_link=”false” title=’Click for disable driver signature enforcement guide’]

    To install preloader drivers, some users of 64-Bit Windows may need to disable Driver Signature Verification / Enforcement. This quick procedure will have you up and modding your phone in no time.

    1. Hold SHIFT while left-clicking restart. It’s the same for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.
      disable-driver-enforcement-1
    2. Your computer will reboot and give you various options. Select “Troubleshoot”.
      disable-driver-enforcement-2
    3. Choose “Advanced options”.
      disable-driver-enforcement-7
    4. Choose “Startup settings”.
      disable-driver-enforcement-3
    5. Select “Restart”.
    6. Select “Disable driver signature enforcement”.
      disable-driver-enforcement-6

    Your computer will now reboot into a mode which will allow you to install unsigned drivers, which is covered in the next steps.

    Now go back to step #2 and install the MTK Preloader Drivers (GizBeat source)[/spoiler]

    4. Install and run SP Flash Tool

    • After downloading the latest SP Flash Tool, extract it to a directory where you’ll know where it’s at.
    • Go to the extracted folder.
    • Right-click ‘flash_tool.exe’ and ‘Run as administrator’

    5. Load the UMi Super scatter

    umi-super-root-umi-super-twrp-5

    • If you haven’t already done so, extract the UMi Super TWRP and root pack to a folder where you’ll know where it’s at.
    • Select ‘scatter-loading’ from upper-right of SP Flash Tools.
    • Navigate to the folder that you extracted the UMi Super TWRP pack to
    • Select ‘MT6755_Android_scatter.txt’
    • A checklist of different parts of the ROM should then show in the bottom portion of SP Flash Tools.

    6. Select the UMi Super TWRP custom recovery

    umi-super-root-umi-super-twrp-6

    • If anything is selected besides ‘recovery.img’, deselect them all except ‘recovery.img’
    • Double click the ‘recovery.img’ line in MTK SP Flash Tool (see video at 02:00)
    • direct SP Flash Tool to the previously extracted UMi Super TWRP (‘recovery.img’ in the UMi Super TWRP pack)

    7. Flash UMi Super TWRP

    umi-super-root-umi-super-twrp-13

    • Make sure the phone is disconnected from PC and that your phone is powered off.
    • Make sure the box noted in the image above says ‘Download Only’
    • Select ‘download’ from the top of SP Flash Tools.
    • Connect USB cable to phone. Within a few seconds you should see a red bar come up. Wait a few more seconds and the flash should begin.
    • It will all be over in just a few seconds, at which point you should see a dialog from SP Flash Tools telling you the flash is complete.flash-okay-sp-flash-tool

    8. Boot into UMi Super TWRP recovery and root

    • Disconnect your UMi Super from the PC.
    • Hold VolumeUp+Power until you see the UMi Super logo show, then release Power, but continue holding VolumeUp until you see the UMi Super booted into TWRP.
    • Flash / Install SuperSU.zip from the UMi Super Root pack.

    Done! Good job. You now have TWRP and a rooted UMi Super MT6755.

    If you have any issues, comments, successes or failures, or just want to say thanks, please comment in the comment section and let us know.

  • Umi Hammer S review specifications 2GB 3200mAh remote control mobile

    Umi Hammer S review specifications 2GB 3200mAh remote control mobile

    Umi has long been synonymous with quality in the China phone world. They have been around about as long as Jiayu and THL, which makes them an elder brand.

    umi-hammer-s-review-2015-116

    The Umi Hammer was one of their more popular models and they’ve now given the phone a reboot in the form of Umi Hammer S.

    Umi Hammer [email protected]

    Umi Hammer S specifications

    • SoC: MT6735
    • CPU: 64-bit quad-core [email protected]
    • GPU: Mali-T720
    • RAM: 2GB
    • ROM storage: 16GB
    • Display: 2.5D 5.5″@720P IPS
    • Battery: 3200mAh
    • USB: Type-C 3.1
    • Rear camera: 13MP Sony IMX179
    • Front camera: 2MP
    • TF-SD expandable: Yes
    • Dual-SIM: Yes
    • OTG: Yes
    • Dimensions:  154 x 77.4 x 8.5mm
    • 2G: 850/900/1800/1900
    • 3G: 900/1900/2100
    • 4G: FDD-LTE 800/1800/2100/2600
    • Touch ID: Yes

    The Umi Hammer S carries the MT6735 SoC, this is the recently typical SoC manufacturers have been using to keep costs down for consumers and I’ve found it to be a very capable SoC, pushing Android without any issues.

    We also see the largish battery coming in at 3200mAh. With the 720P display, this should provide very good battery life. Good enough to get nearly all users through the day. Moderate and light users should see a couple of days with a battery this size.

    Umi is using the Type-C USB port which allows for faster data transfer with hardware capable computers. Type-C is backwards compatible with USB 1, 2 and 3, so there’s no need for worrying about being able to transfer and connect to older PCs.

    Stylewise, the Umi Hammer S is sporting CNC process metal sides and a nice square design. The front glass is 2.5D arc style, which always adds a nice element of class to a mobile.

    Also worthy of mention is the touch ID feature, which allows you to unlock your phone with a tap on the back. This is really where I prefer it on a mobile, as it’s much more comfortable and natural to scan your fingertip on the back as opposed to the center front.

    A new feature recently come to several China mobiles is the universal infrared remote. This will allow you to control all of your compatible remote control gadgets with your Umi Hammer S.

    Umi Hammer [email protected]

    I’ve recently reviewed a couple of Umi phones and have found them to be quality units, both in terms of use and physical build. If you’re looking for a 2GB RAM budget mobile with slick looks and are in an area with the aforementioned frequency support, consider the Umi Hammer S.

  • Full Umi Iron review 3GB 1080P 3180mAh

    Full Umi Iron review 3GB 1080P 3180mAh

    Umi is one of the old school China brands. They generally create quite solid phones; I recently reviewed the Umi eMAX which comes recommended. (more…)

  • Umi eMAX review 2GB MT6752

    Umi eMAX review 2GB MT6752

    As mentioned in the preview, Umi has been around for quite awhile. Recently they’ve stepped up their game in regards to marketing towards Westerners and it should be interesting how the older tried and true Umi competes against the up & comers. (more…)

  • UMI eMAX preview 2GB 3780mAh

    UMI eMAX preview 2GB 3780mAh

    Well known as one of the top-quality budget brands, UMI, a long time player in the China smart phone market has now fully entered the battle on the Western front. They’ve always marketed towards Westerners, but recently have upped their game. (more…)

  • Umi X3 Review Specifications – About Time

    Umi X3 Review Specifications – About Time

    umi-x3-review Umi is one of the top names in China brands and many have been waiting for the Umi X3. Perhaps it’s a bit late in the game, or possibly it’s perfect timing. (more…)

  • MT6592 1.7GHz Umi X3 Review Specifications!

    MT6592 1.7GHz Umi X3 Review Specifications!

    umi_x3_mt6592About a month back, we put a preview up of the Umi X3. Well now it’s ready to be sold and shops are starting to have it available for shipping. Unfortunately, some of the touted features we wrote about in the first preview are not to be. What it looks like is that there will be at least two different versions of the Umi X3. (more…)

  • Magic Create Custom CWM Touch Recovery For *Most MTK Based Phones and Tablets!

    Magic Create Custom CWM Touch Recovery For *Most MTK Based Phones and Tablets!

    cwm-mtk6592One of the most asked questions on the forum is ‘how to make custom recovery / CWM for MT6575, MT6515, MT6577, MT6517, MT6589, MT6582, MT6588, MT6592, *MT6572’ (*NOT For MT6572 with UBIFS type EMMC). (more…)

  • Umi X3 To Come With MT6592 2GHz!

    Umi X3 To Come With MT6592 2GHz!

    mtk6592-umi-x3-1We just recently made a post about the specs of LTE/4G Umi X3. It turns out the MTK6592 Umi X3 will be coming with 2GHz CPU as opposed to 1.7GHz. (more…)