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Umi Iron Pro vs Elephone P8000 – giveaway [closed]

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[update] The giveaway has ended! The winner will be notified via email within 24 hours. We hope you liked this giveaway, because we are planning on doing more. Make sure to come back to Geek Reply once in a while, maybe we’ll have something just as interesting next time! Thanks to everyone who participated!

Umi is close to launching their latest flagship, the Umi Iron Pro and to celebrate the launch, the company decided to start giving away units of the phone to raise awareness about its neat value. The Umi Iron Pro aims to compete with mainstream Android flagships as well as smartphones oriented towards long autonomy and high-end performance. According to the marketing team of the company, the Umi Iron Pro is going to be an affordable, yet premium device that will take on the Android competition with design, performance and battery life. You can check out the handset on the official Umi website, and you can even it order it through there.

One of the biggest competitors Umi is taking on with the Umi Iron Pro is Elephone. Although these names are most popular in Asian regions, they are slowly bleeding into the international market. That’s because these companies tend to release affordable smartphones that still manage to get up to the level of current flagships that cost upwards of $500, which is pretty neat. The Umi Iron Pro is going to directly compete against the Elepehone P8000, and the company is not ashamed to make use of the competition.

Thanks to Umi, we are going to give away one Umi Iron Pro on Geek Reply, but you can get your hands on one in multiple ways. Geek Reply only has one unit for this giveaway, but Umi is organizing a massive giveaway on their forums. To take part in the Geek Reply Umi Iron Pro giveaway, all you need to do is read this comparison between the Umi Iron Pro and the Elepehone P8000 and leave a comment below choosing your favorite. Make sure to motivate your choice!

The winner will be chosen based on their motivation and it doesn’t matter whether you think the Umi Iron Pro is better than the Elephone P8000 or vice-versa, so be honest in your commentary – it will benefit the company’s feedback system and help them cater to their users in a better way. The Umi Iron Pro giveaway starts today and ends on November 15. The winner will be contacted via email, so make sure to comment with a valid email address. The prize will be shipped around November 20, but the winner will have to allow a week or so for the Umi Iron Pro to be delivered to their doorstep.

If you want to get the most out of the Umi Iron Pro giveaways, you can check out other ways you can participate in the promotions the company is organizing on their forums. One interesting way you can enter is to create a video of yourself totaling an Elephone P8000. Umi will pick 10 videos from the submissions and each of those will get an unlocked Umi Iron Pro. However, if you smashed your Elephone P8000 and didn’t win, Umi won’t leave you in the dark: they’ll give you a coupon to buy the Umi Iron Pro when it becomes widely available for half the price. You can read about the rules and submit your destructive video here.

So, without further ado, let’s see if the Umi Iron Pro is better than the Elephone P8000! First off, one of the main aspects of the Umi Iron Pro that sets it apart from the Elephone P8000 and even the rest of the smartphone market, is its security. The security measures built into the Iron Pro consist of a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner and voice recognition. Since security is of utmost importance, especially for your smartphone, most Android users will appreciate these features. The handset will also be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which brings forth native fingerprint sensor support, adding an extra secure dimension to the Umi Iron Pro.

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Under the hood, the Umi Iron Pro gets a Mediatek MT6753 CPU, the same as in the Elephone P8000, Both handsets run on Android 5.1 Lollipop, so you will be getting the latest software experience no matter which you choose. Although we are aware that Android M is the latest build, adoption rates for the new OS are slow and it’s going to take time until at least half the Android users actually get the update.

Moving on, the Umi Iron Pro comes with 3 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage, once again equaling the specs of the Elephone P8000. Compared to its rival, the Iron Pro comes with more security, since the P8000 only has a fingerprint sensor built-in. Software can resolve voice recognition, but the Umi Iron Pro has built-in recognition which might even allow users to speak voice commands when the phone is locked.

The Elephone P8000 comes with a 5.5-inch IPS FHD display, while the Umi Iron Pro brings things up a notch by adding a more vibrant LTPS display and Gorilla Glass 3 on top to ensure the touchscreen’s durability and resistance to scratches and drops. Since we’re on the topic of design, the Umi Iron Pro gets extra points for the Skyline LED strip on the bottom, reminiscent of the Oppo Find 7. While the Elephone P8000 also has LED notification lights, they’re hidden and not as spectacular as on the Umi Iron Pro.

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With a thin, lightweight body, the measurements of the Umi Iron Pro are 152.3 x 76.5 x 7.9mm and the weight of the handset sits at 148 grams. Comparatively, the Elephone P800 size is 155.2mm*76.6mm*9.2mm and its weight is 203 grams. That being said, the Umi Iron Pro is a more maneuverable smartphone that fits the same screen into a significantly smaller and more comfortable body. With a better screen to body aspect ration and thin bezels, the Umi Iron Pro is a future-proof device.

Add to that the USB Type C connector that doubles as an OTG port to charge your other devices, and you’ve got a phone filled with features. The Elepehone P8000 still uses microUSB and it doesn’t feature OTG charging so it can’t act like a power bank, but the Iron Pro can and that’s a bonus point for the handset. USB Type C is also a bonus, because it’s the new standard and every company is now rushing to adopt it.

When it comes to the camera setup, the Umi Iron Pro will feature a 13 MP Sony IMX214 sensor with dual-tone flash and autofocus on the rear and an 8 MP selfie camera up front. The Elephone P8000 features a 13 MP Samsung 3L2 camera on the rear and a 5 MP front-facing shooter. The Sony sensor within the Umi Iron Pro has had a better track record with low-light photography and digital stabilization, but the Elephone P8000 camera is also pretty decent. The front cameras are different, and offer the Umi Iron Pro an edge.

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The Umi Iron Pro also features a headphone amp built-in for high-end audio quality, a metal unibody, ultra power saving mode, an entire suite of health apps, dualSIM capabilities (2 NanoSIM cards or one NanoSIM and one microSD card) and of course, 4G LTE. While the Elephone P8000 also has LTE, it lacks the extra features that Umi is including in their new flagship.

The Umi Iron Pro price is set at $170, but with all the giveaway activity going on lately, you might get lucky and get the handset completely free. Umi is set on taking the smartphone market by storm and the Iron Pro is a testament to that. With an extraordinary bang for buck and value, the handset demonstrates that good phones don’t have to over $500. So, do you think the Umi Iron Pro is better than the Elephone P8000, which has the same price, btw? Let us know in the comments below to participate in the giveaway, and make sure to explain your choice.

As part of the editorial team here at Geekreply, John spends a lot of his time making sure each article is up to snuff. That said, he also occasionally pens articles on the latest in Geek culture. From Gaming to Science, expect the latest news fast from John and team.

Comparisons

4 Most Interesting Crossovers in Gaming

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Gaming crossovers are a great way to bring in new people and drive up interest in a title. With that being said, crossovers aren’t as rare as they once were. More and more gaming companies are now embracing crossovers, to the point that some may say that it has lost its appeal. And while this is true to some degree, there are still crossovers that are really effective when it comes to adding a whole new dimension to a game. To prove our point, we’ve put together a list of five of the most interesting crossovers.

Forza Horizon 4: Halo

Forza Horizon 4 is the eleventh installment in the Forza series. The Forza series is known for its ability to emulate realistic racing conditions and offer accurate representations of real-world cars. And while they’ve partnered with car manufacturers before, Forza Horizon 4 features one of the most interesting collaborations in the entire series.

For a series that prides itself on realistic racing, Forza also knows when to cut loose and have a little fun. Nothing exemplifies this more than the Halo crossover that features Master Chief and the iconic Warthog.

Fortnite: Travis Scott


Fortnite is no stranger to crossovers. But if we had to pick one as the most interesting it would have to be the Travis Scott concert. Not only did this crossover include custom skins and emotes but it also paved the way for one of the most unique digital experiences of 2020.

The Verge’s article on the Travis Scott crossover details that the crossover included an interactive digital concert that turned the Fortnite island into a music stage. What’s great about this crossover is that it hints towards a future wherein music and video games will be working hand in hand to deliver immersive musical experiences to millions of people from all over the world.

Merge Dragons: Rick and Morty



When you think of the popular TV show Rick and Morty, a fantasy puzzle game isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. This is what makes this Rick and Morty crossover so interesting. The sheer absurdity of this crossover shows what gaming collaborations can achieve when one thinks outside the box. The game features original dialogue spoken by the characters that matches their characteristics from the show. It is a fun addition to the puzzle game.

However, this crossover shouldn’t be too surprising as Rick and Morty have appeared in other games, demonstrating how they have become pop culture icons. The comic nature of the duo makes them perfect for every type of genre, including slot games. Foxy Bingo’s pop cultured-themed slots include an official Rick and Morty game that features the iconic imagery and characters from the show. The show has also produced its own game in the form of the Pokémon-clone Pocket Mortys. One thing that all of these games have in common is that they maintain the show’s penchant for fun and wacky adventures. This is seen in Merge Dragons with the exclusive cow-dragon hybrid featured in the crossover event.

Mortal Kombat 11: Rambo


While crossovers in fighting games aren’t exactly new, Mortal Kombat has always had a knack for creating interesting crossovers for their iconic fighting game. One way that they’ve done this is with the inclusion of popular film characters. The franchise has had everyone from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Jason of the Friday the 13th franchise appear in their games.

However, the latest iteration of the game may have topped all of the previous crossovers. This is because Mortal Kombat 11 features John Rambo of the legendary Rambo franchise as one of its available fighters. To add to this, CNet’s article on Mortal Kombat 11 details that Sylvester Stallone voiced the digital John Rambo. This is certainly a treat for fans of the popular action film franchise, as they can finally play as one of the most influential action heroes of all time.

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Comparisons

Loot Crate vs. The Curiosity Box: A Beginner’s Guide to Subscription Mystery Boxes

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With all the loot box shenanigans we’ve witnessed this year, you might have, while searching for more information, accidentally stumbled across something by the name of Loot Crate. Unlike the reviled loot boxes, Loot Crate isn’t a digital gambling scam. Instead, Loot Crate is a physical, subscription-based mystery box you receive in the mail that contains a bevy of geek-related material. Moreover, Loot Crate isn’t the only available service. Alongside the vanilla Loot Crate Classic, the Loot Crate company supplies geeks with anime-themed items with Loot Anime, gaming swag with Loot Gaming (Loot Crate also sells HaloMinecraftFalloutCall of Duty, and Destiny 2 themed boxes), and film/TV merchandise with Harry PotterFireflyMarvel, and Star Trek themed boxes. Loot Crate also has a rival in the form of Geek Fuel, which is more expensive than Loot Crate Classic but contains more (and more expensive) merchandise. While I don’t have a Geek Fuel box to compare to a Loot Crate, I received a different subscription box for Christmas, The Curiosity Box. This mystery box is a joint venture between the company behind Geek Fuel and the YouTube Channel VSauce, which is admittedly cool. So, without further ado, let’s get into what sets apart a Loot Crate from a Curiosity Box and determine which is right for you.

WHAT’S THE SAME

On the surface, Loot Crate and The Curiosity Box seem similar. They arrive in big cardboard boxes and contain random items. Well, not precisely random; each box focuses on a different theme, and the items provided center around that theme. While a lot of geeks subscribe to these boxes for various bits of swag, perhaps the biggest draw is the exclusives. The companies behind these subscription services make deals with other firms to create unique pieces of merchandise that are literally impossible to find anywhere else, aftermarket/marked up eBay sales notwithstanding. Some of these exclusives are just color variants of readily available products, such as a glow in the dark Funko POP Groot figure and orange Quantum Mechanix Tribble.

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Most exclusives, however, aren’t available elsewhere in any other form and include items like the The Walking Dead art print, the Yeti temporary tattoo, the tower of magnetic rings, and “collectible” pins.

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Furthermore, while most exclusives are decorative, some are practical items, such as a pen shaped like the Sledge Saw from Dead Rising 3 and light-up beverage coasters with periodic symbols.

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Finally, these subscription boxes have some of the most awesome, exclusive, geeky shirts this side of ThinkGeek or Hot Topic.

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The exclusive items tend to be the best pieces of merchandise in each box and are usually worth the price of the subscription alone. Usually.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT

Let’s get this out of the way: the most obvious differences are the prices and subscription models. Loot Crate Classic is about $20 per box and comes once a month, while The Curiosity Box is well over $50 and arrives once every three months. More importantly, these boxes are designed for two completely different audiences. The Loot Crate (and likely by extension Geek Fuel) is aimed primarily at adults or older teenagers and provides geek-related decorations and practical items, such as the Dead Rising 3 pen, Star Wars and Deadpool fridge magnets, and a Mega Man car air freshener.

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Also, Loot Crate tends to include non-exclusive products that are part of a series. Case in point, during my brief stint with Loot Crate, I received (among other things) a Kidrobot Glow in the Dark Ooze Action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle vinyl figure and a Funko ReAction Alien figure. I got Donatello and the titular Alien, respectively, but I easily could have found Leonardo or Ripley in my Loot Crate subscriptions instead. However, since The Curiosity Box is almost exclusively made up of exclusive items, there is no element of randomness and everyone receives the same merchandise.

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While Loot Crate caters to the video game, movies, comics, television, and everything pop-culture side of geekdom, The Curiosity Box is more science oriented and is designed for the family. For example, parents who bought the Summer 2017 Curiosity Box got to enjoy a t-shirt, a set of periodic table beverage coasters, a magnetic ring tower, a t-shirt, and a Nikola Tesla (as a sloth) enamel pin, while children will have fun with a temporary tattoo, a unique embroidered sticker patch, a solar system wall decal and poster set, a mobile microscope, and a castle cross-sections book. Finally, the Summer 2017 Curiosity Box came with the Universe Sandbox 2 Steam game, which is fun for all ages.

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Since each Loot Crate and Curiosity Box contains new themes and items, you might find the contents of one particular box more to your liking than another. For example, one Curiosity Box contained a “grow your own glow in the dark crystals” kit, while another included a plush of The Curiosity Box’s mascot, the orange octopus Inq. Meanwhile, past Loot Crates have contained a Batman mug, a Doom Marine Funko POP figure, and the One-Punch Man manga.

While I only have personal experience with Loot Crate and The Curiosity Box, they are not your only options for subscription boxes. Geek Fuel is another decent mystery box, and it has come with its fair share of good products, including a South Park: The Fractured But Whole shirt, a Loony Toons Kidrobot blind box vinyl figure, and an exclusive Legend of Zelda pixel sword power bank. While I cannot recommend the Loot Crate, Curiosity Box, or Geek Fuel (or other) subscription boxes enough, you should research each to know what you should expect from these services. Sure, you technically can’t know what to expect since each box is supposed to be a mystery, but look into each specific subscription and figure out which one is right for you. Which do you think tends to have the best exclusives? Which box caters to your interests? These questions are important and will severely impact your enjoyment. Of course, luck also plays a big role, but that’s also part of the fun.

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Android

Google Drive will Shut Down in 2018

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It seems like yesterday when Google introduced Google Drive 5 years ago. Back then, people didn’t have a good grasp about what Cloud Storage did. Nowadays, there are many Cloud Storage services that it’s only a matter of preference to choose one for your file keeping needs. However, what struck me as an oddity was how Google Drive will pull their Google Drive service come 2018.

That’s right, Google Drive will completely shut down on March 12, 2018. With the software no longer being supported on December 11, 2017. People will have several warnings about this, for now, so they will have plenty of chance to switch to the new version of Drive, Backup and Sync.

This new program is basically a combination of the features between Google Drive and Photos. It’s readily available now for Windows and OSX systems and will be the new host for the Cloud storage. Alternatively, users can get a hold of Drive File Stream, which will become available on September 26, 2017.

The core differences between DFS and BaS come when you compare how they help customers. As shown in the image below:

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A day without Google Drive.

It seems like users will have their first experience without Drive today though. Because as of this morning, the service was down for many users who constantly used the GSuit app. According to the independent site Downdetector, more than 7,000 users are experiencing issues with the service. This has been going on since 10:04 AM EDT, but the number of reports has been lowering afterward. You can check the stats here.

Thousands of users reported Google Drive issues

It’s a shame to see Google Drive go. To be frank, it was my preferred Cloud Storage option besides MEGA. However, it’s not a huge inconvenience considering they are not shutting down a Cloud Storage service altogether. So we at least have that.

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