News & Reviews:   Oppo N1

While OPPO have already announced their flagship smartphone with the OPPO Find 7, they are currently refreshing their existing range of devices including the recent 4G LTE enabled OPPO R1s. Therefore, a new rumour that OPPO could be working on an OPPO N1 mini and OPPO N2 smartphone does sound rather believable. The rumour indicates that the new OPPO N1 mini will have tech specs which include an Octa-core MT6592 processor or other octa-core processor, 5-inch screen and a version for 3G and 4G connectivity. While the camera details have not been confirmed, we assume that the 13MP camera sensor will be retained along with the N1's rotateable camera hinge. The rumours don't say much else about the OPPO N2 however, just that OPPO are currently working on it. As usual with such rumours, do remember to take this with a pinch of salt and disbelief. No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing but we hope that it will be significantly lower than the currently priced OPPO N1.

Premium looks don't always mean premium performance, especially when the price of the mobile device isn't at a premium. Unfortunately, there aren't that many premium looking Android smartphones out there that both perform well and cost affordable but OPPO hope to change that perception with the OPPO R1, their second smartphone for the Malaysian midrange market. Does it fulfill all of the above? Read our full review about the OPPO R1 to find out.

When it was first teased by OnePlus, the OnePlus One was said to be a smartphone with the best design, hardware and price to performance ratio around. After quite a few more teasers, OnePlus are finally announcing their One smartphone for an awesome $299 (RM976) price tag. While the design isn't what we'd call the best, it certainly isn't generic, featuring a magnesium alloy chassis and 5.5-inch screen. It looks very similar to OPPO smartphones like the OPPO N1 and Find 7. Tech specs for the OnePlus One include:

• 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974-AC) processor
• 3GB LPDDR3 RAM
• 16GB / 64GB storage
• 5.5-inch LTPS screen (1080 x 1920 pixel resolution)
• 13MP rear camera (Sony IMX214, 6-element lens, f/2.0, 0.3 second shutter speed)
• Supports 4G LTE, 2.4G/5G WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0
• CyanogenMod OS (Android 4.4.2 KitKat)
• JBL stereo speakers
• 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm | 162g
• 3100 mAh battery

The idea for a rotating camera on a phone is not new, in fact it has been tried many times before. However, the Oppo N1 takes this feature makes it its own and then adds on a whole bunch of other unique features you won't find on any other smartphone. What exactly are these unique features and is it worth your time? We certainly think so, but for the rest read on and find out in our review of the Oppo N1.

Oppo has officially launched several smartphones in Malaysia with a full fledged branch, plans for a flagship store in Plaza Low Yat (which is due for opening at the end of the month and nine dedicated service centers across Malaysia. In line with this they came packing a full range of smartphones including their current flagship the Oppo N1, Oppo R1, Oppo Find 5 mini and OPPO Neo. Each smartphone is targeted at a specific segment of the Malaysian smartphone market with a device for the entry-level to the premium. The tech specs and features for these Oppo smartphones include:

• Oppo N1
• 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB / 32GB storage
• 5.9-inch full HD IPS display
• 13MP camera (6-elements lens, dual LED flash, 206 degree turn)
• O Touch Panel
• 3610 mAh battery
• 216g
• Additional O-Click keychain accessory
• RM1798

More China-brand smartphones join the fray as Oppo may soon be entering the Malaysia market with a launch event happening on 18 February 2014. Oppo smartphones have generally been more on the premium performance side than other smartphones with the Oppo N1 currently spearheading the company's smartphone efforts. While it still hasn't been confirmed that the Oppo N1 could be launching here in Malaysia, it seems like the most likely device, considering that it has already been launched in both Thailand and Indonesia. Tech specs for the Oppo N1 include:

• 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB / 32GB storage
• 5.9-inch full HD IPS display
• 13MP camera (6-elements lens, dual LED flash, 206 degree turn)
• O Touch Panel
• 3610 mAh battery
• 216g
• Additional O-Click keychain accessory