Smart Netphone is a custom ZTE Blade handset

Smart Comm. is set to announce its own branded Android phone called the Smart Netphone, a Froyo handset originally manufactured as the ZTE Blade.

The ZTE Blade was first shipped back in November 2010 but never arrived in the Philippines.

What Smart might have done is include some custom apps into the handset, upgraded it to Froyo (from Eclair) and renames it the Smart Netphone 701.

It’s also known as the Orange San Francisco in some parts of Europe and was selling for 99 euros in January.

Photo credit: John Karakatsanis

The specs are pretty decent for an entry-level Android phone and could very well be competing with the likes of the Cherry Mobile Eclipse 2.2 and the Alcatel Blaze Duo 890D (though the latter one is dual-SIM) at the Php5,000 price point.

Smart Netphone (a.k.a ZTE Blade)
3.5″ LCD display @ 480×800 pixels
600 MHz ARM 11 processor
Adreno 200 GPU
Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset
HSDPA 7.2Mbps; HSUPA 5.76Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
3MP autofocus camera
FM radio tuner
GPS w/ AGPS support
Li-Ion battery 1250mAh
Android 2.2 Froyo

No word if this handset is upgradeable to Gingerbread but by the specs alone, I think it’s possible.

Though the unit itself is a bit dated, the key here is for Smart to offer the unit at a very affordable price point — I think anything under Php5k would be a great price. Imagine if they sold this for like Php2,999 right?

Or they can bundle it with some of the low-cost internet plans and they’re on their way to offer Always On smartphones to the masses.

Update: We’ve spotted the ZTE Blade V880 being sold online for $225 or around Php9,500. It’s possible Smart Netphone 701 will be selling around this price as well.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

34 Comments

miguel says:

6 years ago

Saan po pwede bumili ng LCD ng ZTE-BLADE?
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marian says:

12 years ago

nag hahanap po ako if saan pwede maka bili ng battery at case para sa ZTE-BLADE phone?..may available po ba dito sa Qatar?
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hoyletsdothis says:

13 years ago

this is not the first time Smart “branded” its own hardware. We knew how that turned out…
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joems says:

13 years ago

i wish this unit can still perform in rural areas where signal is very scarce…i hate phones that low signal coverage..
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jon says:

13 years ago

aside from smart center , were i can buy this netphone???
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joan / the backpack says:

13 years ago

parang ang mahal nya.. wish ko lang matino ang quality at hindi sirain..
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keemo says:

13 years ago

Parang yung nilabas nila dati na Smart Amazing phone na di naman bumenta…
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Kyle says:

13 years ago

Smart’s official site for the Netphone is up! http://smart.com.ph/netphone

It’s Php 9,990 prepaid. Postpaid, it’s free starting at Plan 1200 Consumable and Plan 800 Data Lite. I’m currently at plan 1200 and this’ll make a great phone when I renew my subscription on November.
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Borgy Manotoy says:

13 years ago

How about its RAM? and if we will compare this unit with LG P500 and Alcatel OT 990D?

Thanks and Godbless! More Power

^_^
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Operation Super says:

13 years ago

Site is up. http://netphone.ph

P9.9k prepaid. I thought it would be cheaper. Err.. having second thoughts…
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crammer says:

13 years ago

It’s actually very difficult to text with this phone. It’s touch screen and it’s not wide enough on portrait orientation so the keys are annoyingly small.
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Smart says:

13 years ago

This will be launched August 31. There will be a press conference on said date.
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Operation Super says:

13 years ago

Hello future phone. I’ll be a Smart Netphone groupie once I got this. Been watching videos of San Francisco/ZTE Blade for 2 days now, and I am impressed.
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Wallpapers says:

13 years ago

i love the screen resolution!
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csseyah says:

13 years ago

parang malabong ilabas ng smart yan sa halagang 5k pababa… lalo na inupgrade nila ang Android OS yan…
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Jeff says:

13 years ago

Sana gawin ng Smart eh yung katulad ng ginawa nila dati sa Nokia X1 na parang load na lang ang binili mo sa kanila at hindi yung phone.

And sana Unlockable din to to all networks dahil Globe user ako :D
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Lester Bambico says:

13 years ago

Always on @ 1250mAh? nagbibiro ba kayo sir?
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akismet says:

13 years ago

This phone sucks.
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Roy says:

13 years ago

For those who have an idea, can the chipset support flash 10.1? Will it allow for video streaming on sites like megavideo.com?
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deuts says:

13 years ago

I’d surely get one if they sell this for only P2,999.00! :D
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Tomas Morato says:

13 years ago

Im thinking they’d sell it at 7-10k

After all even the decent cherry or torque android phones are on that pricepoint.
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Noir says:

13 years ago

Wow for 5k this is quite a deal.

Hope it is not SMART locked…..
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g0 says:

13 years ago

I have that one, an Orange San Francisco from Switzerland. We bought it at 4500 pesos. According to some forums, this handset is the easiest to be “hacked”, and it is possible to upgrade it gingerbread (though we haven’t tried to upgrade it yet to gb). Responsive touch screen but a bit on a problem when it comes to texting (especially when in a hurry) Camera is kinda noisy when zooming in or out. Overall it is a good device for the Android Starters. :)
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jules says:

13 years ago

kailan ito lalabas sa smart?
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mark says:

13 years ago

wew… sarap ni2 pag 2,999 lang :D
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Siegfred Correa says:

13 years ago

is the Smart Netphone equipped with Swype?
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rene says:

13 years ago

You hit the magic word Sir Yuga “Always on smartphones for the masses” think of it like the blackberry plan, always on email. Perhaps sms could be replaced by emails in the near future. Emails is more cheaper than sms particularly when your abroad. Save money for our OFWs.
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Rafael says:

13 years ago

Sir Abe, Please compare this ZTE Blade with LG Optimus One by these criterias
– Price
– Quality
– Gaming
– Overall Performance

Upon observation ko po kasi with other sites, ito yung madalas i-compare, and i know na ikaw lang ang makakasolve ng dilemma ko, Much Thanks sir Abe!
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churva says:

13 years ago

a great way to compare phones is by visiting forums for phones. i recommend gsmarena.com
Ricky says:

13 years ago

Rafael, fyi there’s no word “criterias”. That’s because criteria is the plural form of criterion. However, you can also use “criterions” in plural form.

roiji says:

13 years ago

Gingerbread can be attained via CyanogenMod 7 :}
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grail0375 says:

13 years ago

Yep, CM7 works with this one. Make it cheap please!!

roiji says:

13 years ago

i love the screen resolution!
the proc and proc speed is what i’m worried about…
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cy m says:

13 years ago

i think this one is much better than my huawei ideos (free from smart 500). sana eto na lang ang phone ko na free from smart. =(
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