G11i Pro (Dual SIM with 3G support)

Introduction

If you have read my G11i review and became interested, you'll definitely desire one G11i Pro. It was released approximately one month ago and the main difference when compared to G11i is the chipset... it's based on MT6573, which means 3G support! That's right, G11i Pro is a Dual SIM Dual Standby smartphone with 3G support.

Specifications

Chipset
Name:	MediaTek MT6573
CPU:	650 MHz ARM11™
GPU:	PowerVR™ SGX 531
Instruction set:	ARMv6
Software environment
Embedded:OS:	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Body
Dimensions (width x height x depth):	120 x 64 x 11.7 millimetres
Weigth:	140 grams
Color:	Black
Battery
Capacity:	1450 mAh
Memory
RAM:capacity:	512 MB
ROM-capacity:	512 MB
Expansion slot:	microSD memory card, supporting up to 32 GB
Network support
Primary phone:	GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS900, UMTS2100
Secondary phone:	GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900
Data links:	GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA
Display
Type:	Sharp LCD capacitive touchscreen
Size:	4.0 inches, WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
Camera
Main (rear):	8 megapixels (interpolated) with autofocus and dual LED flash
Secondary (front):	1.3 megapixels
Interfaces
Bluetooth (802.15):	Bluetooth 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate
Wireless LAN / Wi-Fi (802.11):	IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
USB:	USB 2.0 Client, Hi-Speed (480 Mbit/s) USB Series Micro-B (Micro-USB) connector
Satellite navigation
Built-in GPS module:	MT6620 chipset
GPS antenna:	Internal
Complementary GPS services:	A-GPS (Assisted GPS), MediaTek EPO (Extended Prediction Orbit)
Additional features
Sensors:	Gravity, Proximity and Light sensors
Analog Radio:	FM radio (87.5-108 MHz) with RDS radio receiver

Design and construction

In terms of quality of construction, there are no differences between G11i and G11i Pro. It is still a greatly built copy of Incredible S.

As a quick side note, the original battery from HTC won't fit in this phone. I'm just referring it because some people asked me if the original battery would fit. In fact, that's the only original accessory that you can't use on G11i / G11i Pro. 

There's only one subtle difference in the Pro version, when compared to the normal one. That is the microSD slot, which has been moved a little bit and the battery now obstructs the removal of the memory card (it isn't hot-swappable any more).

Display

There's not much to say about the display, as the manufacturer is still using the same good old Sharp LCD screen...

Features

Just in case you've missed my G11i review, please take some time and read it now because it doesn't make sense to detail all the features again (jump directly to G11i functionality review). Everything is pretty much the same and the only new feature that is worth mentioning is the 3G support.

Under the dual SIM management menu, the user already had the possibility to set a default card to establish all outgoing voice calls. In addition, given that G11i Pro supports 3G networks, the option of video calls can now be noticed.

The user can choose the SIM to establish the data connection and although SIM1 supports data connections up to HSPA, SIM2 is limited to EDGE / GPRS.

Final thoughts

Well, if you were looking for a good Dual SIM featuring 3G support, this is a great choice. It sports good voice call quality, stability, fast and smooth user experience.

Just let me finish this review with a little advertisement... in order to avoid questions regarding where to buy it from, you can always visit my partner shop (etotalk.com). G11i Pro is now available for 229 USD.

MT65x3 (MT6513 / MT6573) flashing tutorial

With the release of the MT65x3 (MT6513 and MT6573) platform, a new version of SP Flash Tool was released. It doesn't make sense to go into deep details about the whole flashing process, because everything should be exactly the same as described on my MT6516 flashing tutorial.

The new MT65x3 phones already support flashing via USB data cable without the need of the USB to UART cable, although that cable is still needed if this new tool is used with an old MT6516 based phone.


Apart from the entire NAND flashing, it is noteworthy that you can flash only parts of the ROM. The following pictures will detail how to flash recovery image only. Sometimes that is required in order to flash a custom recovery which will then allow updating the phone using custom ROMs through the recovery menu.

• First of all, make sure that you install the latest MT65x3 USB VCOM drivers. Now, open SP Flash Tool and make sure you mark USB Mode under Options tab.

• Load the scatter file (MT6573_Android_scatter.txt) and ignore any message that may appear. After that, select the part you wish to flash into your MT65x3 based phone and make sure you select the right file location. In this example, it's shown the recovery partition.

• Turn off your phone by removing the battery and replacing it after a few seconds. With phone completely switched off, press F9 (or hit Download button - the third one with an arrow) to start download and when the countdown starts connect the USB data cable into your phone.
• The download of the chosen partition image(s) will start. After the yellow progress bar is complete, a popup with a green circle should appear.

Attention: Please follow the instructions carefully. I will not take any responsibility on whatever may happen with your phone.

Note: All needed tools and drivers can be downloaded from my MT65x3 Tools 4shared folder. The password to login is bm-smartphone-reviews.blogspot.com. Have fun.