Hello, fellers. Hope you guys are healthy and safe (my God, did I just use Ben Sin's intro? ).

Alright, so I've been using a (cheap!) KaiOS
device for a little over a year and a half as a primary (only) phone. Hell; it's what I'm using to type this review(!) So, I want to share with you guys how it is using this ''smart feature phone''.

So, I bought this device; specifically the MTN Smart T M561M3, on February last year, for #8500 MSRP. Precisely, February 6, 2020. I placed the order on Jumia and got the phone five days later (order was on February 3).

Of course, I did my research before making the decision. I knew what to expect, but as I have said so many times; the best way to find out the truth about a phone or what is like is to use it.

I wasn't expecting an Android-replacement experience. In fact; I wasn't even expecting Tizen OS level of mobile OS performance, though I must say I was stoked over a keypad-driven device with Google Assistant, YouTube, WhatsApp and of course Xender and ShareIt. (There's Facebook and Twitter, too!) So I placed the order and got the phone.

I will post pictures very soon; and in this thread I will post in-depth reviews and photos so that you will get the message, just in case you wanna jump in! (No, literally ) ( )

Okay, sorry for fooling around.

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS:

MTN Smart T M561M3 (produced and manufactured by China Mobile)



NETWORK:
-2G GSM 900/1800MHz
-3G UMTS 900/2100MHz
-4G: N/A ( Pretty much only the Qualcomm-based KaiOS devices like the Nokia 8110 4G and Alcatel Go Flip have LTE modems)

SIM: Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby

(Yes, 3G is supported on both SIMs, but to use it both SIMs must be MTN SIMs; SIM 1 must have an MTN SIM or you cannot use the device. SIM 2 can use any other SIM but is locked to 2G only.

An MTN SIM must be in the device for the device to work. You can use the phone without the SIMs if you put it in airplane mode then remove the SIMs).

SIM type: Regular Mini-SIM + NanoSIM (SIM 1 & 2)



PLATFORM:

DISPLAY: 2.4-inch TN-TFT LCD, 16M colours, 240x320 (QVGA) resolution.

TOUCH: (Hell) no.

(Display has OK colours but even my ex-BlackBerry Bold 9900 beats it in contrast and black levels. The display gets decently bright but the sun thoroughly defeats it. This is no Galaxy S10+)



CHIPSET:

Spreadtrum (now Unisoc) SC7731EF, 32nm (wot d'ye 'xpect? )

CPU: quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A7

GPU: Mali-T830 MP1

RAM: 512MB LPDDR2

STORAGE: 4GB eMMC

(There are TWO MTN Smart T models: M561M2 with 256MB RAM and 512MB eMMC, in black; and mine, in gold with 512MB/4GB.
Specs wise; it's very comparable to Tecno's Y2. But is it better? We will see!)



SOFTWARE:

OPERATING SYSTEM: KaiOS 2.5.0; updated to 2.5.1; no security patch info.

TEXT AND INPUT METHOD: Predictive (T9) numeric keypad.



CAMERA & VIDEO RECORDING:

FRONT: 5MP, 720px480 (D1) @ 30FPS

REAR: 5MP, 640x480 (VGA) @ 30FPS (what? )



CONNECTIVITY:

BLUETOOTH: Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP.

WiFi: 802.11b/g/n , WiFi hotspot capable; WPA2 security

GPS: Yes, with A-GPS; though no iZat, Google Maps supported.

3.5mm: Yes (of course).

USB: microUSB 2.0, USB Debugging, USB tethering.



BATTERY AND CHARGING:

2000mAh Li-Ion removable battery; standard 500mA charging (5V/0.5A)



SENSORS:

ACCELEROMETER: N/A

GYROSCOPE: N/A

COMPASS: I think it has one; not sure.

BAROMETER: For where?



BIOMETRICS:

FINGERPRINT:

FACE UNLOCK:

AUTO-BRIGHTNESS:

PROXIMITY:

More updates coming soon!

Cc: 24brain
atheistandproud
sunshineV
KrazyDave16
edoairways
slawormiir
skywalker240
naijasensei
sweetbuns
scarycuteface
pretiboy
najoomey
jeffy1206
... and the rest of the crew.

Watch this space!

YOUR COMMENTS ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME! LIKE IF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL; SHARE IF YOU DON'T CARE.

[quote author=thepoweruser post=106054358][/quote]

Post pics

MTN smartphone do have some problems
1, you can't set your desired music for ringtone

2, sometimes the screen go blank when you are sending or receiving a call

3, using the xender is useless, even the Bluetooth is faster than the xender

4, the fact that I can't use any other sim apart from MTN as my first sim is quite frustrating

5, and the whatsapp don't send or receive sticker etc

so i gass use mtn for sim 1? wahala for who no get mtn sim las las na nokia kaiOS device beta pass...tecno own dey hang smh

ahmemmygrey:
MTN smartphone do have some problems
1, you can't set your desired music for ringtone

2, sometimes the screen go blank when you are sending or receiving a call

3, using the xender is useless, even the Bluetooth is faster than the xender

4, the fact that I can't use any other sim apart from MTN as my first sim is quite frustrating

5, and the whatsapp don't send or receive sticker etc

Thanks for the A2A.

1. You can actually do this.

2. This is a common problem (i.e. there is no proximity sensor).

3. The Xender is woeful. Don't use it. I'll explain why later.

4. DAMN, BRUH, YOU SPOT ON!

5. WhatsApp did push an update to fix this. However there ain't any of them Naija stickers (e.g. I won't say pim )

SunshineHQ:
so i gass use mtn for sim 1? wahala for who no get mtn sim las las na nokia kaiOS device beta pass...tecno own dey hang smh

Tecno's T901 has the same specs of the older M561M2 (256MB RAM/512MB eMMC) but the battery is smaller (1500mAh).

I don't particularly think that KaiOS can even find 512MB enough (i.e. web pages will easily choke this phone). 256MB RAM would fare even worse.

Did I forget?

Here are a few pictures:

Home screen

(Note: the display isn't AMOLED. I just like black. )

Quick settings menu.

Power off menu with memory (RAM) clearing option.

Here is Xender running on KaiOS. However, it is a terribly nerfed version of Xender built using HTML5 and CSS. You can only send music and pictures to an Android smartphone, no receiving anything. (iOS? Forget it ). I nor even dey use am, sef.

Here's the KaiStore. NB: You cannot sideload apps, i.e. download and install into the device. (Pity.)

thepoweruser:
Here's the KaiStore. NB: You cannot sideload apps, i.e. download and install into the device. (Pity.)

dis na mobile prison na

Wait o, is the chipset here (sc7731ef) different from the one used on itel p37 (sc7731e)?.... Nobody should attack me o, am just asking a question...

thepoweruser:
Hello, fellers. Hope you guys are healthy and safe (my God, did I just use Ben Sin's intro? ).

Alright, so I've been using a (cheap!) KaiOS
device for a little over a year and a half as a primary (only) phone. Hell; it's what I'm using to type this review(!) So, I want to share with you guys how it is using this ''smart feature phone''.

So, I bought this device; specifically the MTN Smart T M561M3, on February last year, for #8500 MSRP. Precisely, February 6, 2020. I placed the order on Jumia and got the phone five days later (order was on February 3).

Of course, I did my research before making the decision. I knew what to expect, but as I have said so many times; the best way to find out the truth about a phone or what is like is to use it.

I wasn't expecting an Android-replacement experience. In fact; I wasn't even expecting Tizen OS level of mobile OS performance, though I must say I was stoked over a keypad-driven device with Google Assistant, YouTube, WhatsApp and of course Xender and ShareIt. (There's Facebook and Twitter, too!) So I placed the order and got the phone.

I will post pictures very soon; and in this thread I will post in-depth reviews and photos so that you will get the message, just in case you wanna jump in! (No, literally ) ( )

Okay, sorry for fooling around.

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS:

MTN Smart T M561M3 (produced and manufactured by China Mobile)



NETWORK:
-2G GSM 900/1800MHz
-3G UMTS 900/2100MHz
-4G: N/A ( Pretty much only the Qualcomm-based KaiOS devices like the Nokia 8110 4G and Alcatel Go Flip have LTE modems)

SIM: Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby

(Yes, 3G is supported on both SIMs, but to use it both SIMs must be MTN SIMs; SIM 1 must have an MTN SIM or you cannot use the device. SIM 2 can use any other SIM but is locked to 2G only.

An MTN SIM must be in the device for the device to work. You can use the phone without the SIMs if you put it in airplane mode then remove the SIMs).

SIM type: Regular Mini-SIM + NanoSIM (SIM 1 & 2)



PLATFORM:

DISPLAY: 2.4-inch TN-TFT LCD, 16M colours, 240x320 (QVGA) resolution.

TOUCH: (Hell) no.

(Display has OK colours but even my ex-BlackBerry Bold 9900 beats it in contrast and black levels. The display gets decently bright but the sun thoroughly defeats it. This is no Galaxy S10+)



CHIPSET:

Spreadtrum (now Unisoc) SC7731EF, 32nm (wot d'ye 'xpect? )

CPU: quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A7

GPU: Mali-T830 MP1

RAM: 512MB LPDDR2

STORAGE: 4GB eMMC

(There are TWO MTN Smart T models: M561M2 with 256MB RAM and 512MB eMMC, in black; and mine, in gold with 512MB/4GB.
Specs wise; it's very comparable to Tecno's Y2. But is it better? We will see!)



SOFTWARE:

OPERATING SYSTEM: KaiOS 2.5.0; updated to 2.5.1; no security patch info.

TEXT AND INPUT METHOD: Predictive (T9) numeric keypad.



CAMERA & VIDEO RECORDING:

FRONT: 5MP, 720px480 (D1) @ 30FPS

REAR: 5MP, 640x480 (VGA) @ 30FPS (what? )



CONNECTIVITY:

BLUETOOTH: Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP.

WiFi: 802.11b/g/n , WiFi hotspot capable; WPA2 security

GPS: Yes, with A-GPS; though no iZat, Google Maps supported.

3.5mm: Yes (of course).

USB: microUSB 2.0, USB Debugging, USB tethering.



BATTERY AND CHARGING:

2000mAh Li-Ion removable battery; standard 500mA charging (5V/0.5A)



SENSORS:

ACCELEROMETER: N/A

GYROSCOPE: N/A

COMPASS: I think it has one; not sure.

BAROMETER: For where?



BIOMETRICS:

FINGERPRINT:

FACE UNLOCK:

AUTO-BRIGHTNESS:

PROXIMITY:

More updates coming soon!

Cc: 24brain
atheistandproud
sunshineV
KrazyDave16
edoairways
slawormiir
skywalker240
naijasensei
sweetbuns
scarycuteface
pretiboy
najoomey
jeffy1206
... and the rest of the crew.

Watch this space!

YOUR COMMENTS ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME! LIKE IF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL; SHARE IF YOU DON'T CARE.

Nice review. I was excited when KaiOS first surfaced, but not anymore. KaiOS is not even better than Blackberry OS or even the older Symbian OS. The absence of apps, the lack of a thriving ecosystem, and the uninteresting phones running KaiOS make it a pass.

i use t901 and i hacked it. quote me to know how if you also use the mtn, tecno or any kaios phone

thepoweruser:
Hello, fellers. Hope you guys are healthy and safe (my God, did I just use Ben Sin's intro? ).

Alright, so I've been using a (cheap!) KaiOS
device for a little over a year and a half as a primary (only) phone. Hell; it's what I'm using to type this review(!) So, I want to share with you guys how it is using this ''smart feature phone''.

So, I bought this device; specifically the MTN Smart T M561M3, on February last year, for #8500 MSRP. Precisely, February 6, 2020. I placed the order on Jumia and got the phone five days later (order was on February 3).

Of course, I did my research before making the decision. I knew what to expect, but as I have said so many times; the best way to find out the truth about a phone or what is like is to use it.

I wasn't expecting an Android-replacement experience. In fact; I wasn't even expecting Tizen OS level of mobile OS performance, though I must say I was stoked over a keypad-driven device with Google Assistant, YouTube, WhatsApp and of course Xender and ShareIt. (There's Facebook and Twitter, too!) So I placed the order and got the phone.

I will post pictures very soon; and in this thread I will post in-depth reviews and photos so that you will get the message, just in case you wanna jump in! (No, literally ) ( )

Okay, sorry for fooling around.

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS:

MTN Smart T M561M3 (produced and manufactured by China Mobile)



NETWORK:
-2G GSM 900/1800MHz
-3G UMTS 900/2100MHz
-4G: N/A ( Pretty much only the Qualcomm-based KaiOS devices like the Nokia 8110 4G and Alcatel Go Flip have LTE modems)

SIM: Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby

(Yes, 3G is supported on both SIMs, but to use it both SIMs must be MTN SIMs; SIM 1 must have an MTN SIM or you cannot use the device. SIM 2 can use any other SIM but is locked to 2G only.

An MTN SIM must be in the device for the device to work. You can use the phone without the SIMs if you put it in airplane mode then remove the SIMs).

SIM type: Regular Mini-SIM + NanoSIM (SIM 1 & 2)



PLATFORM:

DISPLAY: 2.4-inch TN-TFT LCD, 16M colours, 240x320 (QVGA) resolution.

TOUCH: (Hell) no.

(Display has OK colours but even my ex-BlackBerry Bold 9900 beats it in contrast and black levels. The display gets decently bright but the sun thoroughly defeats it. This is no Galaxy S10+)



CHIPSET:

Spreadtrum (now Unisoc) SC7731EF, 32nm (wot d'ye 'xpect? )

CPU: quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A7

GPU: Mali-T830 MP1

RAM: 512MB LPDDR2

STORAGE: 4GB eMMC

(There are TWO MTN Smart T models: M561M2 with 256MB RAM and 512MB eMMC, in black; and mine, in gold with 512MB/4GB.
Specs wise; it's very comparable to Tecno's Y2. But is it better? We will see!)



SOFTWARE:

OPERATING SYSTEM: KaiOS 2.5.0; updated to 2.5.1; no security patch info.

TEXT AND INPUT METHOD: Predictive (T9) numeric keypad.



CAMERA & VIDEO RECORDING:

FRONT: 5MP, 720px480 (D1) @ 30FPS

REAR: 5MP, 640x480 (VGA) @ 30FPS (what? )



CONNECTIVITY:

BLUETOOTH: Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP.

WiFi: 802.11b/g/n , WiFi hotspot capable; WPA2 security

GPS: Yes, with A-GPS; though no iZat, Google Maps supported.

3.5mm: Yes (of course).

USB: microUSB 2.0, USB Debugging, USB tethering.



BATTERY AND CHARGING:

2000mAh Li-Ion removable battery; standard 500mA charging (5V/0.5A)



SENSORS:

ACCELEROMETER: N/A

GYROSCOPE: N/A

COMPASS: I think it has one; not sure.

BAROMETER: For where?



BIOMETRICS:

FINGERPRINT:

FACE UNLOCK:

AUTO-BRIGHTNESS:

PROXIMITY:

More updates coming soon!

Cc: 24brain
atheistandproud
sunshineV
KrazyDave16
edoairways
slawormiir
skywalker240
naijasensei
sweetbuns
scarycuteface
pretiboy
najoomey
jeffy1206
... and the rest of the crew.

Watch this space!

YOUR COMMENTS ARE CERTAINLY WELCOME! LIKE IF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL; SHARE IF YOU DON'T CARE.

van you post pictures of the device?

iTroll:
i use t901 and i hacked it. quote me to know how if you also use the mtn, tecno or any kaios phone

hacked it for what purpose?

@ thePoweruser,
Comrade, The kaiOS must be a really boring bondage, damm so boring.

skywalker240:
@ thePoweruser,

Comrade, The kaiOS must be a really boring bondage, damm so boring.

cell-jail

SunshineHQ:
cell-jail

KaiOS in that case, must be making ThepoweruSer pick soaps.

skywalker240:

KaiOS in that case, must be making ThepoweruSer pick soaps.

please stop
.they made him go from 100 to zero real quick

iTroll:
i use t901 and i hacked it. quote me to know how if you also use the mtn, tecno or any kaios phone

How good is the phone??

iTroll:
i use t901 and i hacked it. quote me to know how if you also use the mtn, tecno or any kaios phone

How you take do am, boss?

jojothaiv:

How you take do am, boss?

how did you do it mtn smart kaios