The Blu Vivo 5 is one of the thinnest and lightest phablet-sized models we've seen, at about .27-inches and 4.9 ounces, respectively. This unlocked Vivo 5 is actually two phones in one, thanks to its Dual SIM-card slot that allows you to add a second phone account-even from a different provider. This is a GSM-based phone, which means you can use it with providers such as AT&T and T-Mobile, but not Sprint or Verizon. It's a very good option for anyone who needs a second smartphone, such as for travel or business use, but only has the budget-or pockets-for one. Call logs and texts from either account can be conveniently viewed on one screen. You conveniently can individually choose which SIM to use for calls and messages, or set to ask first, while data you can choose whether to use SIM 1 or 2, all in settings. You can even have different ringtones. Of course, if you're only using one account, the Vivo 5 behaves pretty much like any other smartphone. A limitation to consider: You can't have both SIM cards, which are not the same size, and a microSD card all in the phone at that same time. The SIM1 slot fits a micro-SIM, while SIM2 is a nano-SIM which actually fits sideways in the microSD slot, so you can't have both the SIM2 and the microSD card in the phone at the same time.
The Vivo 5 has a large 5.5-inch high-definition (720p) touch-screen display that's easy to see in bright light. You don't need to hunt for the power button to wake up the screen either. You can do that by simply double-tapping the display. The Vivo 5 has a USB Type-C connection, so there's no more fumbling around on which way is up when plugging in the included charger and cable to charge the phone. You can even schedule when the phone powers on, say 7:00AM, and power off, say 11:00PM. The Vivo 5 provides easy access to all main functions via a highly responsive touch-screen display that supports many home screens of apps, as well as back, home, and recent apps keys. The recent apps key launches a stack of screen shots of your most recently used apps. Tap any one of them, and you can jump to that app, or close them all. However, this Android smartphone lacks the app drawer, which helps Android users keep their phone's desktop tidy by providing an accessible place to keep all of the apps and widgets installed on your phone out of sight yet easily accessible. On this phone, the only way you can hide a seldom-used app is by making it disappear in settings or stashing it in a folder. What's more, there doesn't appear to be any type of sorting feature to help organize apps easily. Everything has to be done manually. There's also no search in settings-a convenience many Android smartphones users rely on to track down hard-to-find controls and adjustments. Also unusual for an Android is the Quick Settings are launched from swiping up from the bottom of the screen, rather than the top. The Vivo 5 does offer a clever way to get you out a boring meeting or awkward situation: Fake Call, which you can find in Quick Settings, offers a subtle way to get the phone to ring after a delay, allowing you escape by saying you have to "take this important call."
The Vivo 5 lets you perform Google searches by voice command and lets you download applications, services, music, and games, and more from the Google Play Store, and other sources. Its multi-touch screen lets you zoom in and out of photos or Web pages using two fingers (for instance, your thumb and index finger). A handy on-screen drop-down status bar alerts you to and takes you to new messages, upcoming appointments, and other items that need your attention, even when your screen is locked. Its Android OS offers better text editing tools and controls for managing data usage, and enhanced voice-activated navigation and dictation.
The Vivo 5 supports a "4G" LTE network (and HSPA+ too), allowing fast streaming, downloading, and uploading of high-definition videos and other large files. The fast network also facilitates better Web browsing experiences. But it doesn't support some LTE frequency bands that may provide you with better coverage in your area. The WiFi connection provides another way to access the Web, e-mail, and other Internet-based content, without using your data plan allowance. But this model lacks high-band (5GHz) WiFi capability.
MESSAGING: The virtual keyboard was excellent to use. The height and layout can easily be adjusted to the user's liking. You can even split it in two. In portrait orientation, it features five rows (a rarity among phones) with dedicated keys for numbers across the top row. It supports a method that allows users to type words without lifting a finger-literally. You enter a word by dragging your finger across the screen from letter to letter. Though it's initially awkward to use, we eventually had a lot of success "typing" quickly and accurately. This phone comes with common preset text messages, and also allows you to create custom preset text messages for your individual special situations or frequent use. Good e-mail readability and attachment capabilities. The Vivo 5 also supports Microsoft Exchange and Outlook for work e-mail. When connected to Windows or Macintosh computers, this phone can appear on the computer as another drive. You can then transfer data to and from your phone as you could on a regular drive. But this model can't handle Office type documents, out of the box.
PHONE: We tested this phone under a variety of conditions to simulate environments ranging from the quiet indoors to noisy roadsides. We found voice quality was very good when talking, though only fair when listening. Battery life, overall, was very good. Talk time was an adequate 15 hours. The Vivo 5 complements its very-good battery life with its rapid charging capability, which in our tests, took about 45 minutes to bring a drained battery to roughly 50 percent capacity using the included charger. This phone has a very good mixture of controls and features for making and taking calls. Very good keypad readability under most lighting conditions. Its voice command allows you to conveniently dial numbers from your phone book by speaking the name, without the usual training. You can also dial numbers by pronouncing the digits. It has Bluetooth for wireless hands-free voice communication. Can be used internationally. This model can simultaneously be on a phone call and an Internet-based connection over the cellular network. But auto answer doesn't work with headset.
MULTIMEDIA: The 13-megapixel camera has a very short shutter lag, and produced good-quality pictures at ISO settings up to 800. Its touch focus feature lets you override the autofocus by tapping on any subject on the screen. The camera's flash and ISO-setting controls help improve your chances of taking better pictures under low-light conditions. Its face detection comes in handy when you're snapping pics of babies, toddlers, or other fussy subjects. You can capture pictures at the same time you're shooting a video. The camera also includes modes such as best shot, eraser, gif, and more. The camera took decent 1080p video, probably adequate for casual use such as uploading to the Web. But the low-light frame rate was worse than on many other smartphones we've tested. The high-resolution front-facing 4.9-megapixel camera allows easy self-portraits, and can support video chats. It can also record at 720p.
The music player has the capabilities and controls of a typical stand-alone MP3 player, including an equalizer, music shuffle and repeat controls, and options for sorting music by album, artist, etc. This model also supports Bluetooth stereo headsets, can download music over the phone network, and has an FM radio. Its Bluetooth data support enables the phone to wirelessly share pictures, contacts, and other files with compatible printers, computers, and mobile devices.
GPS navigation capability provides spoken turn-by-turn directions and automatic re-routing. The Vivo 5 can act as a mobile hotspot for WiFi-enabled devices. This model also comes with a screen protector and case. It has 32GB of built-in memory and can support memory cards of up to 64GB. Its memory capacity is beneficial for storing music, videos, pictures, and other types of files. But the memory card is hard to access, and the battery is non-removable.
