A rare review of a phone. (With thermal imaging.)
Added 2020-10-20 04:55:09 +0000 UTCI don't do many phone reviews, but this one fits in with this channel well. It's probably the most affordable thermal imaging phone currently available.
CAT (Bullitt) are currently launching their new CAT S62 phone with higher resolution thermal imaging for those who want to spend a bit more, but the firmware on their previous CAT S61 had a hint of "too many cooks" to it. The Blackview is more or less stock Android, and they seem to be more relaxed about rooting your phone, unlike CAT who actively blocked it on the S61.
This is very much an industrial phone. Just one preventative fault diagnosis could save its cost many times over. As such, you might be able to wangle one as a company phone.
Comments
I got the S61 just before you got yours after seeing it reviewed - I was pleased that you liked it so much. I appreciate a chunky phone and the S61 doesn't disappoint. Two thing I didn't love were the fiddly plastic flap over the USB-C socket and the lack of a fingerprint sensor. I pulled off the flap and replaced it with one of those magnetic power connectors - big improvement. But having to repeatedly type in my passcode has grown thin. I was almost persuaded to buy the Blackview, but in the end, decided to get the Cat S62, Having reviewed the specs and watched some YT comparisons, I imagined the S62 would look and feel similar to its predecessor, albeit with a slightly larger screen - not true!! The S62 in the hand feels like a much more rounded (literally & metaphorically!) device and the fingerprint reader is very responsive. There's still no wireless charging but at least the USB-C socket isn't concealed behind a trap-door. Having double the thermal resolution (half that of your hacked E4) is also a boon. I think you'd like the S62..
Gordo
2020-10-31 14:39:18 +0000 UTCThe first time I went out with it at night I got a real fright when one of the cats ran towards me as a thermal shape whizzing along the ground.
Big Clive
2020-10-24 06:22:30 +0000 UTCHey Clive, have you tried taking thermal images of your neighborhood cats with your Cats? 😃
Bo Holbo Rasmussen
2020-10-23 22:24:18 +0000 UTCCarry a laser down the road that I must travel...
Michael Thompson
2020-10-22 08:26:57 +0000 UTCPhones fit for today's secret agents!
Andrew Donaldson
2020-10-21 08:04:28 +0000 UTCIs the seek not fitted with a rotatable connector?
Big Clive
2020-10-21 05:08:46 +0000 UTCIt can be adjusted, but just like the big Flir unit the distance between the cameras results in a position misalignment at close range. I tend to go purely by the thermal image.
Big Clive
2020-10-21 05:05:07 +0000 UTCThey are. I tend to use 2 SIMs. One for a local network and one for a UK network.
Big Clive
2020-10-21 05:03:52 +0000 UTCI currently pay for YouTube Premium and could end up using that with what Google did to me. Last Friday Google suspended my Google payment profile saying they couldn't verify my details, without giving a clue what's wrong. The only thing I paid for in recent months through Google is YouTube Premium and haven't used Google Pay in a long time, so it's not like I made unusual purchases. I had to fill out a form and upload an image of photographic ID, but so far no response other than an automated e-mail that my account is being reviewed by their specialist team. Ideally I would like to continue using YouTube Premium as I know it supports creators (even if tiny), unlike the ad blockers.
Seán Byrne
2020-10-20 22:52:28 +0000 UTCThanks for the review of it. My current "workhorse", a cheap A$275 5000Mah Vivo y17 is starting to get a bit tired despite being a great daily driver. I was using the SEEK camera but the USB port is reversed in this phone alas so it's a selfie-thermal-cam only! Pity this doesn't have a headphone jack, and a triple-slot tray for 2 SIMs plus the SD card (the vivo has both) Looks like the blackview has an unlocked bootloader too which is a massive plus.
Anton
2020-10-20 22:32:35 +0000 UTCMakes me kind of hope I need a new phone soon. But I'm sure that or something similar will be available when my current phone dies (6 years and still going strong...)
Moz in Oz
2020-10-20 20:35:49 +0000 UTCThank you for posting this review! I was looking forward to this video for a while.
Frank
2020-10-20 20:34:13 +0000 UTCIf you watch alot of youtube on your phone you might want to give the newest verison of "Youtube Vanced" a shot! It blocks all the ads in the videos, if you activate it, it even skips over sponsored sections in the video using the Youtube sponsor block API! It also enables background playback even with the screen turned off ;)
Daniel Rotskas
2020-10-20 18:09:01 +0000 UTCClive, have you found you need to adjust the alignment between the FLIR and the edge camera depending on how close your filming? Also for those who use the finger print sensor, be careful which fingers you add to it or you can unlock the phone unintentionally.
Mike Hanley
2020-10-20 17:21:08 +0000 UTCAre they BOTH active dual sim? Also... ver-eye-zin... :D
Ryan Coleman
2020-10-20 16:40:22 +0000 UTCI've been thinking about getting a Flir for a while. I've just looked at the price of the Blackview and I'm very pleasantly surprised. I asked Father Christmas for one but she said I've been naughty for buying radio gear so looks like I'm paying for one next year.
Paul Noble
2020-10-20 16:01:18 +0000 UTCThe thermal imaging looks like it's one of it's beast features. I have a Motorola Moto G7 and a Sony Xperia and an iPhone but they are great phones all I use them for is making phone calls via WhatsApp.
Jeremy Travis
2020-10-20 10:59:00 +0000 UTCWow that is cool! I'm on the Verizon (ver-eyes-on) (sounds cooler when you say it) network rocking a Note 10+. I never stopped liking to jot stuff down... Or yeah doodle out the odd schematic. Wish it had some of this stuff
Michael Thompson
2020-10-20 07:47:22 +0000 UTCWoohoo, I've been waiting for this review!
Ian Cooper
2020-10-20 06:54:18 +0000 UTCThese 2 phones are the only androids that have made me think about switching from my IPhone. They are really great.
Alex Taylor
2020-10-20 05:47:53 +0000 UTCI got the 2nd generation Flir one for my iPhone. I have liked it a lot. It has the 160x120 sensor. But the battery lasts less than 15 minutes now. It’s to bad it doesn’t pull power from the phone because I use it with my iPad a lot and that battery is huge. At least you can power it with a power bank while in use if you want. Since the lightning connector can be reversed you can flip it and take a selfie. Cute but not really useful. I got some amazing photos of the icebergs up in Alaska when on a cruise a couple years ago.
Alex Taylor
2020-10-20 05:46:21 +0000 UTCI was supposed to be in be 3 hours ago. Thought I'd watch one video on YT......which turned into 2 hours. And then comes BigClive. Guess bed can wait :D
John Carr
2020-10-20 05:18:07 +0000 UTCI noticed at 10 minutes in you unlocked the phone in frame showing the pattern unlock, but at 13:37ish you moved the phone out of frame to unlock it. Not sure if you had wanted to keep the pattern lock secret or not, but thought I’d mention that.
2020-10-20 05:17:05 +0000 UTCI got one based on your mention a while ago and I love it. not only for the camera but also for the ruggedization. I've lost a phone to damp while camping so this is worth the money.
Drachnien
2020-10-20 05:02:00 +0000 UTC
