The lower-end Bigme HiBreak smartphone is now available to buy online, something that applies to both the black and white and color versions of the phone. Shipping is likely to commence from end-June. Price starts at $219 for the black and white version while the color version will set you back $249. The color model is the one that seems to be in higher demand given that only 511 units are left at the time of this writing compared to 1566 units of the black and white model. Apart from a color e-paper display, both versions have the same design, build, and internal specs.
That includes a 5.84-inch e-paper display having a 36-level front light feature that will keep the display illuminated even in the dark. However, there are no warm and cool temperature controls available. The black and white model offers a 275 PPI resolution while the color model which comes with a Kaleido 3 display offers 92 PPI and 275 PPI resolution in color and monochrome modes respectively.
Under the hood, the phones feature a MediaTek Helio P35 processor that is coupled with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The phone comes with a microSD card reader that allows for up to 1 TB of more storage to be added. Power comes from a 3,300 mAh battery. The phone is 4G enabled (supports B1/B2/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28/B34/B38/B39/B40/B41 network bands) besides supporting Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity.
The phone also comes with a front 5 MP and a rear 13 MP camera. Bigme said you can use the camera for scanning a document and then convert the image file into a text file that you can save, share, or edit. There is also the USB-C port that can be used for wired data transfers or for charging the phone. It runs Android 11 and offers Google Play support, which means you can always have the app you need. It measures 154 x 76.8 x 8.6mm and weighs 170 grams.
Can it replace the regular OLED or LCD smartphones?
That depends on the way you wish to put the phone to use. With an E Ink display that inherently has a slow refresh rate, the HiBreak can never be ideal for such activities such as playing games or watching video even though Bigme typically offers several display modes. Such modes prioritize between better image quality or faster screen refreshes but can never match the fluid responses of conventional displays.
Beyond this, the HiBreak can serve as a handy e-reader device that you can carry in your pockets. You can use the same for reading e-books, documents, PDF files and such without hurting your eyes. Plus, there is always the benefit of extended battery life that E Ink devices always stand for. All of this makes the Bigme HiBreak a nice all-round package that should be beneficial to those who need to read a lot. If you’d find the specs a bit underwhelming, there is the more powerful version of the HiBreak that is slated to arrive later in the year.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.