The information on this web page is provided AS-IS.
Use it at your own risk.
I cannot guarantee that it is 100% accurate, for two reasons.
1. Chinese phones such as those bearing the generic brand Sciphone, Miphone,
Ciphone, Hiphone or CECT can vary substantially
in the hardware and software provided.
It is known for instance that there are 60+ hardware
variants of the Sciphone i68/i68+.
2. I have used only the Sciphone i68+ and more recently the Miphone M88
and not the 50 or more other types of clone phones in existence.
Buying and using a Chinese "clone" phone involves incurring some risk.
In my opinion, the payoffs are substantial.
Frequently asked questions list (FAQ)
What is CECT?
They are a major cell phone manufacturer in China.
In the case of "iPhone clones",
it appears that some other company (not CECT)
makes the hardware and
then any number of other companies
add their own variant of software to the phone.
Because these phones resemble iPhones, there is a certain
amount of secrecy being exercised as to who makes what,
possibly for legal reasons.
The software on all of these phones is quite different
to the iPhone's, but all of the clones'
software is similar in appearance to one another.
To learn more about the likely actual
manufacturer, click
here.
What is the P168C?
This is the most recent phone in a line of cheap Chinese phones
that first appeared perhaps two years ago,
billed as iPhone clones, even though
the software was and is very different and the look
was not identical.
There are now related phones (the
i68+ and
Ciphone)
that appear virtually identical to the iPhone physically,
while the software is still quite different.
None of these are not true clones and
should instead be viewed as decent phones in their own right.
There are now even clones that look like the iPhone
but have built-in analog TVs such as the A510.
The P168C is the follow-on to the P168+.
The P168+ was the follow-on to the P168.
What do the P168-series and related phones offer?
These GSM phones are quite different from the iPhone
but they offer much.
They are media-centric cellular phones with loads of features,
some clunky, some very usable, typically including:
GSM phone itself
MP3 player
Camera
Video recorder
Video player (plays 3GP and MP4 formats)
Image viewer
Calculator
Voice recorder
Email
Support for 2GB (maybe more) micro-SD flash.
Bluetooth
Text messaging (SMS)
Multimedia messaging (MMS)
FM radio (usually)
Note that the P168-series phones have no Java capability.
Some of these features are undoubtably awkward to use and/or slow
and yes, there are even software bugs.
People nevertheless rave about the P168+ and Sciphone i68+.
These phones are considered by many to be a
good deal for the money, since
rather than costing US $500 unlocked without a contract,
they go for $90-$150.
What other Asian phones are interesting?
While this page is about the P168 series of phones,
which include mainly the P168, P168+ and P168C,
there is a large diversity of phones coming out of Asia.
Here is my list of the major Asian clones with a focus on
the phones that I find to be clever or interesting.
As you can see, they have a variety of models names.
Most resellers stick to the standard names provided by the
manufacturers, but a few resellers invent new names in order
to make consumers think they're selling something new.
It's quite possible that even within one model of phone there is
variation in the underlying hardware, as with the
Sciphone i68 and i68+, which have over 60 variants.
The Ciphone C5 has built-in GPS. Note that the English-language version of this phone does not have the Apple-like button interface.
The 007Classic is claimed to have built-in barometer; altimeter; thermometer; compass. But it is only dualband so it will not work in North America.
The XPhone used to be unique in that you can get it with red/blue/silver/gold back plates.
Now however the i9b and Sciphone i9-3G (the rounded-back iPhone clones) are available with black/white/red back plates.
The P168+, P168C, P168S, and LH01
that are sold to North Americans
should have 850 MHz but you need to verify that
with the seller.
The T32 has Wifi and costs around $300.
Where can I buy one?
Zydaglo and DealExtreme have the P168C.
Zydaglo also has the "official" Sciphone i68+
as well as the newer i68-3G, i9-3g and i9b.
Scophone and MySciphoneShop specialize in the Sciphone i68+.
There are also Ebay resellers but some of those are dodgy.
Where can I rate web-based resellers?
At
ResellerRatings.com.
If you look at that site,
you will see they are good at ensuring that both
companies and reviewers are honest.
Where phone do you suggest?
Different people's needs differ, but for me I require a quadband phone with Java,
so my current phone is a
Sciphone i68+.
Where can I take a look at one?
Unless you know someone who has one,
or can find one for sale on Craigslist and meet the seller,
the main way to become familiar with
these phones is via YouTube and similar video hosting services.
No. Never have been. If you see an ad for one that is locked,
don't buy it.
Is there a silicone case specific to the P168 series?
Yes, luckily.
You can find them on Ebay in a variety of colors.
Is the P168+ quadband as Ebay resellers sometimes claim?
No.
It is technically triband GSM as is the P168C etc.
Some call it near-quadband, because there is an internal setting
alterable only at the factory that lets them assign it
either the frequencies
850-1800-1900 (for North America) or
900-1800-1900 (for everywhere else).
(The four possible bands are: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz.)
The important issue is whether it supports
the 850 MHz band, which is used in North America.
To learn if it does, check the ad carefully, ask the reseller,
or once you have one check the IMEI sticker
in the battery compartment.
Which is better: the P168, P168+, P168S, P168C?
Most people seem to have the P168C at this point, since it is newer.
It is nice because you can use two SIMs and switch between them
easily.
As a rule, you should always go with the newest phone
since it has the latest firmware. This is rather important because
once you buy the phone you cannot (usually) obtain newer firmware.
What is the camera resolution of these phones really?
For any of these phones, most Ebay ads will say 2 megapixels.
This is usually a lie.
The resellers rarely test the phones to learn the camera's
actual, maximum resolution.
The resolution depends on three factors:
The CMOS or CCD image sensor itself.
The processor that it connects to.
The software.
As far as the processor goes, here is the camera resolution that
each maximally supports.
Such a camera must be in the phone to get that resolution.
And the software has to support it properly.
MTK MT6225 supports up to 640x480 (e.g. Sciphone i68 and i68+)
Caveat:
It is hard to predict which processor your P168-series phone will have
due to the fact that there is hardware variation in Chinese phones.
You can inquire with your reseller but they often do not answer
the question, presumably because they don't want to open boxes.
Identifying the processor is not hard once you have the phone.
If you use Ebay, read the feedback comments.
You may learn that a reseller with 1000 positive feedbacks
got them all by selling baubles instead of Chinese phones.
Do your due diligence as a consumer and examine
the feedbacks carefully.
The Sciphone i68+ is newer and looks just like the iPhone. Is it better than the P168-series?
Some people say that the MT6225 processor in the i68+ is slow.
Others feel that the phone is acceptable.
I own the i68+ and I think it's fine although the camera is indeed
junky. Here is my
comprehensive review of the i68+.
Are there official manufacturer web pages for any of these phones?
Not for the P168 series.
However the people who have established the Sciphone brand
have set up
MySciphone.com.
Which Ebay seller is reputable?
There are so many, it's very hard to keep track.
I can't recommend one over another.
If they do not have an email address listed
on their Ebay page, you probably should not deal with them.
And please don't buy a phone from a seller who has zero feedbacks,
since more than likely you will never receive a phone from them.
Be wary of buying directly from China, since after all
if the phone is defective the cost to return it
for repairs is large.
Make sure you check their feedbacks to verify the positives
are from actual phone sales, and not trinkets.
What frequencies does GSM generally work at and where are these frequencies used?
GSM phones work at some or all of:
850 MHz = North America both coasts
900 MHz = Most other places
1800 MHz = Most other places
1900 MHz = North America East Coast
Note, Europe and China use 900 & 1800 MHz.
Are the triband CECT phones a problem?
Early on, some CECT triband phones sold in North America
supported 900-1800-1900 MHz: thus lacking 850 MHz.
Now, supposedly they are all 850-1800-1900 triband,
but you should do your due diligence as a consumer
and verify with the reseller that that is the case.
Remember:
On the West Coast: 850 MHz is absolutely essential.
On the East Coast: 1900 MHz reception is available but may be limited.
Thus for North America, you actually need both 850 and 1900 MHz.
What are the top priorities when shopping for one of these phones?
Definitely make sure it has:
The latest software.
Always ask which processor it has. The higher-number processors are better.
If you are in the USA then 850 MHz band capability is a must-have in addition to 1800 & 1900 MHz.
The 1.3 megapixel camera is useful even if photos are not great quality.
Beware! Some phones are being sold as 2MP when
they only have VGA-resolution 640x480 cameras.
Slide-to-unlock feature.
Shake to change song/image feature.
Orientation sensor for video/photo viewing.
Java MIDP 2.0 for games and programs.
Additional accessories that it should include are:
An extra battery.
Battery charger.
Car charger.
An included flash memory card e.g. 1 or 2 gigs.
Some kind of case.
Earbuds.
USB cable.
Can I put YouTube videos on my CECT phone?
Yes, but you must convert them to 3GP or MP4 format
from YouTube's FLV format.
Probably it is best to convert to 3GP since files
in that format are smaller.
The website
Keepvid
is good for downloading videos.
Please see my guide for converting videos, which includes several
sample videos,
in my Sciphone i68+ review.
How do I copy videos onto my P168 or related phone?
If the phone did not include a MicroSD card, or if you would
prefer a larger one, buy one. They're cheap.
Open the back of the phone and put it into the phone.
The metal holder has to click. Close the back of the phone.
Download video FLV e.g. using Real Player with Firefox 2.
Connect P168 to your PC and tell the P168 to act as a USB storage device. It will appear as a drive on your PC.
Copy video onto the drive e.g. into the Video directory.
Tell PC to disconnect from that drive (in the lower-right hand corner of the Windows display there is an icon called Safely Remove Hardware) and then unplug USB cable.
Is there a limit to multimedia-message (MMS) size?
There is a known limitation of about 100 kB for an incoming MMS.
Where can I get a bigger/better stylus to use with the phone?
DealExtreme has a 4-in-1 combination stylus, pen, LED light,
and laser pointer for less than $4,
here.
CECT Unlocked has a similar pen for $10.
How do I download or update the firmware?
You probably cannot obtain newer firmware except from other owners who have downloaded it from their newer phones. A few people have begun to modify the firmware using a program called Spiderman.
You will need to buy a serial cable to transfer the firmware to/from your PC. It costs about $15 from resellers. Your computer must have an available 9-pin serial port which typically only desktops and older laptops have.
You will need to use a free program from Mediatek (who make the processor) called MTK FlashTool that allows transferring the contents of flash to your PC and re-flashing.
This video explains the process:
How to I set up the phone for data services?
You need to do a
Device Over The Air Configuration (DOTAC).
You might need to press the power button to accept a service. Do not accept any service like T-zones or any T-anything. Always choose the first option and take care of any data account. Repeat for each desired service.
I have heard of this problem. Especially with older firmware,
people report that the on-screen battery monitor is not accurate
and that when the battery gets low, the phone simply shuts off.
It is also the case that the default screen saver
kick-in delay may be too short. That is easily changed.
What about MP3 playback quality?
There are four speakers on the front of the P168 series phones,
providing decent sound quality.
The Sciphone has either one or two on the back of the unit.
All of these phones come with earbuds that plug into a
proprietary jack.
You can buy an adapter to use your normal headphones
for $8-10.
Are the earbuds good quality?
Some people say that the included earbuds are junk.
The ones that I received with the Sciphone i68 were fine but tinny.
Remember: You need to buy an adapter to use your own headphones.
What operating system does the phone use?
An analysis of the Sciphone i68 firmware provided evidence to support the following claims.
It has an MT6225 processor that probably runs at 26 MHz.
The operating system is Nucleus Plus OS from Mentor Graphics (ATI).
J2ME i.e. Java MIDP-2.0 support is present.
There is WAP support.
An analysis of the Hiphone firmware provided evidence to support the following claims.
The operating system is ThreadX from Green Mountain.
SDL is used for graphics.
There is WAP support.
What processor are these phones based on?
All phones except the T32
seem to have one of the MediaTek (MTK) processors.
MT6225: slow and VGA camera [most common processor]
These are ARM-compatible, in fact the MT6226, MT6227, MT6229, and
MT6230 are all confirmed have the ARM 7EJ-S core, which is a 32-bit RISC
processor that can potentially natively run Java bytecode
and includes an LCD controller.
What is the special key code needed to get into "engineering mode"?
On the P168-series phones: dial the number * ## 3646633 #.
On the Sciphone i68: dial the number * # 8560968 #.
For the Sciphone i68+: Dial the number * # 820430363 #.
What is the code for factory mode?
Factory Mode is *#66#. I suggest that you don't use it.
What is the code for obtaining the IMEI?
To display your IMEI, call *#06#.
Do any of these phones run Java applications or games?
All of the phones come preloaded with some clunky built-in games.
The Sciphones and i9 phones can run Java programs.
Does the email functionity support common POP3 accounts?
Most of the phones do not. The A88 phone supposedly does support POP3.
Do any of these phone accept 4GB micro-SD flash cards?
The P168-related phones take a maximum of 2GB, however
some people have reported success in getting 4GB to work
on some models.
The Sciphones have been reported to accept up to 8GB.
Can I sync with the contact list on my PC?
Seemingly not.
I have heard of people having problems with that.
I myself do not keep contacts on my PC.
Where are specifications for the Mediatek processors?
Is anyone porting Google Android operating system?
The P168 series phone have insufficient processing resources
for Android, which runs its user interface on a variant of slow Java.
The upcoming
Sciphone N12
will have the Android operating system.
The N12 will have a much faster processor.
What does the P168 look like when disassembled?
In addition...
What is the Hiphone i32?
Hiphone appears to be a brand that is applied to many phones.
Some or all Hiphone-brand phones use different software.
The Hiphone i32 is so bad, an online petition drive demanding fixes for
problems gained over 900 signatures!
Link.
(Note, some of those signatures are duplicates and
other appear to be graffiti, however most appear real.)
Looking at the Hiphone ads, it is often impossible to verify
the features that a Hiphone has and what you see
may contrast sharply with what other ads say.
For this reason I would avoid the Hiphone brand altogether.
Yes, the US mainstream media (MSM) has picked up on the name
and keeps repeating it.
That doesn't mean the MSM are acting to help you.
What is the Ciphone?
The Ciphone is faster than the P168, Sciphone and
others however there has been a problem with
dual-band Ciphones being sold in North America,
which cannot be used here because they have
the wrong frequencies. Dealextreme.com has
ceased selling them.
Is CECT really the manufacturer of these phones?
They deny making them.
Some of these phones are made by a company called Jinli Company,
probably located in Hong Kong.
Article.
The P168 appears to be made by CopsVoip:
Link.
Online forums for CECT phones
Leaving so soon?
All right, here are the forums where you can ask questions.
My corporation search page for investigating elusive or dodgy corporations.
Short list of corporate front groups in the USA (meaning corporate PR trying to appear to be socially-responsible, which at times can even be made to look like grassroots citizens activism)
