Introduction
With an OLED screen and a body that's merely 6.5mm thick, the spec sheet of the Aiek E1 starts off nicely. It's a one-off device unlike any other that we've reviewed in recent years.
Its pet-name being the Card phone, this little fellow comes in a credit-card size but don't worry, you can afford one even if you don't have a credit card. Or a wallet. Or even a roof over your head.
As it's a phone that's meant to be as affordable as it gets, some compromises had to be made. For example, it doesn't run the latest Android version. Come to think of it, it doesn't run any version of any OS whatsoever, but that doesn't stop it from being the cheapest modular phone there is right now. Forget the Moto X - the Card phone rules modularity.
Don't believe us? For instance, the Aiek E1 may not support Apple Pay or Android Pay or any other similar service, but that can't stop you from getting your existing contactless credit card and installing it on the phone as an add-on using nothing but Rubber Bands™.
The modularity of the Card phone goes well beyond that. The possibilities are endless and they are only limited by your imagination (or the lack of it, thereof).
And it costs less than $10. So how bad can it be?
Unboxing
The retail box of the Aiek E1 has a clever design - it opens up like a book, you know the kind that has a hidden flask in it. Except, instead of giggle juice this book hides one of the most compact phones we're likely to review this year.
You also get a flat USB cable, which won't get tangled up like a new Apple user trying to figure out which dongle they need.
Display
The bezels around the screen are a bit thick by Android standards, but they should make iPhone owners feel right at home. They do blend well with the minimalist user interface of the Aiek E1, its black and white theme with blocky aesthetics remind us of Microsoft's Metro/Modern UI.
This works great with the OLED display which offers perfect black levels and theoretically infinite contrast ratio. Typically for OLED, however, the display has issues with color accuracy. We're sure you won't mind though, as it's unlikely that you would be viewing any images on this particular screen.
By the way, our E1 came with a pre-applied screen protector - you wouldn't want to scratch this beautiful screen, would you?
Battery life
We managed to get around 3 days of battery life out of the Aiek E1, something just about any smartphone owner will envy. Not bad for a 3,200mAh battery but even better for 320mAh, which is how much the E1 actually has.
Naturally, the phone is compatible with any external batteries, which serve as an extended battery module helping to increase E1's endurance. Have a look at the example below, which increases the battery capacity by over 900% and it costs less than $10 itself. Talk about cheap modularity.
The Aiek E1 also has a unique feature that makes it great for emergency preparedness - a hardware switch at the bottom that disconnects the battery. This will minimize battery drain so you can charge the E1 and put it in your Zombie Apocalypse Survival Kit and forget about it until the time comes (December 31, 2030 anyone?).
Connectivity
The Aiek E1 works on both GSM networks in the west and the CDMA network of China Unicom. Bluetooth is used in a novel way as the E1 can turn from a phone into a BT headset to be used with other phones. Consider this - some tablets support voice calls, but they don't fit in your pockets. With the Aiek, you can make phablet owners feel inferior with your 10" tablet that you keep in your backpack, while accepting incoming calls on the E1.
You can't call that dual-SIM, not quite. But this is another example where the Rubber Bands™ platform shines - it's so easy to add a second SIM slot. You might say it's as easy as adding a second E1 to the back of your E1. How about that?
Benchmarks
Believe it or not, the Aiek E1 is powered by a MediaTek chipset, which may worry some as phones with MTK chips usually have poor support for custom Android ROMs. We don't think this will be an issue here so let's dive into straight into the benchmarks.
The E1 is so fast that the Calculator app can multiply numbers instantly! We pushed it to its limit, specifically 999,999,999,999. Yep, that's a huge number and you can add, subtract, multiply even divide anything less than that.
That's enough performance for a class of casual games so we'd give the phone full stars in this department.
App package
Sadly, the Calendar app on the Aiek E1 does not support cloud syncing. More worryingly, it refuses to show any dates beyond December 31, 2030. Perhaps Aiek engineers know something that they are not telling us? A repeat of the Mayan prophecy?
Well, if the world does come to an end, you can't even make a note of it - the Calendar app does just that, it shows a calendar. Somehow features such as adding events didn't make the cut. There's nothing stopping you from installing Sticky Notes on the back, though.
People were up in arms when Samsung dropped the card slot on the Galaxy S6 while iPhone users just mumbled "welcome to my world" under their breath. Aiek caters to its fans and you get a dedicated microSD slot and there's a File manager app out of the box.
The E1 also has Mass storage mode - something Android phones seem to have forgotten. It just works so much better with Windows PCs than the usual MTP mode you get from even flagship Androids. In terms of cable connectivity, though, you'll have to settle for microUSB 2.0. Aiek hasn't made the jump to USB-C yet.
The E1 mimics the iPhone 7 in that the data/charging port is also where you plug in the headphones. And you can listen to FM radio, something Apple hasn't offered since the 3GS (where it was disabled in software), even Samsung dropped it from its flagships a few years back.
Camera
We think Aiek took some inspiration from the Sony Lens Style cameras. You see, the camera module on the E1 is external, which makes it powerful and easy to upgrade. Want large sensors and optical zoom? The E1 has you covered.
This system is so advanced that you can use the camera without attaching it to the phone.
Conclusion
By now it should be clear that the Aiek E1 is the leading contender for DIY phone of the year. Modular phones have been attempted before - Google's effort fizzled out, LG is reportedly giving up after the G5, leaving just Motorola to compete with Aiek.
Aiek has the advantage, though, as Moto uses a proprietary module system while the E1 openly works with just about anything. The Rubber Bands™ module system is the very definition of flexibility.
The E1 will continue evolving new functionality long after you buy it. We have some inside info and it seems that Aiek has several new modules in the works that will add new functionality. For example, the Plastic Bag module promises IP68 waterproofing.
The smartphone market is ripe for disruption. Old dogs like Apple make much of their cash by selling apps, but the Aiek E1 moves to a different paradigm - installing accessories instead of apps to add new functionality. Mark our word, Rubber Bands™ are the future!
http://www.gsmarena.com/card_phone-review-1545.php
With an OLED screen and a body that's merely 6.5mm thick, the spec sheet of the Aiek E1 starts off nicely. It's a one-off device unlike any other that we've reviewed in recent years.
Its pet-name being the Card phone, this little fellow comes in a credit-card size but don't worry, you can afford one even if you don't have a credit card. Or a wallet. Or even a roof over your head.
As it's a phone that's meant to be as affordable as it gets, some compromises had to be made. For example, it doesn't run the latest Android version. Come to think of it, it doesn't run any version of any OS whatsoever, but that doesn't stop it from being the cheapest modular phone there is right now. Forget the Moto X - the Card phone rules modularity.
Don't believe us? For instance, the Aiek E1 may not support Apple Pay or Android Pay or any other similar service, but that can't stop you from getting your existing contactless credit card and installing it on the phone as an add-on using nothing but Rubber Bands™.
The modularity of the Card phone goes well beyond that. The possibilities are endless and they are only limited by your imagination (or the lack of it, thereof).
And it costs less than $10. So how bad can it be?
Unboxing
The retail box of the Aiek E1 has a clever design - it opens up like a book, you know the kind that has a hidden flask in it. Except, instead of giggle juice this book hides one of the most compact phones we're likely to review this year.
You also get a flat USB cable, which won't get tangled up like a new Apple user trying to figure out which dongle they need.
Display
The bezels around the screen are a bit thick by Android standards, but they should make iPhone owners feel right at home. They do blend well with the minimalist user interface of the Aiek E1, its black and white theme with blocky aesthetics remind us of Microsoft's Metro/Modern UI.
This works great with the OLED display which offers perfect black levels and theoretically infinite contrast ratio. Typically for OLED, however, the display has issues with color accuracy. We're sure you won't mind though, as it's unlikely that you would be viewing any images on this particular screen.
By the way, our E1 came with a pre-applied screen protector - you wouldn't want to scratch this beautiful screen, would you?
Battery life
We managed to get around 3 days of battery life out of the Aiek E1, something just about any smartphone owner will envy. Not bad for a 3,200mAh battery but even better for 320mAh, which is how much the E1 actually has.
Naturally, the phone is compatible with any external batteries, which serve as an extended battery module helping to increase E1's endurance. Have a look at the example below, which increases the battery capacity by over 900% and it costs less than $10 itself. Talk about cheap modularity.
The Aiek E1 also has a unique feature that makes it great for emergency preparedness - a hardware switch at the bottom that disconnects the battery. This will minimize battery drain so you can charge the E1 and put it in your Zombie Apocalypse Survival Kit and forget about it until the time comes (December 31, 2030 anyone?).
Connectivity
The Aiek E1 works on both GSM networks in the west and the CDMA network of China Unicom. Bluetooth is used in a novel way as the E1 can turn from a phone into a BT headset to be used with other phones. Consider this - some tablets support voice calls, but they don't fit in your pockets. With the Aiek, you can make phablet owners feel inferior with your 10" tablet that you keep in your backpack, while accepting incoming calls on the E1.
You can't call that dual-SIM, not quite. But this is another example where the Rubber Bands™ platform shines - it's so easy to add a second SIM slot. You might say it's as easy as adding a second E1 to the back of your E1. How about that?
Benchmarks
Believe it or not, the Aiek E1 is powered by a MediaTek chipset, which may worry some as phones with MTK chips usually have poor support for custom Android ROMs. We don't think this will be an issue here so let's dive into straight into the benchmarks.
The E1 is so fast that the Calculator app can multiply numbers instantly! We pushed it to its limit, specifically 999,999,999,999. Yep, that's a huge number and you can add, subtract, multiply even divide anything less than that.
That's enough performance for a class of casual games so we'd give the phone full stars in this department.
App package
Sadly, the Calendar app on the Aiek E1 does not support cloud syncing. More worryingly, it refuses to show any dates beyond December 31, 2030. Perhaps Aiek engineers know something that they are not telling us? A repeat of the Mayan prophecy?
Well, if the world does come to an end, you can't even make a note of it - the Calendar app does just that, it shows a calendar. Somehow features such as adding events didn't make the cut. There's nothing stopping you from installing Sticky Notes on the back, though.
People were up in arms when Samsung dropped the card slot on the Galaxy S6 while iPhone users just mumbled "welcome to my world" under their breath. Aiek caters to its fans and you get a dedicated microSD slot and there's a File manager app out of the box.
The E1 also has Mass storage mode - something Android phones seem to have forgotten. It just works so much better with Windows PCs than the usual MTP mode you get from even flagship Androids. In terms of cable connectivity, though, you'll have to settle for microUSB 2.0. Aiek hasn't made the jump to USB-C yet.
The E1 mimics the iPhone 7 in that the data/charging port is also where you plug in the headphones. And you can listen to FM radio, something Apple hasn't offered since the 3GS (where it was disabled in software), even Samsung dropped it from its flagships a few years back.
Camera
We think Aiek took some inspiration from the Sony Lens Style cameras. You see, the camera module on the E1 is external, which makes it powerful and easy to upgrade. Want large sensors and optical zoom? The E1 has you covered.
This system is so advanced that you can use the camera without attaching it to the phone.
Conclusion
By now it should be clear that the Aiek E1 is the leading contender for DIY phone of the year. Modular phones have been attempted before - Google's effort fizzled out, LG is reportedly giving up after the G5, leaving just Motorola to compete with Aiek.
Aiek has the advantage, though, as Moto uses a proprietary module system while the E1 openly works with just about anything. The Rubber Bands™ module system is the very definition of flexibility.
The E1 will continue evolving new functionality long after you buy it. We have some inside info and it seems that Aiek has several new modules in the works that will add new functionality. For example, the Plastic Bag module promises IP68 waterproofing.
The smartphone market is ripe for disruption. Old dogs like Apple make much of their cash by selling apps, but the Aiek E1 moves to a different paradigm - installing accessories instead of apps to add new functionality. Mark our word, Rubber Bands™ are the future!
http://www.gsmarena.com/card_phone-review-1545.php
