Looking for something a bit different? BQ Aquarius E5

Today the smartphone market has 3 main player’s, iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Of course we also have BlackBerry sitting on the edge looking in but they are loosing relevance to be fair.

In the last year or so we have started to see the emergence of some new players. Firefox made their intentions clear at MWC at the beginning of March as did Ubuntu.

I was lucky enough to get some time with the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu phone whilst in Barcelona, I also had a brief play with the first Ubuntu phone, the BQ Aquarius E4.5 Ubuntu phone. It was a nice handset but not really anything special.

Now that Ubuntu are wanting to start pushing their phone platform they have just announced the new BQ Aquarius E5. This ups the anti on specs and give a those wanting to choose Ubuntu something they wouldn’t be embarrassed to take out in the pub (little unfair but you get the point).

Let’s have a look at in more detail then.

The phone has grown in size to now accommodate a 5″ Screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720. It will be powered by a Mediatek Quad Core A7 processor running at 1.3 GHz. This will be backed up with 1 GB ram and 16 GB of storage. The cameras are slight improvements with the same 5 MP front facing cam as on its predecessor and a 13 MP rear facing camera. These will come with high quality Largan Lenses and BSI sensors and a dual LED flash at the rear. The rear camera will also record video at 1080p.

The device is going to be a dual SIM device and will be sold unlocked to allow you to use it regardless of networks

You will be able to buy the device from the BQ store for €199 when it goes on sale in Mid June

Source – Canonical

Show Press Release (571 More Words)

BQ LAUNCHES the new AQUARIS E5 HD UBUNTU EDITION

In February of this year, BQ, the European technology company, launched the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition, the world´s first smartphone featuring the Ubuntu operating system.

This latest model, the Aquaris E5 HD Ubuntu Edition, marks the second handset collaboration between Canonical and BQ; now working together on the launch of a convergent device.

London/Madrid, 2nd June, 2015 – BQ and Canonical today jointly announce the launch of the Aquaris E5 HD Ubuntu Edition which follows on from the successful launch of the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition earlier this year.

The new device comes with a host of impressive features including a 5’’ display with IPS HD technology, HD screen resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels and 380 cd/m2 maximum brightness. It also includes a MediaTek Quad Core Cortex A7 processor that runs at up to 1.3 GHz, an internal memory of 16 GB and 1 GB RAM. Additionally, it features a 5 megapixel front camera and 13 megapixel rear camera, equipped with high quality Largan lenses and BSI sensors. Other features of note include dual flash and Full HD video recording (1080p).

As with all BQ smartphones, the Aquaris E5 Ubuntu Edition comes fully unlocked with dual SIM functionality so that users have the freedom to select their operator of choice and can use SIMs from two different operators.

The success of the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition coupled with the commitment to the operating system, has inspired BQ to launch the new Aquaris E5 HD Ubuntu Edition. According to Alberto Méndez, CEO of BQ, “We have devised the BQ-Canonical collaboration as a long term project. Our next objective, which we are already working on, is convergence. We firmly believe in Ubuntu and the philosophy behind it”.

Cristian Parrino, VP Mobile at Canonical, remarks “Bringing a new operating system to market requires partners who are willing to challenge the status quo of the mobile industry. BQ is a fearless innovator whose risk with Ubuntu has already paid off – the launch of this second device in Europe marks an amazing milestone for both companies.”

“Working with Canonical on bringing the Aquaris E5 Ubuntu Edition has been very satisfying. We share the same philosophy as them along with the same commitment to the Open Source Initiative. At BQ, our goal is to help people understand technology, encourage them to use it and inspire them to create it. That´s why the opportunity for creation that Ubuntu affords is fundamentally important to us”, notes Alberto Méndez.

The device will be available for purchase from mid-June, across the entire European Union from the BQ online store for €199.90.

About BQ
BQ is a leading European technology company. Its goal is to help people to understand technology, encourage them to use and inspire them to create it. It is committed to education in technology, DIY philosophy and the Open Source Initiative. BQ applies this philosophy to its products (smartphones, 3D printers, robotics and much more) and software solutions by working to make technology a tool for improving the world and the lives of its users.

About Canonical
Canonical produces Ubuntu, the leading open-source platform for cloud, personal computing and next-generation devices.

Ubuntu introduces a new mobile experience for phone users, a smarter ecosystem dynamic for developers, and unprecedented differentiation opportunities for carriers and device manufacturers. Ubuntu ships on millions of PCs annually, aimed at education, government and enterprise markets. Ubuntu also enables next-generation devices at the heart of the internet of things.