OS, UI and Everyday Use

UMI’s idea of shipping pre-rooted phones isn’t new, and it’s Rootjoy software is supposed to allow users to easily go back and forth between different ROMs. Don’t like the look of stock Android? You can make your phone look like a Meizu, HTC or Xiaomi, no problem.

Except there is one: we couldn’t get it to work. Now, this could be down to us and our sample unit, which is a pre-production model. In theory, users should be able to install Rootjoy on their computer and simply flash ROMs as they see fit. Granted, it’s not for everyone, but like we said, UMI is going after the geek crowd with this particular model. It’s really a pity we were unable to test this feature, as it could attract a niche audience.

So, we are left with the Emax as a standard phone, and we are happy to report it performs admirably. It’s responsive and the hardware clearly has no trouble dealing with all the usual stuff. Our biggest complaint is that there’s a fair amount of bloatware to deal with. Fortunately you can get rid of it, but we’d rather not get any to begin with. Advanced users should have no problem with this, or the stream of notifications common to rooted phones. It just takes a bit of tweaking and you’re good to go. However, it’s really not a phone you should buy as a Mother’s day gift.

As far as everyday use goes, the best thing about the Emax is the battery. You can get two days out of it, easy. If you are really careful, this can go up to three. This is quite good for an oversized phone, and there’s another feature worth mentioning. UMI ships an OTG cable with the Emax, so you can use it as an emergency powerbank to charge other phones. With 3780mAh on tap, this makes sense, as you can feed a few hundred milliamps to a buddy or your significant other on a hiking trip without starving your own phone. In addition to the OTG cable, the box includes another USB flat cable and a 1-amp travel charger.

We have no complaints about the ergonomics, either, although the tactile response on the buttons could have been better. Thanks to its shape, the phone feels good in the hand, and one-handed operation isn’t much of a problem.