TCL isn’t new to Australia, having brought TVs to Australian homes for years. The brand has even brought smartphones and wearables to Australia previously too, making use of the Alcatel brand and even Blackberry for a number of years now.
However, in 2019, TCL will be entering the smartphone and wearable markets wearing its own name now, and to celebrate this, the company is bringing a brand new phone named Plex, and a new Movetime family watch along too.
The TCL Plex is properly described as a 6.53-inch super-mid smartphone, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. With features like SDR to HDR upscaling on the display, a tiny camera cutout and thin bezels, the TCL Plex looks the part, and represents a great first entry from TCL.
A triple-camera setup adorns the back, comprising a 48MP main camera, 16MP wide-angle camera and a 2MP dedicated video camera with super low-light capabilities. With this setup, TCL claims the Plex has the capability to bring auto-brightness, denoising, super resolution and proper HDR into an AI-powered “auto” photo mode, which promises full performance across night and day. There’s also a specific super night mode which promises detailed night-time images of high quality.
Given that low-light photography can make or break a smartphone camera in 2019, we’re keen to test this one out. The wide-angle (123 degree field of vision) is also something I’m keen to try, as it’s one of my favourite modes to shoot in, and for those that like to take it slow, there’s a 960 fps slow motion capture option as well.
Available in Obsidian Black and Opal White, the TCL PLex will arrive in Australia in mid-October for $499 at JB HiFi.
In wearables, the TCL Movetime Family Watch is the next generation kids wearable, the likes of which we reviewed not too long ago. Branded now under TCL, the new Movetime watch brings 4G capability for better coverage (as 3G can be a bit patchy these days), as well as video-calling, photo sharing and messaging.
The same features that made the original Movetime watch remain, including geofencing and location to give parents a bit of peace of mind knowing where their kids are. Yes, there are privacy implications to discuss, but for working parents with kids catching public transport, it’s comforting to be able to make sure they’ve arrived where they’re meant to be, or can let you know directly if there’s a problem without the hassle of carrying a full mobile phone.
The new features are quite interesting. Instead of just a voice conversation with your kids, using 4G, the new Movetime family watch allows you to have a two-way video chat with your kids so you can see how they’re doing as well as asking. During the day, kids can share photos and voice messages with their parents and – with your permission of course – with any friends who have a Movetime watch too.
I know my son’s going to be begging me for one of these, and if yours will too, you can buy them from November at Big W and Australia Post for $199.
