Flare – Packed with Features, Packed with Problems?

Cherry Mobile Flare is the most popular Android phone from local brand Cherry Mobile. No wonder with its Php3,999 SRP and 1.2 GHz quad core processor, anyone will be attracted by this phone.

However, there are several problems that Cherry Mobile Flare users discovered after buying this phone. Here’s a list of those problems and how you can solve them.

Cherry Mobile Flare’s Insufficient Battery Capacity

CM Flare come with a mere 1500 mAh Li-ion battery to power a 1.2 GHz dual core processor. That’s why it gets out of juice after around 3-5 hours of constant use.

The Fix: There are three ways to solve or minimize this problem:

1. Buy another battery

Cherry Mobile offers batteries for Flare that you can buy for Php470 a piece on Lazada. It might not be very convenient but you can extend the usage of your Flare by replacing the battery with another one if it runs out.

2. Mod a Samsung Galaxy SIII Battery

Some users discovered that you can modify a Samsung Galaxy SIII battery so that it fits with Flare. The process is not that simple and you should only do this if you understand electronics. A short circuit of a Li-ion battery can burn your skin and damage you Flare. Here’s a video of the method.

3. Reduce Use of Radios

You can extend your Flare’s battery life by limiting the use of radios present in the phone. Turn off WiFi, bluetooth, GPS and data connection when not in use. You can also turn off one of the SIM’s to save more power.

 

Cherry Mobile Flare’s Low Sound Volume

Many users found out that Flare’s sound is very low. You can barely hear your music using earphones when you are riding on a bus!

I’ve tried several software fixes but the one that worked is using an earphones from my girlfriend’s MyPhone A919. You can buy one from any MyPhone store for around Php200.

 

Cherry Mobile Flare’s Rotation Problem and Lack of FM Radio

The first batch of Flares to come out has several bugs. One is the failure in rotation of the SMS app. Another bug is the lack of FM Radio app.

You can fix this by applying the software update from Cherry Mobile. To do so, you should follow this step by step guide with pictures.

 

Cherry Mobile Flare’s Operating System

Flare has Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich as its operating system. It’s a good Android version but we all want to have the latest, right?

Thankfully, Cherry Mobile has already managed to give Flare an update to Jelly Bean. Here’s the announcement and how you can update your CM Flare in this guide.

 

Cherry Mobile Flare’s RAM Problem

Flare has 512 MB of RAM only. That’s why some apps might feel laggy especially if it’s a game. To fix this, use XBooster which is a very light RAM freeing app.

You can also root your Flare or install new ROM’s by visiting the Flare Facebook group.

If you have discovered more problems with your Flare, tell me in the comments below and I’ll try to find a solution for that.

Found a solution to a Flare’s problem? Share it in the comments too!