Several phishing campaign kits have been used widely by threat actors in the past. One popular PhaaS (Phishing-as-a-Platform) was Caffeine, which was first identified and reported by Mandiant researchers.
MRxC0DER, an Arabic-speaking threat actor, developed and maintained the caffeine kit.
However, Caffeine has now been discovered to be rebranded as ONNX Store and is found to be managed independently, but the original developer is taking care of the Client support.
Threat actors are currently using this new rebranded platform to target financial institutions through phishing emails.
Additionally, the ONNX store offers a user-friendly interface that can be accessed via Telegram bots.
Further, it also has the capabilities to bypass 2FA mechanisms which will increase the success rate of business email compromise attacks.
PhaaS Platform Bypass 2FA
According to the reports shared with Cyber Security News, the phishing pages used in these campaigns resemble the original Microsoft 365 login page that will convince any unsuspecting user to enter their authentication credentials.
As a matter of fact, the rebranding specifically focused on improving operational security for threat actors and their services.
Overview of ONNX store (Source: EclecticIQ)
While Caffeine kit used a single shared web server for managing all the phishing campaigns, this new ONNX store allows threat actors to control their operations via Telegram bots and support is provided by a support channel. Some of the observed ONNX store channels and bots are
@ONNXIT: A Telegram user – manages support needs from clients.
@ONNX2FA_bot: A Telegram bot for clients to receive 2FA codes from successful phishing operations.
@ONNXNORMAL_bot: A Telegram bot for clients to receive Microsoft Office 365 login credentials.
@ONNXWEBMAIL_bot: A Telegram bot for clients to control a Webmail server for sending phishing emails.
@ONNXKITS_BOT: A Telegram bot for clients to make payments for ONNX Store services and track their orders.
This is one hand of the channels and the bots, whereas the Services offered include:
Microsoft Office 365 phishing template generation.
Webmail service for sending phishing emails and using social engineering lures.
Bulletproof hosting and RDP services for cybercriminals to manage their operations securely.
Cloudflare To prevent Domain Shutdowns
In several instances, Law Enforcement fought against these cybercriminal operations that have resulted in domain shutdowns to prevent further activities.
However, this new setup uses Cloudflare to delay the takedown process of phishing domains, which provides features like anti-bot CAPTCHA to evade website scanner detections and IP proxying to hide the original hosting provider.
Cloudflare implementation (Source: EclecticIQ)
Further, the cost of different phishing tools is as follows:
Webmail Normal service ($150/Month): Offers customizable phishing pages and webmail server.
Office 2FA Cookie Stealer ($400/Month): A phishing landing page that captures 2FA tokens and cookies from victims, featuring statistics, country blocking, and email grabbing.
Office Normal package ($200/Month): Enables email credential harvesting capabilities without bypassing 2FA.
Office Redirect Service ($200/Month): Advertised by ONNX Store as creating “Fully Undetectable (FUD) links”. This service exploits trusted domains, such as bing.com, to redirect victims into attacker controlled phishing landing pages.
List of available options in ONNX Store (Source: EclecticIQ)
As added information, this new PhaaS platform also allows Quishing (QR-phishing) attacks in which threat actors distribute PDF documents via phishing emails that will contain a QR code.
If these QR codes are scanned, it will redirect the victim to a phishing landing page. Further, most of the phishing emails impersonated reputable services like Adobe or Microsoft 365.
Encrypted JS Code To Evade Detection
Adding to its arsenal, this phishing kit also uses an encrypted Javascript code that will only decrypt when the page loads.
This prevents anti-phishing scanners from detecting these phishing domains.
Once the JS code decrypts, third-party domains such as “httbin[.]org” and “ipapi[.]co” collect the victims’ network metadata, such as browser name, IP address, and location, before sending it to threat actors.
The encryption method also hides malicious scripts which follow the below approaches
Encoded string is decoded from base64
Every character of the decoded string is XORed with a character from the hardcoded key, cycling through the key for the decryption.
The result is a decrypted string (JavaScript code), which is then executed by the browser.
These hidden malicious scripts cannot be viewed during a casual inspection. However, if the key and the encrypted string are known, it can be decrypted easily.
However, the decrypted JS code was also designed to steal the 2FA token entered by the victims.
Bulletproof Hosting For Cybercriminals
The phishing domains registered have SSL certificates, which GTS CA 1P5 issued from Google Trust Services LLC.
Further, most of the registered domains were through NameSilo and EVILEMPIRE-AS.
Further, these bulletproof hosting services enabled cybercriminals an additional layer of anonymity.
Bulletproof hosting (Source: EclecticIQ)
In addition, there were services designed to support a wide range of illegal operations.
The advertisement on a Telegram group stated that the Bulletproof hosting was under development and they were adding RDP sessions.
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Further, this new ONNX store is also mentioned to support multiple malicious campaigns with high-performance features using enhanced RAM, CPU, and SSD speeds and unlimited bandwidths.
Sony’s new BRAVIA 3 TV, which was announced just a couple of months ago, is already seeing some pretty nice discounts over at Best Buy. All sizes are discounted, starting with the 43-inch model, which is $100 off, making it $499. Here’s the complete list of sizes and prices:
43″ – $499 (reg. $599)
50″ – $599 (reg. $699)
55″ – $699 (reg. $849)
65″ – $799 (reg. $999)
75″ – $999 (reg. $1,299)
85″ – $1,599 (reg. $1,799)
The BRAVIA 3 is Sony’s new low-end TV model, which is really not all that low-end. It’s still a brilliant LED TV with Sony’s own 4K HDR Processor X1, which makes the picture look incredible, including upscaling non-4K content. With Sony’s Triluminous Pro, you’re going to get over a billion accurate colors for lifelike picture quality that is vivid and bright.
Of course, Sony is still using Google TV for the software on its TVs. This means you’re getting all of the apps you could ever want, including Netflix, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Peacock, MAX, and much more. It also brings along Google Cast and Google Assistant. Making for an incredible TV-watching experience.
Those gamers out there, Sony hasn’t forgotten about you. For the PlayStation 5, you get Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode. Unfortunately, at this price, you’re not getting 4K120 since there is no HDMI 2.1 available on this TV.
With the BRAVIA 3, Sony has included four HDMI ports (including one eARC), a LAN port, two USB-A ports, an Optical and a coaxial port. Which should give you just about everything you could need on a TV in 2024.
Google Maps, a widely-used navigation and discovery tool, is reportedly preparing to remove its “Followed Places” feature in early 2025. This change, discovered through an APK breakdown of the app’s code, indicates that users will no longer be able to see or follow places within the app after the specified date. However, users have the option to download their local followed places data from the Maps section of Google Takeout before the feature is removed.A new APK breakdown has shed light on the fact that the “Followed Places” feature, which allows users to receive updates and news from businesses and places listed on Google Maps, has gradually lost prominence over time. The “+” Follow button, once easily visible under business names, seems to have disappeared for many users. Furthermore, Google’s support documentation no longer provides instructions on how to follow a business, further indicating a shift away from this feature. The feature to add places to a list, however, remains untouched.
Google Maps “Followed Places” feature back in 2018 (Image credit — Google) versus now gone in 2024 (Image credit — PhoneArena)
There are several possible reasons why Google might be phasing out “Followed Places.” One possibility is that user engagement with the feature was low. With so many ways to stay connected with businesses online (like social media, email lists, and loyalty programs), users may not have found the “Followed Places” feature to be particularly useful. Additionally, the integration of the feature within the Google Maps app might not have been ideal. The “For You” tab, where updates from followed places were delivered, may not have been the most intuitive location for users to check for updates. Finally, Google Maps is constantly adding new features and functionalities. It’s possible that Google decided to prioritize resources on other areas that they believe will be more valuable to users.Introduced in 2018, “Followed Places” aimed to simplify how users stay informed about their favorite businesses and locations on Google Maps. By following a place, users could receive updates directly within the app, including upcoming events, special offers, and any other news the business or location wanted to share. This information was consolidated in the “For You” tab, offering a central hub to stay updated on all followed places.
With Google Maps constantly innovating to provide users with the best possible experience, the decision to remove the “Followed Places” feature reflects a shift in how users prefer to stay informed about the places around them. While some users may have found the “Followed Places” feature helpful, Google might be looking to streamline the app’s functionality and prioritize features that are more widely used. Nevertheless, users have the chance to preserve their followed places data before the feature disappears in 2025.
This included users’ names, contact information, Amtrak Guest Rewards account numbers, dates of birth, partial payment details (such as credit card numbers and expiration dates), gift card information (including card numbers and PINs), and details about their transactions and trips with Amtrak.
The extent of the accessed information has heightened the urgency for affected users to take immediate protective measures.
Amtrak’s Response and Recommendations
Upon discovering the breach on May 15, 2024, Amtrak promptly initiated an investigation and took steps to secure the compromised accounts.
The company reverted the email addresses to the original users and reset the account passwords.
Additionally, Amtrak has enabled multifactor authentication (MFA) for all Amtrak Guest Rewards accounts to enhance security.
Users must now enter a validation code via email or text to complete their login process.
Amtrak has advised affected customers to change their login credentials, not only for their Amtrak accounts but also for any other online accounts that may use similar usernames and passwords.
The company also recommends reviewing these accounts for any suspicious activity.
Furthermore, Amtrak has provided a comprehensive Reference Guide with steps to protect personal information, including ordering free credit reports, placing fraud alerts, and considering security freezes on credit files.
Steps for Affected Users
Amtrak’s Reference Guide outlines several critical steps for users to safeguard their information and mitigate identity theft risk.
Affected individuals are encouraged to:
Order Free Credit Reports: Under U.S. law, individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. Reviewing these reports can help identify any unauthorized accounts or inaccuracies.
Place Fraud Alerts: A fraud alert notifies potential creditors to take extra steps to verify the identity of anyone applying for credit in the user’s name, thereby helping to prevent identity theft.
Consider Security Freezes: A security freeze restricts access to the user’s credit file, making it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts. Users must place a freeze with each consumer reporting agency individually.
Report Incidents: Any detected fraud or identity theft incidents should be reported to law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the user’s state Attorney General. The FTC provides resources and guidance on how to recover from identity theft.
The Amtrak data breach has underscored the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for individuals to remain vigilant in protecting their personal information.
While Amtrak has taken steps to secure affected accounts and prevent future breaches, users are also responsible for following the recommended actions to safeguard their identities.
As cyber threats evolve, companies and consumers must proactively combat data breaches and protect sensitive information.
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Samsung may delay the launch of Android 15-based One UI 7.0 for Galaxy devices. A noted industry insider recently claimed that the company is prioritizing the development of One UI 6.1.1 for the Galaxy S24 series, pushing the next One UI version to the backseat. One UI 6.1.1 is based on Android 14 and arrives with new foldables next month.
One UI 7.0 faces delay as Samsung prioritizes One UI 6.1.1 with AI features
Every year, Samsung’s new foldables introduce a new One UI build based on the current Android version. These are minor updates particularly focused on tablets and foldables, with fewer new features and improvements for regular smartphones. The company doesn’t take long to bring it to other eligible models. It wraps up the rollout within a few weeks.
However, rumors say it won’t be the case this year. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 will introduce Android 14-based One UI 6.1.1, and it’ll be a bigger update than usual. It will bring new AI features and camera fixes for the Galaxy S24 series. The scope of this update is too big for Samsung to quickly wrap it up and move on to Android 15-based One UI 7.0. To ensure a bug-free release of One UI 6.1.1, the company plans to delay the Android update.
We don’t have any dates to report, but tipster Ice Universe says Samsung will begin the One UI 6.1.1 rollout for the Galaxy S24 series in August. If you recall, the Galaxy S23 series received its first Android 14-based One UI 6.0 beta in the second week of August. This tells us that we are looking at a delay of at least a couple of weeks. That’s unless Samsung decides to release One UI 6.1.1 and One UI 7.0 beta simultaneously, which is unlikely.
The stable Android 15 update could still arrive in time
Even if Samsung starts the One UI 7.0 public beta a couple of weeks late, it may catch up later. The company could speed up the development of the new One UI version to ensure a timely release of the stable update. Last year, it tested One UI 6.0 for almost three months before the stable release, which arrived in late October after nine beta builds. Samsung could do the same job in less time this year to make up for a delayed beta launch.
Like before, the Galaxy S24 series should be the first to get One UI 7.0, both beta and stable builds. We will keep a close eye on Samsung’s community forums for more clues and information about release dates. The company’s One UI beta programs have always been limited to seven countries: China, Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK, and the US. Time will tell whether it adds more markets for One UI 7.0 beta this year.
HIFIMAN is a leading company in the Hi-Fi audio space. It launches extremely high-quality headphones ranging between hundreds and thousands of dollars, and its products are well worth the price. The company just debuted its most anticipated set of headphones, and these are the HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED.
What are the HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED?
Fans of the HIFIMAN brand have been waiting for the company’s latest iteration in this series. What makes these headphones special isn’t only what the company, but what it also took away. Typically, headphones come with grills between the diaphragm and the listener’s ear. These are usually metal meshes that provide protection. However, this mesh could also lead to unwanted reflections.
HIFIMAN got around this by taking out the grill altogether. This is the reason these headphones are called “Unveiled.” This is because “every detail of well-recorded music is unveiled by the headphone’s design and components,” said HIFIMAN Electronics founder and CEO Fang Brian. This approach will create a much more detailed sound compared to most headphones that use meshes.
Next, you have the ability to remove the backplate if you want a more open sound. The removable backplate is magnetic, so it locks into place when you put it on. This means that you won’t have to worry about it falling off during an intense recording session.
HIFIMAN is all about using high-quality materials with its products. This is why the company chose to use silver for the conductive layer. Silver is extremely conductive, and it leads to maximized sensitivity. You’ll be able to hear finer details in your audio. This creates more “air” in the sound.
Overall, there’s a reason why this is the most anticipated upgrade to the SUSVARA series of headphones. the SUSVARA UNVEILED bring several improvements that make them a worthy buy. If you’re interested in picking up a pair, they will run you $8,000. That’s a steep price, but it’s worth it if you want the best.
Google has announced a new update for the Chrome browser, rolling out version 126.0.6478.114/115 for Windows and Mac and 126.0.6478.114 for Linux.
This update, which will be distributed over the coming days and weeks, addresses several security vulnerabilities.
Users are encouraged to update their browsers to protect themselves against potential threats. The official Chrome Log provides a comprehensive list of changes in this build.
The latest update includes six critical security fixes, with contributions from external researchers. Notable among these are:
CVE-2024-6100: Type Confusion in V8 – Reported by Seunghyun Lee (@0x10n) during SSD Secure Disclosure’s TyphoonPWN 2024 on June 4, 2024. This high-severity vulnerability earned a reward of $20,000.
CVE-2024-6101: Inappropriate Implementation in WebAssembly – Reported by @ginggilBesel on May 31, 2024, this high-severity issue was awarded $7,000.
CVE-2024-6102: Out of Bounds Memory Access in Dawn – Reported by wgslfuzz on May 7, 2024. The reward for this high-severity vulnerability is yet to be determined.
CVE-2024-6103: Use After Free in Dawn – Also reported by wgslfuzz on June 4, 2024, the reward remains to be determined.
Google has restricted access to bug details and links until most users have updated their browsers. This precaution ensures that vulnerabilities are not exploited before users are protected.
Ongoing Security Efforts
In addition to the contributions from external researchers, Google’s internal security team has been actively working to identify and fix vulnerabilities.
This includes various fixes from internal audits, fuzzing, and other initiatives. Tools like AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, UndefinedBehaviorSanitizer, Control Flow Integrity, libFuzzer, and AFL are crucial in detecting security bugs.
Google extends its gratitude to all security researchers who collaborated during the development cycle to prevent security bugs from reaching the stable channel.
Users interested in switching release channels or reporting new issues can find more information on the Chrome Security Page and the community help forum.
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The Motorola Razr 50 series color options get shown via seemingly-official images
Two new images dropped, one for the Razr 50, and the other for the Razr 50 Ultra. As you can see, in the gallery below the article, different colors of each phone are shown here.
As reported earlier, the Motorola Razr 50 is coming in Gray, Orange and Sand colors. The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, on the flip side, will arrive in Blue, Green, and Peach variants.
We get to see two out of three colors for each phone here. That green Motorola Razr 50 Ultra model looks especially good in our eyes, it’s nice to see a bit of variety when it comes to colors.
The two phones will look very similar, with one glaring difference
You’ll notice that the two phones look very similar. The ‘Ultra’ model has less of a bezel around the cover display, its cover display is larger overall. Other than that, you’d have problems seeing the difference between them.
Both phones will have a foldable display with a centered display camera hole at the top. Main cameras will be placed inside the cover display, basically, and the same goes for an LED flash.
Motorola’s ‘Ultra’ Razr handset will be more powerful, of course
The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra will be the more powerful phone of the two. It will ship with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, Qualcomm’s brand new chip. Two 50-megapixel cameras are also expected, and a 6.9-inch main display. The cover display will measure 4 inches.
The Motorola Razr 50, on the flip side, is said to come with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chip. It will have a 50-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel ultrawide unit. Its cover display will be a bit smaller at 3.6 inches.
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a sophisticated malware campaign orchestrated by a threat actor group, Void Arachne.
This group has targeted Chinese-speaking users by distributing malicious Windows Installer (MSI) files.
The campaign leverages popular software and AI technologies to lure unsuspecting victims, leading to severe security breaches and potential financial losses.
Void Arachne’s campaign primarily targets the Chinese-speaking demographic, utilizing SEO poisoning and widely used messaging applications such as Telegram.
According to the TrendMicro blogs, the hacker group has disseminated malicious MSI files embedded with nudifiers and deepfake pornography-generating software, exploiting the public’s interest in AI technologies.
These compromised files are advertised as legitimate software installers, including language packs, VPNs, and AI-powered applications.
Technical Analysis
The malicious MSI files, such as letvpn.msi, use Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) during installation.
These DLLs facilitate various operations, including property management, task scheduling, and firewall configuration.
The MSI file creates scheduled tasks and configures firewall rules to whitelist both inbound and outbound traffic associated with the malware, ensuring uninterrupted operation.
Table 1: Sample of Files Dropped by LetsPro.msi
File Name
Size
MD5 Hash
Parent Directory
1
9996288
D82362C15DDB7206010B8FCEC7F611C5
C:\Users%USERNAME%\
792258.vbs
2405
CD95B5408531DC5342180A1BECE74757
C:\Users%USERNAME%\
LetsPRO.exe
40960
FE7AEDAB70A5A58EFB84E6CB988D67A4
C:\Users%USERNAME%\
Malicious AI Applications
Void Arachne has also promoted AI technologies that can be used for virtual kidnapping and sextortion schemes.
These include voice-altering and face-swapping AI applications advertised on Telegram channels.
The group has shared infected modifier applications that create nonconsensual deepfake pornography, often used in sextortion schemes.
A Screenshot of the Void Arachne Telegram Channel Advertising Face-Swapping Applications
Distribution Methods
Void Arachne employs multiple initial access vectors to distribute malware, including SEO poisoning and spear-phishing links.
These links are hosted on attacker-controlled websites disguised as legitimate sites, ranking high on search engines.
The group also shares malicious MSI files on Chinese-language-themed Telegram channels, increasing the chances of infection.
An attacker-controlled website that hosts a malicious payload
T-Mobile is one of the largest smartphone carriers in the U.S., and its signals keep millions of phones connected to the world. But, the company wanted to play a bigger part in the smartphone experience and bring forth its own T-Mobile-branded line of phones under the REVVL name. I was given the opportunity to review the newest phone in this series called the REVVL 7 Pro 5G. Let’s see if this phone is as good as the other phones its OEM powers.
When dealing with a phone like this, we tend to consider them lower in quality. It makes sense; Samsung is a company that makes high-quality phones, but its smartphone business is a priority for it. A good amount of the company’s income comes from smartphone sales. T-Mobile, on the other hand, is a smartphone carrier first and foremost. It earns its money from the number of people who subscribe to its service.
As such, making a phone to push the smartphone industry forward isn’t a priority for it. There’s no real reason to use the latest and great Snapdragon chip or a QHD+ OLED display. The purpose of this phone is to create another avenue for people to use T-Mobile’s services.
But, the T-Mobile REVVL series has proven to be a relatively popular line of phones. We’re not sure how big of a role T-Mobile played in the production of the phone; who’s to say that the company didn’t partner with a company to manufacture the phone? In any case, the company must be doing something right to be able to make a popular brand. So, the REVVL 7 Pro 5G has some big shoes to fill.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Design
When it comes to the design, it looks like a 2023 Motorola phone and a OnePlus 10 had a baby. The camera package curves to meet the frame of the phone just like the OnePlus 10, though the effect isn’t as seamless with the REVVL. There’s a clear line that separates the camera package and the frame. So, it doesn’t look like the package is melting into the frame. It’s still pretty nice.
The backplate of the phone looks just like what we got with the Motorola Stylus 2023. The material has this matte texture that plays with the light in a certain way. It gives the backplate the illusion of depth. T-Mobile emulated the phone’s backplate down to the color.
All of this is wrapped in a pretty boxy body. T-Mobile went for the “bigger is better”mentality with the phone, as this is a pretty chunky guy. The fact that the camera package is so small compared to the rest of the body makes the phone look even chunkier. That’s not a bad thing, as many folks like the thought of holding a larger phone.
Looking at the front of the device, things don’t get any prettier. I’m not one to obsess over bezel size; I always say, “When you’re using your phone, you’re not looking at the bezels, you’re looking at the display.” However, I have to admit that the bezels of this phone are rather big. It’s the classic story of the chin bezel being a bit larger than the forehead bezel. There are affordable phones that try to keep the bezels slim like the Tecno Camon 30 Premier (Review). The REVVL 7 Pro, on the other hand, isn’t one of them.
Overall, there’s nothing really spectacular about the design. I’ve reviewed phones designed to look like fashion accessories, but I’ve also reviewed phones that aren’t meant to catch your eye. The REVVL 7 Pro 5G is one of the latter. The backplate does look nice in the light, and I give the company props for trying to bring the OnePlus 10’s camera package. Also, the magenta-colored power button is a nice touch. However, this is not the phone you’ll get for the design.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Build quality
This being an affordable phone designed for the American market, it was no mystery what material this phone uses the most. I’m not going to mince words, the REVVL 7 Pro 5G isn’t designed to make you feel like you’re holding a flagship. It’s not a phone designed to nip at the heels of a flagship phone.
When I first picked up this phone, it became apparent that it is primarily made of plastic. The frame is plastic as well as the backplate. I was a little surprised about the backplate, as T-Mobile pulled off the frosted glass look perfectly. So, it’s able to fool people into thinking they’re holding glass… until they actually start holding it.
When holding this phone, I got the same feeling I got while holding the Tecno Pova 6. The thing with that phone is that it’s a pretty thick phone, but it’s so light; it’s a marshmallow. I got that disconcerting feeling of hollowness when I picked up that phone, and it’s the same for the REVVL 7 Pro.
When I pick up the phone, it feels like there’s a lot of wasted space inside of the phone. The use of plastic greatly contributes to this feeling. I won’t say that it’s a terrible thing, but it definitely has an impact on the feeling in the hand.
Structure
The feeling in the hand isn’t the most important thing about the build quality. I did a very light bend test to listen for any kinds of sounds coming from the phone. I listened for any creaks or moans from the phone. After bending it, I could hear some slight noises, but nothing significant. It’s a cheaper phone, so these are things that you should come to expect.
I wouldn’t say that the build quality is problematic, but the REVVL 7 Pro 5G isn’t pulling any extra weight in the build quality department.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Display
Affordable phones, especially ones designed for the American market, typically have underwhelming displays. There are some standouts, but they’re pretty bad most of the time. In the case of the REVVL 7 Pro 5G, I wasn’t really expecting much in the display department. But, being a person who’s reviewed affordable phones with surprisingly good displays, I should know better. The fact of the matter is that does stand out in a few areas.
Brightness
Brightness is one of the most important areas of a display’s quality. It doesn’t matter how many pixels are on the screen if you can’t see it. Smartphone screens have gotten brighter over the years, and this is true for affordable phones as well.
I’ve reviewed a few phones that are perfectly visible in the sunlight, and they’re better than flagship phones from a few years ago. In the case of the REVVL 7 Pro 5G, I can’t say that I’m all that impressed.
The sunlight visibility is pretty decent; I’m able to see the screen pretty while outside. When I turn on Adaptive Brightness, I see the max brightness get a nice boost. It certainly helps me see the screen better. However, even with the boost, it can still be a little tough to see in the sunlight. When I first took the display outside, I was already having a bit of trouble seeing the display, and it was overcast.
So, when it comes to brightness, I’d say that it’s definitely better than a phone of this price a few years ago. However, the brightness isn’t anything to write home about.
Colors
The REVVL 7 Pro 5G uses an OLED panel, which surprised me a bit when I saw it. The T-Mobile REVVL series of phones has been in a blind spot for me, so I don’t know too much of what these phones typically offer. When I was first turned on the phone, I was hit with a good bit of color, and it was just the T-Mobile and Android logos on a gray backdrop.
Once I got into the software and started using the phone, I really enjoyed what I saw. Not all OLED panels are created equal; it all comes down to the calibration. The Poco F6 series of phones have amazing OLED panels, but their colors are calibrated to be more subdued. The opposite goes for the Motorola Edge 2023.
In the case of the REVVL 7 Pro 5G, the screen is jam-packed with color. Everything on the screen just pops with color. It even makes the pastel colors present in Material You look saturated. You get some pretty juicy colors when navigating the interface.
As such, every app I used on the phone was that much more saturated. I’d say that this is the most saturated display that I reviewed on a phone. This is something that can be problematic in some cases.
Issue
It’s nice seeing the colors pop off of the screen; games, movies, and other apps look nice when being used, and the interface is colorful. However, I feel that the company took things a little far. Like I said, it’s about the calibration. Phones with some the best screens I reviewed are from Techno and Infinix. They’re not just mindlessly saturated, the companies took the time to meticulously calibrate the display so that the screens are saturated in all the right places. Sure, calibration is subjective but oversaturated is oversaturated.
The colors are super-saturated, and not everyone likes colors like that. It wouldn’t be so bad if T-Mobile gave the phone an option to tone down the colors that you see on numerous other phones. It’d be nice to at least tone them down a bit. Certain colors on the screen, like T-Mobile’s magenta, singe the eyes when you look at them. It’s very easy for the colors to become too much.
Extras
When it comes to extra features, there are a few. Firstly, this display caps out at 120Hz. I think that 120Hz is the sweet spot when it comes to refresh rate. There’s no need for 144Hz displays.
Lastly, there’s a nifty Extra dim feature. It’s nothing special; it just dims the screen a bit more. It’s handy for those times when you wake up in the middle of the night and you want to check your phone without blinding yourself.
Overall
It’s hard for me to place this display. The brightness is decent and it’s very fluid. The colors are nice, but I think they go just a bit overboard. It almost feels like T-Mobile just cranked the saturation up without really putting too much thought into the actual calibration. Everything’s so packed with color, and the company didn’t show any kind of restraint.
I wish that T-Mobile would have put more thought into calibration or at least given us the option to tone down the colors a bit. The display is nice, but it’s behind many of the other displays that I’ve reviewed.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Speakers
The display quality goes hand-in-hand to create the overall media experience of a phone. Again, since I haven’t used a REVVL phone before, I didn’t know what to expect in the speaker performance. So, I went in with an open mind.
To test out the speakers, I played six short text pieces that accentuate one aspect of a speaker’s performance: Volume, Bass, Treble, Vocals, Balance, and Immersion. I used the text pieces, but I also just used the speakers in my daily life.
Volume
In terms of overall volume, these speakers are lacking power. At their full volume, the speakers sounded pretty quiet. I’ve reviewed speakers with relatively quiet speakers like the Galaxy S24+, but I think that these are some of the quietest speakers I’ve reviewed. They’ll do just fine when you’re inside, but once you’re outside, you’re going to struggle to hear them.
Bass
When it comes to the bass, the performance isn’t bad. I wouldn’t say that it’s great, but it’s better than most other phones that I reviewed. The test piece that I used is a short orchestral piece with emphasis on lower instruments like Double Bass, Bassoon, Contra Bassoon, and Tubas. I can hear some good definition in the instruments along with a good bit of rumble. So, I’d say that these speakers have some decently good bass.
Treble
When listening to the treble example, I listen for clarity mostly, and there’s some nice clarity. The test piece includes Piano, Celeste, Pizzicato Strings, Violins, and Flutes. Everything sounded pretty crisp and defined. Again, it’s not the best that I’ve reviewed, but it was better than I expected.
Balance
The piece that I used is a mellow chill-hop song with equal emphasis on the treble and bass. In terms of overall balance, I think that the bass is a bit stronger than the treble. When listening to music, you’re most likely going to hear the lower-end frequencies more than the higher-end ones. It’s not bad, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Vocals
It’s important for speakers to project voices clearly in order to enjoy your music. Sometimes, phone makers forget that. In the case of the REVVL, I think that the voices project pretty nicely, but the performance is overall underwhelming. When listening to different songs, I found that the voices were a little bit washed out. They’re not the worst, but I wouldn’t call the vocal performance a high point of these speakers.
Immersion
When it comes to the overall immersion, I think that these speakers are rather nice. I listened to music and watched movies, and they did a good job of putting me in the action. Obviously, they’re not as good as what you’d get with a more expensive flagship phone, but they do a decent job.
Overall
I think that T-Mobile put a lot of work into these speakers. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance. Going in, I wasn’t expecting gold… and I didn’t get gold. However, what I got was a pair of pleasantly nice speakers.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Camera
When reviewing budget-friendly phones, we don’t tend to expect much, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a few. When it comes to the camera in the REVVL 7 Pro 5G, I’d say that it’s pretty par for the course.
Exposure/Contrast
In terms of exposure, the camera did a nice job of exposing the image without blowing out the highlights. Some spots in the direct sunlight were even a bit toned down in terms of exposure. For example, there’s a picture of the rocks. I think that the phone knocked the exposure back a bit. However, the exposure remains overall balanced.
When it comes to the contrast, I think that this camera tends to crush the shadows just a bit. The shot with the leaves and the shot with the trees have a few areas that are completely black. It’s not bad, though. I think the phone did an admirable job.
Colors
In terms of colors, nothing about the pictures really stuck out to me. I think that the camera captured colors that are pretty true to the scene. Colors like greens and reds got a nice little punch to them without going overboard. However, the overall tone remains pretty neutral.
The most pleasant picture I took, color-wise, is the image of the Wedelia. The yellow in the flower is warm and the green of the leaves is rather lush.
When it comes to the colors, I think that it’s meant to produce picture perfect to be seen on the display. Since the phone’s screen is so saturated, the colors in the pictures get a nice boost without being too much. So, if you’re planning on taking images to post to social media or share, then you might want to consider throwing them into a photo editor and boosting the saturation.
Low-light
Every camera has its Achilles heel, and that’s the case for the REVVL 7 Pro’s low-light performance. If there’s a good amount of light in the scene, the Night camera mode can pull a decent shot. However, even its best shots leave much to be desired. Overall, many of the details in the image are very blurry, and it makes for an unappealing image altogether.
Overall
The general performance of this camera is pretty decent. It’s not stellar, but’s far from bad. You’ll get pleasantly mid-range performance from this camera. I’ve definitely reviewed worse.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Performance
Now, for that almighty section of the review. The performance of this phone is a bit of a funny story. Navigating the software in general is smooth. You’d be surprised by how many devices lag consistently when just navigating through the menus. A good example would be the abomination that is the TCL Tab 8 LE. Going through the interface, I didn’t see any stutters or dropped frames at all. So, does the bare minimum of running the software.
When it comes to opening apps, it’s definitely slower than more expensive phones, but it’s not problematically slow. I did have an issue with how long it takes to open Survivor.io. It takes about 30 seconds to do so. However, the phone will open most other apps completely fine. You won’t notice a difference unless you place the phone right next to a flagship. We’re talking about opening Spotify in 0.4 seconds compared to 0.1 seconds for a more expensive phone.
While the general performance bad, there are some areas where I see the chip panting a bit. A good example is when taking videos. While doing so, I see the camera struggling to keep a consistent frame rate. Also, the rendered video is choppy as well. You’re not likely getting this phone to film your Sundance Film Festival entry, but it’d still be nice to see some better performance.
Another area where this phone was sluggish is in video rendering. I rendered a minute-long video in CapCut at 1080p resolution. Most flagship phones take less than 20 seconds while many mid-range phones take between 20 and 30 seconds. The REVVL 7 Pro 5G took 45 seconds to render the video.
So, while navigating the software and opening apps is rather smooth, you can expect some sluggish performance in some areas. You’ll see the cracks in the shield once you start to put on a relatively heavy load.
Benchmark numbers
For those who are curious, here are a few benchmark numbers. Obviously, they’re not an accurate representation of the phone’s performance, but it’s still good to see some scores.
Starting off with GeekBench 6, this phone got a single-core score of 765, which is pretty low. It’s nearly 200 points lower than the Galaxy S20 FE’s score of 978. Moving onto the multi-core score, the REVVL 7 Pro 5G scored 2445. Again, this chip’s not exactly batting 1000. It’s a bit lower than the Poco X3 Pro, and that phone used 2019’s Snapdragon 860 SoC.
Moving onto 3D Mark, this phone got a Best loop score of 613 and a Lowest loop score of 608. So, when it comes to the benchmarks, the REVVL 7 Pro just doesn’t bring the goods. However, those are just benchmark scores. I said that reviewing this phone’s performance was weird, and it was! Why?
Gaming…
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Gaming
Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge a phone by its benchmark scores. So, with the laggy video performance, slower app loading speeds, and low benchmark scores, I assumed that this phone would be a mess when it comes to gaming. However, that’s not the case. To be quite honest, this phone surprised me quite a bit.
Starting off with a 2D game, I gravitate toward Survivor.io. This is a game that really packs in the sprites, and it’s definitely caused some dropped frames on powerful phones. I admit that there were some dropped frames when I played this game on the REVVL 7 Pro 5G. Overall, it didn’t become an issue. The stutters were few and far apart.
Moving onto some 3D games, let’s start with Asphalt 9 and Sky: Children of The Light. I had no issue whatsoever with the performance of those games. I opened them, cranked their graphical settings up to their maximum settings, and played them without any stutters or dropped frames. Both of these games are pretty graphically intensive, and they can bog down performance in different ways. We all know how intense Asphalt 9 can get in the heat of the race. As for Sky, it’s not shy about showing wide-open spaces.
Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail
Now, let’s crank the dial up a notch or two. I installed Genshin Imapact and Star Rail on this phone to test out the gaming, and I expected the performance to tank. Well, it was a mixed bag. Staring with Star Rail, the performance was nothing to write home about. During battles, there were occasional dropped frames with certain attacks.
Walking around in the frozen wasteland was relatively smooth. As with the other games, I turned the graphical settings up to full. I didn’t get 60fps, but it was still smooth with the sparse dropped frame. However, the performance takes a dive once you enter the town. The lag is pretty consistent. However, that’s with the graphics turned all the way up.
The story for Genshin Impact is different… very different. Again, I expected the game to turn into a slideshow once I turned the graphics all the way up. When I started playing this game, and the performance I got was nothing like I expected. It was perfectly smooth. The frame rate didn’t drop below 30fps, all of the animations were perfectly smooth, and nothing slowed down.
I was pretty stunned, as Genshin Impact is one of the most graphically intensive games on the Play Store. I expected some sort of slowdown, but I just didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I was able to get 60fps, but the frame rate certainly didn’t fall below 30fps. Let me remind you, this is with all of the graphic settings turned to their maximum settings. I even left the motion blur on.
It’s clear that Genshin is just better optimized than Star Rail. Regardless, Genshin Impact basically has PS3 graphics; it’s a pretty game. The REVVL was able to conquer that game without breaking a sweat.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Battery
The battery life is pretty good overall. To test the battery, along with using it as my daily driver, I played a video non-stop until the phone died. The phone lasted 15 hours and 16 minutes before dying. That’s not a bad number, and it means that you should be able to expect all-day battery life.
I was able to get through the day on a single charge during my testing. Most of the time, I was able to make it into the next day without needing to charge it. So, the battery life is definitely pretty good.
REVVL 7 Pro 5G Review: Final Verdict
There are those phones that surpass expectations, and the T-Mobile REVVL 7 Pro 5G is one of them. As I said before, this phone isn’t meant to push the envelope in terms of smartphone tech or the overall smartphone experience. Rather, it’s a device designed to capture more people and keep them locked into T-Mobile.
As such, the technology under the hood isn’t the priority. However, that didn’t stop T-Mobile from bringing a rather nice smartphone experience. It’s not going to dethrone certain mid-range titans like the Techno Camon 30 Premier or the Poco. Still, I enjoyed my time with this phone.
The screen is colorful, the sunlight visibility is pretty good, the speakers are pleasant, the performance is decent, the gaming is great, and the design is pleasing. T-Mobile overachieved in a few areas with this phone that’s sure to keep some users tethered to the carrier’s service.
If you’re a T-Mobile customer, and you’re looking for a good phone for only $250, then the REVVL 7 Pro should be on your list.
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