The ASUS ZenFone 2 Has it ALL Covered

I really am enjoying this phone. And one feature, believe it or not,  is the case/cover which not only protects the phone/screen from harm and schmutz but allows one to access info without opening the cover. And when I DO open the cover it automatically wakes up the phone, like opening a book. When closed I just double tap the cover opening to access a series of screens. It means I have an extra circle of plastic to keep clean, but it’s worth it!

The first screen on the ASUS Cover shows the basic state of your phone. In this case the Do Not disturb feature is on (the Moon icon is blue). Just by tapping on any of these icons I can turn them on or off. The Screen adjustment lets me make sure the Cover images are centered properly.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

Swiping to the side I can see the weather forecast.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

One of several clock styles this one is my favorite (this week). Every time the Cover app is updated there’s new clock styles to choose from. I love that.

Note the bluish circle that isn’t all the way around: that shows the battery % which in this case means the battery is about 75% full at that moment.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

The Calendar view in ASUS Cover.

One feature I really love about this screen is that you can tap EACH day to see what the event is happening on THAT day. The list (if more than one) appears on another screen. To return to the calendar there’s a Return Arrow. If a Day has at least one Event the number is underlined. This is incredibly convenient. No need to open the phone and search for the calendar app, etc. I can check my appointment right from the Cover. Nicely Done, ASUS.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

Here’s an example of what it looks like to see the events for one day. And to get back to the calendar view just tap the “Return Arrow” on the bottom:

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

 

I can easily access whatever music is playing right from the Cover app, letting me pause, play, go to next/previous song

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

When an alarm comes up you can dismiss it or snooze right from the Cover app without opening the phone.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

And there’s more – I haven’t even OPENED the Cover yet. I can also turn on the “Flashlight” and turn on the Camera to take a picture – all from the Cover. Wow.

 

 

Another feature I like is that I can set up SEVERAL times for the phone to be totally quiet. Unlike some other Lollipop versions which only allow one moment of “Do Not Disturb” the ASUS Zenfone 2 let’s me add as many as I need. And I know I can find apps which give me the control I want, the fact that this feature is native to the Zenfone means I just set it up the way I want without searching for another app.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

Sometimes you just have to save a screenshot. Zenfone gives me several options. Like most Android phones I can Press the Power button and the lower Volume button simultaneously.
I can also program the recent Apps Key to take a screengrab. I can also use the button in the notification window.

I can also decide to Save the screenshot as a jpg or png in the settings.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

Web Storage – ASUS cloud service. Your photos, doc files, and notes can automatically be uploaded if that’s how you set it up. Feel secure that your data and photos get saved automatically.
The Zenfone2 comes with Two kinds of note apps: SuperNote and Quick Memo

SuperNote App lets you create pages which can include photos and drawings as well as text.

The Quick Memo App let’s you hand write a quick note. In the white space below write your note one word at a time. Trust me, I experimented. Slow and steady wins this race. You can use your finger but I like using a touch pen. Whatever works for you. Anyway, this is great when you need to write someone’s phone number or other info. You can change the color of the text as well as the color of the “paper”. Tap the “pin” icon at the top of the page and the note pops up on your screen in a small box, ready for you to use when you need it.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

Quick Memo Pinned on screen. You can move it around to any location on the screen. This is very convenient for those important notes that you need RIGHT NOW:

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

 

ASUS has lot’s of ways of getting help and answers to any question you have about your phone.  Several preinstalled apps abound! The MyASUS App has videos to help you learn about your phone, a message center and you can directly contact ASUS about a problem.

The ASUS Support App updates news about new features with more FAQ’s and help.

There’s various Apps to share info, photos, and fun. All from directly from the phone.

Social media for the Zen among us:

ZenCircle app – upload your photos to share with other Zenfone owners.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

ZenTalk App – a place to ask questions, get some answers and exchange info

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

And for those that wish to play around with their phones there is a G+ community:  ASUS ZenUI Beta Tester Community. There are various Zenfone2 communities but as they are for different countries you can do a search that satisfies your preferences.

 

 

 

 

The ASUS Zenfone2 was sold as a great phone with a great camera. I certainly can’t complain about this camera. It’s made some lovely photos:

From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

This is me experimenting with looking down into a straw.

High Res with Sharpness at +1.75, Noise Reduction at +2.25, Detail Enhancement at + 2.25:

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

 

the sky looked like it was painted on. I mean that’s what it looked like in person and this camera captured it perfectly.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

 

Close up – I always test how well any camera deals with close up details.  In this case looking through the magnifying glass of my little detective.

From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2
From ASUS Zenfone 2

I wanted to test out the low light setting – so I took a photo of some luminescent plastic fish I happen to have:

From ASUS Zenfone 2

what the fish look like in normal light.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

Fun with editing in the built-in photo editor.

From ASUS Zenfone 2

 

The ASUS ZenFone2 is one of the most delightful smart phones I’ve had the pleasure to have. The design is well thought out, and the additional Cover adds immensely to it’s functionality. Check it out – you won’t be disappointed.