TFT IPS- High-quality liquid crystal matrix. It has wide viewing angles, one of the best indicators of color reproduction quality and contrast among all those used in the production of displays for portable equipment.
Super AMOLED- if a conventional AMOLED screen uses several layers, between which there is an air gap, then in Super AMOLED there is only one such touch layer without air gaps. This allows you to achieve greater screen brightness with the same power consumption.
Super AMOLED HD- differs from Super AMOLED in a higher resolution, thanks to which it is possible to achieve 1280x720 pixels on a mobile phone screen.
Super AMOLED plus- this is a new generation of Super AMOLED displays, differs from the previous one by using more sub-pixels in a conventional RGB matrix. The new displays are 18% thinner and 18% brighter than the older PenTile displays.
AMOLED- an improved version of OLED technology. The main advantages of the technology are significantly reduced power consumption, the ability to display a large color gamut, a smaller thickness and the ability of the display to bend a little without the risk of breaking.
retina- display with a high pixel density, designed specifically for Apple technology. The pixel density on Retina displays is such that individual pixels are indistinguishable to the eye at a normal distance from the screen. This provides the highest image detail and greatly improves the overall viewing experience.
Super Retina HD- The display is made using OLED technology. The pixel density is 458 PPI, the contrast ratio reaches 1,000,000:1. The display has an extended color gamut and unrivaled color accuracy. Pixels in the corners of the display are anti-aliased at the sub-pixel level, so borders don't distort and look smooth. Super Retina HD reinforcement layer is 50% thicker. Breaking the screen will be harder.
Super LCD is the next generation of LCD technology and features improved features compared to earlier LCD displays. Screens have not only wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, but also reduced power consumption.
TFT- A common type of liquid crystal displays. With the help of an active matrix, controlled by thin-film transistors, it is possible to significantly increase the speed of the display, as well as the contrast and clarity of the image.
OLED- organic electroluminescent display. Consists of a special thin-film polymer that emits light under the influence of an electric field. This type of display has a large margin of brightness and consumes very little power.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 62 mm (millimeters) 6.2 cm (centimeters) 0.2 ft 2.44in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 127.1 mm (millimeters) 12.71 cm (centimeters) 0.42ft 5 in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 7.9 mm (millimeters) 0.79 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.31in |
| The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 96 g (grams) 0.21 lbs 3.39oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 62.25 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 3.78 in³ (cubic inches) |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile technologies and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | MediaTek MT6572 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A7 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM. | 256 kB (kilobytes) 0.25 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-400 MP1 |
| Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 1 |
| GPU clock speed Speed is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 500 MHz (megahertz) |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 512 MB (megabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data. | 266 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 4.3in 109.22 mm (millimeters) 10.92 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.11in 53.51 mm (millimeters) 5.35 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 3.75in 95.21 mm (millimeters) 9.52 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.779:1 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail. | 480 x 854 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 228 ppi (pixels per inch) 89 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 64.87% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.
rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | LED |
| Image resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions. | 2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels) |
| Video Resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | autofocus geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a PTZ camera, a cutout or hole in the display, a camera under the display.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 1700 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type of The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 20 h (hours) 1200 min (minutes) 0.8 days |
| 2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 540 h (hours) 32400 min (minutes) 22.5 days |
| 3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 9 h (hours) 540 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 450 h (hours) 27000 min (minutes) 18.8 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery. | Removable |
Additional Information
Package contents: phone, power adapter, USB cable, headsetGeneral characteristics
Type: smartphone Weight: 96 g Control: touch buttons Case material: plastic Operating system: Android 4.2 Case type: classic Number of SIM cards: 1 Dimensions (WxHxT): 62x127.1x7.9 mm SAR level: 0.566Screen
Screen type: color IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch screen Type of touch screen: multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal: 4.3 inches. Image size: 854x480 Pixels per inch (PPI): 228Multimedia features
Camera: 5 megapixels, built-in flash Camera features: autofocus Movie recording: yes Max. video resolution: 1280x720 Front camera: yes, 0.3 million pixels. Audio: MP3, FM radio Max. Video frame rate: 30 fps Face detectionConnection
Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, USB Standard: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G Satellite navigation: GPS A-GPS system: yesMemory and processor
Processor: 1300 MHz Number of processor cores: 2 Built-in memory: 4 GB RAM: 512 MB Memory card support: microSD (TransFlash), up to 32 GB User accessible memory: 2 GB Memory card slot: yes, up to 32 GBOther features
Control: voice dialing, voice control Sensors: ambient light, proximity, compass Flight mode: yes A2DP profile: yesALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a compact smartphone from the Idol line. It is not devoid of the corporate identity of the company, which makes it look great. Unfortunately, not without simplification, they affected the processor and RAM. Let's see what this smartphone is capable of.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is made in a style similar to other ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol models, which is good. The design of the smartphone is recognizable and distinctive. The case is non-separable, perfectly assembled and very thin, by the way, the thickness is only 7.9 mm. The smartphone is 127.1 mm long, 62 mm wide and weighs 97 grams. With such parameters, the smartphone is practically not felt in your pants pocket.
The layout of the keys and interfaces is as follows: at the top of the front panel there is a light sensor, proximity, a voice speaker, a 0.3 MP front camera and an indicator of missed events. At the bottom of the front panel are three backlit hardware touch keys. At the ends of the smartphone there is a power button and a 3.5 mm jack (top), microUSB and a main microphone (bottom), a slot for micro-SIM and microSD (right) and a volume rocker on the left (left). On the back cover there is a camera lens, it sticks out a little above the surface of the body and has a silver rim, a flash, a second microphone, the manufacturer's logo and a multimedia speaker. The back cover is made of plastic imitating metal. The prints on the lid are only visible at certain angles and can be easily erased.
In general, there are no criticisms of the ergonomics of the smartphone. Plugs of connectors sit securely and tightly. It is convenient to use the smartphone with one hand, even despite the location of the power button on the top end. The mechanical keys have a tight but distinct travel. Thanks to the slim body, light weight and pleasant materials, the device is pleasant to use.
Operating system and shell
The smartphone runs on Android 4.2.2 operating system using its own interface. The proprietary shell is pleasant to look at and is to some extent a symbiosis of MIUI and Android Jelly Bean.
The interface is almost completely the same as the older models. The lock screen can hold up to nine widgets from which you can switch to full screen mode. In addition to widgets, the lock screen has four icons (dial, messages, camera, and unlock) that are enclosed in a circle. The choice of icons and unlocking the smartphone is carried out using a small circle. It also changes its location relative to the tilt of the case thanks to the built-in accelerometer. This feature looks interesting and funny. By the way, during charging, the charge level is indicated in the middle of the circle. Without unlocking the smartphone, you can go to the notification panel and mode switches. It is impossible to change and move the mode switching icons.
After unlocking, we get to one of the five desktops, where there are widgets and program icons. For older models, this is the main menu, while for Idol MINI, it is just a desktop with widgets and program shortcuts. You can create folders on the desktop by dragging and dropping application shortcuts. With a long press on the widget, sliders appear, with which you can change the size of the widget.
By clicking on the icon located in the lower right corner, we get to the application menu. The application menu has three tabs: common programs, downloaded programs and widgets. Despite the refusal of some manufacturers from more pre-installed programs, ALCATEL ONE TOUCH did not follow this path and installed a large number of programs, fortunately, they can be easily removed. Among the pre-installed programs, you can find an antivirus, an office application, a large number of social services and almost all services from Google. There is the possibility of blocking alerts from selected programs, as well as choosing the memory where applications will be installed.
The interface works well, twitching is rare, but in cases of launching a heavy application and then exiting it, the desktop shortcuts are redrawn.
The default keyboard is SwiftKey. The browser loads pages quickly, its work is not satisfactory.
I would like to note that some standard applications are redrawn according to the general design style. Among them are a compass, a calculator, a flashlight and a radio.
Hardware platform
It is worth noting that the smartphone can be presented in two versions 6012X and 6012D. The first version with the 6012X index is distinguished by the presence of one SIM card, a microSD slot, and 4 GB of internal memory. The 6012D version already has two slots for SIM cards, 8 GB of internal memory, but there is no microSD slot.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is based on the budget SoC MT6572 from MediaTek. This processor is built on a 28 nm process technology, has two Cortex A7 cores with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. The well-known Mali 400 MP acts as a video accelerator. Although this SoC is considered a budget one, it shows good results in synthetic tests. The amount of RAM is modest by the standards of the end of 2013, and is 512 MB. During normal use, no more than 140 MB of RAM remained. The built-in storage is 4 GB, of which about 2 GB is available to the user.
Video file playback
| Codec/Name | FinalDestination5.mp4 | Neudergimie.2.mkv | s.t.a.l.k.e.r.avi | Spartacus.mkv | ParallelUniverse.avi |
| Video | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×798 29.99fps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×816 23.98fps | Xvid 712x400 25.00fps 1779kbps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×720 29.97fps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×536 24.00fps 2726kbps |
| Audio | AAC 48000Hz stereo 96kbps | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo | MPEG Audio Layer 3 48000Hz stereo 128kbps | Dolby AC3 44100Hz stereo | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo 256kbps |
This smartphone is not positioned as a game, but, nevertheless, the performance will be enough for undemanding games.
The volume and sound quality of the speakers is good. Thanks to the thoughtful placement of the speaker, it will be difficult to miss a call, because even when the phone is on the table, the speaker does not overlap. The microphone transmits speech with high quality. The sound in the headphones is good.
During most tasks, the smartphone case did not heat up. Working on a Wi-Fi network did not raise any questions, everything works quickly and without interruptions in the connection. The search for satellites is somewhat faster than on other devices with MediaTek chipsets.
autonomy
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini shows average autonomy results. A 1700mAh rechargeable battery is hidden inside the thin body. With medium loads, such as: about an hour of calls, always-on data transfer, the smartphone is able to last a day. If the device is used more actively, then it is likely that it will not last until the end of the working day. There is a power saving mode. The results of autonomy tests can be found below.
| Operating time indicators | ||||
| Mode\Model | ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini | Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 | ALCATEL OT SCRIBE HD | Fly IQ444 Diamond 2 |
| Music | 5% | 6% | 2% | 6% |
| Reading | 22% | 15% | 23% | 25% |
| Navigation | 27% | 22% | 26% | 33% |
| Watching HD video | 24% | 28% | 27% | 20% |
| Watch HD video from Youtube | 25% | 30% | 30% | 21% |
| Antutu Tester (points) | 689 | 655 | 644 | 906 |
To listen to music, a standard player was used, the volume was set to 12 out of 15 possible, MP3 files with a bitrate of 320 Kbps. In reading mode, all wireless communications are disabled, including data transmission in the mobile network, and the display brightness is set to 50%. Navigation includes route planning in the Google Navigation app. The brightness is set to 50%, all communication communication modules are disabled. When playing a video, the display brightness is set to 50%, the sound volume in the headphones is at level 12 out of possible 15. The video file format is MKV, resolution is 1024x432 pixels, the frame rate is 24. When playing videos from Youtube, the display brightness is set to 50%, the sound volume in the headphones is at 12 out of 15 possible levels.
Display and cameras
Nowadays, even budget smartphones have begun to equip IPS displays. ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini boasts a 4.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 854 × 480 pixels, there is an automatic brightness control sensor. The display accepts up to five simultaneous keystrokes. The viewing angles of the screen are close to the maximum, the colors are juicy, the brightness is high. In the sun, the display fades, but the information remains readable. The maximum brightness is 394 cd/m², the average brightness is 199 cd/m², and the minimum is 43 cd/m². An overestimated minimum value adversely affects the use of the device at night. The smartphone screen displays shades of gray a little darker than they should be. The color gamut is only slightly larger than sRGB. But if you do not find fault, then the smartphone is equipped with an excellent display, as for its price category.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini has two cameras of 5 MP and 0.3 MP. As mentioned above, you can call the camera from the lock screen. The camera interface is simple and intuitive. Video is recorded at 720p resolution.
The camera has HDR mode, panorama and night. In addition, in the settings you can change the flash mode, turn on the timer and select the size of photos. See sample photos below.
Examples of photos taken with the ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini smartphone
Examples of HDR photos taken with the ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini smartphone
Camcorder settings are even simpler. In them there is only a choice of quality and flash mode.
Results
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a pleasant smartphone, which, first of all, differs from its competitors in its attractive design, high-quality display, good assembly and beautiful visual shell. The disadvantages include a small amount of RAM.
According to TCT Mobile, in Ukraine the smartphone will be sold in a version with two SIM cards. The recommended retail price will be UAH 1399, and the start of sales is scheduled for December 2013.
Liked
+ Assembly
+ Design
+ Screen
Did not like
- Small amount of RAM
The product is provided for testing by TCT Mobile Europe S.A.S. in Ukraine, www.alcatelonetouch.com.ua Standard
High speed data transfer GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA/HSUPA
Dimensions (mm) 127.1x62x7.9
Weight (g) 96
Processor (for smartphones) MediaTek MT6572 (2x Cortex-A7, 1.3GHz) + GPU Mali 400MP
Memory RAM 512MB + 8GB ROM
Expansion slot —
Main screen IPS, 4.3″, 854×480, oleophobic coating
Keyboard type screen input
Accumulator battery 1700 mAh
Operating time (manufacturer's data) up to 20/9h talk time (2G/3G), up to 540/450h standby time (2G/3G) Micro SIMNumber of SIM cards 2
CPU MediaTek MT6572 + GPU Mali 400MP
Number of Cores 2
Frequency, GHz 1,3
Battery 1700 mAh
Diagonal, inches 4,3
Permission 854x480
Matrix type IPS
PPI 228
Brightness sensor +
Display Features oleophobic coating
Main camera, Mp 5
Video filming [email protected]
Flash +
Front camera, Mp 0,3
Communication standards GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 900/2100
WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS +
IrDA -
FM radio + (RDS)
Audio jack 3.5mm
NFC -
interface connector USB 2.0 (micro USB)
Height, mm 127.1x62x7.9
Weight, g 96
Protection against dust and moisture -
Type of shell monoblock
Housing material plastic
Keyboard type screen input
More Scope of delivery: charger, USB cable, headset, user manual
Releasing lower versions of flagship smartphones has long been an indicator of good taste among most representatives of the mobile industry. The first to come to mind are Samsung, HTC and even Apple, with their sometimes maniacal attitude to positioning their own products on the market. The list can be continued, but the essence remains the same - the release of a smaller copy of the flagship gadget is nothing more than a signal to buyers: “Look, we offer an advanced product with many advantages, but for less money!”. This step allows you to attract more potential buyers and cover new market segments. But the main thing is that over time, attracted users who want to reach a new level may pay attention to more expensive branded products.
In our case, we are talking about TCL Communication. This Chinese industrial giant, after a complete buyout of the mobile business of the famous French manufacturer Alcatel-Lucent in 2005, began to confidently conquer the European mobile market. Using the experience of its direct competitors, and clearly following the current situation, already at the end of 2013, following its first flagship model ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL, its younger copy was successfully introduced to the market - compact, designed in the same style -.
How good is the product? What compromises did the engineers have to make when creating a smaller version? Is it worth saving and how will it affect the quality and performance in the end? We have to answer all these and other questions in the review of ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI.
Specifications
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Manufacturer |
TCL Communication |
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ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI (6012D) |
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Type, form factor |
Smartphone, monoblock |
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Communication standards |
850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz |
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900 / 2100 MHz |
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High speed data transfer |
GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps) |
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SIM card type |
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CPU |
MediaTek MT6572: 2 cores (ARM Cortex-A7), up to 1.3 GHz, L2 cache - 256 KB, 28 nm manufacturing process |
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Graphics adapter |
ARM Mali-400 MP1: up to 500 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 |
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4.3", 854 x 480 pixels (228 ppi), IPS, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, protective glass, oleophobic coating |
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RAM |
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4 GB (single SIM 6012X), 8 GB (dual SIM 6012D) |
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card reader |
microSD up to 32 GB (6012X version only) |
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1 or 2 x Micro-SIM 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack |
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Multimedia |
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Microphone |
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Additionally |
Wideband Audio (HD Voice) |
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Main |
5MP, HDR support, f/2.8 aperture, autofocus, face detection, single LED flash, 720p 30fps video recording |
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Frontal |
0.3MP, f/3.0 aperture, 480p 30fps video recording |
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Communication options |
802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot) |
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Navigation |
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Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass |
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Battery |
Li-ion, non-removable: 1700 mAh |
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Charger |
Input: 100~240V AC e.g. at 50/60 Hz Output: 5V DC e.g. 1.3 A |
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127.1 x 62 x 7.9 mm |
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Grey, Silver, Pink |
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Operating system |
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean + proprietary shell |
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Official guarantee |
12 months |
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Products webpage |
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Delivery and equipment
The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone came to us for testing in the form of an engineering sample, so there is no need to talk about the quality of the content of the delivery set and possible accessories. But if you turn to the manufacturer's website for help, you can find out the following useful information. On sale on store shelves in a box with a smartphone should be:
- Charger;
- USB cable;
- wired headset;
- quick user guide.
As we can see, no frills, everything is pretty standard. This is quite natural, given the price segment this model belongs to.
Appearance, arrangement of elements
Externally, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI looks pretty nice. The smartphone is a classic monoblock and has a rectangular shape with slightly rounded edges.
The case is created in a non-separable form, and visually it can be divided into two parts: the front side with the display and the back cover, which includes the sidewalls. The front side is completely black. There are no emblems, names and other tinsel here. This gives the design rigor and looks pretty nice. The display is securely hidden under the protective glass, which is framed by a thin and elegant glossy edging that rises slightly above the screen.
At the top is the speaker grill and the front camera lens. An event indicator was found near them, as well as proximity and light sensors.
Below the display are three touch buttons: "Menu", "Home" and "Back". When the screen is locked, they are not visible, and "wake up" only after the start of use. They use a low-brightness white backlight that is non-irritating and non-distracting when working at night.
In production models of the smartphone, an oleophobic coating is applied to the screen, but it was not found in our engineering sample. Therefore, the display got quite dirty, and it often had to be wiped.
On the top of the device are: the power button and a 3.5 mm audio jack for a headset. It is worth noting that the button mentioned above is located in the right place and allows you to operate the power-on process while holding the smartphone with one hand.
The volume rocker is located on the left side face.
On the right, under tight rubber caps, there are two slots for SIM-cards.
On the bottom of the smartphone, a micro-USB port and a microphone hole have found their place.
The back of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI case is made of high quality plastic. It has a brushed metal texture and is very pleasant to the touch. The back panel is finished in a complex semi-gloss grey-blue color, the hue of which depends on the lighting. In terms of design, it looks pretty good. It is also worth noting that the device is sold in the market in several color options for the rear panel. We are offered a choice of: gray, silver and pink colors. In our opinion, such a decision will appeal not only to men, but also to the representatives of the fair half.
At the very top of the back of the case is the main camera lens, framed by a chrome-plated metal rim. Nearby is a single-section LED flash and a noise-canceling microphone. In the center is a part of the name of the smartphone model - "ONETOUCH". In the lower right corner, a speaker grille is visible, above which part of the brand name - "ALCATEL" is applied.
However, during testing, we found a very unpleasant moment. The design of the main camera protrudes unnecessarily, so its chrome rim is highly susceptible to mechanical stress.
A good distinguishing feature of the smartphone is its low weight (96 g) and very modest dimensions (127.1 x 62 x 7.9 mm). Compared to the flagship ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL (size - 133 x 67.5 x 7.9 mm and weight - 110 g), this allows you to easily hold the device in one hand, almost without feeling it. The screen size also contributes to this. As you know, a diagonal of 4.3 inches has long been recognized among manufacturers as a kind of reference option. So to speak, the right compromise between size and convenience, which has a positive effect on the overall ergonomics when using the device.
On sale ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is available in two versions. In the first case, this is a model with one SIM-card and 4 GB of internal memory (6012X), which supports microSD cards. In the other - a version with two SIM-cards and 8 GB of internal memory (6012D), but without a slot for memory cards. We got an engineering sample for testing, the distinguishing feature of which was the presence of only 4 GB of memory, despite the support of two SIM-cards.
As for the build quality, it is at a fairly decent level. The case has good rigidity, and nothing creaks in it. The only thing that upset us a little was the small gaps, especially between the front glass and its edging, where dust accumulates over time.
Summing up the intermediate results, we can say that ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is a fairly convenient device to use. The gadget has a good design, which is a classic of the genre, as well as good ergonomics. Yes, he can not boast of advanced stylistic solutions, but in general, the smartphone leaves a pleasant impression.
The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI model is equipped with a 4.3-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. At the same time, the pixel density is 228 ppi, which is a good indicator that provides fairly good image detail. Yes, if you look closely, you can distinguish individual pixels, but this state of affairs can not be seen in all display modes. The only serious complaint from our side is the low definition of the fonts, which sometimes look a little blurry.
But otherwise, we have a good and high-quality IPS display. Matrices of this type are traditionally characterized by excellent viewing angles, high contrast and pleasant color reproduction. Our case was no exception, although the color temperature noticeably moves towards cold shades. Separately, it is worth noting the display backlight. It has a good adjustment range and high brightness, which allows you to work even outdoors on a sunny day. But the minimum level is slightly higher than required by comfortable work in the dark. There are no additional screen backlight settings.
The display unit of the smartphone is made using OGS technology, that is, there is no air gap between the glass and the screen. Thanks to this, the picture becomes more detailed, and the colors are bright. The absence of any obstacles between the finger and the display creates the effect that the image can actually be touched. But it would not be out of place to warn potential buyers that if such a screen fails or the glass is damaged, repairing a smartphone will cost much more, since the entire display unit must be replaced.
The built-in multi-touch technology sensor handles up to five simultaneous taps on the screen. The display is very sensitive and responds even to light touches, but there is no support for working with gloves.
It is worth noting a very good response time, which will not be out of place in games. Despite the lack of an oleophobic coating in our test sample, the sliding of the fingers on the protective glass is quite pleasant and does not cause discomfort. In general, there are no serious complaints about the display of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone: everything is done at a good level.
The device is equipped with a single multimedia speaker, which is located on the back of the device. It is quite loud and provides quite good sound over almost the entire available range. Only when the sound level approaches the maximum value does a slight distortion appear in the sound stream.
This state of affairs allows you to use your smartphone for games, watching videos on the Internet, calls and notifications without using additional devices. For true music lovers, we recommend purchasing good headphones or an external media system.
ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI has a built-in radio module that allows you to listen to the air of FM radio stations operating in the frequency range from 87.5 to 108 MHz. Traditionally, to turn on the radio, it is necessary to connect a headset, which is used as an antenna.
There are no complaints about the conversational dynamics. He copes well with his direct duties. The sound is good and moderately loud (considering the quality of the operator and the condition of the interlocutor's phone), which ensures a pleasant voice transmission.
Camera
The presence of several digital cameras in the current smartphone has long been no surprise. The ability to take beautiful pictures of a beautiful landscape on vacation or a trendy selfie in the bathroom are already standard requirements for modern gadgets.
The tested ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is also equipped with two digital cameras - main and front.
The main one has a 5-megapixel module with f/2.8 aperture. It is equipped with a single-section LED flash, autofocus and face detection, and is also capable of shooting video at up to 720p at 30 fps. True, the video footage cannot boast of high quality. Also, the camera can work in widescreen mode, but the resolution of the matrix is reduced to 3.7 megapixels.
The quality of the resulting photos is average, but if you delve into the settings and choose the optimal lighting conditions, you can get pretty good copies. In other cases, really high-quality images can not be counted on. Despite the seemingly good resolution of the matrix, the image detail is at an average level. The camera noticeably distorts the color reproduction, and the white balance strives to go into cold shades. There is also a lack of dynamic range, and even the presence of an HDR shooting mode does not save the situation.
The only advantage of the smartphone's front camera is the fact that it is present in this device. Otherwise, this is a weak 0.3-megapixel module with an f / 3.0 aperture, fixed focus and the ability to record video in 480p format.
The software that is responsible for controlling the operation of the cameras is distinguished by a good level of performance and an intuitive interface. The menu is made in the same style as the entire proprietary shell of the operating system. It has a simple and concise design, as well as easy access to settings, the location of which is remembered after the first use. Unfortunately, a small set of functions is available in the menu. But if we take into account the level of the device, then the situation, in our opinion, is quite justified.
Shooting examples
Movie examples
An example of daytime shooting from a smartphone ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI in 720p resolution with basic settings
User interface
ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is delivered to stores with a pre-installed Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system.
The already familiar interface is complemented by a slightly stripped-down proprietary shell, which still has not received its own name. Visually, it looks very attractive, but the functionality is not much different from pure Android, except for a small number of additional features. These include the device's power saving mode and support for some gestures for working with incoming calls, an alarm clock and a music player.
If the smartphone is locked, you can see the time, weather and calendar on the display. This information is called up by swiping sideways. You can unlock the device using the context menu in the form of a circle, which allows you to get not only to the main screen, but also to launch the digital camera mode, as well as access messages and the phone book.
A rather interesting solution is the idea of dividing the available smartphone desktops for certain tasks. So, to the left of the home screen there is a table for widgets (there is no vertical scrolling), and to the right - with application icons, some of which are already divided into folders. However, the user has the ability to sort the content at his discretion. Swiping up from the bottom of the Start screen and desktops with applications opens a menu with shortcuts to all the programs installed on the device.
In general, the smartphone interface leaves a pleasant impression. The speed of its work does not cause significant complaints and is very fast, although in some cases there are slight slowdowns.
The truly controversial aspects of the operating system of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI model include a large number of pre-installed software and all kinds of games. On the one hand, an experienced user who has bought a new gadget for himself will be able to install all the necessary applications on his own, so the memory on the smartphone that is packed to capacity will cause bewilderment at best and will require additional time to remove unnecessary programs. On the other hand, for beginners and inexperienced Android users, the pre-installed set of programs will be more of an advantage than a disadvantage, as it will allow you to start using the device right out of the box. By the way, it is worth noting that Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, according to the manufacturer, is the only and final version of the operating system for this device, so you should not wait for updates to 4.4 or at least 4.3.
Hardware platform and performance
The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is based on a 2-core MediaTek MT6572 processor with a maximum clock speed of 1.3 GHz and a L2 cache of 256 KB. Its performance level can be described as average. The processor is based on the ARM Cortex-A7 microarchitecture using a 28nm process technology.
The integrated graphics are ARM Mali-400 MP1 with one cluster (core), operating clock speed of 500 MHz and support for OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1. Recall that the sale of the smartphone is presented in two versions. The first is equipped with 4 GB of internal memory, of which 2 GB will be available to the user. The second has 8 GB, but only 5.6 GB will be available to the user. It is also worth recalling that in devices with 4 GB of internal memory, there is support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB.
The amount of RAM ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is only 512 MB. The consequence of this is the unstable operation of heavy applications, especially games.
Some demanding programs refuse to run, others may crash if there are already running applications in the device's memory. Therefore, there is no need to talk about multitasking. The overall weak performance level is clearly visible in gaming tests. Demanding games like Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 only run relatively well at low graphics settings.
There is heating of the smartphone case under active load, but it is not critical, although some may find it a little unpleasant.
Thus, in terms of performance, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI lacks stars from the sky and is clearly focused on performing everyday tasks and running undemanding games. If you do not put insurmountable heights in front of it, then the resources of the device will be quite enough and working with it will not cause serious inconvenience.
Communication and communications
The smartphone can work with many modern mobile networks: GSM, WCDMA / HSPA+. The only thing that ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI cannot boast of is the support of new generation high-speed networks - 4G LTE.
The dual SIM version of the smartphone works according to the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. This means that the device has only one radio module, so when talking from one SIM card, the second one will be temporarily unavailable. During the tests, the quality of calls and voice transmission were at a good level: no interruptions or self-drops were observed. However, it is worth noting that this also depends on the carrier used.
The set of communication capabilities is represented by Bluetooth 4.0 modules with support for A2DP and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz). Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot features are also present.
Additionally, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is equipped with a GPS module with A-GPS support. The quality of its work is at a good level: searching for satellites and connecting to them takes only half a minute. On average, during testing there were about 7 pieces. At the same time, the location accuracy reached an error of only 3 meters.
Offline work
The device under test is equipped with a non-removable 1700 mAh lithium-ion battery. When performing everyday tasks (surfing the Internet, checking mail, listening to music), this is enough for more than a day of work offline.
Let's move on to the test results. While watching HD video at 50% display brightness and enabled Wi-Fi and GPS modules, the smartphone worked for almost 7 hours. In the case of a game simulation using the game Dead Trigger 2 (“Vault”, medium graphics settings), the device lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes at 100% display brightness and enabled Wi-Fi and GPS modules. It takes 3.5 hours to restore the original battery charge conditions.
Results
Paying attention to any copy, even made with love for details, the buyer involuntarily asks the question: “Is it worth it? Perhaps the original is better?
By releasing to the world, TCL Communication, knowingly or not, doomed its younger model to this comparison. Therefore, it is natural that the desire to clarify the situation reached our test laboratory. At the beginning of the review, we set ourselves a number of questions, to which, after conducting a comprehensive study, we will try to answer.
So, we have a light and compact smartphone ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI with a nice design. It has a 4.3-inch IPS screen with good viewing angles, high-quality backlighting and an oleophobic coating (in the commercial version), which is securely hidden under the protective glass. The body of the novelty is made soundly and has comfortable ergonomics, so you can control the main functions and navigate the operating system with one hand. The audio subsystem of ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI also deserves positive feedback: the multimedia speaker is moderately loud, with a pleasant sound on almost the entire range. Conversational speaker provides high-quality sound transmission. We should not forget about the presence of all the necessary network modules, the work of which does not cause any complaints, as well as support for a fairly capacious battery. The advantages of the smartphone include the presence of a model with support for two SIM-cards.
Now about the sad. Reducing the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI and driving it into price limits, the engineers still had to make a number of unpopular compromises. The most striking of these is the support for only 512 MB of RAM. This will be quite enough to perform typical everyday tasks, but you can no longer play resource-intensive games. The quality of the camera modules is also not particularly impressive. True, all this allowed us to put a good price tag on the device.
In the dry end. Is it worth spending 2300 UAH. ($190) now and buy ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI or save up for a more productive model in the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL line? Ultimately, it's up to the potential buyer to decide. On our own, we can only add that the tested smartphone is a fairly high-quality solution with an average level of performance, so if you are not a fan of heavy Android games and can safely do without a dozen simultaneously running applications, then it deserves your attention.
Advantages:
- quite pleasant appearance and comfortable ergonomics;
- good build quality;
- compact dimensions and weight;
- protective glass on the screen with an oleophobic coating (in the commercial version);
- good 4.3-inch IPS-display, made using OGS technology;
- high responsiveness of the touch substrate;
- good sound quality of multimedia and conversational speakers;
- good autonomy of work;
- the presence of the necessary network modules;
- the ability to work with two SIM-cards (in the 6012D version);
- affordable cost.
Flaws:
- mediocre camera modules;
- the presence of only 512 MB of RAM.
We express our gratitude to TCL Communication for the smartphone provided for testing.
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