New kid on the block: Alcatel One Touch Idol

A sleek device that offers features generally found in the high-end phone segment.

A sleek device that offers features generally found in the high-end phone segment

The touchscreen mobile market is flooded with options today,with a phone available for every price segment. But buyers still tend to stick to the better known brands like Samsung or Nokia,ignoring other options out there which at times offer better features for the same or lesser price. The Alcatel One Touch Idol is one such example that one may ignore only at their own riskit is a sleek phone that comes in a premium package and offers features generally found in a segment above.

A relatively smaller brand in the India market,the Alcatel One Touch range is produced and marketed by Chinese electronics giant TCL Corporation. Priced at R15,800,the One Touch Idol claims to be the slimmest phone in its category7.9 mm (the same as the much more expensive Samsung Galaxy S4) and weighs just 110 grams (Galaxy S4 weighs 130 gms). It also offers an oleophobic coating on its 4.7 inch screen that keeps it free of fingerprints.

Right out of the box,I was impressed with how the slim design fit well in my hand and felt more expensive than it really isthe build is a unibody design,with high quality plastics at the back giving a finish that resembles brushed aluminum. My unit was finished in silver,but I am told brighter colours like pink and red are also available. The phone has no physical buttons at front,and in fact,the design reminds me of the LG-built Google Nexus 4. There are two physical bottonsone a volume rocker on the side and another on top to switch on/off the phone. I use a BlackBerry Bold 3 which is light,even then I found this phone as light as a feather,with the screen smooth and clear to use even in the harsh sun of Delhis summers. It may not have the snob value of an Apple,but as a buyer one can smile knowing that he has spent less than half the price.

The phone comes loaded with Googles Android Jelly Bean version 4.1,which is just one short of the latest version 4.2 found on the top-end Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4.

However,the only minus is that I found the 1 GHz dual core processor a bit slow to use at times when I had multiple apps running. Maybe the higher versions in the One Touch range would sort this out.

At the back the phone comes with a 8 MP camera with LED flash that can also capture HD videos,while theres an additional 2 MP camera at front for video chats. I found the camera easy to use with features like touch focus and burst shooting modes,though Ive seen better cameras is similarly priced Nokia Lumia models.

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While the phone is great value for money,there are a few minuses. Voice quality is average,while the browser is very slow when surfing the Net. Also,the fact that it is thin makes it uncomfortable in the pocket while sittingI keep getting the feeling that it will bend and crack from the middle.

Specifications

* Dimensions: 133 x 67.5 x 7.9 mm

* Display: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen

* Processor: Dual core,1 GHz

* Operating system: Android Jelly Bean v4.1

* Memory: 4 GB/13.3 GB (dual SIM version),512 MB

* Card slot: microSD,uptoo 32 GB (dual SIM version)

* Camera: 8 MP,LED at back,2 MP at front

Estimated street price: Rs15,800