In the past few months, we looked at what was available for the value-conscious Android phone buyer. As it stands now, the LG Optimus One P500 surfaced as the best of the lot. But best of the lot does not mean the best overall. The missing gap for a worthy Android phone between the Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 price range was so wide, that it made me pour my heart out.
The recent leaks of upcoming devices are pleasantly surprising as they are exactly what I was talking about. The following are three tempting Android phones that you can buy without mulling over a compromise on features, and yet will not make you feel guilty that you've paid too much for it. None of these handsets are available in India yet, but we hope they will come to us soon. Out of these, two are expected to be shown at the Mobile World Congress next month, while the third one is selling elsewhere already.
Samsung Galaxy Cooper or Ace
When it was first shown in spy-shots a few days ago, it was termed as the Galaxy S Mini; a co-incidence to something we imagined months ago. But after revealing further details, we have a much better picture of what we're gonna get.
A 3.5-inch capacitive display with an HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) that resembles the first three iPhone models. While it's surely not a Super AMOLED type (Samsung Wave I), we don't know whether it is of an S-LCD variety (Samsung Wave II) or just a typical LCD one. Either way, we'll take what it has to offer -- at least the 3.5 inch size will provide that extra width (as compared to typical 3.2 inch ones on many Androids) for a better spaced-out virtual keyboard.
Second, it runs Android 2.2 (Froyo), which may not be as recent as version 2.3 (Gingerbread), but we can at least keep our hopes a little high about it updating to 2.3 some day. Either way, you won't be missing out on the game-changing features like Wi-fi hotspot, ability to install apps on an SD card, Adobe Flash support etc., with Froyo. Moving on, its 800 MHz Qualcomm processor should hopefully iron out those random sluggish instances experienced on phones with a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor (like the Optimus One P500).
In the sub Rs. 15,000 Android phone range, there's not a single phone that has a good mix of camera features. Most have a measly 3 megapixel resolution with varying disparity -- some have autofocus sensors but no LED Flash, some have fixed focus with an LED flash, while the worst of the lot have neither. I'm glad that the Samsung Cooper will have a 5 megapixel autofocus unit with an LED flash. And if its anything like the sensor on the Samsung Wave or Galaxy S, then I'm sure we'll be able to click fairly good quality snaps on it. However, there is no news whether it does 720p HD video recording.
As for connectivity, it's pretty much sorted just like the others out there (GPS, Wi-fi 802.11n, 3G). It will also feature DLNA for wireless media streaming to a compatible device. A 1350 mAh battery sounds moderately adequate. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a front-facing camera, at least in the pics we've seen till now. To all people enthusiastic about video-calling - I feel your pain.
It sells in Thailand for roughly Rs. 16,246. If Samsung gets the Galaxy Cooper here at that price, it'll probably be the best thing for people wanting to own something like an iPhone without going bankrupt (saw how similar they look?). We can't share our enthusiasm enough to get our hands on this baby!
The recent leaks of upcoming devices are pleasantly surprising as they are exactly what I was talking about. The following are three tempting Android phones that you can buy without mulling over a compromise on features, and yet will not make you feel guilty that you've paid too much for it. None of these handsets are available in India yet, but we hope they will come to us soon. Out of these, two are expected to be shown at the Mobile World Congress next month, while the third one is selling elsewhere already.
Samsung Galaxy Cooper or Ace
When it was first shown in spy-shots a few days ago, it was termed as the Galaxy S Mini; a co-incidence to something we imagined months ago. But after revealing further details, we have a much better picture of what we're gonna get.
A 3.5-inch capacitive display with an HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) that resembles the first three iPhone models. While it's surely not a Super AMOLED type (Samsung Wave I), we don't know whether it is of an S-LCD variety (Samsung Wave II) or just a typical LCD one. Either way, we'll take what it has to offer -- at least the 3.5 inch size will provide that extra width (as compared to typical 3.2 inch ones on many Androids) for a better spaced-out virtual keyboard.
Second, it runs Android 2.2 (Froyo), which may not be as recent as version 2.3 (Gingerbread), but we can at least keep our hopes a little high about it updating to 2.3 some day. Either way, you won't be missing out on the game-changing features like Wi-fi hotspot, ability to install apps on an SD card, Adobe Flash support etc., with Froyo. Moving on, its 800 MHz Qualcomm processor should hopefully iron out those random sluggish instances experienced on phones with a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor (like the Optimus One P500).
In the sub Rs. 15,000 Android phone range, there's not a single phone that has a good mix of camera features. Most have a measly 3 megapixel resolution with varying disparity -- some have autofocus sensors but no LED Flash, some have fixed focus with an LED flash, while the worst of the lot have neither. I'm glad that the Samsung Cooper will have a 5 megapixel autofocus unit with an LED flash. And if its anything like the sensor on the Samsung Wave or Galaxy S, then I'm sure we'll be able to click fairly good quality snaps on it. However, there is no news whether it does 720p HD video recording.
As for connectivity, it's pretty much sorted just like the others out there (GPS, Wi-fi 802.11n, 3G). It will also feature DLNA for wireless media streaming to a compatible device. A 1350 mAh battery sounds moderately adequate. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a front-facing camera, at least in the pics we've seen till now. To all people enthusiastic about video-calling - I feel your pain.
It sells in Thailand for roughly Rs. 16,246. If Samsung gets the Galaxy Cooper here at that price, it'll probably be the best thing for people wanting to own something like an iPhone without going bankrupt (saw how similar they look?). We can't share our enthusiasm enough to get our hands on this baby!
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro 2
The XPERIA X10 mini and mini pro were cute little handsets that we mostly adored -- except for their small, low-resolution displays. Then there was the XPERIA X8, which had a bigger screen, but unfortunately, its camera was not as good as its mini cousins. The result of Sony Ericsson's blend of these two models is what we are seeing in the leaked images.
The phone above is currently known as the Mini Pro 2 (probably would be renamed to something as cool as the 'Arc' at its launch next month). It's got the X8's 3-inch 480 x 320 pixel display with a scratch-resistant surface. I hope the touch-response is better though, because we weren't too happy with the X8's. The processor is bumped to 800 MHz and surprise, surprise, it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which somewhat makes us forgive Sony Ericsson for their lame and pathetic attitude with OS updates before.
The X10 mini's 5 megapixel autofocus camera with the LED flash is still there, but as an added bonus it gets 720p HD video recording. Also, for people who are disappointed with a majority of Android phones not having a front video-camera, this baby adds one for your video-calling pleasure.
With the increase in screen size, the sliding keyboard also gets that extra length to accommodate four-way directional keys and a couple of other extra symbol buttons. All in all, maybe not the kind of thing if you are a fan of the petite X10 mini sizing, but the upgrade definitely makes us want to hold it. It's too early to tell the pricing, but considering phones like the XPERIA Arc and the Playstation-hybrid XPERIA Play taking the top spot in SE's portfolio, this phone could very well hover in the Rs. 20,000 range. This most definitely seems like a good pic for somebody wanting an all-rounder Android phone with a physical keyboard.
The XPERIA X10 mini and mini pro were cute little handsets that we mostly adored -- except for their small, low-resolution displays. Then there was the XPERIA X8, which had a bigger screen, but unfortunately, its camera was not as good as its mini cousins. The result of Sony Ericsson's blend of these two models is what we are seeing in the leaked images.
The phone above is currently known as the Mini Pro 2 (probably would be renamed to something as cool as the 'Arc' at its launch next month). It's got the X8's 3-inch 480 x 320 pixel display with a scratch-resistant surface. I hope the touch-response is better though, because we weren't too happy with the X8's. The processor is bumped to 800 MHz and surprise, surprise, it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which somewhat makes us forgive Sony Ericsson for their lame and pathetic attitude with OS updates before.
The X10 mini's 5 megapixel autofocus camera with the LED flash is still there, but as an added bonus it gets 720p HD video recording. Also, for people who are disappointed with a majority of Android phones not having a front video-camera, this baby adds one for your video-calling pleasure.
With the increase in screen size, the sliding keyboard also gets that extra length to accommodate four-way directional keys and a couple of other extra symbol buttons. All in all, maybe not the kind of thing if you are a fan of the petite X10 mini sizing, but the upgrade definitely makes us want to hold it. It's too early to tell the pricing, but considering phones like the XPERIA Arc and the Playstation-hybrid XPERIA Play taking the top spot in SE's portfolio, this phone could very well hover in the Rs. 20,000 range. This most definitely seems like a good pic for somebody wanting an all-rounder Android phone with a physical keyboard.
Motorola DEFY
Another mid-range Android that has got something unique to offer. The Motorola DEFY is built like a tank, and we're not just referring to its Gorilla Glass scratch-proof display. It also has a dust proof body and is water resistant too.
The DEFY is not only tough on the outside, but it is also well-equipped in the inside too. It's got an adequately-sized 3.7-inch display with a high 854 x 480 pixel resolution. An 800 MHz processor and 512MB RAM should keep the UI running without a nagging lag. All connectivity features - 3G, Wi-fi 802.11n, GPS - are in place. There is a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with an LED flash too. Unfortunately, the phone is unable to record 720p HD videos (although it records at a smooth 30 fps at a lower VGA resolution). There's also a secondary mic for noise cancellation during phone calls.
The DEFY, however, has an Android 2.1 OS, which now is two generations old. But there's word that it will be updated to 2.2 in the first quarter of 2011, which probably is not as exciting as the latest 2.3, but still better than nothing. A 1540 mAh battery reassures me that this phone should pass the one-day mark on active usage.
The durability of this phone might tempt many who have a tendency to drop their phones. The package will only get sweeter once it gets the Android 2.2 update. It is being sold for well under Rs. 20,000 abroad; if Motorola pulls the same pricing in India, it will rock.
Another mid-range Android that has got something unique to offer. The Motorola DEFY is built like a tank, and we're not just referring to its Gorilla Glass scratch-proof display. It also has a dust proof body and is water resistant too.
The DEFY is not only tough on the outside, but it is also well-equipped in the inside too. It's got an adequately-sized 3.7-inch display with a high 854 x 480 pixel resolution. An 800 MHz processor and 512MB RAM should keep the UI running without a nagging lag. All connectivity features - 3G, Wi-fi 802.11n, GPS - are in place. There is a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with an LED flash too. Unfortunately, the phone is unable to record 720p HD videos (although it records at a smooth 30 fps at a lower VGA resolution). There's also a secondary mic for noise cancellation during phone calls.
The DEFY, however, has an Android 2.1 OS, which now is two generations old. But there's word that it will be updated to 2.2 in the first quarter of 2011, which probably is not as exciting as the latest 2.3, but still better than nothing. A 1540 mAh battery reassures me that this phone should pass the one-day mark on active usage.
The durability of this phone might tempt many who have a tendency to drop their phones. The package will only get sweeter once it gets the Android 2.2 update. It is being sold for well under Rs. 20,000 abroad; if Motorola pulls the same pricing in India, it will rock.
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