Alcatel onetouch idol mini phones. Review and testing of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone

Releasing junior versions of flagship smartphone models has long been an indicator of good form among most representatives of the mobile industry. The first to come to mind are Samsung, HTC and even Apple, with their sometimes manic attitude to positioning their own products on the market. The list can be continued, but the essence will remain 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 a larger number of potential buyers and reach new market segments. But the main thing is that over time, attracted users who want to reach a new level may turn their attention to more expensive branded products.

In our case, we are talking about TCL Communication. This Chinese industrial giant, after a complete buyout in 2005 mobile business the famous French manufacturer Alcatel-Lucent, began to confidently conquer the European mobile market. Using the experience of its direct competitors, and strictly following the current market conditions, already at the end of 2013, following its first flagship model ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL, its junior copy was successfully presented on the market - compact, designed in the same style -.

How good was the product? What compromises did the engineers have to make when creating the smaller version? Is it worth saving and how will this ultimately affect quality and productivity? We have to answer all these and other questions in ALCATEL review ONETOUCH IDOL MINI.

Specifications

Manufacturer	TCL Communication
	ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI (6012D)
Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards		850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
		900 / 2100 MHz
High speed data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps)
SIM card type
CPU	MediaTek MT6572: 2 cores (ARM Cortex-A7), up to 1.3 GHz, L2 cache - 256 KB, 28 nm process technology
Graphics adapter	ARM Mali-400 MP1: up to 500 MHz, support OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1
	4.3", 854 x 480 pixels (228 ppi), IPS, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, protective glass, oleophobic coating
RAM
	4 GB (one SIM card 6012X), 8 GB (two SIM cards 6012D)
Card reader	microSD up to 32 GB (only in version 6012X)
	1 or 2 x Micro-SIM 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia
	Microphone
	Additionally		Wideband Audio (HD Voice)
	Main		5 MP, HDR support, f/2.8 aperture, autofocus, face detection, single LED flash, video recording in 720p 30 fps
	Frontal		0.3 MP, f/3.0 aperture, video recording in 480p 30 fps
Communication capabilities			802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot)
	Navigation
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass
Battery	Li-ion, non-removable: 1700 mAh
Charger	Input: 100~240 VAC eg at 50/60 Hz Output: 5 VDC e.g. 1.3 A
	127.1 x 62 x 7.9 mm
	Grey, silver, pink
operating system	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean + proprietary shell
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and configuration

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 contents of the delivery kit 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, there are 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 quite nice. The smartphone is a classic candy bar 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 sides. The front side is made entirely in black. There are no emblems, names or other tinsel here. This adds rigor to the design and looks quite beautiful. The display is securely hidden under protective glass, which is framed by a thin and elegant glossy edge that rises slightly above the screen.

At the top is the earpiece grille and the front camera lens. An event indicator is found near them, and there are also proximity and lighting sensors.

Below the display there 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 low-brightness white backlighting, which is not irritating or distracting when working in the dark.

IN serial models The smartphone has an oleophobic coating applied to the screen, but it was not detected in our engineering sample. Therefore, the display got quite dirty and had to be wiped often.

On the top edge of the device there are: a 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.

On the left side there is a volume rocker.

On the right, under thick rubber plugs, there are two slots for SIM cards.

A micro-USB port and a microphone hole have found their place on the bottom edge of the smartphone.

The back of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI case is made of high-quality plastic. It has the texture of polished metal and is very pleasant to the touch. Back panel painted in a complex semi-gloss gray-blue color, the shade of which depends on the lighting. In terms of design, this looks quite good. It is also worth noting that the device is sold on the market in several rear panel colors. We are offered a choice of: gray, silver and pink colors. In our opinion, such a solution will appeal not only to men, but also to the fair sex.

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 part of the name of the smartphone model - “ONETOUCH”. In the lower right corner you can see the speaker grille, above which is part of the brand name - “ALCATEL”.

However, during the testing process we discovered a very unpleasant point. The design of the main camera protrudes excessively, so its chrome-plated rim is highly susceptible to mechanical stress.

A good distinguishing aspect of the smartphone is its light 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, the 4.3-inch diagonal has long been recognized among manufacturers as a kind of standard option. So to speak, the right compromise between size and convenience, which has a positive effect on the overall ergonomics when using the device.

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 has support for microSD cards. The other has a version with two SIM cards and 8 GB of internal memory (6012D), but without a memory card slot. We received an engineering sample for testing, the distinguishing feature of which was the presence of only 4 GB of memory, despite support for 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 disappointed us a little were the small gaps, especially between the front glass and its edge, where dust accumulates over time.

To summarize, we can say that ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is a fairly easy-to-use device. The gadget has good design, which is a classic of the genre, as well as good ergonomics. Yes, it cannot boast of advanced stylistic solutions, but overall 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. 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 cannot be seen in all display operating modes. The only serious complaint on our part is the low clarity of the fonts, which sometimes look a little blurry.

But otherwise, we have a good and high-quality IPS display. Matrices of this type traditionally characterized by excellent viewing angles, high contrast and pleasant color rendering. Our case was no exception, although the color temperature noticeably moves towards cooler shades. Separately, it is worth noting the display backlight. It has a good adjustment range and is highly bright, allowing you to work even outdoors on a sunny day. But the minimum level is slightly higher than what is required for comfortable work in the dark. Additional settings There is no screen backlight.

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 brighter. The absence of any obstacles between the finger and the display creates the effect that the image can actually be touched. But it would be a good idea to warn potential buyers that if such a screen fails or the glass is damaged, repairing the smartphone will cost much more, since the entire display unit must be replaced.

The built-in multi-touch technology sensor processes 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 very good time response, which will not be superfluous in games. Despite the absence of an oleophobic coating in our test unit, sliding fingers on the protective glass is quite pleasant and does not cause discomfort. In general, to the display ALCATEL smartphone ONETOUCH IDOL MINI has no serious complaints: 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 loud enough and provides quite good sound in almost the entire available range. Only when the sound level approaches the maximum value does minor 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. We recommend that real music lovers purchase good headphones or external media system.

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI has a built-in radio module that allows you to listen to FM radio stations operating in frequency range from 87.5 to 108 MHz. Traditionally, to turn on the radio, you must connect a headset, which is used as an antenna.

There are no complaints about the conversational speaker. He copes well with his direct responsibilities. The sound is good and moderately loud (given the quality of the operator and the state of the interlocutor’s phone), which ensures pleasant voice transmission.

Camera

The presence of several digital cameras in the current smartphone will not surprise anyone for a long time. The ability to take beautiful pictures of a beautiful landscape on vacation or a newfangled selfie in the bathroom are already standard requirements for modern gadgets.

The tested ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is also equipped with two digital cameras - the main one and the front one.

The main one has a 5-megapixel module with an f/2.8 aperture. It is equipped with a single-section LED flash, autofocus and facial recognition system, and is also capable of shooting video with a resolution of up to 720p at 30 fps. Is it true, high quality The filmed video cannot boast. The camera can also work in widescreen mode, but the matrix resolution 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 quite good copies. In other cases, you can’t count on really high-quality images. Despite the seemingly good resolution of the matrix, image detail is at an average level. The camera noticeably distorts color reproduction, and the white balance tends to go into cold shades. There is also a lack of dynamic range, and even the presence of an HDR shooting mode does not help the situation.

The only advantage of the front camera of a smartphone 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 corporate shell 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, there is a small set of functions available in the menu. But if we take into account the level of the device, then the situation, in our opinion, is completely justified.

Examples of photography

Video examples

An example of daytime shooting from an ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone in 720p resolution with basic settings

User interface

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI comes preloaded with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system.

The interface, already familiar to many, is complemented by a slightly stripped-down proprietary shell, which has not yet received its own name. Visually it looks very attractive, but in terms of functionality it is not much different from pure Android, except for a small number of additional functions. This includes a device 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 view the time, weather and calendar on the display. This information is brought up by swiping sideways. You can unlock the device using context menu in the form of a circle, which allows you to get not only to the main screen, but also to start the mode digital camera, as well as access your messages and phone book.

The idea of ​​dividing the available smartphone desktops for specific tasks looks like a rather interesting solution. 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 distributed in folders. However, the user has the opportunity to sort the content at his own discretion. When swiping from bottom to top on home screen and desktops with applications, a menu opens with shortcuts to all programs installed on the device.

In general, the smartphone interface leaves a pleasant impression. The speed of its operation does not cause any 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 himself a new gadget will be able to install all the necessary applications on his own, so a memory jammed to capacity on a smartphone will at best cause him bewilderment and require additional time to uninstall unnecessary programs. On the other hand, for beginners and inexperienced Android users a 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 of this device, so you shouldn’t wait for updates to 4.4 or at least 4.3.

Hardware platform and performance

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is based on a dual-core MediaTek MT6572 processor with maximum clock frequency 1.3 GHz and L2 cache memory - 256 KB. Its performance level can be described as average. The processor is based on the ARM Cortex-A7 microarchitecture using a 28 nm process technology.

The integrated graphics is ARM Mali-400 MP1 with one cluster (core), operating clock frequency of 500 MHz and support for OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1. Let us remind you that the smartphone is available for sale 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 devices with 4 GB of internal memory support cards microSD memory up to 32 GB.

Volume random access memory 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 start, 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 level of performance is clearly visible in gaming tests. Demanding games like Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 run relatively well only at low graphics settings.

There is some heating of the smartphone body 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 does not have enough stars in the sky and is clearly aimed at performing everyday tasks and running undemanding games. If you do not set insurmountable heights in front of it, then the device’s resources will be quite sufficient and working with it will not cause serious inconvenience.

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 support for high-speed networks of the new generation - 4G LTE.

The version of the smartphone with two SIM cards operates according to the Dual standard SIM Dual Standby. 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, call quality and voice transmission were at a good level: no interruptions or independent drops were observed. However, it's worth noting that this also depends on the carrier you're using.

Kit communication capabilities presented 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 functions 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, there were about 7 pieces during testing. At the same time, the accuracy of location determination reached an error of only 3 meters.

Autonomous operation

The device under test is equipped with a non-removable lithium-ion battery capacity 1700 mAh. When performing everyday tasks (surfing the Internet, checking email, listening to music), this is enough for more than a day of work in offline mode.

Let's move on to the test results. While watching HD video at 50% display brightness and Wi-Fi modules And GPS smartphone worked for almost 7 hours. In the case of a gaming simulation using the game Dead Trigger 2 (“Vault”, medium graphics settings), the device lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on. To restore the original battery charge conditions, you need to spend 3.5 hours.

Results

Paying attention to any copy, even one made with love for detail, the buyer involuntarily asks the question: “Is it worth it? Perhaps the original is better?

By releasing , TCL Communication, knowingly or not, doomed its junior 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 posed a number of questions to which, after conducting a comprehensive study, we will try to answer.

So, before us is a lightweight and compact ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone 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 protective glass. The body of the new product is well made and has comfortable ergonomics, so you can control the main functions and navigate the operating system with one hand. Deserves positive feedback and the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI audio subsystem: the multimedia speaker is moderately loud, with pleasant sound over almost the entire range. The speaker provides high-quality sound transmission. We should not forget about the presence of all the necessary network modules, the operation of which does not cause any complaints, as well as the support capacious battery. The advantages of the smartphone include the presence of a model with support for two SIM cards.

Now about the sad stuff. Reducing the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI and driving it into the price range, engineers still had to make a number of unpopular compromises. The most striking of these is support for only 512 MB of RAM. This will be quite enough to perform typical everyday tasks, but you won’t be able to 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 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 is up to the potential buyer to decide. Let’s just 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 easily do without a dozen at a time running applications, then it deserves your attention.

Advantages:

• quite nice appearance and comfortable ergonomics;
• good build quality;
• compact size and weight;
• protective glass on the screen with 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;
• availability of necessary network modules;
• ability to work with two SIM cards (in version 6012D);
• affordable price.

Flaws:

• mediocre camera modules;

• availability of only 512 MB of RAM.

We would like to thank TCL Communication for providing us with the smartphone for testing.

All prices for Alcatel+One+Touch+Idol+Mini+6012D

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ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a compact smartphone from the Idol line. It is not devoid of the company's corporate style, which makes it look great. Unfortunately, there were some simplifications; they affected the processor and RAM. Let's see what this smartphone is capable of.

ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is made in a similar style to other ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol models and that’s good. The design of the smartphone is recognizable and original. The case is non-separable, perfectly assembled and very thin, by the way, the thickness is only 7.9 mm. The length of the smartphone is 127.1 mm, width 62 mm, and weight 97 grams. With these parameters, the smartphone is practically not felt in your pants pocket.

The location of the keys and interfaces is as follows: at the top of the front panel there is a light sensor, proximity sensor, voice speaker, 0.3 MP front camera and an indicator of missed events. At the bottom of the front panel there 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 the 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 protrudes slightly above the surface of the body and has a silver rim, a flash, a second microphone, a manufacturer’s logo and a multimedia speaker. Back cover made of plastic simulating metal. Fingerprints on the lid are only visible from a certain angle and are easily erased.

In general, there are no critical comments about the ergonomics of the smartphone. The connector plugs fit 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. Mechanical keys have a tight, but clearly distinguishable stroke. Thanks to the thin body, low weight and pleasant materials, the device is pleasant to use.

Operating system and shell

The smartphone runs under the operating system Android systems 4.2.2 using its own interface. Branded shell 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 that of older models. The lock screen can accommodate up to nine widgets from which you can navigate to full screen mode. In addition to widgets, the lock screen has four icons (dialing, messages, camera and unlock), which are enclosed in a circle. Selecting icons and unlocking the smartphone is done using a small circle. It also changes its location relative to the tilt of the body 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 your smartphone, you can go to the notification panel and mode switches. It is impossible to change or move mode switching icons.

After unlocking, we find ourselves on one of five desktops, where widgets and program icons are located. For older models this is the main menu, but for Idol MINI it is just a desktop with widgets and program shortcuts. You can create folders on your desktop by dragging and dropping application shortcuts. When you long press on a widget, sliders appear that you can use to 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: general programs, downloaded programs and widgets. Despite the refusal of some manufacturers more preinstalled programs ALCATEL ONE TOUCH did not go through this path and installed a large number of programs, fortunately, they can be easily removed. Among the preinstalled programs you can find an antivirus, an office application, a large number social services and almost all services from Google. It is possible to block notifications from selected programs, as well as select the memory where applications will be installed.

The interface works well, twitching occurs rarely, but in cases where a heavy application is launched and then exited, the desktop shortcuts are redrawn.

As standard keyboard SwiftKey installed. The browser loads pages quickly and its performance is flawless.

I would like to note that some standard applications redrawn according to the general design style. Among them are a compass, calculator, flashlight and radio.

Hardware platform

It is worth noting that the smartphone can be presented in two versions: 6012X and 6012D. The first version with the index 6012X is distinguished by the presence of one SIM card, a microSD slot, and 4 GB of internal memory. The version with the index 6012D already has two slots for SIM cards, 8 GB of internal memory, but no microSD slot.

ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is powered by the budget SoC MT6572 from MediaTek. This processor 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 budget, it shows good results in synthetic tests. The amount of RAM is modest by the standards of the end of 2013, amounting to 512 MB. During normal use, there was no more than 140MB of RAM remaining. The built-in storage capacity is 4 GB, of which about 2 GB is available to the user.

Playing video files

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 712×400 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 gaming smartphone, but, nevertheless, the performance will be sufficient for undemanding games.

The volume and sound quality from the speakers is good. Thanks to the thoughtful placement of the speaker, it will be difficult to miss a call, since even when the phone is lying on the table, the speaker is not blocked. The microphone transmits speech qualitatively. The sound in the headphones is good.

During most tasks, the smartphone body did not heat up. Work in Wi-Fi networks did not raise any questions, everything works quickly and without interruptions in the connection. Searching for satellites is slightly faster than on other devices with MediaTek chipsets.

Autonomy

ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini shows average battery life results. Hid inside the thin body accumulator battery capacity 1700mAh. Under average loads such as: about an hour of calls, with data transfer always on, the smartphone can 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 an energy 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%
Watch HD video	24%	28%	27%	20%
Watching HD videos from Youtube	25%	30%	30%	21%
Antutu Tester (points)	689	655	644	906

Used to listen to music standard player, volume at 12 out of 15 possible, MP3 files with a bitrate of 320 Kbps. In reading mode, all wireless communications are disabled, including data transfer to mobile network, and the display brightness is set to 50%. Navigation includes plotting a route in Google app Navigation. The brightness is set to 50%, all data 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 a possible 15. The video file format is MKV, resolution 1024x432 pixels, frame rate 24. When playing a video 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 be equipped with IPS displays. ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini boasts a 4.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 854x480 pixels and an automatic brightness control sensor. The display accepts up to five simultaneous presses. The viewing angles of the screen are close to maximum, the colors are rich, and the brightness is high. The display fades in the sun, 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 negatively affects the use of the device at night. The smartphone screen displays shades of gray that are slightly darker than they should be. The color gamut is only slightly larger than sRGB. But if you don’t find fault, the smartphone is equipped with an excellent display 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. The video is recorded at 720p resolution.

The camera has HDR, panorama and night modes. In addition, in the settings you can change the flash mode, turn on the timer and select the photo size. Examples of photos can be found 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

The camcorder settings are even simpler. They only have a choice of quality and flash mode.

Results

ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a pleasant smartphone, which primarily differs from its competitors in its attractive design, high-quality display, good build and beautiful visual shell. The disadvantages include the 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 1399 UAH, and the start of sales is scheduled for December 2013.

Liked
+ Assembly
+ Design
+ Screen

Did not like
- Small amount of RAM

The product was provided for testing by TCT Mobile Europe S.A.S. in Ukraine, www.alcatelonetouch.com.ua Standard High speed data transferGPRS, EDGE, HSDPA/HSUPA Dimensions (mm)127.1x62x7.9 Weight (g)96 Processor (for smartphones)MediaTek MT6572 (2 Cortex-A7 cores, 1.3GHz) + GPU Mali 400MP MemoryRAM 512 MB + 8 GB ROM Expansion slot— Main screenIPS, 4.3″, 854×480, oleophobic coating Keyboard typescreen input Accumulator battery1700 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 cards2 CPUMediaTek MT6572 + GPU Mali 400MP Number of Cores2 Frequency, GHz1,3 Battery1700 mAh Diagonal, inches4,3 Permission854x480 Matrix typeIPS PPI228 Dimming sensor+ Display Featuresoleophobic coating Main camera, MP5 Video shooting720p@30fps Flash+ Front camera, MP0,3 Communication standardsGSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 900/2100 WiFi802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot Bluetooth4.0 GPS+ IrDA- FM radio+ (RDS) Audio jack3.5mm NFC- Interface connectorUSB 2.0 (micro-USB) Height, mm127.1x62x7.9 Weight, g96 Protection from dust and moisture- Type of shellmonoblock Housing materialplastic Keyboard typescreen input MoreContents: charger device,USB cable, headset, user manual

The quality of a smartphone is determined primarily by its parameters. Based on them, you can talk about how long the device will last you and whether it is worth purchasing such a smartphone at all. But what do they say about idol 2? mini specifications?

Visual component

At Alcatel one touch idol 2 mini characteristics depend on visual data. Based on them, the developers assembled all the other components of the device. Its weight is only 110 grams, taking into account the thickness of less than 8 mm. Impressive, isn't it?

Before you is a standard candy bar with three touch-sensitive keys on the bottom. Its unique feature is the metallic silver frame, which adds elegance to the phone. The case is made quite well. It is simply unrealistic to find fault with any backlash or other problems. The device gives the impression of a premium class although, in fact, it is a budget device.

There is a power button on the right, and a volume rocker above. It is also used to block the device’s sensor. On the left is the SIM card slot, covered with a plug. At the bottom there is a USB connector and a microphone. The charger and headset connectors are very well separated. Many users noted this as one of the bright advantages of this device.

On the back plastic cover there is a main camera, a LED flash and an additional microphone for high-quality sound in videos. The front part of the device, in addition to touch keys and a screen with an oleophobic coating, has a speaker grille and a front camera.

Camera

If we talk about cameras, then the characteristics of idol 2 mini are more than acceptable. The main camera takes pictures at a resolution of 5 megapixels, and videos at 1280x720. All this is complemented by fairly high-quality autofocus and an elegantly integrated flash. At the same time, the quality of the pictures is noticeably higher than that of smartphones from other brands, the cameras of which, according to statements, reach eight and even 13 megapixels.

The front camera in such a smartphone is a disadvantage for modern man, since it is not intended for selfies, but only for communication and has, by modern standards, a very modest resolution - only 0.3 megapixels. If you are not a fan of taking pictures of yourself, then this device is just right.

Battery

The battery in the smartphone is lithium-ion and non-removable. Its capacity is 1700 mAh. The manufacturer promises that the battery is capable of autonomously spending at least 400 hours in standby and 5 in active use. Excellent result for budget smartphone. Considering one SIM card and a minimal set of applications, battery consumption is really low. And not very productive hardware contributes to even greater savings.

Memory and performance

We can safely say that the memory characteristics of idol 2 mini are not encouraging, but they are not disappointing either. These are standard 1 gigabyte of RAM and 4 gigabytes of non-volatile or random access memory. Based on the latest technical innovations, these are not the best indicators. Although if you remember that the device was released in 2014, there is nothing to be surprised about.

Regarding the “iron” component, one should also not expect any special miracles. The device has a processor capable of overclocking each of its four cores to a frequency of 1.2 GHz. These indicators are sufficient to work with simple programs, like instant messengers, but nothing more. Do not forget that the device is primarily positioned as a fashion device and at the same time a budget one. And in the case of an attractive appearance at a low price, it is rare to find more or less productive hardware.

To improve performance, you can root the device and remove some built-in applications. This will allow, in addition to reducing the load on the processor, to unload a certain amount of non-volatile memory, of which there is not too much here anyway.

conclusions

Alcatel one smartphone touch idol 2 mini is a 4.5-inch reliable touchscreen phone with IPS matrix. This smartphone with a low price, a 4-core processor and Android 4.4 has made thousands of people fall in love with it. It will be a suitable option for those who value light weight and the disadvantages include a slot for only one SIM card, which may not be enough in today’s conditions of fierce competition among operators, and not the most productive hardware, which reduces the comfort of use. It will ideally fit into the role of an additional gadget for use in rare cases; as a main smartphone, it will not be able to provide the full range of capabilities provided by the modern electronic world.

“Does Idol mini look similar to its big brother Idol X?” - you ask. I will answer: “Yes, but not in everything.” And here it’s not even a matter of the size of the case. The manufacturer took a radically different look at the “baby”, leaving it with only a similar number and arrangement of functional elements from the flagship “X”. However, some changes were noticed in this regard as well. But more on that later!

When I first looked at the Idol mini, my attention was drawn to the back panel. The manufacturer has so successfully used plastic that imitates metal in it that you can only tactilely feel what material you are dealing with.

The stylish design of the smartphone is given by the front panel with protective glass, as well as the metal power and volume buttons, the earpiece slot and the rim of the main camera eye.

What certainly will not go unnoticed in the appearance of Idol mini is its compact size. Due to them, the device looks very neat. Moreover, with such dimensions (127.1x62x7.9 mm, weight - 96 grams), it will be convenient for absolutely everyone to control it with their fingers, regardless of the size of their palms.

The body is assembled very well, all elements fit tightly - nothing creaks, crunches or plays.

The smartphone is available in three colors - black, silver, and for the fairer sex there is also a pink version.

Ergonomics of functional elements

The right side edge is given over to slots for micro-SIM cards and , and the left one is under the volume rocker.

At the top end there is a 3.5 mm audio jack and a power button, and at the bottom there is a microphone and a micro-connector.

The rear panel was “divided” between the speaker speakerphone in the lower right corner, the inscription “Onetouch” in the center, as well as the peephole of the main 5MP camera at the top.

I note that, like all previously tested Alcatel smartphones, it protrudes slightly above the body. On the right side of it there is a microphone for noise reduction, and on the left there is an LED flash.

On the front panel above the 4.3-inch display there is a slot for a speaker, a peephole front camera, as well as proximity/light sensors. Under the screen, when you turn on the smartphone and touch it, the touch control buttons are illuminated.

Brief technical specifications

Communication standard	850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 900/2100 MHz
Dimensions	127.1x62x7.9 mm
Weight	96 g
operating system	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

Display

The 4.3-inch IPS screen of Idol mini with a resolution of 480x854 pixels and color rendering of 16 million shades, in my opinion, best solutions among smartphones in this price segment.
A high-quality IPS matrix provided large viewing angles both vertically and horizontally. Its merit is also in the bright and saturated colors of the picture reproduced on the screen. At the same time, in bright sunny weather, you still cannot do without a certain extinction of the displayed data on the display.

It is protected from scratches and other types of damage by protective glass; the manufacturer does not specify which product we are talking about. In any case, its presence is already a big plus, and in practice it has confirmed its value. As well as the oleophobic coating applied to it, which significantly reduced the number of fingerprints that could be left every time you interact with a smartphone.

The display brightness can be adjusted either manually or automatically. The sensor recognizes up to 5 simultaneous clicks, it is sensitive and reacts quickly to touches.

Equipment performance

The “driving force” of Idol mini is a 2-core MediaTek MT6572 processor with a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz and Mali 400 graphics. The amount of RAM is 512 MB.

The smartphone runs Android 4.2.2 operating system out of the box.

According to the benchmark results, it turned out to be quite a worthy “average” in terms of performance.

In practice, it had no problems with video playback and not very demanding games. But in the case of the first one, you will need to acquire
microSD card, since the stated 4 GB for downloading video internal memory, of which only about 2 GB is available to the user, will clearly not be enough. Maximum volume external storage 32 GB.

But the dual-SIM version of the smartphone has twice as much user memory - 8 GB. But there is no way to expand it. The amount of RAM is the same as in the single-SIM model.

Wireless modules

Idol mini “has” such wireless communications, like 802.11 b/g/n with access point function, Wi-Fi technology Direct, as well as 4.0, with the VPN function.

Autonomy

The battery capacity of the smartphone is 1700 mAh. This is what the statistics on 100% battery charge show: playing video - 2 hours, listening to audio - 3.5 hours, plus 3 hours of surfing the Internet.

And this is taking into account the fact that during the test I received, although a well-modified, sample, and not a commercial version of the tube.

You can reduce energy consumption using the provided energy saving mode.

Camera

Idol mini has two cameras. The main module has a resolution of 5MP, and the front one has a resolution of 0.3MP.

Despite the lack of a dedicated button quick launch camera on the smartphone, you can activate it quickly enough from the lock screen.

The quality of the picture displayed on the front was quite sufficient for comfortable communication.

The quality of photos taken by the main camera, supplemented with autofocus and LED flash, frankly speaking, did not cause delight. Although, in good lighting conditions and using the settings provided for photography, although there were few of them, I was able to take fairly good shots.

Test photos

The video is recorded in a maximum resolution of 720p. Apart from selecting the shooting quality and turning the flash on/off in recording mode, the camera settings do not provide anything. With such a poor arsenal, the video, shot even in the dark, in my opinion, came out worthy for a 5MP module. Of course, there was some noise, and you can clearly see how the picture twitches in the case of autofocus.

Test video

Speakers

There are two speakers - conversational and speakerphone.
Communication, even in a noisy street near the road, provided me with quite comfortable communication with the interlocutor at the other end of the tube.

Although the smartphone is “mini”, in terms of the power of the speakerphone, it, as they say, can “give heat” to many larger devices. It is especially pleasant that even at maximum volume levels it does not produce any extraneous noise that is unpleasant to the ear.

But its location can hardly be called too successful, but getting used to it so as not to cover it with your hand is quite possible.

The sound reproduced through headphones is good.

Software

Out of the box, Idol mini runs Android 4.2.2 operating system. The software is similar to that previously discussed in. Therefore, what follows are only visual illustrations.

The unlock screen provides quick access to the camera app and phone app.

You can control some smartphone functions using gestures. So, for example, to switch the music track, just shake the device and turn off the sound incoming call, you can turn the device over.

conclusions

As a result, I will say that the Alcatel Onetouch Idol mini smartphone, as a mini version of the flagship Idol X, turned out to be very interesting. In addition to its compact size, it is attractive due to its attractive design, bright IPS display with good viewing angles, high-quality speakers and camera capabilities that are good for its price of 1,399 UAH.

I remember the device for its good autonomy indicators, and as for its performance, it is not indicative, but at the same time the price tag of the device is completely justified.

pros

Compact dimensions
- IPS display with good viewing angles
- Good speakers
- Good performance for its price segment
- Android 4.2.2 out of the box
- Ability to control movements
- Good autonomy indicators
- Adequate price

Minuses

Not very convenient location of the loudspeaker

Estimated cost: 1399 UAH
Product provided by TCT Mobile Europe S.A.S.
Alena Lazauskas

TFT IPS- High quality liquid crystal matrix. It has wide viewing angles, one of the best indicators of color rendering quality and contrast among all those used in the production of displays for portable equipment.
Super AMOLED- if a regular 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 its higher resolution, thanks to which you can 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 a larger number of subpixels in a conventional RGB matrix. The new displays are 18% thinner and brighter than displays made using the old PenTile technology.
AMOLED- an improved version of OLED technology. The main advantages of the technology are significantly reduced power consumption, the ability to display a larger color gamut, reduced thickness and the ability of the display to bend slightly without the risk of breaking.
Retina-high pixel density display designed specifically for Apple technology. Pixel density per Retina displays such that individual pixels are indistinguishable to the eye at a normal distance from the screen. This ensures the highest image detail and significantly improves the overall viewing experience.
Super Retina HD- the display is made using OLED technology. The pixel density is 458 PPI, the contrast reaches 1,000,000:1. The display has a wide color gamut and unsurpassed color accuracy. Pixels in the corners of the display are smoothed at the sub-pixel level, so edges are not distorted and appear smooth. The Super Retina HD reinforcing layer is 50% thicker. It will be harder to break the screen.
Super LCD is the next generation of LCD technology, it is characterized by improved characteristics compared to earlier LCD displays. The screens not only have wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, but also lower power consumption.
TFT- A common type of liquid crystal display. Using an active matrix controlled by thin-film transistors, it is possible to significantly increase the performance of the display, as well as the contrast and clarity of the image.
OLED- organic electroluminescent display. It consists of a special thin-film polymer that emits light when exposed to an electric field. This type of display has a large reserve of brightness and consumes very little energy.