We
are all well acquainted with the fact that the Indian handset maker Micromax is
all about providing new age technology at a dirt cheap price. Nowhere else you
will get an android smartphone for 4-5K or an Android driven tablet for as low
as 6K. And latest entrant to the already gigantic list of entities is the
Funbook Pro which happens to be a 10.1 inch tablet running the Android ICS 4.0.
Some deem it to be the extension of the super successful Funbook tablet that
the company launched a while ago.
Let’s
have a detailed look at the hardware specifications of the tablet:
As
it is clear from the name that the tablet will be 10.1 inch in size and as far
as the display is concerned the TFT LCD screen will be having a 1024x600p
resolution with multi-touch facility, of course.
Now,
if we turn our heed towards the CPU and RAM of the tab we find that the tablet
has been packed with lightening fast 1.2GHz Cortex A-8 processor, which is well
complimented by a 1 GB RAM. This combination is as lethal as it looks.
The
8GB of storage capacity might make some eyebrows arch but the 32GB expansion
capacity truly makes amend for the relatively small inbuilt storage.
For
those who are interested in adding face to the conversation, the Funbook will
be having a VGA camera on the front side of the body. So are surely not going
to miss on that either.
It
has been told in the beginning that the Tablet will be running on the latest
Android OS the ICS 4.0.3. The tablet is loaded with various study materials
called “Edutainment”. So both the fun
and the learn elements are properly kept intact. The price, till now, has not been brought to light but trade pundits expect it to be somewhere between 7.5 to 9.9K.
Other features are not disclosed by now, but the
above mentioned specs are ample evidence that the tablet will create some
hullabaloo in the domestic market, some real uproar.
In
my last post I drew a comparison between Spice’s soon to be releasing, Stellar
Craze Mi-355 and Samsung’s Galaxy Y. We found out that the Spice Stellar Craze
is not just a better phone but is a thousand bucks cheaper than the other
handset. Today I am going to put it against the other market ruler, the
Wildfire S from HTC, which is a force to reckon with in the smartphone world
globally. So let’s jump into a head to head comparison, without further ado.
Look
and Feel
The
Wildfire S has a screen size of 3.2 inch whereas the Spice Stellar has a 3.5
inch screen but the 119x64x12 mm dimension of the
Spice handset is such that it can neither be called ergonomic nor stylish,
though the makers have tried to give it a rectangular iPhone like look but they
seem to have not been so successful with their endeavor. Wildfire S all the
way.
CPU
and RAM
In
the CPU segment the HTC Wildfire S comes packed with an 600MHz, seconded by a 512MB
RAM processor and in reply the Spice Stellar has a conspicuously superior
processor of 800MHz, which is well complimented by a 512 MB RAM. No need to say
that the Spice Stellar is more powerful here.
Storage
capacity
The
expandable storage capacity of either of the handsets is 32GB but the internal
storage capacity of the Wildfire S, which happens to be 418MB, is almost three
times bigger than that of the Spice handset. Wildfire S.
Display and Camera Specifications
The
3.5 inch LCD TFT screen of Spice Stellar Mi-355 has a 480x320 p resolution,
which makes the images and visuals crispier and interesting. The other handset
in question, the HTC Wildfire S houses a 3.2 inch screen, has the same
resolution as Stellar thus has a higher ppi. This goes as a draw.
Camera
The
most amazing thing about the Spice Stellar Mi-355 is the presence of a
secondary camera that is a rarity in its price bracket. Now, both the handsets
house a 5MP primary camera, HTC has a LED flash, which is replied befittingly
by a dual LED flash of the other handset. With a camera on the front side the
Stellar wins, wins by a margin.
Connectivity,
Battery, and OS
In
the connectivity segment both the handsets have 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB
connectivity. Battery spec of the HTC Desire S says that it has a standard
1230mAh Li-Ion battery, which is significantly smaller than the 1420mAh battery
of the Spice Stellar Mi-355.
Both
the handsets are Android driven handsets and both of them run the same version
of the OS, Android Gingerbread.
The
Verdict
Yes,
the form factor of the HTC is better so is the Storage capacity, but are these
the specs and is the difference so big that the we should pay additional four
thousand(Spice is priced at 6k and HTC at 10K), the answer is NO.
The
Spice Stellar has a front camera, better battery, bigger display, and faster
CPU, which make it a better handset. And the dirt cheap price tag is the icing
on the cake. All green for the Spice Mi-355, thumbs up.
My
team mate wrote the review of the-soon-to-hit-market -Spice Stellar Craze
Mi-355 yesterday; she found the handset to be far-fetched, when compared to
other handsets in the similar price range. We still have the handset with us
and every time we use it, we tend to like it more. And the best way to know how
good the handset actually is, to make it stand in front of a handset that is
priced in the same bracket and comes from a market leader. Yes, I am going to
compare the Spice Mi-355 with Galaxy Y from Samsung, which happen to be the top
notch phone in the low end smartphone segment of the market(arguably, of
course). Let’s hit the road, without delay.
First
of all, the form factor of the handsets: on one hand we have Samsung Galaxy Y,
which has a 3.15 inch screen and has a dimension of 104 x 58 x 11.5 mm, then on
the other hand we have Spice Stellar Mi-355 which has a screen size of 3.5 inch
and has a dimension of 119x64x12 mm. Now, one gets to feel that the size
difference between the two handsets is very small if the dimension is kept as a
matter of concern; that shows that the space has not been utilized in the
handset, whether it has been done intentionally or otherwise, is a matter of
contention. Plus bigger dimension makes the weight heavier. In addition the
Galaxy Y is slimmer too. Galaxy Y wins hands down.
But
hey, screen size is one thing and display is quite another; in the display
segment the Stellar has a TFT-LCD screen with a resolution of 480x320, whereas the Y has a
TFT-LCD screen with a resolution of 320x240, which is far lesser than the
Stellar. Stellar wins in the display battle.
If
we turn our attention towards the camera feature of the handset we find the biggest
difference between the two, the presence of the front camera makes the Spice
Stellar a better phone from the very beginning. And the primary camera of the
Stellar is also far superior than the same of the Y, as the Stellar sports a
5MP camera on the back side of the body with dual LED flash whereas the Galaxy
Y has only 2MP photo snapper, that too without flash support. Stellar,folks.
In
the processor segment both the handsets are almost at the same level as Stellar
houses 800MHz and Galaxy Y sports a 832MHz processor. But the 512MB RAM of the
Stellar (which is almost twice of the same of Galaxy) gives it the cutting
edge.
Storage
specification too is almost the same as both the handsets have memory expansion
capacity of up to 32GB and almost the
same user available memory. In the battery segment the Stellar scores some
points over the Galaxy as it has 1420mAh battery whereas the Galaxy Y only
1200mAh battery.
In
the connectivity segment both the handsets have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, and 3G
connectivity. Both the mobiles are Android Gingerbread driven handsets. But
with features like prebuilt Facebook app, NetQin antivirus, whatsapp, and Vault
security the Stellar becomes the superior handset.
Final
Words
After
going through the entire article you guys must have understood why was my
fellow blogger so optimistic on Spice Stellar Craze Mi-355. The verdict, ladies
and gentleman, is a thumping YES!
Targeting the customers who look for
cost-effective yet powerful Android devices, Spice has recently launched three
Android smartphones – Mi-425, Mi-355, and Mi-500. While Mi-425 has already
marked its triumph in the indigenous souk, the Mi-355 –Stellar Craze- is
getting ready to hit the market with vigor. Let’s see what is good and what is
bad in this smallest and cheapest dual-SIM Android phone in the series.
Quick Spec - Rundown
·Dual SIM (GSM+GSM)
·Android v2.3 Gingerbread OS
·800MHz Snapdragon Processor
·3.5″ Inch capacitive touchscreen display
·Rear Camera: 5.0 Megapixels - Front camera:
0.3 Megapixels
·Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB
·GPS Navigation
·Preloaded Netqin Anti-Virus
·1420mAh Battery
Spice Stellar Craze Mi-355 hands-on video
Esthetics
The phone radiates elegance with a clean glossy
finish, rectangular profile, and sturdy feel. The phone seems to be optimal to hold in your palm. The device
sports a silver color bezel, which enhances the look and makes it similar to
iPhone. Spice could have bestowed its customers with a bigger screen in the
given real estate; the current 3.5 inch screen leaves a lot of free space on
top and bottom face of the mobile. At the top of the front face, you can see
the proximity sensor and a VGA front camera for video chat. A 3.5mm audio jack
assumes its position on the top along with lock/power key. Volume rocker is given in the left hand side, while a micro USB port is given at the bottom side. The right
hand side is wholly bare.
The interior of the phone looks well designed
with two SIM card slots aligned side by side. Having a hot swappable SD card slot would have added some convenience to users, unfortunately it is not.
User Interface
At the
bottom of the screen four capacitive keys have been given: home, accessing
options, back and Google search key. Long pressing home key opens recently opened
apps to give quick access to frequently used apps. You can pull down the
notification bar from the top and have quick access to notifications; you can
also control Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, screen rotation and much more from your notification
bar! You have five homescreen to make use of. Adding shortcuts, widgets,
folders and wallpapers is so simple; you just need to long press the screen and
add your favorite widgets. Apps can be accessed easily by flipping menu screen
horizontally. At the bottom of the touch screen, you can have access to
alpha-numeric dialer, contacts, messaging, and app drawer.
You
can retrieve separate call logs for Master and Slave SIMs. You have separate
calling buttons for Master and Slave SIMs and call logs, which again can be
separated for each SIM - an exalt for a dual SIM phone.
Touch & Display
As I said earlier,
the screen looks small in the given
front space of the device. Images and text look incredibly crisp on the screen
that has a resolution of 320 x 480 and color depth of 262K. The
default wallpaper that illustrates water droplets on a grey background makes it
even more similar to iPhone, while you can pick any live wallpaper and set on it to
match your moods. Screen visibility on
sunlight is middling, when the brightness is maximized, but the screen looked
as dark as a slate, when the brightness is lowered. Very smooth touch response
is the most virtuous aspect I found in this device. It supports multitouch
gesture, which makes Internet browsing and gallery viewing a pleasure.
Camera
The Stellar Craze Mi-355 comes packed with two cameras,
which, in the given price bracket, is a big achievement. The 5MP back camera comes with dual LED flash and 4x digital zoom. Images clicked in well-lit conditions looked satisfactory. But the power of the dual LED flash not seems to be adequate to
light up objects in poorly lit conditions. It has a number of additional camera features like
exposure adjustment, scene modes, picture size adjustment, picture quality
adjustment, color effects, and anti-banding. As far as the video
recording capability is concerned the video given below will speak vociferously
for it. A VGA front camera has been provided for video chat.
Sample photos
Music
I would not call music the main forte of this
handset, yes, it does not pack a punch like the high end Sony models. But it
does sport a pretty strong speaker that, according to me, is at least three
times stronger than the same of Samsung Galaxy Y ( I used to have the handset
once), which will cost you around thousand bucks more than this mobile. And for
quality of sound, you have the liberty to connect a high definition headset all
the time. By all means, the Stellar Mi-355 passes the acid test in the music
genera.
Connectivity
The phone comes with dual-SIM connectivity.
The Master SIM supports 2G as well as 3G, while the Slave SIM supports only 2G.
Like any other Android phone, Spice Mi-355 also comes with connectivity options
including GPRS, EDGE, 3G, WI-FI and WAP. It supports Bluetooth v2.1 and USB to
transfer data locally. The device has integrated GPS with A-GPS support. Aircel
users may get the additional offer of 100MB data usage free each month for the
period of 12 month with every Stellar device.
Processor/ RAM/Memory
The device comes with an 800MHz Snapdragon processor. For a device in the six thousand range, the processor looks decent. It comes with a dedicated GPU that helps play graphics more smoothly. 140MB phone memory is available for users to download and install apps.
Battery
Specs sheet promises that the 1420mAh
Li-Ion battery gives talktime of 4 hours and standby time of 200 hours. I really
don’t know how to measure these parameters rationally. But certainly I found
this battery performance above standard, as a single full charging lasted me
one and a half day of average use, which included calling, Wi-Fi browing,
music and gaming.
Messaging
The
Android keyboard enables faster typing both in the vertical and horizontal
view. The copy and paste
can be done just by pressing and holding to select words, stay in selection
mode, and copy text for later pasting. After composing the message, you can
easily select Master or Slave SIM to send from.
OS and Apps
The
phones come preloaded with Android Gingerbread version 2.3.6. The USP of the Stellar is the Mobile
Antivirus by NQ Mobiles, which comes preloaded. Recently Spice had a tie up
with NQ Mobile for proving security services its Stellar Series. In addition to
the common Google apps like YouTube, Google Maps, Google Talk and Google
Search, many apps come preloaded such as News & Weather app, Spice
Gang, Whats App etc. Unlike the previous
Android models from Spice, the device is not loaded with bizarre apps that are
rarely used by users. No worry of wasting precious memory. Other features
include anti-theft and Vault- privacy lock for apps like, photos, videos, SMS
and call logs & secret contacts. Users can update the virus/malware
database for a period of six months absolutely free.
In my final words, I would like to draw your
attention towards the high points of the Mi-355. Highly crisp display, front
camera, strong speakers and powerful battery are strong enough propositions for
an Android phone in the Rs. 6500 range. Go, get your Stellar Craze today!
Spice Stellar Craze handset would be
available at Online store www.saholic.com and over 50,000 Spice shops across
the India.
Tech
giant and Chinese handset maker Huawei has revealed its plans to launch two
brand new handsets in Indian market. Both the phones are Android powered
handsets, one is an entry level phone, other a middle range one. The Ascend
series handsets will surface with the names Y200 and G300.
The
manufacturers are keeping a mum over the pricing of the handsets, which is
expected to be revealed just before the launch. Anyway, let’s try to get a
closer look at the handsets.
Huawei
Y200 is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread driven handset, which comes packed with an
800MHz processor that is well complimented by a 256MB RAM. The handset boasts
of a 512MB flash memory. The 3.2MP camera of the handset seems to be quite good
for an entry level handset. The 3.5inch display does not seem to be a bad one either.
The TFT LCD display has a pixel resolution of 480x320p, and color support for
262K colors.
For
wireless connectivity it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and for wired data transfer
there is micro USB 2.0. The 1250mAh battery seems quite alright. There are sensors like Accelerometer,
Proximity, and Ambient light sensor. You will find a whole range of apps and
social integration clients.
If
the Ascend Y200 was good, then prepare yourself for better -- the Ascend G300
is coming to your way. The handset will be hitting the market with a mammoth
4.0 inch WVGA screen, which will be having 800x480p resolution. As far as the
processor of the handset is concerned, the G300 has a 1GHz processor, which
will be seconded by a 512MB RAM. The Huawei Ascend G300 will come packed with
2.4GB internal memory.
The
handset will sport a 5MP autofocus camera. In the connectivity segment it will
be sporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB. And the battery of the handset is going
to be a standard 1350mAh Li-Ion.
Boththe handsets will be hitting the retail shelves within a month or so. Be
prepared for-as the makers say- why pay first class for first class? Truly
enchanting.
There
was time when the big players of the mobile handset world were skeptical about
adding dual-SIM specification to their top models, but the Indian makers
weren’t; they had a strong belief that the domestic Indian market is a very
congenial environment for pocket friendly things like a dual-SIM handset. The
notion was vindicated as the dual-SIM handset became a huge hit in the market.
And this made the MNCs think that they should enter the said field with vigor.
And lo, there was a deluge of dual-SIM handsets in the market.
Today, we are going to compare two dual-SIM handsets. One is a MNC handset other an
Indian made. Both of them were released this year and both of them made a
foothold for themselves. The handsets are: Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos and Spice Stellar
Mi-425. Let’s compare them head to head.
CPU
and RAM
The
Spice handset has a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, which is well complimented by a 512MB
RAM whereas the Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos has an 832MHz processor, which is
seconded by a 512MB RAM. Both the handsets are single core ones. Spice Stellar
has a distinct edge over the Ace Duos in this segment.
Display
In
the display section the Spice Stellar Mi-425 has a 4.0 inch TFT LCD screen with
a screen resolution of 800x480p. The handset has proximity and accelerometer
sensor. On the other hand the Samsung Galaxy Ace has a relatively smaller
screen of 3.5 inches with a pixel resolution of 480x320p. Both the handsets
have support for multi touch. Here too the underdog proves to the unexpected
victor.
Camera
Camera
spec of the mobile phone gives it the cutting edge over the peers, the need of
a camera on a mobile handset is arguable but the above mentioned statement is
unarguable, it is true. The Samsung handset offers you a 5MP camera with lots
of additional features. The Spice
Mi-425 has a 5MP camera on the back side of the body and it sports a VGA front
camera for video call and self portrait. The back camera is supported by an LED
flash.
This comparison might suggest that the Spice handset wins
the game hands down but that, in actuality, is far from being true. The Samsung
camera is pretty strong and efficient. What gives the Stellar the cutting edge
is the LED flash and the presence of the front camera.
Battery
There is no need to tell how important the battery spec
is for a phone, everyone knows that. The Spice Stellar Mi-425 comes packed with
a Li-Ion 2000 mAh battery, which is capable of bequeathing a humongous talk
time of 6 hours and a robust standby time of 8 days. Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos replies with a
seemingly tinier battery of 1300mAh but when we look at the talk time we get to
fathom why Samsung is the market leader in mobility; the handset gives you a
marathon talk time of 16 hours and an unbelievable standby time of 23 days.
Samsung wins easily.
Connectivity
The Spice
Stellar has GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth for wireless
connectivity and USB for wired data transfer. Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos has the
same features in the segment. Tie.
Operating System: Both the handsets are Android run
devices, both of them comes with Android Gingerbread 2.3 on board. But being
ICS upgradable gives the Mi-425 a slight command over the Ace Duos
The Price Tag
The Ace Duos, if purchased online form a reputed site
like saholic.com, costs the buyer around INR 12,900. The Spice Stellar Mi-425
will cost you a meager INR 9999. This is the biggest advantage of Spice Mi-425
over the Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos.
The Verdict
One might get tempted to say that the Spice Stellar
Mi-425 wins the battle hands down, but we should always keep one thing in mind that
if Samsung is the kingpin of mobile world then there are some valid reasons for
that-reliability- that is the word. Samsung gives you reliability that is the
most valuable spec that a buyer looks when he goes to buy a handset. But if
Spice can provide-there is no reason it can’t-that it can defeat the big fish
like Samsung in the mid range mobile section. Spice Stellar Mi-425,that is the
phone for you.
Liked the post, you might also like to read the following:
Micromax has announced the
third handset of the Bling series, the X44. The name “Bling”, which is commonly
used to describe flashy jewelry or clothing says it all; The phone has some
inherent gamour element that attracts the women towards it. It’s nothing but
the embellished
Swarovski elements on the phone that any woman would love to flaunt.
The first handset of the Bling series
was Micromax Q55, which was released in 2010, boasted a Swivel form factor. Subsequently, the company
launched another Bling A55, in the year 2011, which unlike the Bling Q55, was a
bar. The new addition to the series too is a bar. Let’s browse around the
interiors of the handset.
The Micromax Bling X44 is, in
looks, much similar to the X55. The handset features a 2MP camera, which is
quite capable of recording videos. Then it has a 2.2 inch QVGA display. Like
most of the Micromax handsets it too supports dual-SIM. For wireless data
transfer it sports Bluetooth and for wired data transfer it has USB
connectivity.
As far as the memory of the handset
is concerned the Bling X44 has an internal memory of 512 MB and it is packed with a
powerful 256MB RAM. The storage capacity of the handset can be furthered till
8GB via a microSD card.
This bar phone sports a
powerful 950 mAh battery that is capable of providing the users with a talk
time of 8 hours and a standby time of around ten days.
The last two handsets of the
Bling series were a hit among the ladies but we will have to wait and see
whether this time Micromax targets the other half of the society or
not.
The handset wears a price tag of INR 3000.
Liked the post, you might also find yourself interested in:
India’s
premier handset maker Micromax seems to be in an aggressive mood. Just after
launching the Micromax Superfone AISHA A52 and A56 it has unleashed another handset in its
Superfone portfolio – A80 Infinity. A80 happens to be a dual SIM handset which
also sports the company’s voice tool ASHIA. Let us see what other things this
handset has on offer.
The
Micromax A80 has a 3.6 inch screen. It has 5MP camera on the rear side and a
VGA one on the front side of the body, the camera has a flurry of features like
night vision, multi-shot option, camera sensor, and multiple video recording
format. As far as the CPU is concerned the A80 Infinity has an 800MHz processor,
which is capable of giving the handset a fast processing speed.
Moving
ahead the handset sports a memory expansion capacity of up to 32GB. And in the
OS section the handset runs on Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread OS. But the most
amazing and breathtaking specification of the handset is the 2500mAh battery.
The huge battery is capable of giving the users a mammoth talk time of 7 hours
and a standby time of 288 hours.
In
the connectivity segment the phone has USB 2.0, Bluetooth 3.0, and Wi-Fi
802.11b/g/n. The phone has light sensor and G-sensor. The phone is priced at INR 8490. Lets see what wonders
this handset, the Micromax A80 Infinity can perform for the domestic mobile
manufacturer.
