Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 (4.7")

Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 Review

With today's booming smartphone market, mobile phone makers are constantly having to create stunning works of technology for consumers that are always on the go. Smartphone users aren't just looking for the latest and greatest in technology anymore. Phones need to be practical, user-friendly, and stylish enough to show off. One of the newest additions to the smartphone market is the OneTouch Idol 3. Created by French mobile phone maker Alcatel, the OneTouch Idol 3 has a slew of great design features that sets it apart from the competition.

Design

The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is beautifully designed. Alcatel offers 2 different sized configurations. The standard 4.7 inch model is great for any user while the 5.5 inch model is suited for those looking for a bit more screen real estate. Either way, both models are designed to look sleek in the hand. Despite its size, the phone doesn't feel huge in the hand. The curved corners soften the smartphone's appearance while still keeping it modern. The rear of the phone incorporates a brushed finish. While it is made from plastic, this brushed design gives the appearance of expensive metal without the added costs. The sides of the smartphone have a dual colored trim of shiny metal and plastic.

Beyond the bezel of the screen is the front facing speakers. There is one above and below the screen, ensuring that audio quality is not lost. There are dual microphones as well. Alcatel has incorporated a unique feature to front of the phone. In addition to dual microphones, the smartphone has dual receivers. This gives users the ability to hold the phone in any configuration to make a call. Signal will not be lost due to the positioning of the actual phone.

Screen Quality

The standard 4.7 inch model comes with a 720p HD screen. Movies and games will be crisp and clear. The screen is also fairly bright with a luminosity rating of 600 nits. Alcatel has also made sure to improve the viewing experience on the OneTouch Idol 3. It has strong viewing angles and improved coloration. In fact, Alcatel partnered with Technicolour to make hue and contrast the best that it can be. They incorporated Technicolour's Colour Enhance technology to provide a bright and colorful image.

Sound Quality

While most take it for granted, sound is an important aspect of any smartphone. Not only are audio components used for making calls, but most people use smartphones to listen to music and view their media content. Alcatel has included numerous audio improvements into the Onetouch Idol 3. The smartphone uses DAC amps for improved audio and more power. The added power provides clearer sound at a higher volume. Additionally, the phone has two smart power amps for a combined 1.2 watts of power on the front facing speakers.

Alcatel also partnered with JBL to enhance the music experience. The renowned audio company has a unique piece of technology, called Clari-Fi, that improves the quality of MP3 files. MP3 files are notoriously compressed, which tends to translate poorly on mobile devices. With this technology, some of the quality lost during compression is recovered, resulting in better sound quality. On the OneTouch Idol 3, users will be able to hear their music clearly at higher volumes.

Camera

With the OneTouch Idol 3's improved camera, users can take high quality photos that rival those made with top point and shoot cameras. The smartphone uses a 13 megapixel Sony IMEX 214 sensor for the main camera. The camera also shoots well in low light situations thanks to the f/2.0 aperture lens. Alcatel also incorporated a number of new camera modes to add more versatility. With HDR, photos will have more depth and clarity. Alcatel also has a "Fast Face Focus" mode that promises to focus on a subject's face in 0.26 seconds. The front facing camera also has some improvements, the most notable being a bump to 5 megapixels.

Operating System and Applications

The OneTouch Idol 3 uses the latest Android operating system, Lollipop. On this device, Lollipop is relatively unchanged. While other smartphone companies tend to alter Android operating systems to fit their phones, the OneTouch Idol 3 has the full original version. Of course, the smartphone includes Alcatel's native applications that users will find familiar. These native applications have been reworked and improved for the OneTouch Idol 3.

One of the biggest changes is in the music application. On the surface, the application appears to be a run of the mill music player. Users can browse and play tracks in storage and do basic functionalities that they are familiar with. However, the music application can also act as a mixing station. When the phone is flipped to landscape mode, two decks appear with a number of features. Users can make sound effects, such as scratches, and find songs with similar rhythms to create a unique mix. The mix can then be recorded for listening at a later time.

Performance

Inside the small smartphone is a lot of processing power. The 4.7 inch model uses a quad-core Snapdragon 615 system on chip. This upgrade gives users more than enough power to run a multitude of applications smoothly. Users can play games without glitches, stream music and movies with no issues, and perform regular functions without fault. Overall, the performance of the chip is great for anyone. Whether users are streaming high definition video or playing a processor heavy game, the chip can handle it.

Is The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 Worth It?

All in all, this smartphone is a great phone for people who want a high-quality phone that doesn't break the bank. Compared to its predecessor, the OneTouch Idol 3 has improved in areas that count. It has more power, improved screen quality, great sound, and an upgraded camera. While it may not have the best specifications on the market, the OneTouch Idol 3 is superb in its price point. The smartphone excels in areas that most consumers are looking for. It's a great phone with great features and a number of added perks that sets it apart from others on the market.