Videocon A30Price: Rs 7,699
Specs: Android IceCream Sandwich; 4.0 inch capacitive display; 1GHz dual-core processor; 4GB onboard memory, expandable up to 32GB; Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, A-GPS; 5MP auto focus camera; 124.3 x 63.8 x 10.8mm; 1500 mAh battery
Videocon has introduced a couple of Android smartphones of which the A30 comes across as an interesting budget smartphone. Here's what we liked and disliked about this smartphone.
As is the trend these days, the Videocon A 30 does not look like any other popular smartphone. Actually, it is not much to look at. With the black plastic running around the display, it has 'Made in China' screaming out at you. The power key and a 3.5mm jack have been placed at the top while the volume controls and charging port dominate the left panel of the phone. The 4-inch capacitive display is responsive, but a bit too slow. Below are four touch sensitive keys - home, option, back and search - which is in contrast to the usual three. These keys illuminate when the phone is in use. The back is made up of white plastic that feels soft to hold. The 5.0 MP camera sits on the top while the Videocon branding and speaker are towards the bottom of the back panel. Overall, the A30 looks like a budget smartphone.
Unlocking the smartphone greeted us with a lock icon with two antennae at the top. Touching the lock icon throws four icons on its sides - camera on the top, phone on the left, message on the right and unlock at the bottom. Sliding the lock icon towards the icon will directly launch the app or unlock the smartphone. On the top of the homescreen is the Google Search bar and the bottom is dominated by the row of five icons - phone, phonebook, app tray, message and web browser that stays static throughout the homescreen panels.
Running on
Android IceCream Sandwich, the main menu is divided into two - apps and widgets. A Play Store icon appears on the top right offering an instant access to the store.
Based on Qualcomm's Reference Design platform, the A30 is powered by a dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz and paired with 512MB RAM. The device fetched our emails instantly and it offered a smooth browsing experience. But unfortunately, there is a slight lag in launching some of the apps.
For added convenience, Videocon has loaded Documents To Go on this device. Using this app, we were able to open the documents on the phone itself. But for editing, one will have to purchase the full version of the app. There are plenty of other free apps loaded on this device.
The A30 has a 5MP auto-focus camera with flash. But don't expect it to capture superb pictures as there camera is just about average. We noticed some noise even when the images were captured in good light. Then the flash failed to live up to our expectations. With a built-in FM and music player onboard, there isn't much that we can complaint about in the sound department.
However, the biggest challenge of using this dual-SIM device is its battery life as when both the SIM cards were inserted in the phone, it failed to last a day on a full charge.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? There are some shortcomings, but then the A30 is a budget phone.
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