This will be available as an OTA (over-the-air) update and will make the Idol X+ an even more appealing proposition, but you might need to be a little patient as these updates usually roll out over several day, or even weeks. If you want to check out more about the OneTouch Idol X+ you might like to see a video review on the phone that we previously shared.
Alcatel has been around for a while, failing to really make an impact in the Western world. But the company has upped the ante recently with some really good devices that all share a common feature, their affordable price point. Alcatel had a great showing at CES 2014, and one of the devices featured there was the Alcatel One Touch Hero, a large, 6-inch smartphone with some amazing features that the company hopes will make a mark in the ever growing phablet market. The Alcatel One Touch Hero comes with a soft touch plastic construction, with a matte finish. While it definitely looks and feels a little more premium than a glossy plastic build, the one big drawback with this material is the fact that it’s a fingerprint magnet. You get an overall nice design with rounded corners and a slightly curved back that makes the phone very easy to hold. If you are looking for a comparison, the design language of the One Touch Hero will in some ways remind you of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Considering that the Alcatel One Touch Hero features a 6-inch display, it is obviously a very large smartphone, so hoping for comfortable one handed use is definitely a stretch, literally. That being said, its dimensions are quite similar to that of the Galaxy Note 3, being just 1.4 mm wider and ever so slightly taller than the Samsung phablet. This is certainly an achievement that was possible because of the incredibly thin display bezels, especially when you consider that the display of the Hero is 0.3-inch larger than the Galaxy Note 3.
As expected, the front of the device is dominated by the large display, and you get capacitive buttons right below the display, but they don’t really attract attention away from the screen. Turning over to the sides, you get the power button and volume rocker on the right side, with a microSIM card tray right above the button layout, with just the microSD card slot on the opposite side. On the back you’ll find the 13 MP camera with flash, the speaker grill, the stylus slot, and the 6-pin port for the smart cover, that we’ll talk about in more detail later.
It might not be the most premium feeling phone you can get your hands on, but the build quality is solid and sturdy, and overall, this large phone doesn't feel uncomfortable in the palm of your hand.
The 1080p screen is bright and vivid, and, as we mentioned before, the 6-inch display is surrounded by very thin bezels, which really lets this large display shine through. With a pixel density of 367 ppi, the display delivers a crisp image, and text is sharp and easy to ready. This is an IPS LCD screen, and so the color reproduction is extremely accurate and it does not have that over saturation that you may find with some other devices, while still benefiting from great viewing angles.
If there is one blemish on this otherwise stunning screen, it’s that it has a slight blueish tint to it, which might or might not be a problem for you. I do prefer a cooler tone, but I know that some people like warmer colors. Regardless of the color temperature, this display is very good looking, and easily holds its own even when compared to high-end devices out there.
The speakers are located on the back of the device, so while watching a movie or playing a game in landscape orientation, my hand covers the speakers. This is of course a common issue with a lot of smartphones, and it always makes me wonder how much better it would be if the speakers were located up front. That being said, these speakers get really loud, and the quality remains clear even at the maximum level. Calls on the One Touch Hero were crisp and clear, with no complaints from either end, and while using the speakerphone resulted in the sound being a bit tinny, it’s definitely not a dealbreaker.
The software on the camera is quite basic, and comes with a few presets and modes such as HDR, Panorama, Smile Detection, and Night and Sports modes. You get some advanced options as well, that allow you to control ISO levels, exposure compensation, resolution size, and more, which is great for the camera enthusiasts out there. There might not be a lot of features that are groundbreaking or going to change the way you take pictures, but the camera suite is serviceable overall, and you do get to play around with the settings if you want to grab the shot that you’re looking for.
The most interesting addition is the Magic Flip Cover that comes included with the smartphone. As mentioned before, there is port at the back, which this Flip Cover is connected to. Besides protecting the display from scratches and accidental drops, it also works as a smart cover, that turns the display on and off when you open and close it. But what is unique about the Magic Flip Cover is that it has LEDs built into the case, which will show you your notifications, the time, or the weather on the flip cover itself.
Unlike the Dot View Cover that is available for the HTC One (M8), in which the notification appears on the display and shines through the perforated flip cover, in the case of the Magic Cover, the display remains off, which certainly helps with saving battery life. The available notification options are somewhat limited for now, but this is still a wonderful addition that I found myself using quite a lot. Since it’s connected to the phone by just a magnet, the cover did come off a few times, but it wasn’t a very big issue.
The One Touch Hero is running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but it’s a heavily modified version of the software. It closely resembles Touchwiz in the way the home screen, the app drawer, and the transitions work, and you also get similar features such as picture in picture mode. These features do work very well, and it’s something that could make you more productive.
| Display | 6-inch IPS LCD display, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 367 ppi |
| Processor | 1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, PowerVR SGX544 GPU |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB, expandable |
| Cameras | 13 MP rear camera with LED flash 2 MP front camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 |
| Networks | 2G/3G |
| Software | Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean |
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 80.6 x 8.5 mm, 177.6 grams |
While Samsung has been stuck in a plastic cycle since forever (though the upcoming Galaxy S5 may change this), other handset manufacturers have tried to win our hearts by using premium materials in their handsets. The Idol 2 uses this approach with a brushed metallic finish that feels sleek and polished in the hand. A quick caveat though -- I noticed the "metal" bands around the edges were actually made of plastic.
Therefore, watching videos or looking at images on the POP S3 pales in comparison to those same devices. They aren't as cheap as the 4G smartphone, but what’s the point of having high-speed mobile broadband when the tasks you will use it for are debilitated by a poor display?
By phone standards, 5 inches is enormous, yet the Idol X doesn't feel huge at all. That's partly because it's so slim, and partly because the screen completely dominates the face of the phone. The bezel is incredibly thin, giving the feeling that not a millimeter is wasted.
Alcatel makes a virtue of the phone's size on the back, too, with a huge swathe of bright color on the rubber-like rear. The slightly grippy, rubbery texture of the back makes the phone easy to hold and feels more decadent than a cheap plastic back.
The model I saw didn't have a working camera, although when it hits shops it will have all the usual Android photo features, such as easy social sharing of your snaps.