Tuesday, 12 March 2013
We were able to take control of a media phenomena beginning of this year: the Android smartphone YotaPhone. For the record, it stands out thanks to a second screen that displays electronic ink. All promises a revolution uses. Here are our first impressions.At
the Mobile World Congress held recently in Barcelona, we had the
opportunity to take control of a UFO mobile phone the first half: the
Android smartphone YotaPhone. It is not every day that a Russian manufacturer, which also operates elsewhere in the country, released a mobile. But the real originality of YotaPhone not from there.If
this smartphone has attracted media attention around the world and
caused traffic jams on the Yota booth at MWC is mainly a characteristic
he must: his screen E-ink which occupies the major part of its rear face. For those unaware, the technology of digital ink is the same as that found in ebooks as the Amazon Kindle.
The model that we had the opportunity to handle being the prototype for what is its design and materials used for the shell, we will not go into details here because everything is subject to change. Indeed, we found that the charger resembled that of an Apple laptop with a magnetic plug. Yota but told us that after many tests, the engineers decided to abandon it.However, we could see the smartphone interface in action, especially interactions with famous screen E-ink. The manufacturer has opted for a version almost pure Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for his YotaPhone. On some applications identified by a gray icon, a downward movement done with two fingers and part of the middle of the screen has the effect of sending the display to the rear screen.
As mentioned above, the screen displays relevant electronic ink, black and white. Note that it is not touch. To interact with it, it is a sensitive area under the E-ink display. This mode of interaction is impractical for applications where there is much need to click on the screen. However, for e-books and all apps where there is need to scroll through pages, the ergonomics are perfect. In addition, we were really surprised by the display accuracy and readability of the E-ink screen.
We also appreciate the fact that notifications are displayed on the display black and white. Ultimately, this electronic display yet still active, it is now sufficient to take the smartphone without turning to check the time or see if you notifications. Note that the manufacturer has also added a little simplified interface to access certain content directly from the E-ink screen, without having to go through the main LCD.
Beyond the technical innovation and the practical side, the use of such technology on a smartphone is also expected to preserve autonomy. This is even the only thing that justifies the use of a réelleement screen still életronique. Obviously, its effectiveness will depend on how much the user is using the device. More it will favor the use of the E-ink screen, the better the battery life. But even Yota has not ventured to give us figures as this varies depending on the user.
For the rest, the YotaPhone should have a 4.3 inch screen, whose exact definition is not yet known. We know, however, that it will have a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset 8960 and a 12 megapixel camera sensor. The smartphone is scheduled for the second quarter, but the manufacturer did not release pricing yet. He stated, however, that will be a product "feature". Mean by that that will be offered at a high price. A first estimate of around $ 500 (about 380 euros) was floating in the air without being confirmed. The YotaPhone should be marketed in France and we will keep you informed of developments on this smartphone promising.
The model that we had the opportunity to handle being the prototype for what is its design and materials used for the shell, we will not go into details here because everything is subject to change. Indeed, we found that the charger resembled that of an Apple laptop with a magnetic plug. Yota but told us that after many tests, the engineers decided to abandon it.However, we could see the smartphone interface in action, especially interactions with famous screen E-ink. The manufacturer has opted for a version almost pure Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for his YotaPhone. On some applications identified by a gray icon, a downward movement done with two fingers and part of the middle of the screen has the effect of sending the display to the rear screen.
As mentioned above, the screen displays relevant electronic ink, black and white. Note that it is not touch. To interact with it, it is a sensitive area under the E-ink display. This mode of interaction is impractical for applications where there is much need to click on the screen. However, for e-books and all apps where there is need to scroll through pages, the ergonomics are perfect. In addition, we were really surprised by the display accuracy and readability of the E-ink screen.
We also appreciate the fact that notifications are displayed on the display black and white. Ultimately, this electronic display yet still active, it is now sufficient to take the smartphone without turning to check the time or see if you notifications. Note that the manufacturer has also added a little simplified interface to access certain content directly from the E-ink screen, without having to go through the main LCD.
Beyond the technical innovation and the practical side, the use of such technology on a smartphone is also expected to preserve autonomy. This is even the only thing that justifies the use of a réelleement screen still életronique. Obviously, its effectiveness will depend on how much the user is using the device. More it will favor the use of the E-ink screen, the better the battery life. But even Yota has not ventured to give us figures as this varies depending on the user.
For the rest, the YotaPhone should have a 4.3 inch screen, whose exact definition is not yet known. We know, however, that it will have a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset 8960 and a 12 megapixel camera sensor. The smartphone is scheduled for the second quarter, but the manufacturer did not release pricing yet. He stated, however, that will be a product "feature". Mean by that that will be offered at a high price. A first estimate of around $ 500 (about 380 euros) was floating in the air without being confirmed. The YotaPhone should be marketed in France and we will keep you informed of developments on this smartphone promising.
