It's been a while since I wrote the article which listed down the various options you've got when you have a really deep pocket and want to get a Phablet. The current post is for those who don't have a deep pocket but still want to own a phablet. They will need to have a deep pocket to accomodate the device in, though.
Attention wanna-be Phablet owners: Indian Manufacturers are coming to your rescue.
Let's analyze the options you've got:
Attention wanna-be Phablet owners: Indian Manufacturers are coming to your rescue.
Let's analyze the options you've got:
- Spice Mi-500:2 weeks back, Spice launched its highly anticipated Stellar Horizon aka Spice Mi 500 device which is actually a 5 inch phablet at really low price. The surprise element is the dual core processor it packs within it at those prices. Other specs include a 5 MP primary camera, the already talked about 1 GHz mediatek processor, a VGA camera at the front, GPS, 3G, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB ROM and all usual stuff. It comes with Ice-Cream Sandwich out of the box. For reviews and development about this phone, see this xda thread. Surprisingly though, the device is reported not to have a magnetic sensor. It is available for INR 12,499 on Saholic.
+ Points: Dual Core processor, 5 MP camera, good battery life
- Points: The processor is a mediatek one, a qualcomm/ snapdragon would've certainly been more preferrable. No magnetic sensor, bulky (~200 gm).
+ Points: Dual Core processor, 5 MP camera, good battery life
- Points: The processor is a mediatek one, a qualcomm/ snapdragon would've certainly been more preferrable. No magnetic sensor, bulky (~200 gm).
- Micromax A110:
Before the launch of Spice Mi-500, Micromax had already launched its A100, another Phablet with a 5 inch screen but a slower 1 GHz single core CPU. As the Spice phablet was creating buzz with its dual core processor at filthy cheap price, Micromax was quick to follow suit and announced A110 aka Canvas 2, the successor of Micromax A100 with a dual core processor. The device is available for pre-orders at Snapdeal. Full specifications for the device aren't out yet. It is priced at INR 11,990.
- Karbonn A21:
Although not a phablet, this device is being listed here due to almost similar screen size, specs and price. The Karbonn A21 comes with a 4.5" display with 480x800 display. As the resolution remains same as in Mi-500 and Canvas 2, but the screen in A21 is a bit samller, thus implementing that it has a better ppi density thant the two devices discussed above. The phone is pumped by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon Dual core processor, which is certainly better than the Mediatek processor in Mi-500. Apart from this, a 5 MP HD camera, with flash, is present at the back and a 0.3 MP camera is also present on the front. It has 1 GB RAM and 4 GB internal memory. It can bought here for INR 9,900.
+ Points: 1 GB RAM, Snapdragon processor, better ppi density, cheaper
- Points: Smaller screen size
Update: Comes out that the RAM available to the end user is only 386 MB. :bumphead:
Although not a phablet, this device is being listed here due to almost similar screen size, specs and price. The Karbonn A21 comes with a 4.5" display with 480x800 display. As the resolution remains same as in Mi-500 and Canvas 2, but the screen in A21 is a bit samller, thus implementing that it has a better ppi density thant the two devices discussed above. The phone is pumped by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon Dual core processor, which is certainly better than the Mediatek processor in Mi-500. Apart from this, a 5 MP HD camera, with flash, is present at the back and a 0.3 MP camera is also present on the front. It has 1 GB RAM and 4 GB internal memory. It can bought here for INR 9,900.
+ Points: 1 GB RAM, Snapdragon processor, better ppi density, cheaper
- Points: Smaller screen size
Update: Comes out that the RAM available to the end user is only 386 MB. :bumphead:
- iBall Andi 5c:
iBall was not going to be left behind in this phablet war and released Andi 5c which is powered by a 1 GHz single core processor. The dual sim device also has a 5 MP camera. It has 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal memory. The device seems to be overpriced, though, at INR 12,500. It also ships with ICS onboard.
+ Points: IPS screen, large internal storage
- Points: Single core processor, costly as compared to other devices.
iBall was not going to be left behind in this phablet war and released Andi 5c which is powered by a 1 GHz single core processor. The dual sim device also has a 5 MP camera. It has 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal memory. The device seems to be overpriced, though, at INR 12,500. It also ships with ICS onboard.
+ Points: IPS screen, large internal storage
- Points: Single core processor, costly as compared to other devices.
- Wicked Leak Wammy Note:A lesser known Indian Tech firm called Wicked Leak also jumped into action and revealed its Wammy Note priced at INR 11,000. This one also comes with 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal storage and ICS out of box. The Wammy Note is propelled by a 1 GHz single core processor.
+ Points: 2800 mAh Battery, promised Jelly Bean upgrade.
- Points: Lesser known brand, Little/ no support on xda.
+ Points: 2800 mAh Battery, promised Jelly Bean upgrade.
- Points: Lesser known brand, Little/ no support on xda.
- Micromax A100:
Micromax A100 was the first phablet to be launched at this price point, as far as my knowledge goes. This one runs on 1 GHz single core processor along with 512 MB of RAM. The phone is lighter in weight as compared to Mi-500 at 168 gms.
+ Points: Snapdragon processor, light weight.
- Points: Processor is not dual core.
Micromax A100 was the first phablet to be launched at this price point, as far as my knowledge goes. This one runs on 1 GHz single core processor along with 512 MB of RAM. The phone is lighter in weight as compared to Mi-500 at 168 gms.
+ Points: Snapdragon processor, light weight.
- Points: Processor is not dual core.
Verdict:
If I had to buy a device out of those I have listed, I would most probably go with Karbonn A21 because it has 1 GB RAM and a 1.2 GHz Dual Core snapdragon processor, both of which are absent from all other devices. Also, the 4.5 inch screen size won't be as messy to handle as a 5 inch one. If you haven't owned atleast a 4inch device before, the transition to a 5 inch device can be really painful. To top it all, the Karbonn device is cheapest to all. Kudos to Karbonn for bringing such a balanced Android smartphone.
