OneTouchIdolX
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Alcatel Idol X hands-on (video)
Alcatel converted its One Touch Idol line from a duo to a trio with today's launch of yet another set at Mobile World Congress: the Idol X. While not quite as thin as its 6.45mm-thin Idol Ultra sibling, at 7mm thick with a tiny 2.4mm bezel, it is definitely about as small as a 5-inch set can get. The Idol X's giant 1080p IPS display is fantastic to look at and Jelly Bean is snappy driven by a quad-core MediaTek MT6589 1.2GHz CPU. Like many of Alcatel's other sets, the range of configurations varies by market as we'll see both 13- and 8-megapixel variants -- both with 1080p front-facing cameras -- and dual- or single-SIM options, with the single variety getting a bonus microSD slot. While the Idol X is not equipped with LTE it does have 42 Mbps HSPA+ connectivity, quad-band GSM and offers dual-band UMTS in both 900MHz/2100MHz or 850MHz/2100MHz frequencies. Alcatel's all about mass market; it isn't chasing the likes of Apple or Samsung, but rather is quite happy to simply make "devices for people." So while 2012 marked its first foray into smartphones, judging by what we've seen so far in 2013 from them it seems they've nailed affordability while maintaining a surprising amount of quality -- a great combination. Pricing and availability remain a mystery, but until we find out more, go ahead and join Myriam after the break for a quick video tour.
