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Alcatel to bring world's fastest octa-core phone to Europe in February
TCL's already jumped the gun by launching its Idol X+ in China last month, but the same flagship device will be heading to Europe this February under the Alcatel brand. For those who missed the news the first time round, this dual-micro-SIM, 7.9mm-thick Android phone packs MediaTek's 2GHz MT6592, which is currently the world's fastest true octa-core chipset. You'll find the usual top-spec components around the Idol X+ as well, including a 5-inch 1080p IPS display, a 13-megapixel main camera (which supports 40-megapixel panorama and digital stabilization for video capture), a 2-megapixel front-facing imager, a 2,500mAh battery and dedicated audio amplifier chips by ESS. Internal storage starts from 16GB (with 12.3GB available to the user), along with microSD expansion of up to 32GB. The phone also comes with a pair of JBL earbuds, but there's no word on whether the China versions' Bluetooth activity tracker will be included as well -- at least it won't be called Boom Band, as it will apparently be a more refined version when it goes global. We were left rather impressed by the Idol X+'s design and build quality. The solid plastic bezel features a brushed-metallic effect, accompanied by a spin finish (achieved by in-mould labelling) on the back of the phone. Like the screen, the backside will also have a nano-coating treatment to minimize fingerprint smudges. Shoppers will be given a color option of either black or white when this 3G phone lands in Europe sometime in February, and it'll likely be sold for around the attractive $300 price point unsubsidized. Brad Molen contributed to this report.
TCL's $330 Idol X+ boasts 2GHz octa-core chip, Bluetooth activity tracker
While some of us are still recovering from holiday, the TCL folks in China -- whose products are better known under the Alcatel brand in many other countries -- have gone ahead and launched a new phone. As the name suggests, the Idol X+ is pretty much an updated version of the already impressive Idol X, with the highlight being it's the first device to carry the 2GHz bin of the octa-core MT6592 SoC (with 2GB RAM). TCL's reps told us that this is courtesy of an exclusive deal it's arranged with MediaTek. Additionally, you'll find a familiar 5-inch 1080p IPS display within a slimmer 1.9mm bezel, plus a 13-megapixel f/2.0 camera on the back. Due to the larger 2,500mAh battery, the body is now slightly thicker at 7.9mm, but it's actually not that much different from when we saw a prototype earlier. For a flagship Android phone that costs just CN¥1,999 or about US$330 unsubsidized, it's pretty bold of TCL to also include a Bluetooth activity plus sleep tracker. This Boom Band is essentially a little nugget that sits inside a plastic wristband (available in several colors), and it can double as a proximity alarm in case you accidentally leave your phone behind. It naturally has a companion app that lets you track your performance, and should you wish to, you can also show off your stats to friends. There's no word on whether non-China markets will get the same package branded by Alcatel, but if you already reside in China, you can head to JD.com and order one on January 15th.
