Early this past week, we’ve gone out to find a particular mobile phone which had to meet a particular set of specifications which were the following:
- Must be Dual SIM,
- Should be nice to read on but not as large as a 7-inch device like the Nexus or the Fonepad,
- Must be on an Android OS which can utilize the brand new Instagram Video feature,
- Should not exceed a particular cost and yet deliver a satisfactory performance and,
- Should be able to play music relatively well and would be a bonus if it could act as a GPS location device when needed.
Now the earlier consensus was to go for the CM Thunder 2.0 which was a 5 inch device. I had, however, suggested the possibility of going for a Galaxy Mega which was larger but it wasn’t dual-SIM and had yet to be available in the market. So while roaming around a place where there was a CM Thunder available, I happened upon a DTC phone model which had a 6-inch screen and after testing it out and getting the feel of it through a hands on the actual unit it now has gone on to being a fantastic reading platform for my partner. So here’s a look at what you will be getting should you decide to purchase one.
The DTC G10 is a ARM Cortex A9 dual core 6 inch phone with a gig of RAM. The screen resolution is 854×480 which could’ve been better considering its size but certainly works well enough even for reading with the proper app.
It runs on Android 4.1.1 Jellybean and Antutu puts it between the Galaxy S and the Kindle Fire at 5334 so you may have to reconsider if you’re a heavy gamer. This setup does work for people who love to read because the screen size, even with the resolution, works quite well.
The device has three physical buttons namely the power/standby, and the volume rocker. MicroUSB port, and a 3.5mm jack all around it.
Remember that at this price point (7000Php) it is to be considered as an entry level device and among its peers it can be one great contender. It has two cameras 5MPs rear and 1.3MPs front, a radio, and works up to 3G/HSPDA rates. It also comes with its very own flip type leather case and screen protector which really is an added value since you wont need to look for those any more to add to the actual cost.
To give you an idea of what a 6 inch device looks like, here it is along with my 4” X10 and my 7” Nexus:
You can see from the above that the G10 is quite far from the Nexus in size considering the difference is merely an inch; and that is a good thing because it doesn’t feel as awkward to have it next to your ear as people with Galaxy Notes have been doing it and the populace is generally used to the idea. Here are a few screen grabs from CPUZ which show the internal workings of the device:
Now we’ve had the G10 for about a week now and there are a few things to note with this device: the charging time is quite lengthy which is really weird considering I charge my Nexus full from zip in about three hours flat, it is a known variable however that slow charging does allow for better battery response and that is what we generally got with a full days worth of moderate usage and some more with wireless consistently on. Also the screen isn’t particularly stunning with its viewing angles specifically on the vertical tilt.
Granted the G10 doesn’t exactly shine in any particular field of comparison but the combination of elements within it would make for a very handy reader/phone and would be a very nice choice for a user base with a particular requirement. It works great as a video/music player with nice earphones and has the potential of helping out once GPS lock is established. and this has been tested. The DTC G10 Astroid Bullet certainly exudes potential… now if only it can be rooted haha.
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