Alcatel OneTouch Pixi March 10 “, analysis

the market for tablets is in sharp decline and convertibles are imposing. The truth is that not just be an optimum solution for ultra mobility, the NetPC died and tablets without keyboards are walking toward the same place.

This is where Alcatel has a 10-inch tablet, the Alcatel OneTouch Pixi March 10 “, which already comes with a case and keyboard all included. and a very attractive price, much cheaper than what we’re seeing out there. are we to a groundbreaking product

? ?

are convertibles future Specifications something lame

I always wanted a perfect solution for those ultramovilidad sometimes a mobile falls short. but NetPC never convinced me and tablets me look great mobile (ie, more comfortable to sail but still slow when you require high productivity). and fate would have used a couple iPad models with a Logitech keyboard for these situations.

the solution is good, convinces me a lot. a tablet is a device quick start, with applications that make life easier and add the keyboard is an excellent idea, they become a miniPC allowing multiply the productivity. But iOS is not my total satisfaction, you have things for which Android is better suited (just to open a document with different applications installed without having to be copying from application to application).

So I came to this analysis with some reference to use a tablet with keyboard, eager to try on Android and somewhat peeved by the adjusted price of this device. At the end the price says a lot about a device, for good and bad.

The Alcatel Onetouch Pixi 3 on paper promises. A 10-inch screen is what I consider ideal for a tablet. USB OTG is very useful if you want to use it as a convertible, and quad-core processor 1.3 GHz Mediatek may be more than enough for most tasks. But let’s review in depth everything offered

As we see the other specifications are somewhat limited. The resolution is not very powerful, memory is low, somewhat sparse storage, has a camera is very poor .. and it seems that all this affect the experience.

the biggest problem I see is that for a convertible style use need power. we must not forget that are trying to replace the PC. And so we must be able to open multiple browser tabs, have opened an office suite, e, slack or equivalent. little RAM, limited storage for applications, Justito power … but as I say it on paper: etc

on paper for this task the tablet falls short ., let’s look at the experience we have with him

Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 3 excessively basic finishes

the impression given this tablet hands defined in one word: plastic. Touch on all sides is plastic, even on the front, on the screen. It is noted that this is a cheap tablet and can not wait excellent finishes for this price.

The power button is on the top right and just below the volume, a provision very successful for when We use as convertible as we have everything nearby. At the top we have the audio jack and microUSB for charging that serve both to connect a pendrive microUSB.

On the back is the camera, something eccentric and very close to the edge. But as we shall see we have a camera for emergencies because their quality is very debatable. The entire back is a plastic very basic finish.

As I say, the screen also has a touch a plastic and finger does not slide as in a glass finish. We are facing a cheap tablet and it is in these things where differences are noted.

What it does positively surprising is convertible keyboard. It is magnetic, you can take off the cover and place in another position or completely detached. The keys have good depth and comes with the “ñ” something always appreciated.

However, the case does not accompany. It is fully flexible and adapt to the tablet portable locks in place with the lid up, it’s not easy. It is achieved on a flat surface but neither do we dream with our legs up. Here they should have opted for a cover with one or two fixed positions lifted. Also has no room for the camera, if you want to photograph the cover must be removed.

photos-of-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-3-10

insufficient performance for a convertible

Before we go we will see the benchmark table we have passed the tablet.

As you can see performance device is somewhat limited when compared with the bq Aquaris E10 bearing and a half years in the market we see is overcome without much complication. We are facing a tablet at a very low price and so performance is resentful. It will not be the best device to do many things at once.

The tablet seems to be fluid when navigating around the desktop, open applications, etc. but it suffers in such simple tasks as switching tabs in the browser. It costs render to changes tab on loaded websites (eg online newspapers).

As for games, casual going well. We tested the Stack and works without any problems (although sometimes not start and you need to close applications to free RAM). more demanding games like Asphalt 8, also go well but the limited internal storage becomes difficult to install many of these.

The camera gives very poor results. Almost is best left for emergencies, when no other available or if you want to scan a document (yes, lots of light). Below you can see some examples.

photo-taken-by-the-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-3-10

The battery, that yes, it goes a long way. At the end there is a compromise between performance and battery and although this tablet does not have a great fulfills its function perfectly capacity. In standby it lasts several days without problems and battery with display and using the tablet well over 5 hours. Loading takes about two hours to go from 0% to 70%.

We’ve tried to pass a test battery, the PC Mark, but on many occasions we have tested the application has finished shutting down, perhaps by lack of RAM.

in short, this is a very low price tablet and therefore performance is relatively limited. It can be used without problems but I doubt I can replace a PC, its functionality as convertible is very doubtful.

Software: Pure Android and few surprises

Alcatel has chosen this time by a version of Android without modify (for example, do not touch the settings application or area shortcuts, places where manufacturers often customize pretty). Yes, default icons are changed: they are square with rounded edges, iPhone style.

With the tablet comes a fairly complete launcher with cool animations when deploying folders. Has, thankfully, application drawer, ie, this is not a “iOSificación” of this tablet. As always, if we do not like the launcher can change and go to a pure Android experience something like Google or Nova .

Alcatel has been unable to resist series bring some (not very relevant, by the way) applications which in principle can be uninstalled or disabled without problems for a homecooked. It is curious that come two installed web browsers, native tablet (comes by default in the bottom bar of the launcher) and Chrome.

Yes it is annoying that lla own application store brings and sometimes collides with Google Play. Applications can be updated by both stores and this does nothing but create confusion to the user. No manufacturer has managed to impose its application store above Google Play and do not know why they keep trying.

The integrated application store brings nothing new

The version of Android that comes standard is 5.0.1. It has a OTA update system but usually these products are usually updated only by safety and not advance version. I would be wrong, but usually so.

Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 3, the opinion of Engadget Android

With the Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 3 are but perhaps enough for many to a very cheap tablet that does not offer us a homecooked, users who do not want high performance.

what does not quite fit is the policy of this convertible tablet. The performance does not reach the minimum necessary and the case is very uncomfortable (although the keyboard is fine).

In short, we face a tablet for those who do not want to make very intensive use of the same and that comply with a simple experience and uncomplicated. The keyboard folio not think it’s an interesting addition to this particular tablet.

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The news Alcatel OneTouch Pixi March 10, “Analysis was originally published in ​​Engadget Android by Alejandro Gonzalez Nieto.

Engadget Android