Computer And Technology News: Russian Yotaphone in the test: the mobile phone with two faces

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Russian Yotaphone in the test: the mobile phone with two faces - T-Online

Russian Yotaphone in the test

The mobile phone with two faces

05/12/2013, 11:39 clock | Matthias Kremp , Spiegel Online

YotaPhone – the smartphone with two displays – in the first Test. (Source: Manufacturer)

smartphone Front, rear e-book reader: The Russian Yotaphone has two screens. The new technology is designed to save power and heavy users avoid the constant switching on and off of the phone. We tested how well the new technology works.

I could Yotaphone See me in early 2012 for the first time, I was thrilled. His additional screen to solve two problems. For one, the battery will last longer than usual, promises, the Russian producer to another would no longer regularly turn the screen on you, to see if there are new messages. Now let’s come at a price of 499 euros on the market the device.

E-Ink display is easy on the battery

What makes the second screen is the well-known e-book reader e-ink technology, which hardly consumes power. It is amazing that the Yotaphone nearly as thin despite this additional displays than other smartphones.

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What you start with the addition screen, is left to the user. In the simplest variant, there can easily view the time. But over several provided by Yota apps you can also view his calendar, notes, a shopping list, weather information and lots of other information.

screen without touch function

ways to use the second display useful, there are so many. Nevertheless, coming after the first two days with the device no real enthusiasm. The resolution of the second screen is 360 × 640 pixels very low. Font appears grossly pixelated images look dull. Above all, the E-Ink screen is not a touch screen.

colleagues who tried their hand at the device, tapped out of habit only once on the screen before I could point out that the only gestures accepted that one performs on an underlying touch-sensitive surface.

apps that data back throw

What is to be displayed accurately on the back in gray tones, it is a Apps with. The can pack on the back, for example, RSS feeds, so message streams from internet sites such as Spiegel Online, Twitter messages or Facebook postings. Unfortunately, there is here a caveat: Although multiple RSS feeds can be moved on the screen, but Facebook and Twitter only work solo. A software update to replacement delivery this option.

So ??the YotaPhone looks

Traveling can be useful for some other function. By wiping with two fingers on the color screen on the front, you will move a screen shot on the overleaf E-Ink display. So you can keep ready the QR code to a ticket or an airline ticket. Of course you can also read books on the second screen. Currently, however, only in this country hardly known App Book Mate. Amazon’s Kindle app works only on the color screen, which seems absurd.

smartphone has problems with the W LAN

In order, however, is the color screen. With 1280 × 720 pixels, although he offers no particularly high, but for a 4.3 inch sufficient resolution. The color display is, as well as the lateral viewing angle, good. The brightness also. Similarly, one can evaluate the 13-megapixel camera: snaps good photos, but the quality does not reach the equally high-resolution camera in the LG G2. The dual-core processor sort benchmark programs in a good middle class. When scrolling in the browser it sometimes judder.

reports, interviews and videos

mobile phone

data from the old phone to move again

move data from the old onto the new phone. (Source: Netproducer)

To manage the change easily and quickly. the video

but

Much more annoying was the network problems that plagued the tester. Firstly, the reception quality fluctuated significantly in the mobile network. At my workplace wafted the display between best HSDPA reception, GPRS and even no coverage, while other phones had no problems.

even worse folded connections with Wi-Fi networks. There was a regular disconnects. With some of the test-driven networks, the Yotaphone might not connect. Sometimes it certified networks to which it had just been well connected, seconds later, a bad connection or evaluated they do as “not in range”. The four provided during the previous two days system software updates brought little relief.

Conclusion

Without the second screen would be the only one Yotaphone average middle-class smartphone. With him it is the promise of longer battery life, and continuous availability of data and messages. Still, it can not fulfill this promise, however. Although the second display offers interesting possibilities is without touchscreen and with poor resolution but not contemporary.

Advantages and Disadvantages

+ Innovative concept
+ Good workmanship
+ Certain information constantly available

– control gestures do not always work reliably
– problems with wireless connections
– Moderately mobile reception quality
–
problems with the detection of SIM cards – Poor resolution of E Ink displays
–
No touch screen on the back – only mediocre battery life

the battery performance was not convincing in the test. The current memory on our test model was gone in no time, held just one working through. However, I have also used it on average intensive. Furthermore, no final judgment on the battery does make after such a short time. Whether or not the network problems via software update solve remains to be seen.

The enthusiasm that had triggered in me the first prototype, disillusionment has provisionally given way. But that’s hopefully not last. In December the Yotaphone to come on the market. Let’s see if the network problems are eliminated by then.

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