Review Alcatel 756
Alcatel
OT 756, live pictures
Standard delivery kit:
- Phone
- The battery charger
- Manual
Alcatel Company gained more recognition among the mobile phones’
users after having produced models such as Alcatel OT 535/735.
The distinguishing feature of these phones was the great set of
functions and the low price. As for the 735 model, in was the first
one in its class on the Russian market, which rendered it very
popular. One of the phone’s disadvantages that made it look less
competitive was the lack of Java support and the mediocre polyphony.
The Java support appeared in 735i model; however, the polyphony
remained the same. The bugs were removed in Alcatel
OT 756 model that will enter the market at the end of the
summer.
We had a chance to come across this model during the dealers’
conference of the Marvel Academy that took place on the Canarian
Islands. That is where some of the pictures come from, although the
model was not tested on the post board-that is to be done in the
nearest future. I wish to grant a special thank you to the
representatives of the Alcatel, who talked in the details of the
phone’s possibilities and shared with us a lot of useful
information.
The first thing to be mentioned is the extraordinary phone
design, the phone’s keyboard is elevated, and the keys are firmly
fixed one by another. The buttons are very handy to use due to their
size, the working process with the number keyboard is not
troublesome. In this phone, the manufacturer chose to leave aside
the navigating joystick replacing it with the four-way scroll key
with the O’K button installed within it. I would not judge how
warranted the rejection of the joystick was, the supporters of
either option can be found. One thing can be said for sure though is
that the scroll key will not turn out suitable for every one, its
sides are too narrow and you have to get used to this. The backlight
of the key board is blue; it is very well seen in different
conditions, both in the complete darkness and in the daylight.
The phone will be available in three different colors with the
edging of the keyboard and the side surfaces differing in every
case. The size of the phone is also very convenient (106x46x18.5mm)
and in this sense the phone is comparable with Alcatel 735. The
phone weights 92 gm.
The big display of the phone is quite noteworthy, its screen
resolution being 128x160 pixels, which allows the phone to read up
to ten text lines. The display is of TFT-technology and it can
reflect up to 262000 colors. The description looks more appealing
than it is the real life. Actually, the display can be compared with
the moderate in its quality screen of 65000 colors (TFT), but by no
means with the screen capable of the 262000 colors reflection. The
downloading of our own images proved that the problem hides
precisely in the screen and not in the images offered. On the other
hand, when comparing with the previous models of this company, this
screen looks much better, it is brighter and the colors are more
distinct. When saying that the real display does not fit its
descriptions, we should keep in mind that the phone is designed for
the young generation. This in mind, it would be funny to expect the
best screen quality possible since it would raise the price
immensely, while the price of the given model is rather appealing.
 
When exposed to the sun, the screen fades out, but the
information is readable especially if you find the right angle.
Since the systematical font is big in size, there are normally no
problems in the sunny weather, you can well dial the number or read
the SMS.
The lithium-ionic battery is of 950 m capacity. At the producer’s
request, it is capable of providing up to eight working hours at the
talking mode and up to 210 hours at the stand by mode. The phone
worked in the Vodafone network (the Tenerife Island) approximately
four days in a row in case of 20 minutes of talk and somewhat an
hour of using other functions. I have to acknowledge here that
working with roaming, we did not have a chance to test the phone to
its fullest, and it is a deal of the coming future. Overall, the
impression of the phone was similar to the one left after the 735
model although the display is better, the working time is alike. The
key must be in the enlarged battery’s capacity. The time of the full
battery charge is a bit more than two hours.
In this model, the IrDA is located on the upper butt-end. The
main change here is that the phone supports the transactions with
the mp3 files from my Sony
Ericsson P900 to the Alcatel OT 756. The vice versa procedure
did not cause any inconveniences either. The same is true about the
pictures and the image files. This means that now the IrDA is
capable of not only sending the files to the PC using the common
program software, but this operation is also possible for the phones
themselves.
To round up the story about the phone as a device, I will spend
some lines on the polyphony. The phone is empowered with the 32-tone
polyphony; it sounds well and is much better than in the previous
phones of this company. The volume of the ring is high; it is well
heard in different conditions especially if it is not tightly
pressed in pocket of the upper coat. If the back aperture of the
speaker is covered by something, the sound is barely heard, this
particularity has to be kept in mind. Overall, it can be said that
the phone is a remarkable of a model; it can be compared to the
other phones of its class in its polyphonic qualities.
On the backside, you can see the mirror and the lens of the
VGA-camera. The camera is akin to the one we saw in 735 model
although now you can actually make video shootings. Let us turn now
to the other features of the phone.
Menu
When the organization is concerned, the phone’s menu is totally
identical to the one in Alcatel 735/735i. Just like in the last
model, the main menu is arranged in the rows of icons, you can
choose to work in the regular full-screen mode (an icon and a
caption under it). Among the novelties, a new function Tips &
Tricks is noteworthy. This function, which would remind you of the
similar one in Sony
Ericsson K700, will provide you with an advice about the work
with your phone.
Several functions in this new model are ameliorated in their
quality and possibilities, Atmosphere (the set of pictures, melodies
and a color scheme of the interface) being one of them. When
choosing this function now, you do not see the variant of the screen
image only, but you also hear the melody of the ring that
corresponds with the chosen screen demonstration option. Of course,
you can always opt to have the color scheme only for the screen
image.
 
 
 
Among the innovations of the interface, the option to set the
video clip as a screen saver is significant and quite interesting.
Hurrying up the events, I will mention that it is the first time
when you can assign to the subscriber in your phone book not only
the picture, but the video also.
The phone has four Mb of the dynamic memory, which is shared by
different attachments when necessary.
There is no shortcut number navigation in this phone; however, it
is not in need since you can call up different functions of the menu
by one touch.
The functions in the submenu are represented in lists and are
thematically grouped. The best way to explain this is using the SMS
as an example. Once you get to this menu, you can see on the top a
row of icons with the banner “Write a Message” highlighted by
default. You can choose a type of the message out of the list. To
read the sent or the received messages you have to tilt the joystick
horizontally, so the new list is displayed. At the first site, such
organization of the menu does not seems quite complicated, however
you get used to it very quickly since it is logical and it unloads
the menu that now does not have brimming functions like several
models from other manufacturers. Overall, the thought through and
the well organized menus of the phone leave a very good impression
on you. Similarly, in the image library there is a separate bookmark
for the pictures and a separate one for the icons.
The typing in the phone can be done both in English (T9) and in
Russian languages. While in the menu, you can select a preferable
language and then it will be set by default. To change the languages
when typing, you will have to turn back to the menu and select. A
partial disadvantage is such, that the choice is valid for one field
only, so when you enter new fields into the phone book, it means an
automatic change of language of every new one.
Phone book. The phone’s memory is divided into
several directories. There is a separate directory for the contacts
kept on the SIM-card, in addition to that there exist three more
folders by default-a General, a Business and a Personal one. The
user can create the directories of his/her own; they serve as
different groups of users in this phone. You can assign a call
melody to some of the folders; however, you cannot do it for single
files.
 
 
 
 
The main list offers you a search by the first letter of the
name. Some files can be moved in between various categories. For one
name you can enter a bunch of information such as first and last
names, home, work, mobile and mostly used number; fax and pager
numbers and some other number; two e-mail addresses, name of the
company, occupation, address, city, state, zip code, country, some
special notes and four margins with personal information. It turns
out that up to 23 files can be assigned to one name with the
occupation size being almost unlimited. You can enter any kind of
information; the phone book will satisfy the most fastidious user.
You can also assign voice tags to some of the phone subscribers, and
then the voice recognition of these numbers is possible. This
function is very sensible to the level of the background noise, the
function of voice recognition does not work very well outdoors and
then the quietness is preferable.
It is possible to assign a picture to some of the files in the
phone. You can also download a picture of yourself into the phone
and use it as an assigned picture for the file. The phone supports
work with files of JPG, GIF, aGIF, PNG, BMP standards. You can also
assign a video to the name (the phone records up to five seconds),
although it is possible to allot a video only instead of the
picture. The function is unique and is installed into this phone for
the first time.
Granted that the memory is dynamically shared within the phone,
it is troublesome to say how many names exactly you can save in the
phone book; it can maximally hold 800 contacts for sure. In any
event, you will not face the problem of the space shortage for your
files.
 
Messages. The phone can operate with SMS as well
as with EMS and MMS. The beauty here is that the developers did not
separate the messages by types, so in the Inbox you can see all
types of messages (it is true for the Outbox also).
The samples for the SMS are provided and it is nice how for some
of the messages there is an automatic selection of your number. Here
is an example: My number is 777 77 77 or Call me at 777 77 77, so if
the number is the one of your own, the phone will extricate it out
of the SIM-card memory.
 
 
The phone is equipped with everything you can wish for the MMS.
First, every such message may be comprised of several sequential
shots with melody, picture and text for each. However, there is a
limit for such a message-it cannot hold more than 50 Kb. Secondly,
there is a separate function in the menu where you can create
messages with voice memos. To do this, you record what you wish onto
the type recorder and send your message immediately. There are
advantages in such organization.
Finally, you can create a selected address list, which is a
separate list that will not be connected anyhow with the phone book
directories.
Personalization (Customize). Here the user can
choose a melody and a ring type with its volume. It has to be taken
in that you cannot choose a miscellaneous alarm mode (the vibrator
and the melody functioning together). There is an option of turning
on the vibrator and only then the melody. On the other hand, on the
melodies’ list you can find the ones marked as “vibe”, which means
that when they are playing the vibrator goes off, although this is
not represented as a separate ring mode.
There are no profiles in the phone, but you can turn on all the
sounds by one press when in the stand by mode, which is sufficient
especially for the phone of this class.
You can access all the menu settings from this menu and the
wallpaper setting too. You can also record voice commands for the
calls of different menu functions.
The phone is equipped with the built in music editor. There is
also an option of saving the melody for any type recorder footage.
Other than that, the settings are quite standardized.
Tools. The phone is supplied with an alarm clock
that might be set for a single or for an everyday mode. There is
also a countdown timer.
 
The organizer allows you to record the events for separate days
and to set an alarm for them. It is not possible to enter the
repetitive events, the one-time events only. You can view the weekly
or the monthly calendar.
 
 
The clock in this phone can be set for the local as well as for
the remote time. The phone is also empowered with the calculator and
the money converter. The type recorder gives you up to 60 seconds of
recording time.
 
Events. This is a menu where you can view the
last ten dialed, ten missed or ten received calls. The files of all
other events are also located here.
WAP. The browser in the phone is of 2.0 version,
there are no particularities here.
Èãðû. The phone is equipped with two games, one
of them being SpeedDevils and the other one GylosTale. You cannot
delete these games, but you can download the new ones (it is heard
around that you can download using the wap).
 
 
Multimedia Album. All the pictures and melodies
are represented here. The range of the pictures and melodies is very
large and in this sense, the phone is great. The selection of droll
and funny pictures is such that you just do not know where to start
choosing from. Judging by the sounds, melodies and pictures variety
it is easy to conclude that the phone is designed for the young
generation.
 
Camera. The pictures can be taken in the
resolution of 640x480, 352x288, 128x128, 64x64, 32x32 and 16x16
pixels. Besides, the big scale mode shooting is offered for which
the image is scratched horizontally. In any case, the picture format
will be the JPEG one and the three different dimensions and quality
types are presented (high, standard and economy).
 
The phone’s display is used as a viewfinder. The interface has
been thought through in all the details so while shooting you can
change almost every image parameter by several presses. The function
of the number keys 1, 2, 3 is to tune in the quality of the required
size of the screen. The left soft key is there for the color choice
(color picture, white and black, Sepia, Negative, Thin or
contours).
 
With the # key you can quickly switch the picture resolutions,
while the * key offers a set of several special modes. One of the
modes is the option to create a GIF file using four shots. This
means that you take four sequential shots, which then immediately
turn into an animation in your phone. One restriction here is the
resolution of 128x128 pixels that the developers found mostly
convenient to save phone’s memory. The function is truly unique and
adds to the phone’s exclusivity especially since other manufacturers
had nothing alike to offer yet.
 
 
Another special shooting mode is the mosaic. This mode allows you
to take four pictures (64x64 pixels) and then pleat them into one
complete image (128x128).
The phone is equipped with the timer for the shooting with a
delay. I am not to judge how necessary this function is, I find the
Exposure setting more interesting. This function controls the
lighting conditions by default although you can identify them
yourself. In most cases, the automatic Exposure is sufficient.
You can choose the folders, where the pictures will be saved and
can be taken out of for the MMS screen savers, by default.
I forgot to mention that you could use the frames for the
pictures with the resolution of 128x128 pixels. This is a sort of an
effect when you border the picture with a frame while shooting.
Another exceptional feature of the phone is that you can download
the frames’ files (PNG format) from PC, which means that you can
create the special effects of your own. None of the phones has a
similar function although the frames are used in many of them.
The phone is also empowered with the digital eight times zoom
that you can activate by moving the joystick away from you.
Pictures
in the different shooting modes (19 pictures)>>>
The video is recorded in the 3GP format, the phone supports the
five minutes shooting with the sound. The videos are not supreme
compared to the other phones equipped with such function; the
picture is not stable. The key to the problem must be the processor
of a moderate power that cannot manage decent video editing. On the
other hand, you move around the menu much faster as compared to the
previous models, so this can be counted as the phone’s improvement.
An
example of video playing of the phone’s display (2.8 Mb, Windows
Media Player)
Software. The software is not included into the
phone’s standard delivery kit; however, you can download it from the
manufacturer’s website. When you do that, the setting file only is
downloaded. With this file, you set the modem connection with the
phone and the PC and only afterwards, you can choose the necessary
programs and download them from the shell of the setting
utility.
Using Alcatel PC Suite, you can synchronize the data from your
phone with programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes.
Besides, you will be able to work with pictures and melodies.
Finally, there is a special program for using the phone as modem
(GPRS connection). I must acknowledge that the software and its
possibilities in the phone is of the best kind, the programs are
nice too.I will talk a bit more about some other programs. In the
Windows control panel there is an icon that will allow you to access
all programs offered in the set.
The synchronization can be done through the IrDA or through
USB-cable-that exists for this model.
Create Stamp. This function lets you create an
icon of 128x128 pixels resolution out of any image. You can also use
these pictures in your phone as you like, for example apply them to
the MMS.
Create Animation. . It is all the same although
you do create here an animation file. This might be an animation of
your own or it can be a set of three pictures with the intervals
between them. To draw a bottom line: enjoy being an artist!
Customize Sound. Your can mix your own sound out
of two music files or else choose a file to download into your
phone-it is all very easy. Even the convenience of this program
granted, it is still striking how it operates with MP3, Wave and
Midi formats.
Customize Image. This is an image editor of a
kind. You can find several special effects here that you can employ
for the picture. As usual, you can send an edited file to the phone
by one click.
Content Manager. You can download any picture
and melody into/from the phone using this function. Actually, you
can download files separately using the programs described
above.
Impressions
When the connection is concerned the phone works without any
problems, it is a decent member of the Alcatel family. Among the
major amendments, the 32-tone polyphony has to be mentioned as well
as the option of playing the mp3 files and their mailing through the
IrDA. It is interesting that the phone’s memory capacity is about
four Mb and several minor works in the interface area were improved.
The Java support allows downloading of the new attachments. I would
not say that this phone’s display is outstanding; it is of the same
quality or even better than in the models of the competing
companies- such an approach should shape the judgmental point of
view.
 
The phone is unique for the maximum choice of functions at the
given price. Presently the price for this phone is not known yet
since it will come out at the end of the summer only. I will dare
estimating that the price will vary between 230-250 dollars at first
and then will go down. The given price should be treated as the
maximum one; it is very probable that it will be much lower.
Actually, the phones future success will entirely depend on its
price since the phone will be in a high demand on the market just as
the previous models were.
Samples
of ringtones (300 Kb, mp3)
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