Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 review: Not Microsoft’s mobile saviour

The smartphone market is almost completely unrecognisable from just five years ago. Back then the Windows Phone platform was tightly controlled by Microsoft and only available on (since deceased) Nokia phones.

But we’re talking about an era when BlackBerry made its own keyboard phones that used the company’s own operating system. Now BlackBerry, with its DTEK60, uses the touchscreen Alcatel Idol 4S with an Android operating system as its flagship. It’s a big, yet decent phone.

So the perfect device to save a flagging Windows 10 mobile then? Alcatel seems to think so with this variant. But is the Idol 4S in this form really worth anyone’s time?

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 review: Design

• 154 x 75 x 7mm, 149g
• Metal frame design
• Glass front and rear

We first got a glimpse at the Alcatel Idol 4S at the beginning of 2016 at Mobile World Congress (WMC) in Barcelona. We’ve since seen exactly the same build, materials and shape in the aforementioned BlackBerry DTEK60 and the Vodafone Smart Platinum 7. In short – it’s a familiar design, to say the least.

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It’s probably no surprise that this Windows version looks almost exactly the same as its Android-based counterpart. The only real difference is its Type-C port in the Windows version (not Micro USB), as used for charging and transfer.

The Idol 4S’s front-and-rear glass panel build has an interesting reflective property where any light that hits it forms multiple shards of light that centre in on the fingerprint sensor. Those glass surfaces have subtle curves towards their edges, so look elegant, but it’s not quite enough to stop the phone feeling like a big shiny block in your palm – albeit a better one than if it was all completely flat lines and sharp right angles.

So while the finish and design is undoubtedly polished – those gold metal edges add a hint of luxury to the obsidian-like black glass – there’s no getting away from the size of this device. It’s a big phone, even by 5.5-inch phone standards.

Because of the size, the power button lives just out of one-handed reach at the top of the left edge. Well, it’s perfect if you’re left-handed, but nigh-on impossible to reach with your right. Oddly, the more-convenient-to-reach button is the camera launcher on the phone’s right edge, just below the volume rocker.

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Then, as you may have spotted, there’s the massive protrusion that is the square camera bump on the rear. The aesthetic appeal is certainly up for debate, but this bump also brings an obvious disadvantage: it means the phone will not sit flat on any surface without wobbling about. Even worse, combined with those shiny glass panels, it will happily slip off the arm of a sofa onto the floor with seemingly zero encouragement.

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 review: Display

• 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution
• AMOLED display

AMOLED technology and Windows 10 on mobile are made for each other. By default, the background on the phone is black which comes out completely dark on an AMOLED screen, because the screen technology can illuminate individual pixels for precision blacks sat next to bright whites.

The technology’s other strength is bright, saturated colours which, again, Windows 10 is full of. Colours are punchy and vibrant, while contrast levels are very high.

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The 5.5-inch Full HD screen on the front of the Idol 4S is, therefore, both big and beautiful. On a phone this large the Full HD resolution does start to look a little bit rough around the edges compared to some other flagships – particularly around fine text, which Windows 10 uses aplenty – but it’s only really noticeable when you get very close to the screen.

As for gaming and watching video, the scale of this phone easily delivers enough real estate to enjoy all your favourite titles. That partners with stereo front-facing speakers to create a truly immersive experience. This is something you just don’t get on most phones which typically fire audio out of the bottom edge. 

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 preview: Software

• Live tiles and searchable app list
• Cortana and Continuum are both included
• Mobile VR headset and apps come with the phone
• Windows 10 app store still lacking

You could be forgiven for thinking the Windows mobile platform was dead. After Microsoft decided to cut its losses on its smartphone hardware business, it seemed a no-brainer that the OS would die with it. But, seemingly, that’s not the case… yet. Windows 10 for mobile lives on to fight another day.

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Like Windows Phone of old, the main home screen of the Idol 4S is filled with Live Tiles that update with quick snippets of information when you get notifications. You can resize them, re-arrange them and pin any app you want to this Start screen.

To some, having all this information on one screen may appear a little too busy, but there’s something rather pleasing about its convenience. Not having to swipe down for a notifications shade or open an app to see what the latest updates are is a time saver.

For those unfamiliar, Windows 10 for mobile brings many of the features across from the desktop operating system, including Cortana voice assistant, which is like Microsoft’s competitor for Apple’s Siri and Google Now. You can use it to search for things on the web, or set contextual reminders based on locations and meeting dates.

You can even train Cortana to recognise your voice by going through a relatively short set up process. By repeating a handful of preset phrases, Cortana learns how you say them and can be summoned at any time. Ignores other people’s voices, unlike most of the assistant’s competitors, is a bonus.

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Interestingly, there’s also Continuum – Microsoft’s fancy word to describe its ability to be used as a desktop computer – albeit a limited version than normal. Plug the phone into a hub, or wireless connector, and you have a light version of Windows 10 delivered to a monitor, powered entirely by the phone.

Like the Android version, the Windows model of the Idol 4S ships with a VR headset and a handful of VR games. Sadly, the experience is about as poor as most mobile VR systems. The 1080p screen isn’t sharp enough, while the motion and animations aren’t quite smooth enough to make it a pleasant experience. It’s more a fun additional feature than a genuinely good experience.

While we like elements of Windows like the searchable app list, the customisable Live Tiles, and the easy typing keyboard, Windows still has one main issue on mobile: apps. Or rather, the lack of them.

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You can get a number of popular apps though. Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and more are there for your choosing. But, like a lot of the other experiences, they load slowly or – in the case of iPlayer – don’t fit properly on the screen so that controls elements are missing, or part of the video is cut-off by the persistent on-screen buttons. That’s the Windows 10 experience on mobile: it just doesn’t have the development base and probably never will.

Despite the fact that there are now more official popular apps than there used to be, there are some glaring omissions like Snapchat, and some of them just don’t work well at all. Which leads us nicely on to…

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 review: Performance

• Snapdragon 820 processor
• Octa-core (4x 1.8 GHz & 4x 1.4 GHz)
• 4GB RAM, 64GB on-board storage

While the Idol 4S shares the same name as its Android-powered counterpart, the Windows 10 version this Alcatel phone has received a welcome specification bump. Rather than a middling Snapdragon 652 processor of Android, which has a tendency to stutter for some tasks, here there’s a Snapdragon 820 processor.

This is the same processor found inside devices like the OnePlus 3, Sony Xperia XZ and the Stateside versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Even Google’s latest Pixel phones have a slightly tweaked version called the Snapdragon 821.

In short, as far as mobile processors go, what’s inside the Idol 4S is one of the best available right now.

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It was a surprise to us, then, that a lot of what we tested on the Idol 4S with Windows seemed slow. There wasn’t stuttering, frame-dropping or pausing as such, but so many actions took a couple of seconds – if not more – before kicking in to gear.

Using the fingerprint sensor on the back to unlock, for example, was noticeably slower than trying the same function on the Android-based (but physically identical) BlackBerry DTEK60. There’s no vibration feedback to let you know the fingerprint has registered on Windows 10 either – just a delayed unlocking of the phone a couple of seconds later.

Likewise, downloading apps from the Windows Store was a long process compared to both Android- and iOS-based phones of a similar flagship spec. Launching apps – especially third party ones – is laboriously slow. We lost count of the number of times we gave up on Facebook, after staring at the blue loading screen for at least 30 seconds. It’s 2016 people.

Other built-in functions and tasks are generally fine though. Launching the web browser, Cortana, Outlook and such didn’t provide any really noticeable delays (notice that they are all Microsoft products). Zipping in and out of the settings menu and app lists were smooth and snappy too. It’s just a shame that a phone with 4GB of RAM and a high-end processor doesn’t feel fast all the time.

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For the media hungry, you’ll be pleased to know the phone comes equipped with 64GB of storage space as well as microSD card support to expand that further.

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 review: Battery life

• 3,000mAh battery
• Quick Charge fast-charging

Inside, alongside all the other gadgetry, is a 3,000mAh battery – which is claimed to be capable of handling 20-hours of use. In real-world terms, that means you’ll have some battery left over at the end of a full day, but won’t get too far into a second day before needing to charge again.

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In our testing, the phone quite comfortably powered through a full day’s use with some juice left over. Indeed, even very heavy users should comfortably finish a work day with some battery remaining for the commute home with this Alcatel.

Not forgetting that the Idol 4S is also Quick Charge 3.0 enabled, so it’ll refill in a relatively snappy manner. Just 30-minutes at the plug can come in great use.

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10 preview: Camera

The results from the Idol 4S are, unsurprisingly, similar to what we found with the newest BlackBerry DTEK60 phone: it can produce some decent, evenly balanced pictures with natural colour in good lighting conditions. When the light start to drop things get a bit ropey – as they do with so many other smartphone cameras.

However, like a lot of the Windows 10 experience, using the camera is a rather slow process with this device. Focusing on an object often took two or three tries, then when the shutter was pressed there was notable delay in response.

And because there’s no optical stabilisation (OIS) of any kind, if you move even slightly between pressing the shutter and the photo being taken, you’re left with a slightly soft and blurry image.

Verdict

There’s no doubting the hardware capability of the Idol 4S – we’ve seen it at work several times on Android. What’s disappointing in the Windows 10 version is the lack of optimisation from a software standpoint. With its slow loading – and that’s despite a hardware boost – it can be quite an off-putting experience. What’s more, for now, it’s only available from T-Mobile in the US for $469.

For those who want a seamless experience between their PC and mobile worlds it might still make sense to buy a Windows-based phone. Likewise, if you’re invested in the Windows 10 mobile ecosystem, the Idol 4S might make a nice update to a tired old Lumia.

However, with its restricted availability and the limited number of quality apps compared to Android and iOS, it’s difficult to recommend the phone with this software to most consumers. We’re not sure there’s any saving Windows 10 on mobile now.

Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows 10: The alternatives to consider

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BlackBerry DTEK60

• £475

The DTEK60 fixes a lot of the Windows-based Idol 4S’s shortcomings. It has a higher-res Quad HD screen and runs Android Marshmallow with BlackBerry’s own custom apps and software. It’s faster, snappier and has tons of reliable apps available too.

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OnePlus 3T

• £399

The OnePlus 3T – like its predecessor – is a brilliant, fast and well-made smartphone loaded with a clean and lightweight custom version of Android. It has the same screen size and resolution as the Idol 4S, but has a more solid construction and a more powerful Snapdragon 821 processor. What’s more, it costs less.

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iPhone 7

• from £599

For something a little more expensive, and for what is considered the best supported app ecosystem, it’s hard to look past Apple. This year, the best of iOS is found in the iPhone 7 which,  although much smaller than the Idol 4S, performs incredibly well across its many features. Battery life isn’t as good though.

Google Assistant now understands Hindi, but only in Allo

Google Assistant now offers quick replies in Hindi.

Back when Allo debuted, Google said that it would bring Hindi support to the messaging platform before the end of the year. The update is now being rolled out to the Android and iOS apps, allowing Google Assistant to understand and respond to queries in Hindi.

To get started, just ask the Google Assistant, “Talk to me in Hindi.” You can also change the language settings if you’re more comfortable interacting with the Assistant by default in Hindi. Allo’s Smart Reply feature — which offers automated canned responses — is also available in Hindi. The feature suggests responses based on the language you’re typing in. So if you ask a query in Hindi, you’ll see a Smart Reply in that language.

Google says that the update will be available over the coming days (I don’t see it yet). By making the Assistant understand Hindi, Google is opening up Allo to a wider audience, and with India being one of the top countries for Allo, it makes sense to offer localized language options. However, it remains to be seen if the app can take on WhatsApp successfully. The Facebook-owned service added several features since Allo made its debut, including video calls.

Right now, native Hindi integration is only baked into the Assistant in Allo. When prompted with the same query on the Pixel, I got a message in Hindi stating that the language switching option is available only on Allo. Same goes for the Assistant on Google Home. I asked a query in Hindi, and all I got in return was: “Allo.”

Lenovo K6 Power first impressions: Incredible value on a budget

The K6 Power offers a lot of phone for not a whole lot of money.

Lenovo is all set to kick off sales of its latest entry-level handset, the K6 Power, starting December 6. The phone will be sold exclusively on Flipkart for ₹9,999, and will be available in gold, silver, and dark grey color options.

The K6 Power is the latest handset to be powered by the Snapdragon 430, which offers an octa-core CPU with four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four Cortex A53 cores at 1.2GHz. There’s also the Adreno 505 GPU, and you get a massive 4000mAh battery, 3GB of RAM, 32GB storage, microSD slot, dual-SIM connectivity, 13MP camera (Sony IMX258) with PDAF, 8MP front shooter, 4G with VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, FM radio, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

The K6 Power directly competes with Xiaomi’s Redmi 3S, a stellar phone in this category. Although both phones feature a 5-inch display, the K6 Power offers a Full HD panel, whereas the Redmi 3S comes with a 720p display.

Even though it has a 4000mAh battery, the K6 Power is surprisingly compact, and you won’t have any issues using the phone one-handed. It isn’t too heavy either, with a weight of 145g. The design itself is standard fare, with the phone sporting a metal unibody construction with chrome accents around the rear camera sensor, LED flash module, and fingerprint scanner. The power and volume buttons are on the right and offer decent travel, and the micro-USB charging port has been moved next to the 3.5mm jack up top. You get capacitive navigation buttons at the front, but they’re not backlit.

With a pixel density of 441ppi and 178-degree viewing angle, Lenovo is billing the K6 Power as a multimedia consumption device. You get stereo speakers at the back — which isn’t ideal — and Lenovo is bundling its TheaterMax tech, making the phone compatible with VR viewers like Cardboard of Lenovo’s own AntVR. The phone has a maximum brightness of 450 nits, and I didn’t face any difficulty reading text under harsh sunlight (it’s an agonizing 33 degrees Celsius in Hyderabad).

When it comes to the software side of things, the phone runs Lenovo’s Vibe Pure UI atop Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Like most other manufacturers, Lenovo has pared down on unnecessary customizations, making the interface look much more refined. There are a few useful additions thrown in as well, such as the ability to lock individual apps with a pattern or behind the fingerprint scanner. Lenovo is also offering a dual apps feature that lets you run two instances of an app. If you have two WhatsApp accounts, you can access both from the same device. Overall, the interface still contains a few “tweaks,” but they’re nowhere near as annoying as earlier iterations.

The 13MP camera takes a while to focus, but the resulting images are decent. I’ll put the camera through its paces in the review, but if you’re looking to buy the K6 Power primarily for taking images, know that image quality is strictly average. It’s adequate for sharing on social platforms, but that’s about it. Same goes for the front-facing camera.

The Snapdragon 430 is turning out to be a gem in the entry-level segment, offering adequate performance without any slowdowns. In the three days I’ve used the phone, I haven’t noticed any hiccups. The dense screen is ideal for viewing content on the go, and the large battery ensures that you’ll be able to do so for longer.

At a first glance, it’s easy to see that the K6 Power offers great value for your money. It’s an easy recommendation for under ₹10,000. If you are looking to pick up the handset, Flipkart is incentivizing the debut of the phone with several launch-day offers, with the first sale set to kick off at 12 p.m. on December 6.

See at Flipkart

Breakthrough Prize awards $25 million to science luminaries

In a ceremony dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” the Breakthrough Foundation handed out over $25 million in prizes to physicists, life sciences researchers and mathematicians. Hosted by Morgan Freeman, the event featured Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin and other Silicon Valley notables, a performance by Alicia Keys, actors Vin Diesel and Sienna Miller, astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly and (yep) Will.i.am. The $3 million Breakthrough Prize awards are “the largest individual monetary prize[s] in science,” the foundation says, and obviously life-changing. “I was totally stunned,” says Lebanese-born Baylor scientist Huda Zoghbi.

Zoghbi toiled 16 years to find the gene mutation behind a crippling disease called Spinocerebellar ataxia. While it affects only 1,000 people in the US per year (mainly young girls), her team discovered that the same type of protein build-up is likely responsible for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders. If the team can figure out how to block a certain type of enzyme, “what we have is a potential druggable target for dementia,” she told The Guardian.

DNA and genes were a theme for the life sciences prizes. Stephen J. Elledge from Harvard was awarded $3 million for discoveries on how damaged proteins can mess up DNA replication and lead to higher cancer risks. Harry F. Noller of UC Santa Cruz won for linking RNA’s role in the ribosome and the origin of life, while Roeland Nusse from Stanford took his Breakthrough Prize for work on the “Wnt” gene, which regulates embryo development, stem cells, bone growth and cancer progression. Yoshinori Ohsumi from the Tokyo Institute of Technology also took home $3 million for his work on autophagy, whereby cells create nutrients by recycling waste parts.

UC Santa Barbara’s Joseph Polchinski, Andrew Strominger from Harvard and Cumrun Vafa, also from Harvard, split a $3 million prize for advances in string theory, quantum gravity and quantum field theory. A special breakthrough prize in fundamental physics was ordered to Ronald Drever and Kip Thorne from the California Institute of Technology, along with Rainer Weiss from MIT. All three helped confirm that gravitational waves exist and will share a $1 million prize, with $2 million more split among the 1,012 members of their research group.

Jean Bourgain from Princeton won the mathematics prize for his work in high-dimensional geometry and number theory, and took home a single $3 million prize. Finally, in the breakthrough junior challenge, Antonella Masini and Deanna See were awarded scholarships worth $250,000, plus $50,000 for an inspiring teacher and new science labs worth up to $100,000. In the competition, students “submit a video that explains a challenging and important concept or theory in mathematics, life sciences or physics. (Deanna See’s entry is above.)

Those kinds of cash prizes and the swanky gala were probably a nice change of pace for scientists who often toil in obscurity. The ceremony will air tonight on the National Geographic Channel at 10 PM eastern time, while Fox will broadcast a condense version on Sunday, December 18th at 7 PM ET. It’s not going to draw anything close to Oscar-level crowds, but the work being done is infinitely more worthy of praise.

Via: Techcrunch

Source: Breakthrough Prize

Brains can recover some ‘lost’ memories

For the longest while, researchers believed that you could only preserve a memory in your brain if the relevant neurons were active. However, it now looks like this isn’t always the case — and that could be a tremendous help to anyone suffering from short-term memory loss. Scientists have discovered that small jolts of electricity to the brain (specifically, a pulse of transcranial magnetic stimulation) can revive recent memories. Your mind can slow near-term memories down to a dormant state where they’re in the background, but remain ready to come back when necessary.

You can’t apply this method to long-term memories (you likely need different techniques for that), so don’t expect to revisit your childhood with a zap to your head. However, the findings should improve our understanding of how the brain works — it’s already clear that memory is more complex than we thought. And in the long run, there’s a chance this could lead to treatments for Alzheimer’s and other conditions where regaining short-term memories could greatly improve a patient’s quality of life.

Via: Motherboard

Source: Science