Review GSM phone NewGen T1100/Fly X7

Package:

• Handset
• USB-cable
• Charger
• Disk with software
• Extra battery
• Manual
• Hand strap

Today technologies are so highly developed that data input requires few hardware buttons, as touchscreens are used. The easiest way to implement a touchscreen is using an open operating system, which reduces the actual development price for the manufacturer and helps third party developers writing own software for the device. Due to this there are few usual phones that can boast with a touchscreen. The company of Philips which produced its Philips 755 has become a pioneer in the field. Now the maker keeps on widening the line of phones equipped with a touchscreen, but here such screen stands out as a fast way to enter data and is duplicated with usual number buttons. The second device on the market is NewGen T1100 (in Russia called Fly X7), here the maker refused the number keypad at all and made the device maximum similar to smartphones. Sony Ericsson P900 seems to be a prototype, though there are no any crosses in design and solutions except for the side wheel. The device collected so many ideas carried out before, and that makes it unique and interesting theoretically.
The phone size is minimal - 88x51x15 mm, while the weight forms 76 g. You can carry the device in your trousers pocket or in a shirt, but then you'll face irritating dust appearing on the screen. Since phones by this maker are not wide spread, you'll be hard to find a protective cover for the screen, though it would be useful. The second drawback is the absence of universal cases for the model, and the manufacturer doesn't offer this accessory. The form-factor is untraditional, and universal cases look off-size. For instance, in a medium size case it just dangles. And taken together these all makes a problem of carrying the phone, the presence of a touchscreen sensitive to pressures makes the question even more painful.
The developers foresaw a toddler on the left side surface, which locks the screen in the standby mode. This is a good solution, which is to prevent your phone from leafing over the menu and other actions while in your pocket.
The 262K screen really takes the majority of the phone surface, the resolution it has is 176x220 pixels (35x44 mm). The picture on the screen is bright and colourful, readable on the screen well (TFT). The display makes a pleasant feeling and has no evident shortcomings. The font-size is average, well read in various conditions. Up to 8 text lines and 2 service ones are shown.
The sensory matrix responds with medium speed, and sometimes the CPU can't cope with fast pressure processing, then a user can see slight slow down at opening this or that menu item. In fact, this is typical of such devices, since in contrast to smartphones phones have strongly constrained processor power and RAM size. Extra settings include screen calibrating, other settings are known by usual models (wall-papers, menu colours and so on).
Above the screen a loudspeaker working during a conversation is placed. At the same time, a loudspeaker for conversations has been moved under the screen, now it is placed just between call answer and cancel buttons. The bottom end has an interface connector placed; it is closed with a rubber shutter. A microphone is set near it.
A strap hole is on the top, a headset connector is settled to the right. The right side surface holds a camera button.
The back panel is very interesting - it features a vertical line, on which the phone leans against when put on an even surface. Also here are a VGA camera and a flash. The thing left is mentioning a JogDial, which can be deviated vertically and pressed, used for navigation along the menu. A small and light stylus is hidden in the right bottom corner.
The battery serves as a back cover of the phone as well, it has no backlash. The Li-Ion battery is capacious of 570 mAh. As the manufacturer claims, the device is capable of about 100 minutes of talks and 90 hours in the standby mode. About 2 days it worked in Moscow, the case as 40 minutes for talks and minimal use of other functions. Using the screen actively will reduce the charge seriously.

Menu

In the standby mode the bottom of the screen shows and line for launching the main applications, above there are also icons for running 4 applications. This division allows gaining a fast access to some phone functions. We experienced no problems with navigation.
The main menu is absent as such. There is a vertical row of bookmarks, and current options of the selected page with some functions are displayed to the right.
Phonebook. About 300 names can be saved in the phone's memory, for a name you can have up to 4 fields for phone numbers, e-mail address field, and birthday. Besides, you can assign a name to one of the six users' groups (Family, Work, Friends, Boys, Girls, Other). Finally, a name can have a photo or a picture from the PhotoRobot application (here you build a face of separate elements). Personal call melody can be assigned to a name. The max length of the Name field forms 16 letters for English and 7 for Russian.
In the general list, you can see search by name or by number; naturally, fast search is out of the question due to the absence of the keypad. Personal call melodies can be assigned to groups.
Call list. Generally, there are three lists with 20 entries in each. A timer showing total cal duration is available from this menu.
Messages. About 100 messages can be stored in the phone's memory, at the same time 10 drafts and 30 messages Outbox are available. You can use eZi system at entering the text. It allows guessing words while entering, but works only with English. And the same concerns hand input recognition - the function is relatively workable, realized on the middle level. EMS is not supported, however you can create MMS.
Notes. Text entries about 80 characters in length can be kept into the phone's memory (40 characters for Russian).
Alarm clock can work once, be set recurrent or only week-days.
A to-do list is average, three types of priority and a sign for a finished deal are present.
Organizer is ascetic, you can use birthday reminders, view monthly calendar and set reminders for some days. Here is a phone on/off function as well.
Entertainment. Games are one of the items of this menu. There are two of them - Cargador and Black Jack. The first game is logical and the second one is card playing. New games can't be downloaded due to the absence of Java support.
Image is an application where a picture of a man is built of separate parts, like a photo robot.
Catalogues - a list of folders with various files including graphics.
Design item holds screen settings, call settings and so on, resembles themes. There are totally two variants of design.
A VGA camera is integrated, there is a flash. The settings are quite ascetic, and an image editor is present. About 4 MB of memory are given to all the applications.
Tools. Calculator, world time, currency converter and a stopwatch are standard.
Settings. Here are all the phone settings gathered, nothing special. Batch communications, screen, profile selected (totally there are several of them in the phone, choose them from the bottom menu in the standby mode) are adjusted from here as well.

Impressions

The phone call is 64-tones, but no MP3 support is provided, so making it a little outdated. Slight foils at the maximum volume should be mentioned as possible shortcomings. The call is principally heard well and quite distinguishable in the street. We advise to select a midi composition as a call melody. The power of a vibra is lower than average, the quality of speed transmission is middling, and sometimes the microphone disposition prevents from clear voice transmission, the microphone is blown out.
The model is interesting for children - the group names and some functions like building a face of separate elements are evidence of it. However, the device seems not good for an adult person, since the response time of the screen fails; no duplicating navigation using buttons is provided. Phone book search is slow, and recognition is bad. The software for synchronization is strange, if to put in mildly. It allows uploading photos on a PC from the phone (with average quality of the photos), and then the phone turns off for some reason.
The device might be interesting as a concept, but not as a commercial device for an adult one. The price of 280-300 USD is not low, especially considering all the models on the market for the same amount. Its uncommonness is here not an advantage, but a shortcoming more. And we could consider the model child's with the price of 120-130 USD. уровне цены в 120-130 долларов модель можно было бы считать «детской».