Gadgetory

20:17 has been chock-full of recovery and redemption stories companies getting back on track riding missteps and rebuilding consumer relationships Alcatel made a move to the premium mid-range last year in one of the most competitive packs we've ever witnessed the idol 4s was a fine phone but it couldn't quite rise to the same visibility as its competition this year the idol 5s might seem to be a retreat on paper but there's something charming about a return to what originally put the idol on our collective radar while retaining some of the elements which worked well on the 4s and what worked really well was the shift in design moving from plastic on the idol 3 to metal and glass the idol 5 retains this visible rim which contains the front-facing stereo speakers it's a gorgeous way to incorporate hardware which often distracts from a phone's front face and this elevates the idol above most of its low cost competition what won't win some folks over however the large forehead and chin bezels using a smaller screen we were hoping for a slightly better one-handed fit but dimensions are nearly identical to phones with larger displays it's a respectable LCD with good outdoor view ability but it does feel like the phone is wearing a picture frame but we were hoping that this was to maintain compatibility with the VR viewer designed for the 4s but this turned out not to be the case we don't have any complaints with the tech inside we've reviewed several phones now using similar hardware and this kit arrives at a competitive price this probably won't wow folks in our audience but that's not really the point if the goal is back to basics we'd say all Cattell achieves that goal handily ditto our look at software where the idol ships with a current build of largely stock Android a few small additions to help customize the phone but otherwise this is a lean skin to help complement the hardware so performance is about what you would expect this phone is plenty powerful enough to tackle the daily smartphone grind communication and social media no issues and we're only seeing this Hardware taxed as we start running more graphics intense fare like say VR apps Alcatel continues to include their own VR store though we wouldn't point to this is a primary use for a more see focus phone camera tech produces reasonable though often washed out images the camera app is well featured for this price tear auto modes manual controls with raw capture and software stabilization for video performances generally solid though with some inconsistencies for HDR sometimes delivering a wonderful blend of highlights and shadow detail other times just blowing out brightness the low-light boost is appreciated though holding still the phone will drive ISO a little higher to give your dark shots a nudge its video which might be the weak link the idle 5 s tops out at 1080p with respectable software stabilization we know this chipset is capable of 4k output but Alcatel might have made the right play and disabling that there's no Hardware stabilization and shaky UHD isn't much fun to look at so stick to what works right like the stills though this HD video is mid-pack detail somewhat dull and with an auto exposure that can be difficult to rein in this camera covers the basics including some well implemented fun features but it won't go down as a top budget shooter what the idle should be recognized for is audio these are terrific speakers at any price just to touch quieter than the axon 7 but with a slightly fuller range to our ears the headphone game is on point to playback is truncated to 16-bit but quality numbers for noise and dynamic range handily compete with flagship phones the audio enhancements also give headphone output and nice bump though with more EQ manipulation this performance punches well above the price tag looking at runtime the Qualcomm six-to-five has proven time and time again to be a power efficiency champion we were a bit concerned by the smaller battery capacity but the idle posts competitive numbers in our media bench you should have room to make it past dinner time with moderate use the recharge game is also quick enough the smaller battery doesn't require a lot of time plugged in for a healthy top off so let's wrap this up where does that leave us with the Alcatel idol 5s how should we recognize progress alka tells course-correct is an interesting examination of business strategy budget-busting mid rangers are succumbing to the same price creep as their premium flagship counterparts with that pricing buffer new gaps are created in the market and there's an opportunity to push back at the entry level and lower mid-range partnerships are key we don't have word on any carrier deals or retail outlets at the time this video was produced but the idol 5s is available unlocked through Amazon with ads served on the lock screen for one $99.99 that pricing is critical the charm here is recapturing some of the magic of the idol 3 and my time with the phone it totally works for me it faces tough competition but it deserves some spotlight we all want to be impressed by fatter specs or companies delivering powerful hardware to increasingly smaller margins but there's always an opportunity to elevate the experience for less expensive phones just like the uh Nigel 3 did as always thanks so much for watching be sure to subscribe to this channel for more reviews like these and give us a share on your favorite social networks for PocketNow and juan carlos swag now some gadget guy on Twitter and Instagram and I will catch you all on the net you