IconBIT CALLISTO 100 review: how to turn a smart watch into a smartphone
You will not envy the manufacturers of the first echelon - only they groped for a new niche of mobile (more precisely, wearable) technology, as B-brands almost instantly prepared “their answer”. And to some extent even surpassing more eminent competitors. By and large, now the "smart watch" (hereinafter - simply "watch") is the Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Sony SmartWatch 2 (do not forget about the first generation). And now iconBIT CALLISTO 100. With regard to Samsung and Sony models, many have persistent questions - how much are these “appendages” in demand, not very useful without a smartphone? And this is not to mention the issues of compatibility with the models of "dialers". The creators of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 went a much more radical way and installed a slot for a micro-SIM card right in the watch case of the smartphone, with all the ensuing consequences. What came out of it and what impressions such an original device left me - I will tell you in order.
Honestly, to do a review of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 for me is a very strange occupation. Because when in the case in the form of a clock the stuffing is hidden, not stepping on my wife’s dual-core smartphone, it makes you think about the fads of technical progress. For a start, I note that iconBIT is positioning its offspring precisely as a “multifunctional smartphone with 3G based on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with an IPS display of 1.54” (240 x 240) and a multitouch function. ”In short, the word“ clock ”is not found here at all In principle, I don’t really want to argue with the interpretation of the brand, because one thing is an accessory dependent on a smartphone, and the other is a self-contained device with a full-fledged functionality of a modern communicator.
')
It is difficult for me, like many other users, to imagine a target consumer of this kind of products. That is, it is clear that consumers from the category “for fun” will always exist. And the price of the model contributes to this. Much more interesting - whether the layer of users will be formed, which analogs iconBIT CALLISTO 100 really replace the smartphone? In the end, there are quite a few people who have all the advanced mobile functions in the tablet, and for calls they use a regular phone or even a Bluetooth headset connected to the tablet.
And I remember how often in the reviews of the very first iPhone they sometimes wrote that the model is certainly interesting, but it leaves much to be desired as a phone. And the iPad? Surely this tablet pioneer has become one of the main objects of jokes in the history of the mobile industry. This is me to the fact that smartphones watches are capable of causing, to say the least, a smile, but how well their future will be, I wouldn’t speak with full confidence now. In any case, in the key of "fun" or one-day devices.
There should have been a “Package” section here, but due to the fact that I received an engineering sample, I don’t have to describe the box and accessories. The package included only a microUSB cable and a kind of shell case, without which iconBIT CALLISTO 100 cannot be charged. Yes, we convey Samsung’s ardent greetings, we have seen the exact same approach somewhere.
The iconBIT CALLISTO 100 model is sold only in dark brown. If the Samsung and Sony watches claimed a sophisticated image element, say, for business people, then iconBIT CALLISTO 100 seems to me more like a youth gadget. Dimensions are not small at all - 54 x 45 x 14 mm. I definitely don’t estimate it, because the fashion for the G-Shock watch never seems to go away. The iconBIT CALLISTO 100 weighs about 95 grams. For comparison, the Samsung S5300 Galaxy Pocket has 97 grams. In general, the “smartphone on hand” in the case of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 is not only about the available functions. However, I did not feel any discomfort or excessive pressure on my arm. Maybe because in the past, it was not much light plastic watches.
On the front side, except for the screen, there is nothing at all. This means that the event indicator, light and proximity sensors still remained to the share of “adult” smartphones.
The buttons "lurked" on the right side, there are only two elements - the power button (above) and "home" (below). Between them - the camera. Element "return" in the hardware version is not provided, it is implemented at the software level. To return to the previous screen, you should make a tangential gesture on the screen from right to left. As practice has shown, for the best response should begin to move off the screen. What I really lacked was the volume keys, at least in the form of software gestures. For example, to get normal screenshots :) Calling the context menu is also implemented programmatically, with a gesture from left to right.
On the left is a microphone and a slot for a micro-SIM card, which has yet to be reached. The slot plug rests on the screw, and after unscrewing, you still need to figure it out and pry it to remove it. Considering that even in some of the flagships of 2013 we are forced to poke into the case with a clip to access the slot, iconBIT CALLISTO 100 did not surprise me much.
I honestly and frankly admit that I did not find the slot for the microSD card, no matter how hard I tried ... That's how I was going to write at first. But the photo of the smartphone's motherboard - here it is, unambiguously hinting that the coveted slot is not far from the micro-SIM. Immediately I will say that complete with serial devices will be attached visual manual with pictures explaining how to get to the slot. At the same time the corresponding screwdriver will be attached.
And as I didn’t want to unscrew the four small screws (what a thing), I had to carry out this operation.
Remove the cover and see the battery. Carefully extract - and here it is, the desired slot. The card is installed in the rocker, which is often used in "ordinary" smartphones. In my sample, it was strongly not recommended to use the card, so I limited my manipulations directly to detecting the “loss”.
By the way, unscrewing made it possible to finally verify what material was used in the main part of the body. Metal as it is, which should have a positive effect on the security of the device. A good approach if it is implied, including sports use of the model. Lacking perhaps protection from water.
The strap is made of practical rubberized material. In my opinion, this once again underlines a certain youth-sports orientation of the device. The design of the strap is the most banal and is found everywhere in the watch.
The only remarkable feature here is the “external” GPS module. The receiver is located on the strap and is additionally highlighted by a section with a characteristic icon. Right there, closer to the case, is the Wi-Fi module.
1.54-inch screen has a resolution of 240x240 pixels. Probably, in the future, we expect the emergence of displays with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 for this kind of devices. Matrix - IPS, with controversial properties. Behavior on a clear day without complaints, all the information is read without problems. In most cases, I had 30% of the maximum possible brightness. Viewing angles, albeit wide, but a noticeable inversion of colors from the left edge is still present. The color rendition is natural, without “blockages”, as one would expect from an IPS-matrix.
AnTuTu Tester showed that the screen supports up to four simultaneous touches. Maybe the number still reaches five, but on such a small area I could not confirm it. Let's face it, for 1.54 inches, even two supported simultaneous taps are more than enough.
The surface is glass, the responsiveness is normal, I did not have to repeat the commands several times.
The smartphone claims the status of a spy gadget, as it has a built-in camera. The peephole is located between the keys on the side. In my opinion, this makes the module much more inconspicuous in comparison with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, whose camera is on the strap. The proposed 3 MP are designed for photos (1728 x 1728 pixels) and video shooting (640 x 480 pixels, 3GP, 256 Kbps). The shooting program is familiar to everyone who worked with models on MediaTek 6589. Most of all in the application I like the fact that the photo and video buttons are nearby, there is no need to switch between modes manually. In the settings, all the same three tabs, options are practically not cut down - exposure, white balance, different modes in place. Only a white background with black letters seems to me not the best choice.
There are no particular problems with the camera (from the point of view of the design). But it would be very cool if the image on the screen turned around while shooting. That is, we stretch our hand for a picture and look at the display normally, rather than arching the neck and trying to look from the side. At first, I had concerns about the orientation of the images, but all the questions removed their “squareness” - I already cited the resolution of the photo above. As a result, if necessary, photo rotation is possible with a couple of touches through the standard functions of the Gallery context menu.
The quality of photography is normal for a 3 megapixel camera. I suspect that there are more advanced similar-megapixel modules, but I didn’t get any direct disappointments with iconBIT CALLISTO 100 either. The camera retains color well, but with the details “everything is clear”. The model does not like frames with a light drop, where the HDR option would be useful. A large “poster” text reads well, and within the page of the book there are numerous zones of “floating” pixels. Autofocus would obviously not be superfluous, although if you wish, you can do without it.
Absolutely normal point in the review of the smartphone, but if you think about the essence of "smart watches", again you begin to feel a certain paradox of the situation. So, the hardware basis of the model is a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz. The model does not specify that B-brands are observed regularly. Therefore, we climb into the details of AnTuTu Benchmark and get acquainted with the rather new and interesting MediaTek 6572. The appeal of the processor is expressed primarily (in my opinion) in two things: reduced power consumption due to 28 nm technical process (against 40 nm in MediaTek 6575) and a productive graphics chip Mali 400MP. Although it is clear that in terms of the display resolution of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, the load on the “graphics” cannot be compared to any qHD or HD smartphone. RAM - 512 MB, absolutely normal value, taking into account the specifics of iconBIT CALLISTO 100. The smartphone does not claim priority need for multitasking, and the resource-intensive games here clearly as a pleasant additional opportunity. ROM - 4 GB, the standard of current smartphones at the price of up to 10,000 rubles (~ $ 312). Do not forget about the presence of a slot for a microSD memory card.
I tried to get the results for the three benchmarks. The measurements took place without incident, only in Vellamo for some reason the results were not displayed in the comparative table - only “solo” values ​​were shown. In AnTuTu, the model scored 10,710 points, which seems to be a good achievement. I would like to compare it with some smartphone on MediaTek 6575, but there wasn’t one at hand. And to rely on the results from the reviews even six months ago will not work because of changes at least in the graphic benchmark in the framework of AnTuTu.
In terms of speed, the system did not really remember anything that is good - there are no brakes, and there are no really difficult tasks for MediaTek 6572. Scrolling through desktops occurs smoothly, switching between programs does not put the device into a state of reverie.
With games all very well. I admit, I didn’t even try to run shooters on iconBIT CALLISTO 100, since playing them on a 1.54-inch screen is a little more than impossible. Therefore, I focused on not requiring multitouch games plus racing (accelerometer, that is). As a result, I managed quite well to play Fruit Ninja (yes, multitouch, but one “sword” was enough for me). Excellent started Riptide GP2, subjectively FPS kept at around 30 frames per second. It all looked on the screen "clock" is strange, but it played great.
The following feature was revealed. If you look at the iconBIT CALLISTO 100 worn by hand, in the perception of a number of games this will be a landscape orientation. That is, from our position, the picture in games seems to be piled on its side and changes only in this plane (i.e., the maximum is turned upside down relative to its original position). That was the case in Riptide GP2, but everything was “as it should be” in Cut the Rope. On the other hand, I liked the position in Riptide GP2, if you remove the iconBIT CALLISTO 100 from your hand and take hold of the straps as a “steering wheel” (or “steering wheel”), you get a very comfortable and sensitive control.
About compatibility and adaptation of programs for the screen iconBIT CALLISTO 100. The only program with the launch of which there were problems - the very first Andry Birds. This causes a smile on the background of the fact that with applications like Total Commander, Skype, Dr.Web Light everything went "without a bitch." I did not think that I would write like this, but I don’t feel any special compromises when interacting with the usual set of programs.
Yes, the screen is small, but I did not have to squint or watch the inscriptions eroded in the low resolution. In many programs, items are shown in large. Bunching elements rarely appeared. For example, in the start-up dialogue of Skype, but this is not particularly important - in other aspects of the menu (chat, contacts) it was shown without “layout” errors.
Video playback is exactly the same as on any other device with MediaTek 6572. In terms of, there are no obstacles directly from iconBIT CALLISTO 100, it all depends on the specific video file and the capabilities of the hardware. Playing a random set of HD and, more importantly, Full HD clips, the smartphone coped without difficulty. Of course, watching a video is unlikely to become a priority hobby of the owners of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, but the opportunity to eat means that it will be useful to someone. Only run the video better through the built-in player. Because MX Player and RockPlayer reversed the image in the same way as in the case of Riptide GP2. Unlike regular video playback. With the hardware support for all kinds of commercials, the MediaTek 6572 is all right, so if you do not take into account the specific functions, full-time features without a software mode will be quite enough.
Reading with iconBIT CALLISTO 100 is more than realistic, even if it is also an amateur lesson in the device context. In Cool Reader, I liked the 17th font size more, my eyes did not get tired after a long reading, although this is a purely individual thing. It is best to flip through with single touches (and not with a sliding gesture), otherwise the probability of frequent triggering of the system function “back” is high.
Summing up the interim, I note that the overall functionality of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 was at a high level and is slightly inferior to a full-fledged smartphone. It is clear that by virtue of the screen size comparable to the comfort level of some 4-inch smartphone you should not wait. But to completely abandon video, web surfing, programs like Skype or games, iconBIT CALLISTO 100 does not require.
As the theater begins with a hanger, and iconBIT CALLISTO 100 first shows us the clock, that is, time. In the device settings in the tab “screen” there are six “analogs” and two “digital” display options. The “preview” is quick - I made a choice, turned off the screen and turned on the update. The choice is not bad, there are items from strictly classical to quite futuristic ones.
It is clear that the clock at the same time are the lock screen. After removing the block, we get to the desktop environment. On one display is no more than 4 icons. There is no additional entrance to the full list of programs, all labels are present only on the tables. Small loss, especially, at least a couple of well-known manufacturers of smartphones use this method in their models. I almost forgot to "present" the system - Android 4.2, thanks to MediaTek 6572.
The notification bar on the top has not undergone any changes, everything is exactly the same as in the "big" smartphones.
Available items: browser, search, phone, contacts, camera, gallery, SMS / MMS, settings, clock, alarm clock, music, voice recorder, calculator, calendar, e-mail, file manager, “task” (scheduler), Bluetooth connection , YouTube, news and weather, backup, downloads, map services, video player, voice search and Google settings. There is support for Google Play, manual manipulation of the APK will not be necessary. You can group shortcuts as well as assigning names to folders. How do these or other applications show you in the photo, no comments here.
The settings are more or less adapted to the screen size. There is a main menu of four points, with further subsections. "Exterior" is slightly modified, but all the points we have long been familiar.
In phone functions, nothing unexpected, I did not see. I inserted a SIM card, entered a PIN-code, received a notification about changes in settings and that's it - call for health.
For an incoming call, the number of the caller is for some reason displayed in small print. Plus visible flaws whether localization, or font size. In short, “Pravil” is the answer to the call, “OTK ... Tb” - to reject, reset the call. Perhaps these moments will be trimmed in the final sample device.
During the call, familiar contextual commands are also available.
In case of missing calls, we receive a notification on the top panel and an icon on the “Phone” label.It is bad that when viewing the list of calls the full number does not fit on the screen, although there is plenty of space for this.
And here is what SMS messages look like.
Perhaps, here I will focus on the question of input from the screen. Yes, 1.54 inches - this is not a sweeping modern smartphones. But my addiction to the tiny keys happened pretty quickly. Say, for the first couple of days I typed 6-7 out of 10 characters without errors, then almost always out of 9 out of 10. In general, everything is not so depressing as I swayed at first. By the way, a metal stylus will be included with the model to simplify input, the accessory will be attached directly to the strap.
Conversation without additional accessories occurs only on the speakerphone. In general, the sound quality of the speaker is normal, only at maximum volume begins to give "hoarse." To talk on a noisy street, loudness is enough - unless, of course, you want to communicate in this way. In general, for calls can not do without a Bluetooth-headset or its variations in the form of a mini-phone. The latter looks especially funny - if ordinary “smart watches” become an accessory dependent on a smartphone, then in the case of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 everything happens exactly the opposite.
In conclusion, a few words about autonomy. I find it hard to imagine what scenario should be used to test such a device. Yes, and non-final sample suggests that changes in the duration of the work. Anyway, when playing music at maximum volume, 1% is spent at 20 minutes, with GPS (40% brightness) - 8% for the same period, games (Riptide GP2) - 16%, in standby mode (SIM inserted card) - 1% for 6 hours. I did not manage to see how much charge is consumed when the clock saver is on - despite any settings, the screen turned off after 10 seconds. Again, waste the test sample. Full charge time is one hour.
The device costs 6,690 rubles (~ $ 210). For comparison, in Russia the Samsung Galaxy Gear is available for about 13-15 thousand rubles (~ $ 406-468), Sony SmartWatch 2 looks more affordable with 6 000 rubles (~ $ 187). However, both devices cannot be written down into the direct competitors of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, since (as I have repeatedly mentioned) we are talking about outwardly similar, but in essence fundamentally different, functional devices.
Still, without a smartphone, Sony and Samsung products are not of particular interest, while the iconBIT model is targeting a slightly different niche and does an excellent job with almost the full range of tasks, both from the point of view of a smartphone and a phone. How much this will be claimed is a separate question, here I would prefer to refrain from personal evaluation. By and large, the most controversial point in iconBIT CALLISTO 100
I thought the size, the model would not hurt to "lose weight." In addition, I was haunted by the idea that the 3.5 mm jack would have been completely superfluous. And access to SIM slots and memory cards seems too complicated. But in an unconditional plus iconBIT CALLISTO 100 I will write down that already at the start of the niche of “smart watches” A-brands were not in the role of monopolists in the new vector of mobile technology.
Some lyrics
Honestly, to do a review of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 for me is a very strange occupation. Because when in the case in the form of a clock the stuffing is hidden, not stepping on my wife’s dual-core smartphone, it makes you think about the fads of technical progress. For a start, I note that iconBIT is positioning its offspring precisely as a “multifunctional smartphone with 3G based on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with an IPS display of 1.54” (240 x 240) and a multitouch function. ”In short, the word“ clock ”is not found here at all In principle, I don’t really want to argue with the interpretation of the brand, because one thing is an accessory dependent on a smartphone, and the other is a self-contained device with a full-fledged functionality of a modern communicator.
')
It is difficult for me, like many other users, to imagine a target consumer of this kind of products. That is, it is clear that consumers from the category “for fun” will always exist. And the price of the model contributes to this. Much more interesting - whether the layer of users will be formed, which analogs iconBIT CALLISTO 100 really replace the smartphone? In the end, there are quite a few people who have all the advanced mobile functions in the tablet, and for calls they use a regular phone or even a Bluetooth headset connected to the tablet.
And I remember how often in the reviews of the very first iPhone they sometimes wrote that the model is certainly interesting, but it leaves much to be desired as a phone. And the iPad? Surely this tablet pioneer has become one of the main objects of jokes in the history of the mobile industry. This is me to the fact that smartphones watches are capable of causing, to say the least, a smile, but how well their future will be, I wouldn’t speak with full confidence now. In any case, in the key of "fun" or one-day devices.
Appearance
There should have been a “Package” section here, but due to the fact that I received an engineering sample, I don’t have to describe the box and accessories. The package included only a microUSB cable and a kind of shell case, without which iconBIT CALLISTO 100 cannot be charged. Yes, we convey Samsung’s ardent greetings, we have seen the exact same approach somewhere.
The iconBIT CALLISTO 100 model is sold only in dark brown. If the Samsung and Sony watches claimed a sophisticated image element, say, for business people, then iconBIT CALLISTO 100 seems to me more like a youth gadget. Dimensions are not small at all - 54 x 45 x 14 mm. I definitely don’t estimate it, because the fashion for the G-Shock watch never seems to go away. The iconBIT CALLISTO 100 weighs about 95 grams. For comparison, the Samsung S5300 Galaxy Pocket has 97 grams. In general, the “smartphone on hand” in the case of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 is not only about the available functions. However, I did not feel any discomfort or excessive pressure on my arm. Maybe because in the past, it was not much light plastic watches.
On the front side, except for the screen, there is nothing at all. This means that the event indicator, light and proximity sensors still remained to the share of “adult” smartphones.
The buttons "lurked" on the right side, there are only two elements - the power button (above) and "home" (below). Between them - the camera. Element "return" in the hardware version is not provided, it is implemented at the software level. To return to the previous screen, you should make a tangential gesture on the screen from right to left. As practice has shown, for the best response should begin to move off the screen. What I really lacked was the volume keys, at least in the form of software gestures. For example, to get normal screenshots :) Calling the context menu is also implemented programmatically, with a gesture from left to right.
On the left is a microphone and a slot for a micro-SIM card, which has yet to be reached. The slot plug rests on the screw, and after unscrewing, you still need to figure it out and pry it to remove it. Considering that even in some of the flagships of 2013 we are forced to poke into the case with a clip to access the slot, iconBIT CALLISTO 100 did not surprise me much.
I honestly and frankly admit that I did not find the slot for the microSD card, no matter how hard I tried ... That's how I was going to write at first. But the photo of the smartphone's motherboard - here it is, unambiguously hinting that the coveted slot is not far from the micro-SIM. Immediately I will say that complete with serial devices will be attached visual manual with pictures explaining how to get to the slot. At the same time the corresponding screwdriver will be attached.
And as I didn’t want to unscrew the four small screws (what a thing), I had to carry out this operation.
Remove the cover and see the battery. Carefully extract - and here it is, the desired slot. The card is installed in the rocker, which is often used in "ordinary" smartphones. In my sample, it was strongly not recommended to use the card, so I limited my manipulations directly to detecting the “loss”.
By the way, unscrewing made it possible to finally verify what material was used in the main part of the body. Metal as it is, which should have a positive effect on the security of the device. A good approach if it is implied, including sports use of the model. Lacking perhaps protection from water.
The strap is made of practical rubberized material. In my opinion, this once again underlines a certain youth-sports orientation of the device. The design of the strap is the most banal and is found everywhere in the watch.
The only remarkable feature here is the “external” GPS module. The receiver is located on the strap and is additionally highlighted by a section with a characteristic icon. Right there, closer to the case, is the Wi-Fi module.
Screen
1.54-inch screen has a resolution of 240x240 pixels. Probably, in the future, we expect the emergence of displays with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 for this kind of devices. Matrix - IPS, with controversial properties. Behavior on a clear day without complaints, all the information is read without problems. In most cases, I had 30% of the maximum possible brightness. Viewing angles, albeit wide, but a noticeable inversion of colors from the left edge is still present. The color rendition is natural, without “blockages”, as one would expect from an IPS-matrix.
AnTuTu Tester showed that the screen supports up to four simultaneous touches. Maybe the number still reaches five, but on such a small area I could not confirm it. Let's face it, for 1.54 inches, even two supported simultaneous taps are more than enough.
The surface is glass, the responsiveness is normal, I did not have to repeat the commands several times.
Camera
The smartphone claims the status of a spy gadget, as it has a built-in camera. The peephole is located between the keys on the side. In my opinion, this makes the module much more inconspicuous in comparison with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, whose camera is on the strap. The proposed 3 MP are designed for photos (1728 x 1728 pixels) and video shooting (640 x 480 pixels, 3GP, 256 Kbps). The shooting program is familiar to everyone who worked with models on MediaTek 6589. Most of all in the application I like the fact that the photo and video buttons are nearby, there is no need to switch between modes manually. In the settings, all the same three tabs, options are practically not cut down - exposure, white balance, different modes in place. Only a white background with black letters seems to me not the best choice.
There are no particular problems with the camera (from the point of view of the design). But it would be very cool if the image on the screen turned around while shooting. That is, we stretch our hand for a picture and look at the display normally, rather than arching the neck and trying to look from the side. At first, I had concerns about the orientation of the images, but all the questions removed their “squareness” - I already cited the resolution of the photo above. As a result, if necessary, photo rotation is possible with a couple of touches through the standard functions of the Gallery context menu.
The quality of photography is normal for a 3 megapixel camera. I suspect that there are more advanced similar-megapixel modules, but I didn’t get any direct disappointments with iconBIT CALLISTO 100 either. The camera retains color well, but with the details “everything is clear”. The model does not like frames with a light drop, where the HDR option would be useful. A large “poster” text reads well, and within the page of the book there are numerous zones of “floating” pixels. Autofocus would obviously not be superfluous, although if you wish, you can do without it.
Productivity, in work
Absolutely normal point in the review of the smartphone, but if you think about the essence of "smart watches", again you begin to feel a certain paradox of the situation. So, the hardware basis of the model is a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz. The model does not specify that B-brands are observed regularly. Therefore, we climb into the details of AnTuTu Benchmark and get acquainted with the rather new and interesting MediaTek 6572. The appeal of the processor is expressed primarily (in my opinion) in two things: reduced power consumption due to 28 nm technical process (against 40 nm in MediaTek 6575) and a productive graphics chip Mali 400MP. Although it is clear that in terms of the display resolution of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, the load on the “graphics” cannot be compared to any qHD or HD smartphone. RAM - 512 MB, absolutely normal value, taking into account the specifics of iconBIT CALLISTO 100. The smartphone does not claim priority need for multitasking, and the resource-intensive games here clearly as a pleasant additional opportunity. ROM - 4 GB, the standard of current smartphones at the price of up to 10,000 rubles (~ $ 312). Do not forget about the presence of a slot for a microSD memory card.
I tried to get the results for the three benchmarks. The measurements took place without incident, only in Vellamo for some reason the results were not displayed in the comparative table - only “solo” values ​​were shown. In AnTuTu, the model scored 10,710 points, which seems to be a good achievement. I would like to compare it with some smartphone on MediaTek 6575, but there wasn’t one at hand. And to rely on the results from the reviews even six months ago will not work because of changes at least in the graphic benchmark in the framework of AnTuTu.
In terms of speed, the system did not really remember anything that is good - there are no brakes, and there are no really difficult tasks for MediaTek 6572. Scrolling through desktops occurs smoothly, switching between programs does not put the device into a state of reverie.
With games all very well. I admit, I didn’t even try to run shooters on iconBIT CALLISTO 100, since playing them on a 1.54-inch screen is a little more than impossible. Therefore, I focused on not requiring multitouch games plus racing (accelerometer, that is). As a result, I managed quite well to play Fruit Ninja (yes, multitouch, but one “sword” was enough for me). Excellent started Riptide GP2, subjectively FPS kept at around 30 frames per second. It all looked on the screen "clock" is strange, but it played great.
The following feature was revealed. If you look at the iconBIT CALLISTO 100 worn by hand, in the perception of a number of games this will be a landscape orientation. That is, from our position, the picture in games seems to be piled on its side and changes only in this plane (i.e., the maximum is turned upside down relative to its original position). That was the case in Riptide GP2, but everything was “as it should be” in Cut the Rope. On the other hand, I liked the position in Riptide GP2, if you remove the iconBIT CALLISTO 100 from your hand and take hold of the straps as a “steering wheel” (or “steering wheel”), you get a very comfortable and sensitive control.
About compatibility and adaptation of programs for the screen iconBIT CALLISTO 100. The only program with the launch of which there were problems - the very first Andry Birds. This causes a smile on the background of the fact that with applications like Total Commander, Skype, Dr.Web Light everything went "without a bitch." I did not think that I would write like this, but I don’t feel any special compromises when interacting with the usual set of programs.
Yes, the screen is small, but I did not have to squint or watch the inscriptions eroded in the low resolution. In many programs, items are shown in large. Bunching elements rarely appeared. For example, in the start-up dialogue of Skype, but this is not particularly important - in other aspects of the menu (chat, contacts) it was shown without “layout” errors.
Video playback is exactly the same as on any other device with MediaTek 6572. In terms of, there are no obstacles directly from iconBIT CALLISTO 100, it all depends on the specific video file and the capabilities of the hardware. Playing a random set of HD and, more importantly, Full HD clips, the smartphone coped without difficulty. Of course, watching a video is unlikely to become a priority hobby of the owners of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, but the opportunity to eat means that it will be useful to someone. Only run the video better through the built-in player. Because MX Player and RockPlayer reversed the image in the same way as in the case of Riptide GP2. Unlike regular video playback. With the hardware support for all kinds of commercials, the MediaTek 6572 is all right, so if you do not take into account the specific functions, full-time features without a software mode will be quite enough.
Reading with iconBIT CALLISTO 100 is more than realistic, even if it is also an amateur lesson in the device context. In Cool Reader, I liked the 17th font size more, my eyes did not get tired after a long reading, although this is a purely individual thing. It is best to flip through with single touches (and not with a sliding gesture), otherwise the probability of frequent triggering of the system function “back” is high.
Summing up the interim, I note that the overall functionality of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 was at a high level and is slightly inferior to a full-fledged smartphone. It is clear that by virtue of the screen size comparable to the comfort level of some 4-inch smartphone you should not wait. But to completely abandon video, web surfing, programs like Skype or games, iconBIT CALLISTO 100 does not require.
System, telephone functions and so on.
As the theater begins with a hanger, and iconBIT CALLISTO 100 first shows us the clock, that is, time. In the device settings in the tab “screen” there are six “analogs” and two “digital” display options. The “preview” is quick - I made a choice, turned off the screen and turned on the update. The choice is not bad, there are items from strictly classical to quite futuristic ones.
It is clear that the clock at the same time are the lock screen. After removing the block, we get to the desktop environment. On one display is no more than 4 icons. There is no additional entrance to the full list of programs, all labels are present only on the tables. Small loss, especially, at least a couple of well-known manufacturers of smartphones use this method in their models. I almost forgot to "present" the system - Android 4.2, thanks to MediaTek 6572.
The notification bar on the top has not undergone any changes, everything is exactly the same as in the "big" smartphones.
Available items: browser, search, phone, contacts, camera, gallery, SMS / MMS, settings, clock, alarm clock, music, voice recorder, calculator, calendar, e-mail, file manager, “task” (scheduler), Bluetooth connection , YouTube, news and weather, backup, downloads, map services, video player, voice search and Google settings. There is support for Google Play, manual manipulation of the APK will not be necessary. You can group shortcuts as well as assigning names to folders. How do these or other applications show you in the photo, no comments here.
The settings are more or less adapted to the screen size. There is a main menu of four points, with further subsections. "Exterior" is slightly modified, but all the points we have long been familiar.
In phone functions, nothing unexpected, I did not see. I inserted a SIM card, entered a PIN-code, received a notification about changes in settings and that's it - call for health.
For an incoming call, the number of the caller is for some reason displayed in small print. Plus visible flaws whether localization, or font size. In short, “Pravil” is the answer to the call, “OTK ... Tb” - to reject, reset the call. Perhaps these moments will be trimmed in the final sample device.
During the call, familiar contextual commands are also available.
In case of missing calls, we receive a notification on the top panel and an icon on the “Phone” label.It is bad that when viewing the list of calls the full number does not fit on the screen, although there is plenty of space for this.
And here is what SMS messages look like.
Perhaps, here I will focus on the question of input from the screen. Yes, 1.54 inches - this is not a sweeping modern smartphones. But my addiction to the tiny keys happened pretty quickly. Say, for the first couple of days I typed 6-7 out of 10 characters without errors, then almost always out of 9 out of 10. In general, everything is not so depressing as I swayed at first. By the way, a metal stylus will be included with the model to simplify input, the accessory will be attached directly to the strap.
Conversation without additional accessories occurs only on the speakerphone. In general, the sound quality of the speaker is normal, only at maximum volume begins to give "hoarse." To talk on a noisy street, loudness is enough - unless, of course, you want to communicate in this way. In general, for calls can not do without a Bluetooth-headset or its variations in the form of a mini-phone. The latter looks especially funny - if ordinary “smart watches” become an accessory dependent on a smartphone, then in the case of iconBIT CALLISTO 100 everything happens exactly the opposite.
In conclusion, a few words about autonomy. I find it hard to imagine what scenario should be used to test such a device. Yes, and non-final sample suggests that changes in the duration of the work. Anyway, when playing music at maximum volume, 1% is spent at 20 minutes, with GPS (40% brightness) - 8% for the same period, games (Riptide GP2) - 16%, in standby mode (SIM inserted card) - 1% for 6 hours. I did not manage to see how much charge is consumed when the clock saver is on - despite any settings, the screen turned off after 10 seconds. Again, waste the test sample. Full charge time is one hour.
findings
The device costs 6,690 rubles (~ $ 210). For comparison, in Russia the Samsung Galaxy Gear is available for about 13-15 thousand rubles (~ $ 406-468), Sony SmartWatch 2 looks more affordable with 6 000 rubles (~ $ 187). However, both devices cannot be written down into the direct competitors of iconBIT CALLISTO 100, since (as I have repeatedly mentioned) we are talking about outwardly similar, but in essence fundamentally different, functional devices.
Still, without a smartphone, Sony and Samsung products are not of particular interest, while the iconBIT model is targeting a slightly different niche and does an excellent job with almost the full range of tasks, both from the point of view of a smartphone and a phone. How much this will be claimed is a separate question, here I would prefer to refrain from personal evaluation. By and large, the most controversial point in iconBIT CALLISTO 100
I thought the size, the model would not hurt to "lose weight." In addition, I was haunted by the idea that the 3.5 mm jack would have been completely superfluous. And access to SIM slots and memory cards seems too complicated. But in an unconditional plus iconBIT CALLISTO 100 I will write down that already at the start of the niche of “smart watches” A-brands were not in the role of monopolists in the new vector of mobile technology.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/204952/
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