Women's view on Just5 Spacer: 5-inch smartphone with two covers for 5,250 rubles

Today, on my cutting table in my hands is Just5 Spacer, the first device from the brand of “fashion grandmothers”. At the same time, this model is not directly related to devices with large buttons manufactured by Just5: it is aimed at people of any age and with any requests. (Let me remind you that earlier my colleague wrote, let's say, “a man’s look” on this device.) And I would like to consider this model from a female point of view and determine whether it fits the concept of a “female smartphone”.

Instead of the preface

In my opinion, a female smartphone is an extremely, extremely extensible concept. And it's far from a fact that those models that are positioned in this way can be called truly female. Here, for example, take the Samsung Smart Series La Fleur. What is female about them? Flower ornament on the "back"? Well I do not know. I love flowers, of course, but I consider a few “tattoos” on any thing — be it a smartphone, a laptop, or even a bag — a bit ... well, vulgar, or something. A kind of splint for women living stereotypes, pff ...


Samsung Galaxy S4 mini La Fleur
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Previously, in the tubes for the beautiful half of humanity, people liked to sip all sorts of applications like a calorie counter and a calendar for calculating critical days. About 3-4 years ago, this approach was probably relevant, since the push-buttons supported only Java, and it was problematic to “fill” them with women's software. And now in any smartphone there is a catalog of applications, so you can put the necessary (or wanting to seem necessary) applications in two accounts.

Why am I all this? Almost any smartphone can be suitable for a girl, you just need to test it thoroughly and draw the appropriate conclusions.

Specifications:

Screen: 5 inches, 540 x 960, capacitive, TFT-IPS, multitouch
Front camera: 2 megapixel
Main camera: 8 MP (autofocus, flash)
Wi-Fi: +
3G: +
GPS: +
Dual SIM: +
Processor: MediaTek MT6582M, 1.3 GHz, 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores, Mali-400MP2 graphics
RAM / ROM: 1 GB / 4 GB
Memory Cards: microSDHC
Operating system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
Battery: 1,800 mAh
Dimensions: 144 x 71 x 9.4 mm

Meet on clothes ...

In terms of design, yes, it will do. At least to me. It would seem that from the device for 5 with the hook of a thousand rubles (and Just5 Spacer went up a bit: 4,990 (~ $ 150) was asked for him for NG, and now - 5,250 (~ $ 158)) it is difficult to expect anything special. But here come to the forefront complete panels, two of them - black and white.



Developers could make the first one familiar for smartphones of this class with soft-touch (“rubber from tire” level, as is usually the case), and the second to be glossy. But, fortunately, they went the other way. The black panel, as it were, with a “spark” and looks like metal. I know a person who took this coating for painted aluminum - really looks like. As for the white, it is made of matte slightly rough plastic. Perhaps this is the same plastic, which today is called polycarbonate. I remember something like I used to see in the HTC One X and Sharp models.



Just5 Spacer is a 5-inch model, that is, quite large. I always liked the large size, but my friends are still amazed how you can "get along" with a smartphone, the diagonal of which is more than 4.3 inches. But I have long noticed that users are annoyed not so much by the size of a smartphone, but rather the strange arrangement of controls on “large-format” devices. I am pleased to announce that Just5 Spacer with ergonomics is all right: in particular, the power button is on the right side, and you don't need to reach out and / or use your second hand to press it. But we saw 5.7-inch fablets with the power key in the center of the upper end. There, yes, constant exercises for lengthening fingers.



I will not go into the nuances of the location of other buttons and connectors: everything is standard here, no HDMI, no camera keys and other components unusual for our time. Here are the pictures:

Camera

I wanted to blink just about the camera button, but in this case it is not needed. Because if you are offered a smartphone with a high-quality case for 5 thousand rubles (and this is it), a 4-core processor and a 5-inch IPS-screen (they are a little lower), then surely the developers will save on something. So it turned out with the camera: the pictures did not hit me, well, that's generally nothing, they are frankly weak. I, who likes to take photos mostly on the phone (because it is always at hand), and not on the paunchy SLR (which makes the bag heavier) did not like the camera at all :( The camera settings are as follows: 8 megapixels, flash autofocus. There is also a front camera 2 Mp, which allows you to more or less clearly demonstrate your attractive face to the interlocutor in Skype.

Examples of images:

Screen

The screen (and not only the screen, but the entire front panel with three standard touch buttons) is covered with plastic, also saving. As far as I do not like all these films, but in the case of Spacer, I still recommend to purchase such an accessory. So it is somehow safer - I have not met a single person who would have been delighted with scratches on the display. The quality of the matrix is ​​not bad, you could expect the worst. It is clear that this is not the most beautiful IPS possible, and yet. The color rendition is natural, the viewing angles are wide (although not a reference 178 degrees), the margin of brightness is tolerable. The resolution, however, is not very high - 540 x 960, which at 5 inches of the diagonal gives a slight graininess.




I would like to see HD-resolution, but here's the situation. Just5 Spacer is based on the MediaTek MT6582M chipset, and the 720p screens only support MT6582. It is almost the same (4 Cotrex-A7 cores with a maximum frequency of 1.3 GHz), but the Mali-400MP2 graphics frequencies are higher. Due to this, it is more expensive, so apply its developers - and the price of Spacer would not be so "tasty." And yes, as far as performance is concerned, there are absolutely no complaints about the device: Android flies, the cars in Asphalt 8 are also, the birds in Angry Birds - well, it's clear that they normally work on any smartphone: D

Performance

Some benchmarks:


I think the graphics speak for themselves. The device, I repeat, is smart. That is, never during the operation I did not want to throw it against the wall.
As for igrulek, I don’t play games on a smartphone, if only in the same notorious ominous birds, but for fans to play Asphalt 8 or Real Racing 3, the smartphone will do (even games with high graphics go more or less smoothly).

Despite the processor about 4 cores and a relatively sickly battery of 1,800 mAh, Just5 Spacer is relatively well at home with autonomy: it can handle up to 2 days. But I used to charge him once a day and a half, so to speak, from sin. And yet: it is clear that MediaTek did a good job optimizing software and hardware in such a way that a powerful smartphone with 1800 mAh does not “die” every half day. Although there is someone who uses a smartphone ... Once she took Motorola Droid Maxx from a friend (and he is considered one of the survivors!) And planted it in a day, as she used it hard-haired: wi-fi was turned on all day. the browser worked without ceasing, push-notifications flowed like a river, photos were processed, and even the day turned out to be such that someone needed me — they constantly called me, but that's another story ...



Dual SIM cards are supported, with one slot in miniSIM format and the second in microSIM. On the one hand, this is good, as it allows you to install virtually any SIM card in your smartphone (well, except nanoSIM, but this format is currently used except in the latest iPhones and Moto X). On the other hand, only miniSIM is intended for 3G networks, the second is for 2G only (as stated in the instructions), however, during testing, I found out that the second “big sim” also supports 3G! Here is a pleasant surprise! ^ _ ^
There are no complaints about the quality of communication - the voice is transmitted well in both directions, I did not record a sudden disappearance of the signal. With GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also no problems.

It is difficult to say something special about the software: the model uses “naked” Android 4.2.2. Maybe it is good, but I would not refuse any launcher more beautiful. Just because the black background in the menu is fed up, the standard Google-android icons are also. But this is not a problem, these launchers are full on Google Play. Frustrating is that there is no update over the air. Want to upgrade software - great, go ahead, only all applications will have to be reinstalled.


The device does not play music very well, which, incidentally, is characteristic of all budget smartphones. And it's not about the quality of the complete headphones (it is equally low everywhere), but the fact that the developers of such models, as a rule, do not bother with fine-tuning the audio path and using quality components. But the speaker was pleased - it is difficult to miss the call, yelling be healthy.

Conclusion

Would I buy myself such a device? Eh, if there was a normal camera ... But my girlfriend really liked Just5 Spacer, especially if you start from the price and the desire to get the maximum for this price (not only in terms of performance characteristics, but also in terms of exterior pleasantness).

The device, of course, turned out not without flaws, but critical for most users I do not find them. The camera is not happy, but very often very average cameras are installed in smartphones for 8-10 thousand rubles ... But everything else is at a decent modern level. And the “flowers” ​​that are not here is not a problem: if a girl really wants to, then you can stick something on the back panel or order a colorful film in the online store to revive the design ;-) Its central part is flat, so everything should work out. But better, of course, is not necessary: ​​Just5 Spacer already looks good, especially with the panel "under the metal."


And here is a friend with her favorite machine (by the way, I bought it!)