Orange with Intel Inside: we tried it!

Night Intel Geek So In # 6, we were able to get their hands on the new mobile Intel Inside to you our first impressions.

It is a secret and it is even possible to get their hands on some tests of this new smart phone under Intel Medfield. It does not seem necessary to remind que he works not under ARM and x 86 instructions. Quite often in the sector, often said that Intel would not be able to produce processors also performing that those into an ARM architecture equivalent consumption while giving as much computing power. Giant Santa Clara showed no, and that is quite capable in this new mobile created jointly with Orange.

Before addressing our ownership, a little detail its sheet. Sometimes known as the Orange Santa Clara and then under the trade name Orange San Diego that is also clearly marked on the French store of the operator, Intel want to resume this name indicating that is simply called "Orange with Intel inside". Step from the simplest to retain customers, but the two partners did not wish to take the coverage on one or the other to take credit for this new mobile.

Then, this fact sheet said that in addition to run on Intel, the processor used is an Intel Atom Z2460 mono core running at 1.6 GHz supported by 1 GB of RAM. The graphic part is more classic and known enthusiasts because it is another that chip PowerVR SGX540 who team also the Samsung Galaxy S and Nexus. The display is provided by a screen of 4.03 inches without more precision on the technology used with a definition of 600 x 1024 pixels. Top of the screen hides a camera of 1.3 million pixels and a second rear protected by a prominent cache for 8 million pixels that can capture videos in 1080p, it also supports burst mode and stabilization, but autofocus seems not functional.

 

 

The chassis is 12.3 x 6.3 cm for 9.9 mm thick with a weight on the balance of 117 g, without forgetting the NFC chip which Orange wished to add his personal touch developing a home application to play with. The operating system which anime is an Android in its 2.3.7, version but Intel indicated that a portage to Ice Cream Sandwich was in progress with an update for the weeks that follow, juror promised. But this update is slow to arrive as blue developers preferred to wait that Google fixes the bugs in this new version to stable on x 86 in good condition so that the customer experience is the most perfect possible, us was reassured.

First of all, the first taken in hand, this smartphone gives a nice impression of lightness, finesse is for something and the first impression seems good. The lighting of the screen button is a little steep, it will be surely difficult in certain conditions to turn it on in a bus in full motion for example. The screen displays of beautiful colours and the videos are fluid in 720 p.

      

After 15 minutes of viewing, opening web pages filled with flash animation and other CPU-consuming activities, mobile heats up a little on the bottom, but this is correct and there is not place to ask if it will end up with a torch in the hands. No, the Intel processor appears well energy avoiding him dispel all efficient as much heat. If it is efficient, it appears also reactive in this version of Android. Web pages open quickly, the loading of Flash ads is also fast and reading them is immediate. We still only a problem of lag on the zoom of the pages, but we think it's more likely a problem of optimization of the browser of Android to the processor itself.

We have noticed - how to pass side? -, that the Android interface was completely altered to be the colours of the operator and many of its houses applications are present such as VOD, or even the system especially developed for the NFC to be used later, we were told.

In summary, this mobile is promising and Intel could very well return through the large door on the market of smartphones and tablets with a processor to the appetite of bird, but growing fast enough still bytes to provide a reactive product. We now look to have longer on hand to measure the complete autonomy of the smartphone but also to measure the user experience on the day the day with this type of processor in a mobile.