Like it or not, your phone can make a statement about your sense of style. And if you thought handsets made by domestic mobile phone makers pale in comparison to communication devices from the MNC club, think again. Homegrown brands provide attractive features like touch interface functionality and QWERTY keypads, MP3 players, long battery back up, dual or triple SIM card slots, add-on memory card slots, elegant looks, style and finish at competitive prices, thus giving established MNC brands a run for their money. Easy availability and a promise of efficient after-sales support are the other key motivators for end users to show increasing preference for fast-growing domestic brands.
Lava Mobiles, a fast growing Indian brand recently debuted Lava S12, its first Android smartphone which provides users with 3D interface and stunning looks for a superior sensorial experience. Indian handset buyers are increasingly more feature conscious, applications aware and value conscious. And the R&D folks at Lava have done a decent job in their endeavour to understand the needs and usage of an average Indian consumer; they have created a smartphone that provides the user with the best of features, preloaded apps and makes it a sure shot style statement giving the end user a richer experience.
The S12 is a sleek smartphones available in the market and is just 13 mm thin. A matte leather finish lends a contemporary feel to the phone; the device has a smart outlook with rounded top & bottom edges that not only makes the phone comfortable to hold but it gives it a stylish curved look. The metallic silver finish on the hard keys and edges makes the phone stand out from the rest.
As soon as I switched on the phone, the user interface transformed the home screen into a virtual 3D space. It offers 16 customisable home screens, which can be modified by the user as per his requirements and interests. Fast switching between screens with a single gesture, unique smart folders and a rich set of animated 3D widgets, make the navigation simple and effective. Frankly, such an interface has not been seen on any phone in this price segment.
Sporting a large 3.2-inch display with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution, the S12 is great to watch videos, browse the internet or play games. The phone will offer a superior user experience as the capacitive touchscreen provides quick response and better accuracy. Lava S12 is powered by a 600 MHz processor by Qualcomm. The phone supports up to 32 GB expandable memory and runs on Android Froyo (2.2) operating system. To keep the user connected on the move, the S12 comes with 3G (up to7.2 Mbps), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth connectivity.
With a strong focus on providing a richer smartphone experience, Lava S12 is preloaded with a host of useful applications. Other than the standard Google Application suite that offers Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Chat, there are Facebook, Twitter and Nimbuzz apps also present. Hungama MyPlay, Saavn, TuneWiki and YouTube apps take care of entertainment. To top it all, Lava S12 also lets the user watch live TV channels on the move; with S12 users get one year subscription of Zenga Mobile TV absolutely free.
SlideIT keyboard option in Lava S12 is an innovative keyboard solution that enables users to type by sliding fingers. This makes typing much easier and faster over a touch device. The S12 features a 5MP fixed focus camera on the back with digital zoom to give you the perfect picture you want. The 1300mAh battery provides long battery life thanks to smart battery management. The S12 is priced at R8,200 and comes with a free 2GB microSD card in the box.
Traditionally, India has been a price sensitive market. But in recent months, there has been a paradigm shift in the mobile handsets market with a strong uptake in shipments of devices with advanced features at affordable prices from new and emerging brands. Lava appears to be a key beneficiary of this trend.