The Moto E is Motorola’s new budget Smartphone. Currently available in India exclusively on Flipkart, it sold out within two days of its release. But is the hype really worth it?
Hardware and Design
In terms of design, the Moto E resembles its predecessors the Moto G and X, with its distinctive dimple. It is, however, relatively thicker. Despite being compact, it is quite heavy, at 142 gms. The body feels sturdy and, despite being made predominantly out of plastic, it has a smooth finish. The only concern is that the back feels rather rubbery. Prolonged use may lead it to be quite oily.
The distinctive dimple protects the 5MP primary camera from scratches and other damage. Picture clarity is, however, rather low. And unlike other budget phones (such as the Nokia Lumia 520), it does not have an app that offers extensive camera options. It is the same basic app as the one seen in the Moto G and does not offer many camera features. Taking a good photo may thus be hard.
The volume rocker is on the right side. The phone uses on screen buttons for navigation. The 4.3 inch screen displays images and other material is quite sharp, with 540 x 960 resolution. The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen is hard to crack and is a first for phones within this price range. The colours displayed are bright and vibrant. Viewing in sunlight, however, leaves much to be desired.
Software and Features
The Moto E is powered by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 200 dual core processor with an integrated Adreno 302 graphics processor. With 1 GB RAM, it is capable of working without constantly hanging. In addition, it has an internal storage capacity of 4 GB, 2.2 GB of which is available for use. The phone also allows an expandable memory up to 32 GB. And it supports two micro SIM cards in dual standby mode, each of which can connect to a 3G network. Quite impressive for such a low budget phone.
The Moto E runs on an Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, with the promise of at least one upgrade in the future. This is a first for budget Android phones. The OS ensures clean home screens, a lock screen with a camera shortcut, Google apps of every kind including Google Now and on screen navigation buttons which hide when you play games or watch videos.
The phone has a new app previously absent in Motorola phones, namely the Moto Assist app. It allows one to choose ringing modes, variants of which are Sleep and Meeting. It is quite handy as it syncs to meetings and appointments stored on your calendar. It is capable of switching to meeting mode at the appropriate time.
The phone also makes transferring data from your old phone easy with the pre-installed Moto Migrate app. Other features include an MP3 player, Picasa, Google Maps and more.
Performance
The phone functions quite well and is suited for everyday use. It seldom lags and runs programs fast and without hanging.
The Li-ion 1980 mAh battery is non-removable. It is capable of lasting around 5 hours if used intensively; not quite impressive as other budget smartphones such as the Nokia Lumia 520.
You will have to charge your phone at the end of the day regardless of how much you use it.
Price
The price is, of course what sets this phone apart. It costs only Rs. 6999; quite impressive for an Android phone with so many features. It has already sold out on FLipkart, where it is being sold exclusively.
You can, however, pre order the Moto E from Flipkart and get it as soon as possible.
All in all, the Moto E is a rather good phone for those looking for a budget Android mobile device. Order now and you are sure not to be disappointed. For its price, it is quite at par with its competitors. Hurry, or you’ll be waiting a rather long time for your new phone!
