Tecno smart phones are seemingly coming of age especially after the phone maker chose to go android on its flagship devices, we’ve had an impressive experience with Tecno N3 considering it had android underneath at an almost rock-bottom price tag. It’s not the kind of phone you’d compare with the likes of Galaxy S4 but it has the price tag in its favor. One element I’d credit Tecno for is a well thought pricing structure with a clear target group; I mean let’s face it, you’ll hardly get an Android smart phone costing as little but with the same features and specs. Tecno N7 has everything you’d expect from a mid-range smart phone plus an affordable price tag in its favor, I wouldn’t say it’s awesome but it’s definitely a deal. Underneath are some impressive specs, a clear improvement from its older sibling at a slightly pricier tag.

Tecno N7 comes with a slightly larger 5-inch display panel than N3’s 3.5 inches with a slightly better and decent screen resolution of 800×480 pixels translating to an impressive 233ppi (pixels per inch). It’s not the kind of pixel density that’ll pop your mind especially if you’ve had pricier rivals like the S4, but small text will comparatively look sharper than close rivals and browsing through your photo gallery isn’t a disappointment either. The device’s front panel is occupied by a 5.0 inch panel almost in its entirety except for three capacitive buttons at the bottom and an earpiece at the top. It’s one of the few android devices that combines a decent resolution plus a 5 inch screen and a bottom-rock price tag into one package, almost all close rivals like LG L3 and Samsung Galaxy Music Duos have a smaller panel and basic resolution but costs as much. The covers are mainly curved out from plastic and of course it’ll be immature to expect some bits of aluminum on Tecno N7 considering the price tag, thought it hardly creaks when firmly pressed.

Tecno N7’s back panel houses a 5.0 Megapixels snapper which is well within its price range plus an LED flash that comes alongside so you can take those photos even in dimmer areas. Under the hood is a 1.2GHz dual-core processor; it’s a clear improvement from N3’s 1GHz clock-speed but retains the same amount of RAM which was an unnecessary let down if you ask me, I’d wish to get a minimum of 1GB RAM for that kind of horsepower. The phone comes with Android v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich rather than Google’s latest Jelly Bean operating system, but at least it’s newer than Gingerbread found on N3.

Tecno N7 Features/Specifications;

• Operating System: Android v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Operating System
• Processor: 1.2GHz Dual-Core Processors
• Display: 5.0inch (800x48p pixels) (197ppi) TFT panel, 256k colors
• Camera: Pri:5.0MP, Sec: 0.3MP, LED Flash, Video:VGA
• Storage: 4GB Internal, 512MB RAM Up to 32GB MicroSD card
• Connectivity: MicroUSB v2.0, Bluetooth
• Internet: HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSDPA 5.76Mbps, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, Hotspot
• Other ft: Dual-SIM, Geo-tagging, Replaceable plastic covers
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass
• Battery: Standard Lithium Ion 2300mAh

Tecno N7 Price in Kenya: Ksh.14799

Budget android smart phone’s segment is well catered for, you’d say; but that doesn’t mean operators can’t stretch further their offerings to stand a chance in the pages of movers. I’d say Safaricom and Orange have it all figured out; they’ve unleashed a competitive offer of the popular Alcatel One Touch T’Pop android smart phone – each with its own tag and benefits. Whether the average price of around Ksh6000 is justified – is beyond our scope, but one thing is certain; it’s the kind of tag you’d hope for on most budget smart phones here in Kenya. I remember those days when anyone who is anybody easily settled for the almost now phased out Huawei ideos u8150 as their preferred budget smart phone – it was affordable and above all had android installed.

Nokia fans just got their budget portfolio beefed up with three more 3G enabled devices, Nokia 207, 208 and 208 dual-sim devices have the goodness of 3G capability while at the same time maintaining that classic feel of days of yore. They have that traditional candy-bar design with Nokia’s typical range of colors. It’s almost standard for devices coming out at this point in time to have a 3G radio onboard; and for the same reason, we were rather comfortable shortlisting these devices among potential budget devices than comparing with already available category favorites. Although they’ve been placed within Nokia’s basement portfolio, Nokia 207, Nokia 208 and Nokia 208 dual-sim have some pleasant smart phone additions onboard.

You’d still access popular social apps, smarter imaging and productivity features like mail for Exchange support and internet-sharing on these devices at a pleasantly 3.5G internet speed. Beyond their classic design, not much stands out from the rest of Nokia’s handsets in this genre, so we expect their price tags to hang-around the bedrock. And just as we’d expected, Nokia 207 and Nokia 208 are specially designed for those who’d rather maintain a classic feel on their phones while at the same time be able to access smart phone features. Availability of internet connection on phones is almost paramount in modern society, so it’ll be meaningless to miss-out on decent features such as social media and other internet services in favor of a classic feel; Nokia 207, 208 and 208 dual-sim combines these elements into one.

Nokia 207 and Nokia 208 are favored for use on the go, with a familiar, alphanumeric keypad for speedy texts and messaging, and mail for exchange for staying abreast of work email and calendar appointments. Beyond features you’d get right from the box, the OVI store has lots of additions such as the transfer app which allows users to sync contacts directly from their smart phones and at the same time transforming the likes of Nokia 207 and 208 into secondary or companion devices, perfect for travel. Nokia 208 dual-sim has the manufacturer’s Easy swap technology awesomeness that allows users to change sim cards without necessarily turning off their phones. 3G capability was a smart thought especially when using included social apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and twitter alongside video streaming through YouTube and Vuclip.

Camera features on Nokia 208 that allows users to snap photos in self-portrait, sequential and panorama makes it even more social especially the slam feature that allows users to share images via Bluetooth in a few clicks.

Nokia 207 and 208 Price in Kenya: 68USD