Many have heard about new promotion"Beeline" - smartphone "Beeline Smart 2" for 490 rubles. At first glance it seems difficult to offer good phone for such little money. To figure out how things really are, we carefully studied Beeline's offer and tested the device itself. The results were encouraging.

Sponsoring the purchase of smartphones is a common practice of mobile operators abroad. For example, in the USA the same iPhone can be purchased in two ways - with a two-year contract from mobile operator and without it. If you sign a contract, the iPhone will cost about three times less. Yes, at the start iPhone sales 5S last year, the price of the 16 GB model without a contract was $649. With a contract - $199. The difference is obvious.

In Russia, by law, a subscriber can change operator at any time. Therefore, contracts for a specific period cannot be concluded, and we do not have such a practice. However, now Russian operators are starting to come up with their own similar solutions. “Beeline Smart 2” is just such an offer, hence the low cost of the smartphone. We'll talk about the cost in more detail, but for now let's move on to examining the smartphone itself.

Let's start with the screen. The diagonal is standard for most inexpensive phones - 4 inches. Screen resolution - 800x480 pixels, 16 million colors. The display has very good viewing angles and normal color reproduction. The screen reaches a comfortable brightness. The sensor responds well to pressing – I never had to press it twice.

The phone is rather light, weighing only 124 grams. Made from quite decent plastic. We don’t see any pleasant features of the case design, but we don’t see any disadvantages either.

However, not everyone will like the grainy rear panel. If you place the phone on a dusty or dirty surface, the space between the grains becomes clogged. Although the panel is not difficult to clean.

Let's take a look inside. Installed in the smartphone newest version Android operating system - Android 4.4 (KitKat). The dual-core Qualcomm MSM8210 1.2 GHz processor is suitable for comfortably performing most simple tasks - watching videos, surfing the Internet, working with applications. However, it is not suitable for large applications or games with high graphics, and random access memory Not enough - 512 MB. In general, the response when working with the phone is fast.

The volume of permanent memory is 4 GB. Card support available MicroSD memory up to 32 GB. The phone has one 3 MP camera, no flash. It is possible to customize shooting parameters.

Image quality is decent for budget camera, judge for yourself.

Manufacturers could not do without a Wi-Fi module and a GPS navigator, and the Li-ion 1200 mAh battery in active mode (working with web pages, listening to music, watching videos) lasted about a day. The smartphone operates in 2G and 3G networks, including the ability to receive and transmit data in HSPA+ networks, theoretically reaching speeds of up to 21.6 Mbit/s.

Of course, Beeline installed its own services on its phone. This is, for example, an application for managing your account, services and changing tariffs, as well as a special version of mobile antivirus from ESET. There are also services for replacing the beep with a melody and listening to music.

Note that the smartphone only works with a Beeline SIM card, but the company may provide the opportunity to use a SIM card from another operator. To do this, you need to contact the Beeline office.

There is a smartphone on the market with very similar characteristics - this Sony Xperia E1. It has the same processor, the same size display with the same resolution, one 3 MP camera, the same amount of RAM and storage. The cost of a smartphone on the Internet, judging by Yandex.Market, starts from 4.5 thousand rubles. Compare with the price that Beeline asks for its budget phone.

Speaking of price. For Beeline Smart 2 you will have to pay not 490 rubles, but more – 2650 rubles. The smartphone itself costs 490 rubles, as the operator promises. But when purchasing it, you need to pay for the Beeline service package for four months in advance, a kind of replacement for an operator contract. This package includes four months of service tariff plan“Everything for 300” and the “Mobile TV” service for the same period. The price of the package is 2160 rubles. But in essence, you only pay 490 rubles for a smartphone, since the rest of the money goes to your subscriber account.

The “All for 300” tariff includes an impressive amount of services: 1 GB of traffic, unlimited calls to Beeline numbers in Karelia, 120 minutes per day to Beeline Russia numbers, 300 minutes per month to numbers of other operators in the home region, as well as 100 SMS per month. 1 GB of traffic may not seem enough to some, but it is more than enough to view websites, work with by email and social networks.

Using the Mobile TV service, you will be able to watch 40 TV channels on your phone, and no fees will be charged for Internet traffic.

You can buy a smartphone without a service package. Then its cost will be 2,650 rubles - a tempting price compared to similar models On the market.

"Beeline Smart 2" seemed to us a very profitable offer. Pros: assembly, display quality, stable operation and, of course, price. Disadvantages: delays when working with large amounts of data, not very expressive design. Suitable for anyone who is looking for a modern budget work smartphone for everyday use, but does not expect super-performance from it.

And it attracts a large number of people at its price. At the same time, “Beeline Smart 2” has very good characteristics, and for the most part superior to the parameters of other devices of the corresponding price category. Despite the fact that this phone is blocked for use only with Beeline SIM cards, it can be flashed and then used with SIM cards from other mobile operators.

"Beeline Smart 2": main characteristics

If you buy a phone at a promotion from an operator, this does not mean that it will be of low quality. The practice of buying a phone with a contract with an operator came to us from America. There, with such promotions you can buy an iPhone for a third of the price. For example, the 5S model costs just $199 with a contract. However, our contracts are concluded for an indefinite period, and operators ask for payment several months in advance upon purchase.

When considering Beeline Smart 2, its characteristics can be assessed as quite acceptable. For the price you had to pay for the device, you get a smartphone with a four-inch

The display of this device is quite clear and displays 16 million colors in a resolution of 800 by 480. This display also offers a good viewing angle. You can set the brightness that will be most comfortable. Overall, the display is the strong point of this device. The multi-touch touch system responds immediately; you don’t have to press it several times, which is also good news. The phone fits comfortably in the hand and is light in weight - only 124 grams. The only drawback is the grainy surface of the case back. Only those who do not like this design will consider this a significant flaw. Meanwhile, such a cover helps to hold the phone. The Beeline Smart 2 hardware also has very good characteristics for its price category. First of all, the dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 gigahertz is good. Using it, you can easily visit pages on the Internet, view photos and videos (including from the Internet). There is only 512 MB of RAM, but when working with ordinary applications that do not require high performance, this resource is quite enough, and the gadget responds very quickly.

Built-in media

The smartphone has only 4 GB of internal memory, but this is enough for a small number of light applications. To store information, such as music, you can install an SD card with a capacity of up to 32 GB. You can also store photos on the card that were taken using a 3 MP camera without flash. With the help of Beeline Smart 2, the photo quality can be taken to be quite acceptable, despite the small number of pixels. In the application that controls the camera, you can select various settings as you wish.

What options does the standard Beeline Smart 2 firmware contain?

To make it more convenient for the user to work with the Beeline network, the smartphone comes pre-installed special applications. Among them is an antivirus program from Eset, which you will get completely free. There are also applications developed by Beeline specialists. Using them you can change the tone, listen to music and connect services.

Many people want to change the standard firmware so that the smartphone acquires new qualities, and this can be done, but stable operation after this manipulation no one guarantees.

Separately, it is worth noting the “Mobile TV” option, which comes along with other programs. When the smartphone first connects to the video stream, the image and sound slow down a little, but after a few seconds the TV starts showing no worse than satellite TV.

How to unlock Smart 2 Beeline

If you want to work with a SIM card from another operator, then ZTE provides for entering a phone unlock code, which can be purchased separately. This is done through the official website of the manufacturer. You can go there through intermediaries (there are several sites from which you should choose a proven one).

NSK

The code will not be provided to you immediately; in some cases you will need to wait up to 4 days. The fact is that it is obtained using the official database of the manufacturer. The price of the NSK code is also due to the fact that everything is done officially, and the manufacturer also provides the code for a fee. At the same time, from an economic point of view, it is more profitable if unlocking on Beeline Smart 2 occurs using a code.

It does not require any labor. Moreover, out of the entire amount that you will be asked to pay for new phone in the operator's communication salon, the majority are communication services. If you add up the amount you pay for the smartphone itself and the price of the code, then in any case it will be more profitable than buying a device that can be used with other cards.

How to flash Beeline Smart 2

Despite the fact that the stock firmware is rightfully considered the most stable in operation, many are looking for an opportunity to improve the performance of the phone or correct its shortcomings using new firmware. Changing the software will also help so that the gadget can work with all SIM cards. The Beeline Smart 2 phone can be unlocked not only using a code, but also by changing the firmware. This method requires a small amount of knowledge, skills and Root rights. However, you can change the firmware yourself only at your own peril and risk, since there are currently no official versions.

What is the difference between regular firmware and CyanogenMod

First of all, Beeline Smart 2’s system firmware is blocked for using a SIM card from one operator. With the modified CyanogenMod firmware, the most popular among users who decide to improve the performance of their device, the problem of using one operator does not exist. In addition, with its help you can get a more advanced device in terms of matching the hardware to the gadget’s system. You can also solve the situation when Beeline Smart 2 does not turn on using flashing. It is not necessary to install modified firmware for this; it is enough to install the official one from ZTE.

How to install firmware on a smartphone?

The “Smart 2 Beeline” instructions do not provide for the fact that the user will independently change software on the device. It should be noted that there are also several standard algorithms for such cases. In order to unlock your Beeline Smart 2 phone, you will need to reset the firmware using the Open C Upgrade Tool. First of all, you need to install this program on your desktop computer, so that you can then update the device’s firmware through it. Now you will need to authorize the device and pair it with personal computer. After these manipulations, the Connected program should see and identify your phone. Then in the program window you need to mark the Erase CEFS item with a marker. Next, you need to specify the path to the folder with the firmware version. Once everything is ready, you will see the “Ready” status in the window.

It is important that at this moment only the phone is connected to the PC. Other devices may fail. Before the installation is complete, you should never interrupt the connection, as in this case the device will not work, and in some cases you may need the help of a technician from the service center to get it working again. In order to start installing the software, you must click on the “Upgrade” button. When the program finishes, you will see a window indicating that the update was completed successfully. And to determine whether the unlocking was successful, you need to insert a SIM card from any operator and check its functionality. Usually, only this measure is enough to ensure that the phone supports all operators.

Unlocking with Cyanogenmod

In order to install this firmware modifier, you need to download the firmware and gapps to the memory card. They are usually distributed in archives, so they need to be placed on the map. Please note that the name of the folder in which the archive is located must be written in Latin letters. The CWM archive must be unpacked to the root of any disk, after which the phone must be connected to the PC in “recovery” mode. Run the bat file, after which the firmware of your device will begin, after completion of the work the phone will reboot. If the firmware has not completed correctly and the message “waiting for device” appears, then you need to take a few more steps to restore the functionality of your device.

For those who have an operating system installed on their desktop PC Windows system 7 or 8, you need to open the list of all devices and find Android in it. Select an item from the menu and find it yourself. Most often, the driver is stored under the name or in the ZTE Android adb interface folder.

XP users need to additionally download the driver and install it on their PC.

After the download from the PC has finished, you need to boot the smartphone in debugging mode and perform all the Wipe procedures. Then you can begin installing data from the archives. Start with CWM, and then install gapps. After installation is complete, perform a system reboot procedure.

freedom of choice

After booting up the smartphone, you will find that it can work with any SIM card, as well as installed mod. This firmware can solve the widespread problem of saving applications and their data on an SD card, which is why users use it very often.

How to eliminate possible bugs when working with non-standard firmware

After the modified firmware is installed, the user can not only evaluate its advantages, but also find a lot of disadvantages. There are not many ways to avoid this, since the manufacturer does not recommend using unofficial software, and the mod developers do not guarantee functionality. First of all, use the latest firmware to install. If the phone is unstable, then it is best to flash it back to stock software. You should not carry out the firmware without having experience in this area, since without it, instead of increasing productivity, you can end up with a completely non-working device.

Unlike modified ones, factory firmware is of higher quality, but its productivity is often much lower. We hope the information contained in the article was useful to you.

The second “race” of the “Smartphone for 490 rubles” project. The smartphone really turned out to be different (ZTE instead of Huawei), the terms of the promotion also changed. Today we’ll talk about the new budget Beeline smartphone.

Promotion

Beeline took into account the shortcomings of the previous version of “Smartphone for 490 rubles.” Seven months before the start of regular payments is a considerable period for the operator. This time they added “mobile TV” to the promotion and shortened the period to four months. You can read our full review and comparison of the conditions of the two promotions; below are the main conclusions:

“...the format of the action has changed. Six months ago, when buying a smartphone, we paid for seven months of use of the “All for 300” tariff for 2,100 rubles, now in a package for 2,650 rubles. (full price) includes the smartphone itself for 490 rubles, four months of a subscription for “Everything for 300” (1,200 rubles) and four months of a subscription for the Mobile TV service (960 rubles). For Moscow, an option is also available with the “All for 600” tariff and the “Mobile TV” service with a validity period of three months, in this case the full price of the set is 3,010 rubles. (490 + 600x3 + 240x3). In principle, the smartphone itself can be purchased for exactly the same 2,650 rubles. without any services included, although there is almost no point in such a purchase. Unless you plan to return the device and get your money back, but why then buy it in the first place?

There are no other options for “packaging” the services, and, for example, it is impossible to refuse mobile TV in favor of increasing the number of prepaid months “All for 300”. The price of the service package (in Moscow 2,160 or 2,520 rubles) is debited from the account immediately, and whether to use the services or not is up to the owner. It is impossible to transfer this money to the balance of another number. After four months, the Mobile TV service is automatically disabled; to continue using this service you will have to reconnect it. The service includes a “Basic” package (32 TV channels); when watching TV via a 3G network, the Internet traffic included in the tariff is not consumed.”

We were also pleased with the obvious “work on mistakes”. Last time, the potential of the promotion was greatly underestimated; in some regions of Russia, the imported batches of smartphones were enough for a few days of sales. And in some places, the previous generation E600 smartphones were successfully sold to inattentive buyers “on the sly.” This time we were clearly better prepared. Indirect confirmation - the availability of kits in Eldorado stores from the beginning of September throughout Russia, news.

Now let's move on to the Smart-2 smartphone itself. It’s interesting to compare it with an analogue smartphone from the previous promotion, so I’ll try to adhere to the “organizational structure” of the Beeline Smart review written in the spring.

Dot the i's

Beeline Smart-2, born ZTE-V811. One SIM card, miniSIM format (regular). operating room Android system KitKat 4.4.2. Processor - dual-core Qualcomm MSM8210, 1.2 GHz. 4 GB built-in memory, 512 MB RAM. MicroSD slot up to 32 GB. Capacitive screen 4 inches, resolution 480 x 800, pixel density 240 ppi. Battery 1 200 mAh.

Support 2G/3G (no LTE), 3G bands 900/2 100 MHz. The main camera is 3.2 MP, there is no front camera. Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, FM radio available, only via an external antenna (headphones/headset).

SIM-lock is installed, and the smartphone initially works only in the Beeline network, but upon purchase you can order and receive an unlock code. There are no additional shells or other “proprietary amenities” that slow down the work. There are light and proximity sensors, automatic brightness adjustment. Weight - 124 g, plastic, standard “no” design.

The full “issue price” is 2,650 rubles. (four months of subscription for “Everything for 300” (1,200 rubles) and four months of subscription for the “Mobile TV” service) or 3,010 rubles. (three months of the “All for 600” subscription and the same three months of the “Mobile TV” service), prices are indicated for the Moscow region. The entire amount of the monthly fee for four (or three) months is debited from your account at the time of purchase, you leave the salon with a smartphone, a prepaid package of services for 4 (3) months and the amount of 1 ruble on your balance. Official description of the promotion and characteristics of the smartphone on the Beeline website.

Positioning

Based on the results of the previous campaign, now I even find it somewhat difficult to determine the target audience. Perhaps, in first place I would put an impulsive purchase under the influence of advertising. Whatever you say, the declared “490 rubles. for a smartphone" are a serious argument. It is clear that in the end you will have to pay 2,650, but for 4 months of “freebie” the amount is also not very scary. We, deep down in our souls, understand that there is a “clue” somewhere, even for 490 rubles. No one will sell us a decent smartphone without additional conditions.

Otherwise, there are also plenty of application options. Even though the device is budget-friendly, the smartphone works well, and the 4-inch 480 x 800 screen doesn’t break your eyes, so you can give it to a child. Or treat yourself by finally throwing away something of a previous or pre-previous generation with a harsh resolution like 320 x 480. It’s high time if “it” is not just a dialer for you.

Equipment and design

A classic, for these times, gentleman's set: the smartphone itself, charger, connecting cable, SIM card, User Manual, warranty card.

There is no headset, there is no memory card of even the minimum capacity. I already agree with the suppliers about the lack of a memory card. A very cheap 2-4 GB card will not make a difference for those who do not have enough of the actually available 1.7 GB “on board” (according to the “passport” - 4 GB). A card with a larger capacity is an irrational waste of the supplier; too many people get along just fine without an additional memory card at all.

And I’m not (yet?) ready to agree with the lack of a headset. Maybe not for talking, but what about FM radio? It turns out that not all the declared functionality is available out of the box, and this is not entirely correct. At least they included three-kopeck headphones in the kit. And taking into account the “television component” of the tariff, you can’t do without headphones, and we can only hope that salon workers will convey this idea to customers. To the benefit of yourself and to the joy of those who will be next to the owner of the miracle device.

A charger with an output current of 500 mA, also “in the best traditions.” The only consolation is its comparative compactness. Three to four hours of full charging time instead of one and a half to two with a decent charger. This is wrong, even if the battery lasts a month or two longer. Few smartphones today “outlive” their battery even with active use.

The 1,200 mAh battery itself also looks like a mockery; this capacity is now clearly not enough. Such a battery was enough “back to back” for the previous generation smartphone ZTE E600 with a 3.5-inch low-resolution screen, but in the current “Smart-2” it is not enough even for a day of active use. Especially considering that the package includes mobile TV without traffic restrictions. Russian consumers often act on the principle “paid for - must eat!”, and they will eat... a meager battery. I have already been told in reviews that in mobile TV mode the battery lasts for 1 hour and 48 minutes. I hardly watch TV myself, but I’m ready to believe it, thanks for the experience and specifics in numbers.

By the way, more and more often I see an indicator of moisture not inside the smartphone case, but on the battery. This is a “note to the hostess.”

If the previous “state employee” ZTE E600 showed at least some attempts to indicate an original design, then in “Smart-2” we see the bare functionality of a standard case. Two color options are announced: black and white. At least the white one stands out from the crowd of similar devices, and I suspect it will be more difficult to purchase.

The “back” is inexpensive plastic with a fine notch that rustles unpleasantly in your hands. But, unlike soft-touch, fingerprints are not visible and the smartphone looks neat. The “Beeline” inscription on the back is present, but not aggressive.

Design Features

There is nothing remarkable inside, a fairly tightly packed case. When will this race for millimeters of thickness due to battery capacity and other “improvements” end? At least in budget devices they would abandon the inappropriate “stylishness” in them, by God.

It is difficult to open the back cover; I was already starting to think about using a chisel. They say that a completely latched lid and a battery in a separate bag is a well-known sadism of suppliers; without a battery in the case, the plastic of the back bends inward when opened and it is much more difficult to unfasten the latches. But “Smart-2” is not easy to open and with a battery inside, I sympathize with the salon workers.

The volume rocker is on the right side. I’m used to finding it on the left side, but perhaps I’ve just come across such smartphones more often. I would still like to see standardization in this matter; there is no point in forcing people to retrain. The fact that the rocker is made flush with the decorative insert is also not encouraging; the volume control is difficult to find. The swing motion is comfortable and works well.

The power button is on the top edge, and it protrudes exactly as much as needed. Although we use the power button much more often. But the camera's eye does not protrude, which is good. The headphone jack is on the top, there were no surprises here.

The microUSB connector is on the bottom edge, with the wide side facing up. Although I was convinced that everything can happen and there are no conventional standards, placement with the wide side down is still more common.

But I was pleased with the microphone, which was located on the slightly sloping lower part of the front panel. With the traditional placement of the microphone on the bottom edge, the hole may be blocked for those who hold the phone in their left hand during a call.

An unexpected surprise: there is no separate multimedia speaker; its role is played by a voice speaker. From personal experience, the decision turned out to be surprisingly correct. The volume of any multimedia, if affected, was not much; a separate speaker in budget devices does not sound much louder. But a universal speaker of greater power and, probably, diameter perfectly reproduces the voice during a telephone conversation. It's not about volume, but about sound quality. Here it is at the level of “thoroughbred” and expensive smartphones It's nice to talk on the phone.

Display

Once again I will repeat the ancient joke about the fact that “... they hit you not on the passport, but on the face.” And we are not looking at screenshots, but at a live display. Therefore, there should also be screen photos in the review. Despite all the additional distortion introduced by the camera.

The screen in Smart-2 is characterized by a noticeable “blueness”, like the vast majority of displays on budget devices. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it, and I'm looking forward to display color settings becoming a standard feature on all smartphones. So far I have only seen it in expensive devices, where the color balance is already more or less in order.

Another example of display color rendition. To be fair, in a photograph the screen is perceived much worse than in real life, but all the features are obvious. Unlike screenshots, in which everything always looks great.

For a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480*800, the pixel density is 240 dpi. I once wrote that I consider 250 dpi with such a diagonal to be minimally comfortable for the eyes, while I consider this statement to be fair. It’s good that such screens are becoming the standard for budget devices and lower-resolution displays are gradually falling out of use.

The horizontal viewing angles of the screen are excellent, but with a strong rotation in the vertical plane, the colors are distorted. Overall, it’s not bad, and in landscape screen orientation (when watching TV) it’s quite comfortable.

There is a light sensor in the smartphone, and, accordingly, there is automatic adjustment brightness It works smoothly, without jerking or throwing, everything is fine indoors and outdoors in cloudy weather. In this sense, the smartphone also compares favorably with the previous Beeline Smart. Unfortunately, the brightness margin is minimal, and in the sun the display is almost unreadable, which is sad.

Camera

Front camera no, there is no flash either. The main camera resolution is 3.2 MP, the maximum image resolution is 2240 x 1344, there is no autofocus. In terms of its parameters, the camera is completely identical to that of Beeline Smart, but the difference in favor of Smart-2 is clearly visible to the naked eye. With this module, you can already live in the space of social networks-Instagrammers, without experiencing much moral suffering.

In good lighting conditions, the photographs are quite presentable. There are no color distortions, the sharpness is sufficient for posting on social networks. In Beeline Smart, I had the most complaints about the camera matrix, which took pictures frankly poorly in any conditions. In Beeline Smart-2 you get a tolerable product that matches the description. Below are several examples of “non-ceremonial” photographs in different conditions.

On the left is a shot in clearly low light of one fluorescent lamp. I wanted to see the correctness of color processing in the “Auto” mode. There is some blur (the shutter speed was clearly too long for handheld shooting), but the colors are not bad.

On the right is a snapshot of an A4 page with text. The result of running through recognition systems will not please you, but at least it can be read without excessive effort and accompanying expressions. It'll do. Other interesting things include a characteristic pinkish-purple spot in the center of the image. As far as I understand, this is a “proprietary” software trick that shifts the center of the image to “warm” tones. It's no secret that previously the center of 90% of mobile phone pictures was the face. Well, maybe now it’s already 75%, another 15% are meat and fish delicacies, which are always posted on the Internet before being eaten. The soft pinkish tint in the photographs also suits deli meats very well, you must agree.

"City landscape". Sharpness and color reproduction are also normal. Considering the lack of autofocus in the camera, this is not bad at all.

Shooting the face “point-blank” does not disappoint, and this is a significant part of the photos posted on social networks. The sharpness is tolerable even when shooting from a distance of a meter, suitable for selfies. If you look closely at the image, you will see a shift in the spectrum in the center of the image (see above), it works.

Finally, for comparison, here is a photo of another advertisement stuck on the wall inside the entrance, the lighting is a dim 40 W lamp about two meters from the object. Above is an as is shot in “auto” mode without any tricks, below is with careful selection of the “incandescent” mode. The bottom photo is better, but the automation worked very well on the top one. That is, in the “point and click” mode the camera behaves adequately and the pictures do not cause disgust. Exactly what you can and want to expect from a budget 3 MP camera without autofocus.

Characteristics

Basic specifications listed right on the box, that's correct. There is no support for 4G (LTE), 3G bands are only those currently operating in Russia. Thank you that at least UMTS 900 MHz is present.

AnTuTu data for fans of “virtual parrots”, as many as 12,671. In the previous “Beeline Smart”, these birds were almost 20% less (10,865), but the number of virtual feathers in their tails depends on the version of the application. So, I don’t have complete confidence in the really faster performance of Smart 2.

Data from another application. The only thing that alarmed me about its data was that the application always shows the processor operating at maximum frequency. The same application on other smartphones usually showed the operating frequency of the processor 30-40% of the maximum. But this is not yet a reason to draw far-reaching conclusions.

There are a few more “parrots” regarding the available memory and the sensors present in the device. Nothing fundamentally new, but some people will find the numbers useful for understanding or statistics. Hope.

Impressions from work

I have no particular complaints about the cellular network radio unit; it works properly. And it receives and transmits data quickly, the speed test indicators approximately correspond to those on other smartphones on the Beeline network in the same place. The only subtlety is the switching time from 3G to 2G and back. I was alarmed by some “thoughtfulness” of the device during transitions; it could have switched faster. But I don’t insist on purely personal feelings.

The Wi-Fi module was no surprise. The sensitivity is average, it connects to the network quickly, I haven’t seen any inexplicable tricks with “selective” detection of networks on the air.

There are no complaints about the operation of mobile TV. The initial loading time of the list of channels with “thumbnails” greatly depends on the data transfer speed on the 3G network; the wait can last for a minute or a minute and a half. But having “hooked” the stream, it works smoothly, and I also had no complaints about the quality of the picture. That is, it actually works, and does not declare triumph high technology the very fact of its existence.

WITH voice communication everything is normal and no surprises. With the exception of the unexpectedly good speaker, I already wrote about this. The battery, of course, was disappointing; it is clearly weak for active use. As a small consolation, there is very good survivability in standby mode (almost three days without tricks with turning off everything “unnecessary”), but a smartphone is not bought for use in this mode.

At first I was very pleased with the event indicator, a small three-color LED on the front panel. A wonderful thing that is so lacking in many “serious” and expensive devices. Plus, it saves battery power, eliminating the need to turn on the screen again. Unfortunately, for me it only worked as an indicator of the battery charge mode, categorically refusing to respond to other stimuli. Naturally, I rummaged through all the settings more than once, because I was intrigued by such strange behavior. Okay, let's chalk it up to a defect. specific device or hardware incompatibility with Android KitKat. You can also remember the ancient joke about newlyweds: “Darling, let this be my little secret!”

Summary

A good “work on mistakes” and a good “workhorse”, the device is clearly better than the previous “Beeline Smart”. If only it had a bigger battery, it would be an ideal smartphone entry level. Considering the “promotional” price, this is an interesting option, that’s undeniable.

Mobile operator Beeline presented at domestic market his second creation - a budget smartphone for 490 rubles. The previous model was supplied with a promotion that included seven months of using communication services, which is quite a long period. The current version of Smart-2 can also be purchased for 490 rubles, but the period of use of the Beeline service package is reduced to four months.

Manufacturers also equipped the smartphone with mobile television and made some improvements to the devices. In Western countries, mobile operators have long begun to sponsor the production of mobile devices for their SIM cards. In the United States, you can buy a modern iPhone, which will cost the buyer several times less than its cost, but the user is required to enter into a two-year contract with a certain company.

According to the laws Russian Federation, the user can change mobile operator at any time. It makes no sense or benefit for telecom providers to enter into long-term contracts. Russian operators began to look for a way out of the situation and come up with various solutions to the situation. One of these options was the Beeline Smart 2 communicator, user reviews of which we will now consider. So, everything in order.

"Beeline Smart 2": reviews, characteristics, capabilities

The smartphone supports only one branded SIM card; if desired, you can unlock it for another operator. The mobile device has a dual-core processor with a performance of 1.2 GHz. As for the power of Beeline Smart 2, reviews from owners indicate that it is enough to perform simple tasks: working with applications, surfing the Internet and watching videos. For most games with high graphics or large applications, a smartphone is not suitable. In addition, the device has the following characteristics:

Despite such accessibility of the Beeline Smart 2 smartphone, user reviews often emphasize that the display can please with good color rendition and viewing angles. It supports 16 million colors with a resolution of 400x840 pixels. The functions include a brightness adjustment key, which allows you to achieve optimal performance. There are also lighting. As for the sensitivity of Smart 2 (Beeline), reviews from experts who had the opportunity to test the capabilities of the communicator are very positive: it responds well to touch, and during testing it was not necessary to press it twice.

Photo and video

Let's take a closer look at what other reviews the Beeline Smart 2 smartphone has. Photos and videos in this device, unfortunately, not at the highest level. V mobile phone no, but the main one is only 3.2 megapixels. However, it is possible to configure various shooting parameters, this allows you to take photographs of quite acceptable quality, despite the fact that in good lighting conditions the pictures turn out to be quite good, they are free of blur and noise. After taking the photo, you can immediately post it on social networks.

As for the weaknesses of the Beeline Smart 2 camera, owner reviews cite the lack of flash among the shortcomings. The smartphone supports wireless communications and navigation. There is a built-in radio, but it can only be turned on using headphones. The weight of the smartphone is quite light - 123 grams, the body is made of high-quality plastic. At the same time, the Beeline Smart 2 phone, reviews from owners confirm this, cannot please us with its design. Back panel mobile device covered with fine grain, which helps prevent the smartphone from sliding, but the space often becomes clogged with dirt and dust.

What are you getting

The package consists of the smartphone itself, charger, Beeline SIM card, connecting cable, and user manual. There is no memory card, nor is there a headset. Manufacturers apparently did not consider it necessary to include 2 or 4 gigabyte media. However, this is not so important for those who lack the built-in memory of 1.7 GB. There is no point in investing in a large card and thereby increasing the cost of the mobile device. Some users can easily do without additional memory.

Discussing the Beeline Smart 2 smartphone (reviews confirm this), users were much more sensitive to the lack of a headset in the kit, as this makes it impossible to use radio and mobile television. Manufacturers should have taken this fact into account and included at least cheap headphones in the package. Now it is recommended to purchase a headset together with a smartphone so that all the functionality of the device is available.

Autonomy

The 1200 mAh battery lasts about a day in active mode. For a four-inch smartphone, such a battery is clearly not enough; it is more suitable for mobile devices with a 3.5-inch screen, low performance and resolution. If the operator’s service package includes a mobile TV with unlimited traffic, then the battery charge only lasts for 2-3 hours.

Parsing

As for the appearance of Smart 2 (Beeline), reviews mostly insist that the previous model budget smartphone the design was much more interesting than the current one. IN latest version You can only see the standard case without any hint of the original appearance. The smartphone is available in black and white, although light-colored mobile devices are very difficult to find on sale. On the back cover there is the name of the mobile operator, but this is not striking.

Opening the device is quite difficult, and you obviously can’t do it without using improvised means. In some smartphones, manufacturers snap the back cover onto the device and include a separate battery in the package. Then you have to work hard, because when you try to open the “base”, it bends and gives in very hard. As for the Smart-2 device, the battery is already present inside the mobile device, but it is still very difficult to “hack” it.

Ease of use

On the right side there is a volume control key. It is inserted together with the decorative part, and it is not easy to feel it with one hand. This button is quite comfortable to work with, because its action is clear and easy. The power key is located on top of the end of the case; it has to be used often, so the button protrudes slightly beyond the edges for better visibility. The camera in a plastic frame does not stand out much from the base of the smartphone. And the headset jack is located on the top end.

One of the positive characteristics is the location of the microphone at the bottom of the front panel. This is especially true for users who are accustomed to holding it in their left hand while talking on a mobile phone, which often leads to the sound being blocked.

Results

Smartphone manufacturers were able to slightly improve the functionality of the device. For such a tempting price, Smart 2 is a very good deal. The communicator also has some disadvantages - an inexpressive design and a delay in processing a large amount of information. This device is suitable for everyday use, but you shouldn't expect great performance from it. This is the Beeline Smart 2 smartphone. The reviews and characteristics that we provided in the material can help you decide whether to purchase a device or not. It all depends on your phone requirements.

The device only works with MTS SIM cards

– perfect as a first smartphone or a device for making calls and surfing the Internet. The compact body allows it to fit into any pocket and fit comfortably in a hand of any size. A low price will also be good for your pocket.

Modern operating system Android 5.1 Lollipop with MTS Start proprietary shell, 2 core MediaTek processor MT6572A/W and 512 MB of RAM provide comfortable performance when performing everyday tasks. The smartphone operates on 3G networks, but for faster Internet access, you can use the hotspot Wi-Fi access. Wireless speakers or headphones are connected via Bluetooth, which has version 4.0. With its help, you can also transfer files to other gadgets. Built-in player, FM radio and Internet browser will not let you get bored on the road. A plus is the presence of a headset in the kit, which is not often found in the box with entry-level devices.

MTS Smart Start 2 Dual sim lock Black equipped with a 4-inch diagonal display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels. In addition to high-quality color rendition, it will also please high level brightness Its size is enough for viewing social networks, Internet surfing and even YouTube videos. To store applications, photos, videos or music, 4 GB are allocated, of which 1.5 GB is available to the user. To expand this space, just install a MicroSD memory card. A built-in battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh will provide up to 9 hours of talk time and up to 92 hours of standby time. For photos, the smartphone has a main camera of 2 megapixels, and for video conversations in Skype or Viber, a front camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels.