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Smartphones these days, almost all of them, run on a version of the Android OS. Thus, it is not surprising that even models that are not considered high end run on Android. One such example is the Kyocera Milano phone which is powered by Android v2.3 Gingerbread, on the cheap too. So let’s take an in depth look into this phone to see if its value for money.
Design
Features It is of course great news that the OS powering this phone is the latest version of Android v.2.3.4 Gingerbread as that will definitely be a feature that will attract users. Running on Sprint and being a phone in the middle to low end region means that the Kyocera Milano is going to be a SprintID and that gives us a dozen or so downloadable custom layouts. Sometimes with Sprint we get the feeling that there are many bloatware to be found on the phone, however the Kyocera Milano is an exception as it only comes with apps like Sprint Zone and Mobile Wallet and not much else. Other than that, you will find the usual array of Android apps like the calendar, web browser as well messaging. An app that stood out from the pack is the Eco Mode app. With this app, you get to set your phone to a somewhat ‘green’ mode to save power as you can adjust the settings for your phone’s brightness, haptic feedback and the wallpaper all in one place. For a low end phone like the Kyocera Milano, a 3 inch screen rather than a 4 inch or larger screen was rather expected but a resolution of only 240 x 320 wasn’t. The screen also only offers support for 262k colors which is really low for a phone these days. Adding to that, the screen didn’t provide so much in the way of details and there was a severe lack of depth too. So far, we must say the screen must be the standout downer for the Kyocera Milano. This phone comes with a 3.2MP camera which is also capable of recording video at VGA resolution. Although these are considered to be really bad specs for a high end smartphone, bear in mind that the Kyocera Milano isn’t one and to be honest this camera fared well. Fine details get blurry as you use it at full resolution and as is the case with many other cameras, there were some graining in low light shots. Colors also seem rather muted. Video performance also not too shabby as the playback was smooth and the audio recorded can be heard clearly as well. However, there aren’t as many options to be found on this phone for the camera. The Kyocera Milano offers a good internet experience too. This comes thanks to a browser that works quickly and reading tiny text isn’t too hard as the pinch to zoom and the double tap both work well. This phone uses 3G EVDO Rev. 0 network provided thanks to Sprint. Other than that, the usual connectivity options like GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR and Wi-Fi are all provided. The Kyocera Milano is also capable of working as a mobile hotspot supporting up to five phones. Call quality on the Kyocera Milano was respectable as well as there weren’t many complaints from our friends on the other end. Meanwhile on our end, we could hear our callers loud and clear albeit hearing the voices a little hollow at times. Meanwhile, the battery life being rated at about 8 hours of continuous talk time is also great. When tested, the phone lasted a whole day with no problems with battery level.
Pros and Cons However the Kyocera Milano comes with a small and poor quality display.
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