Spice M-515 Coolpad Double SIM Android Mobile Phone-An Independent User Experience !

For almost a month, I have been researching to buy a new mobile phone as a replacement to the one I have been using for almost 2 years. 

Not that this one had any problem. It was a Micromax A-75 Superfone Lite which I had purchased for about Rs.8500/-. It was a cute looking black touchscreen mobile with double SIM and a 3.5 inch screen.

Before that I was a satisfied user of another double SIM mobile from the same company which looked like a replica of a famous international brand, but costing only one-tenth. I took the decision to go for a touch screen one from the same Indian mobile phone company, just to prove to some one in my family about the wastefulness of spending high amounts of money for these kinds of electronic gadgets, especially for those expensive models, when cheaper versions having almost the same functionality and better features are also available in the market. The world is now in a fast forward mode with thousands of people engaged in designing and marketing electronic gadgets having various features. The gadget you purchased a few months ago spending a good amount of money would soon become obsolete and cheap when some better designs get released. Those who are rich and have surplus money resources are in a position to buy all these things spending much and throw away those when newer things appear in the market. But it is simply a foolish idea for those who do not have that kind of resources to mimic the rich and waste their scare monetary resources.

But it is the weakness of the majority human beings to mimic those who are famous and rich. Hero worship comes from this inferior mindset. I said inferior, because they lack the ability to analyze situations and take independent decisions that might not be aligned with the thoughts of the majority. So, weaklings are easily brainwashed through advertisements and today's marketing management gurus give much stress to this when they train young marketing managers. An obvious outcome of this hero worship in today's world is the rise of high end brands in the case of marketable products and services and celebrities in the case of marketable human beings. Both these have the followers or fans in millions.

Anyway, that is the status of our world today and there is no escape from this reality. 

And I could not convince the brand fan in my family and I had to keep my new acquired mobile to myself and the brand fan purchased the liked brand having the same technical functionality by paying double the money I paid for my A-75. The expensive brand failed in a few months time while my cheaper brand kept working without any such problems. The brand fan got fully satisfied when the failed gadget got repaired by the company after some prolonged, not-much-cordial customer-supplier exchanges!

But it would not be true if I say that my A-75 was perfectly alright. In the beginning it did not bother me much when the phone took a  second or so to respond to my touches. But later I began to feel it as some thing not so desirable when I compared it with the newer versions having faster processors. Yet that was not enough reason to get it replaced and spending money for another mobile. 

In the mean time, finding some problems with some mobile network caused me to have more Subscriber Identity Modules , popularly known as SIMs,  from all possible mobile phone companies in my locality. These SIMs are some sort of micro-liabilities now-a-days. You have to keep it in safe custody as it is registered in your name. You cannot afford to miss or lose them. If these miniature micro computer embedded metal-plastic combination get into some unauthorized hands, my life could become a nightmare. The law-enforcers of the country could indeed make my life miserable.So, these extra SIMs that I got during these years almost free  now needs to be kept installed in some cell phone, rather than keeping them in some purse pockets! Moreover, I do not have the skill of hand, as some of the younger generation, to keep the phones opened now and then to interchange the SIMs as per needs! Of course this compels me to incur some recurring expenditure as I have to pay these telecom companies regularly whether I use these or not.

And lastly, my better half too began to have a fancy towards this touchscreen in the recent days. That fancy got migrated towards a compulsion when her non-touch screen mobile showed some charging hitches once or twice.

So, the time was nearing for purchasing another mobile, adding the functional mobiles in my household to four. My wife readily and very kindly agreed to be satisfied with my old A-75.

So, I had to do the research for selecting the new one that I am going to procure.

Luckily, the internet is full of information about mobile phones. You can know all the technical specifications, reviews from various novice users and expert mobil-o-holics, price quotes, comparisons, images and the like by just doing a few clicks. [try it yourself here!] 

Only problem, is that you need to be a bit tech-savvy to select from these the most ideal one for you.

As I have hinted earlier, I am not in favor of paying more just for a product's brand equity. Perhaps, the so-called MNC brands might be doing some better inspection and testing and may be paying more to their personnel than those manufacturers at the lower ends. But, some customers should be there to promote the products of the smaller players as well.

Considering all these and my requirements, after about two week's internet survey, I zeroed in to the model which I purchased. And this is SPICE M-515 Coolpad ! 

I have been using this now for the last few days.

The following is my independent review of this phone as a satisfied user. 

1. Its 5 inch screen which allows me to read word and pdf documents easily and watch photos and videos comfortably.

2. It has a 1.2 GHz processor with enough 1 GB RAM, 4 GB Phone Memory and slot for 32 GB memory card, quite enough for any normal user. It is really swift with regard to the its touch response. It has never hanged so far. I have installed many android apps easily and also uninstalled some without any difficulty. Connection to my PCs through the USB cord was also much easier.

3. The rear camera of 5 MP is reasonably good, with the VGA front camera just for that occasional video calls. Image and video qualities are good.

4.It has some very useful factory installed apps which I find as useful.

5. The pack contains the mini user manual, 2000 mA battery, screen guard, USB cord and charger.

6.The battery lasts comfortably with normal use. It lasts over two days for me, a minimum user. Even with heavy use the battery should last a day.

7. Most important is its price, under Rs.10000/- together with the external memory card of 16 GB.

Perhaps, the only disadvantage that I find with this phone now is the company's inability to supply the flip cover which I find as a very essential thing for touch phones of this size. It is a bit difficult to take it out from the shirt pocket as it could slip from your hands if you are not careful. It could also get damaged by accidental hits! But I hope, this company would soon be able to market the cover!

But remember, this phone is in the market for only for a few months now. It would not be possible to assess its long time usability, customer service from the company in case of problems and its life.

It would be perhaps better to purchase the phone from a local mobile shop, if one reliable one is available, as I have done, instead of ordering it online. The local dealer would perhaps be of better help in commissioning the phone and pasting the screen guard and giving you some better demonstrations!

Added Later:
I am happy that my local dealer could provide me the flip cover for the phone in a week's time as he had promised. With this genuine factory made cover with an MRP of Rs.1000 (the local dealer gave it for Rs.800!) made the phone complete in all respects as far as I am concerned.