Spice Mi-300: Android 2.1, 3.5G, capacitive touch, 5MP camera for Rs 9,990!

Just when we had thought that LG and Samsung had pulled the price of Android devices closer to (or even below) the Rs 10,000 barrier, the folks at Spice have come out with perhaps the most staggering value for money proposition in the Indian smartphone market. The Spice Mi-300 is simply the most powerful specced device we have ever seen in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment. Here we go with what lies inside – Android 2.1, a 5 MP camera with autofocus and LED flash, 3.5 G connectivity, AGPS, Wi-Fi, a 3.2 inch HVGA (480 x 320) capacitive touchscreen, and a proximity sensor, all for a staggering Rs 9,990. Spice claims that the real price of the phone is Rs 16,990 and the Rs 9,990 price tag is only an “introductory offer.”

While we have not actually used the device, we have heard that it does perform reasonably, although some users have complained that it tends to lag once one has installed a few apps on it (it has only 156 MB onboard memory and as there are no details of processor, we are assuming that that is where bucks might have been saved) and a few others have complained about the build quality (“too plasticky” is a comment we have had to hear a few times). Still, if those are the only sins committed by the Mi-300, we still think that it is by far the best smartphone in the country in the terms of value for money, as none of the competing handsets offer as many options (especially the 5MP camera) at this price point. Android seems set to go mainstream finally.