Alcatel is really ready to make a name for themselves if this leaked of the One Touch Scribe Pro has anything to say about it. Alcatel unveiled the Scibe series of phablets back at CES in January of this year, but is already waiting in the wings for a refresher model. This newest model looks to build on everything that was good about the Scribe X and Scribe HD-LTE by not only improving the specs for what it means to be a budget-priced phone, but also adding some unique new features as well. Android Community found a tweet by Eldar Murtazin with the above picture, which includes all the juicy details we need to get an idea of just what kind of budget-priced phone this is going to be. We’ll start with the spec sheet:
- 1.5GHz Quad-Core CPU
- 6-inch display
- 13.1 MP rear-facing camera
- 3400 mAh battery
- Wireless display with WiFi
- Dolby Digital Plus
- Capacitive stylus
- LED Magic Flip cover
Let’s just start from the top, shall we? Alcatel has used MediaTek processors in the past, and there’s little reason to think that they’ll abandon using MediaTek now. While this isn’t using MediaTek’s upcoming Octo-Core chipset, it’s likely using a newer one than is found in the previous Scribe models that were announced last year. It’s not entirely out of line to think they could be using MediaTek’s new dual/quad-core big.Little chip with a PowerVR 6 graphics processor onboard either, but this is all pure speculation since the leak doesn’t get specific at all in regards to processor model.
The display is more hearsay at this point, but we expect this will be at least a 720p 6-inch display. After all the previous Scribe models came in a 1080p and a 720p variety, and those were only 5-inch devices. It’s also an edge-to-edge design, which means that although it’s a 6-inch display, the device shouldn’t be any more massive than the Galaxy Note 3 will be. Following that is a 13.1 megapixel camera, which is right on par with the upcoming Galaxy Note 3 that the One Touch Scribe Pro is obviously competing with. No telling on sensor or optics quality here though, as most of us already know just how little megapixels can really mean anyway.
The One Touch Scribe Pro is also packing a 3400 mAh battery, which is right in line to beat the Galaxy Note 3 in terms of sheer battery capacity. We’ve seen Miracast support in previous Scribe models, so there’s no reason to think that “Wireless Connection to TV with WiFi Display” on the spec list means anything different from that. If you aren’t familiar with Miracast, it’s the new defacto standard for wireless displays, meaning you can show your full display on your TV as long as both devices support the standard. This makes it easy for showing videos and other media to your friends and family, and maybe even playing a game or two depending on the speed of your WiFi network at home. Wrapping the spec list up is Dolby Digital Plus, which is likely a virtual surround sound akin to the new Nexus 7. While the spec list doesn’t include which version of Android the One Touch Scribe Pro is shipping with, the inclusion of this sound mode makes us wonder if it isn’t Android 4.3, since virtual surround is on the list of additions to the OS.
Last but not least is the Capacitive Stylus and LED Magic Flip cover. It’s fantastic seeing a manufacturer pair a phablet with a stylus; after all it’s one of the main things that made the Galaxy Note series, and phablets in general so appealing. Many manufacturers seem to miss the boat on this one, so it’s great to see Alcatel get it right. The LED Magic Flip cover seems to take a page from the Samsung or LG window type flip cases, but instead of leaving the screen open for something to scratch it, Alcatel has an LED display on the outside of the case that tells you the time and possibly some other information that’s not revealed here. It looks like a simple quartz-style display that you would find on a watch though, so don’t expect any fancy tricks a la LG’s G2 flip case. For $300 though the One Touch Scribe Pro packs a serious punch, and looks like it will be giving upcoming phablets a real run for their money. No word on official release date yet, but we’ll give you that as soon as we find out ourselves.