iBUZZ iQ-3 - Another half-baked dual SIM, QWERTY business phone Review

iBUZZ iQ-3 - Another half-baked dual SIM, QWERTY business phone detailed review

iBUZZ is a new entrant invading the entry-level mobile market, under the banner of Vertex Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Its distribution and marketing is currently spread across half a dozen states in India. iBUZZ's main focus is on capturing its market share in the low-cost handset segment, with all its products falling in the price-range between Rs. 2,200 to Rs. 4,000. As the competition seems to be heating up in the entry-level segment particularly the dual SIM category, iBUZZ has set its foot on both domains - the dual SIM and QWERTY business phone with the release of iQ-3. The iQ-3 quite daringly follows the ageing strategy of imitating the design aesthetics of a Blackberry business phone, which is already too redundant with the likes of Micromax Q5C, Byond Q99 and Motorola Charm which we have reviewed earlier.

The iBUZZ iQ-3 in an attempt to distinguish itself from the redundant Blackberry phone imposters, incorporates a flashy yellow-coated plastic strip running across its body-contours, which is hardly pleasing to the eyes. The call answer, call disconnect and the navigation control dial find the exact same spot on the iQ-3, which we have seen on the Byond Q99. Also, the yellow-colour coded special function keys replace the white-colour coded keys on the Byond Q99. Thankfully, the similarities between the two cellphones end here, as the port locations have been altered for good.

[RELATED_ARTICLE]The iQ-3 incorporates a glossy black finish on the front & back panels, making it vulnerable to smudges. It has a solid build quality with harder than normal plastic body, weighing at just 91grams.Though, the first sight of a QWERTY keypad could excite the business executives and the SMS fanatics alike, the poor tactile feedback and jerky keys with cramped key-spacing are a killjoy for the enthusiasts. The technical flaw with the alternate functionality of the “k” key, wherein the special character ( ' ) not registering the user input even after multiple trials, while the “alt” key is pressed. The user is required to press and release the “alt” key every time before pressing the “k” key, to activate its special character functionality. Thus, it takes a major hit on the keypad ergonomics. We had seen a similar technical flaw with the Byond Q99, which is really baffling and disappointing from the customer perspective.

The menu interface hasn't changed much across the brands, like we have seen imitations in body design, user interface and disappointingly the same kind of technical flaws too. However, we cannot ignore the much simpler and systematically organized sub-menu classifications, which is a big plus for a novice user.

Read on to know the performance, our take, ratings, specifications and test results on the next page...

Performance

[RELATED_ARTICLE]The iQ-3 delivered consistent signal strength and call clarity across the various locations that we tested. There were a few instances where the voices got echoed during the conversation, otherwise there were no dropped calls throughout the test. The loudspeaker clarity was good at volume levels up to 70% and the audio distorted beyond this level. The handsfree produced excellent call clarity at volume levels up to 90%, which is a big plus. The camera test yielded mediocre image clarity and washed-out colours, characterised by blurriness and poor object focus even in close range shots. The music test produced average results. The quality of the display is ordinary with very limited viewing angles, which affects the usability and comfort while watching videos. The video-playback quality is horrible with constant stuttering and intermittent freezes marring the viewing experience.

 Our Take

The iBUZZ iQ-3 compares well with the rich feature-set and the baffling technical flaws of the Byond Q99. The iQ-3 outperformed the Q99 in the call quality & Bluetooth test, while the Q99 outplayed the iQ-3 in the camera test. Thus, we have a mixed bag of results for the two cellphones falling in the same price category and hence there is no clear winner. At a price tag of Rs. 3,499, if you are looking for a better camera phone, you should opt for the Byond Q99. Otherwise, the iBUZZ iQ-3 should suffice as an effective low-cost cellphone for making calls and sending messages.

Specifications: SIM (GSM GSM); Display: 2-inch, Screen resolution: 176 x 220; Memory: microSD expandable up to 8GB; Battery: 1100mAh, Talk-time: up to 4 hours, Standby-time: up to 360 hours; Dimensions: 108.2 x 56.5 x 12.9; Weight: 91 grams;

Ratings
Features: 6
Performance: 6
Build Quality: 6
Value for money: 7
Overall: 6

Contact: Vertex Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Phone: 91-120-4243888
E-mail: N/A
Website: www.ibuzzmobile.com
Price: Rs. 3,499