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Time of India
14-07-2025
- Time of India
Alcatel V3 Ultra review: A ‘Note'-worthy comeback
Rating -- 3.5/5 Alcatel is returning to the Indian smartphone market, and it's doing so with an offering in the budget segment. While the Indian smartphone space is crowded with brands focusing on performance and cameras, Alcatel is taking a different approach. With a dual-mode matte display that can switch between colour and black-and-white (much like an e-reader), and a bundled stylus at no extra cost, the Alcatel V3 Ultra aims to carve out a niche of its own. The smartphone carries a price tag of Rs 19,999 (onwards). Is the V3 Ultra just another smartphone fighting for attention, or does it manage to make a place for itself? Let's find out. Design and display by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Book Your Daily Profit By 11 AM With This Superclass By Mr. Bala TradeWise Learn More Undo Alcatel V3 Ultra doesn't try too hard to look different, yet it manages to stand out. With flat 2.5D edges and a weight of around 196 grams, the phone feels sturdy but not bulky. We received the Hyper Blue variant for review, and it's quite eye-catching—thanks to its mix of matte and glossy finishes on the back and a subtle starry shimmer that catches the light. The circular camera module adds a bit of flair without going overboard (though we have this camera module design on multiple smartphones). On the right edge are the volume up and down buttons. Below them is the power button which doubles as a fingerprint sensor, followed by Nxtpaper shortcut slider (we'll discuss its functionality shortly). On the top-left edge is the SIM card tray. At the bottom are the USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, mic and speakers. There's also a stylus tucked neatly into the case which, notably, is included in the box. It can be used for doodling, note-taking, or simply navigating the screen. It's passive—no Bluetooth or battery—but works well enough for casual use. But the real star here is the display. Alcatel V3 Ultra features a 6.78-inch Nxtpaper panel that brings something truly unique to the table—a dual-mode screen. With a simple flick of the Nxtpaper slider on the side, the display transforms from a vibrant colour mode into a matte black-and-white interface, similar to what you'd see on a Kindle or other e-reader. This isn't just a gimmick—it's genuinely useful if you like to read on your phone. The matte finish makes the screen easier on the eyes, especially for long reading sessions. It also cuts down glare and resists fingerprints far better than regular glossy panels. If you're someone who reads a lot on your phone, or just wants a distraction-free mode for writing or browsing, this feature might become your new favourite. The 1080 x 2460 resolution ensures decent sharpness, and the 120Hz refresh rate helps make scrolling feel smooth, whether you're in colour or monochrome mode. While colours in standard mode are not the most vibrant (partly due to the matte coating), the trade-off is worth it for the versatility and eye comfort. Overall, this is one of the few phones in the sub-Rs 20,000 category that dares to do something different with its display—and pulls it off quite well. Performance Alcatel V3 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, paired with Android 14 layered with Alcatel's custom UI. On paper, this is a mid-tier chipset that's designed more for efficiency than raw power—and that shows in everyday use. In daily tasks like texting, calling, browsing social media, or watching YouTube, the phone performs well. App switching is mostly smooth, and scrolling feels fluid thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. Even casual games like Subway Surfers run just fine. The user interface is clean and relatively light, which helps keep things moving without unnecessary bloat. Alcatel V3 Ultra Unboxing & Hands-on | Dual Display Mode, Sleek Design & More! However, the phone does struggle under pressure. Try multitasking with several heavy apps or playing graphically demanding games and you'll notice occasional stutters or frame drops. It's not unusable, but it's clear that this device isn't made for power users or gamers. During our testing, the phone also got noticeably warm while charging or using GPS outdoors. That said, we didn't face any major overheating or performance throttling. If your usage revolves around basic day-to-day activities with the occasional burst of creativity or entertainment, the V3 Ultra holds its own. But if you're expecting flagship-level speed or heavy gaming performance, you'll probably need to look elsewhere. Camera On paper, Alcatel V3 Ultra boasts a 108MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro lens. At the front, there is a 32MP camera for selfies. While the specs sound impressive, real-world results are fairly average. Photos taken in daylight are passable but often lack sharp details and tend to soften skin tones. Low-light and indoor shots struggle with clarity, and the front camera delivers grainy selfies even under good lighting. The macro lens, like on most phones in this segment, is mostly forgettable. Simply put, the V3 Ultra's cameras are fine for casual shots and social media, but if photography is a priority, this phone won't blow you away. Battery life The smartphone houses a 5,010mAh battery, which sounds promising on paper. In everyday use, it mostly delivers. During our testing, we found that the phone comfortably lasts a full day with moderate use - social media, messaging, some video streaming, and occasional camera use. In our experience, the phone gave around 10 to 12 hours of screen time, depending on how often we used the colour vs black-and-white display modes. The monochrome mode, in particular, helps stretch the battery life significantly, especially during reading or long browsing sessions. The box comes with a 33watt charger which takes about an hour and some minutes to go from 0% to 100%. Verdict At Rs 19,999, Alcatel V3 Ultra dares to be different in a segment crowded with lookalikes. Its dual-mode matte display is genuinely refreshing, the bundled stylus adds value, and the clean UI makes day-to-day use pleasant. However, with average cameras and a processor that's not meant for heavy lifting, it won't suit those chasing top-tier performance. If you're someone who values eye comfort, reads a lot, or simply wants a phone that doesn't follow the crowd—this one might just earn a place in your pocket. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
25-06-2025
- The Hindu
Alcatel V3 Ultra Review: For design-savvy and reader-first audience
The Indian smartphone market has been witnessing a shift in its mass segment. The 20K segment is brimming with feature-packed budget phones from competitive brands like Motorola, Oppo, Redmi, etc. It will be interesting to see if the French consumer electronic brand Alcatel is able to make a place for itself after its re-entry in the market via licensing route with NxtCell. Featuring in this review is the V3 Ultra from the V3 series. A budget smartphone with a cool display, a design that breaks the monotony and a smooth stylus, let's find out if these features make this smartphone an attractive pick for consumers. Design The Alcatel V3 Ultra embraces a candybar form with a flat 2.5D glass design and measures just under 8mm in thickness. At 196g, it manages to stay fairly comfortable to hold even during long usage. The Hyper Blue variant I tested has a unique appeal — glossy meets matte in a surprisingly elegant way. While some may find it a bit flashy, it does break the monotony of matte-only finishes seen in many other budget devices. What really adds a design twist here is the side button layout. The power button sits neatly alongside the right edge, accompanied by a volume rocker and the Nxtpaper shortcut slider — a feature not commonly found in phones, doubles up as a fingerprint sensor. On the left is the SIM + microSD card tray, and support for eSIM brings rare flexibility in this price bracket. A USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and dual speakers with DTS 3D Surround finish off the bottom edge. Stylus Bundled in the box is a smooth, responsive stylus — a feature we typically don't expect under ₹20K. Whether it's doodling, signing PDFs, or simply navigating the UI, the stylus experience is genuinely useful. It docks into the back of the protective case, making it easy to carry. (For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today's Cache) Compared to the Motorola Edge 60 Stylus variant, which offers slightly better latency and stylus-based features, the V3 Ultra stylus still holds its ground for regular use. It's a thoughtful addition that boosts the phone's creative appeal. Display Alcatel V3 Ultra's 6.78-inch FHD+ Nxtpaper display (1080 x 2460 pixels) is its biggest USP. Built with anti-glare AG etched glass and IPS paneling, the screen looks and feels like paper. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate and is surprisingly sharp and smooth despite its matte texture — a first in this category. Alcatel offers four display modes, each tailored for different use-cases: Regular, Max Ink (for deep reading sessions), Ink Paper (an E-ink-like grayscale interface), and Colour Paper (for reduced glare with soft colour tones). The intuitive slider on the side lets you toggle between modes quickly, making it ideal for readers and long-screen users. Compared to the shiny glass slabs flooding the market, this panel feels comfortable, distinctive, and thoughtful. But not all is perfect. Brightness levels under direct sunlight are just average, and certain users might find the muted icon contrast a bit jarring, especially coming from AMOLED screens. Still, for eye comfort, this display is a winner. OS Alcatel ships the V3 Ultra with Android 14 out of the box — a clean, near-stock Android experience with no bloatware in sight. While this minimal approach helps keep things fluid, Android 16 is already out, and Alcatel hasn't yet offered clarity on long-term software updates. That's a red flag for those hoping for a future-proof buy. Performance The V3 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset paired with up to 8 GB RAM (plus 8GB virtual RAM expansion) and 128 GB storage. While this processor is quite dated in 2025, it still performs fine for daily tasks — browsing, YouTube, emails, and even some light multitasking felt lag-free. The UI is fluid, thanks to the clean software, and there's no excessive animation to slow things down. On Geekbench, the phone returned a Single-Core Score of 702 and a Multi-Core Score of 1914, which makes it look average. The GPU score of 1400, though not stellar, handles casual gaming like Subway Surfers or COD Mobile (on medium settings) without serious frame drops. That said, this isn't a phone for gamers or power users. It does get slightly warm with extended use, and intensive apps like Lightroom or Farlight 84 are best avoided unless you're okay with some lag. Camera Despite the big 108 MP + 8 MP ultrawide + 2 MP macro rear camera setup and a 32 MP selfie camera on paper, the V3 Ultra's camera output is underwhelming. Daylight shots are soft, oversaturated, and lack dynamic range. HDR tries to fix this but ends up blowing highlights more often than not. Low-light photography struggles as well — Super Night Scene mode adds noise rather than detail. The 8MP ultrawide sensor is usable but suffers from edge distortion. The macro lens is more of a checkbox addition than a functional tool. Even the 32 MP selfie camera, which could've redeemed the setup, delivers soft, filtered results. In fact, one rarely feels inclined to open the camera app, which is disappointing at this price point when brands like Samsung, iQOO and Realme are pushing much better imaging systems. Battery The phone comes packed with a 5,010 mAh battery. Light to moderate users will easily get through a day and a half without charging, and heavy users can still expect a full day of screen time. However, the 33 W charger, though faster than older 18 W standards, takes around 80–90 minutes for a full charge — slightly behind some Realme and Redmi phones that offer 44 W or even 67 W fast charging in this price segment. Verdict Alcatel V3 Ultra is a bold offering targeting the design-savvy and reader-first audience. With its matte Nxtpaper display, practical stylus, and a clean UI, it brings some genuinely unique elements to the mid-range segment. But in a market flooded with all-rounders that offer superior performance, better cameras, and faster charging at similar prices, the V3 Ultra feels like a niche pick. It's ideal for someone who wants to reduce screen glare, focus on reading, and enjoy the luxury of a stylus — not for someone expecting flagship-grade performance. So, can Alcatel reclaim its spot in India's hyper-competitive mid and budget space? Maybe not just yet — but it's certainly made us look its way again. Alcatel V3 Ultra starts at ₹19,999.
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Business Standard
23-06-2025
- Business Standard
Alcatel V3 Ultra review: Kindle disguised as smartphone, decent performance
Alcatel, originally a French brand now licensed by China's TCL Technology, has re-entered the Indian market with its V-series smartphones. The company, which began selling cordless phones in India in 1996, was later acquired by Nokia in 2016, and reportedly sold its final product in 2018 before exiting the Indian market has returned after a seven-year break with three new devices: Alcatel V3 Classic, Pro, and Ultra. The Alcatel V3 Ultra is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor and introduces the NXTPAPER IPS display at a starting price of Rs 19,999. The unique selling proposition (USP) of this smartphone is its display, which can be tuned to show colours or go black-and-white inked screen, similar to the Amazon Kindle. Is it a smartphone worth purchasing when there are plenty of other options available in midrange segment? Let's find out. Design and Build The Alcatel V3 Ultra features a generic smartphone design with a thin 7.99 mm frame and weighing 196 grams. The smartphone stands tall as a decent-sized smartphone that fits in your pocket perfectly. The plastic back panel of the smartphone flaunts a huge circular camera island positioned at the top left corner, which draws quite some attention. The Alcatel V3 Ultra comes in three colour options, and all three feature a mix of glossy and matte bits that add a unique touch and make it resistant to fingerprints or smudges. The unit that we received for review was Ocean Grey, which sports a distinguishing yet appealing pattern, giving it a premium feel. The Alcatel branding rests vertically on the bottom left corner. The side frame comes with a matte finish, sporting a power button, volume buttons, and a slider button on the right side. The left side of the frame is spotless except for a SIM ejector tray. The bottom of the frame flaunts a 3.5mm jack, a speaker grille, and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. A 3.5mm jack, rather than doing away with it, especially at this price range, is something that I appreciate. The phone does seem a bit thick, but due to the equal weight distribution, it doesn't feel heavy or uncomfortable to hold. The smartphone comes bundled with a stylus that tucks into a slot on the back of the bundled phone case. Unlike Samsung's S-Pen, it doesn't use Bluetooth or require charging. The stylus can be used for note-taking or doodling. Display and Audio The highlight of the Alcatel V3 Ultra is its four-in-one display, which comprises a normal display, colour paper mode, ink paper mode, and a max ink mode. The 6.8-inch anti-glare display comes with 2460 × 1080 resolution, 2.5D curved edges, and a punch-hole camera at the top. The anti-glare display rids you of the concerns regarding having a tough time seeing the display due to light reflecting off it. Due to the lack of AMOLED display, the colour reproduction won't be impressive. Alcatel has patented the NXTPAPER display in India, which means you won't find such a display on any other smartphone in India. This paper-like display can be customised and switched between with the ease of just sliding the slider button situated on the left frame, under the power button. When I used these display modes, I was quite impressed by them. The first thing to notice here is the transition between these modes. It's a pretty clean and smooth transition in which it feels like somehow magically your display has lost its colours and become a book. I have used Kindle, and it obviously remains undefeated in terms of book-like display, but that's a device made only for reading, which is why it excels. The Alcatel V3 Ultra, on the other hand, is a smartphone with this feature, which makes it a much better option. On top of all these modes, other features like eye care assistant night light mode further ensure that the smartphone is suitable to use even in low-light conditions. The peak brightness of 650 nits struggled a bit to give a comfortable viewing experience in well-lit conditions. The 120Hz refresh rate helps in getting a fast and responsive display, unless you start gaming. In terms of audio quality, the Alcatel V3 Ultra performs well. The presence of dual speakers–one on the bottom frame and the other hidden right above the pin-hole camera on the display–gives satisfactory output. When volume is maxed, the smartphone does slightly compromise on the audio clarity, but since it is not tuned by Dolby Atmos so we can't expect much. The lack of Dolby Atmos is a bit strange though, as many other smartphones priced even lower than this support Dolby Atmos. Performance and Software The Alcatel V3 Ultra is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 system-on-chip (SoC), which didn't seem like a good offering, especially in the Rs 20,000 segment. In this price range, an upgrade–MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset would have been nice. At this price point, phones like the CMF Phone 2 Pro, Poco X7 5G offer better chipsets and overall performance. Nonetheless, the processor is paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The RAM makes the device fast, however, the low storage poses an issue. If you are someone who likes to capture memories or download lots of stuff, then either you'll have to get an SD card or some cloud storage subscriptions. In terms of performance, I didn't notice many issues with the Alcatel V3 Ultra. Multitasking was smooth between applications like Google Chrome, YouTube, Photos, File Manager, and Spotify. Heating issues were noticed when the usage became heavy or while charging the device. One of the downsides that was pretty evident was that this smartphone is not great at gaming. Frame drops were quite noticeable in even basic games like Temple Run. When it comes to handling high-performing games like Asphalt and BGMI, the frame drops became even more evident than before. It might be safe to say that the Alcatel V3 Ultra hasn't been built for gaming purposes, which is understandable. Coming to the software, the Alcatel V3 Ultra is shipped with Android 14 out of the box. Google unveiled Android 16 just last month, and the stable build of that is likely to be rolled out by the end of this year. In a time when the majority of companies offer Android 15, and some like Pixel come with a developer beta of Android 16, Alcatel decided to sell the V3 series with Android 14 only. I am unable to understand what led to this decision, but it comes with the promise of up to three years of software updates and four years of security updates. When translated, it means that the Alcatel V3 Ultra will only be permitted to have Android 17, which will most probably be released in less than a year from now. Camera The V3 Ultra features a 108MP main camera, along with an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro lens. I tested it in a variety of lighting conditions—outdoors in daylight and indoors—and while the photos generally looked natural, the finer details just weren't there. The matte screen doesn't help either. It makes it harder to spot sharpness or clarity while reviewing shots on the phone. Skin tones often came out softened and felt processed. In ideal lighting, and when you manually tap to focus, it can produce some decent-looking shots with reasonably accurate colours. But the autofocus can be unreliable—it misses focus more often than it should, leading to blurry results. Macro shots are especially hit-or-miss. It struggles to focus up close and doesn't add much value. The front 32MP camera isn't great either. Even with good lighting, selfies turn out heavily processed and softened. Overall, the V3 Ultra might not be a reliable option for photography. It can be good for casual photos, but it's not a phone you'd pick for the camera alone. Battery and Charging The Alcatel V3 Ultra is shipped with a 5010mAh battery with support for up to 33W charging. When used normally to moderately, the Alcatel V3 Ultra lasted me a day. If you aren't planning on indulging in some extensive gaming sessions or multitasking sessions, then it can easily last up to 12 hours. Under light usage, the smartphone might even offer a 24-hour battery backup. If you decide to switch display modes to one of the ink modes, then the battery backup will improve significantly. With light usage and max ink mode, the Alcatel V3 Ultra will likely last for more than two to three days. When it comes to charging, the Alcatel V3 Ultra can complete an entire charge cycle in around 80 minutes. A strange thing here was that the initial 20 per cent of the battery took more time to get charged as compared to the range from 20 per cent to 70 per cent. Verdict Overall, the Alcatel V3 Ultra is a smartphone that one should get if they are a fan of reading. If someone's an avid reader and they are looking for a smartphone in the budget segment that can also handle some multimedia experience, then this will be the right option for them. If someone's looking for a good battery life, then too Alcatel V3 Ultra can be a good option, however, only if they are willing to compromise on the colours of the display. However, if someone is looking for good performance or a decent gaming experience, then this is not the right pick. There are other smartphones in the market in this budget segment that will offer a better gaming experience or come with higher processors.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bill Gates-backed nuclear power startup secures $650 million investment round, led by Nvidia and others
Bill Gates-backed nuclear power startup TerraPower has raised $650 million to support the ongoing development of its advanced nuclear reactor project in Wyoming. The funding round includes new investors like NVentures, the venture capital arm of Nvidia , and existing backers such as Gates and South Korean company HD Hyundai. The money will help continue construction of the 345-megawatt plant being built at the site of a retiring coal facility in Wyoming. The reactor aims to provide steady, carbon-free electricity to meet the growing demand from industries such as artificial intelligence and data centers. Nvidia's investment highlights growing ties between the tech industry—which needs clean, reliable power for data centers and AI—and nuclear energy firms working on new reactor designs. 'As AI continues to transform industries, nuclear energy is going to become a more vital energy source to help power these capabilities,' said Mohamed Siddeek, head of NVentures, in a statement. What to know about TerraPower's reactor by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's A List Of Cheapest Steel Suppliers (See The List) Steel Suppliers | search ads Search Now Undo TerraPower's reactor design has been developed in partnership with the US Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project. It includes a 345-megawatt small modular reactor (SMR) combined with a molten salt energy storage system. This setup allows it to boost output up to 1 gigawatt when needed, helping balance supply and demand. Construction has already started on the non-nuclear parts of the facility, but full regulatory approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not expected until 2026, according to The Register. The company had initially aimed to launch in 2028, but faced delays after losing access to its Russian fuel supply following the invasion of Ukraine. Alcatel V3 Ultra Unboxing & Hands-on | Dual Display Mode, Sleek Design & More! AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Facebook-parent Meta in talks to hire former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman for its AI team: Report
Facebook-parent Meta is reportedly looking to bring former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman on board, reports The Information. As per the report, the aim is to support the company's artificial intelligence efforts. The report quoted a person familiar with the matter. It said that the social media giant is also in talks with Daniel Gross—Friedman's partner at investment firm NFDG—about a potential role related to AI at Meta. Additionally, Meta is considering a partial buyout of NFDG, the report said. These developments come as major tech firms continue to invest heavily in AI to maintain a competitive edge. Last week, Meta announced a $14.8 billion investment in Scale AI, its second-largest investment to date. The company also hired Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang to lead its newly formed superintelligence unit. Friedman currently serves on Meta's Advisory Group, an external council that offers guidance on technology and product strategy. As mentioned above, the company hired 28-year-old Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang as Superintelligence Chief recently. Meta signed an investment of $14.3 billion in Scale AI, taking a 49% stake in a deal. Confirming the partnership, Meta said: 'We will deepen the work we do together producing data for AI models, and Alexandr Wang will join Meta to work on our superintelligence efforts.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Sending a memo to ScaleAI employees, Wang confirmed his exit from the company. He will remain on Scale's board. Scale's Chief Strategy Officer, Jason Droege, will serve as interim CEO. Wang also told employees that a small number of Scale's 1,500 workers will join him at Meta. Alcatel V3 Ultra Unboxing & Hands-on | Dual Display Mode, Sleek Design & More! AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
