Display:320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~165 ppi density)
Camera:3.15 MP
Battery:
Released:Released 2011, October
About the Mi-350: A Budget-Friendly Smartphone Released by Spice in 2011
The Rise of Xiaomi and the Birth of the Mi-350
When we think of budget smartphones, the brand Xiaomi may come to mind. With its rise to success in recent years, it's easy to forget that Xiaomi wasn't always a household name in the tech world. In fact, one of their early devices, the Mi-350, was released back in 2011 by the Indian brand Spice.
Release Date and Operating System
The Spice Mi-350 was announced in the third quarter of 2011 and was officially released in October of that same year. It came running on the then-popular Android 2.3 operating system, also known as Gingerbread.
Design and Size
With dimensions of 118 x 60 x 13.4 mm and weighing 134g, the Mi-350 was considered compact and pocket-friendly. Its thickness of 13.4mm gave it a bit of heft, but for a budget smartphone, it was still considered relatively thin.
Small Display and Basic Features
Display and Display Type
The Mi-350's display was a modest 3.5 inches, with a screen-to-body ratio of 51.5%. It featured a TFT screen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels and a 3:2 aspect ratio, resulting in a pixel density of 165ppi.
Platform and Processor
Underneath its hood, the Mi-350 ran on a Mediatek MT6573 chipset. It had a 650 MHz Cortex-A9 CPU and a PowerVR SGX531 GPU, both of which were relatively basic compared to today's standards.
Memory and Storage
The Mi-350 came with 188MB of internal storage and a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage. In terms of RAM, it had a small but sufficient 512MB. While these specifications may seem low by today's standards, they were considered adequate for a budget smartphone in 2011.
Average Camera Quality and Connectivity Features
Main Camera and Selfie Camera
The Mi-350's main camera was a single 3.15MP lens, which was typical for budget smartphones during that time period. It also had a VGA front camera for selfies, which was also standard for phones in this price range.
Connectivity Features
In terms of connectivity, the Mi-350 supported Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, and FM radio. It also had a USB 2.0 port for data transfer and charging.
Battery Life and Additional Features
Battery Life
The Mi-350 came equipped with a removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery. With moderate use, it could last up to 200 hours on standby and up to 3 hours of talk time.
Additional Features
Aside from its basic features, the Mi-350 also had an accelerometer and proximity sensor. It also had built-in MP4/H.263 and MP3/AAC+ players, making it suitable for entertainment on-the-go.
Discontinued, but Not Forgotten
Although the Mi-350 was discontinued soon after its release, its impact on the budget smartphone market cannot be denied. It paved the way for future devices to come, and its affordable price of around 100 EUR made it accessible to a wider audience.
The Legacy Continues
Despite being overshadowed by Xiaomi's success, Spice continues to produce budget smartphones that cater to the needs of consumers. The Mi-350 may have been a small stepping stone in the brand's history, but it played a significant role in shaping the landscape of the budget smartphone market today.
