Flipkart's digital move to flip the game

Online-shopping has almost become a way of life for many urban Indians. To capture the mood, various e-tailers are coming out with their own products, which they sell alongside offerings of other brands. Recently, e-tailing major Flipkart released the Digiflip Pro XT 712. One of the first of a promised range of digital devices sourced and sold the country by Flipkart. It's aimed at value-conscious buyers who already have quite a few options to choose from. Will this move backfire or will the product's quality enhance the company's stand in the market? Well, this is an answer only time would tell. For now, let's find out more about the Digiflip.

Look and feel
The front face of the XT 712 is completely unremarkable. It's basically just a frame around a screen. The device uses on-screen buttons, there's nothing at all to see. The small speaker grille and front-facing camera are the only things that indicate which way is which.

However, this minimalism is not continued on the back. There's a large printed Digiflip Pro logo in the middle, some regulatory text printed near the bottom, and stickers for the device's serial number and registration number flanking the speaker grille. Overall, the back is pretty crude and you'll probably want to conceal it with a case as soon as you see it.

The XT 712 can be used as a phone, though of course holding it up to your ear will be comically awkward and uncomfortable.

Features and specifications
The device is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor with Mali 400MP2 graphics, and has 1GB of RAM. There's 16GB of internal storage space and support for up to 32GB more via microSD.

The 7-inch screen has a resolution of 800x1280 pixels, which translates to a comfortable 16:10 ratio. There's a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor and an accelerometer as well as FM radio, Bluetooth 4 and Wi-Fi b/g/n.

Despite its otherwise lacklustre attributes, the XT 712 comes with loads of accessories. Flipkart and Digiflip really stuffed the box - you get not only the standard charger, USB cable and headset but also a USB OTG dongle, a short 3.5mm extension cable, a cleaning cloth, and a screen protector film.

Flipkart also throws in loads of offers. You get Rs. 5,300 worth of discounts on items purchased through the Flipkart app on the tablet - the company claims these are somehow tied to each device, not to a user's account. How this works is that you get between Rs. 250 and Rs. 500 off in each of 13 product categories, but only once each and only on purchases above minimum values which range from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,500. You'd have to spend at least Rs. 17,000 to use all these discounts, so their actual value is questionable. You also get 12 free preselected ebooks. All offers must be redeemed before the end of 2014.

The software is pretty much stock Android, though we're stuck at version 4.2.2. There's very little UI customisation, but Flipkart's shopping and ebook apps are preloaded, along with MX Player and a few others.

Camera
As expected, the Digiflip Pro XT 712's camera is quite awful. There's almost no detail at all in captured images unless you're standing quite close to a subject and the lighting is very favourable. Most photos came out dull and blotchy. The camera had trouble deciding on exposure levels, but it did manage somewhat sharp shots at extremely close range.

Performance
Graphics scores were predictably weak, and we noticed a little bit of lag in casual games such as Temple Run 2, although not enough to affect playability. Battery life was just about average. It lasted for about six hours on average usage.

Verdict
Flipkart has chosen a high-growth product category for its first in-house device, and is using it as somewhat of a Trojan horse to promote its own store, apps and content business. There are definite echoes of Amazon's strategy here - and in the recent launch of the Flipkart First subscriber benefits program - but adapted for Indian conditions. If Rs. 10,000 is the absolute maximum you can spend, then you can consider the XT 712, but we'd recommend bumping up your budget just a little bit to get a stronger product.