In the ever-changing world of smartphones, the Hisense A6L stands out with its dual-sided design. Unlike typical phones, it offers a special feature that sets it apart. On one side, it resembles other Android smartphones, but the true innovation lies on the other side – an E Ink display that transforms the device into a portable e-reader. This review will explore whether this blend of smartphone and e-reader functionality is practical or just a gimmick, while also covering all aspects of the device.
At first glance, the Hisense A6L appears like any other smartphone from the front. The front side features a standard LCD display with a notch at the top housing the front camera. The phone runs Android and comes with the usual array of apps. On the reverse side, the E Ink display provides a matte screen protector for a comfortable reading experience.
The design includes the Power button on the right, which doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The top edge has a 3.5mm headphone jack, while the left side holds the volume rocker buttons and a button to activate the E Ink display. The SIM card tray is also on the left. At the bottom, there’s a speaker and a USB Type-C port. The rear E Ink side boasts dual cameras (24MP + 8MP) with an LED flash, while the front features a 20MP selfie camera.
Surprisingly, the addition of the E Ink display hasn’t significantly affected the phone’s dimensions. It remains relatively thin at 9.1mm and lightweight at 203 grams, comparable to other single-screen smartphones. The phone’s aluminum sides and glass materials contribute to its solid build quality. Notably, every aspect of the phone, including the camera, speaker, and headphone jack, remains accessible regardless of which display is in use.
Flipping the phone over and pressing the E Ink button on the left activates the E Ink display. The default display includes an analog clock at the top, a calendar in the middle, and buttons for Wi-Fi, Ringer, Bluetooth, and Data Connection at the bottom. Swiping along the left reveals Fusion reading and WeChat cards. At the bottom left, the battery icon is displayed.
The E Ink display offers various controls accessible by tapping the three vertical dots at the bottom right. These controls include the Brightness level slider, pre-set controls like Night and Auto, and options to Switch Screen, access E-Ink Settings, add a New Panel, Move Panel, or Delete Panel. E-Ink Settings provide further customization options, including Lock screen pinned display time, E Ink notification reminder, and Application covers.
The E Ink display excels at providing a comfortable reading experience, similar to a Kindle but in a smaller form factor. Turning pages is easy with one-handed swipes or using the volume rocker buttons as page turn buttons. Users can seamlessly switch between the E Ink display and the LCD display, retaining their reading progress.
