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Emporia RL1 delivers no frills

«FEATURES REVIEW || Monticelli 

Emporia has to be the anti-smartphone company, with the Austrian manufacturers delivering good quality phone calls and texting through their range of devices with basic functions.

Their latest creation, the Vodafone Emporia RL1, appears more like a streamlined landline complete with charging stand.

No-nonsense approach

Emporia has conquered the market on phones with large and easy to press keys, and the lack of fancy features is refreshing in this day and age for certain mobile phone users - especially those who have no idea what Twitter is!

Emporia new model is called RL1 is and by only having the basics on it preserves the battery life so saves you money, with around eight days standby time and 180 minutes of talk time to smash the stamina of most smartphones. This is also helped by the rather small 1.8-inch OLED display, because the black parts of the screen do not drain any power.

Hidden gems

Behind the beautifully-crafted RL1 there are an array of fancy gadgets that could prove useful, these are an alarm clock, a birthday reminder facility and a calculator. Display text size is adjustable, the already powerful vibration can be boosted and the loud ringing volume can be increased.

An intriguing feature is that the built-in torch blinks to alert you to an incoming call, great for those who are hard of hearing. With up to 100 contact names and numbers stored on the phone's 8 MB of internal memory, this phone was simple to use and a real pleasure. No touchscreens to worry about, and seemed durable when we tested dropping it from various heights.

What we liked

1. adjustable ringtone and vibration
2. built-in torch alert for incoming calls
3. clear and bright screen with adjustable text size
4. easy to use and large buttons
5. handles like a 'one function' home phone

The Emporia RL1 is available for £60 on a pre-pay deal and/or on contract with Vodafone, and although targeted at the older generation may well suit those who are seeking a 'back to basics' handset or those who work in noisy environments.

Behind the beautifully-crafted RL1 there are an array of fancy gadgets that could prove useful 

- Monticelli on Emporia RL1