Lenovo Moto C smartphone

The most affordable 4G smartphone in the family

At the end of last spring Lenovo company presented Moto smartphones C and Moto C Plus, included in the new and most affordable line of the Moto brand. There are only two budget models, but the youngest Moto C has two modifications: with 3G and 4G support. Naturally, the 3G and 4G versions are based on different platforms. We got a device with LTE support for testing, and we need to understand that this smartphone can be considered not only as the cheapest model in the entire Moto C family, but also in general as one of the most affordable mobile devices in official Russian retail that supports networking 4G.

Key Features of Lenovo Moto C (Model XT1754)

• SoC MediaTek MT6737m, 4 cores @1.1 GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
• GPU Mali-T720
• Operating system Android 7.0
• Touch display TN 5″, 854×480, 196 ppi
• RAM(RAM) 1 GB, inner memory 16 GB
• Micro-SIM support (2 pcs.)
• MicroSD support up to 32 GB
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
• Networks LTE Cat.4 FDD (B1/3/5/7/8/20), LTE TD (B38/40)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.2LE
• GPS, A-GPS
• Micro-USB
• Camera 5 MP, autofocus, f/2.8, video 720p
• Front camera 2 MP, f/2.8, fixed. focus
• Proximity sensor, accelerometer
• Battery 2350 mAh
• Dimensions 145.5×73.6×9 mm
• Weight 154 g

Contents of delivery

Lenovo Moto C comes in a small box with a tacky design. The cardboard is simply folded along the folds in the manner of mailboxes without gluing.

The kit consists of a connecting cable and network adapter with output current 1 A and maximum voltage 5 V, as well as simple plastic headphones without rubber pads.

Appearance and ease of use

Lenovo Moto C is the maximum affordable smartphone, and it looks just as simple and cheap. The design of the device is nothing to praise, but there is nothing particularly to complain about here either. The plastic case is made in the form of a single casing - a boat, completely covering not only the back part, but also the sides.

Accordingly, there are no beautiful side bezels, highlighted edges, shiny frames, or any inserts. metal in Lenovo case No Moto C either. The shape is streamlined, the corners are rounded, the smartphone fits well in the hand and does not slip out of the fingers.

The surface of the plastic cover has a fine, rough texture and does not show fingerprints. The body of the five-inch device is not large or heavy, so it does not burden clothing pockets. There are no complaints about the quality and assembly itself.

SIM cards are inserted into slots located under a removable cover. Underneath there are two slots for Micro-SIM and one for a MicroSD memory card. The battery is replaceable, easily removed, and covers the SIM cards. The arrangement of slots for cards makes it easy to remove them even if they get stuck, everything is thought out.

The round camera module with a single LED flash does not protrude beyond the rear wall of the case. The flashlight shines brightly.

Front panel covered protective glass, flat, without sides or sloping edges. Sensors and a peephole are usually installed above the screen. front camera without its own LED flash. Also not here LED indicator events and a second microphone.

At the bottom there are three touch buttons without their own backlight.

The buttons on the right side have different textures: one is smooth, the other is grooved. The keys are large, have a soft stroke, and are easy to feel blindly. Quite convenient control, even though the buttons here are simply glued from the inside to the lid itself and are removed along with it.

The Micro-USB connector is located not at the bottom, as usual, but at the top, it is adjacent to the 3.5 mm headphone output.

There is nothing on the bottom end except the speaking microphone.

The Lenovo Moto C smartphone is available for sale in several color options: there is a black, white, gold, and red body, but the front panel always remains black or white.

Screen

Lenovo Moto C is equipped with a TN display with physical dimensions of 62x110 mm with a diagonal of 5 inches. The resolution is 854x480 pixels, the density is only about 196 ppi. The frame around the screen is wide: more than 5 mm on the sides, 16 mm on the top, and 18 mm on the bottom.

The brightness of the display can only be adjusted manually, but the device does not have an ambient light sensor at all. The AnTuTu test diagnoses support for only 2 simultaneous multi-touch touches.

Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the brightness of reflected objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are much worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (we will compare it with it below). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Moto C is easy to distinguish, since it is smaller):

The Moto C's screen is significantly lighter. This is due to the fact that there is an air gap between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix. Due to the presence of glass-air and air-matrix boundaries with very different refractive indices, such screens do not look good in conditions of intense external illumination. But their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much cheaper, since only it needs to be replaced. There may be a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating on the outer surface of the screen. If there is, then its effectiveness is much lower than that of the Nexus 7, but still, it seems that fingerprints are removed more easily and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 330 cd/m², and the minimum was 6.4 cd/m². The maximum value is low, and, given the poor anti-glare properties, in bright daylight the image on the screen is unlikely to be visible. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is no automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor, and there is no sensor itself. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, and therefore there is no screen flickering.

IN this smartphone a TN type matrix is ​​installed. The micrograph demonstrates a typical TN structure (or rather lack of structure) of subpixels:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen does not have the worst viewing angles in the horizontal direction, but at the slightest deviation downwards, light shades are inverted, and at deviation upwards, dark shades are inverted. For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and the device under test, with the brightness of both screens set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera forced to switch to 6500 K. Test picture perpendicular to the screens:

It can be seen that the colors on the Moto C screen are very distorted. And a white field:

We note that the uniformity of brightness and color tone of the Moto C is good. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the screen plane along the long side:

It can be seen that from this angle the color balance has changed slightly. When tilted downward, the image becomes very bright, and details in the highlights disappear:

When deviating upwards, everything is much worse:

The colors are turned inside out. The white field darkens more when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen than in the case of the Nexus 7.

And the black field, when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen, brightens noticeably more than in the case of the Nexus 7.

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is average:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen and strictly perpendicular to it) is normal - about 600:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 27 ms (22 ms on + 5 ms off), the transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 51 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.17, which is close to the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power-law dependence:

This device has an aggressive dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - on dark images, the backlight brightness decreases. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen. For this reason, we carried out a number of tests - determining contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - (however, as always) when displaying special templates with a constant average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in the entire screen. In general, such a non-switchable brightness correction does nothing but harm, since constantly changing the screen brightness can at least cause some discomfort, reduce the visibility of gradations in shadows in the case of dark images and the readability of the screen in bright light, since in average images that are not the lightest The brightness of the backlight is reduced, but there is not too much of it anyway.

Color gamut less than sRGB:

Apparently, the matrix filters significantly mix the components with each other. The spectra confirm this:

This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight, but the colors lose their saturation. There is no shade balance on the gray scale as such - the color temperature is higher than the standard 6500 K and varies greatly from shade to shade:

The deviation from the spectrum of an absolutely black body (ΔE) on a white field is small, and it varies little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance:

In total, we have a very inexpensive version of the screen on a TN matrix. Maximum brightness of this screen low, the anti-reflective properties are very weak, as a result, the ease of use on a clear day outside is highly questionable. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Significant disadvantages include: a weak oleophobic coating (if any), typical TN distortions of colors and brightness of shades when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen plane, aggressive dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, and very poor color balance. The only advantage of the screen is the absence of visible screen flicker.

Camera

The front module of the Lenovo Moto C has only a 2 MP sensor and optics with an f/2.8 aperture, fixed focus and without its own front LED flash. The quality is naturally low, but in general, selfie photos come out neat and look good due to correct color rendition and good sharpness in the center of the frame.

The main camera of the Lenovo Moto C uses a module with a 5 MP matrix with a lens with the same fixed aperture of f/2.8. There is a leisurely autofocus and a single-segment, but quite bright flash. Naturally, there is no stabilization system.

The camera is quite simple in its capabilities, but the menu was inherited from older models. It is convenient and concise. True, there is no manual pro mode and many additional scene modes, but all settings are also conveniently collected in a single scroll that slides out with a side gesture. HDR is placed separately on the top of the screen and is always within easy reach. It is possible to adjust the exposure directly during shooting using a circular slider on the screen.

The Lenovo Moto C camera can shoot video at a maximum resolution of only up to 720p, there is no Full HD, there is no stabilization function. There is no point in waiting for a detailed and rich picture at this resolution. The image is loose, detail is low, and the video quality is generally low. There are no special complaints about the sound recording; the sound is noisy, but without artificial distortion, since there is no noise reduction system here.

• Video No. 1 (24 MB, 1280×720@30 fps, H.264, AAC)

	The text is well done.
	The camera copes with macro photography.
	Sharpness according to plans is not bad.
	Large areas of blur at the edges of the frame.
	In the central part of the frame the sharpness is quite good.
	For such a resolution, the detail in distant plans can be called quite good.

It's definitely not a good camera. Firstly, at such a low resolution, detail can only be said relative. Secondly, large areas of blur at the edges of the frame spoil almost all pictures, and there is nowhere to crop. And for documentary shooting, the resolution at the appropriate quality is too low. However, here we again remember about Lomography. Simple noise reduction and low resolution produce large grain, and the dynamic range is reminiscent of inexpensive film from the last century - and now the built-in retro filter is ready. So the camera can be recommended for pleasant lamp lomography and sometimes for shooting text, but nothing more.

Telephone and communications

The communication capabilities of the Lenovo Moto C include support for LTE Cat.4 (up to 150 Mbps), a number of LTE FDD and TDD frequency bands are supported, including all 3 FDD LTE bands of interest to us (band 3, 7, 20). The quality of signal reception unexpectedly pleased me, as did the device’s operation in LTE networks. There are no complaints, in the urban area of ​​the Moscow region the device behaves confidently, gives out high speeds in wireless networks.

Lenovo Moto C supports only one Wi-Fi band (2.4 GHz), there is no NFC module. You can standardly organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.2 channels. The connector does not support connection external devices V USB mode OTG.

The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS). During a cold start, the first satellites are detected within a minute, and the positioning clarity is quite good. But the built-in sensor magnetic field Unfortunately, the compass was not built into the smartphone to function.

Lenovo Moto C does not support both SIM cards in 3G/4G mode at the same time. That is, when one card is assigned to transmit data in 4G, the second one can only work in 2G. The interface allows you to select a specific SIM card for voice calls and SMS in advance. Cards work in Dual mode SIM Dual Standby, there is only one radio modem. By the way, unlike older Moto models, the manufacturer did not add ready-made operating modes for two cards to this device; other smartphones have them.

Software and multimedia

As a software platform, Lenovo Moto C uses a relatively recent Google version Android 7.0 with almost clean Google Android inside. Again, unlike other modern Moto mobile devices, there is neither support for gestures nor the ability to reduce the entire working area of ​​the screen. There is a two-window operating mode. Additional programs almost no, everything necessary here is achieved with using Google Apps. This is not always good: here, for example, there is no file manager and a voice recorder.

To listen to music, use the standard Google Music player with sound settings and built-in equalizer presets. Both in headphones and in speakers the sound is simple, not very clear, without noticeable presence low frequencies, but loud enough not to miss incoming call. There is also an FM radio, but there is no built-in voice recorder in the device at all.

Performance

The Lenovo Moto C hardware platform is based on the MediaTek MT6737m SoC, made using a 28 nm process technology. The 64-bit platform configuration includes 4 Cortex-A53 processor cores operating at frequencies up to 1.1 GHz. The Mali-T720 video accelerator is responsible for graphics processing. The RAM capacity is 1 GB and the user storage is 16 GB. Of these, in reality, about no more than 250 MB of RAM and approximately 10.5 MB of storage memory are free. There is no OTG support.

MediaTek MT6737 is one of the simplest modern platforms for entry-level mobile devices. It is already quite weak, aimed at the ultra-budget class of devices, and besides, there is also a weakened version of the MT6737m with a core frequency of up to 1.1 GHz, and not 1.25 GHz. It is pointless to expect decent performance indicators from such a platform; the hero of the review demonstrates only about 25 points in AnTuTu, which is very little. The hardware capabilities of the review hero are minimal; the smartphone shows low level. Demanding games and graphics tests cause problems, e.g. Mortal Kombat X slows down, and the smartphone does not pass high 3DMark tests at all. Such a device definitely has no power reserves for the future.

Testing in complex tests AnTuTu and GeekBench:

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and current models- due to the fact that they once went through an “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

	Moto C (MediaTek (MT6737m)	Micromax Canvas Juice A1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 210)	Honor 6C (Qualcomm Snapdragon 435)	HTC One X10 (MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755))	Honor 8 lite (HiSilicon Kirin 655)
3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better)	—	—	254	421	398
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (Onscreen, fps)	5,5	—	11	5	5
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps)	1,2	—	5	5	5
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen, fps)	13	9	28	17	19
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps)	5	5	16	17	18

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

AndroBench memory speed test results:

Thermal photographs

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of battery testing in the GFXBenchmark program:

Heating is more localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 34 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is relatively little.

Playing video

To test omnivorousness when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, for example subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
1080p H.264	MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24fps, AAC	plays normally	plays normally
1080p H.264	MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24fps, AC3	plays normally	The video plays fine, there is no sound
1080p H.265	MKV, H.265 1920×1080, 24fps, AAC		not playable
1080p H.265	MKV, H.265 1920×1080, 24fps, AC3	plays with significant delays (SW only)	not playable

Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We did not find the MHL interface, like Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In the tests we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since in most cases frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. Note that, apparently, the screen refresh rate is slightly higher than 60 Hz, so ideal smooth playback is not obtained at any standard frame rates in the video file. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (720p) or 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p) on the smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the actual range, so that full gradations are displayed in the shadows and highlights.

Battery life

Removable accumulator battery, installed in Lenovo Moto C, received a small capacity of 2350 mAh. This is clearly not one of the priority characteristics of this device, which, in general, is quite simple in all respects, from the platform and cameras to communication capabilities. And yet, in the absence of a power-intensive screen and hardware platform, Moto C demonstrates quite a decent level battery life. No complaints about this parameter no to smartphone.

Testing has traditionally been done at normal power consumption levels without using power-saving features.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
	2350 mAh	13:40	10:30 a.m.	5:00 a.m.
Lenovo Moto Z2 Play	3000 mAh	18:00	14:20	8 h. 10 m.
Honor 8 lite	3000 mAh	13:30	10:40 a.m.	4 hours 30 minutes
Honor 6C	3020 mAh	16:30	12:00 pm	6:30 a.m.
HTC One X10	4000 mAh	17:00	12:00 pm	5:00 a.m.
Micromax Canvas Juice A1	4000 mAh	19:00	14:00	7:00 am

Continuous reading in the Moon+ Reader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) with auto-scrolling lasted until the battery was completely discharged for more than 13.5 hours, and when continuously watching videos via Youtube at maximum quality possible for this device (480p) with the same brightness level through Wi-Fi network The device operates for approximately 10.5 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work for up to 5 hours.

The smartphone takes a long time to charge from its own included network adapter, within 3 hours with a current of 1 A at a voltage of 5 V. Wireless charging The smartphone also, of course, does not support it.

Bottom line

Lenovo Moto C received average characteristics in all respects, its capabilities are not high: the screen, sound, performance and autonomy are all at a barely satisfactory level. Praise inexpensive smartphone It is possible, perhaps, for good communication support, including the presence of an LTE module. Nevertheless, the only significant trump card of this model is its low price. Even in overpriced Russian retail, Moto C is offered for only 6.5 thousand rubles. Considering such a low cost, we can assume that such a smartphone will be purchased as a second, spare, or first mobile phone for a child. However, we do not advise either children or adults to spoil their eyesight with such a low quality of a highly glare screen.

Among the smartphones of the famous manufacturer Lenovo there are very interesting models that, despite their rather respectful age by the standards of the modern world of Android devices, regularly perform their functions and are an excellent solution for undemanding users. One of these options - the S660 model, or more precisely, the software part of the device, updating the OS version, restoring functionality and introducing new functions to the smartphone using firmware, will be discussed in the article.

Lenovo S660 is a mid-level device at the time of its release, built on the MTK hardware platform. Specifications allow the device to satisfy the basic requirements for modern smartphone, and the software part is quite easily modified and completely replaced using standard and widely known software tools in certain circles. The possibilities for replacing the Lenovo S660 system software are quite varied, and if the instructions are scrupulously followed, they can be implemented by any user of the device independently.

Any intervention in the system software of a smartphone, including the instructions provided below, is carried out by the owner of the device at his own peril and risk!!

In order for the installation procedure for Android in the Lenovo S660 not to take much time, to proceed without errors and to result in a real improvement of the smartphone in software terms, the user who is going to flash the device is required to carry out several stages of preparation.

Drivers

The first thing you should take care of in order to be able to interfere with the software part of any Android device is the equipment operating system A PC used as a tool for flashing the firmware, components for pairing the smartphone and utilities, that is, specialized drivers.

As for installing drivers for the Lenovo S660 device, there should not be any difficulties. You will need two packages, which are available for download here:

1. After unpacking LenovoUsbDriver.rar the user receives an auto-installer for advanced mode drivers for the device,

   

   which needs to be launched.

   



2. The second downloaded archive contains components for different versions of Windows "Preloader VCOM Driver", which serve to pair a computer and a smartphone, which is in a specialized mode designed to overwrite areas of the device’s memory.

   

   This driver must be installed manually following the instructions:



3. After installing the drivers, you should check whether the Lenovo S660 is correctly detected by the operating system in various modes. This will eliminate the factor of missing or incorrectly installed components if unexpected situations arise during processes involving the installation of Android.

   

   Opening "Device Manager", connect the device in the states described below and observe the devices detected in the system. After installing the drivers correctly, the picture should match the screenshots shown.

   

   

Root rights

To carry out serious operations with the system software of any Android device, and most importantly, to create a full backup of the system before reinstalling the OS, you will need Superuser privileges. Getting root rights for Lenovo S660 is quite simple if you use the tool.

Backup

Flashing a smartphone using almost any method means deleting all user data from its memory, so before you start installing Android, you should make a backup copy of everything important. In order to save information, one or more methods described in the material are used:

Proceed to interfere with the device’s memory only if you are 100% sure that all important information saved in backup copy!

In addition to personal information, flashing procedures in some cases lead to damage to an extremely important section that contains information necessary for operation wireless networks – "NVRAM". Having a dump of this memory area makes it easy to recover lost IMEI and other data if necessary. In methods No. 3–4 of Lenovo S660 firmware proposed below, a separate paragraph describes how to make a backup of a partition before overwriting the device’s memory.

Firmware

The technical characteristics of the Lenovo S660 allow you to install various versions of Android into your smartphone, including the current ones. To add to your phone latest features you will have to resort to installing unofficial modified OSs, but initially you should update, or better yet, “clean” install the latest official version of the system. Whatever the desired result, that is, the Android version, it is recommended to go step by step, installing the OS in each method starting from the first and completing the manipulations when you obtain the desired/necessary system software on the device in question.

Method 1: Lenovo MOTO Smart Assistant

To manipulate the Lenovo S660 software, the manufacturer created specialized program, called Lenovo MOTO SmartAssistant. You can download the distribution from the developer’s official website in the technical support section:

The method described below is suitable for updating the version of the official Android if for some reason the update was not carried out via OTA.

1. Install Smart Assistant by running the installer

   
   and following his instructions.



2. Launch the tool and connect the S660 with the activated mode "USB Debugging" to PC.



3. After identifying the device in the program,

   
   go to the tab "Flash".



4. Smart Assistant will automatically check for an update for the system and, if it is present on the server, will issue a corresponding notification.

   

5. Left-click on the downward-pointing arrow located near the update volume value. This action downloads the files necessary for transferring to the device’s memory to the PC disk.



6. Once the download is complete, the button becomes active "Update", press it.



7. To alert the system to remind you of the need Reserve copy important data from the device in the request window that appears, we respond by pressing the button "Proceed".



8. Further processes are carried out in automatic mode and are accompanied by a reboot of the smartphone, after which the operating system will be updated,

   

   which is confirmed by checking in Smart Assistant.

Method 2: Factory Recovery Environment

Another method, which is considered official, involves using the capabilities of the factory recovery environment to install system software. This method allows you not only to update the official Android, but also to completely reinstall the OS on the device.

Package with official OS latest version for the model in question, intended for installation through native recovery, is available for download at the link:

1. Copying the file update.zip to a memory card installed in the device.



2. We start the device into recovery environment mode. For this:
   



3. For complete reinstallation The system will need to format some sections of memory. Select using the key "Volume-" a point that involves clearing the smartphone’s memory from the data it contains – "wipe data/factory reset". The function selection is confirmed by pressing "Volume+".

   



4. Install Android by first selecting "apply update from sdcard",

   

   then specifying the file "update.zip" as an installable package. Next, you should wait for the end of rewriting the Lenovo S660 memory areas - the message appears "Install from sdcard completed".



5. Reboot the device by specifying the command in recovery "reboot system now".



6. The first boot after the update will take longer than usual.

   

   Before using a device with an updated Android, you should wait for the welcome screen to appear and carry out the initial setup of the device.

Method 3: SP Flash Tool

The ability to use a universal tool for manipulating the memory of devices created on processors from the manufacturer Mediatek allows you to perform almost any operation with the Lenovo S660, including updating or completely replacing the installed Android with any other, including unofficial and modified versions of the OS, as well as restoring inoperative ones. smartphone software.

Working with the program and the basic concepts that you will need to know to follow the instructions below are described in the following material:

Below are three main operations that may be required by the owner of the device in question when working with system software via the SP Flash Tool - backup "NVRAM", installation official firmware and installation of a modified recovery. The latest version of the tool at the time of writing this material is used.

As a basis for carrying out manipulations through the Flashtool, you will need the official Android version S062. Current Package, in addition to being the latest official software offering for Lenovo S660 from the manufacturer, is used to restore the device, for example, after unsuccessful experiments with custom OS. The archive with the firmware is available for download at the link:

Creating an NVRAM Dump

As mentioned above, the memory section, called "NVRAM" is extremely important for full-fledged work smartphone, and having a backup copy of it is almost a prerequisite for solving communication problems if they arise after manipulating the software part of the device. Dumping an area using FlashTool is quite simple, but it is important to follow the instructions carefully.

1. Download and unpack the archive with the firmware into a separate directory S062.



2. Open FlashTool (run the file flash_tool.exe, located in the program folder, on behalf of the Administrator).



3. Add Android images to the program by opening the scatter file MT6582_Android_scatter.txt from the directory with unpacked OS images.



4. To read data from memory, including the target NVRAM section, there is a tab in SP FlashTool "Read Back", go to it and press the button "Add".



5. Double-click on the line in the operations field, which will open Explorer, in which you need to select the path for the location of the future dump and give it a name.



6. After selecting the path and name of the data file "NVRAM" set the reading parameters:
   • Address of the starting memory block – field "Start Address"— value 0x1000000 ;
   • Length of the memory area to be read – field "Length"- value 0x500000 .

   

   Having determined the reading parameters, press "OK".

7. Turn off the smartphone completely, disconnect the USB cable from it, if it was connected. Click "Read back".



8. Connecting the port Computer USB and microUSB connector Lenovo S660 cable. The device will be detected by the system and the data reading process will automatically begin. Creating a dump "NVRAM" completes quickly enough and ends with the appearance of a window confirming the success of the operation "Readback OK".



9. The finished partition dump has a volume of 5 MB and is located along the path specified when following step 5 of these instructions.



10. If there is a need for recovery "NVRAM" in the future, you should:
    

    

Installation of official Android

After completing the preparatory procedures and saving all the data from the smartphone, you can proceed to installing the operating system. In general, the process should not cause difficulties; all actions are standard.

Installing a modified recovery

To install unofficial modified OSs and carry out other manipulations with the device in question that are not provided by the manufacturer, a special tool is required - a custom recovery environment.
For Lenovo S660, there are several versions of custom recovery and, in general, their installation, as well as working with them, is no different. The recommended solution is to use PhilzTouch Recovery as the most universal product for the model in question, with the help of which most custom firmware based on Android 4.2-7.0 is installed.

PhilzTouch is essentially a modified version, equipped with a touch interface and mass additional options. You can download the environment image for installation via FlashTool in Lenovo S660 using the link:

Installation of recovery is feasible different methods, but the most effective is the use of SP FlashTool for this operation. Let's use the tool, besides, almost everything necessary for the operation is already present on the user's PC, who flashed the official version of the system using the flasher.

Method 4: Custom firmware

The official versions of Android offered by the manufacturer for the Lenovo S660 model are not characterized by broad capabilities and are overloaded pre-installed applications. Besides, latest firmware, released for the device, is based on the obsolete Android KitKat, and many users of the model require a newer OS. Third-party firmware developers who have created extraordinary a large number of various options for modified software shells for the phone in question.

Most custom solutions are installed on the device in the same way, and below there are three options for ports from different romodeling teams, based on Android KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat. Correct installation The modified unofficial system includes several stages, the first of which - installation of recovery - has already been performed by the user who has followed the installation instructions for PhilzTouch Recovery suggested above.

Backup via recovery

Again, it should be noted that it is necessary to create a backup copy of the system before overwriting the device's memory partitions. The reader probably wants to quickly move on to installing a custom Android, but you shouldn’t neglect the opportunity to play it safe, even if the data has already been saved. In addition, the custom environment makes backup very easy.

Clearing memory

The installation of a new modified system in the Lenovo S660 must be carried out in the previously prepared, that is, cleared of all data, memory of the device. It is highly recommended not to neglect the procedure for formatting partitions! To clean the device before installing custom firmware, PhilzTouch Recovery provides a special function.

MIUI 8 (Android 4.4)

Among owners of the Lenovo S660 model, the modified MIUI firmware is especially popular. Among its objective characteristics are a high level of stability, the ability to widely customize the interface, and access to services included in the Xiaomi ecosystem. These benefits compensate for claims against outdated version Android on which the shell is based.

Currently, Lenovo is a leader among manufacturers of computers, tablets and smartphones. The company has gained consumer recognition due to its wide range of products and ability to satisfy the requirements of each customer. Given such popularity of gadgets, many users have a question: what is Lenovo mobile assistant and how to use it?

What is mobile assistant?

This is a program that allows you to manage contacts, remove programs on your smartphone, edit SMS and send them. In addition, this application allows you to work with various files, both video and audio. What manipulations can be carried out in this case? The opportunity to delete, export, and import files opens up. Thanks to this program, you can scan the device’s memory and display statistics on both the used and free space of the device. Using the software, it becomes possible to archive data stored in the gadget, as well as restore it if necessary.

These are the main functions that the mobile Lenovo assistant program has.

First of all, you need to install Lenovo mobile assistant for PC. The program is located among the files of the smartphone, so you need to connect it to the PC using USB cable. When the PC detects the device and installs the required drivers. After this, a menu will appear on the screen in which you need to select the line “Open device to view files.”

In this case, you need to find two files. The first one should be named Lenovo_Suite, the second one should be Lenovo USB Driver.

First, the driver for USB is installed, and then another program. When all the elements are installed, you can start working with the program.

If there is no application on your smartphone, you can download Lenovo mobile assistant for PC.

What to do if the program does not see the smartphone?

Sometimes a user who has successfully installed an application is ready to use it, but new problems arise on his way due to the fact that the program does not see the phone. What to do in this case?

The first action that experts recommend is to check the phone’s connection to the computer. More precisely, see what connection mode is indicated. It needs to be set to USB Debugging. If a different mode is displayed, you need to change it.

If this is all right, you need to try reinstalling the drivers on your PC. When this does not help, you will have to use the last method. We are talking about using the MyPhoneExplore program, which has functions similar to mobile assistant. Its tasks also include editing contacts, sending and receiving messages, and more.

Lenovo Mobile Assistant is the official manager for smartphones of the corresponding manufacturer based on the operating system Android systems. This program gives users the ability to share files with a portable device, manage contacts, calendar entries, and read and send SMS directly from a PC. In general, this manager should be automatically installed the first time you connect your smartphone to your computer. If this does not happen, then you can download and install it from our website.

Usage

To connect a portable device, use a USB cable. Yes, unfortunately, Lenovo Mobile Assistant cannot recognize devices that were connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Please also note that to use the program you need USB driver A. You will find them in the downloaded archive.

So, after the smartphone is successfully recognized, information with basic information about it will appear on the main screen of Lenovo Mobile Assistant. In particular, the program will inform you about the device model and the amount of free memory. Some smartphones have a mirroring function - that is, broadcasting an image from the screen of a portable device to a computer screen. If necessary, the user can even take a screenshot of the screen and save it in the PC memory.

For convenient data management, Lenovo Mobile Assistant sorts it into sections depending on the type: video, music and images. Preview functionality is available for most file formats and data can be exchanged using drag and drop.

Technical information

The main advantage of the program is its simple and understandable interface, which, moreover, is fully translated into Russian. Lenovo Mobile Assistant works on any Windows versions and is available completely free of charge.

Key Features

• updates the firmware of connected smartphones;
• serves for exchanging files between a computer and a portable device;
• allows you to work with contacts and calendar;
• has a simple and intuitive interface;
• completely translated into Russian.

Lenovo gadgets Lately have become very popular, so many users are interested in issues related to the operation of phones and tablets. Today we will talk about the Mobile Assistant application, which is built into the mobile devices manufacturer Lenovo.

What is Mobile Assistant?

Using this program, you can remove programs on your phone, manage contacts (adding and editing), send messages and edit them. The software also allows you to work with audio and video files - export, import, delete them. Software scans the device memory and displays statistics of free and used space. Using the application, you can archive data and restore it.

How to install the program?

To install Mobile Assistant on your computer, you need to connect your Lenovo phone to it. After this, the computer will detect the gadget and install the drivers. Next, in the menu that appears, you need to select “Open device to view files.” Then you need to open Explorer and find the disk called “Lenovo_Suite”. We need two files on the disk: Lenovo USB Driver and Lenovo_Suite. First you need to install the USB driver, and then the second program. After installing all components, you will be able to use Lenovo Mobile Assistant.

Mobile Assistant does not see the phone

If the Mobile Assistant software was successfully installed, but it does not see the phone, then first of all you need to check the device connection mode (the “USB Debugging” mode must be selected). You can also try reinstalling the drivers on your computer. If the above methods do not help, and the application still does not see the smartphone, then there is another option - the MyPhoneExplorer utility. It has good functionality:

• Editing contacts.
• Import/export of messages.
• Call list display, etc.

Results

The Mobile Assistant program is quite useful, so it’s definitely worth installing it on your computer. If it still refuses to detect the device or does not show the contents file system phone, you can use the application specified in the previous paragraph.