Review Tuesday: Alcatel OneTouch

Alcatel OneTouch

I have had Windows phones for years. They do the job I need it to reasonably well. But occasionally there came an App that I needed that I couldn't access the same info through a browser. Of course, these same Apps refused to work on an Android tablet, so I needed to score a phone specifically to accommodate these particular programs. I needed something down and dirty and CHEAP because I have no plans to switch phones anytime soon.  My choice...

Alcatel OneTouch

• Display: 5-Inch diagonally, Resolution: 480 x 854
• Camera: Back: 5MP with autofocus, Front: .3MP (VGA). 720p Video Recording, Back facing Single LED Flash
• Memory: 4 GB internal, with 2 GB available to the user for apps, pictures, downloads, etc. Ability to change default write location of media.
• RAM: 1 GB (909MB total, about 500MB usable for apps)
• OS: Android 4.4.2 KitKat, Processor: Snapdragon 200, 1.2 Ghz quadcore. ARMv7 rev 3
• Speakers: Front facing (for calls), Back facing (for media), Battery: 2000 mAh

You get all this for under $20 NEW at various retailers. 

The good. 

• You get a fully functional Android phone dirt cheap.

The bad.

• Low RAM
• Small ROM
• Crap cam 
• poor response touch-screen
• Feels like a toy
• Terrible battery life

So, for what I needed it for, it did the job. It can connect to WIFI and download updates and make the few apps I need work. But if I needed this as a regular phone, I would be very unhappy. I am something of a minimalist, but this is an extreme. Unless you want this as a back up I would not recommend this for regular use.

AMAZON