Alcatel Stories January 6, 2020
Alcatel launches four new Android smartphones at CES 2020 w/ prices from $66
At CES 2020, Alcatel has launched four new Android smartphones designed for emerging markets with the Alcatel 1S, 1V, 1B, and 3L. Here’s what you need to know.
Alcatel Stories September 19, 2019
Alcatel brings new KaiOS flip phones to the US w/ more Google apps than the Mate 30
KaiOS has become an interesting third kind of operating system. It’s not quite as dumb as your traditional flip phone, but it’s also not as capable as something like Android. Today, TCL’s Alcatel is launching the Go Flip 3 and SmartFlip — two KaiOS devices for the United States that pack Google Assistant and more.
Alcatel Stories August 30, 2019
A new report from tech research firm Counterpoint Research has shown that Nokia is at the top of the global rankings when it comes to Android software and security updates.
Alcatel Stories February 24, 2019
MWC announcements are in full swing today, and amongst showing off some foldable concepts, TCL is also making some announcements with BlackBerry and Alcatel. The BlackBerry Key2 is getting a new variant with a slick red paint job and Alcatel just unveiled four new Android devices. Here’s what you need to know.
Alcatel Stories May 31, 2018
Low-end phones are almost always powered by Android, but once you hit a certain point, they’re almost all pretty terrible. Google’s attempt to fix low-end devices is Android Go, and next week, the first device with that optimized version of Android is launching in the United States.
Alcatel Stories May 22, 2018
Budget phones have gotten really good over the years, but they often buck the latest trends when it comes to design. Today, Alcatel has announced that its budget Alcatel 3V is arriving in the US, and it brings a fair bit to the table…
Alcatel Stories February 27, 2018
Mobile World Congress generally brings us quite a lot of new smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and more all running Android. As most of the announcements have passed at this point, we thought we’d take a look at everything that’s new and what will be available in the coming year for Android One and Android Go.
Alcatel Stories February 25, 2018
Alcatel 5 brings bezel-less on a budget as 3-series and new Android Oreo tablets debut
After showing them off first at CES 2018, Alcatel has just officially debuted its latest collection of Android smartphones at MWC…
Alcatel Stories February 24, 2018
Earlier this week Google revealed that the first phones as part of its Android Go program would be unveiled at MWC 2018, and now the first one is official with the Alcatel 1X…
Alcatel Stories November 17, 2017
Several of Alcatel’s upcoming smartphones leak revealing dual-cameras and shiny backs
Alcatel might not be the first name you think of when it comes to Android smartphones, but the company produces a ton of them, and a lot are really quite good. Recently, a handful of the company’s upcoming devices have leaked out, so let’s take a closer look.
Alcatel Stories October 27, 2017
The Alcatel Idol 3 was one of the first phones I ever reviewed, and it was so impressive that I’ve since associated the Idol brand with high performance and low-cost. The budget market has gotten more aggressive since then, however, with excellent devices like the Moto G5 offering near-stock Android software at similarly low prices … so can the Idol 5 still compete?
Alcatel Stories August 30, 2017
Good phones are getting cheap, and Amazon is helping make them even cheaper with its range of Prime Exclusive Phones, offering discounts on already-inexpensive handsets in exchange for preloaded Amazon software.
The Prime Exclusive lineup features popular budget phones like the Nokia 6 and Moto E4, and the new addition of the Alcatel A50 brings budget modularity to the masses.
Alcatel Stories June 27, 2017
Amazon’s Prime Exclusive program isn’t a stranger to bringing just-announced smartphones to the market, but it’s not often that we see phones go official for the first time through the program. That, however, is happening today. Amazon has just launched 5 new smartphones for the Prime Exclusive program including the unannounced Alcatel IDOL 5S.
Alcatel Stories April 20, 2017
Budget phones are a dime a dozen — almost literally. There are so many on the market that it’s hard for any one in particular to stand out. However, when you’re offering specs that generally cost more for a price that’s much less than the competition, you’re going to turn heads.
Recently, Alcatel quietly launched the A30. This barebones device has minimal, but reasonable specs and really packs nothing particularly special, but it also costs just $60 unlocked. Is it any good? I’ve spent the past several days finding out…
Alcatel Stories February 26, 2017
Alcatel debuts three new affordable phones at MWC including one with crazy LEDs on the back
Today at MWC 2017, Alcatel has debuted three new affordable Android smartphones — the Alcatel U5, Alcatel A3, and Alcatel A5 LED.
Alcatel Stories November 22, 2016
Alcatel now offers the IDOL 4S for $349 without the VR headset
Alcatel’s IDOL 4S is an excellent “budget” smartphone, but during my time using it, I couldn’t help but feel it was ever so slightly overpriced. With competitors like the ZTE Axon 7 and Honor 8 on the market for the same price, I felt the device would be a better option if it were priced about $50 cheaper. Well, now it is.
Alcatel Stories October 21, 2016
Alcatel debuts four new unlocked Android smartphones under $170
Alcatel has made some impressive handsets over the past couple of years, and the most notable thing about all of them is the price. Most of the company’s devices are very affordable without sacrificing too much. Now the company has debuted four new devices and they’re all under $170.
Alcatel Stories September 10, 2016
Last year’s Alcatel OneTouch IDOL 3 made a name for the company, and for good reason. In 2015 a $249 smartphone with a killer display, epic speakers, and decent specifications caught our attention. In the year since, however, things have changed. The market is now absolutely flooded with mid-range Android smartphones, and most are pretty awesome.
Now Alcatel is back with a new name, a new price tag, and a whole new goal in mind. So is its latest smartphone, the IDOL 4S, actually worth your attention? Let’s take a closer look.
Alcatel Stories July 19, 2016
After debuting the IDOL 4S last week, Alcatel has just announced that the less-expensive IDOL 4 will go on sale starting August 5th at Cricket Wireless for $199. The IDOL 4 will be a carrier exclusive for Cricket although unlocked sales should be coming soon.
Alcatel Stories July 13, 2016
Back at MWC 2016 Alcatel announced their latest smartphones in the new IDOL 4 series. Successors to the popular IDOL 3 family, the IDOL 4 and IDOL 4S promised to be premium devices with affordable price tags and now, several months later, the company is finally releasing more information about these long-awaited devices.
Alcatel Stories June 8, 2016
PSA: Android Marshmallow finally on its way to the Alcatel IDOL 3
After an extended wait, Alcatel has today announced that it is finally rolling out Android 6.0 Marshmallow to last year’s popular budget device, the IDOL 3. The update is available starting today for ‘unlocked IDOL 3 devices’, presumably both the 5.5-inch and 4.7-inch models.
Alcatel Stories April 21, 2016
Months after first showing it off, Alcatel finally made its budget water and dust resistant GO Play smartphone available to buy unlocked in the US in March. We unboxed it when it first came out (video below), and have been using it off and on since then, and finally gathered our thoughts on the sub $200 durable device.
In summary, the IP67 certification is a welcome feature, and certainly gives peace of mind if you’re buying for your kids, but you can find better performing phones with less durability for the same price (or a little more).
Alcatel Stories March 11, 2016
Alcatel is a brand with a growing reputation for delivering affordable smartphones without the huge flaws normally expected with cheap devices. With the Go Play, the aim was to make a cheap device with a durable, water and dust-resistant design, and it costs just $200…
Alcatel Stories March 4, 2016
Alcatel’s One Touch GO PLAY is an unlocked $200 IP67 water and dust resistant phone
After announcing the flagship Idol 4 and 4S at MWC last month, Alcatel is releasing a $200 unlocked ruggedized phone with decent specs to match. The OneTouch GO PLAY is fully IP67 water, dust, and shock resistant plus comes with an additional thick protective case.
Alcatel Stories March 1, 2016
When Alcatel OneTouch (now just Alcatel) launched the 5.5-inch Idol 3 last year, I think it’s fair to say many of us tech reviewers were pleasantly surprised. For a device costing under $300 it had an array of high end features, including a crisp, colorful big screen, great stereo sound and fantastic battery life. Of course, it also helped that the software was clean and almost stock Android.
Alcatel Stories February 26, 2016
As conferences go, MWC felt relatively subdued this year, at least from an Android perspective. Huawei decided to sit this year out and launch a Windows tablet, Sony had a quiet event and HTC just sent out a press release for its new Desire series. While press events weren’t jam-packed in to a crazy schedule, there was still some exciting and fun stuff happening in Barcelona this week.
Alcatel Stories February 22, 2016
We’re in Barcelona for MWC 2016, and the first company to show its hand here was Alcatel. Formerly Alcatel OneTouch, the manufacturer has come out with a new brand name, and a new focus on today’s trendy millennials who want a great phone without the usual expense.
Alcatel Stories February 10, 2016
Alcatel’s upcoming Idol 4 and 4S were fully leaked by their own support site last week. Today, their full lineup of phones and tablets coming in various ranges have been revealed in a VentureBeat report ahead of MWC.
Alcatel Stories February 2, 2016
Alcatel Stories October 17, 2015
Alcatel OneTouch Fierce XL leaks ahead of T-Mobile launch
Alcatel OneTouch has come from nowhere of this past twelve months and has become a brand-name synonymous with cheap products with decent specs. The OneTouch Idol 3 was something of a hit once it launched earlier this year, and is still a popular phone among consumers looking for an entry-level smartphone with great performance.
Now, it looks like the company is set to launch a new phone. The OneTouch Fierce XL is coming to T-Mobile, and is purportedly going to be available in both Android and Windows Phone flavors…
The information comes via well-known leaker, Evan Blass who tweeted the image of the two phones above earlier today.
[tweet https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/655311609947009024 align=’center’]
It’s safe to say that pricing and specifications will be on the low side. A previous tweet from Evan suggested the device will feature a Snapdragon 210 processor, 5.5-inch 720p display, 16GB storage, 2GB RAM and a 2,500mAh battery. Based on that information alone, the one stand-out feature should be battery life. With a 720p resolution display, getting the phone to last 1-2 days with a battery of that capacity shouldn’t be too difficult.
These specs match up pretty well with what Alcatel and T-Mobile have partnered on in the past. The carrier often stocks budget-friendly phones and tablets made by Alcatel OneTouch, and they’re almost always really affordable. In fact, last year, the company was virtually giving away tablets to anyone who signed up for one.
With the holiday season fast approaching, we can imagine the carrier pushing this as a stocking stuffer, and perhaps first smartphone for kids.
Alcatel Stories April 17, 2015
PSA: The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 smartphone is now available for pre-order at $200 ($80 off!)
Alcatel originally announced its Idol 3 budget smartphone at Mobile World Congress and now the device is available for pre-order. While the company had originally promised an April 21st pre-order date, it’s now offering an early bird special on Amazon and its own website. For the brief time being, the 5.5-inch Idol 3 is available on Amazon and Alcatel’s website for $200. That’s $80 off the anticipated price.
Alcatel Stories April 9, 2015
Alcatel first showed off its Idol 3 budget smartphone at Mobile World Congress about a month ago, and now the company has come out to announce the phone’s availability and pricing. The 5.5-inch version of the phone will be available for pre-order unlocked at an exclusive online price of $249.99 starting on April 21st, and orders will start shipping in May. Retail price for the phone will be a slightly higher $279. expand full story
Alcatel Stories March 1, 2015
Alcatel has just taken the wraps off of its new Idol 3 series of budget smartphones, as well as its Hero 2+ flagship. The Idol 3 series consists of two variants, one that comes in at 4.7-inches and another at 5.5-inches. The 4.7-inch Idol 3 is powered by a quad-core CPU clocked at 1.2GHz paired with Android 5.0 Lollipop and a 13MP rear-facing camera. The battery comes in at 2000mAh, while the screen packs a 1280×720 resolution.
