This is arguably one of the cheesiest Android devices we've ever handled -- and yes, we're including
KIRFs in that observation -- but you've got to give Alcatel some credit here for taking the platform to a form factor that's entirely under-served and doing so with an affordable price point in mind. The company plans to aggressively target HTC's
Tattoo when the
OT-980 launches in its usual non-US markets later this year with
Android 2.1, full HSPA, WiFi, AGPS, compass, and a 2.8-inch display. The thing is a straight-up fingerprint magnet (and the harsh lighting certainly wasn't doing it any favors), but that's not really any different from the
Pre that it vaguely apes. The only prototype Alcatel had on hand had a busted display -- if you look closely, you can make out the UI, so it seems the backlight may have passed on to the giant circuitboard in the sky. That doesn't speak very highly of the build quality here, but then again, this
is an homage to the Pre, right?
Not Interested!
@Gadget Lover Yet you posted. Your point?
@Gadget Lover
That's what she said.
@Gadget Lover
Would you be interested if I told you it costs 100 euros without contract?
http://tweakers.net/nieuws/65662/android-toestel-van-100-euro-met-qwerty-toetsenbord-gepresenteerd.html
(Use google translate, also, you might wanna look at the pics, the ZTE version isn't quite as ugly, and it's in black!)
Very Palm Pre like...
@Deloren, if created by Hasbro.
@Deloren On a subtle way.. Yes. Its features are not exactly on the high-end side: QVGA resistive touchscreen display, Android 1.6, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, accelerometer, 3.5mm headset jack, 2MP camera, MicroSD card support, 600MHz processor and 192MB of RAM.
Anyway its up to you if you're going to get this one (which has a resemblance with the HTC Tatoo as well) More: http://bit.ly/alcatel-ot980-examined
Serve them right, Palm's been hitching to release an unlocked GSM version of the Pre on Amazon.
ew, that looks like a plastic toy
@MrN1ce
It's French, what did you expect?
@rederikus
actually a lot http://bit.ly/b8yPu3
If this hunk of junk has 2.1 before the Hero, there's going to be a problem.
@andthemaniam YEAH i hate how release date determines how good a product is =(
Funny, these Chinese generic devices will get the latest Android updates because the carriers don't have to bother testing their shitty custom UI layers on them beforehand.
I am both in love and disgusted with it at the same time.
Android with Pre form factor a big yes.
Quality and color choice a big no.
I can certainly see the Pre similarities, but I'm seeing more early HTC smartphone: http://www.pocketpccentral.net/audv_xv6600.htm
Doesn't compare to the Tattoo at all. The tattoo is actually a nice looking phone, whereas this looks like the demon spawn of a blackberry and a traffic cone.
I've also dropped my tattoo a few dozen times onto concrete and bleacher seats, and it's got nary a scratch, so I think the build quality on the tattoo is better as well.
@reuvenb Hahaha, Blackberry and traffic cone. Good one man.
Alcatel (Alcoholic Telecommunications) - Phones for Alcoholics and Drunk Dialers.
The colours.... They hurt my eyes! :(
@ChazClout Quick, put the Google goggles on!
@ChazClout riiight cus ur too used to white n black. its okay, color will grow on ya!
good palm dizi izle
As a maintain from the other post, if it wasn't for that orange, it might actually look decent.
completely disagree. This may be cheap, but my pre is a tank and works exceedingly well. I CANNOT say the same for the glass laiden iphone I had earlier. And at CES 09 people were in love with the form factor as are many still and very much so in europe. I don't think dragging the pre into this was fair or correct.
@Thor e
Agreed! Jeez Chris, did a Palm staffer run over your puppy this morning or something?
Dear Lord! :O
The worst Phones ever! The fake Chinese phones are better then this crap.
Every phone my friends had from alcatel were cheak junk, like a toy you would get with a kids meal at McDoDos.
And, if you so happen to have a bad handset.. good luck getting anyone to care about your little problems... My friends battery died one month in and they said it was user damage... LOL. Poor guy...
LOL.... You SOB... (Pre quality reference)
@mrkalel +1
the pre is so much better looking than that thing. It's much more sleek. That phone looks much bulkier just from looks.
Good artists copy, great artists steal...
"This is an homage to the Pre" Not sure what this was supposed to say. But, we all make mistakes.
Why couldn't this phone have been made by someone that can make phones? The screen is way too small, that keyboard looks difficult to use, and it looks so fragile, I might keep it in a vase filled with water.
@HardToBelieve What?
We definitely could use more portrait sliders. I still miss my Samsung i730 sometimes. It's been a badly neglected form factor.
Having a usable portrait virtual keyboard on my Droid has helped, but it's not the same.
if you guys have been around the world (out of the US) in the 90s, you'd know that alcatel are infamous for sturdy, cheap products. I stopped seeing their phones for about a decade now.
They were popular among people that wanted phone functionality for a very cheap price and that simply didn't break when dropped.
not too sure by this phone's sturdiness, but it definitely still has the alcatel feel to it.
@madmack
found a picture I found of one I used to own for those who want an example :)
http://www.solarnavigator.net/images/alcatel_max_db_black.jpg
Eh, not really my thing. It ascetically looks very toy like, and the screen's just too small for my taste. I like the portrait keyboard design, but just not like this.
wow thats a funky looking Palm Pre, wait a minute.....
@JustThatNerdyGuy
Looks like it can cut cheese too lol
That thing is the Count Dracula of phones...it is already dead and only wants to suck......your blood. I vote for renaming it the Alucard...haha
It's an insult saying this looks like the pre..
@MoonWalkerCTE
Yeah the Pre is far better looking :P
Well, France is well known for engineering and manufacturing.
/S
@Troll feeder
You're not serious, are you ? Fastest trains and best bridges in the world.. I wouldn't exactly put that /S in there if I were you