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Alcatel's One Touch Idol now available in the US for $300 unlocked (update: correction)
Alcatel announced today that its One Touch Idol smartphone is now available for the US market, but without a carrier. Weighing in at only 110 grams, the supposed "world's lightest" handset will be sold unlocked for $300 via the company's website. Meant as an entry-level device, the specs betray its low-end status: you get a 4.7-inch qHD (960 x 540) IPS display, 512MB 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2GHz 1GHz dual-core CPU with Android 4.1 in tow. Still, its quad-band GSM and 900 / 2100 MHz HSPA bands mean it'll work with either AT&T or T-Mobile, which should be good news to those who want carrier flexibility. If that sounds like a bargain to you, head on over to the source below to snag one for yourself. Update: Specs of the One Touch Idol have changed since our initial hands-on. It actually has a 1GHz dual-core processor instead of 1.2GHz and 1GB of RAM instead of 512MB.
Hands-on with the Alcatel One Touch Idol, the Ultra's younger sibling (video)
Promise not to get confused, but in addition to the One Touch Idol Ultra -- which currently holds the title as world's thinnest smartphone -- Alcatel has just announced the One Touch Idol, which sports thicker curves and a less impressive set of components. The Android 4.1 phone offers a 4.7-inch qHD (960 x 540) IPS display, along with 512MB RAM and a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU. The Idol features an 8.15mm profile, but at 110g, it also weighs less than the skinnier 119g Idol Ultra. The phone will be sold in single SIM (4GB built-in) and dual-SIM (8GB built-in) versions, but there's only one connectivity configuration for now: 900MHz / 2100MHz HSPA and quad-band GSM. The One Touch Idol is set to arrive in China this month, but pricing hasn't been announced; Alcatel also filled us in that we'll likely see a US carrier pick up the Idol sometime in the near future, but it declined to give us additional details on which company is involved. The simpler-named Idol is overshadowed by its flashier older sibling, but it inherits the same overall design language. So what kind of thoughts, feelings and emotions did we have about this new entry in Alcatel's lineup? Head below and you'll be rewarded with photos, impressions, a video and press release. %Gallery-174935% Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
