Blog/20101010 cheapest mobile with Android
From Bjoern Hassler's website
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We'd previously talked about the cheapest phone with gmail and operamini, and looked at a range of quite simple phones that are capable of running gmail and opera mini. There've been quite a few budget Android phones coming out, prompting the question as to what the cheapest reasonable Android phone might be.
Unlike for the cheapest phone with gmail and operamini, I haven't actually done any testing, so this is one of those frustrating mini reviews that go on specs alone. Here are some quick notes with some contenders:
- T-mobile Pulse Mini
- Android 2.1
- reviews are mixed (particularly regarding touch screen), seems to be worse than the LG below
- About £80 on PAYG from T-mobile, but prob sold locked to T-mobile
- resistive touch screen
- probably the same or very similar to Huawei U8110
- U8220 is similar to T-mobile Pulse
- LG Optimus LG540
- about £100
- reviews are mixed (also regarding screen), but seems to have marginally better reviews than Pulse Mini
- Android 1.6, apparently upgradable to Android 2.1
- 320x480 screen
- Alcatel OT 980
- Android 2.1
- physical slide-out keyboard. The above phones all have issues with the on-screen keyboard, so this seems to be a good idea.
- About £100 on PAYG in the UK (likely to be unlocked)
- Has got good reviews: "from what we've seen, it's going to render low end Android rivals like the T-Mobile Pulse Mini and Vodafone 845 utterly redundant." [1]
- Huawei "Ideos" U8150
- Android 2.2
- apparently available in kenya for $100
- capacitive touch screen (!) (320x240, the others are resistive)
-
according to thisreviewthe camera is auto focus, but I haven't seen that elsewhere.(another review says the camera is poor and doesnt have autofocus)
From this list, the Alcatel OT 980 and Ideos look most interesting - but like I said, I haven't tested any of this. More updates soon!
Update 10/10/10
Here are two more contenders:
- ZTE Racer
- Orange SF / ZTE Blade (not on gsm arena it seems!)
- £99 from Orange, large capacitive screen.
- Great review here: http://android.modaco.com/content/zte-blade-blade-modaco-com/318802/paul-reviews-the-orange-san-francisco/
- 480×800 pixel capacitive screen (most of the above are 320x240 resistive)
2010-10-10 | Leave a comment | Back to blog