Alcatel OneTouch Alpha Reviewed

Papi Mabele — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:24:53 +0000

Alcatel OneTouch has turned a new leaf in 2014. In the past, the TCL-affiliated manufacturer has been known to crank out a dozen or more cheap smartphones at European trade shows with no apparent focus on quality, but after a recent adjustment in brand strategy, we’re looking at the company in a completely new light. The frequency of new phones hasn’t changed much, but Alcatel is working hard to change its reputation by adding a few high-end devices to its portfolio, such as the Idol Alpha which was launched locally a few weeks ago at a glamour event in Sandton. Taking the lead as the flagship of the company’s premiere Android lineup, the Alpha is a 5-inch beaut that appears to live up to its name, complete with aluminum build (that the local GM couldn’t stop raving about) and a new type of transparent material on the top and bottom. It’s a phone that took us a bit off-guard, so join us after the break (and the gallery in-between) to read more of my review.

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The Alpha is the most premium Alcatel OneTouch phone I’ve ever played with, both in terms of look and feel. Simply put, it’s stunning, sleek and stylish. It features a 3D aluminum frame, which company reps tell us is “achieved with three dimensional forming with 3D diamond cut on the chamfer.” They claim that this approach — instead of going for the standard boxy style — is the first of its kind, and whether that’s true or not, it’s still done quite well. To add to the phone’s overall durability, the Alpha has a metallic back and the front is covered with an oleophobic coating (for enhanced protection against scratches, smudges and other superficial damage to the screen) and a slab of Dragontrail Glass, a lesser-known Corning competitor that aims to protect smartphones with the same kind of scratch resistance and toughness.

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Another element of the Alpha’s design that truly shines is the translucent edges on top and bottom. We’re told that it’s made of a special transparent material that isn’t plastic or glass, though reps wouldn’t get more specific. It’s not just there for its looks, though we must admit it adds a splash of elegance to the device; rather, the bottom edge doubles as a notification bar, lit up by three LEDs that sit on the end of the physical chassis. It’s designed in such a way that the phone glows underneath to give the appearance that it’s floating; after all, who doesn’t want a special glowing phone that floats in mid-air?

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The specs aren’t top-of-the-line, unfortunately, but we have a feeling that most people won’t mind — as long as price isn’t a negative factor, which Alcatel confirmed at a firm R5999 (R5499 at CelluCity). The Alpha runs Android 4.2.2 with a special UI designed by Alcatel and features a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display, a 1.2GHz quad-core SoC, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage with no microSD support and a 2,000mAh battery. It has DC-HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity, but no LTE. The Alpha started to roll on 7 July in Mzansi and will expand to countries in Africa. For all that style, class and friendly usage, we’d highly recommend you stopping by your local retail stores for a visit. For the Idol Alpha, of course.

All images by Papi Mabele

Introducing Alcatel’s Idol Alpha

Papi Mabele — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:24:34 +0000

Yep, it’s a premium smartphone alright. Alcatel OneTouch officially unveiled their Idol Alpha today at a special press event held in Sandton. Consistent with the rumors, Alcatel’s first-ever premium and “come-back” handset has a 4.7-inch display with an HD-resolution screen (720p) and 16M TFT . That makes it the same size as the Moto X, which was also supposed to be a phone for the masses. It
features an outstanding design with a sleek body outfitted with translucent strips of plastic on the top and bottom – it’s something for those who value singularity in style and at the same time don’t want to spend a fortune on a device – a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, MediaTek CPU and 1GB of RAM. As for the camera, there’s a 13-megapixel rear-facing one equipped with an f/2.0 lens and optical image stabilization and the ability to capture 1080p video. There’s also a dedicated camera key.

Other features include G sensor, Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio and WiFi channel bonding. It even supposedly has great battery life, promising nearly 360 hours of standby time, 20 hours of talk time, 24 hours of audio and 9 hours of video playback. It’ll be available exclusively from Vodacom & MTN from 7 July for you in its 16GB version. CelluCity, the authorized Vodacom reseller confirmed their contract pricing for the device at R349 per month (Smart S plan) and R5999 once-off.

Idol Alpha – TWFLD

Alcatel OneTouch Alpha Reviewed

Introducing Alcatel’s Idol Alpha