Alcatel is showing off some intriguing new phones here at CES, including the 0.25-inch-thick One Touch Idol Ultra. Here's how it measures up.
Alcatel is showing off some interesting new phones at CES, from the first to feature a quad-core MediaTek processor to the slimmest smartphone yet. We got a chance to spend some time with them.
With its 5-inch display, the Scribe HD falls under our definition of phablet, and it is indeed Alcatel’s largest new phone on display. It’s the first phone ever to be powered by MediaTek’s 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589 chipset, and while I didn’t get a chance to run any benchmarks, it’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up to the rest of the quad-core competition. The phone is running a mostly stock version of Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
The Scribe HD is made of sleek, glossy plastic, and it has a much higher-end feel than other phones we’ve seen from Alcatel. It features an 8-megapixel rear camera, along with a 720p front-facing camera. And that massive 5-inch display features 1280-by-720-pixel resolution, which looks pretty sharp in person, but no match for 1080p phones like the Xperia Z from Sony.
Alcatel plans to include a stylus, which may or may not be connected the Scribe HD’s magnetic cover. You’ll get a good idea of how it works in the slideshow, but the magnetic cover functions a lot like Apple’s smart cover for the iPad, and easily latches on to the back of the phone.
Next up is the One Touch Idol Ultra, which Alcatel claims is the thinnest smartphone yet, at just 0.25-inch thick. For comparison, the original Motorola Droid Razr measures 0.28 inch. The phone features a similar quality plastic construction to the Scribe HD, but features a more sensibly sized 4.7-inch HD AMOLED display. The phone is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and features an 8-megapixel camera.
Unfortunately, the thin size of this phone doesn’t leave enough space for a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’re stuck with Bluetooth streaming for audio. Additionally, Alcatel hasn’t been able to get this ultra-thin phone approved by the FCC, so we likely won’t be seeing it here in the U.S. anytime soon. What we will be seeing, however, is the One Touch Idol, which is what you’ll find in the slideshow. It’s essentially the same phone, except that it’s thick enough to support a headphone jack. And it’s even lighter than the One Touch Ultra, at just 3.88 ounces.
Finally, we got our hands on Alcatel’s new Pop series of entry-level smartphones. Alcatel assures us that one of these phones, the One Touch M’Pop, will be making its way to the states. The M’Pop is a cute, tiny phone with a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. It also comes in a series of bright, fun colors. Though it’s unlikely to make any waves among smartphone aficionados, it could be a good, inexpensive choice for tweens.
Alcatel hasn’t revealed any carriers or release dates, but we plan to put these phones through their paces as soon as they become available. Check back with PCMag for a closer look when release dates are unveiled.
The One Touch Scribe is the first phone ever to be powered by MediaTek’s 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589 chipset.
One Touch Scribe HD Android
The One Touch Scribe is running a mostly stock version of Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
The Scribe HD features an 8-megapixel rear camera, along with a 720p front-facing camera
The One Touch Idol is a slightly thicker version of the One Touch Idol Ultra, though the One Touch Idol is lighter.
The One Touch Idol has an attractive 4.7-inch display.
Since the One Touch Idol is thicker than the One Touch Idol Ultra, there’s enough room to include a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The One Touch Idol features an 8-megapixel camera.
The One Touch M’Pop will be part of Alcatel’s new entry-level series of smartphones.
The One Touch M’Pop is a cute, tiny phone with a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel rear camera.
Though this phone is black, the One Touch M’Pop also comes in a series of bright, fun colors.
Copyright © 2012 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc