Alcatel OT980 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Unveiled

General Overview

The Alcatel OT-980, released in June 2010, represented a notable step in Alcatel's phone lineup. Known for incorporating a combination of both touchscreen and a physical keyboard, the device aimed to appeal to a broader audience by offering enhanced usability and functionality for its time. With dimensions of 108 x 60.4 x 15.9 mm and a weight of 152 g, the device was considered compact, slipping easily into pockets and bags.

Design and Build

The build of the Alcatel OT-980 is robust, showcasing a blend of practicality and style. The design features a QWERTY keyboard, which appeals to users who prefer tactile feedback when typing. The finish of the phone came in Black Soft Touch and Steel Grey options, providing a modern aesthetic at the time of its release. Despite being a touchscreen device, the inclusion of a physical QWERTY keyboard provided a significant advantage for messaging and email users, ensuring an interchange between touch and type inputs.

Display

Equipped with a 2.8-inch TFT resistive touchscreen capable of displaying 256K colors, the Alcatel OT-980 had a decent resolution for its size, standing at 240 x 320 pixels with a 4:3 ratio. Though the screen-to-body ratio was approximately 37.2%, it managed to provide a clear and vibrant display, supporting basic multimedia tasks and browsing through its HTML browser.

Performance

The smartphone runs on Android 2.1 (Eclair), a version of Android that was widely used in 2010 but is now outdated in modern times. While the exact specifications of the CPU and RAM are not detailed, the phone was sufficient for its time, primarily handling basic applications and operations. The internal storage of 194MB was quite limited, but the dedicated microSDHC slot allowed users to expand storage and manage files, applications, and media more effectively.

Camera

The Alcatel OT-980 features a 2 MP single main camera that can capture photos and video; however, it lacks a front-facing (selfie) camera. At the time, the camera specifications were on the lower end but served basic photographic and video needs. Users would find this sufficient for capturing impromptu moments but should not expect high-quality or high-resolution images.

Battery Life

Battery performance is a strong point of the Alcatel OT-980, boasting a removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery. It offered a standby time of up to 245 hours and talk time of up to 10 hours, which was commendable. The music play time reached up to 35 hours, enhancing its usability as a media player on the go. This extended battery performance ensured that users could rely on their devices throughout the day with moderate usage without frequent recharging.

Connectivity and Network

The Alcatel OT-980 supported GSM/HSPA network technologies, functioning on both 2G and 3G bands. The device facilitated communication through GSM bands 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, along with 3G bands HSDPA 900 and 2100. Internet connectivity could reach speeds of HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps, allowing for adequate browsing and email checking. Its connectivity suite was rounded out with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, enriching its ability to connect and share data wirelessly. The presence of GPS and A-GPS enabled location services, turning the smartphone into a functional navigation assistant.

Additional Features

The device's additional features include sensors such as an accelerometer and compass, adding to its functionality and user experience. Despite the lack of a radio, the sound features were notable with the inclusion of a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm audio jack, enabling users to enjoy music and media without necessitating proprietary connectors or adaptors.

Conclusion

In summary, the Alcatel OT-980 offered a balanced and versatile user experience tailored to meet the needs of users in 2010. Its design, combining a touchscreen with a physical QWERTY keyboard, made it appealing to those who value both touch and tactile typing experience. While it lacked the power and advanced features of modern smartphones, for its time, it provided adequate functionality for everyday communication, basic multimedia consumption, and light web browsing.