Price and specifications of alcatel Pop Astro advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Overview of Alcatel Pop Astro

The Alcatel Pop Astro, released in April 2015, offers users a budget-friendly smartphone experience with adequate features for basic usage. Despite its discontinuation, it remains a topic of interest for those examining smartphone evolution or seeking a secondary device. Here’s an extensive look into the features that defined this model.

Design and Build

The Pop Astro sports a compact design with dimensions measuring 133.6 x 65.3 x 9.9 mm and a weight of 144.9 g. This makes it relatively lightweight and easy to hold. The device is designed with a plastic body, available in a simple white finish. It incorporates a Micro-SIM slot and houses standard physical buttons, making it straightforward for everyday use.

Display

Featuring a 4.5-inch TFT display, the Alcatel Pop Astro offers a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels with a pixel density of approximately 245 ppi. Although not high-definition by modern standards, the screen adequately serves its purpose for general tasks such as browsing and using basic apps. The display's 16:9 aspect ratio is traditional for smartphones of its time.

Performance and Platform

Under the hood, the Pop Astro is powered by a Mediatek MT6732 chipset featuring a quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-T760MP2 GPU. It operates on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, which was a common OS choice for smartphones in its release period. While it may not support the latest apps due to its older operating system, it can efficiently handle everyday basic smartphone tasks.

Memory and Storage

The device comes with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, a limiting factor for users needing more space for applications and media. However, it compensates with a dedicated microSDHC card slot, allowing for expandable storage. This feature is especially significant for users managing with the low internal memory size.

Camera Capabilities

Alcatel Pop Astro is equipped with a 5MP rear camera supported by an LED flash, capable of capturing 1080p videos at 30fps. While not highly sophisticated compared to newer models, this camera serves well for basic photography in good lighting conditions. The device also includes a VGA front camera, primarily designed for video calls rather than high-quality selfies.

Battery Life

The device is powered by a removable 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery. With an estimated talk time of up to 11 hours on a 3G network and up to 288 hours of standby time, it offers satisfactory battery performance for lightweight users. The option to remove the battery is a useful feature, allowing users to replace it if a new battery is needed.

Connectivity Options

The Pop Astro supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, with data speeds up to HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps and LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps. Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot capabilities, and Bluetooth 4.1. The device includes GPS for positioning services and an FM radio, although it lacks NFC and uses a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Sound and Multimedia

Sound features on the Alcatel Pop Astro include a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, beneficial for users who still prefer wired audio connections. Its multimedia capabilities suit general usage like listening to music and FM radio without requiring advanced audio hardware.

Additional Features

The smartphone includes basic sensors such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, ensuring essential smartphone functionalities are covered. These sensors aid in orientation, rotation, and movement detection, enhancing the device's usability.

Conclusion

The Alcatel Pop Astro represents a class of smartphones aimed at providing fundamental mobile experiences at an affordable price. While its specifications might seem modest against today's standards, during its time, it offered a balance between cost and functionality. Ideal for new smartphone users or as a backup device, the Pop Astro encapsulates what was a reasonable offering in the budget smartphone market.