A Closer Look at the Alcatel 800 White

Alcatel have continued in their tradition of making simple, practical handsets that won't break the bank with the introduction to their range of the OT800 in White.

Not traditionally regarded as a manufacturer renowned for its mobile internet facilities, the Alcatel 800 White surprisingly is a superb little device for browsing the web. It offers EDGE data speeds and also features GRPS connectivity. As far as the user interface is concerned, the web browser on this phone is the very well received Opera Mini. It is fast and very simple to use. Considering its target audience, the focus on Social Networking activity with this phone is a very good idea. It features a neat internet feature called "My Friends", which offers shortcuts to a host of sites including Facebook and Bebo.

The overall design of the Alcatel 800 White is going to appeal to many people. The phone is not dissimilar to a Blackberry, and the white finish of this particular model will no doubt win the device many more friends. A 2.2" TFT screen showing 256k is included. This screen is very bright and vibrant as compared to some of its predecessors. Beneath the screen is where you will find the QWERTY keyboard. Although this undoubtedly makes the phone a tad larger than some other designs available, it does mean the user will find composing SMS messages and E Mails a much easier task. There is a hard key on the right hand side of the phone which accesses the Phonebook function. This Phonebook has the capacity to store upto 800 contacts. A D pad allows you to perform your on screen navigation but this can also be achieved by using the scroll wheel on the side of the unit.

A digital camera capable of taking shots with a maximum resolution of 2 million pixels is built in to the 800 White. Unfortunately this camera does lack a flash and zoom facility, but is however adequate for simple snaps to MMS or upload. Video capture is also supported. An RDS FM radio is built in, which coupled with the music playback facility in the media player makes this phone a neat alternative to a standalone MP3 player, however the omission of a 3.5mm jack plug is a shame as the user cannot now use their own headphones.

All in all the Alcatel 800 White is going to appeal to a good many people. Its striking looks will grab the attention of those who like their phone to be a fashion statement, and the Social networking side of thing will undoubtedly attract many younger users. Although far from a smartphone, the impressive list of features and its competitive price point will appeal to nearly everyone.

The Alcatel 800 White and the Blackberry 8520 Purple are available now.