Alcatel OT-S853 review: A music touch

Now, we can introduce to you one of the most expected mobile phones lately, the music Alcatel OT S853. It has stereo speakers, supports Bluetooth and EDGE, ordinary headphones may be connected. This is an Alcatel, we may expect a good price/ performance ratio.

Key features

• fancy design
• music functions : MP3 and radio
• excellent sound, especially through its built-in stereo speakers
• memory card
• option to connect standard speakers
• fast GPRS and EDGE
• expected cheap price

Main disadvantages

• phonebook searching method - by first character
• incoming text messages are stored in the SIM card only
• the shiny black surface holds finger prints
• delayed release date

After Alcatel had incorporated with the Chinese company TLC, they had gradually lost their influence in it. The new merged company introduced some new phones on stages. These however were stylish devices and mobiles of lower price and function classes. For the first time the fortune smiled on the most dedicated Alcatel fans in March this year on the CeBIT trade fair. The manufacturers didn't introduce smartphones or communicators as they had often promised before. The top mobile phone OT 853, however repaid the waiting.

  
This is Alcatel OT 853

Alcatel OT 853 is a high to medium class mobile phone. I wouldn't put it in the highest category, though it is a step behind from the best. It offers sophisticated call functions, messaging functions and time organization. It's not low on data technologies. This is a music phone with top sound quality; it has no competition in playing through the built-in loud speakers.

Juat a first look, the phone is still in development

According to the original plans, Alcatel OT S853 was to be released in September. They couldn't make it even for the Christmas sales and tchris he release date is still unknown.

Considering that the sales have been delayed and the phone will be unavailable for at least two months, the model, which we had the chance to test, is not a final version. It's one of the early releases, with sufficient stability and full of functions. However it's early for final conclusions about its abilities and performance.

This review is based on a pre-production prototype. That's why we will add further information just before sales start. We know, for example, that the Bluetooth performance will change, e-mail client or Push-to-talk have to appear. We don't expect that Alcatel would remove functions, so you may consider this article as a "basic version".

What will be the price we may only speculate. It's for sure that Alcatel S853 won't be one of the overpriced phones.

From the Matrix?

I think that technology fans will approve the phone. It has a dark matrix-like design and looks very durable at first sight. It slightly reminds of Siemens ME45. This is only a first sight impression however, the phone durability is typical and the massive edges only refresh the outer look.

We have already mentioned the shiny black surface, which literally acts as finger prints catcher on the CeBIT fair. Initially it seemed that the tested prototype is better. However reality is the same as the released phone. The front and back surfaces are both shiny and black. You have to clean it all the time in order to look good.

Finger prints just stay

The side edge colors of the phone are different than the ones, presented on CeBIT. It's not with silver case, but black and from semi-rubber material. The phone looks better and doesn't slide in hands due to the surface modification. It will hit the market soon, so let's not judge the prototype before the final device comes out

 
Comparing the tested phone and the Alcatel, presented on the CeBIT

Compared to other phones, the OT S853 is rather big, but light. The proportions are 103 x 48 x 20 mm, and it weighs 94 grams.

In hand

The axial symmetry is for the uninspired

The dimensions of the display are 32 x 40 mm. However, this is nothing unusual, nowadays there are hundreds of phones with bigger displays. The resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and 262 thousand colors are good enough. The display is excellent, very clear. There aren't any visible borders between the separate pixels. The sun always wins, though.

 
The display in indoor conditions