I have heard that there are several android phones available in the market but I wanted to know which ones are the cheapest and also at the same time good looking phones in the android market. So I took a look at various phones available at one of the local mobile stores in Mangalore and this is what I got to know. Of Course, your idea of a Budget Android phone may be different from mine, but do humor me and let me know your choice too!!
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| More phone for less! android A60 from Micromax! |
At Number 5: If you ask me the cheapest android phone available in the market then I would definitely advise you to go with the Micromax Android A60. It definitely has some good features at it’s retail price of around Rs. 6,000.The A60 has a 2.8-inch resistive touch screen with 320×240 pixel resolution, the resistive touch screen though is a drawback. When I held the phone in my Hand, I did find the shape a little unusual. But I liked the 3.2 MP camera. Another drawback though is that the phone is not supported for a Froyo (2.2) upgrade. But if there’s a geek in you, may be you can root it and then install Froyo or Gingerbread whatever you fancy. Overall, Micromax A60 is a good Android phone. A60 is your window to the world of Android for a measly price. If it is a gift, grab it with both hands. If you have to buy it, don’t think twice.
At Number 4: The next android I picked up was Motorola MB300 Backflip, it does have a unique and very uncommon design! The Qwerty keypad is actually located on the back of the cell phone which functionall is quite effective though very unusual! Once we flip the phone though, the display is in line with the keypad, which is quite large and very comfortable! Android OS, v1.5 (Cupcake), upgradable. The camera on board this phone is an Awesome 5 Megapixel one with LED and Autofocus! This phone supports HSDPA and Wi-fi too.The phone however is at the higher end of the budget spectrum at Rs.15000/- on the retail market.
At Number 3: Spice MI-310. At a tad over Rs. 7,000, this handset is priced economically and does not seem to compromise on the major fronts. The 3.15-inch capacitive touchscreen has a resolution of 320×480 px. It also supports Android application installation on external memory card, which lets the user install a lot of applications without worrying about the memory space.
At Number 2: LG Optimus One P500, is the next handset I was very excited about. At Rs. 10000 this phone is quiet affordable and at the same time very functional too! The phone looks sturdy packed in a sleek chassis crafted out of soft touch plastic with a thin metallic rims and a chrome like bezel. LG has already promised Android 2.3 upgrade for it. No Swype text input though.
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| Samsung – I5510! Best Bang for the Buck! |
And the top phone among the Androids for Budget users is the Samsung Galaxy 551 I5510. It is priced at around Rs. 11,000 (I was offered it at Rs. 10,500), If you are hardcore fan of qwerty and love Android too, better go for Samsung Galaxy 551. Its another Android 2.2 Froyo phone with a slide out QWERTY. Other features like Integrated social networking apps, video and image sharing (like Youtube, Picasa, and Gtalk), Google search, and mail provide all tools for maintaining an online presence. Google Maps with location tracker provides the core navigational tool for On-road presence.
Do let us know what you think are the best androids for people on a tight budget!
The HTC A 32 is also a worth-for-money phone, though its a bit steeply priced at 12,500 , it carries the awesomeness of HTC. I'm not sure of the configuration.
@lalith: The guy did mention the HTC hero as one of the commonly sold phones to students, but it was not available with him at that time, so couldn't see it 🙂
The HTC hero is not an Android phone, A 32 is a different one…
@Lalith: Oh Alright! Have no idea about this one then.. Maybe he was testing my knowledge too 😛
hehe