Telstra Smart-Touch 2 Android phone

Telstra's original Smart-Touch was the first Android smartphone to break the $100 price barrier in Australia, but its tiny, resistive display made for an extremely poor user experience. The company has gone back to the drawing board with the Smart-Touch 2 but the same $99 price tag remains. The larger screen and newer software make the Smart-Touch 2 a better proposition than its predecessor, but the user experience remains frustratingly sluggish.

Looks cheap, feels cheap

It's tough to be critical of a fully fledged Android phone that sells for less than $100, even if it's not a great product. The Telstra Smart-Touch 2 falls squarely into that category. There's nothing essentially wrong with its basic, candybar form factor but the plain black casing really doesn't inspire any confidence in ZTE's build quality. The rear battery cover feels hollow and visibly depresses when force is applied, the glossy front is a fingerprint magnet and the overall feeling you're left with is that this is a very cheap phone. Yes, the Smart-Touch 2 is a cheap phone, but we would have appreciated a simple silver edge to spice up a bland look, for example, as well as a slightly sturdier build.

Despite its plain looks there are a few things we like about the Telstra Smart-Touch 2. Its relatively lightweight and its rounded edges and curved corners means the phone comfortably fits into the palm of your hand. The plastic casing on the back feels a little like rubber, too, which means the device is easy to grip and therefore shouldn't be easily dropped.

Source : pcworld