Alcatel Onetouch unveiled the latest releases in its Go series at IFA in Berlin. There’s the Go Play smartphone and the Go Watch. They’re colorful, waterproof, and fairly rugged. Plus, they’re being offered at seriously low prices.
Here’s a breakdown of what both devices offer:
OneTouch Go Play
The Go Play comes with a range of textured, brightly colored backs, and it sports an 8-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel camera for selfies. It scores an IP67 rating, so you can take it into the water with you. The Go Play can also handle tumbles from up to 1.5 meters, so there’s no need for a case.
It runs Android 5.1 with a minimal Alcatel UI and some extra features, like the ability to shoot video with both cameras simultaneously. You’ll see a small circle with your face in it from the front-facing camera, on top of whatever you’re shooting.
There’s a Snapdragon 410 inside the Go Play, so it isn’t the fastest phone on the market. It also has a 2,500mAh battery and a 720p display. Alcatel says the phone is good for 55 hours of music playback, so it should get through an average day without needing a outlet.
The colorful, plastic styling is supposed to appeal to a younger crowd, and the Go brand is all about active people, but the biggest attraction here is the price. At around $200, the Go Play will probably find its niche.
OneTouch Go Watch
The Go Watch has been significantly redesigned. Alcatel made it modular, so the charging port is in the main body ,and you can actually pull the plastic face off to remove the strap quickly and easily, so it’s customizable.
It has a heart rate sensor built-in, along with an altimeter, so it will track your activity and your sleep. It’s also IP67-rated, so you can take it swimming without fear. Alcatel has worked in some smartwatch features, too, so it can hook up to your iPhone or Android smartphone and send through notifications for texts, emails, and calls. You can also get weather reports on your wrist, or control your music.
On the gimmicky side, there’s Alcatel’s emotion pulse measurement, which gives you small snippets of advice based on your heart rate. It said “Go chill,” when I tried it. The 225mAh battery should get you between 2 and 5 days of usage, depending on how you use it.
Once again, the main lure here is the low, low price, which should be around $150. The Go Watch and Go Play are definitely easy on the wallet, but they’re not so easy on the eye.
