Straight Talk ZTE 990G GSM Prepaid Android Full Review
Release Date Mid 2012
Carrier: Straight Talk
ZTE 990g Availability in Your Area
ZTE Merit 990g Specifications
LG
Android OS
Gingerbread Android version 2.3.4
Processor
600 mhz
Dimensions
4.6" x 2.4" x 0.5"
Weight
4.5 oz
Form Factor
3.5" Touch Screen
Screen Size and Resolution:
3.5" 320 x 480 pixels
3g GSM
Battery Life:
6 hrs talk time, Up to 10 days stand by
Data Signal:
3g Data
Camera resolution:
5 Megapixels
Bluetooth
v 2.0
Charge/data cable
Micro USB
Headphone Jack
3.5mm
Micro SD card
Yes
ZTE Merit 990g Features
Compact design, Android Market, Full HTML browser, Video, excellent 5mp Camera, Bluetooth, Voice commands, Micro SD card, GPS , Youtube, mp3 player, Swipe Keyboard, Netflix, Angry Birds and lots more
First Impression
The first words that come to mind when reviewing the ZTE is compact and basic. This isn't a bad thing by any means because this is a smartphone after all, but compared to many other new Androids, this one is fairly straight forward. While the phone is quite compact for an Android, it is a little thicker than we are used to for a non QWERTY phone of this size. The body is made out mostly shiny plastic and the compact size feels comfortable in the hand.
A look around the phone reveals a standard 3.5mm jack and power button at the top, volume rocker buttons on the right, bottom front features the typical 3 button layout of the physical variety. Interestingly, the phone does not have a dedicated camera button. The left side houses the standard micro usb charge port.
Being that this is of the entry level variety, the hardware is fairly basic featuring a 600 mhz processor so don't expect monster speed. That said, performance is quite good and certainly more than adequate for most users shopping for an entry level phone like this.
Overall, it's a competent device that's as basic as they come for Androids. We like the compact nature of the phone but the lack of a dedicated camera button can be somewhat irritating since the camera must be used through the onscreen menus.
ZTE 990g Availability in Your Area
Usability and Features
As with all Androids, you get access to the Android app market so there's quite a bit of usability there as you would expect. Despite only having a 600 mhz processor, most apps we tried worked great. Of course the number of apps you can run simultaneously will be somewhat limited by the processor.
As with all new phones, it does have the motion sensing capabilities so most apps will adjust to portrait or landscape. I will point out that the standard Android keyboard has rather small letters so you may want to download a different keyboard from the app market.
Finally, one thing we didn't like was the lack of a dedicated camera button which has become somewhat of a standard on the majority of new phones. As it is, you will need to navigate to the camera app to use it. That being said, it does have a great 5mp camera which is surprising for a lower end model. To put this in perspective, the other entry level Android offered by Straight Talk in the form of the Samsung Precedent only has a 2 mp camera.
Overall, the usability on this phone is quite good.
Conclusion
The ZTE 990g is a solid device. Keep in mind that it's of the entry level variety. Also keep in mind that pricing will really determine if the phone is worth the cash or not. If it comes in right around $100, then this phone will be well worth it. If it's in the 120-150 range, then the Samsung Precedent is a much sleeker design with similar features and Samsung reliability.
LG Optimus 2X 4g/3g GSM Straight Talk Review
Release Date Jan 2012
Carrier: Straight Talk
Check if the LG Optimus 2X is available in Your Area for Straight Talk
LG Optimus 2X Specifications
LG
Android OS
Gingerbread Android version 2.3.4
Processor
Dual Core 1 GHZ
Dimensions
4.9" x 2.5" x 0.4"
Weight
4.9 oz
Form Factor
4" Touch Screen
Screen Size and Resolution:
4" 480 x 800 pixels
3g/4g GSM
Battery Life:
Up to 7hrs talk time, Up to 10 days stand by
Signal:
4G where available
Camera resolution:
8 Megapixels
Bluetooth
v 2.0
Charge/data cable
Micro USB
Extra Port
HDMI output
Headphone Jack
3.5mm
Micro SD card
4gb card included, Up to 32Gb support
LG Optimus Q Features
GSM 3g/4g, Dual core Processor speed, Android Market, large 4" touch screen, Full HTML browser, Video, 8mp Camera, Bluetooth, Voice commands, Micro SD card (should be included), GPS navigation, Youtube, mp3 player, Swipe Keyboard, Netflix, Angry Birds and lots more
Check if the Straight Talk LG Optimus 2X is available in Your Area
First Impression
First impression is that this is right up there with some of the more powerful Androids on the market. We were also struck by the large screen. At 4", it's one of the larger screened devices out there. It's certainly the biggest screened prepaid device on the market. Of course with a larger screen, comes higher resolution so were were also struck by the brightness and clarity of the screen. Despite the large screen, it's actually pretty thin coming in at a tad under 1/2". It's actually thinner than the other Androids offered by Straight Talk.
A tour around the phone reveals the typical Android layout with the exception of the HDMI output which is located at the top along with a 3.5mm ipod type headphone jack and power/lock button. The left side houses the volume and camera button, while the right side has no buttons. The charge port is located at the bottom along with dual speakers. Just below the screen we find the typical 4 button Android buttons which are of the capacitance touch type. Finally, we find an excellent 8 mp camera which actually bulges out a bit.
Looks wise, this is a very attractive phone. We particularly like the beveling on the glass along the sides of the screen. The metal edging is also a nice touch making this a great looking phone.
Check if the Straight Talk LG Optimus 2X is available in Your Area
Usability and Features
This phone has a lot of cool features that are aren't typical on Androids. We very much loved the LG gesturing system. For example, tapping the sides of the phone will cause the cursor to move to the side you typed. This is an awesome solution to the cursor placing accuracy problem that plagues most touch phones. The interface also has all sorts of customization options which aren't found on most Androids.
Of course you are buying this phone for the dual core speed and we are pleased to say that it does not disappoint. Web browsing and animations are smooth as silk on this device. There are no hitches like are found on some of the slower lower end devices. Be aware that this is a 4g capable device but of course that only applies to areas where TMobile offers the service. Otherwise, you will get standard 3g service.
We were very impressed with the 8mp camera. Images were as good as most digital cams out there. The HDMI port is also very cool. Connect it to your TV and watch your images and movies. It may not get as much use as it should, especially if you don't have an HDMI capable TV but it impressed the heck out of us.
Overall, we were very pleased with the features and usability of this phone. There are lots of little extras like the gesturing system that sets this apart from other devices. We think it's well worth the cash!
Conclusion
We think this phone speaks for itself. We are certain that the Optimus 2X is one of those devices you own and user for a very long time. It will quickly become a third hand to any user and once you get used to all it's features, it will be hard to put down. This is what happens when you combine the affordability of Straight Talk with the quality and power of the Optimus 2X.
Check if the Straight Talk LG Optimus 2X is available in Your Area
