Monday, January 2, 2012

Alcatel Blaze Glory 918N Review


Ask kids these days what phone they want. They will either tell you that they want an iPhone or an Android. The clearcut difference is, one is the brand and the other is the operating system. I'm an iOS fan but that's not stopping me from trying out other platforms. Just recently, I get to try out the Android platform. Surprisingly, it is very much like the iOS system but my initial comments would be that the iOS is way smoother than Android.

I had the chance to try out the Alcatel Blaze Glory 918n. As I was unboxing it, it had a very similar packing with the iPhone. Nicely constructed box, accessories individually wrapped and organized neatly in place.

It comes with a charger, manual, USB cable, headset, screen protector and the unit itself with battery. The phone itself is easy to grip. There's one physical and 3 touch sensitive buttons in front. On the right side of the phone, you can see the volume rocker and the on/off switch. Above, you can see the 3.5mm headset port and on the left side is the micro USB port. Upon removing the battery cover, you can see on the upper left side the 2 available sim slots and at the right, the micro SD slot.


Alcatel Blaze Glory OT-918N Specifications:
Chipset MTK 6573
650MHz processor
256MB RAM
850MHz/2100MHz
HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)
Android 2.3 Gingerbread
3.2" LCD with HVGA resolution
3MP camera
A-GPS
Wi-Fi b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP
G Sensor (Similar to Accelerometer)


Since I'm used to using iOS, I can already tell you now that if you don't expect the same response rate in Android devices, you won't be dissapointed. Typing needs a little getting used to. Alcatel 918n, being a smaller phone has a smaller set of keyboard compared to the iPhone. After a day of use, I eventually got the hang of it. Good thing here is, there are multiple text input ways -- swipe, qwerty and voice.

Press the "mic" icon for voice input
If you aren't familiar with Alcatel, they were already in the market even way before some of the current mobile phone brands being sold now. The phone I'm reviewing looks high end, feels high end but is very affordable. I have no official pricing info with me but as per research, this unit will cost less than 6 thousand pesos.

4 reasons why the Alcatel Blaze Glory 918N is a great buy:
1) Dual-standby sim
This phone can accommodate 2 sims. Both will be active and usable! What's great with this phone is, they have solved my previous problems when using dual sim phones. My problem with my Samsung dual sim was, you are not made aware what sim you are currently using to send or call. With Samsung, Sim is switchable with a button on the right side of the phone. With my Nokia dual sim, you are made aware in an annoying way. Every time you make a call or try to send a SMS, it will prompt a message asking you which sim to use. This is okay at first but eventually, it becomes annoying. With the Alcatel 918n dual sim, you remain aware of what sim you are using. The currently used sim will be written on the send button. Same thing when calling. I love Alcatel's dual sim system.

Press the "Globe" button to send using Globe. Press the "down" button to select other sim
To call, choose which default sim to use
Choose the default sim to use for data, SMS or calls!
2) Battery life
Since the phone is HTC-like, I can't help but compare them. The HTC I tried was also running an Android system. It was the HTC Chacha. I thought that HTC Chacha was the perfect phone. Qwerty keypad, touch screen and android OS... but no! After a few weeks of trial, battery life was very very bad. Using WiFi, the phone wouldn't even last a day. What more if you are using 3G, right? With the Alcatel 918n, you get it for half the price of the HTC Chacha and you get a phone with a better battery life. I used 3G the whole day and there was some juice left for a few more hours.

3) RAM
Technically speaking, HTC Chacha has a bit of a larger RAM, but I can't seem to open some apps on the Chacha because it keeps on saying 'not enough memory' or a similar message to that. Even though I already closed most, If not all the apps, I still get that warning message. With the Alcatel Blaze Glory 918N, I never did encountered that. More or less, I used the same apps with both phones -- Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Browser and the messaging system. Apps run smoothly without complaints!

4) Voice command
Siri, meet Iris. Iris, meet Siri. Honestly speaking, Siri is more advanced than Iris. Iris is similar to Siri but for Android and is present in the Alcatel 918n. With Iris, I can pretty much say that they are utilizing the Wolfram Alpha system (Available in iOS as an App). I guess Siri is too but Siri can access your phones messaging, phonebook and other features like alarm and calendar. With Iris, it can only do basic search and information inquiries. Here are some of the questions I tested with Iris:


What I like with this phone is, you can pretty much use voice recognition software to input text for you whether to send SMS, tweet, take notes or even do google search. Same with Siri, you can only use Iris when there is available wifi/ 3G connection for the voice recognition software to work.

For less than 6,000 pesos and having all these features, this phone is a steal! Since pinoys are price conscious and more and more are becoming brand conscious, the price point of the Alcatel is actually very afforadable, compared to some of the China phones and even some of the other branded phones out there!

Alcatel provided me with this review unit. While the phone is still with me, I am encouraging you to ask me questions so I can help you decide whether this phone is for you or not. I'm just a comment away. If you don't want to ask through the comment section, email me. My email is located on the left side bar of this blog.

Update: There is an existing GPS problem with this phone. Stay tuned for updated if this feature matters to you. Please join the discussion in the comments section below if you find a fix/work around/update.

For more information,
Alcatel 918n Facebook Page
Alcatel Official Website

Cheftonio

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148 comments:

Anonymous said...

I searched this phone in SM Marikina, Sta. Lucia East and Robnson's East. All out of stock. Do you know of any store that has this on stock? Or when will the new units arrive? Thanks!

Sold said...

Hi Cheftonio, if the upcoming Samsung Y Duos will cost 6k+, the Alcatel is definitely a steal! Can you confirm if the 918n has 16M colors? Thanks

Cheftonio said...

@Anonymous,

Will check with Alcatel Ph regarding this matter. Will post another comment as soon as they answer my email. Thanks!

Cheftonio said...

@Sold,

Yes, very very affordable!
Alcatel OT-918n has 262k colour display.

Troy said...

Hows the signal reception? was thinking of getting the samsung Y but decided to looks for this instead.

is internet browsing fast?

Anonymous said...

Awww.. I hope you reviewed this earlier. got the htc na. this is perfect for me sana

Anonymous said...

im also an apple user. is it easy to upload photos to fb and twitter? like what you have said, problema ko din yun chacha kaya i sold it after a week. low memory ata so with a few apps open, ayaw na mag open. need to restart pa. im looking for a 2nd phone and dual sim pa ito kaya before i buy, just wanted to ask you muna para sure. thanks chef!

Cheftonio said...

@Troy,

No problems with reception so far. Better or at par with the phones I am currently using.

Cheftonio said...

@anonymous (3),

Surprisingly, it's very easy to upload photos to Twitter and Facebook! Just like iPhone, with just a button, you can take new photos or access your gallery. Problem with my iPhone is, I'm using the 3G (Not even the 3GS) and more often than not, the program crashes. This is why I'm tempted to get this new Alcatel. I'm active in Twitter! Follow me @cheftonio :)

Yes, after a few weeks, I also sold my HTC Chacha. Same dilemma.

The dual sim feature of this phone was one of my deciding factors. You know how Suncellular won't integrate some postpaid plans with your sun broadband postpaid? This solves the problem! :) When you apply kasi for sun and you tell them that you want your mobile phone plan to use a separate sim, you can't change that na later if you decide to integrate the phone + internet sim. Problem solved :)

Hope I helped. Thanks for reading/inquiring. :)

Cheftonio said...

@Anonymous (2),

HTC is okay, but more expensive. I think pinoys would go for the Alcatel in terms of price point.

I've tried Chacha and if it weren't for the poor battery life and low memory to access the apps, I wouldn't have sold that in weeks.

kablooey said...

I see a lot of name variations for this. what phone model is this really?

Alcatel glory blaze, alcatel ot-918n, alcatel duo blaze??

im confused.too many names.

kablooey said...

btw, im not confused with your blog. when i search the net, i just see a variation of names. accdg to your blog, its alcatel blaze duo 918n.

thanks in advance

Cheftonio said...

@Kablooey,

As per the reply of the Alcatel rep, the official name of this phone is

" ALCATEL BLAZE GLORY 918N "

:)

Cheftonio said...

@Anonymous (1),

I guess that due to the demand, this phone is currently out of stock and they said that stocks will be replenished 3rd week of January 2012.

Will update you guys regarding the status of stocks as soon as they update me.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for that info regarding the availability of supplies by 3rd week of January. Now I don't need to call the stores periodically. :) One more thing, I didn't see this mentioned in any of the reviews I read. Will the qwerty keyboard layout automatically adjust to lengthwise like in the nokia 5800 when you turn the unit to its side? -Anonymous(1)

unlocker said...

Information is excellence for better uses of device. It increase well to valuation of technologies.

Cheftonio said...

@Anonymous (1),

Good question. Tried it out just now. Answer is yes, Qwerty keyboard automatically adjusts to sideway orientation when tilted.

Here's the photo:
http://i.imgur.com/X34R7.jpg

:)

anonymous3 said...

thanks for the fast reply po. will wait for the availale units. let us know nalang thanks chef!

Anonymous said...

thank you vmuch!

Anonymous said...

That was fast. Thank you very much Chef! =) I have already decided to get this phone instead of the samsung galaxy y. -Anonymous(1)

Anonymous said...

How much is this? im interested. can I order through you? you have contact w them right?

Zed Chu said...

Nice review! Will buy na talaga. Had my eye on this phone for some weeks na. Thanks for the review. XD

Anonymous said...

How many touch points this phone register at a time?

Cheftonio said...

How many touch points this phone register at a time?

> Only 1 as per testing. Not multitouch like iPhone/iPads

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

im planning to get this fone asap... good thing there's a store who sells in Olongapo.

thanks for the review.

Kim said...

cheftonio so hindi pwede mag pinch to zoom. panu pag maliit yung font?

Sold said...

Only one touch point? Then, how do zoom pics or web pages? :)

Anonymous said...

i also got this phone and seem to be having problem when using SIMs of the same network (prepaid and postpaid). i got issues like delayed sms, network busy when making a call. is there any know issue with using 2 SIMs of the same network? tia!

Cheftonio said...

@sold @kim,

my bad my bad. multi touch pala. what I was comparing it with was the iPad's capability to recognize two different touch points (like when playing one game at the same time in one iPad device). For this, you can also pinch-squeeze to zoom in/out.

james said...

thanks for d review n helping me decide which 2 get

Art said...

Where will this be available for sale daw? Thanks!-Art

iphone 4s unlock said...

This is amazing looking phone from Alcatel. The Android based phone sounds powerful and it has smart features too.

mikester said...

Have you managed to make the GPS work? i'm an owner here as well and im having problems using foursquare as i am having problems with the GPS feature of the phone

Cheftonio said...

@Art,

Got a reply from Alcatel reps. Here's the reply regarding where you can purchase the units once stocks are replenished.

Its available in all ALCATEL KIOSKS. Here are the malls that we have KIOSKs:
 
*Marikina Riverbanks
*SM Bacoor
*SM Megamall
*SM City Calamba
*SM City Naga
*SM City Southmall
*SM Fairview
*SM North Edsa
 
Authorize Dealers:
Tilex (metro manila)
Greentelcom (quezon)
Zealtxt (Bacolod)
Aerophone, gizmo (cebu)
Cellcomworld, Cellworks Digital (leyte)
Presnet (batangas)
GAG(metro manila)
 
Also we will launch ALCATEL OL Shop next week to make it more convenient and easier for the consumer to buy our units.

Cheftonio said...

@Mikester,

Yes, same problem here with the GPS. Thanks for reminding me. Will also add that to the review!

Cheftonio said...

@Mikester,

Here's the reply I got from them:
---
We are checking this GPS issue with our project team, will come back to you soon.
----

Maybe they'll come up with a software update or what. Let's wait and see and hope the unit is still with me that time to try it out if it's working or not.

I'll also post instructions here on how to update in case they give me some.

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

I went to the retail outlet here in Olongapo at Thrive Telecom, unfortunately they dont sell this unit according to the not so friendly "tindera" I was going to buy that day.

Anonymous said...

Does this phone have gpu? Thx

ericute said...

Hi Cheftonio!

Your review and the comments/replies are very informative. I will be purchasing this phone soon. I just hope that this unit is available already.

I browsed through your list of malls with Alcatel Kiosk, sadly SM Manila and SM Mall of Asia aren't in the list. Can you confirm if they have kiosk or not?

Thank you very much! :D

Anonymous said...

just wanna ask, is this phone multi-touch capable??? thanks!

Anonymous said...

does games like angry birds run smoothly with this phone?? It has only 650 MHz CPU right?

Anonymous said...

Hi Cheftonio,

I never did like qwerty keys on a phone, does this one have a choice between qwerty and ordinary mobile keypad?

Cheftonio said...

Q: just wanna ask, is this phone multi-touch capable??? thanks!

> Yes, multi-touch in the sense that you can pinch to zoom. Not like the iPad though that can recognize two different touch points. (2 player game)

Q: I never did like qwerty keys on a phone, does this one have a choice between qwerty and ordinary mobile keypad?

> Yes, just swipe to left. The Qwerty keypad will turn into the ordinary numpad so you can text type like a normal candy bar keypad (1234567890)

Q: does games like angry birds run smoothly with this phone?? It has only 650 MHz CPU right?

> Yes, it runs smoothly. It just takes a while to load the game. It took me 25 seconds to load the "Angry Birds" game right from clicking the icon from the app list. Once in the game, it runs smoothly. Very little to no lag.

Cheftonio said...

For the GPU question and availability in SM Manila and MOA inquiry, I'll reply to you guys as soon as the representative from Alcatel replies. Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

Please review more gadgets. your replies are really helpful to help us decide~~

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just bought this phone yesterday. I currently have no problems with it. Resolution's very clear, and tilt motion's responsive. I have yet to use all of its features, though. Will get back once I've started installing those apps.

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

gypeakGot my OT918N yesterday at Memo Express... Congratulations to me! hehe... ( keep tracking on the comments )

Anonymous said...

Any comparisons to the Samsung Galaxy Y & Lenovo A60? Screen clarity,responsiveness of touchscreen, etc? Can this phone be used as a wi-fi hotspot like the Samsung Galaxy Y & Lenovo A60? Thanks in advance.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone do a comparison of this phone to the Samsung Galaxy Y & Lenovo A60? Can this phone be used as a wi-fi hotspot? Thanks in advance.

ericute said...

@Will

Where did you manage to buy one? I've scouted Alabang Town Center, SM Southmall and SM Mall of Asia to no avail. They can't commit when the units will be re-stocked.

Alabang Town Center and SM Mall of Asia has no Alcatel Kiosk but other stores there have this item on display.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

@Will, same here, where did you buy your unit? I looked for this last week in Sta. Lucia East, Robinson's East and SM Marikina, all out of stock. Thanks. -Anonymous(1)

Anonymous said...

@magz13, would you please share what branch of Memo Express were you able to buy your unit? Thanks. -Anonymous(1)

Anonymous said...

Hi ericute. I got my phone from SM Southmall two days ago. Bought it from the kiosk near the Samsung store, the one near the escalator. It was the last phone that the kiosk was selling, so I was a bit lucky that time.

I have a lot of apps installed na. Games look twice as better compared to the Galaxy Y, since 918N has better resolution.

Considering how the phone's currently cheaper than the Galaxy Y despite it having 3MP camera and dual-sim function, this is a great deal. I can recommend it to anyone as long as it's still being sold in its promo price.

ericute said...

@Will

Thank you! I was also there last friday and there was no more unit available. I hate you for taking the last unit! haha! :p

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

@anonymous1 . got my OT 918 at Memo Express -SM Megamall . that time there was only one unit left. I scouted the whole kiosk+the main store of Alcatel but no luck. Hope u can get ur 918 soon.

Mikepopo said...

Hi,

Update on the GPS settings. I managed to make it run just make sure that you are in an open location.

In addition, i tried registering to a local internet provider via mobile browsing and surprisingly, it downloaded the maps.

Though yeah this is still trial and error and i do hope alcatel addresses this issue via firmware update

Anonymous said...

@magz13, after you posted that you bought your unit from Memo Express, I started calling yesterday all Memo Express outlets whose numbers I can find in the internet. SM Megamall, SM North, Sta. Lucia East, SM Marikina, all no more stocks. One of their staff referred me to their Pioneer branch. They had one unit left which I bought this afternoon. I still need one more for my girlfriend, I guess I have to wait for the new stocks to arrive for that one. Thank you for the info. :)

For those who have credit cards, you can buy the unit from Memo Express with zero interest for 6 months, which I did. -Anonymous(1)

maravillo said...

You might want to try the Alcatel kiosk at Riverbanks Marikina. I got my unit there last Saturday. :)

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

@anonymous1... congratulations! (high five!) =) .. my friend saw my phone and he wanted to buy to, unluckily where to far from the Metro. He needs to wait and check stocks.

Anonymous said...

@mike, thanks for the tip. Silly me, I forgot about Riverbanks mall. I was able to buy the last one this afternoon. =) The sales lady told me there might be a delivery tomorrow, but she's not sure if there will be new 918N stocks. The sales lady remembered you by the way. ;)

@magz13, high five! Now I wouldn't feel guilty using a new phone while my gf is looking over my shoulder. =) Once she tested the unit, she can't seem to stop exploring it. I tested mine until 3am last night. =)

I texted Pioneer Memo Express staff and I was told they will also have a delivery tomorrow. She said she'll text back if there will be new 918N units. I'll post back here if they give me an update. -Anonymous(1)

maravillo said...

Aside from the known GPS problem, is anyone experiencing slow transfer rates when using a data sim? Last time I clocked loading Google's page, it took almost 4 minutes.

Anonymous said...

@mike, silly me, I forgot to check Riverbanks mall. I was able to buy the last one for my gf. Thanks for the tip. =)

@magz13, high five! Finally my search is over, and I can start tinkering with the phone. A decent, modern phone (for me) after 7 years of using an entry level nokia phone. =) I'm a first time android user, so I'm not hard to please. I saw the new high end phones, I prefer this one because it fits my budget and it's smaller, easier to grip and easier to hide. =) -Anonymous(1).

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

@anonymous1 ... poor me hindi ko pa na explore si OT ko (ayus ba sa name?) haha. been so busy kasi. di pa ako naka pag shopping sa android market hehe.
@mike... wish ko mag ka 918n ka na din. :)

Anonymous said...

Cheftonio, any update on when restocks will happen? Out of stocks everywhere!

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying my phone so far. Sana magka-stock na ulit para makabili na ang karamihan. Even my friends want one.

Anonymous said...

May update po ba sa GPS issue?

Anu ba specifically ung problem sa GPS?

PLanning to buy this pero medyo important feature na saken ung GPS kasi

maravillo said...

@anonymous, you're welcome!

@magz13, don‘t worry i already got one a week ago :)

btw guys, just an update on my data sim transfer rate issue... i can now get speeds topping 2mbps from speedtest.net :)

also, i just got a txt from the alcatel kiosk at riverbanks and their 918n have arrived! :)

ced said...

@cheftonio

I'm experiencing problems with GPS as well. Bookmarking your review. I hope you get an answer and solution from Alcatel.

Nice review, btw. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

what specifically is the problem with the GPS? thanks in advance!

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

@will congrats din pala! :)

A friend of mine went to SM Pampanga to buy one hindi alam ng mga stores dun about the unit. literally hindi nila alam ang 918N, pero listed ang mga name ng stores sa tab ng FB page. sayang!

Anonymous said...

finally got the gps function to work. You have to "register" your gps location under the sky. (outside your house and other buildings). It's now working on mine.

mike07 said...

i strongly recommend this unit.. i bought my own too.. you'll have a high quality phone in an affordable price.. very satisfying :D

mike07 said...

i would like to ask kung pano iactivate or makakuha ng configuration for mobile internet.. kasi when i called the sun cell customer service, they said that wla p daw available na configuration para sa unit na to..makipag coordinate muna daw ako sa alcatel phils to request for a configuration.. thank you..

Anonymous said...

i'm new to android phone, and this is my first unit. as far as functionality and speed is concern, this unit is good, however i'm a bit confused to whether the phone' screen normally goes to power-saving mode whenever you call. is this normal? it seems to shut off each time (the screen light). tnx.

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

@mike07 .. ako din di ko magamit mobile internet under globe. nag install na ako configuration di pa din ma open browser. nag ask ako help sa globe cust service report pa lang nya sa technical , need to wait for their call.

Reden said...

gusto kong makasubok nito, medyo matagal na rin akong naka android at hanggang ngayon eh spica pa rin ang gamit ko, ok pa rin sana sya kaso nga lang ang liit ng memory, with few apps installed na halos lahat ng pwedeng imove sa sd eh ginawa ko na, usually eh nasa 30MB lang free memory ko (around 20%) at nasa 35MB RAM. kaya ayun nagkukumahog lagi sya...

Anonymous said...

nokia asha 303 or this?

Anonymous said...

pano po gamitin ang Wi-fi ng phone?

Anonymous said...

I bought this unit 2days before new year this 2012 with P400 discount. so P5,600.00 ko cia nabili.
So far, I am very much convenient and I appreciate this using alcatel 918N.
Very affordable, reliable and nothing to worry about applications, games, internet(excellent), txting, calling... overall rating for me is 5 stars...(highest)
much better cia kaysa galaxy y with the same price.
dual sim, hvga, long lasting battery.
while galaxy y is qvga, single sim, well advantage lang nito is 800mhz ang processor. 150 lng lamang nito but not an issue coz mabilis din ang OT 918N
I salute alcatel....

Hermie said...

Wow, this is an interesting phone. How about the browser, does it support flash, text reflow and pinch to zoom?

Anonymous said...

how to take screenshots?

Jake said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jake said...

Guys..which is better? Samsung galaxy y or this???

Anonymous said...

help help help
how to import contacts from sim to phone? 250 contacts lost, nakita ko naman nag copy. when i try to uncheck the sim (deactivate) check the contacts again wala lumalabas..

can you help me step by step? wala sa manual ito.

thanks

yam said...

help help help
how to import contacts from sim to phone? 250 contacts lost, nakita ko naman nag copy. when i try to uncheck the sim (deactivate) check the contacts again wala lumalabas..

can you help me step by step? wala sa manual ito.

thanks

Cheftonio said...

Hi guys,

I sent an email to the PR of Alcatel (Ann) and I asked them to check ut your questions here so they can answer quickly. The unit is not with me anymore so I can't answer your questions in detail but the good thing here is, Alcatel is monitoring this review. Post your questions! :)

Cheftonio

ann said...

@yam to move your contact number from sim to phone or vice versa, kindly go to contacts---hit the contact category(upper left)--choose the contact that you want to transfer(e.g sim 1 or 2)--menu(lower left(square))--more--import/export--from sim 1(exam.)--to phone(exam.)--next---select your contact that you want to transfer--copy :)

Jake said...

When will the promo price of 5990 pesos of this phone will expire? I will buy this phone at March 25.

Jake said...

When will it's promo price of 5999 pesos will expire? Because I am planning to buy this phone on march 25.

werner said...

where are the official alcatel stalls around metro manila where i can buy this? also, is memo express an authorized seller of alcatel phones? i've seen a lot of memo express stores that sell this phone, i just want to make sure for warranty purposes

thank you

Kim dela cruz said...

Hi Chef! Im kim dela cruz. I just want your advice. I would want to buy this fone but Alcatel OT-990( the other model) is bothering me. Which do you would i choose? This fone or the alcatel OT-990??? Nalilito ako kasi ung Alcatel OT-990 maganda din kce malapad un screen and 5 mp and a front cam but it has lower android OS (Froyo 2.2). Anu kaya pipiliin ko chef? Thanks in Advance! :)

mixednuts said...

ang gulo ninyo? what GPS problem ba? one reply above solved it by going outside to get satellite signals. it does too with samsung phones.

google maps can store offline maps check that your google maps is at least version 5.9 otherwise download it.

Anonymous said...

Chef, is there a noticeable difference between 650mhz and 600mhz?
cause i saw smart netphone 701, smart reduced its price. its now 4999. it has better specs than 918n, except in the processor part. please help me Decide. thanks!

boy said...

is it true that you cannot send GMs (group messages) using this phone? If you can't then what apps can do that for this phone?

Ika said...

i just bought mine the other day at 5700..great deal! it was at park square makati..they only have one left.im not that tekky but this 918N is so easy to use.long battery hours.ive already downloaded several games and live wallpapers from android market for about 3 hours with a very small amount of battery but i still have few left.wifif works fast and well too.so easy to use. i easily gave up on my BB after exploring it for 2 days. but with this 918N, i have been so prodcutive. easy to understand commands. I have a question though-> im using globe and sun sim cards for this fon.however whenever i click on the icon SIM TOOLKIT, MY SUN SERVICES/applications work but when i touch on my globe icon , it will prompt a message saying: THE APPLICATION IS NOT AVAILABLE/installed.how can this be installed?

Anonymous said...

yeah, what's the work around for that globe sim error message? and i really couldnt turn off the camera's shutter sound.

Cheftonio said...

Hi guys,

I emailed the PR of Alcatel today and compiled all your questions. Once I get the answer, Ill post it here and update you guys.

Keep those questions coming. You deserve to know the details before making your purchase :)

Chef :)

Anonymous said...

Hey! Is there anyone try to upgrade it's firmware on one touch upgrade? why it always failed? need help

thanks

Sold said...

Hi Chef and Alcatel,

I'm using this phone with Globe and Sun sims. What are the settings for 3G internet. I am able to see the 3G icon but I can't browse anything. I'm on postpaid so no problem with the balance...

Anonymous said...

I will buy na this f0ne, buy acc0rding to my research this f0ne w0nt have aut0f0cus, uhm is it p0ssible to make it have auto f0cus by the use of any andr0id apps like camera 360?
Tnx guys im am using kc n0w se cybersh0t c901 en l0oking f0rward to andr0id na sna help me tnx

Xian said...

I will buy na this f0ne, buy acc0rding to my research this f0ne w0nt have aut0f0cus, uhm is it p0ssible to make it have auto f0cus by the use of any andr0id apps like camera 360?
Tnx guys im am using kc n0w se cybersh0t c901 en l0oking f0rward to andr0id na sna help me tnx

Anonymous said...

this is what i looking for,agps,wi-fi ang dual sim but you said theres a problem in agps you mean i can't use it

xandralauren said...

Hi! I just wondered why is it that my phone says on the SETTINGS>ABOUT PHONE>MODEL NUMBER>ALCATEL_ONE_TOUCH_918M???

WHEN IT SHOULD BE 918N...

IS THIS A DIFFERENT VERSION?

BTW
I noticed it's running very slow so I checked the running applications
I have here 78MB used and 67MB free. I THOUGHT THIS IS 250MB RAM? :(((

Anonymous said...

mukhang nakalimutan na ata tayo ng ALcatel support dito :(

Anonymous said...

have read that this phone the OT-918N has a brother the OT-918D with same specs but the OT-918D has a dual cam? is it available here in the Philippines?

Anonymous said...

have read that this phone the OT-918N has a brother the OT-918D with same specs but the OT-918D has a dual cam? is it available here in the Philippines?

xandralauren said...

I have called ALCATEL Phil and they said that all phones sold here are ALCATEL OT 918M, the OT918N is only available in the US and it comes with a front camera. (huge mistake)

for the RAM end user is only entitled to 150M while the 100M is for core apps.

I am also having a problem with the GPS, but if you guys say we have to go out where we can see the sky, that's really annoying, I have to go out in open location just check-in on foursquare?? or add location to my tweets and fb stats ughh >.<

I hope they fix this asap..

tristan said...

good afternoon...
i just wanna know if the phone has sms threaded view, if we can automatically save messages to memory card... and more thing how to transfer sms to pc..

jest said...

hi problem nga with gps and too low phone memory...hmmm pa alert nmn po kung may set up na ang gps ng alcatel ot 918n ;;;bought this unit 3 days ako...ang love it..fully customized....will visit you blog everyday for a update...

Lauren said...

hi Cheftonio! I was just wondering, ano kya ms mgndang bilihin..samsung galaxy y or ung alcatel blaze glory 918N? and multitouch b ung blaze glory? one last question, may quickoffice app b ung blaze glory? thank you.:)

Anonymous said...

hi chef! I was wondering, may quickoffice app po b ung blaze glory? thanks.:)

Anonymous said...

Hi sir,
Is there a free SD Card?.
If yes, whats the capacity?.

Thanks,

zid

jest said...

alcatel ot 918n owner...

may sd card na nka lagay na ....2gb..

may quick office...

better screen display..bigger screen than galxy y...

3mp 600mhz cpu but same speed with galaxy y....

Anonymous said...

so far so good itong alcatel ot-918N..

hindi pa lang masyado familiar sa unit..

bago bil pa kasi...

hehehe..:)

Anonymous said...

can this phone be rooted using gingerbreak 1.20?

Anonymous said...

Sir may available na ba sila ngayon na gantong unit sa SM NORTH?

Anonymous said...

Any answer to the question if you could do group messaging? Also,I still haven't gotten the gps to work, even when i'm out in the open. despite these, great phone though. 9 out of 10. thanks Cheftonio. I got it because of your review.

xandralauren said...

I'm reviewing their new ot918x it is rooted as 918n http://instagr.am/p/Je89R9ypkv/

no problem with gps.. (haisst i feel cheated tuloy with my 918m :( huhuhhu)

P6199.00 only
(and the previous is now only P5600)

added 0.2mp to camera

other features just the same

Anonymous said...

can you play plants vs zombies and temple run smoothly? Cause im planning to get one from sun.

Anonymous said...

i read somewhere in the net that android phones have a config file under root:\system\etc\gps.config

you can edit the server from there para daw madali ma lock ang gps satellite sa fone mo.

unfortunately, i tried checking that using root explorer and i cant locate the file.

sana may work around sa gps issue. its a hassle to go out just to check into places.

Anonymous said...

i read somewhere in the net that android phones have a config file under root:\system\etc\gps.config

you can edit the server from there para daw madali ma lock ang gps satellite sa fone mo.

unfortunately, i tried checking that using root explorer and i cant locate the file.

sana may work around sa gps issue. its a hassle to go out just to check into places.

deepbass said...

Does anyone know how much this phone costs today? I'm very interested on buying 2 units.. I think I can get one in Marikina Riverbanks Alcatel Kiosk..

Anonymous said...

hi cheftonio! stable ba yung wi-fi hotspot feature nito? plan ko kasi gamitin ito bilang portable wifi hotspot pag gamit ko ang netbook at tablet. thanks! :)

Vincent said...

Sir toni! which phone do you prefer? this alcatel 918n or the samsung galaxy y? because I don't know which one to choose :)

Anonymous said...

Hiiiii~ Badly need your response. I do own this phone but I can't figure out how to use the memory of the sd card rather than the internal memory. Please helpppppp!

Anonymous said...

Your GPS question: Answered

GPS = Global Positioning System. To get your true location three(3) satellites must be able to receive and then "triangulate" your GPS receiver. hence the need to step out of your building. If you think you have a GPS that you can use in a building or a house, it is NOT a true GPS. So, if your GPS is "broken" try stepping out in the open with plenty of space for satellites to "see" your phone. Basically they are line-of-site, trees and buildings WILL block signals. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

which is better...alcatel blaze glory or nokia c5-06? thank you!!

ricz said...

hi cheftonio!!m planning to buy a phone this weekend..but m having hard time deciding coz i really don't know how to analyze there specs if which is better, alcatel blaze glory or nokia c5-06? thank you so much for ur help =)

Anonymous said...

hi cheftonio!! m planning to buy a phone this weekend but i don't know how to analyze their specs if which is better..should i buy alcatel blaze glory or nokia c5-06?

Jeanne said...

hello! ask ko lang kung pwede ang games dito like temple run? yung pwede sa mga phones with bigger screen? and kung may ibang available color? plus kung pwedeng i-lock yung screen nya using a password or pattern? thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

hello! ask ko lang kung pwede ang games and apps dito like temple run? yung pwede sa mga phones with bigger screen? and kung may ibang colors pa ito? plus kung pwedeng i-lock yung screen using a pass code or a pattern? thanks in advance!

deepbass said...

Sir Toni, what provided ginamit nyo for setting up the 3G on this device? and can someone give me the settings on how to configure the 3G settings for the 918n? thanks!

Anonymous said...

hello po, pahelp naman, pano po patayin yung shutter sound sa alcatel 918N?

Anonymous said...

i'm having a hard time setting up my phone.. it's also hard to connect to wi-fi ang 3g.. i can't download any games or apps.. can you please help me customize my phone settings.. thanks

Anonymous said...

i'm having a hard time setting up my phone.. it's also hard to connect to wi-fi ang 3g.. i can't download any games or apps.. can you please help me customize my phone settings.. thanks

Lana said...

Hi! My name is Lana. I was just wondering if there's a way to turn the camera sounds off? I can't seem to find it in the Settings menu nor the Camera Settings menu. Pls help. If you could email me the steps pls.. I would really appreciate it. My email add is lanadavid.78@gmail.com

Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

Hi! I was just wondering if there's a way to turn the camera sounds off? I can't seem to find it in the Settings menu nor the Camera Settings menu. Pls help. If you could email me the steps pls.. I would really appreciate it. My email add is lanadavid.78@gmail.com

Thanks again!

Cheftonio said...

Its not possible to turn off camera sounds for this unit...

Anne said...

I have been using this phone for about a month now. Apps work well, mostly. I downloaded a silent camera app to take pictures more quietly. My only complaint is the few seconds lag when entering the messaging icon. In samsung phones that I see, the messaging is much much faster ...

May said...

Great Review. This phone looks awesome and with dual sim capacity, its very convenient. It is also professional looking.

Anonymous said...

boss ! how to turn off the camera sound ?? thanks!

Cheftonio said...

@anon,

Hey. Sadly, it's not possible to turn off camera sounds.

Anonymous said...

sakin lag din kapag nagppunta ako sa message tapos minsan pag punta ko sa menu minsan black muna sha bago mag-appear ung icons.. normal ba un?

Anonymous said...

im disappointed with this phone, a lot of games can't be installed here like temple run. The internal phone memory is getting low everytime i install games even if i transfer them to the external memory card.

jerynaru said...

just bought the phone last november po, notice ko lng po minsan nag ha hung yung phone pag nag ta type po ako, then notice ko po sa text message delayed po cya.
Example: message sent time was 8:55 am yung reply na receive ko is 8:32 po. bakit po naging advance yung time ng reply po?

Unknown said...

may FB group po ba and OT-918??

gawa naman po kau..
para magshare share tau ng ideas dun..

Anonymous said...

Hi this is keken,

please help me with my phone here. i forgot my pattern lock and tried it couple times but it really didn't even work and the phone started to ask about my email acct which is gmail. so i typed in my gmail acct(w/c is already synchornized to my phone before i accidentally locked it) but it's not even working, and at first i thought it was only a user error but when i tried it multiple times, it is still not working. please help me with my problem! :(

shashwat said...

can i take a screenshot on it if yes how