The $5 Smartphone - Is It Any Good?

● Liked this video? Subscribe for more: mjd.yt/subscribe
Today we're gonna explore a smartphone that only costs $5. Well... at least for right now. Tracfone offers this TCL A1 Android phone for $5 if you purchase a minimum $15 service plan. Is it any good?
As of late 2023, the phone doesn't seem to be available from TracFone anymore.
● Gear I use to make these videos: www.kit.co/mjd
Camera: amzn.to/3ipyKc5
Tripod (mine is discontinued): amzn.to/2IcI6YM
Smaller Tripod: amzn.to/2UfLAk9
Microphone: amzn.to/35UbkXb
Editing Software (Premiere): amzn.to/39kawfS
Thumbnail Editor (Photoshop): amzn.to/3lVqVN6
● Affiliate Links (these links will earn me a commission if you purchase something through them at no additional cost to you):
Get a FREE 30-DAY TRIAL of Amazon Prime: amzn.to/2xVmMB3
Get 2 FREE Audiobooks with Audible: amzn.to/2Ovylse
Try Twitch Prime for FREE: amzn.to/33g6vaa
Amazon: www.amazon.com/?tag=teammjd-20
● Follow Me:
Twitter: / mjdtweets
Instagram: / mjdmichael
● Music/Credits:
Background Music:
"Love Struck" and "Hookah Bar" from the KZbin Audio Library
Airport Lounge by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
AcidJazz by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Outro Music: Silent Partner - Bet On It
Source: KZbin Audio Library
Amazon Affiliate Notice: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All Amazon links that I provide will use my affiliate code with Amazon.
Some materials in this video are used under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, which allows "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, and research.
#MichaelMJD #Smartphone #Android

[@ProfMannion]

It's okay, but for $5 I expect more Solitaire.

[@icedllama4566]

And more sandwich

[@giancarlo418]

Lol

[@OpenMachines.]

Good point

[@Cl4r1ty_]

Here before this blows up

[@raini8724]

lol

[@MordecaiTheAwesomeBluejay]

Solitaire in 1995: Double click it and start playing Solitaire in 2021: GIVE US YOUR DATA. LOCATION. AND PHONE NUMBER

[@tvvoty]

And also your debit card credentials

[@californium-2526]

@@tvvoty And your spleen.

[@rcmero]

Microsoft from 2017: Pfff... Amateurs.

[@XaneMyers]

And you must randomly be an adult to play…Solitaire now! 😄

[@Volodimar]

YOUR CLOTHES AND MOTORCYCLE

[@junoperberry]

I love how this $5 phone comes with more extras than $1000+ phones do

[@jovinorlandez5663]

iphone: uhhhhhhhhhh, not me

[@sparky6757]

Are you referring to the bloatware that no sane person would actually want, or

[@NR20244]

@@sparky6757 I think they mean accessories (chargers, etc…)

[@irfanyxp3489]

​​@@NR20244 yeah now Samsung ditch charger in their non flagship too like a54 🤦‍♂️ I miss when my father bought an a10 with earphone in the box...

[@Lord_Mika]

Iphone users: "b..but MY CAMERA!!"

[@Zerbey]

I had an AT&T branded Alcatel that I paid about $15 for as an emergency phone, it was also network locked to AT&T but I was using it with a Cricket SIM and it activated just fine (since AT&T own Cricket). Ended up giving it to my kid and he used it for a year. Ran Android 5.1.1 and could run a few basic Apps like KZbin, perfectly fine for a kid's phone.

[@life0num2]

you're a monster

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

Hell, im typing this comment from an alcatel a571vl (also android 5.1.1).

[@birddude3123]

@@qwertykeyboard5901ain’t no way boy

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

@@birddude3123 Yes way boy. Its slow, but works.

[@Catnapreal7]

I used a moto x on Android 4.4 was ok but no app support

[@rahulchandra152]

Imagine your a 6th grader and your parents just got you this phone. You thank them and tell all of your friends you got a phone. Then you see this is in your recommended.....

[@lightlie_]

Lol

[@g7santaclaus511]

its better than nothing.

[@Pocket2441]

I have the Alcatel version of this phone

[@jeraldjoyce2995]

@@Pocket2441 Same here. Used it freshman year as my first phone. Absolutely absued the thing.

[@azeemtics6613]

That most hurt

[@Doxxy0]

I always love it when the weaker a phone is, the more bloatware they preinstall

[@ilyasg2108]

incorrect, bloatware depends on the carrier. my brand new s21 plus 5g installed about 30 apps on Verizon that I had to disable, not including carrier apps.

[@placyd]

11:54

[@goldegreen]

@@ilyasg2108 this is why you buy unlocked whenever possible lol

[@ilyasg2108]

@@goldegreen true, I just wanted the sale price lol

[@ilyasg2108]

@@xxTexas_outlaw71xxttv if it’s rooted then obviously

[@dakotajohnston6809]

I remember buying this model of phone like 2 years ago, there is a way of stopping the bloatware auto app install by force stopping a bunch of functions in the settings (I can't remember which ones you have to force stop though) once you do that and delete the bloatware It wasn't all that bad if you didn't care about taking photos.

[@jexanderarvelo3277]

My dumbass will just force stop every single thing and hope that I don’t break it

[@acronym.4328]

Universal Android Debloater can clear this thing up quite a lot, I think.

[@Techtype_]

*solitaire wants to know your location, play itself in the background and send messages every 10 seconds reminding you to play solitaire*

[@reimarpb]

I have a feeling those notifications also would be ads

[@brandon_kig5785]

Sooner or later, smartphones are gonna hit dollar stores. Edit: A lot of people are telling me they already do. While I appreciate the replies, at the time, I was thinking of stores like Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Store, and the phones costing only $1.

[@djspookyty]

@wraithwarrior Same here. But they're like $15+

[@brandon_kig5785]

@wraithwarrior I forgot that Dollar General sells phones. I was thinking of stores more like Dollar Tree for example.

[@Zircon]

They already have

[@jlewwis1995]

They already have, they're pretty shit ones of course but they're there

[@LSniumUwU]

I get free phones from peoples backpacks at starbucks.

[@RadwanGamerTV]

"Mom can I get an android phone?" "You have a phone at home." The phone:

[@jb888888888]

The solitaire auto-install thing might be Tracfone. A while back I was at a local grocery store and used their free wifi on a Tracfone-branded A51; suddenly there were two or three or four games on my desktop I'm 1000% sure I didn't install. I thought I might have been hacked via the store's wifi. I'm also pretty sure that they didn't show up when I had updated the OS.

[@kalyxo_tb]

Correct, I had Tracfone for many years and it seems over the last 5 years or so they started doing this. Started with just Facebook and Messenger but now it's various strange games, TikTok, etc. At least they can be uninstalled, which was not the case earlier with FB and Messenger.

[@ashkyper]

“solitaire would like to access your social security number and credit card information”

[@greatcanadianmoose3965]

Most people: "Seems reasonable"

[@nukiradio]

Your mother's maiden credit card and the last four digits of your dog

[@thatoneuser5066]

You can get a deck of cards for less than the price of this phone and it doesn't ask for any of your info.

[@whale4565]

@@nukiradio where would I find the last four digits of my dog?

[@Realtimeless]

pup software

[@deadchannellol7777]

The Weather app: *"Tap to configure"* Wow, I've never expected that a cellphone can change the whole weather of the world just by a one click, with only 5 dollars! Damn the technology has improved too much...

[@WitherSkell]

fr

[@xXVibrantSnowXx]

oh

[@bilmemne34]

LOL

[@Pearloryx]

Technically the truth

[@harryfucker9009]

someone needs to buy a new phone

[@memesalvv3226]

You just unlocked a memory that was deep in my childhood this phone was my second phone I ever had thanks for the memories

[@12puppeez1]

Little bit of info.. tracfone has always been known, at least to me, to only allow their sims in phone. Back in 2008 or so when I got my first tracfone (first phone ever) you couldn't even switch Sims between TracFones they would only allow a number transfer. I just remember always having to either just get a new number everytime I lost or broke a phone or settle for an hour long phone call with TracFone to get the number swapped. Hope this clears up some things even a little

[@CatsRobloxOther2nd]

I have tracfone even on a unlocked phone, lol thanks zte blade

[@parrotube_bg3557]

2000$ u phone

[@parodylover999]

they started unlocking for 2014 models, and in 11/21 they shorted the eligibilty to 2 months instead of a year

[@nategg481]

This just goes to show how far things have come and how cheap the possibilities are. if by some miracle this came out in 2011 or so, it would've been an absolute beast of a phone.

[@sokool3994]

Even in 2013, this would've been considered a midrange phone.

[@nahrafe]

@@sokool3994 i had a Lenovo a6000+ back then in 2015. At the time 2 GB of RAM in android is just very powerful. At 2013 i think the usual ram would be not more than 1 GB.

[@danif620]

Thats the point. It did not came is 2011 lol. And is using old outdated technology. Ofcourse a flagship phone with latest features right now would probably be worth $20 in the next decade lol.

[@ivebeenmemed]

iPhone 4S was out in 2011, that would've destroyed this phone

[@sokool3994]

@@ivebeenmemed Eh, not sure about that one.

[@Thornskade]

Even at $20 this is still a lot cheaper than a Raspberry Pi. Kinda insane.

[@8koi245]

lmao true

[@lucerodj11]

but raspberry pi is still more powerful.. it is a computer. This is a smartphone..

[@Thornskade]

@@lucerodj11 Smartphones are computers.

[@randomchannel9331]

@@Thornskade the pi still is faster nonetheless

[@paulsitt]

If only phones have accessible & programmable GPIO pins with all the peripherals, then nobody would buy a pi anymore.

[@Tonlah]

I use this as my extra phone for offline music and basic emulation. Through testing, it can handle anything from the NES to the DS, but struggles with N64 / full 3D graphics. VLC Player helps with low volume issue for media. I used a 32GB SD Card for media storage, and left the internal space for software updates. Not bad at all for $5 - $10 anyhow

[@JudeTheYoutubePoopersubscribe]

Literally costs less than a big mac lol

[@adriancoanda9227]

Cmon it worked you may say but 2 gb ram ah never had such low ram but you can download from play store swap no root and create swap memory on the internal nand, it helps with multitasking and background apps well going from an s22 ultra where the main core is 2x faster that the entire cpu , and with 16gb ram real ram not the storage, the storage is 1 tb nvme , y installed kali nethunter on top of android 13 y don't know what y would do with sunc devices probably stop using it besides phone calls and even if it's locked the unlock on android 8 is easy

[@lucash1955]

i love how a 5 dollar phone has a more complete box than a 1k dollar phone

[@TheScepticalThinker]

That was kinda fascinating to watch. Today, we have smartphones that are more capable than the very 1st PC. Their most expensive plan in today's standard is actually criminal, tbh.

[@Carbine64]

He opens the box at 3:32. He turns on the phone at 7:28. He watches KZbin at 11:50.

[@lightsthegod]

Thanks He was Doing Very Uselees Crap and Did I not Care about, Again THANKS

[@windowsdefender7685]

thanks mate. dude was talking in FFXIV quest dialogue

[@richbob9155]

He admits the phone is actually several hundred dollars and not 5 at 1:10.

[@xtreamfish6869]

Thanks

[@midloran]

Here's a hug for you

[@nb5029]

You use to be able to just buy the phones a few years back. But people were using them for projects and buying them in bulk and never activating so they changed it.

[@FatCatCooper]

You still can

[@spacexplorer_]

_Plainrock124 flashbacks_

[@ggggg7340]

Really? They were like 10 or so, I do not recall $5 phone ever being a thing without plan.

[@dzvxo]

@@ggggg7340 Straight Talk sold the ZTE Paragon for $5 with no plan purchase required as recently as 2018. Granted, the phone had no LTE so they were probably just trying to get them out the door as fast as possible before VoLTE would be required (I assume). They offered it reconditioned with a 1 year warranty and $10 shipping reduced to free. I picked one up for the fun of it, and it's a fun little phone to mess around with.

[@gogreen1675]

@@FatCatCooper how

[@brysonhahn8736]

i had this phone as my daily driver for 8months due to financial issues. it served as a good device in my time of need. some oddities i noticed. while the phone is good if you just want to send text messages and reply to emails. it could not seem to handle having both applications open simultaneously, i needed to close applications manually after using them to avoid freezing. also, while charging, the phone gets worryingly hot. i was scared to leave it on my bed in case of a house fire erupting . on a positive, the phone does take pleasant photos, that just don't show well on the poor quality screen, definitely not on the level of a 2022 flagship or dslr for that matter, but its perfectly fine for a photo that's just going to be posted to social media, as long as the lighting is adequate, as the low light captures are quite poor unfortunately.

[@reinerbazzi9744]

Love this review, thank you!

[@morganlittle8404]

Back in 2019 I worked as a Temp at Ingram Micro Mobility where we put this device in the clam shell packs. The battery was shipped already installed... They turned on while packing, like alot of them.

[@ManleyEvangelista]

I remember seeing this for $10 at a Rite Aid (during my US Trip two years ago). Knowing that I couldn't buy something like this in my country for that price. I decided to buy up all of their stocks. Then went to another store and did the same. Ended up with 8. I gave them all to my nieces and little cousins back at home. Even for a Wifi only thing, it's still a bargain for $10. And if they break it, then it's not a huge loss.

[@mainaccount6122]

from where did you buy these?

[@amanwhoiscleancutdiscreetv9565]

U r very nice person

[@djbabybenz]

you are so funny I need you in my life

[@MuhammedShafiS]

​@@amanwhoiscleancutdiscreetv9565yes😊

[@NJR969]

Respect u for giving it to them, genius and kind sir. 🎉👏🏼

[@CEO100able]

That is the cheapest cell phone deal I've ever seen!

[@justforgames3550]

There was a 125 ruppess phone in india but the production cuz it was a scam

[@marysridhar_nvc4975]

@@justforgames3550 yes

[@marysridhar_nvc4975]

@@justforgames3550 but it's a fuckin bad phone

[@nimaprox1270]

with pre-installed sh*tty games that this phone can‘t handle it

[@hqna]

There was an Italian company called "Altroconsumo" actually made a 2€ phone and gave it for free to anyone who had a subscription to their "journal'

[@noob-ishnoob749]

Never have I thought that a brand like TCL would make such affordable phones. This is still good though, for a secondary phone.

[@OccupiedMuffins]

Why? TCL is known for being budget friendly

[@TaccRaccoon]

I remember my tracfone, it was dark days. It came with 4gb of storage, deleted bloatware and then downloaded what I needed and then had to delete that to update stuff

[@TaccRaccoon]

And no I couldn’t get more storage with the microsd card slot, just for pictures which helped a little

[@leonidas14775]

This thing could be good with a custom rom. Even phones with 1GB ram can run smoothly if the software is well optimized for it.

[@antigov3944]

It’s a year later now. I’m sure the android general development thread on xda is filled with development for this lol

[@parodylover999]

LOL good luck flashing any tracfone device

[@arostwocents]

The specs are pretty awesome actually

[@HungarianMapping]

The most watched vintage tech Channel for me

[@lightlie_]

Lol

[@thatoneuser5066]

Same

[@rileyowens9033]

mood

[@MidniqhtGaming]

My uncle has a couple of the phones from TCL. They're pretty decent and they run faster than my a11, but my a11 is older, while his phones are a bit newer. From what I've seen, they work great for streaming, and some gaming.

[@NDPugman]

This was actually my first smartphone you brought back some memories

[@thatonewhitedude731]

A whole $5 tech setup would be awesome. Everything in the room is 5 dollar or less. Pc, monitor, mouse, keyboard, phone and anything else. Where everything is $5 or less

[@YCStudios_greece]

Wtf

[@WingMaster562]

Do thrift store scores count or strictly retail?

[@caflee7801]

@@WingMaster562 thrift stores count

[@ProtoMario]

Tcl makes amazingly good TVs for the value.

[@blackmambo2526]

Hi verified person

[@Isopromptyl]

I recognize Tcl from their plugin.

[@andrive]

C'mon tryna get likes again?

[@IAm-zo1bo]

shut up verified person

[@TheVinchenzo130]

PROTO!!!!! Yes they even make Roku tvs and picture is actually really nice

[@themyth3686]

1)Crazy how a 5$ phone has Facebook pre-installed. I hate it. 2)The fact it got an update is awesome 3) KZbin working is impressive. Making this a raspberry pi os phone would DEFINETELY help. 4) Speaker is alright 5) It literally works for 5$. If you're in a bind I guess it's a good thing to buy

[@vengirgirem]

The shocking thing is that this phone is still faster than my grandma's phone which she doesn't want to change at all

[@aidanjackson1791]

The four horseman of $5 things on MJD: $5 Dell Dimension $5 Win98 PC $5 Packard Bell $5 Smartphone

[@sourgrapekate1003]

I think if I want to drive myself crazy, instead of paying $20 for this, I’ll just go to Aldi on a Saturday when there’s one register open.

[@oceanforth21]

Too real

[@MichaelMJD]

I think I was very reasonable in the video. I even pointed out some genuine uses for the phone. I would rather buy this than the $20 flip phone. It’s quite irritating to read comments accusing me of doing nothing but trash talking the phone when that just isn’t true. I pointed out genuine issues that a user would experience. Do you actually believe I was expecting flagship level performance from a phone that costs $5? Would you rather me do the opposite and give the phone a ton of praise and say nothing negative about it? Because trust me, if I did, I’d see tons of comments accusing me of being a “sell out” (even though this isn’t an ad, and I get nothing if you end up buying the phone). In fact, I’ve already seen a couple of those comments on this video. Yeah that’s right, the same video you watched and thought I was being too negative, somebody else watched and thought I was being too positive. I don’t think I was being either.

[@Shrek_Has_Covid19]

steal phone=$free

[@IAm-zo1bo]

I have a good phone and i could survive with this easily and i'm 16

[@mikeyyt737]

@@MichaelMJD bro just ignore what people say , you probably spent a few minutes typing that up, trust me you will feel better if you do what I’m saying, when someone says something that bothers you, just keep scrolling dawg, feel me?

[@ONLY7EN]

This was my first phone! It was a government phone and I used it to play cod mobile and Minecraft in third grade... Wow did not expect this much nostalgia from a tech video. 😊

[@ONLY7EN]

This was new when I got it too. I remember running out of texts when my grandma was messaging me lol.

[@TheCuriousCherrierFCV]

I had a very similar phone. A TCL A3X. It is usually sold at $50 but I got it for free with SafeLink's ACP plan. It had 3gb of ram, 32gb of storage, no removable back, and also had an SD card slot. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad. It lasted all of the time I needed till I got a new phone. TCL doesn't make the best, but for people on a very strict budget the A3X works just fine.

[@saharshnair1258]

I remember 6 years ago when I got a free tablet from t mobile. I got it for free for this back to school thing, and it only has 1gb ram. I can't complain because it was free. The thing is I'm using this to write this comment you are reading right now

[@Ordlnary_Gamer]

Is it a nexus

[@saharshnair1258]

@@Ordlnary_Gamer no its an Alcatel onetouch pixi7

[@Thegirlwithevilface2004]

Noice. I'd accept anything if it's free

[@coppertom6714]

@@saharshnair1258 thx

[@rptube16]

I don't think there's any reason to watch 1080p video on a non hd display. But the bloatware makes my gut hurt! 😆

[@juangutierrez5400]

I know how it feels.

[@pasci_lei]

I just watched this video on my iPhone 7 with like a 750p screen in 1080p flawless. That thing has like 2 GB of RAM.

[@computernerdinside]

@@pasci_lei iPhones however tend to be a bit better at software optimization.

[@StevenVillman]

@RPtube Yeah... especially on a small screen (like all smartphones have there)!

[@computernerdinside]

@@basedSkeleton That and because since their hardware selection is smaller, there's a lot shorter of a list. Hence why long term support for updates tends to last longer on iPhone, because fewer phones to optimize for vs the wide variety of androids. Variety is nice, but the cost is optimization.

[@maisaanmohamed1267]

I don't know why you're frustration seem so hilarious 😂 I love it I gave a thumbs up great Vedio 😂👍

[@adriancoanda9227]

You can disable animation timer or reduce it to 0.1 in developer tools

[@sebastiandalton3981]

That phone has better specs than my $60 Android tablet from 2016. 1Gb more ram, better display, camera, OS, storage, expandable memory. The tablet is the RCA Voyager 7.

[@juangutierrez5400]

I have that too, expect mine dies very quick.

[@adriancoanda9227]

Ah where do you people find such low spec devices and why bother buying not even wi-fi is update damm that means y should compete with pc hardware oh 1820 - 2800 MHz 8 / 84 nm, 5G NR Sub-6GHz, 5G NR mmWave, LTE Cat. 24/22, LPDDR5-RAM, Dual-Core NPU, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, The iGPU is the first that uses an architecture by AMD (RDNA 2, like the Radeon 660M in the Ryzen 6000 chips). Current information from Geekbench ML points to 3 CUs (=192 shaders). And that multiplied by 2 cause mine has dual gpu set-up

[@aquaponieee]

Thing is, in the past such low specs were completely normal and the OS was made with it in mind, and also your tablet probably doesn't have as much Chinese spyware running in the background all the time installing new apps randomly

[@yazezy]

MY PC IS THE SAME as your android i have 1gb ram

[@Mico605]

I think with a custom clean rom it would run much faster

[@wideasriel]

So true, same happened to me for Amazon Fire 7 2017

[@m4t7eo]

Who is gonna develop it for that tho?

[@Alias_Anybody]

With that Mediatek processor there's basically zero chance even if someone tried.

[@VDavid003]

@@Alias_Anybody Actually most mediatek phones are so generic, they can almost run any other phone's os with barely any modifications, and since this comes with Android 8, you can just slap a GSI on it

[@fastlane005]

@@Alias_Anybody some mediatek phones have development

[@Maxwellthecat1213]

When ur parents get u ur first phone*

[@Flopster101]

I have that same charger which came from god knows where. It also has the US plug which happens to be one of the two only uncommon plug types in Argentina, so I had to bend the pins with pliers for it to fit the typical australian plug we use here.

[@utzufideli9769]

I bought one, installed the ubuntu touch lite rom and its actually quite usable. It even runs minecraft java 1.12.2 with 18 fps. Edit: Will use it to host a minecraft server at home using portmap and ubuntu server for arm.

[@vectonachname6502]

lmao are you serious Edit: Love the Idea

[@utzufideli9769]

@@vectonachname6502 yes. i am.

[@MazenEhab]

Teach us lol

[@renanmendes1299]

@@MazenEhab It's easy bruh

[@xioryxd7600]

What app you use on minecraft java

[@acupuncturekid]

Both of my kids who are in elementary school have this phone. It's perfect to start them out and not get into too much data trouble at school. It's mainly used to call the parents or relatives when going out or on the school bus

[@ananttiwari1337]

That's a nice use for the phone

[@newolku]

I would get something else for them that wasn't bloated and was more locked down as kids tend to install garbage from the play store.

[@acupuncturekid]

@@newolku this video didn't show the 1 hour spent deleting and uninstalling apps. And turning off so many features. It literally has phone, texting, GPS, and a parental app.

[@Terminal_Apotos]

As long as it Downloads Subway Surfer and KZbin an Elementary schooler won’t complain Lol

[@domar6274]

​@@Terminal_ApotosTimes have changed now ,they need more than that.

[@Ijustexistokaynoquestionpls]

I’m staring to think this phone is downloading every app in existence until App Store doesn’t exist anymore

[@SanTenChan]

Great review for a great phone 📱

[@21units]

It's pretty decent for $5 tbh. I'd buy this for my young nephew or niece just to watch youtube in or play with. Or it would be a quick replacement for when your phone breaks or something

[@aquaponieee]

Please do not, ever. Watch KZbin? Play with? Please. It'll give them childhood trauma faster than it can even load the keyboard. Trust me, I owned a similar device back in the day and it is just not worth it, for 5$ you're better off getting a flip phone than this.

[@HASHii-mf8vo]

@@aquaponieee true. I bought an iphone 6 preowned that i got for 35$ for my little brother cause he likes to watch youtube toy reviews etc. The iphone itself is in pretty good shape and enough for my little bro.

[@jackwilson5542]

You need to purchase a sh*tty $15 24 month plan with it though. (0.5GB of data) If it was $5 unlocked then we could talk.

[@picklr3893]

I love when you review these budget gadgets

[@agent-33]

12:12 I miss this quality settings. :( So sad KZbin app is dumbing down, removing simplicity.

[@Spamton.G.Spamton..]

Literally my first phone from 5th grade... that thing sucked. But it was my first phone, and being a 5th grader, I had no problems with it. Still works to this day! I upgraded to an LG Pheonix 5, then a Galaxy A13 though.

[@saharshnair1258]

Solitaire in 2004: click button to start playing Solitaire now: OK we gonna know where u live and we can bother u by sending notifications

[@captainchris2]

The bloat ware apps and games are installed by tracfone and not TCL (if you buy a Tracfone device from another brand, you will get the same apps)

[@n.d1282]

I remember alcatel had alot of bloatware on specific carriers i think I remember that the S3 or S4 T com version had alot of damn bloat

[@altnap]

6:05 I thought my video was frozen

[@ConsciousRobot]

That screen brings me back to my first smartphone, Droid

[@PainweedingPills]

If my phone would start downloading random apps i don't want, i'm factory resetting it to oblivion. I'll backup my files first though. Don't want to lose everything, you know?

[@TheClockUpOnTheWall]

You should be backing up your files on any device already, including your phone regardless of what it does or doesn't install.

[@chiffoncreme3247]

Pretty sure that's coming from an app that's preinstalled on the phone

[@brutus3631]

Better to just install a custom ROM, bc the software on the phone downloads it by default

[@rileyowens9033]

I just love how you speak and present stuff. Clear, as unbiased as possible, refreshing, and funny af. Platonically love you, Michael!!!

[@laurilaur1595]

7:30 if u wanna see the phone

[@SamsonSilvo]

8:15 It wouldn't be a Michael MJD video if something didn't go wrong. LOL

[@pewdiefanno19]

10:35 , those apps are preloaded/ downloaded automatically when you connect to internet, as the apps manufacturer has paid the Smart phone companies to do that, so that, there would be profit for the app manufacturer as well as profit for the Cell Phone company

[@techstudiojbl]

20 Years ago, this would be the best thing ever invented

[@whyme3772]

Even in the late 2000s this would be considered a “good” phone

[@WAncouvOR]

@@whyme3772 in 2013 they could sell this for like $300.

[@magik97]

20? That's ridiculous, lol. Less than 10 yrs

[@AlexandruLipan]

The definition of a smartphone is basically: A device able to connect to cellular network and able to: • have the capability of connecting to the web • add apps or applets able to extend the software functionalities • receive updates based on the user preferences Kai OS feature phones are, for all intent and purpose, smartphones, but is probably a gimmick to avoid certain software taxes.

[@CHICKENRAN34]

I got this phone as one of my christmas gifts for 6th grade, it lasted a good 2 & 1/2 years and I then got a new phone.

[@me.unpredictable280]

hats off to you for maintaining it upto 2 1/2 years 👏

[@RockMadeHome]

This is a really good channel, greetings from Chile, Michael!

[@UltimatusVirsus]

I tried to buy the phone but it turns out that they don't ship to Chile XD

[@RockMadeHome]

​@@UltimatusVirsus hahaha yeah, sadly Chile is like the last corner of the world :( (literally xD)

[@StevenVillman]

@@UltimatusVirsus Hmm, I wonder if they will ship to Canada (my country)...? 🤔

[@TheGrandGamerOfficial]

I bet you a million dollars they sell it to china

[@windowsxp3790]

This is the fastest I’ve ever clicked

[@PythonScratcher]

This is the fastest comment I’ve clicked on

[@roembol]

@Windows 98 arent you technically his granddad (with Windows ME)?

[@Alex_Bert_]

@@roembol Shhhhh no one talks about Windows ME.

[@winindowsdows]

@DamnMerasmus yeah

[@winindowsdows]

Hello father

[@TechReviewTom]

These were top tier specs in 2014 lol. It’s crazy to think I spent 300 to 500 dollars on this

[@justanenderman9668]

9:02 funny how older versions of KZbin and just KZbin in general do that: the first time it says error, then the second time it says update. Like ???

[@damqn4etobg]

By far the best vintage channel I have ever watched!

[@WhitekidCvsual]

Nobody: The weather: *TAP TO CONFIGURE* This confirms that Michael really is god, he can easily configure the weather... shit-

[@giancarlo418]

Lmao

[@Vexxel256]

JUST END THE FUCKING SENTENCE INSTEAD OF ENDING IT ON A CLIFFHANGER

[@andricode]

@@Vexxel256 shitholy

[@imaperson9582]

@@Vexxel256 why would they need to do that-

[@Vexxel256]

@@imaperson9582 BECAUSE I NEED AN ENDING TO THIS COMMENT IM DESPERATE

[@somecuntxxx]

I had an Alcatel my flip 1 and 2, I thought the first phone was okay but the second one blew my mind with the Google services. Nice simplicity, not way too much function but for a phone I really really liked it. I wouldn't put it above me to buy another KaiOS flip phone!

[@leyria]

I had a cell phone like this, I used it between 2017 and 2019. Although I didn't buy it through this store, but in a store here in my country. I remember I picked it up because it was very cheap and I was low on money. It's full of bloatware, I spent months trying to get as much out of it as possible... The videos only play well with 360p or 480p, it doesn't play FLAC music, the space is really small, I always had problems updating WhatsApp or the platstore. In the end I kept it for as long as I could, but the battery didn't last at all, 24 hours at most, even when idle. I looked for a replacement battery but couldn't find one. I tried some generic batteries but they didn't last at all. When I bought it, the marketing was about changing the back cover of the device, I still have mine here in the box. It had 4 colors I think, and it came with them all.

[@youdontknowme7032]

wait, so he watches a video in 1080p on a 480p display and wonders why it's lagging?

[@loganparker4184]

The devices resolution wouldn't make a difference. It's because the hardware is too weak.

[@youdontknowme7032]

When I plug my 4k monitor into my PC and watch a 4k vid on KZbin it's fine, but when I plug my 1080p monitor into the same plug and watch the same video at 4k it lags.

[@richbob9155]

@@youdontknowme7032 It shouldn't and it has nothing to do with resolution. It will lag because your 1080p monitor is crap. I can watch 4k videos on my shitty old tablet with no lag and that cost me 70 bucks about 5 years ago. Your monitor is likely just broken.

[@pauladrianordovas7447]

@@richbob9155 i don't see any relations

[@ask343]

He's just testing the performance

[@zdanee]

Yeah, I hope you've used a burner account to log in there, otherwise the next video might possibly be just a 8 hours long Solitaire livestream on 4G data while the phone is in your pocket :)

[@reboxtherapy]

You could watch videos on something like this, however I don't mind paying $10 more for a basic 1G phone with real numeric pad buttons.

[@ari_1755]

I have this and i use this for "system modding purposes" (rooting) like changing the navbar, unlocking the bootloader, experimenting

[@dougiebell9944]

I bought one of these cheap phones from target, and put my own SIM in it. Worked just fine!

[@mr.bonzibuddy69420]

Google: Can I Download Candy Crush? Me: No, Not Right Now. Google: How About I Do It Anyway?

[@HideoV]

I use one of these when I have to stay in the US for a few months. My phone is not compatible with 4G in the US, so I get a pack for my cheapo track phone phone and use it as WiFi access point for my actual phone

[@user-gh3qu8ly2n]

Skill

[@1000yani]

Wait so it's Huawei

[@HideoV]

@@1000yani what is?

[@SuburbaniteUrbanite]

Before I was gifted my iPhone SE 2020 I was using alcatel which is a budget phone provider and tracfone's pay per minute plan, basically just buy a 30, 60, 90 day plan with a set amount of talk, text and data. These phones on their own are trash because of the tiny internal storage... that is now they can be made so cheaply in stores. They really shine when you buy a 32-128gb SD card. Perfectly fine for daily use, used mine for 6 years after my basic smartphone stopped holding a charge.

[@AlienTechGuru]

The beep noise when you click something brings me back to 2020 when I used to have an Alcatel phone. The phone is still in my apartment somewherebut I cant find it

[@DeepfriedChips]

Wow been planning this video for a long time, appreciate it

[@annettemaldonado3373]

That moment when Solitare asks for your location

[@rhysjonesoffical]

A great use for this phone would be to turn it into a security camera with an app like alfred camera

[@soloplaysgames9965]

This is the kind of phone I used to root and give a linked partition to the SD to get infinite internal storage.

[@Plague_Architect]

Honestly I was surprised at how smooth the transitions and refresh rate looked on this. I was expecting super slow everything but it's actually quite surprising

[@KanishQQuotes]

Android Go I guess

[@arostwocents]

Specs are great for how much it costs. This was the quality of a £100 phone very recently

[@adews7204]

You should try emulating classic Windows on it with Limbo or iBochs! Great video!

[@markusTegelane]

that would need some mad patience if something goes wrong, but it could work :)

[@juangutierrez5400]

Limbo won't work on the A1. I've tested it before and it doesn't install the app.

[@franciszekmoszczynski6389]

I thought it was a budgetbuildsofficial video but this is Michaels, what a surprise

[@isaiahdaniels5643]

what baffles me is that I clearly remember being able to watch 1080p encoded youtube on an android 3.0 phone like.. a decade + ago. That didn't have 2gb of ram. Just strange.

[@yigitdurmus2407]

Definitely one of the most underrated channels! Nice voice btw!

[@masteryoda3196]

This thing is actually better specced than my first smart phone, pretty insane actually.

[@i.t.2238]

My first touch screen smart phone showed 380mbs of ram in the system Being able to buy a anything at all with 2GB of ram for that money is truly insane to me

[@nikolavukcevic8066]

😊

[@cawproductions3072]

I have a TCL A3X that I sometimes watch your videos on, funny enough.

[@SubtotalAnt8185]

I have a slow RCA voyager pro and it was slow until I went into battery optimization and disabled battery optimization for the "system" app. It's fast now.

[@diasstebanak]

Great video, Michael!

[@GoldSrc_]

I remember reading something about why most apps ask you for permissions that they don't really need, and it came down to the fact that those were the default settings when making the app, and that it would take more work to disabled them. And I guess that when you're pumping tons of random shovelware apps, time is money so why bother disabling those? lol. No idea how true it is though, read that years ago.

[@adriancoanda9227]

Ah use payed apps and no adds use apps like adguard with cloudfire dns services and your adds are history at system level everywhere cool right

[@aquaponieee]

(Truth is, in the case of free products, you are the product, and the software or hardware will send all your data to China to either sell it or use it for nefarious purposes such as world conquest

[@taj681]

You do not have to sign in to get app updates, you can find the app updates in the 3 dot menu on the top right part of the screen

[@idonthaveanyvideos9689]

Imagine there was a 1$ cellphone with a fast processor. You'd buy 5 of them.