14 DAY TRIAL // Chinese handset maker Huawei and UK-based carrier Everything Everywhere (EE) have just announced the immediate availability of Kestrel, a cheap LTE-enabled smartphone.
Customers looking for an affordable Android smartphone that would support 4G connectivity may want to take the Huawei Kestrel into consideration. Obviously, that would also require commitment to a long-term plan via EE.
According to Pocket-lint, potential customers can grab the Huawei Kestrel via EE for free on £13.99 ($23) a month over 24 months. This plan will offer customers 500 minutes of talk time, unlimited text messages, 500MB of 4G data.
Those who do not wish to commit to a long-term contract can purchase the Huawei Kestrel for £99.99 (€120/ $165) on a 4G pay as you go plan.
Huawei is one of the most experienced handset makers in the entry-level segment, so quality-wise, we should expect the Kestrel to be pretty decent.
On paper, Huawei Kestrel looks like a mid-range smartphone featuring 4G LTE support and quad-core processor. The device is the cheapest from EE’s lineup of 4G smartphones, but judging by its specs, it could be the perfect choice for first-time smartphone users.
As we have mentioned earlier, the Kestrel comes packed with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, probably provided by MediaTek. In addition, the device features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory.
Budget-friendly smartphones like Huawei Kestrel usually come with only 4GB of storage inside, but it looks like the Chinese company has decided to double the amount of internal memory.
If 8GB or storage is still too low for you, Huawei provided the Kestrel with microSD card slot, so that you can add more internal memory via microSD memory card.
The Kestrel sports a 4.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution. It comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and FM Radio.
Software-wise, the device ships with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system out of the box and offers HD Voice functionality for calling.
Huawei Kestrel measures 131 x 65.3 x 7.85mm and weighs 145g (battery included). Speaking of which, the smartphone is powered by a decent 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery, which has yet to be rated by the manufacturer.