The Alcatel Boost Dex phone is brilliant for kids, or people who just want a basic phone. Putting an expensive handset in the hands of young children is asking for trouble. Phones are easy to lose and easy to break, even for adults.
At a friendly $99, the Boost is a less than a tenth of the price of the latest (admittedly stunning) Samsung Galaxy S7 or iPhone 7 range. This 4G phone has a five-inch screen, a five-megapixel rear camera and a two-megapixel front camera that is good enough for selfies and social media posts. There is also a handy "face beauty" soft lens camera setting.
![Cheap and cheerful: the Alcatel Boost Dex.](/web/20170216011943im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/7/0/p/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu70ph.png/1487190807688.jpg)
The Boost uses the Telstra network, so it has great coverage.
Its biggest drawback is the shortage of space, with only 8GB of storage, but that's expandable to 32GB with a micro SD card. This lack is incredible when you think of the iPhone 7 plus, which offers a massive 256GB option. But, then again, most people don't need that much space on a phone.
To help maintain as much as possible there's a pre-installed app, Clean Master, to help get rid of junk files.
After a day's use, the battery is still going strong, but the screen has a layer of oily fingerprints and smudges – because it's made of cheap material in order to keep the price low. But cheap also means it's hard to read when the phone is lying flat on a table, so you have to hold it in your hand to see it clearly.
It's all about managing expectations. The Boost clearly doesn't suit those who want the latest in technology, loads of space and exceptional photos, but for others the $99 price tag may just render all of those extras irrelevant.
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