Alcatel Venture Pro Reviews

The Virgin Mobile Venture is a respectable entry-level handset if you're just starting to dip your toe into smartphone territory. Though camera quality and processing speeds are nothing to write home about (its specs are simply too low to impress anyone -- the former produces grainy photos and the latter makes for a sluggish user experience), the device makes decent calls and has a solid data connection.

My biggest gripes with the Alcatel Venture are its inconsistencies. It nails some of the most important features, whist failing badly at other table-stakes tasks. While I understand that the Venture is targeting cost-conscious customers, the display and keyboard -- the two most vital elements for interacting with the device -- are painfully bad. Conversely, the Venture is one of the better voice phones I've tested in recent memory, and I had no trouble surfing the web with the device. The system software is easy to use, and the Virgin iD packs provide a little bit of flexibility when it comes to managing themes and customization, but performance lags and the device is a bit buggy. Would I recommend the Alcatel Venture to Virgin Mobile customers? Not in its current form. If you absolutely need an Android smartphone with a physical keyboard, the LG Optimus Slider is worth the extra $100.