Following the Alcatel 1 and 1X, the Alcatel 3T 8 joins Google’s fast-growing family of ultra-low-cost, storage-saving, performance-maximizing, and security-optimizing Android Go devices.
As the name suggests, this is a family-friendly 8-incher, billed by TCL as “one of the first tablets in the market to be powered by Android Oreo (Go edition).” To our knowledge, the Alcatel 3T 8 is actually the world’s very first Android Go-based slate, especially since it’s scheduled for a commercial release in “select markets” this month.
Unless TCL meant to formally unveil the low-end tablet sometime next week, sales should be underway in “select markets” by tomorrow, August 31, starting at a recommended price of €119/$138.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a full spec sheet just yet, but we know the Alcatel 3T 8 packs a 4,080 mAh battery, weighing in at 279 grams, and measuring a “super slim” 8.2 mm. 4G LTE connectivity is highlighted as a key selling point, although it’s unclear if you need to pay extra for that or if it’s offered at the incredibly affordable aforementioned price.
A Bluetooth keyboard for “professional use” and a “child-friendly” bumper case are definitely optional and available separately for a little extra dough, while the “premium matte finishing” and Metallic Black and Suede Blue color options can’t help the Alcatel 3T 8 look any less generic than you expect.
This is a very “traditional”-looking slate with thick screen bezels and a clean (read bland) backplate, and the only reason you might want to consider purchasing it is Android Oreo (Go edition), a software package “optimized to help affordable tablets run Android faster, more efficiently and safer.”
That includes frugal pre-installed apps like Google Go, Maps Go, Gmail Go, and YouTube Go, Play Store suggestions for downloading similar titles like Facebook Lite and Skype Lite, and a user-accessible internal storage space of 12.7GB.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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