ZTE Z331

While there are many different kinds of basic mobile phones available on the market today, few of them come in the iconic clamshell form factor. It seems every single one of today’s latest models are made to look like a soap bar or come in the so-called candy bar form factor. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but a traditional flip phone like the AT&T Z331 isn’t such a bad thing either.

It can either be the worst thing to ever happen to flip phones or the last cellphone you’ll ever need. It’s a quad-band GSM “world phone” that supports HSDPA data and comes with only basic phone features, such as a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 12-key alphanumeric keypad, Bluetooth 2.0, and microSD card support. It also has a 3-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and supports a number of digital audio formats. In short, it’s more than just a basic cellphone as it ships with a few nice extras.

For the money, the Z331 is a great deal. Though it lacks certain features like Wi-Fi and support for third-party applications, it does have the ones that users really need. Heavy texters may find more value in a QWERTY keyboard-equipped handset, but the fact remains that this is a good choice for those who only need something for calling and texting.

Need to Know: AT&T Z331

1. Very compact and portable clamshell design. (The Good)

2. Comes with a number of extra features like 3MP camera and Bluetooth 2.0. (The Good)

3. Lacks certain features like Wi-Fi and GPS. (The Bad)

4. Battery life could be longer. (The Bad)