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January 21, 2016

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Review - Tracfone Android

Review of the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz from Tracfone

Below are the specs, features and our review for the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi available from Tracfone. We have compiled the information here to provide our readers with the best resources for making decisions about buying phones from Tracfone.

pixi glitz tracfone
Alcatel Pixi Glitz Review
The Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz is a budget smartphone that comes with some surprising features like Android 4.4, and a price that is almost unbeatable. But is this phone worth it? And what about a few specs that could be serious drawbacks? We will be covering all this and more in our review of the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi.

For those who might not know, Tracfone is a prepaid wireless phone company that offers both airtime, and cell phones throughout America. Tracfone doesn't actually own any cell phone towers though, but rather contracts with other carriers like Verizon and AT&T to use their networks. With Tracfone, you can have cell phone service for less than $10 a month if you don't need to use your phone very much, and they have more airtime options for those with more needs.

For more about Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide which will cover the basics, and then you might want to visit our Cell Phone Reviews page to see the various phones they offer.

The Pixi Glitz is one of the newer phones from Tracfone, and it uses GSM towers from AT&T. It was released in the Fall of 2015 as Tracfone continues to roll out more smartphone options for their network.

Alcatel is a Chinese mobile phone manufacturer (as is ZTE) that was founded in 2004 and is a subsidiary to another Chinese company called TCL, according to Wikipedia sources.

On first glance one can immediately tell that the Pixi Glitz doesn't have the same performance as some of the other phones Tracfone has recently released like the LG Sunset and ZTE Quartz, however the price on the Pixi is what sets it apart, as many consumers have found the phone for $10 in stores, or sometimes even less.

Before we get into the full specs for this smartphone, we want to share our quick pro's and con's.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Quick Facts

The Good:
-Android 4.4
-Inexpensive - $10-20

The Not so Good:
-Small Screen and Poor Pixel Density- 3.5" at 167 PPI
-Low RAM and Internal Memory
-No Front Camera

There are certainly some trade-offs for this phone, but let's take a look at the full list of features and specs before we get any further.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Features and Specs

Below are the features, followed by the technical specifications.
  • Android 4.4
  • 4G Connectivity on AT&T GSM network
  • GPS
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • FM Radio
  • Voice Dailing and hearing aid compatible
  • 3 Home Screens
  • MP3 Player
  • MMS
  • Voicemail, call waiting, caller ID
  • Access to over 1 million apps on Google Play
  • Triple Talk, Text and Data for life
Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Specs
  • Size: 4.41" x 2.45" x 0.47"
  • 3.5" Touchscreen - TFT LCD
  • 1.3 Ghz Processor 
  • 512 RAM
  • 2 GB Memory (up to 32 GB external Micro SD card)
  • Battery: Talk Time 5.7 hrs, Standby 12 days
Android 4.4, while not the newest, is a relatively recent version of the operating system and one that will allow a number of apps to be compatible with this device, we just wish the phone and more memory and RAM. It appears that some sources indicate this phone comes with 4 GB internal memory, but we only noticed 2 GB total space, of which a little over 1 GB is actually available to the users. The RAM is also on the low side, at only 512 mb.

So let's get straight to our review of the Pixi Glitz and discuss what we like and don't like about this Tracfone smartphone.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Review

What we Like:
tracfone pixi glitz review
Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz 
As we mentioned, this phone uses Android 4.4 which is a relatively recent version and we would be disappointed if it used an older version. One of the more popular features is the ability to ask Google questions by simply saying 'OK Google'. This is a very handy feature when you want to look up something in a hurry.

The Pixi Glitz uses GSM networks and has 4G connectivity. Before you buy this phone check that you will have service in your area for the Tracfone GSM network, which would be AT&T.

Finally, the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi does come with all the basic calling and texting features like voice dailing, Caller ID, MMS, and more. You also get Triple Talk, Text and Data for life - which means anytime you add airtime it will get split into three buckets, and also be tripled. Note, triple minutes doesn't work on the new smartphone airtime cards.

What we really find great about this Tracfone Android phone is the price. But remember how much the phone costs we looking at the performance

Now we will share some of the drawbacks for this device.

What we Don't Like:
There are a number specifications that are just not up to par for this phone including the RAM and internal memory.

The minimum RAM most phones have these days is 1 GB and many phones even have 2 or 3 GB in order to handle the more resource intense apps that are available. RAM also helps with multitasking, so only 512 MB of RAM will mean the Pixi Glitz can't run as many apps at once. The internal memory is limited, but not as low as the old LG Optimus Dynamic.

Screen size on the Pixi is also small at only 3.5" and with a rather low pixel density of about 167. For some, this might be a positive because the phone will be easier to fit in a picket, but the small screen size does make the keyboard a little harder to use and type on. The larger the screen, the larger the keyboard which generally makes for easier typing.

The Pixi Glitz also lacks and front camera, and the rear camera is just 2 MP. It is hard to complain about this phone too much, since the price is so low, but we just want everyone to be aware that you will not be getting everything on this phone that a more expensive phone might have.

Lastly, the phone does feel a little cheap. This is as expected however, for a device at this price point.

tracfone android $10 phone
Maps on the Pixi Glitz
This phone mainly comes down to the money (as you could probably tell), and for the money it is pretty good value. But those looking for a phone to run a variety of different apps and keep up with various daily needs, this device might not cut it.

At the price, one could just take a risk and buy the phone to see how it works, but if you're actually looking for a phone to use in the long run, you're better off with a higher quality and better performing device.

What the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi might be good for are people who only need a smartphone for one or two things like checking email. It might also be good for children as a first phone, because if they drop it or lose it, the investment is very small.

You can find the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz on Amazon, and also on many other online retailers like BestBuy and Walmart. You can also phone the phone in many stores.

There is an interactive tutorial for the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz to help show how it works and where to find various features on the phone.

Resources for Tracfone Android Smartphones

We have created a number of helpful articles about using Android phones with Tracfone, and you can read them for yourself to help learn more about how these phones work, and how to get he most form your device.

First off, read more about How Airtime Works on Tracfone Smartphones which includes an explanation of the differences between smartphones and non-smartphones with Tracfone.

Learn how you can Check your Airtime Balance on Tracfone Smartphones which is not as simple compared to non-Android devices, but there are several different options.

Also read up on the new Smartphone only Airtime cards and see our analysis on whether they are a good deal. And lastly, visit our Android Tracfone List which you can use to browse the different smartphones offered by Tracfone, and quickly compare the options.

We hope this information has been help, and leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions!

31 comments:

  1. Thank you for the review! I remember seeing this on the Wal-Mart website and thought about picking one up. Glad I waited for the review.

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  2. Why is tracfone not releasing any 4G LTE Verizon Network phones?

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    1. That's a good question, and I don't really know the answer, but it could be they are just being slow about finding and adding 4G LTE phones to their lineup.

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  3. i have this phone and love it i am still figuring out alot of things

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    1. i just bought this trying to figure out how to turn it on an set up since u own it can u help me?

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  4. I have this phone, and it works well for just a "home phone" that we barely use. The only really irritating thing that we've noticed, is when you power on the phone, and swipe up to use it, it always automatically opens up to messaging instead of the home page. We cannot figure out why it does this, and have gone through all the settings etc. only to find no info on the issue. So whenever we power up, we have to "escape" the messaging screen to get to the home screen....it is irritating, but since it's just a "home phone" for less than $7.00/mo, I guess we can put up with it. :)

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  5. I'd like to add:
    •The Pixi Glitz does NOT offer screen rotation to landscape mode, meaning that the already small keyboard can't get any bigger, and widescreen videos will always be VERY tiny.
    •The volume is, for me at least, ridiculously and intolerably loud. The volume goes from 0-7, and even at 1, the ringtone could easily be heard from 50 feet away. If you're watching a video, the audio is loud enough to hear from across a room, even though you have the phone a foot from your face.

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    1. The volume was very loud on my last Tracfone/Net10 phone, so that doesn't bother me.

      The tiny keyboard was more of a disappointment, especially given the fact this is a newer phone and I thought it should be able to rotate (how does that NOT come standard on smartphones these days?) That, and the camera was my second disappointment. My last Trac/10 phone had a very decent camera for it's size and power. This one you've got about a 50/50 chance of actually getting a good picture from it. My last one you had an 8 out of 10 chance of getting a good picture.

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  6. Does anyone know where to insert a SD card at I would really like to know

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  7. Love it having triple minutes, triple texts and triple data it a lot better then the double minute flip phones from tracefone and knowing it has 4g capability that's a big star in my book and 1.3 GHz processor is better than a 1.1 GHz even if it's dual core the only question I have is what is the processor is it medea teck or snap dragon or something else just like to know.

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  8. i just bought it through ebay from USA ..
    unfortunately , I didnt see that the phone was locked for one network only.

    is there any way to unlock it ?

    I live in Greece..

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    1. No, it is generally very hard to unlock tracfone devices. I don't know of any resources to help you out, perhaps others may, or you could look around online.

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  9. Why can't I receive photos in texts? Just shows "download" and then a download failure message.

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    1. Make sure your data is turned on, it's required to send/receive photos over texts.

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  10. Saw one of these on sale for 10 bucks a Kroger the other day, so I got it just to see how terrible it really is with the specs I've seen. In some ways it met my expectations. lol

    The whole device is just cheap. Plastic everything, no sensors others than a proximity sensor (which means turning the phone sideways for landscape mode isn't an option... plus any other app that uses that feature) ... 2GB of onboard space. The hideously low end 2MP fixed focus rear shooter on the back.

    There isn't any bloatware on the phone, so it's for the most part a stock Android experience, and after you update all the onboard apps like Google Maps, the Play Store, YouTube, etc etc etc you've still got approximately 1.2GB to work with. Even so, getting an SD card in this is pretty much required.

    The 3.4" display is, of course, cheap and close to the lowest resolution you can get away with nowadays at 320x480. It's a pain to view in direct sunlight unless the brightness is ALL the way up... and even then it's kind of dodgy. Watching videos on it inside isn't that bad though. Even though it lacks the proper sensor for going into landscape fullscreen videos do in fact work. The stock video player automatically flips the video into landscape, and just going into fullscreen manually in YouTube will fix that problem.

    The single rear speaker, while tinny and pathetic, is loud enough where headphones aren't a 100% necessity.

    With regards to the camera... that 2MP rear shooter shoots, well, 2MP pictures. Horrible, low resolution, blurry 2MP pictures at 1120x1680. If you decide to shoot a picture in landscape, the picture will be sidways.

    (Remember, while the phone itself won't go into landscape, nothing says the camera can't)

    It's the same thing with video, though viewing them on the phone isn't a big deal because the stock Gallery app on it views them all in landscape by default anyway. But it becomes a very slight hassle when transferring them to the PC (or even uploading them to something like Facebook) because the picture or video shot in this way will be sideways and need to be flippped.

    Speaking of the video recording, it's equally as bad. It records all the video in a .3GP file format with three different settings for quality.

    Normal: 176x144 at 15fps
    Fine: 640x480 at 19fps
    Superfine: 720x480 at 19fps

    The sound recording in these videos? Muffled and quiet.

    The overall performance isn't that bad for what it is. For the most part using Android itself and doing basic web browsing is fairly smooth given the low specs.

    The two games I really tried on this phone ran perfectly fine though. Bejeweled Classic and Bejeweled Blitz run perfectly fine. This isn't a gaming phone by any means, but judging from those two if you want to stick to basic games like that, they'll work just fine.

    The one app that is something of a requirement for me personally on any phone I run is Pocket Casts, and it runs perfectly fine as well. Though with the low amount of system memory available, it isn't always going to be available to pause and unpause shows from the lock screen. Understandable and not a big deal.

    Another nice app to have for a bottom end phone like this is CleanMaster Lite which can be helpful to free up junk files taking up space and memory. No, this isn't an advertisement for it, it's just an app I always install. I even have it running on my ZTE ZMAX 2.

    And, of course, "casting" to other devices like a Chromecast isn't going to be a problem.

    For me personally, other than morbid curiosity, there's no real reason to get this phone when you can spend a little more money on something FAR better. Off the top of my head I can think of a few AT&T GoPhones that don't cost a whole lot more that are more worth it such as the ZTE Maven for (as of this writing) 40 bucks. Yes, they will work. You just use the TracFone "Bring Your Own Phone" option, stick the sim card in there and go through the activation process.

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    1. A bit of a follow-up... I decided to use this as my daily driver for a week even though I use Straight Talk. Since this is GSM, it's as simple as popping the SIM in and going.

      It was painful. It really was.

      I'm the type of person, when I'm at Best Buy or WalMart or something, especially looking at phones... I'll look up the specs and maybe get a rough idea from glancing over reviews as I'm in the store.

      While web browsing does indeed work the way you'd expect it to, it's PAINFULLY slow and damned near impossible to accurately type on that tiny onscreen keyboard even with Swype (which is pre-installed on the phone) due to the intense lag.

      I installed the Facebook app on it just for the heck of it and yeah... it brought the entire device to it's knees. Which isn't surprising given how bloated that app really is.

      The battery life? Garbage. I drive for 4 to 5 hours every morning... and all I really do is listen to podcasts in the car while I'm driving. JUST doing that sucked out a good 30% of the battery. So just imagine what would happen if someone were to, oh... I don't know. USE the thing.

      Everything regarding trying to use this as a daily driver was a constant battle and one that I finally gave up on a day early and going back to my ZTE ZMAX 2.

      There are two neat little features on this phone that I haven't seen on others.

      You can actually set a video to play as your wallpaper though... given the terrible battery life on this thing I wouldn't suggest it. It would be a tad dificult to put your own videos of, say, your kids on it because to actually see all of it you would have to make sure the video is in 480x320. I'm sure there are apps for that somewhere in the app store, but I'll just stick to my wallpaper of Zoe Kravitz.

      The other feature, that I stumbled across... when you set an alarm it'll go off whether the phone is turned on or not. You can actually turn the phone off and not worry about missing whatever alarms you set with the pre-installed alarm app.

      Like I said before, I can't think of any reason anyone would WILLINGLY get this thing other than morbid curiosity. MAYBE if you wanted a dedicated MP3 player because at 10 to 20 bucks this thing is going to be better than any MP3 player you're going to find in that price range. But that's about it... and that's being generous.

      Run away from this thing otherwise. Run far and fast.

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  11. A little tip for those who may be using this phone (or any other phone for that matter, but it applies more to low end phones like this one) and like to use social media like Facebook or Twitter?

    Don't download the apps. ESPECIALLY Facebook. They're just needless bloated for such a low end device.

    Just use the mobile web versions of them. Open up Chrome, goto whatever site it is, go through all the login stuff... then just tap on the 3 dots for settings up in the right-hand corner and send it to the home screen.

    Poof, there you go. Not QUITE as good as the app of course, but it'll take up far less space and memory.

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  12. Could this phone be used ONLY for pokemon go? If i added a SD card would that make the RAM enough to work?

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    1. My son tried to install it on ours and it wouldn't work. Game crashed and froze continuously every few seconds because the lack of RAM. Hope that helps :)

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  13. How do you find and play your music you download

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  14. Just picked this phone up for the Hubby who has an old 3G LG-306G that he only uses when he's at the store to call home - so I'm trading him the new cell for his so he can transfer all of his minutes to this one & I can then transfer my 2G old cell over to his old cell - although the specs don't seem to be so great he's not one to take pictures anyway & he's usually just a quick call when he remembers to bring the phone with him so I hope this new toy will encourage him to bring the cell with him more often - I think he might like the radio part if we can figure out where it's located so he can listen to his sports radio during lunch

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  15. When i get a message it always goes to the last person I text not to whom sent new text

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  16. when I get a new text msg it always goes to the last person i sent to not to where new text came from

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  17. I bought this phone 3 weeks ago and was happy with it untill today when I checked my account and have almost 500 minutes missing. I had 543 yesterday and 49 today. I didn't use the phone yesterday or todayall except for facebook on wifi. This sucks. I will have to contact customer service and on the few occasions I have had to deal with tracfones customer service it takes hours......crap! Advice anyone? How did this happen?

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  18. I already had this phone and its the worst thing i have ever had. Dont get this phone.

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  19. The SD card is under the battery and when you turn it on you swipe down to unlock.
    It's not a bad phone but it is small.As an older person I had trouble seeing it especially in low light or bright light outdoors.

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  20. What do you want for 20 bucks? A pack of cigarettes is about $8 nowadays.It's a basic phone with talk and text and minimal data if you need it. Podcasts? Doesn't your 30,000 dollar car have a stereo?Or xm/syrius radio? Games? REALLY!! Grow up.I bought one for somebody recently released from the local pokey who needed cheap communications until he could afford something more upscale, when he could he gave it back to me. I love it for what it is. And no I'm not one of the Borg who is surgically attached to online devices. I get thru life just fine without the hive buzzing in my head.This phone is Great for financially challenged people who need affordable communications. If you want all the fancy stuff you have to spend the do re me. I'll keep this phone and love it until the day it dies.

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