The first new products of the year are being shown in Las Vegas, and while the CES show doesn’t officially start for another day or two, Alcatel has let loose with a few new products ahead of time.
One of Australia’s leading budget device makers will have a few new entrants later this year, and CES in Vegas will be the showcase for the new products.
First up is an expanded range of Pixi products, which is one of Alcatel’s ranges of entry-level devices that aren’t so entry-level they feel cheap, though still arrive with a positively entry-level price.
The Pixi range of devices now sits in version 4, and as such is called “Pixi 4”, with Alcatel releasing a 3.5 inch smartphone, a 4 inch smartphone, a 6 inch phablet, and a 7 inch tablet, all of which appear to be made with Android in mind, though we suspect budget prices will be the main selling point here.
Joining the Pixi range in Australia will be an 8 inch tablet sitting in the previous Pixi 3 range, and despite the attention being on the Pixi 4 products for Alcatel at CES, this one is a newbie, too.
It doesn’t have the most original name, but Alcatel’s Pixi 3 8-inch Tablet with Windows 10 more or less says what it is, because it’s an 8 inch tablet borrowed from last year’s Pixi 3 range updated to feature Windows 10.
Interestingly, this tablet doesn’t appear to take Windows 10 from its desktop counterpart, with Alcatel instead opting for the mobile edition of Windows 10 presently seen on the Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950XL, making it more like a mobile phone with mobile desktop support.
That will make the Pixi 3 Windows 10 tablet more like a phablet than an actual computer, and with a 4G modem inside and infrared support for a TV remote control, it could be a good middle ground solution provided Microsoft can kick its Windows 10 app marketplace into gear.
“The new products we will be showcasing to Australian carriers and retailers this week epitomise our commitment to accessible, affordable technology that delivers real benefits to our consumers,” said Sam Skontos, Regional Managing Director for Alcatel in Australia and the Pacific.
“From parents to first-time smartphone users to tech savvy teens, we have a device to fit every need,” he said.
Unfortunately, there are no prices on any of these products, not yet anyway, nor is there an expected availability timeframe, but we’d anticipate sometime between April and July with prices ranging from $99 to $399, product dependent of course.
