BLU has made a name for itself recently by selling decently equipped, unlocked Android devices at very low prices. They have a wide range of devices available, from high-end to ultra cheap, all of which usually beat the competition on price. Today, the company announced its two newest devices, the Studio 5.0II and the Advance 4.0.
Up until now, BLU’s phones have only been usable on all GSM carriers, but in the US, they would only be able to use EDGE speeds on T-Mobile and Wind. The new devices announced today, however, can finally access full HSPA+ speeds on all GSM carriers, including T-Mobile, AT&T and all of their various MVNO labels like Aio, StraightTalk, Solavei, etc.
Both of the new devices are decidedly low-end and likely won’t appeal to readers of this site. But the prices are extremely low, which makes them more interesting. First up is the larger of the two, the Studio 5.0II:
1.3GHz DualCore MediaTek CPU
512MB or RAM
4GB of internal storage (expandable with microSD cards)
5MP camera
720p HD video recording
5-inch display at 480×854 resolution
2,000mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
$139 unlocked
The smaller Advance 4.0 features nearly identical specs, with the primary difference being screen size and battery size:
1.3GHz DualCore MediaTek CPU
512MB or RAM
4GB of internal storage (expandable with microSD cards)
5MP camera
720p HD video recording
4-inch display at 480×800 resolution
1,600mAh battery
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
$89 unlocked
Based purely on specs, these devices aren’t all that interesting. Most readers of this site wouldn’t find them very appealing, especially with only 512MB of RAM and only running Android 4.2. But at those prices, the devices become a lot more interesting. However, we’ve reviewed BLU devices in the past and for the money, they’re great value.
Since these devices work on any GSM carrier, they could be fantastic options for new smartphone buyers, as a spare phone, as a phone for a teenager, etc. At only $89, if a teenager were to drop it and break it after 6 months, the loss isn’t nearly as great as with one of the flagship phones on a big contract carrier. Combine these cheap phones with cheap plans from T-Mobile or Aio, and you could have a real winner for some people. BLU says both devices are available as of today, but they’re not showing up on Amazon quite yet. If you’re interested, keep checking…they’ll probably appear for sale very soon.