Huawei Ascend Y stuck in Gingerbread-land Video

To play this video, you need Javascript enabled and the latest version of Flash installed. Install Flash now
Huawei Ascend Y stuck in Gingerbread-land
Created: 12/14/2012
Video description: U.S. Cellular's 3G smartphone costs as little as a penny, but only runs Android 2.3.

Huawei Ascend Y stuck in Gingerbread-land Video Transcript

I'm Jessica Dolcourt for CNET taking the First Look today at the Huawei Ascend Y for US Cellular. Now, this phone is basic Android and it's running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. So, if you don't mind which version you have, then this one could still be in the running. It's very compact. It's got only a 3.5-inch HVGA screen. So, it's not gonna be super bright and crisp but it will be just fine. It's also a little small. If you've got larger fingers, you might find that the virtual keyboard is a little bit crimped. In terms of the way that the phone looks, it's actually pretty nice. Well, we did a good job here, sort of an accent on the back, little design element and the finish is a little bit rubbery. So, it feels pretty grip-able. Camera specs are on the low side. There's a 3.2 megapixel, rear-facing camera, no flash, no auto-focus and no front-facing camera either. So, it's very simple. I wasn't thrilled with photo quality so you don't wanna ditch your standalone camera just yet. There's an 800-megahertz processor in here. It's probably okay for what you get with the phone. The phone also comes with the 2-gigabyte memory card and there's an external slot that takes up to 32 gigs of memory. Phone has a little bit of a smaller battery so don't expect terrific life on this. The pricing is really nice. It will cost you only a penny in US Cellular's 3G network area. It will cost you $29.99 in the 4G area. That is, of course, with a new 2-year service agreement. I'm personally not in love with this phone at all and I would recommend other options. However, if you are looking for an inexpensive starter Android Smartphone, then you might wanna check this one out. I'm Jessica Dolcourt for CNET. This is the Huawei Ascend Y with US Cellular.

Related Videos

Huawei Ascend II (U.S. Cellular)

If it's an entry-level Android phone for a rock-bottom price you seek, the Huawei Ascend II costs just a penny if you sign up for a two-year contract.

Huawei Ascend D Quad

Huawei: Our Ascend D Quad is world's fastest smartphone

Huawei Ascend Y: Uber-budget Android

U.S. Cellular's entry-level smartphone offers first-time users just the Android basics.

Huawei Mercury (Cricket Wireless)

With a 4-inch screen, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and an 8-megapixel camera, the Huawei Mercury tops Cricket's Android lineup.

Huawei Ascend (Cricket Wireless)

Snapping up the Huawei Ascend was a good move for Cricket Wireless. The Android 2.1 phone is a solid entry-level phone for a great price.

The Samsung Galaxy S II comes to U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular gets it crack at the Samsung Galaxy S II Android Gingerbread smartphones, Samsung's most globally popular handset yet.

Huawei Ascend P1S. Hands On

The "S" in Huawei's Ascend P1S must stand for slim since this Android Ice Cream Sandwich phone is even thinner than its sibling the Acend P1.

AT&T Fusion Go Phone (Huawei U8652)

This basic Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone will get the job done, but don't expect much in the way of performance.

Huawei Ideos X5

The Huawei Ideos X5 isn't attached to a U.S. carrier yet, but the unlocked Android 2.2 smartphone certainly deserves a spot in the lineup.

Huawei Ascend 2

When all is said and done, the slimmer, lighter, and sleeker Huawei Ascend leaps past its predecessor.

Huawei Ascend Y (U.S. Cellular) Review

Editors' rating

The good: Huawei's Ascend Y smartphone has an attractive design, a comfortable feel, and a very low price tag.

The bad: Its Android 2.3 OS is outdated, the camera is poor, and 3G data speeds are very slow. Call quality is lacking.

The bottom line: The Huawei Ascend Y is an inexpensive foray into Android, but U.S. Cellular offers better phones at similar costs.

Read full review

Huawei Ascend Y (U.S. Cellular) Specs

Manufacturer: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Part number: ASCENDY201USC

Product Basic Spec
  • Product Basic Spec

Read full specs

Huawei Ascend Y (U.S. Cellular) Prices

Sorry! This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.