A mere glance at our roster of the best Cricket phones will give you an idea about devices on sale through this carrier. From Ice Cream Sandwich-based Android phones to BlackBerry business smartphones, the service provider has an impressive list to boast about. And to add to that, it doesn’t require you to sign up for two-year agreements, or fork over activation charges. So if you wish to make the most of these benefits without having to compromise on the kind of handset you wish to own, then scroll right down and choose an alternative that suits you just right.
1 – HTC One V:
The mid-range smartphone belonging to the One series from HTC was released at the MWC held earlier this year. Although it operates with the help of the Ice Cream Sandwich platform, the Jelly Bean update seems to be in the offing for this curvaceous phone. Besides integrating the Beats Audio technology, it also employs the Muve music player to keep users entertained on the move.
The Android OS teams up with the company’s Sense UI in order to offer an intuitive user experience. You can expect a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, a 5MP camera and even a slot for a microSD card of up to 32GB capacity. Cricket is currently accepting pre-orders for the One V and it is expected to start shipping from September 2.
Price: $199.99
2 – Huawei Ascend Q:
The next device to grace our list is the Ascend Q, an entry-level smartphone apt for those of you who wish to get a taste of the Android OS, without digging a deep hole in your pockets. Its internal working is carried out under the supervision of an 800MHz processor, making it capable of supporting multiple applications at the same time.
The handset is outfitted with an HVGA TFT display that provides a multi-touch real estate of 3.2 inches and tags along a 3.2MP camera for recording videos and capturing still shots. Additionally, it employs a physical QWERTY keypad for convenient typing and is available with the Muve Music plan of the carrier.
Price: $119.99
3 – Huawei Ascend II:
In addition to the Ascend Q, its manufacturer has associated with this wireless service provider for a couple of other devices that include the Ascend II. Like its sibling mentioned above, the smartphone in question binges on the Gingerbread platform, but has a 600MHz processor to fulfill its multitasking needs.
The Muve Music-compliant phone’s front side flaunts a 3.5-inch HVGA multi-touch display of 480 x 320p resolutions and the back panel sports a 5MP camera with video recording capabilities. It can cough up the juice for talk time of about 300 minutes at a stretch, thanks to the included lithium-ion battery. You can access internet on this handset using the built-in Wi-Fi or take advantage of its 3G compatibility.
Price: $89.99
4 – Samsung Vitality:
Considering the popularity of Android, we are definitely not surprised to see another Google-branded device on our array of Cricket phones. The Samsung Vitality serves a slice of Gingerbread and hides a 600MHz chipset under the hood to ensure smooth multitasking at all times.
The Wi-Fi-certified device draws power from a 1600mAh battery to provide talk time of about 6.5 hours and features an expansion slot to increase the memory by up to 32GB, with the assistance of a microSD card. A 480 x 320p 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen lays claim on its front panel. Needless to say, it is compatible with all Cricket services including Muve Music.
Price: $129.99
5 – ZTE Score:
Besides Huawei, another Chinese company to have collaborated with Cricket Wireless is ZTE. And speaking about the phone manufacturer, the Score seems like a suitable mobile companion for people looking for a mid-range device. Considering that it is deployed with the Android Gingerbread OS, it brings a user-friendly interface and even ensures access to the Google Play store. The handset is fueled by a 600MHz processor and a 1200mAh lithium-ion battery that lets you talk for about 240 minutes in between charges.
Weighing not more than 4.5oz, it supports a 3.5-inch HVGA touchscreen on its sleek exterior, while a 3.2MP camera sits snugly on its rear panel. It is available with Android Muve, apart from other smartphone and basic plans.
Price: $69.99
6 – BlackBerry Curve 9350:
So if you are not too keen on owning an Android device, our queue features the BlackBerry Curve 9350 that is complete with all functions normally associated with BlackBerry devices. The 9350, which happens to be the second phone from RIM’s stable to have made its way into Cricket stores, can be used by business professionals as well as those who wish to stay in touch with friends and family on the go.
Loaded with an HTML web browser, it operates with the help of the company’s 7.1 OS. The handset’s 1000mAh lithium-ion battery provides talk time that lasts for up to 330 minutes. It continues to adopt the famous BlackBerry-ish form factor with a physical QWERTY keypad and a 2.4-inch display. The 3G-enabled device also has a 5MP camera and an expansion slot for a microSD card of up to 32GB capacity.
Price: $129.99
7 – Huawei Mercury:
Coming back to Android, the last device on our catalog for today is Huawei Mercury that runs the Android Gingerbread mobile OS. It boasts of employing a powerful 1.4GHz processor in addition to 512MB RAM and 2GB internal storage. You can expand its memory by up to 32GB with a little assistance from a microSD card. The handset is compatible with Muve Music of this carrier and most of the common audio formats such as WMA, MP3, AAC, AAC+ and more.
Apart from a 4-inch FWVGA multi-touch display of 854 x 480p resolution, its front panel houses a VGA webcam, while the back panel is fitted with an 8MP auto focus camera. A 1600mAh lithium-polymer battery promises to provide talk time of up to 6.5 hours.
Price: $199.99
Conclusion:
So there you have a detailed report listing out some of the best Cricket phones. As is pretty obvious, Android seems to be ruling the roost as far as this network provider is concerned. If a Google-branded device is what you wish to have on a no-contract basis, then the options mentioned here may be of more than a little help to you. But in case you want to try out other operating systems like Windows Phone or iOS, you may have to look somewhere else. You can even read through our list of feature handsets if you’re looking for a device that does not require any data plan. Do let us know your views regarding all the alternatives mentioned here.
