Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this phone to upgrade from my AT&T GoPhone Avail (ZTE-Z990). I didn't actually have much of a problem with the Z990, except for one thing: it only had 130MB usable space for installing apps. Even 4 years ago (when I originally bought it) that was considered a minuscule amount of space. After doing everything I could to get around this problem, I finally gave up and decided to find a new phone. The BLU Advance 4.0 has 1.27GB of space for apps (the other 2.72GB is for the Android OS). I know that's still pretty small by today's cell phone standards but it's a HUGE upgrade to me. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to download and install all the apps I want, plus some I never had the option of installing before. (I still use AppMgr Pro III. It lets me know what programs I can move to my external SD card. Out of the 26 apps I've installed, 11 were able to be moved to my SD card. At 37 apps I've only filled half the 1.27GB with the help of AppMgr.) I switched to T-mobile (from AT&T) with this phone. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to touch any settings to get this phone to work with T-mobile. Call, text, and data all loaded automatically when I installed the SIM card. I'm told HSPA+ is 4G. If that's the case then this phone DOES get 4G (as well as 3G and 2G). Reception for cell and data are, of course, entirely dictated by location. I've been very fortunate thus far, all things considered (I live in Wyoming, lol). I was pleasantly surprised to see there was absolutely no "bloatware" on this phone. I LOVE IT. There's something immensely satisfying knowing that not one bit of memory is being wasted on an app I don't want. Other than standard Google stuff (which is part and parcel with Android), you only get the basics. Everything else you can customize and tweak to your hearts content. Fantastic! The screen is bright and crisp and it's 4" (the "sweet spot" for phone screens as far as I'm concerned). The up and down viewing angle is horrid though. Just a slight tilt and the colors are completely washed out. (Right and left are fine though.) And, of course, direct sunlight makes the screen unviewable. (My Z990 did the same thing, so I'm use to that.) Straight on view, though, and the screen is lovely. Sadly, the only upgrade I got with the camera on this phone was having a flash. Otherwise it's the exact same as the Z990, if not a little worse. (The auto-focus/focus is middling at best on this phone. It doesn't seem to focus at all with things up-close.) The touch screen is fine. It's no better or worse than other touch screens I've used. That is to say, using a keyboard can be a pain. Swiftkey is how I get around this and I recommend others either get Swiftkey or an app similar to it. (I've heard people have problems with the stock dialer too, their cheek accidently hitting the end-call button. I recommend getting an alternative dialer if that's an issue for you. ExDialer is pretty good.) Speakers are loud enough. If you're in a crowded or noisy place you'll have difficulty (headphones or bluetooth headset might be in order). Minor complaint here: They have one of the worst speakerphone placements I've ever seen.They have the speaker in the lower back (!!) area of the phone... you know... the part of the phone you cover with your hand to hold it? So if you want to listen to music or have hand-free talking, you'll have to hold the phone from the top (!!!!!) or put it screen-side down. I have adapted but it's a very strange and inconvenient design decision on BLU's part. Battery life is OK. It really depends on what you're doing with the phone and how many apps are running in the background. I've not had it die on me yet, but I do make it a point to charge it at night and I have a charger in my car just in case. Also, if you're curious, battery replacements are available. Go to BLU's Amazon Store Front and check their Accessory page to find it. I got a screen protector, protective silicone case, and a earbuds with this phone (along with the standard charger and manual). I tried to use the screen protector but I didn't clean the phone well enough and ended up ruining it. Oh well. The phone itself has a slippery plastic feel to it, so the silicone case is useful as it gives the phone "grip". I haven't tested the earbuds but they seem sturdy and of good quality. Speaking of the outside of the phone... it's lovely looking. Someone mentioned it looked cheap in the reviews. I guess that depends on where you're coming from. Having used a Z990 for the last 4 years, the Advance 4 is practically a work of art by comparison. The back is particularly cool looking. (I wish the silicone case was the same color as the phone, or see-through, because it's a shame to have it all covered up.) At $82 this is a perfect phone. There are no "deal breaking" issues for me. All the minor annoyances I can either get around or live with. If this phone also proves to be durable (I haven't had it long), I'll be a BLU customer for life. :)