Can you be a technophobe and a technophile at the same time? The answer comes in people’s response to Apple products. While there are millions who swear by them, there is equally a mass of the tech savvy who have quite a disproportionate dislike for them. So within the E&T team we chose those in the latter category to have a look at the latest tablet offering from Alcatel: the T3 10, which comes bundled up with a Bluetooth speaker.

The T3, with a 10 inch screen, is the same size as an iPad. Despite having a creditable resolution of 1280×800 pixels, the display was not as lively as might be hoped for but, with a price tab around a third of its iPad equivalent, this is only to be expected. It is bright and sharp enough to be perfectly adequate for normal tablet uses.

Less convincing was that without actually being slow, it certainly seemed a bit sluggish. Having set up the T3 using a smart phone (a Google Pixel) it transferred all files and apps, which was perhaps slightly unfair as the memory is only 16GB (although an SD card can expand this to 128GB) and with 2GB RAM – half that of the phone – the tablet could be excused for starting life as being a bit clogged up. Its MediaTek 8765B processor, which is an ARM A53 Quad-Core (4×1.28GHz) processor optimised for tablet and smartphone use so should be no slouch. However, every operation seemed to take that extra fraction of a second that is long enough to instinctively make you want to press again to make sure it is working. As we said, not exactly slow, but just a bit sluggish.

The cameras – front and back – have 2M pixel sensors and are adequate, but like most tablets iMT8765B, Quad-Core (4 x 1.28GHz) it is not going to compare favourably to most phones. Video can be shot at 720 pixels at 30fps – again adequate rather than impressive.

Google Voice Assistant is handy as long as you are prepared to shout – in a very scientific test of placing tablet and phone next to each other and addressing it, the phone responded first at lower volumes.

Other notable features are its charging time of about four hours, which is slightly less than the operating time this will provide. The T3 has a micro-USB 2.0 and headphone jack – still useful despite all the usual Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The device feels sturdily enough built despite weighing in at only 400g.

But while the above may sound slightly underwhelming, the T3 was certainly competent and for around £159 it is a solid performer. Two things of note with this price. First, it is through UK stockists O2, who offer packages depending on usage, but those who would only use such a device in the WiFi enriched environs of their own homes can obviously avoid the need for a contract or SIM card. Secondly, it includes a Bluetooth ‘Audio Station’, which is probably worth a quarter of the package price. The tablet can dock to this, which makes both a stylish charging stand and also of course does wonders for the audio performance.

There is the argument that standalone Bluetooth speakers are commonplace with many options to suit purpose and budget, so having this particular one enforced isn’t necessary. While we would largely agree with that, the speaker is of good quality. It retains audio clarity at top volume, even if it is not a top volume that would be of use at a teenagers’ party. Moreover, the tablet and speaker make a handsome couple and saves on investing further in a tablet stand.

Overall verdict – if you want to stick to Android, the Alcatel T3 (packaged up with its speaker) claims an appropriate position in the price/performance scale.

The Alcatel T3 10 is available from O2 and retails for about £159.

Can you be a technophobe and a technophile at the same time? The answer comes in people’s response to Apple products. While there are millions who swear by them, there is equally a mass of the tech savvy who have quite a disproportionate dislike for them. So within the E&T team we chose those in the latter category to have a look at the latest tablet offering from Alcatel: the T3 10, which comes bundled up with a Bluetooth speaker.

The T3, with a 10 inch screen, is the same size as an iPad. Despite having a creditable resolution of 1280×800 pixels, the display was not as lively as might be hoped for but, with a price tab around a third of its iPad equivalent, this is only to be expected. It is bright and sharp enough to be perfectly adequate for normal tablet uses.

Less convincing was that without actually being slow, it certainly seemed a bit sluggish. Having set up the T3 using a smart phone (a Google Pixel) it transferred all files and apps, which was perhaps slightly unfair as the memory is only 16GB (although an SD card can expand this to 128GB) and with 2GB RAM – half that of the phone – the tablet could be excused for starting life as being a bit clogged up. Its MediaTek 8765B processor, which is an ARM A53 Quad-Core (4×1.28GHz) processor optimised for tablet and smartphone use so should be no slouch. However, every operation seemed to take that extra fraction of a second that is long enough to instinctively make you want to press again to make sure it is working. As we said, not exactly slow, but just a bit sluggish.

The cameras – front and back – have 2M pixel sensors and are adequate, but like most tablets iMT8765B, Quad-Core (4 x 1.28GHz) it is not going to compare favourably to most phones. Video can be shot at 720 pixels at 30fps – again adequate rather than impressive.

Google Voice Assistant is handy as long as you are prepared to shout – in a very scientific test of placing tablet and phone next to each other and addressing it, the phone responded first at lower volumes.

Other notable features are its charging time of about four hours, which is slightly less than the operating time this will provide. The T3 has a micro-USB 2.0 and headphone jack – still useful despite all the usual Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The device feels sturdily enough built despite weighing in at only 400g.

But while the above may sound slightly underwhelming, the T3 was certainly competent and for around £159 it is a solid performer. Two things of note with this price. First, it is through UK stockists O2, who offer packages depending on usage, but those who would only use such a device in the WiFi enriched environs of their own homes can obviously avoid the need for a contract or SIM card. Secondly, it includes a Bluetooth ‘Audio Station’, which is probably worth a quarter of the package price. The tablet can dock to this, which makes both a stylish charging stand and also of course does wonders for the audio performance.

There is the argument that standalone Bluetooth speakers are commonplace with many options to suit purpose and budget, so having this particular one enforced isn’t necessary. While we would largely agree with that, the speaker is of good quality. It retains audio clarity at top volume, even if it is not a top volume that would be of use at a teenagers’ party. Moreover, the tablet and speaker make a handsome couple and saves on investing further in a tablet stand.

Overall verdict – if you want to stick to Android, the Alcatel T3 (packaged up with its speaker) claims an appropriate position in the price/performance scale.

The Alcatel T3 10 is available from O2 and retails for about £159.