The Samsung Galaxy Portal Black & Red Refurbished on 3

For somebody who is attracted to the world of smartphone technology but is put off by the unattractive prices, enter that world through the Samsung Galaxy Portal from 3. The Portal gives you Android apps and technology for a fraction of the price of other Android phones.

The Portal is a smartphone which has been on a feature and price diet. But you still get three clear and clutter-free homescreens to play with and customise, and the smaller internal memory can easily be bolstered with a relatively cheap microSD memory card. In some ways it outdoes its Android competitors; its battery life, for instance, is one of the best we've seen. And then, of course, there's the price!

The 3.2-inch screen is powered by TFT technology. You might suppose that phones with AMOLED displays would blow this older technology out of the water, but the screen is bright and clear with good contrast and sometimes even seems to show-up better in sunlight than some AMOLED screens!

There are more hardware buttons on the Portal than on many other Android devices, ideal for somebody who wants that mix of touchscreen and analogue navigation, and also ideal for someone who occasionally finds themselves frustrated with a touchscreen and yearning for the tactile responsiveness of a button. With real call and end call buttons rather than just touchscreen icons you can be sure not to accidentally leave someone a 6 hour answer phone message, or miss that vital call as you struggle to take your gloves off in time to pick it up!

The Three Samsung Galaxy Portal is a highly affordable and stylish venture into the smartphone cosmos. A phone that won't daunt you or your pocket, with great features, fast processing speeds, a handy mixture of touchscreen and real button navigation, a fantastic display and great scope for personal customisation. The Portal is an inexpensive gateway into smartphone technology.