- Analysis by KJ David
Although its pros and cons (and its appearance, for that matter) make it seem like a rather forgettable basic flip phone, the Polaroid Link A2, with its inauspicious specs, caters to a very specific clientele, particularly, senior users looking for a practical call-and-text phone or those eyeing a cheap (It was pegged at around $40 at the time of this technical review) backup handset.
Related: Gallery of Latest Flip Phones
For starters, it comes with a 1.8-inch LCD color display 
, which feels microscopic, even by basic phone standards, not to mention that it shies of the screens rocked by some of the most-popular basic flip phones to date , many of which consider 2.4 inches of screen real estate to be the golden standard -- at least as we were writing this. To rub some salt to its open wound, the Link A2's mere 1.8-inch display is the same size as that of the Link -- its utterly-basic bar-type cousin.
Joining the Link A2's cons is a rear-facing 0.3-megapixel (aka VGA) camera that sounds prehistoric, especially versus the 2- and 3.2-megapixel cams used by a few of its senior-friendly rivals -- heck, some others, like ZTE's Cymbal-T and Kyocera's DuraXE, even boast 5-megapixel cameras, which is obviously saying something, as far as clamshell phones are concerned. Having said that, its VGA cam is not that big of a setback, since a lot of other flip phones scrap the idea of a camera entirely. Also, its aging target clientele probably won't have photography as a top priority anyway -- check out some other easy phones for seniors here .
As for its pros, this unlocked flip phone comes with a microSD card slot 
, which, believe it or not, is not that common of a facet among phones of its kind. It also features the combination of an FM radio and an music player (MP3) , which is a familiar, but still appreciable touch for any senior-oriented flip phone.
The Link A2's pros and cons are housed inside a 0.51-inch thick (when closed) casing , which is not the sexiest of flip phone bodies, but considering that many phones of its kind measure around 0.7 inches thick, we're flagging it as a pro. It is offered in either Black or White, as expected of a low-caliber unlocked flip phone.
Being equipped with dual SIM card slots , the Link A2 is also pitched by Polaroid as a decent choice for those who plan to travel abroad, since you can use the extra SIM card tray for a local GSM SIM without having to switch out your main SIM. Incidentally, it offers quad-band GSM support (850/900/1800/1900MHz), with Bluetooth joining in as well.
At the end of the day, the Polaroid Link A2 is no more than a cheap dump phone, but knowing its senior and practical target buyers, it just about fits the bill.
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