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Verizon's free Samsung Galaxy Stellar is a steal (pictures)

The Samsung Galaxy Stellar doesn't have it all, but it's a great free Android offering for a carrier that has a high monthly fee.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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Samsung's Galaxy Stellar costs $0 on Verizon

You get much more than you pay for with the Samsung Galaxy Stellar, an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone that comes free on Verizon with a new two-year service agreement.
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2 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET

Button magic

The Stellar has a nice 4-inch screen, but one of my favorite convenience features is the captive menu button beneath it. That's the icon of the three stacked dots.
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3 of 8 Josh Miller/CNET

Front-facing camera

There's a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, which is a nice touch for a free phone.
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The main camera

A 3.2-megapixel camera is on the back. The resolution isn't at the top of the scale, but the photo quality is quite good for outdoor shots in bright lighting.
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Storage

Its 4GB of internal storage gets a boost with an expansion slot amenable to 32GB extra.
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Body

The Stellar is thicker than today's svelte phones, very plasticky, and glossy.
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The chin

The Stellar has a slight peak of a chin at the bottom, reminiscent of the Samsung Droid Charge, also for Verizon.
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Studio shot

The Galaxy Stellar is flash-free, so we took this picture of our standard studio shot with bright lights. The focus is softer, but even, though the background looks grayer than it actually is.

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