Sometimes you get what you pay for ... (and this phone was free).
Written: Mar 15 '05
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Pros: If you are getting this phone for free, it will meet your expectations.
Cons: If you are getting this phone for free, your expectations should be VERY low.
The Bottom Line: While this phone performs some basic functions very well, it's overall cheapness in construction is a liability that today's phone users shouldn't have to worry about in a cell phone.
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| regular_guy's Full Review: Motorola V180 |
INTRO
Because this phone works with Cingular service, I want to first explain why going with a Cingular phone is a good idea. Then, I'll get into the specific review of this phone and explain why this probably isn't the Cingular phone to go with.
Like another reviewer, my wife and I switched to Cingular around 4 months ago to try and minimize costs. Prior to switching to Cingular, we were with Sprint and AT&T. Whereas we use to have around 1,400 combined minutes per month and were using about 1,000 of those minutes (with 400 minutes "wasted" per month), for about $10 less a month, we now share 850 minutes/month and use about 400. And, with rollover we have stockpiled around 1500 minutes for our use (which we will use in a few months when we announce that we are pregnant!) How to explain this disparity in usage? Well, we now have free mobile to mobile and apparently we were calling each other and our family (who have Cingular) more than we realized. Suffice to say, I'm happy with our move to Cingular. If only we'd made a better choice when choosing our phones ...
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
This phone gets a "stylish" rating in the looks department. To the ladies reading this, I would say: It is Motorola's answer to the little black dress. It's sleek and definitely small enough to carry in the smallest handbag or even the front pocket of jeans. Unlike other phones that in my opinion go over the top to look futuristic, this phone has a confident look of new technology without any pretense.
This physical description will be brief, as pictures can tell as good a picture. It's a black and silver clamshell design. When in the closed position, the phone displays the time, service bars, battery and, if there is a message, a little envelope icon. This outside window also functions as caller ID, displaying (in extremely tiny font) the name/number of the person calling you. If the size of the font is going to be an issue, however, you probably aren't going to be looking at phones this small in the first place. The unit has two holes in the bottom of the phone: one for the hands free and one for the charger. A 2/3 inch antennae stub sticks out of the top corner of the unit.
When opened, the face lights up inside a silver rectangle with a cool hologram "motorola" above the display. The display has all of the same indicators on the outside, as well as a customizable background picture. This phone comes with about 10 or so cool backgrounds already programmed into the phone, or you can download one from the web. The buttons on the bottom part of the phone are spaced far enough apart for all but the most stubby fingers, and this helps when trying to dial quickly or in the car when you are only half looking at the phone when you dial.
HOW DOES THE V180 WORK?
The Good: This phone works everywhere, and I mean everywhere - from the elevator in my downtown parking garage to my in-law's house (where my Sprint phone NEVER worked), and all places in between. Without fail, I dial and the phone rings. And conversely, when someone calls me, the phone rings. The only downside to that is that I can no longer honestly use the "my phone didn't ring, sorry I missed your call" excuse.
Also in the "good" category, I'll put battery life. The main reason my wife and I chose this phone is because of the huge battery life rating. I've been very happy with my phone. I charge it two times a week and talk on it whenever I want. I should note that my wife is reporting that her battery life is already becoming short. However, she uses her phone more minutes/day than me, so I'm not sure how legitimate her beef is.
I have used a generic hands free set (Target, $10) with this phone, and am happy to report that the sound comes through very well. In fact, given that the speakerphone is way too quiet (see below), this handsfree device has kept me from chucking this phone out the window of my car on the interstate.
This phone holds 500 phone numbers. Also, it uses SIM card technology, which allows you to store number on a tiny chip like memory card which, if (or when) you decide to change phones will work in other phones so that you don't have to reprogram all your friends and family phone numbers.
The bad: As mentioned, the speaker on the phone is WAY too quiet (including the use of the "speakerphone" feature). Unless you're riding in a rolls royce, you will not be able to have a conversation on speakerphone when on the highway, and will end up pressing the phone against your ear trying to hear the other person, thereby arriving at your destination with very red ears and looking "teed off." Here are the cars I've tried to have conversations inside: Chevy Cavelier and Malibu, Chrysler Town and Country, Oldmobile Cutlass, Toyota Camry, Acura TL (it was even too loud in the 2004 TL!) and Dodge Stratus. Granted, these aren't fancy cars, (except for the TL) but I think you get the point.
When in the closed position, the buttons on the side of the phone do not change the volume of the ring. Therefore, you have to open the phone and then press those buttons to change the volume of the ring. I count this as "bad" because I was accustomed to changing the ring style/volume of my phone in my pocket. Now, I have to take it out. There are times I would just assume not call attention to my phone and given the fact that I change rings often, I find this to be a hassle.
The ugly: This section is reserved for dealbreakers - things wrong with the phone that should cause someone to get a different phone. The "bad" things above, in my opinion, are not egregious.
The only thing about this phone that I would consider a deal breaker is the crappy construction. While a lightweight phone is not per se a piece of cr@p, this phone truly feels like it's going to snap each and every time you open it. I do not use my phone more than 3 to 5 times a day, and I can't see this thing lasting 2 years (the length of my contract with Cingular). When I open the phone, the top part twists on an axis away from the bottom part. I know that it's only a matter of time until it starts to break, and when it does the display screen will be the first thing to crack or stop working.
Both of the phones my wife and I got started to freeze when charged with the included charger. The only way to get the phone unfrozen was to take out the battery and reboot. This happened irrespective of whose charger we used. I finally got a new phone sent to me (they only sent a new front, not the back or a battery). So far, it hasn't happened to the new phone. My wife is just putting up with the occasional freezes. From other reviews I've read, this is common, and I think this is another indication that the phones are not well built.
CONCLUSION:
If you don't want to feel like you're losing your hearing, and you want a phone that will last more than a few months, then get a different phone (perhaps a nokia). While the sound quality is good and there are a lot of features, I feel as though the obvious cheapness of the phone and its internal flaws outweigh the positives. The other reviews for this phone are mixed, and I think that is appropriate. While this is not a complete POJ, it will be a gamble to get this phone. If you think this looks like a good deal because it's free, remember what my grandma always says: sometimes you get what you pay for.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): Free
Recommended for: World Travelers - Works Anywhere and Everywhere!
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Epinions.com ID:
regular_guy
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Reviews written: 7
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