Another shining "star" in the Motorola family
Written: May 29 '02
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Pros: Compact size and weight, user-friendly, good performance/reception
Cons: None to speak of
The Bottom Line: The V120c is a feature-packed, small powerhouse of a phone that is customizable and pleasing to the average user. Sensible and flashy.
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| drew99_mi's Full Review: Motorola V120c |
OK, I switched again. As a previous Motorola wireless phone user (see my review on the StarTac 7868) I have come to depend on the reliability and quality of Motorola wireless. I bought the V120 for my wife, adding a second line to a Verizon wireless plan. As it turned out, she liked my StarTac better for some reason, and after playing around with the V120 for a while, I decided I liked the sleek, compact new phone better than the StarTac, so we switched. The V120 lives up to the high standard set by Motorola and offers all kinds of little extras not found in my StarTac. Let's get into them.
The first and most superficial reason I like this phone (call me shallow) is the wide selection of ringtones. Also, there is a REALLY COOL power-up/power-down graphic with sound that really impressed me. There are 32 distinctive ring tones (really cool ones, versus 9 boring rings on the StarTac), and I am able to define a separate ring tone for calls, text messages, data calls, fax calls, voice mail alert, and reminders) which is a great improvement over the simple "beeps" on the StarTac. Also, there is a variety of vibrate patterns that can be chosen instead of just "vibrate". Also, the ability to program your own ringtones is available so you can program your favorite song as a ringtone.
The size of the V120 is impressive...4.5 oz with battery. It's so light and small that it will easily fit in the front pocket of khakis or cargo pocket of denim shorts, without your constant awareness of its location.
The one thing I loved about my StarTac was the secure holster, something that did not come with the V120. Initially I was very skeptical of this, as I always have my phone clipped to me and move around a lot. However, with the help of my local Verizon store, I selected a 9.99 clip that actually pops into a hole in the back of the phone (you must remove a rubber stopper before attempting this). The clip is very secure and it's very easy to remove the phone with one hand when you need to use the phone. The phone also swivels on the clip, unlike the StarTac, which remained in the same position (resulting in the antenna bending constantly). I am actually happier with the new clip than with the StarTac's bulky and inflexible holster.
The V120's display is small (of course, given it's size) but there is never an issue with it being too small for what you're trying to do. Unlike the StarTac, I can fit large names on the screen (like speed dial names) without having to break it up into multiple screens when viewing it. It is visually pleasing and offers menu animation if you wish. This feature made me dizzy so I disabled it.
During my inspection of the phone, I was delighted to discover Voice Activated Dialing. This is a WONDERFUL feature because you don't have to distract yourself from whatever you're doing... driving, walking, whatever... to dial the phone. It has proven to be very accurate and is simple to set up -- when defining a phone book entry, you are given the opportunity to set up a voice dial for that number. If you choose to do so, you are prompted to record the name twice, without pressing any buttons. I was particularly impressed with the simplicity of the voice dial setup.
Text messaging is something I've gotten into lately, as my wife's StarTac is two-way messaging capable. An option for text messaging is iTAP, which is a system that guesses what you're trying to spell out and gives you several options. With iTAP enabled, your text entry is supposed to be assisted with this feature. I tried it, but promptly turned it back off -- none of the options I was given remotely matched the word I was trying to spell. Maybe I try to use too many personalized words?
The V120 is microbrowser enabled and ready, but as I do not subscribe to the service, I am unable to give you a review on this feature. I can tell you that accessing the browser is not difficult.
Speaking of accessing features, another thing I love is that you can customize the order of the main menu, so that the features you use most can be moved to the top of the list and the features you seldom used moved to the bottom.
An English-speaker like me doesn't need to change the display to Spanish, Portuguese, or French, but the ability is there if you wish to do so.
The V120 offers 180 hours of digital standby time (compared with 120 with the StarTac) and 180 minutes of talk time (same as the StarTac).
The phonebook offers space to store 400 numbers (versus 99 on the StarTac), so it will be a very long time before I fill the phone book (if it ever happens).
Reception is about the same as the StarTac, with clear reception and few dropped calls (depending on your area). I do not see a noticeable difference between the two phones in this area.
I wasn't unhappy with my StarTac, but after seeing what I missed, I love having a solid, dependable phone that is also aesthetically pleasing and appeals to the "toy-lover" in me.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 49.99
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Epinions.com ID:
drew99_mi
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Software engineer, musician, husband, father...
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