I have Cingular, and had been thinking of upgrading for a while, but couldn't bear the ~$300 price tag. Last week, however, I walked into Staples and couldn't resist the $29.99 sale price (with rebates and new activation; my contract ran out recently - making me month-to-month - so I was able to sign a new contract and keep my same phone number).

There was an additional sale this week, so I ended up paying only about $10 for it. The $29.99 price at Staples is good until the end of August.

There are a few little quirks with the phone that may have affected me in purchasing the phone at full price, but if you can get a pretty good deal, definitely go for it!

The weight and feel of the phone is great. It's ultra compact, but SLIGHTLY bigger and heavier than some offered by other carriers, such as Sprint. I preferred the added heft (only about one ounce more), since it makes it feel much more comfortable and solid in quality - unlike the other compact flips that feel like plastic toys. The metal casing looks great, and feels nice. Looks like it will stand up well to scratches in a purse or pocket with keys, but would probably get pretty scratched up if dropped on pavement or hard floors versus phones with a durable plastic, like the StarTac - I'm not going to test this out, though. *See note towards end of post.* Even if it sustained the same amount of scratches as some plastic phones, the silver/gray color would show it more versus black.

You can find the features all over the place, and I could go on about each, so most of the following observations are just my picky little Cons. Please note, however, that these would not alter my decision to buy the phone, but may be issues for other people. Most of my comparisons are made with the StarTac, since that was the phone I used for the past two years:

1. I used to have a StarTac, and loved how I could open the phone with one hand if the other is occupied or carrying something. The design of the v60, however, does not allow one to do this AS easily. This may change with practice.

2. The StarTac had a great ring/vibrate feature, but the v60's ring/vibrate feature is a bit quirky - the StarTac would actually ring and vibrate simultaneously, but the v60 is unpredictable. One time, I found that it vibrated a couple times, then rang later. Another time, it only rang. If you have it out of your pocket and it vibrates a couple times before ringing, you may miss your call.

3. Other cell phones I've used had much higher earpiece volume - including the StarTac. I haven't had any problems hearing people in normal situations, but have a feeling it could be problematic at a bar, ballgame, train or subway cars, etc.

4. Perhaps I just haven't figured it out yet, but it appears as though the alarm can only be accessed through the datebook - you have to schedule an event. I personally don't even use this feature, but my husband uses it to make sure he doesn't miss his stop on the commuter rail, and used to be able to set the alarm with 3 quick button presses on his Nokia. With the v60t, you have to schedule events and attach alarms to them. He's still getting the hang of it (he just purchased the v60t last week, too), but I've read in other posts that the alarm is very unpredictable, and goes off at the wrong time, and even on the wrong day! I can't substantiate this claim, but it does seem odd that there is no stand-alone alarm feature.

5. LOVE the voice-activated dialing. My only complaint is that I wish I could use it for all my phonebook entries, not just 20.

6. The new menu interface is awesome - so much friendlier than the StarTac. Other posts complain that it is too complicated and roundabout, but if you spend the time to really read through the manual and play with the phone a bit, you shouldn't have a problem.

7. This is a Cingular complaint - most other phone carriers allow you to change the greeting on your phone display when you turn it on or have it in the idle position. The v60t allows for this personalization, but Cingular has it unactivated, so you can't even get to the option in the menu. Not a huge deal, but since my husband and I got the same model phone, it would be nice to be able to open it up and see who's it is in case they got mixed up in the house. I tried to call Cingular to see if they could turn this feature back on, but didn't get a straight answer - the first person said she'd update it (as well as turn on my text messaging feature, since that wasn't activated either for some reason), but it never updated (the text messaging was activated within 10 minutes, though). I called back an hour later to let them know it didn't work, but the next operator said as politely as possible that I had a defective phone or didn't know what I was doing, so suggested I go to a Cingular branch and have them do it for me. I didn't appreciate his suggestions and asked to speak with someone else. That person didn't know what I was even talking about, so I may just go the Cingular branch in town anyhow just to explain in person and see if they can do something on the spot.

8. I'm supposed to see improved quality with this tri mode phone versus my StarTac dual mode phone, but have yet to notice a difference. Oh well!

9. Sound quality is great, so far, though I haven't really tested it in odd or remote locations. In places with a decent signal, however, the quality is perfect with little/no lag.

10. People reviewing the v60c complained about the antennas being flimsy. Before purchasing the phone, I read a CNET review that said the v60t improved the antenna. I don't know what the antenna of the v60c is like, but the v60t is VERY sturdy. I think the v60c had a pull up antenna, but the v60t's is stable. The only thing that is a bit odd is that it is quite large. It would be excellent if it was half the length or internal. The antenna is fatter than the StarTac's, but much more sturdy - probably because it is stable, not pull-up.

11. Would be nice if it had games or a larger screen. I find the screen size more than adequate, but know that other phones of a similar size definitely have larger displays.

12. Note: Motorola is coming out with a v60i this month (see the company's Web site for upcoming products). The new v60 will have games loaded on, as well as changeable face plates and backs for the phone. I don't really care about changing the color of my phone, but if it does end up getting scratched up, it would be nice to just pop on a new plate for about $10. The back of the v60t does come off, though, and you can purchase those separately for a low price. Changing the front would have been nice, too, though. Unfortunately, Cingular will not be offering this phone. Other TDMA carriers (as well as GSM carriers) like AT&T may however, so you may want to check it out before buying. There are no other big changes, so I'd assume pricing will be similar.

That should be it! Hope this helps!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 10.00