Great phone. Glad I bought it.
Written: Jan 01 '03
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Pros: Great design, good size, speakerphone feature works great
Cons: Screen could be brighter, holster clip could be easier to use, battery life
The Bottom Line: A great phone with lots of pluses, and some minuses that can be worked around. Great sound quality and features can be upgraded via the Net.
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| jjweinb's Full Review: Nextel Motorola i90c |
When my wife and I decided on Nextel service, I came to Epinions.com to check out the facts about the phones being offered. After looking over the reviews and prices, I initially decided on the Motorola i60c for both of us. At the store however, I decided I needed a phone with a little better screen than the i60c had. After looking at several other phones, I decided to get the i90c. And, I'm glad I did. I did get my wife a i60c, and the i90c is the big brother to that phone. That means we can share accessories! The handsfree unit, extra battery, data cable, phone clip, phone stand, etc. are all usable on both units. This is a real cost saver.
The size of the i90c is perfect for me. It fits comfortably in the palm of my hand, and is light and easy to carry. I have a coat with a small upper pocket. The phone fits there perfectly and is easy to reach. The sound quality of the phone is excellent, and easy to hear. The keys on the keypad are a little bigger than average, which is perfect for my big fingers. The menu is easy to use, and I like the ability to customize its order to fit my own needs. The antenna is housed in a sturdy cover, so no need to worry about breaking it off. I like the front cover display. Just enough information, though I find the characters to be a bit small and difficult to see when not looking straight on to the window. The quick answer button on the top is great, since the speakerphone capability is loud and clear. I also like the button to send someone you don't want to talk to right now directly on to your voicemail.
Probably the best part about the phone, at least for me, is the ability it has to interface with the serial port on my computer, and then on to the Internet. I downloaded the iDen update program from Nextel, installed it on my XP system, and got the data cable. Since then, I have been able to update the firmware on my phone. As a result, I have obtained better overall performance, as well as some new features. I also got the iDen companion program, and have been able to set up features on the phone directly by using the program rather than fiddling with the menu options. The other great thing about these programs is that they allow you to also make a backup image of your phone. If you ever had to reset the phone, or replace the SIM card, you can do a restore, and get your settings back easily.
Security on the phone is good. You can choose between two levels of passwords, SIM and/or phone startup. I chose the SIM option, since this password protects all of my private information. It's also great that the information stored on the SIM card is transferable to other compatible phones by simply moving the card to the other phone.
Overall construction seems rugged, though I haven't yet given it an opportunity to prove itself by hitting a hard object.
There are some downsides to this great phone though. The main display could be brighter and have more contrast to it. In good light, or poor light, the display is good. However, in in-between lighting conditions, the display can be hard to see. The holster clip that comes with the phone is odd in that you clip the phone face-in to the holster, rather than face-out. That means you have to unclip the phone from the holster to use it, except when using it with the hands free accessory.
Battery life is also another grip I have about this phone. It's too short. If I leave the phone on for 10 hours a day, the battery goes low after about a couple of days. If I only turn the phone on when I need it, then I can extend its charge life by many days. I ended up getting a second battery for my phone to keep charged and have on hand. Another sore point is that there doesn't seem to be an extended battery offered for either the i90c or i60c. This would be the answer to the short battery life.
My wife and I got Nextel so that we could use the Direct Connect option. It works great on both our phones, and we love it. However, as a side note, make sure you understand how this option is billed, and how to use it and the Alert feature offered on the phone. I finally had to call Nextel Customer Service to get the correct answers.
All in all, the i90c is a great phone that has met all of my needs since getting it. If I had to do it over, I'd still buy it.
As a final note, I decided not to buy the Special Edition version. It had no extra features I needed, and cost an extra $30 for "neat looks". Also, I did look at the color version of this phone, but didn't like the display as much.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199.00
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Epinions.com ID:
jjweinb
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Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 0 members
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