Motorola LS550 - Basic Features But Extremely Dependable
Written: Apr 22 '03 (Updated Jan 15 '04)
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Pros: Small size, blue light up display, vibrate or audible alerts, Motorola warranty.
Cons: Takes a little time to get use to programming it and using the features.
The Bottom Line: A good basic pager with a few perks, the Motorola LS550 is a dependable way to stay in touch.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Motorola LS550 Numeric Pager (Teal) |
Having already had experience with the older model Motorola LS350 pager I was pretty confident in choosing another Motorola product when it came time to upgrade. Even though I had trouble with other Motorola pagers in the past [including the previous generations of LS350’s], I also had models that worked like a charm. So I guess you could say that it is a hit or miss experience and I was willing to give a newer model a try and see which end of the scale it came in on. The older pager had been having problems for a long time and since I had paid for a years contract for service I sort of put off picking up a new pager figuring that I’d eventually get around to it. The older LS350 was available in several colors but lacked any kind of style. It was, to put it kindly, boring and basic and worked when it wanted to. The LS550 is still a basic pager with a handful of features that won’t appeal to people that have to have every gadget known to man built into it, but the bottom line is that it works.
Motorola LS550 Pager
While this is a basic pager that will accept numeric messages, it does have some nice perks to it. There are only three buttons on the front of the pager [read, select and menu] that you have to work with and to some people this might be seen as a drawback since you will have to use several of the buttons for different functions [setting up the time, clock, on and off timer etc] as well as number retrieval and scrolling through older numbers. This unit will store up to 40 numbers and when you exceed that amount, the oldest number in storage will be deleted. You have the option to lock numbers [great for keeping important numbers close at hand] and I think that it is limited to ten numbers at a time that can be locked at any given time.
There are five generic preprogrammed alert tones that can be selected or you can opt for the silent vibrate mode. One of the nicest features is the selective off mode that allows you to have the pager go into silent mode during preset times. Example: if you go to sleep and don’t want to be disturbed you can have the pager automatically stop sending alerts [audible or vibrate] during 10:00 pm – 6:00 am. You will see the number of new messages on the screen when you scroll through and you will hear a little chirp when 6:00 am rolls around to let you know it has come out of sleep mode. You also have the option of setting a daily alarm that will beep at the preset time. This is nice if you have to pick up the kids from school, take a medication or wake someone up for work. Programming the different functions is a lot easier than you think so don’t feel intimidated by some of the functions that are offered in this model of pager.
This is a numeric pager so you do not have the option to receive text messages. If this is something that you are looking for, you might want to try one of the Motorola products that offer this feature. All numbers that are received are labeled with the time and date that they were received and if you lock a number, the time and date that it was received is also recorded. If your inbox gets too full or there are numbers that you want to protect but you have exceeded the lock capacity you can erase messages easily by scrolling through, selection a number and clicking the erase button. You will be asked “erase ok?” and if you do not press the button again, the number will not be deleted. You can also do a quick dump of all the messages that are stored and since I have never used this feature I do not know if it also erases the locked numbers. I was too afraid to try it out because there are several numbers that I want locked and on the pager at all times and didn’t want to risk having them wiped out.
Voice mail is something that needs to be added by the service provider. This pager will work with most voice mail systems. It’s best to ask your local Motorola dealer about which service plan and pager would be best for you as well as the many options that are available. It is extremely important to know if the service provider will charge you extra for going over a limit of monthly pages. With some plans each time you call you number to access your voice mail that counts as one unit. Some plans only allow you 250 units per month, after that you are charged for each additional unit. The term “unlimited paging” isn’t always what it seems so make sure you understand all the terms of the contract before you sign an agreement and make a purchase. This goes not only for voice mail but for text messages as well.
E Luma Glow
One thing that always annoyed me about pagers was the fact that when trying to read them at night or in a dark area you would have to move the pager around in order to read the screen. This pager features a nice blue light that illuminates the entire screen [providing the batteries are fresh] so you can see the information clearly without having to play around with it. As soon as I saw this feature I was hooked and it reminded me of the soft blue hue of my sports watch. Excessive use of this feature seems to kill off the batteries a little quicker but in my opinion, I’d rather have something that completely lights of the entire screen and eats batteries a little quicker than something that you have to play around with and waste time moving the pager around so you can see the information.
Instructions
The small booklet that comes with the pager is easy to read and follow and should be kept handy until you can use the functions and feel comfortable with them. In the back there is a list of authorized service centers, contact information, warranty details and troubleshooting. If you are purchasing this used, make sure you get some type of warranty from the dealer, even if it is for 30 days in case there is a problem with the unit or its functions. When purchased new, this comes with a one year limited warranty against manufacturer defects. I wish that there was a small carrying card with the basic instructions on it because sometimes I forget how to set the alarm or have it go in to the sleep mode however since there are only three buttons to have to deal with, you can figure it out easily enough. The booklet does have a two page quick reference area but I don’t think that this will hold up to a lot of use or if I tossed it in my backpack.
Display
The small LCD screen is the standard size for all numeric pagers but since you get the cool E Luma Glow back light it is extremely easy to read the numbers. The following icons are also low battery, audible or vibrate alert, pager on [Motorola symbol], alarm set, private / sleep mode set, out of range / area and a small arrow that lets you know that a message is larger than the display screen. If you receive a message like this you will have to use the scroll feature to advance to the next screen to read the rest of the number.
Things To Know
This pager comes in four colors: black, teal, red and blue. The handy belt clip allows you to clip it inside your purse, backpack or briefcase so you won’t have to dig for it when you receive a message. This clip is removable if you want to carry it in your pocket but don’t want the extra bulk of the clip in your pocket. You can also purchase accessories for this model including a chain that you can use to attach it to your belt or backpack, a safety case to prevent it from being damaged and others that you can view at any authorized Motorola dealer.
This runs on one AAA battery and you can expect it to last about a month to a month and half before it needs to be replaced. The overall life of the battery is longer than this but to get the most from the E Luma Glow function, you will need to replace them a little more often than other pagers. If you receive a lot of pages or do not check it when it notifies you that you have a new page you can expect the battery to lose some power, even more so when you have it on vibrate and don’t click off the page. It will continue to vibrate about every two minutes until you clear it off the screen.
I got this for free with service activation from an authorized Motorola agent. If you are looking to purchase this without a contract or service activation you can expect to pay anywhere from $49.99 to $69.99. If you are doing this you might want to know that most places will charge you an additional activation free or “recrystaling” fee if you walk in off the street with another pager looking to use their service. Make sure you know ahead of time what the conditions are if you are going to purchase this pager without a contract and take it to another agent to have it activated. Considering the price of the pager without the service contract I suggest that if this is the pager you want that you shop around until you find an authorized agent that carries this model so you can get the pager for a small fee or free.
The Bottom Line
This would make a great pager for someone that needs something small, well designed and easy to use. Since this is much more attractive than the older models in the series it is more popular and you can more than likely get a good deal on it if you also purchase a paging plan at the same time. So far I haven’t had any trouble receiving pages with this unit, storing numbers, setting the alarms or changing the alert tone. If you are looking for a basic numeric pager with a few perks, I highly suggest checking out the Motorola LS550.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Free
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