I've been a cell phone user since 1994 and have owned many different models. The StarTac stands out in only one aspect. The phone is small.

Other than the size, I find nothing amazing or special about this phone.

The StarTac battery life is adequate at a few days. There are other phones with better battery life. I often just let mine drain down all the way before I recharge, and having to recharge in the middle of the work week is annoying. A phone that can last the entire working week before being grounded at the charging outlet would be more desirable.

The antenna seems large on this phone because of the overall small size; taking up nearly one quarter of the length of the phone in the closed state. In the usage state, the antenna is flexible and is not likely to break or poke anyone's eye out. I personally have wondered if the antenna is there just for looks, as the quality of my service does not seem to improve if I extend the antenna.

The belt cradle is undesirable when the phone is not present in the cradle. I have had people remark on the empty cradle, most saying it is ugly or obtuse. Bending over or sometimes leaning over the antenna can poke you if you have it in the belt cradle.

I have heard people remark that caller ID features are not as useful with a flip phone, and this is true. When a user flips the phone open, the default settings are to answer the call. A user will need to examine the preferences in the phone and turn off the auto answer feature in order to screen calls by caller ID. At that point, you need to ask yourself why you would purchase a flip phone in the first place.

My previous phone was a Nokia 6160. I understand that I am a geek, but the feature I miss the most was the ability to waste time playing the simple games provided on the Nokia. The StarTac can only entertain you by flicking it open with a quick wrist and saying "Beam me up, Scotty".




Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 300.00