I know it's tempting. Don't do it...
Written: Dec 16 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Small and lightweight
Cons: Un-ergonomic, fragile, battery weak
|
|
|
| jyoteen's Full Review: Motorola StarTAC ST7868W Cell Phone |
This is my SIXTH Motorola Startac. The first two were analog, and I was an early adopter of these phones. Since then, I've had the Analog/Digital Startacs exclusively. Here are some of the pros and cons:
Pros:
Small
Light
Good Sound
Cons:
Fragile
Un-Ergonomic
Battery doesn't last (a consistent problem with all Startacs)
Let me elaborate.
2 of the 6 Startacs didn't survive a fall from my pants' pocket to the floor. They literally shattered. Another one's hinges failed. If you are hell bent on getting one of these phones, remember to get insurance. I would also ask the insurance people if you can opt to switch out the type of phone for an equal or lesser value. My service provider (Verizon) doesn't allow you to do that. So I'm stuck on getting replacements everytime they break.
The phone is very un-ergonomic. I do say this with some sort of professionalism. I'm an industrial designer and design all sorts of items that people use everyday, and this phone is hardly easy to use in terms of user interface, and physical handling. There is something called things being too small to use. There are three major things that are bad ergonimically with this phone.
First, the keypad is laid out towards the bottom of the phone. If you hold the phone, you have to make your fingers and thumb do all sorts of contorted manuvers in order to dial. Secondly, the END and the SEND button are on top of each other. So, you wind up sometimes having to redial the number. Secondly, the keypad is layed out flush with the surface of the phone. This makes it difficult to "feel" your way through the keypad. Third, the display, while easy to read, is hampered by the earpiece. If you have callerID enabled, you have to set up the phone not to answer when you open the phone. That's okay, but why in god's name should you open up the phone just to see who's calling. Motorola has worked out a couple of these problems with some of the other models of the phone (clear window to see through to the display, and moving the send/end buttons to the top in their other PCS model).
My major pet peeve is that the batteries on these things develop a memory. Even though the battery is Lithium Ion, which is not supposed to build up a memory, for some reason, I can never get any more than a couple of days of not charging the phone. I also don't talk more than maybe a total of 15 minutes per day on this phone.
Another minor issue I have with Motorola in general is their lack of handsfree integrated solutions for in-car wirirng. Nokia on the other hand has many adapters that integrate in with some of the mobile phone ready cars that come today.
So, in review, skip this phone. Skip the novelty, and buy a phone that is easy to use, and to handle. When the Startac first came out, it was the only game in town. Today, there are plenty more solutions that match it for size and weight.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
jyoteen
|
|
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.