Smiles for many roaming miles
Written: Apr 11 '01
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Pros: Price, excelent features for such a cheap phone, good construction
Cons: Bad power management
The Bottom Line: Cheap doesn't mean bad with this phone. Lots of good features, some only found on the "expensive" cell phones. A bargan phone that doesn't scream "bargan basement".
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| kfj001's Full Review: Nokia 5185i Cell Phone |
Another number to remember with “Nokia” slapped in front of it
Let’s face it; Nokia makes a lot of cell phones. And yes, like every other company that makes anything, they like to give unique model numbers to their various products.
This is the Nokia 5185i USA Cellular phone. This is a very unique product (it is NOT Nokia’s 5165,5125,5190,5180,5170,5160 or 5120).
That’s right, the 5185i is it’s own phone.
And it is…?
The Nokia 5185i is a mid-range cellular phone from Nokia. It is considered a “tri-mode” phone, because it supports hi-band and low-band digital communications, or more specifically, it supports CDMA at standard (800MHz) and PCS level frequencies (1.9GHz). It also supports AMPS (Analog).
The technological upsides of that paragraph.
Translated into English; This phone allows you, the owner to roam about the country effortlessly. This phone can sense, and adapt to any CDMA covered area in the US, AND, auto-sense areas NOT covered by digital service, and fallback into an analog communication mode, WITHOUT switching and WITHOUT dropping a conversation. So if you are on the road (using your HANDS FREE MODULE of course) and travel into the boonies (or any other area not covered by digital cell service) the phone will sense this, and switch instantly onto an analog band to continue operation. You don’t even have to think about it.
This really isn’t a tremendously revolutionary feature. A lot of Cell phones have this ability, and most people don’t have true “roam” concerns these days thanks to national (and international) phone services. But it’s a nice feature to have, when you need it.
Truly useful features
This is a mid-range phone, which means it’s mid-priced too (can’t have you going around with an under-featured, but expensive cell phone, now can we?).
The first thing you’ll notice about this phone is how it looks. The Nokia 5000 series in general supports Nokia’s customization feature; the faceplate. Faceplates are thin, plastic covers that hide this phones true absence of a “cover”. The faceplate protects the phone’s inner workings (or more accurately, its outer skin) as well as adds the ability to customize how your phone looks.
The Nokia 5185i is no different, supporting any 5000 series compatible faceplate you may come across. Stylish ones (for those who think your cell phone cares how its dressed) are available in a lot of places; Wal-mart’s, discount cellular stores (the old “cheaper beeper” like places) CompUSA stores, and from Nokia directly (www.nokia.com)
Again, interchangeable, and cheap, these faceplates are a fun and economical way to customize your cell phone.
And…?
One of this phones better features is its support for SMS (simple messaging service). Not too many cell phones support SMS, and those that do are considered “better”, even if you don’t get, or subscribe to SMS service.
SMS is a two-way, data standard for “text” over a cell phone. The result is a little like a text pager, with your phone able to display short text messages from other phone users, or in some cases (provider dependent) e-mail.
It works like this:
1. Someone with another SMS capable phone, who is also on the same network selects the “send message” feature on their phone (yes, this phone can also SEND messages through menu 2-1-1) they enter your phone number, type the message using the key pad (a tedious process, but its only a short message, right?) and hit “SEND”. Seconds later, your phone begins to beep a special tone indicating; “You’ve got Mail!”. You acknowledge this, and begin to read the little note…
2. A person with a computer visits the website of your provider, and selects the “send a text-message” option from their website. They fill out a little message form and hit “SEND”, seconds later, you get the message.
3. Some providers use e-mail systems to get SMS messages to cell phones (and vice-versa…) you can give someone an e-mail that looks like 1235551212@my.provider.com that, when mail is sent to it, your phone receives the message.
SMS is a very new technology (well, its not THAT new, it’s just new here) and also a nice alternative to phone calls. SMS messages are typically substantially cheaper than phone calls (even though there are usually length limits) and more versatile then getting called (or making a call) when you’re IN A MOVIE THEATER, or a noisy place…
Fortunately, you can receive, AND send SMS messages using your Nokia 5185i phone. You will however, need to consult your regional service providers to see who actually supports it…
Now the really important stuff; Ring Tones!
People love unique ring tones. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have a new ring-tone available every week from providers like VoiceStream Wireless (formerly Omnipoint). The Nokia 5185i has a good collection of unique ring tones, but it has some downsides.
Firstly, of all the tones available, they are available on virtually every other digital Nokia phone on the US market.
Second, the tones aren’t expandable. You can’t visit a web site, give your number and download new ring tones (or connect the phone to your PC and do it that way either). But the collections of ring tones are sure to amuse you, and your friends when it goes off (as soon as you choose something unique that is.)
And there’s more!
Yes, this is quite the cell phone (and yes, there are better ones, but…) and it does have more features.
The most useful feature of any cell phone is its “rolodex” feature. The ability to store previously made calls, frequently made calls and just generally maintain a “phone book” (the official name of the feature on the Nokia 5185i) of people, e-mail addresses (maintained for SMS e-mails sent from your phone), and yes, phone numbers. The phone book on the Nokia 5185i supports up to 100 names, e-mails, and numbers in its tiny little memory.
The Nokia 5185i also supports caller ID features (send and receive based on provider preference) so you can know whose calling, and if you should let them go to hell, or to voicemail. And yes, this phone also supports voicemail services (and voicemail notification if your provider feels so inclined).
Games
A good cell phone has good games. Well, the term “good” is a relative one, and is based on your personal preference. The Nokia 5185i comes with a “snake” game where you control a snake along the screen to eat “apples” (or more accurately, dots…) in order to grow longer and progress through the game. The other games include a “logic” puzzle game where you have to match columns of similar icons to progress through, and a “memory” game where you have to pick & match icons on the screen that are similar.
None of them are really “entertaining”, and are only designed as a minimal distraction while waiting for/on the train. But they’re there…
What I like about this phone
This Nokia model is cheap. It’s not the most feature filled phone in the world, but it comes with its fare share of cool features that higher-end handsets come with. I like that, and I didn’t have to sell an organ (or my first born, or file for a micro-loan) to get it.
With a noteworthy feature set AND a good price, this phone packs a punch. Reception is only as good as the CDMA standard set it at, and when I’m in analog country (like my house…) the quality is as good as analog can get (yes, static is unavoidable in analog mode).
I like that I can attach a hands free unit without any effort (those cheap headset things at Wal-Mart) and that this phone is easily reconfigured with the simple to use menu system.
The Navi-key universal interface is also great. I don’t need to fumble to answer OR hang-up a call because one button does it all.
What I hate about this phone
Corners had to be cut, and I guess the features I like the most about digital phones was it.
First, this phones battery time sucks. You get about 60 hours of digital stand-by time (even though the manual swears you get about 100) and 2 hours of digital TALK time. I’ve seen phones that can go DAYS without being recharged, where as a afternoon and a half of sitting ON in my pocket whacks out the battery. This phone also takes forever to charge that weak battery. The “portable” charger (the plug adaptor that comes with the phone) takes a good 6 hours to recharge an empty standard Lithium-Ion battery cell. Not the most rapid charge in the world.
This phone doesn’t have a “vibrator”. Let me clarify; it has no vibration mode. Now, there is a vibrating battery you can buy for it, but this $60 attachment battery is weaker than the Li-ion batteries typically found for it, and is extra. I have no intention of buying it. If I want discreet contact, I’ll send the phone into “silent”, shove it into my pocket and occasionally check my voice mail.
This phone is also not ungodly loud enough. Sure, there are some ringing tones that will pierce the windows, deafen dogs, and drive young children to run away from you screaming. And sure, the volume is adjustable, but there are a lot of “low tones” on this phone that are just too low even on high-volume mode, and a trip to the mall food-court could mean missed phone calls because your ring tone is too low.
This phone does NOT support mobile Internet. There is NO internal web browser for surfing the net (if supported by your service provider). This phones “wired” connectivity ends at SMS.
Summary
This isn’t a bad phone. There are invariably better phones out there, but they cost more money. The Nokia 5185i is a great CDMA tri-mode phone at a good price, and comes packed with features found on more expensive phones.
This is a great phone for people just switching onto a new provider, and want access to their higher level features, and aren’t willing to pay for the “golden cell phone” with features that just make it a “toy” and not a tool.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 99
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Epinions.com ID:
kfj001
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Member: Kyle
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Reviews written: 138
Trusted by: 30 members
About Me:
"Testing", "Destroying", it's all just one big, gray line to me.
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