Inexpensive, Durable and a Great Starter Phone
Written: Feb 23 '02
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Pros: Inexpensive, Durable, Simple features, easy to use
Cons: there is really no cons considering the price of this phone
The Bottom Line: The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone is Inexpensive, Durable, Lots of features and easy to use.
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| peacebear40's Full Review: Nokia 5185i Cell Phone |
Just as I stated in my title the Nokia 5185i. is an inexpensive, durable and great starter cell phone.
The Nokia 5185i is a very popular cell phone to be offered in alot of the Cell Phone starter plans. It is also offered in alot of the free phone deals.
If you are purchasing your first Cell Phone and you are not sure if you will like it or really don't have alot of need for it than if you can find a Cell Phone Plan that includes this as a free phone offer than you should take it.
We have 2 Cell Phones in our house and I will be writing a review of both. One is this Nokia 5185i and the other is LG-TM510.
So this review is on the Nokia 5185i.
With our Nokia 5185i Cell Phone Kit it came with:
1. The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone itself.
2. Standard Battery a BLS-2N Extended Li-lon 900mAh
3. Standard Plug in Charger
4. User Guide
We added on these options:
1. Leather Protective Case
2. DeskTop Charger....Phone stands up to charge in a holder
3. Carry Clip to clip to belt or purse.
4. Car Charger for trips......this plugs into your cigarette lighter for charging.
5. Hands Free Ear Piece....this let you use your phone without having to hold the phone to your ear.
The Nokia 5185i Cell phone is 5 inches long excluding the antenna and 2 inches wide. The Antenna extends 1 inch off the top of the phone. The Antenna extends out 3 1/2 inches making total antenna length 4 1/2 inches.
The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone has lots of features.
Here is a listing of the major Features:
1. Volume Adjustment feature. This allows you adjust the volume that is right for your level of hearing. I have to adjust it to the highest level because of my being deaf in one ear.
2. Last Number Redial and Automatic redail features. Helps if you get disconnected and quick reconnect.
3. Saves Names and Numbers feature. You can puts you family and friends name and numbers so they are easier to find. You can also enter special characters into names and numbers.
4. Email Address feature. This allows you to save email addresses right on your phone. This feature is great when you are away from your own computer and what to use someone elses to email someone.
5. Muting the Microphone feature. This helps when you are in a busy place and can't hear because the noise around you. You can mute the microphone and only hear the caller now.
6. Language Settings feature. You can choose what language you want. You can only choose from 5 language on this phone. They are English, Spanish, French, Hebrew and Portuguese.
7. Ringing Volume feature. There are 5 levels to the the ring volume. Again this depends on how well your hearing is.
8. Keypad Volume feature. There are 3 levels of volume here. This is for the keys you are pressing on the phone.
9. Message alert feature. This is when you miss a call or have a message waiting for you. There are 5 different settings here. Or you can have no tone at all. There is a beep once or loud and long which will beep quite a few times or you standard beep which sounds like a beeper. And there is a Special setting which never put this setting on unless you are outdoors and never at a business meeting. The Special setting is a very high pitched beeping like one of those body alarms that goes off when you are being attacked. We went to a party and the music was very loud and I set my phone on this setting so I could here in case there was a call about the kids and forget to set it back and went to a meeting and almost caused every to have a heart attack it was so loud.
10. Clock and Alarm Clock feature. Can you display the time on you screen so you don't have to worry if you forget you watch and you can set the alarm clock to alert you to a time. Believe it or not the Alarm Clock also has a snooze.
11. Voice Message feature. Just like an answering machine, you leave a message for the caller that you are unavailable and to leave a message and it will record their message. You than can than retrieve your missed call messages.
IMPORTANT.....Most people also don't know that when you use your Cell phone to call and retrieve your messages you are actually using your minutes so if you get alot of missed calls and have to call alot for your messages, you may want to do it from a regular phone unless you have alot of minutes to use up.
12. Checking Available Time feature. You can check how many minutes you have left to use on your phone so you don't go over and have to pay the sinful rates they charge for going over your minutes.
13. Text Message feature. You can send a text message if the person has this feature to accept text messages.
14. One Touch Dialing feature. This feature allows you to program your family or friends to a number....1 or 2 or 3 etc and then all you do when you want to call them is push and hold the number on your keypad and it will dial them right up. Very simple and easy to set up.
15. 911 feature......You can set you #9 number key on your phone to call 911 by just holding it down. This is a great feature for emergency situations.
16. Ring Setting feature. This allows you to pick what type of ring you would like to hear when your phone rings. There are alot to choose from on this phone. There are 40 different ring settings to choose from.
17. Game feature. There are 3 games to play on your phone. So if you are really bored and have only your phone with you, you now can entertain yourself. Or give it to the kids to keep them entertained.
18. Call forwarding feature. You can have your calls from home or work or from another cell phone set up to go to your Cell phone. So you never have to miss a call again. This is an extra cost but most plans do include this.
19. Calling Card feature. Some people do not have Long distance included in the minutes but have a Calling Card. You can program your calling card info in the phone and use it for long distance.
20. Security feature. This feature allows you to enter codes to restrict call, lock phone and prevent others from messing with your settings.
The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone has alot of different features for being an inexpensive phone. Alot of your expensive Cell phones do not have some of these features.
The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone is easy to use and the User Guide shows step by step instructions for setting up and using the phone and features.
The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone is not as light weight as some Cell phones. But it is not heavy either. This phone is durable and seems to be able to take alot of wear and tear. We do keep our leather case on it for added protection and we have had our Nokia 5185i for awhile now and it still looks like we just took it out of the box. I do recommend a phone case for added protective to make you phone last or if it is dropped.
The Nokia 5185i Cell Phone is a phone where you can change the face plate and you can find a big variety to choose from. So you can make your phone as fancy as you want. Fits in most standard cell phone holders too.
The reception of the phone is clear but it also depends on your calling area and calling plan. It has the extending antenna but we have never had to extend for reception. You can look at the screen on your phone and it will tell you how much signal you are getting. It will also show you how you battery is doing and if it needs to be charged.
For people who are hard of hearing I recommend this phone because of the volume level in listening and ringing. I miss calls on are other cell phone all the time or other people will tell me my phone is ringing and that phone is more expensive than this one.
The only negative thing that I can say about the Nokia 5185i Cell phone is the battery life and holding a charge. After we had are phone for awhile we found that the battery was not holding a charge as well and we had re-placed the battery.
We also learned a few things about charging the battery. Do not let your battery run all the way down. Charge it before it gets to the last signal line. Also do not leave your phone in the charger all night. Charge it and when it is full take in out of the charger. These steps have helped us not to have to replace the battery again.
We got this phone free with a special promotion when we signed up for our plan. I have seen the Nokia 5185i cell phone priced between 29.99 and 69.99.
Overall the Nokia 5185i Cell Phone is a great phone with lots of features, durable, inexpensive, easy to use and great for people who are hard of hearing.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): free
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Epinions.com ID:
peacebear40
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Location: Florida
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 114 members
About Me:
married with children
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