Nextel finally got the wake up call
Written: Nov 03 '05 (Updated Nov 03 '05)
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Pros: Stylish, light, feature packed, huge screen
Cons: Software interface can still confuse some
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a cutting edge Nextel phone but don't want to buy the new models, the i860 is for you.
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| jepenny's Full Review: Motorola Timeport 280 Cell Phone |
Introduction
Since becoming a Nextel subscriber in 2004, I have been through three phones.
My first cell phone was an i730. It was a solid, reliable unit, but I disliked how it was big and brick like.
In March, 2005 I made the idiotic purchase of an i830. I bought the phone wanting a smaller package. It was neat looking (bronze), had the same features as my i730 while being small and light. However the phone being so small was tough to hold for long conversations, scratched easily, had horrendous battery life and signal strength was sketchy. Those factors finally built rage in me that caused my next venture into the cell phone market.
I had considered the purchase of the i860 during my last search but I passed it by. This time around I took a second look at the i860. The newer Nextel models were too expensive and I felt I would get a rebadged i730 or i830. So, I finally settled and bought an i860 off of eBay.
Features/Use
I went back to the bigger package this time, knowing my lesson that smaller isn’t always better when it comes to cell phones. The i860 sports dimensions of 1.85 in (w) x 3.45 in (l) x .98 in (d) and weighs in at 4.76 ounces. The phone basically fits completely into the small palm of my hand and is fairly light. Weight wise, it is comparable to my old i830, maybe a little heavier.
The outside of the phone features a camera and external LCD display on the front of the phone. The front display is very nice. It displays in color and they allow you to view your recent call list when scrolling through your last calls with the clam closed. Previous Nextel owners know that you can only see one name at a time when scrolling through the recent calls list.
Top of the phone features a retractable antenna and two buttons. One button controls the external speaker and makes calls with the clamshell closed. The other button has the ability to send calls to voicemail on command and end speakerphone calls.
The left side of the phone features the external scrolling buttons, direct connect button and the hands free port. The scroll buttons of course scroll when you are going through your recent call list. It also allows the user to adjust the ringer volume. The direct connect button of course executes the Walkie Talkie feature and also illuminates the external display when pushed. Overall, this is no different from any of the two previous Nextel phones I have owned.
On the right side of the phone hinge is an auto flip button. You push the button and the phone flips open automatically. That is a real nice feature that I’m sure I will employ a lot.
Back of the phone has the external speaker. It’s a nice, loud speaker, which is nice for speakerphone and Direct Connect conversations. However, it can be blocked easily when facing down. However it never has been a huge issue.
The phone features a Lithium Ion battery with a listed 165 min of talk time and 90 hours of standby time. Cell phones for me have up to 2/3 of the listed battery life, so I would estimate it would have roughly 110 min of talk time and 60 hours of standby time max depending on how much you use the phone.
You flip the phone open and notice Wow! It has a huge screen! That is a real positive point for me with this phone. My i730 had a small, but okay screen and the i830’s was horrendous. It’s bright and colorful. You can customize the wallpaper with either your camera images, download them or stick with the standard i860 wallpaper.
The keypad is your standard 12 digit for dialing, Send/End Keys, pad for menu scrolling and two to execute menu functions. You can customize the pad in the center for certain “hot keys” such as pushing down will access your phone book, top key will access your recent call list etc etc.
The software is fairly easy to navigate, but you can still get lost. You have submenus galore, which is a definite negative. Motorola hasn’t been pumping out massively new user interfaces from R & D, so don’t expect anything radical. You will mainly get animated icons in the menu and software options for the camera in terms of major changes.
Al Nextel phones feature something called a SIM chip. It allows you to easily switch phones to other IDEN models by simply transferring a little plastic computer chip that has your phone book and billing information into the other unit. The number of calls you can store in the phone book depend on how big of a SIM chip you have. I think mine can hold about 600 entries, but I am not certain.
Calls are fairly clear with the i860. Nextel’s handset speakers are always weak and has been a gripe of mine since day 1 with Nextel. It’s something Iw ill have to live with.
I have yet to really test the camera. In my trial runs, they are just like any camera phone with the image quality not being suburb.
Conclusion
This is a fantastic phone that I think I will be happy with for a long time. It seems to be solidly constructed in a stylish manner. Other cell phone carriers were eons ahead in terms of technology/style in their phones and the i860 proves that they got the wake up call but will still be playing catch up for years.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 200
Recommended for: Stylish Trendsetters - Hip and Trendy
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Epinions.com ID:
jepenny
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Reviews written: 16
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