Amazon.com

Hot on the heels on the ubiquitous 8260, Nokia has introduced the 3390, a fun, shapely phone with severalnew features, including picture messaging, changeable faceplates (front and back), and voice-activated dialing.Truly, there aren't many other phones under $100 that can match the 3390's design, components, and overallvalue.

Here's the tale of the tape: the 3390 measures 4.4 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches, and it weighs 4 ounces. This means the phoneis slightly longer than a business card and weighs the same as today's ultracompact phones. It also has an internal antenna--whichpeople either love or hate--though we never had trouble with call reception. To us, everything about this phone is executed correctly; the keypad is well-spaced, it has salient features (even though it can't access theInternet wirelessly), and it's inconspicuous while in use.

Three buttons handle most of the menu navigation: a central oval-shaped key activates the main menu and lets you selectoptions as they appear; the roller-bar navigation key scrolls through menu options; and the "C" (clear) button jumps backa step and erases text-entry mistakes.

Menu choices are: Phone Book, Messages (SMS and voice-mail alerts), Call Log,Profiles (so you can choose how your phone behaves in different environments), Settings (for calls, phone, and security),Forwarding, Games, Calculator, Calendar, Composer (for DIY ring tones), and Keyguard Lock. With the backlit, five-linedisplay (three lines of text, two lines of icons and indicators), we found it easy to navigate through menus and make selections. And here's a definite design improvement on the 8260: the 3390's power button, located on top ofthe phone, is raised a bit so it's easier to use (and find).

Like other phones, the 3390 has a full roster of call and messaging features. If offered by your service plan, it supportscaller ID, call waiting, SMS, voice mail, numeric paging, multiparty calling, and e-mail. Call logs maintain the last 10dialed numbers, 10 most recently received calls, and 10 missed calls. PIM functions includea clock, currency converter, calculator, calendar with room for 50 appointments and reminders, and a 250-entry phonebook.

But, as we said, the 3390 offers a couple of new features (at least for Nokia phones). We stored eight different voice-activated dialing numbers (a simple process), and logged on to VoiceStream Wireless's site from our PC so we could download additionalring tones. The 3390 also has eight preset images you can e-mail to your friends--but in order to take advantage of it both people need to have a 3390 that supports picture messaging. You can also download additional images from VoiceStream Wireless's site, provided your service plan supports this action.

The front and back faceplates are separate, so you can have a two-tone phone if you desire.It was a minor challenge to remove the faceplate on the first try, but it was worth the effort. And while the phone's included gamesweren't enough to take us away from PlayStation 2, we enjoyed Space Impact (sort of Defender meets SpaceInvaders), one of the 3390's four new games. It also features Snake II, Bantumi, andPairs I.

The 3390 offers five basic security features: an initial phone lock, keypad lock, SIM card lock, call-restriction modes,fixed dialing (allows you to store secret numbers on the SIM card), and the ability to change access codes at any time.

The NiMH battery is rated for up to 160 minutes of digital talk time and 7.5 days of digital standby time. In ourtests, we got the phone to hold a call for just about three hours, and it lasted for a full seven days in standby mode.

We highly recommend the 3390, and we don't want to give our sample phone back. It looks different from the rest of the herd and has the features we want and need on a daily basis--all for under $100.

--Arno Kazarian

Pros:

• Innovative design
• Picture messaging and voice-activated dialing
• Competitively priced
• Changeable front and back faceplates
• Streamlined menu navigation
• Space Impact game

Cons:

• No Web browser capability
• Removing faceplate is tricky

... Read more

Features

• Changeable faceplate
• Voice-activated dialing
• Picture messaging
• Up to 160 minutes' digital talk time and 7.5 days' digital standby time
• Includes NiMH battery, charger, and hands-free headset

Features

• Thinnest phone on the market
• Voice-activated dialing (30-entry storage)
• Picture caller ID and call-screening features
• Up to 2.25 hours' digital talk time, 160 hours' digital standby time
• Includes lithium-ion battery and AC adapter

Amazon.com Product Description

Compatible with T-Mobile prepaid cell phone service and pre-loaded with AOL Instant Messenger service, the Nokia 3390 also features Internet connectivity, picture messaging, voice-activated dialing, and more, all displayed on a high quality backlit black and white LCD screen.

For calling, you'll enjoy call timers, redial, missed call indicator, call log, any-key answer, auto-redial, speed dial, mute control, one-touch 911, usage alert and a phone book capacity of 250 entries. Nokia also supports TTY/TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf) compatibility with phone adapter (adaptor not included).

Get online with AOL, and in addition to access to stock quotes, weather, movie times, and more, you'll also enjoy instant text messaging and numeric paging, downloadable ring tones, and four games included with the phone: Space Impact, Snake, Bantumi, and Pairs II. A PIM is included along with a calculator to help you manage time and finances. The 3390 weighs 5.3 oz. and measures 4.5 x 1.94 x 1.02 inches. Its batteries are rated at 300 minutes talk time and up to 360 hours standby

What's in the Box
Nokia 3390 phone, battery, AC charger, hands-free earbud headset, user documentation ... Read more

Features

• Phone comes with a $15.00 airtime refill card, hands-free headset, battery, and charger
• Changeable faceplate
• Voice-activated dialing
• Up to 160 minutes' digital talk time and 7.5 days' digital standby time
• Includes vibrating ring and differential ring

Reviews (11)

good but could be better!
The phone is good its just that you cant really doewnload anything to it, like ringtones or screensavers but other than that is is a 2.

Its nice
I've had this phone for about 4-5 months. Its a nice phone but I want something up to date like the audiovox 8610. I think it can have better reception though. The games are kind of boring also. I recommend it to people getting their first phone.

Try to find out what the minutes cost on the website
I considered purchasing a T-Mobile phone but after going to the website and looking under the prepaid phone section under the heading important information (which was on the left side of the screen) I saw that each domestic minute cost $.30 - .50 a minute. I wasn't so sure after that, even if the phones do look nice. I settled on a virgin mobile phone $.25 a minute for the first ten minutes and then $.10 for the rest of the day.I mean if you are looking for special features you should consider

T-mobile, but that wasn't my main focus in looking for a cell phone.

This phone is really good.
This phone is really good if you are looking for a phone with nationwide coverage. Only with T-Mobile you can send Text messages all around the world. I am using it to send messages to my friends in Europe and it works (you get even a delivery report)!!! You dont need to sign anything. Just buy it and use it without any restrictions. No monthly payments with this phone. And NOKIA is best brand in cell phones.

the phone is confusing
I do not know how to use the phone card feature on my phone and I have been looking for info on it for a day now! ... Read more

Features

• No prepaid minutes included. Comes with hands-free earbud headset, battery and charger.
• Simple-to-use navigation buttons and graphical screens, easy-to-read, large 5-line screen
• Changeable faceplates allow you to customize your phone
• E-mail and wireless business-card capabilities
• Allows you to migrate to a postpaid plan (credit check required)

Amazon.com

The petite T720i fits in a pocket but still offers some big features, such as a large, color screen; GPRS data transfer that supports EMS, SMS Chat, and MMS; and downloadable games, graphics, and ring tones. Possibly the most exciting feature of the T720i, however, is its digital camera attachment, which lets you take photos from the phone itself and wirelessly send picture messages.

This phone has a sleek metallic gray exterior and a delicate clamshell design that requires a little more care than Motorola’s more rugged phones, such as the V66. When the cover is closed, an external LCD screen conveniently displays the date, time, and caller ID, plus signal and battery strength. When the flip phone is opened, the stunning 4,096-color screen is revealed.

The 7- to 9-line screen is a large enough palette to take advantage of some of the phone’s key features, such as viewing photos, surfing the Web, or playing rich Java 2-powered games. (MotoGP is included, but more are downloadable from Motorola’s Web site.) A button centered just under the screen takes you to the main menu, which has an intuitive iconic interface. This button is flanked by two other navigational buttons and another round, multi-directional button below helps you navigate through the menu or get right into four different features from the main screen according to your preference. Buttons are well-spaced but the multi-directional joystick-like button was a little bit difficult to control, even for small fingers.

The T720i was one of the easiest phones to set preferences for that we’ve encountered. We programmed all of our buttons to go to the features we used the most and found it very handy. In addition, we customized the color of the main screen to pacific blue, a color choice that offered the best contrast, and set our screen saver to an EMS file of a devil. For our ring tone, we chose Deep Purple’s "Smoke on the Water," which, with the rich harmonies of polyphonic ringers, sounded almost like the original. The phone comes loaded with 50 different ring tones, so you can choose a more conservative ring or download additional choices.

The sound during calls was a little bit tinny but not overly so. Our tests of the voice-activated dialing proved excellent. We recorded the name of our contact with a child screaming in the background and the phone still detected the contact’s name later in a quiet room and dialed her number. The 720i holds up to 500 phone book entries, which is a large amount for the average caller. However, phone numbers and email addresses for one contact are stored as separate entries, filling up those 500 slots much more quickly. While a small letter icon designates which of your two entries is the email address, we still found it confusing.

We sent a text message from the 720i to a friend from our address book and got a quick response, confirming that data transfer was fast. Inputting the message was tedious, but the phone includes a handy list of 10 Quick Notes with common text phrases, such as "Where is the meeting?" and "I am late and will be there in __ minutes." You can even compose and save your own phrases to save time on keying them in.

The hot feature on this phone is its ability to take photos using the optional camera attachment (sold separately). The picture-taking feature seems more fun than functional, but might be appealing for professionals such as home inspectors or insurance adjusters who need a cell phone and lightweight camera for their work. The camera snaps onto the bottom of the phone and has an 180-degree rotating lens to photograph everything from shoes to sky and store them as jpeg images in 640 x 480 resolution. It stores up to 48 pictures at a time, which you can then e-mail to friends or view on the T720i’s color screen as a photo album or slideshow. The only downside is that the digital camera shares memory with other digital applications on the phone, so storage space is limited.

Overall we think this is a great phone for early adopters who want all the most recent innovations in one phone—Web access, Java 2 games, MMS, and a digital camera. It’s great for business use but the hip features will likely appeal more to the social cell phone user. --Cristina Vaamonde

Pros:

• Separate camera attachment for taking photos and sending picture messages
• Fast GPRS data transfer
• Java 2 for playing graphically enriched games
• Easy to customize

Cons:

• Phone number and Web address for one contact are separate entries in phone book
• Camera attachment shares phone’s digital memory

How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time

When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phonebattery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables,including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency(including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, andbattery charging methods and history, will affect performance. When handsetmanufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings,they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer tothe times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery liferanges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience atleast the minimum rated range. Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital andanalog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, asanalog mode consumes much more power than digital mode.

Our Tests: We tested digital-mode talk and standby times with each phone.Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to themanufacturer's directions. To test digital-phone talk time, we turned the phoneon, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and,when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook.When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when thephone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped thecalls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately andcontinued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged thebattery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier-signal strength,this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting thatseveral phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers'ratings.

To test digital-phone standby time, we turned the phone on, established acarrier signal, and left the phone in standby mode. We checked the phone everyfew hours (for what was often days on end) until the phone finally cut out.Since no outgoing or incoming calls occurred during testing and because thephone was not moved, this method should represent best-case standby time, againassuming consistent carrier signal strength.

... Read more

Features

• 9 line display with 4,000+ colors
• Built-in melody composer
• 2 line, external caller ID display
• Voice-activated dialing
• Includes lithium-ion battery, charger, and headset

Amazon.com Product Description

Compatible with T-Mobile cell phone service, the stylized Nokia 7210 is the first color screen Nokia phone available in the USA, and features Internet connectivity, mobile messaging, speakerphone capability, infrared data send, and more, all displayed on a 128 x 128 pixel, 4096 color LCD screen.

For calling, you'll enjoy custom ring tones, multiple number entry per name in your 300-entry phone book, call timers, redial, missed call indicator, call log, any-key answer, auto-redial, speed dial, mute control, one-touch 911, usage alert, and speakerphone. Polyphonic MIDI ring tones are included and can be added to via your Internet connection.

To help you get organized, the 7210 includes a calendar, to-do list with priority levels, calculator, alarm with snooze, GPRS high speed data transfer, and Java J2ME compatibility. Plus, you can wirelessly sync up your information to your PC via the 7210's infrared capability (with Nokia PC Suite, sold separately). You'll also enjoy online services, plus mobile text messaging with text templates and predictive assistance, plus and numeric paging, downloadable ring tones, and two games included with the phone: Triple Pop and Bounce. Since the phone is Java-compatible, you can also download more games and applications to expand your phone's capabilities. If you want a new look for your phone, you can buy new face plates of varying colors and themes and pop them right on. The 7210 weighs a little under 3 ounces and measures 4.17 x 1.77 x 0.69 inches. Its batteries are rated at 240 minutes talk time and up to 240 hours standby

What's in the Box
Nokia 7210 phone, AC battery charger, hands-free headset (ear bud), user documentation ... Read more

Features

• Large 4096-color display
• World Roaming capable
• High-speed internet connection using GPRS technology
• Speakerphone & stereo FM radio
• Includes Li-ion battery, AC charger and headset

Features

• Single-band GSM phone
• High-Speed internet connection using GPRS technology
• Custom faceplates and ringtones
• Up to 180 minutes' digital talk time, 200 hours' digital standby time
• Includes either lithium-ion or NIMH battery, charger, and headset

Features

• Color display for enhanced Web-surfing, game playing and more
• Caller, ringer, and picture id
• Phone book with up to 200 entries, each storing 5 numbers for a total of 1000 entries
• 3.5 hours of continuous talk time or up to 10 days of standby time
• Includes battery, charger and user documentation

Reviews (9)

Reliable phone
This model is old now, but if anyone is still thinking about getting it, it is a good phone.This phone is known for good reception.The sound quality during conversations is excellent--very natural and about as good as a landline.

There are some very advanced features that I never got into.The advanced features aren't very intuitive, but if you like using your brain to figure out technical stuff, these features could be fun to figure out and use(sortof like a puzzle).One downside is that the color screen is not as rich as new sprint models.

I had the phone for over 1.5 years and just recently got a Samsung because I wanted a clamshell.I am somewhat regretful as the sound quality on the Samsung is noticable inferior to the Hitachi.I think the best thing about this phone is how it functions as a PHONE (i.e. clarity/reception).

Nice Little Phone
I had this phone for about 5 months now. It has great feature, especially the loud speaker. The key guard is also very handy, just press the joystick for a sec. Don't really like the flashing light at the back, it reduced lots of my call time. But you can always turn that off.

High Marks!
I've had wireless phone service for years.This Hitachi/Sprint PCS phone has, so far, been my favorite.It's very light, it's packed with features, and the price has been excellent.It's especially easy to silence the phone, via a separate switch on the top, without having to punch any keys.Another plus is that this model accepts standard sized headset jacks...many mobile phones do not.

very good phone
pros:
--good overall sound
--excellent speakerphone(very clear, reasonably loud, and easy to carry on conversation from both ends)
--screen(bright, full color, larger than most (160 X 120 pix)
--intuitive interface along with mouse stick for navigation/gameplay/volume control.

cons:
--built-in email client useless because it usually fails to connect to retrieve or send mail (only connects 1 out of 10 times).
--flattened keys do not allow keying by feel, forces you to look at phone to do things like voice dial, end a call, or turn on/off speakerphone or on/off mute.

Great phone - better support would be helpful
I have really enjoyed this phone - it has been reliable and has great reception.The screen is awesome.The lack of accessories has kept me from spending money that I don't need to spend.However, the phone's interface with PCS Vision and PCS Business connection is not intuitive, and the phone doesn't display the access options that the PCS website tells me to access.Therefore, the phone does not ghost my office Outlook (which is the sole reason I upgraded.) ... Read more

Features

• Screen pivots closed when keyboard not in use
• Access the Web wirelessly with easy-to-use keyboard
• Send and receive e-mail
• Digital camera attachment captures images up to 120 x 90 pixels
• Includes travel charger and hands-free headset

Reviews (2)

Mad proprietary
These guys have great marketing what with the Sidekick appearing in just about every hip-hop video of 2003. This phone may be great for rapper who will use it for less than a month before trading up for the next thing -- it isn't so great for the back-up dancer or singer in aformentioned video who have to live with it for a while.

Month to month, it's a poor sidekick, awkward as a phone and has a bad antenna and poor reception. Worse yet, the data you put on it is actually stored on some T-Mobile website, and it doesn't sync with Outlook.

Not syncing with Outlook is clearly a conscious choice on the part of T-Mobile so you will be stuck with the platform. That's pretty lame as far as I'm concerned.

Finally, it takes bad pictures.

<Mad Ghetto
Yo dis phone looks mad hot! I dun hav 1, but I noe som1 who does and its mad hot. It's a phone and you can go on AIM, da 'Net, text message, download ringtones n wallpapers, and this one has a camera. Its in mad hip hop videos like uh Tipsy n Sunshine n many others. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hot on the heels on the ubiquitous 8260, Nokia introduced the 3360, a fun, shapely phone with several new features, including picture messaging and changeable front and back faceplates.Truly, there aren't many other phones in this price range that can match the 3360's design, components, and overallvalue.

Here's the tale of the tape: the 3360 measures 4.4 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches, and it weighs 4 ounces. This means the phoneis slightly longer than a business card and weighs the same as today's ultracompact phones. It also has an internal antenna--whichpeople either love or hate--though we never had trouble with call reception. To us, everything about this phone isexecuted correctly; the keypad is well-spaced, it has salient features (even though it can't access theInternet wirelessly), and it's inconspicuous while in use.

Three buttons handle most of the menu navigation: a central oval-shaped key activates the main menu and lets you selectoptions as they appear; the roller-bar navigation key scrolls through menu options; and the "C" (clear) button jumps backa step and erases text-entry mistakes.

Menu choices are: Phone Book, Messages (SMS and voice-mail alerts), Call Log,Profiles (so you can choose how your phone behaves in different environments), Settings (for calls, phone, and security),Forwarding, Games, Calculator, Calendar, Composer (for DIY ring tones), and Keyguard Lock. With the backlit, five-linedisplay (three lines of text, two lines of icons and indicators), we found it easy to navigate through menus and make selections. And here's a definite design improvement on the 8260: the 3360's power button, located on top ofthe phone, is raised a bit so it's easier to use (and find).

Like other phones, the 3360 has a full roster of call and messaging features. If offered by your service plan, it supportscaller ID, call waiting, SMS, voice mail, numeric paging, multiparty calling, and e-mail. Call logs maintain the last 10dialed numbers, 10 most recently received calls, and 10 missed calls. PIM functions includea clock, currency converter, calculator, calendar with room for 50 appointments and reminders, and a 250-entry phonebook.

But, as we said, the 3360 offers a couple of new features (at least for Nokia phones). We logged on to AT&T Wireless's site from our PC so we could download additionalring tones. The 3360 also has eight preset images you can e-mail to your friends--but in order to take advantage of it both people need to have a 3360 that supports picture messaging. You can also download additional images from AT&T Wireless' site, provided your service plan supports this action.

The front and back faceplates are separate, so you can have a two-tone phone if you desire.It was a minor challenge to remove the faceplate on the first try, but it was worth the effort. And while the phone's included gamesweren't enough to take us away from PlayStation 2, we enjoyed Space Impact (sort of Defender meets SpaceInvaders), one of the 3360's four new games. It also features Snake II, Bantumi, andPairs I.

The 3360 offers five basic security features: an initial phone lock, keypad lock, call-restriction modes,and the ability to change access codes at any time.

The NiMH battery is rated for up to 160 minutes of digital talk time and 7.5 days of digital standby time. In ourtests, we got the phone to hold a call for just about three hours, and it lasted for a full seven days in standby mode.

We highly recommend the 3360, and we don't want to give our sample phone back. It looks different from the rest of the herd and has the features we want and need on a daily basis--all for under $100.

--Arno Kazarian

Pros:

• Innovative design
• Picture messaging and voice-activated dialing
• Competitively priced
• Changeable front and back faceplates
• Streamlined menu navigation
• Space Impact game

Cons:

• No Web browser capability
• Removing faceplate is tricky

... Read more

Features

• E-mail capability helps you keep in touch
• Changeable faceplates allow you to customize your phone
• Infrared port lets you beam data to or from another device
• Up to 240 minutes' digital talk time and 10.5 days' digital standby time
• Includes Li-Ion battery, charger, and hands-free headset

Amazon.com

The Kyocera QCP-3035 is an inexpensive Web-enabled phone with all the basic ingredients for everyday use. It also includes some treats, like voice-activated features, a scheduler, and 25 different ring tones. We carried thistrimode CDMA phone around for weeks and recommend it for both business and personal needs, despite its tricky navigational button.

Aside from its features, the 3035 also sports a rugged case and an oversized screen. It measures 4.9 by 1.9 by 1.1inches, has a retractable antenna, and weighs 4.4 ounces with its standard lithium-ion battery. The keypad has raised,oval-shaped buttons, and its overall ergonomics are in tact.

An eight-line screen (seven lines of text, one line of status icons) and graphical menu guide you through thephone's options. The diamond-shaped menu button, however, took some getting used to--itdirected us to the wrong screens until we got the hang of it. (It should be noted the phone we tested was a preproductionmodel.) Also, you can't scroll continuously through menu options, which proved to be a minor annoyance.

The diamond button aside, the 3035 does have some advanced features. It supports voice-activated dialing and it stores upto 30 names in memory. It also has a voice-memo recorder with room for five minutes of messages. The built-inspeakerphone lets you place calls and listen to voicemail without having to hold the phone up to you ear--anyone who uses this feature can tell you it's a total blessing. And since voice-activated dialing allows safer, more efficient operation, it'swonderful to see how many new phones include this option.

Just like other Kyocera models, the 3035 has a full set of PIM functions, as well as an alarm clock, tip calculator,standard calculator, and stopwatch. And although we've played a few too many rounds of it, the phone is equipped with thevery addictive game, Brick Attack.

On the wireless Internet front, the minibrowser's response time was commendable, and Sprint PCS's Web service isincredibly practical. It provides quick access to popular sites as well as news, weather, stock, and entertainment updates. Technophiles will enjoy the fact that--provided you purchase a data connectivity kit--you can use the phone as a digital modem for your PC.

The QCP-3035 supports carrier-dependent features such as text messaging, caller ID, speed dialing, call waiting, data/fax service, and voice mail. Its phone book stores up to 200 numbers (up to six numbers per contact). It has 25 ringer types (including vibration mode), and you can download additional ring tones from Sprint PCS's website. Furthermore, the 3035 hasa number of call timers and environment settings, quick phone-book search, standard security features (keypad locking,phone lock, and restricted dialing), and call logs that maintain lists of 30 outgoing, incoming, and missed calls.

We conditioned the battery before testing talk and standby times. The phone's lithium-ion battery is rated for up to threehours of digital talk time and five days of digital standby time. Our tests produced similar results; we achieved slightlyover three hours' digital talk time, and 5.5 days of digital standby time. If you make frequent calls, we suggest monitoring battery life at least every other day.

Ultimately, the 3035 is a bargain-priced phone with a full set of features and options. While it does have some subtle imperfections, the phone's advantages clearly outweigh its quirks. --Thom Arno

Pros:

• Competitively priced
• Speakerphone
• Responsive minibrowser
• Voice-activated features
• Trimode CDMA technology
• 25 ring tones (and downloadable ringer capability)

Cons:

• Unwieldy menu navigation button
• Can't scroll continuously through submenus

... Read more

Features

• Downloadable ringtones and screen savers
• Access email and play internet games
• Slim 700 mAH Lithium Polymer battery has 325 hours of standby time and 6.75 hours of talk time
• Works with MCA-20 or MCA-25 CommuniCam for taking pictures (Not included)
• Includes battery, charger, headset and user documentation

Features

• Thinnest phone on the market
• Fully supports 3rd generation voice and data
• Voice-activated dialing (20-entry storage)
• Equipped for ringer and image downloads
• Includes lithium-ion battery, AC adapter and user documentation

Amazon.com

The petite T720i fits in a pocket but still offers some big features, such as a large, color screen; GPRS data transfer that supports EMS, SMS Chat, and MMS; and downloadable games, graphics, and ring tones. Possibly the most exciting feature of the T720i, however, is the included digital camera attachment, which lets you take photos from the phone itself and wirelessly send picture messages.

This phone has a sleek metallic gray exterior and a delicate clamshell design that requires a little more care than Motorola’s more rugged phones, such as the V66. When the cover is closed, an external LCD screen conveniently displays the date, time, and caller ID, plus signal and battery strength. When the flip phone is opened, the stunning 4,096-color screen is revealed.

The 7- to 9-line screen is a large enough palette to take advantage of some of the phone’s key features, such as viewing photos, surfing the Web, or playing rich Java 2-powered games. (MotoGP is included, but more are downloadable from Motorola’s Web site.) A button centered just under the screen takes you to the main menu, which has an intuitive iconic interface. This button is flanked by two other navigational buttons and another round, multi-directional button below helps you navigate through the menu or get right into four different features from the main screen according to your preference. Buttons are well-spaced but the multi-directional joystick-like button was a little bit difficult to control, even for small fingers.

The T720i was one of the easiest phones to set preferences for that we’ve encountered. We programmed all of our buttons to go to the features we used the most and found it very handy. In addition, we customized the color of the main screen to pacific blue, a color choice that offered the best contrast, and set our screen saver to an EMS file of a devil. For our ring tone, we chose Deep Purple’s "Smoke on the Water," which, with the rich harmonies of polyphonic ringers, sounded almost like the original. The phone comes loaded with 50 different ring tones, so you can choose a more conservative ring or download additional choices.

The sound during calls was a little bit tinny but not overly so. Our tests of the voice-activated dialing proved excellent. We recorded the name of our contact with a child screaming in the background and the phone still detected the contact’s name later in a quiet room and dialed her number. The 720i holds up to 500 phone book entries, which is a large amount for the average caller. However, phone numbers and email addresses for one contact are stored as separate entries, filling up those 500 slots much more quickly. While a small letter icon designates which of your two entries is the email address, we still found it confusing.

We sent a text message from the 720i to a friend from our address book and got a quick response, confirming that data transfer was fast. Inputting the message was tedious, but the phone includes a handy list of 10 Quick Notes with common text phrases, such as "Where is the meeting?" and "I am late and will be there in __ minutes." You can even compose and save your own phrases to save time on keying them in.

The hot feature on this phone is its ability to take photos using the camera attachment. The picture-taking feature seems more fun than functional, but might be appealing for professionals such as home inspectors or insurance adjusters who need a cell phone and lightweight camera for their work. The camera snaps onto the bottom of the phone and has an 180-degree rotating lens to photograph everything from shoes to sky and store them as jpeg images in 640 x 480 resolution. It stores up to 48 pictures at a time, which you can then e-mail to friends or view on the T720i’s color screen as a photo album or slideshow. The only downside is that the digital camera shares memory with other digital applications on the phone, so storage space is limited.

Overall we think this is a great phone for early adopters who want all the most recent innovations in one phone—Web access, Java 2 games, MMS, and a digital camera. It’s great for business use but the hip features will likely appeal more to the social cell phone user. --Cristina Vaamonde

Pros:

• Separate camera attachment for taking photos and sending picture messages
• Fast GPRS data transfer
• Java 2 for playing graphically enriched games
• Easy to customize

Cons:

• Phone number and Web address for one contact are separate entries in phone book
• Camera attachment shares phone’s digital memory

How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time

When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phonebattery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables,including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency(including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, andbattery charging methods and history, will affect performance. When handsetmanufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings,they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer tothe times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery liferanges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience atleast the minimum rated range. Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital andanalog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, asanalog mode consumes much more power than digital mode.

Our Tests: We tested digital-mode talk and standby times with each phone.Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to themanufacturer's directions. To test digital-phone talk time, we turned the phoneon, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and,when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook.When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when thephone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped thecalls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately andcontinued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged thebattery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier-signal strength,this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting thatseveral phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers'ratings.

To test digital-phone standby time, we turned the phone on, established acarrier signal, and left the phone in standby mode. We checked the phone everyfew hours (for what was often days on end) until the phone finally cut out.Since no outgoing or incoming calls occurred during testing and because thephone was not moved, this method should represent best-case standby time, againassuming consistent carrier signal strength.

... Read more

Features

• Internal display of 7-9 lines, 4096 graphic colors, 120 x 160 pixels
• High quality audio features real musical ringtones
• Downloadable applications such as games, graphics, and images help create your own unique experience
• Email pictures wirelessly right from your phone to any e-mail address
• Includes camera attachment, battery, headset, charger and user documentation

Reviews (1)

double-check with your carrier that it works in YOUR country
I gave this baby **** stars rather than ***** because it COSTS an
amount which could feed a 3rd world village for a spell. Motorola
makes it, so you KNOW it's well-made. Beware: although this phone
might work over the T-Mobile network stateside (48 US states), it
does NOT work within the USA over the Nextel network. Nextel does
recognize/enable it OVERSEAS, but not 'here' BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE
In case you do not know whether your carrier here or its partners
overseas allow this cell phone to work where you intend to use it
DOUBLE-CHECK with your carrier BEFORE you commit yourself to one.
Needless to say, get whatever assurance of same in w-r-i-t-i-n-g.
This way, you have a leg to stand on should you opt to terminate.
Now as to the guts and visible features of this useful Mot T720i:

Motorola T720i Phone with
Camera for T-Mobile

2003 CES Innovations Award Winner (for what that's worth...).

Attach the optional digital camera to your phone and let your pictures do the talking! The Motorola T720i proves that the best technological innovations carefully balance excitement and fun with convenience and simplicity of use.

Large, color screen and iconic user-interface
High quality audio features real musical ringtones. Listen to a sample
Downloadable applications such as games, graphics, and images help create your own unique experience (01)
For use on GSM 1900 MHz networks.

Featured Accessory: Customizable headset - sold separately.

Digital Camera Specifications:

Excellent low light performance for taking photos inside or on cloudy days
Capture and store pictures or send picture messages to email addresses(01) (sending pictures requires subscription to T-zone service)
Stores up to 48 photos (Digital camera shares memory with phone for all digital applications)
Selectable picture size
180-degree rotating lens
Shares battery with phone
Light and portable
Detailed Product Features

What you get:

Motorola T720i phone
Digital Camera
High Performance Battery
Travel Charger
Holster with Belt Clip
Lanyard and detachable key chain
User Manuals for phone and camera
One Year Limited Warranty

Optional Accessories:

Value Packs
All Accessories
Audio - Headsets and Speakers
Batteries and Battery Doors
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology Products
Chargers
Connectivity and Data Kits
Downloads
In-Vehicle
Style - Cases, Holsters and Covers

footnotes (the large print giveth; the small print taketh away):
01 Network and subscription dependent feature. Not available in all areas.
12 Designed to synchronize with basic features of the initial release of many popular Personal Information Management (PIM) software and hardware products.
21 All talk and standby times are quoted in Digital Mode, and are approximate. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.

The above ends the 'review' of the T-Mobile version; now for T720
built for consumption/use by the >international< Nextel community

Features - T720

Nextel Worldwide Service
*Allows for use of your U.S. phone number as you travel to over 90 countries
International (+) Dialing
*Connect to the international access code needed to call another country with the touch of the button
Integrated Multi-Service Capability
*Supports GSM Digital Cellular and Text and Numeric Paging
Multiple Languages
*Choose between English, French or Spanish menus
Phonebook
*500-entry capacity let you store multiple numbers (home, office, mobile) for your contacts
Datebook
*400-entry capacity lets you manage business and personal appointments and set automated alerts
VibraCallTM Alert
*Notifies you of incoming phone calls, messages and voice mail without a sound
Voice Activated Dialing
*Automatically dial up to 20 stored phone listings by pressing the Voice Key for two seconds and then speaking the name of the desired listing
Voice Notes
*Record and play back memos or phone calls up to two minutes
Personalization
*Allows you to reorder the main menu and change soft keys
Predictive Text Entry
*Allows you to enable Microsoft Word to activate iTAP Predictive Text Entry to improve speed and ease of text input on Phonebook, Datebook, and other ares that require text input. iTAP only requires one key tap per letter and will automatically complete words with fewer keystrokes.
Other Included Features
*Calculator, Last 20 Calls Sent and Received List, + Dialing, Call Timer

Included accessories
*OEM Standard Lithium Ion Battery 850 mAh
*OEM Standard Multi-Volt Travel Charger
*OEM Swivel Belt Clip
*UK and Euro Travel Adapters

Technical Specifications
*GSM Frequency: 900/1800 mhz
*Dimensions: 3.5" x 1.9" x 0.8"
*Weight: 3.7 ounces with OEM Standard Lithium Ion Battery 850 mAh
*OEM Standard Lithium Ion Battery
GSM ~290 minutes talk time
GSM ~ 170 hours stand-by
*Screen Display: 4096 Colors, 120x160 Pixel Resolution

footnote by Nextel:
1 Some services may not be available outside the U.S. Nextel National Network.
!--> T720 phone does NOT work on the U.S. Nextel National Network ... Read more

Features

• Integrates with your existing email mailbox and address, so you only have one inbox and one address to manage
• Sync up your changes to either the Outlook or handheld calendar and accept or decline meeting requests wirelessly
• Quick and easy access to your address book, contacts, calendar, task list and memo pad
• Use your BlackBerry handheld to place and receive phone calls
• 8 MB flash memory plus 1MB SRAM plus and 32-bit microprocessor

Features

• No prepaid minutes included. Comes with charger.
• Easy to use navigation keys; five-line, full bit-map display
• Brilliant-blue backlight for easy screen/keypad readability
• Phone equipped with 25 Ringtones, vibrate alert, and 4 games
• Handy tools include voice memos, alarm clock, stop watch, and calculator

Reviews (22)

Trusty little guy
I've had this phone for over two years, travelling, dropping, and using it under lots of different situations.No back-light troubles or anything.

The only reason it doesn't get a 5th star is that its reception is not the greatest.My wife has the Vox 8500 and the signal strength is consistently better on hers than mine.But still, it's never left me stranded.

BTW, I got a chrome face-plate for mine and the blue light with the chrome surround still looks great!

Bad Buy
I loved this phone, but the screen went blank after about 7 months and i could never read anything unless it showed up for a second, but i assumed this was becuz i had dropped it a few times so i went out and bought another... well about 7 months later again, the screen is blank, the backlight comes on and it works fine, good clearity during calls but no words on screen so i cant tell what i'm doing or who just called me or whatever... and the ringtones arent the greatest either... Now days, buying this phone is useless considering all the new and improved phones that come out every other day ...

A great phone!
I have had mine for about three years now; they don't make them anymore and that made me feel obsolete.But I like this phone; easy to navigate, nice blue background and only needed features, no fluff stuff.I recently traded up to a new cell phone and plan and have given this one to my 15 year old son.It's got enough games and ringtones to keep him occupied with it for awhile.This is a very reliable little phone.I have not had anything happen to it such as fading or lines on the screen, etc. as other reviewers have.LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

Lets Be Fair
The thing I've noticed about cell phones is that they're a lot like shoes. Generally speaking you get what you pay for.
That being said, it's important to remember why you're buying a cell phone. If you want a slick little number with a nice metalic casing, gameboy quality graphics, and a thousand and one features then no, this is not the phone for you.
If say you're an active teenager, or someone who tends to lose and abuse cell phones and other small things that need to be carried at all times, or hitman that needs a nice throw away phone with someone elses name on it, then you've found your phone.
The reception is great, the plan is simple and non-invasive, the features are few but ideal, and most of all it's just a good knock around phone. No, you're not going to have it forever. And NO, you're not going to be impressing the ladies with it. But if you're looking at any of the phones in this price range then it's highly likely that you already know how you're going to use it, and neither of these things is a huge priority.
This phone is worth the money because it's designed for people who know that this is not the only one they're ever going to have.

Screen WILL go out.
A wonderful phones at first, but it not like its entry level sibling the Kyocera 2119 (or 2135) which is very durable.

The screen goes wacko after 1 year, you have to press HARD an the VM logo to make it go back on.

The reception is wonderful and it works everywhere. If you are using this as a teenager's phone or a backup, its okay. ... Read more

Features

• No prepaid minutes included. Comes with charger.
• Four-way easy to use navigation; backlit five-line, full bit-map display
• Contact directory to save names, addresses, and up to 200 numbers
• Comes with an extra faceplate, and 2 games
• Handy tools include calculator, countdown timer, and a stopwatch

Amazon.com Product Description

The Audiovox "Vox" 8500 features a speakerphone, polyphonic ringtones, support for Virgin Mobile wireless Internet services, and much more. This sporty companion will keep you in touch with style to spare. It's the perfect complement to Virgin Mobile service.

Design
The phone features a traditional clamshell design with a black and white display that features five selectable backlight colors. Meanwhile, monochrome supplementary display on the outside of the cover displays incoming call information, battery life, signal strength, graphics and more.Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's backlit control pad. The top right side of the unit houses an extendable antenna while the phone's charging port is housed on the unit's bottom edge. The phone also features a standard jack to accept universal hands-free headsets. Up/down keys are located on the left side of the unit for quick volume control.

Calling Features
The 8500's built-in address book can store up to 99 entries for quick and easy management of your contacts. The phone comes with built-in polyphonic ringtones plus a vibrating alert. Ringtones can be assigned to specific callers so you don't have to look at the phone to know who's calling. Voice dialing is supported, as are voice commands, so you can both dial numbers and control certain functions of the phone without ever touching it. A built-in speakerphone lets you talk handsfree while you're on the go.

Messaging, Internet and Tools
The 8500 covers the messaging basics with support for sending and receiving text messages easily and quickly (Virgin Mobile text messaging charges apply). T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit-- a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

The phone fully supports Virgin Mobile's wireless content service, VirginXtras. Use the pay-per-use service to download ringtones, get content and vote in TV-based polls via the MTV area of your phone, or get jokes and updates from Comedy Central. Pick a celebrity voice to answer your voicemail, or get a Sponge Bob thought of the day. Need to jog your memory? Use Virgin's wacky song ID service. Press the Song ID command, point your 8500 towards a song that's playing in the room, and within minutes a text message appears identifying the song's title.

The 8500 ships with a number of handy tools including a calendar, a calculator and an alarm clock.

Entertainment
The phone features custom Virgin Mobile graphics-- screen savers, wallpaper and menu icons-- that let you dress up your phone to suit your personality.

Vital Statistics
The Audiovox 8500 weighs 3.2 ounces and measures 3.3 x 1.6 x .90 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 2.5 hours of digital talk time, and up to 110 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 1900 frequency. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Audiovox 8500 handset, AC charger, lithium-ion battery, user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• No prepaid minutes included. Comes with battery and charger
• Seven changeable backlight display colors to match your mood
• External Caller ID Display: know who's calling without opening your phone
• 2-way text messaging, 1-touch and voice dialing
• Charger included for powering up

Reviews (159)

no problems for over a year
Let me start by saying I've owned this phone since it came out with no problems to speak of, even after being chewed up by the dog, and thrown from a second floor window by the good ole ex.Let me also state that I hate cell phones.I don't like being reached and hate carrying things that make my pockets buldge out, or paraphanalia which would look right at home on Batmans utility belt (yup, I'm not batman).
With that said, I think you should understand why I don't care if a phone has pretty graphics, a color screen, a camera, a million differant options and/or color cases to show your teeny bopper friends just how cool you are.
I probably make and recieve two to three calls a week, and I pay the minimum.I think it's something like 7$ a month, and I have more than enough minutes for what I use it for.If I want to make a phone call, well, I also pay for a house phone, and am lucky enough to have a job which supplies me with yet another phone.And somewhere inbetween the two, I make very few phone calls.
I suppose in the end if you don't make a lot of calls, then this is perfect.It fits nicely in the glove box, and is cheap. And I also live in a large city (chicago) and it works everywhere perfectly, even when I've driven to the south east all the way out to north cali.The only place I don't get reception is in my office, which is fine, because it has a phone already in it.
I thank Virgin Mobile for making a phone for people like me (people that need a mobile phone ONLY because this new bopper phase of spoiled convienence has eliminated almost all pay phones-i despise all of you)

Small.....But everything else a "BIG PROBLEM!"
DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!!! I have had enough w/ it! This is probably the worst phone ever made! I live in a major city and yet do I ever have a decent reception! I have no problem with the company (Virgin Mobile)....just the freakin' phone! There are sooooo many cons about this phone! No games, Speaker volume will fade for no reason, Phone will shut off when in silent mode and turn back on all loud and evrything (which really sux when im in class), Then after using it for like 10 min. (like txt messaging or VirginXtras) the phone will heat up so bad to where it starts to burn ur hand!, LCD Background colours suck! U can't read anything, No good txt message memory, Speakerphone will turn on in the middle of a conversation (OUCH!).....Thankfully this phone broke after 3 frustrating yrs. (it's a pretty strong phone...I give it that) So im now thinking of upgrading to the VOX 8610, But still paranoid if the 8610 will be like the 8500....

My Review
I think this phone is the perfect starter phone for a teenager. This was my second cell phone ever. And I just recently bought a new one to upgrade. It works great, I get great reception. (I'm in PA) I took it to FL with me last summer and it worked great! If you are one of those "high tech" people. This isn't the phone for you. But for starters, it's great.

Spend the extra $20 and upgrade
I really, really didn't want to purchase yet another phone.For over 10 years I have had a mobile plan and every time I switch companies they make me buy a phone (please, please recycle your old ones.Target takes them.Ok, off my soap box)So I wanted to get the best deal, so I went for this phone since it was on clearance for $80.Big mistake.

To be fair, it's a great looking phone...from the outside.It's the smallest one I have ever seen.But it has a "black and white" screen-- so dated.For $20 more you can get the 8610 and get a full-color screen.The phone is a little bigger (I mean a LITTLE bigger) but the screen is the best.The 8500 does have a backgroung color (choice of 8), but it only stays on for 20 seconds max. and then turns to that outdated green screen with grey lettering.

This was the very first phone Virgin ever had and the 8610 is an upgrade in ever sense of the word.Better screen, better ring tones, better reception.I switched and you should too.You won't be sorry.

But hey, if this model goes on *super-duper* clearance, go for it!It's sweet, and looks and feels great.But I wouldn't pay more than $50 for it.

Decent
Firstly, I do not believe any Virgin Mobile phone is meant for the serious cell phone user. With no free nights or weekends and having to pay 25 cents a minute for the first ten minutes you talk a day (10 cents a minute after that), you rack up the bill pretty fast.

There is a serious convenient factor, seeing how you can actually pay your bill from your phone.

It's not very manly either. As said in other reviews, the screensavers are Sunflower, Cuddly Bear, and Flower Cart. You cannot download others from this phone.

If you like MTV and Comedy Central, you're in luck because so does Virgin Mobile. You can get various features from each channel sent to your phone for a fee.

All in all, if you talk alot, go for something with free nights and weekends on a service plan. If you need a phone for emergencies, this is your man (or girl). ... Read more

Features

• Internal display of 7-9 lines, 4096 graphic colors, 120 x 160 pixels
• High quality audio features real musical ringtones
• Downloadable applications such as games, graphics, and images help create your own unique experience
• Email pictures wirelessly right from your phone to any e-mail address
• Includes camera attachment, battery, headset, charger and user documentation

Reviews (6)

Horrible battery life...
The battery life for this phone reminds me of my old bulky analog Motorola phone.I must charge the phone twice-a-day.Whenever I use it to make a call, I have to be sure to plug it into the charger.

The only good thing about this phone is that I can now trade it in on a better cheaper phone.

Next cell phone please!
We have owned this phone about 16 months. Others on the web have found the hinge would eventually break.
Not ours. We suffered a bad case of LCD screen noire.It looks like a badly miscolored computer monitor. Except that much of the screen is black and it's not fixable by degaussing or anything but replacing the LCD = the entire phone.
And I thought cellphone insurance was for those who lose their phones or abuse them.
Ha! No, insurance is for flashy phones like this one. Stay far away from this shiny junk.

has many faults
I bought this phone with a Verizon service and from the first days I started to face sevral problems. My main objection is the battery consumption. It is huge. I had to put the phone on charge at least once a day. A 15min call could drain the battery. I have seen other phones with color screen and their battery works much longer. The phone would "hang" like a computer at times, so that the screen froze and there was no response by pressing any key. The only thing I could do was to take out the battery, put it back again and restart the phone, which was frustrating.

The quality of sound in the receiver was bad too. With just a little background noise, I coud not hear the caller anymore.

The only thing I liked very much about this phone was the calendar and scheduler, that had almost the same capabilities of a handheld. I would organize all my events and activites by my phone. Also the desktop was convenient as I could customize for the icons I wanted to see as fast links and I could choose to show 4 of them on screen.

Decent, but room for improvement
I've had this phone for about a year and half now, and have been mostly pleased with it.My main gripes with it are:
1)The joints squeak and crack after about two weeks of normal use.To people on the other end, it sounds like you're typing on a keyboard while speaking.
2)I've had a few instances where the phone would freeze up.Turning off the phone and then restarting it always fixed this.
One of the other reviews stated it had short battery life, but this hasn't been a problem at all for me.
Overall, if you have the opportunity spring for one of the newer Motorolla versions.As I understand it, they've fixed many of these issues in later models.

Good phone, with some compromises
Right now I currently have this phone through Verizon and am generally pretty happy with its performance.I almost always have a signal and the color screen has good resolution for a phone. There are a few things that I must say though.In the 2 years that I have had this phone I have had to replace it twice, once because it stopped turning on, and another because it wouldn't hold a charge and was acting really glichy.With normal use the charge will last maybe 24 hours then it is dead.If it is roaming for a signal or I'm playing games it won't last anywhere near that long.As long as I remember to throw it on the charger every night this is not a problem for me because I don't use the games feature (through Verizon it is a rip off).I have also seen an attachment that will take pictures with this phone, but why suck the batteries taking pictures when your going to need it for your phone calls.Overall this phone has served the purpose of sending and receiving my phone calls and text messages relatively well, there have been many situations where friends and family haven't been able to talk and I have, even the other Verizon users. If you are looking for more though, the battery life is just not enough on this phone.I must say though that for $60 you can buy a bigger battery, but that makes an already relatively big phone by today's standards even bigger and I think that it only gives you twice the capacity. The way this things uses the battery when the screen is on I don't know how far twice the battery will get you. ... Read more

Features

• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) receive, view and store
• Polyphonic (MIDI) ring tones
• E-mail, text and picture messages
• Phone book with up to 500 contacts, with multiple phone numbers and text entries per contact
• Voice dialing for up to 10 numbers