It's time to get a new phone and I was considering the above two phones.
I have always had tri-mode phones, and want to continue for safety, but
the two phones I have had through Verizon are the Motorola V120C and
V120E, and while I can go from D to A on a call just fine, I can't make
calls out in the A mode. And my phone doesn't like getting incoming
calls in the A mode either. Maybe it's just these two phones, but they
haven't worked well in the A mode, so I might just go with all digital
phones.
I wanted to get a flip phone, with or without a camera, with an external
display, good audio quality, a headset jack, two-way speakerphone would
be nice but not required, a good charger connection would be nice (the
Motorola connection sucks by the way), and data cable to connect phone
to computer so I could transmit data and maybe use the phone to connect
a laptop to the Internet. The LG VX4400 seemed like it was the phone
for me, and at a good price, but Verizon isn't selling them anymore.
I like the Motorola V710, and can get it at a good price, but I don't
like the way Verizon has dumbed it down, and it seems a little flimsy to
me when I saw it in the store. Also - I have heard that the picture
quality isn't as good as one would think for a 1.2 mega-pixel camera vs.
a 640x480 (307KB pixel) camera. And have people who have used the
camera been able to store the images on the transflash cards and read
the card on a desktop or laptop? Do the images from the V710 look
better on a larger and better screen than the lower resolution camera
phones?
Or does anyone have any other suggestions for phones?
jadder - 28 Aug 2004 14:59 GMT
> Or does anyone have any other suggestions for phones?
I like my Samsung a670. It's all digital tho.
reader_guy - 28 Aug 2004 16:01 GMT
>I like the Motorola V710, and can get it at a good price, but I don't
>like the way Verizon has dumbed it down, and it seems a little flimsy to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>better on a larger and better screen than the lower resolution camera
>phones?
------
I have the V710 on Verizon.
1. The camera, if you set it to HIGH RESOLUTION (not the default), is
OK. I find it much better then the VX6000 it replaced.
2. I use the transflash card to store the pix. The TF card comes with
an SD adapter and I can read it from my desktop multicard reader.
3. The external display does not display pix and is hard to read at
times. It works, but pretty dumb.
4. I use Bluetooth to have my notebook PC connect to the net via the
V710. Setup was a little complicated but it does work and seems to
work well.
5. Battery life is not great.... especially if you have the Bluetooth
option turned on.
6. The phone feels fine and does not seem flimsy to me.
7. Verizon has disabled the ability to sync phonebooks to your
computer via Bluetooth (and cable I THINK) and this is frustrating.
8. The Motorola phone tools program is (currently) a waste of money.
They claim an update in November will improve it's processing and
maybe even allow phonebooks to be synced.
9. The main display is very nice, the keys work well.... the voice
dial works but you have to do at least 3 more steps than on competing
phones.
Michelle Steiner - 28 Aug 2004 16:21 GMT
> 7. Verizon has disabled the ability to sync phonebooks to your
> computer via Bluetooth (and cable I THINK) and this is frustrating.
It works with cable, at least it does with the Macintosh and iSync
software. If it doesn't with Windows, it's a software problem.
Unfortunately, that doesn't help it sync with bluetooth automobiles'
phonebooks.

Signature
Stop Mad Cowboy Disease: Vote for John Kerry.
The Ghost of General Lee - 28 Aug 2004 18:58 GMT
>7. Verizon has disabled the ability to sync phonebooks to your
>computer via Bluetooth (and cable I THINK) and this is frustrating.
Phonebook sync via BT does not work, via cable does, but the software
won't let it do much else with the cable.
This has been battered about for a while now on the Verizon group.
Look for the thread "Verizon comment: Crippling Bluetooth in V710"
which was started just yesterday.
USENET READER - 29 Aug 2004 02:36 GMT
So you mean I can send my phone's phonebook data to my desktop, and then
send a backup copy from my desktop to my phone if I need to back it up?
Can I use the cable to hook up a laptop and access the Net with it if I
need to do so?
What else are you supposed to do with the USB cable on the phone that
you can't do with the V710? I know this may sound like a stupid
question, but why would Verizon get the phone from Motorola, sell the
software to use with the data cable, but then disable so many features
with the phone so you can't use it fully?
Chris
>>7. Verizon has disabled the ability to sync phonebooks to your
>>computer via Bluetooth (and cable I THINK) and this is frustrating.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Look for the thread "Verizon comment: Crippling Bluetooth in V710"
> which was started just yesterday.
The Ghost of General Lee - 29 Aug 2004 04:27 GMT
>So you mean I can send my phone's phonebook data to my desktop, and then
>send a backup copy from my desktop to my phone if I need to back it up?
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>software to use with the data cable, but then disable so many features
>with the phone so you can't use it fully?
I must defer to the thread I mentioned earlier. I've used
Qualcomm/Kyocera phones exclusively for the past 7 years. I've never
owned a Motorola phone. But, even in the Qualcomm/Kyocera line, VZW
had features disabled (the speakerphone on the 2325, for example) for
no apparent reasons.
dr.wireMORE - 28 Aug 2004 18:54 GMT
Had just such a challenge yesterday, and after careful analysis came up with
the CDM8900 or the Moto V710 as options. As with you, the camera wasn't
important, but what was important was color, flip, outside display and
analog. If only the 4400 was available.
We have conceptionally organized a free, after NE2, Samsung A670. And we
have "sourced" a brand new VX4400, and will do an even exchange. While both
are quality phones, each has benefits over the other. The customer wins,
and I get a pretty good deal with the A670, and VZW gets a new 2 yr commit.
So: do not let the fact that VZW doesn't have the phone, as you should be
able to find someone willing to help you get the phone/technology that you
want/need. In this case everyone will win. If VZW selection isn't
sufficient, find an agent willing to work with you.
PS: While I pose this as a solution; we sent the customer home with the
"specs" on all the tri-mode phones as well as the 4400b to chat with her
husband to make a firm decision. (Although she didn't really need his
permission, most likely she'll just TELL him what she is doing :-) ) . We
encourage her to select/keep one of the VZW offered phones; but if she is
darn sure that she'd prefer the 4400b, we'll find a way to make it happen.
This is the way it is supposed to be... IMHO. We call it wireMORE. dr
snip
> I wanted to get a flip phone, with or without a camera, with an external
> display, good audio quality, a headset jack, two-way speakerphone would
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> a laptop to the Internet. The LG VX4400 seemed like it was the phone
> for me, and at a good price, but Verizon isn't selling them anymore.
snip
I just switched to an Audiovox CDM8600 and I **HATE** the phone.
Do a user review search on the phone on cnet.com I wish I had done that
prior to getting hooked up with this piece of junk via Verizon. Now I'm
stuck with it for two years.
Problems: Very small keypad, dim display, several (and I mean **several**)
key depressions required to look up a phone number, faint ringer volume, faint
voice volume, TERRIBLE instruction manual (see cnet comments... the manual
shows you how to memorize words for voice input but NOWHERE tells you how
to use voice input once the words are memorized), "searches for system"
frequently (lousy receiver and transmitter... my kyocera was much
better in same areas) as a reault, frequent dropped calls. Difficult to
read display in sunlight for any time for that matter (the display is really
small).
I've read much better reviews on LG and Motorola equipment and will
definitely stay away from any Audiovox products. The hardware and the
manual should have never been shipped.
barry
The Ghost of General Lee - 30 Aug 2004 21:57 GMT
>my kyocera was much
>better in same areas)
Is there any phone with a phonebook as good as Kyocera's?
Quick - 30 Aug 2004 23:08 GMT
"Now I'm stuck with it for two years"... You didn't
notice any of this withing the first 2 weeks when you
could have returned it?
-Quick
> I just switched to an Audiovox CDM8600 and I **HATE** the phone.
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> barry