Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Virgin Slice Phone
Customer Review:Ive had this phone for almost two years. I haven't had the issue of over heating like I have read in several reviews. But the battery life is excellent. Mine usually lasts for 3-5 days depending on my use. (heavy use 3 days/light use 5 days) The only issue that I really had was that I don't use voicemail and tried for the first 6 months to get Virgin Mobile to shut it off and everything they tried, they could not get it shut off. I haven't ever had an issue with any other Virgin Mobile phone with getting the voicemail shut off. Also, the blue-tooth seems to like to disconnect by itself for no reason. Not sure why it does that, but that could be improved.
Overall, it is a great phone.
LG 225 Prepaid Phone with Double Minutes for Life (Tracfone)
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Tracfone provides nationwide prepaid wireless service using the nation's leading cellular providers to create a national footprint covering 99 percent of the U.S. population. This gives you connectivity everywhere cellular service is available. You can use your Tracfone across the U.S. and if you move, you can relocate your wireless number with just a phone call.
You can buy bundles of minutes (which must be used within a set time limit of between 90 to 365 days) from the Tracfone web site on your home PC or directly from your phone's web browser. For example, if you purchase a block of 120 minutes of airtime, you'll need to use that within 90 days of your first use. When you buy additional airtime minutes, your Tracfone service is extended automatically by another 90 days. Tracfone also offers international long distance calling to over 60 international destinations (including Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, most European countries, and many more), which deducts the same amount of minutes from your phone as when you make calls to destinations within the U.S.
This phone ships with a number of handy Tracfone services, including free voice mail, free caller ID, and free call waiting. And perhaps most importantly, the integrated TracFone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left, so you can control your costs. You must activate your cell phone before use either by calling the Tracfone toll-free number or going to the Tracfone web site.
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Offering quad-band connectivity for global roaming, the LG 225 clamshell phone has a stubby antenna and dual LCD screens. The internal display measures 1.5 inches and has a 128 x 128-pixel resolution and support for 65K colors. The external monochrome screen has a fixed color background, and it measures 96 x 64 pixels. It displays date, time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID phone number (though no photo ID). You can also view the last 20 dialed/received calls for easy redialing.
The internal phonebook can hold up to 255 contact entries (in addition to 250 contacts stored on your SIM card), and each contact has fields for three phone numbers and an email address. You can assign callers to groups and pair them with a picture for photo caller ID (viewed only on the internal screen). The phone features eight speed dial entries as well as a default voicemail speed dial.
The VGA camera has three resolution options (640 x 480, 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 pixels) and it offers a 4x digital zoom, multi-shot capability (allowing you to take 9 pictures in fast succession), brightness and white balance controls, and a self timer. You'll be able to store up to 75 photos on the phone's internal memory at the lowest resolution setting, or seven photos at the highest setting.
Support for basic text messaging and multimedia messaging (MMS) are built into the 225. When used in combination with the phone's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The T9 predictive text entry technology is built into the unit, which makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets--a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.
Other features include:
- Tracfone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left
- Multi-lingual support (English, French, Spanish)
- Personal organizer (calendar with scheduler, alarm clock, notepad)
- Calculator, world clock, unit converter, tip calculator
- Preloaded games
- WAP 2.0 browser
- Full duplex speakerphone
- 8 unique ringtones with vibrate and silent modes
Vital Statistics
The LG 225 weighs 3.26 ounces and measures 1.89 x 3.36 x 0.9 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of talk time, and up to 8 days of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.
Customer Review:I used this phone and it is just fine.
However, when I upgraded to a new phone through Tracfone, it took me over 5 hours of 'technical support' before they finally admitted the replacement phone was defective and agreed to send me a new one.
This was 5 hours over two days and was a horrible experience. I could hear the fourth agent helping other people while he told me to wait - he did this about 8 times. He made me give him my contact information at least 3 times. He refused to read the call notes from the other agents the previous day and made me repeat the exact same steps several times after the previous agents had made me repeat the same steps several times.
It appears that tracfone will do anything to avoid helping their customers and they seem to rely on customers giving up and going away. Such rudeness and incompetence are truly breathtaking in a company that relies on their customers for their income.
If the replacement phone does not work I am going to send it back to them rather than endure another excruciating ordeal such as I have gone through this time.
I would suggest that you do not use tracfone for anything but look for a better company.
Kyocera JAX Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile)
 The super-slim Kyocera Jax is perfect for staying in touch via talk and text. |
Key Features
- Full messaging suite including SMS text, MMS picture, instant messaging (IM), and personal e-mail.
- Link to your favorite social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube.
- Buddy Beacon lets you broadcast your location to friends and family and you can turn it on when you're feeling sociable or turn it off when you're not.
- 1.8-inch color display (128 x 160 pixels, 65K colors)
- Standard alpha-numeric keypad with backlighting
- Speakerphone with dedicated function key
- Vibrate alert
- Phonebook with up to 250 entries and up to five numbers each
- Web browser
- Organizer tools including alarm, calculator, scheduler, stopwatch, timer, tip calculator, and world clock
- Micro USB connector
- Downloadable games, ringtones, graphics and more
- HAC compliant
- TTY/TDD support for the hearing impaired
- Bi-lingual interface (English and Spanish)
Vital Statistics
The Kyocera Jax weighs 2.5 ounces and measures 4.29 x 1.73 x 0.51 inches. Its 700 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.3 hours of talk time, and up to 200 hours (8.3 days) of standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA frequencies; 1xRTT voice and data capable.
What's in the Box
Kyocera Jax handset, rechargeable battery, charger, quick start guide, user manual
Virgin Mobile Prepaid Pricing
With Virgin Mobile, you can pay only for the calling time you use. You can choose a plan that's based just on minutes (with rates between 5¢ and 10¢ per minute, depending on the amount of minutes you buy). Or, you can choose a monthly plan with no annual contract--including the All-In contract plan with either 500, 1000 or unlimited minutes as well as unlimited messaging and data services. Pay-as-you-go users can easily Top-Up your Virgin Mobile account right from your phone. First, buy a Top-Up card at one of the thousands of retailers that carry them; or register your debit card, credit card, or PayPal account at the Virgin Mobile USA web site in order to add minutes to your account directly from your phone.Additionally, you can choose from a variety of mobile messaging plans, which includes text and picture messaging, e-mail, and IM (via AOL and Yahoo!). Virgin Mobile USA's national coverage is powered by the nationwide Sprint PCS network.
Virgin Mobile contributes 5 percent of profits from downloadable content to The RE*Generation, its pro-social initiative to help homeless teens, as well as provides postage-paid return envelopes in every new package for customers to recycle old phones.
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Customer Review:BOUGHT THIS TO REPLACE AN EXISTING PHONE I USED WITH VIRGIN MOBILE PREPAID PLAN. I AM NOT A BIG CELL PHONE USER AND FIND THIS MEETS ALL MY NEEDS. IT WAS EASY TO TRANSFER MY BALANCE FROM VIRGIN & LOVE THE SIZE OF THE PHONE. I WOULD RECOMMEND IT.
Buy Kyocera JAX Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile) from Amazon.com
Sanyo 2700 Prepaid Phone, Pink (Kajeet)
 Sure to please the avid texter in your family. |
 1.3 megapixel camera and speakerphone. |
 Available in pink or blue. |
About Kajeet
Kajeet was founded by three three dads figuring out how technology, kids and parents work best ("Kajeet" is an anagram of the first letters of the names of the company's founders' children). Kajeet's entire philosophy springs from a simple core idea: kids are smart. And they should be agile with technology, empowered and safe, and be able to respond with confidence to what's happening in their world.
Because having a cell phone is not just fun, it's a responsibility--a shared responsibility, Kajeet wants parents and guardians to be involved too. Thus, Kajeet is designed to incorporate a full suite of tools to help families customize and manage every aspect of their Kajeet experience. For more on Kajeet's pay-as-you-go charges and monthly voice and text plans, see the Kajeet Service section below.
The Sanyo 2700
The 2700 has plenty to back up its good looks, with a wealth of features at a great price. This bar-shaped CDMA messaging phone weighs in at just 3.42 ounces and is about half an inch deep--it'll fit right in your pocket. Hardware features include an integrated full QWERTY keyboard to let you text and IM with lightning speed. A 2.2-inch color LCD screen with 320 x 240 pixel resolution provides large, sharp images. A built-in speakerphone is handy for speaking to multiple parties. Bluetooth compatibility means easy pairing with wireless headsets for hands-free use. And you are free to use the stereo 2.5mm headset jack, of course.
The 2700's built-in phonebook stores up to 600 entries, e-mail and Internet addresses, and a search bar at the top of the contact list lets you scan through your database. It's a breeze to download unique ringers and assign them to numbers in your address book (phone includes 30 built-in ringers and vibration alert to start).
As hinted above, this is an ideal tool for the rampant texter. In addition to the speedy keyboard, the device boasts threaded texting, for easy message organization.
Kids will love the 1.3-megapixel camera, which captures great photos anywhere for sending via MMS or sharing on-screen in the easy-to-use gallery application. Camera features include geo-tagging, night mode, self-timer, contrast controls and more. Plenty to fiddle with.
As for entertainment, the 2700 lets you download and play interactive games, to make the bus/car ride a little more bearable. It also has an on-board MP3 player for taking a few choice tunes with you (limited by the 16MB on-board memory--those seeking a more music-oriented solution may want to look elsewhere).
Of course, it's not all about entertainment. Built-in productivity tools allow users to access a planner and scheduler, check a task list and more. Stay on top of things with a world clock, calculator, voice memo feature and alarm clock.
Finally, thanks to the 2700's GPS support, parents can take full advantage of Kajeet's phone locator security feature.
Data Features
Kajeet plans to begin offering data plans in 2009. The 2700 is ready to go, with Infraware's Polaris 6.01 WAP web browser, and an email client that supports IMAP, POP, SMTP, Outlook (OWA), and Lotus Notes protocols. Handy presets are included for AOL, AIM, Hotmail, Yahoo!, and GMail.
Vital Statistics
The Sanyo 2700 weighs 3.4 ounces and measures 4.3 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches. Its 840 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.8 hours of talk time. It runs on the CDMA 850/CDMA 1900 frequencies for voice.
Kajeet Service
The Kajeet pay-as-you-go service delivers a full range of customizable voice, text, instant messaging and data services that enable kids to stay connected with family and friends. While kids will love the phones offered by Kajeet, parents will love the affordability of the Kajeet pay-as-you-go service with no long-term contracts, no activation or termination fees, and no roaming or extra long distance fees.
 Choose pay-as-you-go flexibility, or select a Talk or Text Pak monthly plan. |
 Kajeet's GPS Phone Locator service helps both kids and parents find the kajeet phone. |
 Kajeet's nationwide coverage is provided on the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network. Check out a coverage map. |
Kajeet's GPS Phone Locator service helps both kids and parents find the kajeet phone. It uses satellite technology to help find your child's phone and gives subscribing families easy-to-use information regarding the location of their kajeet phone via Web-based maps. Parents can schedule automatic location checks at specific times of the day, so they know where their kid's kajeet phone is at any given time--whether the phone is in their child's backpack on the school bus or in their sports bag at soccer practice. Kids can also use the service to help find their phone. The GPS Phone Locator service is $9.99 per month.
With Kajeet, the money in your Kajeet wallet--paid in either as pay-as-you-go or as part of a monthly plan--can be used for whatever you want: texting, talking, games, ringtones and more. Plus, at no extra cost you get voicemail, caller ID, and some of the lowest talking and texting rates around. You can choose pure pay-as-you-go flexibility, and refill your wallet either online or using Kajeet refill cards (available at select retailers). You might also want to consider the value of a Talk and Text Pak plan. Each is good for one month, and if your kid uses it up before that, you can just pick up a new Pak and start fresh.
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| Voice Calls (local, domestic, long distance, and toll-free numbers) | 10¢ per minute Talk Pak plans (includes 1 month of Daily Access Charges)
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| Text Messages | 10¢ per message (send or receive) Text Pak plans
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| Picture Messages | 25¢ per picture/per person (send or receive) | |
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| Unlimited Mobile AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) | $6.99 per month (first month free) | |
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| Directory Assistance | $1.50 connect fee plus airtime | |
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| Daily Access Charge* | 32¢ every day | |
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* Kajeet charges a service fee of 32 cents per day, which amounts to about $10 per month. This fee applies to pay-as-you go plans only. Monthly plans and bundles do not charge a daily access charge. This access charge guarantees you low rates for voice and messaging, and gives you access to the Kajeet Navigator (which provides downloadable ringtones, wallpaper, games and apps) and to the Kajeet Configurator (which enables you to personalize your kajeet service to match your specific needs).
What's in the Box
Sanyo 2700 (Pink), Battery, Charger, and Earbud
Customer Review:I have had kajeet for about 10 months. I subscribed to the gps service in the begining but cancled after 2 months. The other day my daughters school called and said she was not at school. I imediately logged onto kajeet and reactivated the gps(make sure all time resrtiction are off when adding services over website). It tracked her in the park about a half block away from school. I then called her dad who left work to find her. And because I was able to tell him which way she was traveling he was able to find her walking down the street with her friend about half a mile from school. I am so glad I have that option on her phone. I would highly recomend this phone and service to any parent with a teen of any age. I never thought my child was capable of skipping but she did and because of kajeet we were able to stop her from getting into any more trouble.
Buy Sanyo 2700 Prepaid Phone, Pink (Kajeet) from Amazon.com
Nokia 1600 Prepaid Phone (Net10) with 300 Minutes Included
 The candybar-styled Nokia 1600 offers long battery life, with up to 5.5 hours of talk time and 18 days of standby. |
The Net10 pay-as-you-go wireless service offers all local, long distance and roaming calls at one low price of 10 cents per minute. All Net10 prepaid wireless service is provided by TracFone Wireless--America's #1 prepaid wireless company with a national footprint covering 99 percent of the U.S. population. There are no contracts, credit checks, monthly fees, security deposits, activation or deactivation charges, or age restrictions.
All Net10 handsets have a display that shows the actual airtime balance on the phone's display for ease of tracking usage. Net10 handsets also carry an "instant refill" feature that allows users to add airtime directly from the handset on a real-time basis. Key digital features include free call waiting, free caller ID, free voicemail and text messaging at 5 cents per message.
Phone Features
At first, the 1600 looks like a mild-mannered candybar phone. Looks can be deceiving, though. The 96 x 68 pixel display, which features support for 65K colors, gives the user a crystal clear screen, which makes it easy to type text messages and place calls. An internal antenna means there's nothing to snag in your pocket. The simplified menu and navigation with 4-way scroll key and easy-to-use key pad make for easier phone calls and text messaging.
The 1600's address book can store multiple phone numbers, as well as physical and email addresses. Meanwhile, the phone's built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Polyphonic ringtones are included, as is a vibrating alert. Ringer IDs let you assign specific ringtones to particular callers.
The 1600 is a natural mobile messaging companion with support for text and picture messaging. 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.
Other features include:
- Stores up to 200 contact entries (plus 250 stored on SIM card)
- Full color-display, screensavers and wallpaper
- Store up to 60 SMS text messages
- Full duplex speakerphone
- Reminders
- Headset jack
- Changeable faceplates
Vital Statistics
The Nokia 1600 weighs 2.8 ounces and measures 4.09 x 1.77 x 0.67 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.5 hours of talk time, and up to 18 days of digital standby time. It runs on the GSM 850 and 1900 frequencies.
Customer Review:Great phone for a great low price. The Net10 prepaid service is impressive as well. Just 10 cents/minute and 3 cents/text - including long distance nationwide calls! It even won the JD Power award for "best no-contract experience". I got mine off of Amazon for an awesome price. Switching to prepaid is saving me so much, it really is a wonderful deal.
Buy Nokia 1600 Prepaid Phone (Net10) with 300 Minutes Included from Amazon.com
Novatel Ovation MC760 Broadband2Go Prepaid USB Modem (Virgin Mobile)
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Supporting the EV-DO Rev. A high-speed data standard, the Broadband2Go modem enables you to download and stream high-quality video, straight onto your phone. Where coverage is available, EV-DO Rev. A connectivity provides average download speeds ranging from 600 to 1400 Kbps, with peak rates up to 3.1 Mbps. And average uploads speeds are 350-500 Kbps, peaking at 1.8 Mbps.
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Key Features
- Built-in usage meter lets you know how many megabytes you have left in your Broadband2Go Plan. Your Broadband2Go account page will automatically appear whenever you plug the USB device into your computer. Your megabyte balance will be displayed right on that page. You can also check your account anytime by logging into My Account.
- EVDO Rev A technology for fast data transfers
- Integrated microSD slot provides flexible memory storage options without hindering your Internet connection performance; compatible with cards up to 8 GB in size.
- NovaSpeed enhances broadband connections by allowing simultaneous upload and download, online gaming, video streaming, GPS maps and large file transfers with virtually no interruptions or buffering
- Compatibility: Windows XP, Windows Vista; Windows 7; Mac OS X, 10.3 and higher
What's in the Box
Broadband2Go USB Device, quickstart guide, lanyard
Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go Pricing
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Customer Review:When the service works, it works pretty well and it is one of the cheaper ways of getting on-line in the US.
On Ubuntu Linux 10.4, this device just plugs in and works.
On Windows 7, it goes through endless gyrations in order to install several software packages when plugged in. Furthermore, if the Windows 7 interface language is not set to English, the install fails entirely with an obscure error message; although friendly, Virgin Mobile support couldn't help. Apparently, Virgin Mobile has known about this problem for more than a year but isn't doing anything to fix it. It's frustrating and a time waster.
It turns out that the device can be installed on non-English versions by going into the control panel, changing the language to English temporarily, installing it, then changing it back to whatever you like it to be.
I give the device four stars only because, once installed, it's a good service at a decent price and I hope other companies will come out with similar offerings. However, in terms of hardware and software support, Virgin Mobile really needs to improve.
LG 600G Prepaid Phone with Double Minutes for Life (Tracfone)
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Tracfone provides nationwide prepaid wireless service using the nation's leading cellular providers to create a national footprint covering 99 percent of the U.S. population. This gives you connectivity everywhere cellular service is available. You can use your Tracfone across the U.S. and if you move, you can relocate your wireless number with just a phone call.
You can buy bundles of minutes (which must be used within a set time limit of between 90 to 365 days) from the Tracfone web site on your home PC or directly from your phone's web browser. For example, if you purchase a block of 120 minutes of airtime, you'll need to use that within 90 days of your first use. When you buy additional airtime minutes, your Tracfone service is extended automatically by another 90 days. Tracfone also offers international long distance calling to over 60 international destinations (including Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, most European countries, and many more), which deducts the same amount of minutes from your phone as when you make calls to destinations within the U.S.
This phone ships with a number of handy Tracfone services, including free voice mail, free caller ID, and free call waiting. And perhaps most importantly, the integrated TracFone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left, so you can control your costs. You must activate your cell phone before use either by calling the Tracfone toll-free number or going to the Tracfone web site.
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The clamshell LG 600G has an internal LCD screen with a 128 x 160-pixel resolution and support for 65K colors, and it's complemented by an external screen (96 x 64 pixels, 65K colors) that displays current time, battery life, signal strength, and incoming calls. The internal phonebook can store up to 1000 contact entries, and it supports multiple numbers per contact entry as well as caller groups.
Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset and handsfree car kits.
Support for basic text messaging and multimedia messaging (MMS) are built into the 600G. When used in combination with the phone's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The T9 predictive text entry technology is built into the unit, which makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets--a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.
Other features include:
- Tracfone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left
- VGA camera for still photos with multi-shot, self-timer, brightness, white balance functions
- Organizer tools: Calendar, alarm, calculator, stopwatch, world clock, notepad, unit converter, tip converter
- 32-chord polyphonic ringtones plus vibrate mode
- WAP 2.0 browser
Vital Statistics
The LG 600G weighs 3.17 ounces and measures 1.79 x 3.89 x 0.54 inches. Its 800 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6.5 hours of talk time, and up to 312 hours (13 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS frequencies.
Customer Review:This is a hard to find phone and after misplacing mine, the decision to purchase a spare seems frugal. the bluetooth on this Tracfone is fully functional unlike the Samsung I returned. And the metal coated buttons are much easier to use than other phone's buttons.
Buy LG 600G Prepaid Phone with Double Minutes for Life (Tracfone) from Amazon.com
Motorola W376 Prepaid Phone with Double Minutes for Life (Tracfone)
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Tracfone provides nationwide prepaid wireless service using the nation's leading cellular providers to create a national footprint covering 99 percent of the U.S. population. This gives you connectivity everywhere cellular service is available. You can use your Tracfone across the U.S. and if you move, you can relocate your wireless number with just a phone call.
You can buy bundles of minutes (which must be used within a set time limit of between 90 to 365 days) from the Tracfone web site on your home PC or directly from your phone's web browser. For example, if you purchase a block of 120 minutes of airtime, you'll need to use that within 90 days of your first use. When you buy additional airtime minutes, your Tracfone service is extended automatically by another 90 days. Tracfone also offers international long distance calling to over 60 international destinations (including Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, most European countries, and many more), which deducts the same amount of minutes from your phone as when you make calls to destinations within the U.S.
This phone ships with a number of handy Tracfone services, including free voice mail, free caller ID, and free call waiting. And perhaps most importantly, the integrated Tracfone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left, so you can control your costs. You must activate your cell phone before use either by calling the Tracfone toll-free number or going to the Tracfone web site.
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Weighing in at an ultra-light 3.1-ounces, the super-slim W376g fits comfortably in your hand and flips open effortlessly to reveal a large and vivid full-color 128 x 160 screen and streamlined keypad. Instead of an external LCD, the W375 sports a series of unique, light-up icons that signal new messages, low battery, and other events. The VGA camera lens is housed above this display. Up/down buttons are placed on the left side for volume control while an internal antenna supplements the phone's sleek design. 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. Use the phone's stereo-compatible 2.5mm headset jack with your favorite stereo earphones or hands-free headset. Lastly, charging and USB connectivity (for charging only) can be found on the bottom edge of the phone.
The W376g's internal phonebook can hold up to 500 contacts and includes picture phonebook options, and it will display the last 10 dialed/received/missed calls. It supports 32-chord polyphonic ringtones, and you can switch it over to vibrate mode when you need to keep things silent.
Hands-free communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset and hands-free car kits.
This Motorola phone includes the innovative CrystalTalk technology, which automatically accounts for background noise during a call and adjusts the audio quality based on ambient noise conditions to provide the optimal conversational experience. CrystalTalk also reduces the volume of the background noise picked up by the microphone during a call, making it possible to be more easily heard over the phone while in a noisy environment.
The W376g is a messaging and wireless Internet powerhouse. Support is built in for sending and receiving pictures, text, graphics, sound, and video via messages. When used in combination with the phone's built-in VGA camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The phone ships with a built-in email client, and there's also a built-in WAP 2.0 Web browser for fast mobile Web browsing. The iTap predictive text technology is built into the unit, which auto-completes text for you as you type on the alpha-numeric keypad and offers options for selecting the correct word.
Other features include:
- Tracfone Airtime Balance Display shows you how much airtime you've used and how much is left
- VGA camera for still photos with self-timer, white balance, and brightness functions
- Organizer tools: Calendar, alarm, stopwatch, calculator
- 32-chord polyphonic ringtones plus vibrate mode
- Hearing Aid Rating: M3
Vital Statistics
The Motorola W37g weighs 3.4 ounces and measures 3.9 x 1.8 x 0.7 inches. Its 850 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 7.5 hours of talk time, and up to 240 hours of standby time. It runs on the 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.
Customer Review:The customer service agents at Trac Fone are trained in the fine art of AGGRAVATION!!! I spent over 6 hours trying to activate the service on a phone, endlessly repeating the serial numbers and sim card numbers. My advice is to stay away from Trac Fone. Yes, they're cheap, but in this case you really get what you pay for!!!
Buy Motorola W376 Prepaid Phone with Double Minutes for Life (Tracfone) from Amazon.com
Nokia 2320 Prepaid GoPhone, Silver (AT&T) with $15 Airtime Credit
Customer Review:This small phone is great as a great back-up or daily use phone.
Pro's: if you play with the phone enough you can customize this phone quite a bit. As far as customizing the phone it is great everything from changing what the buttons do on the front to where the menu icons are located in the menu. ability to add music and other things through a sync cable that you can buy from amazon. BATTERY LIFE AND SIGNAL ARE ASTOUNDING! :) this phone is also quite loud. screen is plenty bright and i have not had a problem yet seeing it in any environment, i.e. sunshine/cloudy/indoor. etc.
Note: if you have a phone contract with AT&T already you CAN take you're sim card out of the current phone you have and put it into this phone; So long as all of you're numbers are saved to the sim card you are all set.
there is actually 11.414 mb of hard memory in the phone as far as i can see, this is enough to add a few tones and some pictures for the background.
Personally I do not use the "prepaid" service so i cannot comment on that subject.
Con's: the buttons are a bit small, when it comes to texting they are a bit too small but when typing in a number or such under short-term use they are suitable. It comes with a limited selection of tones and extraneous features but that is deal-able. when accessing the menus and switching between menus there is a lag. there is no way to add an external memory chip.
Note:
Accessories it comes with: (1) alarm clock, calendar, to-do list, notes, calculator, timer, stopwatch, voice/sound recorder, you can sync and backup the data on the phone, i.e. contacts etc. has a speed dialing function. has T9 or text auto-complete. there are 6 different profiles that allow you to switch tones, ring volumes, and vibration.
LG Neon GT365 Prepaid GoPhone (AT&T) with $50 Airtime Credit
 The LG Neon with a 2.4-inch touchscreen with vibrating feedback... |
Other features include a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, microSD memory expansion to 4 GB, digital audio player and support for AT&T Mobile Music service (additional charges applicable), EDGE cellular data connectivity, organizer tools, and up to 3 hours of talk time.
AT&T GoPhone Service
AT&T's pay-as-you-go GoPhone plans are wireless plans made easy. Simply pay in advance for what you need. No long-term contracts, credit checks, or surprise bills--just all the benefits of wireless, with no complications. In addition, AT&T's Rollover Balance feature lets you carry over your unused account balance when you purchase refill minutes before your balance expires. Other great features include no long distance or roaming fees across AT&T's national service area, the ability to track usage via text messages with an updated balance after each call, and the ability to refill your minutes 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. You can also cancel any time without penalty.
With the Pay As You Go option, you'll choose the rate plan that fits your needs and then start dialing. Your balance is lowered each time you make or receive a call or use services such as text messaging. You can then refill the minutes in your account via the Internet, using your phone (by calling 611 from your cell), or purchasing a pre-paid card in denominations up to $100.
With the Pick Your Plan option, you'll set up monthly, automatic payments with your credit/debit card or checking account. If you need to make more calls or you use up your balance during the month, just add minutes to your account at any time--you'll pay the same per-minute rate as your plan. You can buy more minutes in increments of $15 and $25 using your credit/debit card or checking account.
AT&T has also introduced a new $3 Unlimited calling plan, which charges you $3 per day for unlimited voice calls to anyone nationwide with no per-minute charges. The $3 per day fee is only charged on days when you make or receive a voice call, and the service does not require a deposit or long-term commitment.
 ...and a smooth, slide-out full QWERTY keyboard for easy text messaging and writing longer e-mails. |
The $50 airtime credit available only to GoPhone Pay As You Go customers activating or upgrading using the device contained with the airtime credit package. GoPhone Pick Your Plan is not eligible for any credits. Postpaid customers using this device as an upgrade may be eligible for a credit of 150 minutes. Airtime or minutes credit are provided only in connection with this new device purchase and will not be applied to an account using any other device. Airtime will be credited automatically after activation of the included device. Airtime credit will expire 90 days from the date it is applied to the account.
For new GoPhone customers, once the device and SIM are activated SIM cannot be used with any other device for a set period of time. Existing customers replacing their handsets must have been active customers for at least 4 months on the date of upgrade to receive the airtime or minutes credit and are only qualified to receive one credit every 6 months. Existing postpaid customers must also be on a Rollover plan. Existing customers must use their existing SIM with the new phone not the new SIM. For GoPhone service details and rate plan terms and conditions, see applicable brochure and User Guide or go to terms and conditions.
Phone Features
The LG Neon has a 2.4-inch LCD with a 240 x 400-pixel resolution and support for 262K colors, and it also has an accelerometer for auto-rotation of the screen when you turn it from portrait to landscape view. Below the screen you'll find a colorfully organized four-button navigator that's complemented by send/end keys and two soft navigation keys. When you press the dialer button at the bottom left corner of the phone's navigation area, you'll be able to quickly dial numbers using the touchscreen dialer. All other functions are accessed via the physical navigation keys.
The Home screen menu from LG's Flash user interface (UI) provides quick access to your calendar, alarm clock and digital audio player, and it provides an intuitive tab-based layout for accessing phone, multimedia and other tools. The phone also offers a three-row full QWERTY keyboard that smoothly slides out from the left side of the phone (when viewed in tall portrait mode).
The phone comes with a small 14 MB internal memory, which is expandable via optional microSD memory cards (up to 4 GB in size). The internal phonebook can store up to 1000 contacts, with each entry providing space for up to four phone numbers, one e-mail address, and a picture ID. The phone also includes nine speed dial options (eight entries plus one voice-mail) and support for caller groups as well as designating a specific ringtone to a contact.
Hands-free communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can also wirelessly send contacts, calendar events, notes and pictures. This phone can save up to 20 Bluetooth pairings.
The digital audio player is compatible with MP3, AAC/AAC+, and WMA files, and it allows you to create and manage playlists directly on the phone. Other features include a customizable equalizer and visualization, the ability to multitask in other phone applications while still playing music, and easy transfer of files from your PC via USB (optional cable available separately). The phone also includes a flight mode, which allows you to continue playing music while turning off the cellular radio.
 Capture photos and videos on the go with the 2-megapixel camera/camcorder. |
Other features include:
- SMS text and MMS picture/video messaging
- Threaded messaging displays messages in time-order from a contact
- Mobile e-mail--Yahoo!, AOL, AIM, Windows Live, AT&T Yahoo!, & BellSouth Accounts
- Instant Messaging--AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo! Messenger
- Organizer tools: alarm clock, calendar, notepad, calculator, tip calculator, world clock, tasks, stopwatch, and unit converter
- USB mass storage capabilities and charging via computer (cable sold separately)
- 8 unique ringtones, plus vibrate and silent modes
- Speed dial (8 entries plus 1 voice-mail default)
- Support for real-music ringtones
- Voice memo recording for both reminders and sending via MMS
- Java 2.0 support for application and game downloads
- 8 unique ringtones with vibrate and silent modes; compatible with MP3 real-music ringtones
- Voice memo recording (MMS and general modes)
- Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, e-mail), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures)
Vital Statistics
The LG Neon weighs 3.81 ounces and measures 4 x 2 x 0.66 inches. Its 800 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of talk time, and up to 244 hours (10+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.
Customer Review:When I first got this phone I was in love . It has great graphics , music qualty , nd a full keyboard with a touch screen keypad, BUT!!! what they dont tell you is after 100 text msgs the phone freezes like crazy , the phone has dialing out issues and people have trouble hearing you and calls take forever to connect . So I'm going to return my phone today.
Buy from LG Neon GT365 Prepaid GoPhone (AT&T) with $50 Airtime Credit
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Motorola BACKFLIP Android Phone (AT&T)
 The unique BACKFLIP features a reverse flip design, spacious keyboard and BACKTRACK touch panel (see larger image). |
 With MOTOBLUR, updates from Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter as well as e-mail are automatically delivered to the home screen and fed into easy-to-manage streams. |
With integrated Google technology, the Motorola BACKFLIP brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, GTalk instant messaging (with presence capabilities), YouTube, and Picasa. The BACKFLIP also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail.
This GPS-enabled phone can access Google Maps as well as the AT&T Navigator service for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions. The BACKFLIP comes with a 2 GB microSD memory card pre-installed, and it's compatible with optional additional cards up to 16 GB in size. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for both hands-free communication and stereo music streaming, full HTML Web browser, and up to 6 hours of talk time.
Revolutionary Design
The BACKFLIP's original design can be used in a unique tabletop multimedia mode so you can watch movies, TV shows or other streaming video on the 3.1-inch widescreen display--it's also the perfect set up for using as an alarm clock. And the BACKFLIP's full QWERTY keyboard makes sending messages fast and easy.It also features another Motorola innovation--the BACTRACK rear navigation pad, which simulates a PC experience and makes scrolling and surfing effortless. With the rear BACKTRACK touch pad, you can flick through photos or Web pages for your friends without your fingers obscuring the home screen.
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Key Features
- Fast 3G connectivity via AT&T's HSDPA/UMTS network (850/1900 MHz bands; 3.6/7.2 Mbps speeds with network availability).
- Powered by the Android operating system (version 1.5) with deep integration of Google services and access to thousands of apps to customize your phone via the Android Market. (Learn more)
- Innovative widget-based MOTOBLUR overlay to Android automatically delivers Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and work and personal e-mail updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications. (Learn more)
- Update Facebook, MySpace and Twitter at once instead of opening individual apps as well as upload your photos to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and Photobucket.
- MOTOBLUR continuously displays your friends' latest profile pics as part of your texts, calls, e-mails and address book.
- View your friends your way: MOTOBLUR lets you view friends from A to Z, by contact history or in groups you make yourself.
- Customize your home screen with your favorite widgets and short cuts
- Your information is continuously updated and backed up into a secure environment, so you're connected and protected even if you lose your phone.
- GPS navigation capabilities via AT&T Navigator service includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options.
- Built-in accelerometer and eCompass for use with location and orientation apps.
- 3.1-inch touchscreen display (320 x 480 pixels, 65K colors)
- 5-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, LED flash, video capture (24 fps), and easy uploading of videos to YouTube,
- Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
- Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.0) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock. (Profiles supported: A2DP, HID, HSP, HFP, AVRCP and GAP)
- Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB (2 GB card included).
- Full HTML Web browsing
- Text, picture and video messaging
- Instant messaging via AIM, Windows Live, Yahoo!, and Google Talk
- Push e-mail via Google and Exchange with support for IMAP and POP, MSN Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and AOL Mail
- Google and corporate calendar (supports Exchange 2003 and 2007 protocols)
- Back-up and security: Contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations, e-mail and social network messages are backed up automatically on the secure MOTOBLUR portal. The portal also allows you to use the phone's fully integrated aGPS to help locate the phone if misplaced. Remote wipe easily clears information from a lost device.
- 3.5mm headset jack
- USB connectivity
- Dual microphone with noise cancellation
- Voice dialing capabilities
- 528 MHz processor, 256 MB flash memory
Vital Statistics
The Motorola BACKFLIP weighs 4.7 ounces and measures 4.25 x 2.09 x 0.6 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6 hours of talk time, and up to 324 hours (13.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as AT&T's dual-band 3G network (850/1900 MHz; HSDPA/UMTS) plus 2100 MHz international 3G networks.
What's in the Box
Motorola BACKFLIP handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 2 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide, user manual
AT&T Services
 | High-speed data connectivity via AT&T's 3G mobile broadband data network: The dual-band 850/1900 MHz 3G network provides up to 3.6/7.2 Mbps of download speed, making it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services, and it gives you the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services. Additionally, this phone is also compatible with 2100 MHz 3G networks found in international territories. (For use outside the United States, an AT&T international data plan is recommended.) When traveling outside the U.S., you can enjoy wireless voice coverage in more than 215 countries and wireless data coverage in more than 185 countries--as well as access ultra-fast 3G mobile broadband services in more than 100 countries. In areas where the 3G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it's fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. |
 | The full-featured, premium AT&T Navigator GPS navigation application includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search. |
Learn More
The Power of Android and MOTOBLUR
 Powered by the Android OS, you can customize your Motorola BACKFLIP with thousands of apps available via the Android Market. |
Developed by Motorola, MOTOBLUR is an innovative solution that manages and integrates communications--from work e-mail to social networking activity--on your BACKFLIP. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and work and personal e-mail. MOTOBLUR automatically delivers these updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications to keep up with the latest content.
The BACKFLIP also features multitasking capabilities and one-touch access to the Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa. Easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts is supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. e-mail and contacts are also supported by Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, and other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services. It also combines instant messaging support for Google Talk, as well as AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.
Additionally, the Android Market hosts a wide variety of unique applications, and with the Motorola BACKFLIP's one-click access to it you can find and download a wide range of innovative software applications--from games to social networking and on-the-go shopping--to personalize your phone. Here's a sampling of just some of the available applications:
- Sherpa, created by Geodelic, learns a person's likes and dislikes through behavior and user feedback, prioritizing recommended retailers, restaurants and attractions. Sherpa features a learning machine that automatically customizes itself to the user's preferences.
- imeem Mobile streams music customized to your tastes, recommending new songs and artists based on which songs you identify as your favorites.
- WorldTour puts live webcams from around the world onto your home screen.
- Phonebook offers an upgraded, more personalized phonebook for Android.
- FreshFace is a theme engine to further customize your phone.
- Movies by Flixster takes the aspect of movie reviews to the next level. Through integration with Facebook, you can find friends who also want to see that movie or read reviews from friends who have already seen it.
Customer Review:OK,
I wanted to give 4 starts review but it is too early for me and the product to do that. So, and in order to be fair, I will give 3 starts but I'll explain all the pros and cons I have experience so far. Yes! I own one ... and had no previous smart phone myself but wife has a Blackberry and couple of coworkers iPhones and other Blackberry too.
Pros:
Good Operating system (relatively fast), bunch of free and nice applications because Android is open source, nice design, good reception (so far) and good quality of voice and sound, sturdy not not too heavy, touch screen is responsive and sensitive, free online backup of all contacts, free GPS localization in case of lost
Cons:
Because the position of the keyboard, when closed will always be facing down which I assume over the years will deteriorate the keys (speculation here), blooded with non-free/open source AT&T apps, restarted couple of times and clock crashed a few also, battery life could be better
My experience so far after 5 days of heavy use
Usage and common cellphone features
The menus and the way the Os works is really easy to understand; it will take 1 hour or less to get familiar with the location of things or how to close, open or find anything like a widget or application. We do have speakerphone, and fully integration of social networks or FB with the Address book so you will save tons of time adding numbers and contacts. Screen goes off when talking but if you move the cell away from your head, turns on I guess is because the integrated GPS accelerator; cool feature, saves some battery.
Applications and Widgets
I checked the iPhone too when checking for this one and based on what I've seen so far on the AT&T store and on friend's iPhones, I do not like the idea of specific store to get apps or having to pay all the time for simple stuff. I use Ubuntu Linux at home (the laptop I am using for this review) and after being in contact with how Open Source works I do not want to go back and continue paying for crappy software. Anyway, that is cool of Android: tons of nice apps that expand the cellphone capability. Some that I have downloaded so far, open source (free)
-Chess
-TexasHold'em (you can play online as well, lol )
-Pandora (listen radio music free, your favorite artist)
-Open Search (replace the Yahoo widget for search - personal preference but I do not like Yahoo)
-Task Killer
-Ring Toggle <-- really nice, let you switch from ring to vibrate to silent in just 1 action
Internet
Assuming you have unlimited Internet access you can start enjoining the main benefits of a smart phone once activated. Here is when some people confuse Internet speed with Os speed. There is no reason to blame the cellphone itself but if your Internet experience is not the best, is because AT&T network. On that topic, not disappointed but my UVERSE at home of course is way much faster. But, fast enough to use google map, retrieve emails, post on facebook or read news. You can also open or have 4 browser' windows which is kind of nice as well.
Cellphone layout and feeling
Like I said before, the keyboard will be exposed all the time when closed. I minimized that issue buying a keyboard and screen protector from AT&T store. I am sure you can find similar on ebay. It will protect some way the keyboard and the touch screen too. Money well spent giving the case retail price (before rebates) is about $300.00 I do also like the cellphone's feeling. Does not feel cheap, like other people say. Keys are big enough in my opinion and texting is a blast.
Minor flaws
1st day, when I tried to play around with the clock feature when semi folded and plugged, clock crashed. That happened to me several times. It could be an operating system bug or the battery saving feature interfering with the app. itself, no idea. But, did not happen again and it is not a big deal for me either.
The cellphone uses battery like crazy. If you are a Facebook or Internet addict :-) ...you will be in troubles. But for reasonable Internet usage, like 1 hr or so during the day, lunch time maybe, battery should last until end of business day. Just be sure you are not using lot of widgets or app behind scenes, that is one of the major reasons for running out of battery soon. The TaskKiller widget I mentioned above helps you on that and it is free/open source. You can also turn the screen off immediately pressing the power button once and quickly. That will NOT turns the cellphone off but the screen, saving priceless battery life.
In a short, it is a nice smart phone and great alternative for iPhones or Blackberry. I personally do not like either those, because they are not open source Os and the Blackberry Os is slower compared to Android ... go to a store, and you will see ...
Saturday, April 3, 2010
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