This Bluetooth-enabled phone with a sleek, steel-accented case sports the latest technology--video playback, multiplayer gaming, multimedia messaging and a VGA camera with digital zoom. It's the perfect companion to AT&T wireless service. What's more, it's a quad-band phone with support for global coverage.
Design
Click the image to get a closer look at the V505's features. |
The phone features a sleek clamshell design with a large 176 x 220 color display with 65,000 colors. The outside cover of the handset sports a supplementary 96 x 32 blue monochrome display that can display time, call information, battery and signal strength, and more. The VGA camera lens and self-portrait mirror is housed above this display. A stub antenna is placed on the top right side of the unit, next to the phone's headset jack. Volume buttons are placed on the left side, while a one-touch camera button is on the right. Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. A combined charging and data cable port is placed on the bottom of the phone.
Calling Features
The V505 allows you to assign pictures to your most common callers. It also supports polyphonic ringtones as well as MP3 ringers, allowing you to use portions of your favorite songs to alert you to incoming calls. A number of ringtones come preloaded on the phone and more ringtones can be downloaded from AT&T Wireless' mMode service. There's even an included application, MotoMixer, that lets you mix your own ringtones.
Speed dialing, which allows you to call pre-programmed numbers with one button is built in, as is a vibrating alert. A built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names.
Messaging, Internet and Tools
The V505 features support for ICQ, AOL and Yahoo! instant messaging applications (AT&T messaging charges apply). There's also a built-in web browser for mMode downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T's mMode service lets you receive and send emails, read news headlines, get sports updates, download games and ringtones, and more. Traditional text messaging, as well as picture and sound messaging (MMS) are also supported by the phone. When used in combination with the phone's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. iTap 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.
A number of handy software tools are bundled with the V505 including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a calendar, a notepad and an alarm clock.
Use the V505's Bluetooth capability to set up a wireless link with a Bluetooth headset accessory or connect to a computer or hand-held device to exchange and synchronize data.
Imaging and Entertainment
The V505's Bluetooth connectivity can also be used to transfer pictures, sounds and graphics to the phone's memory from your PC. Screensavers, themes and wallpapers can be set to your tastes. The V505 is Java enabled, meaning it supports games and application downloads written on the Java platform. The phone ships with a single game, Bejeweled, and additional games are available via the mMode service. The phone also supports MPEG4 video playback. Load video clips from your PC or download them from a wireless web provider and enjoy video on the go.
Vital Statistics
The V505 weighs 4.3 ounces and measures 3.5 x 1.9 x .9 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6.5 hours of digital talk time, and up to 200 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
Motorola V505 handset, standard slim lithium-ion battery, travel charger, user's manual.
1 Cool Phone!!!!!
Qualities
I got a motorola v505 for christmas and i think it is an incredible phone where ever i go my signal never ever goes down (wow) i like the camera and i think it produces good quality pictures. It's got blue tooth which i like and also i like how can connect it to your PC it also has instant messaging and can play MP3's. it has a lot of memory space.
Down Sides
there is not much i can think of for this part but one thing i don't like is that it doesn't have many good rings on it (shame) and it comes with one game which is a demo but apart from that nothing much else.
2 finally happy with my cell phone - well, for awhile!
i have been through a few cell phones recently, and i am happy to say i've found one i am happy with! i got this phone, unlocked, (...) popped in my SIM card and was good to go.
i am very pleased with this phone and it's feature set. it also helps that i've been able to "hack" into this phone and transfer games, wallpapers and ringtones without having to pay a huge sum to get them (by using mMode). this phone is pretty customizable, once you get the programs you need to customize it. i know most people don't get this into their cell phones, but it's nice to know it's an option with the V505.
here's what i like about this phone:
* speakerphone is nice and clear. no problems with people hearing me and vice-versa.
* bluetooth, though not a perfect technology, is a nice feature to have.
* ringtone selection is actually pretty good on this phone.
* clarity of calls is excellent.
* nice sturdy design and feel. some people complain that this phone is "heavy", but i don't mind a phone that weighs an ounce more. ;)
* screen is beautiful. colors are bright and menues are easy to see.
* camera is one of the better ones i've seen, though still, don't expect these pictures to be good for anything other than wallpaper on your phone.
* added features like the datebook and themes are nice, though most people won't probably use these!
* mp3 ringtones. woohoo!
* 5MB of internal storage is nice. not a ton, but you should have more than enough space for games, wallpapers, etc.
* it's a quad-band! not useful for me, but those of you who travel to europe will like feature.
* very stylish, though industrial-looking, phone.
here's the "bad" stuff, though none of this was a big deal (and doesn't detract from my love of this phone), but it's worth noting:
* motorola's address book could stand an overhaul. it's ass-backwards, but there are ways of working around it.
* only ONE GAME is included and it's a demo version. c'MON! that's a total rip.
* outer LCD display is kinda poor compared to the beautiful screen that's on the inside. and, when someone calls, you can only see the first few letters of that person's name.
* call and send buttons are reversed. no idea why. you get used to it though.
* phone doesn't come with the cable to connect it to your computer, nor the mobile phone tools software. this stuff should definitely be included.
* manual is crap, but you've half a brain, you can figure out most features of this phone.
though no provider is currently selling this phone anymore (at&t was the last one to carry this, before the buyout), you can still buy them on ebay. this phone has basically been replaced by cingular's V551. other phones that are very similar are the V525, V400, V551, V600, etc. all seem to get pretty good reviews. i am a newly-converted motorola fan!
5/4/2005: after having this phone about four months, it started going buggy on me. started dropping calls, cutting out, etc. i thought initially, it was cingular, but i swapped my SIM card and tried out another phone and sure enough, that one was fine. i finally made the switch to cingular (from my old at&t plan) and got a V551, so here's hoping!
3 V505
Having been a customer of AT&T, PacBell, and now SBC - I am astonished that they have moved to Cingular and did not inform their customers... my current cell phone has broken (AT&T) and I have one year left on my "contract" I need to get another phone that is compatible and would like to get the V505 or V220 - how is this possible when all of the AT&T's have been discontinued!?
So, where can I get this a residual AT&T phone that will work on my current "contract" fyi - to get out of the "contract" will cost me $179.00, unless I go over to Cingular - and initiate another "contract" this to me is bull.
4 Sleek, Stylish, and Packed with Features!
For a while i was contemplating on wether to get this phone or the nokia 6820. i compared the two and found out that the v505 had a bigger screen, better camera, more features, and a brighter screen, so it wasn't a hard decision to go for the v505. I am very happy with this piece of art.
PROS:
1. Big bright wonderful screen.
2. external LCD to see incoming calls and the date and time.
3. Loud speakerphone.
4. Absolutley great camera with vivid pictures.
5. many different ways to customize.
CONS:
1. To unlock the keypad you have to enter a pin #, and you can't answer calls unless it unlocked.
As you can see the PROS greatly outweigh the CONS. Motorola has done a great job on this phone.
5 Great Phone - only one issue that I've had
I just ported my phone from T-mobile (Which has the absolute worst service in Michigan, at least with a T-610) to AT&T. I did not do it through Amazon because I found out that amazon does not have the capability to port numbers with AT&T or Cingular yet. Instead, I did it through intelenet.com (which, I believe, is affiliated with Wirefly.com). Anyway, I ended transferring my old numbers from my other phone onto my sim card and presto - no tedious re-entering. I also love the fact that this phone, like the T610 has Bluetooth integrated within. It also takes Mp3 format so I was able to take snipits of songs I love and transport them onto my phone as ringtones. The only problem that I have had with this phone is the side buttons. Unless your ring mode is on Vibrate or silent - you might come across a loud beep sound if you keep your phone in your pocket... Whenever the phone is in ringer mode, the side buttons make a loud beep when you press them and I hate it - sounds like a wanted glitch to me... otherwise - I can't say I have any other complications - takes pretty good pictures too - I also saw a member mention that you can take videos with this phone. They are not correct. This phone only takes pictures. Hope this helps you potential buyers out there.
6 Great Phone But Spotty Reception (With AT&T Service)
Just upgraded my Moto from the V220 to this V505. Had the phone for 3 days and so far NO REGRETS in switching. It's certainly a "looker" with a nice finish outside. Only bummer is the spotty reception using AT&T's service. I'm hoping with AT&T's buyout from Cingular that the reception can only improve within next few months as the service makes its final transition over to Cingular.
I am not one who hangs on the phone constantly so I have not had the battery recharge problems that some others have commented. Actually I keep the phone turned on throughout the day and so far I've only done one full charge the past three days, which is a pretty good sign if you ask me.
There are many PROS with this phone and a few CONS:
Obviously the PROs far outweigh the CONS --
1. Beautiful blue-gray exterior finish,
2. Sharp LCD screen,
3. Nice size keypad (no fumbling or hitting the wrong number, especially those with big clumsy fingers).
4. Good sound quality (when reception is working thru AT&T --- please, I hope that Cingular has BETTER reception !)
5. Nice, solid comfortable feel (no accidental "slippage" or dropping the phone). This phone definitely looks and feels expensive --- not a plasticky toy look-a-like.
6. Even the rings that come with the phone are neat (my fav is the "Soft" ringer setting -- a very catchy jazzy-disco beat).
A few CONS ---
1. Spotty reception problems with person's voice dropping out in the middle of a conversation. At first I thought I lost the call only to realize the call wasn't dropped, but the voice is already gone.
Again, I'm hoping this is an AT&T problem, but I had the same problem with the previous Moto V220 model, so sounds like it's not a sample defect, but reception problem.
2. Can't activate Speakerphone BEFORE a call is completed. Which means you have to wait until a call goes thru before the Speakerphone option pops up on the screen, which stinks. Who has time to wait for this to happen? What if you're driving ??
3. Compared to Nokia models, it takes a bit more time pulling up your phone list on the Moto models. Which means a few more strokes before getting to your friend or loved one's number. Moto REALLY needs to make the phone list feature A LOT more user-friendly. This is probably my biggest pet peeve with this phone. I hate hitting more than 3 strokes just to pull up somebody's number.
4. The "Send" and "Hang Up" buttons are REVERSED on this model, which is a Very STRANGE decision from Moto. What gives for making this decision ?? Most if not all models these days have the "Send" button on LEFT side and "Hang Up" on RIGHT side. If this is no big deal for you, then no worries. It kinda irked me the first day or so, but now, it's no big deal. Maybe for a Lefty, this reversal is more preferable.
Otherwise I would say get this Moto V505 if you feel the AT&T Wireless reception is not a factor where you live. Around here there are many hills, so most of the time I have to wait until I leave the area before attempting any calls. On good days, I can make / receive calls at home.
Overall, a "Best Buy" for those signing up with AT&T Wireless (which may not exist by the time you read this !) If you're stuck with Cingular, Moto has a similar model -- the V551 which is almost the identical twin to this V505. But I still prefer the 505 simply because it has a more flashier look to it. I am sure I will grow to love this phone very much.
7 Awesome phone
I just got this phone for Christmas. I already had an AT&T plan and just needed a new phone. I had the NEC 525 and hated it. It dropped calls like no tomorrow. The V505 is an awesome phone. I have never had anything like it. The camera is great. I love all of the features. I also love that you can get real tones. The phone is just everything I wanted. It also has yet to drop a call. So, I am very glad I got this phone
8 My First Switch from Nokia to Motorola V505
I finally took the plunge. After being an ATT Wireless customer for 7+ years; I decided to upgrade to their next generation services in order to save on an extra line for my wife. I have been using Nokias for the past 5 years; regularly updating every 12 mos or so; I was hesitant to switch. But really do like this phone. Compared to the Sony/Ericson T637; much easier to use and navigate. Compared to Nokias available in late Nov at Cingular/ATT; much better design. A Good Value if you can get a promotion from Cingular (which you should be able to do); existing customers; you should be able to get this phone inexpensively as a promotion or upgrade as well (keep pushing rep or supervisor). I can not comment on video capabilities as this is not a priority for me.
Pros-
Intuitive and Easy User Interface
Good Color Screen & Graphics
Wallpaper Design Options & Flexib
Bluetooth Compatible
Good volume Levels for Standard Talk, Speakerphone & Headphones
Solid Feel to Hold
Good Size Keypad
Downloadable Ringtones- excellent sound quality
Cons-
Battery Life Good; but not quite as good as estimated
Large Size Phone(relative to what's fast hitting the market)
No Infared
Camera- A bit Grainy/soft
Pictures; not easily transferred or without cost if you dont sign up for m mode options
9 overall it pleases
I used Nokias before this, and my last one was much less sexy than the V505, gray scale, no internet, etc etc, no picture ID, no camera, but very functional and reliable, except when dropping calls.
The step up to the V505 has been pleasant. I like the
visual look of the phone and graphical interface. I find it easy to use.
The manual sucked, useless. Motorola supposedly has a better manual downloadable on their site but it wasn't working.
Both AT+T and Motorola tech support were very helpful and got me up and running int he absence if a manual.
No ear phone was bad. I bought one at the AT+T store and it was awful. I got one for free with another cell accessory on eBay that works great.
However Bluetooth was one of the main features I wanted when I got the phone, and I've gotten the HF800 speaker and a Plantronics headset. They're easy to activate, especially the speaker, all i have to do is push one button and the phone and speaker immediately work together.
To use the bluetooth with my PowerBook to send and receive photos and mp3s, all i had to do was search for the phone with my computer and voila, it worked immediately. I didn't need any software. it was plug and play, easy as pie. Works great, fast and convenient, same with the speaker and headset. Very cool.
Another feature i really wanted was the speaker phone and that has been a real disappointment for the reason someone else mentioned. i wanted it for handsfree safety while driving. Instead, it's tricky and difficult to use. Instead of being able to just turn on the speaker phone and make the call, you have to first dial the number, then you have to watch the little icon of the phones connecting, and when they connect, only then can you click on Speaker, so it's not very safe while driving, because of the need to keep an eye on that little screen in order to be able to activate the speaker. And, if you're using the speaker phone and you want to switch to regular mode in the middle of a call, which I often want to do, for example, if it's too hard to hear the speaker, you can't switch. Once you activate the speaker, the 'Speaker' selection goes away, replaced by Store. You are stuck, you have to keep the speaker on.
For this reason, i wanted to exchange my V505 for a V551, which does not have this problem, but AT+T gave me a great deal on my plan, about 1100 anytime minutes, free mobile to mobile, free long distance, and evenings starting at 7pm. To use the V551, i would have to switch to Cingular, and Cingular would not give me a plan anywhere near that good. So, with some regret, I chose to stay with the V505. It's still a great phone, very classy, and generally functions well.
So my favorite things are, the look and feel, sound quality, bluetooth, ringtones, picture i.d., camera, voice dialing and large memory/storage capacity.
Least favorite things are, the speaker phone is too hard to use, the internet is nice to have, but slow and not so easy to navigate, one phone number entry per person, unless you retype everything for each number, and some times i don't receive calls, related to reception I guess--I suppose that's the AT+T's GSM network's problem rather than the phone? I don't know.
Another thing I don't like that was not a problem on my Nokia is that sometimes, fairly often, when I am pressing the keys to dial a number, the key sound sustains really long and i can't go on to the next number. It's never easy or fast to dial the number because of this, i have to dial very carefully.
I like the V505 so much that I want the V551 because it's almost the same phone, it has all the things I like, plus some others that i want. I like the look of the V505 better than the V551. I don't like the brushed metal on the V551 nearly as much as the style of the v505. To me, the V505 is more tasty eye candy.
I would think most people would be happy with this phone.
10 Cool Phone.............with some side effects
This phone is very good. ie. in terms of it's features: bluetooth,vga camera,video playback, ect. it ranks among some of the best. Side effects...... it is locked to AT&T, It's phonebook does not faciliate multiple numbers to one name,doesn't come with atleast the little crappy ear peice which comes with most phones,after being kina on the expensive side does not come with tha cable or software package for the phone. (...)I've had this phone for about 3 weeks now and i must say call reception is great, camera is impressive its camera is even sharper than the v600, You may have a problem with the side buttons which get press at odd times when u have the phone in your pocket but this is not too much of a big deal, Its bluetooth connectivety with other bluetooth headsets and items is very reliable. This phone deserves 5 starts all how i look at it.
11 Not intuitive, no Bluetooth for iSync
I got this recently and decided in less than a week that it's wasn't for me.
Even as a geek, I had a very hard time navigating through its menus. The Bluetooth capability is limited to simple connectivity with my Powerbook, but will not wirelessly. for that I'd need to spend more money to either get a cable - then why did I buy Bluetooth? - or buy an additional piece of software (that didn't allow me to try it first before paying).
So, I've returned the phone AND gotten stuck with a piece of connectivity software that I paid for.
The phone's purty, yes. But it's insides aren't.
12 DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE IF YOU NEED TO ACTIVATE IT
Great deal, great phone, too bad you cannot get it activated! Since AT&T was bought by Cingular, you need to get new activation from Cingular; this phone comes with an AT&T SIM card. So when you try to activate it it will not work and Cingular has to send you out a different SIM card.
When the SIM card arrives and you put it in your phone you learn that the phone is locked to AT&T, and even though Cingular owns AT&T they tell you that the phone will not work with Cingular. Then when you tell them you got it at Amazon they chuckle and tell you that was your first mistake that people have trouble all the time with Amazon.
So unless you know how to unlock the phone, you are out of luck and in for a lot of frustration.
13 webmerch
I agree with the reviewer of October 17 (plaintiger). I had a V400 and it was so terrible i gave it to my kids as a toy after two weeks of struggling with it. The reason i bought it in the first place was the Motorola reputation from the old days and the money you made after rebate. Since i was stuck with a two year contract, i bought V505 on line and the same piece of you know what! I simply can not believe Motorola makes junk these days.
stay away from Moto and don't be fooled by rebate like i did. you end up paying more by buying your own cell phone. read the reviews on any cell phone before you buy one. The V505 is also very unfriendley. I think i'll give this one to my kids as well.
14 Chic, Stylish and Technically Perfect
I bought V600 a couple of months back. While the phone looks great, it does have a few issues. V505 is an upgrade. Motoroal has fixed a number of problems in this cellular phone and made it easier to use.
Most cellphone users like me are concerned with few major functions in their instrument. This review will answer your questions regarding most these frequently used features:
1) Looks: I found V600 more stylish than this new model but that doesn't mean that 505 looks bad. It actually looks great too but just a little bit less chic than V600.
2) Camera: Like all cell phone cameras, it can click decent pictures. Don't compare these to the pictures from your digital camera. Cell phones pics do not have very high resolution. They are for namesake only.
A little mirror placed just above the LCD screen on the front of the instrument lets you click self pictures accurately.
3) Video Camera: The V505 allows you to shoot short, few second long videos. Once again, the video cannot be compared to one taken by your sony camcorder, but it is decent for having fun as it records sound too.
4)Large LCD screen: The camera has 2 LCD screens, one on the front that lets you view the ph. number of incoming call and current time without having to open the phone, and other on the inside which is the main screen and shows your pics, videos, history, ph. book, games etc.
5) Java Enabled: Yes. You can download games, ring tones and other cool stuff into your camera!
6) Text Messages: Fully capable of accepting and sending text messages. If you don't know, your friends on yahoo messenger can send text messages to your cell phone for FREE!
7) Bluetooth enabled: You can sync up the phone with other BT enabled devices. Really cool feature
8)Internet Enabled: Needless to say, it allows you to surf the web and send emails.
9) Voice Dialling and Speed dialling: Numbers stored in your phone (not SIM card) can be dialled using voice commands.
10) Auto Answer feature: I like this the best. I can setup the phone so that if the headset is plugged in, it will auto answer the phone after 5 rings (or 10, whatever you want). This way I don't have to open the phone while i am driving! I can just put the earphone in my ears and start talking once i get connected!
11) Speakerphone: Another great feature if I don't have headset available.
CONCLUSION: If you can, go for V505. It is very inexpensive with most ATT/Cingular plans and provides best value for money.
I hope you will like it as much as I do.
15 Good Deal. Great Phone
I really like my phone. Once I get my rebates back I'll love it. It sounds clear, no echoing. My friends are jealous of all the cool stuff it has and does. No problems with this phone and me.
16 Nice phone..but..
I had been using Nokia phones before I switched to this based on some of the reviews I read earlier. My experience with the motorola v505 so far has been average..
The pros:
1. Quad band support(world phone)
2. Bluetooth "enabled"..
3. Nice display
4. Good camera and a reasonable speakerphone
5. Feels solid compared to many other flip phones in the market.
The cons:
1. Does not come with necessary bluetooth software.. Motorola expects us to pay for this seperately (about ~$50) which I think is not right. Having paid for the phone to get the bluetooth feature, I expected Motorola to bundle the software along with the phone.
2. Does not support infrared which is available on most laptops unlike bluetooth.
3. Absolutely minimal games included with the phone.
4. Address book management is very average. With the nokia phones, we can store multiple numbers under one name which is very convenient. Here each name can have multiple numbers, but shows up as different entries while viewing the address book. So u end up spending a lot more time in scrolling thro the contact list.
17 Pretty Good Phone
I have now been using the Motorola v505 for about two months, and I can say I am pleased with the phone (I replaced an old, well worn Motorola v90i with this phone -- decided to stick with the brand as the v90i served me well). I am less pleased with the AT&T (now Cingular) M-Mode service that it is supposed to support, but I'm not going to ding the phone for that. Here's the news...
THE PRO's
1) Better than average user interface, especially for Motorola, who, prior to this effort, has been running a *VERY* distant third behind Nokia and Samsung in this category
2) Nice solid build without being too heavy -- slips into my pocket well (I don't have the problems with the external buttons being accidentally pressed that some other reviewers mentioned below)
3) Long and deep selection of ring tones included with the phone
4) Exceptional performance when synched with the recommended wireless, blue tooth headset (note on blue tooth: it is a power pig, so blue tooth is by default not activated on this phone; expect blue tooth usage to cut talk-time by more than half -- I did not ding the phone for this as I believe it to be a long and lingering and possibley unfixable blue tooth specific issue)
5) Can synch incoming caller ID info with the pictures you can take with the included camera -- e.g., when my wife calls, her picture is automatically displayed, whereas when my girlfriend calls, I choose to have a less incriminating picture of the Yankees display (just kidding!)
6) Built in camera takes suprisingly good pictures. I first thought that a built in camera was a senseless, stupid, money wasting idea -- I have since found it to be a very fun feature that I use a lot
7) Excellent reception and sound characteristics
8) Color display is shar and clean
9) Good battery life when not in blue tooth mode
THE CON's
1) Motorola still has UI work to do -- for example, to connect to the wireless headset, the user is required to hit more than a dozen buttons
2) Not one game is included for free (I almost gave the phone zero stars for this, but it's Sunday and I'm in a forgiving mood) -- I know cell phone games are usually lame anyway, but they're a good distraction if you're like me and spend more than ten hours going to and from work every week on the train
3) Does not come with a belt clip (one can be purchased for ~25 bucks)
4) Don't even bother with the documentation, as it is totally useless (this "con" is mitigated by the fact that the user interface is pretty darned intuitive)
5) It is not exactly easy to input address information. Nobody exceeds blackberry devices in this capacity, and I wish all cell phone manufacturers would simply recognize defeat and reverse-engineer as neccesaary (this and the game issue are the primary reasons for me not giving the v505 five stars)
Net/net: good solid effort from Motorola. I use it for both business and personal use and have found that it services both spaces very well.
A final note on M-Mode from AT&T -- at almost $15.00 per month, possibley the worst cost to value service available on the planet. Here's why...
1) Unbelievable amount of SPAM coming to my inbox (and it's all from AT&T!!!)
2) Even with a $15.00 per month service fee, they charge additional for services I believe should be included (e.g. IM, recieving MMS messages) -- adding insult to injury is that A&T SMSes me all the time. It's hard to differentiate their IM messages from the message waiting notification service I have set up for voice mail. Every time I go to check AT&T's SMS message, they detract 100k from the 4 megs of free data usage that comes with the contract -- my thoughts on this: absolute madness.
3) Bill is so complex that it is unreadable (and I have been in the telecom business for 15 years)
4) Can not "push" M-Mode address book information to the physical layer of the device. This means every time I want to access my address book, AT&T detracts usage from my 4 meg monthly allotment. A worse misapplication of technlogy has not been seen since Apple rolled out the Lisa. An integrated address book should be just that: integrated.
5) M-Mode is sloooooooooooooooow.
6) I pay $15.00, it's worth about $1.00 per month (I'll be cancelling it tonight)
18 Please give your review a title.
Pros: Very stylish and attractive phone, very low noise and never have a problem hearing anyone as long as there are at least 2 bars, which is pretty much everywhere with ATT's free roaming.
Cons: Not ideal for people who like to keep their phone in their pocket. The side buttons are constantly pressed which means that you never know what your ring type and level will be at any moment. Plus my antena has somehow come off although I have never done anything more violent than put it in and out of my pocket which to me would indicate poor construction. Plus I don't know if this is a problem with the phone or ATT but most of the time the phone does not indicate any missed calls or messages until hours our days later which can be VERY annoying.
19 AWESOME CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Some adults might not take a kids opinion seriously but heres mt 2 cents anyway
I got this fone for christman(yea i no its early but my parents plan ran out so...) and what a great present it is.
+++Pros+++
FIrst of all this is my first fone(no surprise)but many of my friends have phones and when i compare the reception (NYC Metro)on this phone with some of theirs its pretty much leaves them in the dust. WHere some of my friends get 2-3 i get 4-5.
The camera is very cool. Now i can take pictures anywhere anytimes. The quality cant compare to my dad 5MP but thats to be expected.
Bluetooth is also useful for transfering pictures to my dad BT-enabled laptop. It is a great alternative to subscribing to ATT outrageously expensive picture messaging plans. Also i transfered many ringtones from the laptop that i dled on there and tranferrd via BT
Earpiece volume is great.
Inculded Ringtones are better than expected though i still got some others
RF is also impressive not one dropped call in 3 1/2 weeks
---Cons---
A smidge on the bulky and heavy side
Battery life is ok not great and could be better
===Indifferent to===
Voice Dialing was a little cinfusing to setup but i dont use that much so...
Speakerphone could be louder but again i dont use these things
THIS PHONE IS THE BOMB AND IF YOUR CONSIDERING IT GET IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
One Note:
The v551 is out for cingular and adds video capture and EDGE but it is a little thicker and heavier and more expensive ands its not ATT. The video capture is also useless very jerky so the only reason i would get the v551 is if ur a cingular loyalist or u cant live without EDGE.
MY 2 CENTS
20 Fantastic phone, few gripes
I have owned a lot of phones over the last 15 years and this is one of the best. I have been using a sony-E 616 for the last several months and have hated it the entire time. It dropped calls constantly, voices were chopped, bluetooth was unreliable, etc. The V505 has yet to drop a call and everyone that I call says that it is much clearer (See headset note below) than any that I have had before.
Pros:
1) Reception is outstanding
2) Bluetooth works great
3) Sound and voice quality are great
4) I love the solid and extremely attractive styling
5) The blue backlit display on the face of the phone showing time, callers and functions at a glance without having to open the clamshell
6) Large, easily read display
7) Cool ringtones
8) Compact design
9) Auto answer is a cool idea. You can set the phone to auto answer after a set number of rings...great if you are using a headset and don't want to fumble with the phone.
10) Did I say great reception?
Cons:
1) Terrible manual
2) Somewhat non-intuitive interface....not as easy as Nokia
3) Bluetooth phone driver is not yet available for the Palm Tungsten....terrible if you want to use your Palm to dial the phone via bluetooth. When they have this available, the combo will be the best out there. Update: you can use Palm's generic driver to dial the phone, but you cannot use the bluetooth headset while using your Palm (or pocket PC) to dial the phone.
4) Bluetooth signal is lost occasionaly. I am trying the three best bluetooth headsets on the market (Motorola's HS810, the Jabra BT250 and the Logitech Mobile Bluetooth Headset)and all seem to do this. By the way, the Motorola headset is the smallest and easiest to carry, but it isn't loud enough and will not answer the phone if you don't open it within three rings. The Jabra seems to work the best, but will eventually make your ear sore with its ear bud and it isn't compact. The Logitech has incredible sound quality, is supremely comfortable, is very intuitive, is instantly swappable from ear to ear and has plenty of volume; however, I am on my second one (the first quit working after 4 days) This headset keeps on working no matter what I do to it..
This phone is worth the money, especially if you use it for business. Who wants to irritate customers with dropped calls!!!
BUY IT!
21 Best phone I've had yet
I bought this phone about two weeks ago, and it has far surpassed my expectations. The reception is great, voice quality is amazing (for the first time I don't have to hold a phone six inches from my ear), and it looks awesome. There's a ton of features, and I've found everything to be easily accessible and simple to use. I'm sure other people will use it for a lot more than I do, but the basics are better than any other phone I looked at. This was the most expensive phone I've ever purchased, but it was worth the money and then some.
22 Great phone ... but there is always room for improvement.
This phone replaced my MPX200. I cannot speak for others out there, but my MPX200 broke 3 times in the course of 1 year. Thank god for AT&T's warranty program. Sorry I digress.
Haves:
1. The V505 has far superior receptionto my MPX200. As others have stated, my home was a virtual dead zone for my MPX. THe V505 can place calls everywhere in the house and I was even able to continue a conversation while in a closed elevator.
2. The sound is also much more audible. With the ringer set to loud I can hear the phone ringing even while driving ... well pretty fast on the highway with windows down.
3. This is my first camera phone. I don't have anything to compare to, but the camera can zoom and brighten the image before you take the shot. Seems like a very nice feature.
Have nots:
1. Why the bloody hell is there not an earpiece in the box? I have had 20 phones in my life and even the crappiest first phone I bought had a bloody earpiece. Yes I know that means I should have plenty, but that is besides the point. Boo Motorola.
2. The MPX had a slot to insert a SD memory card. This was fantastic for transfering files and ring tones between my phone and computer. I am aware that the phone is bluetooth enabled, but now I need the $80 bluetooth dongle and software.
3. Perhaps this is on the way, but when did motorola stop making phone covers that aren't just pouches?
As others have already stated. This is really a good phone. The have nots items are just me being somewhat picky. All in a ll a great phone. Only 4 stars because, well I am just not that easy of a grader.
23 One of the best phones on the market!
Pros:
1. Easy to navigate menu.
2. Great reception!
3. Well constructed!
4. Easy to read color screen!
5. Easy to use camera and good quality pictures for a camera phone. (You really see how good the pics are when you download them to your computer!)
Cons:
1. User manual basically non-existant!
Basically Motorola really outdid themselves this time! Big improvement over the V600 which had problems with the bluetooth connecting to a computer and some reception problems! Anyone who says that this phone is hard to navigate is a complete moron and should never buy a camera phone in the first place. Even though the user manual is not the best, you still can go to Motorla.com to get the complete instructions in a PDF file download! And as for the buttons on the side, they never seem to get in the way! They give you easy access to the voice cammands, volume control, and switching which ring style you prefer! Also the international capability of this phone will really come in handy for you international travelers! It worked all across europe with just the change of a sim card located underneath the battery! Those of you who are worried about the weight of this phone, it's not for you! It's a little heavier than most flip phones but that's due to the solid construction of this phone.
All in all I have had a lot of camera phones since they've been introduced and I have to say that motorola really did a good job with this phone. I definitely recommend this phone to anyone who is thinking about it, especially the international traveler!
24 A great phone but nothing is perfect.
I bought the V505 to replace a S-E T616 (both with AT&T) because I was fed up with my T616's software locking up, poor reception, and a screen that was all but invisible in natural light. So far I am glad I made the switch.
PROS:
The phone feels very well built and rugged. Some complain of the heavy feel but I like it. It's easier to hold such a small phone when there is some mass to it. Also, the lightly rubberized trim helps you hold on to it to. It has a nice bright screen so your custom wallpapers will look great. The built-in speakerphone is excellent. Most of the time people can't even tell I'm on a speaker phone. That is probably the best feature of the phone. Bluetooth was easy to set up with my Jabra BT-200 BT headset. It took about 3 minutes to do. The ringer is adequately loud and the ability to use MP3 ringtones is very cool. The camera is decent. I actually like the clamshell design as it protects the screen and the keys. The keys light up well with a soft blue backlight.
The reception is better than my T616 in my limited usage so far. There were two spots near my house where I was guaranteed to drop a call with the T616 and the V505 has worked in both spots. I expect the reception to be better overall.
Overall, a good phone. It looks good and works well.
CONS:
I believe that there is no perfect product out there and no matter which phone you get, there will be some compromise.
I was disappointed to find no wired ear-mic in the box. That's just cheap! The manual is almost useless. It is poorly written, the index doesn't match up, the instructions are very limited, and there is insufficient coverage of important features like the phone book. Terrible! I have abandoned the manual in place of my own tinkering and the Internet phone forums. The menus are indeed less intuitive than with other phones like Nokias and the S-E's but it just takes some time. The little buttons on the side are a bit of a pain but you get used to their presence.
I bought a Motoral data cable and was very unhappy that for $30 it did not include the necessary software to utilize it. (Motorola's mobile Phone Tools program - "mPT") That costs an additional $30. Either the phone itself or the cable should come with the software. (Smart Internet surfers/shoppers can find both items inexpensively.)
Battery life does not seem to be as good as other phones like Nokia and S-E. I haven't fully tested the limits of the battery but if it's like the V600, I'm glad that I bought a spare battery.
As good as the speakerphone is, I have yet to figure out a way, if it's even possible, to turn it on to make a call. As it is now you have to dial the number and wait until the call is connected before you can switch to the speakerphone. Maybe there is a way but the manual certainly doesn't describe it.
CONCLUSION:
This is the best GSM phone that is offered by AT&T. It's mix of form factor, features, and looks makes it a winner. There are other good phones but they lack features or do not feel as durable. If you want a camera phone with Bluetooth, polyphonic and MP3 ringtones, and a speakerphone, this is your phone.
25 Far Better than the V600, its the replacement for it
I love this phone, it actually replaces the V600 until they sell out of them, the reception is far better and other than the casing of the phone it is identical, Ive tested both!
26 as unintuitive and poorly documented as it is pretty
not everyone has technological intuition; most people can't feel the difference between a product that was manufactured to benefit them and one that was manufactured to benefit the manufacturer. if they could, the Macintosh would be the only personal computer on the planet and Nokia would be the world's only cell phone manufacturer. but as it is, Microsoft is the world's largest manufacturer of operating systems for "personal" computers, and we're saddled with products like the Motorola v505.
now don't get me wrong: the v505 is a very full-featured phone; it offers all the cool technological gadgetry you could desire, and while i can't be sure, only having had the phone a week, it seems to offer it in a reasonably well-constructed package. but Motorola is far more interested in getting that gadgetry into your hands and the money out of your pocket than in making sure you can use that gadgetry comfortably and productively - or in some cases, that you can use it at all.
as sleek and beautiful as it is to look at (it's easily one of the prettiest cell phones on the market), the v505 is unintuitive and uncomfortable to use, with a convoluted (and correspondingly extensive) menu system, side-mounted buttons that make it difficult to so much as pick up the phone without inadvertently activating something, letters printed small and dark enough on the keypad to make text messaging beget eyestrain, and some of the poorest documentation i've ever encountered (and i've worked in the computer industry - i've encountered some terrible documentation). if the feature of the v505 that you're interested in isn't poorly documented in the manual, then it's not documented there at all. what, for example, is "fixed dial"? dunno - the manual's happy to tell me how to activate it, but offers not a word on what it is. what does "battery save" do? it's anybody's guess. i mean, it's obvious what the end effect is, but how does the "battery save" function affect the phone's behavior? under what circumstances might i want to turn it off, since i'm given the option? dunno. what are "reminders", as presented in the "ring styles" menu? of what might they remind one? dunno. ah, but wait, there's hope: in the front of the manual it says that more detailed documentation is available on Motorola's website - it even gives a specific URL! i'll go there...to find that the manual was lying through its little paper teeth. there is no documentation for this phone avaliable through that web page that i'm not already holding in my hand.
it's this accumulation of inconveniences, misleadings, and failures to inform that makes it clear to me that Motorola couldn't care less about me or my experience in using this phone - whether it's easy or enjoyable or even understandable. all they care is that i buy it, after which i'm on my own. this is the hallmark of the Company That Doesn't Care, the embodiment of the corporate nightmare against which our sages have been warning us for generations. and to my mind there's no better reason not to support such a company than to discourage this "buy our product and to hell with you" philosophy.
27 An All Around Fantastic Cell Phone
This has been a great phone for the entire time I have had it. It has been extremely reliable, never dropping calls--it always has great audio quality. I have never had to even call Motorola for technical support, as I have had to do with just about every other phone I have ever used.
Motorola in general makes a higher quality cell phone than any other company, even Samsung and Sony (especially Nokia and Siemens). Not only don't they have problems, but they have great features. This is one of the only phones that has every feature I was looking for:
1) Camera with a incredibly clear picture, with zoom feature, the ability to change the color, sharpness, and contrast of the picture. It has the ability to adjust for the lighting quality and it even has a little mirror by the lens for perfectly centered self-portraits.
2) It's a flip-phone, which to me is very important because I like the style more and I don't have to worry about locking the keypad. Also, the screen on the outside of the phone allows you to see who is calling and what time it is without having to open the phone.
3) It has a speaker phone that is even better than trying to use a headset. It is loud and clear and completely hands-free. Much better than fumbling around with a headset every time I get in and out of the car.
4) It has tons of great downloadable games, which is great for standing in line at the post office or waiting for pizza to cook. If you play games on your phone often and are tired of playing the same three games, this phone has more options than you could possibly need.
5) Bluetooth wireless technology means I can connect the phone to my computer from across the room without having to fumble around with cables. For downloading pictures, calander data, and memos it is priceless.
In conclusion, Motorola makes great cell phones, and of those phones the V505 is one of the best. It is sleek, stylish and sexy, loaded with features and options, and has great video and audio quality. What more could you want?
28 this phone rockS
i love this phone. it is sleek and stylish. it has a clear camera built on it with zoom. it has awesome reception and a clear speaker phone. also the tones and alarm sounds are loud enough so you won't miss your calls. the picture quality is quite clear as well. you won't be dissatisfied!
29 Phenomenal Phone
This phone is phenomenal! I have had this phone for about two weeks and I have nothing negative to report. I have yet to have a dropped call which is a huge surprize ( being a previous owner of the MPx200 which drop calls happen regulary). I highly recommend this phone.I have yet to purchase the blue tooth technology, but given the review and the word of mouth on how compatible they are, I am eager to bring the two together. If you want a great phone with so many universal options, so many diffrent ring tone/real music tone options, calendar date book, screen saver, backgrounds, and camera than this is the phone for you. Money is no object when it comes to the Motorola V505.
Inside info:
For those of you like myself looking for the latest phone with the best options, the difference between the V600 and the V505, is that the V600 has differnt color IDs (mood lighting). Also the key pad on the V505 is much more functional (spacing) than the V600. Overall, both are great phones.
I tried both both phones and found that the V505 was a more functional and comfortable phone compared to the V600.
30 Outstanding Phone
I just picked this phone up a few days ago. This hardware not only looks good, but it works very good as well. Many of the same features as a lot of other phones out there. The display graphics are done very well. The reception when compared to my other phone is also very good.
The Bluetooth also works better on this model than others I have tried. We liked this phone so much that after one day, we purchased 2 more for others members in my family. You really need to check this phone out for yourself to appreciate how well this hardware was put together.
I obviously recommend this phone
