1 CELL PHONE
I have had this phone for about a year and I treat my phone with a lot of care. I rarely drop it, (everyone drops it once in a while.) There a a lot of great qualities but there are some things that can get a little tough to deal with. There is barley any reception on these phones, many will have 4 or 5 bars on their other model phones, and mine will have two. The front LCD panel ( the front of the phone) never worked from the day i bought it, and my phone calls are dropped all the time. Randomly my phone will just turn off in the middle of a text message or dialing a phone call and turn back on about a minute later. And the phone doesn't hold a charge for very long. Some of the other reviews say that it is hard to navigate and you can't add a number after writing a text message without having the number in your hand because you can't get to it once you have written it. That is untrue I find it easy to navigate and you can find the phone numbers once you have written the text message. I write about 40 text messages a day, it is pretty easy, they just need to be shown how to do it. But I know a few others with my phone and they also like it but would rather have a different phone then what they paid for.
2 Worst Phone Ever
I hated this phone the minute I brought it home, but due to pure laziness I never exchanged it. I wish I had. I have had it for a year and it has been nothing but troublesome. Calls are constantly dropped, the menus are confusing to navigate and not at all user friendly, the camera only works in rooms with bright lighting, and even then are at a very poor quality. The ring tones all sound like polka music, and I have the WORSE coverage of anyone I know. I can be in a room with another AT&T user and they have full antenna, while I have no antenna at all. After only a year my phone has completely died, so now I have lost all of the numbers in my phonebook. DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE.
3 This phone is the worst phone I have ever had!!!
Just get on attwireless.com and search for NEC 525 Dropped Calls and it says it all.
4 MK
I did a lot research with phones, I was very exciting to get this one cause it seem very high-tech and it has things that I want. But once I receive I wasn't too impress with that. The phone has two LCD and it is qual-band which is nice. But I found it is easy add things such as phone number and picture but once you added then I had a hard time to find ways to delete the data that you put in. it is not as easist like adding. I wonder why? It only has one game that come with phone, there is one other game but that is just a demo. It will stop after you play for it while. Which it suck. The battley life did not last as long as I think. It is very hard to hear like you have to put it perfect position to your ear other wise it is very hard to hear. Don't even think you can hear while you are at shopping or at the gym. Cause I had a hard time. Sending text message it hard because there is not find function to help you search for the person that you want to send message from your phone book. You always has to be prepare with the phone number before you send a message. I found this very user-unfriendly and I have to return it within two days. My old phones seems much more easier to access that the new one.
5 It's got the looks but it's whats inside that counts.
I did a whole lot of research on this phone before purchasing it and most of it was positive. But its hard to make a final decision without the product in your hand. It turns out that this phone wasn't all that i thought it would be. Its got great features but using it feels awkward, its hard to navigate in the cheap looking menu b/c everything is scattered and the buttons feel numb. The camera has a permanent red tint(WHY?) that is very annoying but you can change it to black and white or a chrome feel which is cool. The 2 LCD screens are cool especially the main b/c its huge. It seems like when they tested the volume controls they were in a quiet room b/c with the volume all the way up outside its hard to hear through the tiny speaker slot which has to be perfectly lined up with your ear in order to hear.
Overall the service was great but they just over did it on this phone. there are definitely better products out there for a better price. Waste of money!
6 one cool phone
i got this phone last Jan. and besides its really cool looks its the best phone!! First, I havent seen anyone else with it, the front screen, not the inside screen is colorful and pretty, i just love the phone, and it is lour i always hear my calls and i can hear people on the other end perfectly its a great phone and plus i got a killer deal ($50) its worth every penny i love my NEC 525!! and plus the pictures it comes with are cool too
7 Amazing Phone! For Real...
Just want to let everyone out there know, its hard to come accross a phone like this, because you will fall in love with it.
I grew up in Japan, and so I have been very used to the amazing phones we have there and as soon as I moved to the US, i hated every phone out there. This is the first phone I've seen that can even COME CLOSE to comparing to the japanese phones! go figure....its NEC!
Color Screen is nice and big, pictures look fabulous..java games are fast...u can store up to about 500 contacts i think which is great!
The phone is very loud.. I have owned over 5 other cell phones in the past year, and this was the loudest phone. That is SO helpful especially if you live in a city (I live in NYC), since street noise is so high, you NEED this.
Overall, I haven't found anything wrong with this phone. I've owned it for about 6 months now.. the LCD is nice, doesn't scratch even if you try... I accidently dropped the phone once real bad, but no scratches or dings! how cool...
i would DEFINATLY recommend the NEC 525
8 Truly a solid phone
I've had a 525 since January, and I love it; I hate cell phones, except for this one. It's so very, very basic, yet it does so many things.
The volume is a little wierd, you have to turn it up in the software if you want it ear-splittingly loud, but there's an external button that works on the voce and the ringer volume, in case you forget to turn it off in the movie theater. I've waited this long to review it because I wanted to see how the external LCD screen would hold up...Not a scratch yet, which is amazing considering that kids get ahold of this phone constantly. Huge oceans of storage, I still haven't hit the limit for customized rings or pictures; The user website is fantastic, lots of free download goodies;
Really a great phone.
9 A very good phone
The phone as such is very good and I am very satisfied with it. The only problem is that the accessories for this phone can be pretty expensive - the holder, USB connectivity cord, car charger etc. I was hoping that at least some of them would come with the phone.
10 Great International Phone.
I have owned a Nokia and a Motorolla before getting this NEC. My tiny Motorolla v66 had lousy reception, especially in buildings in NYC. What I really wanted was good reception. And the NEC 525 delivers. I read other people's reviews, who say that they do not get reception, but I have not experienced any of their complaints. Now that AT&T got bought by Cingular, the reception is even better. Even if I only have one bar, when I place a call it (magically?) jumps to 3~4 bars. Weird, but I don't mind! :-)
Also, I wanted a large color screen, and the 525 has the largest I could find. The external color screen, although somewhat useless, is a nice touch. At least I can see who is calling without oppening the phone. Third thing I wanted was to be able to use it in europe and elsewhere in the world, and this quad-band phone was the best I found. I was in europe for two months, and I had no problem with reception.
Pros:
Powerfull internal antenna
Big color screen
Fast java games
Easy navigation
Very easy to switch between phone modes (normal, vibrate, loud, etc...) This doesnt seem like much, but when you change modes often, the quicker the better, and I love it!
Quad-band!
Cons:
One of the heavier flip-phones
Operating system is buggy... I have to restart it once in a while.
Battery life is decent, but for the weight I expected excellent.
6 months after I got the phone, the antenna got messed up, and I had to return it- but customer service at AT&T was great, the phone was under warranty and I got a new one for free (spare a $15 shipping/processing fee)
I spend a lot of time researching things before I buy them, and I researched lots of phones. For what I wanted, (powerfull antenna, big color screen, camera phone, international phone,) this one was among the best. (Plus, I got it for free!- christmas specials on the ATT site.)
I recommend the NEC 525.
11 Not bad, but needs better accessories...
great phone, let down by the poor earpiece sound level - even on the maximum setting any background noise is very intrusive.
Had no problems with the AT&T service, and also use this phone on pay-as-you-go cards in other countries - the phone is easy to get unlocked.
Good battery life, good reception, and plenty of toys to play with (pictures, ringtones and games are easy to come by, and in many cases, cheap or free, and simple to donwload).
My final grumbles on the phone is the lack of synchronising software that works - come on, if it's meant to pass as a business phone, then it needs some good synch-ing software; the supplied application (Intellisynch) just does not do the job (flaky at best, useless at worst) - and no (easily available) USB charger - NEC need to get the accessories sorted, other models have far better stuff available (have you seen what you can buy for the Nokia and Sony Ericcsons these days???)
12 The phone is horrible and the service is even worse
I have been an AT&T customer for years. The reason for it was that their customer service was fantastic. Little did I know that would change. I purchased my new phone and renewed my 2 year contract expecting the same immediate customer service and quality that I had enjoyed for years. Alas, that was not to happen.
The phone: I can never hear the phone ringing because it is never loud enough, therefore I keep missing calls. It does not have a feature in which I can access my voice mail quickly or hear the message. The only thing available with the click of a button is "call back." The sound is horrible and honestly the phone itself is not as practical as my little old Nokia. I have to punch too many buttons to access the same features.
Customer Service: Be prepared to waste at least an hour -- several times -- on the phone before getting any kind of attention and even so, they will screw it up. They managed to mess up my account and it took several days of repeated calling to straighten it up. I finally found a really nice rep called Cindy who fixed it, but to be honest my next phone will not be an AT&T. It is simply not worth my time.
To top it all, I was supposed to receive a rebate and three months later I get a letter saying that they cannot process it because they need the original paperwork and, according to them, I did not send it. That is not true. They also said that I had 15 days to send it counting from the date of the letter, which was 13 days ago. Since I did send the original paperwork, I don't have it and have no way to get my rebate.
I am still considering the possibility of paying the termination fee and move on to another company.
13 Amazon is great.. phone is great, just say away from AT&T
WARNING: AT&T representatives ("Dawn: R361" and "Max: N360") themselves said during my troubleshooting (as detailed below) that I should NOT have bought through Amazon, and that they have received a barrage of complaints from Amazon buyers! I still really like Amazon, but they're integration with AT&T is non existent. People should not have to wait 2-3 days for service after they receive the phone. Buy the same phone on Amazon, but a different carrier.
14 don't but this phone
the phone is only out performed by AT&T in it's poor performance. After just over 4 months the phone has failed big time which my Nokia's never did and the providor AT&T are even worse at trying to get them to take any action. The rest of my company got off AT&T and went to T-Mobile using Samsung phones. I wish i would not have been so stuborn. I also found out that the GSM network which was supposed to sort out my droped call problem is no better. This phone an dthe servive perform better in every country i have vistied (many) 50 times better than here in CA where i bought it. RIB
15 NEC 525 Very bad signal strength, no expansion slot!
I got this as replacement for my NOKIA 3650 camera phone which had expansion slot and much better GSM signal strength. The phone is small and looks attractive but signal strength is pathetic. Nokia 3650 has no problem with signal strength in the same area! I switched back to Nokia 3650 after trying NEC 525 for 30 minutes with dropped calls, not able to make calls and noise when talking!
Java games are good and I loved playing Blackjack, bowling, starwar etc.
16 This phone is horrible
First of all when I got this phone I felt excited because this was my first camera phone so after I got the phone I was so heavily dissapointed. First of all the camera does not have a flash so at night the picture quality is horrendous, the reception is the worst ever I would be talking to someone and i hear constant buzzing in the background and the phone would constantly drop calls and in a loud environment you can not hear the person you are talking to on the other line. I have recently switched to sprint and I have purchased the Sanyo PM-8200 and I am finally satisfied believe me Sprint is the way to go. AT&T is horrible and so are their phones.
17 Reception is BAD--DROPPED CALLS
I have had many phones, but never such "poor" reception has been experienced before as with this phone! Shipping it back to AT&T for a Motorola V600. In addition, it is not a user friendly phone. Difficulty experienced during the submission of adding names and numbers in the phone book. However, most importantly, was the dropped calls that I experienced! I have never experienced so many "dropped calls" with such a phone. (Been an AT&T customer since 1991!!). This has also cost me more $$$ having the experience of "dropped calls." This phone is not worth it's money!
18 Great gadget - bad phone
This is a classic example of a gadget that is awesome at everything, except what it's supposed to be good for. The camera is neat, the display is georgous, the USB connectivity is soooo handy. But... the phone functionality is terrible. I bought two at once, and both have the same issues: can't hear the other party, they can't hear me, no voice-dialling, just a stupid voice-based phonebook lookup, and so on. It all combines to make for a gadget that your geek friends will swoon over, until they try to actually call you. Don't buy this phone.
19 AT&T Service is aweful
I had to return this phone because though fancy, its reception is aweful. The voice is low and distorted. I could not hear much of the time. With the headset, the voice is improved a little bit. This is especially true when I needed to listen to my voice mail. But will you want to be forced to use the headset whenever you want to talk?
I am dissappointed by this abysmally low quality service from AT&T, a reputable company. Mobile phone industry should take note. Before you load up the phones with all the unnecessary bells and whistles, remember the phone is to talk and take care to make meeting that basic requirement your primary mission.
20 NEC 525 wonderful beats out Nokia
I purchsed the NEC 525 about 2 weeks ago and I have been enjoying it ever since it is a quadband and very reliable. I have yet to have one dropped call. I live in a valley my last cell phone the nokia 3360 had horrible reception and poor service. The only issue I have had with the phone is the interface,a little hard to get used too. After the initial learning curve the phones is exceptional five stars hands down the best phone Ive owned!
21 Great Phone
Hey, if anyone likes a big phone, with a huge screen that you can see, this is the one you should get. I hear about people having problems hearing it,I am able to hear it fine. The ring is super loud! This is the best phone, I recommend it to anyone who likes a big phone that is loud!
22 If you're considering this phone, PLEASE READ...!!!
Everyone seems to like the phone, except for the volumn problem. Well, there really is no problem. You can set the volumn in 2 places (but it's really the same thing). What you have to be aware of is that the speaker that you hear from is the tiny hole at the top, not the big hole. And the mic where you speak into is not at the bottom but at the top of the keypad piece. Hold the phone so that you're mouth is up near the hole, and away from you ear about 3 inches, and you won't belive how loud it is!
The other problem seems to be that it's too big. Truth is, because the antenna is internal it's actually smaller than the Motorola V60.
23 A phone isn't much good if you can't hear it......
I read all the reviews on this phone, but decided to buy it anyway. All of the features are phenomenal as advetised..... but..... two of the most important features on any phone are lacking; The ring volume and the voice volume are very low even at their highest settings. I consistantly miss calls because I can't hear the phone ring. When I do get a call, the surroundings have to be relatively quiet to hear the person on the other line. To keep it simple, if you expect to use this phone in a bar..... forget it. Look else where. If you live a quiet lifestyle, than this phone may work for you.
24 Disappointed in Seattle
I bought two of these phones, one for my wife and one for myself. I liked it's appearance and colorful screen. The first problem I encountered is the manual. It does a good job of mentioning features but lacks specific steps on how to use them. Case in point, how to use the grouping feature of the directory to narrow a search of contacts. Which leads to my next disappointment. Customer Service.
Me: How Do I...
Tutorial indicates you can group callers in your phonebook to speed searches. I have no problem grouping the callers but have not been able to find a use for it. How do you use this field/feature?
NEC: Grouping categorizes your contacts. Say for example, all family members in one group, friends in another, co-workers in another and so on.
Me: Huh? For what use? Can you search by category? Can you view certain categories only? Can you attach a unique ring-tone to a category. How does the field have any application?
NEC:Sounds like you're more intrested in pointing out short commings of the phone. Yes you can search by group, you can assigned unique ring-tune to individual within a group. You don't search the entire phonebook, just a specific group.
Thanks!
NEC Wireless Tech Support
xxxxxxxxx opt.3
8 a.m. to 7 p.m CST M-F
----------
Needles to say I was surprised and angered with NEC's response. I went with NEC because of their outstanding reputation in the computer arena.
I finally had to return the phones because the listening volume was so poor. And yes, I turned all the setting up. The ring volume is great but don't be mislead in thinking the listening volume is the same - it's not. To NEC's credit, they have a great web site to support ringtones and graphics.
I bought the Nokia 6200 and now am a happy customer. After seeing picture quality on the phones I decided the camera aspect was not a feature I would use much. I believe you can find a better phone than the NEC 525.
25 CUSTIMIZABLE
How could you ask for a phone with this many options. CAMERA, CRAZY RINGTONES, EXTERNAL LED SCREEN W/ A SCREEN SAVER. ETX
The only bad thing about the phone is it is a tad to big, but who the HELL cares!!!!!!!!!!!
26 Needs Some Fixing!
I used this phone for a couple of weeks with AT&T, and it just plain wasn't working. One issue always brought up about this phone was about its listening volume. I thought it was fine, not great, but not bad either, good I guess. The games and all of the "extra" stuff was cool...BUT I had repeated problems when actually using the phone. The person on the other line always complained about an echo in their voice on their end. Also, the connection was never "crystal clear" as we have come to expect recently from any carrier. The connection was okay, just had some persistent background noise. I just traded this phone in for a Motorola v600, and so far, there is no comparison, i would recommend the v600 over the nec any day of the week. Not as big a screen but the reliability seems to be much better.
One more thing, the camera on the v600 is much much better. You have zoom and it handles light much better
27 A bit disappointed
I purchased the NEC 525 from AT&T Wireless in Feb 2004 and then found it offered on Amazon a month later for $150 less !! My first mistake. I originally purchased this phone because I wanted a phone to use here in the states as well as in the UK. I also wanted text messaging, the camera (as a toy), email capabilities and MMS. For those of you out there that don't know.. AT&T does not currently support MMode email for Hotmail or AT&T Mail, nor does this phone support AIM or MSN IM.... although it comes up on the configuration screen on the phone, you can't configure it (according to the support rep I spent an hour on the phone with) and the kicker here is that the NEC 525 is shown on AT&T's site with an AIM screen on it (how did they do that?!). My text messaging wasn't working for over a week and the rep told me they had to "reset" the system. I use this phone for work as well as for personal, so I was a bit taken aback. I have not got MMS working at all, it keeps timing out and I've got a great 4 bar signal. Overall, I feel like I didn't do enough homework on this phone and that AT&T is misleading by saying that they offer all these features when in fact this phone under AT&T does not support them. ....oh, and the cable to connect it to your pc is backordered and costs extra.
28 Totally Dissapointment!
I' ve recently purchased a Nec 525 phone from At&t and regret it. I wish, I have never dealt with At&t. This phone would disconnect in the middle of conversations,and would not get a good reception, even outdoors. I've used the phone for 2 weeks, and I got disconnected about 20 times. When I went to return the phone to the AT&T store in Massapequa, NY, A REALLY NICE :o( lady there, would not take it back. I called the customer service and they had me on hold for 20 minutes, after they tried to extend my contract to 2 years to give me discount on a new phone.So,I had to go to another store to return it. There, They made me purchase another phone in retail sale price ($349) because I just passed my 30 days trial for couple of weeks, otherwise: I had to pay $175 early termination fee.. I'd never buy an AT&T phone or service again.
29 Displeased
I purchased the NEC 525 December 2003. It died March 2004. Upon notification to carrier, AT&T, they sent me a new one and a defective one at that! Now I'm really worried...I'm stuck with this iffy phone.
Accessories are mighty hard to find, user manual is ineffective at best (I see a new more detailed one is available on-line since my purchase).
Overall, I wish I had chosen a more mainstream choice. I went out on a limb and that's exactly what I feel like now...waiting for the limb to break.
30 I dont know what that one guys issue was
It is a great phone. Its as close to talking on a real phone line I have ever heard. Great picture display. All kinds of cool features.
The only Con I see is the ringtone is not loud at all. Even when turned all the way up, but then again, I dont like announcing to the world I have a phone call. The first guys review is way off, he must work for Nokia.
31 Great Phone
I love this phone. Clear screen, backlight, clear pictures, GREAT reception in California, big enough to not loose, small enough to not become a burden, no annoying antenna, understandable buttons. I have only heard good things about this phone, until amazon.com. I recommend this phone to everyone.
32 its a good phone to me
this phone has been great so far i dont understand why people think you cant hear when your talking i think people who are complaining about it havent read any of the manual or even tried to figure out how to work it
my only problem is i went to www.3gupload.com and i cant figure out how to put ringtones on my phone if anyone can help me take the text messages they send me and turn them into my ring tones i would appreciate it
33 Its too Big
This phone is huge, I feel like I am carrying a laptop. No store sells a holder for this phone because its so big. People tell me that they can't hear me well and volume on this phone is screwed up, Do NOT waste your money on this junk.
34 This phone sucks.
This phone is definitely not all it is cracked up to be. The ringer is too loud, the conversation volume is non-existent, even on the highest setting.
I bought the phone to use for my international travels. I travel most often to Shanghai, China and the phone does not even work there. It works everywhere else in China but here. This phone sucks and even more so, AT&T service sucks.
35 Not what I expected!
While this cell phone has nice capabilities, the first thing that will notice is the dull screen, you need to be inside a room to see the screen, if you go outside, you'll have a hard time seeing anything. To turn the phone on, you really have to press and wait until it turns on. Also, when working with menus, there is indication what key to press to go 'Back'. It's not intuitive. The phone comes with a leather holder, ear phone and a home charger, but no car charger. I returned this phone!
36 UHHHHHHHHHHHH?
I love this phone honestly! But, I cant find the volume control 2 put my phone on silence. during the day I am in a descreet place but, I do need my phone on. if somone could tell me how to put it on silence I would really appreciate it. thank you.
P.S. those ringtones suck! it said i had 42 i only have ten. if u need or should i say want more ringtones go to 3gupload.com and pay as low as $6 to get as many ringtones as u want 4 a year!
37 Great Phone! Too bad it didn't arrive activated!
I love the NEC 525 camera phone and would recommend it to anyone. I ordered an AT&T Wireless plan, and when my phone arrived, I inserted the sim card but the phone kept saying "searching" and could not receive a signal. First I called AT&T Wireless, (on hold for over 15 minutes) and they said that it would be working within the next 2 days. That didn't happen, so I took it into an AT&T Wireless store, they said it was never activated by Amazon! I had read that this has happened to other people that have ordered from Amazon, but didn't think it was something that happened all the time. So I had to do a Google search just to find Amazon's phone number. I called them up and they said it will be activated in the next 2 to 24 hours. I've had the phone for 4 days now and have not even been able to place a call. The only reason I ordered a cell phone from Amazon is because the rebates on the phone were great, and I paid less than $100.00 dollars for a phone that retails at $369.00 in AT&T Wireless Stores! But having the phone come un-activated and having to wait 4 days just for it to get activated, is crazy! If you do order a phone service plan from Amazon, make sure you are getting very good rebates, and if the phone comes un-activated, don't waste your time being on hold with AT&T Wireless, call Amazon right away. I was barely on hold at all with Amazon, it's just weird how you have to use a search engine to find their phone number.
38 This is an AWESOME fone!
This is a very good fone with many features. This cell phone has 2 LCDS, which is awesome in takin pics, and u can send store and theres an internet too! I LOVE this fone!
39 Pretty good but where are the accesories?
I had my eye on this phone for a month or so, and I finally took the dive. It is a great phone, but it needs a leather case and a affordable car charger. Also, the battery life leaves something to be desired. If I had a car charger and a case this would be the best phone ever. I do have trouble with hearing my calls but I will check the tip and try the volume control in the master menu.
40 Awesome phone!
First of all, the phone is loud enough. I even had to lower the volume several times while talking on the phone. It's an awesome phone once you get acquainted with it. It's got beautiful resolution for a mobile phone and the games are so much fun! I've never seen a java capable phone before with such fast response and great game quality. NEC even provides free downloads for games and free polyphonic tones (visit www.nechdm.com if you want to check it out) also check out www.3gupload.com for a small donation you can make as many downloads as you want. Now the camera is not very good in dim lighting, but in daytime it's fine. Of course I was not buying a digital camera but a phone. It doesn't have 1-touch dialing, but you can use voice tags to go to your address book entry. You can assign polyphonic ringtones to certain callers, and you can even assign which color you want the LED light to blink. (For example red for girls and blue for boys) and of course, photo caller-id is enabled. It's really a matter of just getting yourself acquainted with the phone then I'm sure you would like it.
41 vol issues
I hear a lot of people complaining about the vol issue. NEC 525 has two vol settings. There is a master vol setting in the menus. If you turn that up, the vol level is more then acceptable.
42 On the fence...
I'm really really on the fence about this phone. I think alot of the features are fun, like customizing ring tones, and colors for different people and the picture caller id. but I have to ask myself if it's really worth what I paid for it? I was also wondering if anyone else has horrible reception. I hear a buzzing noise in the background everytime I talk on it. I'm not sure that I reccommend this phone to anyone else.
43 Great phone with great features
First of all let me say that I do not understand why so many people are having trouble hearing on it. The only things I can think of that would make it hard to hear are if you do not put the earpiece on your ear or if you don't turn the volume up loud enough. The placement of the earpiece feels a little awkward the first few times you use it but after a few calls you get used to it. If you still don't like it, just talk through the hands free set....problem solved!
The camera is better than I expected but it is not great. Anyone who buys a phone for the camera, however, is wasting their money. You should invest in a digital camera. It is nice, though, to be able to take a picture if you need to and send it to e-mail.
The ringtones are very unique and distinct. Personally, I like most of them but everyone has their own opinions and preferences. Again, I have no problem at all hearing the phone when it rings...in fact sometimes the ringtones are too loud.
As far as the service goes I get pretty good reception everywhere I go (I live in Salt Lake City). AT&T's GSM service has come a long way in the last few months. I know that AT&T's customer service is very often uncooperative and awful, but in my eyes that's a small price to pay for a great phone and good service (luckily for me I rarely need to talk to them).
I read that people have a hard time charging the phone in the dark. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't just turn on a light to plug the phone in. Even if it didn't have the rubber protector over the plug it would still be hard to find it in the dark. That's how it was for every other phone I've ever owned.
Personally I love this phone but, like I said, everyone has their own preferences. There are a few things I don't like about it, though. First, its pretty big and bulky (but then again I knew this before purchasing it so I shouldn't be complaining). Also, I am not too big on flip phones. The flip sometimes can be a pain, especially when trying to answer the phone with one hand. Plus you are paying more for the flip and, in my mind, are not getting a whole lot out of having it.
Other than these minor annoyances the phone couldn't be better. It is by far the best phone I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot; everything from Nokia to Siemens) and highly recomend it to others!
44 Very Handsome phone!
I got this phone few days ago. I cant help playing with it all day. It has plenty of good features. But most importantly, it has the signal, signal is strong at my living area (Maryland). I always thought phone without signal is a piece of junk no matter how many great service features are given! ATT does give strong sign in my area.
Camera feature is for fun, not for serious photography. You can email pictures to friends, cool! Download music from website, cool! Palm feature is cool too! However, it doesnt provide good interface like Palm does, You can only do editing on your outlook and sync to you phone. Only three things you you sync (as far as I know, correct me if I am wrong) Contact, Calender, and thing-to-do list.
The voice issue... it does low in volume if you dont place the speaker directly toward your ear. It does sound OKAY if you place phone correctly. Do the adjustment or use handfree.
One thing I dont like is that the sync cable DOES NOT come with the phone. You have to go to the ATT retail store to get one. It costs about 20 bucks. It sucks! It just not right for them to sell it this way!
Two screens are built and large screen is big and nice!
Overall, I love it
Customer service is okay to me, it only took me fifteen to twenty minutes to transfer my original service plus two more years to my new phone.
45 I cannot recommend it.
Fisrt of all, this is the phone. So, don't expect this phone has the great camera quality.(NO it doesn't have a great quality) If you are looking for the great camera phone, please get SHARP GX22 if you can afford it.. The worst part of this phone is voice volume isn't LOUD enough to hear. But most of all AT&T sucks. Why they always put me on hold for 5 hours. I should stay with Sprint. Sprint never put me on hold more than 10 min. ATT charges internet usage by KB? What the hell is KB. Why cannot they charge by minutes? They charge extra$ for textmessage? CRAZY! Sprint charge only $5 for internet, and $0 for textmessage service! ATT wants to rip me off!! Plus, the reception is BADDD! At home, there's no reception. When I used sprint, I got FULL reception! The good thing I can think of this phone is it has a big screen... that's it? Yes. Oh also there are multiple music installed on this phone for you to use as the ringer, but I don't think you want any of them to be heard in the public. They are USELESS.
46 Sounds better than it actually is
personally, this phone sucks. many reasons:
1. it's a big, ugly, and bulky looking phone. the online pictures make it look alot sleeker..false advertising!! haha)
2. it's totally and utterly useless as a flip phone. IT WON'T ANSWER YOUR CALL WHEN YOU OPEN THE FLIP!!! you have to open and press a button. BUT it will end the call when you close it. how retarded.
3. if you're on a shared plan, you can't even check your minutes without getting on mMode. also, no customization without mMode.
4. for voice dialing..you have to press a button, say it..and then it won't even dial it for you. it will only locate the entry in your phonebook for you. this completely defeats the purpose of voice dialing and takes more time than just typing in the damn numbers!!
5. camera is REALLY BAD at night. it's pretty good in the daytime though.
6. they SAY the battery life is like what..8-10 days? no..it is THREE days MAX.
7. the buttons on the inside are placed in an order that makes it inefficient to use. takes a while to get used to.
8. ringtones suck and you CAN NOT hear the them at all if the environment is above a normal conversation.
9. the charging thing is complicated. ha..good luck trying to charge it in the dark.
only pros:
1. excessive picture taking doesn't seem to use much battery for me.
2. the external LCD can function as a webcam so you can see how you look if you're taking a pix of yourself. it can also function as a photo gallery with the 2 button in the front. (but somehow, this function has stopped working for me after the 3rd day...)
3. pretty good reception everywhere.
4. big inside LCD screen.
that's all i can think of. in my opinion, this phone is not worth it. but then again, i'm picky and those little flaws annoy the hell out of me. well, hope this review helped.
47 NEC 525
Horrible sound quality and reception. Ring tones are stupid and rarely can be heard. Hard to believe this phone retails for $300. Camera is only good in bright daylight. Forget about anything indoors. Don't try to plug the charger in the phone in the dark. Inept hookup for charger method and plastic cover looks like an engineer spent about 12 seconds designing it. Plastic cover won't last long till it breaks off. Very few accessories available. Most phone shops have never heard of nec even making phones.
48 Very impressive phone
This phone is absolutely one of the best phones that I ever had.
The fact that it is a global phone and it can be used all around the world (except Japan)is great. This multi-band phone has all the GSM megahertz 850/1900-US & 900/1800-Global. The camera is fun to use also. Sound and call quality is clear and crisp. Its like being on a home phone. I love this phone. Its like the old slogan of American Express...."I Never leave home without it!"
Let me add that consumers are very upset with AT&T service. It is understandable why people are because of the new GSM network.
It is spotty and they are building towers to get the system up and running. It is unfortunate of what AT&T is going through because we, the customer suffer because of it. Anytime when there is a transition is service or anytype of change, there will always be a time where it will hit rough times. Right now, it a rough time for AT&T. This GSM network is very new and it is widely used in the European and Asian market. The GSM network is more advance than our regular TDMA (AT&T) or CDMA (Verizon) digital networks. By having the GSM network, it gives cell phone users more of an international capability of being reached while out of your calling area (thats if you decide you want to be reached)and more internet accessibilty. GSM is going to take time to work properly. I guess we have to be patient and wait for the glitches to squared away. GSM is eventually going to take over the cell phone world. Just like Digital when it took over analog!!
49 Where's the charger?
Still waiting to hear something from NEC or ATT about a drop-in charger. Great signal everywhere, except at home.
50 Hop on the Multi-Band-wagon!
Since my purchase of this phone, the features contained within it have astounded me...that is, the ones I could hear...
Being one of the high-end expenses in the ATT wireless phone lineup, the NEC 525 has a reputation to live up to, and for most every part, it successfully redeems its cash value by providing enough features to entertain anyone looking for entertainment in their wireless devices.
For one, this phone is simply lovely. The vibrant external LCD, camera, and multi-color LED emanate the impression that the user of this phone knows a quality phone when they see one. One adds even more function to the already-present form with the PDA-style tools included.
Though I personally have no plans of utilizing some of this phone's many features (including the other world bands for travel abroad), the knowledge that they are available on demand adds to the phone's value. The only major traveling in which I engage involves the Interstate system, already conveniently lined with GSM/GPRS towers to facilitate my communication needs throughout the region.
Two primary factors I consider to be an issue worth resolving in this phone, however:
- Volume: The all-too-well-known issue of volume struck me within my first call on the device. The ring tune volume is sufficient to provide an assistant to the vibrate feature, but the actual voice volume I find to be inadequate anywhere with background sound louder than a normal conversation. The hands-free earbud, however, is significantly louder than the actual phone. Perhaps it's a matter of subliminal messaging, encouraging the use of the hands-free set in loud places (namely, on roads).
- USB Synchronization: When told of the potential to synchronize data with my computer, I imagined more than I ended up seeing. Even with add-ons, it is entirely impossible to deliver additional games, ring tunes, or other media to the phone without doing so through the mMode data service and therefore racking up a sufficient number of kilobytes in the process. If only the ability to connect to a PC through USB was utilized to its full potential (of actually transferring other media between the two), I would be more enticed to find benefit in this phone as a computerized connoisseur.
Overall, I have grown fond of the gleaming silver masterpiece that is this phone, and though it may grow obsolete sometime in the future, I suspect it will remain a powerful asset in my gadget arsenal for years.
51 So-So pleased
I bought this phone and had it for less than a month and took it back for a new one. The bad thing about this phone is the volume, when talking to someone else you can barely hear them even with the volume turned all the way up. Even when the phone rings you can hardly hear the tone.
When taking pictures they come out very dull and not very bright. I was very upset with this purchased and would not recommend it to anyone else.
52 Great phone with AT&T wireless
Pros:
+Quad band (2 american and 2 international bands)
+brilliant large TFT display (one of the best on market)
+Mmode online access
+2 color screens
+long standby and talk times
+internal antenna
+dual processors (one for phone, other for java applications/games)
+40 voice polyphonic ring tones
+Great NEC mobile site for adding more goodies to your phone
+decent camera phone in regular light settings
+a few PDA like features
+sharp looking
Cons:
-Could use an '11' setting for rings and volume
-more intuitive user interface
-a tad bit smaller flip design would be nice
-small amount of games and ring tones pre-installed (can add more with downloads)
-no night vision setting for camera
This is a good phone once you read the manuals and orient yourself with it. At first I had trouble with the volume setting but I later configured it to 'pocket mode' setting and turned up voice volume up to 10; which allowed for louder voice settings in public. Its got this weird feature where you must click a button to answer the phone (rather than open the flip), but you can change the setting so any button will answer it, making it a tab bit easier.
53 I bought a second one!
I really love my new NEC 525, I got it in November 1 day after it's release. I feel it met all my expectations and bought a second one for my Mother for Christmas and added her to my plan for $9.99. She said that my father really likes it as well so I am just waiting for him to ask me for one. I do not understand why people are having trouble hearing their phones ring unless the volume is turned down. This is very easy to correct because the control is on the outside of the phone. The camera doesn't take great quality pictures but I bought a phone and not a camera. A really cool feature is that with the 2nd screen you have "Picture Caller ID" and you can also give each person their own ring type. I was able to sync my camera with Outlook on my computer so I have all my contacts and appointments. I do not think I will do this regularly because I prefer to have the contacts on my phone sorted by first name but it was much easier than having to enter each phone number and it add the home, cell, work and other numbers and e-mail addresses. I did get the mMode service on my phone and have downloaded a few games and sounds but have not added any extra freatures to my mother's phone (she never even set up her voice mail on her other phone).
AT&T's customer service has been crap. I spent 2 hours on hold 2 weeks ago only to have my call dropped and than another hour and a half the next day. Last night I called to switch the area code on my mother's phone and was on hold less than 2 mins. The rep (Jennifer) was very helpful and was very interested in seeing that she was able to take care of me and switched the number and the service name (from mine to my mothers). I would have to say that she is one of the best customer service people I have ever delt with.
There is not much in accressories yet and I am waiting for a desktop charger where I can just place it rather than having to open the plug cover to charge it.
54 Good phone, ringer is LOUD enough for ME
I got this phone today, and I was quite surprised. My cousin got a samsung phone for xmas as well and he was quite jealous of mine. Although I do admit this phone is rather bulky, it has it's reasons. The dual processors are very fast and the screen is huge plus theres a camera in it. I read other people complain it rings to low, I can hear it fine even when I put itin my bag, I dunno about that. Anyways for 30 bucks its a great phone and I highly reccomend it.
55 Extremely pleased with my purchase
I got the NEC525 off (...) on Dec 10th. (...).
The reception is excellent, screen in vibrant and plenty of features like a camera & some PDA functionality.
I do not use a PDA, I think its a useless tool for ANYONE. Camera....hmmm, why would anyone expect the camera on a cell-phone to be state-of-the-art .. I didn't?
Games are alright, demo versions. I don't play games on this phone so often. But these games can drain your battery really fast.
If you use a phone to make and recieve calls,signal is strong, voice quality is excellent and the battery lasts for ever. If thats your main purpose of having a cellphone, but you are also a gadget freak, I recomend this phone highly.
What really (...)though is the AT&T customer service.If I could rate that, it would be "thumbs down" for them
56 GOOD PHONE< BUT CAN BE IMPROVED UPON.
I recently switched from T-Mobile to AT&T and received the NEC 525. I got the phone for free, if you sign up for two years. I live in AL and the AT&T service here is very good and we have not had any problems to date.
First, the phone is not for the technically faint of heart. If your looking for a simple uncomplicated phone THIS PHONE IS NOT FOR YOU!! If your a gadget freak like I am then you will enjoy this phone. It has a ton of neat features. The best is the hi-res screen. If you download pictures to your phone using the NEC or AT&T websites they are incredible. However, as with most camera phones the pictures are not the best. It kills me when people say the phone takes horrible pictures - first let me remind you that your taking pictures with a PHONE!!! If you want 3.1 megapixel picture quality buy a digital camera you moron!! Camera phones are to be fun - not taking pictures for National Geographic. The other neat features are the WAP. I use the Mmode feature and yes you can enter your own URL and go to specific websites. The only problem is I have found you must do this thru the AT&T "MyMMode" website. I have added my corporate web portal and use it with no problem.
As for complaints - they are the same as several other users have mentioned. First - the volume on this phone is not that great. The ring tone volume is the worst I have ever heard. NEC Engineers must have never done tests in a crowded room or at the airport as you can never hear your phone ring. The ear piece volume is OK. I have not had that much trouble hearing conversations, but in some cases I have had to ask people to speak up.
In summary, the NEC525 is a Good phone with a lot of neat cool features. The phone may not be the easist for some to navigate and use. The volume is a definetely an issue that needs to be addressed. All in all a good phone that can be improved upon.
57 Low volume, poor design, noisy reception
(1) Terrible sound quality. I tried 3 phones of this type (and the 515), at the loudest setting - all had exessive noise when receiving, tinny sound, mike picks-up too much ambient noise (and is placed bad near the hinge, so it does not pick-up my voice good). The volume is so low it is not usable except in a very quiet environment. My current phone in contrast is audible in a lot noisier environments and does not have noise in reception/transmission.
2) Bad user interface, not intuitive compared to motorola, nokia, kyocera...
(3) No IR connectivity, except to other 525 phones and one-way for contacts to my laptop.
(4) Contact field names not customizable,
(5) Camera - BAD (low res, terrible in low light, zoom is digital = pixelated result)
(6) Ringer is not loud enough
(7) can't remove background image on main screen
(8) second screen hard to read
(9) AT&T customer service and systems - bad (average weight time about 45 minutes, reps have to switch 2-3 systems and can't answer all you need without transferring you for another wait of 30-60 minutes),
(10) Does NOT support J2ME (you can't use most of the available Java apps - need to use DoJA apps),
(12) Keys are flaky, with different tactile feedback so much that some are hard to press, while others are too easy,
(13) Voice tag for only 10 names,
(14) no expansion slot (some Nokia have) ...
(15) my number porting request is still not processed and AT&T can't tell me what's going on, nor if a replacement phone has been shipped...
(16) GSM coverage is way worse than CDMA (e.g. Verizon, Sprint or ATT non-GSM service), but is expected to get better over time
58 Easy to navigate phone, lots of features
I have been an AT&T customer for five years, then ventured out to switch to T-Mobile because they offered the Motorola V70. After a year with T-Mobile, I decided to switch back to AT&T and decided chose the NEC 525.
The signal reception is very good, the only downside is that the volume of the speaker is a little quiet. If you use the included earpiece, then it is louder, but the phone itself is a little quiet.
The color screen offers really good color, and has an easily navigatable window.
If you are porting your number over from another service however, be prepared to wait a few days for full functionality of your phone. When I received my phone, I inserted the SIM card and within minutes I was able to make phone calls. However, when I tried calling my new phone, it was routed to my T-Mobile phone. I called AT&T, and they said it takes 3 to 5 business days for the portability to be complete. Some phones can make calls but not receive, and some can receive but not make calls.
Other than that, I have had no problems with the phone so far. AT&T was very friendly and helpful, as always. The phone was incredibly easy to set up.
Highly recommended. For the $50 i payed for it, an excellent value
59 SERVICE STIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINKS!! SERIOUSLY!
Phone is okay, I've always owned Nokia with T-Mobile. I switched to ATT because I was having billing problems & clairty issues with T-Mobile. I saw the special that ATT was having on their mobiles and got the NEC 525 for $49 with a two year service agreement. I thought it would be cool to have a flip phone and all the other tricks & gizmos that go along with it, but fairly disappointed. First it took me 2 days to get it registered due to each att rep I talked with, they all seemed to be uploading something on their system so they kept telling me to call back. Second, I wanted to port my existing # over to new phone, but after 3 days of trying and each time took about 1hr+ I gave up each time. Third, its not very user friendly, well atleast not for me. I just make calls, but you had to press a button for everything, even voice dialing and then you had to go set it up first and then to do voice dialing you had to dial 3 numbers and then it would prompt you for instructions!!HELLO, call wife!!! how freaking hard is that? EXTREMELY DIFFICULT!
Well I guess I am stuck with the phone for now, but just wanted to warn the eager, don't get a phone simply on looks. Read reviews & other peoples advice first if possible.
60 Phone is OK.. But Service is horrible
This instrument works well. But lot of people here is blaming instrument instead of blaming AT&T's service. They have very poor service and I am keep trying to contact customer service for the last 3 days. I spent average 1 hour each day. But no luck. I also have lots of billing issues now-a-days. Be careful before signing 2 years contract. Read well line by line and accept the service.
Again the phone is a significant technologically advanced one.
61 SIMPLE PROBLEMS
I wanted to swich to ATT becuase I like their plans, so I did and picked out this phone because it looked cool and had nice features at a good price [$50 after everything] - DON'T PORT YOUR NUMBER TO ATT - THEY CAN'T DO IT!
So the phone hase some big flaws. It is not that custimizable. Like on my old phone a sprint/samsung n400 you could make the phone answer and end a call by flipping it or hitting a button. With this phone you can't change it - you have to flip the phone and push a button. If your done with a call and close it it deosn't end the call. Also the earpiece is way too quiet. You can't hear anything - change the setting all you want it won't get loud. Phone book - on my old phone you could save several different numbers under one entry and then choose the one it dialed under the cotacts name. This phone when you enter a house and a cell number it calls the house.
The phone is big too - it's real big - like you try and fit it in your pocket and you can't.
The pictures turn out orangy and look bad
The good - zoom on camera - mModes seems to work better than sprints internet - good reception - big screen - grreat looking screen - easy navigation - nice external caller id - easy to crop pictures - easy to type on keypad - look awesome
62 ATT service not making the phone worth the trouble of owning
I received this phone and ATT charged me extra money on my bill. I spent about 3 hours on the phone (1 hr on hold), to try to resolve the issue and all I get is roundaround. Talked to three customer reps and one of them actually hung up on me, and very hostile. I don't even care if this phone is the man's greatest invention. Serviece at ATT is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. I think their strategy is to offer cool phones and not spend a lot on customer care, but guess what? I'm going back to Sprint.
63 I'm exchanging it for a Sony this weekend
I got this phone because of the look, the camera and the flip. I really like the look and the camera is great, but here are the things I don't like: 1)ear piece is not loud enough, my husband has to practically yell into the phone when I'm talking to him in my car, 2)the flip is annoying because when the phone rings you still have to push a button to answer after opening it, 3)very poor battery life (charged it on a Monday night and it was dead by Wednesday morning without barely using it) and 4) I hate the ring tones (they're all techno) and I've had difficulty ordering new ones over mMode (mMode kicked me off both times I ordered a ring tone, which you pay before you download, so I'm out 2 bucks a pop for ring tones I couldn't download). The other thing is when you turn on the phone you get a start up tone. While you can change the tone, so that it's different from your ring tone, you cannot change the volume. I have my ringer turned up all the way, so I'll hear it in my purse, but if I want to turn my phone on in the office everyone hears this incredibly loud start up tone. The only thing that I've found to help with this issue is that you can hit any button to get the tone to shut off.
Most importantly, this phone is just not user-friendly. If you're into gadgets and computers and really want to take the time to figure out this phone, then you'll probably enjoy the NEC 525. I think there are a lot of very cool features to this phone, however there are some very basic features missing.
My husband got a Sony 616 @ the same time as I got this one and he paid $100 less than me and I like his phone better (I was already an AT&T customer, so I didn't pay the low price you would when switching from another carrier). I'm switching to that phone this weekend.
64 Best Color Phone in Production. --So Far
This is the best phone I have owned so far and I have been through at least 6 different ones.
Sleek deisgn and tons of features.
The high definition color screen is the best on any phone I have seen so far. When placed next to my work nextel I95 phone, the color screen on the I95 looks weak.
The camera on this phone works good as long as you have a natural light source.
The reception is also great, considering there is no external antenna.
The phone also has an external color screen that can show date, time, reception, battery life, and picture caller id stored in the phone. You can also change the stand-by image display on the external screen to any picture stored in the phone, including ones you took yourself.
The user menu is well laid out and the icons are very helpful. The sounds from the ringtones is crisp.
Another feature worth mentioning is the IR or USB connection on the phone that allows you to transfer all your phonebook information to the phone without typing hundreds of numbers from the phone's keypad. USB cord sold separately.
The price made my decision easy. $50 from AT&T with a 2yr contract.
The only downside I have experience and have heard others complain about is the low volume on the phone's headset, even when its turned all the way up. To hear others clearly, the phone has to be placed perfectly on your ear. I normally use the handsfree earpiece that came with the phone so problem solved
65 The One To Keep For Life
Changing cell phones is now akin to changing your shirt. At least it is with me. Every moment, or so it seems, a cell phone comes along with even newer features (an antenna that retracts, paging, a color screen, games, access to the web, a camera). Do we really need all these added attractions? No. But it is fun to have a cell phone that does everything except brew your coffee in the morning.
The NEC 525 can boast about the best and clearest color screens on the market. The colors are stunning. The camera (something that you should use only on those occassions when your good camera is at home and a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity comes across) lets the LED screen on the phone show the picture crisp, clear and vivid. Sending it via e-mail is a snap but the quality is quite poor (grainy) if you try to enlarge it on your computer screen to anything over 2 x 2 inches. Still, it works and it works in an effortless way. It also doesn't add much weight, and no bulk at all, to the 525.
The buttons are still a bit too small but with practice, you can enjoy all the features this cell phone has to offer. Games, web browsing, instant text messaging, voice mail capable, calculator, currency converter, 500 entry phone book, voice recorder . . . just saying all that makes it sound like something you can't live without. And you probably can't.
The reception, and that is why we change our cell phones, is crystal clear. Working in lower Manhattan amid very tall buildings, the recepiton was always a hit or miss matter. Not with the 525. For a phone with no antenna visible, it gets the highest quality reception I've ever heard and it doesn't cut out.
Pretty good for what I certainly feel will be my last cell phone (unless NEC finds one that does start the morning coffee for me).
66 Great phone but not worth buying it
This is a nice phone. The design, LCD, display, & menu makes this a well design phone. The camera is only 100 pixels and it doesn't take good pictures. The pictures are very grainy and cheap looking. The 2x zoom is not worth it cuz it just makes the pictures that much worse. Other camera phones (like Panasonic GU87) take better pictures than this phone. The ear piece on the phone is not very loud. I can barely hear the other party talking on the line and this is with the voice volume turned all the way up. Customer services and GSM/GPRS services with AT&T is horrible. Plan to spend about an hour waiting for any kind of customer services. First they told me that I can port my number from Sprint in only 4-5 days. WRONG, it took them 2 weeks to notified me and said that it could not be ported because my account was terminate with Sprint. Very useless. The phone does not get good reception from where I live. I could only get Cingular cuz it's the closest antenna from my house. STAY AWAY FROM AT&T. I'm am switching back to Sprint.
Pro:
Great style
Nice external and internal screens
light weight
color
Camera
Decent games
Con:
Ear piece - not very loud, can hardly hear other party talking
Camera - only 100 pixels, takes back picture
AT&T Service
Battery does not last longer - about 1-2 talk time
67 good phone
good phone, camera is pretty good, it zooms up to 2x which is groundbreaking as far as i know. also the reception is way better than my previous phone the sony ericsson t306. the external LCD is a great help for a few seconds before its turns black. although u cannot change the pic on the external screen. it will show battery, time etc. its pic. caller ID is a great help. although when texting my thumb starts to cramp up unlike the t306. wonderful as to the fact that it supports java apps. all around it is good solid phone, i agree w/ the guy next to me. the games need to be full, althought when going to nec.com, to download games they send you a website on your phone to go to, but cannot access it through your computer and i cannot figure how to search on Mmode. so...anyways beside the games, the phone is good phone, w/ currency converter, and calc, and datebook and so on and so forth, i would assume good for a person travleling the world. also if anyone can help me w/ the voice dailing i would love it! thnx! would defenitely recommend it to others!!!
68 One good solid phone.
This is only a brief review. Howard forum has more details about NEC 525. Even though this phone is bulky, but NEC 525 delivers me very good voice service through AWE GSM network. You should be able to get this phone free without any long term contract nowadays.
Pro:
1) Good RF reception. In my aapartment the reception is usually full bars. Though I did not made long calls, but no drop calls have occured to me. Personally I will say the RF reception is as good as NOKIA 3650, at least around my area. Surely it is much better than my previously owned Panasonic GU87 in this criteria.
2) Nice menu. It arrages all functions better than Nokia 3650.
Cons:
1) Crappy camera. I know it is only a camera phone. But GU87 takes better pictures than NEC 525. This is the reason NEC 525 does not win 5 stars from me.
2) Games are only trial version.
