Nextel i615 Phone Review

from www.infosyncworld.com
A rough-and-tumble handset with a ruggedized case and access to Nextel's push-to-talk network, the i615 lacks a camera but packs in plenty of no-nonsense features. Is it hard-hatworthy?

Design

As with most of the industrial-strength Nextel phones we've tested, the i615 candy bar is anything but sweet, but it can take a beating. Thorough-and-tough phone meets the 810F military spec, which is to say itwill withstand drops, vibrations, solar radiation and dust, and itcomes encased in a ruggedized shell. That said, the bulky, 5.94-ouncesi615 probably won't find its way into a supermodel's hand anytime soon.  Outdoorsy types who work on a construction site or out in the bright sun will appreciate the phone's vibrant screen, which is clear and visible even in direct sunlight.

Calling - Very good

Call quality on the i615 was reasonably good; during our tests in northern New Jersey, we were able to chat fairly smoothly without any echoing, although we did encounter a bit of static and the occasional signal fade. The handset boasts many of the features that Nextel fans have come to expect, including push-to-talk, group walkie-talkie (up to20 people per group), and Bluetooth, although it's missing Nextel's Direct Talk feature (which lets you chat with other Direct Talk userswhen you're off the network). The i615's speakerphone was a bit tinny sounding, per usual, but was quite loud, making it a nice feature forthose working in noisy conditions. Three-way calling on the i615 was straightforward, but lacks easy maneuverability between calls; that said, those looking for conference calling on the i615 will probably use the group push-to-talk feature instead. The phone's contact list was rather plain and basic, but simple to use. However, searching for a number requires scrolling through names rather than live searching,which can be tedious. Finally, we were impressed with the i615's battery life; we got more than five hours of talk time in our tests, well above average.

Messaging - Good

The i615 doesn't exactly shine when it comes to messaging, but it gets the job done and lets you send voice memos with your messages. Typing on the handset can be a bit of a chore, as the buttons are tought o push (although you won't have to worry about making accidental calls), and there isn't a dedicated "back" key. We were only able to fit about 110 characters on the 2.5-inch screen, falling well short of a full 160-characters SMS message.
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