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CNET editors' rating:
3.5
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Very good
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Product summary
The
good: The Motorola i885 has a slew of features, such as a 2-megapixel camera, a video recorder, an MP3 music player, and support for Boost Mobile's nationwide push-to-talk service. Plus, audio quality on the speakerphone is outstanding.
The
bad: The Motorola i885 is a clunky cell phone with a dull design and an unattractive user interface.
The
bottom
line: The Motorola i885 will appeal to those who want a full-featured phone with nationwide walkie-talkie service, but those wanting a better user experience overall would do well to look elsewhere.
Specifications: Carrier: Boost Mobile ; Talk time: Up to 165 min ; Combined with: With two-way radio / digital player / digital camera ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 07/20/2006
In stark contrast to the Razrs and the Pebls, the i885 is one of the clunkiest phones in Motorola's lineup. Overall we weren't impressed with its dull gray color and blocky design. Sure its measurements aren't terribly bulky (3.5 by 1.9 by 0.7 inches, 4.0 ounces), but its overall shape and size give it a decidedly bricklike feel. We admit that it feels comfortable in the hand and when held next to the ear, but it has a rather sticky hinge that makes it difficult to open and close the phone.
The Motorola i885 features a camera lens and flash at the top of the front flap, just above a 1.5-inch diagonal external screen that supports 65,000 colors. The display shows the usual battery and signal strength, time, and caller ID. It also shows the current song playing if the MP3 player is activated. At the very bottom front is the Boost Mobile logo that lights up whenever the phone is activated and a large speaker grille. On the right spine of the front flap are the music controls, which we found a little tricky to press because they're so small. On the top of the device is a speakerphone button next to the stop button. Aside from stopping music tracks, it enables you to access your Recent Calls list when the cover is closed. There's also an extendable antenna, though its construction is a bit flimsy.
Open the phone, and you're presented with a bright, 262,000-color, 2.25-inch diagonal screen. We weren't pleased with the user interface of the phone; not only was it utilitarian-looking, the menu was divided up into three whole pages, making it tedious to navigate. For example, the Shortcuts folder is on the third page by default, and we had to scroll all the way through to get to it. Although we finally did manage to change the order of the menu options, it was still tiresome. The menu, whether in icon or list views, was divided up into three whole pages. We had to scroll through to the third page to get to the Shortcuts folder, which is ironic. Aside from that, you can adjust the backlight timer of the screen as well as the font size, though you can't adjust the brightness and contrast.
The navigation controls consist of two soft keys, a five-way toggle with user-defined shortcuts, dedicated menu and camera buttons, and the Talk and End keys. The Power button is located on the lower-left corner next to the mic. The design of the controls and the keypad reflect the overall utilitarian feel of the phone, with that dull and blocky look. We found the rubberized controls easy enough to press, and we liked that the keypad provided enough texture to dial by feel.
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