Customer Reviews

Audiovox PPC4100 - Smartphone - GSM - touch - Windows Mobile - AT&T

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am returning my phone without even using it for this reason: the manual advises against using it like a conventional phone.

In their 300 page User's Guide (p.27) it says, "unlike conventional cell phones, the PPC4100 is not designed to be held against the ear when the phone function is used. Holding the unit against your ear during phone use is contrary to the design of this product and is not recommended."

It goes on to explain the proper way to use their product, "Attach the single ear bud headset or enable the speakerphone during phone use."

It seems that the authors of the documentation went out of there way to avoid revealing just why.

I don't know about you but this re-definition of what a "cell phone" is seems like a grand imposition. Not only on the user but quite possibly the public too. Some users may choose to use the speaker phone in restaurants and other public places because their ear buds are tangled at the bottom of their pocket or purs.

I believe that not designing the "cell phone" to be used like a conventional cell phone is a basic flaw-in-concept.

Here is my take on all this:

Did the designers consciously choose to ignore real-world scenarios?

Maybe users have discovered they can indeed use it like a conventional cell phone, but how am I to know that.

The following unanswered questions lead me to return my purchase.

1.) Why did they choose not to design the phone to be used like a conventional cell phone?
* Was it really a flaw in their design, such as forgetting to make a button to disable the input screen when talking on the phone so one's cheek doesn't unknowingly erase or edit files? - If that's all they are protecting us from we all know how to work around that.

2.) What will happen if you try to use it like a conventional cell phone? Why don't they tell us so we can make the judgment? And why not tell us up-front so we can make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase the phone.

* Is the speaker unable to turn down low enough not to harm your ear?

* Is the antenna going to fry your brain?

* Will the side of your face brushing the touch-sensitive screen cause the phone to hang up on your friend or customer - or cause the phone to delete files on the phone?

* Will you drop the "phone" because it is not the usual phone shape?

* Will your skin oils or make-up rub off on the screen - and is that all the designers are concerned about?

All of the possibilities were suggested in discussion with the wirless provider and with an Audiovox representative. To be fair neither he nor the wireless provider was aware of the advisory until I directed them to the documentation.

Its been a great phone. I'm a professional pilot, crossing the US regularly. Its coverage using ATT&T has been far better then Sprint about equal or better then Verison. Its main flaw is it's messaging/voice messages. The phone rings once if you miss that one message prompt then the only clue you have a voice message waiting is visual. This means having to occassionally make a consious effort to look at the phone. I've missed several important timely messages!

Have been a regular pocket pc user for last few years. Carrying a pocket pc with a cell phone always made it troublesome for me and thus was looking for a phone which has both the capabilities. And I must say that I have found one !

Audiovox PPC 4100 is the phone of choice. After reading through the reviews, I thought that this phone is not worth buying and has its own hardware problems..but still went to buy this phone and I must say that this was my best decision.

Firstly, I liked the phone size. It is a very sleek phone (of course with Pocket PC capability) and thus fits into the shirt pocket very easily without popping out of the pocket. Screen size is big enough for reading emails, contacts, calander and notes. It is not bulky as my Pocket PC 3600.

Some of the features that I liked about this phone are:

1. Silent mode and ringtone mode
2. Pocket Internet Explorer
3. SD Card
4. Wireless connectivity (Infrared)
5. Stereo headsets

Product manual on the websites said that phone comes with only one stylus..but it came with 2 (which was kind of cool).

Adding a 1GB SD card makes this phone even a substitute for an IPOD (Though this phone may not hold 10,000 songs as IPOD but this is a PHONE...).

This phone is so convenient for use that one can check all emails (I can even connect to my office email server) and thus one can be connected even while travelling.

Amazon.com has $200 rebate on original price of $349.00 which makes this cool tool cost only $149 which is far less for a Pocket PC phone compared to i700 or HP phones. The phone is a tri band GSM phone and thus can be used anywhere in the world.

Phone comes with wonderful Microsoft Mobile OS 2003 which has very nice features. And if you are already a Pocket PC user, you will love this phone.

Business or personal..PPC 4100 suits all needs !

Two and a half months of use and I've been pretty happy.

Works fine when used as a regular phone (i.e. up to your ear) and the PDA features are very quick to operate, due to the very fast processor. I also really like it's small size, smaller than other PocketPC Phones I've seen out there. It's easily pocketable in a shirt or pants pocket.

Phone reception has been better than average, even internationally. Jotting down a note or opening a file while on the phone is a seamless operation. The PPC4100 comes with a lot of storage capacity and great screen. I've used it to watch videos and listen to music.

On the minus side, I wish it had a louder ring and louder volume in speakerphone mode. Also, I wish it had built in bluetooth and WiFi. But, for the price, it's an excellent value.

I'm very happy to not have to carry my phone AND separate PDA, anymore!

I've been using this puppy for a couple weeks. It simply is much better than what I expected. It's smaller than any other pocket pc phone in the market, yet same or larger screen size.

The pocket pc works fucntion great, the screen is quite large and bright, and I already found a truck load of freeware on the web for pocket PCs.

The phone is working great too. I can simply hold it against my ear, I don't understand why some of the others couldn't. They probably should have turned offthe volume a bit, because this thing is really loud when you turn up the volume. The phone also has speakerphone function.

The visual clues for voice mail or sms is very nice and functional. Typing SMS is very easy and fast with the transcriber or the on-screen keyboard. I am glad that Audivox didn't waste precious space by putting an actual keyboard onto this device.

Battery life is not bad. I charge at night, and it lasts about a day or so without any recharge. But it stays on the cradle (syncrhonizing with my laptop) all day so it gets charged anyways.

And finally AT&T coverage works fine. I didn't have coverage in my office with T-mobile w/ sony ericsson phone, this one has covearge in my office (chicago area). By the way, though at&t customer service is still very slow..

I'd strongly recommend this particular pda phone.

WARNING, AT&T Wireless now ships the PPC4100 locked to their network. Audiovox can't unlock it and says their contract with AT&T Wireless requires them to ship only locked PPC4100's!

When this phone first came out it was shipped unlocked meaning that it could be used with any GSM carrier. I bought mine through AT&T Wireless, the carrier from Hell. I bought mine with service I wanted at my companies corporate rate . When it arrived I had to take it to a local AT&T office to get the SIM activated. They set up my account completely wrong. I didn't worry about it at the time because I had service and I assumed that customer service would easily straighten that out. NOT!!!!! I couldn't even get different customer service reps to agree on what my account was set up for much less get it changed to the service and rate I signed up for. I tried for over two months to work with AT&T Wireless but when I got a bill with roaming and long distance charges, which were included free under the plan I had agreed to, I had had it. I canceled the service and revoked their authorization to charge to my credit card. There's much more to all this but it's just more of the same crap.

I got T-Mobile service, inserted their SIM, and was good to go. The PPC4100 wasn't locked to AT&T Wireless. Unfortunately a month later the phone developed a screen problem so I sent it to Audiovox for repair under the warranty. No problem, Audiovox shipped me a new one immediately.

Guess what! The new PPC4100 is locked to AT&T Wireless and I can't get them to unlock it for love or money. Their customer service reps just pretend that that they don't understand my problem and keep running me around in circles. I took the phone to a local AT&T Wireless store and received no help which escalated to my standing outside the store to ask customers not to do business with AT&T Wireless. During all of this I did not significantly raise my voice, use profanity, make any threats of any kind, or any other inappropriate behavior.

The Mall security guards didn't see it that way. They arrived in time to hear me ask the first customer about to enter the store "please don't do business with AT&T Wireless". That is all I said but the mall rent-a-cops said that I was breaking the law and would arrest me if I didn't leave.

Wonderful service AT&T Wireless gave me isn't it! American Express is being very slow in disputing the AT&T Wireless charges against my card but as soon as that is settled I'm returning the phone and all the accessories I bought for it and buying a better PPC phone for about the same price. With service from T-Mobile of course.

As the review title says, PPC4100 is a nice and compact PDA with quite an attractive look, but its a very poor wireless device, to say the least.

Because it comes with ATT Wireless thats notorius for bad GSM service (as I know), it made the matters worse and I didnt know whether to blame the carrier or the phone for such poor reception and signal, and terrible voice quality. Given that people DO use ATT Wireless in NY/ NJ without going nuts about it, I can only blame the phone for it.

Comes with Windows Pocket PC 2003 installed, fluid graphics and other good PDA features. Had to send mine back to Amazon.

I buy this phone few days a go and have a good signal, fast charging and good sound.I have some problems with the backup battery and with the main battery, but only need change the both and phone works great.
The phone is sheap for all applications installed in the phone. I recomended.

This is a good phone for someone starting out with PDA Phones. There are not of upgrades or new programs that you can get for it.

You might want to think twice about buying an Audiovox phone. I've had one for 2 1/2 months now. Well, I've actually had it only 2 months. It took a little over two weeks for the company to repair it when it stopped getting any signals.

But, less than 24 hours after I got it back the phone another problem! This time with the keypad. Audiovox won't let the dealer replace it. It's gotta be sent back again.

So, bad quality, bad repair, and bad customer service. Buy at your own risk.