- The i305 is designed to withstand exposure to rain, sleet, and snow. Rubber encasing, interior linings and seals protect the phone's antenna, speakerphone, keys, battery door, and accessory connections against water intrusion
- Hands-free cellular conversations are always available with the built-in speakerphone
- Assign unique ring tones to contacts for audible notification and caller identification during incoming calls
- Discrete vibrating call notifications in quiet or noisy environments
- Change a setting to read phone menus and options in English, Spanish, and French
Technical Details
Product Details
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Product Description
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Overview
Compatible with Nextel cell phone service, the ultra-durable Nextel i305 packs all the really necessary features of a modern cell phone into a weatherproof frame that's so hardy, it actually meets military standard durability specs. You'll also get speakerphone functionality, two-way radio capability, voice recording, voice activation, and more.
Durability
In our tests, the i305 proved an excellent, practical phone; a serious communication device for users in a rugged work environment, living in harsh weather climates, or just about anyone who needs a sturdy, no frills mobile phone. Hard rubber encasing and interior linings and seals protect the phone’s antenna, speaker, keys, battery door, and accessory connections against water intrusion from rain, sleet, and snow. Further, the Military Standard 810 F certification means that the i305 can also withstand blowing rain, humidity, salt fog, dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, and solar radiation.
Testing durability
We powered up the i305 and gave it a few casual drops on to a cement floor. It showed no cosmetic damage, and continued to function normally. Next, we took the phone outside and chucked it about 100 feet onto a wet, sandy sidewalk. The phone bounced and skidded, and continued to function flawlessly. Used with a pair of medium-duty work gloves, the i305's tough keys proved perfect in their size and resistance to depression, and the dedicated volume and push-to-talk buttons were well-placed on the side of the phone.
The i305 also cleaned easily--after use with the muddy gloves, we simply ran it under an outdoor tap. Nextel has wisely provided enough space between the keys and phone body so that dirt rinses out instead of getting stuck in the cracks and jamming the buttons. The i305 also sports an appropriately straightforward and easy to read 6-line, green and black screen, which did not fog or show discernable wear under our damage tests or the water bath.
Testing calling features
Used simply as a phone, we found that the i305 provided clear reception, even when used in a closed-off basement with its extendible antenna retracted. We were also able to intuit our way through most of the menus without the manual, using the 4-way scroll key and two command keys for relatively easy navigation. The speakerphone function, important for the outdoor/industrial user, was plenty loud when set at top volume, and easily accessible with its own little button at the bottom of the set. The phone can also be set to connect to the last Direct Connect call or to a previously assigned Direct Connect contact, by pressing the PTT button. Other calling features include vibrating alert, downloadable voice activation, a two-way radio (walkie talkie) feature, customizable ring tones, a 600-entry phone book, keypad lock, voice mail, call forwarding, call hold, recent calls list, 3-way calling, and a small degree of display customization. The i305 can even be used as a modem.
Testing messaging and Internet
The i305's Mobile Internet connection was relatively fast. Some of the preset Web favorites included menus for Business Tools, Text Messages (read-only), e-mail, and the Web. The Web menu included links to news, weather, travel, finance, entertainment, and a few other handy sites (including MSN, AOL, and MBN Audio portals), all providing content that scrolled out nicely on the clear, uncluttered screen. While navigation was generally quite good on the i305, one very annoying exception was that there was no clear way to go back to the main menu from the Web site areas; we were forced to disconnect from the Web just to perform this function. To add to the confusion, (at least for the uninitiated) use of the Mobile Internet can be a bit obscure, and none of the included documentation covered this topic. That aside, other Web-related features include a variety of okay-sounding ring tones with the option to download others, and the always-handy GPS function (non-Java), which a! llows map downloading and emergency location determination.
Testing Organizer/Fun and Games
The phone's organizer capabilities are limited to time/date, memo, and voice recording capability with additional downloadable software. The usual phalanx of games and optional extras are essentially ignored. Users get Web access to a few minimalist, downloadable games, but again, accessing the games and information on them is not addressed in the included manual. However, in making a buying decision, we found this to be a non-issue. As if it wasn't obvious before, this phone provides function over form, and is not trying to replace your PDA or Gameboy. The one game we did try out was from the Nextel Arcade site; a primitive little game called Bubble Blast, which seemed like something out of a home computer circa 1984.
Conclusion and Vital Statistics
The Nextel i305 is large, weighing 6.63 oz. including the battery, and measuring 5.0 x 2.3 x 1.4 inches. Overall, we found it to be an excellent choice for just about anyone desiring a highly durable, practical cell phone. Unlike most of its contemporaries, it is not designed to appeal to users through its diminutive size, or complex graphic or organizational features. The phone comes with an OEM standard Lithium Ion battery (750 mAh) rated at about 215 minutes talk time and 90 hours standby time. Display language settings include English, Spanish, and French options. A high capacity battery door and a Black Rapid travel charger are also included. --- Erik Hammen
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One tough phone,
By
This review is from: Motorola i305 Phone (Nextel) (Wireless Phone)
The i305 is one tough phone. I am hard on my electronics but this phone has survived over a year in my hands. It even survived a 12 mile trip on to of my van in pouring rain. The i305 has taken everything I can throw at it and survived.
5.0 out of 5 stars
i305 is tough,
By
This review is from: Motorola i305 Phone (Nextel) (Wireless Phone)
I have had this phone for several years and have had no problems with the phone despite the fact that it has been dropped many many times, including one time it flew off the top of my truck as I drove down the road at about 50 mph. It laid in the rain overnight and worked fine the next morning when the guy who found it in his front yard called to tell me he had it.
Some of the ppl have mentioned problems with service, but I can honestly say I've not had any problems with Nextel in the 5 yrs I've been with them. I have used all their services and this phone in particular gets very good reception even out in the boonies in my midwestern state. There are some areas where reception is spotty, but to be fair, I don't think anyone's phones work all the time everywhere. My phone often works where other ppl's don't. I am experiencing reduced battery time at this point but the battery is now more than two years old so that's no big surprise. Batteries wear out.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Something That Fell Out Of The 80's,
By Jack "Jack Knauf" (WI. usa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Motorola i305 Phone (Nextel) (Wireless Phone)
This phone would be great if it was 1980. The size of this beast is huge. Actually it is even bigger than my cordless house phone. It does not come with any type of holster or carrying device. I guess they felt the extra 50 pounds for a holster might be a turn off. The buttons are very hard to push and way to small considering the size of this grandfather clock of a phone and very hard on the fingers. The menus are sub tree devided. To get to a feature, you have to go through a maze and hope you find what you are looking for. It comes with 4 'getting started' manuals but each one tells you nothing other than to check back to page 28 for more details, only to go to page 28 and read that you will learn about this feature on page 70? I would not recommend this peice of crap to anyone. It has a true Fisher Price design but it weighs much more than a child could possibly carry.
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