Customer Reviews

Motorola IMFree Handheld Instant Messenger Kit

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I purchased a couple of these for my kids for Christmas, 2003. According to the tech specs, the transmission range for these things is 120 to 150 feet.

The units we received indicate 'out of range' when taken upstairs in our house, which is about 50 feet from the base unit.

I used Motorola's web support site and asked if it was possible that my units were defective. They sent me the URL to an FAQ, which told me that the working range for these things is 150 feet. Very frustrating. It seems they did not even read my question. To add insult to injury, their automated customer satisfaction followup email was emblazoned with the motto 'intelligence everywhere'. I beg to differ.

In summary, I do not recommend the IMfree.

This product hits at a much used function on today's computers: IM. And, at [this] price this is just right for a lot of Holiday gift lists.

However, by requiring the base to be attached to a PC (which has to be on, running a special program, and connected to the Net) rather than directly to a wireless broadband router, Motorola has limited the appeal of their product to a much smaller market than need be.

Motorola should have spent the extra effort to allow this unit to connect to home 802.11x networks in addition to a USB connection for those who don't have a wireless LAN.

A great idea that could be much better in its next version.

Other than its somewhat-cute looks, the IMFree handheld is a terrible product, because it doesn't work. This is a big disappointment to me as I'm usually a big fan of Motorola's products.

First of all, the charging takes forever, and the units seem to have trouble holding the charge. BTW, you get one base and one handheld unit in each package. Kinda weird since I haven't found a way to buy the handheld unit separately. So you over-pay each time and get this large package with things you don't need.

Second, wireless range is truly terrible. If you live in a loft you'll probably be ok, but for those of us who live in walled houses, the reception completely drops after just a few feet when you move to the otherside of a wall.

Third, the keyboard sucks, and the screen sucks even more. Keys are very hard to hit, and the screen is not viewable in most lighting conditions.

Fourth, the IM program sucks. There's a slight but noticeable delay in IM, and it doesn't always tell you when your buddies log off.

In short, this is an alpha product, and you shouldn't have to pay for your frustrations.

We got both of our children, son 14 & daughter 10, one of these for christmas last year. My husband & both thought that for the small price we paid it might last a month & then fall apart, but to our surprise, almost a year later they are still working perfectly! They are worth every penny we paid for them & more. The kids can walk around the house & instant message with their friends. It is much easier than a laptop because of the small size which is about the size of a PDA. We downloaded the software & the base just plugs into one of our desktop computers; a very easy set up. They have the freedom to move around anywhere in our home & sometimes even manage to do chores while using the IMFree. I would say that if you have kids or teens that IM a lot, it would be a great gift, especially if you are trying to put off purchasing another computer. The IMFree would be a MUCH cheaper option.

Dear Lord, first of all for the record this thing sucks. It takes over 16 hours to charge the battery. It took twice as long for me because the charger for mine was irregular and did not fit correctly so it would occasionaly stop charging all together. (Way to go Motorola)Second, after using it a grand total of 2 times it stopped working all together. It simply did not turn on. Even during those two times it was a poor substitute for a computer. The lighting is poor and frankly the black and gray graphics are crappy. I didn't expect this to be perfect but I did expect it to be functional. I was going to return it for a new one but after this experience I am going to get a refund instead. Also as teenager this device is marketed towards me. However if this is what Motorola thinks I and my peers want they are sorely mistaken. First of all, this handheld needs a backlight and color screen. Also it is extremely annoying that u have to have the computer on the whole time. I have DSL so the computer just sits there the whole time. I would not mind paying extra for these features.

As for people who say the MX240a has terrible range, it must be interference with your area. I have an IMfree base station connected on top of an entertainment center (about a foot and a half away from the ceiling) in my basement, at about a foot away from the absolute front of my house. My room is at the back of my house, on the opposite side, upstairs. I can easily lay in bed and watch TV while talking on the MX240a. There is a tiny lag. TINY. I know this because I've left my AIM running on the PC downstairs and speakers on just to see when the sound cued downstairs, and compared it to when I got the message. Miniscule.

For those who say the keyboard sucks and screen sucks and all of this; try thinking of it compared to a phone. They keyboard on this thing is obviously designed so you're NOT typing traditional keyboarding style, but instead... thumb talk. Text messaging. This thing is a dream as compared to AIM's use of IM Forwarding to text messages on a cell phone. I'm an avid thumb typer with this, and I've had no problems.

The only thing missing is the use of a Timex Indiglo style backlight. That's absolutely it. Maybe a higher resolution LCD screen, but I see no purpose in having a full color backlit LCD screen, as this thing is to supplement for convenience, not replace your PC.

Although the common person to buy this is to get their teen off the computer, I bought it so I didn't have to sit in my basement studio, away from home theater, couches, bed, etc. to simply chat online without using a cell phone. May I stress, although aimed at, this product is NOT strictly for teenagers or preteens that you want off of the "family PC" ...it's for anyone who's tired of being stuck in the room with the PC just to talk online.

I paid approx. $45 for this thing at Circuit City, and it came with the base station. For a while (I haven't seen them since I bought this), they also sold the MX240a alone for about $15 less than the "starter kit"

I am very pleased, and could only ask for a simple backlight.

I have had the Motorola IMFree for over a year now and it has worked very well. The signal is great. I keep the base station hooked up to my basement computer and I can use the device anywhere in my 2-story house. I have even used it in the back of my backyard (about 1/2 acre in size)! The screen shows what I need but I am dissapointed that it does not have a backlight so that it can be used in the dark. I have never had any delay in the sending of the messages, like some other reviews mentioned.

Pros:
-Very well designed
-Great signal from base station
-Long Battery Life
-Easy to use software
-No delay in messenging
-Tough screen that resists scratches
-Helpful website service (Motorola Website)

Cons:
-Small Buttons
-Program must be running on computer to be used
-Computer will not enter Power-Saving Standby Mode when Software is running
-No Backlight
-Hard to read display in some conditions

Overall this product has been great and I am glad that I bought it. I have enjoyed using this product and would reccomend it to anyone.

I bought one and love it. I haven't had any trouble with it at all. My only two complaints are that the battery takes 16 hours to charge the first time (10 hours to charge after first charging and use) and only works about 4 hours, and that it only uses Aol Instant Messanger. It has the option to select service at the splash screen, but for the time being, only has AIM. I recomend this product highly. Also, numerous reviews have stated that the computer can be off. It MUST be on while using this product. It communicates through a program that must be running on the computer. If anyone can figure out how to run a program while the computer is off, then maybe you can use it...but untill that miracle discovery, sorry, but the computer must be on.

Okay I know this review is long, but hear me out:
This product is the ideal lazy person's handheld messenger. Say you're all comfy in bed or the couch and you get an IM, but the computer is out of arm's reach. What do you do? With me, I want to just leave it, but it really bothers me when I don't know who's talking to me, but hey -I'm comfy and don't want to get up. If you've ever been in the same situation then you should buy this product. All you have to do s run the program (it even goes to the taskbar so it doesn't interfere with other programs running), and have your internet on and you're set to roam the house or just lay in bed and still message. But yeah I know everyone has cell phones with TXT messaging on them now right? Well the difference between this handheld and your cell phone is the charge. Sending messages on this product does not charge you 10 cents per message like cell phones do, plus it has all the letters on separate keys, no more clicking nine times for "lol". This product makes it easy for me to cook/watch tv/clean/eat without having to run back up to the computer every time I hear that chime. So c'mon, what isn't great about that? The only thing I dislike, though it rarely affects me, is that there is no backlight, meaning you can't see the screen in the dark. But other than that, there's no reason why you shouldn't buy this product. It comes with a free charger and batteries, and you can use it while it's charging; customizable settings such as volume, contrast, and key beeps; and easy access to your buddy list in a matter of seconds. I haven't tried this product outside yet, but the base and computer are upstairs in my room, and it works everywhere in my house. This product really makes messaging easier.

I've read all the negative reviews, now here's my impression of the product. It's great! I live in a large 2 story house with a basement, the IMFree works all over my house and a long ways out into my 2/3 acre yard. If you have range problems, follow Motorola's instructions and extend the base unit as far as possible from your PC. Does it have limitations? Sure. It only works with AIM, and has no backlight. The keyboard is tiny (not a problem for the cell-phone generation) but useable. The battery does take a while to charge but builds to full capacity after several charge/discharge cycles. This fun little gadget is perfect for my teenage daughter, who frequently uses the computer only to chat with her friends, and IMFree does that perfectly. Frees up the computer for other users. The installation went without a hitch, and the software runs flawlessly in the background without hogging the PC's resources. It includes diagnostics for troubleshooting the system, parental controls, and security features. These units can be had at bargain prices on ebay and at TigerDirect, so grab one and have some fun.