Motorola V197 Unlocked Phone with Quad-Band GSM and Bluetooth--International Version (Charcoal)

by Motorola

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.8 x 0.6 inches ; 4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0016JB8K0
• Item model number: V197
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,224 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The successor to the popular Motorola V190, the clamshell Moto V197 eliminates the external antenna and adds Bluetooth connectivity for easy handsfree communication. Nicely affordable and perfect for those who don't want to deal with a lot of extras, this quad-band GSM phone is also great for global voice roaming. Other features include an external display, speakerphone, Java for applications and games, MP3 ringtone capability, and extra-long talk time of up to 10 hours.

The clamshell V197 offers excellent voice communication features as well as dual LCDs and Bluetooth connectivity.

This unlocked cell phone can be used with a GSM network service provider and it provides quad-band connectivity (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz). It does not come with a SIM card, and it requires that you provide a SIM card for usage with your selected service provider.

Phone Features
The phone features a sleek clamshell design with a large 128 x 160 color display with 65,000 colors. The outside cover of the handset sports a supplementary 96 x 32 monochrome display that can display time, call information, battery and signal strength, and more. Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. Meanwhile, there's a USB-capable data port for data connectivity (the USB connector also supports charging), as well as a standard jack to accept universal hands-free headsets.

The V197 supports polyphonic ringtones as well as MP3 ringers, allowing you to use portions of your favorite songs to alert you to incoming calls. You can also assign pictures and ringers to your most common callers. A number of ringtones come preloaded on the phone, and ringer and Picture ID functions let you assign ringtones and pictures to your most common callers.

For those time when you want to be silent and discreet, the V197 has a vibrate ringer mode. Plus, a built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear. Voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 1.2 wireless connectivity, and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and dial-up networking. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones.

The V197 has all the bases covered when it comes to messaging and Internet connectivity. There's a built-in web browser (WAP 2.0) for wireless downloads and mobile web browsing. Traditional text messaging, as well as picture and sound messaging are also supported by the phone. iTap text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit-- a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the V197 including a calculator, a calendar, and an alarm clock. The phone also supports the SyncML synchronization protocol, so you can sync it with your PC-based calendars and contacts.

The V197's USB connectivity can be used to transfer pictures, sounds and graphics to the phone's memory from your PC. Screensavers, themes and wallpapers can be set to your tastes. And the phone is Java enabled, meaning it supports games and application downloads written on the Java platform. Other features include:

• Up to 500 contact entries
• Real-music ringers (MP3) and 24-chord polyphonic ringtones
• 2.5mm headset jack
• Speaker-independent voice dialing
• Bluetooth version 1.2 with the following profiles: HSP (communication headset), HFP (hands-free profile), BIP (basic imaging), BPP (basic printing), OPP (object push for sending images and virtual business cards), DUN (dial-up networking), and FTP (synchronization with another PC)

Vital Statistics
The Motorola V197 weighs 3.55 ounces and measures 3.58 x 1.85 x 0.94 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 10.4 hours of digital talk time, and up to 525 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS frequencies. This phone comes with a one-year warranty from a third party provider.

Product Description

The unlocked V197 by Motorola is a simple and easy to use a cell phone with essential features, such as an impressive talk time of up to 10 hours and also Bluetooth technology, so you can talk while your hands are free. The phonebook can hold an amazing 500 entries, so those old friends that you rarely call can still remain in your cell phone just in case you are interested in engaging in a casual conversation. It also features MP3 ringtones so you are not limited by the standard ringtones, instead you can add your own unique sounds.
Lightweight and compact, the Motorola V197 is designed for easy portability and slips easily into your pocket or purse. The Motorola logo on the front of the V197 delivers a gentle indicator by pulsing blue when someone is calling and when the phone is being charged. An external display lets you know who's calling. This flip phone is dependable and easy to carry and use. Display Type - LCD (Color STN), Resolution - 128 x 160 pixels, Colors - 65,536 (16-bit) Internal Memory - 10MB Phonebook capacity - 500 Bluetooth Java 2.0 MP3 ringtones Games (embedded and downloadable) PC synchronization via mini USB (EMU)Charge your phone from your PC Acoustic reliability with separate speakers for alert and earpiece Internal Antenna Unit Dimensions - 3.58 x 1.85 x 0.94, Weight - 3.55 oz Bluetooth headset is optional

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars motorola v197 cell phone, January 6, 2009

By 

thefarb - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Motorola V197 Unlocked Phone with Quad-Band GSM and Bluetooth--International Version (Charcoal) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I wanted a phone that had good battery life, a reasonable form factor and was dependable; I have a camera and mp3 player, so I don't need them on my phone as well. My previous phone was a terrific Sony Ericsson W810, but lost the battle with the washing machine...The unlocked Motorola V197 set up with no problems with my ATT sim card and connected easily with Motorola Bluetooth. I have had no problems and the battery life is very, very good, as is the reception. If you want a phone that is simply a phone, I can highly recommend this one.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Motorola V197 Unlocked Cell Phone, March 15, 2009

By 

Daniel M. Moudree (Boise, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Motorola V197 Unlocked Phone with Quad-Band GSM and Bluetooth--International Version (Charcoal) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I bought this unlocked Motorola V197 cell phone in conjunction with a Motorola Bluetooth hands free visor clip, for my driving. They work great individually and together. After examining my own needs and reading the reviews of others, I took a chance on this phone. Reviews indicated it had a long battery life, good reception and initialized easily with a Cingular/AT&T SIM card. Yeah! Set up was easy. (Thank you!) Reception is surprisingly better than my old phone, a big plus. The speaker feature of this phone was required and the hands free function of a Bluetooth seemed like a nice bonus. The Bluetooth has turned out better than expected. It's easy to use with good transmission and reception. It was a good choice for me. Amazon has always been great. Their secondary sales vendors have also proven to be consistently superb. Thanks Amazon.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a very good phone., January 1, 2009

By 

t00nz (Ridgecrest, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motorola V197 Unlocked Phone with Quad-Band GSM and Bluetooth--International Version (Charcoal) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

No it doesn't have a camera. I'll use a real camera if I want to take a picture. What is more important to me is that it is a good quality phone, with great reception and sound. Also it has a voice call feature that's easy to access and actually recognizes my voice and calls the number that I intended (unlike my Razr which always seems to have problems with this feature). Thus I've actually backward upgraded to this phone. Oh and it also has bluetooth, speakerphone, and mp3 ringtones capability, added plusses! Want a good basic easy to use phone with no complaints? Then get this. Got mine used, and unlocked, off of ebay (unbelievable price too, half of what you see here) and I'm VERY happy with it.