Customer Reviews

Motorola V400 Phone (AT&T)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

I've had this phone for about 2 weeks now. I bought it new and unlocked online through Amazon's Marketplace for about $235 (excl. s&h) but saw it on Ebay for $155 and I just thought, "Ugh. I could've had such a better deal". But anyway, before I bought the phone, as a "gadget freak", I've done a lot of reviews on it. Let's start with the phone's PROs and CONs.

PROs:
1) I love the front design and colors of the phone.
2) The 176x220 display is absolutely beautiful! (unlike the Samsung E-105 phone that I had before).
3) The speakerphone is very clear, but I wish it could be somewhat louder.
4) The voice dialing option is quite useful, even though it tends not to work around noisy areas.
5) The camera's pretty good since you can't really expect a "high-tech 2mp+ digicam" out of a cell phone (maybe in a couple of years, but not now).
6) The mp3/polyphonic ringtones come out very true and not so "muffled" if you know what I mean.

CONS:
1) The loudspeaker and speaker overall could be louder.
2) It would be so much nicer if the speaker isn't located in the back of the phone because once you put it down, the volume isn't as loud (that's why you should place it down on the front instead of on the back).
3) It would be nice to use the speakerphone whenever like for a example, when playing a voice recording.

There are a lot of "would'ves" and "could'ves" and "what ifs" but you can't and shouldn't expect a phone to be perfect.

If you were to compare the v400 with the v600, then there really isn't much of a difference besides the "external blinking lights" to tell you which group the person calling you is in. Big deal. It's just a flashy addition to the caller ID option - mainly to "show off". Also, the v600 and the v400 are about the same size - same for its memory capacity. If you're thinking about buying a V600 retail, then you're better off buying the v400 and saving the extra $100 for something else.

Lastly, I'd recommend signing up with 3GUPLOAD.COM for ringtones and downloads. It's only $10 for unlimited downloads a year and you can always share the account with friends that have the same phone (or display resolution) as you! As for free downloads, you can try MY-JUJU.COM even though there isn't as much to choose from compared to 3GUPLOAD.COM.

This is a wonderful phone. Great color screen, great external display, great reception, great camera, great look overall. It's full of memory to store pictures, wallpapers, screensavers, etc. It also has all the fun caller ID features and settings everyone wants. It comes with two addictive games (they drain the battery...don't play too long). The ringer is a little quiet and the vibrating is short and unnoticeable. My only real complaint is that the battery life is much, much, much shorter than advertised. However, I would strongly advise everyone to buy the phone from another company, not amazon.com. There are much better deals on the Internet, and I already regret buying from Amazon. You can find this phone for free on many other websites that are very reliable with FREE 2-day shipping (Amazon charged me a good $12 on top of the sales tax I had to pay). Though Amazon SAYS it includes a hands-free headset, it actually does NOT come with a headset. Cingular includes one Motorola travel charger; Amazon includes NO accessories. This phone deserves accessories (hands-free headset/case) and NEEDS a car charger. Order elsewhere and get them for free! One final tip. A lot of people complain about the battery meter. I agree that the battery reader displayed on the external screen is not very accurate. However, there is a more reliable measure inside the phone. (Settings-Phone level-battery meter)...click that to see where your battery REALLY is). Anyways, overall, this is the best phone for the money I've ever found. It's amazing that such a nice phone is free--buy it while you can!

I've had this phone for a month or two, and I like it a lot. The screen is fantastic; I was surprised by how sharp and bright the image was. The external display is very nice as well. My friend has a different make of phone with an color external display, but the words on it are so small that they can barely be seen. The keypad is easy to use, except that the blue button in the middle of the directional buttons is a bit too small. I like that you are able to change the ring mode with the side buttons, without having to open the phone.

The ringtones that come with the phone are not very impressive, but that was also the case with my previous phone (Nokia 3560). I think they really, REALLY want you to purchase lots of new ringtones.

I have not used the camera a great deal, but what pictures I have taken look fine. I have yet to view any pictures I have taken with this phone in full 640 x 480 resolution. The camera automatically adjusts fairly well to low-light conditions.

This phone comes with a hands-free speaker phone, but I have not used it much because the sound output is somewhat tinny. I have tried using it in my car, but could not make out anything that was said to me (this could be the fault of my car, though!). I will soon purchase a headset for in-car use.

The instruction manual is pretty much useless. It tells you how to get to different functions, but not how to use them (such as the iMelody ringtone creator).

The reception on this phone is decent, but not exceptional. The battery life on this phone is not as long as I expected... but I must admit that when I first got this phone, I was playing with it A LOT. Also, I work in an area that does not have good cellular coverage, and I would leave the phone on while at work. These two factors surely affect the longevity of the battery.

Now for the main reason I did not give this phone 5 stars: the earpiece volume. With my previous phones, I never had a problem hearing through the earpiece. With the v400, I am frequently straining to hear, even with the volume all the way up. I don't know if it is how I am holding the phone or what...

Otherwise, this is a great phone.

This phone is cool! After shopping phones, service plans, and prices, I choose the Motorola V400 with Cingular service. I upgraded from a Motorola V120, and was also looking at the V600, but Cingular discontinued this one due to technical problems. I also considered the Nokia 6820 with AT&T Wireless (Cingular now owns them).

Plusses: crystal clear reception (I do a lot of traveling), quad band (works anywhere in the world), easy to use, large keys, bright and clear screen, relatively long battery life between rechargings (big improvement over my V120), clear speakerphone, useful secondary screen when folded, external ringer adjustment, multimedia capabilities, excellent zoom camera for a cell phone, attractive design, excellent personal organizer, and compatibility with many inexpensive accessories. Also, Cingular's multimedia messaging service (MMS) works very well with this phone.

Minuses: no bluetooth (like the Nokia 6820), no foldout querty keyboard (again, like the Nokia 6820), no hands-free headset (purchased separately), phonebook only holds one number per person, and slightly too thick in size.

There is not much that Motorola could do to improve this phone. It does most things flawlessly, but I would like to see the next generation phone include those minuses (very minor) I mentioned above.

The bottom line is that this is a cool phone that I would highly recommend. The phone offers a multitude of features at a moderate price, and, with Cingular service, works very well. The Nokia 6820 with AT&T Wireless was my second choice, but it was much more expensive overall, and the phone was lacking some of the features and performance in this phone.

I have my V400 hooked up through my T-mobile SIM card and I am glad becuase it allows me to compare this phone with my old phone(nokia 3360)with the exact same service provider. This phone blows the nokia away with its reception. I have one of those houses that cells always loose signals in...not any more.

The speaker phone is not that loud and as the reception bars go down it gets lower in volume as does the earpiece, but it is not a big deal.

The camera is great and I just ordered the data cable to transfer the pictures and mp3s to my phone and to my computer.
The rings that the phone comes with are not too great (there are only 4). But like I said, upload mp3s or download some rings. Game capapibility is awsome, Prince of Persia (1) is addictive. The phone has 5mb of disk space that it shares between games, pictures, ringtones etc. which is a nice feature. The calender is great and you can even download applications just like a computer. Battery life is good, I get about 2.5 days while playing with phone costantly.

I highly recommend it because of its programmable menus, completely customizable features and becuase it can expand any way you desire it too via games, apps, rings, screen savers.

I love, love, love this phone. I've only been with Cingular for a week but its service in Alabama is above par in m opinion. I just left T-mobile after a year and a crappy phone (SE T300). To me, Cingular and T-Mobile are pretty close as far as service goes, but Cingular goes a step above with free mobile to mobile and rollover minutes.

Now on to the phone:

Pros:
Comfortable to hold (Not to big, but not to small)
Beautiful large display (65000+ colors)
Loud MP3/Midi Ringtones
Fast Web Access
Downloadable Games
Decent Camera w/ easy access!
Clear External Display
SPEAKERPHONE!!
Reasonable price (Free!) for such features
Subdued (though beautiful) look

Like all phones, there are a couple of things that stand for improvment:

--comes with few ringtones (4 MP3, and a handful of basic polyphonic tones)
--the battery doesnt last too long (after extensive use, lasted for 1 day)
--polyphonic rings a little on the soft side
--speakerphone can only be activated after a call is connected.

Overall I'm very happy with this phone, and with the ability to take pictures that are actually viewable on the screen, download new MP3 tones, games, and wallpaper, its the almost perfect phone for me. If you don't need bluetooth (MOTO V600) then GET THIS PHONE! :) It's awesome!

Actual Rating: 4.45 stars

I recommended this phone to my price-sensitive friends and family members, but chose to buy the V600 for myself because I wanted 4x zoom and web access. Both phones have this functionality. The V400 has a larger phonebook than the V600. The only benefit that the V600 provides is that it has Bluetooth functionality... if you need that feature. It is also a slightly more attractive phone. The V600 looks a bit too oblong. They are essentially the same shape, but the lines on the V600 create an illusion of clunkiness, whereas the the textured finish of the V400 is more refined... sort of like a Cadillac versus a BMW.

Both have great reception and take great pictures. Both are easy to navigate. However, both are somewhat sluggish to respond when quickly scrolling through the phonebook. This effect is somewhat mitigated if you switch from "icons" to "list", but the sluggishness is a problem with the phone's memory/processor/software/whatever. Another complaint I have is that it doesn't have the full set of TAP Extended characters in the alphabet. For example, it doesn't contain Scandinavian letters such as "A" with a circle over it ("AA"), "A" with an umlaut ("AE"), or "O" with an umlaut (OE). It seems to have all the other TAP extended characters (eg: "I" with umlaut, "U" with umlaut, "AE", "OE", "C" with squiggly thing underneath, "N" with tilda, vowels with accents in both directions, "Euro" & "Yen" symbols, etc.).

My only other complaint has to do with Cingular Wireless. Their voicemail system sucks! You are forced to enter your password EVERYTIME you call, even from your mobile handset. T-Mobile didn't require this. The transition from T-Mobile to Cingular was a snap by calling Cingular's Number Porting specialists (888-898-7685). However, until they get the voicemail thing figured out, I recommend you stay with your other carrier. T-Mobile and Cingular (at least until recently) share(d) mobile towers and coverage is identical. When AT&T's network comes onboard in October, the coverage area should increase.

as with all phones, it's got issues.

- needs better ringtones, to buy some, go to www.motorola.com (of course, if you're paying a fortune for a phone, you should get some good ringtones, but not with this one)
- the games... well, one is ok, and common in new phones, the other, I can't stand. To get new ones, (if you're using Cingular), go to Cingular's website, they offer better games than Motorola's site.
- also, I wish the phone was entirely constructed of metal, instead of just the part on the front cover that is. With a 4 month old in the apartment that has recently learned to grab at everything, I would've liked a more durable phone for my money.

Otherwise, the phone is great! Great resolution, looks nice, 4x zoom on the camera, picture caller ID, and other great features.

This phone has been nothing but great to me. It provides good connection, up-to-date internet access, and cool downloads and features. The camera isnt bad and the quality of sound when it rings is clear. The phone is easy to understand and easy to use.

When I got our phones I did not like that they were not set up for internet or multimedia use, a technician talked me through setting up my husband's phone and it worked perfectly. Mine was another story. I never got the same technician to set up my phone and it would never go to the internet. Just connect forever but showed up as a connection on the bill. After talking to Cingular till I was purple in the face I took it to a technician 100 miles away who replaced it for another phone (not a new one)
This phone worked for three months then would not send or receive multimedia messages. It would just freeze and have to be turned off or the battery removed to do anything. I had to go 100 miles again for another phone. I did not really mind that I was not getting a new phone each time,however, Cingular customer service was AWFUL!!!!
When my phone is working it works really well.

My husband's phone had not had one bad day for six months. I give his phone a perfect rating.

The pictures are great, the batterly life long, connects to the internet easily, has a calculator, battery meter, date book can receive reminders from e-mail and the features are beyond what was expected. Be sure to save information to the sim card and the phone because if the phone has to be replaced the sim card can be changed from one phone to the other, no problem. Do not allow this phone to get wet, to be played with by a child or dropped.

If there is a way to transfer pictures from the phone to the computer without sending each one in a separate multimedia message ($0.25 each without a plan) this would be great.

Buy or get the phone and use it wisely. I would rather not have another phone and when I finally figure out how to use even more of the features, I will be more excited.