Customer Reviews

Motorola i90c Phone (Nextel)

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

I bought the i90 about a month ago, to replace my i1000+. Previous to that, I have had two other Nextel phones, and have been a Nextel subscriber for over 5 years.
This phone is fabulous compared to the previous models I have owned, and has some really nice features when compared to those that my friends own.
What's so great about this phone?
1. The earpiece has fantastic sound quality, and is designed intelligently to mute the mic when I am not talking, so road noise or other background noise isn't heard by the person I am speaking to.
2. The backlighting is really easy on my eyes. It is blue, which makes it easier for me to see at night.
3. Voice regcognition, so I don't have to dial when driving
4. Styles that I have created so I can easily switch it from "car" to "meeting" style in about 3 seconds.
5. Games and other Java apps that I have downloaded so I am entertained while waiting for flights
6. Coverage that I have used from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, and is nearly always crystal clear. (exceptions: beach or remote areas in California, a few in Washington)Sometimes I have a signal in places that my friends don't.
7. The speaker phone. Perfect for working with Tech Support, or any time you need the ability for a bunch of people to speak simultaneously.
8. I was able to use the web interface to dump all of the names/phone numbers from my MS Outlook into my phone. And I can update it this way whenever I want.
What I don't like:
1. I had to read the book to use the phone (normally I skip this step)
2. I had to go back to the book when I had forgotten how things work.
3. The little display on the front, when it is closed, is difficult to read when it is clipped to my waist. Two reasons for this are the font is small and the cover distorts the display.
Given this, I would still recommend this phone, because it surpasses all the other Nextel phones I have owned. I am very happy with it.

Let me start out be saying that I have been with Sprint for the past 3 years and finally got fed up with dropped calls and no reception at my house. I did lots of research and finally decided on Nextel, mainly because of this phone. I've had 2 samsung phones and this is my 3rd Motorola phone. I agree that Motorola makes the most durable phone on the market. I've dropped my motorola phones and have had no problems (unfortunately this includes my i90). This is my favorite phone I've owned to date. When you pop it out of the clip and open it up, people start starring. The blue backlit display is easy to read and really cool. I personally don't think that the menu is that difficult to navigate, it just takes some getting used to. If you want a durable phone with awesome voice quality (earpiece and speakerphone), great features and stylish looks, this is it.

By the way, I haven't had any dropped calls or disruption of service in Southern Orange County, CA.

If you're looking for a quality phone that will combine the features of a phone, "walkie-talkie", pager & PDA you've found it!

After being a loyal Sprint subscriber for over 4 years I wanted a phone and cellular provider that would handle all of my professional requirements better. Motorola's i90c is the phone. It's compact, durable and intuitive. This phone provides signal strength in elevators, inside rooms and short tunnels. After one month of use I have yet to find any limitations. Its internet software is compatible with MS Outlook. Now I can access my personal and office e-mail plus traffic and weather conditions anywhere!

One really neat feature is its speaker phone. Just clip this phone to your sunvisor, press the speaker button when driving and it becomes a hands free device without requiring an "ear bud", and it's clarity is amazing.

... It's a must have if you're a person on the go wishing to consolodate your communication needs into one compact package.

I'm "hooked" on this phone and NEXTel!

Having endured the horrid service of AT&T Wireless for the past few months, with static, dropped calls, repeating sentences over and over, and really poor phone selection, I dumped them for Nextel and the i90c.

Although I've only had the phone for a short time, I have already amazed my dad with the call clarity compared to the AT&T service when I had the phone on the desk in speakerphone mode while talking with him. He didn't know I was on speakerphone and he definitely did know that I was not on AT&T Worthless.

The Direct Connect feature seems to work quite well also.

The size of this phone appeals to me. I'm not a huge fan of phones that try to be too small. This phone is small, but not microscopic. The keys on the keypad are a decent size and space apart, and the phone is large enough and heavy enough to be comfortable holding during conversations, but small enough and light enough to be practical to carry with you and use. A nice compromise, in my opinion. A nice touch is the thumb indents on the flip cover so that you really can pop this phone open with one hand, unlike a startac phone I owned in the past.

I would like to have the ability to press the down arrow on the navigation button and have it pop me right into my address book, like some other phones I've had, but otherwise the interface is pretty nice.

This phone is a professional quality phone, meaning that it has enough functionality for a business user, and the form and style to match. The same could never be said of any of AT&T's phone offerings save possibly the newer GSM phones, which I never tried. They don't have GSM available reliably in most areas yet anyway, and the phones available for use on their TDMA network, codenamed "STATIC", are basically kids phones. If you've never used a real phone or service, you might be pleased. Otherwise, you will want to use something like Nextel and the i90c.

With Nextel and the i90c, it's like stepping back into the world of business communications. So far the phone and the quality of the service have not disappointed. I look forward to hitting the road with it and seeing how far my Nextel coverage extends.

I purchased the i90 to replace my other Nextel phone which was an i85. The operation of both phones is nearly identical.

Here are the things that I LIKE:

1. Programmable Styles: You can establish a setting for the car so that the ringer is louder or of a different type than what you would use in the office.

2. Speaker Phone: The speaker phone is loud an clear.

3. Reception: I had read some people say that the i90 reception was not a clear as the i85 or similar style Nextel phones. I have not experienced that issue at all. So far as I can tell the reception is virtually the same.

4. Battery Life: I find the battery lasts about a day with heavy use (I'm an 1800 minute per month user).

5. Voice Recorder: There is a feature where you can store voice memos which is handy for to-do lists and such.

6. Menu Structure: The complete menu structure can be re-ordered by you so that commonly used choices are near the top.

7. Construction: The i90 lives up to the advertising as a durable workhorse. I have had several other Motorola's and none have been this sturdy - including my Startac and Timeport.

8. MIDI Tones: There are several pre-set MIDI tones you can use as your ringer (unfortunately they don't let you add any yet).

Now, here are the things I don't like:

1. In this day and age there should be one quick button to press that will allow you to turn the phone instantly to vibrate. (Note: Nextel indicates that the latest release of the i90 software supports the ability to quickly place the phone in vibrate mode by using the down volume key until you feel the phone start to vibrate.)

2. The phone won't allow you to receive a call with the flip open and then shut it (as you might with a headphone) and continue the conversation. This feature has been updated in the latest software release so you can now receive a call with the headset on and push the speaker button to answer the call.

3. The "smart" button doesn't seem to do as much as it could. All that I've found to use it for is to send calls directly to voice mail (Nice!!) and to view the last inbound number. This feature has been updated as well and the smart button allows you to now scroll the last few numbers received (using the volume keys) and push the speaker button to make the call.

4. Cannot scroll the phone book with the phone lid shut.

Overall if you are using Nextel, this is a great phone to get. I don't think they have all of the bells and whistles of some newer models - but for Nextel phones (typically bricklike in structure) this is a huge step forward!

I use the phone extensively in my home area which is Connecticut and get excellent coverage throughout. Some have complained about coverage in other states -- so far as I can see all the carriers suffer from coverage gaps to different degrees.

August 26, 2002: This phone has more than survived heavy use and many drops to the pavement. No damage so far. Have not found a reason that I would want to trade the phone in for a newer model - it remains a rock solid performer.

I was initally reluctant to get such a "high-tech" phone since I am extremely hard on electronics. The included carrier belt clip is too small for a duty belt (Motorola shrunk their clips about five years back) and won't lock in on a belt over 1 1/2" without a lot of effort. As such, the phone got knocked off my belt and flew about 5 feet. I was sure I would be picking up pieces. Apart from a nick on the plastic antenna, the phone is fine. I still have faith in Motorola's quality. Features are all there (I dont use voice dialing) and the speakerphone is the best I have heard from such a small unit. Nextel will chew up battery life more than other brands due to the way it polls towers and keeps you logged into the network but the talk and standby time are great for the size of the unit. I'm not too wild about the way the charger clips in so I bought an aftermarket desktop charger and avoided the whole issue. A good product overall. I would like to have gone with 4.5 stars (the clip is sturdy but not suitable for my use) but 4.5 doesn't exist so I erred in Motorola's favor.

I tried sorry T-mobil (w/ spiffy V66) and switched to Nextel. I feared the bulky i90c (compared with the Barbi slim V66) and I'm very pleased. First, I want to say how fabulous Amazon.(com) has been with me. They have been a model company with exceptional customer service and not one of the more than 10 people that helped me was less than great. Second, I am very pleased with my i90c. Why?:
1)It fits my palm wonderfully. A little portly, but that must be due to the speaker for the speakerphone which I LOVE!
2)You'd think the speakerphone was designed by BOSE because the sound is so great!
3)THREE WAY CALLING! I can conference with my two great sisters, my two best friends, my girlfriend and my parents (who'd almost rather talk to her!),....
4)I don't have to have the phone open to make a call.
5)The voice recorder is great! I can use it for anything from recording a reminder to some new melody or lyrics I'm suddenly inspired with to compose,....
6)The datebook is great for reminders,
7)The Direct Connect is great! I never thought I'd use it that much.
8)The external buttons are sturdy so they don't get pressed by accident.
9)The inside LCD is large
10)The phone book is real easy to use
11)The message screen is great

What I wish it had:
A)differential rings for specific callers (ability to have a specific ring for a specific caller)
B)Infrared port to beam to computer or PDA

I'm very pleased with Nextel. Good customer service, easy to get a person on the phone. Good reception and plan being that I live in both Ann Arbor and Mt Pleasant, MI. Even though it's a bit pricier than other carriers, I find the hassel-free worth every penny.

I purchased my i90c for its impressive feature list, since it matches well with my gadget-crazed personality. It's fairly large and won't be fitting into your front shirt pocket.

Belt holster - the phone snaps into the belt holster (which twists, thank you Moto) securely so it cannot fall off. With a simple thumb motion you release and flip the phone open. Great design.

Here's a list of my favorite features thusfar:

Themes - a grouping of settings for a particular location. Set the car theme to loud ring, voicemail notification, etc then vibrate only for like a theater or business meeting them. Much better than scrolling through ringer settings for twenty minutes.

Speakerphone - fantastic quality, doesn't contain the traditional speakerphone echos. Most friends are not aware I'm using it (unless I'm driving, speaker + driving = noise central).

Web-downloadable address book - nice touch, I can change business contacts info online using keyboard rather than search-and-peck phone typing.

Java-apps - I downloaded a chess game for my phone, plus MSN messenger, and a grocery list keeper.

Voice-activated dialing - make calls while the phone's closed. I say, "Call Dean at home" then it dials and puts me into speaker mode, opening the phone converts to a private call (or use earbud). Making calls (while it's closed) without removing from my belt holster - sooo convenient.

Checking external emails - my i90c alerts me when I've got work or home email (and let's me preview).

Web browsing - only six lines but that's plenty for catching my daily weather forecast, stocks, and headline news while riding the train into work. Favorites, shortcuts... you can customize your homepage too!

Voice memo recording (three minutes), text memo, datebook, two-way messenging, call timer tracking, forwarding, and the list goes on. That's all of my review, time to play a game of chess with some guy in Chicago on my i90c! I'll win this time, I promise.

The Good Stuff:
*Awesome Midi Musical Rings
*Functional, Loud Speakerphone
*Nifty, communcatorish Blue Lighting
*Indestructable Construction
*Very Good Service Coverage
*Groovy downloadable java apps
*Large Phonebook
*Two-Way Radio Feature
*User Definable Styles
*Wireless Web Support

The Not So Good Stuff
*Unable to Download new rings [yet]
*Battery needs to be charged every-other night at minimum
*Slightly larger and heavier than other [non-nextel] phones
*Voice Reco uses limited memory shared with java apps
*Only First Generation Wireless web -- Little or no graphics.

I've owned this phoen for three months, and it is without a doubt the best wireless phone I have ever owned. The signal is great most of the time, the reception is clear, the ringtones are funky, and the phone is just fun to use.

You can flip it closed with one hand after saying "Two to beam up" so everyone knows that you're a real big dork. You can sit in class surfing the internet or playing one of the included java games, or one you downloaded. Functionally, the phone is a virtual dream

Physically the phone is larger than most, but that is not especially bad. It is comfortable to talk into, can be carried in a pocket without too much effort [you will realize if you forgot it though] and it feels rugged to use. It is rugged, as I can personally attest to:

One day I was doing some work on my car, talking to my freind via direct connect all the while. When I was done, I placed the phone on the roof of my car and forgot about it. I drove away, took a hard corner at about 30, and watched in horror as the phone flew 25 feet through the air slamming into a curb. I picked it up and made a call, and it works just fine. A few scratches to give it charachter, but it works perfectly.

If you want a phone thats so small you can hide it between your fingers, look elsewhere. If you want a rugged peice of communications gear that still has a very nice sence of style and a very funky presence: blammo, buy it now.

I switched from horrible T-Mobile to Nextel almost a year ago, and immediately noticed the great reception Nextel had. In places where I almost didn't get any signal at all with T-Mobile, I got a perfect Signal from Nextel. I started off with the i1000 Plus which is a good phone but I recently upgraded to the i90c. The service in Nextel is great but I was amazed the signal this little phone was able to grab. The i90c had 3 or 4 signal bars in places where my other phone (i1000) was able to grab 1 or 2. The web enabled applications are great, I can check my AOL mail, logg into AIM, Recieve and send out Instant Messaging, and check different kind of web sites without any problem. I can download different kind of ring tones from the nextel website right into my phone, as well as download different games. The size is just right for me, and the carry holster makes it easy to carry, as well as easy to remove and put back in. Nextel's rate plans are even getting better, with the new breakthrough 10,000 plan everything is unlimited plus 1000 weekday minutes. The Direct Connect is great, with clear service and all around great for keeping in contact, nationwide Direct Connect is now available in the ny area and will be available nationwide by the middle of this year. There are different fuctionalitys in this phone that will fit your needs all around. GET THIS PHONE!! And just a note to all, Nextel considers anything over 2000 minutes "unlimited" meaning that even if you go over your minutes you won't be charged at all (i.e. If I have 4,500 N & W Minutes and i got over that, I will not get charged). Again get this phone!!!