STARCOM SLICE PREPAID VIRGIN MOBILE CELL PHONE

by Virgin

Product Details

• Item Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• ASIN: B000HJC56G
• Item model number: Slice
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,507 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 14, 2007

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Grab yourself a Slice before it's all gone! This super thin phone comes loaded with superphonic ringtones, a full-color screen, a Web browser, and more. Even with all that packed in, the Slice is just 0.4-inches thick. Compatible with Virgin Mobile pay-as-you-go cell phone service, the Starcom Slice packs affordability and great features into a chic, slim package.

Design
The Slice features a large 128 x 128 pixel full-color screen with support for over 65,000 colors. A charging port is positioned on the bottom of the unit, while most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. Lastly, the internal antenna is safely tucked away, keeping the phone's design slim and portable.

Calling Features
The Slice's built-in address book can store up to 500 entries for quick and easy management of your contacts. The phone comes with built-in polyphonic ringtones plus a vibrating alert. Ringtones can be assigned to specific callers so you don't have to look at the phone to know who's calling.

Messaging and Internet
The Slice covers the messaging basics with support for sending and receiving text messages easily and quickly (Virgin Mobile text messaging charges apply). T9 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.

The phone fully supports Virgin Mobile's wireless content service, VirginXtras. Use the pay-per-use service to download ringtones, get content and vote in TV-based polls via the MTV area of your phone, or get jokes and updates from Comedy Central. Pick a celebrity voice to answer your voicemail, or get a Sponge Bob thought of the day. Need to jog your memory? Use Virgin's wacky song ID service. Press the Song ID command, point your Slice towards a song that's playing in the room, and within minutes a text message appears identifying the song's title.

The Slice ships with a number of handy tools including a calendar, a calculator with a tip calculator, and an alarm clock.

Imaging and Entertainment
The phone features custom Virgin Mobile graphics--screen savers, wallpaper and menu icons--that let you dress up your phone to suit your personality. For gamers, the Slice comes pre-loaded with three games and more are available via the VirginXtras service.

Vital Statistics
The Starcom Slice weighs 2.30 ounces and measures 4.30 x 1.80 x 0.40 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.83 hours of digital talk time, and up to 270 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 1900 frequency. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

Product Description

Thin, is the latest trend in consumer technology. With IM and email capabilities, VAM capable, downloadable games, a WAP 2.0 Web Browser and Superphonic ringtones this ultra cool candy bar style thin phone is sure to catch some attention.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Affordable, compact phone, March 2, 2007

By 

Yu-jin Chia "Yu-Jin Chia" (Cupertino, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: STARCOM SLICE PREPAID VIRGIN MOBILE CELL PHONE (Electronics)

I'm a long-running Virgin customer, but additionally I work as a developer in the mobile industry, and so I've had experience using literally scores of handsets from every imaginable carrier (including non-US). Previous Virgin phones I've used include the Vox 8610 and Kyocera 2255. My 8610 still works, but it's a bit bulky and heavy for my tastes and I decided to upgrade.

Let's start with the positives:

-Very compact design. This is probably the cheapest phone of its size/capabilities available anywhere. It is so thin that when I put it in the same pocket as my wallet, I sometimes forget it's there.

-For the cost, it is pretty decent in terms of features. 128x128 screen with fullscreen graphic support, 10 MB for downloads (32 total), speakerphone, web capability, comparable performance to most Nokia series 40 devices. Very long battery life, and fast charging. For those that have had trouble with the battery I suggest you try turning off the backlight. It might have... interesting... effects.

-Uses the Sprint network. I've found this to be very reliable in my area, and signal quality is excellent both in and outdoors.

-Call quality is good. Comparable to the 8610 as far as I can tell, which was also good (my old Kyocera, on the other hand, was garbage).

-UI has a solid, standard design. Predictive text included for messaging. The phone's graphics are a bit odd, but not necessarily in a bad ways.

-Durable. UTStarcom knows how to build to last. This handset is no exception.

-Good library of games, ringtones, and graphics available. Now I actually have something to spend all that balance on...

-Virgin is a very low cost provider. It's no good if you want video on demand, 3G, or whatnot. But for just making calls/texting now and then, you simply can't beat $20/3 months. No annual contract as well, which is a huge plus (as many who've had one know all too well).

On the downside:

-Keys are a bit small. This is typical of ultra-thin handsets. They are a bit stiff as well, which is good and bad (good because you won't accidentally press them as easily, bad because typing is more of a pain).

-Virgin's web browser is lame. Their web service costs extra, and it has problems viewing many page formats (says 'network gremlins' when you try... cute). You can browse basic html, and that's about it- good luck reading e-mail with it.

-No bluetooth built-in, though this is to be expected.

-No camera either, also to be expected. This can actually be a good thing, since camera phones are off-limits in more areas than you might expect.

Bottom line: this handset is great for the price. There are flaws with it, as with any phone, but the pluses outweigh the minuses. I've seen many reviewers complain about both Virgin and the phone, but in my professional opinion (and it is an expert opinion) these people need to realize that you get what you pay for. This isn't a $200 Samsung T519, and you're not paying $60 a month for service on a 2 year contract. Considering the costs, the Slice is an great handset with excellent service, and that is that.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good deal, basic phone, and the red Slice is pretty ta boot (ADDED COMMENTS after two years), February 3, 2007

By 

Voracious Consumer (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: STARCOM SLICE PREPAID VIRGIN MOBILE CELL PHONE (Electronics)

I've been a Virgin Mobile customer for a few years now and have to agree with an earlier reviewer--if you want a phone-phone (without all the extra hoopla) this isn't a bad deal. I "*bought" a red Slice a couple of weeks ago (take note that I'm not one of those people with a cell phone perpetually growing out of one ear) and for my needs (emergencies, quick calls to family from the grocery store) it's just right.

Good points:

I got mine for "*free" with Reward Zone points at Best Buy.

Fits into a small purse or pocket easily.

Nice looking (someone mistook it for a "Chocolate" the other day).

Clear reception (long distance calls are just as crystal as local; not sure if this is an "area" thing, but apparently the service in and around Chicago's solid).

Pay-as-you-go option works well for someone who doesn't spend a lot of time on the phone.

My Slice holds a charge just fine (I've noticed other reviewers have said this is a problem, but so far, so good) and doesn't heat up, as someone else mentioned (maybe that reviewer's got a defective phone or battery?).

***ADDING A COMMENT on Jan. 11, 2009. I still have this phone and am still pretty satisfied with it. One thing, though, about the phone heating up. If a phone call goes on too long, it does grow hot. I mean hot! I don't normally use it for long calls, but the few times my conversations have lasted for more than a few minutes, the Slice feels like it's burning up in my hand. I wonder if it might burn the circuitry inside the phone one of these times.***

Not so good points:

It's so slim my husband has bet me I'll lose the phone within a couple of months (could be easy to misplace if you keep stacks of papers and books on your desk). ADDED COMMENT: Two years later and I still haven't lost it.

Someone else mentioned the odd graphics (hot dog dripping blue sauce, some sort of pipe looking cartoons with teeth. Seriously, I have no idea what those things might be), but I say it's workable if you have a sense of humor (:

Yes, the buttons are small. I have small hands, slender fingers, and I still manage to bump the "3" whenever I'm trying to shut off the phone.

Sometimes it's difficult to turn on (the button doesn't always respond when I push it, though could be I'm a wimp), but once it's on it's fine. I'm thinking this will get broken in with more use. ADDED COMMENT: The button did get broken in and now it's a breeze to turn on and off.

All in all, it's not a bad phone. Beautiful red. I find myself staring at it just to appreciate its beauty (phone confessions!).

I'm satisfied with mine. And since I haven't forked out hundreds of dollars--or any dollars, really--I won't feel too guilty when/if I do manage to lose it under a pile of paperwork!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great little phone, March 8, 2007

By 

notaprofessional "notaprofessional" (san francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: STARCOM SLICE PREPAID VIRGIN MOBILE CELL PHONE (Electronics)

I have had this phone (and Virgin Mobile pay as you go service) for only a day or two, but I wanted to write this review before I forget. I'll update it if I change my mind.

Once you get over the industrial strength plastic clamshell monster it comes in, it's a good ride. The phone resembles a small remote control. It's sleek and unassuming. Turn it on and things get a bit zany with the animations on the color screen, but it's a pleasant experience. The sound quality is good on both ends of the conversation.

It's attractive. It works. It seems a real no-brainer given the other choices for the Virgin Mobile service. You can have fun with it or just ignore the fun stuff--but you'll have to get used to the funny graphics.

The UI is totally intuitive. You interact with the menus on the screen and the few keys below it as if you've been doing it a while after only setting up your preferences.

One thing: this whole service and the software on this phone are marketed to a younger demographic than mine (thirties). While it's a good basic cell phone and the plan is appealing (pay as you go--for me 18c/min), there's a ton of stuff to play with if your train gets stuck in a tunnel. I have Lily Tomlin's operator character answering my voicemail and found a wallpaper with my first name spelled out in diamonds; and if I should ever receive a text message, among my canned response options (that come standard with the phone) are "Hell no," "Can't talk," and "Leave me alone."

My friend has had one for a few months and loves his. He makes a good bit more money than I and sports some fancy handheld devices, so it's not just that it's so cheap and cool.