Nextel fans finally get a phone with some drool-worthy features, including a 2-megapixel camera, an MP3 player and GPS with TeleNav software. But does the i880 still manage to handle the basics?
Review summary of the Motorola i880:
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 With the i880, Motorola has managed to create a feature-packed Nextel phone that doesn't look like a Humvee. Nextel fans who have been craving a music player and higher resolution camera will be pleased with the i880, but we were disappointed by the hissing calls that consistently chopped up our sentences (although push-to-talk calls sounded great). Messaging was better than we've seen on many Nextel phones, and the rugged keys were comfortable to use. As a music player, the i880 has two sets of the loudest stereo speakers we've heard on a phone, but that doesn't excuse the lack of included headphones. Release: November 2006. Price: $150.
Pros: Lots of extra features for a Nextel phone; good messaging options, including IM; well designed for such a large phone.
Cons: Lousy call quality; no included headphones for music playing; keyboard layout a bit confusing; soft keys inconsistent.
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Full review of the Motorola i880:
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Design
Nextel phones tend to be a bit buliker than most, but the Motorola i880 has a very sleek look, owing to its slimming purple and black color scheme and almost complete lack of right angles. The ruggedized phone pops open with an assured click when you press a button near the hinge. The external display had a distinct screen-door effect, but the internal display was easy to read, and both displays are bright and colorful. The i880 has two sets of stereo speakers -- below the external screen and under the hood -- as well as dedicated music controls on its face.
Calling - Good
During our tests in New York City, non-PTT voice calls on the i880 suffered from a disconcerting amount of static. Also, unless we had full signal strength, callers complained our voice would drop out during calls. However, push-to-talk calls sounded loud (very, very loud) and clear, and the microphone was sensitive enough to pick up mumbles from waist level. The i880 supports all the standard Nextel push-to-talk functions, as well as Direct Talk for off-network walkie-talkie use. Though the phone packs an MP3 player, you can't use your music files as ringtones; instead, you are limited to polyphonic rings or tones purchased through the phone's WAP browser. The contact list was capable of storing more fields than we knew what to do with -- including, believe it or not, IP addresses -- as well as while-you-type searching, though the interface to edit contacts was cluttered and a bit dated looking (typical for Nextel phones).
Messaging - Very good
The Motorola i880 sports plenty of messaging options. The generous, raised and rubberized keys made for comfortable typing, though the quirky keyboard layout hampered access to some messaging functions. The menu key is off-center, but its corresponding on-screen icon is between the soft keys. Soft-key functions were also inconsistent, occasionally acting as a delete key, though sometimes we had to use the dedicated delete key instead. SMS performance was solid, presenting a full 160 characters for incoming messages, though just under 120 characters outgoing. Instant messaging through AIM, MSN and Yahoo is available as well.
Odds and ends
Unlike most Nextel phones, the i880 packs in loads of features, though most of these feel tacked on. The music player, which uses some of the loudest stereo speakers we've heard on a phone, handled MP3 and AAC files, but not our WMA files. A 64MB microSD card was included in the box, supplementing the paltry 20MB on the phone, but no headphones were included. The 2-megapixel camera, the highest resolution on a Nextel phone, takes average-quality pictures, and lags between shots and zoom levels by a couple of seconds. TeleNav comes preloaded, taking advantage of onboard GPS. Finally, the i880 is one of the first Motorola phones with AgION antimicrobial paint to cut down on bacteria and mold, though this only protects the phone, not the user.
Related phones: More push-to-talk handsets
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Motorola i615
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Score: 81% When: October 2006 Worth: $200 - $350 Carrier: Sprint Nextel
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A rough-and-tumble handset with a ruggedized case and access to Nextel's push-to-talk network, the i615 lacks a camera but packs in plenty of no-nonsense features. Is it hard-hat worthy?
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Motorola i580
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Score: 55% When: July 2006 Worth: $230 - $250 Carrier: Sprint Nextel
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This military-grade clamshell promises to withstand drops, dust and even rain, and it packs in a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth and a music player. Did it pass our punishing boot camp?
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Price and availability
The Motorola i880 is available from Sprint for $150 with a contract. A mail-in rebate of $50 is available, when signing up for a qualifying plan.
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