The flip phone gives you the calling features Nextel fans have come to expect like push-to-talk and Direct Talk, but do two networks make for better calls?
Review summary of the Motorola ic402:
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 The Motorola ic402, a budget-friendly version of Motorola's own the Motorola ic502, pairs CDMA data and voice with Nextel push-to-talk features in a disappointingly hefty form factor. The phone does a fine job on the Nextel side, with all the capabilities we expect from an iDEN PTT phone. Unfortunately, the clamshell fails to include some basic features we expect from CDMA phones, such as Bluetooth, voice commands and instant messaging, and is plagued by a lousy screen, mediocre messaging and unattractive styling. Release: December 2006. Price: $40.
Pros: Loud speakerphone; push-to-talk; comfortable keypad.
Cons: Bulky design; lacks Bluetooth, voice commands, instant messaging and pre-loaded e-mail; small
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Full Motorola ic402 Review:
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Design
The Motorola ic402 is basically the "lite" version of Nextel's first hybrid CDMA/iDEN phone, the Motorola ic502. However, it doesn't feel light by any means--its 4.4-ounce body is almost an inch thick and quite bulky. Unlike many phones offered by Nextel, the ic402 is not rugged, and Motorola unfortunately didn't design an attractive shell. It sports a curvy, yet rather bland, run-of-the-mill dark silver shell without an external display. The internal screen looks dark and suffers from a noticeable screen door effect.
Calling - Good
The ic402's call quality was about average during our tests in New York and the suburbs of northern New Jersey. Our calls came through with small amounts of static depending on our reception, which varied and became spotty in Jersey. Our pals sounded tinny, as if we were listening to them over the speakerphone. Calling features on the phone are a mixed bag, as it includes the range of push-to-talk services from Nextel, a startlingly loud speakerphone and three-way calling, but lacks Bluetooth and voice commands. The phone's contact list is a bit more appealing than other handsets we've seen from Nextel, such as the Motorola i615, and it supports while-you-type searching. The ic402's battery life was just ordinary, clocking in at three hours of talk time.
Messaging - Mediocre
Like many push-to-talk phones we've tested, the ic402 skimps on the messaging department and doesn't offer instant messaging, pre-loaded e-mail, or outgoing MMS. The blocky interface didn't utilize screen space efficiently, only fitting a meager 41 characters on outgoing messages, which is far short of our preferred 160. However the flip phone redeems itself slightly with incoming messages, legibly fitting a full 156 characters on the screen. Typing on the ic402's keypad was comfortable thanks to its large, well-spaced keys, except for the rather small "back" key. We often pressed the "end" key by accident when we just wanted to go back a step.
Related phones:
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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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Price and availability
The Motorola ic402 is available immediately from Sprint Nextel for $230 or $40 with a two-year service contract.
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