Review: Kyocera Event for Virgin Mobile USA
Screen
The Event's 3.5-inch display is perhaps the most disappointing feature. It includes just 320 x 480 pixels, which makes individual pixels easy to spot and gives everything a screen-door look. This LCD panel's brightness is OK, but the color is not. It has a distinct yellow hue, which means whites aren't white. The viewing angles are decent, but outdoor viewing is impossible unless the brightness is cranked all the way up.
Signal
Virgin Mobile USA operates on Sprint's EVDO 3G network and the Event performed on par with similar Sprint devices. It found Sprint's network with no problem, and never lost it entirely. The Event did not drop or miss calls, but data speeds were excruciatingly slow. This is Sprint's fault, though, and not the Event's. The Event does not support LTE 4G.
Sound
Call quality was much better than I expected it to be. Calls in the earpiece were clear and free of most noises or interference. Call volume was good, but short of excellent. When in a restaurant, you'll need to either step outside or find a quiet spot to adequately hear calls. If you're in your own home, though, you won't have any problems. The speakerphone offered very good call quality and very good volume. The Event's speaker could easily fill a mid-sized meeting room with enough sound for all to hear. Ringers and alerts were loud enough for me to hear from any room in my house. The vibrate alert was also strong.
Battery
One of the benefits of the Event's crummy screen is that it sips power rather than slurps it. Toss in the under-powered 1GHz processor, and you've got the makings of a battery life champ. I found the Event to easily last through an entire working day with enough power to get me to lunch the following day. Keep in mind, the Event is a 3G-only phone, so there's no need to worry about LTE 4G draining your battery. It rates well, in my opinion.
Additionally, the Event offers something called Eco Mode. Eco Mode is a separate app that serves two purposes. It helps users fine-tune their settings in order to save battery life. For example, it can be used to control features when the battery reaches a predetermined level. It also, through using it, teaches the owner about what apps/services of the Event draw the most power and how best to conserve energy. Honestly, given the Event's amazing battery life, it is a bit redundant.
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Kyocera Event
