Motorola E815 / E816 Hollywood
Phone Scoop Review
Oct 11, 2005 by Eric Lin
In-depth review of Motorola's first EV-DO phone for North America, the E815 for Verizon. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
All around great phone
I just got this phone 2 weeks ago and I really like it.I am soooo glad the Verizon rep steered me away from Razr,which I planned on buying when my T720 finally broke for good after being dropped for the hundreth time(that was one durable phone).The E815 is a great PHONE first and foremost,and I am on the phone alot so that is the most important.Secondly it has all the features you could want and more.Most of all like the other reviewers stated- RECEPTION,RECEPTION,RECEPTION and that to me is most important.Secondly,earpiece volume-great,audible and clear.Third-Battery life-excellent,even w/standard battery-can upgrade too bigger battery if you choose.The only downer is the size-its actually thicker than my t720,which is now over 3 years old(I thought phones get slimmer not fatter)not real comfortable in pocket.Finally Bluetooth works flawless so far,unlike Razr which have problems in that area,along w/many other problems.Overall if you want function over form go w/this phone you won't be sorry,cause many Razr owners can't say the same.
Enjoyable phone
After using for a two weeks, here's likes and dislikes:
Dislikes:
Outside screen could have been better, but like the blackout feature with time in white. Easy to see where there is light without wasting battery.
Bluetooth could be a little stronger, however, I do live in a high RF area. Better range at work.
Front screen freezes and cuts parts off at different times. Simple restart fixes problem.
Of course the large Verizon Wireless label at top, but is switchable from center to left side.
Likes:
Great screen and big. Wallpapers use up whole area.
Extremely customizable. Abundance of shortcuts possible to favorite menus.
Bluetooth capable. Not had much problems with it. Some difficulty if in slightly loud situation. Normal of any voice recognition.
Large memory. Which is switchable from displaying every number for each person to displaying just primary number. Helps to read book.
Expandable memory. Bought the 128 card for $25. Over 600 pixs at high res and put on comp without paying to.
Good RF receive. Went to Disney last week. NO problems anywhere in any park. Even had better coverage at resort with annt down than with my old 7000.
Fast access to any menus. Good processor.
Overall, very enjoyable phone. Price is decent. Would recommend powering phone down after making several changes. Found it locked up if did to many drastic changes, like rearranging menu options, adding shortcuts, and creating phonebook groups. Just don't do all at once. Hope this helps several people with decision. Cuz got the same one and he basically hates the outside screen and learning new menus. Likes the checking of text from outside with another new phone. On a side note, if you've owned any recent motorola's, v120 or later, all chargers work and so does radio headset. Also easy to pick up accessories cheap.
Has to be Verizon's best Motorola phone yet!
Having owned the Motorola V60s, V265, V710 (which was so miserable and bug-ridden that I sent it back and reactivated the lowly V265), and now the E815, I'd have to say this is the best Motorola CDMA product Verizon has offered to date! The size and form of the phone seem just right to me, the internal screen is bright and crisp, battery life has been great for me, and I haven't experienced any of the random freeze-ups, crashes, and reboots that were a part of daily life with both my twice-exchanged V265 and my V710. The phone is also loaded with features, including a built-in camera capable of both still photos and videos, SMS/EMS/MMS messaging, MP3 player with playlist capabilities, adaptless voice commands, 40 MB of built-in memory, and a TransFlash memory slot for adding even more. The E815 also comes with an improved wall charger; though the plug looks almost the same as past Motorola chargers, this improved version snaps into the phone much more confidently.
My only complaints thus far are with the external LCD (much less brilliant than the internal, but all it does is show the clock and signal/battery levels anyway) and Verizon's crippling of certain prominent features (not Motorola's fault). Verizon crippled this phone so that Mobile PhoneTools can't be used to transfer multimedia from phone to PC and vice versa, MP3s can't be transferred between the phone's memory and TransFlash memory, and #777 can't be dialed to connect to the Express Network. HOWEVER, I found hacks on a certain popular cell phone forum site with "seem edits" to re-enable the Mobile PhoneTools and TransFlash capabilities, and #777 is once again accessible by simply pressing ##DIALUP on the phone's keypad to enable dial-up networking (my phone has software version 8720_01.17.03, your mileage may vary). USB data cable drivers are also impossible to obtain from Motorola, but the mentioned forum site linked to those on a non-Motorola site as well. Uncrippled, the E815 is an AWESOME phone!
SOLID PHONE PACKED WITH FEATURES!!!
The e815 has to be the best phone available from Verizon. I tried the LG vx-8100. Too many bugs, froze up more than once, call volume is very low, no mp3 player, the lists goes on, not to mention that the 8100 is fugly!! The e815 is far superior to that piece of junk!!
PROS
very clear sound clarity
reception
build quality
bright, large screen
voice recognition
looks
speakerphone with flip closed
answer phone closed
mp3 player
loud ringers
camera
List goes on.....................
CONS
none at all!
best reception
e815 is no Razr or a high-end Nokia or even an Asia-only Samsung. however, it looks decent enough in person and in absence of those sleeker phones. It feels ok in your hand, about the size of a StarTac but shaped better.
It takes pictures and all that, but the most impressive thing about this phone is its reception. My old v60 was lousy inside my home. It dropped calls or dropped out so frequently I couldn't have a normal conversation unless I sat by a window facing the nearest cell tower without moving my head.
I tried my sister-in-law's samsung a670 and a650. Both were much better holding calls, although they also suffered from drop outs so I couldn't walk around the house while talking.
My wife's new job also has poor reception and her v60 was useless. It didn't even ring.
All that changes with e815. I walk around my house while on the phone. My wife has normal conversations while at work. All the previous dead spots along my commute disappeared completely.
Aside from its amazing reception, it has good sound quality, good speaker phone, intuitive motorola menu. However, it is infuriating that I can't download the pictures and videos via BT since this functionality has been disabled by verizon. I don't need to email the photos. I just want to download them to my computer. I am not sure how much money verizon is making by forcing people to pay additional charges for these various sundry features, but they are creating legions of pissed off customers.
Despite its size, the phone is attractive enough, well designed, wonderfully functinoal and built sturdy enough. Although, I am not sure about the durability of the silvery finish on the plastic. I wish the phone was made of magnesium casting like Razr or just a simple black plastic with integral color.
Finally a solid phone!!!
I have had many Verizon phones, including LG VX8000, CDM 8940, and Motorola V265. The Motorola E815 is by far the best!
PROS
1.Attractive styling, excellent keypad
2.Internal screen crisp, excellent resolution
3.Plenty personalization options, including skins and sounds
4.Ringtones very cool, very loud
5.Speakerphone very good
6.Audio excellent
7.Camera very good
8.Reception excellent
CONS
1.Outer lcd resolution ok (suppose this helps battery life)
2.Could have better selection of wallpaper(downloaded wallpaper from internet looks awesome!)
Overall, this phone is a big winner, the cons are very minor, and not enough to score this phone lower than a 5!!!
Best Reception Phone
The reception on this phone is excellent, compared to other more expensive phones. I personally don't care about the camera or videos (buy a real camera if you want that) I am a businessman I use the phone, calendar, calculator, voice memo, and contacts. If that is what you need this is a great phone. I actually have my Verizon Treo 650 on sale on ebay right now Item number: 9743771644
It is a great phone, but the reception is lacking compared to the Motorola E815.
I believe phones are like cameras, there is never a perfect all in one. This Moto could be smaller, but it is a good phone. If you need a good reception business phone that seems to be easy to navigate this is the one. I will miss the treo calendar organizer, but I live in a rural area and need the reception more.
Great Phone
Ok for those of you trying to decide if this phone is worth buying, here's the scoop.
This phone has alot of options and perks.
1.For starters the call quality is amazing. I live in Montana and I've never dropped a call(had the phone for 5 months).
2.1.3 Mega Pixel camera
3. Screen resolution is very good.
4. The other nice thing about it is you can get replacement parts for this phone, ie.. extended batteries, face plates and anttenas.
5. Has Blue Tooth Capability
6. This phone can also be modded and changed by hacking the phone and adding Menes and features disabled by alot of carriers ie the ability to change the evdo setting to off, therefore eliminating the battery issues alot of other reviews talk bout.
7. also has trans flash port for up to
512mb of extra storage.
8.Didi mention it plays mp3's
9. and finally i personally researched this phone for a month, sizing it up against the LG 8100 primarily. I have 3 friends that have the 8100 and thier phones can't compete with my phone now that I've customized it.
Whats Not to like?
This phone is truely amazing. I picked it up yesterday and immediately I saw things I liked. The screen is bright and crisp. The sound is superb. The connectivity is fast. You cannot even associate this phone with the V710 because although it looks like it, it is a vastly improved phone. The only thing I have not used is the blootooth but I tend to think it will work. The voice commands on this phone are top notch. For instance a long name such as Mutschman is easily picked up by the recognition. Verizon and Motorola have finally gotten this right! Backlighting is now in blue so it is easier to read.
Pros:
Huge bright and crisp screen
Excellent Camera(much nicer than V710)
40mb onboard memory
Voice Commands
Larger Spread out Keys
Nicer External Screen
1000 person phonebook capacity
Fast Connectivity
EvDo technology
Excellent Battery Life
Super Fast Charge Time(fully charged in about 2hrs)
Cons:
Because of voice commands each name shows up seperately but is put in all together. ex: If you have Mike Home and Mike Cell they will be put in at the same time but will show up as seperate entries
Same Charger as V60(not sure if I like that)
Speakerphone could be a tad louder
