Motorola i730 / i733 / i710 / i720 / i740
Average Ratings
Nothing short of Awesome
If your looking for a new Cell Phone, what can I say about the Motorola i730 that you probably have not already heard. I guess I can start with my opinion and work from there, "It is the coolest phone I have ever used". Not only is it a Cell Phone, it is Nextel's "Direct Connect" Walkie-talkie. This phone is totally equipped with all the trimmings other than a built-in camera (and I hear rumors you can add that on as well (Keep the monthly fees in mind when doing that) You can add a mini keyboard to it and run your entire office form it, including wireless control and remote access to your Network Equipment. Download extras and software to run on the i730 or use a serial cable and upload them from your PC.
Conclusion for this phone "Nothing short of Awesome"
Phone Review
PROs:
-Vibrant color display with ability to change font size.
-Professional design/looking in & out of holster inc with phone.
-Completely customizable menu options. (Which button does what and where they are placed.)
-Overall good call quality using both handset (cellular) and speaker (Direct Connect)
-Numbers on keypad are balanced and well-placed.
-Comfortable feel when held up to ear.
CONS:
-Bulkiness. (However, the phone was designed a couple years ago...)
Low battery life. (Common among all Motorola/iDEN phones)
-Although the display is great, some wireless web users might think it small.
Not impressed with i730
The i730 is not as good as they hyped it up to be. I had mine a couple of months and it would not hold a signal anywhere. Sent it back, they gave me a new one no charge. The second one had an issue with the backup battery, sent that one back and got a new one free. The third one is holding up so far, no problems yet. Nextel's service was great though, they got me the new phones overnight and paid the shipping on the phones I returned.
Not a big fan
I find the i730 to have some of the worst sound quality ever. My last phone was the i90 and it was a thousand times clearer and louder than the i730. I think for what I paid for this phone it should have been way more impressive. The features are only average compared to other phones on on the services costing a third of the i730. I would tell you if you thinking about this phone to think again.
Would be a 5.0 ... if the battery lasted longer
I've had my I730 with Nextel for about a month now. So far I'm very pleased with the phone and network with one major exception:
Battery life: With minimal usage, the phone will barely last 48 hours. Although this is my first experience with Nextel, I did have other Motorola phones which seemed to hold their charge in excess of 48 hours on a full charge. Could be the additional power needed for the color screen.
The rest of the phone is excellent. Sound quality is good, for the type of network Nextel is operating on. Both speaker and ear-piece volume is loud enough to be heard in a noisy environment. The screen is a little small at first, but you get used to it. Ring tones are loud enough to be heard in a noisy environment, which is good because the phone does not have a ring & vibrate option. Either the phone rings, or vibrates. For a less obnoxious , there are a few MIDI ring-tones included with the handset.
At first the menus can be a bit confusing, but not impossible, if you have the manual handy.
Overall, I would recommend this phone to anyone ... but purchase an extra battery or a rapid car charger.
Phone Sucks !!
After Using a SPRINT PCS SANYO 8200, and going to a smaller display phone and less features, and having to goto the WEB to BUY your game 1st before download, SUCKS, the phone is made very cheap, NEXTEL needs to sign up with a company like SANYO for quality phones, because so far the phones they have put out over all the other companies out there, SUCKS!!
Great Phone - Pros & Cons
I will start by saying this is the best Nextel phone so far and I would recommend it over all others.
Pros: Good sound, GPS features are great. Worth the extra money right there. Vibrant screen, good battery life, compact, seems sturdy although not as much as the older bricks. Still, it feels like it could survive a few drops with no issues. Volume is decent although speakerphone could be clearer Well designed holster. Excellent program and information capacity. Better reception than my old i80s and i90c phones. Cool new charger (also con - see below).
Cons: smaller screen, somewhat confusing button & menu location, different charging/accessory plug from other Nextel/Motorola phones (big PITA), not all metal (front is plastic back is metal) making it less durable, same old Nextel ringtones, leather case from Nextel is a poor design,
The ugliest phone with the best signal
I've been with for almost a year and let me tell you I AM SO GLAD I PAID THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE ONE YEAR CONTRACT!!!! I thought i was being a big shot when I got service because now i had the power to direct connect, that was a joke because in order to direct connect someone you've got to have a signal (ha.. ha... ha.... try not having a signal on the left side of your desk, your bedroom, couch....), I've had three phones since February and this big ugly phone is the only one that I can use any and everywhere. I also like how long the battery life is (it's been almost three days and I still have about 3/4 of my battery life). I wish it was blue tooth capable because then I wouldn't have this cord tangled around me because I don't take it off of my hip much can't really get used to holding a remote control to the side of my face. All-in-all, for all the necessary things as far as making and receiving calls and the such I am pretty satisfied (if thats all you want) but besides this is like all the other big bulky boring NEXTEL PHONES, I will not be renewing my contract come next February.
Great Phone with reliable service
Solid phone, clear color screen, great reception, GPS function is nice, speaker phone is loud and clear, good size, not heavy, software is nice, phone is easy to use and internet service by nextel is great,
Screw the critics, this phone is great!
While browsing around in a flea market, I found this baby. The seller allowed me to pop my SIM and test it if it's to my liking. It absolutely is.
PROS:
- RF is great (Telus MiKE in Canada)
- Good ol' lightning fast DC
- Encased in metal, one tough sucker, though the plastic parts can and WILL get damaged.
- Speakerphone is amazing.
- External LCD is a slab of icing on the cake -- sweet blue backlight, BTW.
- Laughingly easy to open even with one hand thanks to the design
- Keypad is great... the addition of an OK key between the four-way is a nice addition compared to it's ancestor the i530. Backlight looks amazing, too.
CONS: The only thing that comes to mind is battery life, but owning a i530, i560 and now a i730, batteries are interchangeable so I can carry a spare.
Overall, this is a fine phone, and I actually prefer it to my old i560. Sure, the i560 *looks* better, but the i730 *is* better.
