Motorola i530
Average Ratings
REPLACED 3 TIMES
At my business we have four i530 phones. We purchased them because we are in the construction business and I heard they were rugged and could withstand a lot. They are able to withstand falls and dust etc. The problem with them is internal. One of our phones has been replaced 3 times because of power failure, inability to forward voice mails, and then it totally lost reception. Now one of our other 530 will not hold a charge. And another one is having the same problem with having no reception. Ive spoken to a local nextel dealer and she says there is a waiting list for the 530 because they need to be replaced so often.
Really basic
The i530 is a really good phone and as basic as you can go.
Pros:
Good reception and signal strength. I live in a sporadic coverage where I had previously had trouble with my GSM phone. Never had any problem with this one.
Basic menu. If you like your phones basic and not have all the latest bells and whistles such as games or whatever, the menu is simple and easy to use.
Cons:
The battery life sucks. Have to charge it once every 48 hours. I'm used to doing it once a week.
The yellow version I'm not too fond of. I prefer the black however they discontinued in carrying the i530. Just a matter of preference.
Better late than never
On the near-eve of the i560's release (the upcoming replacement for the i530), it occurs to me that I should probably record my observations on my 530.
I was initially unsure whether I'd be able to live with the lack of an external display, but, having read about how many of them have failed on other models, this may have turned out to be a good thing. I almost never use the phone side of mine, and since I'm obligated to respond to every DC call, I guess it doesn't matter who's calling anyway. :-)
I've been happy with the phone for the most part, although the battery life (overall, and between charges) is pretty poor. After 10 months, my battery is ready to give up for good now, despite infrequent heavy use and regular charges. Perhaps the high capacity battery would have been a better option, but it didn't appear to be available when I ordered the phone, and was next to impossible to find locally.
Nextel's idea of text messaging is woefully archaic, so don't plan on using their sets for much of that kind of stuff - it's a big PITA. Direct Connect is wonderful when it works, and annoying when all you get in response to an attempt to DC is that awful "Not Available" bonk tone (and we get a lot of those here in southeast MI). DC is still easier for me than holding a conventional cell phone up to my ear, or attaching all sorts of wires and hands-free doo-dads (although hands-free is nice and safe in the car). I just wish the general public would exercise a lot more consideration for the rest of humanity and refrain from sharing both sides of their conversations with the world quite so often. (Yes, folks, there IS a privacy option on these Nextel sets - do us all a favor and use it, OK?)
I've found the i530 to be exceptionally sturdy. Without trying (and on more than one occasion), I've managed to bounce mine off concrete, hardwood, you name it, and it's never so much as burped. The belt clips need to be tougher, though.
Great No-frills phone!!
I have one of these, and I am fairly happy with it. It has a "mono" non-color screen and it's limited on some features, but it is works well and is economical. I don't know if GregH just got a bum phone or what, but mine is VERY rugged and has taken a beating. I work for the RR and I accidently dropped mine about 15 feet out of a locomotive window onto rocks & it still works great. Battery life was poor but speaker phone & ringer volume will blow you away!! Good overall.
Good Little Phone
I have carried one of these for about 3 months. The phone is rugged as advertised. The UI needs work, or I am just conditioned to using a Nokia.
Pros
LOUD ringer and Strong Vibration
Appears water/dust tight. Has O-Ring seal. Potentially Class I device.
Strong belt clip.
Bounces good.
Speaker Phone is good.
Bright yellow. I can find it in the bilge of a boat.
Cons
UI needs polishing. I continously get to the setting menu and change the phone's number while trying to initiate a call.
Battery life isn't too good. A long winded call drains the power.
Only available with Nextel -- BAD! Very Bad!
PTT option can be aggravating in vibrate mode. No volume to external speaker.
Wishes for Moto:
If you are in construction,or have calloused hands these are difficult to feel - raise the button height about 1mm.
Change the menu system.
Collaberate with other carriers. I am going back to Cinglular because Nextel drops my calls.
TX coast.
i530 BEST NEXTEL PHONE I'VE EVER BOUGHT
I previously owned both the i95cl and the i730. Two of the worst investments I've ever made. However, the new i530 (yellow/black) is by far the BEST phone I've ever owned. Reception is far superior to any other nextel or service I've had. The rubberized outer shell has protected my phone from several drops. Not even a scratch...Highly recommended..
Pat
Great Phone!
I have had many phones, and I would say the Motorola StarTac and the Motorola i530 are the best. I have been with Verizon for around 2 years, and when I walked into the local phone store I was attracted to the yellow phone. Several of my friends have nextel and they love it, especially the direct connect feature. So when my Verizon plan was up I decided to switch to Nextel, I love the phone, so far it has survived several drops and is living up to its "military standard" reputation. Also, the phone is attractive, I like the yellow and black rugged look. I had a LG vx4400 previously, and you would think I would miss the color screen, but I don't. I can send text messages, read the news, and check sports scores with an additional $7.50 a month (unlimited text messaging and web). I would highly reccomend this phone to anyone, not just construction workers.
Great Phone so Far
I have been with Nextel for over a year now. I have to say that I have not been impressed with my other Nextel phones. Why? Currently, I am on my fourth phone in one year. I have used the i58sr and gone through two of those and one of the i35sr. The phones are bulky, produce a lot of interference with electrical equipment when in use and the reception and audio quality was fair to poor. However, my new i530 has been remarkably different. The auido quality is as good as any other phone I have owned if not better (I also use Sprint phones and have been using a cell phone since 1991). The i530 appears rugged, has downloadable ring tone options and is relatively user friendly. The built in speaker is also useful. The reception and battery life also appear very acceptable for me (I use well over 2000 minutes a month). My only con is a lack of an alarm. Overall, the best Motorola phone I have owned. Recommend it.
The I530 is not rugged!
With the rubber armer and the hefty weight of the I530, along with the Nextel rep saying it was "real tough", I decided to buy one. It lasted about 35 days when the screen went out. I dropped it once from about 40 inches, and that was all. The screen didn't go out right after the drop, but a few weeks later. Anyways, Motorola sent it back to me unfixed. I've never had a cell phone go bad, and I've had many. Don't be fooled, the I530 isn't any stronger than any other phone. Battery life isn't good either!
Great little Phone!
Love this new model. Work provides us a Nextel phone, and the old 550iplus was a horrible bulky phone. Battery life was crap, and the phone itself just too big. This new phone replaced the 550 after it had a horrible accident.
Much nicer phone. Good sound quality, great battery life and nice layout on the keys. Works great! Love the yellow color too.
