Kyocera Koi KX2
Phone Scoop Review
Apr 6, 2005 by Eric Lin
In-depth review of the Kyocera Koi swivel megapixel camera phone for Verizon and other CDMA carriers. read review ›
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Satisfied customer
I've had this phone for two months now, and am pretty happy with it. When I needed to replace my ancient Audiovox, I spent a lot of time on this forum trying to find a phone that:
--has a screen I could actually see the text on
--has good reception in fringe areas, like in the neighborhood where I live
--has tri-mode
--works with Verizon
Those simple requirements turned out to be astonishingly hard to find! But in the end, I picked the KX2, and I'm pleased that I did, even if I'll never use things like the camera.
Pros:
--Very visible screen, in all light conditions
--Good reception on Verizon in Seattle, including in fringe areas
--Tri-mode
--Swivel works great for us left-handed types, yay! For you righties out there, learn to use your left thumb.
--Battery life seems to be fine. I spent the extra money for the desk charger, which makes it easy to keep the phone charging all of the time.
--Customizable screens and menus are really helpful. I have programmed the phone to make stuff I use more accessible.
--Documentation is good, at least the stuff
I got from Verizon.
Cons (mostly real nitpicks):
--Most of the rings aren't very loud, and are impossible to hear if the phone's tucked away in a coat pocket. I finally picked one called "telephone" -- how boring, but at least I can hear it.
--When the phone rings, it sometimes makes a horrible buzzing noise, the cause of which I haven't been able to track down yet.
--The dial buttons are flat, a bit hard to see, and the rows aren't lined up horizontally (the middle column with 2,5,8,0 is just slightly below the other two columns). Thus, manual dialing takes a bit more concentration than I would have expected. But programming the contacts is easy, so I mostly just use them.
Stuff I haven't used:
--Voice recognition
--Camera
--Web browser
Bottom line: This is a pretty expensive phone just to do some things that I would have thought would be basic, but it does them pretty well, and I'm happy with the results.
Good phone so far
I've had the KX2 for about a week now, and so far I'm pleased with it.
Being used to the Nokia 3650, the size of the KX2 isn't an issue, and it's really only slightly larger then the V265, except when it's open, then it's pretty big :)
Battery life? Not all that great. Lasts about 2 or 3 days before I have to recharge.
Camera - Don't let the 1.2 mp fool you. While I haven't tried out all the settings, so far the pics are only slightly better than my old 3650. Low light and indoor pictures, even with the flash are so-so. Outdoor pictures are pretty good. A little better than the V265 and 3650
Sound quality is great, (speaker phone is not as loud as I'd like, but still works good.)
The swivle design takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it it's cool, (takes some dexterity, but you CAN open and close it with one hand.)
Connecting it to the computer with the data cable and software is a snap. No issues transfering images, sounds, contacts. (both on Win2k and XP.)
All in all it's a fun phone!
Different isn't always better.
Well, I received the KX2 today as a step up from the V60i I've been using for the past two years. It's going back on Monday. Live and learn: Go to a store and test phones before buying. I purchased it after reading some good reviews. Silly me.
Basically, my reasons for returning it boils down to the following:
1. Poor voice quality: Voices are very high-pitched (treble alert!) and there is a prominent hissing sound. This really is unacceptable.
2. The phone is somewhat uncomfortable to hold for a call because of its size and flat shape (keep in mind that I'm a former user of the V60i).
Little quirky things about the phone that also annoy me: an absolutely HUGE antenna, an awkward little plastic cap over the jack, and the bulky size.
The phone does have some cool features. The operation of the camera is quite ingenious. The display is gorgeous. The menus are very intuitive. The phone is also more solidly built than I thought it would be. Still, call quality and comfort rank higher in importance for me than the special features.
I think I'll give the CDM9900 a spin.
Koi KX2 = Excellence
Come on guys, anyone who wrote a negative review of this phone must not have used it or just have a personal vendetta against the manufacturer. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that, however the I don't feel some people review the phones objectively. I have been in the business for a long time and have used enough phones to make my wife cringe every time a new one comes out.
The fact is that the KX2 is a very good phone. One of the best I have ever used. I have no loyalty to any one company and rate phones on their reliability and quality. I feel the KX2 scores big in both.
This phone is easy to use, has a great screen, great sound quality, and so many features it makes other phones jealous. How can people complain about the screen being on the outside? Is it really any different than any Nokia phone or a candy bar phone?? If you don't like phones with the screen exposed why buy it and then write a crappy review about it? Screen contrast? Easily adjustable if needed. I have had no problems. Large menu icons would allow even my 95 year old grandmother to read them with ease. And the scroll wheel on the side makes it a breeze to navigate the menus. No swivel problems here. How can you say it feels flimsy? Mine is as sturdy as it can get. There is even what seems to be a small shock absorber which allows a little give if tried to open like a clam shell phone. No worries on breaking it this way unless you really give it a super hard tug. Speaker phone works pretty well but I have noticed a slight cracking noise, but hey no phone can offer a perfect speaker phone. If you can find one Ill pay big $$$$$. Voice activation is top notch and makes using the phone while closed a simple task. In fact you can do almost anything without ever opening it.
The fact is this phone is very sturdy, easy to use and a nice change from the traditional clam shell design. I would recommend to anyone.
Overall a Great Phone
This is a great phone, with an unique design, great features and function. The down side is the size, and Verizon disabled a host features so you would have to pay for them using their Get It Now program.
Pro:
large colorful clear screen.
Menu layout-very easy to navigate.
Weight, though a bulky phone it is relatively light weight compared to other phones it competes against, such as the Moto E815.
Voice command/Speakerphone allows one to use the phone when it is closed.
Camera: though lacking compared to a real digital camera it is pretty good for the intended use.
For me It seems to have a ability to receive signals in areas that most other phone won't.
Video camera feature.
Lens door cover. Helps protect the lens from damage.
one can buy software and a cable that allows one to download info into the phone from one's computer.
Cons:
Size when opened. A little bulky.
Lack of ring tones and other media because Verzion disable it.
Keys are flush against the face of the body so it can be difficult to operate.
No games installed, not a big deal for me but others might not like it. You can buy games and music from Verizon.
No blue tooth.
you are not able to turn the speaker phone on with the phone closed.
short battery life when being used especially in an areas where you switch from digital to analog . Games and the camera also drain the battery rather quickly.
camera activation button on the outside of the body is to hard to find and push.
This is a great camera.
one has to buy a cable and software to sync your Outlook contacts into the phone.
consider this if you can get it
I owned this phone awhile back and i wanted to make a review.
Pros:
Everything
Cons:
tiny lag when typing which only happened a little bit.
the swivel was hard to get used to. I almost tried to flip it open the day i got it because I didn't see how to open it.
Well loved
I've had this phone now for several years.
The antenna broke off long ago but that's not enough for me to change phones.
It's got everything I need in a phone and it all works fine. The camera's great and I make good use of it. It has a little chrome square on the back so you can frame yourself and friends if you are taking pictures of yourself with them.
The menu's easy and intuitive to navigate.
I've often used the speakerphone rather than sit for long calls with the phone to my ear.
The screen is big enough for easy viewing.
Numbers are backlit.
I've been eligable for a phone upgrade for quite some time but have yet to find a phone I like better.
Loved It to DEATH
Oh I loved this phone to the very end. It was used by two (or even more) people before me and it still worked better than any other phone I'd had previously. I loved the camera, it always had really awesome quality. Unfortunately, I had Cricket which meant lousy service, but regardless of that the phone was excellent and now I'm looking to replace it with a twin phone.
One of the best!
I owned a very large amount of phones; so far this is the best I ever have.
Here in Ecuador, Kyocera is not to much known but I'll tell you, this phone is really good.
PROS.
-Easy to navigate and use.
-Great photo quality.
-Very good signal and sound quality (Movistar)
-I put all the ring tones I want and I can go on.....
-Very nice and big color screen.
CONS
-Maybe to big.
-The battery needs some improvement.
The KX who
Well Ive read and mostly agree with the reviews so far. How ever this phone has come to leave a sour taste in my mouth. I've had aweful problems with it in the past. For instance; the up/down button on the side has crapped out on 2 of the 3 KX2's Ive owned. It would take on a mind of it's own and start scrolling and dialing as it ( "it" meaning the scroller button) saw fit. My provider happily replaced the phone under the 1 year manufacturers warrenty but it was still quite annyoing. I'm not to impressed with the phones' picture taking abilities either. The color and quality really show the 1 megapixel abilities it carries. Most of the pic's Ive taken come out blurry, most likely due to the shutter staying open to long. I wish the video mode wasn't limited to 15 seconds but rather to the memory's capability. Also the speaker phone should have been enabled while closed and the speaker just isn't loud enough. However some pro's the phone does carry. Large color display. 75-80% phone functionality while closed using the joystick on the side. A retractable antenna and the reactions you get when people see your phone swivel.
