Motorola V180 / V186 / V188
Average Ratings
Not quite right
Pros:
Size
Flip
Color Display
External Display
Good battery life
NO Camera
Speakerphone
Can set up multiple phone numbers per entry, you just have to go to "More"
Cons:
Cannot set up more than 5 Voice activated entries...this is terrible!
Poor reception (and I have two other GSM Cingular phones in my household, the V180 gets far worse reception, lots of dropped calls and poor voice quality)
Poor clarity of screen/icons
Quality (My third, first two were defective)
This one is probably going back...
EXCELLENT PHONE.
Despite the negative reviews on this phone, I want to tell you about my experience.
Pros:
This phone has been the best one I have ever had. The speakerphone is really good. It has been one of the few phones that I can actually use the speaker without having to scream or strain to hear the other party.
Also I can plug in a headset and use handsfree with no problem.
It's a flip phone, so it is very convenient. Has a web browser and text messaging with keys that are easy to use.
As far as dropped calls, etc. I have never had a call dropped or any problems with reception. I am on the Cingular network in South Georgia. Calls are always clear and sound like a home phone.
Cons:
Well, if there are any, they are minor. It does not have a camera (I don't use one anyway, I have a digital camera for that).
The screen could be a little bigger also.
Overall, this phone is great. If you can do without all the bells and whistles and cute little add-ons, and want a dependable workhorse of a phone, this one is for you.
more than adequate
Despite the negatives I've read from people that seem to have had 63+ phones & are experts at the performance of every one, my V180 has been a solid workhorse... Having a bad experience with their phone doesn't make the whole model line bad. (personal handling, provider, and location ALL contribute to the phone's quality). I rarely have a problem with dropped calls, my signal strength outperforms my Nokias (which the 3590 & 3595 admittedly are lower end phones-but also workhorses), & all my friend's and co-worker's phones & services with all of their Nextels and Verizons.
I'm in south central PA and have AT&T/Cingular service. My 1st V180 averaged 4500 minutes usage & about 400 text messages per month, constant use as a daytimer & alarm clock. I work in a mill, so it's constantly subject to sawdust and air particles, & it took a swim in the Clarion River. It lasted over a year before it's only problem developed: the microphone quit functioning. My 2nd V180 was purchased for use to replace my land line. it worked great until my teenager used & lost it. It was replaced with yet another V180. Except for the water, it's history mirrors the first one's usage. After 7 months, this one's vibrate feature quit working; after 10 months both internal and external displays died, but then I got it off ebay and who knows it's prior history.
Most manufacturers claim that daily charging batteries before they run down won't affect their performance, but I always run down the battery before recharging, & still have about 4 day's standby, but the phones are used so much they need recharged about every other day. My vibe-&-ring setting still works on the 1st phone, & the only time my messages disappear is when I delete them.
*Cons*
-it seems mine isn't the only one to develop display problems
-cheap plastic housing (use a cover & it's no longer an issue)
-phonebook lacks multi number listings (I learned to live with it)
-games? But's it's a phone, not a toy. Get a gameboy
dont say you wern't warned
this phone is absolutely the biggest piece of sh*t that I have ever sold, in fact i refuse to sell it, I'm very honest with my customers, i let them know up front what they are buying and this one does nothing but cause customer hassles. Companies are offering this entry level phone FREE for a reason folks...you get what you pay for...do us all a favor and spend alittle more money up front instead of always looking for the " FREE" deal because you get phones like this one that will haunt you for the rest of your contract.
Do not buy this phone.
Before I bought the v180 I read the reviews for it. Some people had bad things to say, while others said how if you want a phone that makes and receives calls, this is the one. Well, now after having the phone I'm in complete agreement with the people who said the phone wasn't great. I've almost had it for 2 years, and recently the screen has been completely messing up. When I flip open the phone the screen is black. BLACK. So basically I could receive calls, but I couldn't make them since I couldn't see anything, and I couldn't see texts sent to me, or send any. When I called t mobile about this black screen problem their solution was to take out the battery and put it back in. For a while it worked. But now even that doesn't work anymore. I am at the point that I have to keep the phone open at all times so that the screen won't screw up on me. My moms phone did the same thing, and she had to send in for a refurbished one that is now doing the same thing as the last. Learn from our mistake, get a different phone.
Don't even think about it
Never judge a book by it's cover and this phone is no different. It is by far the WORST phone I have ever had.
I had 1 need, voice activated dialing, and yes this one has it, after you make 5 key strokes. Where is the safety in that?
The case is crap plastic that won't hold up to the 1st drop.
Ring tones are designed for teenagers. Not a traditional ring in it.
Bottom Line, DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE.
Motorola you have really lost it!
V180... Not even worth its FREE price...
In my opinion, the carriers should pay us for obtaining this phone...
Motorola appears to have gone down hill over the years...
Pros: ???????
Cons:
Bad reception
speakerphone doesn't have a volume adjustment
sound quality is poor
no date display (On the T-Mobile network)
"Fragile" displays
Case is not at all durable and scratches extremely easy
Don't Believe the negative reviews!
Not everyone has had the problems mentioned. A lot of the comments about how poor the reception is are based upon the service provider and the area in which the phone is used. NOT THE PHONE ITSELF! All in all this is a great piece if you like the motorola flip style phones. If you set this phone up with Cingular your coverage should be fine. The features are good and the phone looks awesome. If the price is right, BUY IT!!!
BUYER BEWARE FOR THE V180 AND V220!
Great phone at a great price but . . . .VERY POOR DESIGN FOR PROTECTING THE DISPLAY. I HAVE SEEN MANY UNITS WITH DEFECTIVE DISPLAYS. EASILY CRACKS. MOTOROLA IS AWARE AND I HAVE SEEN MEMOS STATING THEY ARE INCREASING CUSHIONING AROUND THE DISPLAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AS A DEALER I AM FRUSTRATED AS THEY SEE THESE CRACKED DISPLAYS DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY AND T-MOBILE WILL CHARGE $70 TO SWAP ONE AND CINGULAR IS $150. I AM AT A LOSS AS THIS IS A MFG PROBLEM. I SENT ONE DIRECTLY TO MOTOROLA AND THEY DENIED A WARRANTY REPAIR AS THEY CLASSIFIED IT AS PHYSICAL ABUSE WHEN IT IS SIMPLY FROM A POOR DISIGN. I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE V220. MOTOROLA CAN DO BETTER THEN THIS IN BOTH THE MFG DEPT AS WELL AS THE STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT DEPARTMENT.
MY TRUST WAS UNCONDITIONAL BUT HAS NOW BEEN SHAKEN!
SIGNED.
ONE FRUSTRATED DEALER.
V180 Phone
I just signed up with a wireless carrier and received this V180 phone and according to my carrier I'm in prime service locations Mid-Town Atlanta) I keep getting calls failed and when I finally get connections (sometime up to 4-6 retries) both sides sound garbled.
I keep hearing that its the phones. If this is the case I would strongly tell people to reconsider the V180 phone. Motorola needs to figure out why this happens.
Other problem I have is I like my phone number displayed when it sits idle, this phone doesn't do this according to my service provider.
