Kyocera 7135
Average Ratings
7135 @ Chicago Admiral's Club
I had the opportunity to play with this phone at the Chicago Admiral's Club at O'Hare when I accidentally bumped into the CEO of Kyocera (didn't catch his name, but I think it's legit since his banner on the 7135 was 'Crush Samsung'). Anyway he let me play with the phone for about 5 minutes or so. I was very impressed with the size; I really can't imagine that the Samsung i500 could really be that much smaller than this phone; and when accounting for the sd/io slot and built-in mp3, I really do think this phone will "crush samsung"... that is if distribution doesn't crush kyocera first.
He confirmed that Sprint will not carry the phone, which disappointed me very much; but he also said that the Verizon release will be in approximately 2 - 3 weeks. I'd bet Samsung & Kyocera will be releasing the i500/7135 within a week of each other.
Perfect for Me
I've had my smartphone for 96 hours, and let me tell you, the sky is the limit! Not only does it have a great resolution, but I actually like the bulk of the phone. I'm a big guy with big hands, but it fits perfectly in my palm when flipped, and perfect when I'm playing with it.
Although a bit sluggish, the phone becomes an arsenal of things that can be accomplished. First, the speaker phone is clear enough to where I don't even uses a hands free kit. Second, the organization of the to do list, phone numbers, and navigational tools are absolutely great. Third, the sound quality on the MP3 player is electrifying. Lastly, after I downloaded Microsoft word, excel, and powerpoint, my keyboard became the best part of this phone.
The only problem I have had is that I don't have enough time to play with Eudora or the web. Also, Verizon charges a bit of a steep fee for internet service, so I'll stick to my HP home to run that from.
I would recommend this phone for someone who is either in college and travels, or a business person who needs a palm, but doesn't need a T-mobile or GSM pocket PC.
Pros and Cons of the 7135
First of all, I think that this is an amazing phone. The novelty of being able to surf the web in HTML with VZW's express network blew me away. Not to mention the extremely tight integration between Palm OS and the cell phone. As for VZW service, I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the quality of their service in comparison to Sprint's. I was vacationing recently at a ranch in Santa Ynez, CA, and I could not get any signal with Sprint, even though all other carriers had at least some single. VZW, however, had a perfect 1X Rtt CDMA signal even in as remote of an area as I was in.
Now for the cons:
First of all, this phone is SERIOUSLY in need of a faster CPU. Frankly why Kyocera decided to release this phone with the 33 MHz processor instead of the 66 MHz amazes me, that and the fact that they decided not to put on a 320x320 screen. Because of how slow the processor is, it causes the phone to frequently crash. My advice, if you get this phone make sure to hot-sync often. The slow processor comes into play especially when viewing HTML websites. The processor is so slow that it cannot render the page as fast as VZW XPress Network is downloading them.
My other grievance with this phone is how outright crappy the battery life is. This phone gobbles power like no other phone I have ever owned. I've read that reducing the brightness should help the battery life, but still it is pathetic. I think that if I've gotten 1 hour of talk time and 20 hrs standby its alot.
ITS FOR SALE FROM VERIZON!!
The 7135 is now sold threw Verizon from their warehouse...You can stop by any Verizon location and ask for it by name and they can order it to your house it should be their in aoubt 3 days....its offically goin to be released the 28th of this month along with the blackberry 6750 also a samsund 700i personal pc
Lobbying for an 8235
I just replaced my first 7135 (which replaced a 6035) and I'm happy as a lark. I found the replacement on E-bay and verified with Verizon whether it could be activated. The good news is that old phones can be activated if they are E911 compatible -- meaning they have GPS location.
There is nothing on the market today that can compare to the 7135 for functionality AND durability. When closed, the touch screens are fully protected and my old 7135 went two years and was dropped so many times -- and each time I expected to pick it up and find a dead device -- it still works, but the digitizer occasionally goes flaky, which is why I replaced it.
I'd like to see a Treo/Q/XV take a 1/16th of the abuse that this phone withstood and still be functioning with an intact screen. I seriously doubt it. This phone was built for rough use.
It's disappointing that Kyocera didn't make an 8235 (I suspect that they are secretly making the Treos, but who knows?) With features update (a better keypad - hitting a key *is* sometimes hit or miss, bluetooth, wireless connectivity), and a form factor rework, I'd bet they could get this phone down to 3/4" or less. What a dream that would be. Verizon is trying to push the PN-820 but that's a bust from the get-go IMHO (same goes for the Q) -- what good is a Palm/Windows device that you can't get data into. Texting input does just not cut it.
I know other 7135 users who 'updated' and they are crying for their 7135's back.
Kyocera -- look at the market for your old phones and get working on a new one. Please!
Anything for another 7135, stuck w/ a Treo
Excellent, excellent, excellent piece of gear!!! I have not read the manual or watched the tutorial it was so intuitive and well planned I never needed to!!! The first time I dialed from the address book I though I wonder, if I highlight this and hit send, will it know what I want it to do? It did!! Everything was top notch, it felt like a phone, dialed easily, speaker was loud enough, the PDA was everything a PDA should be, Music and Photos if you wanted, and more bells and whistles than you'd believe. Ok, ok, there was no camera and that antenna could have retracted all the way, but we all have room for improvement - Kyocera take note.
I finally had to give up my Kyocera 7135 Smart phone, kicking and screaming, for a Treo! I have been using it for 2+ years and yes I had to try 3 before I got one that had passed QC testing, but since then 2 years trouble free with thousands of hours logged on the palm alone. Despite having insurance, I bought 2 off of ebay hoping I wouldn't have to give it up. The phones still work, but give me the message "service required contact provider." Despite Verizon's promise that as long as the phone worked they would support it and keep me on their net work "no longer has the software to reload that phone." They won't even return it to Kyocera for me to see if there is anything they can do (Kyocera won't let me send it to them directly)
So, I'm mad at Verizon, I hope Kyocera updates this phone and brings it back. If they do I would buy it tomorrow! Until then I'll miss it and grumble about my new Treo...
7135
At one time I loved this phone. I have 5 batteries to keep it running. Have had problems with locking up & dumping all the data. Verizon is waxing this phone. They sent me a treo 600 with no Graffiti. I guess If I am going to push buttons I might as well get a black berry.
It is just a brick
I had this unit for 6 months and it is not what I wanted. Just too big and heavy. Samsung i500 is now im my pocket. Nice features on the Kyo, but I needed a light small phone and Palm. Samsung fit the bill perfectly.
Not a "bad" phone...
Lets face it - I am facinated by gadgets - gadgets of every form, shape and size. Thanks to my daytime job, I have the priviledge to test and report back on most of these. For years I have wanted a hybrid device that would enable me to have an organizer and a phone - so that I could stop carrying two devices.
I have been using the KY7135 for about a year now - off and on. Don't get me wrong, this is a great phone. But like with everything, when you go with something new, you will gain some, you will lose some.
PROS :
(1) The Palm OS and the phone interface blends in extremely well - works wonderfully
(2) Awesome 65K screen
(3) Speakerphone is a definite plus
(4) Extendable antenna gives you and extra edge when you reach the end of your coverage area
CONS :
(1) The size : It seems that they could cut down a little bit on the size. There is enough space above the speaker to make a a tab bit smaller.
(2) Fat fingering : I am in no way condoning this, but guilty as charged, I have typed up text messages while I was driving - can't do that too easily with this one. I rely on SMS a LOT. I won't pull over five times in a 45 minute trip to answer my messages.
(3) Battery life : is not very good. Especially if you use the PDA portion a lot -the backlight kills it good
(4) Palm OS 4.1 : cannot (well you can upgrade the OS but that will leave the phone portion dead if you try) be upgraded to OS5
(5) Price : Kinda expensive. But, it still beats having to buy two good devices.
Overall, I like this phone - I like it a lot. But several improvements would make this an ideal phone.
Great Idea, Bad Execution
Combining a Palm with a Phone seems like a no-brainer to me. And the Palm works great on this phone. Whoever designed the keypad should be taken out and shot. It is impossible to see the keypad at night, and the spacing of the keys is as bad as possible. The Samsung smart-phone is a much better phone. However, the Samsung works with Sprint and the Kyocera is the only smartphone that Verizon offers. I happen to think, as a business traveler, the a tri-modal verizon phone in not an option. Therefore, I am stuck with the 7135. I look towards the day that Verizon offers a smartphone with a smart design!
