Kyocera 2255
Average Ratings
Poor charging, performance, features
1. NEGATIVE: Charge level indicator inaccurate. Indicates near zero charge remaining when phone is in use for a few minutes or just after phone has been used, then returns to higher charge level within a few minutes--so you don't really know what the charge level is. Same thing just after charging--shows fully charged just after a few seconds of charging, even if it's really very close to zero charge.
2. NEG: Charge level indicated does not convey useful information about the actual charge level, even when/if it is accurate. The "distance" between charge levels indicated is nowhere near linear. I.e. 4 blips is the highest level indicated, and zero is the lowest. So, you have 5 levels (not counting the "almost out" level indicated by zero blips and flashing). Intuitively, the 5 levels should correspond roughly to 0-20% usage time remaining, 20-40% usage remaining, etc. However, once the charge level gets down to 3 blips (2nd highest charge level), you actually have MUCH LESS than 80% of usage time remaining--more like only 10-20% or less. So what's the point of having 5 levels depicted?
3. NEG: No speaker. Fairly weak volume. Very difficult to hear when the phone is in a protective case.
4. NEG: Cannot charge while talking. My previous phone, probably designed 3 years earlier, had this capability. Why doesn't this one?
5. NEG: When plugged in and reaches fully charged state, will not charge again if it remains continually plugged in to the charger & unused. So, if you plug in the phone at night and leave it plugged in, it will charge up to full, then discharge WHILE STILL PLUGGED IN. In the morning, instead of a fully-charged phone, the phone may have been discharging for many hours and may be nowhere near fully charged.
6. NEG: Weak maximum ring volume.
7. NEG: Phone "crashes" sometimes and requires removing/replacing batt.
I did not have the dust/lint issue that others mentioned.
If it only didn't collect lint...
Frankly, I'm still not too sure how to rate this phone. It was the first one I ever bothered to buy (hooray for huck-me-downs...), and apart from the service, it hasn't been that bad.
Drawbacks: As others have stated, the screen died on me as well. Initially it started to flicker, then strange mosaics made of bar-code-like lines would appear, then finally nothing. Unless I gave it a good squeeze...maybe. This started to occur less then five months after purchase, and I don't consider myself that rough on a phone. I had to send it into WE, and just got it back, so I can't comment yet on how long it seems to last between deaths.
Another drawback is the keypad. This is not a phone built for pockets, nay anything where there might be some constriction. The WE people replaced the keypad when it went in, and I suspect it was because the raised keys constantly are getting pressed under the slightest pressure. Not necessarily a good thing if you don't have the key lock engaged.
And yes, does it ever collect dust and lint. The first time I cracked the back open was 6 mo after purchase, and there was a literal thick film of dust and lint on the battery. Looked like a dryer lint screen after two weeks usage.
Advantages: Rounded form fits nicely into pockets, purses, etc. Somewhat lightweight with a acceptable feel to the hand. The I-Ching generator is useful on those days when you need to determine if you want to get out of bed. Raised buttons are easy to push by feel, so that's a plus. Nice backlight (you can read by it, it's that bright). Okay reception and service capability (Ed., Alberta - Bell Wireless).
But boy does it love that lint...
Horrible Phone!!!!!!!
I'm not very technical when it comes to these wireless phones. But I work for the insurance company that provides services to most wireless carriers in the country. I make claims every day. Kyocera made the worst phone when they came out with the 2255. I get claims on this phone every day due to the fact that the LED goes out, the navigational system freezes, or the buttons just completely stop working. Now, Sprint is my least favorite carrier of them all because they know these problems exist with this phone and WILL NOT replace them under warranty. Knowing they have problems.......Sprint is still selling them! WHY??????
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PHONE!
This phone is junk!!!
Do not buy this phone!!!! I work in the wireless industry and I can tell you from personal experience that this phone has the highest return rate of any other phone I have worked with. 90+ percent of the phones returned have the same problems, this display will start to flicker. After that, the display will go out altogether. Luckily, this is covered under warranty as long as it is less than a year old and there is no physical damage. This is a design flaw in the phone that causes the display to separate from the motherboard. You can put a folded piece of paper between the battery and the phone as a temporary fix, but this won't help long. It has some nice features, but if you can't see them what good are they!!! Stay away from this phone!!!
Love the backlight, not the signal strength
I used to own this phone and I also sell them for a living.
This phone looks really great and I loved the back-lighting, but I couldn't get a signal anywhere, I knew it was not the service, because my Samsung 8500 had a nice strong signal everywhere I went.
I ended up having to return my phone and getting another 2255 and it did the same exact thing, so I just returned it and got a Samsung N200, even though loved that phone, I couldn't deal with the constant signal loss.
This is so funny....
This was my very first phone and I found this site and read the reviews of it and just had to laugh. I got this phone in Oct '02
First of all, I was with an awful carrier back in Montana called Three Rivers and I know I was not the only one that complained about dropped calls and calls going directly to voice mail. So, hard to tell if it was the phone or the carrier. I had a coworker who lived about three blocks away from me and she stated it worked fine (but different phone), but she was on top of a hill, too.
Well, if I can say there was any Pros to this phone is that the blue screen was pretty cool as it was before the color screens and such. And, I guess I did like the feature where it would vibrate for a bit and then go to ringing.
Cons: (where to begin??????)
The keys are tiny and have to dial slowly.
CONSTANT dropped calls.
Bad voice quality.
The phone would always switch into roaming and my first month I had a bunch of roaming calls. I called the carrier and said I did not leave town and to their credit, they removed them.
They did tell me to turn the phone to a setting where the phone would not work when I was roaming. Great, I have one more thing to worry about when I have an emergency!
My message indicator would start beeping even though my phone had not rang. This was a complaint from others, too, that did have different phones.
So, that was an awful experience. I switched carriers after six months. I thought I had signed a one year deal, but I looked at my paper work and it said I had signed a 6 mth. But, that was the stores contract. On the carriers contract, the salesman forgot to check the one year agreement box. It was their mistake and 3 rivers tried to say I know them $200 for canceling early, but called the store back and they admitted the mistake. I could not believe I had gotten so lucky.
The only thing I can tell you from this since the phone is now discontinued is stay far away from 3 rivers. But, I think they are out of business.
Kyocera 2255 dies.....
Well....not much to say...
This mobile was sold to me on Summer 2002 by a Bell Mobility reprensentative who insisted Kyocera was a "very good alternative".
As of today (August 2005) I have stopped using it as it almost died.... By the way, we don't see anymore Kyocera as a manufacturer in Canada...
The display started losing contact after 12 months of use, and it was dead within 18 months...It would cost me the initial cost of the phone only to repair the display screen... so I let it go...
Couldn't really hear the ring in wather crowded places, so I was missing many calls.
The battery was always losing its charge pretty fast... would not stand more than 1 hour per day in the talking mode. Successive re-charges have aggravated the problem.
All problems occured within the first year of use.
NOT RECOMMENDED. GOOD LUCK ANYWAY.
back in the day
*throws it on the wall* yeahh!!! lol
i had this when i had the virgin prepaid phone, it was the style back then but now its crappy, i remember i thought i was all cool having this phone until my friend cuzin had this motorola phone that plays monophonic. thats when i lost my popularity after that. Dman you cell!!! i will never forget that, but o well, i got the new motorola v600, im cool again! but the past still hunting me.. :-(
AWFUL!!!!
this phone has terrible reception, and has the tendency for the screen to show weird images and some times it will power off and not power on again. You have to take the battery out and then replace it just for it to turn back on. plus this phone is just down right UGLY! I hated it...my advice DO NOT GET OR EVEN SEND AS GIFT!!!!!
Bad Gift
Granted you can call it a phone because every once in a while it acts like one. This is the worst phone I have ever owned out of the 6 I have used over the years. I feel as though I was robbed or actually my ex-Girlfriend was. The phone cost 162.00 at Radio Shack (Without Service Plan) I didn't activate the phone for a year due to my previous contract with Nextel. after a month or two of use the display went out. Knowing the phone was out of warranty I put my head to use. The problem appears to be a cold solder joint where the display meets with the board. Well since I can't open the stupid phone without NASA tools I decided to do this. I lodged guitar picks between the battery and display side of the phone putting pressure to make the display work, that worked but now another 4 months later my phone is searching for signal until i power it off, take out the battery, put the battery back in and then power it back on. The phone is a piece of crap and I feel sorry for anyone who bought one. And the rising cost of cell phones with less reliability should be addressed.
