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"Amazing Smartphone!"
on by FrancisAdamsPros See in summary
Cons See in summary
Summary The Skinny:
Overall an amazing phone. Inexpensive but not cheap looking or feeling, lightweight and thin, this phone is great for mobile users and those that need 4G speeds but don't want to dish out $200 just for the phone. Although battery life may be a problem, this is standard of smartphones and 4G phones especially. A few well-chosen apps like Juice Defender and the GO Launcher EX Task Manager (A must!), as well as turning off WiFi/GPS will keep the battery life sufficient for a full day of normal use such as email and texting. Rooting the phone allows greater usability and functionality (duh) and further increases battery life (no more bloatware draining the battery to auto-update). Factory software allows for mobile tethering at amazing 4G speeds (mine tested at 14mbps!).
All of these facts combined makes this phone ideal for mobile on-the-go budget users who need 4G speeds and don't want a phone weighs as brick (or have the dimensions of one; I'm still trying to understand the logic behind a phone with larger than a 4.0 inch screen...is it supposed to be a tablet replacement?).
The Long:
I previously had a Blackberry Storm/Storm II. I used my phone mainly for business (Calendar, Email, etc.) and quick on-the-go info (Google Maps, Movie Showtimes, Weather). I wanted more functionality out of my phone and Blackberry has an atrocious app store and even worse choice in hardware (my phone was akin to a brick in my pocket; some poor family in Africa could probably use my phone as a critical component in constructing their house), so I chose to go with an inexpensive Android-based phone with 4G Speeds: The Pantech Breakout
Pros:
-Lightweight (lightest of the VW 4G phones) and thin, screen is the perfect size for a smartphone (AKA it isn't a massive monstrosity that won't fit in your pocket and cover half your face when you talk). The way I see it, I already have a tablet (IPad), why would I want to lug around another in my pocket that has less functionality?
-Amazing VW 4G speeds (14mbps!)
-BUILT IN WIRED/WIRELESS TETHERING APP FOR MOBILE USERS (4G internet anywhere you go!)
-Sturdy build, textured back of phone provides great traction for 1-hand on-the-go texting/surfing and overall construction doesn't look or feel cheap
-Built in Swype Keyboard (if you're into that)
-Incredible deal when compared to other 4G phones (~50% the price)
Cons:
-Serious battery issues, but this is standard with smartphones and even worse with 4G phones. I turn off my WiFi/GPS whenever I'm not using them to save battery life, and it lasts about 15 hours of normal usage (text, email, etc.)
-Low Internal memory keeps getting in the way (~384mb of internal memory, so you have to keep transferring your apps to your SD card; however, this is also a pretty standard problem with Android phones)
-Doesn't have a dual-core processor for you developers out there (I doubt normal users need the halved battery life but the doubled multitasking capability)
-Camera is decent but not amazing
-Pantech stock software sort of sucks (Their Home app only allows 7 pages of apps, their widgets take up way too much memory, etc.)
-Bloatware out the bejesus. Let's Golf 2 and Blockbuster apps? *** why?
To fix the CONS, I rooted my phone (just search Pantech Breakout Root on Google) and removed the bloatware (also helped with the battery problem) and downloaded a bunch of battery-saving apps (Juice Defender!)
A MUST if you want a nicer UI: GO Launcher EX (trust me, you get a better looking Home page, better widgets, task manager widget to kill apps easily from your home screen...). Lastly, suggest check for best deal before you buy this android phone at: Androidcheaper.blogspot.com/2011/12/pantech-breakout-4g.html
Good Luck! -
"Hunk of junk."
on by MajorFlatusPros Makes for a decent paperweight.
Cons Its existence.
Summary This phone is a hunk of junk. I bought one about six weeks ago and had it replaced twice already. Here are just a few of the problems...It freezes for no reason...changes ring tones on its own...goes into silent mode on its own...goes into swipe mode on its own...I have to pull the battery and reboot it multiple times a day. Verizon knows this phone is a clunker and continues to sell it. The only person I would recommend to is my ex-wife.
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"WORST PHONE I HAVE EVER HAD!"
on by egordonkammPros CHEAP (AND YOU'LL FIND OUT WHY SHORTLY AFTER HAVING IT!!)
Cons -FREEZES ALL OF THE TIME & YOU CAN'T UNFREEZE IT! The phone will freeze up right upon turning it on. Taking the battery/cards out does not help.
-TEXTS SHOW OUT OF ORDER/NOT AT ALL!
-RING TONES CHANGE BY THEMSELVES!
See below for more...Summary Besides the three cons I listed, this phone also drops calls when I have perfect reception or people can't hear me when I am talking to them. The memory is HORRIBLE and it will say "Phone Storage Getting Low" even after deleting apps or moving almost all of my apps to my memory card. I have also have apps that will "disappear" randomly. The camera is a piece of crap as well. Overall, this is by far the WORST phone I have ever had. After my contract ends in September, I am DEFINITELY switching to a new cell phone carrier because Verizon has done nothing to fix my phone problems and has basically told me that because I have recently moved to an area that has "slower" 4G, sometimes phones will "just do stuff like this and there is nothing they can do about it". Right.. and being that the sales people talked this phone up like it was a God, even comparing it to my old Droid X, stating it was "much better", this just makes me even more pissed! I know they are trying to make their cheap commission after their $10 an hour pay, but I wouldn't talk up this piece of **** phone for ANY reason!
DO NOT BUY THE PANTECH BREAKOUT! IT IS A CRAPPY, CHEAP AND HORRIBLE PHONE WITH A EVEN MORE HORRIBLE CARRIER. VERIZON, SUCK IT! -
"Overall a very good smartphone."
on by dbright99Pros 2.3 Android OS, 4G phone, video chat capable, price.
Cons short battery life, small amounts of lag after closing cpu intensive programs.
Summary Overall this is a very good, basic 4g phone. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of more expensive phones, would you expect it to for the price? It has a 5 MP camera that takes good pictures and HD video, as well as a forward facing camera that allows you to video chat with apps like Skype, Tango, or Qik. The audio quality is good overall and the screen images are crisp and bright. The placement of the buttons on the phone is fairly standard and the camera button is quite intuitive (if you orient the phone like a standard camera the button is on the upper right corner, where you would expect to find it). The touch screen is responsive, but lag is noticeable when a cpu intensive program is "closed". I have had the phone for about a month now and the only thing that really bothers me is the short battery life. A few videos and this thing tanks pretty quick. Overall, however, I have been very pleased with the phone and its features.
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"Great 4G budget phone for non-android-savvy developers"
on by Andizzle503Pros -Android operating system + 4G speeds for ~$100
-Physical buttons are responsive and provide great feedback
-Thin and lightweight with a sturdy-feeling build, easy to hold and use
-Camera has pretty cool features
-Unique interface with pretty cool builtCons -Software could use some updates, lags at times
-384mb internal memory is a pain, but you can port your apps to your sd card (but not all apps can be ported!)
-Camera is a bit slow
-Battery life is on par with other 4G smartphones; that is, it will last ySummary Great phone for the budget user. This might just be Pantech's first actual good phone. The VW 4G speeds are great, and the interface is pretty cool to use. If you're a busy college student that needs a good phone that can multitask and have 4G speeds for email/web on the go, this is the phone for you.
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