Version: 2008
  • On TV.com: TOP 10 Shows CANCELED Too Soon
advertisementCheck out the Dell Store on CNET
advertisement

Toshiba CDM 9500 - cellular phone - CDMA2000 1X / AMPS
Reviewed by
John Frederick Moore
on 02/03/2003
front back sides
front sides top bottom

See all Audiovox/UTStarcom products

  • Quick specs
  • Band / mode: CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 / AMPS 800
  • Talk time: Up to 120 min
  • Weight: 4.1 oz
  • See full specifications

Add to my list Product summary

The good: Color screen; external LCD; works on 1xRTT networks; can download apps and games; built-in speakerphone.

The bad: Some unnecessary security features; lackluster battery life.

The bottom line: With its color display and built-in speakerphone, the CDM-9500 is a nice addition to Verizon's lineup, but it falls short on battery life.

Read full review
Check coverage in your area

CNET editors' review

  • Reviewed by:
    John Frederick Moore
  • Reviewed on: 02/03/2003
  • Updated on: 02/06/2003
  • Released on: 12/01/2002
With the Audiovox CDM-9500, Verizon Wireless adds another color unit to its roster of handsets. Like the Motorola T720, it's an attractive, feature-rich unit. Though the CDM-9500's performance isn't quite on a par with its appearance, it offers a wealth of features that make it a worthwhile option for users who need a mobile that supports important extras such as a built-in speakerphone. However, if you don't need that feature, LG's VX4400 is worth a hard look.


The 9500 is a tad too big for a pocket.
An attractive flip phone, the CDM-9500 is a bit too bulky (3.8 by 1.9 by 1.0 inches; 3.8 ounces) to fit in the pocket of your pants but compact enough for a purse. It features a bright, sharp, 65,000-color screen with room for nine lines of text. Smartly, the cover itself features a two-line display; even when the unit is closed, it displays caller ID, date, time, battery status, signal strength, and network mode. Overall, the unit has a sturdy, comfortable feel.

The five-way navigational mouse button, while useful for wading through menus, takes a bit of digital dexterity. We kept accidentally touching the center Select key when we wanted to move through the menu choices and vice versa. The navigation buttons double as earpiece/speakerphone volume controls. For this feature, we would have preferred separate switches on the side of the unit. As it is, you must move the handset from your face during a call to adjust the volume.


Menu maneuvers: There's an array of buttons for accessing the phone's features.
Users who need heavy-duty contact management will appreciate this handset's 300-name phone book. You can input up to five phone numbers and three e-mail addresses per entry, and you can search for entries alphabetically, via the keyboard or by location. The 9500 is packed with all the usual features, such as voice-activated dialing, caller ID, SMS, 27 ring tones, and a vibrate mode. There's also a built-in speakerphone, and the mobile supports two GPS modes: Location On, which allows the system to track your location at any time, or 911 Only, which measures your location during emergency calls.

The phone is 1xRTT compatible, so you can browse the wireless Web at relatively high data rates (about 56Kbps). The CDM-9500 is also BREW and J2ME (Java) enabled, so you can download applications, ring tones, wallpaper, and games (which will come in handy with the color screen) via the Get It Now menu selection. We were able to deck out the phone with a Lord of the Rings tone and background, though we should mention that it took a couple of attempts to successfully add the former.

One thing that we weren't thrilled with was the fact that you have to enter your security code to access such basic functions as erasing the call-history log or resetting the timers. It's nice to know that certain functions are unavailable to unauthorized users, but this is taking security a bit too far.


Compact and portable: The charger won't take up a lot of room in a suitcase or a bag.
We tested the tri-mode phone (CDMA 800/1900, AMPS 800) in the Chicago area. The call quality was acceptable if not exceptional. We occasionally experienced a few minor dropouts, and callers said we sounded "clear, considering it's a cell phone." Additionally, the speakerphone delivered fairly crisp audio quality on our end, though it was a bit annoying to callers on the other side.

We matched the rated 1.5 hours of talk time and beat the rated 100 hours of standby time by 12 hours. Nonetheless, this is fairly weak when compared to other color mobiles, such as LG's VX4400 and Motorola's T720, both of which provide at least 2 hours of talk time.

Most helpful user reviews

Submit your review

Log in or create an account to submit your review for:

Toshiba CDM 9500 - cellular phone - CDMA2000 1X / AMPS

 ORLog in with your Facebook account
1. Rate this product:
(Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.)
0 of 5000 characters

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks are prohibited.
Click here to review our site terms of use.

Submit
advertisement

Compare prices for Toshiba CDM 9500 - cellular phone - CDMA2000 1X / AMPS

This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.

Email me when this product is available

advertisement

Recent user reviews

Submit your review

Log in or create an account to submit your review for:

Toshiba CDM 9500 - cellular phone - CDMA2000 1X / AMPS

 ORLog in with your Facebook account
1. Rate this product:
(Mouse over the stars to rate this product and click to set your rating.)
2. One-line summary:(Summarize your review in one line. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 55 characters
3. Pros:(Tell us what you like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
4. Cons:(Tell us what you don't like about this product. 10 characters minimum; required.)
0 of 250 characters
Bottom-line summary:(Explain to us in detail why you like or dislike the product, focusing your comments on the product's features and functionality, and your experience using the product. This field is optional.)
0 of 5000 characters

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks are prohibited.
Click here to review our site terms of use.

Submit

Special sponsor stores

advertisement
advertisement

Toshiba CDM 9500 - cellular phone - CDMA2000 1X / AMPS

Reviews & advice
Site map
Editorial policies
Meet the editors
How we test
Forums
Internet speed test
Popular topics
Apple iPhone
Apple iPod
Cell phones
Dell
GPS
LCD TV
CNET sites
CNET Site map
CNET TV
Downloads
News
Reviews
Shopper.com
More information
Newsletters
CNET Mobile
Customer Help Center
RSS
CNET Widgets
About CNET
sponsored