UTStarcom XV6700 user reviews (Verizon Wireless)

Pros good integration, keyboard

Cons Speakerphone, ugly antenna, weight

Summary A little background to qualify my opinion: I've owned about every PDA OS ever made (Palm, Windows CE/Pocket PC, Linux [Sanyo made it], Blackberry). I'm a professional who works full time, studies full-time and also participates in various groups including a board of directors (I'm busy, I need a phone/PDA that can keep up!). So on to the xv6700...

THE GOOD:
Very good integration of Pocket PC and a phone. The phone sounds great and there's no issues with that (as I would expect for this $$ range).

MAJOR DRAWBACKS:
1) ** Speakerphone ** The thing absolutely sucks. With my Blackberry 5100t I could hear it over the road noise pefectly fine. I hold this thing up (full volume) to my ear and I still can't really make out what the other person is saying!
2) ** No Cell Phone when using Wifi ** This is just plain dumb. Thank God for registry hackers! To fix: Google "xv6700 wifi hacks" or something similar. I don't want to get anyone in trouble

MINOR DRAWBACKS:
1) Antenna poking out - If Cingular could have this same phone without the ugly antenna, why can't Verizon?
2) Weight - compared to my Blackberry, this thing is a brick!
3) The OS becomes clumsy after a lot of use (in typical windows fashion). Download TanCreative Magic Button from downloads.com and you'll be all set! This utility quits the program when you hit the little X up top (vs. just closing the window but not quitting the program itself).
4) No external ringer volume - when you click the up/down button on the side, the two (pda/phone) sliders come up on the screen. The secret is to click the navigation button to the left to get to the phone volume.
5) Headset plug on the bottom of phone. I used to set the phone in a cup holder while driving. The gawdy antenna up top and the headset plug on the bottom make it inconvenient. I'm buying a bluetooth headset!

OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
There are very few phones on the market that offer the combination of features that this phone does with the relatively minor drawbacks.

UT Starcomm was an inch away from having a homerun on their hands and instead "settled" for a triple (if they fix the speakerphone this is the best combo phone out there).

I hope that all the detail is helpful to others out there like me who are demanding consumers.

Pros You name it, this phone has it...

Cons Speakerphone is weak, but we should be used to that by now!

Summary OK, so I wanted to wait to write this review until I had owned the phone for about a month (unlike many reviews for this phone from people who have owned it for like 3 days).

I first powered up my XV6700 on 1/4/2006 (I know, I know, the day before it was officially released). Many people complain about ActiveSync not working...check your firewalls people. I had ActiveSync up and synced within about 15 minutes. I was also easily able to setup my Exchange Server to push my e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and everything else to the XV6700 within about 30 minutes from opening the box.

I have also been hearing people complain about poor voice levels, which I don't find to be the case at all. Honestly, I think the quality and volume are perfectly fine and I'm on level 4 out of 6.

OK, my favorite...one-handed dialing. IT IS A TOUCHSCREEN! To dial, simply press the send button, then dial using the on-screen key pad. By doing this, the phone will automatically find the most logical person by searching your contacts and call history. You are also able to "spell" the contacts name using the on-screen keypad, and it will do the same. Not to mention, the very first thing anyone with a PDA/phone should buy is Microsoft Voice Command. This program allows you to do pretty much anything: 1. Dial by name or number 2. Read you the list of upcoming appointments 3. Start playlists in WMP 4. Ask what time it is 5. Buy it.

Device speed. You are buying a converged device! Yes, it is probably going to be slower than your $450 iPAQ 4150, and try syncing e-mail accounts with your T730. The point of this is to eliminate carrying 8 devices around.

You also have to understand that many of the complaints about this device are easily corrected with changes to the settings, or (if you want to go there) simple registry edits such as processor dedication to graphics drivers, speaker volume, etc. Also, you MUST clear temporary internet files because they will bog down your system.

Conclusion: Much of the negative feedback you have read thus far (or will read if you're reading this first) is due to either inexperience, trying to compare apples to oranges, or complete lack of common sense.

Overall, the XV6700 is an incredible convergence device...when you get used to it and know how to use it. I have absolutely no regret about my purchase ($199 after NE2 credit and Voice/Data Rebate). Even at $299, this thing is an absolute steal for what you're getting.

Pros Super form factor, large keyboard for use in horizontal mode, professional looking

Cons Volume low, poor voice quality on calls, takes 2 rings before phone starts ringing, can't voice dial, too many workarounds needed

Summary I really wanted to love this phone. Really. I was at the Verizon store intending to look at the Treo and Samsung i730 and the salesperson had one of these. It stole my attention completely away from the other models! I love the looks, the feel, the form factor with its big keyboard that is meant to be used in horizontal mode. Processing speed is great, connections to networks and email and EVDO and WiFi are easy, everthing syncs right out of the box - this gadget ROCKS as a PDA!

Unfortunately, it's drawbacks as a phone are causing me to return it. I knew from reading the reviews that the volume was a bit low, and had read about some tweaks that could improve it. No problem, I figured I could use a bluetooth headset. I also knew that it didn't come with voice activation, but that I could buy software that would work. What I didn't know is that WM5 doesn't let the two work together, so you can't initiate calls by voice with the bluetooth headset. So, you can either use the voice dialing through the phone and then hook up the headset to talk (who can do that while they are driving?) or you can dial using the touchpad or screen shortcuts. I specifically wanted to change from the Samsung i500 in order to get one-handed or voice dialing, so this doesn't meet my needs. I will say, however, that with the bluetooth headset the voice quality is great once you get on a call. Also, there are workarounds that you can download/install/tweak to make this work. Supposedly.

The other issue is that a caller will hear 2-3 rings on their end before my phone even starts ringing! Again, there are tweaks you can make to change this, supposedly.

In the end, I want a phone that works out of the box. I'm not always going to be tethered to a headset, and don't want to rely on one to pick up a call and not sound like I'm at the end of a tunnel. I don't feel like hacking my phone by toying with the registry, or tweaking it endlessly to allow it to behave like a decent phone. So, while I love this as a PDA, the phone issues are a deal-killer for me.

Oh, and I found the camera quality to be awful on this phone. My husband's Samsung a950 takes better pictures, and they are both 1.3 megapixels. This wasn't important to me, but it could be to some.

Pros Data, media player, qwerty keyboard, networks

Cons Weight, key spacing, one hand dialing, speakerphone

Summary Lower the price some more and address the cons listed above and you have a perfect 10 device. As it is, this phone is the most comprehensive voice+data device I have yet used. Because it offers a complete data and media solution that synchs with 99% of the desktops out there, it also triggers the questions: Why own a Blackberry? Why carry a phone AND an i-pod? On a recent trip to Europe I was able to use wi-fi to synch email, read powerpoint presentations and check in with friends on IM, and listen to the mp3s I'd downloaded from my Mac. So all this + a camera! The RIM user sitting next to me on the plane asked if he could try it out. "Cool. Where did you get this?" When a device is generating that kind of repsonse you know you're onto a good thing
Improvements? Yes. Weight is an issue on long calls and the phone is easier to use with a bluetooth headset. I downloaded Microsoft's Voice Command software and now can remote dial without the hassle of punching in numbers. Speakerphone needs to be louder and finally key spacing could be slightly wider.
Overall, this blows away the Blackberry devices and other Smartphone form factors I trialed. Verizon offers a great network, although their international roaming is not good (but VOIP via Wi-Fi will soon address that issue) Very satisfied with this purchase. Strongly recommend you check it out