Kyocera X-tc M2000

My previous phone was a Wild Card. Based on my experience with that phone and how it compared with more "mainstream" offerings, here's my impression.

Pros:
1. The large display makes viewing a relief. I would rather have
one large display than the two toylike offerings on the Wild
Card.
2. Scrolling is easier, especially in the landscape mode, with the
keyboard slid out, since there's another set of programmable
nav keys. The keyboard is continuous, instead of being split.
3. The slide seems sturdier than the flip, the hinge of which was
made from a brittle
plastic that fell apart after 2 years and lost hold of the
spring, eventually separating the two halves after
it fell on the floor, killing the phone.
4. A slot for a micro-SD memory card up to 8 gigs---FINALLY!
5. Stereo Bluetooth for listening to music wirelessly, along with a
standard wired jack for a regular headset. You can also use
a standard Bluetooth headset of your choice for conversa-
tions.
6. I can actually HEAR the phone when a call or message comes
in, thanks to a speaker mounted OUTSIDE.
7. The phone can be set so it vibrates at any volume level, a
boon for those working outdoors or in noisy environments.
It automatically sets to vibrate when the volume goes past
the lowest.
8. Small, separate and unobtrusive keys for the music player.
9. The browser, Open Wave 7.x, is much faster than its pred-
ecessor. Opera Mini also is available.
10. The exterior controls on the phone stay operable when the
phone slides open, a boon for left-handers or switch-hitters.
Also good for if you want to hold a drink.
11. Ringtones can be used for custom sounds with the Alarm
Clock and as scheduling reminders.
12. The handset voulume was more than adequate for phone
conversations, especially with "Smart Volume" enabled.The
speakerphone functioned well from both ends.

Cons:
1. The combined keyboard/keypad takes getting used to. Going
back-and-forth between the phone and computer can be
confusing, since the "back" key is where you might expect
the "shift" key to be. Also, the keypad portion does not
rotate its orientation when in landscape mode. It took me
a few days to automatically find the punctuation marks.
The layout is a bit cramped, but ok for small hands.
2. The accelerometer is inconsistent with wallpaper rotation.
3, Virgin Mobile still believes their users don't need full access
to Web content, as Flash, Javascript and video are all
still missing or disabled, as is the ability to read pdf
documents when their links are clicked upon.
4. Stereo speakers for the music player would have been
nice.
5. More options with the advance reminders would have
been a big improvement. There is a big jump between one
hour and one day. For instance, I need two hours to prep-
are for an event or appointment.
6. Synchronization between the phone and a computer is
still not offered as a backup tool,
7. The battery life is too short. An extra charger for in the car and battery would be worthwhile on a long trip.
8. The camera comes without a flash. This could be a good
or a bad thing. For instance, at an event where flashbulbs
are prohibited, you could still send the photo to your com-
puter and fix it up with your own software later, although
the rudimentary tools that come with the phone are ok
in a pinch. I'm still working on this one.
9. The phone case can vibrate and distort the sound from
the speaker at its highest volume.
10. I tried to use the "Remote Access" desktop utilities from
my ISP, gateway manufacturer and Windows XP. They
didn't work
.
Summary:
Concluding, I would have to say that for texting, messaging and conversa-
tions, it's a decent phone. If the issues in "Cons" #3, #6 and #10 were resolved, it would be a smart one. The remainder of the issues are my peferences.