Motorola V551 Video/Camera w/Bluetooth

The Motorola V551 GSM phone operates on GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz networks and is available only through Cingular. The phone weighs only 4 ounces and has a great design and color style. (Blueberry and chrome)


Reception - 9/10 I've never been in an area where the V551 had poor reception. Rainy days with heavy clouds don't seem to have a negative impact. I've not had a 'Zero Bar' situation. At times, whem making a call, the first few seconds are choppy while the other party's phone is ringing, but has smoothed out by the time the call is answered. Good reception and signal is also always available when using Media Net or using the browser to access web-based mail.

**Update: To date I've had only one 'zero bar' moment at the center of the ground level of a six level parking garage. It only lasted a few moments until I traveled to the outer portion of the building. This phone gets great reception.

LCD - 10/10 176x220 pixel 65k color screen. This screen has great detail. I'm fussy about my wallpapers and screen savers being of excellent quality, and the display never disappoints.

Camera - 8/10 Camera is pretty good for a phone camera. A dedicated camera button instantly enables your phone to capture scenes or special moments that you may otherwise miss. Camera features a 4X zoom and brightness can be adjusted before snapping your picture, which definately gives an opportunity to get a better photo. Do not buy this phone just for the camera if you are expecting professional photographs. The quality of photos is better than I expected, but this camera phone will never replace your digital camera. It's a fun feature to have, enabling you to get impromptu photos of your friends and family, which can be applied as custom wallpapers. The photos can also be attached to phonebook entries so that a smiling face can be displayed with a number while you're scrolling the phone/address book.

Video Camera - 7/10 Dedicated video key is by default your left softkey. Pressing the buttons starts the video display where your controls are given to start and stop your video recording. I've tested the video camera and the playback quality is less than stellar, with performance on par with a good quality webcam. Video is jerky, but the sound quality is excellent and the ability to capture short clips is definately a plus. At this point I think video phones are more of a novelty, giving you bragging rights to features others don't have, but the video capabilities of this phone should not be considered a serious multimedia tool.

Memory - 7/10 Six megabytes for storage of vidoes, pictures, ringtones, games and SIM applications. Phone book will hold 1,000 entries. Ten number last call redial, ten number last calls received menu. Phone has a notepad and also supports storage of voice notes. I give this a 7 out of 10 because I like memory and hard drive space, and with today's technology I think Motorola could have given more memory. Personal Information Manager has a calendar, to-do lists, reminders, and an alarm clock.

Bluetooth - 10/10 Now we're talking fun. Use Bluetooth to share files with other Bluetooth enabled phones with a range of about 30 feet. Share photos, MP3s, phonebook entries, video files. Bluetooth is more than a novelty, it's a serious tool for people on the go who need connectivity. Pair the V551 with a Bluetooth earbud and enjoy hands free communication. You can answer calls without opening the phone! If you're using a laptop (or desktop) with no internet connection, your Bluetooth V551 acts as your computer's modem, provided you have a dongle or data cable. That's a powerful feature! The V551 communicates well with all Bluetooth enabled devices.


Speakerphone - set your V551 on your desk and keep right on talking!

Voice activated dialing - Voice train your V551 and place calls simply by saying a name. It's a great time-saver and great for when you're driving. (Not that I'd ever use a cell phone and drive at the same time.) Just press the voice key on the outside of the phone and say the name of who you'd like to call. The phone book will quickly scroll to that person's entry and automatically dial the number. You can also voice train e-mail addresses of your contacts which saves time when composing and sending mail.

POP3/IMAP4/SMTP e-mail capable - Your V551 has its own mobile e-mail address, which allows others to send mail (with attachments) directly to your phone. You can also keep up with your web-based mail if you subscribe to Media Net service.

Cusomize your menus and desktop your way. Put your most used icons and shortcuts on the desktop. Customize your soft keys and create internet and menu shortcuts.

Text messaging is so easy. Your phone has a dictionary of commonly used words and will suggest the rest of the word it thinks you're trying to ***** with each key entry. Accept what is recommended or keep typing your own word. The phone will remember your most commonly used words, so eventually your texting will be fast and efficient. Excellent at remembering names and addresses; start typing your friend's name and after a few letters the phone will suggest the rest of the persons name, e-mail address, web addresses and more.

Full support of Cingular's MediaNet. This is optional, but its my opinion that buyers of this phone want internet access anyway. Cingular's network is bandwidth hungry and you'll quickly exceed the trivial amount they allow under the MediaBasic package, which is 500kb of data transfer, 200 text messages and 25 SMS (media) messages per month. A serious web user will need the MediaWorks package which allows 3MB of data transfer each month, 1000 text messages and unlimited SMS messages per month for $19.99. The ultra-hardcore can opt for the unlimited bandwidth package at a wallet-busting $25.99 per month. Ouch.

I have read many complaints about the battery life of the V551. I think battery life is average. Battery life really depends on the user's talk habits and media or internet usage. Do not let another person's opinion of the V551's battery life dissaude you from buying this phone. People griping about any phone's battery life quickly gets on my nerves. I can not say this any simpler or more bluntly: Cell phone batteries are rechargable. They are not an endless power supply. When the battery runs low, recharge it. Get it?

I can only describe the color of this phone as 'Electric Blueberry' and chrome. Very futuristic looking and pleasant on the eye. I've said it before and I'll say it again. This phone is sexy.

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