| Motorola cd930 |
| General |
| Network | Gsm 900 / Gsm 1800 |
| Announced | 1998 |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Size |
| Dimensions | 129 X 55 X 27 Mm |
| Weight | 120 G |
| Display |
| Type | Monochrome Graphic, Optimax |
| Size | 96 X 32 Pixels, 4 X 12 Chars |
| | - Fixed Icons |
| Ringtones |
| Type | |
| Amount | 11 |
| Customization | |
| Vibration | Yes |
| Memory |
| Phonebook | 100 |
| Call Records | 10 Dialed, 5 Received, 5 Missed Calls |
| Card Slot | No |
| Data |
| Gprs | No |
| Hscsd | No |
| Edge | No |
| 3g | No |
| Wlan | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Infrared Port | No |
| Usb | |
| Features |
| Messaging | Sms |
| Browser | |
| Clock | Yes |
| Alarm | No |
| Games | No |
| Colors | |
| Languages | 16 |
| Camera | No |
| | - Voice Note ( 3 Min ) |
| Battery |
| | Standard, 1000mah Li-ion |
| Stand-by | 105 H |
| Talk Time | 270 Min |
|
Motorola - cd930Motorola cd930
Advantages Vibrates on call, long lasting battery life
Disadvantages Not the most "hip" of phones and isn't WAP
As I have been working abroad for the last few years I have had (the luxury of) a company mobile at my disposal. After being back in the UK for a few months I decided that I needed to look for a personal one. I found it very difficult not having one anymore.
I’ve previously had mobile phones (both company and personal ones) so I had a good idea of the kind of features I would want. Luckily for me I’m not that fussy when it come to these features. As long as it has a good, long lasting battery, a reasonable storage capacity for phone numbers, a clear/crisp sound and an answer-phone facility then I’m quite happy. Anything else on top of that is a bonus.
This time I decided on getting a prepay phone instead of one purchased along with an airtime contract. I always found myself spending far more on the monthly airtime rental than on calls.
I looked around at the various prepay networks/tariffs and the phones on offer with them. Eventually I chose the Motorola cd930e on the Orange “Just Talk” prepay tariff.
Features:
- It’s a very cheap entry level phone which you can pick up for around £30 to £40;
- Small and robust design (I’ve dropped it a few times and not a hint of a scratch to date);
- It’s a dual band phone (therefore can be used internationally on call roaming);
- Very long lasting battery which gives up to 4 hours talk time or 96 hours on standby;
- Option to select “silent” function whereby the phone vibrates rather than rings. You can also select it to vibrate and then ring;
- Answer-phone service;
- It has something called “Voicenotes” which allows you to record up to a maximum of 3 minutes of conversations on the phone (up to 99 different recordings);
- SMS text messaging;
- Call divert;
- Call waiting;
- One-touch dialing facility;
- Large phonebook memory for up to 100 names and numbers on both the SIM card and on the phone memory;
- You can restrict you’re phone number when making calls so the person receiving does not see you’re number.
There are other features but the above ones are the most important ones when considering this particular phone.
There are various other optional extras you can buy such as hands free car kits, car chargers, spare batteries, personal hands-free kits and leather covers.
The package I bought came with a leather cover but unfortunately you have to take the phone out of the cover to use it as there are no holes for the ear or mouthpiece. It also has no clear panel on the front for the keypad, so even with holes for the ear and mouthpiece you wouldn’t be able to see who you’re calling anyway!
It’s a little annoying but it came free with the phone so I can’t really complain too much and it does a decent enough job of keeping it protected from a few knocks. A replacement cover with the holes and a clear panel will set you back around £20.
So what’s it like to use?
It’s not the most sophisticated piece of kit you will find but for the money it is great value. The reception quality is good and the volume isn’t deafening or too quiet. The Orange network has a good coverage (except in the Peak District).
The battery just seems to last forever on this phone. I’m not on it constantly but do use it for about 30 minutes each day and I only recharge it once a week. I can remember the days of recharging mobile phones on a daily basis so this is a welcome relief for me.
The vibration function is quite useful as I’m not a fan of all the ringing tones. After a while the sound of mobiles going off in an office all day long with “comedy” tunes can drive you insane.
The SMS text messaging function is quite fiddly and difficult to use. Anything but the shortest of messages can take minutes to type out letter by letter. Once the message is sent it is quickly sent and so far I haven’t experienced any problems with it (unlike some other phones I have had previously).
Navigation around the phone menus can be a bit exasperating at times as it isn’t the best thought out. My only major gripe other than the layout is the phonebook. In order to allow up to 100 names and numbers in the SIM card memory and the phone memory then the number of characters you can type in the phonebook is limited to 12 (including spaces). This is frustrating when putting in names as you will have to shorten virtually every one of them.
The “Voicenotes” function is a bit of a gimmick as most people won’t need it. It may come in handy some time but if you’re thinking of trying to use it to sneakily record something then you can’t as it emits an audible “beep” to the person on the other end after every 10 seconds of recording.
There are no games on this phone and only a small, unexciting selection of ring tones available. This won’t make it the most attractive phone to the younger generation. If you’re just looking for a reasonable, long lasting phone to use infrequently then it’s pretty good.
My main concern is how long the antenna lasts. It is one that is external and therefore liable to damage. The previous Ericsson and Nokia phones I had as company mobile phones both had to be replaced inside of 12 months due to this very problem. As long as you take reasonable precautions thought it should last a few years, and at this price that is not a bad deal at all.
I've noticed one slight problem with this phone. I have it set on the highest volume and still don't hear it ring sometimes. If I leave it in the next room or in the same room with the TV or radio it can get drowned out.
The best way to ensure you rece ive all the calls is to set it on the vibrate then ring function and clip it onto your belt or stick it in your pocket (if you can). It almost shakes itself to pieces before ringing and I guarantee you will notice it!
Well, this handset is certainly a robust little devil. It's been dropped, stood on and even survived being dipped in water! If you're looking for a functional phone that will last then i'd still recommend this one, but only if you don't intend to use it too much. As an emergency use phone it's hard to fault. The main drawback now is that it is very hard to find as it's been replaced by newer models. Online auctions are probably the best bet now. |
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