UTStarcom XV6800 (Verizon Wireless)

1/10 The Dark Side of Technology

pfreeland - 12/02/08

This is a gadget that looks great in a feature matrix. However, it is an unbelievable pain to actually use as a telephone, a stark testament to technology done badly from a user's standpoint. This is a two hands, full attention device to operate. It's a Microsoft Windows machine: - It takes forever to boot up. - The menu trees are deep and non-intuitive. - It occasionally forgets how to talk to the Bluetooth and must be rebooted. - It occasionally locks up and must be rebooted by removing the battery. I'm never quite sure if it's going to use the Bluetooth or not, so I have to answer with the headset in and the phone held to my ear. The side button layout is appalling. If you use the thumbwheel to scroll and then try to squeeze it to select an item, the opposing finger squeezes the power button and the phone turns off. The device actually goes into standby in the middle of your phone call. You can still talk, but you have to re-power the device to see what's going on, and click past the "my info" screen to get back to where you were. Finale: Today, the phone wouldn't boot. This is not unusual, so I did the usual drill: Remove the battery and reinsert. Still no dice. After many tries I realize it's dead. I also notice, looking inside the phone, that the little moisture detection sticker says "VOID", which of course means the company isn't going to honor its warranty. This "business" phone has been exactly three places: Inside my climate-controlled home and office, inside the occasional climate-controlled restaurant, and inside my car. It has never been left outside or been spilled on, etc. However, I often have left my phone in the car when I go into work. So if you are still not convinced, be forewarned: Routinely leaving this phone in a parked car may cause it to fail, and also VOID YOUR WARRANTY. I grudgingly give it a 1, because it actually can make phone calls.