Review of Motorola I415: Inexpensive and Indestructible Mobile Phone

The Motorola i415 is a great phone for casual mobile users. It incorporates some of the most common features like text messaging, GSP, JAVA programs and MMS image delivery with an easy to use system layout. I purchased this phone for $30.00 at my local Target store and haven’t been disappointed with its performance yet. If you don’t need a lot of fancy extras then the i415 is a great phone to look into getting.

The on screen color display is a nice step up from the i215 that I was previously using. I can see my voice and text mail alerts, time, service level and ringer setting from the main screen. Getting around the advanced features isn’t difficult and if you have even the slightest mobile phone knowledge, you will be able to get this up and running n a matter of minutes without having to read the instruction manual.

One thing you will need to do is insert the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card into the phone. You can do this before or after you charge it but you won’t be able to activate it without the card. Initially the phone takes about two hours to charge completely; once it has full battery power it holds it for about 48 hours before it needs to have a little kick. You can extend your battery life by reducing the backlight time and turning off the disco lights (blinking lights that activate when a call comes in).

I was transferring a SIM card from one Motorola phone to another and everything that was stored on the card (calls, phone book information etc) was accessible once the cards were swapped. The i415 can store up to 600 contacts and that includes name, phone number, email address, mobile number and notes.

One feature that I love is the speakerphone; my other phones didn’t have this and I was always jealous of friends that could chat hands free. The sound is crystal clear even with some background noise. You can program the call tones per person or as an assigned group as well as download music and ring tones from various websites. Wallpaper and images are another nice perk, the graphics are nice but images can be a bit hard to view. You have the ability to send and receive images from your phone without having to use a desktop computer and email.

This phone is heavier than my others; it’s not something that I can carry in my pocket comfortably without it feeling like it’s pulling my pants down so carrying it with me when I go running is out of the question. It’s size is comparable to most low level mobile phones meaning it isn’t as small as an LG or Helio but it’s durable and well made. Mine has been dropped down the steps, grabbed by the dogs and accidentally put in the dryer and it’s still working perfectly.

I purchased this with Boost Mobile prepaid cellular service so I already had certain Boost features installed on the phone. The T9 text input comes standard with almost all of the Boost phones and while it is nice, it isn’t something that I use all that often. Any service issues that I have had with this phone have been Boost related (delayed text messages, inability to accent my account etc) so I can say from first hand knowledge, this phone is a true workhorse.

This comes jam packed with a lot of features but most of them are pay services; you can download games, ring tones, call tones, wallpaper, caller images and more but you are going to pay for them. Boost does offer a premium service but some of these features are not included in that package. I made the choice to deactivate the walkie-talkie service completely; I don’t use it and I was sick of getting charged when people would enter my number and call it over and over.

One thing that I don’t like about this is that there are no games on the phone; even the i215 came with a handful of games that were fun to play when waiting in queue. You can download games but most of them start at $5.99 and if you have a problem downloading them, good luck getting help from a third party provider.

This is a great phone for anyone that doesn’t need a lot of features. Sending text messages is easy and the numeric keypad is well made do you won’t have to worry about it wearing out after a year or so. If you are looking for a prepaid plan for a teen or tween, this is a great choice because it will keep up with their active lifestyle and allow you to stay in touch with them.

Motorola’s i415 isn’t cutting edge technology at its finest but it is something that will outlast almost all the other Motorola models. Everything you need to operate this phone comes with it – SIM card, battery, charger and if you are going the prepaid route, a ten dollar airtime card. If I had to choose between the i415 and other models from Motorola, this one would win every single time.