Motorola TalkAbout T2282 Cell Phone
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- Network Type: GSM 1900
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Simple phone for Simple People
Pros
inexpensive (if not free), durable, all the standard features
Cons
short battery life, nothing fancy here, no vibrating feature
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Good phone for folks who want to make an occasional call; not suitable for daily cell phone users.
I never really wanted a cell phone. In fact, I have long considered cell phones to be the primary vehicle for social rudeness in the modern world. However, living in the Los Angeles Area, I spend much of my daily time commuting. After two "blown out" tires on highways this year, I decided to cave in and join the rest of my metropolis in looking for a cell phone and service plan.
Though I assured sales representatives that I only intended to use the phone for emergencies, I was offered all kinds of fancy phones with bells and whistles; many of these phones ran around $100 with the purchase of extensive service plans and 1-year contracts. Sticking to my guns, I chose a plan with relatively limited minutes, and a Free Cell Phone.
Voila...the Motorola Talkabout T2282. Coming free with many Verizon service plans, this is a simple little phone that is well-suited for infrequent users.
The Make
The Talkabout T2282 is a small and well-contoured phone that is especially comfortable for people with smaller hands. It fits nicely into a backpack, purse, or jacket pocket, but would be a little awkward in a pants pocket. The phone is lightweight yet not flimsy, and it seems quite durable: made of sturdy materials, mine has withstood a few drops without problems. The make of the phone is the standard style; it is not a "flip top". On the top of the phone is a small antenna which should be extracted before calling. The keypad is comfortable with large buttons and features a neon yellow-green illumination when activated. The screen is also illuminated, and the text is large enough to be read without discomfort.
Operation Features
The phone comes with a battery, a charger, and a car kit. Motorola states that the phone allows up to 135 minutes of stand-by time and 210 continuous calling minutes. However, be aware that the phrase "up to" to is operative here: my battery must be recharged quite frequently. I would say I get about 90 minutes of stand-by time, which runs out quickly if you are awaiting a call. I will say, however, that the battery does recharge very quickly. To protect your finances, the phone comes with an auto lock feature.
Calling Features
All the standard features one would expect with a free phone are here. You get the speed dial, programmed with your nine favorite numbers. You also get voice mail and a message service that can transmit short-text messages. Of course, there is a phone book. I am so lazy about programming this, so I make good use of the feature which allows you to view the last 10 numbers you dialed as well as the last 10 numbers of incoming calls that were either answered or ignored. Caller ID allows you to be picky about which calls you pick up. You can choose one of 11 ringers...be warned that these rings are boring and even obnoxious. Of course, one might choose politeness and turn the phone onto a silent option. A mini-internet browser permits you to check on stock quotes and news.
I told you it was simple
Yes, this is a basic phone, and there are some bells and whistles I wish it had but does not. Most notable is the lack of a vibrating option, which would allow one to be aware of incoming calls without disturbing others. Though this does not come with the phone, you can purchase a vibrating device as an accessory. The ringing options are lame, and you can forget about the music clips that many of the phones are coming with these days-too bad, because I wanted to amuse myself answering to the tune of Camptown Ladies. There are no game add-ons, which is unfortunate because a portable Tetris game would have spared me hours of boredom on the Santa Ana Freeway. Just kidding. The internet browser that comes with this phone is more limited than most internet features on the market today, and I never use mine.
Bottom Line: This phone provides decent reception when used in combination with my Verizon Plan. It has allowed me to make the few phone calls I need to make with ease. And, lets face it, it was the right price for my needs. However, for those wanting snazzy phones with state-of-the-art features and long battery life, you will need to look elsewhere.
Though I assured sales representatives that I only intended to use the phone for emergencies, I was offered all kinds of fancy phones with bells and whistles; many of these phones ran around $100 with the purchase of extensive service plans and 1-year contracts. Sticking to my guns, I chose a plan with relatively limited minutes, and a Free Cell Phone.
Voila...the Motorola Talkabout T2282. Coming free with many Verizon service plans, this is a simple little phone that is well-suited for infrequent users.
The Make
The Talkabout T2282 is a small and well-contoured phone that is especially comfortable for people with smaller hands. It fits nicely into a backpack, purse, or jacket pocket, but would be a little awkward in a pants pocket. The phone is lightweight yet not flimsy, and it seems quite durable: made of sturdy materials, mine has withstood a few drops without problems. The make of the phone is the standard style; it is not a "flip top". On the top of the phone is a small antenna which should be extracted before calling. The keypad is comfortable with large buttons and features a neon yellow-green illumination when activated. The screen is also illuminated, and the text is large enough to be read without discomfort.
Operation Features
The phone comes with a battery, a charger, and a car kit. Motorola states that the phone allows up to 135 minutes of stand-by time and 210 continuous calling minutes. However, be aware that the phrase "up to" to is operative here: my battery must be recharged quite frequently. I would say I get about 90 minutes of stand-by time, which runs out quickly if you are awaiting a call. I will say, however, that the battery does recharge very quickly. To protect your finances, the phone comes with an auto lock feature.
Calling Features
All the standard features one would expect with a free phone are here. You get the speed dial, programmed with your nine favorite numbers. You also get voice mail and a message service that can transmit short-text messages. Of course, there is a phone book. I am so lazy about programming this, so I make good use of the feature which allows you to view the last 10 numbers you dialed as well as the last 10 numbers of incoming calls that were either answered or ignored. Caller ID allows you to be picky about which calls you pick up. You can choose one of 11 ringers...be warned that these rings are boring and even obnoxious. Of course, one might choose politeness and turn the phone onto a silent option. A mini-internet browser permits you to check on stock quotes and news.
I told you it was simple
Yes, this is a basic phone, and there are some bells and whistles I wish it had but does not. Most notable is the lack of a vibrating option, which would allow one to be aware of incoming calls without disturbing others. Though this does not come with the phone, you can purchase a vibrating device as an accessory. The ringing options are lame, and you can forget about the music clips that many of the phones are coming with these days-too bad, because I wanted to amuse myself answering to the tune of Camptown Ladies. There are no game add-ons, which is unfortunate because a portable Tetris game would have spared me hours of boredom on the Santa Ana Freeway. Just kidding. The internet browser that comes with this phone is more limited than most internet features on the market today, and I never use mine.
Bottom Line: This phone provides decent reception when used in combination with my Verizon Plan. It has allowed me to make the few phone calls I need to make with ease. And, lets face it, it was the right price for my needs. However, for those wanting snazzy phones with state-of-the-art features and long battery life, you will need to look elsewhere.
