Howdy all,
I'm looking at getting a new cell phone. I have it narrowed down between two phones: Nokia 6010 and a Motorola v186m. The Nokia is $50 cheaper, but I'm wondering about durability and stuff. What do you guys (and gals) think of these two phones:
Personally, I like the flip phone the most, because it's a flip phone. Features aren't as important to me as durability. My current phone is a Moto, and it has been very reliable. It's 4 years old and the batteries are shot. It's cheaper to buy a new phone than new batteries. Go figure. 
So, please share your experiences with Motorola and Nokia phones, both good and bad. Especially bad. :-P.
Cheers,
The Czar
I've been using Motorola phones for years, and I've had no problems with them. I've had a few fail on me over the years, but I don't think that was because of bad design or manufacturing -- I think I simply wear them out. I keep my phone on 24x7, and when I'm not home, the phone comes with me. I have friends with Nokias, and they (the phones) seem decent, but from what I've heard (and Dr. Bob can probably confirm this) they're just built really shoddily.
I've had several Motorola phones (repeatedly, of the same model), and TWO nokia phones (of 2 different models). My not-so-humble opinion is to STAY AWAY from the Motorola phones unless phones with clunky user interfaces that are prone to physical failure turn you on.
The Nokia phones I've used have an interface that just feels right, and are damn-near indestructible. The only reason I got rid of my Nokia 5190 is because it was too big, and the 3390 was the right size for my pockets. I've heard stories of the 5190 surviving being hurled at a metal door, denting the door, being thrown BACK OUT of the door, and being picked up and used. This was from the same girl that dunked it in the bath several times.
Howver, the Motorola phones are horrible to navigate, seem to present everything in a backwards order, have Send and End in the opposite orientation from all the other manufacturers, and break constantly from a very small amount of use.
Pi, what model of Motorola was so problematic for you?
I don't recall the model number, but it was the one that came for free with my T-Mobile subscription. It was a small grey flip deal.
I've also used more than that model of motorola phone and was generally unimpressed. The whole interface is clunky to me. I'm a very opinionated guy though, so take it with a grain of salt.
Nokias are cheaply constructed Korean pieces of crad... But you wouldn't know it unless you spent a day with a friend who works in a mobile phone store and whose job is to repair damaged phones.
What you do notice on using a Nokia is the baby-boo-boo-simple user interface which makes you feel both stupid and frustrated(one thing that really gets on my nerves is how the majority of Nokias scroll through SMSes/documents A WHOLE PAGE AT A TIME). Nokia shouldn't be as prominent as they apparently are... just like Microsoft.
Motorolas seem to be OK phones, but their form-over-function models such as the V3 Razr have some serious reliability problems. Plus Moto don't seem to get their styling *quite* right. The user interfaces are nice, though. Don't listen to that "clunky user interface" stuff.
Have you considered any Sony Ericsson models by any chance? Their phones are really outstanding these days...
I have considered the Sony-Ericsson models, Disco, but they're out of my price range. I'm also looking at buying an iBook in a few months, so I need to watch my pennies as much as possible. I hardly use my mobile, I'd keep my old Moto T2290 if the batteries weren't so bloody expensive to replace.
Cheers,
The Czar
another comment on the motorola versus nokia thread...
since back in the days i had one alcatel one-touch, one siemens m-50, 4 nokia and one motorola (dont remember the model, sorry). alcatel and siemens worked perfectly, even if the menu was a little bit different compared to the nokia phones i liked them very much. the siemens was somehow indestroyable, even dumping it in the toilet (by accident of course...) couldn't stop it from working. the motorola didn't work that fine, i always had software problems straight from the beginning and the flip display mechanism didn't work sometimes.
so, what about the nokia models: despite the menu was bloody slow, i liked them all. they were really tough (especially the 5150 and 7650). well, not all of them... my 7110 gave up after it first met the floor, ok, falling from the cupboard is not really healthy for this one.
well, overall i was satisfied with all of them, but most the siemens and nokia models...
I've been through a good number of phones since I started using Cingular Wireless in March of 2001. I've been through seven Nokias (4 5165's, 3 6340i's), two Sony Ericssons (1 t228, 1 t237), and one Motorola (v551). Of these phones, the Sony Ericssons were the biggest heaps of crap I've ever used, though I did get what I paid for as they were the freebie phones. The Nokias were somewhat better despite having weird issues with powering off for no reason - full battery charge, even connected to a charger. The 5165's seemed to be the worst offenders, though I excuse the 6340i for most of it's issues - it was what is referred to as a GAIT phone - it would work with GSM and CDMA. The Sony Ericssons would drop calls despite 4 bars of signal, and often in order to hear the person I was talking to, I'd have to tap the back of the phone with my hand. The colour screen was abysmal, and it didn't feel terribly substantial.
The Motorola v551, however has been the best of the bunch. Everyone says the user interface is weird and that Nokia's is better, though considering that Nokia made many of our first phones, it's not surprising that people would say that. After all, if you used Windows exclusively for several years and then started using a Mac exclusively out of the blue, you'd have the same complaint about the mac because you were used to the quirks and whatnot of windows. As for durability, it's been rock solid. I've dropped it more than I'd care to admit. The bluetooth works great with my Mac. I can sync it via bluetooth with 10.4, and tethering the phone for gprs works great. Cingular offers an unlimited data plan for tethering at $24.99 . The v551, however is not without its flaws. I occasionally end up muting the ringtone if it's in my pocket because I end up bumping around the ring volume control (buttons on its side). I haven't made the plunge of a bluetooth headset yet, and probably won't for a while, but wired headsets require you to hang up the call by unplugging the wire or pressing the end button on the handset. This is assuming that you are not using one of the "Motorola brand" headsets. I have an fm radio headset that works great as a radio and headset.
just my $.02
- iantm
My exp. with Nokia is that the UI is fast and streamlined. Can't say about these particular models, tho. All my Moto phones have had a SLOW UI, and therefore are a pain to use.
Personally, I have used Moto anyway, since the ones I had were flip phones. Can't dial anyone in your pocket with a flip phone.
I would like to get a Nokia flip. I think they are generally better with signal.
Do you really think that the Moto interface isn't clunky? I have used a P280 and a V66, V100 in the past. Maybe since I get "a lot" of sms, that's why I consider the interface clunky. I figure that sms aren't a book, so I wonder about the necessity of scrolling one line at a time. For me anyway, I get "too many" sms and I want to get through them. I don't want to have to wait for the display to refresh, so I can make sure I didn't delete two sms, etc.
I agree that the Nokia interface is really simple, and I figure that the less keypresses, the better. Again, I use it really often through the day, so I appreciate the time savings. <$.02
ok, i guess the slow ui depends on the cold weather here... nothing to sue nokia with! but otherwise, the siemens always was kind of smooth.
For my purposes, the moto works just the way I want it. I don't do as many sms as I used to. Though, the bulk of the people I used to sms are now 1200 miles away and I don't really talk to them as much as I used to.
- iantm
I had a Nokia 5190 that retired just this year...I had been using it constantly since 1998. I replaced it with a new little Nokia because I have always liked the reliablility. I went through 4 phones before my new Nokia though, and none of them were really up to the task. Just my opinion.
Have to say I've always like Sony phones and owned a few over the years. I still haven't found a phone that looks as good (IMHO) or feels as sturdy as the T610. Just a shame the screens tend to get dead pixels after a while! You can always recase a T630 (same logic board, different screen) into a T610's cover to get the best of both worlds, but I haven't found the need so far.
Sure they don't have all the latest features, no movies, no radio, very little memory (2MB) etc... but I don't find I need any of those features! For a phone that does SMS and calls (and integrates wit iSync through Bluetooth) they can't be beat IMHO, and plus you can pick them up for a very small ammount of $$$ on eBay... which is always good.
I've only had one Moto phone which was a C350... what a slow, buggy POS! Never going to buy a Motorola again! Quite like some Nokia phones, but they aren't my favourites.
TOM
just to add another brand, i've found that of all the phones ive owned, all of the LG's ive had have been the best, although my vx6100 has some weird bugs.(incoming calls are sometimes choppy and muffled, but outgoing calls are clear)
I like my Motorola Razr V3 for its looks, but the software and interface could use improvement.
The Vx6100 is not that bad. The incoming calls are *eh* but they do have good software. They also connect easily to your computer with a USB cable. If you get Verizon Wireless then you also get a CD with Mac software to make it even easier.
now it's official, i've swapped from nokia to siemens. got myself a s65 siemens, huge display, useless camera (good pictures only on sunny days, otherwise just a lot of snow) and connectivity with the mac only after a little bit of fiddling with tigers bluetooth software. however, great phone. i like it...