Free Voyager Phone

As a quick note to start, I have wanted a smartphone for a while now, but was turned off by the exorbident cost for the data plan for crackberries and Windows Media phones for VZW (an extra $40 a month for data on top of your plan). Since I basically wanted it for a toy and not for work, I couldn’t really rationalize paying so much extra for a phone and basically double my phone bill each month.

That said, this is a great compromise for my needs, seeing as how it does most of what a smartphone does (for what I want to use it for). One of the biggest thing that I haven’t heard people talking about is that updating to the premium package (only 10-20 bucks more than I was paying before) allows you unlimited use (Mb and airtime) of the mobile web, email, texting, VZW navigator, Get It Now, etc. versus updating to a data plan for a smartphone ($40 more on top of your regular voice plan). Plus, in a rare move of NOT nickel and diming you to death, Verizon even had the common sense to include the software and cable for transferring music/data to the phone instead of charging you extra for it (ala the Chocolate or other VZW phones).

Now about the phone. I had gotten used to the thin phone phenomenon and had been fervent about getting the RAZR2 when it came out, but again couldn’t stomach paying $150 for a standard phone… So needless to say when I played w/ the Voyager and realized it wasn’t that much more for a phone that is infinitely more functional, I pounced on it. I had concerns about the size, but really when you think of phones of only a few years ago, it’s pretty amazing what you get in this phone (and it’s still thinner than a Treo my buddy has). The touch screen is gorgeous, as is the internal display and i’ve had no issues w/ the delayed response to screen touches others have talked about. This is definitely an iPhone wannabe, make no if’s and’s or but’s about it. And while I don’t think it matches the iPhone in terms of “wow” factor, it’s still the best phone on what I have always believed to be the best cellular network, Verizon. I also am not planning on using this to replace my iPod nano, and haven’t even tried the mp3 player in the phone. However, I am planning on spending $20 to get a 2 Gb micro SD card to try it out and maybe keep a few songs on there in case I’m caught w/out my iPod.

I am impressed w/ Mobile Web and the email client getting email from my yahoo and POP3 work email accounts. I love the ESPN MVP being a sports junkie and it looks great. The full keyboard is also fantastic for emails, typing URLs in Mobile Web, and of course texting. It would be nice to have the Wi-Fi support, as well as larger on board memory for the price…

Overall, if you’re interested in getting a smartphone but are only needing to do basic functions w/ email, web, as well as just a great all around phone and texter(but no mobile Office, etc.), you can’t really go wrong here… The cost is a little high ($200 w/ my new every two discount), but with it’s price being between high-end dumbphones and smartphones, I think it’s completely reasonable given the ability to do so many things w/ this phone beautifully. I’m very impressed w/ it after having it for over a week and would recommend it to anyone w/ Verizon.

Reviewer: chrmbly