I have bought numerous cellular phones over the last few years, as I am sure most people have, and while none have been that extraordinary, some have absolutely been rubbish. The most common problem I have ever had with my cell phones has been with the cell battery. The battery has either died or it just would not last long enough and I would need to get and carry a replacement battery.

I tend to use my cellular phone heaps, both for my work and for personal use, so having another battery is often worth it but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is so annoying. My newest phone is working ok but I would like a replacement battery for those times when I am travelling.

Cell Phone Battery

These are the details of my most current phone (yep, I know it is a bit past it, I really should find a new cell phone):

Motorola Krzr K1m (US Cellular)

Note: This product is part of the Motorola Krzr K1 series. .

US Cellular’s Motorola Krzr K1m is similar in both design and features to the Motorola Krzr K1m for Verizon Wireless. You can get it for $179 with service. Read our review of Verizon’s handset for a thorough analysis.

So I guess the right question is do I spend the money buying a new Motorola Krzr K1m (US Cellular) cellular phone battery or do I just buy a new phone with a longer life battery? Replacement batteries are very cheap but a new phone would be nice. I must make a decision…

I have bought numerous cellular phones over the years, as I am sure most people have, and while none have been particularly amazing, some have most definitely been crap. The most common problem I have ever had with my mobile phones has been with the batteries. The battery has either stopped working or it just would not last long enough and I would need to buy and carry a replacement battery.

I do use my cell phone regularly, both for my work and for personal use, so having another battery is often worth it but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is a pain. My current phone is working fine but I would like a replacement battery for those times when I am on the road.

Cellular Phone Battery

These are the details of my latest phone (yes, I know it is a bit obsolete, I really should get a new cellular phone):

RIM BlackBerry 8700c

Positives:
The RIM BlackBerry 8700c benefits from an Intel processor and EDGE support, as well as a bright display, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a slim design.
Negatives:
To our disappointment, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c uses a proprietary instant-messaging client, and Bluetooth is limited to use with headsets and car kits.
Facts:
Armed with an Intel processor and EDGE support, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c offers mobile professionals a winning package of performance, productivity, and design.

Despite Research in Motion’s legal woes, the company continues to produce some of today’s most popular mobile e-mail devices. In fact, RIM’s BlackBerry devices lead the pack of handheld shipments, while Palm, Dell, and HP fall behind; there are even reports of a phenomenon called BlackBerry thumbs. Well, CrackBerry addicts, get your thumbs ready for the company’s latest device, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c. It’s the first EDGE-enabled and Intel-powered BlackBerry, and it offers a winning combination of performance, design, and functionality. Of course, not all is perfect. Bluetooth and instant-messaging capabilities are limited, but the pros outweigh the cons, making the 8700c one of the best BlackBerrys we’ve seen to date. The BlackBerry 8700c is available through Cingular Wireless for $299.99.

The RIM BlackBerry 8700c offers best-of-breed design, combining everything we love about the traditional BlackBerry form factor with the best aspects of the newer BlackBerry 7100 series. From the 7100 series, the 8700c takes a similar compact (4.3 by 2.7 by 0.7 inches; 4.7 ounces) and sleek look that won’t weigh you down or cramp your style. The blue-gray and black coloring is attractive, and more important, the smart phone feels good in your hands–solid and easy to use one-handed. On the 7100 series, we weren’t fond of the modified keyboard, which is why we’re thrilled that RIM brought back the full QWERTY keyboard by making the 8700c slightly wider than both the BlackBerry 7100g and the BlackBerry 7100t. Although the 35 buttons are fairly well spaced, those with larger digits may have some problems, especially if they’re used to the roomier keyboards of past BlackBerrys. That said, the squarish and tactile keys are raised above the phone’s surface for easy typing and provide a satisfying click once pressed.

BlackBerry thumbs, get ready: The RIM BlackBerry 8700c features a full QWERTY keyboard for fast and easy typing.

Moving on to the screen, the news just keeps getting better. The RIM BlackBerry 8700c boasts a beautiful 2.5-inch-diagonal display that shows off 65,000 colors and a fine 320×240-pixel resolution. This in an improvement upon past BlackBerrys, and the change is noticeable. Viewing Web pages and images is more enjoyable, as text and images are clearer and more defined. Plus, you can change the font type and size under the Settings menu. The 8700c also features a new light-sensing technology that automatically adjusts the backlighting of the screen and keyboard according to your environment–a nice touch.

The BlackBerry 8700c boasts a bright screen and new Talk and End keys.

Also new are the dedicated Talk and End keys, as well as the customizable soft key, which are all found just below the display. Although these buttons made their first appearance on the BlackBerry 7100 series, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c marks the debut of this feature on more traditional-type BlackBerrys. Finishing out the face of the smart phone is a small LED in the upper-right corner that blinks different colors for network activity (green), message notification (red), low battery (yellow), and Bluetooth connectivity (blue). Other features on the 8700c include a headset jack, a USB port, and a customizable shortcut key on the left spine, while the right side holds the familiar jog dial and the Esc key for easy navigation of the menu. There’s a power button and a Mute key on top of the device. To turn on the speakerphone, which is located on the back of the 8700c, there’s an activation key in the lower-right corner of the keyboard, but you can use it only once you’re on a call.

RIM packages the BlackBerry 8700c with a USB cable for charging and PC synchronization, an AC adapter, and a belt holster. More accessories are available for purchase, such as a car charger ($28.99) and various headsets, both wireless and wired.

The RIM BlackBerry 8700c is distinct for a couple of reasons. It’s the first BlackBerry powered by an Intel processor–a 312MHz PXA901 processor, to be exact–and it’s also the first EDGE-enabled BlackBerry. With this combination, you should enjoy faster Web browsing and download times, as well as quicker overall performance, which, on the whole, we found to be true (see Performance).

Of course, BlackBerrys are known for their e-mail prowess, and the RIM BlackBerry 8700c doesn’t disappoint. With the help of your IT department, the smart phone can sync with your company’s BlackBerry, Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise server to deliver corporate e-mail in real time. The BlackBerry 8700c also supports up to 10 personal/business POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail accounts; we set up our device to receive messages from our POP3 account, and after about 20 minutes of tinkering, we started getting our e-mail, with the smart phone checking for new messages every 15 minutes. The 8700c also features enhancements to attachment viewing. You now can view Excel documents as spreadsheets rather than in plain text, and you have more image-editing options at your disposal. You can rotate, as well as zoom in and out, and once you’ve zoomed in, you can use the Enhance function to recalibrate the image to reduce pixelation. Throughout our test period, we received and opened various documents without any problems. The BlackBerry 8700c also supports text and multimedia messaging, as well as instant messaging. However, the latter is limited to a BlackBerry Messenger, so you can communicate only with those who use that proprietary client.

RIM throws in other useful applications for the mobile professional. There’s a calendar, a task list, a memo pad, and a calculator. A couple of demo apps that we enjoyed and may be worth the download were Quotestream Wireless and AskMeNow. Quotestream allows you to receive wireless-streaming stock quotes right on your 8700c, while AskMeNow gives you quick access to weather, sports scores, flight information, and more. It also has an Ask Jeeves-type functionality called Ask Anything, where you can input a question, and you’ll receive the answer in your in-box. We asked a sports-related question, "Where did Peyton Manning go to school?" and lo and behold, within five minutes, we had our answer along with some other useful information–pretty neat! One final noteworthy addition is the ability to toggle between applications. By holding down Alt, then pressing the Esc key, you can quickly access your messages, your home screen, your phone, your messenger, your Web browser, or your WorkSpace CRM, rather than tediously backing out of several layers of apps.

We definitely hear you now: The BlackBerry 8700c’s speakerphone is plenty loud.

Moving to the phone aspect of the BlackBerry 8700c, the mobile’s address book is limited only by the available memory (an additional 250 names can be stored on the SIM card), and the device comes with 64MB of flash memory and 16MB of SDRAM, which is a nice bump up from the BlackBerry 7290. For each contact entry, you can store up to eight numbers, an e-mail and a Web address, home and work addresses, job titles, and notes. You get 35 polyphonic ring tones, and there’s support for MP3 ring tones, as well as a vibrate mode, conference calling, call forwarding, speed dialing, and smart dialing. Finally, there’s Bluetooth support for wireless headsets and car kits, but unfortunately, wireless data transfers and syncing are out of the question.

As a businesscentric device, the BlackBerry 8700c doesn’t give you too many entertainment or multimedia functions. The BlackBerry 8700c doesn’t have an audio or video player, but it does come with three games: BrickBreaker, Texas Hold’em King 2, and Bass Assassin. Customization is limited to a handful of themes, but more options–ring tones, wallpaper, games, and so on–are available through Cingular.

Using Cingular’s network, we tested the quad-band (GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) RIM BlackBerry 8700c in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and call quality was generally good. We had no problems hearing our callers, although they sounded slightly hollow at times, but it didn’t prevent us from holding a conversation. On the flip side, callers said we sounded clear, but they could tell we were on a cell phone. Speakerphone quality was even better. Callers said they couldn’t even tell we were on speakerphone, and volume was plenty loud. In fact, we were a little embarrassed when we activated the speakerphone in a public place because our caller’s voice boomed throughout the room.

Wireless functions on the RIM BlackBerry 8700c were admirable. We had no problems pairing the device with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset, and we were talking, hands free, within minutes. Call quality did suffer slightly, however. Surfing the Web on the 8700c was relatively painless, and the EDGE support helped with faster upload times, but we did encounter some delays and formatting issues with graphics-intensive sites such as ebay.com.

The RIM BlackBerry 8700c is rated for 4 hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time. In our tests, we managed to get 5 hours, 40 minutes of talk time, while the standby time fell short at 7 days.

So I suppose the true question is do I spend the money purchasing a new RIM BlackBerry 8700c mobile phone battery or do I just buy a new phone with a better battery? Replacement batteries are fairly low cost but a new phone would be great. I must make a decision…

I have bought a number of mobile phones over the years, as I am sure most people have, and while none have been particularly great, some have most definitely been rubbish. The main problem I have ever had with my cellular phones has been with the cell battery. The cell phone battery has either died or it just would not last long enough and I would need to buy and carry a replacement battery.

I usually use my cellular phone a lot, both for my job and for personal use, so having a backup battery is often worth it but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is so annoying. My newest phone is working fine but I would like a replacement battery for times when I am travelling.

Cell Phone Batteries

These are the details of my most current phone (yeah, I know it is a bit past it, I really should buy a new cellular phone):

Nokia E61

Positives:
The Nokia E61 boasts a vibrant and sharp screen, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a full array of wireless options (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UMTS). The Symbian smart phone also has good call quality, a speakerphone, the ability to view and edit Office documents, and robust e-mail capabilities.
Negatives:
Without the backing of a U.S. carrier, the Nokia E61 is pricey. Also, the miniSD slot is located inconveniently behind the battery cover, and the device was sometimes sluggish when switching between apps. There’s no camera option, either.
Facts:
The Nokia E61 certainly isn’t for everyone, but with its powerful productivity apps, connectivity options, and good call quality, the smart phone will make a good addition to a corporate user’s arsenal.

Note: This product is part of the Nokia E series. .

Ever since the Nokia E61 (and the rest of the E series, for that matter) was announced almost a year ago, we’ve been waiting anxiously to get our hands on the sleek smart phone. Well, we finally got one thanks to a colleague whose family picked one up overseas, and for the most part, it was worth the wait. Not for the faint of heart, the E61 is a powerful smart phone, equipped with productivity apps, a plethora of wireless options, and good call quality. Though it has its similarities to the Motorola Q and BlackBerrys (slim design, full QWERTY keyboard), the E61 is definitely best suited for the corporate user who needs a fully loaded device for working on the road. Unfortunately, you’ll pay for all that functionality. At the time of this writing, no U.S. carrier has picked up the Nokia E61, so you can expect to pay about $400 to $500 for an unlocked version.

With its slim profile and full QWERTY keyboard, the Nokia E61 bears more than a striking resemblance to the Motorola Q and the RIM BlackBerry 8700 series, but that’s not to say the smart phone doesn’t have its own personality–with both good points and bad.

It’s an attractive device overall, with an all-silver casing that makes it appropriate for the business set. At 4.6 by 2.7 by 0.5 inches and 5 ounces, the E61 is slightly bigger than the Moto Q, and will take some acclimation to use as a phone because it has a wider, blockier body. There are three buttons on the left spine–Volume Up, Volume Down, and Voice Record–but nothing on the right side, where we looked instinctively for a jog dial and a Back button like those found on the Q and BlackBerrys. We missed these controls, and their absence made it harder to use the E61 one-handed. Also, a Hold button would have been nice, since it was fairly easy to trigger the voice record function, and we ended up with a handful of useless recordings.

The E61’s 2.8-inch screen shows off vibrant colors and sharp text.

The E61’s 2.8-inch screen certainly demands attention. It’s large and bright with a 320×240 pixel resolution and 16-million-color output. Text and images looked excellent, and even better, it was still readable in sunlight; you can also adjust the backlighting and contrast. Just be aware that it’s not a touch screen, so keep this in mind as you’re shopping around for your new smart phone. You can enter all of the E61’s commands via the navigation array below the screen and the full QWERTY keyboard. The array consist of left and right selection keys, Talk and End buttons for phone calls, a Menu shortcut, an e-mail launch key, and a four-way navigation joystick that acts as an OK button when you press it. We found all controls well spaced and easy to use, and they’re large enough that even users with larger digits shouldn’t have too many mishaps.

For the most part, we had the same praises for the keyboard as well. The buttons are fairly large, although the layout isn’t quite as roomy as on the Q, particularly the bottom row. Still, we didn’t have any problems firing off quick notes and messages, and the keys are adequately backlit for typing in darker environments. Our only complaint would be that the keys felt a bit stiff to press.

Since we bought our Nokia E61 overseas, the keyboard featured foreign characters. Nevertheless, we liked the device’s large buttons.

As a businesscentric device, the Nokia E61 doesn’t come equipped with a camera, although some may still want to have this option. It does have a miniSD expansion slot, but it’s inconveniently located behind the battery cover on the left side; the one upside is you don’t actually have to remove the whole battery. The accessories included with the E61 will vary depending on the market; ours came with a USB cable, an AC adapter, a miniSD card, a software CD, and reference material.

Packed with powerful productivity apps and wireless options, the Nokia E61 is sure to be a corporate crowd pleaser. The E61 runs Symbian OS 9.1, Series 60 third edition, and comes with full support for viewing and editing Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents–an advantage it holds over the Moto Q. We used the included USB cable to transfer all three types of files to the E61 and had no problems opening them; we were pleased that little, if any, formatting was lost. In particular we were pleased to find we could edit the documents, including the PowerPoint presentations, which is a feature you won’t find on too many devices. If that’s not enough, there’s a Screen Export function that allows you to display the E61’s screen via a compatible projector. The smart phone also works with Adobe Reader and Zip Manager, and comes with your basic PIM apps and organization tools, such as a calendar, notes, a calculator, a clock, a voice recorder, and a currency converter. There’s 75MB of built-in memory, which is a bit on the lower side, but it’s helped by the miniSD slot.

Though inconveniently located behind the battery cover, we appreciate the inclusion of a miniSD card slot.

The E61 has robust e-mail capabilities with support for Microsoft Exchange Server, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP accounts, and a full attachment viewer. You can get real-time message delivery through a number of push e-mail solutions, including Intellisync Wireless E-mail, BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Visto, and Seven Always-On Mail. A small LED above the screen, as well as a pop-up box, alert you to new messages. There’s also a mobile VPN client so that you can securely tap into your corporate server. The E61 also works with popular instant-messaging clients, such as Yahoo and AOL, and is text and multimedia message capable.

Wireless connectivity comes in many flavors, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, quadband GSM/GPRS, 3G technology (UMTS), and infrared. We like that Bluetooth isn’t limited to just hands-free headsets; you can use it for file transfers and dial-up networking, so you can use the phone as a modem to get your Bluetooth-enabled PDA or laptop connected to the Internet. Yet there’s no support for the A2DP stereo profile. When surfing the Web with the device, you can configure the E61 to connect via GPRS or Wi-Fi via the Settings menu. The Web browser is worth a mention. Like the one found on the Nokia N80, the E61’s browser will present you with a thumbnail of the full Web page so that you can easily navigate to a certain point on the site, rather than having to scroll all over the place. You can also download RSS feeds and blogs, bookmark sites, block pop-up ads, and more. Finally, the E61 has support for UMTS (or WCDMA) 3G technology, which brings data (text, video, and so on) transmission speeds of up to 2Mbps. Though not available nationwide in the United States yet, Cingular is rolling out its UMTS network slowly.

As a phone, the Nokia E61 offers a speakerphone, speed dial, and voice commands, plus it supports VoIP calls. The E61’s address book is limited only by the available memory, and each entry has room for multiple numbers, an e-mail address, home and work addresses, a Web URL, and so forth. For caller ID purposes, you can pair a contact with a photo (although you’ll have to transfer images onto the phone, since the E61 doesn’t have a camera) or a ring tone.

Though the E61 is a business device, it can have fun, too. The smart phone is equipped with a decent music player. It plays back MP3 and AAC files and can sort songs by artist, album, genre, or composer. You can also create playlists right on the device, set songs on random or repeat mode, and tweak the sound settings via the built-in equalizer. For videos, RealPlayer is onboard and is compatible with MPEG-4, MP4, 3GP, RV, RA, AAC, AMR, and MIDI formats. Though the E61 lacks a camera, you can view JPEG, BMP, BNG, and GIF files with the included image viewer.

We tested the quadband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; WCDMA 2100) Nokia E61 in San Francisco using Cingular’s service, and call quality was excellent. Our callers said we sounded loud and clear, and we had no problems hearing them as well. Activating the speakerphone diminished the quality just slightly; voices sounded tinny to us, and our friends said there was a bit of feedback on their end. We had no problems pairing the E61 with the Logitech Mobile Traveler Bluetooth headset.

Though its performance as a phone was great, the Nokia E61 occasionally slowed to a crawl when opening and switching apps. MP3 playback wasn’t bad. Volume was adequate through the phone’s speakers, but we didn’t have a chance to test the quality through a pair of headphones. Video performance was also satisfactory.

The Nokia E61 is rated for seven hours of talk time, and we had no problem reaching that claim; in fact, we squeezed another hour out of the phone in our tests. Standby time is rated for up to 11 days.

So I suppose the true question is do I spend the money purchasing a new Nokia E61 mobile phone battery or do I just purchase a new phone with a longer life battery? Replacement batteries are fairly inexpensive but a new phone would be nice. Decisions, decisions…

I have had many cell phones over the years, as I am sure everyone has, and while none have been especially great, some have most definitely been crap. The main problem I have ever had with my cellular phones has been with the batteries. The battery has either died or it just would not last long enough and I would need to purchase and carry a replacement battery.

I tend to use my cellular phone heaps, both for my job and for private use, so having a second battery is often a good idea but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is a pain. My latest phone is working ok but I would like a replacement battery for when I am not in the office.

Cellular Phone Battery

These are the details of my most current phone (yeah, I know it is a bit obsolete, I really should buy a new mobile phone):

Symbol MC70 Enterprise Digital Assistant

Product Short Spec:

OS provided:

Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition

Installed RAM:

64 MB

Processor:

Intel 624 MHzXscale

Wireless connectivity:

Bluetooth,

IEEE 802.11a,

IEEE 802.11b,

IEEE 802.11g

Input device type:

Keypad,

Stylus,

Touch-screen

Smartphones ShortSpec:

Band/mode:

GSM 850/900/1800/1900

RAM installed size:

64 MB

review

So I suppose the right question is do I spend the money getting a new Symbol MC70 Enterprise Digital Assistant mobile phone battery or do I just get a new phone with a long lasting battery? Replacement batteries are fairly inexpensive but a new phone would be nice. Decisions, decisions…

I have bought numerous cellular phones over recent years, as I am sure most people have, and while none have been that great, some have absolutely been useless. The most common problem I have ever had with my cellular phones has been with the battery. The cell phone battery has either died or it just would not last long enough and I would need to buy and carry a replacement battery.

I tend to use my cellular phone a lot, both for work and for private use, so having a backup battery is often a good idea but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is aggravating. My current phone is working fine but I would like a replacement battery for those times when I am on the road.

Cell Phone Battery

These are the details of my latest phone (yeah, I know it is a bit past it, I really should find a new cell phone):

Nokia 6016i (Sprint PCS)

Positives:
Decent call quality; simple design; analog roaming; speakerphone.
Negatives:
Low-resolution screen; talk-time battery life is a bit short.
Facts:
The Nokia 6016i is an ideal choice for Sprint customers who want an uncomplicated cell phone for making calls.

Note: This product is part of the Nokia 6016i series. .

While Sprint customers have always had a broad array of Samsung and Sanyo cell phones from which to choose, they haven’t always benefited from a strong selection of Nokias. But fear not, Sprint fans, for while Nokia produces mostly GSM handsets, the folks from Finland haven’t forgotten you. Enter the Nokia 6016i, a simple and practical mobile in the standard Nokia tradition. While other cell phones boast a plethora of details and style elements, the 6016i eschews them all for a no-frills design and feature set. It’s fairly priced at $149, but you should be able to find it for less with service.

Rocking your standard candy-bar shape, the Nokia 6016i looks like most other handsets from the company. It’s roughly the same size as many of its siblings, measuring 4.3 by 1.9 by 0.9 inches and weighing 3.9 ounces. Though it’s a bit on the bulky side, the handset feels surprisingly light, considering its size. But while we felt comfortable holding it against our ear to talk, flip-phone fans may want to give it a trial run first. The black-and-silver coloring is eye-catching (the 6015i is silver only), and the extendable antenna is a surprise, given that most of the current Nokias have an internal antenna. We’re not sure it was entirely useful–calls sounded about the same with or without it–but its construction wasn’t as flimsy as that of other extendable antennas we’re seen. Next to the antenna is the dedicated power key, a certified Nokia trademark

No frills: The 6016i is attractive, though it won’t stand out in a crowd.

The 1.5-inch screen is bright enough, but it supports only 4,096 colors. Though we’re used to that from Nokia, it would be nice to see more displays in the 65,000-color range. On the upside, you can change the font size and the backlighting time-out length. Below the screen are the average-size navigation keys for scrolling through the standard Nokia menus. You get a four-way toggle with shortcuts to the phone book, the calendar, profiles, and messaging; two soft keys; and the traditional Talk and End buttons. While we normally prefer a five-way toggle (the left soft key functions as the OK button in this case), the uncluttered arrangement results in few misdials. Conversely, on the Nokia 3220, the five-way toggle is so small that we frequently punched the wrong key. Still another bonus is the rubberized texture that makes the controls very tactile and easy to dial by feel. The same goes for the rubberized keypad buttons. Though they aren’t huge, they are plenty big, and we like that they are raised above the surface of the phone.

The feature set of the Nokia 6016i, while limited, does hold a few surprises. The 250-name phone book holds five phone numbers, three addresses, and notes for each entry. You also can assign contacts to caller groups and pair them with any of 10 monophonic or 20 polyphonic, 16-chord ring tones. You can easily send your contact information via a "business card" text message, but entering new contacts is a bit of a hassle. After entering a contact name and number, you first have to save that information as the default number, then return to the contact list to add extra details such as Web and e-mail addresses or call groups. It would be easier to enter all of this information at once.

Other features included a vibrate mode, text messaging, an alarm clock, a calendar, a voice recorder, a calculator, a countdown timer, a stopwatch, and three-way calling. Sadly, you don’t get true multimedia messaging other than sending the simple graphics that come on the mobile, nor is there a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Also, while Nokia says the handset is instant-messaging-capable, the company didn’t include it on the mobile. We were pleased, however, to see two unexpected offerings. Not only do you get a speakerphone (which can be activated after a call is placed), but voice dialing is included as well.

You can personalize the 6016i with a variety of wallpaper, color schemes, banners, and tones. You also get three Java (J2ME)-enabled games: Air Glide, Bowling, and Sky Diver. Mobile gamers beware, however: since you can’t go online, there’s no way to get more titles.

We tested the triband (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) Nokia 6016i in San Francisco using Sprint PCS service. Call quality was great. We enjoyed clear reception with ample volume, and we had no problem getting a signal. The speakerphone quality was slightly more muffled, but it wasn’t particularly bothersome.

Battery life was fine but still less than what we’re used to with Nokia phones. We managed 4 hours of talk time on a single charge, missing the rated talk time by 30 minutes. Our standby time was 10 days, compared with the promised time of 12 days. According to the FCC, the Nokia 6016i has a digital SAR rating of 1.14 watts per kilogram and an analog SAR rating of 1.28 watts per kilogram.

So I guess the true question is do I spend the money purchasing a new Nokia 6016i (Sprint PCS) mobile phone battery or do I just buy a new phone with a better performing battery? Replacement batteries are very cheap but a new phone would be good too. I must make a decision…