I have owned plenty of cell phones over recent years, as I am sure everyone has, and while none have been that great, some have definitely been crap. The only problem I have ever had with my cellular phones has been with the battery. The cellular phone battery has either stopped working or it just would not last long enough and I would need to purchase and carry a replacement battery.

I always use my mobile phone heaps, both for my work and for home use, so having a backup battery is often a good idea 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 not in the office.

Cellular Phone Battery

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

LG VX5300

Positives:
The LG VX5300 is a simple and lightweight flip phone that features a VGA camera with a flash, a speakerphone, analog roaming, and a Web browser. It also has an easy-to-use keypad and excellent call quality.
Negatives:
The LG VX5300 has a rather boring design, and we aren’t fans of the camera’s picture quality.
Facts:
The LG VX5300 is a fitting entry-level camera phone for those who don’t want a lot of frills but do want excellent call quality.

The LG VX5300 is the latest in Verizon’s offerings of entry-level camera phones. While it has an unassuming appearance, it delivers the goods in terms of a simple feature set and great call quality. The VX5300 also supports analog roaming, which increases the likelihood of getting cell phone reception in more rural areas. This LG flip phone retails for $119.99, but you can get it for $69.99 with a two-year contract.

Design is clearly not the objective of the LG VX5300. Its silver and gray casing isn’t unattractive, but it doesn’t stand out as too appealing either. However, we did appreciate its compact and lightweight form factor (3.51 by 1.87 by 0.94 inches; 3.28 ounces), and found we could slip it in and out of our pockets with ease. Slightly oval and pebblelike in shape, the VX5300 felt comfortable in our hands as well as next to our ears. The VX5300 also has a stubby antenna on the top. Opening and closing the phone was a snap, requiring minimal effort.

The VX5300 comes with a VGA camera.

On the front flap is the 1-inch diagonal OLED external screen that displays 65,000 colors. It shows battery and signal strength, the date and time, and caller ID, and it functions as a self-portrait viewfinder when camera mode is on and the phone is closed. It doesn’t display photo caller ID, however, which is disappointing. You can also swap out the wallpaper of the external screen. The camera lens and flash is located above the screen. The left spine is home to the volume rocker and a voice command key, while a dedicated camera key lies on the right spine.

Flip open the phone, and you’re presented with a 1.8-inch, 262,000 color TFT display. Bright and colorful, the screen is very easy on the eyes. You can adjust the backlight timer, the font size, and the clock format, but you can’t change the brightness or contrast. As for the navigation controls, there are the standard two soft keys, and a five-way toggle that doubles as four user-customizable shortcuts with a middle confirmation key, the send key, the clear key, and the end/power key. Right underneath the navigation array is the dedicated speakerphone button as well as the dial pad. We were very pleased with the arrangement of the keys; they were well spaced, and while the buttons felt smooth, they were slightly rounded and raised above the surface, which made for easy dialing.

The LG VX5300 comes with a 500-entry address book, each of which can hold up to five numbers, two e-mail addresses, group IDs, a picture caller ID, and one of 11 polyphonic ring tones. Basic features include a vibrate mode, a silent mode, text and multimedia messaging, a full-duplex speakerphone (which you can activate prior to dialing), voice commands, voice recording, a calendar, an alarm clock, a world clock, a notepad, a calculator, a tip calculator, a unit converter, Bluetooth, analog roaming, and a Web browser.

The VX5300 takes blurry photos.

The VX5300 comes with a VGA camera with flash, as well as a variety of camera settings. They include three resolutions (640×480, 320×240, and 160×120), a self-timer, brightness and white balance controls, color effects, various shutter sounds (with an option to turn sound off), and night mode. Naturally, picture quality wasn’t comparable to megapixel cameras as images appeared blurry and noticeably grainy. However, when compared to other VGA cameras, the images were of similar quality.

You can personalize the VX5300 with a variety of wallpapers, colors, themes, and message alert tones. Downloading more options is simple with Verizon’s Get It Now service, Verizon’s mobile Web portal that’s easily accessible from the phone’s menu options. Though you can play BREW games on the phone, you’ll have to buy and download them yourself as the phone doesn’t come with any included.

We tested the triband (CDMA 850/1900; AMPS) LG VX5300 handset in San Francisco using Verizon’s service. Call quality was excellent on both ends. Callers couldn’t tell we were on a cell phone, and we were impressed that we could hear them even when walking down a noisy sidewalk. The speakerphone performed similarly well, and we were impressed with its clarity and volume, though we did have to speak up a little to be heard.

The LG VX5300 has a rated talk time of 3 hours and a rated standby time of 8 days. In our tests, we got a talk time of 2 hours and 55 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the VX5300 has a digital SAR rating of 1.27 watts per kilogram.

So I suppose the true question is do I spend the money buying a new LG VX5300 cell phone battery or do I just buy a new phone with a better performing battery? Replacement batteries are reasonably inexpensive but a new phone would be nice. Decisions, decisions…

I have owned many mobile phones over recent years, as I am sure everyone has, and while none have been particularly amazing, some have definitely been crap. The only problem I have ever had with my cell phones has been with the batteries. The cellular phone battery has either broke or it just would not last long enough and I would need to buy and carry a replacement battery.

I do use my cellular phone often, 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 disappointing. My latest phone is working ok 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 obsolete, I really should purchase a new cell phone):

Motorola i850 - cellular phone with digital camera / two-way radio - iDEN

Product Short Spec:

Combined with:

With digital camera / two-way radio

Weight:

4.7 oz

review

So for now the real question is do I spend the money purchasing a new Motorola i850 - cellular phone with digital camera / two-way radio - iDEN mobile 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 fun. I must make a decision…

I have bought a number of mobile phones over recent years, as I am sure everyone has, and while none have been that brilliant, some have most definitely been useless. The most common problem I have ever had with my cell phones has been with the battery. The cellular phone battery has either stopped working or it just would not last long enough and I would need to purchase and carry a replacement battery.

I always use my cellular phone heaps, both for my work and for personal use, so having a second battery is often a good idea but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is so annoying. My newest phone is working well but I would like a replacement battery for when I am on the road.

Cellular Phone Battery

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

Samsung SCH-A850

Quick Take: The Samsung SCH-A850 is an attractive black and silver flip phone for Verizon Wireless. It offers basic features, including a VGA camera, a speakerphone, text and multimedia applications, organizer applications, and a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. The dual-band SCH-A850 is $199 with a one-year contract. Check back soon for a full review.

So for now the true question is do I spend the money purchasing a new Samsung SCH-A850 cell phone battery or do I just get a new phone with a longer life battery? Replacement batteries are reasonably cheap but a new phone would be nice. I must make a decision…

I have owned many cell phones over recent years, as I am sure many people have, and while none have been particularly outstanding, some have definitely been rubbish. The only 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 get and carry a replacement battery.

I always use my cellular phone regularly, 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 disappointing. My current phone is working fine but I would like a replacement battery for times when I am on the road.

Cell Phone Batteries

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

Sony Ericsson Z300A - cellular phone - GSM

Product Short Spec:

Band / mode:

GSM 850/1900 (Dual Band)

Talk time:

Up to 330 min

Weight:

3.2 oz

review

So I guess the true question is do I spend the money getting a new Sony Ericsson Z300A - cellular phone - GSM mobile phone battery or do I just buy a new phone with a better performing battery? Replacement batteries are fairly cheap but a new phone would be good too. Decisions, decisions…

I have bought many mobile phones over the years, as I am sure everyone has, and while none have been that outstanding, some have definitely been crap. The most common problem I have ever had with my cellular phones has been with the batteries. The battery has either broke or it just would not last long enough and I would need to get and carry a replacement battery.

I usually use my cell phone often, both for my job and for private use, so having a backup battery is often a good idea but having to replace a faulty or damaged battery is a pain. My newest phone is working well but I would like a replacement battery for those times 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 cellular phone):

Sanyo SCP-2400 (Midnight Black)

Positives:
The Sanyo SCP-2400 supports family-friendly features, such as Sprint’s parental control and family locator services. It also supports Sprint’s Ready Link push-to-talk network, plus it features voice recording, voice dialing, analog roaming, and a speakerphone with great audio quality.
Negatives:
The Sanyo SCP-2400 has a rather unappealing design, and the colors on the internal display appear washed out.
Facts:
The Sanyo SCP-2400 is a basic handset that didn’t impress us in terms of design. But because of its support for family-friendly services, it could be a great phone for both parents and kids.

Note: This product is part of the Sanyo SCP-2400 series. .

Sprint is one of several cell phone carriers now offering family-friendly handset packages. Verizon has its Chaperone service for the LG Migo, which lets parents know where their kids are, and Disney Mobile will have its own version sometime soon. Sprint’s service comes in the form of a built-in parental control feature in selected handsets, and the Sanyo SCP-2400 is one of them. While it is a basic phone, the SCP-2400 also supports the Ready Link walkie-talkie network, which is another handy feature for families wanting to keep in touch. The phone is available now for the suggested retail price of $179.99, though it’s only $29.99 after rebate with a two-year agreement. It comes in five different colors: Silver Sky, Midnight Black, Dark Bronze, True Blue, and Misty Rose.

Like the Sanyo SCP-3100, the SCP-2400 has the appearance of a child’s toy. Its plastic exterior and large speaker grille scream kid-size walkie-talkie. At 3.3 by 1.8 by 1.0 inches and 3.5 ounces, it fits in a purse without a problem, but it fits rather tightly in a pants pocket. Opening the clamshell takes a negligible amount of effort, and it cradles comfortably next to the ear.

The Sanyo SCP-2400 has a large speaker grille.

Right beneath the speaker grille is the 1-inch-diagonal monochrome external screen that has an orange backlight when activated. It displays the signal and battery strength, the time, and caller ID. On the left spine is the headset jack, a voice-recording key that doubles as the Ready Link key, and the volume rocker. The SCP-2400 has an extendable antenna as well.

Open up the phone, and you’ll find a rather disappointing 65,000-color, 1.75-inch-diagonal display. Colors appear washed out, and the screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight. You can adjust the backlight timer of the internal display, the keypad, and the external screen. The font size, the default greeting, the background, contrast, the background color for incoming calls, and the sleep-mode timer are adjustable to suit your preference.

The navigational controls and keypad layout are very similar to those of the SCP-3100. There are the two soft keys, a five-way toggle that doubles as shortcuts to messaging, the phone book, the My Content folder (a list of games, ring tones, screensavers, applications, IM and e-mail, and call tones), and the My Favorites folder (a "smart" list of shortcuts to frequently used features). Underneath the left soft key is the Web browser button, and underneath the right soft key is the Back button. We found this arrangement a little odd, and we found ourselves accidentally hitting the Web button when we meant to make a call because it is located where the Talk key usually is. Below those are the Talk, Speakerphone, and End/power keys, followed by the keypad. The keys have a greenish backlight when activated.

The primary attractions of the SCP-2400 are Sprint’s parental control services and support for the carrier’s Ready Link push-to-talk network. Aside from those, the phone has mostly basic features. There’s a 300-entry address book, and each contact can store up to seven numbers, an e-mail address, a Web site URL, an assigned group label, a personalized ring tone [you can choose from 16 polyphonic (32-chord) ring tones], and a picture caller ID. As the phone doesn’t have a camera, you’ll have to get the picture ID in a multimedia message or download some clip art as photo substitutes. There is a separate Ready Link contact list that stores up to 200 personal contacts and 200 business contacts. Other offerings include text and picture messaging, instant messaging, e-mail, a calendar, a scheduler, a to-do list, a world clock, a calculator, a stopwatch, an alarm clock, voice dialing, voice recording, a vibrate mode, a wireless Web browser, analog roaming, and a built-in speakerphone that can be activated prior to calls. The SCP-2400 also supports an optional service called Wireless Backup, which lets you back up your entire phone’s information to Sprint’s servers, in case your phone gets lost or stolen.

Accessing the parental control features couldn’t be easier; it’s actually the first option on the top left of the main menu screen. Enter in a lock code, and you can then set limitations on incoming and outgoing calls (ranging from allowing all calls to just special preselected numbers), lock or unlock the Ready Link walkie-talkie service or the PCS Vision service (which includes text messaging, instant messaging, e-mail, Web browsing, and games), assign special phone numbers, edit the phone book, and change the lock code for the phone. What’s more, there’s an optional service called Sprint Family Locator, which uses GPS technology that lets parents track where their child is at all times. Parents can track their child either from another Sprint phone or from their PC.

As for personalization options, you can customize your phone with a variety of different backgrounds, animations, screensavers, ring tones, and more. The only game included is World Poker Tour, but as with all the other options, you can download more from Sprint’s store via the wireless WAP 2.0 browser on the phone.

We tested the dual-band, trimode (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) Sanyo SCP-2400 in San Francisco with the Sprint network. Call quality was great on both ends, and callers could hardly tell we were on a cell phone. Speakerphone audio quality was similarly impressive. Web performance was slow, as expected.

The Sanyo SCP-2400 has a rated talk time of 3.5 hours, which we met in our tests, and a standby time of 5 days. We doubled the standby time to 10 days. According to FCC radiation tests, the Sanyo SCP-2400 has a digital SAR rating of 1.27 watts per kilogram.

So I suppose the real question is do I spend the money buying a new Sanyo SCP-2400 (Midnight Black) cell phone battery or do I just get a new phone with a longer life battery? Replacement batteries are fairly low cost but a new phone would be nice. I must make a decision…