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Spotlight Review: Motorola Brute i686 phone

Overall Ratings
Cool factor: 
7
Features
Input Options: Keyboard
Speakerphone: Yes
Style: Flip phone
Senior Friendly
Speakerphone: Yes  
Wireless Interface: Bluetooth  
  If you're hard on cell phones and need one you can rely on, check out Motorola's Brute i686. It's a flip phone that has a rubberized outer covering to protect it from falls, and it can be dropped into a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Perfect if you have a tendency to drop phones in puddles or at the pool, or spill drinks on them from time to time. Don't know if they've been tested against wine or beer spills, but we'll guess that it probably wouldn't break this phone. Also should be fine if you find yourself working or playing in the rain from time to time. It's a Sprint/Nextel phone, also with push-to-talk (walkie talkie) features, a customizable interface, storage for up to 600 contacts, and a 2 megapixel camera with an LED light. The camera can also shoot low-res (less than standard definition) video at 15 frames per second, about half the rate of normal video. Good for the web. The outside has a typical flip phone display, with time, signal strength, battery meter, and caller ID/messaging display. Inside screen is 2.2 inches. Not the biggest display, but pretty clear. The phone does have a web browser, but the web experience on a tiny screen isn't great even for people with really good eyesight. In a pinch, it works. Built in aGPS receiver makes it work ok as a navigator. The i686 can play music in a variety of formats, including MP3, AAC, H.264, MIDI and more. Bluetooth 2.1 capability means your Bluetooth headset works with it for calls and music, and it can also play through any car or home stereo system equipped to work with Bluetooth music streaming. There's also a built in calculator and alarm clock. It's more expensive than a traditional flip phone, many of which are free with a contract, but if you break a lot of phones then you might like this one that is certified to Military Spec 810g for immersion, blowing rain, dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, salt fog, humidity and solar radiation.   Read our Senior Friendly Guide to Cellphones.


Main Features

Product type Cellphones
Price: $100 - $150
Manufacturer: Motorola
Accessability Features: Audible battery alert
  Hearing aid compatible
  TTY compatible
  Vibrating alert
  Voice control capability
  Wi-Fi networking
  EVDO RavA/WiFi capable
  Hearing aid compatibility = M4/T4
Input Options: Keyboard
Service Provider: Sprint Nextel
Speakerphone: Yes  
Style: Flip phone
Wireless Interface: Bluetooth  

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