Decent phone, but reception is lacking

I got this based on the many rave reviews on CNet. I had a Motorola Barrage (V860) and wish I would have kept it for one reason: reception ability. The V860 did a much better job of pulling in a signal. In places where the V860 would get 1 bar and be usable (could hold a call ok), the Convoy drops completely and says "searching for service". Otherwise it's an okay phone. I don't think it is nearly as rugged as the V860, it lacks immersion rating, and the battery cover is flimsy and lacks an O-ring. The latch also is easy to rotate. I could see it coming loose carried on a duty belt. Rugged? Don't think so.

Other than the construction and reception issues, the phone has excellent battery life, much better than the V860. It also has a much better speakerphone and earpiece sound quality is excellent. The menus are much quicker and don't lag, the camera is pretty good. The music player, however, sucks. No tone controls or equalizer, and it's pretty clumsy. It also doesn't get loud when using a stereo headset. The screens also have very high resolution and are easy to see. The keypad is probably the best I've ever used on a standard (non-keyboard) phone. Tactile feel and easy to operate, even with gloved hands. The PTT button, however, is oddly placed at the top left corner. It's red, and I first mistook it as a power switch. It's a small square size and in a strange place for a PTT switch. It is also easily actuated if the phone is carried in a pouch as you have a tendency to grip the top sides when pulling it out.

Overall, it's an okay phone but the mediocre reception and build quality make me wish I would have kept the V860. I hope the new owner is happy with it. I will be scouting for another one.

Samsung SCH Convoy U640 Review

My hearing is pretty bad, so before I renewed my Verizon contract a year ago, I researched for a phone that had a loud ring and good speaker volume. The Convoy had both, plus larger buttons that are easier for fat fingers to use. I can put my phone on the sun visor in my pickup truck, with the speaker-phone on and talk and hear just fine. My research also told me this phone is rugged and water resistant. I am a construction worker (so I work in the weather), and a fisherman, so these features also helped me to decide to buy this phone. I have found the battery life is excellent also. My wife's phone did not have very good battery life, and not very good quality speaker-phone, so I bought her a Convoy like mine off E-Bay, and she loves it, as I do mine. Her battery holds a full charge for a whole week!

Very good flip phone

I got this phone for my dad and we have been very impressed so far with this phone (1 month). The voice quality is very very good and it is really easy to understand people on it. The camera takes very nice pictures and the overall phone is pretty fast with very little lag. The speakers are very loud and work very well. Battery life is extremely good lasting 4 days with no problem depending on use. The buttons are very big and easy to press which make them good for an older person. There is an option to make all fonts large which really help older people to see without their reading glasses.

Overall you cant really go wrong with this phone if you are looking for a solid flip phone without too many bells and whistles. Everything just works which is awesome.

Sansung Convoy review

I love this phone! It is the only "non-smart" phone to save 1000 names addresses etc. in the phone book. It not only is a rugged phone but very easy to use. I have two, and I recently purchased two more for my guys in the field. It has PTT which we may use on occasion, but not to date. The phone is easy to use and very user friendly. Dust and shock resistant and I sweat on it, so water resistant, not water proof. I have no complaints after using this phone for six months. Although the camera at 2 MP is a little shy in the quality, but it gets the job done.
I reccomend it, it is a man's phone all around.

Plenty tough, great choice for basic service

Battery life is phenominal.
Very rugged phone, when placed in a leather case.
Keypad is easier to use than most, buttons are man-sized.
Good basic phone for working at jobsites or carrying outdoors.
Reception is average-to-good, transmitting to a distant cell tower can be problematic, though.

Great audio volume, works well in a noisy environment. Basic features are fairly easy to access, but Verizon's operating system leaves much to be desired (Verizon users know what I mean). Screen is crisp and clear, although limited display options make reading the smaller icons difficult in bright sun or if you are farsighted. Again, this is a problem with Verizon's software - not the phone itself. Overall, the screen quality is very good.

Not really designed for constant texting, Internet, or downloading files, but all those gimmicks are there if you want them (at additional cost, natch). My advice is to keep your service pared down and think of this as a telephone - not a laptop computer or a game station.

If you're looking for a basic phone that will last, this one definitely deserves a look. Not waterproof, but it handles dunking better than most. I've dropped mine into mud and puddles without any malfunctions so far. Flip hinge is about as stout as you'll find on a phone this size. Bottom line: If you keep it out of the lake and don't run it over, it should last a good long time. A far cry from the delicate throwaway phones.

Purchase price and service provider notwithstanding, this is a solid choice for making and receiving phone calls. I've thrashed mine for over a year now, and it looks like it's going to last. Word to the wise: Buy a case if you'll be using it on the job (or you have butterfingers).