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CNET editors' rating:
3.0 stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 51 reviews
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Product summary
The good: The Kyocera Switch Back has a full QWERTY keyboard, multiple messaging options, a VGA camera, a speakerphone, voice dialing, and decent call quality.
The bad: The Kyocera Switch Back is bulky and has a cumbersome design. It suffers from poorly designed buttons and controls, as well as a tiny external display.
The bottom line: We had some serious design complaints with the Kyocera Switch Back, but the QWERTY keyboard, youth-friendly features, and decent call quality should appeal to the text-crazed teenager.
Specifications: Carrier: Virgin Mobile; Talk time: Up to 180 min; Combined with: With digital camera; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 05/05/2006
Virgin Mobile gets another first with the Kyocera Switch Back. Although it initially seems like a normal if oddly shaped candy bar phone, a closer inspection reveals that it opens lengthwise to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. Perfect for text-crazed teens, the Switch Back (a.k.a. Strobe) offers a set of youth-friendly features, such as a VGA camera, Java support for gaming, instant and multimedia messaging, and a wireless Web browser. Add the prepaid Virgin Mobile service and a selection of exclusive MTV content, and you get a perfect match for kids and hipsters under 25. After all, it's not often you get a keyboard on something other than a smart phone. The speakerphone and the voice dialing may tempt older consumers to take a look as well, but they'll likely be put off by the bulky design, the tiny external display, the minuscule keys, and the lack of higher-end features, such as Bluetooth. At $149, the Kyocera Switch Back is on the higher end of Virgin's price scale, but it's a fair cost for what you get.
In order to accommodate the keyboard, the Kyocera Switch Back measures a bulky 4.25 by 2.05 by 0.95 inches and weighs 4.1 ounces. Although it's thicker than the typical candy bar handset, it's actually thinner than other keyboard-equipped phones, such as the LG F9200 and the LG VX9800.
Whether the Kyocera Switch Back's heft is worth the additional functionality of the keyboard is a personal decision. Mad texters probably won't care, but we felt the design warranted some criticism. Overall, the dimensions give it a cumbersome feel, and it was uncomfortable to hold against our face during long conversations. Plus, the fact that the back half of the phone was thicker than the front half was disconcerting. Alternatively, you can make calls with the keyboard open, but because both the microphone and the inner speaker are on the bottom end of the phone, that felt even more uncomfortable. Things weren't all bad, however. The hourglass shape is unusual but not unappealing, and we liked the looped antenna and the black color scheme with the silver accents. What's more, the robust construction of the Switch Back should serve it well with its target demographic. From the antenna design to the large, sturdy hinge, this phone was built with wear and tear in mind. We would love for Kyocera to add rubberized edges, but we think the Switch Back will stand the test of time.
Although the Kyocera Switch Back's external screen supports 65,000 colors, its low-resolution (128x128 pixels) and small size (1.2 inches diagonally) give it a washed-out and uninspiring effect. It's adequate for scrolling through the minimalist menus, but it's almost useless for playing games, Web browsing, and viewing photos. The display's small size also means it's not a great camera viewfinder; you're better off using the internal display (see below) to take photos. Finally, while the external screen shows the battery life, signal strength, the time, the date, and caller ID (where available), the font size is tiny and cannot be changed. You can, however, tweak the brightness, the contrast, and the backlighting time, but you can't alter the text size.
We also had problems with the Kyocera Switch Back's navigation and keypad buttons, as the large hinge running down the phone's left side and the hourglass shape forced designers to minimize the button size. Clearly, the controls were designed for teen-size fingers, but users with larger paws will have issues using the phone when the flip is closed. The navigation array consists of a five-way toggle with two soft keys, the Talk and End/power buttons, a Back key, and a dedicated speakerphone button. The toggle has preset shortcuts to the Virgin Mobile download store and Web browser, the text-messaging menu, your minute-balance menu, and the Recent Calls lists. The soft keys open the contacts list and the main menu, but none of the shortcuts are programmable. In the center of the toggle is an OK/camera-shutter button, but it has no use when the phone is in standby mode. Although all controls are relatively tactile and are raised above the surface of the phone, they're on the small side, as previously stated.
It's the same story with the keypad buttons. They're raised, which made it easier to dial by feel, but they are slick, small, and poorly spaced. It is nearly impossible to type in a phone number correctly the first time around. All the buttons are backlit blue and easy to read in dark conditions, at least for young eyes that can handle the small font on the keys.
The left spine of the handset has two very small volume-toggle buttons, as well as a dedicated camera button. On the back of the phone, the camera lens is located at the top-left corner, which works well when the handset is shut, but because the phone is held horizontally when open, our fingers naturally rested right where the lens was located. There is also a small flash and an inaccurate mirror for self-portraits next to the lens. The power AC jack is on the bottom of the phone, and the headset jack--with a tight-fitting cover--is on the bottom right of the spine.
When open, the Kyocera Switch Back reveals a full QWERTY keyboard and an internal 65,000-color display. Although this display isn't vibrant either, its larger size (1.75 inches diagonally; 120x160 pixels) made it easier on the eyes. We much preferred to use it for all the phone functions, particularly for taking photos. The external screen automatically shuts off when the internal display is in use, but the phone hangs up a call or shuts off the camera (or any other function) when you open or close it--a great feature. To the left of the screen is a large speaker, and to the right is the Virgin Mobile emblem. The silver border makes a partial oval around the screen and emblem but cuts inside the speaker, adding to the unique design of the phone.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 51 reviews
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