Casio G'zOne Ravine - Good idea?

[Mkilbride]

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/...-34191221.html







So, I was looking to pick up a phone as I start working soon, and was looking for a decent flip phone. I mostly found crap ones, which is sad, in the year 2011!

Anyways, then I found this one...the Ravine, which, looks insanely awesome. Nice features.

Fast 3G connectivity thanks to the reliable Verizon Wireless EV-DO, Rev A network
Push to Talk capability enables you to quickly connect with one or multiple team members at the same time with just a push of a button.
GPS navigation capabilities via VZ Navigator service
Tough Technology design that can withstand water, shock, dust, immersion, vibration, humidity, salt fog, solar radiation, altitude, and high and low temperature storage (conforms to MIL-STD-810G)
2.2-inch internal LCD screen (240 x 320 pixels, 65K color depth)
1.35-inch monochrome external screen displays current time/date, battery life, and signal strength
Standard alpha-numeric keypad
3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash plus night mode, multi-shot capabilities, adjustable white balance settings, and color effects
Video capture capabilities
Digital media player compatible with MP3, WMA, and unprotected AAC, and AAC+ formats
Bluetooth connectivity includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock. And with dial-up networking capabilities, you can access the Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband Connect service to use your phone as a modem.
Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
Full messaging capabilities including Mobile Email, Corporate Email, Mobile Web Mail, Mobile IM, and Chat Capable
Organizer tools including calendar, alarm clock, stop watch, countdown timer, world clock, notepad
Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
USB connectivity with mass storage capabilities
2.5mm headset jack
Flashlight/speakerphone key
Bilingual interface English/Spanish
TTY compatible
Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4/T4

I only plan to use it for making calls & taking pictures, it's the only affordable Flip Phone I found with a 3.x MP Camera. The cheaper flip phones I found were, well, probably around 25-40$ and all suffered from like 0.3MP camera(680 x 480), or really bad call quality, sound-wise.

It's also sturdy, and I've seen videos of home users submerging it for 10 minutes in water, throwing it against a wall, dropping it on concrete, and it survives...I'm clumsy, I need that.

Measuring 4.3 inches long by 2.1 inches wide by 0.9 inch thick, the Ravine is constructed out of a durable plastic shell. In fact, it meets the military 810G standards for resistance against water, shock, dust, immersion, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude, and extreme temperatures.

From the places I've looked, it seems I could get this for about 60$, since I plan to jump onto my Family's Verizon plan. It does what I want it to, has the features I want it to, and is not insanely costly. It looks built to last the tests of time, as well. So what do you think?

[EspHack]

looks "hard to die " :p

sure.you should give it a try

[vbetts]

Flip phones just aren't what the general mobile market is looking for. Casio does make some nice devices, that are rated very high as far as quality goes.

[EspHack]

maybe the general market doesnt, but op wants a flip phone

i liked them when the moto v3 hype, but now i still like slideout phones like my z6 ^^

[Mkilbride]

The new Smart Phones and slide phones just look plain stupid to me. I plan to use this thing to make calls.

Why would I care if I can watch TV on it? Am I going to sit outside somewhere and watch TV?

I can play video games...again, in public, why?

I can browse the web on the go...I guess, in a few situations, but pretty stupid.

I also hate texting, with a passion. I know many people who when I call them will text me back and won't pick p when I call them after that, and ONLY want to text. It's a ****ing phone.

Don't call it a Smart Phone, it's not, it's DUMB for a Phone...call it something well.

[Doug]

^ So what? Just because the first telephones were voice only doesn't mean that's all they should ever be capable of... Having the web on the go has helped me out SO many times by being able to google anything anywhere etc, games come in handy on the train for me and my phone is my mp3 everywhere I go.

You can slate smart phones if you want but I quite like having an all-in-one music, internet, media, gaming, camera and connectivity device in my pocket

Also fyi, the phones you're interested in are actually known as dumb phones

[Mkilbride]

Flip Phones are dumb phones?

The most practical cell phones are dumb, eh? Oh well.

[deltatux]

I have no clue why you hate smart phones so much, I personally can't go back to 2G phones (or "dumb phones") and I am so happy to get rid of physical buttons (absolutely love touch screens). With web on the go, and especially email-on-the-go, I get information from work and school immediately and won't have to wait until I walk into a WiFi hotspot with my laptop to do it. Like Doug said, these smart phones are all-in-one devices, beats carrying a separate camera, MP3 player, PDA, phone and etc. when you can carry one device that does everything on the go.

As for texting, I've been doing it even with "dumb phones", beats leaving voice mail, hell I didn't even bother adding that to my plan. I can't stand voice mail because if someone is mumbling, there's no way to tell what they're saying. Plus, texting is short and usually to the point. If I have a long reply, I'll just call them back.

If you like a more basic phone, that Casio G'zOne Ravine looks like a great phone. Looks like it's built to last.

deltatux

[Mkilbride]

Touch screens seem like a step back, though I realize that may not make sense to you. Anyways, yeah, I am trying to go for the Ravine.

Also, looking at these prices, ****, Verizon is expensive. I'm going on my fathers Family Plan, but wow, he's already paying 100$ for 700 minutes talk & text with my sister and him only on it. Also about 20$ in taxes & sur-charges, so 120$ for just two people, will be an additional 10$ for me.

Cell Phone charges are out-rageous.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...Id=323&sel=fam

Wish he'd cancel the text thing, but my sister uses it...30$ extra a month to text...360$ a year for texting...

Ahhh.

[EspHack]

yea thats the worst part about phones... dumb carriers stealing the hell out of your pockets

[deltatux]

Seems like texting is more expensive in the States than it is here. It's actually part of all plans here in Canada, minimum of at least 50 texts for the cheapest plans and you can't get rid of it as it's part of a bundle (most wouldn't). All Canadian carriers have unlimited incoming while I think it's not true in the States.

If you don't have a texting plan, text is usually 10-15 cents per text. Personally, I'm paying $25/month for unlimited talk, text, data and comes with Caller ID.

EDIT: I heard that Verizon is one of the most expensive of the bunch. Have you tried T-Mobile instead?

deltatux

[Mkilbride]

I looked at solo plans. The cheapest they had was about 60$ for 450 minutes, talk only. So...very expensive, regardless.

[deltatux]

Originally Posted by Mkilbride

I looked at solo plans. The cheapest they had was about 60$ for 450 minutes, talk only. So...very expensive, regardless.

that is, in Canada, even with the Big 3 (Bell, Rogers, Telus), in Canada, with Rogers for example, $52.35 can get you 200 minutes, 1 GB of data and unlimited text (for example) or the same price can also get you 400 minutes, 500 MB of data if you don't want text.

It's either Verizon is super expensive or something seems fishy because even at $52.35 I'll be like ...omfg, so expensive lol.

Have you tried T-Mobile instead? They have unlimited talk for $35:
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/c...ute-Value-Talk

deltatux

[Mkilbride]

Yeah, but my dad's on Verizon and I think he did one of those two year contracts, I dunno, something ,but he won't get off it.

So with me involved, it'll be 130$ a month...for us 3 to talk & text, with 700 minutes shared. Seems like a rip, but doing all the math...it still feels like a rip-off.

I don't plan to talk much so it's fine, they manage to use all the minutes up as is, but it's like 20$ extra on top of that to get 1000 minutes.

I think 20$ for unlimited talk would be fair. 5$ a month for unlimited text would be fair. then 10$ a month for unlimited data.

That is how it should be, on all services. It is such a rip-off right now, and the idea that you cannot use certain phones with certain services is ARGH.

The whole cell phone business needs a complete make-over.

[deltatux]

Originally Posted by Mkilbride

Yeah, but my dad's on Verizon and I think he did one of those two year contracts, I dunno, something ,but he won't get off it.

So with me involved, it'll be 130$ a month...for us 3 to talk & text, with 700 minutes shared. Seems like a rip, but doing all the math...it still feels like a rip-off.

I don't plan to talk much so it's fine, they manage to use all the minutes up as is, but it's like 20$ extra on top of that to get 1000 minutes.

I think 20$ for unlimited talk would be fair. 5$ a month for unlimited text would be fair. then 10$ a month for unlimited data.

That is how it should be, on all services. It is such a rip-off right now, and the idea that you cannot use certain phones with certain services is ARGH.

The whole cell phone business needs a complete make-over.

Yes, I do agree that the cell phone industry needs a wake-up call as they're overcharging us. However, my family learned through the years from experiences based on our extended family that those bundled family plans are stupid lol. We now have individual plans that we don't share any of the minutes, text or data. Hell, I'm even on a separate carrier from my bro, mom and dad lol. We have plans based on what we use, so it works out to be cheaper and less headaches for all of us.

Like I said, I'm only paying $25/month ($28.25 after tax) for unlimited local calling, nation-wide text and unlimited data (with Caller ID) as long as I'm in Toronto and its surrounding regions (or any of their other city zones). Outside the zones it's 20 cents/min talk (regardless long distance or not), 10 cents text and $1.50/MB data. However, since I rarely step out of the boundary like ever, I've not had to roam (except this one time at the theme park in Toronto, their network congested at their only tower there, and had to roam, spent 30 cents, oh well lol) because I stepped outside its boundary.

deltatux

[Doug]

£10 = unlimited texts + unlimited web + 250 minutes no contract

[Mkilbride]

Alright, ordering this tonight, can't wait for it to get here. The more videos and features I read, it's perfect for me. Nothing fancy, but good, solid, build quality that won't break down.

[deltatux]

Originally Posted by Mkilbride

Alright, ordering this tonight, can't wait for it to get here. The more videos and features I read, it's perfect for me. Nothing fancy, but good, solid, build quality that won't break down.

Have fun w/ your new phone!

deltatux

[Mkilbride]

Just got it. Really nice phone, the picture quality is better than what some people were saying, at least in my opinion.

Can't believe how loud the speaker is though. Thing is louder than a few old stereo's around the house, you could blow an ear drum with this if you put it next to someones ear maxed out...

Call quality I don't know as I haven't activated it yet and all that. They just came out with a new one yesterday, the Ravine 2, basically the same phone though lol.

Front LED seems weird, it looks like a monitor with a washed out back-light, then again, it is certified pre-owned, still easy enough to see though, just struck me.

Phone is smaller than I was expecting, the pictures, and every review saying "This phone is BIG!" had me imagining something abit bigger than this. Really fits in the palm of your hand easily.

Solid construction you can tell just from examining it.

The ability to record your voice and turn it into texts isn't good though, I mean it could not recognize anything I said properly. Not even the simplest things. Not even one word, lol.

Videos are crappy quality, but then again I didn't get this phone to shoot videos, I got it to make calls.

Can't seemingly get the pictures OFF the phone without having a blue-tooth device though. It came with a USB cable to transfer stuff, and I transfered a MP3 and it played fine. Pictures though I cannot figure out how to get off the phone. I tried Mass Storage Device, but I don't have a SD card in it, just internal memory.

Really hoping I don't need to buy a SD card or blue-tooth device to get the pictures off.