It's been a long time coming, but Nextel customers finally have another flip model to consider. While the i90c isn't as light or as compact as some Motorola flip phones offered by other service providers, it is sleek, sturdy, and not overly expensive.
Blue hue
Though the i90c is about the same size (3.5 by 1.9 by 1.1 inches) and weight (4.8 ounces) as Motorola's Timeport flip phones, it's more refined-looking, with a dark-blue finish and a silver face and back. When you open the phone, the hard plastic keys are backlit in blue, which gives the phone a Star Trek Communicator-like presence. Like other Motorola Nextel mobiles, this one is solid and can withstand some punishment. For example, we dropped it a few times onto a thinly carpeted floor with no ill effects.
The i90c follows the flip-phone trend of having a second, external LCD that conveniently displays the time, date, and caller ID info (if available). You can see who's calling without opening the phone.
As with all of Nextel's new models, there's a four-way navigation button in the middle of the phone for scrolling through menus and text on the wireless Web. The interface is relatively simple to navigate and, by comparison, much easier to use than the menus found on other Nextel mobiles, such as the i1000plus. That said, users will still need to spend some time digging into and surfacing all the phone's features, which include the ability to create keypad and voice shortcuts.
Same sharp screen
The i90c's internal display is identical to the ones found on Nextel's earlier J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) phones, the i85s and i50sx, and displays up to six lines of text in wireless Web mode. It's 4-bit, with more pixels than your average cell phone screen, which means it can display higher-resolution graphics. Don't expect anything spectacular, but you'll definitely notice crisper text and images.
Like other Nextel models, the i90c is equipped with Nextel's standard suite of business-centric features, which includes "always on" wireless Web access, three-way calling, and Nextel's Direct Connect two-way radio feature with built-in speakerphone, which allows you to communicate walkie-talkie style with a predesignated group (for example, coworkers or family) of Nextel users in your home market. This model also features voice-activated dialing.
One of the phone's selling points is its ability to run J2ME applications, 8 to 10 of which can live on the phone's 640K of dedicated memory. The preinstalled apps include a couple of calculators, an expense-management program, and the games Reversi and Borkov. If you want to swap out or add additional games and applications, you simply select Download Apps from the phone's menu and choose from a number of titles. Some are free to download wirelessly, and others cost money (the most expensive games will run you $8). Among the more impressive--and we use the term loosely--of the bunch are Pop Solitaire, Dice Extreme, and Funny Balls.
It's worth noting that Nextel includes a free online account that you can use to house calendar and address-book information. Up to 500 contacts can be stored online (you can import an Outlook database but not sync with it), 250 of which can then be selected to be wirelessly stored in the phone at a given moment through the Nextel network.
Better battery
Motorola's newer Nextel phones offer improved battery life, and the i90c clearly outlasts the i1000plus. We managed to hit the phone's rated 200-minute talk time and approached the 75-hour standby time. While that's better than other Nextel models, it's still not long enough to leave for a business trip without the charger. For those looking to travel lighter, Nextel offers a slim battery (120-minute talk time), which shaves .8 ounces from the phone.
This model, like all phones that work on Nextel's all-digital, packet-based iDEN network (TDMA 800), doesn't feature analog roaming. However, we had no complaints about call quality after testing the phone for a week on Nextel's networks in San Francisco and New York City.
While the i90c ($199 with new service) isn't a massive improvement over the popular i1000plus, it certainly has its advantages, and Nextel customers, particularly those who prefer flip-phone designs, should strongly consider spending the extra cash on this model. But those who gravitate toward candy bar-style phones may prefer the less expensive i80c.
