The Mobile Phone Saving Network

Audiovox 8610 Vox

Wireless/Mobile Phone/Cell Phone

Rated 4.0 out of 5

The 8610, a Virgin Mobile exclusive, features a large color display, a speakerphone, support for Virgin Mobile wireless Internet services, and much more. This sporty companion keeps you in step with the latest mobile technologies at a great price.

Design
The phone features a traditional clamshell design with a large 128 x 128 color display with 65,000 colors. A monochrome 96 x 64 pixel supplementary display on the outside of the cover displays incoming call information, battery life, signal strength, graphics and more. Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's backlit control pad. Meanwhile, the top right side of the unit houses an extendable antenna while the combined charging/USB data port is housed on the unit's bottom edge. The phone also features a standard jack to accept universal hands-free headsets. Up/down keys are located on the left side of the unit for quick volume control.

Calling Features
The 8610's built-in address book can store up to 300 entries for quick and easy management of your contacts. The phone comes with built-in Virgin Mobile "superphonic" ringtones plus a vibrating alert. Superphonic ringtones feature real music tracks and more are available via Virgin Mobile's VirginXtras service. Ringtones can be assigned to specific callers so you don't have to look at the phone to know who's calling. A built-in speakerphone lets you talk handsfree while you're on the go.

Messaging, Internet and Tools
The 8610 covers the messaging basics with support for sending and receiving text messages easily and quickly (Virgin Mobile text messaging charges apply). T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit-- a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

The phone fully supports Virgin Mobile's wireless content service, VirginXtras. Use the pay-per-use service to download superphonic ringtones from Hip Hop songs to movie themes. Get content and vote in TV-based polls via the MTV area of your phone, or get jokes and updates from Comedy Central. Pick a celebrity voice to answer your voicemail, or get a Sponge Bob thought of the day. Need to jog your memory? Use Virgin's wacky song ID service. Press the Song ID command, point your 8610 towards a song that's playing in the room, and within minutes a text message appears identifying the song's title.

The 8610 ships with a number of handy tools including a calendar, a calculator and an alarm clock.

Imaging and Entertainment
The 8610 features custom Virgin Mobile graphics-- screen savers, wallpaper and menu icons-- that let you dress up your phone to suit your personality. Two pre-loaded games come with the phone, Blackjack and Magic Hexa.

Vital Statistics
The Audiovox 8610 weighs 3.4 ounces and measures 3.5 x 1.90 x .90 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.0 hours of digital talk time, and up to 168 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 1900 frequency. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Audiovox 8610 handset, AC charger, lithium-ion battery, user's manual.

Features of Audiovox 8610 Vox:

comes with superphonic ringtones and downloadable ringtones
full color screen for optimum display
limit 5 phones per customer.
prepaid phones
stylish flip-open format
works with virgin mobile pay-as-you-go service

Reviews:

VM SUCKS AND CONTINUE TO SUCK

Rating: 1

VIRGIN MOBILE IS A RIPOFF AND YOU GUYS ARE GETTING REPOFFED

Rating: 1

For all those who don't think that there VM does not think the Minute 2 Minute plan contains a hidden fee. I'll just have to explain it again.

On the minute 2 minute plan you pay 25 cents for the first 10 minutes and after that it's just 10 cents after. What it means is that if you want 10 cents a minute, you would have to spend $2.50 for the first 10 minutes. The $1.50 is already tacked on for the first 10 minutes assuming the standard price per minute is 10 cents per minute for the, minute 2 minute plan, which explains why it's $2.50 for the first ten minutes and 10 cents after that even though VM doesn't say that there is a fee. Basically you guys are paying 15 cent more for the first 10 minutes (10 cents + 15 additional cents)= 25cents for the first 10 minutes. Any right minded person can look at the plan and see this clearly.

This review is based on average usage of 300 minutes per month.

I hope that all of you guys are reading this because you guys who own a vrigin mobile phone are getting ripoffed big time.
Virgin Mobile really knows how to screw you bigtime. Trust me I did the math and you guys are not getting your minutes worth. All the plans suck because you guys are just paying fees, fees, and more fees. I explain in details why each plan sucks and how they are ripping you off. You'll soon learn why in the end you guys are really paying more than an average plan.

1. The Minute 2 Minute: This plan charges 25 cents for the first 10 minutes and 10 cents after. What you don't know is that there is actually a $1.50 access fee for the first 10 minutes. $1.50 a day for 30 days comes out to be $45 alone for 10 minutes each day.Basically you will have to spend $2.50 first to get 10 cents per minute. Assume that you just use 10 minutes everyday for 30 days. That comes out to $75 for just 300 minutes. Out of that $75 is $45 in hidden access fees.

2. The Day 2 Day plan: This plan charges you 35 cents a day even on days you don't use your phone. That comes out $10.50 a month in access fees.Assume that you use 300 minutes a month. It will actually cost you $40.50 for just 300 minutes. A year will cost you $126 in access fees alone. That's $126 of minutes that you guys have lost by paying the access fees.

3. The Month 2 Month: This plan is the worst. There are 3 levels to this plan but they really know how to screw yo and take your money on this plan. This plan also charges you applicable sales tax too which means more lost airtime for you guys.

Level 1: They start you off with 300 minutes for $30. Here's how they get you. They divide your 300 minutes in daytime minutes and night & weekend minutes. You only get 150 daytime minutes and the other 150 minutes is assigned to night & weekend minutes. How you move on to the next level depends on the the daytime minutes. In order to move to the next level you would have to use up all your daytime minutes which is 150 minutes in this level. For an additional $10 you move on to the next level.

Level 2: This level for $10 more you get 950 minutes. Sounds good doen't it but it's really not. Guess how many daytime minutes you really get only. JUST 100 daytime minutes while the other 850 minutes is assigned to night & weekends. For $40 you only get 250 daytime minutes but 1000 night & weekend minutes. That's just too many minutes assigned to night & weekend. Once you use up that additional 100 minutes in level 2 you move up to level 3 for an additional $10.

level 3: An additional $10 gives you an additional 100 daytime minutes but once you use all your assigned night & weekend minutes it is free after that. Now come on that's just not right. For $50 and applicable sales tax you only get 350 daytime minutes???? You can get more daytime minutes (1000 minutes & free nights & weekends)at t-mobile with a regular plan for about $50 a month. You're getting ripoffed at Virgin Mobile here people.

They also found out how to take your money away at this level too. Once you use all your daytime minutes, you can get more daytime minutes by paying an additional 20 cents per minute. That's just too high of a rate per minute.

4. Inner circle: This plan is really stupid. It allows a person to have unlimited nights & weekends. This plan will cost you $21 a month whether you use your phone or not and all other minutes are 10 cents each. A 70 cent fee is assessed everyday whether you use your phone or not which is $21 a month. Here's how they get you too also. Assume you use 300 minutes a month. That comes out to $51 a month. $21 in access fees and $30 for daytime minutes. THEY ALSO LIMIT YOU TO ONLY 3 NUMBERS. They let you change the numbers though but you can only do it 2 times a month. After 2 times they charge you $3.99 each time.

Virgin mobile also charges you just to look at how much is in you account. Other prepaid companies don't charge you to look at your account.

I've just explained to you why Virgin Mobile has the worst prepaid plan. If you think that you are getting a good deal you should read this again and do some freshing up on your math skills.

after 2 years...

Rating: 4

i have to say- it works for me. The service, as 99 of you have pointed out, is only good if you use less than 3 minutes everyday, but some other changes after the last 2 years you should take note off:

If you sign up for auto topup, you have the option of only adding $15 every 90 days.

Using service preserver, you can extend service for a whole year by adding $90 to your account.

Overall, great phone.

Great phones, Virgin Mobile=ripoff service

Rating: 4

I have to admit, if you want more from prepaid, Virgin Mobile is a rip off. But if you're only going to use your phone once in a while, then it's alright. I bought my Audiovox about a year or two ago and it was a good investment. Sleek phone, outer dsiplay, the calls were good quality and I never would get dropped calls. Furthermore, the color display is great and the battery life is amazing.

The phone has all the basic features, looks great, and is practical for anyone who's not looking for anything outrageous like cameras or Mp3. I have also say that despite the service Vmobile has good phones.

But now that I'm needing my phone more and more I'm ready to dump Virgin Mobile because the whole 25 cents a minute and 10 cents after that is too expensive. I have to agree with the other reviews. And for their new "promotions" those hardly last and are only for new customers..so much for customer service. The ringtones are a little pricey, but still reasonable; test messaging is available at 10 cents, good price.

If you want to get more features, minutes, whatever, I say look into other prepaid offers like net10, tracphone or T-mobile. You get more prepaid with t-mobile but the phones with good stuff will cost you a bit more.

Not so great of a phone.

Rating: 2

I have used VM for about 2 years and this is my second phone with them. I got it to upgrade broken K7 Rave phone and I honestly do not like this phone. I am not a big cell phone user but I have some experience with motorolla phones. There are few pluses to this unit:
1. Flip phone - small, you can put one in the pocket without locking the keyboard. Light due to being small. This particular one is thin with the smaller battery.
2. Speaker phone - this is convenient but speaker phone is not very good on this model.

There are much more negative points:
- Battery life is not good. On standby battery drains much quicker than advertised. I dont talk too much so can't comment on talk time.
- Ringer is a disgrace. You can barely hear it with any noise around. I was in the supermarket, which is not a noisy place, and managed to miss a call. Vibration does not help much as it is very weak as well. I have an OK hearing and can hear any other phones fine.
- Screen is impossible to read in a bright light.
- Feature set is lame. This was probably requested by VM so you could not use this phone without their service. There is no decent ring tone in this phone. I am not looking for any music just for a normal loud ringer. There are only 5 musical tones all of which are lame and I don't want to experiment with VM tones at $2.50 a pop.
- There is NO ability to backup your contacts so if you lose your phone you will lose all of your contact. You have to carry an organizer to write down contacts. Original phone has all these features but VM probably removed them so no one can put ringtones on the phone.
- There is no beep at the end of the minute which is a must have feature for prepayed phone IMHO.
- There is no voice dial unlike a cheaper K7 phone. This is obscure feature but it is nice to have. It is not must though.
- Pull out anthenna??? In this day and age? This anthenna does not add anything to reception quality and can be easy broken.
- There is no easy accessable call timers. This is a great feature that can tell you how many minutes you have used since you got your phone and since you reset the timer.
- Wallpaper is lame and there is no way to turn it off. I would prefer a simple color on the screen.
- You can not receive MMS, like pictures or any other attachments. Original phone could do this but VM turned it off.

Over all it is pretty disappointing phone. Save yourself some money and get a Rave or higher end phone if you want a flip phone.

Personally I will leave VM as soon as my year expires or I use up all my minutes whichever comes first. T-Mobile seems to have almost as good of a deal for not frequent users and allows you to use your own phone.

an ok phone...

Rating: 3

although the looks of this phone is very nice, its capibilities are not so good. Very easy phone to understand, and able to download good ringtones off mtv. However, there is never any service on it! only a few times have i ever seen my phone with all five bars. When there is no service (which is most of the time) you can't send a text message, and if you try to and it doesnt send, it erases it. So to make a log story short, this phone is very simple and has good looks, but has horrible service.

By Audiovox