The Mobile Phone Saving Network

Audiovox 8915 Snapper

Wireless/Mobile Phone/Cell Phone

Rated 3.5 out of 5

With support for Virgin Mobile's "VirginXL" wireless content services, a VGA camera with flash, dual displays and a speakerphone, the 8915 "Snapper" is a great mobile companion. Get the most out of your Virgin Mobile service with this powerful phone.

Design
The phone features a traditional clamshell design with a 65,000-color display. Meanwhile, the rear of the flip-up cover houses a camera that can snap shots at 640 x 480 resolution, also known as VGA resolution. There's also a small secondary black and white LCD display on the back of the cover that displays incoming call information, network signal strength and more. Most camera features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. Meanwhile, the top right side of the unit houses an extendable antenna while data and charging ports are housed on the unit's bottom edge.

Calling Features
The Snapper has all the latest calling features folks have come to expect. 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 VirginXL service. Ringtones and pictures can be assigned to specific callers so you don't have to look at the phone to know who's calling. The built-in speakerphone makes it easy to talk without having the phone to your ear and voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names. There's also a built-in address book that can store up to 300 contacts for quick and easy management of phone numbers and email addresses.

Messaging, Internet, and Tools
The Snapper covers the messaging basics with support for sending and receiving MMS-based text, picture, and sound messages. AOL instant messaging is also supported. 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 enhanced wireless content service, VirginXL. With this pay-per-use service you can surf the wireless web or download superphonic ringtones, animations and voices from MTV, Comedy Central and the hottest recording artists. Get content and vote in TV-based polls via the MTV area of your phone, or get jokes and updates from Comedy Central. With the Virgin Mobile Gopher service you'll be connected to real live operators who are ready to help you 24/7. Get driving directions, cross street info, movie times, concert info, sport scores and more. Need to jog your memory? Use Virgin's wacky song ID service. Press the Song ID command, point your Snapper towards a song that's playing in the room, and within minutes a text message appears identifying the song's title. There's even a "Rescue Rings" service to help get you out of sticky dating or other personal situations. The list of cool content features goes on and on.

The Snapper ships with a number of handy tools including a calendar, a calculator and an alarm clock. A voice memo feature lets you record clips up to 60 seconds in length.

Imaging and Entertainment
The Snapper's VGA camera makes it easier than ever to snap good pictures and share them with friends via picture messaging. The camera features a built-in flash for getting great shots in low-light situations. The phone boasts custom Virgin Mobile graphics-- screen savers, wallpaper and menu icons-- that let you dress up your phone to suit your personality. More graphics, wallpapers and screensavers are available from the VirginXL service. Demo versions of Bejeweled and Tony Hawk's Underground are included with the phone, and a big selection of additional games can be downloaded from the VirginXL service.

Vital Statistics
The Audiovox 8915 Snapper weighs 3.5 ounces and measures 3.5 x 1.9 x 0.9 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of digital talk time, and up to 190 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 850/1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Audiovox 8915 Snapper handset, AC charger, lithium-ion battery, user's manual.

Features of Audiovox 8915 Snapper:

full-color screen with built-in camera with flash
limit 5 phones per customer.
mobile web browsing and instant messaging
prepaid phones
superphonic ringtones real music ringtones
two-way picture messaging (to and from other virgin mobile camera phones)

Reviews:

VM SUCKS AND CONTINUE TO SUCK

Rating: 1

VIRGIN MOBILE IS A RIPOFF AND YOU GUYS ARE GETTING RIPOFFED

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.

Nice Little Phone for Occasional Cell Phone Users

Rating: 5

I've had this phone for a little over a month and am pleased with it so far. It has most of the features of my previous phone, including voice command and Internet access, and two my previous phone didn't have, a speakerphone setting and a camera. The phone is attractive and feels nice in the hand, and my reception, even in my house, has been good (better, in fact, than it was with Sprint). It would be nice to have more choice in ringtones and screensavers (the ones Virgin provides are geared toward younger folks), but more are available for download on their website at a moderate cost. The Virgin pay-as-you-go rates are well-suited for me as an infrequent cell phone user. With Sprint I was paying nearly $50 per month including several dollars in fees and taxes. This is fine for someone who's regularly using hundreds of minutes of airtime per month, but usually I used 10-50 minutes. The Minute-to-Minute plan is just right for me now, but I can temporarily switch to Day-to-Day or Month-to-Month if my usage goes up during any given month. All-in-all, so far I'm satisfied with both phone and company.

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By Audiovox