Motorola E815 / E816 Hollywood

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Average User Rating:

4.04
based on 368 user review/ratings

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Jan 16, 2008

A legitimate classic

by Force

I purchased my E815 back in 2005 and never got around to leaving a review, so I'll post a few comments now as I get ready to retire it.

This was simply the best phone I've owned, period. Solid construction, classy good looks, excellent feature set. The volume on the ringers and speakerphone can go very loud when you need it, without much distortion. The lens on the 1.3MP camera is recessed, giving it some protection from scratches. The camera itself takes great pictures when compared with other 1.3MP phones.

The earpiece is very well made, calls are loud with excellent clarity. Calls made from this phone are also loud and clear, as I've had many comments on this. Grabs and holds signals well, as I travel through fringe areas at times.

Finally, this phone is easily modified. I edited the seem after I first purchased it so I could freely transfer MP3s and JPEGs, a feature Verizon had disabled.

As it's time to upgrade my phone, I'm finding that I compare everything to my E815, which is making the VX8350 I just purchased look a little weak.

Pros:

Excellent reception
Excellent construction
Excellent large display
Excellent camera, with flash
Excellent speakerphone
Excellent call clarity
Classic good looks
Full-featured UI
Easy to restore features Verizon crippled

Cons:

Slight lag when scrolling through Media menu

Aug 6, 2007

Solid Phone

by mrhockey123

I bought this phone about a year ago, and it has been really good to me.

Reception is awesome. It was perfect even when I lived in a small town with limited digital coverage last year.

I love the fact that you can copy pics / sounds / videos straight to a microSD card and move the stuff back and forth between your computer and the phone. You can also set audio files as ringtones - which is a really easy way to save money...

The one thing that drives me crazy about this phone is the charger. Apparently this type of charger has been discontinued for future use, but it still is brutal. Half the time, you plug in the phone, and then the phone says "unable to charge". What is more annoying is sometimes that happens and you don't notice, so you leave the phone plugged in all night, wake up in the morning expecting a full charge, only to find that your phone is still yelling LOW BAT! The phone and I have had harsh words about this on several occasions.

The camera is so-so... it is a cell phone after all. Still, the pics are good enough to use as full-size desktop backgrounds I think. The videos are pretty terrible still, and the 15 second limit is very annoying.

My only other complaint besides the charger port is the size of the phone. When I bought it, I made the decision to pick functionality over looks, but after a while, you begin to resent carrying a brick in your pocket. This phone will not win any beauty contests, but "work horse of the year" is a good possibility.

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Jul 18, 2007

best phone ever

by atlgurl

this is probably the best phone that i have ever had and i have had a lot of cellphones..this is the only phone that i know that u can block numbers from calling u which for me is a very big bonus. I just hate it that Verizon decided to discontinue selling it or even being able to get replacement for it. U can however go to Ampd or attel and get it's twin the E816(hollywood). i had a motorola Q but decided to go back to my E815 because i like it 10 times better than the Q.

Jul 13, 2007

Great Phone!

by SanAndreas12543

I've had this phone for about 11 months, it will be a year on the 23rd. This has been the BEST phone I've had, a MAJOR upgrade from my piece of crap Siemens CF62T. So, I guess I'll start making the list of PROS and CONS now...

PROS:
Huge internal screen
Always have a great signal with EV-DO [I'm in central NY and have Verizon Wireless]
Good sized external screen, thats color and can be used as a viewfinder for the camera
O.K. camera quality
iTap is awesome
Plenty of ring tones, that are nice and loud
Respectable amount of memory [40MBs]
MP3 player
Big alphanumeric keys
Voice dialing

CONS:
Cameras not as good as I expected, but what are ya gonna do, its a phone
Battery doesn't hold its charge for more than two days [but, to the phones defense, I do send and receive about 150+ text messages per day]
Voice dialing isn't always right, but most of the time, it's fine
Only 15 seconds of video time, and its resolution isn't that good either

Overall, this phone has been extremely reliable for me, and I would definitely recommend this phone to anyone who is willing to buy it, though they would have to go through Alltel or Amp'd and get the Hollywood [E816]. Its just a shame VZW discontinued this phone...

Aug 13, 2006

I love this phone but its time for change!

by daBoi102

I have had this phone for about 11 months and i have loved it. This was Verizon's premier non-PDA phone for months and thats the main reason that i got it. I use about 2000 text messages a month and am on the phone for 3-4 hours on a normal day. This phone has everything but the ability to access the VCAST music store( which is not a big deal b/c if you own this phone you are most likely tech savvy and know how to put your own mp3's on the phone) and the VZ Navigator (which would be a WONDERFUL feature to have). The 815 has bluetooth, mp3 player, great graphics, and in my opinion-in columbus ohio- has great service and i dont think that i have dropped a call yet! Unfortunately in the midst of the 11 months of me owning this phone i had to get it replaced once because I dropped it and it completely stopped working, wouldn't even turn on at all, so i lost all of mt 260 phone numbers which was the biggest loss. Now i have to put in an insurance replacement because my arrow keys fell off from over-use of text messaging. So now my Motorola e-815 is being replaced with the LG VX-8300

Apr 16, 2006

Few worth while choices - this is the best

by drghealth

I purchased this phone back in Sept '05. I am a very heavy user, and also test msg more than frequently. I've had so many phones w/ Verizon - BEST was the moto V60i. Then the moto T730 (BAD) Then the long awaited V710 (Excellent - but quirkey software. I decided to get the E815 to hopefully "fix" the quirkey glitches of the V710 and sacrificed the analog for the all digital E815.
Overall, my priorities were: 1- Reception, 2- Battery life, 3- Speaker, 4- Bluetooth.
All other features were secondary. They are all nice to have, but certainly not what I based my purchase on.
There are many things this phone can do to help with busy lives, both business and personal.

Pros:
Reception - awesome - my kids can ALWAYS reach me
Battery life - excellent! (use battery save)
Speaker - Excellent (2nd to NEXTEL)
Bluetooth headset - awesome and tremendous tool especially with driving.
Voice recorder (record conversations too)
Inside screen - large and very easy to see in all reasonable lighting situations
Outside screen - same
Almost all settings can be customized to the users' needs and ease of use.
Vibrate and ring feature - more than sufficient. Never missed a call.
Extra memory storage - a plus for the pix and videos (Download from your pc and get nice shots to carry around)
2.5mm universal headset avail if batt dies in your bluetooth headset
This phone really does everything and then some with the ability to customize.

Cons: (most not worth mentioning, but...)
Camera - again it's a phone 1st, but convenient and pretty good in good lighting though the contrast and zoom and light conditions are adjustable
Video - a little pixelated
Calendar - doesnt always notify when programmed
Could use a memo app.
I'm reaching now -

Remeber - EVERY phone, even the same model may vary - so if it doesnt work right from the get go, trade it for a NEW one not refurbed. You get 15 days every time you get a phone.
I do have my eye on the MOTO Q, and the Razor V3m.

Feb 3, 2006

You wont regret it!!

by leathernuts

I got this phone originally when I went with Verizon. Used it for about 2 months and got bored, so I went and got the LG 8100. The E815 is superior ( I used the LG for about 3 months) So I went back and bought another 815 and couldn't be happier.

Pros:
Call quality
ringer
You can actually hear out of the ear piece (had trouble with the LG hearing)
the blue tooth works flawlessly w/ my jabra bt 250v (again- had trouble w/ LG)
feels good in your hand
customizable menu and so on NO RED BANNERS
voice command (way fewer steps than LG)

Cons
the only cons are all the toy features- as a communication device, this phone is awesome!!!!!! Which is what I need. I d rather make a call then take a better pic.

no obex transfer
camera delay
only 15 sec video

Well,hope this helps!!

Feb 2, 2006

E815 is a GREAT phone and toy

by jbalta

This phone absolutely ROCKS for just about everything. Not to say it is perfect, but it has done everything I want and more. FYI, I have owned it for over six months now.

PROS:
*Excellent reception
*Good MP3 player is made great with the HS120 headset because you can answer calls while listening
*Camera phone does well in daylight, mediocre indoors, but what do you expect
*Wireless web (through Verizon for $5 a month) is very good for simple things like checking sports scores, weather and (Yahoo) e-mail.
*Real buttons that my stubby fingers can press; solid feel
*Excellent speakerphone
*Great screens, inside & out
*Excellent battery life
*No, I do not work for Motorola

CONS:
*Obey Moto (voice commands) works well sometimes but can be quirky
*HS120 headset has button for answering calls, but no pause button for MP3 player
*No function buttons for MP3 player on outside of phone either

Had to reach for cons. Works great as phone, MP3 player, camera & web access device. Not as small and light as other phones, but my wife & son have the Moto V265 & it is "garbage" compared to the E815. Can ski, listen to tunes, and answer phone without removing my helmet. Camera is good in sunlight for 1.3 megapixel model, & you CAN get the pix out of the phone by copying from phone memory to TransFlash card and then transferring to PC (or printing at kiosk). 4" x 6" phots look decent in daylight but indoor shots are grainy. Wireles web is good, if you want basic functionality. The reception is great. I made a call from the base of a local ski area (in a valley), and was "accosted" in the parking lot by a member of the staff who couldn't believe I got reception ("what kind of phone is that?). This has been a zero-regret purchase. My cousin's husband has the E815 and says the bluetooth headphone is awesome.

My extra accessories are:

HS120 stereo headset
car charger
Eva clip holster
256 MB TransFlash card

BUY THIS PHONE!!! You won't regret it.

Dec 13, 2005

Great Bluetooth Capabilities for MacIntosh Users

by dumblub

Verizon has only allowed us a few Bluetooth phones to choose from and they were very slow in making those available. The E815 was worth the wait.

It is easy to setup and sync with other Bluetooth devices and works seamlessly with Address Book on my Mac computers (running OS 10.4+). I can manage all of my contacts' info in Address Book using the computer's full size keyboard and mouse, transfer it to my phone, and keep it all up to date.

I hadn't anticipated that my iCal calender program would also be automatically updated as well. It even transfers alarms and appointment reminders.

The signal sensitivity, sound quality, and voice recognition dialing are all excellent, especially compared to the LG phones this replaces.

However, the charger receptacle is an abomination and needs to be modernized with a desktop charging stand that is easy to use (like the ones from LG).

I wish that it was possible to buy just a Bluetooth version of this phone without the camera functions, V CAST capability, Mobile Web, and other Gee-whizz fluff.

Jan 31, 2006

A Techie's Compromise

by jbosworth

I've had an LG VX6000 via Verizon for a little over 2 years. The contract expired and I had the bug to upgrade. The LG was just an OK phone as far as reception.

So I researched hard for over 2 weeks. At first, I focused on PDA (or near PDA) capabilities. Looked at Treo 700w, XV6700, VX 9800, Moto RAZR V3 and the Moto E815. Even looked at Blackberry until the big legal hoopla shut that idea down for a while.

Though I have this sort of love/hate thing for Verizon (they have the best coverage for my needs, but charge too much for the "extras" - VCast, Mobile Web, "real" Email), I decided to look at other carriers and their offerings, too. Favorite was Cingular's 8125.

Bottom line, after reading by eyeballs into a blur, I bought the Moto E815 last night. I also bought the Bluetooth accessory package with a Moto HS850 headset, a leather case, and the car charger. Since I had the "New every 2" deal with Verizon, after a mail in rebate, the phone itself will cost me $19.95.

After playing with the phone for several hours, that is a genuine BARGAIN! This phone far exceeds my old VX6000 in features, quality and reception!

I live on a farm that is right on the fringe of suburbia. It isn't way out in the sticks. I can see two cell towers from the property. But I could never get a single bar with the LG here. Last night, as I sat on my living room couch in our 120 year old farmhouse, the E815 booted up with 3 bars!! The back part of the house has a tin roof disallowing even the strongest signal.

But the E815 allowed me to walk freely through the house watching VCast and listening to a local TV weather call with no break in signal. This alone makes my purchase decision absolutely correct.

I paired the HS850 to the phone in about 20 seconds. Works totally as advertised.

I'm a very happy camper so far. My next test will be to synch the phone to my PC Outlook. We shall see....