Motorola PEBL U6
Average Ratings
New PEBL Chrome owner
Have been using a V3i for about 6 months and just wanted to try the PEBL. This review will compare phone to V3i (which I rate a 5*, btw).
Appearance: very cool looking. I have the chrome one but the black looks equally cool to me. Really like the analog clock on the front screen. The phone feels sweet in your hand and pocket. A little heavier than the V3i. Fingerprints are brutal on this,keep a soft cloth available. All in, I think the V3i is more masculine looking but I really like the look and feel of the PEBL too. My wife and kids both wanted one for themselves.
Camera: VGA only. Downtick from V3i. In fact, the picture viewer on the PEBL can not even view pictures taken by the V3i. they are "too large" according to the phone. I am not focused on the camera quality but just wanted to mention it.
Keypad: I like the keypad on the PEBL better than the V3i. Just feels better. Purely qualitative.
Screen: It actually looks SHARPER than the V3i. They probably use same screen, but PEBL looks sharper.
RF: Just as good,which is saying a lot. The V3i is best RF I have ever owned.
Sound: Earpiece is quieter than V3i,even on highest setting. Ring tones are ridiculously loud and sound just as good as V3i when using an MP3 ringtone.
Menus: MUCH SLOWER than V3i. I don't remember V3 even being this slow. Not sure why (I have unbranded PEBL).
SCREEN3: Actually pretty cool. Kind of like having a ticker across the bottom of the screen at all times.
Memory: Non-expandable and only like 5mb.
Useability: Really like it. The aesthetics are awesome, the latch to open the flip automatically is helpful for 1-handed operation, the width is better for the hand than a RAZR (which can be a little wide) and the RF is terrific.
As a phone, this thing is excellent. It loses out to V3i on menu speed, camera and lack of i-Tunes but with the exception of the menu speed, I knew all of that going in to the purchase.
I like it and give it a 4.5 * rating.
Top Notch Phone
Pros:
Rubberized black exterior alludes common scratches and feels great in your hand.
Wicked little opening mechanism.
Bright backlit interal display. (sometimes I use this as a flashlight to get around my garage when the light is off).
I don't hear static on this phone. Occassionally the call will drop out where I used to hear static on my old phone.
The Voice dial with no voice training is pretty impressive.
Cons:
Lack of external color display means no picture caller ID.
Dialing by touch more difficult because of offset keys on keypad.
Won't charge via a standard USB without software.
One solid piece!
I bought the PEBL more for its looks than anything, and looks it def. does have! I'm quite happy w/ my purchase (from T-mobile w/ 2yr contract extension - since they provide great service all around i'm not feeling roped in). I've had the phone for over a week. I previously had the el-cheapo V188 that i got for free, so there was practically no learning curve to using this new motorola phone.
CONS:
- while the sleek exterior of the phone is quite resistant to fingerprinting despite the facts its a very low sheen surface, the glossy keypad and screen do get greasy.
-Construction: 1) the rubber protector for the earphone/power connector broke off within ONE day 2) when the phone is open, the screen part of the unit is somewhat loose due to the engineering of the opening mechanism - how it holds up long term will be a question mark.
-Magnetic field - because the phone use magnets to keep it closed, you can't have the phone near your wallet or else it might eff up your credit cards!! So you have to ask yourself before buying this: can i be sure to never allow the phone to rest near my wallet in my pocket/purse???
-supplied hands free ear piece - while it's obviously constructed very sturdily, it's not weighted properly and constantly feels like it's going to fall out of my ear, and i'm forced to use the clip to attach it to my lapel (which i've never had to do on the past with other earbuds)
-very small 'sweet spot' for the ear speaker on the phone, so i have to pay too much attention to how i hold it against my ear while talking so i can hear the caller.
-one handed opening - if you don't hold it just right, the phone may either go flying out of your hand, or not open up at all - in other words it takes time to get it just right.
PROS:
-sleek, beautfiful design
-easy to use navigation
-loud speakerphone/ringer
-bluetooth makes it easy to transfer mp3 ringers from my ibook.
-excellent reception.
-keypad looks hard to get used to, but is quite easy.
Not an entire pro/con list but my thoughts on a great phone
Had the pebl for about a month and a half now and i am deeply impressed with it. I work in a advanced technical department programming PDA's and other higher end devices of a different carrier..heres a few thoughts
The phone is made very well, when you hold it in your hand you can feel that its very solid. I really like the feel of the rubberized material, but even more impressive is material doesnt scratch or scuff easily(i always throw phones into the same pocket as my keys so they usually look new for less than 2 days). If it does get what appears to be a scratch i can almost always rub it with a soft cloth and it disappears......the bad..does show finger oils very easily.
Is much more reliable then any of the samsungs i've had, and fewer dropped calls then any of my nokias. but my friend has a nokia 6101 and in a few places he has 0-1 bars while i will be searching for service. But overall i think the best call processing of any tmobile phone i have ever had.
Three quirks i am not crazy about
1. The voice command feature forces you to choose which dialing option you want to use such as "name dial, digit dial, or voicemail" instead of allowing you immediately say the persons name after initiating VC or bluetooth. (poor me...dumb i know)
2. Doesnt give you an option to save voice notes to phone only send them...
3. I have already lost 1 little rubber plug that covers the charging port. (wont be the last i am guessing)
I rate this 5/5 not because i believe it is a perfect phone, but bc there is no phone out there that i would rather have.
Smooth Operator
I wasn't a big fan of the RAZR when it came out -- it just didn't seem like a good fit in my hand. But the PEBL solved that for me. It's big enough to feel like I'm holding a real phone and yet small enough to not make a huge impression in my pocket. It's a great flip phone with amazing reception and call clarity. Battery life is above average, especially considering Moto's history of cell phones. Screen is bright although it wouldn't hurt to have made it a little bigger. The UI is not as intuitive as say Samsung's or Sony Ericssons, but it's not the worst I've seen (better than Nokia.) Most of the keys on the phone are customizable, so it's easy to designate shortcut keys based on what you use most often. At this time, still no Mac support (via isync)... hopefully this will get resolved since the RAZR is supported. I give this puppy high marks.
Pros:
-Battery life isn't as long as advertised but talktime is still signifigantly better than any other Moto phone at 4hrs plus.
-Feel; fits well in your hand... smooth rubberish exterior gives the phone a nice tactile sensation.
-Easy to open with one hand.
-Sound quality. One of the best sounding cells I've used.
-Although it's not as small as the RAZR, it's still slim enough not to make a huge impression when stowed in your pocket.
-Voice dialing (unlike it's RAZR counterpart)
-Supports MP3 ringtones.
Cons:
-Screen is not as big as the RAZR's... it seems like Moto could have put in a bigger screen.
-Speakerphone not the loudest. Having the speaker set in the rear of the phone doesn't help sound volume or quality either.
-This is a small detail to me but may be a big one for someone else... it's hard to get a feel for where the numbers without looking at the phone. It makes dialing while driving tricky.
-As of this review, no iSync support (Mac OS X)
Move over Razr, there's a new king in town.
Purchased for $199 as part of T-mobile upgrade/renewal package. I have had the phone 24 days now and I am very happy with it. Once you get past the initial 'Wow!' factor, the phone really is fantastic.
I like it far better than my previous Razr V3. The Pebl has much richer, and true voice quality. Very clear and full of bass. I find that the Pebl also has better reception than my Razr did as well. Where I would get 2-4 bars signal I now get 4-5 in the same place.
CONS:
-Excellent reception. People will say "Oh, Nokias have the best, blah, blah, blah.." Nevermind all that. I had the much famed 6230b, 6101, and 3220 and this Pebl puts them all to shame in reception.
-Clear calls, no hissing or popping sounds.
-Smooth interface. Not the fastest, but definitely not the slowest.
-Clear, bright screen. Very colorful and vivid. Outer display is very sharp too.
-Voice dialing, how neat!
-Rubber feeling is awesome. It's so smooth and soft to hold, and it fits very nicely in my hand.
-Keypad is very nice. Very classy looking.
CONS:
-Battery life is average at best. I get about 2-3 days between charges and that's with minimal texting, roughly 30 mins of talking per day, no gaming or internet. The V3 had a better battery life.
-The flap that conceals the charging port looks like it may fall off someday, but it's a very minor complaint.
MINOR POINTS:
The flipping mechanism on this phone is very smooth and easy to use. It makes opening the phone with 1 hand VERY easy. I know it's spring loaded, so I just hope it doesn't break on me someday. I don't hear any noises when it opens though. The phone fits very nicely in my pocket and is very rounded and ergonomic. The ear piece volume is clear as can be, I can't stress that enough. Thats probably my biggest praise - how clear the calls are!
If you want a phone that everyone and their mother has, get the Razr. If you want a quality phone that ALSO looks very stylish and performs great, get the Pebl. Recommended!
Awesome Phone!
I bought my Motorola PEBL a few days ago after reading many reviews, and seeing a dummy phone at a T-Mobile Store. I knew I wanted the Motorola PEBL. After months of waiting T-Mobile finally lowered the Price to their Exclusive PEBL so I took advantage of their offer and after Mail-In-Rebate the phone will be free.
The dual-hinge mechanism for opening the phone with the use of your thumb is something that should be used on all phones and Motorola did a great job on having this feature on the PEBL. The hard smooth rubber feel of the phone is awesome won't scratch and any smudges can easily be wiped away. The external (monochrome) screen is simple yet gives all the information one needs time, signal strength, battery meter.
The Screen is amazing ever heard of the RAZR? Thought that screen was nice the PEBL screen is crystal clear and bright. I have my Phone set at 4 on Brightness and can still go up to 6. The Key Pad is great keys are flat and only separated by curved lines easy to dial and text.
The Voice Recognition feature is awesome don't need to dial or look up a name simply press the button on the left side of PEBL and say your command.
Camera it is excellent. Video records with sound and Camera takes great pics in both daylight and indoor lighting.
Pros:
1.Design
2.Internal Screen Display
3.Camera
4.Video Camera
5.Voice Recognition
Cons
1.Screen is hard to see in direct sunlight.
Overall, this phone is a must have the price of the PEBL is finally going down and the best part is that hardly anyone has this phone unlike it's cousin the RAZR. If you want a phone that makes a statement the PEBL is for you it's sleek design and dual-hinge mechanism, and great features is what makes the PEBL a Great Phone!!!!!
Coolest Looking Phone Ever
Iâve recently been experimenting with three Motorola flip phones, v190, v635 & PEBL. Let me say at the outset I like all three.
The PEBL is miles ahead in terms of style. It looks great and feels great in your hand. I particularly like the unique self-opener, and the solid magnetic click when you close the phone. The external finish is rubberized, so it doesnât slip into my pocket so well. But the size and shape are pocket perfect.
For me the PEBL has only two shortcomings. First, it has no 2.5mm headphone jack (which I am particular about). Second, despite the literature, mine has no dedicated POP email client. I got my PEBL from T-Mobile and it appears the only way to get email is if you go through their web browser, which costs an extra $5.99/mo. [Whereas the v635 has an independent email client by which I can easily download POP email without activating the browser.]
Syncing and charging are both accomplished via a single mini USB port, which works great. Reception is comparable to phones with an external antenna. The speaker phone is nice and loud, but I wish the adjustable volume for the ear speaker would go a little louder for street use.
Overall, I would definitely recommend the PEBL.
PEBL = Dumb Blonde!
After much thought, I finally bought my PEBL on T-Mobile.
Anyways, for the first 2 days I couldn't put it down. It's gorgeous and it feels so great in my hand, like... um... a PEBL... It has a really great feel and the opening mechanism is really spectacular. I just sat there opening and closing it like an idiot. Well that stage passed and I decided to focus in on the features.
Transferring the phonebook was a blast I just sent all the entries via bluetooth from my PDA. Everything transferred including addresses, multiple numbers, email addresses, and even birthdays. I also used bluetooth to transfer my MP3 ring tones and caller ID pix that I had on my PDA.
Then the trouble came, I decided to set up categories in my phonebook. Well after setting everything up, it turns out that the category ring tone overrides the sound settings completely. So if I receive an SMS from a person in a certain category, the same ringer will sound as if I were receiving a phone call. My V710 had a better way: the ringer for SMS was set up in the sound settings and was used for all senders, while the call ring tones were determined by category.
Another problem with the ringers occurs when using a bluetooth headset or bluetooth car connection. Instead of playing set up ring tones it uses a very annoying plain ringer. And there is no way to change that in the settings.
I also have some complains regarding T-Mobileâs AIM. It is almost impossible to use, as it only connects to the server about 1/10 of the time.
Pros:
* Bluetooth is great
* Battery Life is good
* The design is flawless and amazingly beautiful
* User Independent Voice Dialing!!!
* Good quality camera
* Connects to PC through Mobile PhoneTools
Cons:
* The ring tones are badly set up.
* If fingerprints bother you, stay away. They are everywhere!
Overall, as my title suggests the phone is a dumb blonde, pretty on the outside, but a bit slow on the inside. Itâs super hot, but needs a nice firmware update.
Just Puchased (Burgandy Color)
I wanted to take the time to post a review since I've used this site a lot to research my next cell phone. I hope my review helps someone else!
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I purchased the Pebl yesterday and chose the Burgandy color (they call it Fire Red, but it does not represent that to me).
I absolutely adore this phone! The hinge that opens the phone is sturdy and strong and the magnetic closure is a nice touch. The phone has excellent reception (I'm on T-Mobile), and I was surprised to find the voice dialing feature as a lot of GSM phones do not have this.
The screen is beautiful, albeit small, but if you look at the phone it's one of the smallest (the lightest?) cell phones out there at 3.88 oz.
I can easily slip this phone in my pocket and the phone is soft and rubbery. The Burgandy color is somewhat metallic and I've had tons of people comment on the phone already.
Probably one of the best features for me as someone who used to have a BlackBerry is the phone book, which has input fields not only for phone numbers and email addresses but street address, city, state as well.
If you're thinking of this phone and comparing it to the Razr (unless comparing the V3i or V3x) I say go for the Pebl!
