Motorola A830
Review
Phone
rating: 
The
Motorola A830 was Motorola's first 3G phone available in the UK
and has now been replaced by the A835.
The A830 has a large colour screen, ideal for all the video and
camera functions available, although with just 4096 colours it's
not the sharpest display around.
Using
the high-quality digital / video camera, you can record photos,
video and audio to play back later or to send in a video or photo
message. You can also use the built-in video player to download
and play video and audio clips. Please note though, that unlike
most other 3G phones, you cannot make video calls using the Motorola
A830, a serious shortcoming in a 3G phone.
The
Motorola A830 also has Java games, polyphonic ringtones, mp3 player,
Bluetooth™ Infra-red & USB connectivity, and tri-band,
making it usable worldwide.
Features
of the Motorola A830 include:
- Video
& photo messaging
- Detachable
digital camera with zoom (640 x 480 resolution)
- Media
player (sound & video) - mp3 music player
- Email
- Video
download
- Java
Games
- Polyphonic
ringtones
- 4096
colour hi-res display (176 x 220 resolution)
- WAP,
GPRS, high-speed internet via 3G network
- MMS
(Multimedia Messaging Service)
- Buetooth™,
Infra-red & USB connectivity
- Multi-tasking
- Predictive
text input
- Voice
recorder
- Calendar,
organiser, contacts
- 2
Mbytes internal memory plus 32 Mbytes removable memory
- Weight:
210g including camera
- Size:
117 x 59 x 27 mm
- Battery
standby: up to 42 hours
- Battery
talktime: up to 1 hour
Motorola A830
Consumer Reviews
Love
your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review
this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a
forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear
words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!
Average
rating from 18 reviews: 
Reviewed by kolade Qazeem from Nigeria
on 29th Mar 2008
I bought this fone last week believing it was a good fone but I
find out that its a junk. the battery life is very short, the screen
is dull when taking picture or making a video. you cannot recieve
music or applications through blue tooth. It just something I regret
in my life as I had use my whole saving for a year to buy this fone
and at a time when I had no money or hope for another fone . If
I'm opportuned to talk to motorola I would simply beg for a better
fone. This fone is bad... Pls I will appreciate a kind gesture for
a new fone.
Rating:
Reviewed by PunkProne from The Great
Country Called England on 29th Dec 2007
i dont have it, but its pretty lame(sorry if tis offensive) that
it is a 3G fone without videocalls.if i could i'd give this phone
a Zero.
Rating:
Reviewed by paul o' grady from south
africa on 11th Nov 2007
I BOGHT THIS PHONE FOR A PENNY OFF EBAY AND I LOVE IT !
Rating: 
Reviewed by HAZ from UK on 27th
Oct 2007
i say go and get this phone the camra is very good and the battery
life is ok but not outstanding but if you whant a a hi spec 3g phone
and good network coverege go no get it now yes now
Rating:
Reviewed by Scary lady from UK on
7th Feb 2007
TOO BIG.TOO SLOW.LOSES BATTERY TOO DARN QUICKLY! I GIVE IT 0 I TELL
YOU! 0!!!!!
Rating:
Reviewed by grace passoni from belgium
on 29th Jun 2006
i had this phone for 3 years because i am so poor, and i felt poor
holding this phone. it is unfashionable, skanky and doesnt work
Rating:
Reviewed by Jason from Philippines on
4th Mar 2006
If there are zero starred rating i would have chosen that. I shelled
up a considerable amount for this piece of junk believing that this
was an A-okay phone than Nokia 3660 which i am considering at that
point of time. Turns out that this phone has no pre-programmed status
regarding mp3. It only accepts MIDI files UNLESS you undergo the
hoollaballo of installing the junky CD user guide. It also has a
low power performance. I had to recharge my battery 3TIMES A DAY
to fit into my work schedule. And it always turns to an almost empty
batt capacity AFTER A CALL which lasts only 20 minutes. IT DEFEATS
THE PRINCIPLE OF MOBILE EFFICIENCY, fof you always have to bring
the charger unless you are ready to be left behind the communication
scene. It also has a really low performance on image quality. I
FELT CHEATED AFTER A WEEK OF HAVING ACQUIRED THIS PHONE. IF I AM
GIVEN THE CHANCE TO TALK TO THE MOTOROLA PEEPS, I ONLY HAVE TO SAY
A SENTENCE: GIVE MY DARN MONEY BACK. I should've bought that Nokia.
Rating:
Reviewed by michiganMICK from USA on
23rd Feb 2006
the worst phone ive ever seen with a colour screen and a camera..too
big and bulky and extremely ugly i think...the A835 is much better
cuase my friend has it and it is so much more outstanding than some
terribly weird 3G phone...the camera on the top would put people
off the most and considering the screen is junk...i currently own
a Motorola A920, a smartphone.....so much better and its only at
least 3 models up....but lets just say if you ever come across a
chance to buy the A830...dont....just a waste of money and time.
Plus since its 2006 i sure there are much better phones like my
other phone the LG U8180...yeh the A830 is junk.
Rating:
Reviewed by peter from England on
30th May 2005
This phone is fantstic so buy it
Rating:
Reviewed by CJ from UK on 30th
Mar 2005
Dis fone is ok-screen is rubbish for looking at photos and vids
dnt play properly, the camera is really bad compared to the A835
and u cnt recive music via bluetooth or infa red coz it only has
2mb internall and u cnt save directly onto card but it does have
good features like the card slot, mp3 playback is good and the speaker
is clear. Would recomend getting the a835 its generally better in
evry way and for only 30quid
Rating:
Reviewed by fannie from france on
27th Feb 2005
ITS RUBBISH, SLOW AND WOULDNT STOP ON SILENT IN A VERY IMPORTANT
MEETING.
Rating:
Reviewed by A. Collins from England
on 20th May 2004
This phone has a brilliant camera and video on it, alot better than
some other phones i have seen.But it is very big and heavy and it
is a struggle to transport in a small pocket or bag.It also eats
battery power very fast.It does have great colour on it though.I
would recommend this for its camera but not for its size
Rating: 
Reviewed by Tony from England on
25th Apr 2004
The motorola A830 is truly an atrocious phone. The battery life
is no more then six hours with minimal use. It frequently loses
its signal and you then have to restart the phone. I only ever managed
to download one ringtone as the signal was never strong enough,
despite numerous attempts and driving all over Poole and Bournmouth
in an endeavour to get a full signal. The only thing going for it
was the cheap monthly contract, but seeing as it was next to impossible
to ever make a call this was false econmy. It was so bad I went
back to my Nokia which is very reliable.
Rating:
Reviewed by Erik from USA on
31st Mar 2004
I worked for Moto up until recently; now I work for another communications
company. At Moto I worked across the hall from team that designed
this phone, watched the entire R&D process from start to finish.
It was an abortion that resulted in a real tank (very bulky) of
a phone that is quite expensive and has rather unimpressive external
surface and mechanial cosmetics (except for the display) compared
to best-in-class. This phone ship date was substantially delayed
due to numerous problems. I have one of these phones. This phone
will be very challenging to sell into the market.
Rating:
Reviewed by aj from uk on 17th
Mar 2004
this phone is amazing and the mp3 player is really good. the rotating
camera is really effective as well. the SD card allows it to be
easy to put on songs, pictures or videoes. definately one phone
to buy
Rating:
Reviewed by Emmanuel from Australia
on 29th Feb 2004
This phone has great specs... but the MP3 player empty the battery
in less than 10 min, anyway the battery is empty after 1 day at
the most. Also since I have it (Less than 1 year) it has broke twice
and three had to replace it. Avoid this phone!! (and it's really
big too)
Rating:
Reviewed by Nick Livingstone from United
Kingdom on 26th Aug 2003
I feel giving it 3/5 is a bit harsh but what good is a phone whose
battery has the life of a stillborn calf? The phone's size is a
far cry from the typical phones I used to have (Nokias) but the
phones I used to have are no where near as complex as this one.
It has pretty much everything (and more) I need from a mobile. I
can send video messages (which I will do once it works - not managed
yet), browse their 3G services for a load of actually useful stuff.
I'm no real footy fan but the quality and download speed of their
premiership goals package blew me away - glad I have it free for
3 months. The phone (something neither the manual or people in store
mentioned) has a speaker on the back which means that you can view
and hear the commentary without the need for headphones. This speaker
also means that if you're at home or somewhere quiet (for obvious
reasons) you can sit the phone down and use it without a headset
or need to hold it. I'm over its size and weight but I'm ver y nervous
about the battery life. I pulled it off the cradle fully charged
this morning at 6:00am afetr two brief calls it went from having
a full battery to half..and it's only 9:30am. Gas baggers and gossip
queens steer clear. As one reviewer wrote, if you're organised and
keep it charged when it's idle you may survive - easier said than
done if you're on the go and call a lot. Seperate camera is a pain
as it does add size and if you don't drag it out (along with the
charged spare battery) you can't be spontaneous and click away.
The expandable 32 MB card is handy for all the music, photos and
those max. 15 sec videos. The speakers (on phone and on headset)
are pretty weak and tend to rattle when the volume is a touch above
whisper. I really like and want to continue liking the phone but
if my calls need to be short and few and far between I'm not sure
I'm so excited about my 750 minutes a month across any network as
I might just manage to use 75 of them. Actually, maybe 3 /5 isn't
so harsh after all.
Rating:
Reviewed
by John Scott from United Kingdom on 16th Jul
2003
The first thing that strikes you about the A830 is its sheer size
and weight. This may be more noticable to me because my last phone
was the petite Nokia 8310, but it is quite a bit larger than most
phones currently on the market. It comes with a USB cradle for connection
to a PC, two chargers and two batteries. The reason for this becomes
evident when you start using the phone in anger as the battery life
is dreadful. Typically, the A830 will require charging at least
two times a day under normal use and I hve found it beneficial to
turn the phone off overnight. When I switch it on in the morning
this leaves just enough battery power to get the phone to my place
of work for a recharge, using my second charger of course. These
points aside, this is a great phone to use. It has the clearest
screen I have ever seen on any mobile and the menu system is very
easy to use when you consider the vast range of features included.
I especially like the message centre, where Voicemail, Text messages,
Faxes, e-mail etc. all arrive in one location. This is a bit tricky
to configure but, it's well worth the effort. A separate camera
is also included in the box. This is longer than the phone itself
and it replaces the back cover. It seems a bit strange that the
camera was not made an integral part of the phone as I can't imagine
switching back to the original back cover for any reason other than
to make the phone look slightly more attractive. The A830 camera
attachment has a resolution up to 640x480 and the quality can be
described as reasonable at best. You can also record movie clips
up to 15 seconds long. Both pictures and movies can be saved to
the 32Mb SDD card included and can be sent using MMS or e-mail or
transferred to computer using a card reader. The A830, unlike it's
competitors, has no video calling feature. This is not a major drawback
for me as I don't know anyone else with a 3G phone for now. It's
ambiguous whether the phone will be upgradable later to incorporate
this feature. Much to my surprise, the A830 really turns heads as
well. It's difficult to take it for granted as everyone I meet has
a positive comment about it (especially the quality of the display).
It won't make you more attractive to women ,but you'll never be
stuck for conversation at the bar.
Rating:
Motorola A830
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A830 unlock codes |
