JBSL

I've been waiting, like everyone else, to buy the V710. Now that it's out, I'm close to buying one.

For those of you who have it, how is the battery life? I intend to use it with the BT enabled most of the time, and I realize that will drain it slightly more.

I am also aware that the new firmware flash sould be out soon which should solve most of the frustrations folks have had with it. Does it solve the issue of synching outlook contacts to it?

I'm suprised to hear about so few issues folks are having with such a new model. That's great news. Is there a single consistent problem out there in your opinion?

Now all we need is for VZW to drop the price even more.....

Thanks.

JB

daviddww

The battery life is terrible...at least when connected on Bluetooth. I can easily completely drain my battery in one 8 hour day...and that is not using it for more than an hour of talk time. The screen is beautiful but hungry

1995hoo

I bought a car charger and I just plug it in and put it in the deeper center armrest (i.e., the "underneath" portion where there is a power outlet). No worries about battery life that way. I notice that the power plug shuts off when I turn off the car--unlike prior Hondas and Acuras I've owned--but when I turn off the car I still unplug the power cord and turn off the phone unless I'm taking it with me. No reason to screw around and take chances.

rstark

I find no battery life problems with bluetooth enabled all the time. I charge the phone nightly, use the phone in the car daily, but I'm not a heavy user either. Works well for me.

someone

I was unsure about the battery life so I just bought the extended battery.. I have had no problems since I bought that one It is pretty damn bulky though.

DNA

I picked up a V710 this weekend. Yesterday I started out with a fully charged battery and:

• Left the bluetooth on all day
• Make 6 short phone calls in the TL
• Make 4 short calls directly (not via bluetooth0
• Took about 12 pictures, a couple with "flash".
• Had the phone open with backlight on a lot (maybe 2-3 hours) checking out features and showing it off at work.

After 15 1/2 hours on, the battery indicator read 5 out of 6. I'd guess that anyone who doesn't get a full day's of use out of one charge either has a defective phone/battery or connects for much longer periods than I do.

-David

bsaitz

mine is ok, i get about 2 full days with moderate usage.. but i also keep chargers everywhere, as it will sometimes, just seem to drop quickly.. i never turn it off, and can easily go 48 hours of stand-by with some calling

someone

I guess I just use my phone a lot. Though I did notice if I turn blue tooth off it has a lot better battery life. Also if you're in the car on a long trip it seems to eat the battery even more when there is an active connection. Not 100% sure though.

georgeny

I would guess tha compared to many I am a light user, that said have had no battery life problems. I charge every three days or so but diligent in turning off phone when home. Only use about 150 minutes a months. But I have played with it all day taking photos and sending same , few calls, changing settings and after hours of screwing around still on 6 for battery. Took it to casino, made several calls, on 48 hours bluetooth always on, was 4 on battery scale when arrived home, no complaint from me.

someone

I almost have to charge daily. I also talk for at least an hour a day or more on it. I am going to test it now, I didnt charge it last night and played about 10 minutes of mp3's yesterday off of my flash card so far my battery is doing really good. I notice I have full bars, but if I put it on the charger it will show one.

JetJock

I have a V-600, and when the bluetooth is powered on...as I aproach my car, I hear a "beep" and the bluetooth locks on the car. When I walk away, I hear another "beep" and the bluetooth seems turn off automaticallyl Is this someting that I'm imagening, or is this something designed to save battery power when bluetoth is not active. I can't seem to find anything in the manual regarding th is feature......should I power off bluetooth, or just let the phone do it for me when inactive?

EduTom

I haven't conducted anything close to a scientific experiement, but I'd say that it's not nearly as good as my SCH-530, but still good enough. The SCH-530 would go 3 days on a single charge with moderate calling and leaving it on all night. The V710 only seems to last about a day and a half with similar usage before the low battery beep starts in.

I have discovered the following trick which I gladly share with others in the hopes of extending your battery lives: It is a shortcut to turn bluetooth on/off quickly when you know you're going to be away from the car for a while. I do it when I get in the office in the AM.

V710 allows you to create shortcuts for frequently used commands.

Step 1. Choose the menu button (top middle)
2. select item 7 (settings)
3. select item * (connection)
4. select item 1 (bluetooth link)
5. highlight "setup", hit right soft key "select"
6. highlinght "power", hit right soft key "change"
7. hold down the "menu" button until it asks if you want to create a shortcut
8. assign a number to the shortcut. (I use 8, for example).

You're done.

Now to turn Bluetooth on/off, you need only flip open the phone, press "OK" then "8" and you'll go directly to the on-off highlight choice, skipping the above steps 1-6.

You can use shortcuts for any phone commands. Navigage to the command (I have a shortcut to alarm) then hold down the menu key and assign it a number. Cool...

DNA

Thanks EduTom. I was just getting ready to figure out how to do that. I had to delete your step 6 though to get the power menu.

-David

iceneedle

Actually, you can make it even better than that (thanks to EduTom for the idea). Basically, this is the same thing with one less step. The shortcut doesn't just get you to the menu, it actually turns it on or off right away:

1. Menu
2. 7 - Setup
3. * - Connection
4. 1 - Bluetooth Link
5. Setup (Select)
6. Power (Change)
7. Scroll down to "Off"
8. Hold then Menu button down and create a shortcut...I used "1"

Follow the same steps as above (1 through 6) and then:

7. Scroll down to "On"
8 Hold the Menu button down and create a shortcut...I used "2"

Henceforth, "OK" + 1 turns Bluetooth off in a single step
"OK" + 2 turns Bluetooth on in a single step

someone

Thanks for the info, that worked perfect on mine. This phone gets more and more amazing as I use it.

EduTom

Iceneedle, you Rock!! It didn't even occur to me to do the one extra step. But it's a great idea because it saves not one, but 2 keystrokes (the arrow up or down to select the on-off, and then the [select] softkey). I have just updated my one shortcut to the option menu to be 2 shortcuts for on and for off. I gave you rep points Iceneedle!!!

iceneedle

The phone is pretty cool. I also went out (don't laugh...I got psyched!) and bought an HS810 Bluetooth headset. That's great if I want to have a private conversation in the car and listen to the radio at the same time. It also works great. I loved my Startac (which I've just retired), but I'd never go back.