Audiovox 8915 Snapper Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile)
RRP: $79.99
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You Save: $ 79.99 ( 100% )
Manufacturer: Virgin Mobile
Publisher: Virgin Mobile
Brand: Audiovox
Audiovox 8915 Snapper Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile) Description
Binding: Wireless Phone
Brand: Audiovox
Color: Black
Display Size: 4
EAN: 0836182002255
Product Features: Full-color screen with built-in camera with flash
Label: Virgin Mobile
Manufacturer: Virgin Mobile
Model: 8915
Publisher: Virgin Mobile
Studio: Virgin Mobile
Variation Description: Black
Audiovox 8915 Snapper Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile) Features
Mobile web browsing and instant messaging
Two-way picture messaging (to and from other Virgin Mobile camera phones)
Superphonic Ringtones Real music ringtones
Limit 5 phones per customer.
Editorial Review of Audiovox 8915 Snapper Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile)
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.
Customer Reviews of Audiovox 8915 Snapper Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile)
Review Summary: Owned for 2 years
Review: Good phone, decent service (VirginMobileUSA is not the best prepaid, but gets the job done).
Consider other services: Tracfone, Net10, Sprint Prepaid, etc.
Current Plan: $6.99/month + taxes + $.10/minute (apprx. $21/month for 150 minutes)
(Have switched to Net10, which offers a flat $.10/minute with no monthly charge).
PROS:
+Camera function is decent (but below industry average)
+Easy software functionality (easy to receive/read text messages, access voicemail,
+Withstands abuse
+Large buttons, medium-large screen
+Good network coverage (believe VM uses the Sprint network)
+No problems with dropped calls (good sound quality)
+VM now allows for earning bonus minutes by watching commercials online (1min watching=$.10)
CONS:
-My main problem: Snapper is a relatively heavy phone; thick/fat.
-Seemed top of the line @ time of purchase (2 years ago), but now outdated.
-Battery life is decent, but can wear down quickly while talking
-No MP3 or Bluetooth functionality.
-Extra ringtones priced at roughly @2.50 + .10/day internet charge (XL Access)
-Customer service is lacking. Remember to read fine print when switching among VM's prepaid plans (I got charged roughly $100 from switching around when I didn't read the Terms & Conditions. Called Customer Service, refused @ first, but supervisor OKed the credit to my bill.
**Would not recommend for casual use, businessman, or college student.
**Would recommend for trendy teenager (13-17)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good phone, lotsa features, Pre-paid is for me.
Review: This phone has lots of features, including a camera.
But i can't say i am all that impressed with the
camera picture clarity.
But the fact that you can get all these features with a pre-paid plan, is what did it for me. I don't usually have many occasions when i am away from a land line,
and the pre paid plan makes it easy to afford a cell phone for my limited use. I only use it for calls a couopkle of times a week, asnd that jakes it way more affordable than other plans, while still allowing me to make and recieve emergency calls, tell someone i;'m outside in the car, or play a game when i'm waiting, or there is a blackout.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: THIS IS A GREAT PHONE!!!!!!
Review: I just got this phone today and I love it! The only problem I have is that it doesn't have a "Beep-Beep" But I don't care because I already have another phone with that. The camera on it is great! And the phone is a great price.....I love everything about this phone! Buy this phone!
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Very nice phone, but there are a few faults
Review: Pluses
* Speaker is on the outside so alerts can be easily heard.
* Message alert sounds are loud and long, not just a tiny beep like on the Kyocera Switch_Back.
* Pictures taken take up the whole background as wallpaper.
* Sub-LCD has clock displayed for easy time lookup.
Minuses
* No way to disable signal fade tone.
* Phone will terminate rather than pause games/apps running if you close it.
* Cannot assign separate ringer sounds for text messages. Phone will only use default ringer for text message alerts if that option is chosen.
* No automatic controls for camera flash. Flash is so poor, it's best to just disable it and take pictures with ample background lighting.
Overall, a good phone but if the four minuses were fixed (especially the apps closing one), this would be one hell of a phone.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good phone plan. Bad, unstoppable phone beeping.
Review: 5 stars for the phone plan. 0 stars for the unstoppable beeping.
The good news: I really love the phone plan from Virgin Mobile that comes with this phone. I use my phone very little -- it is for quick "I'll be home at 7:00" type messages and for emergencies. You must spend at least 20 dollars every three months to keep up the plan, but that's easy since I signed up to have the phone "topped up" automatically. With my phone usage, I'm only spending about 7 dollars per month to use the phone -- I'm thrilled about this part of the phone. Also, I seem to get pretty good coverage and the reception is fine.
The bad: I take a class in a concrete building so that the phone cannot get a signal while I am in the classroom. So, even though I have the ringer turned completely off, the phone starts beeping to tell me that it cannot get a signal. To make it worse, it plays a little tune as you turn it off. I've been tempted to smash the bejesus out of this thing on several occasions just to shut it up. Why in the world would the designers of this phone make it beep (and I've checked the manual and there doesn't seem to be a way to turn off this annoyance) just because the thing doesn't get a signal? Would DEFINITELY choose a different phone with the same plan if I had a choice.