Sonim XP1 - user opinions and reviews
- Rodney
- TIA
I have a thing for well built products. Today so many manufacturers of goods build down to a price that there are very few genuinely good consumer goods - craftmanship in other words. People simply don't want to pay for quality. I guess probably because we live in a throw away society. So when I come across good things, I love it! You want the best earthmoving machine in the world? Buy a Caterpillar. You want the best drill in the world? Buy a Hilti. The toughest industrial cleaning equipment? Buy a Tennant. The most accurate watch in the world - as well as the toughest? A Tag or Rolex? No - buy a Casio Gshock Atomic Solar. The toughest cellphone in the world? Buy a Sonim. I did (and I own a Casio Gshock and Tennant as well and am saving for my Hilti.) But the story is about my Sonim.
I look after my stuff generally pretty well, but I destroy cell phones - just the way it is. So I googled for the toughest phone in the world and ordered a shock proof, waterproof, dust proof Sonim online. As can happen, even with these tough buggers, I had a software glitch. But these guys have a 3 year unconditional guarantee. The thing is, the online shop I originally purchased it from, had in the meantime gone under and I had also moved countries so I emailed their international warranty guys with the details asking what I could do. They mailed me back saying a replacement phone had been despatched to me and would I send my one back to them when I had a chance via DHL on their account the number which was attached!!!
Yes I do not apologise for this advert on behalf of them: If you want a phone, don't buy a toy. Buy a Sonim
- TJ
- 3Dj
I have had this phone for over a year - it has had a world of abuse from falling off abseil towers to accidently falling out my pocket in a waterlogged caving system and being lost for 5 hours till I rang it and it glowed up underwater! Mint phone - yes I am still trying to get wap to work as I have just changed to pay as you go but I will get there soon!
Has anyone used the Sonim External Antenna For XP1 and how many extra bars of signal will it give?
Ta Tom
- Anonymous
- wrt
Its philips isnt'it?
this phone is rocks... seems its ready for world war III....
he..he..he..
- wildcat
- mT@
Its tougher than most phones, specially the cover. While most phones will shatter to pieces when dropped(but will still work even with broken casing), this phones body is hard to crack. Ive delibirately dipped my phone on water. A quick dunk does nothing, making it a stirring laddle will stop the phone but an overnight drying and a restart is all it need to go on again.
A good basic phone. but a bit pricey
- SurreyViking
- nF6
I received my new XP1 just yesterday. I admit I knew very little about the phone before ordering besides that it (suppsedly) is quide rugged.
First surprise was when I removed the back flap to install my SIM card. The flap doesnt even have a sealing. I also noticed that the back flap is locked with a flimsy plastic screw that surely will not last long in case people as me need to chance the SIM card frequently.
Starting to explore the phone functionaly, quite a few other things show. First it appears you cannot adjust the default ringer volumen within each mode of the phone. It is VERY loud. Neither does it appear as you can adjust the default level of either speakers, which means that you in 9 of 10 cases need to manually adjust the volumen when making or responding to a call.
Another just enormous annying fault is that the phone cannot receive VCARDs from other phones. My wife sent me a VCARD for a friend. It comes up OK as a VCARD and the first time you press "option" with the card open, the menu has a function called "move to phone". Pressing it, the phone responds moved to phone, however looking through both SIM card memory and phone memory, the VCARD was never copied into neither phonebook. Massive issue...
The phone is powered via a USB plug, and although my PC did recognise the phone as a Sonim XP1, there is absolutly no drivers available for the phone, hence NO WAY to transfer files to/from phone via cable.
I after some fiddling made the bluetooth connection to work with my laptop, and transferred some audio and picture files. Both files went neatly into their respective folders under the "My Files" menu, called "Pictures" and "Sounds". However when in the phone setting menu, you can chose from 6 prestored wallpapers or one from your own "Pictures" folder. Regardless of how many pics you have uploaded, opening the pictures folder from the phone setting menu, just gives you the message that there's no images in folder, even though there is.
Realising that the phone clearly has a lot of faults and probably isnt as rugged as it is said, and after unsuccesfully trying to find some info on all the issues I had on the web, I thought to myself that I better register the phone to have the 3y warranty activated (even though the ad says that the warranty is unconditinal, you HAVE to register the phone for warranty to cover). I went to their website and registered, but after giving all details and pressing "Enter", their website just responded "Thank You for Registering, your warranty is now activated", however neither did Sonim return a receipt by email or in any other way gave me a way to keep record of the activation.
So in short:
Mechanical design: poor
Functionality: very limited
Quality of phone functionality: piss poor
Quality of online support: very poor
As this phone costs about 6-8 times an ordinary phone with the same limited functionset, considered the numbers of flaws in the phone, and combined with very little or no hope of a software upgrade, this phone will just be a daily burden, UNLESS you ALWAYS use the phone in a very noisy environment, and NEVER use any clever features the phone allegedly should posses.
I have been mobile phone user since mid 80' where they weighed about 5kg, and this I must say is the phone with the highest % of advertised functions doesnt work. Piss poor.
- Anna for Carpenter C
- wf5
This phone is NOT what it's cracked up to be. We are on our third phone in under a year and our faults are electrical plugs, broken back screw, Faulty Battery, even when fully charged turning on and off without notice. No, we have not even subjected it to drops/water etc etc. Craig has had phones for years with no trouble - this is the pits and NOT wirth the money - not reliable and Crazy John's acknowledges the issues and just replaces them now without even really questioning the issues. Sorry, but never again. Waste of $$$$.
- David Fraser
- S9v
Crazy John, 15 Nov 2008Can someone please tell me if you can get a plug-in handsfree for this handset? Or if it is co... moreSonim supply a plug in hands free. Try Expansys or Ebay. You should be able to buy one for around £8.00p.
- BRUCE TITCOMBE
- Nxs
Hi,please help me to set up the bluetooth on this phone, you can give me call on 0836545778 or email meon info@kold.co.za. I want to use bluetooth in my car but battling to switch it on on the phone.
Thanks
Bruce
- k uk
- 3ik
Roy Jacobs, 09 Mar 2009We own an electrical contracting company and the biggest problem to us is that the phones get ... moreTry the b2100 simular in spec and price.
- colin
- f4U
is it realy worth considering this phone or shoul i rather perchase something else.
- Roy Jacobs
- TSD
We own an electrical contracting company and the biggest problem to us is that the phones get wet. We need 8 and had 1 on trial from vodafone NZ. We squirted it with a fine spray from a hand held water bottle. Then rang it. It rang, then stopped then turned off. The screen is full of condensation and it now does not work. Dont know if it was just a one off or if they all do this. Also we noted the reception was very echoey.
- John C Sanabria
- Imj
Anonymous, 16 Oct 2008How is the battery life of Sonim XP1?? Users please share..great i haven't charge the battery for 3 days and still going and i've been using the phone for the last 3 days
- John C Sanabria
- Imj
Crazy John, 15 Nov 2008Can someone please tell me if you can get a plug-in handsfree for this handset? Or if it is co... moreyes u can
- John C Sanabria
- Imj
Anonymous, 02 Aug 2008does this phone lock it self or do you have to lock it after evry time you use it?yes it haves auto lock or u can set it for none auto lock
- John C Sanabria
- Imj
Vactirio, 17 Aug 2008Just got this phone. It is tough but : 1. There is no bluetooth 2. There is no sw with ... moreu need the xp1(bt) model for bluetooth
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