Motorola Clutch i465 (Boost Mobile)
Manufacturer: Motorola Part number: i465BOOSTMBL
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Boost Mobile scores with its first messaging phone. The Motorola Clutch offers good performance and an easy-to-use design.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Motorola Clutch i465 (Boost Mobile) price range: $99.99
- Reviewed by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 06/16/2009
- Updated on:06/17/2009
The good: The Motorola Clutch has a compact design with a comfortable keyboard. Call quality is excellent.
The bad: The Motorola Clutch has a low-resolution display and a clunky interface. It does not support instant messaging.
The bottom line: Boost Mobile scores with its first messaging phone. The Motorola Clutch offers good performance and an easy-to-use design.
If you like Nextel's features, but can't afford the services plans, you'd be wise to consider Boost Mobile. Sort of a Sprint Nextel younger brother, Boost offers similar phones and services at a cheaper price. And now with the new Motorola Clutch i465, Boost also gets its first QWERTY handset. As an iDEN device, the Clutch has a familiar look and feel and it offers push-to-talk (PTT) calling. You won't have to sign a contract, and you can get it for just $129.99.
Design
The i465 is a bit small (4.4 inches by 2.1 inches by 0.6 inch) for a QWERTY phone, but we were drawn to its candy bar design. Sure, it's a bit boxy, but the red color is attractive and the tapered edges give it a sleek feel. It's also lightweight (3.4 ounces), but it has a comfortable feel in the hand. The battery cover has a textured finish, and the Clutch is certified to military specifications for shock, vibration, dust, and solar radiation.
Like many Nextel phones, the 1.79-inch display doesn't have the greatest resolution (64,000 colors; 160x128 pixels). This continues to be a sore spot for us, but on a phone that's geared for messaging rather than gaming it's not so bad. The multipage is also classic Nextel, but we're not big fans of that, either. You can change the backlighting time and the text size.
The Clutch's controls have a spacious, comfortable design. You'll find a circular toggle with a central OK button, two soft keys, a dedicated menu control, a speakerphone key, and the Talk and End/power buttons. Though only parts of the navigation array are raised above the surface of the phone, all of the controls are intuitive and easy to use. The toggle also doubles as a shortcut to four user-defined functions.
On the right side of the display you'll find additional shortcuts for the messaging application, the Web browser, and the camera. Though they make the phone look a tad off-center, the shortcuts are in a convenient place. On the left spine, you'll find the rocker and PTT button. Both are spacious and tactile. Below them are a 2.5-millimeter headset jack (boo) and a standard Mini-USB charger port (yay).The camera lens rests on the rear face of the phone--there's no flash or self-portrait mirror.
The keyboard will seem small to some users, but we found the peaked keys tactile and relatively easy to use. As with many QWERTY phones, letter keys share space with numbers and symbols, but the arrangement never felt crowded. Indeed, we were tapping long messages and dialing phone numbers easily and quickly. The space bar sits in the middle of the bottom row; near it are shift, function, symbol, return, and back keys. You'll also find a second convenient shortcut for the messaging menu. Below the shortcut is the phone's main speaker.
Features
The Clutch's 600-contact phone book has room in each entry for seven phone numbers, an e-mail address, and notes. You can save contacts to groups or PTT Talk Groups, and you can pair them with one of 12 polyphonic ringtones. Other basic features include a vibrate mode, a memo pad, a speakerphone, a voice memo recorder, call timers, Bluetooth, and a datebook. And, of course, you also get support for Boost's walkie-talkie PTT service.
Text and multimedia messaging are prime features, but the Clutch also supports a selection of POP3 e-mail accounts. Threaded texting is a plus, but e-mail will require a Web-based interface. The Clutch does not support IMAP4 e-mail, Outlook Exchange server syncing, and instant messaging.
The VGA camera takes pictures in five resolutions, from 640x480 down to 160x128. Editing options include two quality settings, a 4x zoom, a self-timer, adjustable brightness, and two shutter sounds. The camcorder offers a similar set of editing options. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at 16 seconds, but you can shoot for longer in standard mode.
Photo quality is decent for a VGA camera. Colors looked natural, but images were a tad blurry. You'll also need enough light since the Clutch doesn't have a flash. Videos were nothing special: the camera can't record movement well and the clips were washed out. You get 20MB of shared memory for saving your work and a handy meter will tell you how much space you have left.
You can personalize the Clutch with a selection of wallpapers, clock formats, and themes. You can get more from Boost with the wireless Web browser. The Clutch supports Java applications as well. Our review model came with Boost Navigator, Calculator Suite, Alarm Clock Plus, Hookt, and two games: World Series of Poker and Deer Hunter 3.
Performance
We tested the (iDEN 850) Motorola Clutch i465 in San Francisco. As a subsidiary of Sprint Nextel, Boost uses Nextel's network for regular and PTT calls. Call quality was quite good. The volume was loud and the audio was clear. What's more, we didn't hear any distortion at the highest volumes. The signal remained strong, even in buildings, and we didn't encounter static or interference.
On their end, callers said we sounded fine. Most could tell we were using a cell phone, but they didn't report any major problems outside of some background noise. Speakerphone calls were loud and clear, and automated calling systems could understand us.
The i465 has a rated battery life of 3.42 hours and 5.16 days standby time. Our tests showed a slightly longer talk time of 5 hours and 30 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the Clutch has a digital SAR of 1.17 watts per kilogram.
Corrected on June 17 at 3:20 p.m.: The product name initially had an incorrect model number. The actual name of the product is the Motorola Clutch i465.
User reviews
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Great phone, amazing plan
by TWills32 on July 27, 2009
Pros: Boost $50 unlimited plan
QWERTY
Size
Durable
Great for texting
Easy to use
Great receptionCons: Interface looks a bit dated
Web browser is terrible
Camera is mediocre
Battery life isn't greatSummary: This is a great phone to fully utilize the $50 unlimited plan. Don't expect to be able to use the web out of the box, though. The web browser ...
Summary: This is a great phone to fully utilize the $50 unlimited plan. Don't expect to be able to use the web out of the box, though. The web browser on this phone is horrible. I installed 2 apps onto this phone; LifeinPocket and Opera 3 Mini. These are MUST HAVES if you want to use the internet. They are both awesome apps and make this phone so much better.
The keyboard is really nice. It's so easy to text. The phone itself also feels rugged, and it won't break easy. It's very well made. The back of the phone is textured, so it has a nice grip. This phone won't slide around.
I would not recommend this phone to anyone who is insistent on having a great camera. The camera in this phone is actually pretty bad. It doesn't bother me, because I don't take many pictures with my phone anyway. Also, the battery life is not the greatest, but it's not terrible. I've had phones with a much worse battery. I charge it every night, so I don't know how long it takes it to die. I usually lose one bar by the end of the night, however. Sometimes two if I am using it a lot.
All in all, this is a pretty nice phone if you can get the apps I mentioned above. They make web surfing a breeze. The lifeinpocket also has navigation, which is very nice, I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised. Also, do not expect this to be a smartphone, it is not. Some people assume it is because it looks like one. I actually thought it was at first, until I researched it more. It can have great capabilities if you load it with useful apps, though. The price of the phone is great, and the price of the plan is even better!7 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Handles the basics well, and does even more with apps.
by shopkins82 on July 22, 2009
Pros: QWERTY Keyboard
Rugged
Runs Java apps well
GPS locator & Boost Navigator
Boost $50 Unlimited planCons: Low resolution screen
Low resolution camera
Severely handicapped web browser
No native POP email access
Slow data speedSummary: This phone is extremely basic when compared to pretty much any smartphone, even though it does share the general form-factor. That said, it handles the basics extremely well. Call quality ...
Summary: This phone is extremely basic when compared to pretty much any smartphone, even though it does share the general form-factor. That said, it handles the basics extremely well. Call quality is clear and loud. Threaded MMS is helpful in keeping up with longer conversations. Java implementation makes this phone immensely expandable, though with some hardware limitations. It's rugged and about the size of a BB Pearl but with full QWERTY. The Boost Navigator ($2/day or $10/month) is very useful when a stand-alone GPS is not available... it even includes walking directions which are VERY helpful in unfamiliar urban settings. The biggest PRO of this phone (and my main motivation) is that it qualifies for the Boost unlimited Talk/Text/Web/WT plan.
This phones largest limitation is its low resolution screen. With a higher resolution screen spanning the full width of the handset (instead of the MMS/Web/Camera shortcut buttons) would make this phone infinitely more usable, especially in data-centric apps and navigation. The lack of native POP email access is a bit of a letdown as well, but that looks to be a Boost decision and the phone is definitely capable. The web browser is also severely handicapped. These both may have been intentional so as not to overtax the slow iDen data network and/or steal users from Sprint's $99 Everything plan.
What really makes this phone MUCH more usable in practice than it is out of the box is the ability to load Java J2ME apps, either OTA using a handy iDen loader website, or over data cable using webJAL. This has allowed me access to a much fuller mobile web experience using Opera Mini as well as gMail access using Google's J2ME gMail app. Other useful apps include LifeInPocket, which allows access to multiple social networking accounts, POP email, as well as position based features based on GPS location. Yahoo! Go also allows access to most of Yahoo's mobile services including mail and messenger.
The one major downside to the i465's Java app implementation is you have to track down JAR and JAD files yourself and they're not always (actually rarely) available directly from the app's developer (who usually implement an OTA link through SMS/MMS, which the i465 does not support).
Overall, the i465 is a great option for heavy talkers/texters right out of the box, and with a bit of effort it can be expanded into a very smart dumb-phone.6 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Poor Man's iPhone
by bosco4994 on August 13, 2009
Pros: Clear voice, both send and receive. Efficient texting via QWERTY keyboard. Light, easy to carry. Walkie Talkie is neat feature if you have a need for it. Very stylish. Bluetooth connectivity is excellent.
Cons: User Manual is inadequate and leaves much to be desired. I know this phone has more functions, but learning how to use them is somewhat perplexing.
Summary: First, it's exactly what you pay for, an inexpensive phone. With the basic features you get, plus a $50 rate plan for unlimited text and voice, it's a ...
Summary: First, it's exactly what you pay for, an inexpensive phone. With the basic features you get, plus a $50 rate plan for unlimited text and voice, it's a steal. I had AT&T for years, wanted an iPhone and was unable to negotiate a reasonable contract with AT&T, so after 10 years with BellSouth, then Cingular, then AT&T, they lost me as a loyal customer. Back to the phone. Call clarity is as good or better than with my former carrier. In fact, I get a solid signal in places I visit that formerly had a weak signal. Texting is a bit tedious, with the small keyboard, but I have Parkinson's and still manage fine. It's looks good, is light, and inconspicuous. I am disappointed in the apparent lack of tutorials available on the phone's use. I would also point out that the phone is GPS enabled and apparently it's another ten bucks a month to capitalize on that feature. Bluetooth connectivity is superb. Yes, the screen leaves much to be desired, but hey, it's an inexpensive phone...you get what you pay for. Bottom line-I don't feel ripped off and I'm getting my money's worth. And, if I break it, I'm not hurting. I recommend the phone and service.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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GREAT PHONE, GREAT VALUE!
by eantepara on August 9, 2009
Pros: Battery life, ease of use, qwerty keyboard, rugged, excellent call quality, great reception, decent camera.
Cons: No instant messaging.
Summary: First of all to all those who wrote negative reviews about this phone, it is UNFAIR to rate this phone based on the performance of a BlackBerry. This phone is ...
Summary: First of all to all those who wrote negative reviews about this phone, it is UNFAIR to rate this phone based on the performance of a BlackBerry. This phone is not a BB. If you want a BB then get a BB and rate it as such. This is an amazing phone for the price. I have a BB and the call quality and audio on the Clutch surpass the one on the BB. The signal strenght is great in the areas marketed. Again, you cannot give the service a bad review if you buy the phone and live in an area of limited coverage. I am in the NYC area and also go to South Florida and the service is crystal clear. Therefore, summed up, this phone does exactly what is was made to do for the price. I would recommend this phone to anyone that wants value. Plus at $50 a month for unlimited this is a steal.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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good phone for the price
by blackberryuser on August 11, 2009
Pros: keyboard is good. i like the threaded messaging. call quality is just as good my wifes BB9630 and my work BB8130. Look on Ebay you can get this phone cheaper then 130
Cons: Lack of JAVA based IM is pretty Lame
Summary: you can get yahoo instant messenger. you can get your email. from the phones web portal goto yahoo.com/mobile and there you can access the messenger and email. i ...
Summary: you can get yahoo instant messenger. you can get your email. from the phones web portal goto yahoo.com/mobile and there you can access the messenger and email. i havent tried any other services since yahoo is all i use. you just haveto be creative to figure out a solution to what ever it is that you want to do.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I love the new Motorola Clutch for Boost Mobile!
by amberpage on August 8, 2009
Pros: Texting is great! The keys are small and close together, but I am a girl...and the keys are raised so it works well, I have yet to mess up when typing something.
The screen is great! So much better than the i 290! Camera works pretty well too.Cons: NONE! Great phone for the service I receive. The price is AWESOME for a contract free phone!
Summary: $130 dollars for a contract free phone....this phone is worth EVERY penny!
There really arent any cons..bc for the service I get with Boost! It works everywhere! I ...Summary: $130 dollars for a contract free phone....this phone is worth EVERY penny!
There really arent any cons..bc for the service I get with Boost! It works everywhere! I even traveled to Ohio, and it worked great the whole trip and in Ohio...right on Lake Erie.
Bottom line is...I would recommend this phone to everyone! It is worth the extra $80...the motorola i290 that is only $50...SUCKS!
With the clutch I can text so much easier...which is one of the reasons I went to Boost...for unlimited texting. The internet may not be the best...but is GREAT for the basics.
I mean the price is unbeatable...$50 a month for unlimited texting,talking, internet, and walkie/talkie.
And then the phone for only $130!!! Thats great! If you go to other providers just look how expensive phones are WITHOUT a contract.
THis is a great phone and deal! I'm so happy! I love my Motorola Clutch! Now, all I have to get is the silicone case for it...which I have to order online bc the places that carry them at stores dont have it for this phone.....booo to that.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent Messaging Phone
by hdtravel on August 6, 2009
Pros: Boost $50 Unlimited Plan
QWERTY Keyboard
NIce red color
High quality, rugged construction
Excellent loud and clear audio
Excellent speakerphone
Solid bluetooth works with headsets
Basic camera with basic video
Push to Talk ( PTT ) NICE !Cons: Ancient dated user interface ( It's the 1980's man ! )
Slow worthless Web browser
Low resolution screenSummary: Remember this is NOT a smartphone, it is a messaging phone.
Ok with that out of the way this phone excels at being a rugged, durable, QWERTY keyboard handset with ...Summary: Remember this is NOT a smartphone, it is a messaging phone.
Ok with that out of the way this phone excels at being a rugged, durable, QWERTY keyboard handset with nice loud and clear audio. You will hear well on this phone and be heard clearly. Reception is good and the audio is excellent. The push-to-talk ( PTT ) is cool and bluetooth performance.
The keyboard makes it easy to text and to store names and numbers to the phones memory.
If you want a robustly built phone with a keyboard that you will be able to hear well on then this is the one.
The Boost $50 UNLIMITED plan is a great value that cannot be beat. You can save a thousand $$ per year by being on this plan over using the big 3 carriers that really gouge you.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Finally a full keypad phone for prepay!
by scdaluz on June 10, 2009
Pros: Full Keypad baby!!! Video, Pic, MMS Messaging, Much better programming than the previous Boost phones, VERY attractive design compared to other boost models.
Cons: Its boost, so its a given that not all areas are covered however signal is still great everywhere I am normally :)
Summary: I got this phone a few days ago in the mail and using it I have learned its a Great phone with an outstanding price... and its about time prepay ...
Summary: I got this phone a few days ago in the mail and using it I have learned its a Great phone with an outstanding price... and its about time prepay has gotten a full keypad phone for us texters!!!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This sad offering by Motorola is beneath them...and us.
by OpenSorce on July 4, 2009
Pros: It's a minor nudge in the right direction.
Cons: This phone's lack of features (external memory, usuable web, IM, camera flash, usable email) make it's smartphone appearance nothing more than a con. It's user interface is nearly identical to the most basic Boost phone.
Summary: Unless you simply MUST have PTT and a qwerty keyboard for texting and need no other features, do not buy this phone. You'd be better off with a 3yr ...
Summary: Unless you simply MUST have PTT and a qwerty keyboard for texting and need no other features, do not buy this phone. You'd be better off with a 3yr old BB 7100i from BoostBerry.
2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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An Honest i465 Review
by Sinsazsun on July 25, 2009
Pros: price, keyboard, programming, design
Cons: screen, no IM applications, no expansion slot
Summary: I see a lot of people complain about this phone, and generally i'd say relax a little bit. I think boost announced that this IS NOT a smart phone. ...
Summary: I see a lot of people complain about this phone, and generally i'd say relax a little bit. I think boost announced that this IS NOT a smart phone. People were wanting a qwerty phone for the Iden service and they released one. For what this phone is, this is the best phone boost has to offer. Its not as sophisticated as the i9, but its not 300$ either. I have had all of the boost phones and this is the only phone I have never had to "download" a message to read one. I get one and they open right up. no wait time. They keyboard in itself is enough to sell the phone. I thought I would have trouble with it because of my fingers being a little on the chubby side, but I had NO problem texting at all. On a full charge it has pretty good battery life. I text like a wild man and the battery holds up to it.
The only thing I didnt like was the fact that there were no IM apps and the low res camera. I think at least a 1.3mp camera would be nice and at least 5 min of video. I think they could have borrowed the screen from the nextel i870 or 880 and used and given it the 262,000 colors that they have.
but again, it is only 129 and has a keyboard, and it is NOT a smart phone. For a basic phone I think it does outstandingly well. it does everything that I need it to do. If you are looking for smartphone features, buy one. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cheap service and a great phone.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Motorola
- Part number: i465BOOSTMBL
- Description: Text as easily as you talk with Motorola Clutch i465, Motorola's first device that combines the power of push-to-talk and the convenience of QWERTY. With a familiar design and military-tough durability, Motorola Clutch satisfies the messaging needs of even the most serious texters and talkers.
General
- Product Type Cellular phone With digital camera / digital player
- Service Provider Boost Mobile
- Width 2.1 in
- Depth 0.6 in
- Height 4.4 in
- Weight 3.4 oz
Cellular
- Technology iDEN
- Band iDEN 800/900 (Dual Band)
- Phone Design Candy bar
- Antenna Internal
- Vibrating Alert Yes
- Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Call Timer Yes
- Conference Call Capability Yes
- Caller ID Yes
- Speakerphone Yes
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth
- Additional Features Push-to-talk mode
Communicator Features
- User Memory 20 MB
Messaging & Data Services
- Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
- Mobile Email Yes
- Supported Email Protocols POP3
- Internet Browser Yes
- JAVA applications Yes
- Messaging / Data Features Text messages, Multimedia messages (MMS), E-Mail
Multimedia Features
- Playback Digital Video Formats H.263 video and AMR audio
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 0.3 megapixels
- Digital Zoom 4
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology TFT
- Display Resolution 128 x 160 pixels
- Color Support Color
- Color Depth 16-bit (65000 colors)
Memory
- Internal Shared Memory Yes
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Micro-USB, 1 x Headset jack - Sub-mini-phone 2.5 mm
Power
- Type Power adapter
Battery
- Technology - Lithium ion
- Capacity 1130 mAh
- Talk Time Up to 205 min
- Standby Time Up to 100 h
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Motorola
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Motorola products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.motorola.com/
- Address:
600 N. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048 - Phone: 847/576-5000
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