Why You Can Trust CNET Motorola C168 review: Motorola C168
An incredibly low price and thin shape make the basic C168 appealing for travellers or those in search of a back-up handset. However, text entry problems and limited personalisation options will frustrate more demanding users.
Design
The C168 is a lightweight (77 grams) and good-looking phone, at least when it is switched off. The thin profile and black-and-silver face provide a sophisticated look, and the numeral buttons are pleasingly tactile. However, although the phone is a mere 14mm in depth, it is relatively wide at 46mm, making it a bit uncomfortable to hold in one hand.
Motorola C168
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
One design downer is the set of FM headphones. The startling silver colour is hard on the eyes, and it's obvious that the headset has been made on the cheap. The large ear buds are also none too comfortable for small-eared users, and the stereo plug juts out from its port at an odd angle, making it likely to be accidentally yanked out when the phone is in a bag or pocket.
Despite having snazzy names, the included wallpaper images are an odd selection. For example, "Fresh" features an upside-down man with his head seemingly embedded in a verdant field. "Lovely" and "Joy" are similarly unsettling. The overall colour scheme, of both the wallpaper and the phone's graphics in general, is a little dated. It's as if this model has received the hand-me-downs of its pricier siblings.
Font size in the menus, text message composition and number entry is quite large. While this may be an advantage for older users, it doesn't make for a slick-looking interface, and the text size cannot be changed. The overall potential for customisation is pretty limited, and expanding the scant image library would require downloading, since there is no way of connecting the phone to a PC.
Features
The C168 has a basic feature set, which at this price is certainly fair enough. An FM radio, calendar, alarm, calculator and stopwatch are about the extent of the practical additions.
The phone is also WAP and GPRS-enabled, but the small screen and none-too-ergonomic circular key are not likely to entice would-be mobile Web adventurers.
Entertainment-wise, there are three old-school arcade-style games: Five Ball, Flying and Popo Car.
Performance
As with some other low-end phones we have reviewed, such as the Sony Ericsson Z300i, typing text messages involves a considerable gap between pressing the buttons and seeing words appear on screen. The delay was longer than in the Z300i, and occasionally letters were omitted during fast-paced texting, resulting in an annoying need to scroll back through the message and edit words. If you are a rare texter, the problem is tolerable, but thumb warriors will find the waiting and errors too much to endure.
One area the C168 did excel in was battery life. Using the phone for a few short phone calls and about five text messages per day, we were able to get around five days from the battery. Infrequent users who are looking to purchase a phone primarily for emergency contact will find the long battery life and rock-bottom price a very attractive combination.
Radio reception suffered from background hiss -- it is a good idea to extend the headphone cable fully for the best possible clarity, if you can handle walking around with bright silver wires spilling down your front.
The C168 will suffice for travellers wanting a pre-paid phone to tote around the country (though not overseas, as it is network locked to Telstra) or those in search of a back-up handset. Anyone who enjoys tricking up their phone with customised multimedia or going beyond basic call functions should look elsewhere.