Motorola Rival User Reviews

Tyler Cajaz posted on 11 Apr 2010, 22:57

Terrible 1

This Phone is a Joke

This phone i thought would be a great phone.  It had a decent size screen, bluetooth, touchscreen, full size keyboard.  And to be honest for the two months it was great and I was very happy with it.  But then I started to hate the phone.  My biggest problem is the touch screen on this phone.  If it wern't so bad, I would be happy with the phone and writing a completely different review.  But its not.  The touch screen is just ridiculous.  Slowly the phone started to press buttons by itself.  It started off slowly being only one in a long while.  So i ignored it.  But then it started picking up speed.  Everytime i would slide open the phone the touch screen would think I pressed it and it would go to messages or contacts or something.  Then if i pressed a button sometimes it would either go into a sub menu or something else or erase the messages completely.  Then at its worst stage it started thinking i touched the send button.  So i would be sending only partially finished messages, a lot of times they're blanks. luckily i have the unlimited plan.  I have to say that about 30% of all my text messages are unintentionally sent.  It's just ridiculous.  And I've learned that it isn't my fault either.  I brought the phone in to verizon and told them to try to send a message.  Sure enough it acted up so they could see.  They apologized and sent me a new refurb in the mail.  The...  

This phone i thought would be a great phone.  It had a decent size screen, bluetooth, touchscreen, full size keyboard.  And to be honest for the two months it was great and I was very happy with it.  But then I started to hate the phone.  My biggest problem is the touch screen on this phone.  If it wern't so bad, I would be happy with the phone and writing a completely different review.  But its not.  The touch screen is just ridiculous.  Slowly the phone started to press buttons by itself.  It started off slowly being only one in a long while.  So i ignored it.  But then it started picking up speed.  Everytime i would slide open the phone the touch screen would think I pressed it and it would go to messages or contacts or something.  Then if i pressed a button sometimes it would either go into a sub menu or something else or erase the messages completely.  Then at its worst stage it started thinking i touched the send button.  So i would be sending only partially finished messages, a lot of times they're blanks. luckily i have the unlimited plan.  I have to say that about 30% of all my text messages are unintentionally sent.  It's just ridiculous.  And I've learned that it isn't my fault either.  I brought the phone in to verizon and told them to try to send a message.  Sure enough it acted up so they could see.  They apologized and sent me a new refurb in the mail.  The second I turned it on it started acting up and had the same problems although with a new one.  Sometimes the screen wont do anything at all.  It's just ridiculous.  I brought the phone back to Verizon and showed them and all they said they could do is send another refurb.  If all these phones act the same that doesn't really solve my problem.  There should clearly be a recall on this phone.   Another small problem is the bluetooth on it.  It's basically a joke.  It's a lesser system than in other phones.  It doesn't work with anything I have.  My macbook, my car, even my motorola headset.  I went and checked on the website, and motorola even says that it only makes two products that work for it.  So basically its not even a real bluetooth system. Awesome...  But to be honest, the bluetooth is something i could do without.  And if it wern't for the touch screen it would be a decent phone.

Pros

• -Good looking design (looking being the operative word..)
• -Good sized keyboard
• -loud ringer

Cons

• -TOUCH SCREEN SENSITIVITY!!!
• -mediocre bluetooth
• -Not very good call quality
• -Not compatible with a lot of memory cards

hi posted on 01 Apr 2010, 13:22

Terrible 2.3

i hate this phone.

i have had this phone ever since it came out. it looked so cool and pretty. so igot it, and it turned into a nightmare. it froze up all the time and just...yeah. ive had it replaced 5 times. plz. dont get this phone just because it looks good. thts y i got it. ya it has a flip out key board but thts...bout it. u should be able 2 text on the front screen 2.

Pros

• black n purple

Cons

• it freezes up
• it sends messages by its self
• presses buttons by its self
• it resets itself.
• sometimes the buttons dont work.
• it only records for a min.
• pictures arent that good.
• turns itself off.

yoshi100000 posted on 31 Mar 2010, 15:06

Terrible 1

I have had this phone for 8 months and ever sense the 2 month it's been freezing up and now it has a copletly white screen. so there sending me a new one but from what i hear i most likely should just spend the 500 dollars to buy a new phone other than the rival. if you asked me today if you should get this phone i would tel NOOOOO not in 100 years. this phone sucks and i wish i never bought it. SO DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!!!!!

Pros

• keyboard

Cons

• sucks

Imani posted on 18 Mar 2010, 15:05

Good 7

Okay phone

When I got the phones I was so excited because it was the first phone I got with a full qwerty keyboard. I will never forget the  day September 17, 2009 I got out the shower went downstairs and my dad pulled out the rival and said "Here, answer your phone" I was in total shock.Then this is when the trouble started I had a sleepover  through the whole weekend for my birthday. Then my friends used my phones to texts their crushes and then when they left, the light in my phone wasn't working so me and my dad went to Verizon and they said they'll send me a refurbished phone 2 days later but it was really 3. Then 2 days after I got  the refurbished phone I was texting my bff and the screen fell completely off, so me and my dad went back to Verizon and they said they can send me a new one for $50, they said it cost $50 because it was physical damaged and they tried to say I did it so I was about to cuss the lady out, but we left so I'm not really mad at the phone I'm more mad at Verizon for being such a BAD buisness.

Pros

• keyboard and the design and the colors

Cons

• verizon for being such a bad phone buisness

Anonymous posted on 12 Mar 2010, 15:10

Terrible 1.7

knew it was too good to be true!!!!

So I was looking into buying the rivial phone online and as soon as i got to verizon.com they were advertising that the phone was free for that day only. NO mail in rebate just straight up free. I was super excited!!!! Now when i just picked up my phone and heard a ratteling sound on the inside im not so excited... Ive had this phone for about a month, because the first rivial I had went to a solid while screen after owning it for only a month... dont ever buy this phone unless waiting for phones in the mail and going to the verizon store is one of your favorite things to do!!!!!

Anonymous posted on 24 Feb 2010, 16:36

Average 5.3

totally crap

I've had this phone for about 5 months and it is THE MOST ANNOYING PHONE I HAVE EVER USED!!!:(all the time its been freezing, dropping calls, pushing buttens by itself, and more recently: The screen hasn't been working for lenghs up to 2 days! I seriouslywould NOT recomend buying this phone

Pros

• great design
• qwerty keyboard

Cons

• to many to count

katie kpple posted on 16 Feb 2010, 11:40

Terrible 2.3

the rival the best phone.NOT!!!!!

I got this phone in late agust loved it for 2 weeks then it started having problems like shutting off screen going black and white goes to messaging and contacs very easilly freezes all of the time getss on internet when i dont want to calls people when i dont want and the moterolla sign on the back had blue on it now its silver.well what im trying to say is this phone stinks  I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF sokmeone asked if they should get it i would tell them u will hate and u will want to through it at the wall. so if u want this phone good luck its theif worst phone ever!!!

Anonymous posted on 09 Feb 2010, 06:08

Excellent 10

I love my Rival.  Haven't had any problems yet.  I've had it for one year.  I use screen protectors on the face, bought a cover for it last month.  Dropped it once, nicked the side, no damage.  Never have any problem w/service.  I live in the country.  To get AT&T I have to drive 2 miles up the road (used to have AT&T), with Verizon & the Rival, I actually answer my cellphone in the house.  Qwerty keyboard is great, as it deters texting & driving.  All in all, a good, phone, no problems for me.  I'm a 34y.o. mother of 3, so we aren't gentle calm ppl.  Always going.  MP3 w/headphones...oh my gosh, can't hear a thing but my music, good quality!  Speaker music is ok if not on loudest, otherwise sounds a little weird. 

Pros

• Looks good, works great, smaller size, easy to carry.

Cons

Alisa Hill posted on 08 Feb 2010, 18:23

Terrible 1.3

Couldn't agree more this phone is crap

We bought 4 for our family.  Two fell apart, one is a black screen and the fourth is really loose and about to fall apart.  Verizon claims the phones that came apart and the one that is really loose isn't covered by warranty and they won't replace them.  The hinge is held together with 4 screws.  Both the two broken ones look like they only had 2 screw instead of the four.  You can see where the screws sheared off and we were told we opened the phone to hard??? The service on these phones is awful.  We drop calls, don't get text messages and then the phones will send text on their own.  It also shuts down for no reason.  Look for another phone and another provider.  Stear clear of this one.

Pros

• looks pretty

Cons

• durability, design, quality of sound, warranty

Karin posted on 03 Feb 2010, 14:11

Poor 2.7

It doesn't rival anything, it can't even compete!

This phone is absolutely terrible. I DO NOT recommend it. I have gone through 3 of them in 5 months and Verizon finally offered to switch me to a Samsung Intensity (Which is half the retail value of the Rival).  I'm glad to get a different phone and from what the reviews say about the Intensity, it is a much better phone even though it is half the price. I can't even begin to explain all of the problems I have had with the Rival. It never ended. So glad to be getting out of it!!!DO NOT BUY A MOTOROLA RIVAL!!!!! The only thing it rivals is the trash in my trash can.

Pros

• Right...I don't think so.

Cons

• Absolutely everything.
• Too many to list

Anonymous posted on 26 Jan 2010, 00:59

Poor 3.7

My little story with my rival.

So I got the Rival in August, four months later the screen went completely black and nothing would turn it back on. Went into Verizon to get a replacement. I get the second one and have to get all my numbers again, some I lost for good. Second phone came and two weeks later snapped in half. Screws came loose and then fell in two right after going to Verizon and ordering a new one. Third phone came and while trying to reply to text messages the phone would restart itself, I brought this problem into Verizon and was told it was abuse; never dropped that phone because I had only had it a week. They order a replacement and now, not even three days later was this fourth phone doing the exact same thing as the third. Verizon will just order another replacement that will break as soon as i put all my numbers into the new phone again. Unbelievable, terrible phone and Verizon has terrible costumer service telling people what they have done to their phones when they aren't there. Haven't dropped this fourth one and I'm especially carefully. Terrible phone Verizon should just not sell it. 

Pros

• Looks cool

Cons

• Everything.
• Restarting.
• Snapping in half.

Ridan posted on 23 Jan 2010, 10:00

Terrible 2.3

Don't buy it.

It will randomly turn off. The screen either turns completely white, white with sideways black strips, or upside-down and backwards about every 30 seconds (it will also randomly have blue and yellow colors on the screen). The keys will stick. The touch screen only works some of the time. Calls on speaker go in and out. You have to mash down (really hard) the buttons on the front. It freezes all the time too. Also, my phone will randomly send messages when I'm still typing them, even though I haven't touched the touch screen at all, because my fingers aren't even near it.I have a Motorola Rival.Oh, and this is my second one. The first one completely fried itself. It froze, and I couldn't use any of the buttons. I then turned it off only to find out it wouldn't turn back on (I had to take the battery out to turn it off in the first place). We took it to Verizon, they just gave me a new phone and said they couldn't turn it back on or get any of my stuff out of it.

Pros

• It's purple.

Cons

• Turns off.
• The touch screen.
• Sticky keys.
• Buttons on front.
• Randomly sending messages.
• It freezes.
• The screen.
• Never works.

Keli posted on 20 Jan 2010, 14:04

Terrible 2.3

Motorola Rival

Our first Rival broke within 6 months of purchase. Our wireless Company replaced it with a refurbished Rival.  A month later same thing, hinge gave out. Now our only option is to pay retail for a new phone or pay 19.98 plus tax and another two years on the fifth line. We own 3 LGs no problems.  To repeat a previous review what a piece of ***!!!!!!!!

Pros

• My daughter likes the colors the Rival comes in

Cons

• Not a great camera
• Week design
• flimsy
• so so battery life

shelley posted on 19 Jan 2010, 15:37

Average 6

what a piece of crap

had this phone for little over 5 monthes and absolutly loved it untill it started freezing I would occasionally take the battery out and blow on it.Not even two days later it froze again and I started having even more problems it was randomly turning off and restarting itself.finally the screen went completly white and the graphics started messing up.a few weeks ago the time and date would flip itself and appear backwards.my boyfreind and I tried taken the battery out once more and blowing on it and it fixed for mabey two or three days and the screen went blank again we took it to the store after tryen every thing the guy said the phone had been abused and it hadent the sent me a new one in the mail and it came in last tuesday and while tryen to reply to a txt earlier the phone restarted itself  I do not recomend buying this phone its great at first but soon becomes a nussience.

Pros

• great for little txting
• if you get a txt while on the phone it automatically goes to speaker phone
• good calling quality
• its cute and small

Cons

• random turning off
• ends conversation if you touch the screen
• screen going blank
• freezing
• terrible graphics

Jake posted on 14 Jan 2010, 07:27

Terrible 1.7

Motorola Rival - poor choice

Got this phone in August 2009 for my daughter.  What a terrible choice.  The first month it had random power problems - screen going black, shutting off and freezing for no reason.  Verizon switched out the battery, worked better for about 2 weeks.  Then the slide mechanism started to work loose - and the freezing and shutting off problem returned.  Took it back and they replaced the phone.   The new one worked for about a week before the slide mechanism on the new one started to work  loose again and finaally came completely apart at one end.  Back to Verizon, got ANOTHER new one, and this time the slide worked for about two weeks before the phone broke apart in two pieces.  All this in four months.  Other daughter has an Env2 and loves it.  I would not recommend this phone to anyone.

Steve A. posted on 13 Jan 2010, 16:34

Average 6

It should have been called the Moto MNACE

This little phone has a temper and mind of its own. The touchscreen randomly konks out at times, and when receiving an email (usually when sending a text), the phone will randomly shut itself off.  The call quality is good and the qwerty keyboard is small, and takes a bit of getting used to, and it sucks for playing games that are required to be played in landscape mode.  Be careful sending texts laying down with this phone; as it gets top heavy and has the tendency to tip forward.  The limited ability of the touchscreen can get a little annoying.  I don't understand why it is absolutely necessary to send a text in landscape mode.  There is plenty of room at the top of the screen to display a text entry field when the touchscreen dialpad is displayed.  What's the deal?  It will also completely randomly "forget" your settings.  I often find myself having to reset my IM, Email, and Messaging settings.

The music player is pretty basic fare, and it gets the job done, and I like that the Rival can handle an 8GB SDHC card.  Just be careful naming your songs: If the song title (INCLUDING the Directory info you get when you right-click, go to Properties, then Advanced) is over 255 characters, it will not even recognize it, if the MAIN title of a song is over 32 characters, it will recognize it, but show up as a "blank" on the phone's music player.

Video capture is average for a phone, it would have been cool if there was the ability to extend...  

This little phone has a temper and mind of its own. The touchscreen randomly konks out at times, and when receiving an email (usually when sending a text), the phone will randomly shut itself off.  The call quality is good and the qwerty keyboard is small, and takes a bit of getting used to, and it sucks for playing games that are required to be played in landscape mode.  Be careful sending texts laying down with this phone; as it gets top heavy and has the tendency to tip forward.  The limited ability of the touchscreen can get a little annoying.  I don't understand why it is absolutely necessary to send a text in landscape mode.  There is plenty of room at the top of the screen to display a text entry field when the touchscreen dialpad is displayed.  What's the deal?  It will also completely randomly "forget" your settings.  I often find myself having to reset my IM, Email, and Messaging settings.

The music player is pretty basic fare, and it gets the job done, and I like that the Rival can handle an 8GB SDHC card.  Just be careful naming your songs: If the song title (INCLUDING the Directory info you get when you right-click, go to Properties, then Advanced) is over 255 characters, it will not even recognize it, if the MAIN title of a song is over 32 characters, it will recognize it, but show up as a "blank" on the phone's music player.

Video capture is average for a phone, it would have been cool if there was the ability to extend the time of video capture to the capacity of the SD card or internal memory.  Playback is decent, and I have watched full length cartoons and movies on it with not too much sacrifice to detail unless I decided to switch to landscape mode, where the pixellation (sp?) becomes very noticable, even when you convert the videos to the highest quality the phone can handle.  

The camera is nothing to write home about, but will do fine so long as you stand really close to your subject (it takes photos as if you were standing at twice the distance from your subject, maybe even more when you're trying to capture a whole scene) and you don't shoot in even the faintest hint of low light.  This phone takes TERRIBLE low light and night time shots, and yes, I KNOW it is only 2MP (1.92, actually) and I KNOW it doesn't have a flash, but I've had older phones with VGA cameras that take better low light shots then this one.

Oh, and on the bottom left corner of the phone (as if holding it like you're talking on it) there is a loop for a lanyard, USE IT!  This phone is pretty bulky for it's size and it's weight is very oddly distributed, it can be easily dropped even when carefully pulled out of a case.

Pros

• - Sturdy design, you will be dropping it quite a bit.
• - Much of the functionality of a Smartphone at a budget price.
• - Great call quality.

Cons

• - Small keyboard, not gaming friendly.
• - Limited touchscreen functionality (why can't I use the touchscreen for texting?).
• - Randomly shuts itself off.
• - Touchscreen randomly stops working; sometimes requiring you to cycle the power on the phone.
• - Randomly forgets IM, Email, and Messaging settings.
• - Music player needs a bit more spit 'n polish.
• - The camera is great...if you're taking a picture of a light bulb from three feet away. Digital noise is a little too intense.

Hot in Georgia posted on 07 Jan 2010, 17:56

Poor 3.3

Poor Phone

 I have been using the rival for 4 months.  It does it's own thing sometimes. Last month it accessed the internet all by itself and Verizon charged me. A couple days ago the screen just went white. Verizon says the phone was abused. It was not. Verizon said they would replace the phone if I paid them $50.00. This phone is 4 months old. I would NOT recommend this phone.

Pros

• Only a partial touch screen.
• Easy to use.

Cons

• Buttons change function all by themselves.
• Accesses the internet when not being used.

dwayne posted on 30 Dec 2009, 19:34

Average 4.7

dont buy!!!

do not but this phone it is the absolute worst i have ever purchased. i am on my 3rd rival and going strong because im headed back to the store tmoro to get another factory replacable...... i got a replaced rival yesterday and it was perfectly fine then 10minutes ago the slider just about comes off and the last rival i had before i ggot it replaced did the same im fed up with this phone i hope this review helped u do not buy this phone, thanks.

Pros

• qwerty keyboard

Cons

• touch screen breaking slider just about everything...

sssssssssssssss posted on 29 Dec 2009, 22:12

Average 5.3

annoying as crap

the first day i got this phone i couldnt hear anything when someone called me. went to verizon and they took out the battery and then it worked fine. 4 months later i just got my second one because the first the screen started flipping out. it would go all white and it would show half of it or it would be backwards and upside down. there was a lot going on with it that shouldnt be. the whole time i had it, it would randomly restart itself and freeze when i had the slider open and it would push buttons on its own. it annoyed the hell out of me and really started pissing me off. we'll see how long the 2nd one lasts, but im not expecting much.

Pros

• good design, qwerty keyboard

Cons

• more than whats good about it

Kriss posted on 29 Dec 2009, 19:44

Terrible 1

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES CONT....

so i posted earlier.basically i got sent my 4th rival, 2 days later it just decides that everytime i go to reply to a message it shuts off.i couldnt call for help because it was christmas.so when I called the next day they had to factory reset my phone, 2 days after that the same problem started again.now i cant even read my messages cause it will just shut off.i therefore had to call back verizon and spend another hour on the phone like the first time.they gave me 3 options, which werent easy to get.1. get the same phone but a brand new one.2. get the enV2, (i switched from that one to this and its old technology)or3. get the samsung intensity as a certified replacement (so not even new)personally i think this whole experience is ridiculous and i can't stand it.i hate verizon with a burning passion.i'm sick of wasting time on calling to get replacement phones.

Pros

• NOTHINGGG!

Cons

• EVERYTHING!

Hannah posted on 26 Dec 2009, 21:01

Poor 3.7

Not Worth the Money

 I bought my phone in september, and last night i was sliding it open and the phone completely snapped into 2 pieces. Of course since the keypad and screen are detached, you can assume its useless. I had to call and get a replacement, which i wont get for another 4 days they tell me. The phone is also INCREDIBLY SLOW, and will freeze constantly. Also, i have trouble with successfully sending texts and the battery life is aweful. I do NOT suggest this phone, i regret purchasing it because now im stuck with it for 2 years. 

Pros

• compact
• look

Cons

• durability
• battery life
• reliability to send/recieve texts and calls

vg posted on 24 Dec 2009, 13:41

Terrible 2

this phone is terrible

I have had the phone for six months and have replacd it twice already. Now the screen is white, which  must be a common thing with rivals because I saw that in an earlier post. I dont understand how those bastards at verizon sell you such a piece of shit, stay away from this phone at all costs I just purchased the LG shine, i hope to have better luck.

Pros

• battery

Cons

• durability is terrible
• glitchy
• unreliable

snoboard_maniac posted on 23 Dec 2009, 20:39

Average 4.7

I got a good deal on it for a reason.

 About a week after I got this phone it had problems sending texts. Would come up saying Sending Failed, here's the funny part, the person would sometimes get that message. Then other times it would say Sent Successfully and the person WOULDN'T get the message, figure that one out! So then it started taking about 5-10 minutes just to start up, after it started it continued doing the Texting thing then it started freezing up and shutting off randomly. So I finally took it back to the dealer (Koodo) And they sent it to the factory where they updated the software. When I got it back another girl was trying to send in the same phone for the same problems and when he gave me my phone I saw that there were countless other Motorola Rivals in the bucket as well that had been repaired or going to be repaired. I know people with the same phone and they've had it replaced 3 or 4 times. DO NOT BUY A MOTOROLA RIVAL!!!!!! My question is, would it hurt for the sales representative to give their customer a heads up when they're buying a phone? I mean after all I am going to be stuck with this piece of cheap plastic for the next 3 years. I can't depend on it to work for me and with my lifestyle full of recreation and farming, I'd like to have a phone I can depend on. Motorola has officially lost my respect. Next time you make a phone to compete with the big boys, make one that works more than 60% of the time.

Pros

• Has some good default wallpapers. You'll always have a better loaner phone to use while your Rival is at the manufacturers being fixed.

Cons

• Have to restore it every month. Doesn't work. Can't depend on it. The phone itself is a con.

Kriss posted on 17 Dec 2009, 17:29

Average 5.7

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES!

I don't suggest this phone to anyone.When I first purchased it from the store it had problems with the keys so I had to immediately return it.About 4 months after that I heard something rattling in the back, I took the back off so i could look where the battery was and it completely snapped in half.I had a hard time replacing it even though I hadnt really done anything.Verizon gave me a hard time but finally gave in and sent me another one.This one broke in half less than a month after I sent back the other broken one.I loved it at first but now its a nightmare.I kind of just want my enV2 back.

Pros

• nice looking

Cons

• breaks easily

Anonymous posted on 03 Dec 2009, 19:03

Average 5

I just got this phone on August 22, 2009. I didnt have problems with it until just a couple days ago. The screen would go kind of dark but i still could see it a little bit. Today after school, the screen went completely back. I can text or anything because i cant see the screen. The only way i can make phone calls is if i can go to my contacts list and type in their name and pray that its the right person. This phone sucks. I thought i was the only one having problems with it, but i guess not. I wouldnt recomend this phone.

Pros

• It is a cute phone and it's part touch screen. Also, the full keyboard.

Cons

• It doesnt work. The screen just goes black after a while.