Entry-level, but solid. October 6, 2011

Reviewer:  Simon Bar Simon 

Had a hard time deciding between 4 stars and 5 stars, so I gave it 5 because it is what it is. Clearly, it's not an Evo or an Atrix, but it doesn't pretend to be.

The Good:
Hardware shoulder buttons: One is a quick access list, the other is screen lock and power. I use them constantly.
Keyboard: I can't manage to use on screen keyboards accurately. The hardware keyboard provides tactile feedback. The keys are large and nicely spaced, easy to see and feel. The sliding action is smooth and solid. All of the symbols accessed by the Alt key are also clearly printed on the keys, and I almost never need to go into the deeper symbol menu. The keyboard has the four direction keys as primary keys, essential to text editing for me.
Screen: Bright enough to be usable in direct sunlight. I turn this down to conserve battery.
Interface: Lightly skinned Android. The lock screen adds instant access to missed calls and messages by dragging an icon to the center. Permanent onscreen buttons for calls, texts, web, and installed applications cover most of my use.
Calls: Call clarity seems decent, as does signal reception for WiFi.
Battery: Easily lasts a day with moderate use, and it can last almost two if I shut off 3G and WiFi radios. Playing games for more than a couple hours will prevent the battery from lasting the day.
Applications: Support for Amazon App Store out of the box. Netflix now supports this version of Android.
Charging: Standard MicroUSB socket. Yay for standards!

The Bad:
Data Storage/ Data Transfer: The SD card can only be removed by removing the battery cover and battery. The USB connection to the computer is extremely slow when using the connection software provided by Pantech; it may be USB 1.1. Wireless network between the phone and PC is difficult to troubleshoot when it does not work properly. I have not been successful yet, and now rely on a microSD card reader to transfer hundreds of megabytes of podcasts a day to the phone.
Speaker: Speakerphone is too quiet for environments with much noise. Ring sounds are easily muffled, but it is plenty loud if left on a non-absorptive surface like a desk or dresser.
Screen: Auto-orientation is wonky, sometimes requiring a vigorous shake or manipulation of the keyboard to change from portrait to landscape. I turned it off. The size of the screen is on the small side, and that can interfere with use of on-screen buttons in games and productivity applications. The physical keyboard makes up for this to me.
Processor: Slow, and the reason why this is a free, entry level smart phone. It sometimes interferes with snappy operation of the touch screen and results in slow switching between applications. When the phone is freshly booted and running only one application, it will handle surprisingly demanding apps, such as large games. (e.g. Zenonia 3 is usually good but occasionally laggy.) This did not detract from my star score because I did not have higher expectations.

Overall, it's an unpretentious phone great for everyone who's *not* an early adopter and power user. It suits my needs perfectly as a productivity tool. I listen to podcasts, track job hours, exchange business e-mail in the Gmail app, and even game a little. If your use is similarly undemanding, you should be satisfied with it.

Very Nice August 23, 2011

Reviewer:  iDoReevyoo 

the pantech crossover is a very nice phone, pretty thin despite having its full qwerty keyboard. it had a 600 mHz processor so its not as fast like the captivate, or other high - end devices. but if you want a good, compact messaging device, this phone is for you. it runs android 2.2 froyo, so its pretty packed with some cool features, like swype texting. the touch screen can get laggy at times, but overall its a good response.

for pantech's first android powered smartphone, this device is very well designed, but of course could be better.

Avoid this phone! December 30, 2011

Reviewer:  D. Fruth  (Derby, KS) -

At first the Pantech Crossover looked promising. It was one of the few phones that offered a physical qwerty keyboard, but after several months of use I have learned to really dislike this phone. The phone has several Pantech software customizations the most annoying of which is the unlock screen, The default Android unlock screen is a simple and functional, Pantech however decided to implement a "sticker" that you swipe to peel and unlock the phone. Most of the time is takes several tries to get the phone to unlock. That is unless it is in your pocket in which case it unlocks with no problem. The phone is also SLOW! freezing up for a few seconds is quite common. The buttons are large and easy to press which is good and bad, they are almost too large easy to press (See the part about unlocking in your pocket). The sound is so so and sounds "tinny" Turning the volume all the way up results in distortion. One other major annoyance it the application drawer, In the default icon mode there is no way to arrange the applications in alphabetical order. You are forced to use list mode if you want the apps sorted alphabetically. Battery life under normal usage barely lasts a day, under heavy usage forget about it. Charging every night is normal for smart-phones but this is ridiculous. You would think that a phone with such a tiny screen would have much better battery life.

PROS
- Qwerty Keyboard
- Android OS
- Decent Camera

CONS
- Annoying Pantech customized software
- SLOW
- Short Battery Life
- Tiny Screen
- Frequent Freezes
- Speaker Quality

Above average Smartphone July 15, 2011

Reviewer:  Joan Of Arc "Guardian"  (Heaven) -

Just recently purchased this phone. I rate this phone a 3+1/2 stars. QWERTY keyboard is good for size. Sound is weak and could have been improved. Not sure if it was just a bad lot. Rotational transitioning from upright to horizontal view is qwerky and at times needs coaxing by opening and closing qwerty keyboard. Will try for 20 days and may exchange the unit since it seems a bit dysfunctional. Otherwise, phone calls out well,texting is great, contact list is good, calculator is simple and has large numbers and just a good basic w/ simple features phone! I don't have data plan and it serves more than I really need.

HotSpot Issues September 2, 2011

Reviewer:  Streak 

Everything about this phone was perfect for me. The size was great for one handed operation. It was fast. It had a rugged case and a real keyboard.

The mobile hotspot freezes the phone. About 1/3 of the time. Amazon replaced it immediately. Hooray for Amazon. However the new phone froze the very first time I tried to use the hotspot.

Two in a row. Not good.

i hate this phone April 14, 2012

Reviewer:  not jim 

this phone is horrible. it is EXTREMLY slow and it alwas doesnt "respond" when i am sending a text message. and it is only good for nothing. i suggest you dont get this phone. -Michaela