Product ReviewsPantech Hotshot - 256 MB - Red (Verizon) (Single SIM)

Thin form to easily fit in a pocket

Since it is older technology, its functions are slower than the newer ones. It also seems to fill up the message memory rather quickly, which then has to be erased manually unless you have saved what you want to save (e.g., pictures) as you get them so as to be able to do a batch erase. Battery life is such that it needs recharging about every other day. I have had my first one for about 3 years and have liked its small size so it's not a bulge in my pocket; I got a second one just recently to replace the first since it was starting to be unreliable. The camera does not take high quality pictures but it all depends on what you want them for. I just don't want to pay the monthly data fee for a smart phone so I have opted to stick with a small, light-weight, touch-screen phone, at least for now!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: sigmacellular

Best Non-Smartphone On The Market!

Best non-smartphone on the market. Contrary to what some people say; the phone is easy to use, navigate, text from (I'm a fast text'er and it works just fine) and hear phone calls just fine. The screen is bright/vivid. Always has very good reception/signal. The speaker is VERY loud for it's size. Calls are loud AND clear! Also, music quality is good and is loud as well. Buttons all function as supposed to and don't stick/hang up. Photo quality is decent, nothing horrible, nothing great. The touchscreen is very responsive for what it is. It's no iPhone, but it's up to par! Battery life is good as well.

Just a few small things I would change (personally). You can only send "GROUP" picture messages, when sending to more than 1 person. So, that sucks when someone replies and everyone can see their response. Another thing, it only comes in red… doesn't bother me, but if they made it more colors, i think it would be more marketable. But, its nothing a phone case can't change, lol. Also, I wish you could view picture messages during calls.

All in all: 4 stars out of 5.Read full review...

good phone, but buy a new one, not a used one..!!

..be aware that this phone can have a software issue that verizon and pantech technical support cannot resolve..! 2 out of the 3 i've had, have had this issue..! the problem is when buying a previously owned Hotshot it is impossible to clear the previous owners phone number from Backup Assistant, so you won't be able to use Backup Assistant..! Backup Assistant is a permanent program with this phone, unlike many other phones where you can uninstall and reinstall it.. i would recommend buying a new one to avoid this issue..!
otherwise i do like this phone a lot, it's not as responsive as a smart phone, but it has fun graphics, a functional layout, good reception, good camera, and good sound for being so thin.. the screen does scratch easy so get a protector..! and it's made of a light weight plastic so it won't hold up to abuse... i would give it 3 1/2 stars overall..! good luck..Read full review...

good phone

this is a good beginner phone and especially if you want a beginner to a smart phone..will get you use to using touch. it doesnt do apps. it can get on internet if you have a plan. dont have WIFI on it. I dont have a bit of problem with it... it sends text and gets texts just fine. Im not a big talker on the phone.. so my battery last me a while.. if you dont like a flip phone and hate texting using the old fashion way and want a keyboard.... and want just a basic phone.. then I recommend it..it is very light weight.. you dont even know it is in your pocket. you can add memory to it. it is has a speaker on it if you dont want to hold the phone to your ear all the time... just a great little phoneRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: 04bella1990

Not The Best Phone... I Don't Recommend It!!!!!

I bought this phone for a nice user-friendly phone, but the phone is horrible. The touch screen is very sensitive. If I try to touch Message then it slides over to the next screen. My sister also got this phone and it was great for about five months and then it started to get really sensitive. When I turn my phone on sometimes it just randomly turns all the way off and then turns itself back on again. If I try to text someone and I try to say 'Hey' it will end up saying 'hst' or something. When you call someone and you want to hang up you have to touch the end button on the screen. When you are listening to your voice-mails, you have to click on keyboard which will show you the numbers that you type your password in to then when you go to hang up you can't press the button in the bottom-center of the phone you have to click keyboard again so it will go away. This phone has some good qualities and it looks cool but there are so many querks in it. This phone is very hard to buy accessories for. you usually have to buy them online.Read full review...

Good "Basic" Phone for calls and text!

I was wanting a phone with a touch screen and to play my music. THis phone was suggested to me by the Verizon rep. The phone is cool. THe touch screen is really touchy, sometimes to a fault. I am not a techy at all! THe main thing I use the phone for is my music, phone calls and to take pictures of my kids - I would give the camera a -1 star if I could for the camera. I cannot get a picture to save my life. It has a very slow response time. THe MP3 player is missing the mark a little on quality but for a basic phone with the look and feel of an Iphone I would give it a 4 star.Read full review...

There are plenty of other, equal options that work better.

I've started to think the reason companies offer phones like this, is to encourage people to go to smartphones, as feature/basic phones haven't really improved by much in the past few years, but smartphones have diversified exponentially.

The Hotshot is one of the many attempts of manufacturers to find a hybrid phone that fills the demand of a better "basic" phone while giving benefits of newer technology reserved for smartphones, to give an "almost smartphone" experience.

Finding this balance is hard, and every attempt has fallen short of what demand has wanted. Sometimes due to poor marketing, others, due to the phone itself. The Hotshot is no exception.

The concept is not bad, but the phone fails on one key area that dooms any other minor fault to kill the product as a leader as a feature phone.

The processor. Because the processor is too slow, the phone does EVERYTHING slowly. No one wants to take a 5 second picture. No one wants to take 5 seconds to correct spelling on a text, even the mistake-prone. No one wants a phone that sometimes takes forever to respond on its touchscreen, lags, hangs up, or doesn't respond at all.

If they had allowed a faster, or simply more powerful processor on this phone, many of the complaints that ruins the experience for many people would be minor quips you would expect on any phone.

It has good features.
It has a nice touchscreen.
It isn't oversized.
It has the "smartphone" look.
It doesn't cost 30 more dollars a month.
It has a decent interface.

But, because the manufacturer wanted to skim a few bucks off of making the product, and placed a slow processor into the phone, they turned a decent product into a substandard one. Sadly, this phone offers no benefit over any other "basic" phone.

If this comes out as a block of text I'm sorry, I proofread it, but it didn't show in the preview.Read full review...

Good little phone

I have bought 8 of these phones so far. My daughter loses them regularly, but they are easily replaced and programmed. Very durable for children! Good starter phone to learn responsibility. Has text and calling and a couple of games, too. Fits nicely in a pocket, not bulky, etc. It has a full qwerty keyboard when rotated. Usually charges efficiently.

I personally like the color - burgundy with a black back. I am not aware of any color options.

It works well. Very durable for children! Good starter phone to learn responsibility. Has text and calling and a couple of games, too. Fits nicely in a pocket, not bulky, etc. It has a full qwerty keyboard when rotated. Usually charges efficiently.

Read full review...

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Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: refurbished | Sold by: pageplusdealero...

A huge inconvenience and a bother to use.

My most hated phone ive ever used.

Laggy response when i touch the screen, not smooth at all.

The phone is the oppposite of intuitive. It doesnt have SEND or END buttons, requiring you to navigate the slow touchscreen to end a call (which may require a few steps mid-call to see the end call option), or to see your recent calls, or to send a text message without having to navigate to different screens.

The phone is just a big inconvenience to use.

My biggest complaint is the t9 text prediction is the stupidest and most frustrating i could ever imagine. Typing the word WHAT results in WHAU. Or typing OH results in OG. Why are those the predicted words?? There are hundreds more words it gets Way wrong for no reason. THEN!! To change the word to the right way you want it spelled, you cant just click a NEXT option, you have to click a drop down box to choose the one you want, especially annoying when you have to do that everytime you want punctuation other than a period.

Not to mention you cant even use BACKUP ASSISTANT if the phone has had a previous owner.

...just awfulRead full review...

Not usable for Verizon anymore

Great little phone. Standard headphone jack, good mp3 support, clear camera, full touchscreen keyboard for texting!
Be warned, Verizon has dropped this phone. No longer activatable through Verizon.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: 04bella1990