Casio G'zOne Commando C771 Release Thread

**FAUguy** · 05-11-2011, 11:27 PM

Now that I'm done with the ThunderBolt and Droid Charge, I've started work on the Commando.

What I like...
Solid build quality.
Water resistant (placed in sink for 5 min).
The GzOne apps have some nice features.
Call quality, but voices sound "thin".

What I don't like...
Only 5 home screens, why not 7?
HTML emails aren't shown, displays them as plain-text.
The GzOne apps can be slow to load and sometimes lock-up the phone.
With only an 800MHz processor and 225MB of internal storage, it's not a high-end smartphone, but serves a specific market for a person looking for a rugged smartphone.

**918 collector** · 05-12-2011, 08:41 AM

Wouldn't mind hearing from owners more about the call quality and the camera. I've read reviews from Cnet and PC World dissing both. Said the sound was tinny on the receiver's end and photos were blurry. I've seen one photo somebody posted on another board but it seemed about par for a camera phone.

**cannoncrawler** · 05-12-2011, 12:01 PM

Well I finally made the jump to smartphone and ordered one. I have been a lurker for a few years and I think I will just use this thread for my review(s), updates, and commentary. I work outdoors and like many others need a phone that can be "rode hard and put away wet", mixaphorically speaking. Can't wait to get it.

**918 collector** · 05-12-2011, 12:04 PM

"mixaphorically" I like that one. Thanks.

Be glad to hear about your impressions.

**exskwid** · 05-12-2011, 04:08 PM

I received mine, after ordering the day it was released, with the two day shipping (remember free overnight if you put in the magic word) and charged it up. I have been waiting a long time for this phone and it is the first Android phone I ever owned. I was very pleased with the phone. I submitted two reviews to Verizon after using it for a few days but they have never put it in the reviews section. I LOVE THE PHONE. However, I sent it back a few days later because I can't stand Android. I had some preconceived notion that Android was gonna be the end all, be all and foiund that there were so many things you can't do with it that I found myself saying "I can do that on my Blackberry" or even "I can do that on my Brigade" when I could not do it on my Android.

I thought the phone was great. However let me say that at least for me the battery life was hit and miss. Sometimes it would go 15 hours on a charge and sometimes half dead in 3 or 4 hours. I didn't really have a lot going and could have been because of location services et al. The screen was magnificent, I watched a video on it and man was it super. The sound is superb and I really can't find anything to complain about the phone. Just can't stand Android. Whenever anyone tells me I have to have a Gmail account and then I can't turn it off from checking, it kinda cheeses me off. I can do so much more with my Brigade so I guess I will just have to stick with it.
This would be a great phone for cops, outside folks or anyone that like Android. I really have nothing bad to say about it...it was just what I was waiting for. I suppose I should have played a little more with Android before I ordered it. Perhaps Casio could market it as a Win 7 phone....something.

**918 collector** · 05-12-2011, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by exskwid

I received mine, after ordering the day it was released, with the two day shipping (remember free overnight if you put in the magic word) and charged it up. I have been waiting a long time for this phone and it is the first Android phone I ever owned. I was very pleased with the phone. I submitted two reviews to Verizon after using it for a few days but they have never put it in the reviews section. I LOVE THE PHONE. However, I sent it back a few days later because I can't stand Android. I had some preconceived notion that Android was gonna be the end all, be all and foiund that there were so many things you can't do with it that I found myself saying "I can do that on my Blackberry" or even "I can do that on my Brigade" when I could not do it on my Android.

I thought the phone was great. However let me say that at least for me the battery life was hit and miss. Sometimes it would go 15 hours on a charge and sometimes half dead in 3 or 4 hours. I didn't really have a lot going and could have been because of location services et al. The screen was magnificent, I watched a video on it and man was it super. The sound is superb and I really can't find anything to complain about the phone. Just can't stand Android. Whenever anyone tells me I have to have a Gmail account and then I can't turn it off from checking, it kinda cheeses me off. I can do so much more with my Brigade so I guess I will just have to stick with it.
This would be a great phone for cops, outside folks or anyone that like Android. I really have nothing bad to say about it...it was just what I was waiting for. I suppose I should have played a little more with Android before I ordered it. Perhaps Casio could market it as a Win 7 phone....something.

Truth be told, It was my interest in the Brigade that let me to consider the Commando. I'm not overwild about Android, either but I'm not too hyped about any particular smartphone OS. I would prefer the Brigade for its excellent keyboard but there is so little software for non-smartphones, usually Java stuff, and any particular phone is not well supported, plus the carriers often block said software.

If I can download the Yahoo app to the Brigade, plus an ebook reader, I'd probably be pleased. Although I understand the contacts are pretty limited.

**cannoncrawler** · 05-12-2011, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by 918 collector

"mixaphorically" I like that one.

"oh brother where art thou"

**FAUguy** · 05-13-2011, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by 918 collector

Wouldn't mind hearing from owners more about the call quality and the camera. I've read reviews from Cnet and PC World dissing both. Said the sound was tinny on the receiver's end and photos were blurry. I've seen one photo somebody posted on another board but it seemed about par for a camera phone.

The picture quality isn't the best, and images look soft - not sharp. I took a bunch yesterday that will be on my review. The sound was fine and didn't seem tinie or thin.

**918 collector** · 05-13-2011, 07:05 AM

I guess the best news there is that the sound is OK. Truth be told, I can count on the fingers of one hand (and have a few left over) the numbers of smartphones that have good cameras. The magazines keep having these articles wherein the smartphone is going to "obsolete" the point & shoot camera, but that can only happen if people develop a liking for mediocre snapshots. I can settle for "decent" in that department. It's not like it's the device's main focus. Pardon the pun.

**FAUguy** · 05-13-2011, 01:52 PM

Here's my review:
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Ca...-Review_id2738

**918 collector** · 05-13-2011, 03:20 PM

Well, I'll be darned! I just read that this morning. It turned up in my inbox because I have a Google Alert set for the Commando.

Good review. I'm glad you had no problems with the voice quality. I often wonder if different opinions on that don't result from the differences in network infrastructure in different parts of the country.

**FAUguy** · 05-14-2011, 11:56 PM

Here's a sample video recorded by the Commando:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlApTngofEk

And a water test I did in the sink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od3fKZ0X5XA

I also did a drop-test, and it should be up the first of the week.
I dropped it twice on a cement sidewalk...once on the back and once on the front, both at 4 feet which is the certified distance.
It did survive, and the screen is ok, but the plastic rubber on the sides of the phone did get scuffed some.