Haier V100: A Simple Yet Reliable Feature Phone
In 2004, Chinese electronics company Haier released the V100, a feature phone that quickly gained popularity among budget-conscious consumers. With its light weight of 90g and slim body measuring at 18.8mm thickness, the V100 was a convenient choice for everyday use.
Design and Network Capabilities
The Haier V100 was designed to be a simple and practical device, with a compact size of 106 x 46 x 18.8 mm (4.17 x 1.81 x 0.74 in). It may not have had the most modern design, but it served its purpose well. The phone consisted of a 65K color display with a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels and a 1:1 ratio. It also had a screensaver and downloadable logos, which were popular features back then.
In terms of network capabilities, the Haier V100 operated on 2G technology with GSM 900/1800 bands. It also had Class 10 GPRS for basic internet browsing. However, it did not have EDGE, which was a disadvantage compared to other phones released around the same time.
Internal Features
The Haier V100 had 2MB of internal storage and did not have a card slot for expandable memory. This limited its capacity for storing photos, videos, and music. However, it did have the option to save up to 500 contacts in the phonebook and kept call records.
The main camera of the V100 was a single CIF camera, which was only capable of taking low-quality photos. It did not have a front-facing camera for selfies or video calls. But for its price point, this was not a major drawback.
Other Features
The V100 had some basic features that were useful for day-to-day activities. It had vibration as an alert type and the option to download polyphonic ringtones. The phone did not have a loudspeaker or a 3.5mm jack, which meant calls had to be answered using the earpiece.
Other communication features such as WLAN, Bluetooth, positioning, and radio were not included in this model. It did, however, have an SMS and MMS messaging system and was compatible with WAP 1.2.1 browsing. The phone also had a few games pre-installed but did not support Java applications.
Battery Life
Powered by a removable Li-Ion 600 mAh battery, the Haier V100 had a standby time of up to 200 hours and a talk time of up to 3 hours. These numbers were impressive for a feature phone and allowed users to go about their day without worrying too much about battery life.
Conclusion
Despite being discontinued, the Haier V100 left a mark in the mobile phone industry. Its simple design, basic features, and affordable price made it an attractive choice for consumers looking for a reliable phone. Although it lacked some modern features, the V100 fulfilled its purpose well as a basic communication device.