The same day it released the Motorola Renegade V950 clamshell, Sprint also launched the i365, another new handset manufactured by Moto. Unlike the Renegade though, which flirts with Qualcomm's QChat technology, the i365 is an iDEN phone, coming not long after the i335 model, available from Sprint and Boost Mobile since the beginning of June.

 

Although Motorola i365 sports a candybar design with an external antenna, Sprint says the handset comes in a "monolith form factor." Anyway, regardless of what we call it, the i365 looks pretty nice for an iDEN phone.

 

The i365 is ultra-rugged, meeting military specifications for shock, dust, vibration, humidity and blowing rain. Its features include dual-band iDEN connectivity (800 / 900 MHz), a 130 x 130 pixel display with 64K colors, built-in GPS (including maps and visual and audible turn-by-turn directions), Bluetooth, MMS capabilities, Nextel Direct Connect and Group Connect, Direct Talk and Direct Send, NextMail, VibraCall Alert, Voicemail, Java applications and speakerphone. Like the V950 Renegade, the i365 monolith also features Sprint's new NFL Mobile Live service, which allows users to stay up to date with all the regular season NFL games.

 

Similar to most iDEN mobile phones, the new i365 is far from being lightweight and slim, weighing 6.7 ounces (189 grams) and measuring 5.3 x 2.1 x 1.2 inches (135 x 53 x 30.5 millimeters). The manufacturer packed into the handset a "high capacity Li-Ion battery" capable of providing up to 5 hours of talk-time.

 

Motorola's chubby i365 is available as of today, via Sprint's official website, found at this address. The handset is priced at $89.99 with a contract agreement for two years and at $239.99 free of contract.

 

All in all, if iDEN phones are your thing and Sprint is not among the carriers you dislike, the i365 seems a device worth checking out.