Connectivity

Global positioning connects Renown users to everywhere they want to go. The phone's VZ Navigator locates addresses, checks movie times, suggests new places to go, keeps track of the best local gas prices by station and keeps track of traffic ahead on your driving route. The Navigator has 14 million locations in its database of U.S. locations, detailed color maps that users can zoom in on, weather updates, and voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions with auto-rerouting in case of a missed turn.

The Renown is Bluetooth and USB connection capable. It allows owners to use a Bluetooth headset or compatible handsfree profile for voice calls and supports object push profile to transfer calendar and contact information between devices, handsfree phone book access, serial port or dial-up network access to the Internet, remote control of audio and visual applications, and printing services support. Bluetooth headsets and USB chords are sold separately.

For an extra cost, the Renown can connect to a computer and sync with calendar, email and contacts. Other service options that cost extra can forward calls, receive faxes to be printed, or expand the phone's services for international travelers.

Conclusion

People who spend a lot of time bouncing from place to place will appreciate the Renown's ability to keep them in touch with their friends, family and colleagues when they're away. The VZ Navigator feature helps users find destinations in their home town or an unfamiliar town, the phone stores up to 1,000 contacts, a world clock let's users know what time it is where they are or where they're going, basic phone services are available in several locations in the U.S. and abroad, and the phone comes packed with power adapters for outlets in the United Kingdom, Australia and Europe. Additional service plans are even available to make international travel easier for an added cost.

But the Renown isn't the perfect traveling companion. Email and Internet service is not available outside the country. Bored travelers will find few accessories to pass the time. Games, music and video additions all cost extra, and downloading a personal music library to the phone will likely mean the purchase of a memory card. The phone's camera and camcorder quality is good, but there are few editing tools to make the photos look better or more professional and video streaming is grainy.

As for looks, the phone has a simple, familiar and sleek design but it's chocolate casing gives it a unique flavor. Most of the phone's physical and programmed features have an obvious purpose. The phone is designed to have few superfluous keys, several options available directly on the first menu screen, and keep out menu options that most users may not want or know how to use. The exception to this rule is a set of music keys on the front of the phone that don't seem to have much purpose and an odd Roman numeral clock that comes as the standard face for the phone's external screen. If anything has a purpose, it's a clock that can quickly tell time exactly to the minute, and ideally to the second.

The Renown is a good pick for the no-fluff, frequent flyer business person or anyone who travels across time zones on occasion and wants to stay in touch. It's even a good fit for the novice who wants a camera that's easy to use and a front menu that lists options clearly. Anyone seeking a bit more in the entertainment, editing or flash departments, though, should keep shopping.

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