Amazon.com Hands-On Review
To keep your smartphone's applications up to date, and to optimize the performance of your device, you may need to perform firmware and/or software updates just as you would on your PC. To learn more about updates for your device, please visit Motorola's support site. Note that by clicking this link you will be leaving Amazon.com.
Motorola's QWERTY keyboard equipped Q, formerly known as the RAZRberry in the rumor mills, might not exactly be the "BlackBerry killer" that many predicted, but it is certainly one of the most capable and user friendly smartphones available on the market today.
Based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone platform, the Q picks up the best features from Microsoft's Smartphone edition of Windows Mobile while still offering a lot of PDA-like capability and screen real estate on its 65k color, 320x240 pixel display.
In terms of hardware features, the Q's right side 3-way scroll wheel and dedicated back buttons take center stage. These give the Q user fast BlackBerry-like scrolling with the ability to select an item or return to the prior screen--all with the user's thumb. Of course you can still do these same things the traditional way by using the 5-way direction pad and the back button that sits to its right. There's also a dedicated home key as well as the red and green call control keys.
The Q's QWERTY keyboard is a bit stiff, but otherwise designed well. The dark keys serve double duty as the numeric keypad when the Option key (found left of the Z key) is used. The Option key can be locked on, as can the shift key on the opposite side of the keyboard. Along the bottom of the keyboard you'll find dedicated buttons for email, the 1.3-megapixel camera, and a dual-use key for the speaker-independent voice dialing system and speakerphone.
When it comes to hot features, though, the Q's EV-DO 3G data capability tops the list. When used in an EV-DO coverage area, the Q user can expect to get wireless data rates that approach those enjoyed by home DSL users. When there is no EV-DO coverage available, the Q will fall back to the slower 1xRTT data network (roughly comparable to a 56Kbps modem). The Q can also connect to a desktop PC with a USB or Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth can also be used with mono and stereo headsets, as well as other devices like keyboards.
Get intimate with the Q's keyboard (silver version shown). |
While WiFi wireless access would have been a welcomed feature, it would have only led to even more strain on the already overtaxed battery. The standard capacity battery is capable of a respectable 5.5 hours of continuous talk time, but realistically will only provide a day of solid use, especially if the Q user takes advantage of the BlackBerry-like push email support. The push system can keep your Q lock step in sync with your corporate or home email inbox without any user intervention required. On top of email synchronization, it can also be used to synchronize the Q's contacts, calendar entries, tasks and other items with your home or office copy of Microsoft Outlook. It is somewhat eerie how you can enter a new contact or appointment on the Q and have it show up moments later in Outlook--or the other way around.
One of the great things about owning a smartphone is the ability to add 3rd party developed applications to the device. Since Windows Mobile 5.0 is quite popular, there are plenty such applications available both freely and for purchase. The Q has about 50MB of RAM for running applications, and a similar amount for storing data and the applications themselves. If you need more storage space, you can easily add a gigabyte or two by inserting a miniSD memory card into the Q's slot, located on the left edge of the device.
The Motorola Q packs a lot of capability into a device that is only a half inch thick and weighs 4.3 ounces--considerably less than the competition. It comes highly recommended.
Pros:
- One-handed use
- Thin and light
- EV-DO data
Cons:
- Short standby battery life
- Stiff keyboard keys
--Reviewed by Michael Oryl, editor in chief of www.MobileBurn.com
Customer Reviews:
Q GOOOOOOOD.......2007-12-27
I've had my Q for about 2 months now.
Positives:
I love its user interface and sleek design. Mine has been very stable. I've had a couple PDAs and of course cell phones so what was especially sweet was when I first got it sync'd up with Outlook and ALL my contacts with their phone numbers were immediately available for quick dialing. Welcome to the 'smartphone' world. AWESOME. :-)
I regularly text message as well as manage 3 different emailboxes including one that syncs with a hosted Exchange Server (service provided by AppRiver). This is great because when I am on my laptop and I create a calendar appointment, it automatically is enterred in my phone's calendar (no wires required). Likewise, when I respond to an email from my phone, it is in my sent folder when I get on my laptop.
I just starting using motorolla's Blue Tooth T700. Pretty good hands free voice recongizion for dialing.
Negatives:
1. Battery life. When they gave me an extra free one I figured this might be an issue. I have it on all day, checking 3 mailboxes every 15 minutes and I get a little more than 1 day per battery. So I pretty much keep on battery in the charger and swap them out when I need to. This is less of a problem if I let it charge up in the car on the way to work or at my desk. That's the price to pay for such a large screen, blue tooth, and the cell service. I am sure an aftermarket batter would hold it's charge longer. Plus I think there are some powersaving settings you can config that will help this. I just haven't taken the time to investigate that piece.
2. This next item is very nit-picky but hey, maybe someone from Motorola will read this... The "," and "." and "'" buttons throw me. It is more intuitive for me to have a comma and a period share the same button than a period and apostrophe. 2 months and still get it wrong more than I would like to admit. So hey Motorola, next time please swap the "'" and the "," so the comma is on the same button as the period.
Overall, it's been a great phone. Thin, light, sturdy, and dependable. No freeze ups. I've even dropped it a few times.
Bad Battery Life / Terrible Sync.......2007-12-25
The Q looks like it might be a Blackberry replacement. It's not:
-It is more difficult to type on the Q
-The battery life (please see other reviews which will really go into depth on this) is terrible
-Sometimes the syncing software (I am pretty good with computers) works and sometimes it doesn't. This may be a Vista issue as I am running Vista.
Stay Away From the Q!.......2007-09-12
The Q is a frustrating waste of time and money. I have also experienced many of the problems described in the other customer reviews: random crashes, slow service, non-existant battery life, etc.
Do yourself a favor and get an iPhone or, if you need a device for business, a Blackberry. Compared to the Q, both are much better and more reliable alternatives.
This phone is really slow and poorly thought out........2007-07-17
This phone is a poor replacement for my Blackberry. It's very slow, it's very buggy (including multiple random crashes for no reason), and the operating system seems like an early draft. There are few features with make the phone easy to use. You can't even change the font for reading email. I really wish I could send it back and get another Blackberry.
I bought it because I thought Windows mobile would be "seamless" with my desktop. It's okay, but it's no better than a Blackberry. In fact, consumers should beware that Windows Mobile Smart Phone is not Windows Mobile - it doesn't include Word or any of the other applications which I thought it would include when I bought it.
This was the first Motorola since I quit them "for good" a year ago. I think I'm going to buy iPhones for the next 10 years.
Excited to get it NOT sad to see it go!!!.......2007-07-12
I wanted this phone for a year but I was under contract and didn't want to pay full price so I waited. When I was eligable for my 'new every two'promotion, with Verizon, I ordered this phone. I read all about its short comings on the internet but figured I'd give it a chance. Well my love affair lasted about 1 week. The phone has a lot of very cool features but they don't always work and you have to use the 'kill' feature everytime you are done with them. Even when you just simply make a call you go into your contacts and make your call you then have to go and 'kill' the contacts funtion. This gets old fast and if you forget to do it you battery dies in a few hours. I was real good about 'killing' all of the phones apps but it still drained the battery. I didn't even have the data package and my phone battery had a very short life. The final straw was the last day when I fully charged the phone, 'killed' all the apps, locked the keypad and set my phone on my desk at work. Four hours later the battery was dead. This wasn't the first time and I couldn't take it anymore. I retuned it the next day. Thank god for the 30 day trial period. Until this phone gets a new operating system it will always be horible. I now own the Treo 700p and this phone is awesome. Save your money and your sanity. The reason this phone is 'Priced to move' is because it is horrible. Don't believe the people that give this phone a good rating they probably work for Motorola. Even the nice woman at the Verizon store said she returned her Q not long after she got it. She told me it is the most returned item at her store. The Treo 700p she says almost never gets returned. Consider the Treo and not the 700w, same operating system as the Q. 700p all the way!!!
Product Description
So you have the hottest phone out there! Change the way you sync and charge your device. Introducing another great product from Incipio we are proud to unveil the Sync/Charge Cradle for the Motorola Q. Features Compatibility Specifications
Product Description
The Incipio Leather Motorola Q case is a high quality handmade flip lid style case that has been specifically designed for the Motorola Q. With the flip closed, the screen and keyboard are completely covered. Flip the lid back 180 degrees, and you will have full access to your Motorola Q. The flip uses snap latch to stay closed. In its lid, it can hold business cards, credit cards, SD memory cards or other small flat items. The included 360 degrees quick-release belt clip is completely removable. Features Compatibility Specifications
Product Description
Luxury case, handmade from the finest nappa leather.
Product Description
ORIGINAL MOTOROLA CLIP (Not A Generic Knock-Off GUARANTEED!) The Real McCoy!
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