Mobiles Review

Introduction
Streamlined and distinctive, the Motorola A910 delivers a full suite of intuitive productivity tools to seamlessly manage your busy life whether at work or vacationing in Belize. This advanced mobile device can serve as your main means of communication providing everything you need and want in a handset. Too busy to dial a number? With sophisticated voice features and WiFi connectivity* via UMA technology, all you need to do is speak your command and the handset takes care of the rest. The A910 does it all - not only can you listen to MP3 songs, create a personalized soundtrack to simultaneously play along with a selection of your favorite photos that you took with the 1.3 Megapixel camera with Lumi-LED Flash?„?, you can also manage email* and stay mobile. Tuned in to you, the Motorola A910 packs next generation Linux-Java operating system, Bluetooth?® wireless technology, J2ME?„? performance, and enhanced text prediction features for a simplified yet powerful mobile experience.

Stress-Free
The perfect way to balance your life in the palm of your hand. Utilizing a balanced Linux-Java operating system and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Motorola A910 surpasses its predecessors with user-friendly features - everything from text messaging to email management. Experience efficient text messaging with prediction features, intelligent addressing, and seamless language switching, or organize on-the-go with MOTOSYNC?„?* for managing emails, calendars, and contacts. To fit your fast-paced life, the superior J2ME performance will allow you to do it all with precision and speed.

In-Touch
Snap high quality images via the integrated megapixel camera with photo lighting, then create a mobile slideshow of your moment enhanced with MP3 tunes to send to friends and family. Or capture your achievements in real time with video record and playback, and then share via advanced Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)*.

Supreme Intelligence
This smart mobile believes in prioritization. With the A910 you can answer a call, Instant Message* and email* while sending off a multimedia slideshow to a friend* ??“ this handset ensures that you can multi-task with the utmost of ease and confidence. It can even keep track of those lucky people you communicate with most and automatically place them at the top of your contact list for easy access. This is one smart mobile.

SUMMARY OF FEATURES:
UMA technology allowing seamless access to GSM and GPRS features over WLAN (802.11b/g)*
Next generation Linux-Java software platform
1.3 Megapixel camera with Self Portrait Viewfinder External Display and photo lighting
Video capture, playback, and 3GPP Streaming*
Progressive downloading to view video clips as they download*
Streaming audio with high quality audio enhancements via headset*
3D audio and shared media player with multiple audio codecs thru the enhanced mini-USB headset jack
Removable TransFlash?„? memory card slot
Speaker independent voice recognition - simply state the name or digit ??” no prerecording required
Enhanced lighting of the keypad, displays, flash and camera
Integrated Bluetooth?® wireless technology*
MOTOSYNC software with ActiveSync and Airsync for personal desktop integration and enterprise IT integration*

One of the most highly anticipated smart phones on the horizon, the Motorola Q hopes to merge form with function in a supercompact and stylish design. Set for release in early 2006, the Motorola Q is some ways off from seeing the light of day. That said, based on the initial information we’ve received, we’re excited about this product. Described as razor thin at 0.45 inches, a direct reference to Motorola’s popular Razr V3, the Motorola Q will be one of the first smart phones to ship with Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. Since Windows Mobile 5.0 comes with support for Exchange 2003, Outlook information can be pushed to mobile products, which means the device is poised to take the smart-phone world by storm. In addition, the Motorola Q promises to ship with a host of high-end features: a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, compatibility with Razrwire Bluetooth eyewear, a large, 320?—240-pixel screen, and a TFT display that supports some 65,000 colors. Whether the Motorola Q will operate on GSM or CDMA networks has yet to be announced. Pricing is unknown.

Upside
The Motorola Q has a full QWERTY keyboard, but unlike similarly eqiupped devices, the Q is superthin at 0.4 inch. A full-fledged enterprise device, the Motorola Q will run Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0, so staying in touch with the office will be a breeze. Additionally, business users will be able to take advantage of the Motorola Q’s myriad voice features. On the lighter side, its 1.3-megapixel camera, its support for a ton of audio (iMelody, MIDI, MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, WAX, and QCELP) and video (MPEG-4, AAC, and WMV) formats, and its relatively large screen show the makings of an excellent multimedia device.

Downside
The Motorola Q is promising, but Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system is unproven, and it remains to be seen how its compatibility with Exchange 2003’s ability to push Outlook data will fare. Additionally, the Motorola Q has a Mini SD slot as opposed to a standard Secure Digital (SD) slot. At the time of this writing, the largest-capacity Mini SD cards are 512MB, while SD cards have reached 1GB. This is a significant factor for a device that sports so many multimedia features.

Outlook
Of all the would-be competitors to the Palm Treo 650 we’ve seen, the Motorola Q seems best poised to surpass it. Its sexy form factor is enough to garner a ton of attention. Furthermore, if Windows Mobile 5.0 lives up to Microsoft’s promises, connecting to an enterprise server from a smart phone will be easier than ever. Also, Motorola has yet to announce whether the Motorola Q will support CDMA or GSM. Of course, this will greatly affect the device’s popularity. Be sure to come back to CNET as more information on this device is released.

Intro
Verizon has pulled out all the stops with its latest V Cast handset. The handsome, clamshell-style Motorola E815 not only supports Verizon’s high-speed EV-DO network but also packs in a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a TransFlash card for extra memory, an MP3 player, and even a speakerphone. Like other Verizon 3G phones we’ve tested, the E815 is a bit on the bulky side, and we’re peeved that Verizon continues to disable Bluetooth file transfers. That said, this probably is Verizon’s best V Cast phone yet. If you want to jump on the 3G bandwagon and you live in Verizon’s EV-DO coverage area, the E815 is a tempting choice. At $200 (or $99 with a two-year contract and an online discount), the E815 is more affordable than most multimedia handsets.

Design
With its smooth lines and tapered curves, the clamshell-style, silver and gray Motorola E815 looks small and slender compared with the other 3G phones we’ve seen. But looks can be deceiving: When we broke out our tape measure, we discovered that the phone is just as big at 3.7 by 1.9 by 1 inches and slightly heavier at 4.6 ounces. The handset’s overall size and stubby, retractable antenna make for a tight fit in a jeans pocket, but it has a solid feel overall.

The front of the handset boasts a 1.5-inch-diagonal, 4,000-color external display, which gives you the time, the date, signal strength, network connectivity, battery life, and photo caller ID info for incoming calls. The phone’s camera lens sits just above the screen, with the LED flash below and to the left, between the Verizon and Motorola logos. Overall, it closely resembles the Motorola V710 both inside and out.

Flip open the phone, and you’ll find the vivid, razor-sharp 2-inch-plus-diagonal internal display, which supports 262,000 colors and is definitely easy on the eyes. Images are saturated in rich colors with plenty of details, although we were disappointed by the E815’s staid menu, a relative letdown compared with the snappy animated menus on Verizon’s other V Cast phones. We also had a hard time seeing the display in direct sunlight. You can control the contrast, brightness, and backlight time on the screen, but you can’t change the font size.

The Motorola E815’s silver, beveled keypad looks great and comes with a five-way navigational control, a menu button, a Clear key, a separate camera button, and the Talk and End keys. Additionally, the toggle acts as a shortcut to four user-defined features. The keys were a little slippery for our thumbs, and we had some trouble with the 0 key, which doesn’t give you a satisfying click when pressed. On the other hand, we love the dedicated speakerphone button, which you can activate before a call, located on the left edge of the handset just below the volume rocker. You also get dedicated camera and voice command buttons, which sit on the right edge of the phone. The headset and TransFlash ports, which are both protected by rubber flaps, lie on the top edge next to the antenna.

Features
The Motorola E815 arrives on the scene with a truckload of features. Besides its 3G V Cast capabilities, the handset has a vibrate mode, a speakerphone, and a 1,000-entry contact book, although in default mode, your contacts’ various phone numbers and e-mail addresses appear as separate entries. This is an annoying quirk, but it can be altered. There is also text and multimedia messaging; a calculator; an alarm clock; a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser; voice memos and commands; a calendar with month and week views; and a slot for a TransFlash card up to 256MB. The E815 also comes with Bluetooth, but Verizon has once again decided to block any and all Bluetooth file transfers, allowing you to use only a Bluetooth headset and sync your PC’s contacts and events.

Naturally, the first thing we did with the Motorola E815 is pounce on its V Cast player, which lets you tap into hundreds of streaming video clips, ranging from CNN news updates to episodes of made-for-mobile TV shows, such as 24: Conspiracy and Love & Hate (Verizon charges $15 a month for V Cast access). You can also download 3D games??“including the impressive Need for Speed Underground 3D, Evel Knievel 3, and 3D Swerve Basketball??“and indulge in some fast Web browsing, thanks to the broadband rates delivered by Verizon’s high-velocity network. Keep in mind, however, that only about 40 cities get EV-DO coverage and that the phone’s reception is a little touch-and-go in marginal EV-DO coverage areas (see Performance).

The Motorola E815’s media player does a decent, if not exceptional job of cranking out your tunes. Once you’ve transferred some MP3s to the phone’s TransFlash card, you can set up playlists and listen through the phone’s stereo headset. Repeat and shuffle modes are available, and you can scan forward or reverse within a song, although you can’t hear the music while you’re scanning. You can keep listening to your music after you’ve flipped the phone shut, but there isn’t a play/pause button on the front cover, as on the CDM-8940.

As expected, customization options on the Motorola E815 are good. You can change the wallpaper and screensaver using either a preexisting image or one of your snapshots; switch the menu’s color schemes to Scarlet, Techno, or Moto; and choose from the 10 polyphonic ring tones and two MP3 tones that you can assign to your contacts. Our phone had “Eye of the Tiger” and “Get it Poppin”; you can download more from Verizon’s Get It Now service. The handset also comes with a pair of games??“S.W.A.T. and Swerve Basketball??“although gaming junkies will probably want to try one of the 3D V Cast games (the first-person Need for Speed Underground 3D was our favorite).

Performance
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 900/1900; 1xEV-DO) Motorola E815 in New York City, and our voice calls sounded crystal clear. Our data connectivity was another matter, however. In the signal-rich environment of Manhattan, we got a steady EV-DO connection, but in nearby Brooklyn??“a borough in which we had steady service with Verizon’s other V Cast phones??“our test phone kept flipping between EV-DO and the slower 1xRTT. If you live on the outskirts of an EV-DO-served city and you’re considering the E815, consider a test-drive before snapping it up.

The Motorola E815’s photos looked excellent for a camera phone’s; images were reasonably sharp and detailed with rich colors. Those looking for images worthy of a standalone camera are bound for disappointment, but barring Sprint’s new 2-megapixel camera phone, the Samsung MM-A800, these are some of the best handset snapshots we’ve seen.

Motorola promises more than 4.5 hours of talk time and 11 days of standby time from the E815. In CNET Labs’ tests, we got 4 hours of talk time and just a litte more than a week of standby time. According to the FCC, the E815 has a digital SAR rating of 1.24 watts per kilogram.