Phone Search:

One of the first QWERTY-enabled phones whose announcement was originally slotted for World Mobile Congress. Cliffsnotes: the 5730 XpressMusic is an appealing and inexpensive music playing offering...

Hands-on with Nokia N96 Sony Ericsson C905 vs Samsung INNOV8 - The Clash of Cameras Review of GSM/UMTS-handset Samsung PIXON M8800

Reviews Editorials Specifications

Handsets PDA Phones MP3 News Forum

Print this review

Motorola at CeBIT 2005. New solutions in the middle and high-end segments

Previous announcements in the Cannes reports>>>

Just recently we could have thought Motorola had represented all of its models that would appear in the 3 and 4 quarters of the year at the Cannes exhibition. That was a wrong impression since the company had 12 new UMTS-terminals for the end of the year and some GSM solutions. And they were represented in all their beauty at CeBIT. But before passing to the new phones let's stop at the models already introduced.

A new device of the nearest future the V6 PEBL that is to replace a cheapened Motorola V3 RAZR on the shop shelves. In Cannes the device was shown only under a glass and here we could touch it. The thing that was called a unique dual-hinge mechanism in press releases and roused associations with the MPx opening mechanism happened to be a completely different technology. Not only a metallic body was used in the phone but also automatic opening and closing mechanism (the last examples are provided with this function also). You just have to press the upper part with one finger and the device will smoothly open. That is due to the mechanics only and no any small engine. Considering that we have no examples and service documentation is absent still we can't surely speak about the mechanism realization. To close the device you'll have to press the upper cover slightly.

The quality of the body is rather high but still fingerprints stay on it (that's hard to take a photo of a body tint, that's better to see it yourself). Inside you'll find a standard triplet platform; in fact, that is in some kind an improved version of Motorola v620 (some changes in software). The keypad looks like in the V3, but is evidently not up to everybody. Somebody will like the keys and some people will say that's not for them. In some kind the model is contradictory, and the design is ambiguous. But as an assortment offer the V6 PEBL looks very well. We are just curious how many more opening mechanisms and new form-factors by Motorola we'll see?

Motorola E1120 interesting as a 3G device (November, December) was shown under the glass. That is the first model equipped with a 3MP camera by the company. And a similar class model Samsung Z700 was displayed at the exhibition not as a plaster cast but as a working prototype.

Specification Motorola V176

Some new v-series models shown by the company were impossible to see in the first day. Motorola v176 is the first low-end clamshell of the new generation. The difference from even not very strong functionally Motorola v171 is really noticeable. Model v176 was equipped with a large 128x160 pixels 65K screen. Other characteristics are ordinary. They are 24-tones polyphony, GPRS class 8, Push to Talk, wap 2.0, IM, alarm clock. The device is expected in the middle of the 3Q with the price of about 110-125 USD.

The triplets proved themselves as rather a successful platform, and the company copies solutions based on them in great quantities. Now about a dozen of models with a comparable functionality, similar names and, in general, design are available. And thus the company launched a"new" model for the new SCREEN3 service. That is some kind of news and other information delivery to your phone without your part. Having subscribed you start receiving them constantly. A user doesn't have to make any actions, the technology is very plain but needs operator support. Inside the company its expansion is called Push to View that means you can upload all the last data on the selected topics. Functionally the model differs from Motorola V547 in nothing, also supports EDGE and has an integrated VGA camera. The shipments are to start I the end of May, the beginning of June. The price will probably form 300 USD.

Specification Motorola V270

Motorola V8 SLVR was announced as a continuation of the "slim line". The body is black though but the name resembling word "silver" tempts us expect a silvery body colour. The company kept a light colouring for another model that is particularly Motorola v270 SLVRlite. In some kind the company will try reaching the presence of the two models of this color in different form-factors (we, of course, speak about the V3). A lighter cheaper SLVR may be expected in November with the price of 250 USD or lower. Unfortunately, this model is not equipped with a memory card slot and a camera. Memory capacity is probable to increase compared to the standard 5 MB for the models on this platform, but still there is no data on it. The model is like oriented on the same segment as Nokia 6020 does at the moment. That is a plain device with an interesting design and few functions that will be up to an unpretentious user.

Specification Motorola V280

A variant of this model with an integrated VGA camera will differ in price (25-30 USD more) and will appear on the market at the same time. This model was called Motorola v228 SLVRcam.

Specification Motorola V1150

Motorola V3 also got a successor Motorola v1150 (Double Double V3) that is to appear in the end of the year. Having comparable dimensions the device supporting 3G networks is equipped with a 2 MP camera with macromode, a frontal VGA camera for video calls. The main improvements are TransFlash support and stereo sound transmission via bluetooth, and now listening to the radio is possible in any conditions. Similar to the v557 the device supports a SCREEN3 technology. The price remains unknown for the moment but will probably form about 650 USD.