Motorola Q Cell Phone

Motorola Q

Q Cell Phone Review, by Melissa J. Perenson July 26, 2006

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• Latest User Reviews 4 reviews
• Reviewed by: joey301

  Duration of ownership: 2 Weeks

  Strengths: Nice Features. Easy to use. Bluetooth works very well. Speech dialing very easy to use

  Weaknesses: Slow to start up. Synchronizes only with Outlook out of the box. Verizons data plans are too expensive. No FM radio

  Overall: I have really enjoyed mine so far. I returned the Chocolate for this one. I like being able to add my own music and listen to it from the mono bluetooth instead of being restricted to stereo like the Chocolate. I use if for listening to podcasts on the ride to work and it is easy to transfer mp3 files. I wish Verizon offered a phone with FM. The Nokias and the Sony often have them, but none of Verizon's phones has it. I would also be happy if I could afford Verizon's data plan, but a minimum of $80 a month is just too much for the casual user. I have not found a way yet for the phone to monitor bytes used, so the 10mb plan is out of the question . The only other thing I have noticed is the area of the phone where some of the buttons are located in the front. I think one could too easily pull that top layer of plastic off just above the enter key. However, I think that overall the quality of the hardware is very high. Joey

• Reviewed by: averase

  Duration of ownership: 1 Month

  Strengths: Thin, light easy to use interface

  Weaknesses: Must purchase a data plan, but Verizon doesn't tell you that before you buy. Had to replace the phone twice. Battery life is a joke. No Office applications. Can view, but not edit, Office documents. Never did pair it with a Belkin Bluetooth adapter.

  Overall: It isn't so much the phone, but Verizon's backhanded sales gotchas. I had the phone for a month before I got a bill from Verizon. They had piled up $350 dollars in data services, which I never used. The phone was "phoning home" to update applications without my permission. In the process of trying to resolve this bill, I was told, "You should never have been sold this phone without a data services contract." Duh. Ya think? Why is this even necessary? Could they never have envisioned someone who just might want a combo phone and PDA? As to the phone. I had to replace it twice before I got one that worked. The battery that comes with the phone is exhausted in eight hours tops. The extended life battery lasts about sixteen hours without a recharge. The extended life battery ruins the thin design. The lack of support for Office applications is a turn-off. You can get a document viewer, you can even use this phone to do presentations, but you have to edit on your PC. The sound is adequate and loading music is a piece of cake, but you'd do better with a KRAZR if whate you want is music. I know. I traded in this dog for a KRAZR, not that using the KRAZR is easy, but that's another story. The phone isn't a very adept PDA, so next purchase is - A PDA. Verizon's hidden charges and the phone calling home all day are the big problems as I see it. If what you are looking for is a phone get a phone. If what you want is a PDA, get a PDA. This phone just isn't capable.

• Reviewed by: fillossofer

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Strengths: Size, functionality, clear & bright screen

  Weaknesses: Locks up too frequently, battery life

  Overall: bluetooth headset. Haven't been impressed with the speed of EVDO when surfing web, but downloads seem to come across fast. I got the extended battery from Verizon for $20 (they must have had so many complaints to be giving it away at that price - or it is made by Sony, one of the two). With that I easily make it through the day on one charge. I haven't been able to pair the device with Windows Media Player. From what I've read of the latest upgrade, I'll be expecting another very soon. I need better reliability from my mobile phone than what the Q currently offers.

• Reviewed by: jbjtkbw00

  Duration of ownership: 2 Months

  Strengths: Only $199 with a 2yr New Line of Service Extended battery INCLUDED in my purchase Outstanding multimedia capabilities Excellent Bluetooth Performance

  Weaknesses: No document editor Extended battery ruins thin form factor

  Overall: I went from a Palm Visor Prism --> Palm Tungsten C --> Treo 650 --> PPC6700 --> Motorola Q. Other than the lack of wi-fi and a document editor, I truly think this is the best pda/phone I've ever owned. It fits in the pocket very easily and as long as you lock your keypad, it will even go into a back pocket with no effort at all. The keys are a lot roomier than a Treo, yet you can still perform all functions with 1 hand unlike the PPC6700. Screen size is nice and wide and very bright. Everything about the form factor makes it a nice fit and comfortable to hold onto. I really enjoy navigation on this and the operation is fairly smooth and effortless, however it does seem to delay in moving from screen to screen and some programs do take a while to open. I see my longest delay with Handmark's Pocket Express, but it could also be the size of the program itself. Also, like most Windows Mobile 5 smartphones/pdas, you have a constant need to shut down programs that continue to run. This is the main reason I only give this device a 4 star rating. Other than these few petty annoyances, operation is really simple. Multimedia stands out on this phone. The device has 2 stereo speakers on the back and while this is a poor design flaw if you want to sit this phone on your desk, once propped up or in a holster, these speakers are quite loud! They also sound really good. I've watched movies and listened to mp3's and the stereo sound was phenomenal. I've paired them with the Motorola Bluetooth stereo headset and the sound is even better. Finally, this phone allows you to play back most files and creating ringtones can be done using just regular mp3's. How convenient! All in all, I've had great luck with this phone and it's been quite the conversation starter. I haven't seen another phone that I've really liked other than this and it'll be interesting to see how this phone performs on the the Sprint-Nextel network when released in Q4.

• Reviewed by: someone01

  Strengths: tough

  Weaknesses: battery, camera, slow OS

  Overall: It has been durable withstanding a few drops. Unfortunately going to a phone without a touchscreen makes slow to browse and change programs. Response times also lag, such as waiting for screen changes. You also have to buy a larger battery to make it last though the day which then puts a bulge on the back making it much thicker. I also miss the ability to security lock documents without locking the whole phone.

• Reviewed by: esarabia

  Strengths: syncs very easily to all your contacts, emails, task, calendar, etc... Windows based OS allows you to run multiple applications very quickly. Thin in comparison to other smartphones

  Weaknesses: qwerty styled keypad can give you issues, people with bigger fingers can push wrong button easily

  Overall: I have used this phone for some time now and I love it. I had to carry a phone and a pda and now I have them both. It isn't perfect, but for my needs and budget, it is the best decision I could've made.

• Reviewed by: xip4

  Strengths: Thin and stylish

  Weaknesses: a lot of softwares designed for windows mobile 5 can not be installed in Motorola Q

  Overall: The quaility of the Built in camera is not good, although it has a built in flash. However, the sound is satisfied when you play the MP3 music. You can only set one alarm. And the LCD is beatiful and big enough to watch movies.

• Reviewed by: PainGain

  Strengths: Thin, Light, QWERTY Keyboard, Nice Screen, Attractive Design, MiniSD Slot

  Weaknesses: Retail Price (Though Deals can be had, if signing long contract)

  Overall: This is my first "Smart Phone" and I am very glad that took the jump. This phone is thin and light. Though a bit wide, the width is necessary for its functionality. So, overall, it's a great size.I have heard complaints about the battery, but so far, it seems to last me 1-2 days. However, I would suggest purchasing another battery for worry free use.The screen is large and sharp looking. It does smudge easily and has a glare in most lighting. If you dont like completely covering your phone in a skin, I would suggest purchasing a screen protector that just sticks onto the screen. It keeps it smudge free, limits the glare, and will give peace of mind from scratching your beautiful display.The Motorola Q has so many features to list in my review. However, its media capabilities are endless (especially when having an added 2gb MiniSD installed. Email, Web Surfing, Playing Games, Taking Pictures, Working on Documents, etc etc. Great Phone. Definitely look into getting a data/web plan through your wireless carrier if you are planning on getting this phone. That's where the true power is with the Q.

• Reviewed by: mopefree

  Strengths: easy to handle, crystal clear screen

  Weaknesses: bluetooth not so clear, did not come with miniSD card

  Overall: At first glance, this phone is clumsy big. However, after using it for a week, I found it convenient to operate. You can choose different display layout and wallpaper. My plan also comes with unlimited internet access. It is like using a mobile computer. Awesome!