Smartphone Review – Motorola MPx220
Last year I was itching for a new phone. My contract was up, my previous phone was pretty old and I wanted to be more “connected”. I did a lot of research on which phone I should get using two great sites: www.phonescoop.com and www.howardforums.com. Since I’m not really a road warrior I opted for a smarphone instead of a PDA/Phone combo and after much debate I got a Motorola MPx220 from Cingular Wireless.
This little phone has really impressed me. It has Quad Band GSM, 1.2MP camera (for still and video), Bluetooth, IR and a miniSD slot for additional memory… most importantly it runs on Windows Mobile for Smartphones 2003 (which means it has ActiveSync, Outlook, MSN messenger, Media Player, etc.).
What I like-
Phone quality and signal reception is pretty good. I love using the Bluetooth between my laptop and the phone to synchronize, transfer files, etc without any cables. I also got a 512mb miniSD card, added a couple of MP3s and now I always have an MP3 player with me. About 2 weeks ago I installed MS Pocket Streets 2005 which is pretty impressive considering how small this phone is.
Having internet access on my phone (and whenever I go) is waaay cool. With OMA, Mapquest, Accuweather, etc. at hand I feel there is nothing I can’t do. It took me a while to figure it out, but recently I was able to synchronize directly to Exchange so the phone keeps Outlook updated (probably one of the greatest features). Cingular data package is only $20/mo for unlimited use (which supposedly doesn’t include tethering a PDA/Laptop… but I have done it without any additional charges).
What I don’t like-
Typing on this phone is a nightmare (although I sort of expected it). I’m looking forward to see what the newer MPx will bring to the table. I don’t really care much about the camera, but its definitely not one of its greatest features (the flash is virtually non-existent and picture quality is poor). Finally, getting used to the phone takes a while… there is simply too many features, buttons, programs, etc. I find something new each day J.
Bottomline-
This is a phone for the casual roadie or some exec that needs something really small to be kept into the loop. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who has to do a lot of stuff with it (for that get a PDA/Phone). So, don’t plan to write more than a sentence or two using it (you will get tired really soon). On the other hand, this phone will keep your Laptop or PDA connected to the internet whenever you go via Bluetooth or USB (and you can receive calls at the same time)… definitely a feature I use a lot.
Which is my favorite feature?
By far my favorite feature is the size. I don’t know how Motorola managed to put so many things in this small package. Motorola's RAZR V3 phone might look like a million bucks, but this phone has a lot more features (plus is cheaper!).