Is Motorola A630 A Good Alternative To MPx100?

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/gizmodo-exclusive-motorola-a630-review-017429.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/gizmodo-exclusive-motorola-a630-review-017429.php</a><br /><br /></div>There has been some <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5826">speculation</a> recently that T-Mobile will not be carrying Motorola MPx100 and MPx, instead Motorola might make its A630 the flagship model.<br /><br />Gizmodo has posted an exclusive review of the competing model A630 and has this to say about the device:<br />"The three biggest let-downs are that <i>it does not run Windows Smartphone</i>, it doesn't have a Secure Digital (SD) media slot and it doesn't have an HTML browser. "<br /><br />Considering that this device is going to be marketed as a text messaging tool, I am surprised that it has only 5MB of storage. I wonder if it has any document viewers. The only reason why T-Mobile might go with this device is cost. And wouldn't A630 clash with its Sidekick model?<br /><br />It’s nice to see that Windows Mobile Smartphone is becoming the benchmark for PDA/messaging phones.

[rbrome]

The A630 doesn't really compete with the MPx or MPx100, so if that is any part of T-Mobile's reasoning, I think it would be a huge mistake. I doubt that's what's going on, though.

The only real competition for the A630 is Nokia's 6820. These are both standard cell phones, with QWERTY keyboards added. They're not smartphones or PDA phones. The A630 is based on the triplets platform (V600, etc.), just like the 6820 is based on Nokia's Series 40 platform.

I'm not at all surprised about the memory. With no MP3 player and only a VGA camera, 5MB is about right. Same as the V600. IM, SMS, and e-mail do not consume much memory, and that's what this device is designed to do. No, not document viewers, AFAIK.

As for the Sidekick... The A630 is a smaller, but less capable device. The Sidekick is still the device for people who want serious web browsing and serious e-mail. The A630 is about SMS and IM primarily, not web, and only partly e-mail.

But back to T-Mobile... I think one possible reason for hesitation on Smartphones may simply be support costs. There's a significant cost for each new platform they add to their lineup. T-Mobile already offer Series 60, Pocket PC, and Palm OS... Adding MS Smartphone may be one platform too many for them, especially considering that T-Mobile USA is a much smaller carrier than Cingular, Sprint, etc.

[Kris Kumar]

But back to T-Mobile... I think one possible reason for hesitation on Smartphones may simply be support costs. There's a significant cost for each new platform they add to their lineup. T-Mobile already offer Series 60, Pocket PC, and Palm OS... Adding MS Smartphone may be one platform too many for them, especially considering that T-Mobile USA is a much smaller carrier than Cingular, Sprint, etc.

I agree, cost is the reason. The phone is cheaper, and I am sure Motorola must be offering a better price on this phone because it is runnings its own proprietary OS as opposed to Symbian or Microsoft.

Plus the support costs, which in the long run may be more than the cost of the phone or the subsidy.

[possmann]

Sigh...

It does all boil down to money in the end.

T-Mobile - best rates, but looks like I'll have to buy my phone outright from someplace else...

[Kris Kumar]

Seems like T-Mobile is pretty comfortable with the idea of techie users buying the phone outside and using it on T-Mobile's network. Their data pricing strategy seems to be working well.

But what about the wireless email sync support. I can use POP3/IMAP, but I was hoping that with MPx220, thanks to WM2003, I will be able to sync my corporate exchange email also. How do I get that on T-Mobile :-(

[yslee]

With GSM networks, all you need is the SIM card. So don't wait for the carriers to carry it; just buy the phone when it's available. Don't be a slave to the carriers!