MobileBurn Previews Motorola's MPx

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Page=1&Id=985' target='_blank'>http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Page=1&Id=985</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Thanks to Wireless Imports, I had the chance to play around with a pre-production Motorola MPx for a few days. As pre-production unit, there were a number of things that were not finished or working correctly. This is to be expected. The bootup screen clearly states that this is not a final product. The software that our MPx was running was from the middle of November, so it is fairly recent. But before I get into my thoughts on the MPx, first some background. The Motorola MPx is a GSM/GPRS device that runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile 2003 SE operating system designed for phones. That means it is a full blown PocketPC PDA with phone support. The MPx's gimmick, if you will, is it's unique double hinge clamshell design that allows the phone to be opened up as would a normal clamshell, or shifted 90 degrees so that it opens into a more communicator friendly mode with the display being wider than tall. Throw WiFi, Bluetooth, a SD slot, and a 1.3 megapixel camera into the mix, and you can see why people are so anxious to get their hands on one. I certainly was."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20041214-MobileBurnMPx.jpg" /><br /><br />The review doesn't dwell much on the memory, and gives an overall positive look at the MPx. The one worrisome report, memory aside, is that the review points out the MPx preview unit's poor battery life. Um, Motorola? I thought the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35071">32MB was a compromise to improve battery life</a>? Let's hope the production units resolve at least that issue.

[JonnoB]

At first I was dissapointed because 1) Motorola told us something different about the memory configuration last year at the MDC. 2) I would not be able to use it as my power PDA. Then I started to think about it a little more. The way I use my current phone (SE T610), I do not really use it for much and have to use my Pocket PC for anything other than talking on the phone. As a phone, the MPx will probably be awesome and at the same time, sync/push/pull my email, browse the web and be a general purpose good phone. It definately would be a huge step up from any non PPC phone. I may still carry around a powerful PPC when I need one, but for day to day business uses, the MPx will be a step up for most people who just have a basic Symbian phone today.

[KimVette]

Bah. I just bought a Motorola v400 because it's still primarily a phone (doesn't pretend to be a PocketPC) with some PDA capability. I chose the V400 because of the following:

1. I could put an MP3 of the Futurama theme on it as a ringtone

2. Out of the smaller phones that are primarily phones, the camera seemed to be the best one, and is even IR-sensitive (no electonic IR cut filter when in night mode!). If I HAVE to accept a camera with a good phone, I want a good one.

3. I can sync the contacts with Outlook.

The only reason I didn't go with the V600 to get bluetooth is that Cingular isn't offering that phone in my area.

I purposely avoided the Smartphone-based phones. I already resent the way PocketPC vendors are treating the devices as disposable (they're actually more expensive than home desktop PCs now!), and convergence is only going to make the matter even worse.

"Oh, bluetooth doesn't work? Sorry, we're not releasing a patch, you can buy a new phone."

[Marcel_Proust]

At first I was dissapointed because 1) Motorola told us something different about the memory configuration last year at the MDC. 2) I would not be able to use it as my power PDA. Then I started to think about it a little more. The way I use my current phone (SE T610), I do not really use it for much and have to use my Pocket PC for anything other than talking on the phone. As a phone, the MPx will probably be awesome and at the same time, sync/push/pull my email, browse the web and be a general purpose good phone. It definately would be a huge step up from any non PPC phone. I may still carry around a powerful PPC when I need one, but for day to day business uses, the MPx will be a step up for most people who just have a basic Symbian phone today.

i see your point. but then wouln't it be better to get a keyboar equippe smartphone like the Voq? (if they were only available in Canada, where they are ironically made.)
the problem with 32k is that you would run into frequent crashes i think with many of today's programs.

[kiwi]

As a phone, the MPx will probably be awesome and at the same time, sync/push/pull my email, browse the web and be a general purpose good phone. It definately would be a huge step up from any non PPC phone.

Hey dude,

did you ever look at the SE P900? I ditched my 2210 last year and have been using this gem for the past year. (I have a T610 as a backup phone).
I just got an ipaq 4150 so I can surf using WiFi mainly. The P900 is easy to use one handed.

I'm thinking of a V600 for a replacement for the P900.. only thing is the predictive input is iTap and not T9.

B.

[JonnoB]

Hey dude,

did you ever look at the SE P900?


Yes, I have considered many alternative devices, but I need the following functionality. Missing even one of these makes it a dead device to me.
1) Server activesync support (currently using PPC via BT on phone)
2) Keyboard/thumboard
3) MSN Messenger
4) .Net Compact Framework support
5) Web browsing
6) Media player
7) Voice activated dialing
8) BT profile for my Jabra Freespeak
9) WiFi
10) SIP based softphone to connect through my SIP gateway
11) slip comfortably into my pocket

Of course, I would love to have all my PPC power features, but this is what I need in my phone to take me away from my current combination. I am looking at the PDA2k, but I think the MPx will be more pocketable even though I would give up CPU performance and memory.

[Janak Parekh]

I purposely avoided the Smartphone-based phones. I already resent the way PocketPC vendors are treating the devices as disposable (they're actually more expensive than home desktop PCs now!), and convergence is only going to make the matter even worse.
But the regular cell phones are even worse in that regard. At least with converged devices there exists the possibility of user-installed ROM updates... and I get real Outlook sync.

--janak

[gorkon280]

I used to be worried when I heard this. While it would be nice to have more ram, if i have a large enough SD card, it won't matter. If I install everything I can to the SD card, I can just use the 32 MB (or as much of it I get after installing the idiot apps that won't run right if installed to SD) for execution, it would be more then enough. I remember using my EM500 and it only had 16 MB of ram and as long as I kept the ram for ram it ran at a pretty good clip. Installed everything I could to the SD card. 32 MB may seem constrained, but if you put everything onto a SD card, you should be fine.

[aristoBrat]

32 MB may seem constrained, but if you put everything onto a SD card, you should be fine.
I think you'd be fine for "storage", but still low on "program memory".

It seems like every feature (WiFi, BlueTooth, the phone) requires a utility to be running in the background. Then you're probably going to have the Inbox and IE open. Press the Camera button (which loads the camera app into memory) and see how long it takes.

I think that if people use it like a cell phone, it'd probably do well. Power users are probably going to be disappointed.

[surur]

I used to be worried when I heard this. While it would be nice to have more ram, if i have a large enough SD card, it won't matter. If I install everything I can to the SD card, I can just use the 32 MB (or as much of it I get after installing the idiot apps that won't run right if installed to SD) for execution, it would be more then enough. I remember using my EM500 and it only had 16 MB of ram and as long as I kept the ram for ram it ran at a pretty good clip. Installed everything I could to the SD card. 32 MB may seem constrained, but if you put everything onto a SD card, you should be fine.

Only about 5-6Mb is free for execution AFTER a soft reset, not 32MB or even close.

The Mpx is a lame duck.

Surur

[menajemh]

i think if motorola would offer 64 mb ram and xcale proccesor with battery life for the day more people would go for the mpx 300. vry big mistake from motorola. yes people is ooking for comunication but from the moment u put for OS the pocketpc system means u have a real powerfull tool in ypour hands. who offer to motorola to make a phone under the pocketpc OS system? think the salesman did not explain this guys how this market works. the prototipe units were for sale in ebay for 1500$ . for shure the beggening if they would go out for $1000 a lot of people would pay for a good product without thinking 2. think the sx56 that is reracheable at ebay for 150 so motorola with the bluetooth and wifi put at 200$ 250$ or maybe can compete with the h6315

[Phoenix]

I used to be worried when I heard this. While it would be nice to have more ram, if i have a large enough SD card, it won't matter. If I install everything I can to the SD card, I can just use the 32 MB (or as much of it I get after installing the idiot apps that won't run right if installed to SD) for execution, it would be more then enough. I remember using my EM500 and it only had 16 MB of ram and as long as I kept the ram for ram it ran at a pretty good clip. Installed everything I could to the SD card. 32 MB may seem constrained, but if you put everything onto a SD card, you should be fine.

32MB will absolutely not be enough. People who had early samples of this phone crashed it constantly. Truthfully, no one buys a device like this for a few simple tasks or to use as a simple little cell phone - that would be like cutting a thread with a chain saw. But even with simple tasks, freezes and crashes were constant. The MPx has 64MB ROM for storage plus the SD slot, so why would storage ever be a concern? Operational memory is what we're concerned about here, not storage. This isn't an EM500 - the MPx is far more sophisticated considering the camera, WiFi, BT, cellular capability, and everything else, not to mention the current OS is more demanding than ever. You're comparing an old VW to a brand new Mercedes. 32MB will not serve the needs of even a casual user, yet alone a power user who this device is really catered to. 32MB simply won't allow this device to function properly.

[developerzero]

I agree with everyone else that it is very irritating that Motorola would make such glaring mistakes with relation to memory and battery-life. However, there is still one option when it comes to the memory: you could always pop the device open and upgrade the memory if you want :devilboy: . And someone will probably come out with a high-capacity battery before too long after the MPX's release. 8)

[Phoenix]

...And someone will probably come out with a high-capacity battery before too long after the MPX's release. 8)

Actually, Motorola already did. 1960mAh. :D