Well I’ve been singularly unimpressed with Motorola’s standard consumer offering for a while. I regularly go on about their RAZR handsets, in particular. I think they were fantastic a good few years ago. They’re seriously showing their age nowadays, and it’s all I can do to avoid grabbing handsets and smashing them into nearby walls when I see Americans waltzing around the place showing them off. It’s not big and it’s not clever — and it’s hugely depressing to see such a large percentage of the population sporting old, old technology.
This isn’t necessarily Motorola’s fault, per se. (I’m looking at the mobile operators who’re still retailing their customers RAZRs… geez!) I do want to see more more MORE innovation from Motorola.
That said, it could well be arriving in the form of the new ROKR E8.
When words such as ‘ultimate music experience’ are used to describe a handset in a press release, I think my blood pressure shoots up a few points. Music experience on anything that isn’t an iPhone generally (with exceptions) is usually nowhere near ‘ultimate’ at at all.
Interestingly though, the E8 syncs with Windows Media 11. Not bad, not bad. Ok so that won’t work nicely with my Apple, but let’s focus on the fact that millions of folk are Windows-based and that Motorola are building for the consumer marketplace. But what of internal memory? Nice synching is useless if you’ve got 16mb free on the device.
Well, not a problem with the E8. It’s got 2GB on board — with the option to add up to 4GB memory card. Not bad, not bad. I can feel my handset-likeability-barometer increasing past 50% already — and that’s saying something when we’re talking Motorola.
Not finished yet though.
Get a load of these paragraphs:
When powered off, the surface of ROKR E8 is smooth, with no visible keys. Power on the device and it presents a virtual numbered keypad on the front surface. With one “press” of the virtual music key, the phone keypad disappears and control keys for the music player — play, pause, fast forward and rewind — appear in its place.
Yet, ROKR E8 is more than just a “touch”-operated device. Using innovative vibrating haptics technology, the device provides the tactile feedback consumers expect from a traditional keypad, providing confirmation they have pressed a virtual key.
I’m at 80% with this news. Very smart. This is precisely the kind of innovation I have been looking for.
Quad band. USB 2.0. Support for over 200 music stores (as a result of Windows Media Player compatibility). I wonder if that means that totally-shit (for having zero mobile phone support) Napster will actually be useful? I seem to recall that Napster is Windows Media compatible — that’d be rather wicked if the E8 worked with Napster. You never know.. it might.
Generation Facebook — that is, the youngsters 14-18 — are going to absolutely love the E8’s audio facilities.
In music mode, ROKR E8 delivers great sound through a three-dimensional stereo feature that enhances two-channel audio and an on-board equalizer. Music can be enjoyed on the built-in speaker, with a compatible Bluetooth(R) enabled stereo headset(1), or through a wired headset plugged into the 3.5mm jack.
A THREE dimensional stereo? Deary me. That will really come in useful for the millions of teenagers across the UK (and, I daresay, the rest of the planet) who like to walk around with their handset blaring out tunes using it’s (often) paltry speaker.
it’s apparently pretty good at phone calls too …
In phone mode, ROKR E8 provides outstanding voice quality using Motorola CrystalTalk technology. The powerful device can receive calls while downloading or playing music, text messaging(2), surfing the Web(2) or taking pictures. Quality construction and materials help make ROKR E8 durable and reliable, and a high gloss front, aluminum soft touch back, spun metal side keys and engraved banding offer the modern style expected from Motorola.
I’ll need to get a look at the handset and see, however from a distance — that is, from peering at photos of it online and looking at the specs, I think it could — COULD — be a total winner.
You can find out more about the ROKR E8 here.
By the way, I was searching online for the E8 and found it available for a whopping US$888,888 from Detek (see screenshot below). I’d recommend purchasing it from another supplier at around the 700-800 dollar mark myself…
I love the use of the virtual numberpad area. But Moto’s UIs have never been ones to write home about. If they can natch in this area, this indeed will be a solid phone. And if more than free with a contract, they should pull a few of these.
It’s interesting to me, Ewan, that the reasons you point out to be impressed are already on the N95 that you currently own. Compatibility with Napster, 3.5mm audio jack, stereo speakers, on-board equalizer, A2DP, and dedicated music controls.
The only real difference is in the UI, which again, poses an interesting aspect.
Ah yes, you’re quite right Ricky — but in the context of a bog standard Motorola RAZR, it’s good news, no?
Absolutely. I mean, it’s very obvious that the N95’s UI doesn’t really impress some people, and thus another phone with the same features but different UI is most certainly welcome. There’s no such thing as too much competition, for the consumer at least.
[…] Ewan was quite taken with the device when it was shown off at CES, and it seems that T-Mobile US feels the same way. Photos have come up with the device showing off a back-tatt from the U.S. GSM carrier, along with the MyFaves logo. […]