Motorola Develops Bare-Bones Phone 293
tunabomber writes "Whenever a review of the latest cellphone/camera/MP3 player/GPS receiver/fish finder/tazer convergence gadget is posted on Slashdot, the first posters are usually quick to chime in by saying they just want something with decent battery life, reception, ergonomics, etc. Those posters' prayers may now be answered, because Motorola's new 'dumb' phone has been designed with these traits in mind. Notable features include an E Ink display and dual antennae to improve reception. The phone is slated to become available before the end of the year."
Finally... (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:Finally... (Score:5, Funny)
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I Agree. I just want a simple phone with decent standby time and excellent reception. I don't need a camera or an MP3 player or a web browser. I just want a phone... seriously.
The camera is a PITA anyways. Do you know how many employers refuse to let you bring camera phones in? Most defense plants. Hell, I work for healthcare and our regulatory agency says we can't have them either (course everybody does anyway). They are supposed to be left in the employees car.
Verizon has a few halfway decent flip
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I agree also, but look at the bottom paragraph:
And will it appear in the United States? For that to happen, Reith says, Motorola will have to find a willing service provider or agree to sell its product alongside no-name brands at drugstores.
Ouch!
Basically, this phone is being developed and marketed for "economically challenged" marke
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i.e., ugly in five years.
KFG
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I still have the same Sanyo (4500 I think is the model number) phone I got in 2001. People think it's "big and ugly" but:
Unfortunately,
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Personally I hope these are made as triband and GSM. as I will be getting one here for use in the states shortly after they release them there. (as my razr was designed not for USA use but works perfectly here)
Stupid of Motorola to no
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For example, I would LOVE to have a simple SMALL phone, with good call, and reception capabilities, WITH Bluetooth as a minimum. Therefore when I am out and about, partying or whatever, I carry a simple phone that JUST WORKS. It will connect to my car Bluetooth Handsfree for safe driving.
I
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Actually, it looks awful, just like almost every other phone Motorola has ever designed. More info on the phone here [motorola.com]. Here's a preliminary list of flaws:
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Yes, the market certainly bears out this assertion.
On a more serious note, due to the degree of eye-rolling induced by reading the quoted comment, I have dislocated my retinas and will be unavailable to respond to further comments for some time.
CDMA Nokia (Score:2)
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Why? (Score:5, Funny)
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This is not exactly a "niche" market.
It's not for you thats why (Score:3)
I worked at EInk around the same time this phone was being developed. The main reason why I was told it has so little features was that it's being marketed as a substitue for land lines in certain parts of the world. I actually got to see the phone a while back and it's pretty impressive at how small and cheap this type of technology has become.
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Re:Why? (Score:5, Informative)
let me be the first to say... (Score:5, Funny)
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Woo! (Score:2)
Whaaa!! (Score:2)
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I DO want mp3's in my phone. I have a Sony-Ericsson now, after the slow and paintful death of my old very simple very dear Siemens A35. The only thing I really like in my new phone is that after I stop the alarm in the morning I press one more button and it plays music, so I won't go back to sleep again. And sometimes I let it playing all through the morning ritual and on the way to the car.
Other than that... I don't use the camera, I don't browse the net on the thing (brr) and
Alternatively... (Score:4, Interesting)
It's a neat idea to have a feature-free phone. But seriously, there are millions of those going on ebay cheap because silly people are upgrading to a phone that does polyphonic catatonic ringtones, online horoscopes, and realtime 3d su-doku. That's got to be cheaper than buying any new Motorola phone.
Jolyon
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People aren't always upgrading their phones for the reasons you mentioned. I have a Razr. Do I use the camera? Nope. Play the games or check my e-mail? Uhn-uh. So why did I get a Razr? It's thin. At the time I got it, it was the thinnest thing available, and I carry around a bunch of equipment, so I'd like each thing to be thin and light.
There are advances in technology besides squeezing more crap into phones. They can get smaller, thinner, lighter, with better sound and reception. The power consu
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I'm quite tempted, actually. If nothing else then by the battery life. I like my fancy 2-megapixel-camera, bluetooth, mp3-ringtone, video-messaging, Captain-Kirk-eat-your-heart-out ultraphone, but the battery doesn't last at all. If these are seriously inexpensive, it might be worth my buying one just in order to have something that I can take to a festival and not have to worry about the charge on.
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It would suit my parents too if the interface is simple. They dont want any more deeply nested menues full of crap they never use, they just want a phone. Its brilliant and the next design will be even better if this one sells the way I think it will. Pushed a little
Re:That could be the case, but .... (Score:5, Interesting)
Jolyon
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In real-world terms, the battery still lasts well over a week (even in marginal reception areas like where I lived in Britain) and gives far too many hours of talk-time for my needs. The predictive text thing works quickly and efficiently (and the default dictionary isn't filled with txt-spk crap), and it's generally cheap and cheerful.
No, it doesn't have a camera (I've got an EOS 350D with chunky lenses for that
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Price? (Score:2)
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It will be a little cheaper than a phone with the yesteryears (i.e. "standard") amount of bells and whistles if you buy it outright since what they save on assembling a simple phone is only a part of their total cost. If you get a subsidized phone with a, say, 12 month plan from a provider the price differential might just be gone. It's better for the provider to sell someone a basic plan + glitzy phone with add-ons that will entice the users to buing fringe
Price? try Region? (Score:2)
A) It will be cheap.
B) It will not be sold to us rich Westerners.
Of course, it is just what many folks are looking for.
Re:Price? (also more pics and info) (Score:2)
Looks like under $50, and while you may not be able to buy it directly in the US, I've got to think they'll be available on ebay fairly soon. If it's a tri-band GSM, you will likely just be able to slap your SIM card in and go.
Personally, I can't wait to get one (and one for my dad)!
The Quick and Dirty (Score:2)
It's not desirable on it's own outside of a few
Not available in the US for the foreseeable future (Score:5, Informative)
So for now, those who want just a simple phone (like my mom) are out of luck. Even text messaging and other bells and whistles go unused on her phone.
On the upside, she got the phone for free with her plan and just doesn't use the features she doesn't want, but she's continually asking me if she gets charged for text messages (not unless it's someone other than T-Mobile who sends them and nobody sends her anything, so I don't see why she worries).
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Re:Not available in the US for the foreseeable fut (Score:5, Funny)
if it's GSM and triband then you will be able to easily buy one via a secret website...
www.ebay.com
dont tell anyone, it's a really obscure place that very few know of.
I have purchased many cellphones that are not available here from ebay. MY daughter has sported a cellphone that is uber-trendy that oohs and aaahs from classmates on a regular basis from that secret website.
IF it is available over there, you bet it will be available UNLOCKED on ebay minutes after.
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I would think about buying Mom one if it does become possible, though, because she doesn't want a lot of features, either, and does not have a triband phone but does go to Greece sometimes to visit famil
Re:Not available in the US for the foreseeable fut (Score:2)
>it states that the phone isn't going to be available in the US unless someone will carry it
Since TFA states that the phone is primarily designed for the non-US market, I assume it will be a GSM phone. Since your Mom has T-Mobile, which is a GSM network, she can just buy one and put a T-Mobile chip in it. Granted, it probably wouldn't be quite that easy if she doesn't already have a T-Mobile GSM phone, but I'm willing to bet it'll be doable. People already are using Europe-only phones in the US.
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Unless, of course, Motorola DOES come up with a way to officially distribute it here.
The "Entry Level" Phone (Score:2)
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Not only that, but it's not expensive enough for Verizon. Some people don't realize, but US cellphone carriers *like* the idea that, if you want to buy a phone without locking yourself into a 5 year contract, it'll cost you
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Features? (Score:5, Funny)
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no tin the US (Score:2)
which continues to offer new, inexpensive phones. And will it appear in the United States? For that to happen, Reith says, Motorola will have to find a willing service provider or agree to sell its product alongside no-name brands at drugstores.
Looks like you'll be haviong to go to eBay or GSM Importers for these phones.
Mostly there, but not quite. (Score:4, Interesting)
Bluetooth (Score:4, Funny)
Cyclical markets (Score:2, Funny)
We'll never see this product in the states because the article said that they are marketing rechargers powered by bicycling. What American still does physical activity like that?
I want one (Score:2)
That has essentially the same feature set as the Motorola Sprint phone I have now, but it's less bulky.
Holy scary CTO batman! (Score:4, Funny)
Padmasree Warrior. Sounds like their board meetings take place in a steel cage with investors chanting "Two man enter! One man leave!"
-Rick
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-Rick
eink in the dark? (Score:2, Interesting)
What if it's dark out? Is there a backlight for use at night, or is it just not seeable then?
How durable is eink? Article says no glass or plastic cover is needed, will this thing resist wear and tear that might try and ruin it?
It's a step in the right direction (Score:2)
However, I'm still not a cell phone customer, because the service is still too expensive. I could afford it, but paying $500-$800 a year for phone service just isn't appealing to me. Unfortunately, there's not much motivation for cell companies to work on pushing down prices when such a great portion of the population seems perfectly willing to stay at $40+ per month price point. So until it gets cheaper, I'll be stick
There are less expensive services... (Score:2)
Most months I talk on my cell phone for about 12 minutes.
For less than $100 I could get a phone for a prepaid plan. If I only buy the minimum number of minutes to keep my phone number, Cingular and T-Mobile both charge $100/year. For this, on Cingular you get about 400 minutes/year; on T-Mobile you get at least 1000 minutes per year.
I tried both, and settled on Cingular - as I get better r
I would buy it in a heartbeat (Score:3, Insightful)
This is the phone I've always wanted! (Score:2)
Will this be a premium phone with high cost, but no features? I'd be willing to pay for it if it's solid.
Currently through my friends I know of 6 v180's that have died within a couple months, a hand ful of the v2xx series, and several razr's that just stop working in one way or another. All with under a year of usage.
Useless without _better_ pics (Score:2, Informative)
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(Of the 'this SMS thing looks fun, but will anyone ever use it?' age...)
Eh (Score:2)
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I do prefer flip-phones but Motorola likes putting easy to press buttons on the sides that get pressed all the time even when closed...
What Ho? (Score:2)
Example, getting pictures off a picture phone without paying for them. Any digital camera can do this just fine. The Razor even comes with a 5 pin USB connector. However no driver support available unless you pay for a "Mobile con
Please release this in North America (Score:2)
What develop? (Score:2)
How about... (Score:2, Interesting)
Flashlight! (Score:4, Insightful)
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I discovered it by accident, too...
Re:Flashlight! (Score:4, Informative)
A good example being my phone: http://www.nokia.co.uk/nokia/0,,46548,00.html [nokia.co.uk]
Decent battery, really easy UI (Nokias are a lot easier to use), flashlight, alarm, texts, big fat buttons you can actually press comfortably. Cheap as all hell too. Looks better in black. Maybe it just hasn't been released in the US yet? A lot of people have this phone in the UK..
And yes, the flashlight is AMAZINGLY useful, just like the tiny screwdriver I have on my keyring. Not only is it good for screwing things, just as a sharp thin tool.
Fun Fact! (Score:2, Insightful)
It's not a bare bones phone (Score:2)
I'm not one of the anti-gadget brigade myself, but if I was I'd definitely swap the thinness for more battery life, a bigger keypad, a backlight and the feeling that it won't snap in half at any moment.
Classified Work (Score:2)
I'm glad somebody's getting on board with th
of insects and phones (Score:2)
seems wrong (Score:2)
This phone looks like an overpriced gimmick to me.
Want a basic phone? (Score:2)
But most likely for many who want a basic phone it will be too basic for them.
But... (Score:2, Funny)
What's the big deal? (Score:2)
I bought my neo-luddite mother Nokia 1100. Very basic phone that "just works". And she has no problems using it. And it has very long standby (100-400 hours) and talk-times (2.5 - 4.5 hours). It's
I need this! (Score:2)
Some of my clients have tight security regulations. I recently was sent for an extended engagement at a lab where I wasn't allowed to bring anything with a camera on site. I went out to the verizon store and bought a Motorola V65S for only $20. It does almost nothing.
My 70-year-old father-in-law will want one. (Score:2)
It's got to be less than free though (Score:2)
Read the article closely. Half of it is some boring marketspeak about the display. The other half is the business case for why the display makes sense - In INDIA WHERE YOU CAN'T READILY RECHARGE THE PHONE AND WHERE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T READ STILL NEED A MOBILE PHONE.
Of course it's
ARPU (Score:3, Informative)
"Average Revenue Per User" is the cellular industry term that is key here. The wireless industry does everything it can to eek out every single bit of revenue from each user. Text messages, pictures, ringtones, etc. So, I don't think you'll ever see this phone in the states... there is not even a CHANCE of increasing revenue.
MAYBE you could see this phone in the pre-paid market, which typically has simpler phones anyway (and higher airtime revenue).
Must have GPS in the USA, right? (Score:3, Informative)
It looks pretty cool to me, in any case.
Yes, but it's still Motorola! (Score:3, Interesting)
Guys, please be so kind, go and get a GOOD phone. Samsung? Sony Ericsson? Nokia? Just whatever. Kill Motorola, please.
Good for grade school students (Score:3, Insightful)
FINALLY! (Score:3, Funny)
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Yes I talk on the phone while driving. And anyone who has talked to me while I was realizes that driving is alway