Comments on: The Motorola Q Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Review http://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/ Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:02:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Smartphones » Blog Archive » Comment on The Motorola Q Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Review by …http://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-23820 Smartphones » Blog Archive » Comment on The Motorola Q Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Review by … Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:18:15 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-23820 [...] unknown just wrote an article aboutHere’s a preview of it: [...] [...] unknown just wrote an article aboutHere’s a preview of it: [...]

]]> By: Gear Diary » Archive » The Palm Treo 700p Palm OS Smartphone Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-1114 Gear Diary » Archive » The Palm Treo 700p Palm OS Smartphone Review Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:02:14 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-1114 [...] I liked it immediately the moment I unboxed the Treo, which was quite a contrast from the reaction I had to the Motorola Q. Now, I recognize that I ragged the Q for not having WiFi, and I have ragged other devices for the same in the past; I guess I must be mellowing out – because it really wasn’t a problem not having access. I will add it as an improvement item just to stay consistent[...]

]]> By: oops46http://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-697 oops46 Fri, 03 Nov 2006 02:55:12 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-697 Smartphones are great for people that want more phone than PDA. I want more PDA than phone. Alas, this seems to be a major problem in the land of convergence devices.....I am waiting for my 5th 700w to arrive from FedEx in order to PERHAPS use both a PDA and phone. As I live in Central Illinois, the Treo is terrible as a phone. I have found out if one lives in the fringe area of a carrier, the Treo cannot cut it. The norm is dropped calls, missed calls, and inability to make calls. The problem is not carrier specific, the 650 on Cingular and the 700w on Verizon both have the same characteristics. However, the Motorola Q does everything the Treo cannot or does not, phone wise; but not nearly as good as a PDA. While those who live in Metro or Suburban areas, this may not be an issue but in the hinterlands it most certainly is. The Treo is a great PDA but not a very good phone; and the Q is just the opposite, it can make calls anywhere but its PDA functions and poor compared to the Treo. The Treo has good battery life, the Q is terrible. One can edit spreadsheets on a Treo, no such option on the Q.... Other devices such as the 6700 do work but one cannot use the functions with one hand....Oh well, perhaps the next iteration of Windows Mobile 5 will bring better things... Smartphones are great for people that want more phone than PDA. I want more PDA than phone.

Alas, this seems to be a major problem in the land of convergence devices…..I am waiting for my 5th 700w to arrive from FedEx in order to PERHAPS use both a PDA and phone. As I live in Central Illinois, the Treo is terrible as a phone. I have found out if one lives in the fringe area of a carrier, the Treo cannot cut it. The norm is dropped calls, missed calls, and inability to make calls. The problem is not carrier specific, the 650 on Cingular and the 700w on Verizon both have the same characteristics. However, the Motorola Q does everything the Treo cannot or does not, phone wise; but not nearly as good as a PDA.
While those who live in Metro or Suburban areas, this may not be an issue but in the hinterlands it most certainly is. The Treo is a great PDA but not a very good phone; and the Q is just the opposite, it can make calls anywhere but its PDA functions and poor compared to the Treo. The Treo has good battery life, the Q is terrible. One can edit spreadsheets on a Treo, no such option on the Q….
Other devices such as the 6700 do work but one cannot use the functions with one hand….Oh well, perhaps the next iteration of Windows Mobile 5 will bring better things…

]]> By: pradleyhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-694 pradley Thu, 02 Nov 2006 21:24:16 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-694 I have little trouble with voice dialing, either from the Q itself or my bluetooth headset. It certainly is not perfect and sometimes I must repeat the name, but I don't see that this is any different from my two partners who both use Treo 650's. A lot of the problem (especially on the street here in NYC) is a matter of ambient noise and, at least where the headset is concerned, wind. Question for you all: is there a perfect phone? Please let me know, I will buy it immediately. I have little trouble with voice dialing, either from the Q itself or my bluetooth headset. It certainly is not perfect and sometimes I must repeat the name, but I don’t see that this is any different from my two partners who both use Treo 650′s. A lot of the problem (especially on the street here in NYC) is a matter of ambient noise and, at least where the headset is concerned, wind. Question for you all: is there a perfect phone? Please let me know, I will buy it immediately.

]]> By: dougomhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-685 dougom Thu, 02 Nov 2006 03:24:53 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-685 Regarding voice recognition: Judie has reported that she has had great success with her HTC Universal, and I concur. This is noteworthy in that Judie is a Texan, and I am nasally Connecticut Yankee; the fact that both of us get good success is a testament to the software, in my opinion (and I use my Cardo bluetooth headset for voice dialing most of the time). So I would say that if the Q has a lot of trouble because of accent, that doesn't reflect well on the software. Just one man's opinion. Regarding voice recognition: Judie has reported that she has had great success with her HTC Universal, and I concur. This is noteworthy in that Judie is a Texan, and I am nasally Connecticut Yankee; the fact that both of us get good success is a testament to the software, in my opinion (and I use my Cardo bluetooth headset for voice dialing most of the time). So I would say that if the Q has a lot of trouble because of accent, that doesn’t reflect well on the software.

Just one man’s opinion.

]]> By: MitchellOhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-684 MitchellO Thu, 02 Nov 2006 02:43:58 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-684 Gee Motorola really dropped the ball on this one. All the hype, and then Samsung got in first with a better product!! Gee Motorola really dropped the ball on this one. All the hype, and then Samsung got in first with a better product!!

]]> By: Lexhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-682 Lex Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:04:41 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-682 No note-taking capability out of the box, and no document editing capability. I like Chris' comment, "more phone than PDA..." No note-taking capability out of the box, and no document editing capability. I like Chris’ comment, “more phone than PDA…”

]]> By: Judiehttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-680 Judie Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:34:21 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-680 Let me see if I can address you questions in order: -"so that I ask myself, what is it that you do like?" - I like that it even has a keyboard. Many Smartphones rely upon a numeric pad and T9. Having a full keyboard, even if I think it is tightly packed together and even if Chris doesn't like its tactile feedback, is still better than nothing. Remember that I am coming from an HTC Universal Pocket PC Phone, so I have grown accustomed to a very large & comfortable keyboard. I will be reviewing a Palm 700p in the next month, so I will then be able to better respond regarding which keyboard of the two I like better. _"Judie, do you really find the Q harder to hold than the heavier and bulkier Treo?" - It's not that the Q is <strong>harder</strong> to hold, it's that I do not like how it <em>feels</em> in my hand. You are right about trade-offs: I would accept a bulkier and heavier device if it felt better in my hand and got great battery life. You bring up a very important fact: there is something for everyone. Thank you for commenting. :-) Let me see if I can address you questions in order:
-”so that I ask myself, what is it that you do like?” – I like that it even has a keyboard. Many Smartphones rely upon a numeric pad and T9. Having a full keyboard, even if I think it is tightly packed together and even if Chris doesn’t like its tactile feedback, is still better than nothing. Remember that I am coming from an HTC Universal Pocket PC Phone, so I have grown accustomed to a very large & comfortable keyboard. I will be reviewing a Palm 700p in the next month, so I will then be able to better respond regarding which keyboard of the two I like better.

_”Judie, do you really find the Q harder to hold than the heavier and bulkier Treo?” – It’s not that the Q is harder to hold, it’s that I do not like how it feels in my hand. You are right about trade-offs: I would accept a bulkier and heavier device if it felt better in my hand and got great battery life.

You bring up a very important fact: there is something for everyone.

Thank you for commenting. :-)

]]> By: pradleyhttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-679 pradley Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:18:06 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-679 I have read a number of reviews of the Q, some positive, some critical like this one, and some downright dismissive (like Walt Mossberg's in the WSJ). What I find is that what I like (the size, the keyboard - yes, the keyboard! - the screen) is often of no importance to others. The main drawback, without a doubt, is the poor battery life, but as for the rest, frankly I don't get it: you, Chris, complain about the keyboard, saying there is too little tactile feedback and the keys are too close together, so that I ask myself, what is it that you do like? The Treo's keys are even closer together, but since the unit is much thicker (and in my opinion clumsier to hold) the keys have more travel. Judie, do you really find the Q harder to hold than the heavier and bulkier Treo? I don't. This is what I call a tradeoff: if the key travel is more important, then you accept the greater weight and thickness, but if slimness is more important, then you live with the shorter travel. In this morning's NYTimes, David Pogue calls the Q one of the "turkeys" of the year. (Pogue actually went wild over the Bang&Olufsen $1200 phone, which uses a wheel similar to the ipod's without pointing out the difficulty of navigating such a thing one-handed, something crucial to a cellphone user). I have run into people in NYC who hate Treos and Q's, and also plenty who love them (apparently, you have not). I think the only way to choose is actually to try one out, if possible. For the record, my wife bought Q's for herself, our daughter and me: my wife and I use our Q's daily (I have Goodlink for push email, and we both get EVDO),my daughter hated hers and returned it for the 700W, which she loves. Is either device better?, no but each "suits" the user. I have read a number of reviews of the Q, some positive, some critical like this one, and some downright dismissive (like Walt Mossberg’s in the WSJ). What I find is that what I like (the size, the keyboard – yes, the keyboard! – the screen) is often of no importance to others. The main drawback, without a doubt, is the poor battery life, but as for the rest, frankly I don’t get it: you, Chris, complain about the keyboard, saying there is too little tactile feedback and the keys are too close together, so that I ask myself, what is it that you do like? The Treo’s keys are even closer together, but since the unit is much thicker (and in my opinion clumsier to hold) the keys have more travel. Judie, do you really find the Q harder to hold than the heavier and bulkier Treo? I don’t. This is what I call a tradeoff: if the key travel is more important, then you accept the greater weight and thickness, but if slimness is more important, then you live with the shorter travel. In this morning’s NYTimes, David Pogue calls the Q one of the “turkeys” of the year. (Pogue actually went wild over the Bang&Olufsen $1200 phone, which uses a wheel similar to the ipod’s without pointing out the difficulty of navigating such a thing one-handed, something crucial to a cellphone user). I have run into people in NYC who hate Treos and Q’s, and also plenty who love them (apparently, you have not). I think the only way to choose is actually to try one out, if possible. For the record, my wife bought Q’s for herself, our daughter and me: my wife and I use our Q’s daily (I have Goodlink for push email, and we both get EVDO),my daughter hated hers and returned it for the 700W, which she loves. Is either device better?, no but each “suits” the user.

]]> By: ChrisSperahttp://www.geardiary.com/2006/11/01/the-motorola-q-windows-mobile-5-smartphone-review/#comment-677 ChrisSpera Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:53:51 +0000 http://geardiary.com/?p=409#comment-677 It should also be noted that Verizon's service in both the Nashville and Chicago areas is top notch. I was never without enough signal to do the things I needed (take/make calls, check e-mail, surf the Interne, etc.) Verizon has the best signal strength in [either] town. However, with the Q, that advantage comes at the expense of shorter battery life, and more expensive costing services. It should also be noted that Verizon’s service in both the Nashville and Chicago areas is top notch. I was never without enough signal to do the things I needed (take/make calls, check e-mail, surf the Interne, etc.) Verizon has the best signal strength in [either] town. However, with the Q, that advantage comes at the expense of shorter battery life, and more expensive costing services.

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