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	Review: Motorola RIZR Z8
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Review: Motorola RIZR Z8 By Em Bonnici 20 April, 2008 Found in : toybox   Comment     Submit to Slashdot Email     Digg this Print     Add to del.icio.us External Links Moto RIZR Z8

Em (QA Manager at South Australia's Kukan Studios) doesn’t just buy the latest phone to be a poser. She uses many of them every freaking day. It’s her job and she knows what’s really good and what bad is. Don’t try to fool Em with your trumped up features. She is difficult to impress and that’s why you should listen.

Here's her take on the Motorola RIZR Z8.

At first glance the Motorola Z8 is a bit different to the usual re-hashed ideas of mobile manufacturers seen these days. Its fluorescent green trim on black makes it stand out, and when sliding the screen up I am expecting the normal vertical slide, but instead get a sort of bending action. I guess that’s where it gets the nickname ‘banana’ phone! It also looks pretty cool in the dark, when all the keys are lit up in a similar green colour.

It feels sort of weighty compared with the RAZR (V3, V3x, V3xx etc.) series, but hey – I don’t really want a phone that feels like it will break when knocked from a coffee table onto carpet! It’s also a bit thicker in size than most Motorola flip phones, and only boasts a 2.0 megapixel camera; but the thing about this phone is that it doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not.

I mean, it’s not trying to replace your mp3 player (Sony Ericsson Walkman/Nokia N Series) or trying to compete with your digital camera (Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot/Nokia N Series) and it doesn’t want to replace the mirror in your bathroom either (LG Shine Series). It’s just a phone, and for that – I applaud you Motorola!

Now let me say here, I had yet to use a Motorola that I actually liked before I used the Z8. Generally I find them aesthetically unpleasing and their menus an eyesore. This brings me to my next point – the Z8 is Symbian.

I have not been a fan of Symbian’s (the majority of Nokia’s) before either. Perhaps in the same way that some people prefer to use Windows versions other than Vista on their computers – I prefer an OS on my phone that is simple rather than complicated (for little or no gain).

The Z8 suffers from the usual downfall of Symbians – that any downloaded application is automatically saved to the menu directory instead of going into a sub-folder, making the original list of phone utilities look cluttered. Of course you can move games and the like to the folder of your choice (after they’re saved), but why oh why do I need to go the extra step?

The layout of the keys is a plus, with the number keys a good size and not suffering from what some slide phones have – the top numbers (1,2,3) being too close to the front of the phone when slid, making them hard to get at. I’ll mention here that the round control pad is a good size and has great key press recognition. It is also very easy to insert and take out a sim card, with a handy back cover which slides (more sliding?!) off without the user needing to remove the battery. The speakers go to a nice volume and the screen’s backlight is exceptional, making it easy to see in direct sunlight.

The phone has all the usual features you would expect – Video capture, Web access, Bluetooth etc. and I wouldn’t really say it lacks anything for the price (though GPS and Wi-Fi is always nice). Overall, I love that you can a) use the phone easily with one hand and b) that it isn’t an “annoying touch screen with no stylus” phone, like what the market seems to be flooded with lately. It looks good and plays good – what more do you want in a mobile phone?

Poser factor (Less is best – unless you like being a poser)
5/10
This phone might look like its all show and no go, but it actually has the useability to back it up.

Kill factor (as in I am so frustrated I need to kill something)
6/10
Being Symbian is its downfall, but overall it’s not too bad to use.

Geek factor (has awesome shit that you can't live without)
4/10
There are no standout features really, tech wise Motorola... I’m sure you could do better.

Overall
6/10
A decent phone, and definitely a step up for Motorola in my book.

Check out the Z8 official product page here.

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