19 December 2006 0:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

With the RAZR getting old, Motorola has released a new batch of handsets to empower the masses to go Motorola once again. But can the company keep up the momentum and get people to sign up to the MOTORIZR? We take a closer look.

Pronounced "Riser" the MOTORIZR is, very much like the MOTOKRZR also recently announced. Motorola's first Quad-Band GSM slider, the new model features a 2 megapixel camera complete with dedicated shoot button and a host of other features.

Roughly the same size as the Sony Ericsson W810i, the phone's case is made from a material we can't quiet place. At first glance it looks like metal, but then when you touch it, it has a rubbery feel helping it grip to surfaces so it doesn’t slide around. Motorola call it soft touch rubber, which doesn't sound as exciting as it should be.

When closed, the phone offers a large 1.9-inch, 176 x 220 TFT 262k colour screen on the front and the usual buttons normally found on a slider. The back offers the 2 megapixel camera, while the slide's relevant buttons like volume and of course that dedicated camera shutter button we mentioned earlier.

Slide the screen upwards - it's double sprung so has a good tactile feel to it like the Samsung D series - and you reveal a flat RAZR-esque keypad that glows the now defacto Motorola blue through the keys.

Like the Samsung D900, Motorola has opted to leave a big chunk of the phone that doesn't slide however this, in our tests, didn't get in the way of the use of the keypad.

Inside and the operating system is the same as that found on the KRZR, and is improved from the RAZR's interface. However that still doesn't stop it being woefully annoying at times. Having searched for a good 30 minutes through every possible menu we've yet to find the option to turn the keytone off and compared to the style of the phone on the outside the bitmap icons with their clunky edges are, like all Motorola phones, a bit disappointing. We've seen Mac Freeware software applications with better dock icons.

As usual there is the usal array of software applications including a MP3 player. Supported audio formats include MP3, AAC, AAC+, and AAC+ Enhanced and tracks are either stored on the phone's 20MB memory or the additional Micro SD card (up to 2GB) not included in the box. As with other Motorola models, you will have to remove the case to access the card.

The phone also offers the A2DP Stereo Bluetooth for playback to Bluetooth speakers like those from Parrot.

Verdict

As a design statement, Motorola has created a model that looks smart and more importantly has got the wow factor when we put it on the table in the pub for all to see.

Those into product design will love the mix of materials used, however as we always end up writing in our reviews, while the software interface is by no means impossible to use, its approach, look and feel for us, just isn’t matching up to the design on the outside.

Score

Review Recap

Made by

Motorola

Price as reviewed

£price dependent on contract

The good

Design, 2 megapixel camera, Stereo Bluetooth

The bad

Software interface

Quick verdict

As a design statement, Motorola has created a model that looks smart and more importantly has got the wow factor

Score

• Link - Motorola
• Reviewed - Motorola MOTOKRZR K1 mobile phone

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