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Motorola MPx220: a first look

Kent German CNET

Published: 09 Aug 2004

Motorola was one of the first to release a Windows Mobile smartphone, and its MPx200 was a hit with critics and users alike, although it had a few rough edges. The MPx220, which reaches stores towards the end of September, addresses many of them. The navigation keys have been redesigned, but there's still no integrated keyboard, and for the style-conscious, it comes in both silver and black. Network operators and pricing are yet to be announced.

Motorola's latest Windows Mobile smartphone will run the 2003 version of the OS, and be available towards the end of September.

The MPx220 adds both new hardware and software features. It now includes Bluetooth wireless, a 1.2-megapixel camera with video-recording and playback capabilities, and 64MB of flash ROM -- four times that of its predecessor. The MPx200 shipped with an already dated operating system, but this version gets it right with the latest Windows Mobile 2003 OS, as well as an MP3 player, Pocket versions of Outlook and Internet Explorer, and support for Java (J2ME) applications and games. Finally, the MPx220 is a quad-band world phone.

The display is fine, but Motorola kept the resolution at 65,536 colours (16-bit colour), while other new handsets sport 262,144-colour (18-bit colour) screens. There's no infrared, but Bluetooth more than makes up for this. And since there's no keyboard, the MPx220 is not the ideal choice for email addicts.

The Motorola MPx220 represents a significant step up from the MPx200. With Bluetooth, an integrated camera, and the latest Windows Mobile OS, it's sure to be a popular smartphone, especially for business users who prefer a smaller, phone-like device without an integrated keyboard. Check back soon for a full review.