Overview
Introduction
Motorola have always been ahead when it comes to the Australian 3G network, being one of the first companies to sell their phones with the 3 branding. 3G Hutchison is the only 3G provider in Australia to date, video calling being one of their main attractions for consumers to join the network. Motorola have currently got three handsets available on the 3G network, including the E1000, the most from all manufacturers of 3G-enabled handsets.
The E1000 combines together leading edge technology and everyone users love into one neat, sleek package.
New/outstanding features
There was once a time when only few manufacturers dared to venture into the 3G network area, being bound to 2G networks. Now the popularity of these networks has grown and the consumer demand for 3G handsets from their favourite manufacturers has grown as equally. Motorola were one of the first to offer 3G supported handsets, and have been improving each and every time. The E1000 is the newest handset on the network, and includes some of the newest features, as well as the good old ones.
The biggest selling point of the E1000 would have to be either the two digital cameras, or huge, high quality display. Staring with the first, the E1000 has a 1.2mpx digital camera and a VGA camera, facing outwards and inwards respectively. The 1.2mpx camera can capture images at a 1280 x 960 pixel resolution, while the VGA camera is limited to 640 x 480 pixels. Both cameras’ can be used to capture images and video. The 1.2mpx camera has a dedicated photo light, too!
The 262,144 colour TFT LCD definitely needs a mention here! It is the highest quality display on the Three network at the time of writing – and no other handset exceeds the size either, at a mammoth 240 x 320 pixels. Your general mobile experience is uplifted by the quality and size of the display like no other. Once you’ve used this display you’ll never want to go back to a 65,536 colour display again!
3G network support is another outstanding feature of the E1000, video calling, streaming video and audio, downloading of large video clips and more are all accessible thanks to this feature. The handset is also tri-band, operating on the GSM 900/1800/1900MHz frequencies.
Some of the other features on the E1000 include Bluetooth, AGPS, Java gaming and application support, polyphonic and MP3 ring tones, and also SMS/EMS, MMS, and e-mail messaging. Everything you need plus more has been incorporated into a single handset.
Physical aspects
The Motorola E1000 is the first from their new range of handsets, and starts off a design trend that continues throughout these new handsets. Basically, the handset is just a normal standard form factor handset with a display on the front and keypad below it. Even at this stage the E1000 has been altered – instead of all buttons below the display there are some speciality function keys around the display, 4 on each side. The main numerical and selection keys are still located below the display, so don’t worry!
The navigational stick of the E1000 has also had a change of location from most other handsets, being moved in between the 1st and 2nd row of numerical keys. This allows for the extra size of the display as a dedicated row of space isn’t needed for the navigational stick. The stick only sticks out a little bit, and therefore I had some problems using it when messaging/browsing WAP pages. That can be found in more detail in the Problems and Issues section of this article, though. The keys on the E1000’s numerical pad are all black, with white labels. The navigational stick is also black with a chrome plate making an “O” shape around it.
Above the display is the earpiece speaker, located behind a small silver Motorola emblem. To the left of this is the inward-facing VGA camera mainly used for video calls. It is really tiny and angled, to get the best view when making video calls.
For the most part the E1000 is black. Towards the bottom a sleek silver plate is incorporated on each side and grey, which consumes most of the back cover, also starts. Speaking of the back, you will find the 1.2mpx camera lens towards the top with dedicated photo light to the top right, and below the camera lens the 3 logo. The battery cover takes up the rest of the back of the handset, with a small Bluetooth logo at the bottom above the lock for the cover.
On the right side of the E1000 you will find a small plastic flap, which covers the headset port. This is the only other external port on the E1000 other than the main interface connector at the bottom of the handset. This is sort-of like the Nokia Pop-Port™ interface, as it is used for any other accessory or wired connection to the device. The power adapter plus into the far left side of the interface, and if you’re using a data-cable it plugs into the entire port.
Overall, the E1000 is a very stylish and sophisticated looking handset. It is a bit thicker than most other handsets, measuring 114mm x 52mm x 23mm all up. It is a bit on the heavy side at 140 grams, but it’s not like carrying a brick in your pocket that’s for sure. The simple colour scheme of the handset is perfect for a handset of it’s caliber.
User Interface & display
The E1000 has one massive display! The E1000 doesn’t only impress with size though (240 x 320 pixels); it’s capable of 262,144 colours. There are only very few displays which come close to this size and quality, and this Motorola display is one of the best I’ve used so far. With features like 1.2mpx digital camera, video player, and video calling, it’s no wonder such a great display is used.
The display’s true quality comes out when viewing video clips or when using the display as the viewfinder for the 1.2mpx digital camera. The general user interface is very colourful, and themes can be used to change the overall look if you’re not happy with it. Images and animations can be used as wallpapers and screensavers for different modes – even the clock alignment can be changed! All this and more is found in the personalise option under the settings menu.
The Motorola E1000 runs a proprietary user interface, namely Motorola Synergy. You will recognize this type of user interface from most recent Motorola handsets if you’ve used one, if not it’s very simple to use. The user interface is mainly manipulated by the 5-way navigational stick, but there are also three soft keys. The navigational stick is a little hard to use, because of its location, but we’ll keep that for the problems and issues section of the article.
The main menu of the E1000 is launched by one of two keys – pushing the navigational stick in, or pushing the “menu” button in the centre of the top row of keys (the one with the – on it). The main menu can be viewed in either list or grid mode, and in the grid mode the icons are animated! One great feature I love with the E1000 is the ability to rearrange the icons on the main menu to the way you want it!
Main menu icons can be selected by pushing the navigational stick in again or pushing the left soft key. You can exit any menu or function at anytime easily by pressing the hang-up button, which is located on the right hand side of the display. Other keys around the display are video camera, web browser, video calling, and volume up/down.
Shortcuts can be applied for any function you wish, by highlighting it and holding down the menu button. You can also create shortcuts for use when the handset is idle and you move the directional key. These are known as “home keys”, and can be defined from the settings menu along with most other things. Left and right soft key can also have their shortcut functions modified.
Making and receiving calls
Like most 3G handsets, the Motorola E1000 offers both video and voice calling. We all know what voice calling is, but some might not know what video calling is – it’s basically what the name says, a phone call with streaming video. The general idea is that the person you are calling can see you and you can see them. The E1000 has a second inward facing VGA camera dedicated to this feature, as well as the outward facing 1.2mpx camera.
I’ve mentioned before the buttons on the left and right side of the handset. Most of these keys are very important for making and receiving calls on the E1000. First off, the bottom key on each side is the pick up and hang up keys on the left and right side, respectively. On the left side at the top is the volume up/down keys, another very important set of keys. Finally, there is the video call button, which is used when you input a number and wish to video call. If you wish to voice call them, the normal pick-up green key is used.
Pushing the green key when the handset is in idle mode will show up the most recent called list, with little icons to the left to indicate what type of call it was. The video call button will also do this when the handset is idle. Pushing the red button will quit any menu/function you are in and return to the main idle window.
The E1000 has a photo phonebook with multiple entry capability, allowing you to store all your contacts information in the single feature. Phone numbers, addresses, and more can all be stored along with a little picture which will show up when the contact calls.
Now onto what most people are interested in – video calling! When you initiate a video call with the video call button, the request is sent out to the other party. If they don’t accept the call, a window appears telling you this and giving you several options: such as redial video call, and redial as a voice call. If they accept however, the video call window appears. A row of 5 icons are located at the bottom of screen, your image being sent out is located to the left in a small window and the incoming video from the other party in a bigger window, taking up most of the window.
There are a heap of options you can access when in a video call. First of all, the 5 icons at the bottom of the screen all have a specific quick function. The 1st icon, will turn the camera off; you will not send any more video out. The 2nd button switches between the internal and external cameras – great for showing a video caller something going on around you. The 3rd button mutes all audio, and the 4th button swaps the video. The swap changes the other person’s video to the small window to the left of screen, and your video to the big window. The 5th and last button shows or hides the status indicators at the top of the screen. These are the same as viewed when the handset is idle.
If you push the menu button (aka the middle soft key) some more options come up. You can select an application to start, which opens up the main menu. If you need to access a function whilst in a video call this is the way to do it. You can also put your caller on hold, or perform any one of the functions that the 5 icons in the video window do. There are several video options too, including brightness, mirror view, and lighting adjustment (indoor, outdoor, automatic, sunny, and cloudy).
When in a video call, you obviously can’t hold the handset up to your ear. Because of this Motorola have included a stereo headset which can be used, or if this isn’t plugged in the audio is automatically streamed out of the loudspeaker. I found it easier to use the loudspeaker and speak a little louder when in a video call, but in busy situations like a shopping centre, the headset would be a better approach. The headset can also be used for normal voice calls too!
The E1000 was a heap of fun with video calling, and voice calling also. The quality of the display really shows when you’re video calling. The entire screen is a buzz with your video, your caller’s video, and colourful icons. The audio quality from the earpiece speaker was perfect, as was the loudspeaker. I had no problems with calling in both 3G and 2/2.5G areas, but you might want to check Three’s coverage maps to double check that you have reception in your area.
Messaging
The E1000 comes with the stock-standard set of messaging capabilities, from basic SMS/EMS to media-based MMS and e-mail messages. With two digital cameras and video capture ability your MMS and e-mail messages will never be the same again! The E1000 is like any other Motorola when it comes to messaging, and for easy access the messaging menu the left soft key is by default the messaging key.
On opening of the messaging window, all of your folders (inbox, outbox, drafts, and so on) are visible. The first option already selected is create message. Pressing this opens another window which asks what type of message. This way of setting things out is much easier to perform your messaging tasks other than having separate menus for each different type of messaging.
When you capture an image with either of the E1000’s cameras, one of the immediate options is “Send in MMS message”. This allows you to quickly capture an image specifically for an MMS. You can also select send in e-mail message too.
The E1000 offers predictive text, but like all Motorola handsets is a little hard to get used to. Some of the more common words are put last in the list of letter combinations, and the handset refuses to learn that these combinations are used more than others. You can of course use multi-tap character input but predictive text is much faster. There was some lag, which is detailed in the Problems and Issues section.
Connectivity
The E1000 offers many connectivity options for you, including wired and wireless options. Infrared is not included however, which may be a downside for some users who have been using an Infrared adapter with their PC/laptop for a while with other handsets. However, other methods make up for this!
I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again – I love it when manufacturers include a data-cable with their products! The E1000 comes with a USB data-cable and CD-rom with all the software you’ll need to get started with your PC-handset link. With the included software, you can transfer files to and from the handset, synchronize, make calls through your handset via the PC, and much more.
Another way of connecting your E1000 to a PC is by using Bluetooth. You will of course, have to purchase a Bluetooth dongle separately, although it’s becoming increasingly common to incorporate Bluetooth Wireless Technology into laptops. Bluetooth is a very easy way to connect without messy wires and is both stable & secure. The PC suite software can also be used with a Bluetooth connection.
Bluetooth also allows you to connect to other handsets supporting the Technology. You can also connect to devices like headsets for wireless audio conversations. When it comes to connecting another handset, I successfully managed to connect several handsets without much trouble. The only problem I came across was transferring files to another device from the E1000. There is no “send” option when selecting an image, or any other file. Therefore it’s very difficult to send files from the E1000 to another device!
There is a button on the top right hand side of the display, with a small 3-pointed star-like shape. Pressing this launches the web browser on the handset. When it launches, the “Three” homepage loads where you can access a wealth of information. You can also browse to other websites by inputting a URL. The web browser communicates in several ways – when you are in a 3G supported area, WCDMA data is used. This is a very fast way to send and receive data and you will certainly notice the difference between browsing in 3G and browsing in 2.5G. In 2.5G network areas, GPRS is used to connect. This is much slower but still allows you to download and browse web pages.
You cannot perform video calls when in 2.5G area’s, because the data capabilities are not fast enough to support streaming video. WCDMA is the basis of 3G networks because the bandwidth available is huge therefore allowing large amounts of data to be transferred quickly. If you have been roaming on 2.5G networks whilst out of 3G, and then are in an area where you know that 3G reception is available, you can hold down the web browser button and the handset will scan and connect to the 3G network. This often happened for me when I left home and couldn’t access 3G, but when I got home the handset was still roaming on 2.5G so I could quickly connect back to the 3G network.
Build quality
The E1000 is a very well built handset. It is quite big compared to other handsets, and a tad on the heavy side. However, it is very sturdy and strong. There are no removable parts on the handset except for the back cover which increases the overall strength of the handset.
Under the battery cover is the battery, and underneath this the SIM card insert and also the TransFlash memory card slot. This means that to change or remove memory cards you must turn off the handset – very annoying if you ask me.
The only problem which can be thrown into this section of the review is the navigational stick. It doesn’t “stick” out very much (pun, huh!) and when using it especially in messaging or web browsing you will hit the other keys around the navigational stick, an undesired effect. The Problems and Issues section has more on this however.
Battery life
There have been some bad reviews about the battery life of the E1000, but I didn’t experience any problems with it. The handset uses an 830mAh lithium-ion battery pack, and Motorola state that around 155 hours of battery life in standby mode can be expected, and 130 minutes talk time. When it comes to video talk, the E1000’s battery will last about 70 minutes.
These figures will be affected by the use of different features on the handset – like the camera, Java games, and so on.
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Take a closer look!
Screenshots 1
Screenshots 2
Overview (Page 1)
