CONTENTS

1. Review
2. Features
3. Prices
4. Similar Phones
5. Useful Links
6. Motorola Phones

RATING

SUMMARY

Review

The Motorola Z8 RIZR (aka MOTO Z8) is a 3G HSDPA quad-band slider phone with a unique kick-slide form factor (the phone bends to align better with your face). Key features include music player, 2 MP camera, 2.2-inch 16 million colour screen, and front-facing VGA camera.

Overall, decent phone. Keypad could be better, and it would have been nice to have Wi-Fi and TV-out. Read on Tonto.

Design

Kick-slide: The rear panel is hinged. Slide the front up and the top panel moves forward to produce a curved shape - see photo above. The idea is to have both the microphone and earpiece closer to your mouth and ear. Yeah. It works.

A quick overview:

Left: Video call key, volume keys and the microSD memory card slot. Supports up to 4 GB - Motorola say that is enough to store 10 full-length movies or 120 music albums on.

Right: Camera key, media player key, mini-USB connector (charger and accessories).

Back: 3 parts - battery cover, 2 MP camera lens, LED flash/camera-on indicator, and the SIM card cover. Yes, no need to remove the battery to change the SIM card.

Front: Earpiece at the top, VGA camera (0.3 MP), loudspeaker and battery status indicator.

Keypad: There's not much space between the top row of keys and the bottom of the front panel. The keys are flat and don't offer much tactile feedback.

Bourne - Jason Bourne

There's a 512 MB microSD memory card in the box. The Bourne Identity film is loaded onto it - the best of the Bourne Trilogy. Oh yes it is.

Features

2 MP Camera

2 megapixel camera with QVGA (240 x 320 pixel) video capture at 30 fps and LED flash. No autofocus. You must keep the slider shut to use the main camera; open to use the secondary camera. Hmmm. Settings include picture quality, modes, effects, white balance, flash mode, self timer and shutter sound.

Camera image quality is a bit suspect. Like many 2 megapixel cameras, the photos are a little dark. Take photos in good light for best results. No autofocus means blurry close-up shots.

The camera lens, being in the middle of the rear panel, is prone to getting grubby fingermarks on it. The manual states several times - "to get the clearest picture, use a soft dry cloth to clean the lens".

Video player

The screen is good. There's no TV out option, so you're stuck with watching stuff on the 2.2-inch 240 x 320 pixel screen.

Symbian OS

UIQ 3 interface, Symbian OS - install 3rd-party applications. You've got all the usual organiser tools.

Sky Anytime On Mobile

Get the Sky TV guide, watch content or set your Sky+ box to record from your phone!

Web Browsing

Opera 8 Web browser using a 3G or HSDPA data connection. Not bad. The Motorola Z8 RIZR doesn't have Wi-Fi.

Music Player

Playlists, artists, albums, tracks. Simple. Listen to the music using the loudspeaker (not very loud), wired handsfree or Motorola Bluetooth® Active Headphones S9 (in the box). Sounds OK.

Summary

Decent phone. Good screen, 3G, HSDPA, microSD slot. Could do with Wi-Fi, Tv-out and a better keypad. It's a high-end phone - buy on PAYG or get the Motorola Z8 for "free" on a pay-monthly contract.

Motorola Z8 RIZR Alternatives

Check out the latest music, 3G and HSDPA phones on MobileSift's home page. There are plenty of good alternatives to the Motorola Z8 RIZR.

Motorola Phones

• razr2 v8
• rokr e8   new
• u9
• z8 rizr

Prices

Prices coming soon.

TAGS: fashion, 3g, hsdpa, music, smartphone, slider phones

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