Comments on: On Call: Mourning Motorola

Motorola's cell phone business may be stumbling, but we shouldn't find any pleasure in its demise

[mjbarak]

The "Q" also started the thin smart phone revolution. True, they probably also rode that wave longer than they should have instead of pioneering something new. But that was a great device worthy of mention.

[Renegade Knight]

I gave up on Motorola after the V60. The computer connectivity software didn't let me move my data from the V60i to the V60s. When a company creates a situation where I lose my data while staying wthin the same family of phones I lose interest or at least lose my loyalty since there are no ties. I can start over with anyone.

[nickclark567]

I think Motorola should get rid of the iTAP predictive text software on their phones and switch to T9. I can't stand iTAP! But, Motorola has been an awesome company and I think the cell phone business would hurt to see it go.

[chuckhalverson]

I currently own the RAZR V3xx and I think it is the greatest phone I have ever owned. The screen and the graphics resolution totally sets it apart from the other Razrs and sadly it seems that it was overlooked. I have also installed the Yahoo GO program and the Opera Mini browser on it as well. I have ONLY been a Motorola phone owner since my first phone 11 years ago. I owned the same StarTac for a solid 5 years with Verizon as well. I really want a Razr2 next but am starting to stilt towards a Windows Mobile phone. I wish Motorola made a flip phone with Windows Mobile. I have always liked their quality.

[ebolisay]

Wow to be first in line for a non cutting edge phone. Gee what a benefit.

[jimboxp]

My dad had a MicroTac 650 when I was little and then they got the v120t's. US Cell gave me a Motorola when my LG failed....worst 6 months of my 6 years with a mobile. I have a Blackberry. I've always hated the software and design of Motorola.

[justdaven]

Moto phones have been great in the past, and I agree that it would be fabulous to have them innovate again. that is what it is going to take. I also agree with the user that phone data transfer should not be an add-in, but a care responsibility, especially within your own llines!

[andrewcjduong]

never really liked motorola, the software base is always the same, always had the same menu layout, and it was boring. Plus its not even worth it, my last motorola was the motorola rokr z6 manderin orange, bought it for roughly 390, not even worth it. same old features, sold it for 300. never gunna look back to motorola again unless they release new features and menu layouts. now im using my htc tytn 2 and blackberry curve. (still waiting for the blackberry 9000 bold to come out) overall i think the best motorola phone was the motorola krzr, althought it might not be feature packed, its a great simple phone for this generation and i like the style. had a motorola v3 as well, battery died quickly, the screen started to turn off cuz of the loose/broken cable, and the hinge was very look so the phone was flimsy.

[zysmith]

I, for one, would mourn the loss of Moto. They have the best phones, that is to make and recieve calls, no tthe bloated elctromechanical all in one nightmares that are now passing themselves off as 'phones'. the only thing that would make them better is if Verizon would keep their mtts off the interface.

[Andrew Denn]

Well, I've never had a Moto phone, but remember the good old days when Motorola powered the Power Macs? The first computer I ever owned was a Graphite iMac G3 600 Mhz. I loved that computer!! I used it until it went out on me 2 years ago :( Anyway, I have a long time connection with Motorola through Apple :)

[SuperCavey]

My first phone was the Kyocera Phantom and then the Kyocera Slider..... i liked those phones. Then I got a Moto V710 and fell in love with the interface and reliability. that phone was dropped so many times. the antenna was ripped off and had th chip board showing and still lasted 1 more year and I don't blame it for dieing. I now am the proud owner of a Moto RIZR in the form of a ROKR. I am didn't think I could find a phone to replace my old one but this has a badass music player on it provided by Napster and has great picture quality. I only wish it had a flash.......... forgot to say that after my V710 died I bought an LG and I could not use it. It's GUI was impossible to use after the brilliance of a MOTO interface. I had to return it and buy my RIZR/ROKR..... moral of the story once you love moto you cant go back

[macjmillsx]

I work for AT&T Mobility, and we have not gotten a single Motorola handset in stock in weeks. We carry the V3, V3xx, V365, V9, Z9, and the Q9... and have bee out of stock on all for weeks now!
I can say that in my experience Motorola get the best signal strength on AT&T's network and battery life and durability were always praised when compared to other comparable handsets.
It's a shame, but it looks like Moto has already capsized.

[fingerk]

I've been working in the Wireless industry for about 5 years. I will say there has been an agreement across the board that Motorola just does not make quality phones anymore. There are way to many software glitches and bugs, the hardware really is nothing special, and frankly the designs of their phone are no where near up to par of the rest of the manufacturers.

I respect the company for what they have given to our industry, they were one of the pioneer's of
wireless in this country for consumers. They gave us the first streamlined PDA, MOTO "Q", and they gave us the First very affordable very thin phone (RaZr). But, BUT!!!! Both of these devices were horrible with their internal components. They're apparently are to cheap to put in decent processors in there devices.

Look to sum it up, in the age of the iPhone all the manufacturer have to step it up, and honestly Motorola hasn't in quite some time.

They road the RaZr and MOTO Q Band Wagon a little to long.

[chapplenick]

And you wonder why companies like Nokia and Sony Ericsson ignore the US market? Might it be because you have 2 separate mobile standards (CDMA and GSM) despite the fact that the larger world market has overwhelmingly supported GSM. Your GSM networks have poor 3G coverage which means that companies are less inclined to introduce multimedia featured handsets in a market with little need - thats a reason why Motorola was so popular for a time - the RAZR was only 2G

[nflqbk2]

i'm just waiting for the motorola version of the iphone.

Motorola's best phones are usually in other countries.

[mahasamoot]

I've got a Motorola SLVR L72 (called L9 in US), and I love the hardware. It's solidly built, and the styling is great. I also love the fact that it's got a single standard USB port for everything. The bundled accessories are also a step above the rest.

However, the software is another matter. I asked about Java when I bought the phone because I wanted to use Gmail mobile. I was told that it has java. I wasn't told that it's not useful for anything, because java apps don't have access to the memory card or the network. Thus, gmail mobile runs but can't get my email, and the MP3 player I installed runs, but can't read the files to play them. It does come with an MP3 player--but it's second rate, as it can't read the ID3 tags on 1/2 the files and doesn't have gapless playback.

Their tech support it also totally useless. The US based support people refuse to help, and the local tech support are clueless morons whom don't understand the product they're supposed to support.

In short, I'm never going to buy Motorola again, and I couldn't care less if they drowned--it's their fault for their restrictive software setup and their dismal customer service.

Cheers,
~Thomas

[tonikypla]

US needs to wake up against European companies like Nokia and Sony Ericsson.

Why i hope Motorola should stay is because it will save world from racists European companies to dominate the world. European companies have been using American designers to design their phones. US should have good design talent US is world leader in software talent.

All predictions of Motorola dying is European propaganda. I wish a more international company like Motorola stay on scene.

Both finish Nokia and Swedish Ericsson are redneck skin head racist companies, both of which should be discouraged by consumers.

[fingerk]

I have to tell you boss Nokia and Sony Ericsson haven't been big in the US... for quite some time. Its really LG and Samsung which honestly are superior manufacturers than Sony Ericsson, and Nokia is no competition because well they don't make enough CDMA phones. Both, Samsung and LG are not European and are pretty much dominating the entire CDMA market and have a huge share of market in the GSM world. Motorola is controlling their own demise. Frankly, they suck. I can't remember the last time Motorola came out with a Great GSM or CDMA phone. All their designs are boring and their hardware is completely under par. We are in a Capitalist world where the Best Wins and Motorola is not even close to the best. You say you want diversity but what has Motorola given to the wireless industry (presently)?

[chrism07924]

I remember when Motorola phones were among the most desired devices. The startac flip phone was a miracle of technology at the time.

But with the Iphone and other clones that combine hand held computer devices with classic phones, it's over for Motorola, unless they team up with another company capable of bridging the software gap for them.

I bought an Iphone a year ago, plan to get the 3g Iphone in July 2008, and I have never ever looked back.

[flickrz]

They lost because they couldn't come up with new phones that would have kept the momentum going. Razr was the hit but, after that they didn't come up with a smart phone that could disrupt the market the same way.

[1waverider]

You are all not reading the news and blogs about Motorola. They are busy with other affiliates well known in the broadband industry rolling out the newly approved Wimax wireless networks. You'll see high speed internet beyond DSL or cable and feature packed into their phones. We are on the verge of convergence. Check out DSLReports.com.