Motorola sticks with disemvoweled product names: the Tlkr T7 Radio.
(Credit: Motorola)Charlie November Echo Tango, this is Crave, do it to us, over.
We got ourselves a couple of chopped-top CBs from Motorola--a.k.a. the Tlkr T7 series--so you'll have to put up with the radio slang. Sorry. Over.
The T7 is a serious piece of kit. It's about as powerful a walkie-talkie as you can buy without requiring a special license or unwittingly interfering with the emergency services, and in optimal conditions, two or more handsets can communicate 6 miles apart.
We recently came back from testing these bad boys out in the Italian Alps, where they performed flawlessly. Those of us who braved the top of the 2.5-mile-high Matterhorn were able to effortlessly taunt those who'd stayed at the base of the mountain because they'd injured themselves on the previous day's snowboarding. We were even able to talk to those in the group with lesser walkie-talkies and felt pretty secure in the knowledge that we could alert the authorities if we fell over and broke something.
Performance wasn't as effective in built-up areas, understandably. Interference from other radio signals and buildings dropped the range to around 3,200 feet in our tests, but we were able to order drinks with colleagues in a pub approximately that far away. Your mileage will vary, of course, but we think you'll like the T7s. They perform well, have a serious-looking but attractive gray finish, and have a long battery life of approximately 16 hours.
If you want to keep in touch with mates while you're on holiday, or you just want to look like you're in the secret service, the T7s more than justify their £65 ($92) price tag.
Over and out.
(Via Crave UK)
(Credit:
Motorola )
If Motorola does end up getting out of the mobile phone business, we hope it's not counting on walkie-talkies as the future. Moto has already launched its fashionable "TLKR" line, and now we hear that it's launching a new "Talkabout" two-way radio with a camo design and a choice of five hunting-call "buddy tones"--duck, goose, turkey, elk, and coyote, according to Slippery Brick.
Yes, it's not exactly the same as downloading the latest Beyonce ring tone (that could be suicide around people with firearms anyway), but it sure seems to be getting closer, at least where the marketing angles are concerned. If they start coming out with "special edition" walkie-talkies, that may be real reason for worry.
By the way, if you really are a serious hunter, the T9650RCAMO has a range of 28 miles, speech activation, vibrating alerts, and weather channels. And we didn't make a single Dick Cheney joke.
(Credit:
Chinavasion)
The proliferation of watch phones in the last year has given rise to countless Dick Tracy analogies, including many in this space. But the truth, as every schoolboy knows, is that the storied device created by Chester Gould in the '40s was never a phone at all--it was a two-way radio.
So for those who are really big fans of the strip, here's a wrist-bound gadget that comes a lot closer to the iconic original: a walkie-talkie watch. According to 7Gadgets, this pair has a range of more than 1 kilometer, supports multiple channels, and has rechargeable batteries.
The old-fashioned LCD readout and truck-tire black finish aren't much to look at, but Tracy was always all business anyway. We just wonder what the uber-detective would have thought if he knew that his communications device of the future, or at least something that resembles it, would be mass-produced in China.
(Credit:
Crave UK)
Come in walkie-talkie fans. Over. The Motorola TLKR T5 two-way radio not only looks good but works pretty well too. With a potential range of 6km--in perfect conditions, natch--we managed to get it working all around Crave UK's trendy penthouse offices, which beats the pants off those toy ones you get at Toys "R" Us.
You can pick up a pair of these for about 60 pounds (about $125), which we think isn't bad at all. They're very robust, so they're ideal for outdoor use. Whether you a skier, hiker, climber or just like messing around with walkie-talkies--and who doesn't? over--these are perfect for short- to medium-range communication.
Other features include a room monitor that lets you listen in to another TLKR T5 via voice activation--useful if you're the paranoid type. There are several ring tones you can choose from and an automatic "roger" beep so you don't have to say it every time you finish a conversation. But where's the fun in that? Click here for a better look.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
Boost Mobile)
Maybe Motorola is onto something with this walkie-talkie stuff. After all, it's one of the few functions the iPhone doesn't have (yet). And unlike the T.J. Hooker-style units of years past, some of the new models are barely distinguishable from fashion-conscious mobile phones.
In fact, according to SlashGear, Motorola's new i425 handset serves as both phone and walkie-talkie, with GPS features thrown in for good measure, all in a black or white case that's a half-inch thick and weighs 3.88 ounces. It's available from Sprint's Boost Mobile service on a pay-as-you-go plan.
Why does anyone need a walkie-talkie, you might ask? Because after your "Seismic Watch" successfully predicts when when the Big One will hit, you'll still be able to make calls. Maybe.
(Credit:
Motorola)
Why should mobile phones be the only handheld communication devices to get all the attention from designers? Philips proved recently, for instance, that land lines too were capable of making a fashion statement. And now Motorola may be applying the concept to the most aesthetically challenged handset of all: the walkie-talkie.
The new "TLKR" line is a "stylish, easy-to-use and colorful" range of two-way radios, according to Pocket-lint. These definitely aren't the kind of cheapo toys some of us got at the five-and-dime store as kids. (Here's a definition the young 'uns.) Depending on which model you choose, these 'talkies can provide 16 or 20 hours of battery life and ranges of 5 or 6 kilometers.
They come in various colors (including red and orange), have backlit LCDs and eight channels. There are also 121 channel codes to ensure privacy, because you never know who might be listening in while you're playing war in the backyard. The only thing missing is personalized ring tones.
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