MOTOROLA Q 9H GSM UNLOCKED Review

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(More customer reviews)I won't go through my whole genesis of palmtops/smartphones over the past ten years, but suffice it to say I have used many. I long ago realized that one-handed navigation was a requirement since I need ready access while driving, etc. That rules out all of the slider/tilt/clamshell designs that exist. It also rules out the iPhone. My most recent device was a Palm Treo 755p. It worked pretty well but because of the aging Palm OS it lacked multi-tasking and was crash prone.
I had been reading about the new Motorola Q9h for many months, and eagerly waited for its official release. When it finally came out a couple of weeks ago I got it and have been thoroughly satisfied.
Highlights:
1. Very fast operating system. Much like on a desktop PC, once an application is open, access to that application is immediate. And because of all the onboard memory you can have a ton of applications open at once without the Q slowing down.
2. HSDPA = voice + data at the same time! This is huge. I've never had a HSDPA (3.5G) device before, but had read about the ability for you to be using the data connection while simultaneously talking on the phone. I got to test this on a recent business trip (I live in an area without HSDPA coverage) and it worked flawlessly. I was navigating using the TeleNav application (which requires a data connection for map updates), talking on the phone, and still receiving email, all at once. And for the record the data connection is super fast. I used the Q as a modem for my laptop, and it was as fast and reliable as a Wi-Fi connection.
3. The size is great. As soon as I opened the box I installed the high capacity battery that comes included. This makes the back of the phone bulge out a bit, so there is a separate battery cover included as well. In spite of that bulge the phone is easy to hold with one hand.
4. Superior keyboard. I had read early reviews mentioning how great the Q's keyboard was. They were right. I have never missed a key on this keyboard. It has just the right amount of tactile feedback and spacing to be usable. It is definitely even much better than the Treo, which many people consider to be a great keyboard.
5. Windows Mobile 6 is a great operating system. I had used Windows Mobile back a few generations ago. I've used the Palm OS and even Symbian's Series 60 (Nokia) and UIQ (Sony Ericsson). Windows Mobile 6 beats them all. It's fast, reliable, and very customizable. And though the Q uses the "standard" version (no touch screen), it is optimized for that fact and therefore navigable by the keyboard, soft keys, etc. Because of that it is perfectly suited for one-handed use. Every other OS I've had that is touch-screen always has at least a few areas where they got lazy and did not provide a way to perform a function without the touch screen.
6. Bluetooth 2.0, micro-USB, built-in GPS, micro-SD, 2.0Mpixel video/still camera. All things a modern phone should include. The Q does and they work great.
7. Motorola included great software. Opera as the default browser works amazingly well, better than the built-in Internet Explorer. Documents To Go works great with Excel, Word, PowerPoint and PDF files. It includes a Zip program as well, great for email attachments. You can even create or edit Excel, Word and PowerPoint documents.
8. Overall solid feel and build quality. The phone feels great. Very professional appearance, but not too geeky. Great phonecall quality (as sender or receiver). Very loud speakerphone. It does everything it is supposed to do and looks and feels great doing it.
Lowlights
1. Blackberry Connect not yet available. I really couldn't care less about this personally, but my company uses a Blackberry server, so this is a minor issue. AT&T says this feature is coming by the end of 2007. The built in messaging function allows for multiple email accounts to be checked automatically--to me giving more than enough email access already.
2. No built-in WiFi. Again, I couldn't care less, but I have to mention it since so many people seem deadset on having this. If you're in an area with HSDPA coverage you will not need WiFi. And even the EDGE coverage in other areas is adequate for light browsing and email.
Overall I could not recommend this phone more! If one-handed navigation, a superior keyboard, and HSDPA network coverage are of value, this is the phone for you.
UPDATE 12/06/07: Strike #1 off of my "Lowlights." BlackBerry Connect is now available and I have downloaded and installed it and it works perfectly. Other than that, still a great phone in every way.
UPDATE 12/26/08: More than a year later and the Q9h Global is still working great. A couple of months ago an update from Microsoft/Motorola upgraded the OS to Windows Mobile 6.1. That has made a great phone even better. The stability is improved, with no speed degradation. Plus there is a new home screen interface that allows you to access almost everything you need on a daily basis right from that screen.
I still see no other phone out there that can beat what the Q9h does for me. To put this in perspective, in the time since I've had this phone my wife has tried the Blackberry Curve, Blackberry 8800, Samsung Blackjack II, Nokia E71 and is currently using the Blackberry Bold (yes, she did try the Q9h but "accidentally" washed it in our washing machine after about a week of use...so I ended up with a very clean brick and an extra pair of batteries!). She loves the Bold. I've played with it, and it's definitely the best Blackberry I've seen, but I cannot help but see the striking resemblance to my Q that's over a year old! Now Motorola has a gray version of the Q9h. If anything ever happens to mine that's what I'll be getting to replace it.

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