When the Motorola Q was launched in 2006, it was the supermodel of the smartphone world. It was the thinnest full QWERTY phone available, it had a sleek design, and its screen was crisper and clearer than almost any other available. Today, while the Motorola Q remains an attractive smartphone, it has plenty of competition.
Price and Availability
The Motorola Q is available in several different versions from several different sources. Verizon Wireless and Sprint both offer the Motorola Q 9c; Verizon is charging $150 while Sprint's version costs $100 (both of those prices include mail-in rebates). AT&T offers the Motorola Q 9h for $150. You can also buy an unlocked version directly from Motorola.
Design
The Motorola Q's appeal has always been the way it looks. And it looks good. It measures only .47 inches thick--that's still thin, but it's no longer the thinnest smartphone available. Still, the Q's design has held up well over the years. You can find it in a variety of colors--including black, gray, and lime green. The screen measures 2.5 inches diagonally; that's not huge compared to many of today's screens, but it’s a decent size.
Web Browsing
Most versions of the Q support high-speed 3G networks (HSDPA or EvDO, depending on which carrier you choose), but none of them include support for Wi-Fi wireless networks. That means you'll have to depend on a strong 3G network for speedy Web browsing. The Q's browser is Internet Explorer Mobile, but some models include Opera Mobile, an alternative browser.
Software
The Q is a Windows Mobile-based phone. Most of the Qs now available run the latest version of Windows Mobile, 6.1, and all of them come with a mobile version of the Microsoft Office suite as well as a variety of productivity applications.
Messaging
Like any Windows Mobile-based smartphone, the Q includes a mobile version of Microsoft Outlook. This means it will be easy to sync your e-mail, calendar, and contacts with a desktop version of Outlook. It will work with Microsoft Exchange e-mail accounts, as well as POP3 accounts. You should check the specifications of a particular Motorola Q model to make sure it will support a specific type of e-mail account, though.
Camera
Some versions of the Motorola Q (such as the 9c for Verizon and Sprint) include only a 1.3-megapixel camera. But the Motorola Q 9h for AT&T has a 2-megapixel camera. Make sure you read the specifications of your particular model carefully, especially if camera resolution is important to you. A 2-megapixel camera will take better snapshots than a 1.3-megapixel model.
Music and More
The Q includes a music and video player. The Q 9c for Sprint supports that carrier's Live TV service, and most of the available versions are GPS-enabled, so you can use them with a carrier's GPS service to get turn-by-turn directions from your phone.
The Motorola Q isn't the newest or most feature-packed smartphone on the market. But it remains popular, and it is an affordable, attractive device.
