Mobile Phone News and Reviews

It’s been a long time, far too long in fact, since Motorola released a handset that really had people excited. But there’s plenty of anticipation for this handset that’s powered by Google’s Android operating system, and the company is obviously hoping it will

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It’s been a long time, far too long in fact, since Motorola released a handset that really had people excited. But there’s plenty of anticipation for this handset that’s powered by Google’s Android operating system, and the company is obviously hoping it will be one of the big new mobile phones, and one that put them back among the big boys.

Can it do that, though? The answer, sadly, is probably not. It has a great screen, but on initial view, that’s the best that can be said. The QWERTY keyboard is flat and cramped, making typing on it a chore rather than a joy and bringing plenty of typos,  and meaning the onscreen keyboard is a far better choice for typing, while the design of the phone itself is boxy and old fashioned, but not in a comfortably fashionable retro kind of way.

On the plus side, the handset offers very good battery life – it will last a full work day – and the brightness of the screen far outshines its competition. Since it uses Google, all the basics work flawlessly, even if the design of the menu screen leaves a lot to be desired.

In the US the unit will be using Google Navigation, much lauded in many mobile phone reviews. Sadly, Europe won’t have that option, relegated instead to Motorola’s inferior Motonav – which is an opportunity missed.

So, can the Motorola Milestone put Motorola back on track and prove a significant entry in the smartphone market? The answer, unfortunately, seems to be no.

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