Motorola MPx220 review: Perfect for business

Motorola MPx220 has reached the top of our chart of mobile phones. It's a smartphone built on Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system and it works perfectly with a Windows PC. Moreover, Motorola added Bluetooth and a megapixel camera to the attractive clamshell.

Key benefits

• excellent synchronization and co-operation with PC
• sophisticated application for time organization (PIM)
• access to the Internet
• perfect voice control
• possibility of main display modification

Key drawbacks

• very poor camera
• no classic USB connector
• the phone uses miniSD cards, which are not widely available
• poor warning of messages and missed calls
• quite difficult data services setting

Official pictures of light and dark variants of the phone

The story with the testing piece. We were waiting several months for more actual version of the phone but finally we were content even with a prototype. Everything worked fine, except extremely low battery duration.

Serious

Motorola MPx220 is a smartphone, which means that it uses standard operating system, which extends possibilities of normal mobile phones. In this case, it is Microsoft Windows Mobile system, version 2003 Second Edition - smartphones variant, of course. That is the first key difference against the previous model, which has used an older system.

Comparing new and old smart Motorola phones

Motorola MPx220 is a phone designated mainly for business: as the other smartphones built on this platform. Competitive Symbian Series 60 is really more entertaining; thanks to a number of games and other applications available for the platform. Windows Mobile is more like an extension to the PC; they can do excellent work together. Strength of this system is mainly in easy data exchange - in the synchronization.

The phone looks nice; it is one of the smallest contemporary smartphones

Is the antenna integrated or not?

Motorola MPx220 is available in two color variants: silver and dark. We are testing the second variant; the brown color turns to a violet light metalized shade. The modern-silver phone will be probably selling better but the classic dark version is also very good choice. At both variants a front label is decorated by a shiny mirror with apertures, covering a loud speaker.

Light and dark variants of the phone

Comparing size of 100 x 48 x 24 mm to normal phones, we realize that Motorola MPx220 is a big phone. However, compared to smartphones and communicators it is a small device. We get similar conclusion when comparing the weight - with its 110 grams, it is a bit heavy for a phone but light for a smartphone.

Size comparison

However, the proportions of the phone have changed against the older model MPx200, the volume remains the same. New Motorola phone is by 11 mm taller, the same width but it is by 3 mm thinner. MPx220 is also by 8 grams lighter.

We already commended Motorola MPx200 for a quality construction, especially if we compare it to normal Motorola phones; new smartphone's construction is also very good. The phone is solid; just the battery and the front label creak if we clasp the phone tightly. Rarely a hinge creaks in open position. These are just minor drawbacks; I would rather appreciate if the clamshell does not click so loud when I open or close it.

Unpleasant click sounds during opening and closing

I find the sharp-edged design so elegant; definitely more attractive than the MPx200. Eyes are attracted mainly by a round silver Motorola logo, apertures on the front label and also an interesting protrusion with an antenna. I suggest to call it integrated antenna because it is not disturbing shape of the phone. By the way, Motorola MPx220 is a phone that works in four frequency bands: 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.

There is a speaker under fancy apertures • various antenna details