Motorola SLVR L7 review: Slim style

We will hardly ever get used to it

Motorola L7's interface and menu are pretty similar to those in other Motorola models, incl. Razr V3. The main display provides information about the network signal, the battery state, the active ringing profile, the name of the operator, the functions of the context keys and the current date and time. The clock can be viewed either in a digital or in an analog format. The name of the operator together with the current date can either be centered or aligned left.

  
Various looks of the stand-by display

The main display also shows the icons that indicate the functions assigned to each way of the main control button (selection is available in the main menu). Any wallpaper from those available in the device can be placed as background on the main display. It is not animated though. The wallpaper gets replaced by an animated screen-saver after a relatively long time of inactivity. Once the screen-saver goes out too, the display becomes totally illegible. The menu outlook can be changed through the use of three preinstalled themes as well.

The main menu has not undergone any significant changes either. It is offered in two versions - as a matrix of 9 animated icons or in the form of a text list. The order of the main menu items can be changed. With certain exceptions, the rest of the menu generally consists of text with tiny icons located in second level. Multimedia and Tools items are presented by big animated icons.

Having worked with Motorola devices quite seldom, I find the organization of Motorola L7's menu somewhat illogical. If you switch to Motorola from a different brand, you will definitely need some time to get used to the way, in which its menu is organized, mainly because certain items are not where you would expect them to be.

   
Various images of the matrix with icons on the main menu • main menu in text format

While examining the control functions of Motorola L7 I was surprised to find out that any text I would insert in the calendar would simply not get confirmed by a single press on the central part of the four-way key. I was offered preset headings instead. All in all, Motorola UI gives the impression of being the least user-friendly of all user interfaces I have worked with so far. On top of that Motorola L7 reacts with significant delays, which back-pedals overall work.

L7 features approximately 6 MB of internal memory extendable by using memory cards of the above mentioned TransFlash type.

Where has the megapixel disappeared?

Motorola L7's camera is definitely the worst elaborated part of the entire device. I do not understand why Motorola has taken a step back by using a low-quality VGA chip in such a luxurious phone. To my opinion, a megapixel would have made the L7 model far more attractive and successful. Anyway, Motorola L7 takes blurred pictures in a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. The phone offers a vertical hand-hold only.

Display in active camera mode

The camera permits manual adjustment of exposure and white balance. Besides, it is equipped with a night mode, a self-release option and a 4-step digital zoom, which only creates crops. Within the camera application you will find several audio options for the lens shutter. If you prefer not to use sound with the lens shutter, simply deactivate the one that is currently set-up. Bear in mind that just activating the silent mode does not result into automatic muting of the lens shutter.

Sample photos:

Apart from pictures, Motorola L7 also takes short audio-video sequences in 3GP format with a maximum resolution of 176 x 144 pixels. Their length is either half a minute, or is limited by the size of a standard MMS. Shooting does get stopped after 30 seconds, even if the phone disposes of additional free memory. On the other hand, the smaller size of the records permits easy transfer to a PC through Bluetooth.

Sample video (3GP, 482 kB)

A thousand of friends...

Motorola L7's phonebook does not differ from the phonebooks we have seen in other models of this manufacturer. It fits in up to a thousand contacts. Items saved in the phone's memory and those saved on the SIM card are displayed all together. The phonebook is searched by gradual writing of the name of the respective contact. However, the result won't appear unless you click on "Search". Each contact can be assigned 5 different phone numbers as well as several email addresses, a street address, a birth date, a picture and a specific ringing melody, which is also played when a SMS from the same person is received.

 
A possible view of the phonebook • searching the phonebook

Phone numbers can be organized into groups and dialed by voice. Yet, incoming calls cannot be filtered on a group base. Motorola L7 searches the phonebook really slowly and suffers significant lags. Contacts are searched by gradual writing of the respective name. However, the phonebook does not get ordered automatically and it is necessary to confirm the contact you look for in order that this appears on the display. Motorola L7 is a tri-band phone and thus allows for phone calls in the following three GSM bands: 900/1800/1900 MHz.

 
Modifying contact details • phonebook options

The earphone provides loud enough, good-quality sound. The phone also features a loud handsfree function, whose performance is a bit poor though. Ringing profiles are elaborated to the very last detail. There are 6 of them in the menu and they can all be modified according to user's will. The L7 model rings in 24-voice polyphony or plays any available MP3 file instead.