Motorola V975

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Looking like a cross between Motorola's V3 and Samsung's SGH-Z107, the V975 is the US company's third 3G phone outing, this time in the form of a clamshell. Though it weighs less than the E1000's 160g and A1000's 140g at 137g, the V975 nevertheless impresses with its array of features.

Design
Sporting a clamshell form factor, the V975 is considerably less chunky compared with the first two 3G phones from Motorola. Upon opening the flip cover, you will be greeted by a vivid 176 x 220-pixel, 65,536 color display, though it can't compare with the E1000's display size of 240 x 320 pixels or its 18-bit colors. However, with a smaller pixel size on a smaller screen, the pictures tend to look sharper on the main display. The phone's smallish 1-inch STN exterior screen didn't seem to exploit the surrounding space, which is a pity as it makes images hard to see on the viewfinder.

The four-way directional joypad and keypad have a good tactile feel and are nicely spaced for messaging. At 27 x 96 x 49mm and weighing 137g, the size is manageable and gives a good gripe, thanks to its curvy design. A conical-shaped antenna sticks out like a sore thumb, though, marring this otherwise stylish mobile. We're not happy with the mobile's build quality as we feel it's not on par with older models such as the V690 and V620. During our review, we found the V975's hinge could get pretty loose.

Features
The menu interface is generally intuitive and responsive. An office applications folder can be found on its menu, though there's nothing "office" about it as it contains only the usual PIM functions like organizer, to-do, memo and alarm.

As the third 3G phone from Motorola, the V975 doesn't disappoint where its 3G features are concerned as well. Two cameras are featured onboard, a CIF camera for video calls and self-portraits, and an external VGA resolution camera for photo-taking. Video streaming is rather smooth though we did find the TFT color screen relatively small. User will have the option of switching to landscape by pressing the "#" key.

However, the external camera key can be quite a nuisance as we unintentionally activated the camera several times when put in pockets or bags. Onboard memory is only 2MB, but the inclusion of the TransFlash memory card should allow you to extend the storage capacity. The card slot is hidden under the battery, so to remove the TransFlash memory, requires turning off the phone, which is inconvenient when you want to make quick storage swaps. Recorded videos also seem to have a half-second lag, although it's just a minor gripe.

For messaging, Motorola is still sticking with its iTAP system but this has improved recently with the auto word completion. Where ringtones are concerned, the mobile has only 24-chord polyphony, which is quite low compared with other phones in the market. Fortunately, the V975 is capable of MP3 ringtones.

Bluetooth and IrDA are both curiously absent in this clamshell, making this the only 3G phone from Motorola without. The manufacturers has bundled the USB connectivity cable with the sales package, though. Unlike the A1000 and E1000, this model does not have a stereo speaker onboard and sound output can be too soft at times. But, once connected to the optional stereo headset, it sounds as good as its other siblings.

Reception, Battery Life And SAR
During our review period, the V975 didn't experience reception problem. Switching between 2G and 3G networks was fast and seamless and its 810mAh battery was able to power the phone for an average of 1.5 day. The manufacturer claims a talktime of up to 130 minutes and standby of up to 150 hours. The highest SAR value for this device is 0.96 W/kg which meets international guidelines for exposure to radio waves.

Conclusion
Being an entry-level 3G model from Motorola, at S$598 (US$400.19) with a two-year contract, this handset is considered value for money and lightweight, too. For those who want to experience 3G but don't see the need for Bluetooth connectivity, this handset will be a good choice.