Now that cameras, color LCDs displays and novelties like MP3 ringtones are pretty much standard features on new phones, manufacturers have begun to set themselves apart more and more based on style instead of functionality. Motorola first carved out its niche in the fashion phone market with the RAZR, and then with subsequent phones like the PEBL and SLVR, all that push a unique look. The company has continued to turn over fresh stylistic ground with the U9, a smooth, polished-looking phone that has no seams for an exterior display – it’s nestled under the plastic shell.
Much like the PEBL before it, the U9 sports a rounded-edge look that makes it resemble a flat river stone that has been through a rock tumbler, and comes in mirror-finish black or red. The phone’s chic look is clearly intended to come from this shape and not its dimensions, since at .65 inches thick, it’s really nothing to write home about. It weighs a reasonable 87.5 grams, though, making it lighter than many competitors. While the seamless exterior screen has been done before by phones like Samsung’s a-640, using an OLED screen that can display 65,000 colors puts the U9 a step ahead of the far-more-limited alternatives, some of which only display a handful of colors.
Images Courtesy of Motorola
Looks aside, Motorola is also pushing the U9 as a competent music phone, thanks to a microSD expansion slot that will let it hold up to 4GB of data and software that handles WMA, MP3, AAC, AAC+, AAC+ enhanced and Janus DRM files. Exterior controls make it possible to flip through a music library without opening the phone, as well as to stop and start tunes. Bolstering its music-friendly features, the U9 also comes with stereo Bluetooth capability, so wireless headphones are an option. Unfortunately, anyone wanting to listen to more than a handful of songs will have to cough up the money for an expansion card, because the U9 only has 25MB of internal memory.
Of course, all the standard goodies are still there, too. The U9 gets a two-inch QVGA internal screen and a 2.0-megapixel camera with 8x zoom. It takes standard pictures, plus has video and a multi-shot mode that allows it capture a string of photos in sequence. Motorola has also redone its standard user interface for the phone with a new “spinner” view, and included its sound-optimizing CrystalTalk technology.
Given the fashion-phone nature of the U9, its good looks are likely to be the biggest selling point for most buyers, but its built-in music capabilities make it a practical option as well. For music lovers who don’t want to carry just another silver brick, the Motorola U9 stands out as a distinct, earthier alternative.
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