Review: Motorola RIZR Z10

Motorola Z10 Review

Phone rating:

In a nutshell: The Motorola RIZR Z10 is Motorola's flagship 3G smartphone. This is a phone that offers many good features, such as a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, high quality video calling, an excellent media player, high speed data access via HSDPA, and third party Symbian applications. It's a slimline smartphone with a good looking "kick" design slide. But it isn't the easiest or most reliable phone available.
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The Motorola RIZR Z10 is an updated version of the RIZR Z8, making it Motorola's flagship 3G smartphone. Like the Z8, the Z10 is a slide-design phone that's very light for a 3G smartphone. It looks fantastic with its "kick" design slide. The slide kicks out when opened, giving the phone the appearance and ergonomic benefits of a clamshell when opened. The screen is superb with 16 million colours and a clear and bright display. The keypad is slightly cramped however, and may be a problem to use if you have very large fingers.

Motorola's advertising guys are really pushing the camera and video recording features of the Z10. This seems to be overdone, and draws attention to the fact that Motorola actually lags other manufacturers when it comes to imaging. This is certainly Motorola's best imaging phone to date, with a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and a video camera capable of recording at 30 frames per second. The camera takes good pictures, but it's not in the same league as the top-end phones from other manufacturers, e.g. the Sony Ericsson K850i, Nokia N95, Samsung G800 or LG Viewty. A second VGA camera enables high quality video calling on a 3G network.

The Z10 is well equipped for music, with a media player that supports MP3, AAC, AAC+ & AAC Enhanced formats in high quality stereo. The music player handles playlists and shuffles, and can synchronise with your PC via high-speed Bluetooth or USB 2.0. There is support for a wireless Bluetooth stereo headset (not supplied) or a conventional stereo headset. The Z10 can store plenty of songs too when fitted with a microSD memory card. The Z10 can take the new 4 GB cards, which provides enough storage for 1,000 tracks.

Connectivity is via Bluetooth or USB. The Z10 can handle fast downloads too. On a 2G network, the Z10 can connect using EDGE at up to 236.8 kbps. On a 3G network, HSDPA enables downloads of up to 3.6 Mbps - comparable with home broadband. An Opera web browser is supplied, with full mobile HTML support and the phone can handle email too. The phone is quadband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) so is usable worldwide.

The Z10 is a smartphone, so it supports third-party Symbian applications. These can be used to customise your phone and turn it into a mini-laptop. However, Symbian systems lack the simplicity, speed and robustness of a simple phone interface. The Z10 exhibits the usual Symbian problems, such as slow menus, freezing or shutting down. It's also a harder user interface to get to grips with.

In summary, the Z10 is a powerful device with a lot of good features, but it isn't our first choice of smartphone, and we don't expect it to be a massive seller.

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Features of the Motorola RIZR Z10 / MOTORIZR Z10 include:

• 3G Symbian smartphone
• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash and 8x digital zoom
• Video camera (30 frames/second)
• 3G video calling (using second VGA camera)
• Display: TFT, 16 million colours, 320 x 240 pixels (2.2 inches)
• Music player (MP3, AAC, AAC+, AAC Enhanced formats)
• Hands-Free Speaker Phone
• Speaker independent name dialling / voice commands
• Speed dialling
• Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS, Email
• Pre-loaded games
• Caller ID with image
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB 2.0
• Memory: 45 Mbytes plus MicroSD card (expandable to 4 Gbytes)
• Opera HTML web browser
• Data: GPRS Class 10, EDGE, HSPDA (3.6 Mbps)
• Quadband (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) plus 3G (WCDMA 2100)
• Size: 51 x 109 x 16.5 mm
• Weight: 115g
• Talktime: up to 5 hours (3G)
• Battery standby: up to 16 days

Motorola RIZR Z10 Consumer Reviews

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Average rating from 9 reviews:

Reviewed by Linda Still from Scotland on 22nd Jun 2008
I always buy Motorola as I love the suggestive texting which remembers the whole sentence which I got with my Z3 so when Z10 came on the go I couldn't wait to get it. Wish I didn't bother now, the phone has such a long list of bad points I hate it. 1. I can't set my texts to vibrate only. 2. Predictive and suggestive text rarely works. 3. Battery life, pants! 4. I hate the way it leaves a list of your last contacts on texting. 5. 2 second delay for each menu. 6. Doesn't return to home page after a function, you have to press back sometimes as much as five times. 7. Buttons are hard to press making texting difficult. I am sure the phone has some goods points but with as many bad points as these it certainly wasn't worth the money I paid for it. Also the issue of battery life keeps coming up again and again so why does Motorola not listen? :(
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Reviewed by chris from england on 21st Jun 2008
im really annoyed with my z1o!!! only had it 5 mins and it keeps freezing... not opening applications.. randomly exiting applications!! awful phone i am so dissapointed!!
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Reviewed by Felicity Daly from England on 10th Jun 2008
I work in the Carphone Warehouse and I have only experienced 1 person wanting this phone. I think the design's funky but apart from that, it's like any other Motorola phone... rubbish!
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Reviewed by Matt Chang from China on 5th Jun 2008
Hello, this phone looks ok, but same old reliability issues as with many motorola phones.
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Reviewed by Lee Fry from UK on 4th Jun 2008
Lovely phone, had a few issues with it on first day getting a wallpaper to stay etc, but since after the 2nd reboot all is good. Camera is brilliant as is the flash! Good sound quality, and not one crash yet! Just wish the reminder alter for unread txt messages worked... :(
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Reviewed by Andy from England on 4th Jun 2008
I loved the design of this phone but was extremely disappointed with the software.Here is my list of bad points: 1. The phone doesn't lock when you shut the slider 2. The phone says 'unlocked' when you try and lock it with the slider closed 3. I have to keep putting predictive texting on all my messages as it always reverts back to the original settings 4. It doesn't automatically put a capital letter after a full stop when messaging. Again this has to be done manually 5. It takes at least 2 seconds for the screen to appear when the slider is opened There are some good points but the bad ones far outweigh them. Sorry - sent back after 2 hours. Going to wait for the new Sony Ericsson C902
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Reviewed by dominic from england on 30th May 2008
This is fantastic. Camera is ammence,music player is good quality and so is everything else. RECOMMEND THIS PHONE. Mine is pay as you go!!!
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Reviewed by joe bayer from england on 29th May 2008
its a grate phone aND IT BENDS
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Reviewed by rob from uk on 27th May 2008
In a nutshell: To complicated and reliability i poor. I warn you away.
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