Following in the footsteps of the revolutionary RAZR phone, the new ultra-sleek KRZR K1 introduces a new standard of stunning style and innovation. Motorola doesn't like anybody to feel left out when it introduces a new slim phone.
That's why it was careful to introduce both CDMA and GSM versions of its sexy new Krzr. Sharp and sophisticated with a luxurious finish and detailed craftsmanship, the KRZR K1 is the definitive handset for those who have an appreciation for cutting edge designs. In addition to great design, you get Bluetooth wireless technology, an integrated music player, a 2 megapixel camera, support for MPEG4 video capture and playback, and more.
The KRZR (Crazier) family from Motorola and the K1 – the first GSM phone of the family is combination between this innovative surface and the styles of RAZR, PEBL and earlier Motorola phones. Unlike the RAZR which it inherits, it replaces the boring gray surface with glass-blue one and rounds the corners in the style of the PEBL, but unfortunately adds some thickness to the “ultra-slim” RAZR, fattening it with 2mm from 13.9 to 16, which is 15% increase and puts it out of the “ultra-slim” category, founded by the original RAZR V3.
Appearance and design
Dimension: 103 x 42 x 16 mm; weight: 103g.
Finished in "Cosmic Blue" with gun metal grey accents, the K1 measures up at 103 x 42 x 16mm in size compared to the original RAZR' V3ms 98 x 53 x 14.5. So the KRZR is significantly narrower, and a hair longer and thicker than the V3m. At 99g, the K1 is also one gram heavier than the V3m. The combination of a reduction in size with basically no change in mass explains the KRZR's solid feel. While by no means a heavy phone, the K1 feels undeniably solid in hand, likely due to the glass finish and sturdy design features (including a rock-solid hinge).
This phone is flat-out beautiful. It arrived in one of the neatest - if also most gimmicky - packages I've ever seen, with dual "wings" that pulled out of the main box presenting the phone on one side and accessories on the other. The phone itself was covered in a plastic protective film on the interior screen and keypad and the exterior glass finish. Peeling away the protector revealed a gorgeous medium blue exterior with something of a hazy mirrored finish. Honestly, my first thought was "Star Trek For Fashionistas."
The KRZR is also much nicer to hold and use than the RAZR. Narrower and longer makes the K1 easier to hold and more balanced in the hand then the V3, and when held open to my ear the handset just feels like a phone should - in place against my ear on one end and near enough to my mouth on the other to inspire confidence that whoever I'm talking to can without question hear me. The phone also takes a little effort to open and flips shut with a satisfying snap, leaving no doubts as to its construction. In fact, the deceiving heft of the handset gives it that solid feel people tend to associate with quality - even though it actually weighs only 3.6 ounces.
The front panel of the phone, done up entirely in hard reflective glass, is particularly chic. The sensor for the 2MP camera is almost hidden, appearing as a small red dot at the top center, sans flash. About a third of the way down the panel, there's a postage-stamp size 65K color display. Again, the Alltel and Verizon-branded K1m models also feature a trio of touch-sensitive music controls beneath this display. The unbranded K1 lacks these controls.
Keypad
It was only logical that Motorola maintained use of the same nickel-plated in electric blue keypad that matches the exterior of the phone perfectly. At the same time, its high levels of usability also make it a welcomed design element – and not just simply something that “just looks cool”.
The shiny “Cosmic Blue” (more like “electric blue”) colour can reflect a different tone based on the angle that it is looked at, and looks absolutely stunning no matter how (or which way) you look, glance or stare at it!
The keypad has white text, but you do not see this because the keypad is backlit automatically when you flip open the phone.
The backlight is in cerulean, and you will have to watch “The Devil Wears Prada” to get that joke. Anyway the blue phone is called Cosmic Blue while there is also a version called Silver Sail, which is Silver, of course.
Just like its elders, the keypad plate houses the 3-by-4 keypad, “answer” and “end” call control buttons, the one-touch “Internet” key, “C” (clear) button, and the set of navigation buttons (5-way plus two soft keys). And on the sides are the usual volume-plus-smart set of buttons (left), and the voice command key (right) – all of which are easily accessible.
The clamshell opens as it should, and doesn’t wobble without a reason. Even the battery cover is very solid and its brilliant construction allows you to remove it when you want to without any effort – just push the silver key and slide it out a second.
Closing is soft, and the sound produced when the two shells meet is quieter than it was with the RAZR. Unfortunately after a week of usage the “bang” heard when the shells meet become quite more apparent. Just like it was with the RAZR, the KRZR’s display presses on the phone’s keypad which after a short usage gets greasy and the lines dividing the keys or the d-pads are imprinted on the display’s surface. Once again, the buffer that Motorola have used to divide the display with the keypad when the phone is closed is not enough to avoid this flaw, just as it was in the V3i.
Additional buttons
On the right side of Motorola KRZR there is a voice control key, which also opens the voice recorder after a longer press. Records duration only depends on the available free internal memory. On the opposite side are the dual volume-control key and the so called “Smart Key”, to which any function from the menu can be assigned. Display
TFT, 176х220, 262144 colors
The size of the main display has changed in accordance with the modifications of the entire phone body. It has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels on a surface of 30 x 38 mm and supports 256K colors. Both contrast and legibility are superb. The lower resolution is hard to notice, unless one focuses on the smoothness of the menu font.
External display
STN, 96x80, 65536 colors
The front side of the phone houses the external display of the K1. The color display shows the time, as well as the battery and signal level and it uses the same background image as the internal display.
From here you can easily change the profiles of the phone using the side keys. It can also be used for viewfinder of the camera when taking self-portraits with the phone closed, but its quality is low and the colors it represents are not realistic showing rather grayish colors.
We were able to see the time using it in outdoor environment without the need to light it up which is good as most displays of this type are totally unusable in direct light. If it is dark, you can press the Voice Command key on the right to turn the backlight on.
Camera
1200 x1600 (2.0 Mp), video recorder – 176x144 pixels
The camera sensor is mounted at the top-center of the front panel, and lacks the logo or "camera housings" found on most cameraphones. Instead, an unmarked dot of red light is the only indication of the optics beneath the surface. The lens is very tiny and set into the front half of the device, nearly hidden within the reflective surface of the top half of the phone.
The camera on the GSM K1 is rather basic and performs quite ok pictures under optimal lighting conditions. However, the lack of a flash or any sort of flash-assist light made for sub-par photography in anything less than great light. Photos shot in everyday conditions, particularly those taken at night or in dimly lit indoor spaces, tended to suffer from a lack of detail, sharpness, and color clarity - common complaints with cellphone pics. These problems weren't always so readily apparent when pictures were viewed on the K1's screens, but transferring full 2MP photos to a PC for viewing or printing revealed the flaws.
The video is specified at 15 frames a second and the resolution can be one of the following: 352x288, 176x144 or 128x96 pixels.
Sizes,Ports and Slots
The only slot in this phone is located a bit lower on the right side of Motorola KRZR - it’s a miniUSB connector with an attached soft plastic cap for file transfers and syncing with a PC via an optional data cable.
Menu
On the feature side, the Krzr K1 shows a few differences to the basic offerings but nothing too extraordinary
. The K1's phone book holds 500 contacts, but you can make up for the discrepancy somewhat by storing an additional 250 names on the SIM card. Each entry holds five phone numbers, three e-mails, a Web site URL, and three street addresses. You can organize contacts into groups or pair them with a photo or one of 30 (24-chord) polyphonic ring tones for caller ID. Other basic offerings include a vibrate mode, a voice recorder, text and multimedia messaging, an alarm clock, a calendar, and a calculator. On the higher end, there is a speakerphone, voice dialing and commands, USB connectivity, e-mail, full Bluetooth, and PC syncing. Bluetooth is onboard as well, but its options are limited. Fortunately, the Micro SD card slot gives you more room
. The K1 I tested included a single pre-installed game, Platinum Sudoku. Motorola's take on the popular number puzzle was well-done, so far as I could tell (I couldn't find an English language option). The phone was built in Hong Kong and featured support for multiple languages.
Imaging
2 Megapixel Camera
8 x Digital Zoom
Flash
Photo Effects
Photo Modes
Video Record
Video Player
MPEG4 Video
SCREEN3 Technology
Downloadable Themes
Downloadable Screensaver
Picture Caller ID
Messaging
SMS (Text Messaging)
MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
EMS (Enhanced Messaging)
Instant Messaging
Email
Predictive Text
Sound
Music Player (MP3, AAC & AAC+)
Dedicated Music Buttons
Polyphonic & MP3 Ringtones
Stereo Sound
Hands Free Speaker
Vibration Alert
Voice Commands
Voice Dialling
Entertainment
Java™ Games
Embedded Games
Downloadable Games
Organiser
Calendar
Phonebook
Calendar
Contacts
Currency Converter
Date
Clock
Alarm
Flight Mode
Connectivity
EDGE
USB
Bluetooth™
Network
Quad Band Technology (GSM 850, 900, 1800 & 1900)
Internet
GPRS
WAP
Memory & Talk Time
20 Mbytes Memory plus MicroSD™ Memory Card
6 Hours Talk Time
300 Hours Standby
Weight & Size
102 g
103 x 42 x 16 mm
Pluses
Nice design
Solid Construction
Good reception
V Cast music store has an excellent selection
Minuses
Shiny case picks up fingerprints quickly
Streaming video is nearly unwatchable
No stereo Bluetooth profile
No FM radio
Conclusion
The KRZR K1 has a sporting design and style that put it out of the crowd of boring phones you are used to. Girls with small hands would love the slim form factor, unlike the folks with larger hands.
Judging by the features I’d say that this phone is for those, who only tend to incoming and outgoing calls, as well as the simple receipt of messages (being those bare minimum requirements for most mobile phone users), would probably find models like the V3 to be near-perfect (if not perfect).
Still, overall, you won't be choosing this phone for its features or its operating system - like the RAZR, this is definitely a fashion phone and in those terms it's another unqualified success for Motorola.
