<p>[align=center]<img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr1.jpg" height="125" width="167"><font size="3">Motorola SLVR L7</font><img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr2.gif" height="142" width="100">[/align]</p><br><br>
<b>Introduction</b>
<p>The Motorola SLVR (pronounced sliver) L7 is Motorola's newest attempt at integrating Apple's iTunes into a cellular device. It provides the power of a digital camera/camcorder, Bluetooth connectivity, a vibrant 262K color screen and iTunes music playback into a slim and compact design. Measuring just 113.5 mm long, 49 mm wide and 11.5 mm deep this is certainly an excellent combination of form and function.</p>
<p><ul>Features:
<li>49 mm x 113.5 mm x 11.5 mm "Candy Bar" Design</li><li>179 x 200 pixel 1.9 inch color screen</li><li>VGA camera/camcorder with 4x Optical Zoom</li><li>Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity</li><li>USB Connectivity</li>
<li>iTunes music playback</li><li>Cingular's Medianet Web Browser</li><li>Text and Pix messaging</li></ul>
<p><b>First Look: Woah, it's pretty</b>
Upon first inspection the SLVR comes packed neatly in its box. The phone is securely stored in the top portion of the box, offering you a visual feast upon opening it. The exterior speaks well of what lies ahead. Its sleek thin design is complimented by the black color scheme that is highlighted with silver accent. It draws much attention to anyone who is using it. The small design, weighing in at only XX ounces, is barely noticeable in ones pocket. Upon first handling the phone it is hard to imagine that is does what it claims to do.
Along with the phone the packaging also includes all reading material, though some if it needs to go a bit more in depth, as well as ear bud headphones with call-answer capabilities, a data-to-headphone adapter for those who want to use regular headphones, a USB data cable used to synchronize your iTunes play list to your phone, and a wall charger. <i>The USB cable is capable of charging your phone but please note that it requires a self-powered USB 2.0 connection.</i></p>
<p><b>Ready, Steady, GO!</b>
<p>After unpacking, charging and activating the phone its time to explore the intricacies of the SLVR. First and foremost, for those who purchase the phone, would be synchronizing an iTunes play list on the computer to the SLVR. Doing this is fairly simple. One must first have iTunes installed (an install disk comes in the packaging) and then connect the SLVR to the computer using either the supplied USB cable or Bluetooth should the computer have its own Bluetooth connection. Synching with iTunes is a simple process requiring the user to choose between the option to have the computer randomly select songs and add them to the play list or choose the option to add songs manually.</p>
<p><i>It should be noted that when connecting via USB or Bluetooth the SLVR will be recognized as a mass storage device should the optional MicroSD (Transflash) memory card be supplied which can cause undesired behavior or failure of the device to be recognized</i></p>
<p>Synching your contacts and calendars, according to Motorola's website, is a simple process. This of course depends on which operating system one uses. The SLVR is not compatible with Windows XP x64, though Motorola cannot take blame on this. The user base for XP x64 is simply not large enough. The phone does of course sync while using Windows XP x86. Motorola's claim that ActiveSync will work as a synching program is unfounded as it would not detect the device during testing. Motorola does however provide their own synching program for $30 US but upon use is once again not compatible with XP x64, and when used with XP x86 will sync your outlook contacts but be wary. The contacts include email addresses too, so as you scroll through your contacts take note that for each phone number you see, you will have at least one email listing as well.</p>
<p>Synching with Apple OSX was completely painless. By simply activating Bluetooth and setting the phone to discovery mode the phone will sync email contacts through address book and calendar events through iCal. The pesky email contacts on the SLVR were even removed by iSync as well, making the interface with the Mac the best tested.</p>
<b>Call Quality, Phone Ergonomics, and Beyond</b>
The call quality of the SLVR is top notch. Calls come in crisp, clear and, most importantly, audible. Compared to other phones used with the Cingular phone network this is a well worked piece of technology. Even with the internal antenna, call connections remain solid through low coverage areas. The wireless carrier is also a factor in this but between different phones the SLVR's reception is superb. Talk feedback, which is an all too common problem on some phones, is nearly nonexistent with this device. The speakerphone function however, is an area where the phone could use some work. For indoor use the speakerphone function is acceptable but for calls in loud areas or during use in a moving car the sound output is simply not high enough. The combination of the microphone on the front of the phone and the speaker on the rear makes for trouble as the user will either muffle their voice or muffle the voice of the person on the other end of the call.
The phone's ergonomics are something that a user will need to get used to when learning the phone's intricacies. The first challenge a user will notice is the difficulty in handling the phone while trying to navigate through menus, type a message or locate a contact. The phone is much better handled with both hands to avoid dropping it and the simple fact that the phone is incredibly thin leads to the inability to properly grip when trying to navigate with one free hand. In addition to being difficult to handle the slim design also makes the vibrate feature useless unless in tight pocket or held in hand. It is easy to miss a call or text if ringer volume is set to zero.
The keyboard layout is a bit tricky for those with medium to large sized fingers. Typing a text message can be tricky and can result in many misspellings. Another keyboard faux pas to take note of is the location of the "space" key. Instead of the more typical space key location on the # key, Motorola has chosen to locate it on the * key which before some practice can be amazingly confusing and lead to many deletes while typing a message.
The battery life of the phone varies depending on its use. During music playback 6 hours of play time will result in approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the battery remaining. For normal use the phone will generally idle for 4 to 5 days and will generally last 1 and a half to 2 days with frequent calls, texting and web surfing. Battery time will obviously be shorter in low signal areas and with frequent trips through dead zones. It is an acceptable level of battery power and holds with most other phones.
<a href="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr3.jpg"><img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr3.jpg" height="150" width="200" align="right"></a><a href="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr4.jpg"><img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/slvr4.jpg" width="200" height="150" align="right"></a>The camera on the phone is of average quality. The shutter speed is its bigest asset as there are much slower shutter available. It allows for some medium speed action shots with little blurring. The overall quality is quite low with no actual megapixel rating. This is what can be expected from any camera phone. If it was supposed to be a real camera, it would be.
The final general observation of this phone is its inherent ability to create interference with other electronics. The most noticeable instance is the reaction of CRT monitors to the emitted microwaves. The SLVR when placed close enough to a monitor will create waves through the monitor. This action is more prevalent as the phone is receiving or dialing calls and sending or receiving text messages, but also occurs at random intervals as the phone sends or receives information. This becomes an annoyance over time and also affects landline telephones and stereos by adding noise to the line.
<b>Conclusions:</b>
The SLVR is an excellent phone to own if you can get past the nitty gritty. It is best designed for small fingered individuals and those who feel comfortable with the occasionally drop (I
