nüvifone™. The navigation phone.
Entered CNET Catalog: 05/17/2008
SKU: CNETQ9CBLKVZW
Manufacturer: Motorola Corp.
Manufacturer description
PRODUCT FEATURES: Outstanding multimedia capabilities New and improved optimized keyboard design for faster, more accurate typing Innovative adaptive display technology - automatically adjust display brightness for optimal indoor and outdoor viewing Personalize your home screen, start menu and sounds Compatible with multiple personal and corporate push e-mail optionsCNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 05/21/2008
First announced at CTIA 2008 (but available at Sprint since November), the Motorola Q9c is finally available at Motorola Q9m, the Q9c ditches some of the multimedia goodness, namely V Cast support, in favor of integrated GPS to provide a more useful tool to road warriors. In addition, the Windows Mobile 6 smartphone offers EV-DO support, Bluetooth, and solid messaging and productivity apps to keep the mobile professional satisfied. It's not perfect, of course. The device can get bogged down at times, and you'll have to deal with some of the usual Windows Mobile headache. However, the Motorola Q9c is a nice alternative if you don't want a BlackBerry, and you can't beat its affordable price tag of $129.99 with a two-year contract and after discounts.
Design
Physically, the Motorola Q9c doesn't differ too much from the Motorola Q9m. It carries the same footprint at 4.6 inches high by 2.6 inches wide by 0.4 inch deep and 4.7 ounces, so it's certainly not the sleekest or sexiest smartphone on the market. The device also retains the same 2.4-inch, 65,000-color TFT nontouch display with a 320x240 pixel resolution. However, you do lose the Q9m's dedicated multimedia menu and red edges, which are replaced by Verizon's default Home page and a silver border. The number keys are also highlighted in blue instead of red.
Aside from these minor variations, the navigation buttons, full QWERTY keyboard, and other controls are the same as the other Q9c models. To learn more about the Motorola Q9c's design, please check our review of the Motorola Q9c for Sprint.
Verizon Wireless packages the Motorola Q9c with an AC adapter, a USB cable, two software CDs, and reference material. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ring tones, and help page.
Features
While the Motorola Q9m has more of a multimedia focus, the Motorola Q9c is aimed for the road warrior with its integrated GPS, various wireless options, and productivity apps. The smartphone runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition (no Windows Mobile 6.1 yet) with the enhanced personal information management tools outlined in our review of WM6. It also ships with Microsoft's Direct Push technology, so you get real-time e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization with your Outlook calendar, tasks, and contacts via Exchange Server. There's support for other e-mail solutions, as well, including Good Mobile Messaging and Verizon's Wireless Sync. There is, of course, continued support for POP3 and IMAP accounts.
As for productivity apps, the Q9c goes the way of the Motorola Q9h and ships with Dataviz's Documents to Go instead the Microsoft Office Mobile Suite for viewing and editing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. This isn't a bad thing since the Dataviz suite gives you the ability to create these files, too. As a Windows Mobile device, the default Web browser is Internet Explorer Mobile. Other tools include a calendar, a task list, a voice recorder, a memo pad, a conversion tool, and task and memory managers. You can, of course, add other applications; check out CNET Download.com for some suggestions. There's about 51MB of user-accessible storage, but the miniSD expansion slot can accept up to 8GB cards, so you should be good.
Mobile professionals on the go will also be happy to see the integrated GPS. With the addition of a location-based service or mapping software, you can turn the Moto Q9c into a handheld navigation device complete with color maps, driving directions, local search, and more. The Q9c does support Verizon VZ Navigator, which provides the above services in addition to traffic data. However, be aware that this is an add-on service and costs $9.99 per month or $2.99 for 24-hour access.
Voice features on the Motorola Q9c include a duplex speakerphone, voice dialing and commands, smart dialing, three-way calling, and text and multimedia messaging. The Q9c's phone book is limited only by the available memory, and each entry can hold multiple phone numbers and e-mail addresses, addresses for home and work, a job title, and more. For caller-ID purposes, you can assign a contact to a category or pair it with any of 22 polyphonic ringtones or a photo. Other wireless options on the Q9c include Bluetooth 2.0 and GPS. The Bluetooth can be used with mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets, hands-free kits, file sharing, and dial-up networking. If you want to use the Q9c as a wireless modem for your laptop, you will need to subscribe to a BroadbandAccess Connect plan, which start at $15 per month.
The Moto Q9c is also an EV-DO handset, which means you can get data speeds of around 300Kbps to 600Kbps with the potential to hit up to 2.4Mbps. Unlike the Moto Q9m, however, the Q9c doesn't support Verizon's V Cast music and video services.
Though you don't get the V Cast multimedia services, you do get other avenues for enjoying music and video. The onboard Windows Media Player 10 Mobile offers support for a number of multimedia file formats, including AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, MPEG-4, and WMV. There is an Audio Enhancement utility found under Start > Accessories where you can tweak the sound settings for the phone speaker as well as for your headset. If you have TV shows recorded on your Windows Media Center PC, you can transfer them to your device for on-the-go viewing. Alternatively, you can stream your home's TV programming right to your device with a Slingbox and SlingPlayer Mobile.
The Motorola Q9c is also equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities, flash, and up to 6x zoom. For still images, you have your choice of three shooting modes and five resolutions. There are brightness and white balance settings that you can adjust to get the best picture. The options are a bit more limited in video mode, but there are only three quality settings, and brightness and white balance controls, as well.
Picture quality was sub-par. There was a bit of graininess to the images, and colors were washed out. Unfortunately, video quality was fairly poor as it produced a very pixilated picture.
Performance
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 850/1900; EV-DO) Motorola Q9c in San Francisco using Verizon Wireless service and call quality was great. We enjoyed crisp audio with very little to no distortion during conversations with friends and while using an airline's voice-automated response system. On the other end, callers had very little complaints, though they could hear an occasional echo. Speakerphone quality was also good with plenty of volume. We were able to successfully pair the Moto Q9c with the Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active headphones.
We experienced some general performance delays during our test period. The Q9c could get a bit bogged down when we had numerous applications running at the same time, particularly the multimedia functions, so we'd have to go the Task Manager and close out of some programs. As for multimedia performance, despite the dual speakers, we were a bit disappointed by the quality of music playback. There was a slight hollowness to the sound, though there was plenty of volume. Watching videos was fine in short spurts. Audio and picture always matched up, but as expected, there was some pixilation. We are currently waiting for Verizon to activate VZ Navigator on our review unit to test the GPS capabilities.
The Motorola Q9c's 1,170mAh lithium ion battery has a rated talk time battery life of 4.5 hours and up to 8 days of standby time. In our battery drain tests, we were able to get 6 hours of continuous talk time on a single charge. According to FCC radiation tests, the Moto Q9c has a digital SAR rating of 1.3 watts per kilogram.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
3/10
Disappointed
Pros: Real time email, PDA functions, clear speakers
Cons: Poor (extremely) battery life, freezes up, shuts off on its own at times
I do like the PDA functions though and the ability to check email all day long. It's an ok phone when it does work. I know I would never purchase from this phone line again.
User Rating: 
1/10
I would NOT buy it again.
Pros: When it work (which is rare) it's nice.
Cons: Phone consistently freezes and powers off without notice. I have NO 3rd party software, so I shouldn't experience these problems. Battery life is awful. (I had 3 spare batteries!)
User Rating: 
9/10
Very good phone for the price
Pros: Ease of use, quality, and size
Cons: No wireless.
User Rating: 
8/10
Great Blackberry Alternative in Verizon's Line-up
Pros: Doesn't require Verizon's Blackberry plans; very user friendly OS; good call quality and full QWERTY makes texting easy; internet browsing is acceptable; email setup isn't the easiest or most efficient
Cons: Scroll wheels is a bit outdate, I end up using the directional pad instead; OS is not quite as easy to use as the Blackberry curve.
User Rating: 8/10
Love my Q9c
Pros: Keyboard is awesome. WM 6.0 is much better than 5.0.
Cons: Camera is bad. But I always have my digital camera with me.
User Rating: 
4/10
2 Phones Froze Beyond Repair
Pros: Ease of Use, Windows interface
Cons: Freezing at startup
User Rating: 1/10
save yourself
Pros: feels solid, keyboard ease of use
Cons: operating system, and basically everything else
P.S. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Both of my older brothers had this same problem and they both have blackberry's now and absolutely love them.
User Rating: 8/10
Solid choice for WinMob Smartphone-Comprehensive review
Pros: Full Outlook Exchange integration, slim profile, display, click wheel plus center ring navigation, voice and speaker quality, ease of navigation through basic features, price
Cons: No touch screen, no delete key, caps lock on only one side, sub par camera
The phone itself is slim and attractive. The full QWERTY keyboard is more than adequate for thumbing and features most needed characters without having to push more than one shift/function key. One minor annoyance is lack of a left side CAPS key, causing the user to have to ?cross thumbs? if typing a capital letter from the right side of the screen. Also notably missing is a delete key, causing deletions to become a two- or three-step affair rather than just a simple click. Navigation is simple and convenient using either the side click wheel or ?D? center navigation pad. A trackball similar to the BlackBerry?s would be appreciated; a touch screen even more so, but this is a $100 Smartphone after all.
Operation is simple and Windows Mobile 6 is love it or hate it. Personally I?ve found that I don?t need to get too involved with the Windows aspect. The 9c has plenty of shortcuts which are easily navigated to get you where you want to go. Call quality is clear and volume is adequate (though certainly short of LOUD) using handset, speaker, and ear bud. Battery life is adequate with the standard (slim) battery, typically yielding 1-1/2 days of life with moderate email, Internet, and phone use.
Display is bright and crisp but is barely viewable in bright sunlight. There?s some kind of progressive brightness that I haven?t figured out but it doesn?t detract from viewability. The camera and video quality are sub par for a modern camera phone. There?s a long delay after pressing the shutter which takes getting used to. Internet browsing is quick and easy and common functions such as favorites, typing in an address, etc. are easy to learn.
A word on the ?Moto Q freeze? syndrome many have reported. After reading numerous low ratings due to this issue here and elsewhere I decided to take the chance. After only two days, my phone ?froze? on the Motorola logo screen. After initial panic, I decided to fully charge the phone using the WALL CHARGER. The manual states that the USB cable will not charge the phone if the battery is too low. Sure enough, after about an hour?s charge my phone was back up and running again. This is not to say that some phones do not permanently freeze, but in my experience simply charging the phone with an appropriate charger fixed the problem.
I would definitely recommend this phone to someone looking for a capable and inexpensive Windows Mobile Smartphone.
User Rating: 
5/10
Great Phone ruined by Windows Mobile
Pros: Great phone design and reception
Cons: Windows Mobile renders it virtually unusable
User Rating: 9/10
This is an excellent phone for the price.
Pros: QWERTY keypad, call quality, price
Cons: I wish the battery life would be longer but i have it on and texting all the time...
User Rating: 
10/10
If you've been looking for a smartphone, buy this one!!
Pros: call quality, ease of use, price
Cons: no part of this phone deserves this terminology
1. One of the best phones for call quality (I've had 7 cell phones)
2. Easy use of calendar, e-mail, and web
3. Fairly fast browsing online, quick access to google, yahoo, news, weather, etc..
4. Battery lasts exactly 1 day. (2-3 hours talk time + 2-3 hours e-mail/web) No need for extended battery as it is only 60% more capacity. (still would have to charge every night)
5. Windows Mobile is great. (as great as a Microsoft product can be...)
6. QWERTY keyboard is VERY EASY to use (size L men's glove) for me
7. Voice recognition works excellent
8. For me, no need to buy micro-sd card as of yet
9. I compared Treo, Samsung, VZW 5800, VZW 6800, and the VZW 6900. (My company requires Windows Mobile)
10. Data plan price break on Q9c for unlimited (also avail. on 5800, 6800, and I think blackberry's)
11. The extra width has not bothered me one bit.
12. Again, I am amazed at the features/quality of this phone. Best smartphone available for ANY price.
User Rating: 9/10
exelent phone
Pros: gps, 3rd party apps
Cons: sluggish, camera is sub par
User Rating: 8/10
great phone for the money
Pros: all the extras like windows easy to use
Cons: the speaker phone isn't the best - alarm clock has only 1 setting
User Rating: 9/10
The best PDA phone verizon has!
Pros: Great call quality, Browser is superior to Blackberry curve, Speakerphone is outstanding
Cons: Should have more RAM
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