Motorola Rokr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

The Motorola Rokr (/ˈrɒkər/, styled ROKR) is a series of mobile phones from Motorola, part of a 4LTR line developed before the spin out of Motorola Mobility. Rokr models were released starting in September 2005 and continuing into 2009. They were notable for incorporating support of media player features.

E1[edit]

Motorola Rokr E1
Compatible networks GPRS
Dimensions 108 x 46 x 20.5 mm
Weight 107 g
Memory microSD
Display 176x220 pixels,
262,000 colors
Connectivity Bluetooth
A Rokr connecting to an Apple Powerbook G4.

The E1 is the first phone to be integrated with Apple Inc.'s iTunes music player, which was next used in a phone in 2007 on the iPhone. It was launched on September 7, 2005 in San Francisco, California. The phone had been widely expected, with technology sites reporting on collaborations between Motorola and Apple as far back as December 2004.

Description and acceptance

The Rokr E1 is a re-badged Motorola E398 candybar style phone (it was originally called the E790) with Apple-licensed technology to play back music purchased from the iTunes Music Store. It features a music player with an interface similar to that of Apple's iPod music players. Since hardware on Motorola E398 and Rokr E1 phones are the same, it is possible to Crossflash Motorola Rokr E1 firmware to Motorola E398 using phone flashing software like Flash & backup.

While the phone is equipped with an upgradeable 512 MB microSD memory card (Max. usable memory 1 GB), it is restricted by its firmware to allow only 100 songs to be loaded at any time.[1] The limit hurt the Rokr's appeal. Many users also discovered that transferring music to the phone was slow compared to dedicated players, due to lack of support for Hi-Speed USB, and there was also no wireless transfer.[2] The Rokr was also criticized for being too much like the preceding E398. As a result, the Rokr E1 sold below expectations despite a high-profile marketing campaign.[3]

Relations between Motorola and Apple were also strained because the latter unveiled the iPod nano at the same time, and Motorola CEO Ed Zander later accused Apple of purposely undercutting the Rokr.[4]

The Rokr E1 was replaced by the E2 (see below), which lacked iTunes support and was superseded by the iTunes-enabled SLVR L7.

E2[edit]

Motorola Rokr E2
ROKR E2.jpg
Compatible networks GSM 900/1800/1900 with GPRS Class 10 (2U/4D)
Availability by country El Salvador Digicel
Peru Claro
Dimensions 106 × 49.5 × 18 mm
Weight 115 g
CPU Intel XScale PXA270
Storage 11 MB
Removable storage SD expansion card slot for up to 2 GB (or 4 GB, if flashed with modded firmware)
Display 30 × 40 mm TFT LCD,
240×320 pixels, 262K colours
Rear camera 1.3-megapixel, video at 15 fps for 2 hours maximum
Connectivity • Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (supports A2DP)
• USB 2.0 by mini-USB

The E2 was released in January 2006. Instead of iTunes, the phone came bundled with RealPlayer, supporting a larger variety of formats. It also featured a music control panel on the left side of the phone. Users can also listen to stereo FM radio with Motorola Rokr E2. By using iRadio, FM radio programs can also be downloaded into the phone through internet, letting users listen to the radio at any time. The first public release occurred on June 22, 2006 in China.[5][6]

Features
  • Talk time: up to 9 hours
  • Standby time: up to 8 days
  • Multimedia playback: MP3, AMR, MID, MIDI, SMF, MMF, XMF, IMY, WAV, RA, WMA, AAC, AWB, MPGA, M4A, 3GA, RM, RMVB, 3GP, MP4 by RealPlayer
  • Audio connector: 3.5 mm headset jack
  • Java support: MIDP 2.0, CLDC 1.1, HEAP 2mb
  • Browser: Opera 8.50 with e-mail support
  • Local connectivity:

As a Linux-based phone, the open source community developed numerous modifications to the phone's software, such as quad band, EDGE, and support for a 4 GB SD card.[citation needed] Some have overclocked the processor.

E6[edit]

Motorola Rokr E6
Motorola Rokr E6.jpg
Manufacturer Motorola
Series Motorola Rokr
Compatible networks GSM Tri-band (900/1800/1900, hackable to Quad-band)
Availability by country November 14, 2006 (China)
December 4, 2006 (Worldwide)
Dimensions 111 × 51.5 × 14 mm (82 cc)
Weight 122 g
Operating system MontaVista Linux OS (not MOTOMAGX)
CPU Intel XScale-PXA27x rev 7 (v5l)
Memory 46 MB RAM (50% free after boot-up)
Storage 120 MB
Removable storage SD/MMC expandable to 4 GB (New patch)
Battery Li-ion 1000 mAh
Data inputs Touchscreen with stylus
Display 2.4 in diagonal touch TFT LCD,
262k colors, 240×320 pixels
Rear camera 2 megapixels + Macro Mode
Connectivity GPRS Class 10
• BCM2045 Bluetooth 2.0 (+A2DP)
• 3.5 mm Stereo/Mic Jack
Enhanced Mini USB

The E6 was released in China on November 14, 2006, and subsequently worldwide on December 4, 2006.

The Rokr E6 is a direct descendant of the E680 and the MING, sharing the same Montavista Linux operating system, Intel XScale PXA270 series processors, and the RealPlayer media player instead of the iTunes player installed on the first Rokr phone. The E6 features a built-in FM radio, (but no radio recording). It also inherited the 2-megapixel camera with manual macro-switching and business card recognition from MING, enhanced with QR Code recognition functions. Additionally, the phone features a 3.5 mm headphone jack, allowing use of a standard-sized headphone plug.

It comes installed with Picsel Viewer with the ability to read Microsoft Office and PDF file formats.

Details

The phone is part of Motorola's line of phones running Linux, this one using a modified 2.4.20 kernel. This has upset some, as they broke the GPL in not releasing the kernel source code.[7] The software is an updated version of MING (Motorola A1200), with a different file system. Most of the apps that work on the MING work on the E6, but some may not due to the file system. Normally the phone only runs on tri-band GSM networks, though some have found an exploit to get it to run on Quad Band networks and over Edge.[8] The radio channel frequency can also be modified beyond 88 MHz to 65 MHz, and the preset number of channels can also be modified.

Technical specifications
Battery Life Up to 7 hours talk time - about 235 hours standby
Web Camera Yes, via USB
Voice Recording Yes (.amr)
Video Recording Yes, up to CIF 352×288 (.3gp)
Maximum number of Sockets 10
Browsers Opera Mini with support for HTTP, HTTPS, Socket, Secure Socket, UDP
Image Support .PNG, .GIF, .BMP, .JPEG, .EMS, .WMP
Encoding schemes USASCII, UTF-8 (Unicode), UTF-16 with explicit Byte Order Mark (Part of IOP), UCS-2
Messaging SMS, MMS
E-mail POP3, IMAP4, SMTP
Java Yes, CLDC v1.1 and MIDP v2.0 compliant
FCC ID Yes[9]

Z6[edit]

Motorola Rokr Z6
Z6.JPG
Manufacturer Motorola
Compatible networks GSM quad-band with EDGE
Predecessor Motorola Rizr Z3
Successor Motorola Rizr Z8
Dimensions 105.5 × 45.5 × 16 mm
Weight 115g / 4.06 ounces
Operating system MOTOMAGX
CPU Freescale MXC275-30
32-bit 528 MHz ARM11
Memory 64 MB available to user, 96 MB ROM, 64 MB SDRAM
Removable storage microSD (TransFlash) card up to 2 GB
Battery BC50 3.7V at 750mah
Display 2.1 in diagonal TFT LCD,
320×240 px, 262,000 colors
Rear camera 2.0 MPix with LED flash
Connectivity • mini-USB
Bluetooth (Class 2) + A2DP

The Z6, originally known as the Rizr Z6, was released on July 7, 2007. The Z6 features Motorola's new version of the embedded Linux-based operating system, MOTOMAGX. It also supports stereo Bluetooth technology (A2DP) and features a 2-megapixel digital camera. The Z6 also supports synchronisation with Windows Media Player 11, allowing playlists and audio to be transferred to the phone's internal memory, which can in turn be transferred onto a compatible microSD memory card. The phone does not support 3G or HSDPA, relying on EDGE for data.

Audio format support

The Z6 supports the following audio formats:[citation needed]

Video format support

The Z6 supports the following video formats:[citation needed]

Z6m[edit]

Motorola Rokr Z6m
Motorola ROKR Z6m.jpg
Compatible networks CDMA 800/1900 1xEV-DO r0 data speed
Dimensions 105.5 × 45.5 × 16 mm
Weight 115 g / 4.06 ounces
Operating system BREW, Paragon 2005 (P2K05) Internal Filesystem
Memory 14 MB
Removable storage Supports microSD (TransFlash) memory cards:
• 512 Mb card included;
• Upgradeable to 2 GB.
Display 2 in diagonal TFT LCD,
320×240 px, 65,536 colors
Connectivity mini-USB,
Bluetooth (Class 2),
EV-DO

The Z6m is the CDMA version of the Rokr Z6. The Rokr Z6m comes with an integrated music player, 3.5 mm headset jack, stereo Bluetooth, a 512 MB MicroSD card in its respective slot, a key lock switch, and a 2-megapixel digital camera. The phone supports up to 2 GB of removable storage.

Unlike the Z6, the Z6m does not run MotoMAGX, a version of Linux, but instead runs the Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless operating system, also known as BREW.

U.S. Cellular was the first carrier to release the Rokr Z6m on October 14, 2007 alongside their Napster-to-Go service's launch.[citation needed]

Technical information

When connected to a computer via USB and the connection type is set to "Modem/COM", the phone acts like a USB serial peripheral, allowing Motorola Phone AT Commands to be sent. In this mode, sending "AT+MODE=8" will put the phone into a different state, in which it no longer accepts AT commands but its P2K05 functionality is accessible.

W5[edit]

Motorola Rokr W5
Weight 107 g
Memory 20 MB internal
microSD up to 2 GB
Display 176x220, 256K colors
Rear camera 1.3 MP

The W5 was released in September 2007.[citation needed] The phone features up to 2 GB through a microSD slot, a 1.3-megapixel camera, Motorola's P2K OS, and a music player.

E8[edit]

Motorola Rokr E8
Manufacturer Motorola
Compatible networks GPRS
Availability by country July 2008
Predecessor Rokr E6
Successor Rokr EM30
Dimensions 115 mm × 53 mm × 10.6 mm
Weight 100 g
Memory 2 GB internal memory and microSD(up to 10 GB with SDHC)
Battery Li-ion 970 mAh
Display Type: TFT; Colors: 250K; Size: 320 x 240 pixels (2 inches)
Rear camera 2 megapixel, 8x zoom
Connectivity mini-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth Class 2

The E8 was released in July 2008. It features a new keypad interface called ModeShift, which automatically changes the context of the keypad depending on the current function of the device. It also features a localized touch feedback system with haptic technology that gives the feeling of real buttons, though the keyboard surface is smooth. It will sync with Microsoft Outlook, but not with Web or Mac based calendars.

Both E8 and EM30 uses the ModeShift technology and this enables the phone to switch from talk to music with one touch (special music keys light up when playing music) Coupled with in-build CrystalTalk technology (a Motorola patent), crisp and clear conversations is possible in noisy environments.

Carriers
Specifications

The complete Motorola Rokr E8 list of specifications are:[10]

Type Specification
Battery Life Talk: 7 hours; Standby: 300 hours
Phone Book Capacity Unlimited (limited only by memory capacity)
Video Capture .MOV 176*144 @15 frame/s
Email Client Protocols Supported: POP3, IMAP4, SMTP
EMS / Picture Messaging EMS 5.0
Java ME Version: MIDP 2.0
Predictive Text Entry Technology: iTAP
Text Messaging 2-Way
Voice Dialing speaker-independent
Wireless Internet WAP 2.0, xHTML, HTML
FM Radio Yes
Alarm Yes
Calculator Yes
Calendar Yes
Custom Graphics Yes
Data-Capable Yes
Digital TTY/TDD Yes
Games Yes
MMS Yes
Multiple Languages Yes (English, French, Chinese, Spanish)
Multiple Numbers per Name Yes
PC Sync Yes
Picture ID Yes
Polyphonic Ringtones Yes
Ringer ID Yes
Side Keys Yes
Speaker Phone Yes
Text Messaging Templates Yes
Vibrate Yes
Voice Memo Yes

EM30[edit]

Motorola Rokr EM30
Manufacturer Motorola
Compatible networks GSM 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900
Availability by country August 5, 2008
Predecessor Motorola Rokr E8
Successor Aura
Dimensions 115 mm × 53 mm × 10.6 mm
Weight 100 g
Memory 18.5 MB RAM
Battery Li-ion 970 mAh
Display Type: TFT; Colors: 250K; Size: 240 x 320 pixels (2 inches)
Rear camera 2 megapixel, 8x zoom
Connectivity mini-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth Class 2

The EM30, releasing in August 2008, was the lower-end version of the E8 (see above), without the FastScroll navigation wheel and the haptics feel.

EM30 is running on LiMo Platform, a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices. It is the 22nd LiMo Handset.[11]

Both E8 and EM30 uses the ModeShift technology and this enables the phone to switch from talk to music with one touch (special music keys get lighted up when playing music) The phone incorporated Motorola's patented CrystalTalk technology, providing clear conversations in noisy environments.[citation needed]

Specifications
  • Messaging: MMS, EMS 5.0, email (POP3, SMTP, IMAP4), Motosync for corporate email support
  • Connectivity method: Stereo Bluetooth Class 2, 3.5mm, USB 2.0 HS, Mobile Phone Tools, Over the Air Sync (OTA), PC Sync
  • Dual Transfer Mode (DTM): Enables GPRS during call; operator dependent
  • Camera: 2 MP, Digital Zoom, Fixed Focus, take up to 8 multi shot pictures
  • Capture/Playback/Streaming: H.263, MPEG4, WMV v9
  • Audio: MIDI, MP3, AAC, AAC+, Enhanced AAC+, WMA, WAV, AMR-NB, Real Audio (RA) v10
  • FM Radio: with Radio Data System (RDS) 3
  • Keypad: Backlight morphing keypad that changes color from phone mode to music mode
  • Airplane Mode: Uninterrupted music up in the plane/play music
  • 3.5mm headset
  • 3D Stereo Sound
  • Memory: 30 MB internal memory, optional 8 GB microSDHC support
  • Microsoft Music Ecosystem Support (sync music with Windows Media Player)
  • Audio Playback: Target 16 hours (Airplane Mode)
  • Crystal Talk technology for noise cancellation
  • Text to speech recognition
Technical specifications
  • Bands/Modes: Quad Band
  • Dimensions: 115x53x10.6mm
  • Display: 2.0˝ QVGA 240x320 262K TFT
  • Form Factor: Bar with internal antenna
  • GPRS Class 12: EDGE class 12
  • Audio Playback Time: up to approximately 16 hours
  • Size: 60cc
  • Standby Time: up to approximately 300 hours
  • Talk Time: up to approximately 360 minutes
  • Weight: 100g
  • Airplane Mode: listen to music, take pictures, play games on the plane, with the RF off

EM326g[edit]

Motorola Rokr EM326g
Memory microSD(up to 2 GB)
Rear camera 1.3 MP

The EM326g was released in January 2009. It is the first ROKR phone to be available pre-configured for use with a prepaid network (Net10).

EM35[edit]

Motorola Rokr EM35
Manufacturer Motorola
Availability by country Q1 2009
Predecessor Rokr EM30
Weight 116 g
Memory 110 MB RAM
Display 320x240 pixels, TFT LCD, 256K colours
Rear camera 3.15 megapixel

The EM35 was released in Q1 2009. It had a 3.15 MP camera, 110 MB internal memory, and a microSD card slot supporting up to 16 GB.

W6[edit]

Motorola Rokr W6
Weight 107 g
Memory 20 MB internal
microSD up to 2 GB
Display 176x220, 256K colors
Rear camera 1.3 MP

The W6 was released in April 2009.

ZN50[edit]

Motorola Rokr ZN50
Weight 143 g
Memory microSD up to 16 GB
Display 240x427, 256K colors, TFT LCD touchscreen
Rear camera 3.15 MP with auto-focus

The ZN50 was released in July 2009 as a high-end phone in the Rokr series. It featured a 3.15 MP camera with auto-focus, improved screen resolution, a touchscreen and storage expandable up to 16 GB.

EM25/EM325[edit]

Motorola Rokr EM25
Weight 90g
Memory microSD up to 2 GB
Display 128x160, 65K colors, TFT LCD
Rear camera 1.3 MP

The EM25/EM325 was released in July 2009, at the same time as the ZN50 (see above).

EM28/EM330[edit]

Motorola EM28/EM330
Manufacturer Motorola
Availability by country July 2009
Form factor Clam / Flip
Dimensions In inches: 4.1mm x 2.1mm x 0.6mm
Weight 90g (with battery)
Memory 30MB
Removable storage microSD (up to 2 GB)
Battery Lithium ion battery, Talk time: Up to 7 hrs, Stand-by: Up to 23 days
Display 65K color, 128 x 160 pixels
Rear camera 1.3 MP
Connectivity Bluetooth

The Motorola EM28/EM330 was released in July 2009, at the same time as the ZN50 and EM25/EM325 (see above).

Specifications
  • 1.3-megapixel camera
  • Bluetooth
  • Video Playback & Streaming Video
  • Voice Recorder (60seconds limited)
  • Calculator, Calendar, and Alarm Clock
  • Vibrating, Games and Sync
  • Volume Control
  • Cellular Video
  • SMS, MMS, EMS, and Chat
  • Dual band GSM 850/1800/1900 MHz
  • Weight: 90g (with battery)
  • 65K colour, 128fg
  • MMS
  • Video Recorder
  • FM Radio: RDS Radio
  • MP3 Player (AT&T Mobile Music / MusicID)
  • SMS text messages
  • MMS messaging with pictures
  • EMS
  • Photo and data sharing with Bluetooth 2.0
  • Mini-USB port for connection with PC
  • WAP 2.0 web browser
  • Battery: Lithium-ion
  • Talk time: Up to 7 hours
  • Stand-by: Up to 23 days

References[edit]

  1. ^ "It's official: Rokr E1 iTunes phone can only store max. 100 tracks". Engadget. Sep 8, 2005. Retrieved 2010-11-17. 
  2. ^ Tynan, Dan (2006-05-26). "The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time". PC World. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  3. ^ "Moto Blasts iRadio". Red Herring. 2 January 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  4. ^ Andreescu, Alex (27 September 2005). "iPod nano: The End of the Motorola-Apple Story - Ed Zander, Motorola CEO: "Screw the nano"". Softpedia. Retrieved 2010-06-05. 
  5. ^ Ziegler, Chris (2006-06-23). "China first to get Motorola Rokr E2". Engadgetmobile.com. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  6. ^ "Music to Retailer's Ears: Motorola Next Generation Music Device Rokr E2 Makes Smash Debut at GOME". Prnewswire.com. 2006-06-21. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  7. ^ "First Release of Rokr E6 Source Available". opensource.motorola.com. [dead link]
  8. ^ "EDGE and Quad-Band". Rokitrokr-edge.blogspot.com. 2006-07-11. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  9. ^ Ziegler, Chris (Oct 19, 2006). "Motorola ROKR E6 gets FCC blessing". engadgetmobile.com. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  10. ^ "Motorola E8 specifications". Gsmarena.com. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
  11. ^ "Motorola's New Rokr EM30 Becomes 22nd LiMo Handset". limofoundation.org.