SemperAptus.com - Motorola Timeport (Review)

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At last!
A cell phone that marries voice & data
by Dan Hanttula

"While the cost... is high, power users will quickly find that their initial investment was well worth it."

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I’ll be honest with you, when I purchased the Motorola Timeport last month, it was out of pure sexual attraction. The day before, I saw the phone on someone’s belt and decided at that very moment that I couldn’t live without it. I coveted the phone during the entire 8-hour press briefing. But, unlike most men who fall in love at first sight, I found that there was much more substance to this wonderful little companion than I ever could have imagined.

The Timeport P8167 I purchased was OEM packaged from Sprint communications. As such, readers should note that some of the communications features listed in this article may not be available in their service area. Please check the package to ensure that the Timeport you purchase ships with a wireless communications kit.

An abundance of communications options

The most compelling reason for purchasing the Timeport is that it offers every possible communications option straight out of the box. The phone ships with a RS-232 cable so that you can connect to your desktop computer to synchronize with your computer PIM, or hook it up to your laptop and surf wirelessly (Sprint, the wireless service that shipped with the phone, even included a CD and an excellent instruction manual for quick set up). Being able to download your desktop computer's phonebook (using the included Starfish TrueSync application) is a huge benefit to users that hate updating their cell phone with new numbers and contacts. And it's a real plus since you're using the same cable connection for wireless communications; you can sync up before or after you connect.

In addition to being able to plug the cable into a desktop computer, Motorola has added the extra option of allowing you to hook it into your Windows CE or Palm Pilot handheld device. Yes, you read that correctly. This device comes with everything you need to connect the phone to either of the most popular PDAs, with only one catch. The connection (in order to be compatible) is the aforementioned RS-232 cable and a connector that reverses the port from male to female. This means that you’ll need to connect your handheld to the cradle, then to the phone in order to hook up for wireless communication. Of course, many Windows CE devices ship with (or offer for sale) a travel cable that allows you a more convenient two-cable connection. Either way, we were extremely impressed with Motorola for offering such a vast array of options and an innovative method for connecting to every device I could find in my office.

Oh, and it’s a phone too!

Not to underplay the actual features of the phone, Motorola (as I’ve come to expect) has delivered a phone with a knockout set of features. The company’s standard fare of vibra-call (vibrating ringer) smart button (one-handed navigation) and compact flip-phone styling are complemented with Caller ID, E-mail messaging and even a micro-browser for limited WML (Wireless Markup Language) web browsing. The 4.6oz phone offers dual band CDMA and analog service and measures just 2.2” x 3.7” x 1.1” when closed. After nearly a month of testing, these new telecommunications features are truly top-rate. Text messaging, through the Sprint PCS Messaging web site and via E-mail, are instantaneous and the built-in WML portal provides enough pertinent news and information to become an invaluable link for the out-of-touch traveler.

With the included Lithium Ion battery, I've experienced up to 5 days of standby time and have been able to use the phone reasonably over a long three-day weekend without recharge. While this isn't achieving the 200 hour stand-by time Motorola claims, it is a blessing compared to analog phones of the past. Depending on your cellular carrier's network, Motorola also offers the Timeport T8160 for CDMA 800 networks. It has the same features, but suffers a 10% decrease in talk/standby time because of the lack of power saving features in the CDMA 800 network.

	Pros: Excellent features, communication options and basic cellular phone functionality. Motorola reliability and quality service reputation.
	Cons: High cost

While the cost of the Motorola Timeport is high, power users will quickly find that their initial investment was well worth it. Because whether you need every communications option the Timeport offers, or just want to be in the presence of an electronic status symbol that won’t let you down, the Motorola Timeport is the phone for the new Century!