Motorola A920 Comprehensive Review of Features Pricing & Drawbacks

Introduction to Motorola A920

The Motorola A920 was a groundbreaking mobile device released in 2003, making it one of the early pioneers in the era of smartphones. It was designed to be a comprehensive mobile solution combining a cellular phone, internet browser, camera, and personal organizer. Although it has been discontinued, it remains an important part of mobile history.

Design and Build

The Motorola A920 was characterized by its large size and weight, unique for its time. With dimensions of 148 x 60 x 24 mm and a weight of 212 grams, it was considerably larger than most mobile phones available during that period. Despite its bulky build, the design was functional, incorporating a Mini-SIM card slot and a resistive touchscreen. The device's construction was sturdy, ensuring durability for its users.

Display

The A920 featured a TFT resistive touchscreen capable of displaying 65K colors. Its resolution stood at 208 x 320 pixels. While the exact size of the screen was not specified, the resolution ratio of 3:2 provided a decent visual experience for navigating the Symbian OS and browsing multimedia content.

Operating System and Performance

Running on Symbian 7.0, UIQ 2.0, the A920 leveraged the power of a 168 MHz ARM925T CPU housed within the TI OMAP 1510 chipset. This configuration was relatively advanced at the time, allowing users to efficiently manage tasks such as calling, messaging, and using applications tailored for Symbian systems. However, with only 8MB of internal storage and a card slot supporting MMC/SD cards, storage was limited and required additional cards for expansion.

Camera Functionality

Equipped with a single VGA camera, the Motorola A920 offered basic photography capabilities. While the 0.3MP sensor was modest, it enabled users to capture photos and record videos, marking a step forward in integrating multimedia features into mobile devices. A selfie camera was also present, though specific details about its resolution were not highlighted.

Network and Connectivity

The device supported GSM/UMTS technologies, covering 2G bands (GSM 900/1800/1900) and a 3G band (UMTS 2100). With a data speed of up to 384 kbps, users could surf the internet with WAP 2.0/xHTML and HTML browsers, including Opera. Bluetooth connectivity enabled device pairing for file sharing, and GPS functionality supported basic navigation needs. However, it lacked built-in Wi-Fi and radio features.

Battery Life

The Motorola A920 was powered by a removable Li-Po 1050 mAh battery. On standby, the device could last up to 160 hours, while talk time was limited to approximately 2 hours. This battery life was typical for early smartphones, balancing the device's power needs with battery technology available at the time.

Audio and Multimedia Features

The device lacked a loudspeaker, which was compensated by downloadable polyphonic, MP3, and WAV ringtones. However, it did not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, which might have limited its audio capabilities in terms of personal listening experiences.

Market Impact and Legacy

Upon its release, the Motorola A920 was among the cutting-edge devices leading the transition from basic mobile phones to multifunctional smartphones. Its vast array of features paved the way for the development of more powerful devices. Although it eventually became obsolete with rapid technological advancements, its contribution to the smartphone revolution is undeniable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Motorola A920 holds a significant place in mobile technology history. Despite its limitations by today's standards, it represented a critical step forward in integrating cellular technology with computing capabilities, setting a foundation for modern smartphones.