Posted by Mia in Having slightly played with cameras, wireless equipment manufacturers have switched to the musical capabilities of modern phones. Today, perhaps, each new model supports the MP3 format and is equipped with an installed player. Moreover, all the major representatives of the market provided a separate segment for such phones, and actively develop it. Thus, Motorola “music” phones have a letter “E” as an identification number. Three models at once even got two-symbols “EM”. Today, we will speak about the new model of the youth music series – ROKR EM30.
Design
It seems that the philosophy of ROKR EM30 is “to unite a phone and a player in one device, which is more a player than a phone”. We have met similar tricks before. Thus a series of Samsung phones “F” (particularly F210) have used the concept. However, Motorola implemented the idea in its own way. The first thing you will notice in the exterior of the EM30 is the small display. The disproportion of the screen compared to the body gives a clear association with a music player.
ROKR EM30 looks quite cool, and it is evident that the main audience of the model is adolescent people young in spirit.
Interestingly, the EM30 is executed in the same colors as the music box Nokia 5320 ExpressMusic. While putting together the units look at least like cousins. Or, maybe, this impression is created with the over-popularised combination of black with red?
The sleek and wide body is the legacy of ROKR, which in this case, is only an advantage for the ROKR EM30. The dimensions are 115 x 53 x 10,6 mm and it weighs 100 grams.
The model is equipped with a standard 3.5-mm jack for connecting the headset. If you do not like the headphones supplied with the set, then you can always connect something of your own choice.
This connector is located at the upper end of the phone (it is closed with a plug) and this fact is a few more points for a good music phone. The remaining facets of the tube demonstrate a standard set of buttons and connectors. Thus, at the right end are located the microUSB connector and the mechanical key of locking the keypad. On the left are the volume button and the camera activation key.
The body of the ROKR EM30 is made of plastic, and the rear lid is from a metal with a special rough surface. In general, the quality of the assembly leaves a very pleasant impression. The phone inspires credibility and it is able to survive a few falls, without any consequences.
So, the challenge of combining a player and phone in one unit is executed by the Motorola designers in a fine way. The model looks modern and to some extent, even fresh.
Keyboard
Motorola very often uses this keypad design in its latest models. Using such a keyboard is unusual only for the first time. Over time, the fingers get used to the slow course of the keys. The keyboard of the 30 is hardly an example of ergonomic, but does not cause negative emotions either.
The main feature of the keyboard of the new model is that it is created on the basis of ModeShift technology. What is so unique and useful in it? The thing is – when you use the phone, the numeric keypad looks and works like all mobile phones. But when the music player is activated, instead of the number keys appear the buttons of work with the player and the color of lighting changes from bright blue to red.
The keys of the player are between the digital buttons so that they do not hinder the work either of the phone or the player. It is a simple and effective solution for switching quickly from talking to listening to music.
The navigation unit, on the contrary, is standard. There are two content keys at the disposal of the user, a four-position navigation button, a shortcut button to the music player, “back” key and the two “tubes”.
By the way, the navigation key in the number mode is highlighted in blue, and the outer circle of the key is lighted. In the player mode the color changes from blue to red, but instead of the external circle, the inner one is highlighted.
Display
Perhaps the weakness of the EM30 is the screen. The specifications are as follows: a diagonal of 1.8 inches, a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels, a support of 65 thousand colors.
It is funny, but the TFT-technology in this case seems even a luxury. It is obvious that the display is mostly needed for reading text information. Media browsing is inconvenient due to its size, and because of the resolution. But with its main objectives the screen copes well. Volumetric icons, large font, high brightness and contrast make it possible to enjoy all the convenient functions of the phone.
Functions and menu
Because of the restrictions of the display the main menu is represented by ten icons arranged in two rows. The musical orientation is once again confirmed by the fact that the first item on the menu is “Music”, and then come the other sections.
They all correspond to their names and are linked logically. In the “Organizer” you can find such features as: calendar, e-mail, alarm clock, data synchronization, the controller of loading (shows the files downloaded and sent via the Internet and Bluetooth), file manager (separate for the memory card or by category: music, pictures), world time, calculator, task list.
Thus, the menu is slightly different from the standard one in Motorola tubes of the latest period, but remains easy to work with.
From the functional point of view, the EM30 is a typical representative of a class of low-cost phones. Today, fortunately, this concept implies the existence of Bluetooth (A2DP for listening to music in stereo), EDGE (Class 12), Java, a convenient web-browser.
The recorder was found in the multimedia folder, although this feature is more suited to the definition of “business application” and it is not very much to the place in a folder of applications for entertainment.
The integrated 2-MP camera has an 8-fold zoom and has nothing stronger to boast of. However, a digital zoom is not a special reason for pride either.
Below you see the test pictures, and the full-size pictures are in the archive, which can be downloaded here.
Music player
To begin with, it is noteworthy that the player of the ROKR EM30 supports the following formats: MIDI, MP3, AAC, AAC +, Enhanced AAC +, WMA, WAV, AMR-NB, Real Audio (RA) v10. So, music can be enjoyed in almost any convenient format, except for FLAC and OGG.
We have already met the implementation of the music player in the previous EM30 models of the company. For example, by pressing a shortcut key, we get to the section “Library”.
The main menu allows the player to navigate through your own music collection (music files can be located in any folder on the memory card; the search for new songs is done automatically). Music files are sorted in the following categories: the last played, random songs, all the songs, lists, artists, albums, genres, composers. All categories are filled in automatically, with the exception of “lists”. These are the so-called “play-lists” that the user creates. In this context, it is not out of place to recall the full support of Windows Media Player 11 (Microsoft music ecosystem support), and given that the vast majority of music programs for the PC have a similar consistency, it is clear that EM30 easily supports playlists set up on the PC.
It is time to remember the ModeShift technology and to tell what keys are available in the player mode. These are five standard: rewind / switching tracks, forward / backward, play / stop, random play and autorepeat.
During the playback of music, the screen displays the file name, artist name, song name, and the elapsed and remaining time. The set of additional features pleased with its usefulness and wide range: random play, autorepeat, EQ (you can choose from 12 preset options, Bass Boost, 3D-stereo).
The sound of the player surprised with its quality – clear sound, with virtually no distortion. Such things as the equalizer and 3D-stereo, really affect the quality of music. We will not compare the EM30 with other musical patterns, but this novelty from Motorola is much higher in quality than most of some modern tubes. Even the traditionally heavy comparison of the musical players in the case of the EM30 does not look so intimidating. Yes, Motorola compared with them does not have enough volume, but this can be forgiven. Just listen to a couple of songs before buying, and you will see the decent music capabilities of the EM30.
The memory on the phone about 30 MB, but do not boggle at this small volume. There is a slot for microSD memory cards of up to 8 GB.
Unfortunately, we have no information as to the capacity of the map that will be included with the EM30, but considering the low prices on removable media, even the most affordable 8 GB, are affordable to many.
Outcome
The technology CrystalTalk is used in ROKR EM30, to ensure clear sound during a call. It is necessary to acknowledge that making calls using the EM30 is as comfortable as listening to music.
The battery capacity of 970 mAh easily satisfies the appetites of the cell phone for three days (3 hours listening to music, 30 minutes of conversation, 30 minutes for other functions), which is a decent result.
The phone is ideal for the replacement of the music player, has a decent (and harmonic) set of functions. If you are not confused by the design of the EM30, then there is just no other obstacle for buying this model. In its segment the novelty looks very confident.
