Motorola Pro+ review
Review date: 14 December, 2011. Review by: Sandra Vogel
The Motorola Pro+ is one of many attempts we've seen to combine Android and a mini qwerty keyboard. This one has some special features for business users.
It's about the proportions
The Motorola Pro+ is a better attempt at combining Android and a small keyboard than many because the design gives enough room to both elements. We've seen some very squeezed Android screens in this style of design, and they really don't work well. Android was made for screens taller than they are wide, and that's what it gets here.
So, the Motorola Pro+ has a screen that measures 3.1 inches and offers 640 x 480 pixels. Now, that means visuals are a bit squeezed - we wouldn't want to do a great deal of web browsing or video watching, for example, but the tall format reduces the amount of scrolling needed to get the best from Android as an operating system.
Nice keyboard
The all important keyboard is well made too. There are four rows of keys, with each one offering a second function. There's a separate key for the '@' symbol and also a separate key for voice control. The bottom row is a bit compromised in that its two outer keys are caught up in the bottom curves of the chassis.
The design incorporates individually shaped keys and is very close to that of BlackBerry devices. While the action isn't as good as the best BlackBerry handsets, and we'd have liked it to be a bit more responsive, we have certainly used worse. Motorola has made room for a set of touch sensitive keys between screen and keyboard to cater for Android Menu, Home, Search and Back functions.
It's the business
The Motorola Pro+ has some elements designed specifically for business users, and there is lots for everyone to enjoy. The 1GHz processor is fast, and capable of supporting the Flash player, so you can watch video that's embedded into web sites. A microSD card can be used to boost the 4GB of built in storage, and there is a 5 megapixel camera on the back. DLNA is supported, and you can use the handset as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Business users might like the full copy of QuickOffice for editing and creating Microsoft Office documents, and the three 'profiles'.
Each one, labelled work, home and weekend, is a full set of seven home screens which you cans set up appropriately for different conditions, making it fast to switch between work and play scenarios. In addition there are some impressive security features including data encryption for internal memory and the SD card, the ability to lock down Bluetooth and the camera depending on location and a complete device lockdown and remote wipe facility.
Verdict
The Motorola Pro+ brings Android and a small qwerty keyboard together in a way that allows both to shine. The screen isn't vast, but this is a very functional smartphone
Company: Motorola
Contact: 01202 552936
