Product Review: Motorola PEBL

I bought the Motorola PEBL last week to replace my dying V600. It's a beautiful, small, and soft phone that is very subtle yet attracts a lot of attention. The keypad is identical to the RAZR, which might be a bad thing based on your personal preference.

The main feature of the phone is the way it opens. You slide down the top slightly releasing the magnet holding the top closed. This causes the cover to open in a very smooth rotation. It takes a short bit of practice (initially it might fall out of your hands as you open it) but once you get the idea of it, it's very cool.

As far as features go, the only difference between this phone and the V600 is the video camera. You can now shoot and save video with sound. Of course, nearly all cell phones have this feature nowadays, so it isn't anything special.

Now for the list of things I don't like about the phone.

1. First, the slot to put the charger is at the top, unlike most other phones. This is extremely uncomfortable if you are trying to talk on the phone while charging it.
2. It's 2006. No cell phone should have a 0.3 megapixel camera. I was expecting at least a 1.3 megapixel camera, which is the low-end standard these days.
3. Volume during speakerphone conversations are very low, even with the volume set to high.
4. The PEBL runs on almost the same software as the V600, which means very little improvement as far as speed.
5. The keys on the keypad, just as with the RAZR, are very small and they aren't separate keys, so dialing without looking is a problem.
6. Update: When the phone is open, it is nearly vertical, unlike the wide V angle of most other cell phones. This makes it extremely difficult to hold the phone to your ear using your shoulder when you need to multitask. HUGE problem!
   

Overall, it's a great sexy phone that gets the job done. Nothing too fancy, nothing too boring. If you are in the market for a unique T-Mobile cell phone, you can get this one for $29.99 after all rebates from Amazon (price might not show on Amazon until after you have chosen a rate plan).


Overall Rating: B-