RAZR PDA Phone

Is There a RAZR PDA Phone?

The original RAZR flip phone has since given birth to a number of spinoffs, so to speak. The SLVR is the candybar version of the phone, whereas the RIZR takes on a slider phone form factor. Based on this, you would assume that Motorola would make a RAZR PDA phone too, marketed toward business users who need more out of their phones than just the ability to make voice calls and send text messages. Well, that assumption would be correct.

Some time around September 2006, Motorola announced the E690 RAZR PDA handset, which would later take on the name of the ROKR E6. Unlike previous iterations in the ROKR lineup, however, the RAZR PDA features a large color touchscreen and no conventional keypad. In this way, it has many similarities to the Apple iPhone. The ROKR E6 is considerably more compact than most other PDA phones, which is either a big plus (better pocketability) or a big minus (smaller screen).

What Features Are on the RAZR PDA?

Here is a quick run down of the key features found on the RAZR PDA phone, otherwise known as the ROKR E6.

• Tri-band GSM/GPRS radios (900/1800/1900)
• 111 x 51.5 x 14.5mm
• 121 grams
• 2.4-inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) TFT touchscreen display with 256k colors
• Polyphonic, MP3, and AAC ringtones
• 3.5mm headset jack
• 8MB internal memory
• SD (Secure Digital) memory card slot
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP (stereo)
• 2 megapixel camera with CIF video
• FM radio
• Document viewer (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
• WAP mobile web browser
• Linux-based operating system
• Business card and barcode recognition
• Integrated MP3/MPEG4 music and video player

Where Can I Buy This Motorola Cell Phone?

In many ways, the RAZR PDA phone (ROKR E6) gives you all the functionality of a larger touchscreen PDA phone in a package that's about the same size as the SLVR L7. If you live Asia, there may be a possibility that you can grab this phone from a local retailer, but for everyone else, it usually involves importing the handset yourself or purchasing it from a store that imports international mobile phones.

One issue that you may want to keep in mind is that the ROKR E6 is a tri-band handset, missing the 850MHz band used in much of North America. While this isn't an issue if you subscribe to T-Mobile, it may be a concern if you receive your service from Cingular (the new AT&T) or Rogers Wireless. They operate on the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, so the phone should work, but you may get spotty service in dense metropolitan areas, when you are surrounding by trees, or when you are in underground parking lots. Also make sure that the phone you are buying is unlocked.

The Motorola ROKR E6 (RAZR PDA phone) is available for purchase on eBay, as well as online stores like The Mobile Corner. Generally, if you find a store that sells imported phones from Europe and Asia, they either have the E6 on hand or they are able to acquire for you. Prices vary considerably, so be sure to shop around.