Motorola KRZR K1 review

Chris Leonard

The most obvious improvement is the reflective glass front that gives the KRZR immediate pickupability and brings out the narcissist in everyone

Motorola has again pushed the envelope in fashion phones with the KRZR K1, their glass-coated reflective flip phone

Following the success of the V3 RAZRs and rivals’ attempts to copy its streamlined design, Motorola has again pushed the envelope in fashion phones with the KRZR K1.

It’s pretty much the same size as its V3 predecessors. It’s 2mm longer but only 16mm thick. This makes it the ideal size for slipping into your jeans or suit pocket. Another similarity is the incredibly tactile and smooth nickel keypad but this has been tweaked to fit the KRZR’s thinner size, so no shortcut Menu button under the screen.

The most obvious improvement is the reflective glass front that gives the KRZR immediate pickupability and brings out the narcissist in everyone. However, this does mean it soon gets covered in grubby fingerprints, so judicious wiping is required to keep it looking its best.

But the KRZR is not just a V3 with a facelift. It now has a 2 megapixel camera that can record up to 25 minutes of video (memory permitting) and the internal memory has doubled to 20MB, with support for 2GB microSD cards.

Another improvement is the inclusion of new A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) technology. This means you can hook up your KRZR to Bluetooth headphones or speakers and enjoy wireless stereo sound - handy when using one of the two inbuilt Music Player applications.

Motorola has also increased KRZR’s messaging capabilities compared to the V3s with wireless connectivity to Microsoft Exchange servers. This means you can automatically synchronise your Contacts and Date Book with your work PC without having to connect your phone when you return to the office.

However, there are some minor gripes with the KRZR. There’s still no 3G for accessing the mobile Internet or making video calls, and sometimes the response times to button presses can be a little slow.

Also, when closed the KRZR’s keypad leaves behind a gird pattern of marks on the screen. These can be wiped off, but they can be annoying. Overall, this is certainly an eye-catching device and arguably the first mobile phone that actually looks like a 21st Century communications device with its shiny outer casing, and sleek Star Trek-style design.

Although it might not be as technologically advanced as other mobiles out there, for a stylish device that can make calls, send and receive emails, surf the web, keep in contact with the office and all at a reasonable price, this is a worthy successor to Motorola’s RAZRs.