Motorola i930

With its chunky, Darth Vader looks, the Motorola i930 doesn't exactly have mass appeal written all over it. That's fine, because its mix of features is designed for a very unique customer: those looking for a smart phone that delivers rapid-fire push-to-talk (PTT) communications in the Western hemisphere and GSM connectivity when traveling abroad.

If you're considering Nextel, it's almost certainly because of its Walkie-Talkie service, which remains the gold standard. One potential downside is that Nextel's iDEN-powered PTT works only in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. For globe-trotters, the i930 supports GSM for voice (but not PTT), and GPRS for data, using three of the world's most popular wireless bands. We switched the phone to GSM/GPRS, but were unable to test it in those modes because Nextel permits access only when you're abroad.

Like other Windows Mobile smart phones, the i930 includes Pocket Outlook, ActiveSync, and support for documents in common formats such as XLS, PDF, PPT, and DOC. The i930 uses the older Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, and Nextel has no plans to offer an upgrade to the new 5.0 version.

If you're leaning toward a Windows Mobile smart phone because of its tight integration with Outlook, the i930 is a mixed bag. Unlike most of the Windows phones that have hit the market over the past year, the i930 lacks a keyboard, so it's practical only for reading e-mail, but not composing or replying. If you plan to send a lot of e-mails, Motorola's plug-in QWERTY keyboard costs $45.

Another potential negative is the lack of support for Direct Talk, which connects directly to other iDEN users without going through Nextel's network. This is handy if you're in the boondocks or don't want to shell out for an unlimited Walkie-Talkie plan (formerly known as Direct Connect). Unfortunately, Direct Talk isn't an option on the i930 even though the service has been around since December 2004, and Nextel won't offer it as an upgrade.

The i930 has a few other features that may be pleasant surprises, depending on how and where you plan to use your new smart phone. A prime example is the VGA camera with video, which may be a deal-breaker if your company forbids camera phones for security reasons. If not, the images are good enough for work-related tasks such as sending a picture to assist with ordering a part.

In iDEN mode, the i930 provides a mediocre Web browsing experience in terms of speed. Fortunately, there are other ways to get data in and out, including Infrared and a Secure Digital memory card slot. When your work is done, you can use a memory card filled with tunes and listen to them through the built-in Windows Media Player.

At a list price of $499, the i930 is expensive compared to other Nextel phones, and $100 more expensive than keyboard-equipped smart phones such as the Treo 650. Nextel walkie-talkie service is still the best around in terms of connection speed and the number of users you can PTT with, so whether the i930 is a good choice comes down to whether PTT is something you use on a daily basis. After that, it's a matter of whether you need Windows Mobile and global roaming.

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