Connectivity

The SLVR shows up as an iPod Shuffle when plugged into a PC. Able to select and transfer music through the supplied USB cable, the SLVR is a slight improvement over the ROKR, using USB 1.1 (instead of USB 1.0), achieving maximum transfer rate of 25.5 Mbps. With MP3s averaging 4 MB per song, transfers which take the SLVR 15 seconds each would have only taken an iPod (which uses USB 2.0) just 5 seconds. With a full list of 100 songs, syncing takes about an half an hour.

Multimedia can be sent and received, and contacts and organizers synchronized, through Bluetooth or a mini-USB cable from a PC. Featuring Bluetooth Class 2, peripherals devices can be paired with the SLVR within a 10 meter radius. Used only for calling, wireless iTunes synchronization is not possible. Broadcasting music is prohibited as well. When Bluetooth is turned on, iTunes audio is neither directed to the speaker nor a Bluetooth headset.

Conclusion

Motorola CEO Ed Zander described their upcoming portfolio as 'whoa' products. And just like the RAZR, the SLVR features Motorola's now signature line of fashion-forward designs. Ultra-thin is in.

Having an even slimmer profile than the RAZR, its distinctive block form resembles a credit card. Just from one look, and its appearance needs no explanations; achieving the head-turning effect Motorola was after. But while the SLVR is an aesthetically pleasing device, it has an odd, sometimes contradicting, mix of new and old.

With a 262K-color display that is second-to-none, images bright and crisp. But teaming it with an antiquated 0.3-megapixel VGA camera, in a market where advances come in a matter of months, is baffling. Excluding EDGE high-speed internet access on a high-end device was confusing as well.

But perhaps the biggest disappointment was the same 100 song limitation. Part of the demise of the ROKR E1 was due to the 100 song limit. One would think Motorola would have addressed the issue, but unfortunately the SLVR plays dangerously close to the ROKR's fate.

Ultimately, consumers will vote with their pocketbooks, and the SLVR may dodge the bullet based on its unique design. The SLVR is still, above all else, a fashion phone where looks trump all else. And even through its shortcomings, combining Bluetooth connectivity, an MP3 player, and digital camera into an 11.5 mm device is an impressive engineering feat in its own right, regardless of leaving out what seems like intuitive functionality.

But most likely all that won't matter. The SLVR has the unique ability to evoke desire; a powerful tool other devices seldom achieve. And as Ed Zander previously stated, consumers will either say 'whoa' and instantly want one, or they'll be turned off by its unorthodox design.

For those looking for function, there are better and more capable devices on the market today. But for fashion conscious consumers, there's only one SLVR, and it may be just the right accessory to fit into their lifestyles.

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