Basic Features
Released exclusively for the Cingular Wireless, the Motorola V551 is
a quad-band phone (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM), making it truly a world
phone, compatible with GSM networks worldwide.
Motorola rated the V551's 820 mAh Li-Ion battery at 225 hours of standby
and 3.75 hours of talk time. However, those are under optimal conditions.
When handset manufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and
standby-time ratings, they usually include disclaimers about variable performance
and often refer to the times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected
battery life ranges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll
experience at least the minimum rated range. Actual talk and standby times
are lower.
Screen
 The
external screen's blue display is 96 x 32 px. While not full color, like
some external displays, the V551's STN (Super Twisted Nematic) monochrome
display does have its advantages. Grayscale consumes much less power and
can prolong the battery life of the phone. Since the external screen is
most used to access quick information such as time, caller ID, or network
status, many people might prefer longer battery life to color.
However, the internal TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen is capable of
displaying 65K colors at 176 x 220 px . Being TFT, it has advantages over
STN matrices by allowing quick response and refresh rates.
TFT active display matrices can achieve more vibrant colors and faster
refresh rates due to circuit transistors being placed directly on the glass
at the pixel location. STN on the other hand, does not, and requires the
scanning of pixel locations. This results in noticeably quicker response
times; refresh rates needed for using the V551's screen as a viewfinder
during camera mode.
Audio
As for polyphonic ringtones, the V551 supports up to 24 simultaneous
chords. However, for users who want the most realistic sounding tones, MP3
ringtones are preferred, which the V551 supports.
Conventional ringtones utilize the MIDI file format, which recreates
sounds by essentially playing "musical notes." Thus the more simultaneous
chords that could be overlay meant more realistic sounding ringtones.
MP3s on the other hand are not "sheet music," but rather straight recordings;
allowing users to record audio from any input, whether it be music with
lyrics, voice, or sounds.
As for other audio capabilities, the V551 also supports speakerphone
for handsfree functionality.
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