Reviewed by: Allen Tsai - Dec 22, 2005
Introduction
Arguably the king of clamshells, much of Motorola's appeal is its integration
of useful functions with conservative design. Competing in a fickle marketplace
where handhelds are regularly retired in a matter of months, the V551 has
had a lifespan of well over a year, a testament to Motorola's success in
flip phone architecture. Now, Motorola has taken the fundamental designs
that made the V551 a favorite and added improvements releasing its successor,
the V557.
As the first device to include Motorola's SCREEN3 technology, the V557
offers an innovative approach to push information out similar to a "ticker
tape" that runs along the bottom of the phone's idle screen. Taking advantage
of Cingular's Media Net Live Ticker service, consumers can access news,
sports, entertainment, and other premium content and services directly on
the V557's home screen. Information is presented to users with no buttons
to push, and no browsers to launch.
Additionally offering EDGE broadband data rates, Bluetooth wireless technology,
a complete email client, and Cingular's consumer data services, the V557
provides an effective way to be productive and stay connected on the road.
Design
Offering a black design reminiscent of the V551's blue edging, the V557's
chrome details and soft-touch finish exhibit a clean and refined feel often
necessary for conservative environments. Measuring 89 x 49 x 25 mm and weighing
114 g, the V557 is a mid-sized phone, a bit smaller than the size of a deck
of playing cards. Not overly bulky but thicker than average, the V557 diverges
from the ultra-thin fads sweeping the industry.
 Displayed
on the front, a monochrome external LCD offers convenient access to vital
information at just a glance away. Positioned above the screen, a lens to
the 0.3-megapixel camera and camcorder is activated with the press of the
Camera Key. Nearby, a mirror allows shutterbugs to take self-portraits or
get into group shots.
On the right side, a Voice Key activates voice dialing and voice memo
recording. Volume Keys along the left turn off incoming call alerts, change
earpiece volume during calls, and change ringer volume from the home screen.
Anticipating subsequent actions to follow, a nearby Smart Key gives users
an alternative method of performing many basic phone functions. For instance,
by highlighting a menu item, pressing the Smart Key will select it. Outlets
for the Headphone and Accessory Connectors are located on the top and bottom
respectively. While the speaker grill is placed on the back for loud and
clear handsfree access.
Opened, the V557's the main 65K-color LCD is exposed, doubling as the
viewfinder in Camera Mode. Surrounded by Send, Power / End, Camera, Browser,
Menu, and Left and Right Keys, the 5-way directional and numeric keypads
provides menu navigation and text messaging using iTAP predictive text technology.
Out of the box, the Motorola V557 comes with a standard 820 mAh Li-Ion
Battery, Home Charger, Data Cable, Quick Start Guide, and User Manual.
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