I purchased my Motorola Q from Verizon about 2 years ago which means my contract is about up and I am on the verge of looking for my next phone. Unfortunately, due to my bad experience with the combination of Verizon service and poorly designed, Windows Mobile interface, I won’t be looking at any Q’s this time around. Don’t get me wrong, the Motorola Q is actually a very durable and sharp looking device. It was actually the partnership between the device and its software that finally drove me away from any potential of supporting its newer versions.
I know, I know, people have asked me, "Why don’t you just use a different OS or change service providers?" The answer to this is very simple actually. It?s also an opinion you should all have when purchasing a device. I don’t want to pay for a product with service if I have to work to make it work properly. I am paying for Motorola, Verizon and Windows to provide me with a product and service combination that works for me out of the box. If they can not get their device and applications working together in a user-friendly, top of the line comparable way, then they just aren?t providing that level of service via their partnership that they claim.
Here is my only positive for the Motorola Q:
- The Motorola Q is a durable phone, capable of taking a beating and still functioning.
Here are my major negatives with the Motorola Q, paired with Verizon and Windows Mobile:
- Motorola devices offered through Verizon should not default an OS to it?s customers but instead offer several options of OS’s at purchase. (I don?t honestly know if it?s Verizon that made the Windows Mobile / Motorola Q pair up or if Motorola did this pre-sell to Verizon. Either way, someone sold a pretty nice device with a crap OS that was not ready for market)
- The Windows Mobile interface is very clunky and time consuming to navigate.
- The Verizon solution to all device connection issues is to dial a 3 digit number to update your devices system. This takes forever and only solves the issues 50% of the time.
- You can not charge your phone via USB cable when the phone is out of juice. In addition to this, the USB charge is really hit and miss as far as working at all when the phone isn?t out of juice.
In conclusion, a partnership of companies should make sure their customers are getting a well functioning, durable product. While I?d love to blame Verizon or Windows Mobile for this terrible partnership, it does eventually rest with Motorola. Motorola needs to ensure they are partnering with service and software companies that maintain the same level of customer satisfaction in user experience as that of the quality in which they craft their devices.
Sadly, they have lost a Q customer to what was probably a deal struck to increase the bottom line.
