Motorola PEBL U6 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Bluetooth--International Version with No Warranty (Orange)

Other products by Motorola

Product Features

• This unlocked cell phone is compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Not all carrier features may be supported. It will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon Wireless, Alltel and Sprint.
• Quad-band GSM cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies and GPRS capabilities
• Compact clamshell phone with unique oval shape and cool external monochrome screen; 5 MB internal memory (not expandable)
• VGA camera with video capture; Bluetooth for handsfree devices; full duplex speakerphone; access to personal email
• Up to 6.7 hours of talk time, up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.4 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches ; 3.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B000JUSYLS
• Item model number: PEBL
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,097 in Cell Phones & Service (See Bestsellers in Cell Phones & Service)

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Product Description

Amazon.com Hands-on Review
Motorola's PEBL U6 is the second model in Motorola's high-end "four-letter word" line, following the super popular RAZR V3. The PEBL takes some of the same materials and technologies used in the RAZR, and packages them into a completely different kind of clamshell handset. While the RAZR is all about thin, sharp angles, the PEBL is more about design, making use of soft curves and smooth lines throughout.

Screen shots from the PEBL.

The graphite black finish on the smooth, rounded exterior of the PEBL U6 manages to appear very glossy while still having a visual texture to it. The effect is very cool in person, but the downside is that the phone is an absolute magnet for fingerprints. But that's just the cost of high fashion, isn't it?

The PEBL's biggest claim to fame is perhaps not its shape and look, but its unique opening mechanism. A series of custom hinges, a dampening device, and some magnets allow the PEBL U6 to be opened up one-handed in a very smooth, elegant manner. When holding the device, you simply use your thumb to pull the top cover towards the bottom of the device a bit, which releases the magnetic latch that keeps the spring-loaded opening mechanism at bay. At that point you simply move your thumb out of the way and let the spring do its job. The motion is smooth and slow enough for the device to maintain its balance.

Once open, the PEBL's unusual keypad is ready for use. The directional controller and its center select button are very typical of mobile phones, but the rest of the keypad builds on some of the unique design elements we saw in the RAZR's keypad. The PEBL's keypad and softkeys are completely flat. The actual buttons are hidden behind a single sheet of metal that has a bit of give to it, allowing finger pressure to make its way to the switches underneath. Thin strips of translucent material let light filter in from behind, just as they do on the RAZR's keypad. The net result is a very distinct-looking keypad that probably sacrifices a little too much functionality in the name of fashion. Individual keys are simply much easier to find and press, even if they don't look nearly as sharp.

The inner workings of the PEBL U6 seem to be stock Motorola. The handset comes in two variations, each of which supports three GSM frequency bands and EDGE data. The North American version supports the 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 Mhz bands. The internal display is a 262k-color unit with a pixel resolution of 176x220. The battery should be good for over 6 and a half hours of talk time, or up to as long as 10 days of standby time according to Motorola. Bluetooth support more than makes up for a lack of infrared connectivity. The only aspect that seems a bit dated is the PEBL's VGA camera. For a high-end handset like the PEBL, you certainly would expect more resolution in the camera.

Other highlights include 5 MB of internal storage that can be used for MP3 or MIDI ringtones, photos and video clips, and downloaded Java games and applications. The addition of speaker-independent voice dialing and voice commands are welcome, and the PEBL's relatively low weight of 3.7 ounces (110 g) makes it quite pocketable.

Pros:

• Unique design
• Automatic opening mechanism
• Bluetooth

Cons:

• Low-resolution camera
• Difficult keypad

Motorola's PEBL U6 is a unique handset. Where it goes, stares and longing gazes will follow. It might not have the full range of high-end features inside, but for the see-and-be-seen crowd, it probably has everything to get the job done.

--Reviewed by Michael Oryl, editor in chief of www.MobileBurn.com


Product Description
Inspired by nature’s smooth curves and organic lines, Motorola PEBL is the essence of mobile sophistication and stylish simplicity. Hold it in your palm and you’ll understand its mysterious pull. Enjoy both form and function, with complete imaging, video capture and playback, and voice recognition features. Design at its most breathtakingly simplicity, Motorola PEBL reshapes the way you view mobile communication. No hard edges. No fussy lines. Just a sleek and smooth contour with an evolutionary single-touch open hinge.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great phone but......, March 13, 2008

By	Phillykid (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

I purchased the Orange PEBL (unlocked). I absolutely love the phone and always receive compliments on it. However, after 6 months of usage the handset volume just quit. I can only use the phone in speaker mode. So, basically the phone is now a glorified walkie talkie. After some online investigation, this seems to be a problem with unlocked PEBL phones. Apparently the issue can be corrected by "reflashing the firmware". Great, if you're tech savvy and don't mind downloading suspicious software.

Since the unlocked phones are not covered by warranty, I'd suggest just buying the phone through the carrier. It's worth it even if you have to pay more by not upgrading your plan. The amount you'd pay through the carrier would be about the same as buying it unlocked anyway.

In fact, if you're a T-mobile subscriber, phones purchased through T-mobile are still covered under a 2-year warranty, even if you don't purchase a plan. Hope this helps.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pebl U6 just fine if you are Polish, June 27, 2007

By	Graham D. Lonie (Antigua West Indies) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Works as advertised - after struggling for a few hour to change the installed regional language from Polish cyrilic (!!!) @#$%^&* to English. Since one has to use menus and sub-menus to reach the correct function it was a real challenge. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.

1.0 out of 5 stars Motorola PEBL U6, July 5, 2009

By	Sanjeev Pant - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had bought this phone in September 2008 for my parents who were planning to travel to India in October. Prior to purchasing this phone, I did some research on quad band phones and found that "The Travel Insider" website had pretty good information on phones suitable for international travel. I bought this phone because #1 - I thought that buying a Motorola brand-name phone would minimize the chances of malfunctions in the phone, and #2 - It was one of the least expensive quad band phones available on Amazon. I paid $92.99 for it in September 2008. And so, if it happened to get lost or damaged, it wouldn't be too much of a loss. I also bought the Mobal SIM card for the phone. My parents were traveling to India, with a stop-over in Hong Kong. They were able to make phone calls to us from Hong Kong and India during their trip.
After my parents came back, I had the phone as a spare to the one I had with AT&T since this phone in compatible with the GSM service that AT&T offers. However, after a couple of months, the phone started having problems. One day, the keypad started acting up. The 0, *, and the # keys went dead. I would press them and they would be completely unresponsive. The phone doesn't come with any warranty and I had pretty much given up on the phone. I was thinking about sending out the phone for recycling through one of those postage pre-paid cell phone recycling programs. But then I was tempted to open up the phone to see if it would come alive after I tampered with it. But I couldn't open the phone up because they had used some unusual screws to "tamper-proof" the phone. After looking up some information, I came across the name of the screws - Torx screws. I didn't have the screwdriver for these screws, so I ordered a Torx screwdriver set from Amazon. I was able to open up the phone and take the keypad apart from the base. I had to take apart the phone and put it back together multiple times, cleaned the inside of the keypad and some of the contact points multiple times with alcohol, but without any positive results. Finally, by chance, I realized that the keypad seemed to work properly if I pressed and held down the top left corner of the keypad. I took it apart again and cleaned a gold-plated contact point nearest to that corner. That seemed to do the trick. That was a couple of weeks ago. The phone is still working fine, but I don't know for how long.
For a Motorola brand name, this phone has given me plenty of aggravation. The fact that it doesn't come with any warranty means that if your phone starts acting up, you are on your own. After performing surgery on the phone multiple times, I finally noticed the manufacturing date on the inside of the battery cover - 18May06. The phone I received had been floating around somewhere for 2 years and 5 months between its manufacturing date and when I bought it. This phone has tested my patience long enough. If it breaks down again, my hammer will take care of it.