Motorola Krzr K1m Review - Hardware
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Alfredo Padilla Published on April 20, 2007 Comment on this |
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Keypad
Text Words Per Minute (5.7)
To test how easy the keypad is to type on we time how long it takes to enter a short piece of text using two hands and calculate a words per minute score. We repeat this test five times and take the average for our score. The Motorola Krzr K1m took an average of 33.66 seconds to enter our sample text. This works out to 28.5 words per minute (WPM). This is slightly slower than the Razr V3m, which scored 29.4 WPM and significantly slower than the Sanyo M1 which was able to tap out 36.4 words per minute. The Krzr K1m was hurt by the fact that the keypad is very small and felt cramped as well as by the fact that several of the words in our sample text were not predicted immediately by the T9 dictionary, requiring us to choose the proper word from a drop down list. T9 and Auto Complete (5.0)
The Krzr K1m support T9 predictive text entry but lacks a word completion feature. We were pleased to see that the T9 feature was available anywhere you enter text, including in the web browser when entering URL's. We were also pleased to see that the phone remebered which programs we turn T9 on in, something that Windows Mobile smartphones, for example, do not do. We were dissapointed by the lack of word completion as this can speed up typing speed significantly, something the Krzr K1m could use.
One Hand Usability (6.0)
In order to be complete with our tests we also run our words per minute test using only a single hand. The Krzr K1m actually did better on our test using one hand than it did using two hands, completing our pice of text in 31.98 seconds for a score of 30 words per minute (WPM). This is likely due to the fact that the small keypad on the Krzr K1m is easier to negotiate with one hand than with two. In this test the Krzr K1m came out ahead of the Razr V3m, which scored 26.1 words per minute. It still lagged behind the Sanyo M1, which was able to punch out 32.2 WPM with one hand. Those who constantly text with a single hand should be pleased by this score.
Keypad Backlighting (5.0)
The keypad backlight on the Krzr K1m is a blue backlight that does an excellent job of illuminating the dividers and characters on the keys. Unfortunately there are no separate controls for the keypad backlight, instead it uses the same setting as the screen backlight. This means you can set it to go off after 10 seconds, 30 seconds or never. There is also no sensor that automatically adjusts your backlight, nor is there the ability to change the brightness of the backlight.
Controls
D-Pad/Joystick (3.0)
Like all controls on the Krzr K1m the directional pad on the Motorola Krzr K1m is part of a single piece of metal. It is round with raised arrows pointing in each of the four directions. The center select key is not very well differentiated, with only a very slightly raised ridge separating it from the rest of the directional pad. We found the D-Pad on the Krazr K1m to be prone to errors, probably due to its reduced size when compared to the Razr V3m. That being said it was better than the touch control directional pad found on the LG Chocolate. Tactile feedback when pressing the directional pad was solid, just as on the Razr V3m.
Touch Screen (0.0)
The Sanyo M1 does not have a touch screen.
Jog Dial (1.0)
Although the Krzr K1m does not have a jog dial, it does allow you to use the volume rocker key as an up/down control to move amongst lists. This is of limited utility but we decided to award a single point in this section because some may find it handy.
Soft Buttons (7.0)
The soft buttons on the Krzr K1m are very similar to those found on the Razr V3m. They are part of the single piece of metal that makes up all of the controls and are differentiated from other keys with by raised ridges. This makes them very easy to find by feel, and we were happy that they were not as shrunken compared to the Razr V3m as some of the other controls on the Krzr K1m, which means that we rarely pressed other keys incorrectly when going for them. They are definately better than the touch sensitive soft keys found on the LG Chocolate or the back of the Sprint Upstage. As with all the keys tactile feedback when pressed was slight but easy to recognize.
Volume Control (3.0)
The volume control on the Krzr K1m are found near the top of the bottom flip on the left side. The keys are better placed than the Razr V3m, which placed them on the upper flip, however we found that they were significantly smaller, which led to more mistakes. Feedback when pressed is almost non-existent, and we found the keys to be very squishy and hard to find by feel.
Power and Standby (6.0)
Like the Razr V3m and many other flip phones the power key on the Motorola Krzr K1m is a secondary function of the end key; you press and hold to shut the phone off or turn it back on. It is differentiated from surrounding keys by raised ridges and provides the same solid tactile feedback when pressed as other keys. It is also not as small as other keys, which makes mistaken presses less likely.
Other Buttons (6.0)
In addition to the buttons above the Krzr K1m has several other keys. Like the Razr V3m there is a dedicated call history key to the left of the directional pad. As with the Razr we found this key to be redundant because the call key will also take you to the call history. To the right of the directional pad is a dedicated back key for going to the previous screen in the interface. On the right side of the device is a dedicated camera key, while on the left is a key that activates the voice recognition software. The Krzr K1m also has three touch sensitive buttons on the exterior of the phone that are used for music controls. None of these keys can be reassigned, which is a shame as the voice recognition software is terrible and the call history key is redundant. We did not award any additional points for the redundant call history button, but did award points for the other additional buttons.
Display
Primary Screen Gross Resolution (4.0)
The main display on the Motorola Krzr K1m has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels. In a day and age where mid to high end phones are standardizing on 320 x 240 we were dissapointed to see this lower resolution display on the Krzr K1m. Our score for resolution is standardized based on the number of pixels supported. Primary Screen Pixels per Inch (7.3)
Pixel density is a measure of how many pixels are packed into each inch of the display. Higher pixel density leads to deeper and richer colors, while a lower pixel density display can seem washed out. The Krzr K1m has a pixel density of 146.7 pixels per inch. This is higher than the Razr V3m despite the same resolution screen because the Krzr K1m's screen is slightly smaller. Still, despite the higher pixel density compared to the Razr V3m, the Krzr K1m still falls short of phones like the Sanyo M1 and LG Chocolate that sport QVGA (320 x 240) displays. These phones have pixel densities of around 200 pixels per inch. our score for pixel density is standardized based on its pixels per inch score.
Screen Physical Size (4.75)
The Motorola Krzr K1m has a 1.9" diagonal display. This is on the small end of the range that phones have standardized on, for example the Razr V3m had a 2.1" display and the Sanyo M1 a 2" display. Some newer phones are beginning to ship with 2.4" or even 2.8" displays, but these are still limited to higher end models for the most part. Our score for screen size is standardized based on the actual size of the display.
Screen Brightness (2.9)
To test screen brightness we set the screen's brightness to maximum and point the browser to a white page. We then measure the brightness in lux from two inches away. The Krzr K1m measured 58 lux in our test. This is significantly brighter than the Razr V3m, which measured only 46 lux, and also brighter than either the LG Chocolate (49 lux) or the Sanyo M1 (50 lux). We were pleased to see that the Krzr K1m had a bright screen, but less thrilled about the lack of an automatic brightness sensor or manual brightness controls.
Screen Bright Light Performance (7.0)
To test how well a screen handles bright light performance we shine 3000 lux of light on the screen, equivalent to a bright sunny day, and judge how legible the screen is. The Krzr K1m did well in our bright light test. Although any screen is going to give you some problems, the Krzr K1m did better than most, with both icons and text still legible.
Color Depth (6.0)
Color depth is a measure of how many colors a display can, well, display. The Krzr K1m's primary display supports 65,000 colors, which is fairly standard for a modern phones. Some phones are beginning to ship with displays that support 262,000 colors, like the LG Chocolate, or even 16 million colors, like the Nokia N95. More color depth allows a screen to more truly reproduce colors in things like photos. Our score for color depth is standardized based on how many colors are supported.
Secondary Screen (6.21)
The Krzr K1m's external display measures 1.1" diagonal with a resolution of 96 x 80 pixels and displays 65,000 colors. It has a pixel density of 130 pixels per inch. This is a fairly standard exterior display, and is comparable to that found on the Razr V3m. The Sanyo M1 had a higher resolution exterior display that supported 260,000 colors. Our score for the exterior display is standardized based on resolution, pixeld density and size.
Ports & Storage
Power & Data Ports (8.0)
Like most phones from Motorola the Krzr K1m has a single Mini USB port that is used for both power and data. We are pleased to see this port used, and wish that other manufacturers like Sany and LG would begin adopting this standard. The Mini USB port did not support charging from a USB port using a generic cable that we had on hand. Headphone & Jack Compatibility (0.0)
The Mini USB port on the Krzr K1m is also used for wired headphones and headsets. The handset does not ship with a pair of headphones, which we considered rather cheap considering that the Krzr K1m is supposed to be a music phone. Unfortunately the Krzr K1m does not support stereo bluetooth headphones. This combination of poor accessories and features led to the Krzr K1m recieving a zero in this section.
Internal Storage (1.0)
The Krzr K1m has 20MB of internal memory. This is sufficient for storing a large number of contacts and calendar appointments, however it won't allow you to store many photos or music. We recommend that you purchase an expansion card if you wish to use these multimedia features.
Expansion Slot & Format (5.0)
The Krzr K1m has an expansion slot for MicroSD cards. This format has become a standard for mobile devices, but its small size makes it rather fiddly. At the time of this writing MicroSD maxes out at 2GB of storage. We did find the storage slot of the Krzr K1m to be a slight improvement over the Razr V3m as it is no longer necessary to remove the battery to insert or remove a card. You do still have to remove the battery cover, and unfortunately the slot is still not spring loaded, meaning that you have to use some force to get the card in or out.
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