MotoSummer 2004

A couple of interesting, random things I remembered after publishing the article:

1. During a call, the A630 automatically switches to speakerphone mode when you open it. Very handy if you're talking to someone and need some info from email, the phone book, calendar, etc.

2. The bottom of the V3 (the bulge below the keypad) houses the antenna, Bluetooth module, and polyphonic ringtone speaker. It's also the only plastic part of the case (since metal tends to block radio signals).

Even though that's normally where you would put your hand, and flesh also blocks radio signals, Motorola engineers swear up, down, and sideways that it gets great reception - as good or better than any of their other phones.

So even though it's counter-intuitive, this isn't the first phone designed that way. Many NEC phones also have the antenna in that same location, and also seem to work fine.