OSNews has published a detailed, hands-on review of Motorola's Linux-based A780 mobile phone. Reviewier Eugeni Loli-Queru finds a handful of mostly small problems, but gives the phone high usability and functionality marks overall, and calls it a bargain, to boot.

Loli-Queru notes that at $280, the A780 is the least expensive PDA phone offered by the online retailer that supplied her with the device. The version she reviews is a quadband GSM/EDGE model with VPN capabilities; non-EDGE and dual-mode SIP/VoIP versions are also available, she says.

The A780 has a clever design that allows it to be used conveniently as a candybar phone, or opened up when touchscreen PDA applications are required, Loli-Queru observes. Much of the device's functionality, including its music player and camera, is available in candybar mode.

In her usual thorough fashion, Loli-Queru delves into virtually every function available on the device, offering praise here and constructive criticism elsewhere. Her biggest gripe appears to be an over-sensitive rocker bar, which she says can actuate the screen inadvertently, draining the battery.

Overall, though, Loli-Query says she likes the A780 quite a bit. It is more usable than her older Motorola E680i, she says, and offers nearly all the functionality of Motorola's newest “Ming” A1200, at a fraction of the cost.

Loli-Queru's complete two-page review can be found here.

 
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