January 6, 2008 9:50 PM PST

Touchy-feely with the new Moto Rokr E8

by Kent German

Motorola continues to make up for its dismal Rokr E1 with its new Rokr E8. Announced at the ultra-posh Wynn Hotel during a late-night press conference (we're not sure why Moto had to wait until 9 p.m. on a Sunday to do this), the E8 is one of two handsets Moto is announcing at CES 2008. And it won CNET's Best of CES in the cell phones and smartphones.

Watch the Motorola Rokr E8 video on CNET TV.

Music, of course, is a central theme here but the E8's real news lies with its unique "ModeShift" technology. Instead of traditional keypad and navigation array, the Rokr features a smooth "glasslike" surface with touch-pad controls that digitally "morph" depending on how the handset is used. As you shift from phone to music to imaging modes, the backlight on the control changes to illuminate only the relevant buttons for your current function. The E8 also features Motorola's first Haptics keypad with vibrating feedback and a "FastScroll" navigation wheel that makes it pretty seamless to navigate through long playlists. It's not a complete circle but it's pretty user-friendly.

Loading songs on the E8 is also supposed to be fast and easy via a USB connection to a PC. Moto said that over the next year it would introduce more music phones like the E8 that would be better than standalone music players. That's a bold prediction, we can't wait to test it out. We have to say, however, that Moto seems to have succeeded at integrating the ergonomics of an MP3 player and a cell phone into one device.

Other features on the candy bar device include a Linux/Java OS, support for Windows Media Player 11, a large (2-inch) 262,000-color display, 2GB internal memory, stereo Bluetooth, USB 2.0, Moto's CrystalTalk technology (like we saw on the Razr2 series), an external memory card slot, a 2-megapixel camera, a digital-music player, and a full HTML browser. The quad-band world phone supports GPRS and EDGE networks, and it offers a "talking phone" to read your text messages while dialing a number or receiving a call. We haven't had the chance to test that particular feature yet, but it looks fun.

The following product mentioned is available.

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View the latest prices for Motorola Rokr E8 - (T-Mobile)

Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (31 Comments)
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by cfiber January 6, 2008 11:04 PM PST
How scratch resistant is the "smooth "glasslike" surface" of the E8? Nothing like an iPod I hope.
Reply to this comment
by MyRightEye January 9, 2008 7:32 PM PST
P Off you wank. The problems with the surface on iPods was fixed YEARS ago... Moron... Stop spreading false information. Probably a Creative employee.
by NarutoXtrem September 21, 2008 10:24 PM PDT
the scratch resistant is in fact sad yes it is bad... put it in your jean pockets without the leather case and it will get scratched up in a day or 2 depending on your routine
by jammyman34 January 8, 2008 3:11 PM PST
Got a few typo-s in this post... Z8 instead of E8 a couple of times and then saying the haptics are first for Samasung??? Not cool!

**cfiber** the surface is not very scratchable, it's actually quite durable.
Reply to this comment
by lucas5973 January 8, 2008 11:32 PM PST
It's not a typo error. E8 is correct. This is the ROKR series candy bar Music phone.
Z8 is the slider Video phone with the "kick slide" form factor...
by josiesgram January 8, 2008 6:39 PM PST
Who will be the US carrier?
Reply to this comment
by Dblue07 March 6, 2008 6:04 PM PST
T-Mobile. It should release around March/April
by ashgon2 June 19, 2008 11:59 AM PDT
not sure if anyone else will have it, but i just got off the phone with t-mobile and they are getting it july 7th, 2008
by lucas5973 January 8, 2008 11:37 PM PST
It's not a typo error. E8 is correct. This is the ROKR series candy bar Music phone.
Z8 is the slider Video phone with the "kick slide" form factor...
Reply to this comment
by jammyman34 January 11, 2008 8:51 AM PST
They fixed their post lucas, they had written it as the Z8 a few times INSTEAD of the E8... yes, the Z8 is the UIQ "bannana" slider phone ;)
by Jasmineflower January 9, 2008 3:23 PM PST
This is probably the coolest thing I've seen at CES this year. The simulated tactile feedback is super sweet. Can't wait to see it in MP3 players.
Reply to this comment
by Fenwick67 January 9, 2008 8:39 PM PST
The button interface that changes depending on it's function is kinda cool, but it's not the most innovative thing ever. I don't really think it needs to be this high up mostly due to this simple feature. My car stereo from 1999 (stock Pontiac Montana minivan) does that.
Reply to this comment
by six666man January 10, 2008 6:51 PM PST
Fenwick67.....

We are talking about a handphone features here!!

I think you should go and comment on CNET Best Of CES 1999, Car Stereo Award.....

If there is any......
by six666man January 10, 2008 6:52 PM PST
Fenwick67.....

We are talking about a handphone features here!!

I think you should go and comment on CNET Best Of CES 1999, Car Stereo Award.....

If there is any....
Reply to this comment
by bigb34 January 10, 2008 7:41 PM PST
I think it will be At&t (or cingular) cause they were the first carrier with the actual Mp3 player phone combo and this is the next step i think for a good mp3 phone combo that doesnt use itunes.
Reply to this comment
by valentine39 January 11, 2008 5:48 AM PST
If it's a phone, how good is that feature set, how well does it operate in fringe areas and what is the battery life in the various modes? Phone first or last?
Reply to this comment
by Kpennett January 11, 2008 10:45 AM PST
***, I see Very little Difference from My E6, "I flashed to get Edge"
It has NO touch screen, & a Smaller screen Smaller Battery,
BUT DOES have 2Gig Internal Mem, Haptics & Morphing Keys?
The price better be Very reasonable or theirs No "great reason" to go beyond the E6...
Reply to this comment
by dinowk January 12, 2008 7:36 AM PST
A base cellular phone and a MP3 player, this it? G3? GPS? Video?
Reply to this comment
by Eigajapan January 12, 2008 8:34 AM PST
Motorola Rokr E8 is the music phone.
Don't need 3G, GPS and Video.
Don't be jelouse.
by dinowk January 12, 2008 7:40 AM PST
Why give CNET award to this device? iPhone was not awarded last year. From the cnet article, CNET team have had no chance to test and feel E8 before given the award.

CNET is misleading the consumers as they did last year. LOL
Reply to this comment
by Eigajapan January 12, 2008 8:32 AM PST
Don't be jelouse.
by Eigajapan January 12, 2008 8:27 AM PST
By the way... Congratulations to Motorola. Thank you to CNET to gave:
Finally, Motorola got award:

GSMA Asia Awards WINNERs 2007
Best Mobile Broadband Handset / Device 2007
Motorola ? MOTORAZR2 V9

International CES 2008
Best of Innovations Honorees
Category: Headphones
Motorola Rokr S9

CNET REVIEWS AWARD
Best cell phones of 2007
Most improved phone: Moto Razr2 V9

Motorola's award-winning MOTORAZR2 V8 at CES 2008

CES award winners
PEOPLE'S VOICE
Motorola Rokr E8

BEST OF CES WINNERS IN EACH CATEGORY
Cell phones and smartphones
Motorola Rokr E8
Reply to this comment
by bigb34 January 12, 2008 10:18 PM PST
It comes with 2 GB of internal storage. Thats pretty good. But how about external storage? up to 4GB. pretty good too. But i have way more then 6 GB of music why cant they make it except 6 or even 8 GB SD cards?
Reply to this comment
by Eigajapan January 13, 2008 4:19 AM PST
If you want big storage; buy Motorola Z10 or Motorola Z8. Motorola Z10 and Motorola Z8 has 32 Gb external memory. Is that's your brand adore have 32 Gb memory? Hahaha...
by marcco68 February 13, 2008 11:13 AM PST
I can only imagine there were no other phones in this category and that's why the ROKR won. My year old Sony-Ericcson has better technology and it's last years model. I at least have 4Gig in mine. How do they expect us to be impressed by old technology??
Reply to this comment
by Dblue07 March 18, 2008 6:13 PM PDT
Dang, yall really are a hard crowd to impress. I know I love it, and i'm getting it.
by zephirus-persia March 2, 2008 12:36 AM PST
Dos anybody knows how much will the price will be? And what is the geographical area that E8 will be shipped?
Reply to this comment
by rockmein08 September 2, 2008 12:43 PM PDT
hi people... ok ok - i bought the ROKR E8 the first week of August in Vegas. Lots of cool gizmos and functions and looks very sleek. FIRST PROBLEM everyone seems to be having is getting the USB port cover off to recharge the phone and to connect it to the CPU. This little door is impossible to get open...so i've found a new function for "wooden" toothpicks (and I have LONG nails) - Impossible to get open. Secondly: I plug my ROKR charger into a surge protector outlet for charging every night. It gets plugged in about 9-10pm every night and unplugged about 8-9am every morning. I make and receive about 5 calls a day lasting about 2-3 minutes each. I send about 3-4 text messages per day. I do NOT use the FM radio attachment and have NOT used the MP3 music player (yet).......OK-with THAT in mind - the battery is now lasting me about 6 hours (YES THAT'S WHAT I SAID) - 6 hours...unplugged from charging at 9am and completely dead by 3pm. my provider is 'expediting' a new battery to me to try and see if the battery has gone bad in LESS than one month. When I first bought the phone - the battery WITH the blue tooth activated - lasted about 2 days without a charge--NOW it can't seem to make it beyond 6 hours with the same usage???? go figure.....ciao
Reply to this comment
by mommy2sarahjean October 3, 2008 11:13 PM PDT
I have the new Motorola ROKR E8.. I have T-Mobile. The only thing that irritates me is that is freezes sometimes... pretty often like when I click to go to Menu, or even answer a call, it takes almost 10 seconds to finally go... kinda annoying. And everytime I turn it off and then back on, I get asked for a PINLock Code? I think that is just T-Mobile tho. My battery lasts for quite awhile, at least a day and half and I always listen to music cuz my car stereo is stupid! :) The screen doesnt scratch easy.. I have already dropped it a couple times and just had for about 3months. Although the screen gets dirty easy, fingerprints and make up stand out alot. keypad thinger is totally sweet.. and as for the memory, I am not sure about MGB's or whatever.. but I know that I have like 200 songs, a bajillion text messages and pics, and games wallpapers etc... and I have barely used 17% off my memory... I definitely recommend. :)
Reply to this comment
by jayhel1 February 21, 2009 12:46 PM PST
What R you talking about the limation to 4Gig mini SD external memory???
When I do ´´Office Tools>File Manger>Memory Card>Option>Manage>Properties´´ on my ROKR E8 equipped with a ScanDisk 8Gig MiniSD i find:
Total Space:
7771.30 MB on the report.
I got more than 2 days and a half of music non stop on it!
The ROKR E8 supports the HDSD. Final.
Actually I always plug my ROKR E8 to the aux input of my car radio as soon as I get into it. The car radio -despite being one of the finest one on the market- does not have a music management sofware as the Moto KROKR has. It does not have music management sofware. Period.
Just for the music management sofware that the KROKR has, it is worht it to go for it!
So good it is!
My music is split by Playlists/Albums/Artist/Genre/Composers. So I can quickly find any music I want to listen to in 2-3 seconds (driving...)
As for the other features of the Moto KROKR E8 there just beautiful.
Reply to this comment
by da_cog October 28, 2009 4:18 PM PDT
After a year and one month --- just past the warranty! --- some of the buttons just decided to stop working; one evening the phone was working fine, the next day it wasn't. Nothing can be done about it except to give Motorola another $75 to get it fixed, and like I am really going to do *that* after they failed to get me a phone that lasted for more than a year the first time! Besides which, frankly, as others have written here the phone is slow and a bit clunky, so it isn't even *worth* $75 to me.
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