Motorola StarTAC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Screen | Digital: LCD AMPS: Segment LED, Alpanumeric LED |
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| Networks | AMPS, CDMA, TDMA, GSM |
| Physical size | 94 mm×55 mm×19 mm (130) |
| Weight | 94 g |
Motorola StarTAC was a clamshell mobile phone manufactured by Motorola. It was released in January 3, 1996 and is noted for being the the first clamshell mobile phone[1]. The StarTAC is the successor of the Motorola MicroTAC, a semi-clamshell design that had been launched in 1989[2]. Whereas the MicroTAC's shell folded down from below the keypad, the StarTAC folded up from above the LED display screen. In 2005, PC World put StarTAC at #6 in The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years[1].
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[edit] Release
[edit] North America
StarTAC was unveiled in North America in January 3, 1996 as the "StarTAC Wearable Cellular Telephone."[3] Then the smallest cell phone available, this AMPS phone was an immediate success. Successor TDMA and CDMA StarTACs were equally popular. GSM models were available in North America through Powertel and other early GSM carriers. StarTACs remain popular until the early 2000s, appearing in many Hollywood movies of the period like 8mm starring Nicolas Cage.
[edit] Europe
The phone was released in Europe as a single band 900MHz GSM telephone in 1997. Despite the advanced technology, it never became a great success in Europe.
While the StarTAC was not a great success, its direct successors (the early Motorola V series) were very popular, and these phones were ubiquitous in Europe until about 2003.
[edit] Key Features
Some key features of the Motorola StarTAC were:
- SMS text messages, although only the later models had the cabability to send messages.
- Introduced clamshell design
- 88 grams[4] (3.1 ounces[3])
- It could use an optional Li-ion battery, at a time when most phones were restricted to short-duration NiMH batteries
- It had a vibrating ring, "VibraCall", the first vibration feature on a phone. It was then only used by Motorola, as they held the patent[1].
[edit] StarTAC 2004
An updated version of StarTAC was released in 2004 for the South Korean market. It had:
- A 128×160 26,2000 TFT Color LCD
- 64-channel sound
- A mobile banking feature supported by SK Telecom
- A 2,800-entry contact book
In addition, a version with an 18k gold keypad and brightwork was released as StarTAC 2004 SE.
[edit] Clamshell Phones Today
Motorola continued to develop clamshell mobile phones. The design was also copied by other mobile phone brands such as Samsung Electronics. As of 2005 the latest use of the design by Motorola can be seen in the RAZR, KRZR, and the PEBL
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c Tynan, Dan. "The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years", PC World, 2005-12-24, p. 2. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Mobile Phone News; PBI Media, LLC; Gale Group (1992-02-10). Motorola introduces ultra lite 5.9 ounce cellular telephone - MicroTac Ultra Lite Telephone. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ a b "The smallest cell phone", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1996-01-04. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Motorola StarTAC Cellular Phone. Integrated Electronics Engineering Center (1996-08). Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
| Motorola phones | |
| A Series | A760 (2003), A780, A830 (2002), A925, A1000 (2004) |
| E Series | E365 (2003), E398, E680, E770, E815, E1000 (2004) |
| i Series | i710, i860, i870 (2005), i920/i930 |
| MPx Series | MPx200 (2003), MPx220, MpX |
| T Series | T720 |
| V Series | V60i, V120c (2002), V180, V220 (2004), V360 (2005), V400 (2003), V551 (2004), V557 (2005), V600, V620, V635, V710, V980 (2004) |
| Four-Letter Series | KRZR (2006), MING (2006), PEBL (2006), RAZR (2004), RIZR (2006), ROKR E1 (2005), ROKR E2 (2006), SLVR (2005) |
| Others | International 3200 (1982), MOTOFONE (2006), Q (2006), StarTac (1996) |
| (see also List of Motorola products#Mobile telephones and Motorola phones) Edit | |
