Manage updates with the Download AppMotorola Zine ZN5 (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Motorola Part number: ZN5BLKMOTOROLA
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Motorola ZN5 is the best camera phone we've seen so far. But it doesn't stop there, as it's a good phone, too.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Motorola Zine ZN5 (T-Mobile) price range: $109.99
- Reviewed by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 11/02/2008
- Released on: 11/03/2008
The good: The Motorola ZN5 offers a fantastic camera with a wide range of options and excellent photo quality. The plentiful feature set includes stereo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the design is sleek and sturdy, and call quality is more than respectable.
The bad: The Motorola ZN5's memory card is located behind the battery cover. The menus can be pokey at times and the camera interface could use a refinement. Also, the ZN5 lacks video editing features and the photo uploading process had a couple of hiccups.
The bottom line: The Motorola ZN5 is the best camera phone we've seen so far. But it doesn't stop there, as it's a good phone, too.
User reviews
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It's a nice camera with a phone and MP3 player built in
by ryman2222 on November 19, 2008
Pros: AMAZING camera (for a phone), good MP3 player, sexy design, awesome screen, good call quality, WIFI and picture sharing, standard headphone jack
Cons: A bit bulky, not a lot of customization options, can't use the phone when its charging, difficult keypad for texting
Summary: I LOVE that I can ditch my camera and MP3 player. I've been waiting 8 years to do this. Finally there's a phone that can do all three ...
Summary: I LOVE that I can ditch my camera and MP3 player. I've been waiting 8 years to do this. Finally there's a phone that can do all three things well. Believe me, I've been searching, and at the time of this review this is the ONLY phone that can. I was lured in by the new Samsung Behold because it had a 5 megapixel camera. Well, if your subject is standing completely still, the pictures are beautiful. But it took 5 seconds to get a shot out of it and if your subject moved (or you did) in that time your shot is worthless. That and it didn't have a real headphone jack. So I returned it. The Motorola is the only cameraphone with true camera optics and sensors, so you can rail off clear shots one after another faster than most digital cameras. Its really great to have a good camera with me at all times. The MP3 player works and sounds good and the phone looks good doing all these things. My main complaint is although the keypad looks cool, the numbers are not separated at all, and you only have a little jewel on the top of each number so texting is rather difficult. If you're more of texter than a photographer or music listener, this phone will disappoint. But if you're looking for a REAL camera and a REAL headphone jack, there is no better phone on the market.
Just as a correction to my review: I stated that you can't use the phone while it's charging. This is incorrect. You can. For some reason I thought I tried and couldn't but I must've been on crack or something because you can.
Updated on Nov 24, 2008
Updated on Dec 18, 2008UPDATE: So I've had the phone for a couple months and I still really like it. It's not perfect, but nothing is.
The camera is great. Its not an SLR obviously, so don't expect perfection. But to me, a casual shooter, its perfect. And I love that it is acceptable as an MP3 player as well, thankfully it has the full size headphone jack. I sold my Creative Zen. I only need one device. Not three. I love that about this phone. Beyond that, its just a well designed phone. I like a lot of its features.
Now the bad. It can be a little slow. Sometimes you'll hit a key and it won't respond for a second or two. Not all the time, but I can see how its a little frustrating for some. I can live with it, but its there. Also, the keypad is difficult to text on, I have to admit. Not painful, but if you text a lot, this may be a deal breaker. Again, I'm ok with it.
I like this phone, I expect a lot of other people will too.11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The phone is quick and responive and overall amazing.
by clim0215 on December 1, 2008
Pros: -Probably the best camera phone out there yet.
-Responsive
-Fast
-Very good phone that's new out there.
-Easy to navigateCons: -Design can be fixed, especially with the bump.
^Not really a big deal, but thick compared to my previous phoneSummary: I recommend this phone, especially if you like phones that are responsive and quick. The camera is like relatively fast compared to all other camera phones. Once you click you ...
Summary: I recommend this phone, especially if you like phones that are responsive and quick. The camera is like relatively fast compared to all other camera phones. Once you click you get the image instantly without massive blur.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nice camera built-in, great phone: I hate touch screen
by wwwumax on December 1, 2008
Pros: acceptable 5MP camera with flash, nice display size, nice support for video and audio, nice accessory and software included. FM radio, 3.5mm headphone hole. Correct weight with a little bit more. Wi-fi web ability.
Cons: system stuck sometimes, web browsing stuck in 2nd or more pages. Can do better phone books, can have more control on camera.
Summary: I bought this phone for its camera, period. I have DSLR with professional grade lenses on it, so I know what is a good picture, yet I can't always ...
Summary: I bought this phone for its camera, period. I have DSLR with professional grade lenses on it, so I know what is a good picture, yet I can't always get an extra camera let alone DSLR with me to get pictures of my running kid. Hence I need a phone with OK camera to be with me. Compares to Behold with touch screen, keys are necessary as well. To be honest, all touch screen sucks despite their hypes on "human interface". Touch screen input are slower, error prone and non-professional.
Back to ZN5: it automatically adjust ISO, hence night shoots are always grainy. Flash may appear too harsh sometimes. But I can finally see the pictures twice. The camera controls can be more close to real camera if possible.
Camera aside, the voice quality is good as well, though I'd wish louder on speaker.
I like to idea of using standard 3.5mm headphone plug and the FM radio though go back to get used to wired phone is a little problem.
My complain is its Linux system that freeze from time to time and slow the first time accessing media files. For any folders having multiple files, the file management react slow as well. The wi-fi web browser works, but can't never go through 2nd page, maybe it is out of memory?
Another complain is to its phone book, maybe today's phone books are equally bad: my 10 years ago Sprint phone has the ability to choose another phone number from the entry of dialed or received number. Now, Nokia, Samsung, Moto all force you to go to main book to pick! What a waste of time!!
I like Motorola to have data cable and software with the package so that I can sync my old phone book in without separate buying.
I like this phone, even if it still not as fancy as N96. BTW, 3G function, GPS, and all sort of wasting function is not my concern at all.4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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For what I need, I'm VERY happy with my new Zine!!
by Wyldcat89 on December 20, 2008
Pros: The camera is excellent, I love the layout of the phone and it's ease of use. Battery life is excellent! Regular calls and speaker phone calls are crystal clear.
Cons: Would prefer keys on keypad to be seperated, this is the one flaw would change.. but it's not as bad as some make it out to be. OS isn't the quickest but again, not a deterent for me.
Summary: I wanted a phone with good call quality for regular calls and using speaker phone, decent battery life, a nice camera and the ability check my email. Not much to ...
Summary: I wanted a phone with good call quality for regular calls and using speaker phone, decent battery life, a nice camera and the ability check my email. Not much to ask for right.. It's not the most advanced smartphone, so don't expect it to rival a Curve or an Iphone, but it's quite nice for what it is. I could check my email and facebook page with no trouble at all. The signal strength is very good and calls are crystal clear, even on speaker phone. I'm most impressed with the battery life and the phone's ease of operation. The camera has a lot of features and learning them doesn't take long. If the Zine's options fit what you're looking for, it'll meet your expectations. If you're wanting a higher level smartphone, this may not be your best bet.
Upgraded from a Motorola Razr MP3 phone to the Zine. Also considered the Blackberry Pearl Flip and Nokia 5610. The Zine was the right fit for me and I absolutely love it!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Worst phone I've ever had!
by odgirl1201 on August 9, 2009
Pros: The camera does , in fact, take beautiful pictures
Cons: The phone freezes CONSTANTLY !
Summary: I returned the phone to TMobile to tell them about the freezing/lagging problem. They put me on the phone with customer service who told me I just need to ...
Summary: I returned the phone to TMobile to tell them about the freezing/lagging problem. They put me on the phone with customer service who told me I just need to take the battery out and reset it. This wouldn't be a problem , if it didn't happen every.single.day! Who has time to reset the phone every day? TMobile customer service/tech support admits this is a known problem with the phone. I had to return it and get something different. If you text AT ALL do not get this phone! If you just looking for a plain phone that takes nice pictures.. this is your phone.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Quest for a Phone is Over
by davidgojr on January 26, 2009
Pros: -Bright, clear screen
-Easy to use interface
-Build in WiFi: You don't have to buy an expensive data plan to use the internet
-Great battery life
-Amazing 5MP camera with Xenon Flash
-Durable build quality
-Precise controls (unlike most touchscreens)Cons: -Volume can be a bit low at times
-Video quality could have been higher
-Max SAR rating is on the high end (although this is only in the rare case when the phone is transmitting at max power such as when there is low signal strength)Summary: I spent much time researching many different phones before I made my selection to go with the ZN5. While touchscreens seem to be the new trend, most are sluggish and ...
Summary: I spent much time researching many different phones before I made my selection to go with the ZN5. While touchscreens seem to be the new trend, most are sluggish and imprecise. I needed a professional tool. The ZN5 includes most of the features that these high-end phones had with the precision of standard controls.
Hi yyyfak1, go to Main Menu>Fun & Apps>Games&Apps> then scroll down to "Google Maps" once you have it installed. When it is highlighted go to Options>Manage>Application Settings>Data Connections and change it from Java to WiFi. This sounds more complicated then it actually is. It is really pretty simple.
The screen is large, bright and clear. You can also go into the settings and make it even brighter if you need to. The default was perfect for me. I found the battery life to be the best I've ever seen on a phone. Even with the large screen and Wifi, I don't need to charge it very often. Excellent battery life is RARE on any high end phone these days.
This is the only non-touchscreen phone I could find in the US that also included built in WiFi so that I didn't have to pay for an additional $20-30 USD data plan on top of the phone service I already needed. The build in WiFi works no matter what plan you get from TMobile. It even supports WiFi encryption/security such as WEP, WPA and WPA2! I was able to browse the web at broadband speeds and even watch Youtube videos with ease. To make this work, I simply changed the browser settings to the WiFi configuration/profile.
One cool add-on I downloaded was the "Google Maps" application from Google. Once it was installed, it initially didn't want to connect to the net to work. I went to the apps screen and changed the data connection from "Java" to "WiFi" and this did the trick. Google maps allowed the phone to pull up maps, check local traffic, view satellite imagery and even use streetview on the phone! I was highly impressed!
I liked that this phone included built in Bluetooth. This allowed me to transfer my contacts from my previous phone with ease. T-mobile also has a free feature that allows you to back up your contacts in case the phone is ever lost. With Sprint (my previous carrier) I had to pay an extra monthly fee if I wanted this.
The call quality has been quite good so far. Friends have commented that I sound louder and clearer than i did with my old phone. The speaker phone capability also worked well. The volume on regular (non-speakerphone) calls is a bit low even when it is on its highest setting but this might be corrected in a future software update.
The camera on the Zn5 is top of the line as far as phones are concerned. It was easy to use and worked much like a dedicated camera. The Xenon flash was very bright worked effectively in dark areas. I'm looking forward to using it more. The video quality was not as good as it could have been but it was still quite decent for a phone. I liked how the camera is protected by a sliding cover when it isn't in use.
Overall, I have found this phone to be a joy to use. The build quality felt very solid in my hand with metal and rubberized portions. Searching for the right phone is quite difficult but I'm very happy with my decision. The ZN5 has all the bells and whistles but it also works great in its made role: AS A PHONE!
Updated on Jan 28, 20092 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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One Word Amazing
by danielkotsias on December 7, 2008
Pros: This phones camera is spectacular with a super bright flash and tv output. The music player sound and included earbuds sound amazing and the interface is great. they keypads takes a lil gettin used to but is good voice recognition slim and sleek
Cons: pictures on a big tv dont look so greatk
Summary: amazing
Summary: amazing
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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It's not perfect, but it's close
by xKaileix on November 30, 2008
Pros: Great Kodak Camera, sound is clear, always have a signal, call quailtiy is good, good signal everywhere, MP3 player
Cons: Keypad is small, 2nd highest raidiaton phone on the market, kinda heavy, MircoSD slot is behind the battery
Summary: Well..This phone was worth getting after I thoughly washed my Samsung T339. The camera doesn't lag! It takes better pictures than my old 4mp olympus camera. The MP3 ...
Summary: Well..This phone was worth getting after I thoughly washed my Samsung T339. The camera doesn't lag! It takes better pictures than my old 4mp olympus camera. The MP3 player is great sounding. I just don't like how small the key pad is, makes it difficult to text with. I have found the menu easy to use, even though you can't change it, thats not a deal breaker to me. I love how colorful the screen is. The phone keys don't lag for me..but I was told when that kind of stuff happens, just turn your phone off and back on. I love this phone and it's well worth it.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Decent Camera But That's About It.
by E_Huntington on December 3, 2008
Pros: Camera pretty good but not the quality of a stand alone 5MP camera.
Solid feel, but thick, and heavy.Cons: The slow, delayed OS and horrible keypad design is what ultimately convinced me to return this phone. Texting was so frustrating. Inputs would constantly lag and there was frequent overlap input from the keypad.
Summary: I really had high hopes for the ZN5, and I'm pretty forgiving of product shortcomings, but I just can't believe Motorola packaged a good cutting-edge camera (for a ...
Summary: I really had high hopes for the ZN5, and I'm pretty forgiving of product shortcomings, but I just can't believe Motorola packaged a good cutting-edge camera (for a phone) with its same old poor/fair software and lousy keypad design. Its the first phone I've ever been strongly compelled to return. Trying the BB Curve now (same price) and so far so (very) good.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Worst phone I ever had!
by rnj7078 on September 21, 2009
Pros: Camere is a 5.0 pics are great.
Cons: It shuts off periodocally at very odd moments, freezes up, camera devices on my new replacement is loud, keeps flashing clean up phone memory, I can't text or reply to my texts.
Summary: I hate this phone. T-mobile has replaced it 2 times and I am now going on my 3rd replacement. It is frustrating makes you want to take your phone and ...
Summary: I hate this phone. T-mobile has replaced it 2 times and I am now going on my 3rd replacement. It is frustrating makes you want to take your phone and slam it on the ground. I have been looking into buying another phone because of all these issues but T-mobile told me that is this 3rd one gives me problems they will exchange it with a different model phone. I have been looking at the phones they have and surprisingly noticed that the Zine is no longer on the list for purchase. HMMM, I wonder why? lol
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Motorola
- Part number: ZN5BLKMOTOROLA
- Description: The MOTOZINE ZN5 is built to shoot: it's the only phone to use Kodak Imaging technology and Kodak Perfect Touch technology, which together create brighter, more vivid pictures that you'll want to show off. The MOTOZINE ZN5 is built to share too: you can upload your photos to the web the instant you take them, or save them to share later on up to 4GB of optional expandable memory. When you're done, with ModeShift technology, just slide across the lens cover and your 5-megapixel camera instantly transforms back to a phone.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Cellular phone
- Form Factor Bar
- Phone Design Candy Bar
- Integrated Components Voice recorder,
Digital camera,
Digital player,
FM radio - Width 2 in
- Depth 0.5 in
- Height 4.7 in
- Weight 4 oz
- Body Color Graphite gray
Cellular
- Technology GSM
- Band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband)
- Service Provider T-Mobile
Messaging & Internet
- Cellular Messaging Services SMS,
MMS - Messaging & Data Features XHTML Browser
- Downloadable Content Screensavers,
Audio files,
Video files,
Wallpapers,
Ring tones,
Games Communications
- Data Transmission GPRS,
EDGE - Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11b/g
- Bluetooth Profiles Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP)
- Communication Features Mobile Email client
Phone Features
- Phone Functions Call timer,
Conference call,
Speakerphone,
Vibrating alert - Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Additional Features TV Link
Organizer
- Personal Information Management Calendar,
Reminder,
Alarm clock Media Player
- Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-4,
H.263
Memory
- User Memory 350 MB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSD
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 5 megapixels
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-5.6
- Min Focal Length 5.56 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Special Effects Blue,
Reddish,
Gray,
Negative,
Greenish,
Sepia - Camera Light Source Flash
- Features Multi-shots,
Macro function Display
- Type LCD display - Color
- Technology TFT
- Diagonal Size 2.4 in
- Display Resolution 240 x 320 pixels
- Color Depth 18-bit (262000 Colors)
- Multi-language Menu Yes
Connections
- Connector Type Headset jack - Mini-phone 3.5 mm,
Micro-USB Battery
- Technology Lithium ion
- Capacity 950 mAh
- Run Time Details Talk - up to 574 min,
Standby - up to 579 hour(s) Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Power adapter , Power adapter
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Motorola products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Motorola
- Address:
600 N. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048 - Phone: 847/576-5000
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