Motorola EM326g Review Summary

In my opinion, the Motorola has the potential to be the most popular phone ever for Net10 or TracFone, based on its many features. It offers an mp3 player, FM radio, 1.3 MP camera, expansion memory slot (microSD), unrestricted bluetooth, speaker phone, support for mp3 ringtones, web browser, USB connectivity for file transfer, Java-based games, voice recorder, organizer, and lantern mode.

Motorola EM326g

Despite all the great features on this phone, there is one feature that I’m disappointed to say it lacks: voice-activated dialing. I’ve written about this before, and I still believe strongly that it is a safety concern that voice dialing is not available on any current TracFone or Net10 handsets.

Looking beyond the lengthy feature list, the phone is compact and attractive, with a large, bright screen that looks good even in direct sunlight.

And it functions well as a phone. The sound quality and volume are very good, following the tradition of the Motorola w-series phones that preceded the EM326g. The only area where I might give it a lower mark is in reception. There was one instance during my testing when I was able to make a call using my Samsung T301g, but the EM326g would not call out. For the most part, though, I had a signal wherever any other GSM phone did.

Battery life is also better than on the w376g, another popular Motorola phone. With so many features on this phone, you won’t likely get a full week between charges, but I’ve been easily getting by charging just twice per week, and that’s leaving the phone turned on 24 hours a day.

The keypad is similar to the w-series Motorola handsets, but there isn’t that noticeable lag time between pressing a key and seeing the character appear on the screen. Text messaging also goes extremely quickly, eliminating the previous problem some phones had where you had to wait until a message was finally sent before you could close the phone.

Another keypad improvement that should not go unmentioned is the ability of the user to lock the browser. This requires entry of a four-digit code before the application can start up, thus preventing the browser from accidentally starting and costing you airtime.

Speaking of the browser, I’m sad to note that it is restricted, as all previous Net10 and TracFone models have been, to the TracFone version of the web. You’ll be able to access headlines, weather, sports scores and downloads, but that’s about it. You won’t be able to get to any mainstream websites, nor can you check your email. I don’t know what TracFone’s motivation is in limiting the browser like this, but the browser is not of much use in its current state.

On the plus side, you can transfer files between this phone and your computer, or other mobile devices in a variety of ways. Despite what the Net10 site advertises, this phone CAN connect to a computer both by USB and Bluetooth. Bluetooth also works with other phones for the transfer of files. I used both Bluetooth and USB to transfer mp3 files to the phone, or to download pictures from the phone to my computer. And there’s also the third option of removing the expandable memory card (sold separately, around $6 for a 2GB card) for transferring files.

And if you like taking pictures with your phone, the EM326g will be a pleasant surprise if you’ve been using Net10 or TracFone for a while. At 1.3 MP, the camera offers a much higher resolution than any previous Trac or Net10 model. The images produced by the Motorola EM326g are of sufficient quality to create acceptable 4×6 prints. Low light situations are still an issue since the camera lacks a flash, but the camera is a significant upgrade from any previous model from these companies.

Motorola EM326g

The mp3 player is also a significant upgrade, as it’s something that’s never before been offered for TracFone or Net10. It is a fun little feature that produces satisfactory sound when connected to moderate-quality headphones. The mp3 player is pretty basic in its options, so it’s no iPhone killer to be sure. But for prepaid users like me it’s a great improvement over previous offerings.

All in all, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you decide to spend your money on this model. At $60, it’s currently the most expensive model available for Net10. But since you’ll get 300 free minutes with the phone, it’s like getting a $30 discount on the price of the phone. And if you follow my advice on using Net10′s promotional codes, you can save another $8. (Click here for my promotional code info.)

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