Motorola Timeport 260 GPRS

If you think the Motorola Timeport 260 looks familiar, it's because it's fundamentally the same as the Timeport P7389 (reviewed issue 67, p174). But the telltale letters 'GPRS' next to the on/off button make all the difference. Unfortunately, Motorola has done little to address criticisms of the Timeport family in the year or so since we first looked at the P7389. Despite its impressive list of built-in features, the T260 remains difficult to use due of its cumbersome menu system.

For a few months, the T260 will be the only GPRS handset generally available through BT Cellnet and Vodafone. BT Cellnet has chosen to restrict its GPRS network to WAP browsing-only via its Genie service, though full strength Internet access is promised later in the year. Vodafone is allowing full IP connectivity to corporate networks.

It's true that once you're connected to the GPRS network, the T260 avoids the delay and hassle of repeated session connections. But we noticed no actual improvement in speed connecting to sites or delivering pages. Early adopters and heavy WAP users, who can potentially save money on Internet calls, are the obvious targets for the T260. However, the promise of faster connections is only half met and as a demonstration for the new technology, Motorola has chosen a dated model.

Author: Ian Burley