Our friends over at MobileBurn posted an in-depth review of the Linux-based Rokr E2. This is the first phone Motorola released that doesn’t use their touchscreen-based EZX Linux platform, but a very modified softkey version of it instead. A few months ago we also reviewed the Rokr E2. In related news, a few weeks ago Motorola also released in Asia the new, Linux-based Rokr E6, based on the touchscreen-based EZX version of their Linux platform. Native SDKs are not available.
MobileBurn Reviews the Linux-based Rokr E2
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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First I want to say that I loved Motorola MPX 200
The cool part was that there was so much software about it. Examples: Doom, heretic, Worms … even Windows 3.11 and 95 worked on it with emulator for DOS 
Second I wont’t buy Linux because I heard Java is the only way to add more software? I am a programmer. I would love to program/hack my phone. Windows Mobile and Compact Framework seem more appealing to me.
Is there a downloadable working kernel or/and development kit about Motorola phones???
Linux platform
http://www.open-ezx.org
Blog of the creator of open-ezx
http://ganesha.gnumonks.org/~laforge/weblog/linux/a780/
opensource.motorola.com
https://opensource.motorola.com/sf/sfmain/do/home
Xanadux open-source Linux Platform
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Xanadux
No, there’s not.
Stupid Rogers, they have no plans to bring this phone to Canada any time soon. And with them being the only GSM network up here, it means finding the phone overseas and buying it outright (which I refuse to do).
This is the phone I’ve been waiting for (not a flip phone, runs Linux, runs Java, doubles as an MP3 player, used SD cards for expansion, has decent PDA apps).
Thankfully I passed on the ROKR E1 (the people I know with them hate them) and SLVR L7 (really don’t like the keypad), but a guy can only wait for so long.
Anyone feel like selling me one at a loss?
I never get my phones from the carriers. They cripple their features. I always buy them unlocked, from stores. I suggest you do so too. To get the ROKR-E2, or other 3 touchscreen-based Linux phones, see http://www.hi-mobile.net or other online retailers. They sell in Canada too.
Rogers doesn’t cripple their phones. At least I’ve never found one that was. Telus likes to cripple their phones; don’t know about Bell.
I just refuse to pay >$300 for a phone when I can get the exact same phone for <$100 through Rogers. It’s just annoying how long it takes Rogers to bring in new phones.
Not having the Motorola ROKR E2 on Rogers network is due to customer feedback surrounding how customers see Motorola and the negative feedback surrounding Motorola phones E1 and V3 RAZR. I’ve attended several Rogers manufacturer road shows and Motorola while attempting to give nice phones doesn’t match up to what companies like Sony Ericsson and RIM (Blackberry) offer. Though if you’re a Motorola fan and enjoy Linux then you may want to consider the A1200 (aka: MING) (see gsmarena.com). There’s also a E6 model from Motorola coming out later this year.
Most Motorola phones are crap. Especially their flip phones. Their reception is horrible, especially when indoors (even with lots of windows around). I’ve always been partial to Panasonic phones (the TX220 was the greatest phone ever made, too bad they never transitioned it to GSM).
Sony Ericson phones are even worse than Motorola. Other than the Sony name, they have nothing going for them. Battery life is crap, menu system is crap, reception is crap. We’ve had several Sony loaner phones and we now request anything but Sony when getting loaders. I’ve yet to find a single Rogers customer who likes their Sony phone, and has kept it for more than 3 months.
Blackberrys are nice, if you need the full QWERTY keyboard and need to access your e-mail at all times. For those of us that want primarily a phone, they are overkill.
I’m not a Motorola fan, but the ROKR E2 has everything that I have been looking for in a phone (ROKR E1 looked like it did, but after hearing my roomie go on and on about the problems with it, I decided to skip it), and it runs Linux to boot.
The E6 has a horrid look to it. Who needs a touchscreen on a phone? The screen is too small for anyone but a child to use effectively.
All I want is a phone with good reception, good battery life, with a good MP3 player, and that is not a flip phone. Out of all the phones out there that I’ve looked at and read reviews for, the ROKR E2 fits the bill the best. And I’ll keep harassing the Rogers shops in town, and the Rogers customer service people until they eventually bring it to Canada.
Since you’re located in BC take a look at http://www.easycell.ca which are located in Richmond (GVA) in the lower mainland of BC. All the phones are unlocked GSM and they can order phones not listed on special request. Some of the models offer support for 3G which Rogers now supports on their network for major cities such as GVA, GTA, etc.