Summer 2009
Motorola last us spend a few moments with its latest QWERTY messaging and social networking device, the Karma.
The Karma is an odd duck of a phone. It has a hockey puck shape with rounded edges. It fits well into your pocket, no doubt, but the weird shape makes it stand out when you hold it. It is wide and thick, and those with smaller hands may not be able to close their fingers all the way around it.
The slider works well, but I felt that the build quality was a bit off. There were lots of gaps and spaces in the seams where it seemed there shouldn't be. The navigation controls felt pretty good, though.
The Karma's keyboard is sure to get some people debating. The keys are highly raised numbs that are coated in a rubbery substance. The rubber keeps your fingers from slipping and sliding around the keyboard, but I felt the travel and feedback was total mush. It was wide and nicely spaced, but it just didn't jive well for me.
The Karma runs a proprietary Motorola / AT&T operating system. It feels familiar, and lets you do things such as place links to social networking sites Facebook and MySpace right into a dock that rests at the bottom of the screen. Keep in mind this are web links, not actual applications.
The Karma will certainly fit in with the younger message-happy crowd.