Motorola Ming A1200 hands on
July 27, 2006 by Jayvee Fernandez
Filed under Linux, Ming, Motorola, Smartphone
I christen thee the “MotoMing!” Sure took a while. I have a unit on review straight from China. The Ming (whose boring name is the A1200) is a Linux based PDA phone that hails from the old Motorola smartphone designs. The new Ming looks absolutely fantastic. If we were to grade the Ming’s aesthetics, it would have to rate a 5/5, 100%, 10/10 .. well you get the picture. If you want to see the complete specs of the A1200, then click here.
In 2008, Motorola has released the spiritual successor of the Ming, which is christened as the MOTO A810. Check it out.
Seriously, the Ming’s form factor is to die for. Take a look at the sleek semi-see through protective flip case that isn’t just an aesthetic boon. The Ming’s flip actually shows off the antenna which leads to the earpiece hardware. See that? Wow.
The Ming is subject to fingerprints and other icky stuff because of its material, which is some sort of hard, smoked transparent plastic. Take a look at the picture below to see what I mean. These particles were highlighted after an hour’s commute in my pocket.
Text messaging is probably the worst with this phone if you have small fingers. The stylus itself is rather small so you may want to buy a larger one. I’ve managed with my little Asian fingers though. SMS input can be done in a variety of formats:
- English Keyboard (QWERTY)
- Numeric Pad
- Handwriting Recognition
- Pinyin Board
- Zhuyin Board
The highlight of the Ming is its 2MP camera that can also record video. It has a very innovative user interface for taking shots. Tap the screen and panels that display camera options such as effects and brightness spring out from the side in semi-transparency. Tap it again and they disappear with a cool animation.
Here are some samples of pictures taken at hi-res. The shots are actually a lot better in quality compared to what other smartphone / PDA cameras can take.
Pictures are at 1600×1200 size (resized here) and take up around 500kb of space.
Check out another review by a Ming convert c/o Cellphone9 by Yvette Tan.
Hey guys,
I seem to still be getting the emails with your posting, and I have to say I’m a little disappointed in the comments that are coming up. If some of you would take the time to read previous postings (especially the long ones), they would show you how to setup an MMS data connection. All that’s required on your part is to contact your Carrier (whether it’d be European, Australian, African, or even Chinese), and get the MMS data info from them. This information is usually free to provide to the users. Stop being so lazy, AND READ THE POSTINGS. Motorola pre-configures this phone ONLY for China & Europe, as that’s where they were ONLY sold. That does not mean you can’t have MMS or even internet browsing.
Again, just take the time to read, and stop making CONS about this phone, as the fact is, it’s a great phone, and beats most of today’s phones too.
Sorry for the straight and abrupt comments, but it bugs me how much people are too lazy to read anything these days, especially when it’s to help them get the most for their product.
Thanks sami
Nothing lazy on my part.
I spend hours reading through the manual, my Service Provider who tells me that they have no listings on this Phone but organised my Sim to be connected with them and that I confirmed ok.
Still was not working.
Then I got in touch with Motorola here in Australia. I was explained that they are not able to help me further on this since these Phones are not even supposed to be for use here.
I don’t know if that has something to do with particular Phones to be registered with service provider by Model and so on?
I am at a lost!
I will do some more foot work and speak to a repair agent for Motorolar here.
It is a nice Mobile Phone and I am not knocking it at all. But! There is a pattern of many here in Ozz not being able to make use of this function who also spend considerable time trying to make it work.
Cheers”
Ray
Hi Ray
I too have had huge difficulties trying to find the settings for my A1200, which I’ve had since they were just released, and yes I bought mine from overseas. TELSTRA have been no help at all, but after my computer died, I’ve been trying to find the sync software on line and after all my searching I’ve come up with the settings that work. Go to: https://www.expansys.ch/ft.aspx?k=85309
I played around and I now get websites, email, and am now trying out sending mms. Yeah! still trying to find the motorola software to sync. have moved house and the original disk has gone AWOL.
Cheers
Kat
I am happy mine is now working just canceled the who called option. What a great phone.
I called Motorola ones again’ Persistent as I am.
I was explained to that” They> Motorola here in Australia do not keep the configuration for this particular Phone and claiming it is an old Mobile. How do you define old I ask?
A year or two?
Why would they not keep configurations for older Mobiles?
And” How would everyone else go if they for some reason needed to obtain their configurations?
I got no satisfactory answer to that one. I am sure I was being thobbed off by Motorola Australia and I suspect
that there must be some arrngement that they have and just not telling.
Perhpas someone can provide me with the configurations to make this Mobile work for Australia? Or perhaps there are non for Australia on this Mobile in the first place?
I will check on that further.
Nice Mobile but be aware that it does not work for me here in Australia for Multimedia e.t.c Normal Text messages are ok.
Im having problems with my phone touchscreen, is like crazy. I dont know if it have a virus or if the memory is to full cause i dont have the memory card or if is just the touchscreen that is damage. Please someone can help me
Please help!!! My screen is blank! I can receive calls, everything works, but my screen is blank. It never got wet, I never dropped it…. I can’t dial out or use any other applications because everything depends on the screen. I’ve called customer service to see if I can have my phone repaired, they say it isn’t marketed in the U.S. and that I would have to speak with International Cust. Svc. who would then have me ship my phone to Hong Kong.
Does anyone know of a repair service in the U.S., or anything else I can do? I love my phone so much, I would buy a new one if I can’t have it repaired. I know it has to be possible, though.
Also, once I am over my dilemma, does anyone know of any insurance plans that I could subscribe to for my phone?
Hi! The reasearch I did whiles getting to know as much as I could about the Phone A1200. I suggest to try and reset your Mobile back to factory settings when you first got it.
Don’t panic! Your sim Card will not be affected and the info on it will remain. This proceedure only affects the Phone settings and re boots your Phone.
A tip” Try not to put too much on your Phone memory. Use a mini storage Card. I use a 2 gig one and save all my stuff on it in order to keep my Mobile Phone free of clutter.
OK! To re boot and reset your Mobile. First step> Go to setup
go to. Master clear and follow the promps from there.
Ones your Mobile has reset itself start your Mobile Phone as usual by pressing the red button.
Enter your unlock codes as you usualy would to access your Phone.
All will be in Chineese. Well” For me it was. Don’t panic!!
Now go to top left of your screen and tick that box Go to setup and it is the 5′th Icon from the top on your right.
On the next screen you will see all Chinese writing. Click on the 5′th sentence from the top of the screen. That is for Language. Now you will see the word english. Check that and then at the bottom click on your bar that will say SAVE in chinese.
wholla!! Now you are back to ENGLISH and your phone should be ok now.
If Master clear did not work for you.
Master reset should do it.Follow same proceedure as before
PS! Did you try restarting your Mobile?
This should be tried first.
Can someone please help me.I cant seem to send any picture message.Please help me.
It probably wont work in your Country unless you live in some Asian or European Country. Your Mobile simply is not configured to work the MSS functions and Web, e-mail functions.
Sorry. Mine wont work either because i use it in Australia.
Ray
Hi Sophia,
sorry you’re having trouble. There is a few listings as to how to setup your MMS (picture messaging). Please read through those steps very carefully, and be patient. A lot of people on this site have had some success doing this.
Ray, MMS does work for this phone for people in North America, as well as Europe & China. Sorry you’re having trouble with yours in Australia, but please don’t give bad advice. Alot of people on this site from North America have worked their butt off to provide feedback and share their knowledge on how to use this phone.
Again, please read the biiiiig postings on this site, it covers a lot of topics with this phone. Hope this helps.
Thanks Sami.
Yes! American market I am not sure on. I do know that the next Ming was to be aimed at the American Market. My research on information I gathered and based on Motorola Australia.
Where does Sophia live? She is not stating and it may still because of what Country she lives in.
The Ming 1200e 2 years back was aimed at the Asian and European Market. Thats pretty much how old the ming is.
My personal discussions with Motorola Australia who informed me that this Motorola was not meant for the Aussie market and is not configured for Australia for me to use MSS on.
I read quiet a number of postings here in Ozz on this Model who also could not get the MSS to work confirming this. I too was hoping that there may be a way of bypassing the non compliant configuration of the Mobile itself > Not the settings<
Sorry Mate” Not bad advise. Just letting People know that it will NOT work in Australia. If it works elsewhere. Then good luck to you.
It will not work here in OZZ.
If anyone knows how to get pass this problem; I would love to know
I can’t seem to get passed the HELLOMOTO picture when I turn on my A1200 can someone help.
I can’t seem to be able to get passed the HELLOMOTO picture when I turn on my A1200, can some one help me?
Hi Bryan
I also had this happen to me ones. Eventually after restarting it a few times i got back on to the usual screen display. I suspected that I may have had a little too much stored on my phone of received and send text messages and other records. Perhaps you have too much stored on your Mobile itself and it then stalls and or takes more time to process things. Try removing all your excess stuff that builds up such as text messages, sounds, pictures or try to keep it to a minimum.
I went ok after that. I also use a storage mini card 2 gigs is plenty. That also helps to keep your stuff stored elsewhere.
Hope it helps.
hi, please help me, i got my mms done in a network company, but its useless, then suddenly i cant send sms either… pls help,, thnks
can u please guide me how to fix my phone,,, i really love this my motorola A1200, but now i can’t send sms :c
so sad..
I have a Ming with ATT but it doesn’t connect to internet
how do u chane the time settins i keep chaning it in the calendar an it keps switchin back sombody help!!!!
What is the significance of few menus given in messaging section?
Go to messages -> Tap the menu on left-bottom -> select “Service Setup”
Here you will see multiple options. I’d like to know about 1) Info Service & 2) Service Load
What are the functions of these options?
Thanks
Nilesh
Do u know where I can get an adobe reader for my moto ming? Thanks
Please answer my question. Pls. Pls.
hi i bought this phone 2 week ago . this phone is compatible with SPRINT
hi 2 every0ne!
can any0ne help me…
I wasn’t able to open my phone.
i can’t get passed the HELLOMOTO picture when I turn on my A1200.
please help me. i love my phone…
hey can anyone tell me how to change my ringtone. going into setup and ring styles, there’s no edit button. i want to use a mp3 tone from my memory card. help plz. thx.
My A1200 flip does not works. I mean when the phone rings, there is no happen when I open the flip. I enable flip answer in setup but it still does not work.
Can anybody help me? Please.
Farshad
Sami-
I’ve tried following your directions as well as others. I still cannot send picture messages. I can receive but not send. I have t-mobile, i tried all the setup instructions on this site(see below) and I still get “Fail to send message” errors. Please help?
Network Profile
Goto Menu > Setup > Data Network > Profile > Edit (if you want to edit the current profile) or New (if you want to create a new one)
Profile Name: TMobile (is up to you what name to choose)
APN: wap.voicestream.com
Timeout: 15 Minutes
Primary IP 216.155.165.50 (some people use 050 on the last set
which is the same than just 50)
Port: 8080
Baud Rate: 9600
Line Type: ISDN
Save everything
*The rest of the options on the profile stay blank
MMS PRofile
Goto your Messages > Service Setup > Multimedia Message > Click on the Folder icon under Default Pofile and create a new MMS Profile
Profile Name: TMobile MMS (is up to you what name to choose)
MMSC: http://216.155.174.84/servlets/mms (now on a website
someone mention to replace http:// by MMSC: looking
like this MMSC: 216.155.174.84/servlets/mms which
didn’t work for me whether I left the space between
MMSC: and 216 or without the space MMSC:216)
Hiya Ray, fellow Aussie,
I was dismayed to hear about the lack of aussie mms setting for the A1200 ming. I might as well throw mine in the bin if I cant get the pic messaging going as I use that alot and the camera was one of the reasons for buying the thing… I did have an idea though, maybe motorola in honk kong would be of some help. I have the telstra settings which they emailed to me, I just need someone to tell me where to put this info in relation to the mings data settings.If you try and get these settings directly on the fone via auto config at telstra it just mucks up sms and ya cant send even those and ya have to master reset (been there done that). Your thoughts? or anyone else in oz who has been silly enough to buy a ming from ebay from hong kong?
Hi again Ray
I have just emailed Motorla Hong Kong (after all this is where the fone came from) so it will be interesting if I hear back at all or if they will be able to help with the settings. All reason tells me that this is do-able but we will see.
catch ya
I just received the ming for Christmas and it’s supposed to be unlocked. I have put my FIDO sim card in the phone and it cannot make or receive phone calls, text messages etc. Is there something I need to do to unlock it myself? Please help! Thanks!!
I m nt getting the MMS on my cell fone it come to me in text form can anybody piz tell me wat i ill do that i ill recieve my MMS in A-1200 motoming
someone help me please i cant get the volume up on loud.
how can i download themes on my motorola(moto ming)
can anyone please tell me how to send an get picture texts for my motorola ming a1200 please email me what to do at dorseyjamille@yahoo.com an what websites can i go to so i can download games to my phone also
I have the same question. Please let me know when you find out.
i have the motorola A1200 and i have tmobile service, but my sim card does not work in my A1200 any more, its has no signal and no service…so what should i do?????