Smartphone for nowt

Mobile phone networks have recently been giving away free phones to customers providing they sign up for pay monthly contracts. However we didn’t expect to see the Motorola MPx200 among those offered for nowt, yet that’s exactly how much you pay for it if you sign up at Orange.

We are rather fond of the phone, which uses the microsoft Windows Mobile operating system and offers versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and Windows Media, in a very attractive tiny clamshell. But as it doesn’t feature an integrated camera or Bluetooth it has found it tough to stand out from the crowd, especially as Orange has a formidable array of phones on its books this Christmas.

Another surprise is that the phone is now going to be available via O2 and T-Mobile as well as Orange. It was originally going to be an exclusive deal between Orange and Motorola. The only difference is that the Orange Backup facility that enables users to store their contacts on the network so thay can still access them if they lose the phone, has been disabled.

There will be more Windows powered handsets from Motorola in the New Year.