Motorola
cd930e

The Motorola cd930e is an Orange-branded variant of the Motorola CD930, which was a dual-band GSM mobile phone positioned as a sturdy, reliable business phone. Although it may seem bulky today, it bridged the gap between the heavy "brick" phones of the mid-90s and the sleeker phones that emerged in the early 2000s. It was also an evolution of the Motorola cd920. The phone was incredibly durable and comfortable to hold in one’s hand. As a dual-mode device (GSM 900 MHz / 1800 MHz), it could be used in both Europe and Asia for networks operating on different spectrum bands. The Orange variant used the 1800 MHz GSM band. The cd930 phone was typically sold in black or dark grey. The Orange variant was offered in blue.  The phone used Motorola’s "Optimax" four-line display technology, a high-contrast holographic monochrome graphic display. This had a distinct greenish-reflective background that made text more visible in low light and direct sunlight. Notable features included the ability to support three-minute VoiceNotes by pressing a dedicated button on the phone. This feature was promoted to business users as a way to record short voice memos, phone numbers and other reminders. A further signature feature was a built-in vibration alert, which was not a standard feature on all phones at the time. The phone also had the option to use AA batteries in an emergency if an owner had a compatible auxiliary battery pack/clip accessory. One of the phone’s weakest elements was its software and the “Personality” user interface. This offered a complex, unintuitive experience for users, particularly when compared to rival Nokia phones available at the time.