The Q9c originally shipped in March with version 6.0 of Windows Mobile Standard, the version of Windows Mobile that runs on non-touchscreen devices. The new upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1 now lets users perform operations such as text selecting, cutting, copying, and pasting via the device's keyboard.


Windows Mobile 6.1 gives non-touchscreen devices cut and paste (left) and a new home screen (right)
(Click to enlarge)
Windows Mobile 6.1 also gives the Moto Q9c a "sliding panel" home screen (above right), more closely resembling the home screen already provided on touchscreen devices. Dominated by a digital clock, the home screen is said by Microsoft to offer "quick, at-a-glance" notifications of missed calls, voice mail, email, and, optionally, Windows Live for Windows Mobile information.

Like the touchscreen-based Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the non-touchscreen-based Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard also at last provided an in-house Task Manager application, letting users view the amount of free memory and close unneeded applications. An additional benefit in both operating systems is the threaded display of SMS messages, according to Microsoft.

Background

When the Moto Q9c made its debut earlier this year, it had a form-factor and basic specifications already encountered previously on the music-oriented Moto Q music 9m introduced in August 2007. The Q9c was significant, nonetheless, because it was announced by four carriers simultaneously, becoming the first Windows Mobile device to be available so widely, so quickly. On each of the carriers -- Alltel, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon -- the Q9c also has typical post-rebate pricing of around $100, making it one of the most affordable Windows Mobile smartphones to date.


Motorola's Moto Q 9c as released by (from left to right) Alltel, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon
(Click on any to enlarge)
The dual-band (800/1900 MHz) CDMA device operates on EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) networks. It also includes Bluetooth, though not WiFi. It offers hands-free operation via a speakerphone, and permits calling contacts or opening applications via speech recognition, Motorola claims.

Other features include a 2.4-inch screen, QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera, side-scroll thumbwheel for menu navigation, and Pocket Internet Explorer. In addition, Documents to Go software is provided for viewing and editing documents in Word, PowerPoint, PDF, and other formats. For more information on the Q9c, see our earlier coverage, here.


Motorola's Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade for the Q9c
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While upgrades to Windows Mobile devices are typically carrier-specific, Motorola's Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade (pictured above) for the Q9c appears to be applicable to Alltel, Sprint, and Verizon versions alike. It requires the phone to be tethered to a Windows XP PC via ActiveSync, or to a Windows Vista device running Windows Mobile Device Center.

Phone ROM upgrades typically wipe user data, which should be backed up beforehand, and may also require a device's unlocking code to be entered when it is restarted. Owners should be sure they have this code handy before proceeding, therefore.

Further information

To download Motorola's ROM upgrade for the Moto Q9c, see the Motorola website, here (Alltel), here (Sprint), or here (Verizon). Apparently, no upgrade for the U.S. Cellular version of the phone is available, though owners could try applying one of the above downloads at their own risk.

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