Motorola’s GP 2000 reads you loud & clear

Imagine this: You are the head of a government agency. A crisis hits the country and you need to reach your staff immediately so that you can respond to the situation before it is too late.

What is the fastest way to do this at the cheapest cost?

a) call them on the phone

b) send them a text message

c) write them an e-mail

d) all of the above

The answer? None of the above.

Instead, it might be best to arm yourself and your staff with Motorola’s GP 2000 two-way radio. This way, all you have to do is press a button and all of your key people will get your instructions in one go, and hopefully they will respond as quickly as they receive the message.

"Motorola’s GP2000 two-way radio is specially developed with Asian users in mind. It is designed and manufactured in Asia. More than that, it is ergonomically styled and made compact to fit into the Asian hand. The GP 2000’s easy-to-use features also make it a viable choice for many two-way radio users in the Philippines," said Jack Yap, director for distribution, South Asia of Motorola.

Yap was talking about the two-way radio or the walkie talkie, if you prefer. Just when you think that all you really need is a cell, this one comes along.

The GP2000 is here and Motorola is optimistic that just like all its other two-way radios of the past, this one is going to do just as well, if not better. "We invest a lot in the future towards a wireless technology," added Yap.

"The Philippines is witnessing a continued growth in the two-way radio market. With the launch of the GP2000, we are confident that businesses looking for a cost-effective and reliable tool for communication and their operations will find this two-way radio just what they need," said Yap.

And no, the GP 2000 is not here to compete with the cell phone. In situations where one needs to reach several people in one go, then the two-way radio is still the communication device of choice. A cell phone, by contrast, is largely used for one-to-one conversations while a two-way can reach all people connected to their band in a single call.

Motorola has already sets its sights on targeting the manufacturing sector, government, industrial and transportation markets. At the same time, although it is quick to admit that even if the GP 2000 is not the cheapest in its class, it is still affordable. And yes, gone are the days when the walkie-talkie was as big and as heavy as a five-pound dumbbell. The GP 2000 is not only small, it is compact and is designed not just to fit snuggly into our hands – it is also easy to grip so it doesn’t easily slip as the user speaks into it.

What’s more, it is equipped with 99 channels, which is perfect for a big group of users. And there is a button which is located in the front of the radio that allows you to reach whichever group you want with a push of a button.

Of course, the eight-hour talk time battery is nifty since it fits a typical work schedule and removes the hassle of having to carry an extra battery at work.

The other plus is the option of using the battery saver. There are three levels – economy, low and high. In the economy mode, the battery life can be extended to six hours if the user is at a close distance to the base.

There are private lines, too, which makes this quite unlike the past when all a person had to do was to switch to the same band as another person to be able to eavesdrop on a conversation. The GP2000 has digital private lines, which helps prevent unwanted conversations on the same frequency.

And there’s more. It is user-friendly, mainly due to two navigation buttons which can be scrolled up and down the radio’s menu. There are also four programmable buttons, which provide users with the convenience of assigning eight commonly used features. Since the key pad of the GP2000 is designed much like that of a regular cell phone, it replaces the traditional knob and enables the quick scrolling for the users.

Hands-free? Not a problem. GP 2000 users can go for the ear set, which allows them to tuck their two-way radio in the durable yet cool holster case. And if tucking the radio onto your pants is not for you, try out the shoulder strap.

So sturdy is GP 2000 and so confident about it was Motorola that it subjected the radio to the water test. Jack Yap poured water on the radio, and afterwards, we were allowed to use another GP2000 unit and talk with Yap. The result: Message received loud and clear.

"But this does not mean that the GP2000 is water-proof. I don’t think you could swim with it. But it is strong and can stand getting wet and even some rough and tumble activity," said Yap.

Motorola is actually backed by a 72-year history. Matter of fact, it was the first radio used by the police in 1930 and it was also used during WWII. It is no wonder that Motorola continues to build on their experience in the two-way radio manufacturing and come up with the one of the best two-way radio products around. "All space missions use Motorola radios," shared Yap proudly.

Indeed, the walkie-talkie has come a long way – and Motorola continues to be the force to reckon with in the two-way radio industry. Over and out.

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For inquiries, call Motorola Communi-cations at 893-25-65 local 8441.