APX XE500 Speaker-Mic...Any Words???

[JeffFireRadio]

Greetings. So, the Motorola APX XE500 speaker-mic was introduced to us in March. Great idea, great looking product. Everybody want$ one. As usual, a June ship date promise never materialized. Then it was July. Then it was August. I just checked the calendar...it's September. Mine has been on order since June showing a 'product hold' status, despite a 2-day lead time shown on the MOL order page. My order has shown a projected ship date of Sep 9 for the past month or so. Not holding my breath, but hopeful. Just curious if anyone has any intel on this mysterious product actually materializing...PMMN4106. Is anyone receiving them yet in conjunction with APX portable deliveries (maybe they get their line-item mics before us ordering them through M parts)?

I'm not impatient, just trying to plan my APX deployments and my users are asking. Granted, I would rather it come out correct the first time, than be released with issues (last Extreme mic Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3 in short succession). I would guess that since the new one is based upon the old one with some upgraded features, the learning curve/science project factor should be rather shallow...i.e. quick design-to-market timing.

I noticed M's revised '7/2016' sales brochure now shows the green version as a 'color sandwich'. On the green model, the front and back housings are green and the middle layer is black. Sharp! Hope they ship this way in lieu of the original brochure's all-green scheme, which now looks cheap when comparing pics. I hope this isn't just a marketing hype photo. If so, I will have to add a black one to the order and make my own multi-colored XEs.

Anyway, if anyone has any real information, I'd be happy to hear it. Thanks.

- Jeff

[jluisi86]

I purchased the PMMN4106 in green when I ordered my APX 8000 in late July. The radio showed up without the mic and was told they noticed some "issues" that they wanted to correct before they got shipped out and told me early Oct at that point. No more information was made available but I did inquire on its status and was told 2 weeks ago that they are still on schedule for early Oct. Nope that helps some.

[JeffFireRadio]

Many thanks for the information. That was my best guess, but a shot in the dark nevertheless. I appreciate that they are dedicated to getting it right before it ships. It's going to be a great product. I have to wonder since it got a number assigned this time (XE500 vice the old 'XE RSM'), if that doesn't leave the door open for a 600, 700, etc. version down the road...maybe with a display, etc. Who knows.

Anyway, October is...next week. We're getting closer.

There have been many peeks at this posting, but nobody with any information to share, so thanks again for the reply.

-- Jeff

[Khor]

I was just in a Motorola product showcase locally this pst week. They were saying fourth quarter, with a projected date sometime in October.

[JeffFireRadio]

Another 'thank you' for the additional information.

[alex]

I hear October as well - but I'll point out that only the part number for the one with the channel knob is able to be ordered. There is a part number for the no-knob version, however, it is not something that can currently be ordered.

Alex

[JeffFireRadio]

Update...mine just changed to 'In Fulfillment' status. Progress!

[mab]

Mine also seem to have just shipped. One black, one green, both went from "hold" to "shipped" today.

[mab]

Update: mine arrived today.

First impression: nice feel in the hand. Main differences from XE RSM:

- Different look. Black band around the edge (not all green like the XE).
- The channel selector knob (obviously)
- Two LEDs on the top - one for bluetooth (but it doesn't seem to go on even when a BT device is paired to the radio), and another that mirrors the radio TX/RX light
- The (top) orange button lights in an emergency, in addition to the front strobe.
- PTT button is more recessed, more like the PTT button on the radio itself.
- The front button is now integrated with the emergency strobe/worklight.
- There's a metal tab on the back (upper left above the clip). Not sure if that's a BT antenna or what.

[JeffFireRadio]

Thanks for the review. Mine went to 'shipped' status today, but showed that it actually shipped on Oct. 1. FedEx is on schedule for delivery tomorrow. It'll be like Christmas.

I did notice that MOL still shows them as "Availability...N" via the part number. Hopefully that will change and others will be able to get one soon.

[SSE5000ASTRO]

Update: mine arrived today.

First impression: nice feel in the hand. Main differences from XE RSM:

- Different look. Black band around the edge (not all green like the XE).
- The channel selector knob (obviously)
- Two LEDs on the top - one for bluetooth (but it doesn't seem to go on even when a BT device is paired to the radio), and another that mirrors the radio TX/RX light
- The (top) orange button lights in an emergency, in addition to the front strobe.
- PTT button is more recessed, more like the PTT button on the radio itself.
- The front button is now integrated with the emergency strobe/worklight.
- There's a metal tab on the back (upper left above the clip). Not sure if that's a BT antenna or what.

bluetooth supported?

[mab]

Update: mine arrived today.

First impression: nice feel in the hand. Main differences from XE RSM:

- Different look. Black band around the edge (not all green like the XE).
- The channel selector knob (obviously)
- Two LEDs on the top - one for bluetooth (but it doesn't seem to go on even when a BT device is paired to the radio), and another that mirrors the radio TX/RX light
- The (top) orange button lights in an emergency, in addition to the front strobe.
- PTT button is more recessed, more like the PTT button on the radio itself.
- The front button is now integrated with the emergency strobe/worklight.
- There's a metal tab on the back (upper left above the clip). Not sure if that's a BT antenna or what.

bluetooth supported?

As I mentioned, it appears to have some sort of BT support, but it doesn't pair with the "mission critical wireless" headsets and the BT light on the mic does not light up even when BT on the radio is paired.

Apparently this is to support some kind of future BT devices, such as in SCBA gear, but there are scant details (and probably involves a radio firmware upgrade that doesn't yet exist).

[sjxts3000]

Read the asterisk grey text fine print on page 3

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/conte ... aSheet.pdf

[sjxts3000]

Mine arrived today.

Noteworthy findings: All of Motorola's product pages and spec sheets no longer show the all-green mode. They only show the black/green sandwich version. Did they ditch the all green model?

I also noticed the green isn't as "high impact" as the green XE RSM. There's a noticeable difference in the color when placed next to a brand new green 6000XE.

The mic is slightly taller than an XE RSM (not even taking into account the height of the channel knob). PTT button feels nicer than the XE RSM.
Comes standard with an XT (extreme temp) cord/cable which seems to have more "stretch" in it (which is nice!). I always thougt the XE RSM default cord tension was too "tight" (even when "broken in" and not brand new). Yet the standard impres RSMs (e.g. PMMN4065A) have too long of a cord and become a nuisance when holding the radio and RSM in your hand.

These are just my observations and thoughts. If anyone has any info on the all-green XE500 RSM, please post up!

[WNCradio]

Any info out on XE500 profile settings? I know my department did some testing of the prototype with Motorola, and at that time profile settings were still in flux.