It seems that the Motorola Flipout is indeed Euro-bound, but the Android smart phone will initially be available in Germany. According to the latest reports, the new square Android handset from Motorola will be getting a July launch and it will be priced at about 350 Euros –pretty decent for a handset of this caliber.
The Flipout is most well known and recognizable for the unique form factor; it is almost perfectly square –if you do not count in the rounded, tapered edges. The screen is a 2.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels that sits in the center of the device. Also has an accelerometer that allows the screen to auto rotate when viewed in different orientations.
Hidden below the front screen is a physical QWERTY keyboard which literally flips downward (though it is a sliding-spinning motion as opposed to a clam shell style flip). The four row QWERTY keypad gives users convenience and ease when typing long messages and emails. Sadly, the buttons of the keyboard are packed in rather tightly, and some users might take a while getting used to typing on this phone. Thanks to the slightly raised buttons and the slight space adjustment between the “t” and “y” columns, typing with two thumbs seems a lot more efficient.
As expected, the device will be using Motorola’s very own Motoblur user interface which gives users access to live widgets. This feature allows you to customize the various contents that will be displayed onscreen. With only 150MB of internal memory, users will want to make use of a microSD card (the device can support up to 32GB cards). The 3.2 mega pixel camera takes great quality images and it also takes custom 352 x 288 videos at 30 FPS.
So far, Motorola has yet to confirm when the device will actually hit UK shelves, but many are predicting it to be within the same month as the German release.
When it comes to smart phones, users have a very wide range of choices; after all, usage preferences and patterns change from one person to another. And while one might think that slapping in all features into a single device is a great idea, doing so will sacrifice a couple of important factors –size and weight.
This is why there is variety when it comes to smart phones, and even a single phone can come in a variety of flavors. This is the case with the Motorola Milestone. Many of you may remember this handset as one of the most elusive Android devices to ever be released. It was; the phone as first announced as the DROID in the US where it would be released exclusively under mobile carrier Verizon. It was not until a later announcement that the device would indeed be available in the UK and under a different name did Android fans finally get to rejoice.
One of the reasons why the Milestone was such an anticipated handset was that it bought together several important elements: the (then) new Android 2.0 Éclair, a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a big touch screen display. The 600MHz CPU is hardly anywhere near the Snapdragon chips used in today’s smart phones, but it did keep the price of the handset lower.
Now, Motorola is trying a new approach to the Milestone, dropping the keyboard and slimming down the handset. The new XT 720 Milestone smart phone is now a media based handset with an 8 mega pixel camera, 720p video recording and even an HDMI output port for video playback.
The new device moves away from the usual tech crowd to the more media centric Android fans. As fun as a full QWERTY keyboard can be, not all smart phone users are heavy typists; this makes the shift from typing to media playback a pretty good choice.
The Motorola DROID is getting a second look. Many Android smart phone fans may remember this impressive little handset by the name of Milestone –the name it was given when it was brought over to the UK. This handset proved to be the top selling Android device of the previous holidays, giving users the combination of the impressive Google mobile platform and a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Now, a new Motorola handset is announced to be carrying the DROID name, the XT 720. While the new device still carries the old DROID moniker, it loses the slide out QWERTY keyboard and gets a sleeker, lighter form factor. Of course, keyboard fans will be disappointed at the loss of the slide out attachment, but it is certainly a great way to get the DROID marketed to the general smart phone community –after all, there are plenty of people who prefer to have a much lighter phone.
As expected, the UK version of this handset will be labeled as the XT 720 Milestone (also Motoroi), and at the weight of 160 grams, the weight difference between the two phones is not exactly far apart (the older Milestone weighed in at 165 grams). Instead, the new phone trades off the older 5 mega pixel camera (with D1 video recording) and replaces it with an 8 mega pixel snapper (with 720p video recording) while the phone itself gets an additional HDMI port.
Overall, the tradeoff between the two phones is more about personal preference than actual device performance. With both handsets using an ARM Cortex A8 CPU (clocked at 600 MHz), 3.7 inch capacitive touch screens and mostly similar hardware specs, the end decision boils down to choosing a more text-centered device with a QWERTY keyboard, or a handset that focuses more on media with its better camera and HDMI output support.
It seems that the initial report about the Motorola Shadow that was left in a US network Verizon operated corporate gym was not as accurate as we had expected. According to new sources, the Shadow will be using the old Texas Instruments OMAP 3630 CPU which is clocked at a speed of 720MHz.
Not exactly the high end CPU that we were hoping for; since the 1GHz Snapdragon is now a common feature for the average Android smart phone but that does not make the Shadow any less impressive. The device still comes packed with a 4.1 inch capacitive touch screen, 8GB of internal memory and an 8 mega pixel camera. All in all, it is still a pretty decent smart phone. The only thing that does not add up is why the specs are generally low for what was supposed to be a high-profile Android device.
It was originally rumored that the Motorola Shadow is the project that the phone manufacturer has undertaken as part of their efforts to make the next Google branded Android smart phone. Since the Nexus One already had impressive hardware specs to boot, it was an easy assumption to make that the next phone in the series would have better hardware –or at the very least, specs to match.
For many Milestone fans, this latest bit of news is certainly a disappointment –especially since the Shadow looks so much like the original DROID in terms of form factor. In fact, one can even say that the Shadow is the more stylish device of the two.
So far, Motorola has not yet announced what the final specs on this handset really are nor have they stated which version of the Android operating system it will originally have. Many are expecting the handset to come out with the newer 2.2 Froyo OS since it is expected that the phone is not going to be launched until a much later time.
It seems that mobile phone manufacturers are getting clumsier and more careless with their latest prototype devices –or maybe Apple has been successful in setting an all new trend.
Anyway, reports have indicated that the Motorola Shadow was left behind in a corporate gym in Washington that is owned by US phone network Verizon. The device was, of course, picked up and taken images of –but Motorola also has a failsafe for their prototypes; the phone can be locked remotely. Also, Motorola gets a one up over Apple since they were actually able to recover the handset on the very same time, in the very same gym, without having to get REACT operatives busting down doors. Also, no one had to get paid for the story.
Moving on to the Shadow itself, the new Motorola handset is practically all that it has been hyped up to be, and this time, the phone in the images show a more classic looking black chassis –as compared to the less interesting all white frame shown in the initial images last January. Also, it appears that the Motorola staff who claimed the device back was also a little generous with the spec details, it has been confirmed that the handset comes with a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen, an 8 mega pixel snapper, a Snapdragon CPU, an HDMI port, 16GB of internal storage and of course, will be running the Android 2.2 Froyo when it comes out in June.
While the exact details on the Snapdragon CPU was not given, we are certainly hoping that that this might be the newer 1.3 GHz version (QSD-A, which will also be used in the HTC Mondrian WP7 handset) as opposed to the regular 1GHz version. An expected, no release date of the Shadow has been given; and there is also the possibility that like the DROID, it might come out first as a Verizon exclusive before a renamed UK version comes out.
Having a plethora of game apps at your disposal does really seem to attract the masses. That is probably why so many mobile phones are trying to tap the gaming market these days. When compared to game centric handheld devices, the only thing that is missing from mobile phones is really good controls. Sure those keys may look classy and tiny. Sure, the mobile phone does fit in your teensy weensy pocket, but can you play games in it?
Now Motorola Droid owners can, with the advent of the Game Gripper. The Game Gripper is a peripheral for the Droid that allows users to get that old-school game pad feel when they are playing games. Being the open source platform of course, emulators are a must to relive those childhood memories and maximize your mobile phone gaming.
The Game Gripper only comes in one color, floppy gray with red, semi see-through buttons. It features the classic D-pad as well as eight control buttons. While it is not exactly for professional gaming it does seem to do the job nicely by pressing on the keys below the toy-like buttons. According to the official site, they try to keep the cost down with their choice of materials (hence the air bubbles and lines):
“Buttons have small lines on them and air bubbles in them (this kept the cost way down and I think makes them look better). The Game Gripper is loose fitting so it slides on and off easily.”
The Game Gripper team is working on several new designs for other phones. The site also has a request page wherein people can give ideas on which phones to focus on. Looks like Droid gets a one up on this one, it is quite a simple solution to a problem that GameBone and Patent 0081505 have been trying to fix.
News has recently been received regarding the imminent launch of Motorola’s new QUENCH smartphone, and it is certainly packed with a wide range of useful and exciting features – especially for users demanding perpetual connectivity and access to mobile applications such as social networking and instant messaging. The QUENCH comes kitted out with Motorola’s MOTOBLUR content platform and it is certainly an Android-powered behemoth. The MOTOBLUR platform is perfect for those constantly on the go with regards to cyber-conversations and social networking sites and it is capable of organising all of your messages, along with synching all of your contacts across platforms.
The device also plays host to an excellently designed and swanky touchscreen with an ultra-stylish and easy-to-use touch-pad. For Web browsing the QUENCH comes equipped with Adobe Flash Lite which affords the user a trouble-free and enjoyable internet surfing experience on the QUENCH’s ultra-trendy 3.1-inch high-res display screen. According to Sanjay Jha, Motorola’s Co-Chief Executive Officer, the QUENCH device represents Motorola’s dedication to giving users precisely what they desire from a mobile handheld device, and making it easier to use and access than ever before.
Jha said that the QUENCH, especially with its MOTOBLUR, was at the apex of Motorola’s design and production principles. He believes that it also offers users a slight deviation from the traditional features of an Android phone, and that users will be able to enjoy an excellent web experience “packed with much more messaging and music.”
Talking of MOTOBLUR, it represents part of Motorola’s commitment to design and smooth running applications and it has been specially developed by Motorola’s Research and Development team in order to make its usage a much more ‘personal and socially smart experience for users’, a spokesman for the developers has said. MOTOBLUR affords users the capability of synching all of their postings, messages, contacts and photographs from an incredibly wide and diverse range of places such as personal e-mail addresses stored on your phone, your Facebook account, Twitter, MySpace and Gmail. Users can also choose to share their various forms of information across a wide variety of different user platforms, allowing excellent accessibility and the ability to stay fully connected with friends and family with the bare minimum of fuss.
The platform’s features also ensure that on-screen tasks such as e-mailing and text messaging is extremely fast and affords few typing errors thanks to the highly responsive keys. The device also fits snugly into the hand for ease of use, a big plus over some bulkier other models on the market. Another excellent feature on the QUENCH device is something called Swype, a great feature that allows rapid and easy text entry when you reply to a received message. Swype is also great for the user in other ways in that it immediately synchs all of your e-mail addresses, contact info, phone numbers and profile pictures as soon as you change them from any of the supported online platforms. This is a wonderful feature-especially if you are constantly changing your specs, as well as adding newphotos and postings as it negates any further need to go through and manually change everything on all of your platforms.
The response touchscreen keypad also features pinch and zoom capabilities, and makes on-screen navigation easy with a centrally-located and front-facing touch pad. The 5.0 megapixel camera takes good still photographs, and the device also has some ultra-cool features such has the ability to perform voice-activated online searches, negating the need to wearily type a ton of information into your browser. With its stereo Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi enablement this is a great Android-powered device that is sure to get people talking.
Granted that we all just saw the award winning Motorola Backflip at the last CES held in Vegas, it would not be surprising to see Motorola coming with another mobile phone that ventures out into new ground in the style and form department. Take the Motorola Milestone for example, many would say it’s a conventional touch screen slider phone with a physical keyboard.
Well, it is, and at the same time, the phone is the quintessential slider phone with its sleek form and futuristic style (a combination of lines, color and shape). The Backflip takes the whole clamshell concept and totally reinvents it.
So when we are looking at allegedly leaked images of the “Motorola Split” we are really inclined to believe that this might just be the real thing. The images are simple; they show a work in progress mock of the device’s casing, showing how the device would look and more importantly, how it folds out. The “split” in the name is referring to the keyboard which is actually split into two parts.
Users would be sliding the two halves of the keyboard from the sides creating a pretty long mobile phone. Ergonomically; this might not be as sound as it looks. Having the screen in the center creates a center of gravity at the edges of the fingers (assuming you hold a half of the keyboard on the palm of your hand). Then again, it might just work since the thumbs will have full access to the keys (much like a video game controller).
The image shows the Split with a form factor not unlike the Milestone (or DROID in the US). What is interesting is that the rumor leaks also state that AT&T (in the US) will be the first to release the device.
There is much excitement all around UK as the Motorola MILESTONE is available in the British Isles with a price tag of £450. While the long wait by British smartphone users has finally come to an end, the shopping plans for Christmas need a few more considerations as the device is still exclusive to eXpansys for the running year for UK customers.
Motorola is anticipating a resounding success with MILESTONE in UK and being an owner of this exclusive Android 2.0 supportive smartphone is easy for those living in UK as it is on sale for just £450. Meanwhile, you can always get a subsidized deal with T-Mobile.
MILESTONE can easily be identified as the European edition for USA DROID; while Motorola’s newest sensation offers the already known great features including support for Android 2.0 platform, a 3.7 inch high resolution slider touch screen, a great QWERTY slider keypad and fabulous overall connectivity options. The images get sharper and more stunning with MILESTONE as the device is equipped with a 5 mega pixel camera while the processing is about to get even more speedier with ARM Cortex A8 processor. But even with these mind blowing features, the device looks as sexy as anything with MILESTONE being the slimmest devices going around in the smartphone market with just 13.7mm width.
And finally, the one essential feature which sets Motorola’s MILESTONE apart from its American cousin is its multi-touch feature which is one characteristic iPhone fans are well aware of. There are already some great Motorola MILESTONE deals coming out so be sure to check them out.
Motorola has announced the MC3090-Z, a remarkable RFID or Radio Frequency Identification Reader device. The handheld radio frequency reader could prove to be the lightest industrial product available in the markets, based roughly on the design of MC3000, an earlier Motorola release. The device is significant as it features the very first dual-axis antenna, which is a new innovation in the industry, which can make the device function easily in business set-ups like retail and healthcare.
Michael Liard, ABI’s RFID practice director, expected the device to do well in a market that was really in need of a device of its kind. He remarked that as the user activity grows around RFID, it is of significant importance that such handheld devices are being introduced, which will add to the interest in passive UHF readers as handheld devices. He believed that the flexibility the MC3090-Z could offer will help meet the new challenges and requirements in the market.
The features of the Motorola MC3090-Z include bar code scanning, orientation-sensitive data capturing through an omni-directional antenna, which can help businesses with operations like asset-tracking, cycle counting and other inventory related tasks. The device supports Gen 2 technology, and its durable design can enable it to sustain a drop from the height of four feet on surfaces as hard as concrete without damage. Furthermore, the device is IP54 sealed, the device can easily survive spills and allow you to wipe it clean if you’re working in a dusty environment.
Mike Poldino, the vice president and GM of RFID at Motorola, remarked during the launch that Motorola has lived up to its promise of delivering high-quality and accurate devices that catered to the market requirements, enabling more users to use the technology for the benefit of their businesses, and setting new standards of technological innovation in the industry.
The North American users should expect this brand new RFID reading device hitting their markets sometime in the first quarter of 2010, as announced by Motorola. They further announced that the device will become available around the world later in the year.
It seems that the Motorola Flipout is indeed Euro-bound, but the Android smart phone will initially be available in Germany. According to the latest reports, the new square Android handset from Motorola will be getting a July launch and it will be priced at about 350 Euros –pretty decent for a handset of this caliber.
