Digital Gadgets

Motorola Q may be available in early April

The Motorola Q release is delayed until at least April, according to sources who spoke with Engadget.

I have seen and played with this device a few times since I know someone at Motorola who has one, and I think it will be a great addition to the Windows Mobile Smartphone line-up when it is released. We know this is going to hurt, but we’ve just learned from a highly reliable source that Motorola won’t be delivering their new Q Smartphone to Verizon Wireless until sometime in early April.

Engadget is reporting some disappointing news for those anticipating Verizon’s launch of the Motorola Q smartphone. It turns out the release has been delayed. The advanced new device, which was originally set to be launched in early 2006 actually won’t be hitting the market until sometime in April.

It is different than the Treo 700w since it does not have a touchscreen and is a much slimmer form factor. I wonder if Verizon Wireless wanted to spread the release of the Treo 700w and Motorola Q apart a bit to allow consumers to see the differences in the devices, as many people are calling the Treo 700w a smartphone when actually it is a Pocket PC Phone Edition device.

Please note that similar situation Motorola had in past with Motorola MPx that was not released on time, delayed many times, and finally canceled. Obviously Motorola already invested too much into Motorola Q and it will not be canceled, however similar bad taste and loss of trust as in Motorola MPx case is happening again. We also think that policy to release Motorola Q for Verizon Wireless first with 6 month exclusivity period is a mistaken idea - particularly because Verizon Wireless has just released fantastic Windows Mobile Treo (with full Pocket PC capability and not just limited MS Smartphone as in case of Moto Q), and that Motorola should release Motorola Q in GSM/EDGE/UMTS version first and offer it to several mobile operators all over the world at once.

Not sure what the speficic hold up is, but we do know that Moto has been steadily improving the Q’s keyboard and software — oh, and we can’t forget that Verizon does have a reputation for running phones through the wringer before carrying them. Disappointing news for all the Q fans out there, but a little delay is better than putting a handset out there that isn’t quite ready for primetime, right?

The Q keyboard has been regularly tweaked and improved since I first saw the device last year, so that is good news for consumers who will be buying this device in the next few months. There still is no word on a GSM version release or any further details on Verizon’s exclusive first release.

Although it isn’t clear what’s causing the holdup, there is speculation that Motorola could be making improvements to the Q’s software and its keyboard. Considering that also Nokia is releasing soon (February) a smartphone with QWERTY keyboard for single handed usage - the Nokia E61 (it features both 802.11g Wi-Fi and UMTS), we can for now assume that Motorola Q is over and practically lost the battle, before even joining it.

Delays like this one are always a bit of a drag, but if the end result is a better product, it’s undoubtedly the right decision.

Review of Motorola PEBL

Shaped by nature and inspired by the feel of a stone worn smooth by water, the distinctively rounded PEBL U6 is the latest work of art release by Motorola’s innovative design team.

I ran across this cool looking mobile phone on the Motorola site, the Motorola PEBL. Judging from the mini site for the Motorola PEBL it is supposed to resemble a smooth, rounded river rock. I fail to see the resemblance there, but the Motorola PEBL is a cool looking phone. I like the idea behind the one touch self opening hinge design touted on the Motorola PEBL.

As a T-Mobile exclusive, the PEBL delivers sophisticated technology and rock solid design. While attributes such as “chiseled, thin and defined” steered the development of the RAZR, the PEBL is shaped to reflect “tactile, soft and mysterious” qualities to offer an elegant mobile choice for the masses.

Crafted of high-quality materials, the PEBL has a solid feel not found on most phones today, complemented with quad-band functionality, video capture and playback, and Bluetooth wireless technology. Designed with the fashion-conscious consumers in mind, appearance was placed in the forefront. Truly distinct, the PEBL seems to evoke that rare quality of the desire Motorola so successfully achieved with the RAZR.

I currently use a Motorola V180 (don’t laugh) that is a flip design and I hang up on almost as many people as I answer thanks to my trying to flip the phone open too fast. I also like the cool black and silver looks, the digital clock is unique as well. The inside of the Motorola PEBL is very Razrish looking.

“Form and style combined with ease of use is important for mobile consumers, and that’s why it’s exciting to announce the availability of the groundbreaking Motorola PEBL exclusively from T-Mobile,” said Michael Gallelli, Director and Head of Product Marketing, T-Mobile USA. “Its innovative look, soft touch and menu interface come together perfectly to provide a terrific communication and personalization experience for our customers.”

The Motorola PEBL offers an array of communication options, including Bluetooth(R) wireless technology, integrated speakerphone and speech-activated dialing.

The Motorola PEBL also features Motospeak, which is a hard way to say it accepts voice commands for dialing and phone navigation. The PEBL also includes a digital camera and Bluetooth. The camera also allows you to capture video with sound.

“The Motorola PEBL is the next icon in our design portfolio, featuring a truly fresh oval shape with rich multimedia and connectivity features,” said Jim Wicks, vice president, Consumer Design Experience, Motorola, Inc. “Simple and sophisticated, the PEBL emphasizes design to create a one-of-a-kind experience for T-Mobile customers.”

The Motorola PEBL is available at all T-Mobile retail stores for the price of $299.

Review of Motorola SLVR L7

The Motorola SLVR L7 may be the handsomest phone in America. But even though it runs Apple’s popular iTunes music player, its feature set doesn’t excite us. (One example: Like the RAZR V3, but unlike the newer V3c, the SLVR L7 uses the primitive recorded-tag form of voice dialing.) Like the Motorola RAZR V3, this is a phone that will best satisfy voice callers who want a see-and-be-seen device.

Hitting store shelves this season, the SLVR L7 is the next ultra-thin product to be released from Motorola’s fashion-forward portfolio.

Featuring a block form factor that’s even slimmer than the RAZR, the 11.5 mm-thin SLVR weighs just 86 grams. Integrated with Apple’s popular iTunes software, consumers will be able to load up to 100 songs for hours of musical enjoyment. Supplied with a 176 x 220 px TFT screen displaying up to 262K colors, a built-in VGA camera with 4x zoom and video capture and playback ensure shutterbugs never miss a beat.

Cingular began selling Motorola’s SLVR L7 just three days ago, but critics have wasted little time checking it out, and the net is already being flooding with reviews. Not surprisingly, a lot of the reviews reach similar conclusions: stylish phone, so-so music player. After all, the SLVR L7’s iTunes implementation is basically the same as the one on the much-beloved ROKR E1, meaning it’s limited to just 100 songs. That hasn’t stopped Cingular from promoting iTunes as the main feature behind the SLVR; promotional materials and the phone’s retail box proclaim “iTunes Cingular” in big letters, with the phone’s model name in almost invisble text.

The Motorola SLVR brings a 262k color TFT display, quad-band compatibility, and Push-to-Talk to the table, as well as microSD expansion and the controversial Motorola-customized iTunes music player. It is just as well that it comes with a memory expansion slot, as the handset includes only 5MB of on board memory (and before anyone asks, the SLVR keeps the 100-song limit for music played through iTunes). Other than this, the Motorola SLVR is pretty standard slim-phone fair, weighing only 86g, being 11mm (0.45″) thick, and including only a VGA camera.

The Motorola SLVR is available now from Cingular for US$199.99 with a two-year service agreement.

The new phone which is ultra thin, takes on the styling of the popular RAZR model in the candy bar form factor. It comes with a 64MB Micro SD card in the box for storing music and other data on and Bluetooth compatibility as standard. Pocket-lint will be posting a review in the next couple of days of the phone once we’ve had a better chance to play with it and put it through its paces.

Rounding out the features with Bluetooth Class 2 wireless connectivity, J2ME downloadable games, and AOL, ICQ, and Yahoo! instant messaging chat, Motorola managed to pack a long list of multimedia features into a uniquely thin device. Released on Cingular’s network, Motorola still hopes the SLVR will achieve the same golden touch it did with the RAZR a year ago.

Bluetooth support is pretty good, but it’s the slower Bluetooth 1.2, not the newer, faster Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. You can sync your contacts and calendar over Bluetooth with Apple’s iSync or Motorola’s Mobile Phone Tools for the PC, and you can transfer photos to and from your PC with Bluetooth. You can’t beam music into the phone’s iTunes player, though.

The SLVR L7 is available for $199.99 with a two-year contract from Cingular. An unlocked model, suitable for T-Mobile but lacking iTunes, is $359.00 from Dynamism (www.dynamism.com). We’d recommend it to non–power users looking for a pretty, pretty phone.

Motorola SLVR L7

Motorola unveiled the SLVR L7, the highly anticipated next generation design ultra-slim handset.

The mobile device reflects two key silhouettes - sleek and thin - that are at the core of Motorola’s evolving design philosophy.

Just like we thought, Cingular is now shipping the quad-band Motorla SLVR v7 phone with iTunes. It features a VGA camera, 262K TFT color display and comes pre-installed with a 512MB MicroSD card, built-in stereo speakers, and includes an EMU to 3.5mm headset adapter.

Available for $199 with 2-year contract and yes, it still has the 100-song limit that helped make the ROKR E1 so wildly successful. We suspect, however, that Moto’s learned a little from that experience, and that this one is going to be billed as a SLVR first, and as an iTunes phone second. Get ‘em while they’re hot.

Biz Whiz When it’s time to work, utilize the mobile’s speakerphone for conference calls on the go. The Motorola SLVR features SCREEN3, an innovative technology solution from Motorola that gives you zero-click access to news, sports, entertainment, and other premium content directly from your mobile device home screen – no buttons to push, no browsers to launch. Motorola’s SCREEN3 puts fresh content at your fingertips. And, be sure to stay in sync – Bluetooth technology provides wire-free connections to compatible Bluetooth-enabled PCs and PDAs for simple sharing of calendars, contacts and more.

Save It & Play It Capture events in real time with video and audio and then share with friends and family via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)*. This savvy mobile is more than just a productivity tool – use it as your vehicle for self-expression. Ultra thin is in.

arrower than the size of a credit card (86 x 54 mm), albeit 50% taller, the SLVR is even slimmer than RAZR’s 13.9 mm profile. The SLVR L7’s premium material finishes include illuminated precision cut keypad with metallic spun finish, chrome plated side keys, glass display, glass-filled body for rigidity and anodized aluminium battery door.

In SLVR L7’s ultra slim and sleek form is a digital audio player, Bluetooth® connectivity, email and an integrated VGA camera. A large 176 x 220 pixel 262k colour TFT display lets consumers enjoy vivid pictures and videos. Media sharing is a breeze - consumers can download, save and store music, video clips and more onto an optional TransFlash(tm) /Micro SD memory card for endless storage capacity.

It has 5.0 MB of internal memory for storage for photos, ringtones, and text messages. The phone book can save up to 1000 entries. L7 is priced at Rs 12,820.