Motorola and Microsoft Team Up in China
Google really means business when they said they will boycott China. That being said, where does that leave China users when it comes to their Android operating system mobile phones?
Well, Motorola is not planning to wait around, the threatened pullout has pushed the American multinational company to start new partnerships in order to sustain their Android based phones. And apparently, Microsoft is the answer.
Non-Google map and search functions will be provided by Microsoft via their Bing services. Existing mobile phones with Google services installed will have updates to have them replaced. According to Motorola, this is a global deal but there has been no definite word on which countries will utilize the Bing service and to what extent.
In China however, Motorola is not going to allow their supporters to be in the losing end of Google’s spat with the Chinese government. Christy Wyatt, the corporate VP of Motorola software and services had this to say:
“We believe that consumer choice is one of the most critical components to ensuring a rich and seamless client experience. Motorola and Microsoft have enjoyed a longstanding collaboration and the addition of Bing services to our Android-based smart phones in China is another important step in empowering our end-users.”
Motorola has consistently been fast to acting on these types of crises. After Google’s announcement of their pullout from China, Motorola has revealed a deal with Baidu.com, a search engine provider that is one of Google’s biggest Chinese rivals. There has been no formal word how this move to ally with Microsoft is related to Motorola’s deal with Baidu but based on their VP’s statement, giving users an option to use other search and map service providers as an alternative is not that far behind.
Motorola Android phones in China are bound to have the Bing services installed as a default sometime this quarter.
Visit Engadget for more about this latest deal between Moto and Microsoft.
Motorola Backflip Overview
In the era of smartphone, Motorola launches the Motorola Backflip, an android phone. The phone was launched at CES in January. It has an interesting form and weird clamshell with a QWERTY keyboard on the outside, not the inside as you may have thought. The phone features a full touch screen and the keyboard when opened lights up and you can use it, you can type normally as other phones. The Backflip runs on Android 1.5, this is the default operating system, but it will update to Android 2.1. When the smartphone will hit the markets in the first quarter of this year and will have MotoBlur on it, the Motorola social networking tool.
The Motorola Backflip has a very nice design, nice metal surface. On the right, the phone has a charging and a data port, and the volume buttons; on the top we have a 3.5 mm headset jack and the power button. The full keyboard, a camera and the flash is on the back of the Backflip. A really interesting factor of this newly presented device is that has a track pad in the actual area of the back of the screen. This lets you navigate through the screen. When you open the phone and the keyboard is active, you can use this track pad and scroll on the screen. It is a needed concept, and is useful when you navigate through this phone. It is useful when you don't want to cover the screen, because you can easily swipe from the back. The keyboard concept is between the Motorola Cliq and Motorola Droid, however the creators have forwarded one step: the keys have more shape than the above phones. There are many dedicated keys, like search key, home screen key, internet key and messaging key.
There are many functions included in this phone, basically in any of the modes, like flipped open, flipped close or in sort of table top mode it has a few of the functions that come up automatically like the weather, time and alarm clock. Hitting the home key will get you to the applications that your device would have. As the other market players in this segment the Motorola Backflip put some hard accent to the social networking and entertaining applications.
So you have YouTube on your phone or you can watch a video on your phone. You can choose between keeping it in your hands or if you like you can just put it on the table on its back flipped open sitting on the keyboard. The integrated 5 Megapixels camera has the benefit of being in the keyboard, so you can take a shot of the subject that is in front of you, and the other huge benefit is that you can take mood pictures. You have to flip it back towards you, take the shot and upload it to the social media network website. The 5 Megapixel and a quite bright flash will deliver high quality photo and quick update on your status.
The Re-emergence of Motorola A555
Motorola, which is one of the giants in the mobile phone industry in the world is rumored to be planning on delivering two Android –based handsets to Verizon. The first of these two is already out. This one is known as Motorola DROID while the other one is yet to be announced. But unconfirmed report have it that the name has already been spotted at a partner website of Verizon.
According to a USB Data Cable which was shown on the partner’s website, it is meant to be used with the Motorola A555 Calgary. This in fact gives credence to the fact that the story about the handset release is true and may possibly be released if not now then in a not too distant future. Neither Verizon nor Motorola have been able to come out with anything official about the possibility of the phone been released in the very near future.
The possibility that the two companies may launch Calgary in the remaining few days of the year 2009 is slim. However, if the USB Data Cable present on the said website is anything to go bye, then the launch is likely to come in the first or second quarter of the year 2010. The tradition is to have the accessories appear before the device itself becomes available weeks or even months before. This is likely to remain the case.
A peep into what Motorola Calgary might deliver to the world when it finally comes out can be viewed from the previously leaked specs which shows a sliding QWERTY Keyboard, a built-in GPS receiver, Wi-Fi connectivity, Touch sensitive android keys on the screen as well as an optical joystick for navigation. Though there are no details to back this up, it is also possible that Calgary might come with the MOTORBLUR UI.
As the days go by, you can be sure that we are going to keep our eyes open to update any information we get on this news.
Motorola, Verizon and Google behind the Motorola Droid
Motorola has launched its first GSM smartphone running the latest Android 2.0 Éclair. Its new Motorola DROID is not only the world’s first Smartphone on the new Android OS but is also the world’s thinnest QWERTY slider and Touchscreen smartphone at 13.7mm in depth.
Google is understandably behind the DROID with a slew of applications sitting on its OS. Verizon is getting into the act as its carrier in the US while Europe might get under the O2 carrier. It will launch in Europe by end of November under the Milestone name. There are some differences between the handsets going into each side of the Atlantic. The US Droid will get the much anticipated Google Maps Navigation system while the European Milestone version gets Motorola’s proprietary MOTONAV GPS application.
Flagship Features
The Droid could be Motorola’s last hope to reclaim its market standing in the mobile community. It does carry some of the finest features one can find in a flagship smartphone costing a lot more than the €481 initial SIMN-free price that O2 Germany has on its website.
The Motorola DROID is a quad band GSM and twin-band 3G/UMTS with HSPA broadband data connectivity. WiFi, Bluetooth and GOPS round off its Data connectivity options. Its all metal body and glass cover on its 3.7” capacitive touchscreen display account for its heft at 165g but it’s still the thinnest QWERTY slider at 13.7mm. It has a powerful engine underneath its slim casing and has OpenGL support for mobile gaming. Imaging gets a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, geo-tagging and DVD-quality video recording. Internal memory may be modest at 256MB but you can add a 32GB external memory from its microSD slot.
Conclusion
With Google and Verizon forming a formidable Triad with Motorola, the Motorola DROID seems destined to be a hands-down winner among Android smartphones in your shopping list this Christmas. With a clearly affordable price for all those features, nothing really comes close to it.
Motorola ROKR ZN50- A music centric device
The Motorola ROKR ZN50 is one of the new phones to be released by Motorola this year. This phone will feature in the mid to high end of the price spectrum. The music phone has enough features to satisfy even the pickiest music lover. This music slider is very similar to some of the music phones launched by Nokia, with the gray body and red and blue accents.
The 3.2 inch touch screen on the ROKR ZN50 is top class, as it boasts ease of use. The battery of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 is one of the best features, as it can last for up to 30 hours of music playback via a decent pair of headphones.
The Motorola ROKR ZN50 is the first Smartphone to be powered by the Android operating system. There are 3 panels that form the design of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 allowing up to 3 home screens to be used. You can flick from one screen to the other, making navigation through menus and submenus even more enjoyable. There are also a range of application shortcuts which come with the Android operating system.
The built in accelerometer allows you to shake the phone to switch between tracks. The Motorola ROKR ZN50 has a 3.5 mm headphone jack giving you the freedom to use your favorite pair of headphones. This comes with the SRS WOW HD audio making the speakers of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 play loud clear sound when you want it to. The built in T-DMB TV tuner allows you to tune into your favorite channels when you want to. All of these features solidify the phone’s reputation as a media device. The memory of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 can be expanded, though the built in 4GB should be enough for more people.
Motorola ROKR ZN50 Links:
Motorola Aura Celestial Edition: A Status Symbol
Motorola has surprised the users with another mobile phone which is like the RAZR. It is the Aura Celestial Edition from Motorola to commemorate the anniversary of people landing on the moon. Motorola has given this plush mobile phone a moon theme and will be shipped pre-loaded with the original multimedia of moon landing expedition. It has a quote glorifying the fortieth anniversary of the 20th July 1969, Apollo 11 mission, etched in laser and a price tag which is far more than what a common person can afford. There is not much word on the cost, but there is no doubt that you will have to pay more on the price of the original Aura which is £1200.
The first edition of the Motorola Aura Celestial will be presented to Neil Armstrong. The handset has sound files with lines such as ‘that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’ and ‘the eagle has landed’ which Armstrong is sure to remember. The package comes with nine postcards also.
Some of us will know that Motorola was the company who provided Apollo 11 with the bona fide radio transponder aboard which transmitted the initial visuals and words from the moon to the planet Earth. Motorola does not have many attractive mobile phones in its product portfolio recently but they surely have made a big contribution in the growth of telecommunications. It is expected that this Celestial Edition will be available in UK from July till December.
It is very much like the regular Aura with has been made special with the original NASA content. Aura from Motorola is one of the most highly priced mobile devices from the company, and now with this moon themed handset there are very good reasons to get in as the numero uno.