The Android mobile platform is truly getting around. It has been a much anticipated hope for many fans of the mobile platform to get handsets that feature physical slide out QWERTY keyboard and Motorola has been one of the first to comply with the request. While there are now plenty of other Android smart phones that have slide out keyboards, the Motorola Milestone is still a much loved device.
The Milestone-creating phone maker is attempting to make a second round of it all with the announcement for the Motorola Milestone 2. While this device has been pretty much expected, seeing it confirmed is great news. The new phone still uses the same old futuristic look of the original Milestone, though this new one is less rugged and a lot classier looking.
Expect the spec sheet of the Milestone 2 to easily surpass that of the previous version, though at this point, very little is known about the device. One thing is confirmed at least: the device will be running Android 2.2 Froyo. This new version of the Android OS is much faster than the previous versions (in terms of user interface and web browsing) thanks to better kernel memory management and Java script handling.
Another new Motorola handset is the Defy. Named after its own concept, this mobile phone was designed to defy the challenges that face mobile phones in life. While Motorola has heavily stated that the device not be dropped from heights or submerged in water, one cannot help but be tempted when looking at the heavy duty frame of the smart phone.
The Motorola Defy is confirmed to be water and dust resistant, so expect this device to run without any issues even after being spilled with water, but it will certainly not last long if submerged in over a meter deep of water.
Archive for the ‘Motorola Phones’ Category
Motorola Brings a Tough Android and Second Milestone
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Incoming Devices: LG E900, LG E720 and the Motorola XT300
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010Motorola and LG are back in the spotlight with a few new handsets and from the looks of it, these mobile phone makers have a lot more up their sleeves. For now, we will be focusing on three new confirmed devices from the two companies: the LG E900 and E720, as well as Motorola’s XT300.
The Motorola XT300 is reminiscent of the Flip Out handset that came out some time ago. The square-ish form factor and the slide out keyboard are definite match for the older handset, though the XT300’s standard slide out keyboard is much more practical than the single hinged Flip Out keyboard.
Aside from having a physical keyboard, very little else is known about the handset. It is confirmed that the device packs the Android operating system and the Motoblur user interface and that it makes use of the back touch panel similar to the Motorola BackFlip. So far, no launch date has been given for this handset.
LG has a couple of devices for us as well, the E900 has been popping up in images and teasers for the past couple of weeks and as we all know, this is their new Windows Phone 7 handset. The device sports an impressive slide out QWERTY keyboard, a WVGA touch screen display and according to rumors, a 1.3 GHz Snapdragon Processor. The QSD8650A is reported to be coming out later this year so we could expect to see plenty of new high end devices sporting the high speed CPU.
Another LG handset that we have been seeing in leaked images is the new E720 Optimus Chic. Aside from the fact that the device is a touch screen Android smart phone, no other details have been released about this device.
Android Froyo for Motorola Milestone: September
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
German owners of the Motorola Milestone will be happy to hear that the handset will be getting an update to the latest version of the operating system this coming September. The information has been leaked out from a Tweet by O2 Germany, and confirms that launch date for the Froyo updates for the Milestone and the HTC Desire.
Since the HTC Desire in the UK got an earlier update, it is also possible that the 2.2 Froyo update for the Motorola QWERTY keyboard toting handset might be arriving as early as the end of August. At least, that is what many folks are hoping so. At this point, Motorola and Google have yet to make an announcement regarding the launch of the Froyo update for the Milestone. The only thing that anyone can do at this point is to wait for the official announcement.
Anyway, as exciting as the new Froyo update may be, the Milestone is already a pretty great handset. The device comes with a nice big 3.7 inch TFT touch screen display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels (slightly larger than on other devices). It uses an ARM Cortex A8 CPU clocked at 600 MHz, so users should not expect to be able to play huge games on this smart phone.
The new Android OS, Froyo is named after “Frozen Yogurt”, as such is the naming theme for the older versions of the Android operating system. The previous versions -starting with version 1.5, the Cupcake; the 1.6 Donut and the 2.0/2.1 is the Éclair. Each operating system version is named alphabetically and is named after sweets and desserts. The next operating system, version 3.0 is expected to be released by the end of the year and it will be named as the Android 3.0 Gingerbread.
Samsung and Motorola: Also Unhappy with Apple
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
In a single evening, Apple not only managed to belittle an issue that affected over a million iPhone 4 users (all of them actually), but the Cupertino based company also managed to insult various mobile phone manufacturers.
Nokia and RIM have already made their voices heard as they reacted to Apple’s lecture about mobile phone antennas. RIM gave a particularly strong rebuke of the issue, stating that their devices to not suffer from the issues as the iPhone 4 and not a single BlackBerry handset needs to have a casing to be used properly.
Anyway, the BlackBerry Bold was not the only handset that was mentioned by Apple, they also stated that HTC devices and the Samsung Omnia 2 were prone to losing signal strength.
This was one remark that the Korean phone maker did not take lightly. While the company has yet to make a major announcement, a spokesperson for Samsung stated several key points, “The antenna is located at the bottom of the Omnia 2 phone, while iPhone’s antenna is on the lower left side of the device. Our design keeps the distance between a hand and an antenna”.
Samsung also added that they test their products thoroughly to ensure that quality is top notch –and at the very least, these phones do not suffer from the same instability that the iPhone 4 is suffering from at the moment.
Motorola, while not directly being attacked by Apple, has already made a sentiment regarding the issue. They told reporters that they believe that consumers do not appreciate what Apple did: telling people how to hold a handset is never a good idea, after all, these buyers understand how to use mobile phones. They also stated that to avoid mistakes like the one Apple made, Motorola devices have an internal antenna instead of having it located outside where it is jammed easily just by touch.
Motorola’s New Windows Mobile Handset is One Tough Cookie
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Many businessmen rely on smart phones; these devices keep them in touch with the office, their colleagues, clients, suppliers and more. It helps them by providing a means to access the internet, email and other valuable resources. Smart phones are equipped with software that allows for document editing and even creation –providing workers with an instant way to work when they are on the move.
Of course, with this much features, smart phones are also brought to the mercy of the environment –and any gadget fan will tell you, mother nature (as well as the urban jungles we move around in) is not friendly to the intricate and delicate parts that smart phones have. This is why the new ES400 from Motorola is built not only to be useful; it is also built to be tough.
The new smart phone brings together an impressive new Windows Embedded Handheld platform for Windows Mobile 6.5.3 which combines many features from Windows 7 and Windows Compact 7. It also sports a housing that is built to protect your phone and your files.
The device looks like a Sonim redesign of a BlackBerry handset –and combining the aesthetics of both can be considered as a stroke of genius for the engineers of Motorola. The ES400 brings together a very tough, heavy, rugged look that still retains that subtle elegance and professionalism that one would expect of an enterprise smart phone.
The device sports a sweet 3 inch TFT resistive touch screen display, a Qualcomm MSM7627 600MHz CPU, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, support for WiFi, GPS, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth and all the features that one would expect from a modern smart phone.
Motorola is obviously thinking of the users when they strapped in a high 3080 mAh battery on this smart phone –providing with up to 250 hours worth of standby time and up to 6 hours straight of talk time on 3G networks.
Expansys Offers XT 720 Milestone this July
Saturday, June 12th, 2010
Motorola fans are going to be happy to know that the Milestone XT 720 Android smart phone is coming out on July 2 and that online retailer eXpansys has already confirmed that they will have the device in stock and ready to ship by that date. This is great news to anyone looking forward to this handset. While it was originally rumored that the phone would be released by the end of June, the launch date on July 2 is not too bad to wait for.
This Android handset is technically the second version of the already impressive Motorola Milestone. In fact, the two mobile phones look very much alike. Of course, when one pulls out the slide out keyboard on the older Milestone, the difference becomes much more pronounced –the XT 720 Milestone does not have a QWERTY keyboard. Instead, the phone loses the keyboard and comes out significantly slimmer and sleeker looking. Some might even claim that this handset is the slimmest Android handset to be released.
In exchange for dropping the slide out QWERTY keyboard, the Milestone XT 720 will be getting a new 8 mega pixel camera (a major upgrade from the older 5 mega pixel snapper on the previous model) as well as support for 720p video recording and an HDMI output port. This new phone is basically a media upgrade. Despite losing the keyboard, it seems that the new hardware adds inconsiderable weight, the XT 720 is said to be 160 grams –only 5 grams lighter than the original handset.
Losing the keyboard however, also has its drawbacks, typing on the virtual touch screen keyboard is not as fast –and anyone who texts heavily or is a frequent email user will want to stick to the older handset -the XT 720 is a better match for video and media fans instead.
Motorola: More Androids to Come
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola certainly believes in the Android operating system, and there is no doubt that they are busy working on new handsets that will be using the famous Google open source mobile platform. According to some reports, the manufacturer might be producing at least 20 Android handsets this year alone –though that estimate has been considered by some as an exaggeration. For the moment, there are at least three confirmed Android handsets from Motorola.
We do know that Motorola already has the Flipout Android handset ready for release this month and right now, they are working on the Shadow –which many believe might be the new Nexus handset. The XT 720 Milestone was also featured recently and showed us a second version of the successful Milestone handset; the XT 720 featured no slide out QWERTY keyboard, but instead the slimmest Android handset form factor, an 8 mega pixel camera with 720p video recording and an HDMI port. Yes, the new Motorola XT 720 Milestone is no longer the traditional DROID style handset, but a media-centric Android smart phone.
The Flipout is scheduled to come out this June though no specific launch date has still been given. As for the XT 720, the Milestone remake is expected to come out sometime this third quarter of 2010.
Motorola’s very own director of marketing, Tom Satchwell, identified lack of proper distribution as the main reason why Motorola is having trouble recently. Their decision to release handset to specific carriers and specific regions has greatly limited the distribution of the Motorola brand. This was the case with the DROID which was originally released as a US-Verizon exclusive device –it was not until a month after the launch of the DROID did Motorola announce that the handset would be shipped to the UK under a new name: the Milestone.
Motorola Milestone XT 720 Announced
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Motorola is coming out with a second version of the successful Android smart phone, the Milestone. The older handset was originally launched exclusively for the US network operator Verizon and later, it was announced to be shipping to the UK under a new name, Milestone. Naturally, this news made many Android fans happy since Motorola’s new handset design incorporated a very important new feature, a QWERTY keyboard.
As one would expect, the new Motorola Milestone XT 720 uses the Android 2.1 Éclair operating system (new update as to when it will be updated to Android Froyo, but it is almost certain that it will get an update later this year –unless it will be skipping version 2.2 and going straight to version 3.0 Gingerbread).
Oddly enough, the new XT 720 Milestone will not be packed with a QWERTY keyboard which is a very surprising decision from Motorola as one of the key features of the older Milestone was that it came with a QWERTY keyboard –a feature that was not common to Android smart phones. This will certainly be a disappointment to many fans who were expecting to have another great handset that allowed for ease of typing when it came to writing long emails and messages.
Since it lost the QWERTY keyboard, Motorola has brought in a few extra features to the XT 720. First off, the older 5 mega pixel cam has been replaced with an 8 mega pixel camera. The new camera also brings 720p video recording –and the videos recorded on the device can be played straight on your monitor or HDTV through the new HDMI output port on the handset.
In terms of other specs, the XT 720 is virtually identical to the older Android smart phone –so this new device seems like a Milestone “sleek media” version. In terms of size, there is a significant change in the thickness of the device though it still weighs a hefty 160 grams (the older phone was 165 grams) –the weight issue is mostly due to the new hardware on the device.
A Look at the Latest Androids
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Android smart phones are taking the headlines recently. After all, Google has been forging partnerships and alliances with more companies than one could imagine –and Apple’s standoffish approach with dealing with people certainly is not earning them any friends in the industry. The recent fuss between Adobe and Apple predictably led to the team up of the Flash developer and Google, who welcomed Adobe with the openness that Apple denied them for so long.
Of course, all that inter-company drama was not just for show. The latest line of Android smart phones are poised to be updated with the latest version of the OS –which brings plenty of new features, better performance and native Flash support for the smart phone. So far, the only update available is for the Nexus One and later on June 23 for the Desire, but it is expected that Froyo updates for other devices will be launched in the following weeks. In the meanwhile, here is a sneak peek at some upcoming Androids.
HTC’s Wildfire smart phone might not be the high end handset that the Taiwanese company is often known, for, but it brings to users plenty of functionality and social networking features that people might just want to pass up the Legend and the Desire to get this handset. Sleek looking, highly functional and cheaper than other HTC handsets, the Wildfire is certainly something to check out when buying a phone.
Dell’s Streak (also known as the Mini 5) has been confirmed by O2 UK and it will be on shelves this Friday. It is going to be expensive, but with the 5 inch touch screen display, it is well worth the cost. Why bother with a big clunky tablet when Dell provides the same experience with a smaller device and phone features?
Motorola’s Flipout is also coming out this June. This impressive little compact phone brings users a QWERTY keyboard -which is a pretty rare commodity among Android smart phones. With a 700MHz CPU and a 3.15 MP snapper, it is an excellent mid range model for Android fans on a budget.
Carphone Warehouse Offers the Milestone
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
At long last, the exclusivity deal of eXpansys for the Motorola Milestone has finally ended. Of course, if you already bought the device online when it first arrived last December, you can just move along.
Anyway, for many Android smart phone fans, the Motorola DROID is one of the most anticipated devices to ever come out. Not only did it mark the first time that the Android Éclair would be available on a mobile device, it was also one of the first Android phones to make use of a physical QWERTY keyboard. Combined with Motorola’s impressive design aesthetic which lent the device a heavy looking, futuristic appeal, the DROID the Android phone to have.
Anticipation turned to disappointment when it was later learned that Verizon would have exclusive hold on the device, not only was the phone locked only to the United States, but it was even tied down to a specific carrier.
Motorola was quick to sooth the angry voice in the UK by announcing that they would be bringing over the DROID –renamed and updated. The Motorola Milestone was UK’s very own DROID that came with multi touch functionality – a feature not present by default on the older DROID.
While having the Milestone brought over to the UK was a good thing, many people were disappointed with internet retailer eXpansys was able to snag the device for an exclusive two month contract. This meant that the only way to get the device was to order it online through eXpansys.
Now, the deal has ended and Carphone Warehouse is one of the first major retailers to have the device available to the public. No word yet on what the prices will be, but expect to get the Milestone for some pretty good T-Mobile deals if you do not mind a monthly phone tariff.
Read more about Carphone Warehouse and the Motorola Milestone at Stuff TV.