Motorola launched its massive announcement campaign at the 3GSM expo this morning by releasing the MOTORIZR Z8. The new design is one of the first sliders with ergonomics in mind — called a “kick-slider,” the open phone curves towards the caller’s mouth instead of sliding directly downwards. The Z8 is also one of the first Motorola phones to use Symbian instead of Linux or a special Motorola OS, according to the company.
Also the first HSDPA-based RIZR, the handset connects at up to 3.6Mbps and has the speed to stream live video. A 2-megapixel camera, support for up to 4GB microSD cards, and five hours of 3G talk time are similarly standard. The phone is expected in April is likely to be available first in Europe. Motorola hasn’t mentioned whether or not the phone is capable of operating on North American GSM networks.
If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer, and you want a smartphone without all the clutter that goes along with a QWERTY keypad, then the Pantech PV-820 is here to answer your prayers. Running Windows Mobile 5, the average-looking flip phone has access to your Exchange server, the ability to read Office documents from your corporate network, and all the other (hard-to-use) goodness of Windows Mobile: Smartphone Edition.
Besides rocking the MS OS, the VZN clamshell features a 1.3-Megapixel cam with flash (nice!), Bluetooth, and EV-DO. In addition, you get a microSD card slot for music. Since the WinMo comes with a micro version of the Windows Media Player, this phone is in line with the rumors that VZN is switching its music strategy from its V-Cast service to Microsoft’s PlaysForSure, meaning music you download from any PlaysForSure store should play nice with this $149 Pantech.
Microsoft is developing a new version of its Zune portable music and media player that doubles as a cell phone — in direct competition to Apple’s recently announced iPhone — according to CrunchGear.com.
“Our tipsters inform us that Microsoft execs are in meetings today hammering out details of the device and developing strategies and timescales for its release,” CrunchGear wrote.
Among rumored features are that the device will use an interface similar to the current Zune player’s; that it will be able to connect with the Xbox 360; and that the Zune phone is tentatively scheduled for release in the fall of 2007.
Apple is set to ship the iPhone in June.
