Whoa dude! Awesome new gadgets from Moto

26-07-2005

by Deirdre McArdle

Motorola, the world's second largest mobile phone maker, has announced a range of 'whoa' products in a bid to put pressure on its rivals.

Topping the list of new products, unveiled at a Motorola event on Monday, is an ultra-thin mobile phone with a QWERTY keyboard from which users can access their e-mails. The phone, dubbed "Q", will put Motorola in direct competition with Research in Motion, maker of the popular Blackberry devices.

The phone is based on Motorola's iconic Razr phone with its ultra-thin design that has proven so popular with the fashion connoisseur. Motorola claims the phone is 50 percent thinner than any of its competitors' handsets. It's equipped with a large colour screen and has an "antenna inside" shape.

Traditionally e-mail enabled phones, such as the Blackberry, have been quite bulky. Last September RIM caved to consumer pressure and released a re-designed Blackberry – the 7200t -- which is closer in size and design to a traditional mobile phone. The design aspect of the Q phone appears to be Motorola's biggest selling point and one that could potentially win it a lot of customers.

"Wickedly cool -- when's the last time you heard those words used to describe a QWERTY device?" said Ron Garriques, president mobile devices business, Motorola. "Probably never. At least until now. With the Moto Q, we've combined the best voice, data and design technology in one ultra-thin, intelligent, hard-working, and incredibly must-have device."

The Q is based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile software and will be able to support e-mail from a variety of third party e-mail applications. The phone is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2006, Motorola said.

Motorola, which is second only to Finnish giant Nokia in the mobile phone manufacturers' league table, has also unveiled the Razrwire in conjunction with Oakley, the sunglasses manufacturer. The Razrwire will combine eyewear with Bluetooth wireless technology.

"Seamless mobility is here, now with the availability of Razrwire" said Bruce Hawver, vice president of companion products, Motorola's Mobile Device business. "Motorola and Oakley are bringing innovative wearable technology to life. With this one-of-a-kind Bluetooth-enabled mobile eyewear, active consumers can stay connected while moving from one environment to the next."

The Razrwire will be available through Cingular Wireless retail stores in the US from August, although consumers will be able to buy them online too at a retail price of USD249.99.

Motorola also unveiled a host of other "whoa" products Motorola Ojo Video Mail, Motorola WiMAX solutions, Motorola's MOTOMESH a multi-radio broadband solution and Motorola's ROKR family of music phones. These products are being billed by Motorola as "game-changing" innovations and will no doubt put pressure on its competitors to follow suit with some innovative products of their own.

Motorola's shares closed up USD0.54 at USD20.54 on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, while interestingly RIM's shares were down USD3.38 at USD68 on Nasdaq on closing.