The Motorola CLIQ, with first phone with social skills, is exclusive to the T-Mobile USA network, and will be released in time for the holidays. The CLIQ will be released in two colors: white and titanium. It is able to do high speed internet; has a 5MP camera, auto focus, and video speeds at 24fps; a standard 3.5mm headphone jack; and an HTML browser, delivered by Google. Access to thousands of applications via the Android Market. The phone is customizable, to fit the user, has both WiFi and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a microSD card slot with 2GB card. Click over for live hands-on video of the CLIQ!
The Mobilize event happened today, with some great conversations taking place amongst innovators in the mobile and tech industry. Most of the beginning spoke about location-based services, and how they can impact the consumer, as well as enterprises all over the world. And while LBS is a huge thing now a days, it was all a footnote to what everyone was really waiting for: Motorola’s announcement, regarding their latest handsets, and what they plan to do with a little Operating System known as Android.
Motorola CLIQ hands-on video:
MOTOBLUR Video demo:
Dr. Sanjay K. Jha took the stage to start, ready to talk about the Innovation of Android. Android is a modern, well created mobile operating system. It has a well developed ecosystem that is growing daily. Motorola is supporting the development of Android. A portfolio of devices, to touch on several fronts for users. Browsing the internet, messaging, as well as other features that need to be utilized on a phone, but that may not appeal to some users.
MotoBlur is a feature that blurs the interconnectedness of social media networks, from Facebook, to contacts, messaging, and YouTube. All meant to connect who you know, and to keep them close. It syncs photos, contacts, messages, from services like Gmail, corporate emails, Facebook, Twitter, and automatically serves them on the home screen without any kinds of widgets needing to be opened independently. These widgets are placed on the homescreen, one of three available, and are updated in real time. MotoBlur will also promote the ability to post on a contact’s Facebook page, simply by going to their contact card on the phone. The devices are also worry free, as MotoBlur has a remote wipe service, but that your information is stored on servers, so that it is always safe. Once the user gets a new phone, or replaces their current MotoBlur device, their information is restored to the phone.
MotoBlur is a global feature, meant to fit on more phones by 2010, which will continue to evolve and build upon the initial release of MotoBlur. The Cliq will also be available around the world, outside of the US, under the name of Dext. Latin America, Spain and the UK will take advantage of the phone’s international releases.
So it looks like the reason T-Mobile didn’t jump on board the HTC Hero is pretty obvious now, as they were siding with the direct competition. Will it be as popular as the SenseUI seemed to be on the Hero? Only time will tell. And thankfully we don’t have any real wait here, as the fourth quarter holiday season is just right around the corner.
Press Release:
T-Mobile USA Unveils the Motorola CLIQ With MOTOBLUR
First Android™-Powered Device from Motorola Puts Social Networking Center StageSAN FRANCISCO — Sept. 10, 2009 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the Motorola CLIQ™ with MOTOBLUR™, the first Android-powered device from Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and the first device to feature the innovative MOTOBLUR solution. The CLIQ will be available exclusively in the U.S. from T-Mobile later this fall.
Developed by Motorola, MOTOBLUR is an innovative solution that manages and integrates communications – from work e-mail to social networking activity – on your CLIQ. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook®, Twitter™, MySpace®, Gmail™, and work and personal e-mail. MOTOBLUR automatically delivers these updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications to keep up with the latest content. A 3G-capable smartphone featuring a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a full touch-screen display, the CLIQ is designed to keep the conversation moving, enabling fast messaging on the fly and easy navigation through MOTOBLUR’s streams and widgets.
Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer with T-Mobile USA, jointly unveiled CLIQ with MOTOBLUR today with Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Motorola Mobile Devices, at GigaOM’s Mobilize 09 conference.
“T-Mobile’s highly social and always-connected customers have a natural affinity for mobile social networking, and we’re excited to feature the Motorola CLIQ with MOTOBLUR prominently in what’s shaping up to be our most innovative holiday product lineup ever,” Brodman said. “The CLIQ lives up to Motorola’s tradition of great design and quality, and to our history of working together to create products that enhance the lives and the relationships of our customers.”
Jha said, “We’re pleased to announce our first Android-powered device in partnership with T-Mobile USA. Motorola CLIQ with MOTOBLUR differentiates the Android experience for consumers by being the only smartphone that automatically syncs conversations, contacts and content, and delivers a solution that’s instinctive, social and smart.”
The CLIQ expands T-Mobile’s compelling lineup of Android devices and underscores T-Mobile’s commitment to the open, highly customizable platform that gives developers and manufacturers the opportunity to create truly unique experiences. This continued first-mover advantage with Android lets T-Mobile customers have access to incredible innovation in the Android Market™.
The CLIQ delivers a reliable mobile Web experience by harnessing the power and speed of T-Mobile’s 3G network and Wi-Fi. Additional CLIQ features include a 3.1-inch HVGA touch-screen display, a 5 megapixel auto focus camera with video capture and playback at 24 frames per second, a 3.5mm headset jack, a music player with pre-loaded Amazon MP3 store application, Shazam, iMeem Mobile, and a pre-installed 2GB microSD memory card with support for up to 32 GB of removable memory.
CLIQ also features multitasking capabilities and one-touch access to the Google™ mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search™ by voice, Google Maps™ with Street View, YouTube™ and Picasa™. Easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts is supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. E-mail and contacts are also supported by Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, and other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services. It also combines instant messaging support for Google Talk™, as well as AOL®, Yahoo! Messenger® and Windows Live Messenger.
T-Mobile’s 3G network is currently available in 200 cities nationwide and covers more than 150 million people. By the end of 2009, T-Mobile USA expects its 3G network to be available to approximately 200 million people across the U.S.
Availability
Motorola CLIQ with MOTOBLUR will be available exclusively to T-Mobile customers later this fall in two colors — Titanium and Winter White. Pricing will be announced at a later date. Customers can visit http://www.t-mobile.com/cliq for more information.
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US...CLIQ-US-EN.alt
PROCESSOR CLOCK SPEED: 528 MHz
RAM: 256 MB
FLASH ROM: 512 MB
USER STORAGE AVAILABLE (MAX): 256 MB
MEMORY CARD TYPE: FAT32
microSDHC, Class 6
MEMORY CARD SIZE SUPPORTED (MAX): 32 GB
(via http://developer.motorola.com/products/handsets/cliq/)
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US...icationCatalog
PROCESSOR CLOCK SPEED: 528 MHz
RAM: 256 MB
FLASH ROM: 512 MB
USER STORAGE AVAILABLE (MAX): 256 MB
MEMORY CARD TYPE: FAT32
microSDHC, Class 6
MEMORY CARD SIZE SUPPORTED (MAX): 32 GB
(via http://developer.motorola.com/products/handsets/cliq/)
Hopefully upgraded RAM/ROM and a snapdragon!
Only thing I'm not liking is the same old processor and screen (screen is same res., but actually even a little smaller than G1). It seems like, over a year later, this would be more of a lateral move than a move up for us. I can't wait for some truly next-gen. phones based on Tegra/Snapdragon, higher res. screens, much more RAM, etc...
But I would say, for anyone not under a contract or coming up in the Fall, this would be a no-brainer over the G1. Good job, Moto. I hope it goes well for them.
Lastly: I know some of these specs and acronyms are confusing, but does it seem to anyone else that this thing might support 3G on T-Mobile AND ATT?
It says:
WCDMA 900/1700/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (Category 7/8), EDGE, GPRS Class 12, AGPS
Anyway, I like the keyboard and the new theme looks nice, too. However, why they chose an even smaller screen (3.1" vs. 3.2") than the rest of the Android pack beats me.
It's missing the 1900MHz for ATT
and i have never been impressed with motorola phones, to many hardware failures.
i guess i'll keep waiting for my samsung to be released in the states.
Comparing tech specs, it's actually like 2 mm thinner than the G1, but from the looks of it, I wonder if that's counting the G1's chin in the thickness? This thing looks like a BRICK! (it's a little wider, too, but shorter).
edit: allright, here we go:
Assisted GPS
E-Compass
Standalone GPS w/internal antenna
That's my new phone!
Check out the Demo!
http://www.t-mobile.com/promotions/G...WT.mc_id=637m3
Reasons:
Marginal internal memory upgrade from 192 to 256mb -- soooo NOT good enough
No improvement in processor speed
Prefer G1 keyboard to this 3 row keyboard
No trackball ... like my trackball
Smaller screen? -- they're kidding, right?
Has headphone jack and better camera, but that's not enough
... Keep on walkin'