Moto madness continues at 3GSM

Motorola unveiled several new alliances for the new year and a revamped lineup of its handsets.

In a laid-back fashion, Ed Zander, chairman and CEO of Motorola, kicked off the company's press conference while watching TV on his mobile. The man had also kindly requested for the attending media to wait while he finished his program.

Adding further to collaborations that will see Google to provide search functions on Motorola handsets in January and Kodak for mobile imaging, Motorola also announced to the press its podcast-enabled RAZR V3x. Where music was concerned, the company highlighted its commitment with Microsoft on the seamless integration of Windows Media technology on the new terminals.

Said Ron Garriques, president of Motorola Mobile Devices: "When it comes to mobile entertainment, Motorola delivers it all -- music, information, video, gaming and community."

However, what's most interesting was the company's new lineup. The most eye-catching model has to be the RAZR Z, which is a slider version of the popular super-slim clamshell series. Also unveiled were new mass market models including the Motorola L2 and the RDIO clamshell.

The Motorola L7 and L6 (yes they are named the same as their predecessors) have undergone a revamp to include i-mode services. The candy-bar SLVR L7 now also comes with iTunes and PoC (Push-to-Talk over cellular networks) features.

Model name	In a nutshell
Motorola RAZR Z	After all the rumors of a slider version of the popular RAZR, Motorola finally announced its RAZR Z, named after the company's CEO Ed Zander. The RAZR Z will first be available in Korea, followed by the European and American markets. We had no indication at press time if the RAZR Z would be available in Asia-Pacific markets outside of Korea. Other notable frills: 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera 2.2-inch 262K-color QVGA TFT LCD MP3 player 104 x 51 x 14.8mm; 110g Expected: End Feb 2006 in Korea
Motorola SLVR L7 / L6	The ultraslim models which first appeared at CommunicAsia last year now gets a boost in terms of features. The two new handsets come with i-mode functions that are represented with a dedicated soft button. Other features include iTunes support, video recording, built-in MP3/AAC player with 60MB of internal memory and a microSD expansion card slot. Other notable frills: (L7) Triband 1.3-megapixel camera 262K-color LCD display Other notable frills: (L6) 128 x 160-pixel CSTN display VGA camera with 4x zoom Bluetooth connectivity Expected: Q2 2006
Motorola L2	Targeted at enterprise users, the anorexic candy-bar L2's feature set includes a Class 2 Bluetooth wireless connection with handsfree speakerphone, a scratch-resistant LCD and 10MB of built-in memory. The phone has approximately 350 minutes of talktime and 345 hours of standby time. The unit arrives without an onboard camera. Other notable frills: Triband Bluetooth and USB connectivity MP3 ringtones 24-channel 22KHz polyphonic speaker 110 x 49 x 10.9mm; 80g Expected: Second half of 2006
Motorola W220	Codenamed RDIO, presumably from the word radio, the W220 is one of the new innovations Motorola unveiled to the media. The W220 features a built-in stereo FM radio with various multimedia and entertainment capabilities. This new clamshell is also the latest addition to the company's broad mass-market portfolio and is expected to be available in Q3 this year. The phone is rated for 497 minutes of talktime and 293 hours on standby. Other notable frills: 128 x 128-pixel CSTN display Dualband WAP 2.0 46 x 95 x 16.7mm; 93g Expected: Q3 2006
Motorola V195	For enterprise users who prefer a clamshell phone, the V195 offers Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity with a large color LCD screen. According to Motorola, the V195 has the best talk and standby times available in the market today at 624 minutes and 525 hours, respectively. Other notable frills: Quadband MPEG4 video playback Bluetooth and USB connectivity 24-channel 22KHz polyphonic speaker MP3 ringtones Expected: Q2 2006
Motorola ROKR E2	Following a disappointing ROKR E1, the ROKR E2 succeeds its predecessor with Mobile Music 2.0. The handset can hold approximately 1,000 songs on a 2GB Secure Digital card. The E2 also comes with a standard 3.5mm headset jack for your earphones. Other notable frills: Dedicated music playback buttons 1.3-megapixel camera 2-inch 262K-color QVGA display Built-in FM radio Opera Browser USB 2.0 and Bluetooth Expected: First half of 2006
Motorola RAZR V3x Click for specs, images and opinions	Last month, Motorola and Yahoo announced its collaboration to launch Yahoo Ready for Motorola devices. As part of the partnership, Motorola demonstrated the use of Yahoo Podcasts on its V3x handset. The mobile application allows drag-and-drop functions and users can also download podcasts over-the-air via an integrated application. According to the company, this application may be made available on other Motorola handsets. Other notable frills: 3G connectivity 2-megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom Onboard media player TransFlash memory expansion slot Supports 3D graphics for games. Expected: Q1 2006