The Motorola Q Smartphone

We're not sure about how this thing be lookin' versus that early render we had before, but news just finally freaking broke on the Motorola Q, what we once knew as the RAZRberry and Franklin. What's it got? 4.6 x 2.5 x 0.45-inches in your pocket for one, a QVGA (320 x 240) wide-format display, QWERTY keyboard (duh), Windows Mobile 5.0, thumbwheel, d-pad, 1.3 megapixel camera, MiniSD, and Bluetooth. Expect it in Q1 2006 for probably more money at launch than we're ready to hear about yet.

[aj @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttttttt

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

thats hot

[Ryan Block @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

jonathan,

i don't think you followed--this is the razrberry.

boss,

i've used winmo powered devices for a while now--2003 se is very stable. i expect 5.0 will be even better.

best,
ryan

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

will it have wifi?

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i'll stick with my treo.

granted, sprint has the ugliest blue version in the world, but their internet plan is tops. plus i'm happy with the os. i've never used the windows mobile software, but i can assume it won't be super-compatible with my mac. not that i am one of those mac users who blasts microsoft or anything, i'm just a firm believer in "if it ain't broke..."

well, until something prettier comes out.

fishes,
narco.

[Mad Cow @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

ryan,
how do you and peter think this stacks up against the hp hw6515? feature wise, the hp rules and it's only 1/4 inch thicker, so is sleakness that big of a factor for you, or most people? and where are the prices going to end up compartively?

[Mad Cow @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i seriously know how to use the shift key, but for some reason my last post was all lower case...go fig.

[Fahad Fateh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

if this is the razrberry then i will wait till they kick out the black one. this one is slick but in black it will be even more slickier.

but i am a bit skeptical of windows mobile. i guess i will buy it only if i see good review or if i am able to load some mobile linux on it.

[whizack @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

this crap will flop like a dead fish.

both microsoft and motorola are missing the major reason why blackberries are popular and trying to pick up on gadget freaks that want the "uber l33t hax0r phonez".

blackberries are useful because their os is simplistic and easy to navigate with only the track wheel

they're useful because their push email technology is completely transparent to the user and requires virtually no setup on the device.

they are thriving in fortune 500 companies because they do not have "intellectual property theft" written all over them with 1.3mpx cameras and sd card slots

they are thriving in it because the blackberry enterprise server is the most comprehensive push email/device administration solution for handheld devices in existence.

they are also cheaper and offer a lower tco, easier to maintain, and the os, hardware, and server software are all maintained by the same developer which offers very comprehensive support for their products and takes care of their customers as much as humanly possible.

that is why this will flop... moto, nor ms have the capability of providing half the features/support/services that rim can.

[matt t @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

dead fishes dont flop, whizack.

[ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

amen to that whizack. in many ways blackberries are the apple of smartphones...

[Thought @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i agree with whizack: blackberry's rule in their market niche precisely because they do one thing, and do it well, and do it with simplicity. blackberry is kind of like the ipod for corporate email.

as for those gadget hounds who love these loaded smartphones, i just can't see this as being superior to the treo. it's too little too late.

if this had wifi, then it becomes something to consider. if this has some form of 3g service, like evdo or hspda built in, then it is something special.

but it's just moto's attempt to replicate the treo. by the time this phone hits, their may be a treo with wifi or evdo.

so try again, moto...give us something better than a treo, not a treo clone with windows mobile...

[Teve Torbes @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

no integrated wifi cools my enthusiasm for this otherwise attractive device. oh well.

[Richard @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i like the earlier rendering personally. but, being motorola and all, the end product is most definitely going to look different. mother m is notorious for changing things right up to the last minute... two-way radios, cell phones, et al...

that being said, it's a nice looking item. i'd consider one if it isn't prohibitively expensive.

[dejitaru @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

sweet i bet those new minisd wifi cards will work in this thing which will probably be around when this ships.

[Rick Flashman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

actually, this device does push as good as a blackberry. the new microsoft exchange 2003 upgrade that most corporations are installing has this capability snuck in. so companies that only had blackberry support now have microsoft windows mobile 5.0 support without realizing it. it's as easy as entering the webmail url, username, and password. i.e. same setup as a blackberry, actually easier cause its the same url they alreayd use for webmail.

[Sam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

no retractable keyboard?

[Steve K @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

love the clean, sleek design but for the same size couldn't they have made the screen taller? any hardware engineers out there agree?

[Cage @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

320 by 240 pixels? no wifi? gee, this one's gonna be a runaway success!!!

[Cullen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i think its a retarded version of the treo, which is one of the greatest phone designs for a long time. i just found a blackberry 7230 on the ground, it wont work. anyone know how to make them turn on/want to send me a charger?

[YourNameHere @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

no wifi==verizon doesn't cripple

[Chris Edwards @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

whizack:

windows mobile 5.0 has been optimized for one-hand operation.

i don't think this device itself would hurt the bb too much, but i think we'll see a lot more devices capable of competing with the bb... so maybe all together they'll put a dent in bb sales. we'll see.

[John Griffith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

having been a blackberry user for some time now, i will definitely switch for this phone. why? the rim os (since 3.8) hasbeen buggy and rim has been slow to respond with fixes. connectivity issues and voice issues are two key problem areas as is its bluetooth incompatibility issues. earlier rim devices (pre 7100 & 7290, 7250 and 7520) were rock stable and reliable though not very glamerous. just go to blackberry forums to see all of the problems. i have used windows mobile 2003 se and it is very stable. additionally, i get things like voice dialing, full range of bluetooth functionality and wifi if i want it. i just hope they offer a camera free version because of my employer.

[The Truth @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

whizack:

who ever said this was a blackberry-killer? youre right about the reasons why bb is so successful but you fail to realize that the treo 650 (which is similar in concept and features as the q) is still a huge success despite the strong presence of blackberry in the business field. flop is such a strong word for a sexy device like this, try going into treocentral.com and telling the members that their treo is a flop.

[ZSX @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i want the black version!

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/moto_2005_07/img_0286/q/p1030196_605.jpg

[silentio @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

oh boy, windows mobile 5.0 for smartphone! such a large display and no touchscreen.. that stinks. ms claims that the new windows mobile will be optimized for one handed use, we'll see how that works out. as of now, the windows mobile devices with qwerty thumbpads are still impossible to use conveniently without taking out the stylus. kinda defeats the purpose of having a thumbpad.

[PiTT @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

nice design, id still rather get the new htc wizard or benq p50 if its upgradable to wm5....why cant motorola do anything right? honestly?

[MaZo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

what's up with the extra space below the keyboard???

[Elias @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

this will be a good alternative for firms sitting on the fence as to whether or not to deploy bes. bes isn't cheap, and if you're already running exchange, then you should have all you need to sync one of these phones just as well as bb.

-- elias

[jg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

this will be my next phone provided its not too expensive. if it i'll just wait until either something better comes along or the price drops. i feel bad for those who got the razr early, that thing has dropped a lot in price.

[gnome @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i disagree about this not doing well against the blackberries....

think about your corporate it department, when they're deciding whether to deploy blackberries (which require extra proprietary servers and/or subscriptions), or these, which run directly off of their existing outlook servers.

[i'macomputa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

guys,
you should think of q phone as an upgrade alternative to the blackberry. i have a blackberry and my main problem is that they haven't done anything innovative in the last 2 years aka no photo,no media player,no wifi,bluetooth (kinda)and it's still too large.blackberry users like the simplicity/size/speed we just want a little bit more. we don't want all the extra functionality of the treo/samsung i730/htc.
you want to know why? because they are buggy, huge, or not available.
maybe the q phone won't be.
-i'macomputa

[isnogood @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i do not think this device itself would hurt the bb too much, but i think we'll see a lot more devices capable of competing with the bb!

[LOL @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

lol, #15. treo is more superior? my mpx220 is more superior than the treo 650!

[bankah @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

33. posted jul 26, 2005, 9:14 am et by gnome
i disagree about this not doing well against the blackberries....

think about your corporate it department, when they're deciding whether to deploy blackberries (which require extra proprietary servers and/or subscriptions), or these, which run directly off of their existing outlook servers.

you assume they are running exchange 2003...last time i checked bes was significantly less expensive. despite mobile services and activesynch, we still install several be servers every month. end users hate the ms os unless they are the type who like to fiddle with and baby the os. it's been said dozens of times but i will say it again - the blackberry just works. what happens to the data on an ms pda if the battery runs out? (though i hear version 5.0 addresses this failure) nothing is lost on the blackberry.

i'm no blackberry fan-boy, but i do know what my customers like.

[Ryan Block @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

mad cow,

i don't think they're really in the same league right now. one runs smartphone (winmo 5.0), the other pocketpc (2003 se). one is very thin and svelte, the other is fatter but features an sdio slot and gps. they are definitely in the same space (winmo-based qwerty smartphone) but i don't really think they'll compete to heavily against one another.

best,
ryan

[Linda @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

love the phone...please where is the flip!!!!
i am so tired of people calling me from there pockets when they don't hang up there treo's blackberries and the like...30seconds is a looong time...i've gotten some great gossip...however why i would never own one...
we want our flips please!!!!!

[Cirdec @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

please make the mini-SD slot to be a SDIO!
It will be perfect when Spectec launch it's mini-Sd WIFI.
This is going to replace my DELL PPC & Phone, anytime !

[Franklin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Would like to see a 2 mega pixel camera with VGA and WiFi ...am I asking too much--?!!

[brad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Spammer! [e-mail]

[fierywater @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

If you can give me some good games for the smartphone platform, I'm in. =P

[David Venters @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

New about the Q for about a week but never seen it, its supposed to rival the treo and the blackberry. but to me looks smarter and sexier

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Although very smart looking, the treo still seems to be the gadget by which all others are to be judged

[weenie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

omg i <3 this fone !!! where cani buy it ?
how much is it ??

[brent @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

wow, did you even read the original post, or just lick the computer screen and smile? The article is three sentences long, my god. Q1 2006, but it looks like it may come out in December 2005.

[Pej @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Does this phone have a WiFi interface? It would be nice if this phone could do VoWLAN via WinMo softphone.

[SmartAleck @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

You can purchase the prototype version of this phone now at wirelessimports.com for only $3099.00 those guys get all the new stuff first? how do they do it?... but the sell it for really expensive!!!! hmmm i think i will wait till it comes out in 2006, i believe it will only be availible for verizon according to wirelessimports...they should be around 699-750 new from the store maybe a discount when you sign up with a contract, i better start saving...

[Andy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

The Blackberry's days are definitely numbered with more and more devices like this hitting the market. They're easier to implement in a corporate environment and offer much more flexibility for an IT department.

We have a huge deployment of Blackberries, but you can't manipulate attachments, can't attach anything from the Blackberry, etc ... It's good for email and that's about it.

These devices offer true MS Office compatibility/functionality, as well as terminal services, which can be invaluable for a remote admin who gets called to fix a problem at any hour anywhere.

Cost is also an issue with the BB's as it's minimum $5k to implement a new server, and dedicated BB support can be 10's of thousands depending on the level of response you want ... having push email automatically in Exchange 2003 is a blessing ...

RIM and Palm both are feeling the heat as demonstrated by their recent consolidation of efforts to combat MS. It'll be an interesting 2006 and 2007 for sure ... especially with Goodlink rivaling both MS and RIM ...

[Roobes @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Come on people .. two words ..Treo 700w.. ENOUGH SAID !!

[steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I would love to buy a blackberry, but I am a left. I can't get used to the idea of using my phone, and the track wheele with my right hand. Does anyone know of a future left handed blackberry.