No Motorola Q until April?

We know this is going to hurt, but we've just learned from a highly reliable source that Motorola won't be delivering their new Q Smartphone to Verizon Wireless until sometime in early April. Not sure what the speficic hold up is, but we do know that Moto has been steadily improving the Q's keyboard and software -- oh, and we can't forget that Verizon does have a reputation for running phones through the wringer before carrying them. Disappointing news for all the Q fans out there, but a little delay is better than putting a handset out there that isn't quite ready for primetime, right?

[Deluxe @ Feb 3rd 2006 6:08AM]

Agreed, It's better to wait a little longer and have a better product.

*cough PS3*

[Joe @ Feb 3rd 2006 6:16AM]

I guess I'll just keep admiring my paper cut-out Q box on my desk..

http://www.qusers.com/img/moto_q_mockup.pdf

[TZK @ Feb 3rd 2006 6:20AM]

The CDMA world has been getting the goods lately. Treo 700w, Treo800 Palm OS announcement from yesterday and of course the Moto Q.

Give us GSMers some love :)

[Alex @ Feb 3rd 2006 6:33AM]

Might this be due to the unavailablity of the Messaging and security Feature pack, AKU2.0?

[Taylor Alexander @ Feb 3rd 2006 7:19AM]

Yes, they certainly improve their products with all that testing... they certainly improved the XV6700 by, um... crippling the wifi... But yeah, they really need that time for testing... that's why the best buy employees got the phone 2 months early... and the released version was the same...

But as far as AKU2.0, people on the forums claim that the update has already been given to manufacturers, they just have to go through testing (and see what happens with NTP/RIM!).

And as far as GSM phones go, T-Mobile just got the SDA and the MDA, and europe is always rocking something nice. :)
-Taylor

[MusOX @ Feb 3rd 2006 8:04AM]

"but a little delay is better than putting a handset out there that isn't quite ready for primetime, right?"

Whatever help you sleep at night (or till April). ;)

[xbit @ Feb 3rd 2006 8:16AM]

I think we all remember the massive problems with the MPx and MPx220.

It's better they delay the release and get it right than rush it out and end up with a lot of pissed users, in my opinion.

[Jaxbulls @ Feb 3rd 2006 8:39AM]

Why oh why...My current 3 year old phone has lost its antenna and gets no reception in my house unless I am right up against the window...I was holding off to get the Q. Please hurry - I til will be staring at my Q paper cut out.

[Paul @ Feb 3rd 2006 9:15AM]

The original and best cutout-Q post:

http://www.modaco.com/Get_a_Motorola_Q_in_Your_Hands_TODAY_-t235522.html

[mboy @ Feb 3rd 2006 9:23AM]

The P990 takes this to school anyway

[JDK @ Feb 3rd 2006 9:43AM]

This reminds me of the Motorola A009, which I waited for months to come in, and was shown everywhere, but only by A-Listers. Unfortunately, I feel like this just wont ever come to fruition.

[Eric @ Feb 3rd 2006 10:32AM]

At CES it definitely looked like it needed the extra time. The UI was very sluggy when scrolling down on any of the views and the scroll wheel was way too touchy. It seemed like any time I'd try to click the scroll wheel the selection would jump down several items and then click. Definitely far from the firm scolling action you get on the BB 8700. Issues like that would kill what would be a great phone, so I'm glad they're taking the extra time (even though I won't be going to Verizon to get it).

[pete @ Feb 3rd 2006 11:10AM]

I guess Verizon needs the time to make sure it's sufficiently crippled...

[ucif @ Feb 3rd 2006 11:38AM]

I am a spammer: [e-mail]

[va @ Feb 3rd 2006 11:43AM]

Anyone have any idea on price? i.e. less than or greater $800...ballpark?

and what happened to the black one? by far better...

[VA @ Feb 3rd 2006 11:57AM]

Anyone know a price range? Over or under $600?

I miss the black one, its so much better. what happened to it?

[Jason @ Feb 3rd 2006 2:00PM]

Everyone....Thank you for the paper cut out. As long as we all know that when we hear delay it usually means that the carrier is finding other ways to cripple functions. Which is usually were a lot of bugs come from. Thank you very much

[Ima Pseudonym @ Feb 3rd 2006 2:09PM]

It's been done. NEXT!

[Tim Marman @ Feb 3rd 2006 2:30PM]

If I recall, VZ had locked up a six month exclusive period on this phone too. I wonder if this period runs from the date of release, or some other previous agreed upon date.

If the former, that would sort of suck, not being getting the GSM release until October!

[Mystic Alpaca @ Feb 3rd 2006 5:30PM]

The cut out picture was great! I have a picture of it with a cute PR rep: http://www.pdatoday.com/index.php/weblog/comments/ces_2006_photoblog_and_news/

I played with it at another PR event and not I just have to have one. That phone with the new GPS Galaxy device would be a powerfull team IMO.

[boss-hogg @ Feb 4th 2006 1:21PM]

i think its good that they test this first so we dont have any issues.. it just sucks to have to wait for this another month or two. and cdma needs all the love it can get gsm has had the best phones and pocketpcs for years! im happy vzw is finally getting the goods!

[andrew calvo @ Feb 6th 2006 4:00PM]

shush GSM users! You folks get EVERYTHING before CDMA, and most of the time, some of those ultra cool GSM phones dont even come to CDMA, let us get the good phones for a change! lol.
VZW locked up an exclusive w/ the Treo700 which should end in March, i cant imagine them bringing to market another "cool" PDA during the time they have the exclusive on the Treo700.. Thus, April sounds about right.. Plus it gives me more time on my VZW contract to try to wangle my way out of the phone i have now.

In addition, i find it humourous to her how verizon has a rigiorous process that they put their phones through before they go to market. If thats the case, half the phones ive had w/ vzw shouldnt have even been sold! Wonder how they fell through the cracks........

[rashmi @ Feb 6th 2006 7:48PM]

way to go VZ! atleast GSM cellcos might rollout a better smartphone.

C'on Cingular - show the GSMers what you got...something better and less complicated pls...photon???

[R.C. MCKENNA @ Feb 7th 2006 12:39AM]

WAITED LONG ENOUGH..TWEAKS AND SNEAKS..YOU LOST A CUSTOMER TO THE SAMSUNG I730, ALTHOUGH THE PHONE CAN'T LOOSE IN THE LONG RUN WITH THE VERIZON SUPPORT.
I'LL REVISIT ONCE THE PHONE IS OUT AND RECONSIDER..IT SOUNDS GOOD AND I HAD PLANNED TO PURCHASE IT WHEN THE LAUNCH WAS PLANNED FOR JAN..

[Jason S @ Feb 7th 2006 3:08PM]

RC, DO NOT buy that phone! The keyboard is useless it's so small and I know of two of these owned by co-workers that just die/reboot whenever they damn well please. I don't care what phone you get, just avoid that i730!!!

[ToeCutter @ Feb 7th 2006 3:20PM]

Didn't Ed Zander promise delivery by 12/2005 just a few months ago? I remember him *promising* that it would beat the Treo 700w to market. What a freaking joke! So, we'll see it "released" in April (suspiciously close to the end of Treo 700w's exclusivity at Verizon, don't want to cannibalize those precious Treo sales) with general availability in May? That puts it to market nearly 6 months late. Good luck, Moto! I'm sure Palm and HTC will have refreshes right around the corner for fall launch. It's amazing that Motorola can stay in business despite themselves!

[Frank Sanderlin @ Feb 8th 2006 7:17PM]

Is there a difference between the Windows Mobile 5 that is running on the Treo 700 and the Windows Mobile 5 that will be running on the Motorola Q? I heard that the version that Treo 700 is using, is full Pocket PC capability and that the Motorola Q is limited.

[Sage @ Feb 8th 2006 11:30PM]

The Q will run the smartphone version of Windows Mobile 5. The idea is that the Q doesn't need a stylus; it has a thumbwheel on the side, much like the Blackberry, which I assume is the intended rival.

A longer wait for the Q is just ridiculous. And if it doesn't hit Verizon until April, how long until it hits Cingular? We've been hearing about this thing for how long now? Sorry, but if the Treo 700w, or even the HP iPaq 6900 makes it to Cingular ahead of the Q, I'll just get that instead. I can't wait forever, no matter how cool it is.

[TheCybologist @ Feb 10th 2006 6:21PM]

Screw the Treo700. WM5 just was not done justice on the treo. I am waiting for the full release of the 8125(HTC Wizard dopod) on cingular. It is on cingular.com right now for purchase but you have to do a 2 year contract. I am waiting for my local store to get it so I can have a one year contract.

[johnny hates waiting @ Feb 12th 2006 1:33AM]

Boy I'm glad I didn't wait for the M Q or the 700w! I was reading about it what seems to be a year ago. got the 6700 instead and am very happy with it. It should hold me off till they get ones with VGA screens. Unless the Q has a faster processer to handle wm5 and has 128 megs, a screen viewable in daylight and vga - what's the point it's just another 700w?

[scott @ Feb 12th 2006 10:37PM]

What a joke. When are the idiots at Motorola going to take a page from the Successful and superior Apple folks. Dont announce a new product until its ready. I'm tired of waiting. Treo here I come.

[ROBERT C. MCKENNA @ Feb 14th 2006 1:17AM]

I HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE OTHER REVIEWER'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE SAMSUNG I730. MOTOROLA Q PHONE GOT DELAYED AND NEEDED A HIGH TECH./GRADE PPC/PHONE DEVICE FOR A BUSY MEDICAL PRACTICE....THE SAMSUNG I730 FIT THE BILL!! I HAVE HAD EACH GENERATION OF IPAQ(NOW 4700) AND THIS PHONE/PPC IS JUST AS CONSISTENT, RELIABLE AND AS EFFECTIVE FOR MY NEEDS. NO PROBLEMS...I AM SURE THERE ARE LEMONS....BUT NOT MINE. WON'T GIVE IT UP UNLESS THE Q PHONE WORKS MIRACLES FOR PATIENTS.

R.C.MCKENNA, MD

[Thriller @ Mar 22nd 2006 9:40PM]

Dr. McKenna,

PLEASE TAKE OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK!!!

thanks!

[Ben Lewitt @ Mar 30th 2006 4:49PM]

Verizon needs time to cripple the functionality Motorola might have inadvertently left in.

Word is that the Push email update for the VX6700 is delayed because they are requiring the manufacturer to rewrite the bluetooth stack. I�m sure it�s something similar for Motorola.

If they weren't the only vendor with decent signals in my area I'd leave them in a heartbeat.

[m @ Apr 6th 2006 7:59PM]

How about the Verizon-ready RAZR v3c? Motorola rushed to get the CDMA version out and it had a different interface and totally different system platform than the incredibly popular cingular/tmobile version. The platform was similar to phones older than the current motorola models out. Also, no file transfers, no mp3 mixer, and the processor is slow as hell. After only two months it's already getting finicky (which I would expect after a year or more). I upgraded from the MOTO E815 because it was bulky, but it is infinitely better. Hope Motorola doesn't make the same mistake with the Q.

[Morgan Magleby @ Apr 8th 2006 7:46PM]

There's been a lot of talk about Verizon getting the Motorola Q first, and then proabably Cingular. But I'm a Sprint customer (for better or worse). Does anyone know if Sprint will ever get this phone? Thanks!