Motorola "Norman" (aka Q Pro) in the flesh

We've suspected that an upgraded Q (sometimes referred to as the Q Pro) was in the works, and it now looks like a Hungarian operation has managed to score the first live shots of the ultra-anticipated device. Bearing a Vodafone logo on its posterior, it seems safe to say that the smartphone (codenamed "Norman" of all things -- though the original Q's "Franklin" wasn't any better) is destined for Europe; whether it'll make the jump to US shores remains unknown, but we'd love to see this monster live to do battle against the i607 "Blackjack" on Cingular in the coming months. The Norman's spec sheet is mostly speculation at this point, but besides support for UMTS and HSDPA, it'll rock a flattened keyboard (directly addressing a major complaint of the original) and a 2 megapixel cam. If we close our eyes and click our heels together three times, it might pack WiFi too -- but no promises.

[Via the::unwired, thanks Gwailo00852]

[Matthew @ Nov 9th 2006 1:21PM]

It has TWO 2 megapixel cameras?!


Typo...

[Arnold @ Nov 9th 2006 1:21PM]

I hope its quad band

[KC @ Nov 9th 2006 1:29PM]

That is what the Q should have been from day one. Did they shave an inch off the length or did they just make the keys a whole lot bigger, because this one does not appear to have the vast barren wasteland at the bottom that the original has

[Chris Ziegler @ Nov 9th 2006 1:30PM]

Thanks for the comments, folks; corrected the cam typo!

Chris @ Engadget

[Geoff Stepnick @ Nov 9th 2006 1:32PM]

Uglyyyyy. This looks like more of a brick, and the overall styling. Ick. The back is alright I guess. I'm not saying the Q is without flaws, because it is not, but how would this change anything? Also, the buttons look impossible to press.

[Enzo @ Nov 9th 2006 1:32PM]

No, the two camera aren't a typo if it has a front facing camera for voice calls.

[Todd @ Nov 9th 2006 2:07PM]

Whoa! Gnarly...

If it goes on sale here in the U.S. with quad-band luv and WiFi, I am totally buying one.

P.S. Is it true Motorola named the "Q" phone after the omnipotent "Q" character from Star Trek The Next Generation television show?

[CTG @ Nov 9th 2006 2:16PM]

Nah, it was either Q for QWERTY or the old James Bond gadget-nut Desmond Llewelyn. I'd bet on the former.

[John H @ Nov 9th 2006 2:23PM]

I would much rather get this than the "Blackjack." Here's hoping it'll come to the States.

[Jason @ Nov 9th 2006 2:38PM]

Looks like a Texas Instruments calculator.

[seabasstin @ Nov 9th 2006 2:42PM]

man the main main main problem of this device which I covet otherwise is that it still uses the CRAPPIEST os around in the form of WinMorbid.
grrrrr.
They make Linux based devices so why can't they offer a choice?
it actually makes so little sense considering they would probably make more cash selling a non ms taxed device.
grrrr.

Why do you people keep buying this crap and helping ms cement its hold of the market?

[Surur @ Nov 9th 2006 4:37PM]

Seabass - hahaha, you are hilarious. I guess Linux will magically have better navigation, more and better apps, better battery life and use less memory?

Face it, Windows Mobile has won already.

[Alex @ Nov 9th 2006 2:47PM]

Cool specs (if WiFi is indeed included), but it's hideous! I like the original Q far better.

[mlucas2006 @ Nov 9th 2006 2:49PM]

I actually like it better than the original Q. I dunno what you guys are talking about. This would actually be the only non PocketPC phone I would buy.

[David N @ Nov 9th 2006 2:59PM]

no scroll wheel??

[Apreche @ Nov 9th 2006 3:00PM]

I would totally just get a Q, but I recently found out I can't install java apps like mobile Gmail, mobile Google Maps, mobile Google Talk, and all that other Google stuff. Yeah, I use a lot of Google stuff. My contract on my perfectly average phone runs out at the end of this year, and I need something new. What am I to do?

[JCA @ Nov 9th 2006 3:13PM]

Mot had an internal contest for employees to name the device about a year and a half ago......Q was the winner. Yes it just means qwerty. If this has 2 cameras (2Meg and VGA) then there is pretty much no way this is coming to the states. We don't have video calling services here. Sure they can take out the front camera but something tells me I woulda heard about it :)

Knowing how things work around Mot I'd say that it having WIFI is all but impossible. Maybe next gen guys....sorry.

They need to work on those keys I agree. All those colors clash and make it look like an idiot put it together.

[IWantTouchScreen @ Nov 9th 2006 3:54PM]

Apreche: WM Smartphone (like the Q) can do all those things, you just gotta know what you're doing and what applications to load.

That said, smartphone OS stinks. They should just rig up Windows Mobile Phone Edition on there and be done with it. I'd get it then: touchscreen, 320x240 wide, looks a little thicker so they seem to be addressing the big battery life complaint of the Q.

[Jamar @ Nov 9th 2006 5:31PM]

And why couldn't they use Palm OS or Symbian?

[Naveed @ Nov 9th 2006 4:40PM]

the gray around the screen is really throwing this thing off as far as looks go. why on earth woudl someone make that gray. its pissing me off

[LordFarkward @ Nov 9th 2006 8:25PM]

omg... that's... that's so fugly and boring... seems like the designer hasn't put in ANY effort at all... this guy is even more lazy than the porsche designers

[Brian C @ Nov 9th 2006 8:35PM]

Jamar and seabasstin,

Get a life. Your hatred of anything MS has blinded you to see the positives of what WM5 can offers. True, WM5 has its negatives too. But so is every technologies that I can think of.

Give MS a chance and in doing so you would give yourselves a chance too. (An old chinese saying.)

[Sam Haakenstad @ Nov 9th 2006 8:38PM]

The Keyboard looks too flat. I think that the original Q's Keyboard looks like it could be easier to use, but only hands on will tell that. Otherwise it looks great.

[jason @ Nov 9th 2006 9:06PM]

The codenames "Franklin" and "Norman" are perfect. If they're around someone who shouldn't be in the know they can always just say "How's Norman doing?" or "How's the Franklin project going?"