Motorola's Android slider getting social in Q2 2009?

Motorola: a name that oozes with apathy amongst gadget aficionados these days. But what if we added the words "Android" and "Social" to the mix, would you once again take notice of the world's most invisible number 1 seller of handsets? According to BusinessWeek, Moto's Google-ified handset will feature an "iphone-like touch-screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a host of social-network-friendly features." BusinessWeek's sources say that the device takes its design cues from the Krave ZN4 while resembling a high-end version of the T-Mobile G1 from HTC (while selling for less). Apparently Moto has been shopping the spec-sheet and images around to carriers over the last few months in preparation for a Q2 2009 US launch (Europe in Q3 2009) for the MySpaceBook crowd. Unfortunately for Moto, we expect the market to be flooded with Android handsets by then.

[Via TechDigest]

[elleff @ Oct 20th 2008 6:55AM]

That Moto-Android logo that you guys have made is hillarious.

[gad get @ Oct 20th 2008 7:01AM]

It looks like an elleff.

[elleff @ Oct 20th 2008 7:08AM]

hehehe

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Oct 20th 2008 9:46AM]

Those are some BIG eyebrows!

[EI8HT @ Oct 20th 2008 7:14AM]

the 2 worst cell phones i've ever owned in my entire life have been motorolas...no thanks!!!

[j_g_puff @ Oct 20th 2008 7:33AM]

Motorola doesn't ooze with apathy for me either. It oozes with the pus of broken dreams, non-existant product development and a worrying lack of spelling ability. As for their promised device, I'll wait until it's less vaporous before getting excited.

Incidentially, I knew I'd seen that Andro-ola logo somewhere before: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Spock)

[Alexandre Emond @ Oct 20th 2008 7:34AM]

I kept my only Motorola phone 3 days before returning it. The form factor was good but the features were so lame. Android+keyboard should fix that. Or will the form factor be lame?

Comment closed, I'll go back waiting for HTC HD...

[TareX @ Oct 20th 2008 7:37AM]

It sounds amazing except for the "Krave ZN4" part....

I've always dreamt of a higher-end G1 running Android, here's a concept I designed:
http://www.talkandroid.com/android-forums/android-hardware/341-t-mobile-g2-phone.html

[Alexandre Emond @ Oct 20th 2008 7:47AM]

@The knight concept:
EXACTLY what I was thinking for a long time!
To devices makers: Please maximize the screen size and resolution leaving no stupid plastic edges. Then pack a high density of useful feeds and informations on first screen.

[TareX @ Oct 20th 2008 9:20AM]

AndroidGuys made the G2 Mockup on one of their stories!
http://androidguys.com/?p=2203

[ALCie @ Oct 20th 2008 11:50AM]

I always liked this concept:
http://www.mobilewhack.com/htc-dream-coming-from-t-mobile-september-17th/

Similar to the current one, but looks professional.

I do like the look of the Krave, maybe Moto's will be the Android device I actually get.

[Yem @ Oct 20th 2008 7:49AM]

I hope some more Android handsets arrive SOON. One phone followed by a 6-9 month gap is ridiculous.

[digitallysick @ Oct 20th 2008 7:55AM]

The htc touch pro looks far better than the G1 , they should of went with it instead

[Kris @ Oct 20th 2008 8:28AM]

I dont get the styling of the G1.. HTC come out with the ultra-pretty Diamond/Touch, and then that monstrosity, I just don't get it...

[gonintendo @ Oct 20th 2008 8:35AM]

Am I the only one who likes it?

[TareX @ Oct 20th 2008 9:21AM]

How about this as the G2?
http://androidguys.com/?p=2203

[tiremfej @ Oct 20th 2008 10:30AM]

No GoNintendo, you're not the only one who likes the G1. Now on to your Nintendo fetish though...

[adrian @ Oct 20th 2008 8:45AM]

What's with all this social nonsense.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 20th 2008 11:26AM]

I don't know. I thought it implied a Moto Zune Phone. Guess not.

[Phoenix @ Oct 20th 2008 12:22PM]

Why is a touchscreen "iPhone like"? Why not "Touch Diamond-like" "Kaiser-like" "TyTN-Like" "Prada-Like" "Lemur Input Device-like"...

[LondonConsultant @ Oct 20th 2008 4:20PM]

Probably because it has an iPhone-like *capacitive* touch-screen, not an inferior *resistive* touch-screen...

[Phoenix @ Oct 20th 2008 4:25PM]

The Lemur and the Prada are capacitive. The lemur had multitouch LONG before the iPhone.

And i don't find Resistive that inferior, i've never had an issue with it. I LIKE having the option of a stylus for things like handwriting recognition, and I like being able to use it properly wearing GLOVES.

[LondonConsultant @ Oct 21st 2008 6:54AM]

Yeah, good point about Lemur and Prada being capacitive as well, but gloves...

[Phoenix @ Oct 21st 2008 6:59AM]

I live in Edinburgh. It gets veeeery cold here. I can use TouchFLO 2D on my kaiser perfectly well with a pair of cycling gloves on, which is impossible with a capacitive screen.

[thatisandwas @ Oct 20th 2008 4:11PM]

I just switched to tmobile 2 weeks ago and got a MotoRizr for free. I love this phone. However, it is not a next-gen phone by any means, but for what its worth, it does everything i need right now. I can send mp3s to it over bluetooth and use them as ringeres, chat on aim, and the camera is nice and i can also download to my computer via bluetooth. Anyways,

I will get this phone if it is availible for T Mobile. I want an android phone, but dont care for the G1's looks too much.

[Johan S @ Oct 20th 2008 2:04PM]

It better have a WVGA or better display.