The rumored
Charm has just gotten a proper unveiling from Motorola -- and while it's not getting nearly the media fanfare its
Droid X corporate cousin did, it's arguably even more unique. The phone features a full portrait QWERTY keyboard placed directly below a 2.8-inch landscape touchscreen, but for most operations, you don't have to touch it if you don't want to because you've also got a touchpad mounted on the back of the phone (the so-called "Backtrack") much like AT&T's
Backflip. Not only is this the first widely-launched Android phone to employ such a form factor, it's also the first to run Android 2.1 with Blur -- and interestingly, they've carried over the old version's general look and feel rather than going with the Droid X's updated skin. It's got a 3 megapixel camera (with Kodak co-branding, something we haven't seen on a Moto
in a long time), WiFi, and a noise-canceling second microphone. Pricing and availability haven't been announced, but T-Mobile customers can expect it "this Summer."
posted July 7th 2010 11:04AM
@pintonion because you're in the WRONG THREAD
@emad
well nevermind, the comment was deleted, which makes mine look like i'm crazy.
@pintonion
That's off-topic. Why don't you tip engadget about it?
@emad "and interestingly, they've carried over the old version's general look and feel rather than going with the Droid X's updated skin"
Motorola has said many times the Droid X does not run Blur in any form. It's not Moto Blur, it's not Ninja Blur, it's just Android customized to meet Verizon and Motorola's needs.
This is your job. Get the details right.
@n8equalsd
Sometimes I wonder why there are sooooooo many new phones coming out..
especially with HTC, where they never create a 2nd version of a popular phone, but rather just create a "new" name..
Why not just stick to one series, like the "iPhone" and have it get known..
Marketing..
@emad cause there aint no thread about it. i did tip them.
again...
http://gizmodo.com/5580587/applecare-the-iphone-4-update-wont-solve-the-antenna-problem?skyline=true&s=i
@JONNNathannn
Its nice someone wants to hold Engadget accountable. Nothing on the Specs in this post either like the 600mhz OMAP, the 512 Ram or the QVGA screen.
Looks like a true android successor to the wonderful Moto Q line.
@emad
It seems fully half the comment threads I read on Engadget now involve an initial comment deleted by staff, followed by ophaned replies to that first comment. It's getting annoying.
@To Hell it bothers me that everyone replies to the first comment simply to be on the first page, even if it had nothing to do with the first comment.
THAT is fucking annoying
@uckApple Touch Pro2, Diamond2...
I do wish HTC would just bring a Touch Pro3 with Android, Snapdragon, and more RAM to the table. They have to know it would do well. Obviously with the rebrand to Droid, the Touch Pro3 name wouldn't really work.
As for the Charm. Ugly.
@pintonion Stay on Topic... http://twitpic.com/23829c
@Lord Vader
This bickering is pointless.
@JONNNathannn
No, you're wrong:
1:49PM Sanjay says the device will run 2.1 at launch with Motoblur, but it's been "hidden" from the consumer at startup and setup. Okay, then.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/live-from-verizons-motorola-droid-x-event/
It does run Motoblur, just because they change the name doesn't mean it isn't Motoblur. If i buy a Chevy and put a Mercedes badge on it, it's still a Chevy.
Wait.. how do you run apps on this thing? Are they all going to be in landscape mode? What if the app I like is forced to run in portrait? While I like this E71 form factor, Blur and the screen thing might spoil it.
@gargle
If I got this phone, I'm afraid someone will mistaken it for a coaster.
@emad : looks like an overweight blackberry. :)
It is super annoying and is a pretty new thing. This didn't happen a few months ago. But if you can't beat 'em, join em. Maybe it'll wake Engadget up to revise this...unique...comment system.
Hide the replies or set a cap. I've emailed them, they seem content with this all.
@SarnGate No, you're wrong.
http://www.androidcentral.com/droid-x-does-not-have-motoblur
@JONNNathannn
1. CEO says it has Motoblur, and i tend to trust him over some nameless guy demoing the phone.
2. All the files from the phone had the term 'blur' in them until a recent update removed said naming scheme.
Like i said, just because it isn't called Motoblur doesn't mean it isn't.
@To Hell engadget needs to practice full transparency, otherwise it will risk losing credibility with its readers.
@emad hmmm, black with a metal trim and metal buttons. Nope, never saw that design before.But I guess the Apple-hater crowd is used to their lords copying Apple any way.
@JONNNathannn They never said Droid X was running Blur. They were just wondering why this phone wasn't using an updated interface similar to what the Droid X has.
@754boy If you read the sentence, it says it has Blur - and interestingly, the old look and not the new skin.
Even if they didn't mean it that way, Motorola still using Blur and not throwing Verizon's Android customization onto a T-Mobile phone is nothing else but perfectly logical, so their statement makes no sense in any scenario.
@SarnGate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxu0Ak8E6Gs&feature=player_embedded
@JONNNathannn Where did I say the Droid X was running Blur? All I said was that this skin doesn't match the Droid X's. The skin has NOTHING to do with whether the phone runs Blur (take a look at the i1 for evidence of that).
@Kid Red
Shut up troll. Blackberry also has a design like this on some of their models. Not everything is about copying Apple.
@Kid Red http://www.mobilegazette.com/handsets/htc/htc-touch-viva/htc-touch-viva.jpg
Hmm...
Who is copying who?
OMG APPLE MADE A PHONE?!
SUCH COPY CATS! ONLY ALEX BELL CAN MAKE PHONES!
GOD THE NERVE!
OMFG! APPLE MADE AN MP3? UGH! ONLY CREATIVE CAN MAKE MP3 PLAERS!
OMFGWTFBBQ! APPLE MADE A LAPTOP?! ONLY OSBORNE COMPUTERS CAN MAKE LAPTOPS!
OMFGWTFISTHISBULLSHIT! APPLE MADE A LASER MOUSE?! ONLY LOGITECH CAN MAKE A WIRELESS MOUSE!
Shut the fuck up. Just because one company does it, doesn't mean it doesn't set the ground from others. Thanks to this little innovation by some companies, we get amazing products. For example. thanks to that laptop by Osborne, I now own an HP Envy, amazing little laptop. Thanks to that Laser mouse by Logitech, I own a Razer Deathadder. Thanks to that Phone by Alexander Bell, I will own an HTC Evo in about 4 days.
By the way, Apple didn't do the black with metal trim design first.
@Kid Red You're obviously a troll, but just for the public record:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/the-nokia-n78-in-european-and-north-american-flavors/
@Kid Red
Kid Red Status:
[ ] TOLD
[X] FUCKING TOLD
@pintonion Good call. I'm guessing that Motorola didn't put the antenna on the outside of this phone and steal another innovation.
@Chris Ziegler That's what you meant and you know it. There's nothing interesting about the fact that a T-Mobile Motoblur phone is running Motoblur and not the new Droid X skin - because that new Droid X skin is made for Verizon, a collaboration between Verizon and Motorola. Either you don't understand carrier exclusive software, or you thought it was running Blur.
@SarnGate Motoblur? *vomit*
@JONNNathannn If you'd read our Droid X review, you'd know very well that we know it's not running Blur.
Interesting how you completely glossed over the i1 example!
@JXCGunrunna Specs and the new promo video at http://adtwik.com/home/2010/7/7/motorola-charm-for-t-mobile.html
@Chris Ziegler I hate not being able to up vote Chris's comments. He never said "this doesn't run Motoblur like the DroidX." While everyone is complaining about Engadget reporting incorrect information, everyone at Engadget is complaining about the commentators' failed attempts at simple comprehension. He said "Droid X's skin" assclowns.
Not my favorite form factor, pricing is going to make or break this phone
release this phone in indonesia,
indonesian love this form factor.
This device looks a bit odd. The form seems a bit fat. Whatever happened to the sleek and sexy Blackjack style? That was a KILLER device. But more importantly, we are seeing the evolution that is Android. Android knows no limit. Prepare yourselves.
Portrait QWERTYs are where it's at, but that's just my opinion.
If HPalm doesn't get off it's duff and put out some more devices, at least someone out there in Androidland is making some portrait QWERTYs.
@Pojomofo
2.8 inches is pretty small...
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Android is doing a reasonable job of catching Apple up, but Apple is definitely still the market leader in stupid idiot fanboys
@Plazmic Flame
that screen is slightly bigger than the nokia E71/E72/E73 @2.6" and they were/are pretty successful, so it is pretty decent for a portrait qwerty.
If the resolution is higher than 320x240 it only has competition from blacberry, so for individuals who like to text/email this is a great offering.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
I consider a directional control a HUGE plus. It makes editing text so much easier.
@Pojomofo Hoes are going to love this phone.
While the late adopters to Android (Verizon and Sprint) are getting premier Snapdragon devices T-Mobile (The original adopter) gets BS like this. .:Sad Panda Face:.
@Akulamenuri
Nexus One on T-Mobile not good enough? :(
@ChazClout I would count it, if I could buy it through T-Mobile. I have a cheap legacy contract, no point buying a phone outright when it doesn't save me any money.
@ChazClout nexus 1 was good enough 6 months ago. Unfortunately they got leap frogged severely.
@tad604
How has it been severely leapfrogged? It has a 1Ghz snapdragon, 512MB ram, an AMOLED display, and decent camera and flash, and it is running 2.2. That seems to stack up pretty well against its competition, both android and otherwise. What's missing?
NOTE: this is an actual question, not a snarky comment. I'm considering an N1 but weighing my options.
@tad604 Leapfrogged? They're the first with Froyo. 8MP and HDMI out? No thanks, I'd rather have the latest virgin build of 2.2.