Ming2
Latest
Cartier-adorned Motorola A1600 makes no apologies
By its very nature, the MING series has never been the most understated lineup of phones money could buy -- but if the trick transparent cover isn't enough to turn some heads your way on your next trip to Taiwan, can we recommend this instead? It seems Moto has teamed up with Cartier in some capacity here to trick out the A1600 with enough gold and fake (well, hopefully fake) croc skin to make all but the most unabashedly flashy buyers cringe. At $28,000 TWD (about $867), it's no Vertu -- so it's kinda ironic that they've somehow managed to outdo all but the most ridiculous Vertus on the tacky luxury meter, isn't it?[Thanks, TheLostSwede]Update: Seems the A1600 itself might simply be a Luxury Edition in the same vein as the V8 -- Cartier comes into play with the bundled business card holder. Thanks, ZTE!
Hands-on with Motorola's MOTOMING A1600
Does the MING series have a place in North America? The stylish (well, depending on who you ask) Linux-based Moto smartphones have always been designed from the ground up for the Chinese market going back to the original A1200, but from afar, it's easy to see why you might want to put one in your pocket no matter where you live; after all, they look unlike anything else on the market, they're smartphones, they're delightfully compact, and they rock touchscreens. But realistically, is it possible to make a MING your daily dialer? Read on!Thanks to the good folks at Wireless Imports for the hookup!%Gallery-32952%
Motorola A1600 MING 2 garners FCC approval
Yo, Americans: if you want to learn more about a sweet-looking phone that Motorola doesn't think you should have, we've got just the place for you. Take a stroll on over to the FCC's documentation site, where you'll find a wealth of information on Moto's rumored A1600 MING 2. The Linux-based smartphone carries over the important parts of the original MING's trademark industrial design but upgrades to a respectable 3.2 megapixel camera, quadband EDGE, and allegedly WiFi -- though we couldn't find any mention of it in the manual. Sadly, as we mentioned, there doesn't appear to be any plan to bring the A1600 to the States with a user's manual emblazoned with "Asia/EMEA" on page 1, but with that worldband radio, at least it'll be pretty painless to import and use it if you're so inclined.
Evidence builds for Motorola's 2008 lineup
New leaks out of China are consistent with previous rumors, suggesting that Motorola's 2008 phalanx of mobiles is starting to gel -- for the Asia region, anyway, and there's really no knowing whether we'll see any of these stateside. Both of the new MINGs are pictured here, bearing the A1600 and A1800 model designations as expected; the big difference seems to be dual SIM support in the A1800, along with revised styling. Speaking of dual SIM, the VE75 slider will do 'em too, adding a 2 megapixel camera and a generously sized 2.6 inch WQVGA display. The long-rumored 5 megapixel product of Moto's cooperation with Kodak, the so-called ZN5, gets pictured here as well; at first glance we can't say we're impressed, but let's not dive too deep into it seeing how the picture is the size of a fricking thimble. Finally, we learn that Moto's jumping on the TD-SCDMA bandwagon quite early, working to pump out the L800t candybar; the 220 x 176 resolution isn't going to blow anyone away, but hey, at least it'll blaze across the interwebs at the Olympics this summer. Maybe.[Via Unwired View]
Motorola lets loose dual SIM card-packing MING A1800
Motorola's Linux-based A1600 MING 2 may still not have seen a release 'round these parts, but that apparently hasn't stopped the company from churning out a new model in the form of the A1800, which has now wound up in the hands of The Boy Genius Report. According to BGR, this one shrinks things down even further while still staying "sturdy as a rock" and, somewhat interestingly, includes two SIM card slots. Apart from that, you can expect the CDMA / quad-band GSM handset to pack a 3-megapixel camera and built-in Bluetooth, but any other details seem to be a bit hard to come by at the moment. That unfortunately also includes any word on pricing or availability, though BGR says not to expect a launch at CTIA next week.
Why wait for the launch? Motorola MING 2 being sold in China
First seen last year and rumored for a Q2 '08 release, it seems like some impatient individuals in the Far East (where the handset is presumably made) decided to take matters into their own hands and have a little "launch" of their own, if you will, with a prototype unit that fell just a little too far from the manufacturing facility's tree. Unwired View turned up this A1600 MING 2 for sale in Shenzen, China, offering a fabulous glimpse at the Linux-based MING successor; turns out she sports WiFi, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and integrated GPS. Add world-band HSDPA, Motorola, and our money is yours. Honest.
Motorola to unveil a slew of new handsets at CTIA?
It's been a rough couple months for Motorola's handset division -- rumors of a sale, two high-profile executive departures, layoffs, and that pathetic showing at Mobile World Congress -- but today it looks like the company might have some tricks left up its sleeve for CTIA. We're not sure where it came from, but this supposed marketing video popped up on YouTube with shots of several new handsets, all of which jive with rumors we've heard about Moto's upcoming devices, like the Linux-based Ming 2 and the 5 megapixel cameraphone developed with Kodak (pictured above). Other notables are a Q variant running Windows Mobile 6.1 and an odd new music slider that could be the ROKR E10. Of course, none of this is official (and Moto did release a hype-laden video just before MWC only to fall totally flat), but we'd be lying if we said we weren't hoping to see Moto try and come back around at CTIA -- we'll see what happens. Video after the break.[Via Unwired View]
Motorola's Linux-based Ming 2 in Q2
According to Bill Chen, General Manager of Motorola Taiwan's Mobile Device business, the second generation Linux-based Ming handset won't launch until Q2 of 2008. Not February as initially rumored. What's more, the handset will be introduced in high-end and entry-level configurations -- unfortunately, both are GSM/EDGE, not 3G capable. DigiTimes says that Inventec won the manufacturing contract of this MOTO Beijing designed handset. Given the unusual (for MOTO) use of a lower-case vowel in the name, there's a good chance this was never meant for Stateside consumption anyway. Too bad, eh?
Motorola's A1600 MING 2 surfaces
What's that, you say? Reportedly, that picture you see above is the Motorola A1600, which could be the long-awaited successor to the A1200 MING. Granted, we've no proof to go along with it, but the design sure fits the mold. According to Chinese-based eNet, this bugger will sport quad-band GSM connectivity, a 3.2-megapixel camera (with autofocus), WiFi, assisted-GPS, a couple of built-in games, a "talking dictionary" and a Linux-based OS. Interestingly enough, that last tidbit certainly conflicts with other reports we've heard, but we suppose time will tell (look for a February launch) what system really ends up running the MING 2 show.[Via UnwiredView]
