Motorola Unveils Two Linux-Based Phones

Motorola is bringing Linux-based phones with strong entertainment features to the consumer marketplace.

Two new phones, introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, are the MOTORIZR Z6, a slide-to-open phone similar to the companys existing Z3, and the MOTOMING A1200, a flip-open, touch-screen communications and entertainment device.

Both are quad-band GSM phones, while the A1200 also supports EDGE for high speed network access.

The Z6 is a slider phone that uses designs that resemble the companys hugely popular RAZR. To gain access to the phones keyboard, you slide the screen up. The phone supports global GSM access, and includes high quality stereo sound and has a built-in music player.

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It also supports Bluetooth, has a 2 megapixel camera for photos and video, and has a memory card slot for up to 2GB on a micro-SD card. The phone will support Bluetooth printing, and it features an airplane mode so that you can turn off the cell phone, but still listen to music.

The Z6 represents a new direction in phones for Motorola. "This is Motorolas first single processor Linux phone," said John Wernecke, global public relations manager for Motorola, speaking from CES in Las Vegas.

He explained that because the Z6 uses a single core processor chip, theres more room on the phone board, and fewer chips. He told eWEEK that the company will use this platform to move forward with new phones.

Motorolas MOTOMING A1200 looks like a flip phone without a keypad, but in reality, everything is accomplished on the touch sensitive screen.

Click here to read about how Motorola has gone Linux.

Like the Z6, its a quad-band phone with support for global GSM. It includes a personal information manager, a Real music player, voice recognition, limited handwriting recognition, Bluetooth and video capture, playback and streaming.

It can download music from the Internet, and it has a 2 megapixel digital camera. The phone even includes a translation dictionary.

Like the Z6, this is a Linux-based device. It includes an FM radio that requires a wired headset to act as an antenna, and it has a memory card slot.

Both phones are compatible with Microsofts Media Player 11, and are slated to be available to consumers early this year.

In addition, Wernecke also said that a GSM version of Motorolas new MOTOKRZR phone would be available, initially from Cingular, next week. The MOTOKRZR is a slim version of the popular RAZR, but with a 2 megapixel camera and enhanced sound and video capabilities.

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