| Motorola announces another Linux/Java phone |
Jul. 27, 2004
 Motorola has announced its third mobile phone based on Linux and Java software. The A780 is expected to ship in Q4, 2004, and will woo enterprise and home users with features such as a PDA-like quarter-VGA color touchscreen, claimed 240Kbps GPRS data download speeds, Bluetooth networking and synchronization, PDF and Microsoft Office file viewing, a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, mp3 playback, 48MB of removable TransFlash storage, and more.
(Click for nice big image of the A780)
The A780 will be a quad-band GSM phone -- which means it supports the 800/850 and 1900MHz bands used in the Americas as well as the 900/1800 bands commonly used around the world.
 The phone utilizes the classic Motorola flip-phone form-factor, but the phone buttons are actually positioned on the outside of the flip-lid. Opening the phone reveals the full expanse of the PDA-like 240 x 320 color touchscreen.
According to Motorola, the new Linux phone will support "EDGE," or Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolution, a data networking technology theoretically capable of supporting Internet access speeds of up to 240Kbps. EDGE technology was trialed earlier this year in New Delhi, India, and Motorola says operators can upgrade existing 2.5G "Horizon Macro" base stations to support EDGE.
The A780 supports wireless synchronization over Bluetooth using something called "Motosync." Motosync appears to be completely new jargon coined just for the A780, yet the phone is already said to offer "expanded" Motosync capabilities. Motosync presumably requires some sort of PC-side software, which can be used to wirelessly syncronize e-mail, calendar, and contact info via Bluetooth between the phone and a PC. The A780 can also connect with "compatible Bluetooth devices," which presumably includes Bluetooth printers, PCs with Internet-to-Bluetooth routers, and more.
The phone includes a Java J2ME MIDP 2.0 runtime engine with 3D graphics that "can accommodate the coolest applications from games to productivity tools," according to Motorola. The phone is supplied with software that includes fileviewers for PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, Opera 7 web browser (supports WAP 2.0, WML, xHTML, and HTML), mp3 player, video recorder/player, 3D games, PIM, and a message client supporting MMS, SMS, IM (WV), POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP.
Additional features include a fullscreen viewfinder for the camera, hands-free speaker phone, speaker-independent voice dialing, and a TransFlash Memory Card for removable file storage.
Motorola GM of GSM/TDMA products Rob Shaddock said, “The Motorola A780 [is an] office companion, entertainment source, design icon [and a] a true must-have.”
Motorola's previous Linux/Java phones included the ground-breaking A760 announced in February of 2003 and the multimedia-oriented E680 announced last March. Previous Motorola phones used MontaVista Linux, Qt/Embedded, and Belcarra USB software.
Motorola also announced today that a deal with Apple will bring an Apple-created version of iTunes software to "all" of Motorola's mass-market phones by mid-2005.
Related Stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.
Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.
Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.
Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.
High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.
Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.
Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.
Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed