EXCLUSIVE to MoDaCo SmartPhone, first pictures have emerged of a forthcoming Smartphone from Motorola!

This device looks remarkly similar to a mystery 'smart phone' featured on the Orange RoadMap a few weeks ago, slated to appear at the start of Q4 2003.

The device is manufactured for Motorola by Chi Mei Communication Systems of Taiwan.

The device is slightly smaller than the existing clamshell Smartphone, the Mitac Mio, but doesn't sport an integrated camera. Also unlike the Mio, the phone has no external antenna, and hence sports a very smart, simple design.

Prototypes of the phone are based on SmartPhone 2002, hence the phone has no Bluetooth, but this could of course change between now and final production!

P



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Looks nice, if you like clamshells.. (i don't).

Nice watermarking btw.

Will

Cool, Proper photos
Nice one Paul.
I dont usually like Clams but this could be the phone to change that (no arial )
And that screen looks lovely.

More Info:

Chi Mei Communication Systems, a company based in Taiwan which makes GSM/GPRS modules, is building a Smartphone device. Little is known about this device, but Smartphone Thoughts has acquired computer renderings of the hardware and uncovered a few details. Earlier this week we heard rumors that Chi Mei and Motorola were working together on a phone but we have not been able to confirm whether this is that device or if there even is such a partnership.

As a GSM clamshell device with an external display, this appears to be similar to the MiTAC Mio Smartphone with some key differences: no integrated camera, a USB connection for charging/syncing/accessories, an internal antenna, and a jog dial.

When the phone is flipped open, the jog dial is used to control the volume of the earpiece, speaker and headset, record voice notes and processes voice tags. When the phone is closed, the jog dial is used to reject an incoming call and scroll through current profile and next incoming appointment on the external display.

It appears that this will be the first Smartphone device to support "Voice Tags" which allow you to dial a number or launch a program using voice commands. It should be noted, however, that voice tags require training on a per-contact and per-application basies. This differs from the new VoiceDial application from Fonix which works with all of your contacts right away.

Chi Mei Communication System's sister company, Chi Mei Optoelectronics, is the second larget TFT LCD manufacturer in Taiwan. This gives us high hopes for the display quality on this device.


(Source SmartPhone Thoughts)

Looks very nice but without an integrated camera I think this one won't be as popular as the mitac - my guess is that early '04 most phones will have an integrated camera and without one this smartphone will be less likely to make the mainstrea success that networks may be hoping for with th Smartphone platform. The release near enough coinciding with the Voyager is also a major negative for the Motorola sp as it already seems outdated, with the lack of bluetooth, an older operating systems and no integrated camera - perhaps it will be its sleek looks and compact size which keeps it in the limelight.
Just my 2 cents.

Yeh, the compact size should open up the smartphone to a whole new market.

I know lots of people who reject the SPV because of it's size. Hopefully this phone will make MSSP more mainstream.

I think this phone is intended for business users because he doesn't have an integrated camera.

i'd see it prolly as more of a 'low end' phone, more than likely motorola are working on a 'high end' phone aswell, and if rumours are to be beleived, possibly one with VOIP (as stated by motorola themselves).

Anyone notice the omission of a record button? i thought that was a microsoft requirement?

whichever way you look at it, this is a nice clean looking phone and even though these pictures are of a prototype, looks extremely solid and well put together. go moto

Here's a quickie size comparison...revised the photo to include the Mitac...although it's a bad pic.
http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php...p=263384#263384

Blimey, there may finally be a usuable Motorola! I've always hated Motorolas... talk about bad usability. I'm not a fan of clam shells either, but that one doesn't look so bad. Might be quite nice as a Smartphone 2003, mmmm...

Oooh no knobby aerial

Hopefully there's a SDIO support activated so you could use a camera adon, or use the bottom connector
the same as the SPVTanager

The next time i upgrade i'll belooking for a smaller, faster phone with a built in camera... I suppose we'll have to wait and see!

Once the market gets into a proper stride I think I will prefer the phones that have attachable cameras, especially if connections and protocols standardise enough. That way upgrading the camera won't mean upgrading the phone as well. Once the platform is going strong hopefully we will see standardisation and a modular market like the PC's have, so you could buy a camera from any vendor you wanted and plug it quite happily into your phone.

That watermark is incredibly intrusive and annoying

I think the same about £20 notes, makes'em so hard to copy

[edit] Should Carnivore be watching, that was a joke by the way [/edit]

[edit again] Sorry the above is not in reference to the user on this site but the Big Super Computer that watches communications traffic [/edit again]

I dont know about annoying, I think it looks very professional.

But intrusive in the intention so other sites cant bank on the knowledge gained by those who run this site without the proper credit being given to Modaco.

Unfortunately necessary, after last time when we broke the news about Voyager, and people didn't quote us as their source

P

Perhaps one would be enough instead of 3 :wink:

Watermarks keep people fom doind a better version of this!
http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php...p=263731#263731