Birdwatching Android: Zeppelin spotted and Droid goes live briefly

Sweaty-palmed Android stalkers (I probably fall into that category) have been fed two tidbits of news from Motorola today. One more device in what should be a long line of Android phones from the manufacturer has decloaked in China, and Motorola teased us with a glimpse of the Droid on an official webpage for a few minutes before it was yanked away again.

The Zeppelin:

Specs for a Motorola Android device have floated out of China ahead of launch, from tech site digi.tech.qq.com. The “Zeppelin” isn’t expected to launch until the first quarter of next year, but some details have emerged for the device. Digit.tech claims it will be the first dual-band Android device to launch worldwide, working on either GSM or CDMA networks. The pics from the site only show the back and side of the Zeppelin:

It’s claimed to have full touch-screen, a 5MP camera, high-speed wireless connectivity, bluetooth, GPS, and high-definition video output. Oh, and a radio.

As for the name… I find it odd to name a mobile device after an archaic, bloated mode of transport, but I guess there is a limited number of recognisable words in the English language.

The Droid tease:

In other news, Motorola completely accidentally leaked pictures and specs for the Droid device ahead of it’s launch next week. Completely unintended, honest. By no means did Motorola intend to fuel a frenzy of attention and reports all over the web, no sir. And although the page was taken down within a very short amount of time, the details were nabbed by several sources including BGR and PCMag:

- runs on Android 2.0
- 550-Mhz processor
- slot for 16GB MicroSD card
- runs on CDMA and Wi-Fi but not GSM
- exceptionally high quality multimedia functions, especially for video. The screen is extremely high-res, and the camera will capture very high quality video for a cameraphone
- comes with the full set of Google Experience mobile apps

What we think?

It’s interesting – the focus on Android seems to have open a new lease of life for Motorola. It’s PR engine has been in overdrive this past while, which is nice to see. By allying itself closely with Android, and exploiting that relationship, Motorola has generated more genuine interest in its products then I’ve seen for a long time – especially considering that I heard Motorola being sidelined as “irrelevant” at the MWC in February!