Motorola today announced it’s newest handset – the full-touchscreen Evoke QA4. In appearance and function, it’s extremely close to being a smartphone. Pretty much all it lacks is a smartphone OS.
The 2.8” full touch-screen looks like almost every other smartphone on the market. Evoke displays the now-traditional selection of widgets/apps and shortcuts on the homescreen. Turn the phone sideways, and a full touch-screen QWERTY keyboard appears. There’s a button keypad that slides out of the bottom of the phone. It also has a 2MP camera with video recording and GPS.
The Evoke is web connected, and thanks to its widget platform it can access web feeds, social networks like MySpace and Facebook, or YouTube. It will be available in during Q2 2009 – the first operator to announce it is carrying the handset is Cricket.
From the release:
“We understand the importance of having a mobile phone that helps you stay connected simply and seamlessly with your friends and family, whether you prefer to talk, text or network,” said Mark Shockley, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Mobile Devices. “Motorola Evoke offers the cutting-edge convenience and instant gratification of a full touch-screen, intuitive online browsing and the ability to stay plugged in on your terms.”
What we think?
This is perfectly nice little phone that will probably slide harmlessly out of view without attracting much attention.
I wish it wouldn’t though. I think this is a handset with a point to prove. There’s no pricing data out yet, but since Cricket is the first carrier to confirm the handset, we can assume it’ll be reasonable. My question is this: why is a smartphone particularly better than this? This phone lacks an OS, but it can perform any of the functions that you would expect from a smartphone. It has a high quality touch-screen, voice, SMS, data, apps, a QWERTY keyboard… anything you’d want from an iPhone or Android. If you installed Skyfire or Bolt, I imagine there wouldn’t be much of a speed difference when it comes to connectivity either. And with open app stores like GetJar available, there’s no reason you couldn’t download apps the equal of anything that appears on the iPhone App Store or Android Marketplace.
When a high-end enough feature phone can equal the functionality of a smartphone, what point is there in the higher expense? I’ll be keeping an eye on this device, and praying that it’s available in Ireland. I’d be very tempted to buy one of these and see how it shapes up to smartphones and MIDs.
That is nicely done by Motorola, not a simple copy of the iPhone design. The physical number pad is well done too. Hopefully this becomes Motorola’s next RAZR.
I have been telling folks not to count Motorola out. They have a huge following in the U.S. This phone, if it operates correctly, would be great for Moto. Being on Cricket, you can assume TMobile, Boost, Nextel and MetroPCS may also pick up the likes of it. I’ll say this again: Don’t count Motorola out of the game so fast. They have too many followers and supporters.
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