Editorial: What happened to the US-spec Motorola MOTOROI?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 7th 2010 12:48AM
posted May 7th 2010 12:48AM
We understand that delays happen in this business -- in fact, delays always happen -- but these protracted, phased roll-outs around the globe are never good for a product's image since the last markets to get the product have been exposed to it (thanks in part to yours truly) for months. This would be a killer high-end device for T-Mobile USA, but it's got to launch immediately; the Nexus One's been out there since January, and we can pretty much guarantee that Google doesn't intend to back down with the superphone assault. We suppose it's possible that the Sholes Tablet will actually reemerge as the "Nexus Two" -- Sanjay Jha wants to offer a Nexus-branded phone, after all -- but however it comes out, it's got to happen right now. Trust us, Motorola -- you've got a golden opportunity to learn from Sony Ericsson's mistakes on this one.
The Motorola Shadow will be coming out for Verizon soon, it is a high-end sleek candybar with similar specs to the Incredible. The Shadow is NOT the Droid 2, it does not have a slide-out keyboard. The Droid 2 will be coming out later.
@Alex M
Im afraid it does in fact have a Keyboard...
Fun Fact
@AtlantaBoiPalmPrePS3
No, actually it doesn't. Every blog continues to get the story wrong, the Shadow is not related to any kind of Droid 2, it does not have a keyboard. If you are basing your comment on news that the blogs (including Engadget) have been posting then I can understand why you think I'm wrong. I am basing my comments on comments from motorola phone testers who have countlessly confirmed that the Shadow is a high-end candybar and the Droid 2 is an upgrade to the Droid.
@Alex M
Can you please give a link for this Motorola Shadow phone?
@skashif3
No pictures have been leaked yet, the people testing it right now don't want to risk getting kicked out of the job. They have to sign strict contracts to make sure they don't leak anything. All they have told us is it will have an 8MP camera, 4"+ screen, and is supposed to be really thin and sexy. They don't know if it will come loaded with Blur yet, that will be a software side decision once the hardware is finalized.
So far the general quality of the device has been slightly better with Motorola than with HTC. I hope Motorola starts releasing top phones in GSM for ATT and T-Mobile....
@bravinash Agreed.
I've heard rumors that it may be slated for launch around the holidays.
By the way -- and this is PURE speculation -- I wonder if the delay could be related to refitting the phone to be HSPA+ compatible (TMO has said they would be releasing such phones before the end of the year, and maybe this will be one).
T-Mobile needs a high end Android phone badly. This would sit aside its Clique brethren nicely.
Hopefully they can finally get Blur onto 2.1/2.2. If they haven't ported Blur yet, they need to bin it in favor of getting new phones out quickly or HTC and Samsung will run away with the show.
@StalkyTheFish
Heh . "Cliq". Stupid autocorrect.
It's probably too late. Even if this does come out this summer, it will be completely dated. Unless they bump the specs, the internals are the same as the Droid and that can't even run the animated wallpapers in 2.1.
I don't know if this one is on Motorola or T-Mobile, but it's a big disappointment for those of us on T-Mobile who have been waiting for a decent high-end (subsidized!) Android hand set. We were hearing about this and the X10 for months and neither came to fruition. The horizon is dim.
@bobomo Totally agreed. Waiting to see the spec they really released.
@bobomo actually, the Droid can run animated wallpapers with 2.1
but then again, if this thing has the same internals, the Droid was released last November...
Chris thank you for finally giving us some kind of "update" on this phone ( and i use that term lightly) But really I am getting sick of not hearing a damn thing about this phone for god knows how many months now. I wanted this phone so badly I almost ordered it from Korea!! Please TMo throw us an Android coated bone here! JEEZZZZ!!!!!!
Why are you engadget editors so BIASED towards Motorola when it comes to competition with Sony Ericsson?
"We understand that delays happen in this business" is really not the kind of statement you use when SE delays anything.
@matuki
Because SE has a long history of over delaying products.
@BigJayDogg3
And does this justifies being BIASED towards a company?
I mean, a fair analyst would either say "We understand that delays happen in this business" to all companies delaying products or bash every single one in these occasions, which is not the case.
By reacting differently on the same problem depending on the company facing it Engadget shows it is partial and therefore showing it is really not part of independent media.
@matuki To be fair, it's not often that we talk specifically about the dynamic between Motorola and Sony Ericsson, so I don't think it's alright to insinuate that we have a long history of being biased toward Moto in that regard.
@matuki
Well yeah, it kinda does. If you have a child that does something wrong, the first time they do it, you don't necessarily have to crack the proverbial whip (if its something relatively minor). But if they keep doing it, you do have to eventually become more harsh in your treatment.
Likewise, other companies have delays. And their delays aren't nearly as long, and don't have as many of them. Therefore having a measure of understanding is far easier.
@BigJayDogg3 And with that you recognize bias is justifiable. Either way, I'm looking forward to see how will Engadget report next SE sales results since in the last one the company got bashed and threated with disrepute even as it reported profit (http://mobile.engadget.com/2010/05/07/editorial-what-happened-to-the-us-spec-motorola-motoroi/#commentform).
@matuki
Sorry, the link in the last post should be http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/sony-ericsson-posts-surprise-profit-from-unsurprising-handsets/.
@Chris Ziegler
Do you think Motorola might be done with Android, and only focusing on Azingo now? Or will they continue with Android phones?
Here's the article that got me wondering:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2010/05/06/Motorola-Buys-Mobile-Operating-System-Maker/p1
I thought Motorola had a great opportunity to flood the Android market considering the great start it had with the Droid. However, they have only followed it up with feature phones. Meanwhile, HTC now dominates the Android market with the most/best high-end smartphones. Way to go Moto ... ??
@luigidg37 I'd love to choose Moto too. But I have been waiting for too long. :(
Based in Korea and using the motoroi. Its a great device, and definitely agree that Moto is missing out on a large opportunity...
Maybe Motorola has soured on android altogether since buying Azingo.
Not sure if engadget reported on that or not.
@MGDdrinker
Here's a link to the TrustedReviews.com article on Motorola's intension to focus on it's new Azingo OS. I wonder if we've seen the last Android from Motorola.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2010/05/06/Motorola-Buys-Mobile-Operating-System-Maker/p1
Quite honestly, as a Milestone user I know Moto sucks. I've also used the V600 and owned a Nexus One for one month. The only reason I kept the Milestone was fear of the $30 plan on AT&T (being caught w/ a N1) and the better earpiece.
But software-wise, Moto just sucks. Look, it slaps crap together like Android and Droid. The Droid Eris on 2.1 is amazingly fast. The Milestone is like a slowpoke. Even HTC's ARM11 devices like the Hero can catch up. Spend some time and really work your software out. Moto took so long to deliver 2.1 and yet it's a marginal improvement. HTC spends good time building an awesome Sense UI. What do we get from Moto? Blur, which is like bloatware.
This phone was good when it was announced. Too bad they're releasing on T-mobile. Too bad Moto focuses too much on the US. HTC's name came from overseas. They sell millions of unlocked phones. That's how you make your name Motorola, not by having Droid Does ads. Because at the end of the day you're only liked by Verizon users. Barely anyone bought a Milestone.... The US doesn't determine the cell phone market. You tried with your RaZr and you got a bunch of idiots to obsess over the phone for years while SE and Nokia dominated the rest of the market worldwide. Now what? You're doing the same thing in the US again with Android? Except HTC's already slapped you with the Droid Incredible and stands to make it big on all FOUR carriers (waiting on the Desire/Legend for AT&T)
I hope & pray that this phone will emerge as the HSPA+ device that T-Mobile will desperately need to swoon all of us grumpy over everyone else having/getting a Super-spec Android phone but us :(
All I want is an Android phone with a Xenon flash, please motorola I dont care it you dont release this phone, but please release one with Xenon Flash. Especially now Nokia has announced the N8 with Xenon flash, but I want Android.
Maybe the MOTOROI gets launched as the Nexus Two at Google I/O next week. Since Engadget says, "it's got to happen right now".