Our editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff was out in San Francisco at the GigaOm Mobilize 09 conference for the launch of Motorola's first Android-based smartphone, the Cliq. An exclusive to T-Mobile, the Cliq follows in the footsteps of the Sidekick, one of the carrier's most popular devices, taking an upfront, unified approach toward social networking.
The Cliq runs MotoBlur, Motorola's new Android skin which culls together content from sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. Lance managed to get some hands-on time with the device as well as a visual walkthrough from a Motorola employee.
So let me be clear: if MotoBlur is a skinned version of Android, and Google let that happen, it sounds like there's a lot of control that Google is giving the manufacturer over Android.
It also makes me wonder whether or not Google will allow the carrier to exercise as much control over the mobile OS - as in charging for widgets and apps and other parts. I can see Verizon going all out for a model like that - where they get to dictate what's on their Android phones and what doesn't get installed on them. Scary, but possible?
I wanted to replace my underpowered G1 with this one, but it appears that it's no different than the G1 (maybe some more RAM and ROM, but that's about it I guess!) :'(
Posted by:
coolfx35 September 15, 2009 9:52 PM
Im from the Netherlands and still waiting for the launch of the Motorola Cliq. It will probably be available in a fourtnight. However the Dutch version will be white. But I think the Samsung will be the most appealing Android phone up till now (Amoled display, battery, etc).
I'm a webdesigner and love internet and it's possibilities. And Android/Google will make the future different. Hopefully it will be a better place, but surely it will be fun.
Hope to receive my Galaxy soon. Then I will post my experiences on http://www.Motorola-Cliq.com Also hope to learn a lot here of the Samsung and Android.
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September 11, 2009 12:47 PM
So, is Motorola going to give you PC synching software for free now, or are they still going to be greedy and charge for it?
September 11, 2009 1:59 PM
Does it have multitouch?
September 11, 2009 3:12 PM
Really cool video!
So let me be clear: if MotoBlur is a skinned version of Android, and Google let that happen, it sounds like there's a lot of control that Google is giving the manufacturer over Android.
It also makes me wonder whether or not Google will allow the carrier to exercise as much control over the mobile OS - as in charging for widgets and apps and other parts. I can see Verizon going all out for a model like that - where they get to dictate what's on their Android phones and what doesn't get installed on them. Scary, but possible?
September 13, 2009 4:27 AM
I wanted to replace my underpowered G1 with this one, but it appears that it's no different than the G1 (maybe some more RAM and ROM, but that's about it I guess!) :'(
September 15, 2009 9:52 PM
Im from the Netherlands and still waiting for the launch of the Motorola Cliq. It will probably be available in a fourtnight. However the Dutch version will be white. But I think the Samsung will be the most appealing Android phone up till now (Amoled display, battery, etc).
I'm a webdesigner and love internet and it's possibilities. And Android/Google will make the future different. Hopefully it will be a better place, but surely it will be fun.
Hope to receive my Galaxy soon. Then I will post my experiences on http://www.Motorola-Cliq.com Also hope to learn a lot here of the Samsung and Android.