Hours after introducing Motoblur, a new user interface debuting in conjunction with its first Android-powered Cliq smartphone, Motorola said it plans to open up its Motoblur application programming interfaces in an effort to galvanize third-party development for the solution. "Over a period of time--we're not there yet--we'll allow the APIs to be available so people can develop many more applications than we can think of ourselves, but it'll take us a little bit of time to mature ourselves to a place that we could open up APIs," said Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha in an interview with PC World. Jha added that Motoblur is more geared to consumers and prosumers than the enterprise market: "I think you we will see us address [the business] market with subsequent devices," he said.
Motoblur manages and integrates communications tools spanning from email to social networking, syncing updates, posts, messages and photos from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Gmail. According to Motorola, Motoblur automatically delivers updates to the Cliq's homescreen in easy-to-view streams--users are not required to open or close other applications to see the updates. In addition to Motoblur, the Cliq--coming from T-Mobile USA later this fall--boasts one-touch access to Google mobile services including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa. Email and contacts are also supported by Yahoo, Windows Live Hotmail and other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services. Motorola calls the Cliq "the first phone with social skills."
For more on Motorola's Motoblur plans:
- read this PC World article
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