T-Mobile USA said it will launch Motorola's first Android phone, the Cliq, on Nov. 2 for $199.99 with a two-year contract, which requires customers to buy a data plan. The pricing and availability information for the phone gives definition to both T-Mobile and Motorola's plans for the Cliq, which Motorola is counting on to be the first in a wave of successful devices based on Google's mobile platform.
Customers will be able to pre-order the phone beginning Oct. 19; the pre-order period will last until Nov. 1. T-Mobile said pre-ordered devices will be shipped to customers as orders are received and that the order would also include a free car charger.
The Cliq will be T-Mobile's third Android phone, after the G1 and myTouch3G, both of which were made by HTC. The carrier has established itself as a clear champion of Android among major U.S. carriers, though it soon will begin competing with Sprint Nextel, which is launching the HTC Hero Oct. 11 for $179.99 after rebates. Verizon Wireless also is widely expected to launch a Motorola-made Android phone in the coming quarter. Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha has said the company is in discussions with "all large" U.S. carriers for Android phones.
The Cliq is the first device to feature Motorola's proprietary user interface, MotoBLUR, which lets users customize their device home page so they no longer have to open and close applications.
MotoBLUR allows users to sync their various social networking activities. For example, a user can post one status update across a range of social networking services. Another widget will allow them to see messages from various sources--including emails, text messages and social networking messages--on the home screen.
Besides MotoBLUR, the Cliq supports T-Mobile's 3G UMTS network, WiFi, has a slide-out Qwerty keyboard and a full 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen display. The phone also has a 5-megapixel camera with video capture and playback, a 3.5 mm headset jack, a music player pre-loaded with Amazon's MP3 store and a pre-installed 2 GB microSD memory card with support for up to 32 GB of removable memory.
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