Verizon launching new Motorola Android phone, the Devour

Verizon Wireless is hoping its customers will keep on devouring Android phones.

motorola devour verizon wirelessThe carrier announced it will launch Motorola's latest smartphone based on Google's Android platform, called the Devour, in March. This is Verizon's first Motorola device to carry MotoBLUR, the handset maker's custom Android user interface. The phone also is Verizon's first Android device not to carry the "Droid" moniker.

For Motorola, the Devour represents its latest effort to return to prominence and profitability on the back of Google's Android. This is the vendor's third Android device with U.S. carriers--Verizon sells the Moto Droid and T-Mobile USA offers the Cliq, which has MotoBLUR. And AT&T Mobility plans to launch at least one Motorola Android device later this year. When Motorola reported its fourth quarter earnings in late January, co-CEO Sanjay Jha said Motorola plans to ship 20 different smartphones this year, with the majority of them running MotoBLUR.

The Devour appears to be a lower-end version of the Droid, with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard. The device runs Android 1.6, has a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen display, 3-megapixel camera and an 8 GB microSD card. The MotoBLUR UI has a strong focus on social networking integration and centers on push notifications.

Verizon did not disclose pricing or a specific release date.

For more:
- see these pictures and specs
- see this release

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