Motorola QUENCH Continues the Android Revolution
By: Nate Nelson (Contributing Writer)
In a continuing nod to their pick for the future of mobile operating systems, Motorola announced their newest Android enabled phone: the QUENCH. This will be the eighth Motorola/Android device released around the globe.
QUENCH, which will be branded the CLIQ XT in the United States, will do all of the standard smartphone things like web browsing, messaging, and email. QUENCH also features a pinch and zoom ready touch-screen and navigational touch pad; the browser includes Adobe Flash Lite, which gives it an Internet advantage over Apple’s iPhone. A voice activated search feature can perform Google searches, find contacts, or launch application.
The killer app of QUENCH is the new MOTOBLUR content delivery system for Android, which syncs the user’s social network to the home screen of the device, including posts, updates, emails, messages, and photos. MOTOBLUR is compatible with Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace (if anyone still uses it), as well as Gmail and other POP3/IMAP email accounts. Contact information is automatically synched to the device when it changes, so address book information remains fresh.
QUENCH also features a media player that connects to both the Internet and social networks. The media player connects to third party websites like TuneWiki, SoundHound, and YouTube, and an MP3 store provides simple purchase and downloading to the phone. A music search feature also includes the ability to view synchronized lyrics in multiple languages, which is useful for anyone who has always wanted to learn how to sing, say, Captain and Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together” in Swedish (“Kärlek Kommer att Hålla Oss Samman”).
The MOTOBLUR system also provides security to gadget owners with a “secure personal information portal” that can find lost devices or remotely erase the data, if necessary. Then, once the gadget has been located, the information can be restored with a single username and password.
QUENCH/CLIQ XT will be available in the U.S. exclusively through T-Mobile, with an official launch to be somewhat ambiguously in “Q1 2010.” As smaller mobile service providers gear up for the anticipated marriage of Apple iPhone and Verizon, they are launching more devices like this, which have all the features of the iPhone with a similar design. No pricing information was forthcoming on Motorola’s website, but the QUENCH/CLIQ XT looks to be a reasonable smartphone option for those who like Android, do not like Apple, or want to stick with a T-Mobile data plan.
(via HotHardware)
