Motorola to develop an Android-based social networking smartphone
It looks like Motorola has some tricks up its sleeve and may be introducing an Android phone with a twist. No plain Jane Android phone for Motorola and its 350 person strong development team - instead it may be crafting an Android-powered handset with a strong focus on social networking. Yup, that’s right. Our favorite buzzword of the year, social networking, rears its ugly head again. The folks over at AndroidGuys came across a job advertisement for the Interaction Design team that hints at this possibility:
As a Senior Staff Interaction Designer, you will be responsible for leading and actively participating in the concept, design, documentation and development of user interfaces for our mobile products including our new Android Social Networking SmartPhone. You’ll lead brainstorming and work sessions, usability and innovation reviews and other forums of design development. In addition to your primary responsibility in the delivery of great design, you will also be expected to mentor other designers, bringing your personal strengths to the rest of the team.
With Motorola moving towards more niche phones this phone would fit in nicely with its current lineup and would offer an interesting alternative to the upcoming crop of Google-centric Android phones. Maybe Jaiku will actually end up serving a purpose after all. So what do you think, a Motorola social networking Android smartphone, fantastic or a flop?
Tags: Android, Motorola, social networking
If its a motorola I probably wouldn’t waste my money. As far as I’m concerned they haven’t made a good phone since the original V3!
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‘would offer an interesting alternative to the upcoming crop of Google-centric Android phones. ‘
Kelly, do you have info/rumors on other specific devices?
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could motorola finally be making a good decision…..
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Please God don’t let this be an Android Sidekick Slide.
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the deviceb is sure to have a great user interface, the guy heading up motorola’s android group came from Good Technology, (push email solution moto aquired in 05).
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this might be a dumb question. But is it possible to create an android device thats not touch screen? Does the android sdk provide non-touch screen dev tools?
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Yes, although, you might lose a bit of UI interaction functionality. In fact the T-Mobile G1 has a trackball which can be used instead. The SDK emulator has a simple arrowpad which can be used to use most apps on the phone.
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Moto has always made quality handsets. Their problem is that they are always late in the game at adressing niche markets, and they’re greatest acheivement to this point is the Ming A1800, which isn’t even availible in North America. The A1600 aka Verizon Krave ZN4, has all of the smartphone options locked out.It’s just an ordinary handset. This is very poor marketing >(JP)…..
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