Motorola is having another go at Linux-based smart phones, this time by rebranding its previously announced A1200 as the Ming. Expect the company to launch Flsh and Grdn models in due course. It has already begun shipping the Ming in Hong Kong, it said.

The clamshell handset will initially be pitched at the Chinese market - incorporates Chinese character recognition, for example, including Pinyin, Motorola said. 'Ming' means bright, clear, open and clear-sighted, the company was quick to point out - that's why it has a transparent plastic cover.

The 122g handset's based on an Intel XScale PXA270 processor and it incorporates the usual email and personal information management apps you'd expect from a smart phone. There's a two megapixel camera on the back which also works as a business card scanner, Motorola said.

The main screen is a 2.4in, 240 x 320, 262,144-colour job. The phone can take MicroSD cards of up to 1GB in capacity.

The handset measures 9.6 x 5.2 x 2.2cm and incorporates a quad-band GSM/GPRS radio.

The Ming has Bluetooth on board for headsets and stereo headphones. It's also got an integrated FM receiver, though it's not clear whether it has enough of a built-in antenna to pick up transmissions without an earphone cord that doubles-up as an aerial.

Motorola didn't say how much the Ming will cost or when it will ship to end-users - the phone is currently shipping to Moto's distributors in the region. ®