Moto claims Android cameraphone first
Talks up XT720's USP
Motorola has introduced the first Android 2.1 smartphone... with a xenon flash.
A boon to mobile phone photography fans, to be sure, but a clear sign it's getting harder for phone firms to come up with USPs for their products.
Still, the XT720 has an impressive spec: a 8Mp camera, 480p video capture capability, 8GB Micro SD card in the box, HDMI cable in the box and a 3.7in, 854 x 480 display if you want to look at footage and stills on the handset rather than an HD TV.
The XT720 is a 3G HSDPA/HSUPA handset with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth too. It has GPS on board - and Motorola's MotoNav route guidance app - and an FM radio.
Moto claimed the handset's 1390mAh battery is good for up to nine hours' talk time or 320 hours on stand-by.
Motorola hasn't said how much the XT720 will cost over here, or when it will appear on shop shelves, though it did say Expansys, Play.com and Clove will be taking advance orders on 11 June.
Well, except Clove, which is already doing so, ahead of 1 July availability. Its price: £434, SIM-free. ®
COMMENTS
Nice, but..
Very nice, but I think that the HTC Desire is just a bit nicer to use than the current Milestone.. I suspect that this will be the case with with XT720 as well. I do note that Moto aren't saying what the processor speed is, so I guess it's still the 600 MHz one used in the MOTOROI and Milestone.
Re Flash?
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you just said, but I'm pretty sure a decent photographer looking for a decent photograph does not use a cameraphone, no matter how good that cameraphone is.
No matter what the press releases say, I'm reasonably sure this is just so you can take better - not good, better - photographs in dark locations than you can with an LED flash, and the general goal is posting online somewhere rather than selling to a glossy fashion magazine.
I want a telephone, not another camera
Puhlease, let cameras take pictures and cell phones make calls.
I know of know of no camera that can make calls. There must be a reason.
it's a Motorola it will fail
Strange as nobody seems to mention the fact that Moto has lost all credibility and Shine long ago in any markets.
Today people who wants an Android phone will get an HTC.
Craporola forever...
much as I love
extras and toys from my phone, the camera has always been way down on the list, mainly for the above mentioned shutter lag and lack of decent flash......and the just not being too bothered about taking pictures generally :D
