Motorola's navel gazing Android delayed

Motorola's first Android-based phone won't arrive in the US until the second quarter of next year. Europe will have to wait until the third quarter. To compensate, the company's going for a novelty twofer.

What's more fatuously chic than yet another touch screen smartphone? Social networking, naturally.

Motorola is spending $50 million to blend the two ideas, according BusinessWeek. Imagine folks updating their Facebook profile to reflect standing in line to buy a phone, from the very phone they're buying. That's the kind of navel gazing time paradox Moto hopes will reverse its fortunes in the mobile handset market.

Details are presently a bit scarce, but the new Moto "social smart phone" will supposedly be designed with a host of features to make it easier for users to connect to social networking sites. Yes, T-Mobile's Android-based G1 (which debuts October 22) supposedly appeals to the social networking crowd too, but Moto seems to really be playing up the idea.

The phone is also reported to feature an iPhone-like touch screen and slide-out keyboard. BW claims it will take design cues from the Krave ZN4, which has a flip-up lid with a second separate touch-screen. ®