Motorola Sings Its Own Tune With New ROKR Phone

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.motorola.com/motoinfo/product/details/0,,132,00.html' target='_blank'>http://www.motorola.com/motoinfo/product/details/0,,132,00.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The ultimate fusion of music and mobility, the next generation Motorola ROKR E2 delivers an optimized multimedia experience. Tuned into you, the ROKR E2 lets you wirelessly groove while on-the-move to the latest tracks via Bluetooth® wireless technology and integrated MP3 player. Capture the sights and sounds with enhanced photo and video capabilities, or catch up on world news via Motorola’s SCREEN3 technology for zero click access to news, sports, entertainment, and other premium content*. Complete with direct downloads from your favorite CDs or digital music collections via a fast USB 2.0 connection and up to 2GB of optional SD Card memory to store all your favorite files, the Motorola ROKR E2 can satisfy any creative craving."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/13624_MotImage.jpg" /><br /><br />The new ROKR E2 looks like a major improvement over its predecessor's design. At least this model looks cooler anyway. But the big news here is not the phone itself, but Motorola's accompanying music download service, called iRadio, which will enable the new ROKR to connect with a mobile music store, allowing users to purchase songs right on their phone. <br /><br />To that end, the ROKR E2 will not feature Apple's iTunes software for Motorola phones, as featured on the first generation ROKR as well as other upcoming phones like the RAZR V3i and SLVR V8. This is where I have to put on my conspiracy theorist hat, because I can't help wondering if this is Motorola's way of pimp slapping Apple for essentially killing its first ROKR phone when Steve Jobs unexpectedly stole their thunder by simultaneously announcing the iPod nano. Could this be what Ed Zander meant when quoted as saying "Screw the nano"?

[Tim Williamson]

Interesting theory...although, Motorola essentially screwed itself for making such a crappy looking phone. I thought the RAZR V3i was going to include iTunes?

[Jerry Raia]

Will now Moto can kill its own phone without Apples' help. This is just an other out of touch Moto creation. They can stack these phones next to the unsold original ROKR boxes.

[Kent Pribbernow]

Will now Moto can kill its own phone without Apples' help. This is just an other out of touch Moto creation. They can stack these phones next to the unsold original ROKR boxes.

I disagree, Motorola got it right this time. Now, I'm not suggesting the E2 is going to be a hit, escpecially since it is no longer an "iTunes phone", but the design is very sleek looking. Another point of interest about this particular model is that it runs on a customized version of Linux, which is rather cool.

I just might purchase one of these for myself, though I'm rather torn between it, the V3i, and the SLVR phone.

And yes, T-will, the V3i does include iTunes...and does the SLVR.

[Jerry Raia]

Motorola got it right this time.

I'll buy you a beer if you turn out to be right. :)