As this phone's lengthy moniker implies, the device is actually a revamp of Motorola's
MOTO Q9c, which was introduced a year ago, then quickly offered by Alltel, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon (see below) for post-rebate pricing of around $100. For its "with Talks" version, on the other hand, Verizon is asking approximately $250. That sounds exorbitant, until you realize that
screen reader software sells to a specialized market and typically costs several hundred dollars when purchased separately.
Motorola's MOTO Q 9c was previously released by (from left to right) Alltel, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon
(Click on any to enlarge)Verizon doesn't cite the source of its screen reader software -- Nuance's identically named
Talks product appears to be offered for Symbian devices only -- but says the program comes preinstalled on the phone, converting any text displayed on screen to "highly intelligible" speech. The rate and volume of speech can be controlled by the user, and the software can also read back newly created emails before they are sent, the company says.
The "Motorola MOTO Q9c with Talks" also includes "advanced speech recognition," permitting the phone to be operated using commands such as "call," "send," "send email," "look up," and "open." While it's an ideal companion to the phone's new screen reading capabilities, speech recognition is also offered on the standard MOTO Q9C, according to Motorola.
A non-touchscreen device, the "Motorola MOTO Q9c with Talks" ships with the
Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard OS upgrade that was
offered separately last year for the original MOTO Q9C. The dual-band (800/1900 MHz) CDMA device operates on EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) networks, and includes Bluetooth, though not WiFi, according to Verizon.
Other features of the phone include a 2.4-inch screen, QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera, side-scroll thumbwheel for menu navigation, and the Internet Explorer Mobile web browser. In addition,
Documents to Go software is provided for viewing and editing documents in Word, PowerPoint, PDF, and other formats.
Complete specifications, as listed by Verizon and Motorola, include:
- Processor -- Marvell PXA270, clocked at 312MHz
- Memory -- 64MB of RAM; 128MB flash
- Display -- 2.4-inch, 320 x 240 pixel LCD
- Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
- Wireless:
- EV-DO (800/1900 MHz)
- Bluetooth (version not specified, but supports stereo music streaming)
- Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
- Multimedia support:
- Audio -- AMR NB, AMR WB, MWA, MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WAV, and MIDI
- Video -- H.263, MPEG4, WMV, and H.264 decode
- Polyphonic and MP3 ringtones
- I/O ports:
- USB presumably included, but not specified
- 2.5mm headset jack
- Expansion -- miniSD slot, accepts up to 32 GB of storage
- Battery type/life -- 1170mAh battery provides 273 minutes talk time or 212 hours standby
- Dimensions -- 4.6 x 2.6 x 0.47 inches
- Weight -- 4.76 ounces
According to Verizon, the MOTO Q9C with Talks is available now for approximately $250 with a two-year service contract, inclusive of a $70 rebate. More information may be found on the company's website,
here.
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