MobileNest

Motorola’s Ron Garriques, president of mobile devices, gave a preview of what it is coming out of Motorola’s product pipeline.

The information was part of the presentation found online [PDF].

Users should expect announcements of products covered in the presentation in the very near future. The release date has not been specified yet, but it is coming.

The main flavors of the new release are the 3G handset:

• KRZR K3 – Existing KRZR with 3G and second camera for video calling
• RIZR Z8 – modified design of the RIZR with UMTS or HSDPA
• Q EDGE – GSM version of the original Q
• Q2 – Updated Q in both HSDPA and EV-DO versions, expected at 3GSM

Alltel Wireless has launched a platform, called Celltop, for deploying mobile content, commerce, and data services.

Celltop was created to improve the convenience of access for mobile data and services. The new technology brings the stuff the user cares the most about to the top of the phone.

Alltel is calling their widgets “cells” and Celltop comes with 10 built-in cells:

• News
• Stocks
• Weather
• Messaging Inbox
• Cell Log
• Ringtones
• Pro Foootball
• Pro Basketball
• Pro Baseball
• Pro Rodeo

The company is looking to the development community to provide more cells. Celltop was designed in a way that makes it easy to create and add cells. The only potential limitation could be the imagination. Cells created by the development community will be tested, certified, and available to users in the online Alltel Cell Shop.

Celltop is now available on select Alltel handsets (Samsung u520, MOTORAZR V3m, MOTOKRZR, and LG AX245) and will be shipping on all new phones by late 2007.

If you want, you can vote today on which cell you want next (digg.com feed, NASCAR, Gmail, or horoscope).

Nimbuzz launched a voice enabled mobile client, designed to support more than 500 mobile phone models and all Internet capable mobile phones.

Internet capable phones do not require software downloads since calls can be made using a mobile browser.

The software needed for non-Internet mobile phones is free to download and users only pay the lowest local rate to their mobile operator. The mobile service is available in 35 countries.

Nimbuzz is now mobile connected to Google Talk and MSN / Windows Live Messenger for Chat and Voice. Nimbuzz’s mobile users can call their friends on these communities on their PC against their cheapest local rate.

With Nimbuzz you can also make international mobile-to-mobile calls at the cheapest local rate. The only limitation is that both phones have to have the Nimbuzz software installed. Nimbuzz’s revolutionary concept eliminates the high roaming charges charged by operators for international calls.

Some of the features offered by Nimbuzz:

• mobile-to-mobile calls at local cost
• free (Group)
• support for text messaging
• ability to place Group Calls on the fly with up to 5 buddies

“This release is a major step towards our next goal: connecting all major VoIP-communities on the Internet with the mobile for Chat, Voice and various Messaging services”, stated Evert Jaap Lugt (CEO). “Nimbuzz is now testing the Yahoo!, AIM, ICQ and Skype connectivity, wait and see”.

Today, a white version of the BlackBerry Pearl was launched at T-Mobile. The Pearl is the first multimedia capable BlackBerry.

Features of the BlackBerry Pearl include:

• 240×260 screen
• 64MB built-in memory
• Quad-band GSM with EDGE
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• Instant messaging
• Push email

Interesting buyers can purchase the BlackBerry Pearl White for $149.99 after a 2-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate at T-Mobile.

The device is myFaves compatible and has the option of a $19.99/month unlimited data plan.

Motorola KRZR was launched by Cingular. The KRZR, up to this point only available from CDMA carriers, is a Motorola’s replacement for the popular RAZR.

The new unit gained some thickness over its predecessor but it is shorter and narrower.

Motorola KRZR includes the following features:

• 176×220 pixel screen with 262k colors
• 2 megapixel camera with 8x zoom and video record
• Bluetooth with stereo A2DP support
• Quad-band GSM plus EDGE
• MP3 playback
• Instant Messaging from AIM/MSN/Yahoo
• MicroSD card slot
• Picture and ringtone caller ID
• PIM functionality with calendar and reminders
• Airplane mode for listening to music on flights
• Advanced speech recognition

Motorola KRZR is being sold from Cingular retail stores and online. Interested buyers can purchase Motorola KRZR for $199.99 after a 2-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate. The KRZR predecessor, RAZR, is now available in several colors for $79.99 with a 2-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate.

Sprint has announced it that will start carrying the Motorola Q. Up to this point, Motorola Q was only available through Verizon Wireless, since its launch in May 2006.

Initially, Sprint will sell Motorola Q to business channels and starting in February Motorola Q will be sold in all retail channels.

The Motorola Q features:

• Windows Mobile 5.0
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• miniSD card slot
• EV-DO 3G data
• Bluetooth
• Compact size: 4.6 inch x 2.5 inch x 0.45 inch