Linux-powered Motorola A910 does GSM, Wi-Fi

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	Linux-powered Motorola A910 does GSM, Wi-Fi	By Jørgen Sundgot, 26 July 2005

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With Linux and Java under the hood, Motorola's new A910 supports UMA to enable seamless switching between Wi-Fi and GSM. Also present: a 1.3 Megapixel camera and Bluetooth.

At its annual MOTONOW event in Chicago, Illinois, Motorola today introduced the A910, a clamshell smartphone powered by Linux and Java. The handset is Motorola's first to integrate the standards-approved Unlicensed Mobile Access, or UMA, technology, which aims to enable the delivery of mobile services over unlicensed spectrum such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Provided the necessary requirements are met, the inclusion of UMA technology will enable A910 users to send and receive voice calls and messages across Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networks with seamless handover and roaming features as if users were transitioning to the network of another mobile network operator.

Not only equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11g, the A910 also supports GSM and GPRS connectivity, although which bands is currently unknown. Other hardware features of the clamshell includes a back-mounted 1.3 Megapixel camera, dual displays and a microSD card expansion slot for adding memory to the device.

Also present is the ability to play back and progressively stream audio and video with support for multiple codecs, with the mini USB connector of the A910 doubling as an audio out port. Furthermore, speaker independent voice recognition is present, as is Motorola's MOTOSYNC software which combines local PC synchronization with support for Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync to enable direct, over-the-air Exchange synchronization.

Scheduled for availability in the first quarter of 2006, Motorola did not comment on the expected pricing of the A910, nor in which markets it will initially be available.