Apple and Motorola introduce iTunes phone
Apple, Motorola and Cingular Wireless today announced the availability of the world?s first mobile phone with iTunes, enabling users to transfer up to 100 of their favorite songs from the iTunes jukebox on their Mac or PC to their mobile phone.
Apple?s iTunes software on the Motorola ROKR phone features easy to use menus, simple navigation and playback, and the ability to simply switch from phone to music and back again with the push of a dedicated music key. The new Motorola ROKR is available today at www.cingular.com and will be sold exclusively in all Cingular retail locations beginning tomorrow.
?We?ve worked closely with Motorola to deliver the world?s best music experience on a mobile phone,? said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. ?We?re also thrilled to be working with Cingular, the largest wireless carrier in the US, to bring this pioneering phone to market.?
The ROKR has a color display for viewing album art and features built-in dual-stereo speakers, as well as stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone.
Users can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists from their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while messaging with friends or snapping a photo.
Pricing & Availability
The new Motorola ROKR with iTunes pre-installed is available for $249.99 (US) with a two-year commitment at all Cingular stores nationwide and includes stereo headphones and a USB cable.
Apple?s iTunes software on the Motorola ROKR phone features easy to use menus, simple navigation and playback, and the ability to simply switch from phone to music and back again with the push of a dedicated music key. The new Motorola ROKR is available today at www.cingular.com and will be sold exclusively in all Cingular retail locations beginning tomorrow.
?We?ve worked closely with Motorola to deliver the world?s best music experience on a mobile phone,? said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. ?We?re also thrilled to be working with Cingular, the largest wireless carrier in the US, to bring this pioneering phone to market.?
The ROKR has a color display for viewing album art and features built-in dual-stereo speakers, as well as stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone.
Users can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists from their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while messaging with friends or snapping a photo.
Pricing & Availability
The new Motorola ROKR with iTunes pre-installed is available for $249.99 (US) with a two-year commitment at all Cingular stores nationwide and includes stereo headphones and a USB cable.
Comments
They needed to do A LOT more if I was to favor this over the k750i.
Does it have radio? What kind of camera? Why such sucky design?
And the price? WTF? That what I pay for the k750 with a 6 month contract.
Instead we get a boring candy-bar phone.
Maybe the interface is actually good for the rest of the phone, but I doubt I will be buying one.
PERFECT iCAL syncing
if it doesn't, good bye apple and...well, welcome msft...because I'm simply tired of waiting for a decent device to carry with me that will keep my contacts, tasks, and phone numbers WITHOUT messing them up during syncing...
does anyone know if it has iSync capabilities?
now that would be interesting!
(sorry if this topic has been beaten to death elsewhere...)
ROKR=craptacular
Originally posted by hmurchison
No worries. I'll just get the next Treo model and stick the Nano to the back when I need it :P
HA HA HA !
Excellent posting !
Zon
Well, they say that expensive phones don't sell, but that's not true. I just bought a Sanyo MM 5600 for my daughter who is starting High school tommorrow. With the discounts it came to $330. It was out of stock in almost all of the Sprint stores. The same with the other hi-end phones.
This doesn't really seem that much out of line.
durandal
Originally posted by durandal
New? Now, I suggest everyone hops over to Moto's website and takes a close look at the Motorola E398... which seems to be the very same cellphone, only without iTunes - and (in Germany) for 90 Euros less (about 112 US $)
durandal
Does it have the same amount of flash?
Locked phone!!
grrrr!
It is teh suck if you travel to and fro out of the USA
can't swap out sim chips!!!
grrrr!
Originally posted by TednDi
grrrr!
Locked phone!!
grrrr!
It is teh suck if you travel to and fro out of the USA
can't swap out sim chips!!!
grrrr!
Maybe the versions sold abroad will have them. It seems to be more popular there.
If it is a Moto phone, then it makes sense that Apple would not want it to have a click wheel or hold a large number of songs. I still think that Apple would have better success by adding phone capabilities to the iPod. It would not even need a keypad if I could just scroll through my contact list. Hiding a keypad in a slider design wouldn't hurt though.
Originally posted by fahlman
I'm not buying until I can buy a phone with mobile versions of iCal and Address Book, plus maybe even Mail and iChat (for text messaging), that sync perfectly. Oh and it has to be a filp phone. Exposed keypads are not user friendly.
You mean you won't buy an iTunes phone? Because this will most likely not happen unless Apple makes the phone themselves.
The iPod nano is cool, might pick one up on saturday if I can.
I love the fact this phone is not even supported by iSync currently. I wish they could have partnered with Sony-Ericsson.
The Rockr is just ok. Its still nowhere near the Razr
This is probably just the beginning of Apple licensing iTunes for cell phones. To gain momentum before MS can get a foot hold.
With out a doubt Apple is working on their own phone in the labs. Will they actually release it as a product is anther question.
This would be the phone that could sync with Address Book, iCal, iPhoto and so on.
Apple has to play things pretty cool. When they put resources behind a product it needs to succeed.
Originally posted by 1984
Motorola has supplied Apple with such cutting edge, blazing fast PowerPC chips it's no wonder they turned to them for a cell phone.
I love the fact this phone is not even supported by iSync currently. I wish they could have partnered with Sony-Ericsson.
Are you sure about that? I thought I read somewhere today that it did.
If I did, and can find it, I'll post it here.