Motorola first introduced the MPx Pocket PC Phone—one of the most eagerly anticipated smartphones of the year—back in February. Unlike other Pocket PC phones, the MPx features a unique dual-hinge design that lets the mobile handset open both vertically and horizontally (see bottom two images). Other features include a QWERTY keyboard plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networking.

Delayed for months because of problems with its keyboard and Wi-Fi integration with Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone edition, there is finally word from Motorola that the MPx could finally be released in the near future.


MPx opened horizontally

Pocket PC Thoughts reports a Motorola representative said at Microsoft's Mobius conference in Seattle that the MPx would ship in South East Asia by the end of the year and other market's "shortly," which we take to mean during the first quarter of next year.

At the same presentation, the representative stated that the MPx would only impliment 32MB of memory rather than 64MB. For a Pocket PC phone, 32MB is very low and may affect how it performs in the market—let alone in the hand.

To make matters worse, a mere 4MB of RAM is devoted to storage, while a little of 8MB is available to run applications. On the plus side, you can use 60MB of Flash ROM as an internal memory card.

MPx
The tri-band GSM/GRPS MPx is similar in design to Motorola rival Nokia's upcoming Symbian-based 9500 and 9300 Communicators.

Like other smartphones that integrate an 802.11b radio, you can use Wi-Fi to leverage wireless access points to get on the Internet and corporate intranet, as well as send and receive e-mail. While you can perform similar functions via GPRS, the data-side of GSM cellular networking, Wi-Fi is much faster and won't eat into your data plan, which often charged by the megabyte.

There is also the possibility that users may be able to make voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls with the MPx when connected via Wi-Fi. VoIP allows users to bypass standard phone lines--wired and unwired--by using the Internet for communications.

The MPx has a 2.8-inch, 16-bit (65,536) color, and 320 x 240 pixel resolution display—standard for a Pocket PC. The outside of the top half of the clamshell features a second, smaller display for time, date, and phone info as well as audio control. Unlike Windows Smartphones like Motorola's own MPx220, Pocket PC phones like the MPx can run all Pocket PC applications. Windows Smartphones are far more limited in what software they support.


MPx opening vertically

Other features include a Secure Digital slot for memory expansion and a 1.3-megapixel digital camera with a flash. As a Windows Mobile device, it will include mini versions of Word, Excel and outlook as well as Windows Media Player.

The MPx should sell for around $900—quite a lot for even the most high-end mobile devices—without a service plan.