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Motorola announced several smartphones at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France in February 2004. Two models, the MPx and MPx100, were based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform.

Well it looks like the mobile phone giant has changed its plans for these two smartphones. According to PhoneScoop, the MPx, which was due this Fall, has been delayed till the first quarter of 2005, while the MPx100 has been cancelled altogether.

The MPx100's (see top image) days appeared numbered last month when Motorola postponed ordering the smartphone from its manufacturer, Taiwan-based Compal. Unlike most Windows Smartphones, the low-end MPx100 wasn't a clamshell, but rather a more traditional candy bar mobile handset.

It turns out demand from wireless carriers and consumers for this type of design is so lacking that instead of delivering a smartphone no one wanted, Motorola smartly went ahead and tossed the MPx100 into the dustbin of history.

The MPx, on the other hand, is one of the most eagerly awaited mobile devices this year. Unlike most Pocket PC phones, the MPx is a dual-hinge mobile handset that opens both vertically and horizontally (see bottom two images).

PhoneScoop reports Motorola is making adjustments to the keyboard. Not wanting to release an unfinished product, as other American companies are apt to do, Motorola is delaying the MPx till it gets the design right.


MPx opened horizontally

The tri-band GSM/GRPS MPx features both built-in 802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and is similar in design to Motorola rival Nokia's Symbian-based 9500 Communicator, also announced at the 3GSM World Congress.

Like the 9500 Communicator and recently announced Hewlett-Packard iPAQ h6315, 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 MPx200, 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 smartphone supports a variety of input methods, including a numeric keypad, a BlackBerry-style QWERTY keyboard and a touch sensitive screen display.

The MPx should sell for around $900 without a service plan.