RAZR

Can Motorola rebound?

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

With Greg Brown officially installed as CEO in place of Ed Zander, Motorola must now decide whether to pull the trigger on a corporate breakup. According to activist investor Carl Icahn, slicing up the Motorola pie could generate almost $20 billion of additional shareholder value. But first the company must re-energize its struggling handset business--no small feat, given that the last time Motorola enjoyed any real device cachet was in 2004, when the RAZR first hit the market. Moto could also sell off its public-safety radio and device business or its home-and-networks division, but one question: Who will buy them?

Zander goes, but Motorola's troubles remain

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Zander goes, but Motorola's troubles remain
When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange. (A very wise person once said that--I believe it was one of The Brady Bunch.) It's certainly time to change at Motorola, where late last week embattled CEO Ed Zander bowed to the inevitable and announced he will resign his post January 1, with COO Greg Brown now grabbing the helm. History will not judge Zander's four-year tenure kindly--after greenlighting the now-iconic RAZR, which sold in excess of 100 million units, he seemed content to let Motorola coast on autopilot, emphasizing market share at the expense of profit margins. The company now lags some distance behind Nokia and Samsung in global handset sales, with no turnaround on the horizon.

The chief question facing the post-Zander Motorola is exactly how much it needs to rearrange. The answer: All of it, at least according to billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who holds about 3 percent of the company. Icahn, who unsuccessfully sought a Motorola board seat in an attempt to force Zander out, said in a statement his nemesis' departure is by no means the only step necessary to correct the "major problems" facing Motorola. "The best opportunity for the mobile devices business to attract top flight management and to prosper and grow is to establish it as a standalone business," Icahn said in a statement. "In my opinion, Motorola should be split into separate companies: a mobile devices company; an enterprise mobility company; a connected home company; and a company focused on mobile networks infrastructure."

But splitting Motorola into a series of smaller entities does nothing to alter the fundamental issues plaguing the mobile phone business that remains the heart of everything the company does and is. Motorola is fundamentally out of step with the mobile industry it once defined--the RAZR seems like a lifetime ago, a now-distant ancestor of Apple's iPhone and other cutting-edge devices, and the organization has done little to embrace the multimedia services and applications that increasingly define the identity of market leader Nokia. Greg Brown is the safe, seamless choice to take over, but playing it safe is exactly why Motorola is in the predicament it's in. What Motorola needs is new blood, outside-the-box ideas and a fresh start--in short, it needs revolution, but as usual, it settles for evolution. -Jason

From RAZR-sharp to dull as lint

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:59:59 -0400

From RAZR-sharp to dull as lint
Motorola continues rearranging the deck chairs on its sinking ship, following last week's grim revenue forecast by filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a realignment plan that splits the company into three divisions: Mobile Devices, Home and Networks Mobility and Enterprise Mobility Solutions. The latter will encompass voice and data communications for Motorola's government, business and public safety customers as well as subsume the recently acquired mobile software development unit Good Technology, previously part of the Mobile Devices group. In addition, Motorola named former integrated supply chain EVP Stu Reed the new president of the Mobile Devices division.

Of course, the reorganization fails to address Motorola's troubled mobile handset business in any meaningful way. The success of its RAZR device now seems like a lifetime ago, and while the RAZR 2 is still on tap for later this year, like all sequels the handset carries with it a whiff of desperation. Of course, it may never even reach retail, the fate that befell Motorola's now-abandoned MPx Windows Mobile Pocket PC device, or arrive fatally flawed, like the MOTOROKR music phone. At best, the RAZR 2 enters a marketplace where recalibrated consumer expectations demand that every new upmarket device deliver an experience bigger and bolder than Apple's iPhone--outsized projections for any company to face.

With Motorola CEO Ed Zander plainly on borrowed time, speculation now turns to who might lead the firm back from the brink. The smart money is on Michael Capellas, the former Hewlett-Packard chief who revived MCI WorldCom after Bernie Ebbers' penchant for fraud, conspiracy and Amish-style beard trimming left the carrier on life support. Rumors indicate that Capellas has already met with Motorola's board of directors to discuss a potential role with the company, and with Reed taking over the mobile device arm, there are few other spots for him to land except Zander's office. But whether it's Capellas or a player to be named later, Motorola clearly needs a jolt--not a sequel a la RAZR, but a fresh start with new characters and an original storyline. -Jason

RAZR 2 embraces Linux, Java and Web

Tue, 22 May 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Motorola has finally unveiled the RAZR2, a major update to the original RAZR. The phone boasts a large external LCD an improved inner display, and a package that is 2mm thinner than the original RAZR. Of note for Java developers, the RAZR2 fully supports the Java ME CDC (also known as phoneME Advanced). Motorola says the phone will also include a "full HTML" Web browser (apparently some form of Opera).

The RAZR2 will be available in at least three versions: The V8 will support EDGE, the V9 will support HSDPA, and the V9m will support EV-DO. The V8 will be available in July, while the V9 should be out by Q3.

Motorola has been vague on the differences between versions of the phones, but at least one version (probably the V8) will run on Motorola's Linux-based OS, while others will get the old Synergy OS with an updated user interface.

Motorola also confirmed that the "Media Monster" phone CEO Ed Zander hinted at earlier this month is indeed the Moto Z8, which first appeared months ago at 3GSM.

FierceWireless has more on the RAZR2's features and the Z8 announcement.

Motorola KRZR K1 on T-Mobile

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

T-Mobile has launched the Motorola KRZR K1, one of several devices intended to succeed the RAZR. The GSM version of the KRZR lacks 3G data and costs about $150 after rebates with a new contract.

Rumor: Motorola RAZR Maxx coming to Verizon

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:01:37 -0500

Verizon is the likely destination for Motorola's RAZR MAXX. The MAXX edition of the RAZR features an upgraded 2-megapixel camera, a microSD slot, and EV-DO support. There is still no official release date. Blog

Nokia launches slim N76

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:01:37 -0500

Nokia's latest N-series phone may be a bit more appealing to U.S. consumers than previous models. The N76 is a RAZR-like flip phone that manages to fit some impressive features into a form factor that is just a hair thinner than Motorola's RAZR. The S60 device has a 2.4" screen, a microSD slot and support for Windows media DRM. It is expected to cost €390 and should ship this quarter.

Initial Motorola KRZR sales look good

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:01:37 -0500

The Motorola KRZR (one of the company's unfortunately named RAZR successors) is apparently doing well. Motorola Handset President Ron Garriques said the company sold more KRZRs in the first 120 days than it did RAZRs. Blog

LG KE320 Credit Card phone

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:01:37 -0500

LG's KE820 "Credit Card Phone" is a sight to behold. The tiny phone puts the RAZR's form factor to shame and comes with an impressive features set: a 2-megapixel camera, microSD slot, FM radio and GPRS/EDGE support. The KE820 is the successor to the KE320.

QUICKLINKS: The great RAZR swindle; BlackBerry as an anti-status symbol?; Much more...

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:01:35 -0500

Opinion: The great RAZR swindle. Blog

The BlackBerry is an anti-status symbol? Blog

Gnutella and Bit Torrent clients for S60. Blog

SK Telecom partners with Google for mobile search. Article

Verizon boosts the rebate on the Moto Q, bringing the final cost to $99. Website

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