Another milestone
Rather than give it a whole new name, Motorola is positioning its latest smartphone launch as an evolution of its existing high-end model - the Milestone. This one is given the suffix: XT720, in reference to its ability to record 720p video, and the camera seems to be the major upgrade.
We're currently playing with a Milestone here at HEXUS.channel, and have found the 5 MP camera to be perfectly adequate. This one's got an 8 MP camera and a Xenon flash - the first, Motorola claims, to have such a flash.
There are also a bunch of enhancements to the image processing side of things, and an HDMI cable in the box, designed to position the XT720 as a viable alternative to a standalone camera.
The other major changes to the original Milestone concern the handset itself. The slide-out QWERTY has been removed, shaving almost 3 mm off the thickness of the phone. There's also an extra bulge on the side of it to accommodate three new touch-buttons devoted to camera functionality.
It looks like it still sports the now venerable TI OMAP 3430 SoC, and the same 3.7 inch screen. It runs Android 2.1, with all the goodies that entails. There was no mention of availability, but we expect to see it available as a SIM-free option first, within the next few weeks.
"Milestone XT720 is one of the most powerful phones in Motorola's current smartphone range. Slim, sophisticated and technically savvy, Milestone XT720 is a high performance device designed for those who are actively engaged in both their work and social lives," said Ralf Gerbershagen, VP and GM for Motorola's mobile devices business in Western Europe. "With Milestone XT720, Motorola has taken yet another step towards eliminating the barriers for consumers to creating and consuming media on the go."
