i465 to be first Motorola iDEN phone with QWERTY...

[SL-10]

i465 to be first Motorola iDEN phone with QWERTY

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jan 27th 2009 at 9:03PM

http://www.engadget.com/

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadgetmobile.com/media/2009/01/i465-sm.jpg

A year ago, "innovation" and "iDEN" were two words we wouldn't dare use in the same sentence -- but in the age of i9s and 8350is, the landscape has changed just a bit. That's not to say we'd dare consider switching from CDMA or GSM to the old-school PTT airwaves, but hey, it's good to know the Nextels and Mikes of the world are still getting theirs in 2009.

This year should see the release of the Motorola i465, the very first iDEN Moto to score a QWERTY keyboard -- and no, it's not Windows Mobile or anything fancy like that. Instead, it seems they'll be taking the low-tech route by grafting a full keyboard onto a dumbphone, a strategy that's really caught on with many of the world's carriers in the past year as they've looked to boost messaging revenue with cool, affordable phones geared toward a younger segment.

It's got Bluetooth 2.0 and a lowly VGA cam, but other than that, specs, release dates, and target carriers are all a mystery to us -- so if you're in that curious group of folks who text and push-to-talk like monsters and can't tolerate anything out of Waterloo, keep your eyes peeled.

[Scrumptious]

Might have been a consideration if it was not a dumb phone

[rilharri]

it will be a good boost mobile phone

[Smooth Chef D]

I am guessing this will be marketed to the boost crowd. I think it is kinda ugly my self but I be die hard iden users will like it.

[Scrumptious]

I think its ok... a wannabe blackberry dump phone lol

If I were a boost user I would be all over it!

[sshorkey]

finally!

[golemchamp]

it will be a good boost mobile phone
ill have to agree. this fone would be great for boost users. its a good non smart fone for text, camera,chirp, and talk fone.

[lilred731]

A dumbphone? :haha:

It could have been better designed.

[chilidogtampa]

I can see a lot of inspiration from the Q9c, I could only hope for Moto to release a newer version of the Q9....

[lifestar53]

These designers mess everything up, the I465 should have had an I930 inside.That would have been perfect.

1st they messed up the BB 8350i, that should have been an iden/CDMA hybrid now the i465.

[chilidogtampa]

one thing that can be said about nextels is they are, and need to be, sturdy... I dont think twice about throwing my nextel on the ground, ive run em' over, used em' in the rain and so forth. so yes this qwerty iden may be dumb and have a case of the uglies but im bettin it will be sturdy. I might give it a try cuz my treo pro isnt coming out of the truck in the rain...

[lifestar53]

You should checkout http://www.otterbox.com not sure if otter box has anything but Seidio does http://www.seidioonline.com for protection for that PRO.

I do plan on getting a i465. I don't mind the shape, just wish it was all black and it would have had more use if had a i930 in that shell. Might be a nice experiment. LOL

[sshorkey]

Im happy this phone is finally out.
People need to understand what PTT is about.
The company I work for is transitioning to Sprint/Nextel from Skytel 2-way pagers. They have been holding off till this device came out. We need duimb phones in the factory. Skytel is getting worse and worse.

[LilTeddyP]

Im happy this phone is finally out.
People need to understand what PTT is about.
The company I work for is transitioning to Sprint/Nextel from Skytel 2-way pagers. They have been holding off till this device came out. We need duimb phones in the factory. Skytel is getting worse and worse.

off topic but goddamn to i miss skytel pagers, those were the days, texting before texting was "the thing to do"

on topic, there is not one smartphone except for the BB that i like for anything, they all have their quirks, i think the phone is a good idea on a simple os, nextel just need to step their game up with the text messaging system as far as speed

[sshorkey]

Talking about Skytel. The reason we are moving off of them is they are falling apart!
Their service is getting worse and worse and coverage is disappearing.
I agree they need to step up their game though.

[PokerFace23]

i don't think i could work for motorola and ever be proud of any of the iden phones they've made in the past 3 years. except maybe the i580. MAYBE