Motorola phones in simplified handset

I believe it was Thomas Edison who said “Convergence is the great half-asser of technology.” Or perhaps it was Murray, that guy who hangs out on the street corner in front of CVS. Either way, it’s spot on. When you design a gadget that plays music, takes pictures, makes phone calls, and browses the web, you’re bound to have to make some sacrifices in order to get everything working.

Motorola has taken one step back and two steps forward with their W315. It’s an attractive clamshell with an external display, but it’s more notable for what it doesn’t have. No web browsing. No camera. No watching video. Just making phone calls and sending/receiving text messages. Ideally, I’d love to see some Bluetooth in there, for contact syncing, but I can’t fault them for leaving it out. Especially as it only costs $29.99 with a 2 year contract from Verizon. Finally, a phone I could buy my dad.

[via Digital World ]