Motorola's touchscreen Blaze for Verizon in the wild
Remember that touchscreen Motorola Blaze we'd mentioned a while back that was on the hook to get Verizon's visual voicemail service? It may not be in Verizon stores yet, but it's all up in Boy Genius Report's labs with a dark red body, MING attitude, and almost limitless mediocrity on board. The touchscreen apparently requires ridiculous amounts of effort to actuate, and that problem is compounded by a lame on-screen keyboard that makes texting tricky at best. EV-DO Rev. A is cool and all -- and the visual voicemail support should be a pretty popular add-on feature -- but that giant Motorola logo up front with the red ring and three pounds of chrome leaves the Blaze with a face only a mother could love. Let's hope Verizon's positioning this one as its low-end touchscreen offering, because we're not seeing it cha-chinging many registers otherwise.






















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MastrCake @ Jun 28th 2008 6:31PM
Wait... is that the front, or the back?
Chris Ziegler @ Jun 28th 2008 6:33PM
That's the front with the translucent lid closed.
MastrCake @ Jun 28th 2008 6:46PM
Okay. That makes sense.
FAIL @ me
Wormbolt @ Jun 28th 2008 6:47PM
So, it's a candy bar that you still have to flip open?
Fernando @ Jun 28th 2008 6:49PM
@wormboat: no, it's a clamshell that doesn't need a second screen, as the cover is translucent
DefPo3t @ Jun 29th 2008 12:41AM
here are some more accurate photos that show the phone
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/gallery/handsets/motorola-blaze/?pid=2350#picture_nav
it doesn't look half bad whit the lid open
Jacob @ Jun 28th 2008 6:44PM
Motorola=FAIL
Palm=FAIL
Palm+Motorola= 2xFAIL
Fernando @ Jun 28th 2008 6:46PM
where did you got palm from?
you = fail
Jacob @ Jun 28th 2008 7:07PM
the post right before this one
Fernando @ Jun 28th 2008 6:45PM
It looks good. (thereIsaidit)
The Engadgeter @ Jun 28th 2008 7:34PM
Yeah, Chris ripped on this one way too hard. Maybe its because I really hope Motorola will pull itself together, but this one looks like it could be pretty nice. This does not look like a low-end offering.
You have to keep in mind that anyone considering this phone is not also considering the second coming - rather, they are considering some random garbage from LG.
DefPo3t @ Jun 29th 2008 12:39AM
@ engadgeter
LG makes alot of decent phones that are far from garbage, if you want a touchscreen phone from LG and your on verizon though i would wait for the
LG DARE
Kique @ Jun 28th 2008 6:51PM
Shitty front...
chaz m. @ Jun 28th 2008 6:58PM
that thing is fugly!
Chris @ Jun 28th 2008 7:04PM
i kinda like it....IF the touchscreen works well and if the translucent cover could fold back 100%. that way there is no way i can accidently answer or make a phone call.
Ace b @ Jun 28th 2008 7:05PM
iPhone reference in...3...2...1...
derX @ Jun 28th 2008 7:15PM
"iPhone reference in...3...2...1..."
You do realize you made your reference before you even began your count.
deyanimay @ Jun 28th 2008 7:51PM
you fail ace
chickenator @ Jun 28th 2008 7:54PM
...FAIL!
cub3 @ Jun 28th 2008 7:07PM
I currently have the Ming a120 and having this phone locked just for verizon is a real shame. I love this phone, but i dont think it will do great on verizon's network.
Besides the new ming will be out soon, with Dual SIM slots and its unlocked to use anywhere in the world.
Jay @ Jun 28th 2008 7:21PM
Ugly as sin
LG >>>>>>>> Moto
Jeff Snugglebutton @ Jun 28th 2008 7:27PM
So is this the A1800 or the A1600?
maikel @ Jun 28th 2008 7:32PM
A full touch screen Moto! Lol!!
This could be an another Glyde disaster.
No thanks, I’ll pass.
deyanimay @ Jun 28th 2008 7:52PM
i have 2 friends with glydes and they love them but i cant really see the point to a touch screen if it is so small.
Alex @ Jun 28th 2008 7:41PM
all i can see is some Trekkie's painting the phone gold and black
deyanimay @ Jun 28th 2008 7:53PM
Any physical buttons?
matt merritt @ Jun 28th 2008 8:17PM
That thing looks like it could do some damage if you were ever cornered in a dark alley.
shutupandletmego @ Jun 28th 2008 8:24PM
My guess is it might just be meant for the retards who don't applaud when The One demonstrates how 3G is faster than EDGE.
RIP "limitless mediocrity". Who needs it? Get rid of the not-so-rich and the non-geeks and the world would be perfect.
I am outta here. Time to get onto the bandwagon.
derX @ Jun 28th 2008 10:51PM
Are there any other nuggets of wisdom you'd like to impart upon us, Mein Fuhrer?
shutupandletmego @ Jun 29th 2008 2:58AM
None for you. You seem ready :P.
raptor87 @ Jun 28th 2008 8:32PM
Youd have to be Blazed to buy that thing
TriZz @ Jun 28th 2008 10:37PM
That's not true...I'm blazed and you couldn't pay me to use that phone.
joe blow @ Jun 28th 2008 8:52PM
The transparent flip cover form factor is intriguing. A touch screen with flip functionality and protection hasn't been tried yet AFAIK. For those of us who don't work in the flower shop or forget and put our keys in the same pocket, this design might have legs. But no Wi-Fi or 3G? And a protected screen should have a very easy touch, haptic or not.
If Moto doesn't have a Razor type hit soon, they are done.
DefPo3t @ Jun 29th 2008 12:37AM
it has ev-do which is 3.5g moron
jason @ Jun 28th 2008 9:04PM
if the cover is removable than this is like a 80% success but the ginormous logo ruin it.
will @ Jun 28th 2008 9:44PM
F@#$ Verizon.
"If we can't cripple it, or disable it, we won't sell it."
El Taco @ Jun 28th 2008 10:41PM
honestly, I think this is pointless. I wouldn't buy it unless it looked awesome, which it doesn't. Great concept, but it just doesn't seem right.
derX @ Jun 28th 2008 10:54PM
I sincerely think that Moto tried to make a touchscreen phone that did not look like a certain other ubiquitious, media embraced phone and they just went too far.
It's clear they tried. But it's even clearer they've failed.
Jamar @ Jun 29th 2008 1:42PM
Nope- it's based on another Moto phone that's only sold around China. The original ran GSM, though, but has been selling for at least a year (maybe two) before the phone you think it's copying.
derX @ Jun 30th 2008 1:58AM
You're talking about the MING, and I get that this is the updated for VZW version. For one, I never said they were copying any other phone. Regardless, I am positive while they were updating it, they were sure not to make it look like "the other phone." Any phone with a touchscreen released today will surely be compared against "the other phone."
As an aside, it think it's ridiculous that people are flamed anytime they type the word iPhone. If the the comment is relevant, then say the damn phone's name. The people who mindlessly flame are the ones that need to be corrected.
iPhone! There, I said it. *flamed*
Sime @ Jun 28th 2008 11:14PM
ZOMG VOWELS!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!
zargon @ Jun 29th 2008 1:40AM
Motorola isn't really doing too well as of lately. I remember when their phones use to be the ones to get, now they seem to be fighting to stay in the market. Wonder if this will be anything special, I doubt it since we haven't heard much about it.
Wish you could ignore users in the Engadget comment system? Now you can, with Egnored, the Firefox extension. http://www.electroburn.org/egnored/
hiko36 @ Jun 29th 2008 4:38AM
No more clak?!?! Someone try this before me... I dont wanna break my comp...
Jake @ Jun 29th 2008 11:43AM
WTF is up with BGR? Their site is so freaking flakey lately. Half the time nothing works...
Charlie @ Jun 29th 2008 2:47PM
The lg dare from verizon is amazing. Forget about this trash.
Keith @ Jul 31st 2008 6:55PM
This phone is a clamshell with a large touchscreen (for a clam-shell). The logo on the back of the flip is on the speaker. The speaker is for the flip and used for the speaker phone (I believe). The Flip actually protects the screen, but still lets you see the entire screen which allows for video viewing, clock visibility, wall paper, etc... No other form factor offers that with a protected screen. MING has been very successful in China I understand.
Don't know if this phone performs well or not, but the form factor is nice IMO....