[Updated 2:30PM] -- Verizon last week began distributing Motorola's first Linux-based touchscreen phone for the U.S. market -- the Krave ZN4 (pictured). And, Motorola will ship an Android-based touchscreen phone geared toward "social networking" website users, according to a BusinessWeek report.

(Click for larger view of Krave ZN4)

MotoMing A1600
(Click for details)The new Krave ZN4 appears to be an Americanized version of Motorola's A1600 (pictured at right), which shipped earlier this year in Asia. Long before iPhones launched touchscreen mania in the U.S., Asian users have relied on them, along with optical character recognition, to input calligraphic characters.

The ZN4 is not to be confused with the MotoZine ZN5, a high-end cameraphone combining Motorola's "ModeShift" interface with a 5-megapixel camera sourced from development partner Kodak. Supporting SD cards up to 4GB, the ZN5 has a 2.4-inch 240x320 resolution TFT touchscreen display. For connectivity, it offers GSM 850/900/1800/1900 EDGE Class 12 and GPRS Class 12 cellular service, as well as 802.11 b/g/i WiFi. It is expected to ship via T-Mobile on Nov. 3.

ZN5, in "camera" mode

The ZN5's ModeShift interface lets the phone's "control surfaces" assume not only different functions, but also a different appearance, depending on the phone's mode -- telephony, photo-videography, or media playback, in the case of the ZN5. For example, ModeShift is used to convert the ZN5's five-way controller into a virtual "FastScroll" wheel in the latter mode. Lots more details about the ZN5 can be found in our previous coverage, here.

Motorola's Android phone

According to BusinessWeek, Motorola's Android phone will "take its cues" from the ZN5 -- though whether it actually meant "ZN4" is not clear. In the small photo, the phone looks more like the real ZN5 than the touchscreen-equipped ZN4.

Regardless, the Android phone will have a touchscreen, for easy navigation of social networking websites like Facebook and MySpace. It will also boast a QWERTY keyboard, so users can type faster into services like Twitter. Motorola has reportedly been marketing its Android phone to carriers for several months. Originally expected in Q1, the device is now targeting Q2, according to the report.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on tomorrow's expected retail release of HTC's G1 phone. A complete G1 review can be found on eWEEK.


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