Verizon first (and exclusive) with Moto Q

In one of the most anticipated product launches since about a year (for smartphone/Windows Mobile geeks anyway!), it appears Verizon will be the first and - for a while at least - exclusive provider to sell Motorola's new Moto Q smartphone.

Labelled as the "Blackberry Killer" ever since rumors and early details/photos appeared about a year ago (if I remember correctly, we were talking about Windows Mobile 5.0, and awaiting the release of Exchange Server 2003 SP2 which would bring the fruits of DirectPush to push email to Windows Mobile handhelds back then... ), the Moto Q will finally make an appearance sometime next week.

For what it's worth, the Moto Q is one sexy gadget. I haven't actually held one in my hands yet, but do look forward to the Razr-slim device - .45 inches thin - with a usable QWERTY keyboard and even the thumb-wheel navigation mechanism that's been sort of a trademark of the Blackberry devices.

Having recently used a Cingular 2125 and an Audiovox SMT5600 not very long ago, and being somewhat of a Blackberry fan (pre-Exchange ActiveSync and DirectPush) before that, I felt terribly "Blackberry-sick" with the smartphone devices that didn't offer a keyboard. Incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to type a simple one-liner email on those things!

I am out of a cell phone for over a week now - and surviving very well, thank you! Now it makes sense to not rush out and get a new one today or over the weekend, but wait for the Moto Q next week. Yes, that would require me to switch cell phone providers as well, something I don't mind doing if the Q turns out to be everything Motorola and the number of enthusiast web sites promise it will be.

Check out the Moto Q teaser page on Verizon's web site:
http://www.vzwshop.com/q/

Whether the Q actually turns out to be a "Blackberry Killer" remains to be seen.