Moto goes green with entry-level Renew phone
Tue Jan 6, 2009 12:04AM EST
See Comments (10)
Set to debut this week at CES, the Renew might not pack the latest in multimedia features, but it's 100-percent recyclable and comes billed as the "world's first carbon-neutral phone." Plus: Moto's new "touch tablet," which might—or might not—be coming to the States.
Instead, the Renew is Motorola's stab at an "environmentally responsible" handset. The phone's plastic shell is made of recycled water bottles and is "100 percent recyclable," according to Moto, while the Renew's recycled packaging includes a pre-paid envelope for recycling your old phone.
Motorola also promises to invest in "renewable energy sources and reforestation" to "offset the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate" the Renew—hence, the "carbon neutral" label.
Sounds responsible, all right—but as I mentioned before, we're not talking a lot of features here. The Renew does come with a WAP browser, a microSD memory slot, "Crystal Talk" technology for improved call quality, and a promised nine hours of talk time, but otherwise … that's about it. Let's hope for a cheap price tag.
Meanwhile, Moto has a couple other handsets up its sleeves: The Tundra, a ruggedized push-to-talk handset for AT&T (3G, GPS, available January 13 for $199 with a new two-year contract), and the MotoSurf, a Windows Mobile-powered "touch tablet" that, unfortunately, might not be coming to a carrier near you (if you live in the U.S., that is).Boasting a 2.8-inch touchscreen (you can use your fingers, a stylus, or the trackball for navigation), 3G (HSDPA) data speeds, full-on calling features, Wi-Fi, and aGPS, the MotoSurf looks set to compete with HTC's Windows Mobile-powered Touch Diamond. I'm also told that the Surf will arrive with a custom interface that sits on top of Windows Mobile, complete with "widget-based carousel" that you can flick with your fingertip.
Other features on the MotoSurf: Stereo Bluetooth support, dual cameras (3MP and VGA), and a microSD memory slot.
OK—so why didn't I lead off with the MotoSurf, you ask? Well, Moto reps say the MotoSurf will arrive this quarter in Asia and Latin America, but as for North America—well, that's yet to be determined. Indeed, I can't even get a definitive "yes" or "no" on whether it'll arrive Stateside at all, so don't get too excited.
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2 Posted by nogreenforme on Tue Jan 6, 2009 4:58PM EST Report Abuse
I am getting really tired of this carbon neutral mantra!! The best thing about this phone is that you can send it back to the factory to be recycled, like HP's printer products program. I am sure that if we go in to great detail about the entire Carbon Neutral statement we will find that it really isnt after all since there is real way to quantify this statement. The Wall Street Journal had an excellent article on the Carbon Neutral concept just recently. Its worth reviewing.
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3 Posted by loneranger1945 on Tue Jan 6, 2009 7:56PM EST Report Abuse
Now this is awesome news, for us old has been retiree's. I can't wait to get one of the new Renew phones. All I ever wanted was a good phone to make and receive calls, all the other stuff is just useless to us old folks and the only other simple phone I saw at Best Buy was a clunky thing. We retiree's or baby boomers would buy alot of phones that are simple to use. I hope AT&T gets to sell one of these, or else I will switch my provider when my contract is over this June.
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4 Posted by paulinecanas on Tue Jan 6, 2009 10:38PM EST Report Abuse
I love the recycling part and will definitely look into this one since not everyone I know likes the complicated phone gadgets available nowadays which can get you into so much trouble with all the hidden fees. A lot of people I know like a simple phone but of good quality. The only thing is that, people will only buy if the price is reasonable because there are simple phones also available out there. The only difference is that this one is GREEN and great for our environment.
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5 Posted by richfax on Tue Jan 6, 2009 10:43PM EST Report Abuse
The Moto Renew phone is a step in the right direction-better than a phone without a recyclable case. Do you know where all of your family's old cell phones, computers, ipods, radios, tube TVs, VCRs, electronic toys, and hundreds of other electronic gizmos and gadgets go when you throw them out? Your unwanted devices, which contain heavy metals, toxics and brominated plastics, end up in U.S. landfills or are shipped to China to be "recycled". The workers essentially removing anything of value such as copper and gold, and burn the rest. We're in essence slowly killing ourselves by polluting the planet we live on. I hope Americans start taking responsibility for their waste and they must demand better, safer, sustainable products from companies. If this "green fad" doesn't catch on then we're all doomed.
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1 Posted by jseyfield on Tue Jan 6, 2009 6:32AM EST Report Abuse
It's good I guess, I just worry too much emphasis and hoopla on "green" will make people sick of it and it'll burn out quickly. We need to make sure this mentality lasts and not be a fad.