Verizon comes clean and announces the Android-powered Motorola DEVOUR with MOTOBLUR

The Verizon-bound Motorola Devour wasn’t much of a secret after the retail packaging leaked last week. We knew it was coming, but not so soon because big red VZW just announced it to the world. Don’t get too excited though, it’s not a Droid replacement as Android 1.6 is powering it instead of 2.0.

That doesn’t mean it’s not another fine phone to add to Verizon’s stable. Oh no, the 3.1-inch capacitive screen, 8GB microSD card, full QWERTY keyboard, and the social networking-centric Motoblur all combine to make a great device. It also comes rocking a 3 MP camera, 802.11 b/g WiFi, GPS, and a 3.5mm headset jack.

Verizon did however leave out two key details: price and exact release date within the month of March. Chances are that it will be available at a lower price point than the flagship Droid.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced the availability of Motorola DEVOUR™ in March. Motorola DEVOUR will be the first Verizon Wireless phone to feature MOTOBLUR™, Motorola’s unique Android™-powered content delivery service created to make wireless phones more personal and customizable.

MOTOBLUR is the first solution to sync contacts from work and personal e-mail services, including Gmail™, with posts, messages, photos and more from popular sites such as Facebook®, MySpace and Twitter. With MOTOBLUR, content is automatically delivered to the home screen and fed into easy-to-manage streams.

Key features:

  • Touch-sensitive navigation pad
  • 3.1” capacitive touch screen
  • Pre-loaded applications such as Gmail, Google Talk™, YouTube™, Google Search™ and Google Maps™ with Google Maps Navigation.
  • Android Market™ gives users access to more than 20,000 applications.
  • Happenings Widget – MOTOBLUR automatically pushes status updates, wall posts and photo updates from popular social networking sites to the Happenings Widget on the home screen. Customers can flick through the latest updates and fire back responses using the slide-out full QWERTY keyboard.
  • Universal Inbox – MOTOBLUR gathers texts, social network messages and e-mails into one home screen widget for quick response.
  • Back-Up and Security – Contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations, e-mail and social network messages are backed up automatically on the secure MOTOBLUR portal. The portal also allows customers to use the phone’s fully integrated aGPS to help locate the phone if misplaced. Remote wipe easily clears information from a lost device.
  • 8 GB microSD™ card pre-installed
  • Bluetooth® profiles supported: A2DP, HID, HSP, HFP, AVRCP and GAP

Service plans:

  • To get the most from Motorola DEVOUR, customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk or Nationwide Talk & Text plan and a Data Package for smartphones. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access, and Nationwide Talk & Text plans begin at $59.99 monthly access. A Data Package for smartphones is $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.