Motorola has unveiled a new version of its Rokr music phone - but without the backing of Apple. The original phone was the first non-iPod device to allow song downloads from Apple's iTunes Web site. In its latest incarnation, it will be the first phone to include Motorola's new iRadio service. This service allows Internet radio channels to flow through car stereo systems. Whether or not this new Rokr music phone - the new Rokr E2 - will feature iTunes compatibility remains a mystery, but the original iTunes phone was greeted with lukewarm reviews, with users complaining of slow download times and a lack of song capacity. The E2 also features a Linux operating system that supports several formats for digital music.
The Rokr E2 will hold up to about 500 songs, 400 more than the E1. The E2 is fitted to handle removable SanDisk cards with up to 2 gigabytes of external memory.
The new Rokr will also come with a 2.0 USB cable, which will make for song download times of about three to five seconds, said Chris White, senior vice president of global product marketing at Motorola.