Motorola intros new RIZR Z6, MING music phones

Motorola this afternoon unveiled two new music-oriented, Linux-based phones. The MOTORIZR Z6 (pictured, left) revamps the earlier RIZR Z3 and is the first Motorola phone to bundle support for the latest protected WMA songs, supporting individual tracks as well as unlimited-access subscriptions from stores such as Napster and URGE; support for AAC and MP3 songs as well as FM radio broadens its appeal, according to Motorola. Dedicated music keys replace some of the general-use buttons from the Z3 model. A 2-megapixel camera and 3G wireless support carry over from the earlier edition. Motorola plans a release in Spring.

Completely new is the MOTOMING (right). Its design emphasizes simplicity and contains only the display, basic navigation buttons, and a clear cover; control is handled through a touchscreen that handles both dialing and handwriting recognition for text messages. Though lacking support for Windows Media subscriptions, the phone can play AAC and MP3 songs in addition to FM radio. Internet access is provided through EDGE. The MING will ship in advance of its more complex RIZR sibling and is due this quarter. Read through for larger photos.