Motorola Devour Heading to Verizon, Brings Google Maps Navigation Along for Ride

If the Droid is the heat-seeking missle in Verizon’s lineup of Android phones, the Devour is the social butterfly, thanks to Motorola’s Motoblur service. Like the Cliq on T-Mobile, this device features the Happenings Widget, which pushes social networking updates straight to the 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, and a universal inbox (which combines texts, e-mails, and social network messages). And all of your info–including home screen customizations–is backed up for you.

What makes the Devour different, other than the network, is its design. Unlike the Cliq, which comes in black and white, this device is a silver slider with a spacious keyboard. We’ll have to see about the feel, though, since the Cliq’s keys seem more plump. The press release also mentions a touch-sensitive navigation pad. Plus, like the Motorola Droid, this smart phone comes with Google Maps Navigation, so you can expect free turn-by-turn directions. So this likely means the device runs Android 1.6.

Verizon hasn’t confirmed a price yet, but we’re assuming that the Devour will be cheaper than the Droid because it has a smaller screen and (based on reports) a slower processor. Read on for more details and stay tuned for a full review.

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.