Motorola A780 Linux based smartphone to have mobile database

The upcoming Motorola A780 mobile phone will incorporate Berkeley DB and MontaVista Linux as part of its basic software. Berkeley DB by Sleepycat Software provides data management while the MontaVista Linux operating system provides the mobile platform enabling availability of a wide range of native and Java technology-based applications. The Motorola A780 device is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2004. It's also the first Linux based smartphone to feature EDGE in addition to GSM/GPRS access.

Motorola's A780 is a converged device designed for mobile office connectivity as well as for personal entertainment. The A780 offers a range of features and applications such as PDA capability, full-motion video recording, and a 240 x 320 color touch screen. The A780 is also a full enterprise solution mobile device, supporting various document formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, MP3 and JPG files.

Enterprise data is stored directly in the phone using Berkeley DB, an enterprise-class data manager with full transactional support. Email, calendar and contact information can also be synchronized over-the-air with Motosync, a secure synchronization solution from Motorola that allows mobile users to stay connected while out of the office.

In addition to the new A780 smartphone, Motorola has used both MontaVista Linux and Berkeley DB in other Linux-based products such as the A760 and A768 handset models, which were previously distributed in the Asian market.