After the bitter failure of the first iPod phone ROKR, Motorola decided to part ways with Apple and switch to Linux, resulting in the ROKR E2 phone, which was launched on January 3rd.
Many of the weaknesses of the ROKR 1 have been addressed in the ROKR 2, with only one significant absence—iTunes. The ROKR 2 was released in two versions: white and black.
At first glance, its appearance is not much different from the ROKR E1, which was heavily criticized for its slow music transfer speed, cramped interface, and limited memory. However, with the E2, you can transfer music using a USB 2.0 interface, which is much faster than USB 1.1, and expand memory infinitely thanks to a 2GB Secure Digital memory card and an open-source Linux operating system.
Other features of the ROKR E2 include a 320×240 resolution display, Opera web browser, a 1.3-megapixel camera capable of recording video, an integrated FM radio, and Bluetooth wireless technology 
(which allows wire-free music streaming to Bluetooth stereo headphones). The included headphones with the ROKR 2 deliver the sound quality expected from MP3 headphones rather than amateur phone earphones. In comparison, the ROKR E1 lacked a web browser, had a darker and blurrier display, and only featured a VGA camera.
However, the biggest drawback that has many people hesitant is the absence of iTunes. Despite the numerous shortcomings mentioned above, the E1 was still the easiest music phone to use up until now, due to its seamless integration with Apple’s popular music download service. However, the relationship between Motorola and Apple has been strained since the launch party of the E1, mainly due to Apple imposing a limit of 100 songs for this device.
Without iTunes, the E2 is compatible with a wide variety of music file formats, allowing users to drag and drop songs from music download services to the phone. Motorola has also just launched its iRadio digital music service to support the beloved E2.
According to Motorola, the ROKR E2 will hit the market in mid-2006, with prices ranging from $199 to $249. The ROKR E2 is the only significant product that Motorola announced at this year’s CES. Other items include a Bluetooth keyboard that, when connected to Motorola phones, will facilitate smoother texting, along with a few Bluetooth headphone sets.
