Moto unveils plebian handsets for U.S. masses, blingy models for overseas

Motorola Inc. said it will expand its W-Series line of affordable handsets, adding seven new models in advance of the holiday season.
Two of the new models will be available in the United States: the W175, a candybar-style phone with one-click access to text messaging; and the W377, a Bluetooth-enabled flip phone sporting 10 megabytes of memory and an integrated VGA camera.
Motorola declined to offer prices for the new devices, which are set to hit the U.S. market in the fourth quarter.
“The everyday communications segment represents dynamic growth and is a key area of focus for Motorola,” said Stu Reed, president of Motorola Mobile Devices. “These devices are designed for consumers who are purchasing their first mobile phone, for those who simply want to talk and message on an easy-to-use phone, or for those who are looking to upgrade a basic phone.”
The company also unveiled glitzy edition of the Razr2-replete with 18-karat accents-and the U9, a multimedia phone featuring Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Media Player 11. Both of the higher-end devices are set for releases overseas.