Nextel and Motorola announced the Motorola i275, a camera phone that offers many ways for customers to communicate and express themselves, all in an easy-to-use and compact design.

In addition to Nextel's Nationwide Direct Connect and International Direct Connect services that allow instant coast-to-coast and country-to-country communication at the touch of a button, the Motorola i275 also offers other exclusive walkie-talkie options. The new Group Connect service enables group walkie-talkie conversations with up to 21 participants nationwide, and the groups can be directly set up on the handset within seconds. The Direct Talk service allows walkie-talkie communications in areas without network coverage within a range of up to six miles, depending on specific conditions such as terrain. Nextel Direct Send allows users to send contact information to another phone within seconds simply by pushing the walkie-talkie button.

Nextel's multimedia messaging service allows users to send and receive messages with text, images and audio altogether. Additionally, the phone's integrated 310K digital camera allows users to set lighting, picture quality and picture size.

Additional features of the Motorola i275 handset include:

• Voice recorder. This feature allows the user to capture memos or incoming phone conversations for future playback. 
• 600-entry contact manager. Users can store up to eight numbers for a single name. 
• Voice-activated dialing. Keeps hands free with speak-to-dial numbers. 
• Airplane mode. The network connection can be turned off to use applications, games, voice recorder and date book while in flight. 
• Audio caller ID. User-assignable ring tones allow users to instantly identify important calls without having to look at the phone.

The Motorola i275 measures 4.79 x 1.94 x 1.04 inches and weighs 4.64 ounces with the high performance battery. It is available in two different colors, black and white, and can be purchased through all Nextel distribution channels, including retail stores. The price of the Motorola i275 handset is $99.99 with a $25 mail-in rebate, two-year service agreement, new activation and credit approval. Taxes, account setup, early termination fee and other charges apply.