Motorola is hoping to be seen on the red carpet for the Academy Awards in Hollywood, announcing it is handing out its latest, not-yet-available in the US cell phone to 25 of the top nominees.

The company said Friday that its latest phone, the MotoRizr Z3 will make its US debut at the 79th Annual Academy Awards show. Top actors and directors in four categories, will be among the first consumers in the U.S. to receive the phone, as Motorola honors their achievements with complimentary handsets.

Each nominee's phone is packaged in a custom made, keepsake box.

The Motorizr is similar to Motorola's other slim phones, with a slider design, a 2 megapixel digital camera, and compatibility with several different online features. Like the Razr, the buttons are slimmed down and have touch-sensitive inputs.

Motorola hoping a bit of Oscars glitz will boost its awareness among stars and eventually, consumers. The company has 22.3 percent of the global market, according to the latest reports, up from 18.1 percent in the previous year. It shipped 65.7 million devices globally in the fourth quarter of 2006, a gain of 47 percent the same period in 2005. It is currently the number two cell phone maker behind Nokia.

Motorola