The Boy Genius Report
Droid commercials are everywhere. But where are the photos of the Droid phone? The Boy Genius Report has apparently unearthed a whole trove.
Droid commercial touts arrival of an Apple killer. But where’s the proof?
Verizon has not yet included a photograph of the Droid phone in the iDroid advertising campaign.
By Matthew Shaer | 10.19.09
Verizon is in the midst of saturating airwaves with a commercial for a new phone called the Droid, which should be available by the end of the month. The iDroid commercial campaign takes direct aim at the Apple iPhone – in the TV spots, the Droid is lauded for having a sleeker interface, a full QWERTY keyboard, and more versatility than the iPhone.
“iDon’t have a real keyboard. iDon’t run simultaneous apps. iDon’t take night shots. iDon’t allow open development,” reads anti-Apple copy posted on the Droid website. “iDon’t customize. iDon’t run widgets. iDon’t have interchangeable batteries. Everything iDon’t, Droid does.” (See iDroid video below.)
Fair enough. So where are the photos of the Droid? None of the commercials are any help – they rely solely on extensive anti-Apple rhetoric. But at least one blogger says he’s had time to test the Droid, and he’s giving it rave reviews. “The Droid, even in its non-final form, is the most impressive phone we’ve used since the iPhone,” writes the tech blogger Boy Genius. “It’s positively amazing.”
To judge by photos purportedly of the Droid – one of those images is at right – the phone is a little like a Sidekick. It has a touchscreen out front, which flips open to expose the QWERTY keyboard.
“The feel of the device is very reminiscent of the OQO 02 model computer. Just smaller. It’s metal with a non-spring-assisted slide, very sturdy, and half soft-touch plastic,” the BGR blogger writes. “Awesome capacitive display. Plus it’s huge. Easily the best screen we’ve ever seen on an Android handset, and an amazing screen overall.”
So why didn’t Verizon use images of this Apple killer in its adverts?
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<< iDroid commercial draws bead on Apple | MainComments
2. Ryan | 10.19.09
It doesn’t flip open….it slides open!
They aren’t showing pictures because they are trying to build buzz…and they seem to be doing a pretty good job.
3. Bob Varipapa | 10.19.09
Verizon doesn’t mention that the iPhone DOES multi-task where it counts:
1. You can access voice and data at the same time with ATT/GSM;
2. You can play music or talk on the phone and use other programs at the same time.
Plus, it remains to be seen how ‘open’ the new Verizon phone will be. They have crippled every phone they have released so far.
4. brianguy | 10.19.09
they’re getting to it, I’m sure they’ll be here before we know it. it doesn’t launch until (at least) October 30th, so why tempt the public with photos of an unfinished product so soon?
6. Pete | 10.19.09
I would expect official images/adverts to come out either closer to launch or right at launch. Granted, I’m not in marketing, but the lack of details is probably to draw intrigue and mystique…leaving you wanting to know more. And judging by the buzz on the Internet today it seems to be working. Coincidentally, doesn’t Apple/Sony/Nintendo/almost any other tech company do similar things leading up to a new product launch?
7. Mike | 10.19.09
I signed up to receive their email about more info when it comes available and there was this interesting statement at the bottom of the email……
DROID is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license
Did Lucas really register the word Droid as a trademark ?
8. Cameron | 10.19.09
The reason why Verizon didn’t show pictures of the phone in the ad is the generate hype. It’s all about hype! Verizon knows who it is appealing to right now - the techie that either hates the iPhone or wants something that is better than the iPhone. You show them everything right now and you’ll get quick rebuttals from Apple with their own cons.
You make people wait until the last minute and have them salivating at the mouth over this phone….and you have huge sales, and huge anticipation, and a legit “iPhone killer” finally.
It’s simple marketing.
10. Some digital marketing guy | 10.19.09
I played with the phone today. It’s nice. Verizon didn’t make the phone, remember, HTC did. But Verizon made the commercials.
My guess is that the phone wasn’t ready in time for the shoot, and the commercials don’t really need it, do they? Seem to have gotten plenty of attention.
iPhone killer? Unlikely. Nice smartphone though. Obviously aiming for the holiday market. I bet you’ll see commercials with the phone in them closer to release.
I think it’s ironic that Verizon is the only one to take the fight directly to Apple, while poor old Microsoft is still wondering why the Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates thing didn’t save Vista.
11. Billy Boy | 10.20.09
All I can say is that I got my 1st iPhone about 5 weeks ago and I absolutely love it–I really do! And I’ve had no coverage problems whatsoever. When I saw this new Droid commercial during the baseball playoffs, I began to wonder if Verizon is kicking itself for turning down the iPhone when Steve Jobs first approached them. I see this Droid commercial as the highest form of flattery for the amazing new iphone 3GS. If you don’t have an iPhone, get one. You will truly love it!
12. Jim | 10.20.09
“So why didn’t Verizon use images of this Apple killer in its adverts?”
The ad is what is known as a “teaser” designed to make you curious. It’s a common marketing practice. Don’t worry, pictures will be forthcoming.
iDon’t like Apple products myself for most of the reasons given in this ad. Apple products are pretty, but they have too many proprietary limitations for my tastes.
13. Lyn | 10.20.09
Verizon is the only high-speed internet access in my town. How I wish there were some alternative! Service is good, if you’re tech-self-sufficient–the installer left without getting it to work. After I pitched our their useless cheapo modem, I got it to work fine–but then I have a house full of Apples, and Apples love to network.
Verizon is a HUGE pain to deal with as a utility. To wit: I told them to disconnect my phone service with them as I had other plans. There was no way for me to know that they did NOT disconnect service, as they did NOT send bills. The first bill I got was from the collection agency to which they had given my bill. The collection agency was a dream to work with, BTW. Bogus black mark on my credit record is NOT dreamy. Boo, Hiss, Verizon. If they bring out a self-motivated dishwasher/lawn mower, I’m still not having any from Verizon if I don’t have to.
14. dale | 10.20.09
I still use a land-line. The utility of cellular phones is overstated, over-rated and over-priced. IDONT buy it.
15. Henry | 10.20.09
BillyBoy said: “If you don’t have an iPhone, get one. You will truly love it!”
Unless of course you like the Android features noted in the ad, then you will be disappointed.
BTW, playing music while using an app is not multitasking. iPhone OS DOES NOT SUPPORT BACKGROUND APPS! The only ones that run in the background are part of the OS, like the dialer or iTunes.
Android will be the dominant mobile platform within a year.
16. Aelanor | 10.21.09
Um - “Some digital marketing guy”, the phone is made by Motorola, not HTC 
And, yes - it is VERY nice. I love the advertising campaign and can’t wait to get my hands on it. I’ll be picking one up as soon as it’s out.
17. Isaiah | 10.21.09
Ummm not to be nit picky but have ya’ll seen the images of the droid online, all they have done is basically copied the G1 by t-mobile they look exactly alike. Someones going to have to be a little more creative than that if they truly wish to knock the iphone off.
18. tried-em-all | 10.26.09
Haven’t seen heaven with my new AT&T iPhone, like iPhone fans above have created in their minds. Didn’t work worth a darn in Europe; almost zilch service. Companions had T-Mobile (the other white meat when it comes to GSM service) & they had service most of the times. Back home? Same thing…had to make about 7 calls to finish 1 conversation, e.g. And my almost-5-yr-old Palm Treo thru Verizon had a much better interface than the iPhone. There are several basic commands that iPhone just doesn’t offer at all, vs Palm’s interface being almost flawless, very intuitive. And the ability to run several things at once — really miss that! Plus, Apple/AT&T don’t like Firefox & force you to interface thru IE. Yuck! If only the Palm hadn’t started failing just when Verizon announced that they weren’t going to dance with Palm. I’m swinging back to Verizon before the 30-day trial is up!
19. mike | 10.27.09
come on there is nothing out there that can even compare to the iphone. I was so skeptical to get this phone but after i have been using it for a few weeks i can really say that nothing can touch this. I will never go back to verizon, considering i only switched because of the iphone and i am paying much more for the iphone service.
20. mike | 10.27.09
also to add, the verizon interface is garbage they lock everything up, i doubt a jailbreak or anything close to that will even be possible, sorry verizon dont put so mayn restrictions on the phones. Verizon should have taken the offer from steve jobs. now they lose ;(
21. Bob | 10.27.09
iphone looks cool, and that’s about it. Couple of my friends have iphones, and they can’t make calls half the places I can with my verizon blackberry tour. I guess it seems that most forums say the same thing about the i-phone is a great device, but the service is doo doo. Who cares though, at least you can listen to i tunes when your phone doesn’t get service.
22. Blah | 10.27.09
The Iphone does multitask… and quite well. For anyone with a full-featured Iphone (aka jailbroken) you can do a million and one things, and then some with it. I listen to Pandora music on my car stereo, and look at where I’m supposed to be going using the GPS and maps feature, AND on top of that the phone is still checking my email every 15 minutes AND waiting for phone calls to come in, and relaying it’s GPS position to Cylay servers for anti-theft purposes AND checking for push messages via AIM and google voice apps. And it does this all without slowing down a bit, or crashing.
Last time I checked over 1,000,000 Iphone users are using jailbroken phones which can run open-source and unlimited applications, and multitask etc..
The current htc touch is a joke compared to it. It’s kind of like like one of those Fischer price toy computers, compared to a real computer.
23. ben | 10.28.09
great advertising. it looks like apple’s negative campaigns against microsoft have come full circle. apple-style advertising: “you want us because they suck. don’t ask questions, you’re stupid and we know better” only difference is droid is only playing apple’s game prior to launch, and will undoubtedly advertise upon it’s own merits in the future
24. Westy | 10.28.09
when they talk about being locked, they may mean in regards to service. the iphone is totally locked to att towers. which means unless the tower is totally att, your iphone is only an ipod. it doesn’t work on towers that carry the same signal as att, but aren’t att (foreign travel).
this probably means that the droid phones will actually be world phone capable with more bars etc. that being said, it’s not only a direct assault on the iphone (great if you’re 14 and jack if you’re a professional) but also on att’s statements that they have more bars in more places (which is only true if you count over seas travel). verizon has more service within the US, and the droids may lead to further service with more reliability.
current techs believe there may be up to 3 phones released this year with the droid OS. one by HTC, one by motorola, and i haven’t found who the third is manufactured by. current release date is speculated for nov 6.
as for multi tasking. all marketing HAS to be directed at the uses available on phones directly from the retailer. they can’t account for jailbroken phones because technically, it’s not legal.
25. Westy | 10.28.09
verizon didn’t show the phones right away in their commercials when they released the LG Dare or the Blackberry Storm either.
26. Roberta | 10.28.09
I am perfectly happy with both my “grey market” phones. Any phone available in the US (including the iphone) just doesnt have the functionality. LG makes great phones with superb cameras, but it seems they are available everywhere except the US.
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1. Stephen | 10.19.09
Standard marketing tactic to tease consumers and build buzz/excitement for their new product. I don’t have a problem with this marketing campaign at all!