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The Motorola Droid, powered by Google Android and Verizon Wireless, hits shelves Nov. 6.
Droid phones countdown draws to a close
Amid speculation that three Droid phones could touch down before the end of the year, Verizon on Wednesday unveiled the first of the Google-powered line.
By Matthew Shaer | 10.28.09
After weeks of sweaty palms and a whole of lot of buzz, Verizon Wireless today officially took the wraps off the Droid, a smartphone built by Motorola and powered by Google’s Android 2.0 operating system. In a call with reporters, John Stratton, Verizon’s chief marketing officer, said the price of the Droid will come in at $199, with a two-year contract and a mail-in rebate. The Droid phones will hit shelves on Nov. 6.
As we reported yesterday, speculation is rife that Verizon is planning on rolling out three Droid phones by the end of the year. One of the Droids would reportedly be manufactured by HTC, while the second, code-named Calgary, would pair the Android operating system with BLUR capability. In the press conference, Stratton appeared to confirm those rumors. “The partnership between Verizon and Google will be a multiyear partnership … under the Droid franchise,” he said, according to PC Magazine.
Verizon is positioning the first Droid as an iPhone killer – a handset that could surpass Apple’s best-selling smartphone. In recent weeks, the company has saturated airwaves with a commercial that targets iPhone’s flaws. “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.”
The Droid, seen in the photo at right, comes equipped with a 3.7-inch touch screen, which slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. Among the other big draws is video recording, which Motorola says is “DVD-quality,” a 5-megapixel camera, and Wi-Fi capability. “The Droid, even in its non-final form, is the most impressive phone we’ve used since the iPhone,” the tech blogger Boy Genius wrote this month. “It’s positively amazing.”
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3. Tom | 10.28.09
If it is within 30 days, you maybe able to return the phone and exchange for a Droid. May cost you an extra $35 though. Good luck!
4. J Marquand | 10.28.09
It’s in stores on the 6th of November. The Motorola Press Announcement was today, please get your facts right.
5. editorial | 10.28.09
J Marquand – If you read the story, you’ll see that we got the facts exactly right. And I quote, from the very first paragraph, “The Droid phones will hit shelves on November 6.”
6. Teryn | 10.28.09
I can’t wait..I’m leaving at&t for this phone..and i think copy/paste feature is the least of my worries.
7. frustrated | 10.28.09
hopefully it will not be as big a disappointment as the Motorola I’ve had the past almost 2yrs. Will Verizon allow me to purchase at sale price to renew contract a 3months early? It would be nice to have a phone that doesn’t need the buttons that fell off the one I currently own.
8. DroidFan1 | 10.28.09
I’ve seen and used the Droid phone. AWESOME is an understatement. This phone lives up to its marketing hype…and more! And to “frustrated”: depending upon your current contract, you should have no problem signing a new 2 year contract at this time…but check with a Verizon store to make sure what your current contract says. I know with a 2 year contract, you can actually get a new phone three or four months prior to the end of the contract.
9. RealEstateWendy | 10.28.09
OMG, Im do for renewal. I was looking at moving to AT&T so I could get the iphone, I am so pumped now. Please don’t let it have a zillion issues when it comes out!
11. just pointing this out | 10.28.09
Editorial - I think they were pointing at the blurb under your photo of the Droid which reads “Newscom The Motorola Droid, powered by Google Android and Verizon Wireless, hits shelves today.”
Can’t wait until Nov. 6th!!!
12. jim | 10.28.09
Droid, employed, enjoyed, deployed, just brainstorming follow on names. I got it Elroy.
13. Allen | 10.28.09
Devoid and Avoid are also terms that could be tied to this device depending on its performance and track record
14. Travis | 10.28.09
God, the Apple fan-boys can’t even wait for the device to hit the shelves and get some user reviews before whining about it.
It looks like a great phone. Not as “pretty” as the iPhone, but it should have many more cool features since Apple won’t be throwing all kinds of cool apps out of the available app pool. Hopefully it will be almost as easy to use as the iPhone. Biggest plus: has a freaking keyboard. yay.
16. mac | 10.28.09
I just want to know one thing about this new phone. Will it have the capability to run data and voice simultaneously?
17. Merry | 10.28.09
Does slide open get onto QWERTY easier for physical disabled who have hands as claw-like? And will black keyboard with LED provided?
18. Vichka | 10.29.09
I wish I could connect a bigger monitor and a keyboard/mouse to it! It probably has enough computing power to be worth doing it. Even just browsing is worth it!
19. Jim Miles | 10.29.09
Will you be able to sync the droid to Microsoft Office if you are not on an Exchange Server>
21. Matt | 11.03.09
Looks like it can only hold up to 32mb of music. I like the fact that my IPhone is also my IPOD.
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1. Twitter Trackbacks for Droid phones countdown draws to a close | csmonitor.com [csmonitor.com] on Topsy.com | 10.28.09
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1. Barbara Blanchette | 10.28.09
Hey !!!I want a Droid! Not Fair… I just renewed my two year.
So now what??
Will Verizon Wireless make me , a long standing customer, pay over 199.00