Droid Does

[AmpedNow]

I'm liking this ad campaign...

A couple of points:

This is the first time I can recall any manufacturer or carrier directly attacking the iPhone this aggressively. Verizon has just gone nuclear on AT&T and Apple.

I think it's safe to say that the iPhone won't be coming to Verizon anytime soon, unfortunately. However the Motorola Droid might make up for it.

Contract time is coming soon, and I'm definitely going the smartphone route this time. Want to play around with this one in a Verizon store before committing another two years. Tour, Storm 2, or this. (not so) Patiently waiting...



Just found an answer by the Apple fanboys... This is sure to get good.

[Lester]

Since the droid can thank it's inception to the boundaries pushed by the iPhone, I see this only getting better for the consumers involved.

My fanboy sez:

1. Way to go Verizon! It's taken you over 3 years to respond to passing on the iPhone. Way to turn that ship!
2. Considering the number of "iPod killers" that have come and gone... and the iPod is still here, I'm not real concerned.

Excellent marketing though... the commercials make me chuckle.

[Jet Black]

This is not the Droid I'm looking for.

[Big Media]

Jet, you beat me to it. Damn.

[The-Hammer]

The last part of the Apple response is unusually self aware for an advertisement.

[AmpedNow]

Actually, Droid is the first of the Google Android phones to come out on Verizon. This is the result of them winning that bid on all that spectrum the FCC auctioned off two years ago. According to the agreement Verizon made with the FCC and Google, these phones are open sourced with no lockdowns.

Here's the actual phone.





Not as "sexy" as the iPhone, but that's probably deliberate...


UPDATE

Droid is a series, not a single phone.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/veri ... is-coming/

Behold the HTC Droid Eris...



I'm in geek heaven.

Sticking with Verizon all these years may have finally paid off.

[Lester]

This will be interesting to watch... they've thrown down a mighty large gauntlet considering their past behavior. Seriously, disabling USB and Bluetooth downloads on their phones FORCING people to email pictures?

Don't be surprised if expensive plans are required to fully utilize the droid.

Expect "Open-source" and "no lock-downs" to disappear the first time some asshole writes a "killer app" that kills an entire grids worth of service "just because he can". Apple's not being indiscriminate assholes about this, that is exactly what they're trying to avoid.

[The People's DJ]

Well I wouldn't get you hopes up. Might want to read this.

MOBILE USE IS LINKED TO BRAIN TUMOURS

LONG-term mobile phone users could face a higher risk of developing cancer in later life, according to a decade-long study. The report, to be published later this year, has reportedly found that heavy mobile use is linked to brain tumours. The survey of 12,800 people in 13 countries has been overseen by the World Health Organisation.

Preliminary results of the inquiry, which is looking at whether mobile phone exposure is linked to three types of brain tumour and a tumour of the salivary gland, have been sent to a scientific journal. The findings are expected to put pressure on the Government – which has insisted that mobile phones are safe – to issue stronger warnings to users.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/135 ... in-tumours

[AmpedNow]

This will be interesting to watch... they've thrown down a mighty large gauntlet considering their past behavior. Seriously, disabling USB and Bluetooth downloads on their phones FORCING people to email pictures?

They sucked for a long time about this. It's funny that they're doing a complete 180. But, they are required to by law.

However, their dumbphones will likely remain locked in their "VCast" system. The vast majority of their subscribers will continue to use these phones. They still make tons of money from people who don't know any better.

Smartphones only appeal to a minority of subs.

Don't be surprised if expensive plans are required to fully utilize the droid.

Probably a modified unlimited data plan, added to a standard minute plan, like AT&T does with the iPhone. It will probably be more than $30, though.

Expect "Open-source" and "no lock-downs" to disappear the first time some asshole writes a "killer app" that kills an entire grids worth of service "just because he can". Apple's not being indiscriminate assholes about this, that is exactly what they're trying to avoid.

We'll see what happens... They had to have thought of this possibility.

[Nate G]

Actually, I was at a Verizon store last week and the manager told me that she had been in training and was told that the iPhone would be offered by Verizone as early as late November and probably by Christmas. She may have been full of it.

[Lester]

That sounds like on-par with an iPhone "killer" maybe... I wonder if she's getting mixed signals over that (ha!)

I think Apple still has a year or so left on their exclusivity deal with AT&T.

[Jet Black]

Avoid The Droid, that's what I say.

I know that doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I wanted to say it.

[genlock]

v-Phone.

[AmpedNow]

Actually, I was at a Verizon store last week and the manager told me that she had been in training and was told that the iPhone would be offered by Verizone as early as late November and probably by Christmas. She may have been full of it.

If this was true, the release of the Android phones would be a blip on the radar... It would be the top story on many news outlets.

I wish it was true, as Verizon has a much better 3G network nationally.

Apple has been so successful at marketing the iPhone, we're reaching a point where any internet-capable phone is simply called an "iPhone" by people who are not tech-inclined. Kinda like the people who call any kind of soda "coke".

I'm surprised this woman is a manager of a VZW store...

I think Apple still has a year or so left on their exclusivity deal with AT&T.

June 2010, unless they extend it.

There will come a time when Apple's exclusive licensing fees will be more than AT&T is willing to pay... Probably sooner than later.

[Nate G]

Yeah, like I said, she may have been full of it. I Wasn't familiar with the end date on the deal with AT & T.

[Lester]

If this was true, the release of the Android phones would be a blip on the radar... It would be the top story on many news outlets.

Android phones are already an "also ran". Maybe someone will release some hardware that utilizes the potential of the software, but the big marketing "big kaboom" (and subsequent fizzle) happened September of 2008 with the release of the first android phone. This really isn't news worthy, it's 100% marketing hype that has yet to prove it has legs.

[Lester]

Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/moto ... oming-nov/

Motorola DROID first hands-on! (update: video, impressions, more pics)
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/moto ... -hands-on/

[AmpedNow]

Today, we have reached another Smartphone milestone...

Wow. I'm all in on this thing.

[Lester]

Yeah, but that's what everyone said about the Blackberry storm too...

Whatevs.

[AmpedNow]

Android phones are already an "also ran". Maybe someone will release some hardware that utilizes the potential of the software, but the big marketing "big kaboom" (and subsequent fizzle) happened September of 2008 with the release of the first android phone. This really isn't news worthy, it's 100% marketing hype that has yet to prove it has legs.

Maybe so, but remember that up to this point, Android phones were a T-Mobile exclusive -- a company that is the smallest of the "Big 4", and is pretty much nonexistent outside of urban areas. There is not one square mile of WV that has T-Mobile network coverage, for example.

With Verizon, all of that changes. Much larger network footprint, advertising budget, etc. Between 87 million in-house subscribers, Apple haters, and pickups from other networks, my bet is this phone sells at least a million units by New Year's Day.

Myself, I haven't been this excited about the release of a smartphone since the iPhone itself... Apple will have a lot of "answering" to do next year.

All the better for us consumers.