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In an attempt to battle Apple’s iPhone 4 on AT&T, Verizon introduced the Motorola Droid X Wednesday and the Android-powered handset is packed full of killer features.
The most appealing feature of the device is the large 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen. This puts it in the same class as the Evo 4G but we’ve seen that the Droid X will look a little bigger.
The screen will be the same resolution as the Droid but Motorola said consumers prefer a larger screen than a smaller one with a higher resolution. We’ll see how consumers react when the iPhone 4 and its Retina Display hit tomorrow. Motorola and Verizon will be putting that big screen to use, as it will come preloaded with multimedia software from Blockbuster, NFL Mobile, Skype and V Cast video.
The Droid X will have a 1 GHz OMAP processor and it will be coming with 8 GB of internal memory with 16 GB that will be removable (this is expandable up to 40 GB via the microSD slot). The device will rock an 8-megapixel camera that can also record 720p HD video. You’ll be able to pump that out via an HDMI-out port.
Like the Evo 4G, you’ll be able to use the Droid X as a mobile hotspot for up to five devices. This will cost an additional $20 a month for 2 GB of data and I would have been over the moon if Verizon made this a free feature like it did with the Palm Pre Plus devices.
Verizon and Motorola made a big deal about the device being able to handle full Flash content but the Droid X will only ship with Android 2.1. The Flash-enabled software, Android 2.2 (Froyo), will be hitting the device in “late summer.”
The Drodi X will also have some form of MotoBlur on it but the company promises that it won’t be as obtrusive as previous incarnations, like on the Cliq XT.
The handset will be released July 15 and it will cost $199 for the entry model, after a $100 rebate and a new, two-year contract. In a move that mirrors what AT&T is doing with the iPhone 4, any Verizon customer that is eligible to upgrade in 2010 will be able to get the new Motorola smartphone at the entry price.
The timing of the introduction was no coincidence, as Verizon wants to show that it also has a killer smartphone that can go toe to toe with Apple’s latest smartphone. You can question the timing of the launch, as most publications will be all-iPhone, all the time for the next few days.
Still, you have to give Verizon credit for coming out swinging against the iPhone. It could have easily scheduled the introduction for next week when some of the iPhone hype could die down but the nation’s largest carrier wants to position the Droid X as a direct competitor.
So friends, are you excited about the latest Motorola smartphone?
Stay tuned to IntoMobile, as we’ll have a ton of hands-on photos and videos of the Droid X soon. Also, look for a full review in the next couple days.
About The Author
Marin Perez
Marin Perez has torture tested cell phones and smartphones for industry leaders like CNET and InformationWeek. He remembers when 4G was just a screen on PowerPoint presentations and is fascinated with the amount of innovation out there. Marin has spent a lot of time with BlackBerry and Android but he finally broke down a bought an iPhone to see what all the hype's about. He also has too many tablets.
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