IntoMobile » Hottest Hardware

The Unboxing: Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris

Will Park — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:32:15 +0000

We’ve already had a chance to play with the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless, but there’s nothing like a retail package unboxing ceremony to really get up close and personal with a new handset. As the “ying” to the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid’s “yang,” the HTC Droid Eris offers Verizon customers a fully capable Android smartphone at half the price of Moto’s headlining Droid, and it deserves some of our undivided attention.

The HTC Droid Eris is a lot like the HTC Hero from Sprint. Just like the Hero, the Droid Eris packs a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel auto-focusing camera, 3G data, WiFi, GPS and a microSD card slot. It also runs the Sense UI, HTC’s custom Android homescreen skin, which gives the Droid Eris a bunch of extra HTC widgets to play with – and it doesn’t hurt that Sense UI looks way prettier than the vanilla Android homescreen.

Surprisingly, the HTC Droid Eris isn’t much thinner than the Motorola Droid, which sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That’s not to say that the Droid Eris is a brick, it actually sits really comfortably in the hand. Still, the Eris could stand to lose a couple millimeters around its waist.

The Droid Eris’s 5-megapixel camera is faster and less laggy than the Motorola Droid. It also supports touch-focusing, which gives it a another small but significant leg-up on the Droid. The 3.2-inch display is smaller than would be ideal, but it’s plenty big for day-to-day use. Above all, there’s no sliding mechanism on the Droid Eris, so build quality is top-notch – no jiggling or creaking here.

The Droid Eris is available from Verizon Wireless for $99.99 with new 2-year contract. Or, you might be able to find a better deal here.

Unfortunately, the Eris runs Android 1.5 OS. The Motorola Droid features Android 2.0 OS, which has the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps Navigation app pre-installed. Android 1.5 isn’t bad, especially with HTC’s Sense UI riding on top, but it’s no Android 2.0.

Anyway, acquaint yourself with the Droid Eris below!

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Deal Alert: $99 Motorola Droid, FREE HTC Droid Eris from Wirefly.com

Will Park — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:46:08 +0000

If you’ve been resisting the urge to run out and buy a Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid at a Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless store, we’ve got some good news for you. Wirlefly.com is rewarding your patience with a seriously hot deal on a brand new Droid. How hot, you ask? Wirefly is offering the Droid for $99.99 with new 2-year contract (or contract extension). They also have the HTC Droid Eris on deck for FREE, if the HTC Sense UI is more your style.

For about $100, Wirefly.com will ship a newly activated Droid to your door. There’s no mail-in rebate to deal with and FedEx shipping is included, free of charge. The promotional ad makes it look like the $100 Droid requires new activation on Verizon’s $59.99 monthly rate plan, so we went through the checkout process with Verizon’s lowest-tier $39.99/month rate plan selected. We stopped short of processing payment information, but everything looked good to go with the cheaper rate plan.

The FREE HTC Droid Eris offer seems to be more limited. You’ll have to have an existing Verizon Wireless account and be willing to extend your contract for another two years. And, it seems the contract extension only applies to rate plans of $59.99 or more. On the upside, shipping is free via FedEx.

If you can wait a couple days for your new Droid hardware, you’re going to have a hard time beating these two deals.

$100 Motorola Droid
FREE HTC Droid Eris

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Video: Hands-on with Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris

Will Park — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:52:55 +0000

If you’ve had your eye on the Android-powered HTC Hero and its customized Sense UI, but just couldn’t bear to leave Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s warm embrace for Sprint (NYSE: S)’s network, you’re in luck! Verizon went official this morning with the Hero-esque HTC Droid Eris. The Eris is a lot like the Hero, just for the Verizon Wireless network. And, at just $99, the Droid Eris is the more affordable alternative to both the upcoming Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid and the Sprint HTC Hero. The Eris even sports the same Sense UI that we’ve come to love on the HTC Hero.

The Motorola Droid might be hogging all the hype this week, but the Eris deserves some time in the limelight. So, without further ado, here’s a hands-on look at HTC Droid Eris for Verizon Wireless.

Here’s a quick spec-sheet rundown on the HTC Droid Eris:

3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen (320×480)
5-megapixel camera (with autofocus)
Android 1.5 OS
3G data
WiFi
GPS
3.5mm headphone jack

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Verizon’s HTC DROID Eris Gets Official

Simon Sage — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:10:02 +0000

After an early unboxing, Motorola (NYSE: MOT)’s little brother in Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s Android rollout has gone public. The HTC droid Eris is bringing a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, 320 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and HTC’s very slick Sense user interface to the party. I’m still a little boggled as to how the Eris qualifies as a “with Google (NSDQ: GOOG)” experience with all the custom work done on top of Android 1.5, but more power to ‘em. Although not quite as buxom as the Motorola droid, or even HTC’s own Hero, the Eris still offers a lot for $99.99 on contract, and is a great option for folks who want the fancy Android experience while staying on a budget. Keep an eye on the VZ store for the Eris starting tomorrow, or take a closer look at the device over at HTC.

[via PRNewswire]

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Video: We take T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Bold 9700 for a spin

Will Park — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:25:16 +0000

The T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) (NYSE: DT) BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) (NSDQ: RIMM) Bold 9700 isn’t quite launched just yet, but we’ve already gotten friendly with RIM’s newest hardware. The Bold 9700 looks and feels a lot like the original BlackBerry Bold 9000, with some significant under-the-hood upgrades. Cosmetically, the biggest difference is the missing trackball; in it’s place is a new optical trackpad. It’s a subtle design update that makes a lot of sense – the Bold 9000 was a big hit for RIM, of course they’re going to stick with a recipe that everyone loves.

The Bold 9700 is fitted with the same class-leading QWERTY keyboard that debuted on the Bold 9000. It’s slimmer than the original Bold, but packs an upgraded 3.2-megapixel camera and double the application memory (256MB) – all the while shipping on a fully-charged battery for days on end. The entire backside of the Bold 9700 is covered in a rubberized “soft touch” finish that highlights the faux-leather backing.

What about the new trackpad? Is it just as easy to use as the iconic BlackBerry trackball? Is it responsive and accurate enough to satisfy die-hard BlackBerry fans? In a word, “yes.” The optical trackpad samples your finger input hundreds of times a second, translating the direction and speed of your finger into smooth cursor movements. It works well. In fact, it might just be better than the trackball.

To beat the issue to death (again), the Bold 9700’s browser isn’t the best. The browser is said to be improved, but it still lags. It’ll get the job done, but you need to be patient with it. Check out the hands-on video below to see for yourself. It might help to distract yourself away from the browser and just focus on the Bold 9700’s improved camera and rock solid push email features.

Basically, if you liked the Bold 9000, you can’t really ask for any better than the Bold 9700. The official launch window is “sometime before November 27,” but all signs are pointing to a Nov. 18 launch for $199.99 with new 2-year contract.

Enjoy our hands-on video and photo gallery!

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Verizon to celebrate Motorola Droid launch with secret NYC concert by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:05:18 +0000

So you like the Motorola Droid, do you? And you say you live in or close to New York City? Well, if you also happen to be a fan of the “Yeah Yeah Yeahs,” or you just like free concerts, you’re going to want to follow the Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s @vcastmusic Twitter feed over the next few days. Verizon Wireless will be celebrating the launch of their Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid with a secret “Yeah Yeah Yeahs” concert somewhere in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and they’ll be giving away tickets via the Twitter feed.

Verizon will also be tweeting the locations of their New York Street Teams, where you can meet up with Droid-wielding reps and play with the Motorola Droid in person. Should you decide to pick up a Droid of your own on Nov. 6, you automatically get tickets to the secret Manhattan concert.

Straight from the official press release:

You can be one of the first to experience the brand new Droid by Motorola – the world’s first smartphone with Android 2.0 – available exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network. Follow Verizon Wireless’ New York Street Teams at Twitter.com/vcastmusic to find out where they will be so you can be one of the first to try the Droid out for yourself and win tickets to attend an exclusive celebration in Manhattan’s Lower East Side featuring a performance by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and mingle with celebrity guests including Adrian Grenier, Kim Delaney, Katrina Bowden and more.

Anyone who purchases a Droid on November 6 will also win tickets to attend the event.

For more information visit Twitter.com/vcastmusic

[Via: PhoneDog]

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HTC HD2 Confirmed Due in North America Early 2010

Simon Sage — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:42:58 +0000

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one slobbering for the HD2, HTC’s monster of a Windows Mobile 6.5 device – we want it here in North America just as much as you do, and now we have a general expectation of Q1 2010 from a joint HTC/Microsoft launch event. If you didn’t catch our hands-on playtime, the HD2 hosts a gigantic 4.3″ WVGA touchscreen, a 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and HTC’s custom TouchFLO 3D user interface. Between the giant display, slim profile, respectable camera, and WinMo functionality, this will be a choice handset for mobile media junkies. Europe and Taiwan have their units shipping presently, but there was no additional information about North American pricing or carrier availability (although T-Mobile seems likely), so stay tuned.

[via HTC]

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Verizon’s Motorola Droid supports Microsoft Exchange, but only if you pay $15 more per month

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:46:03 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid is going to be a big deal when it launches Nov. 6. It’s got the right style and the right features to make a name for itself in the Android game, but it’s also going to be the first handset to sport the new Android 2.0 (Eclair) mobile operating system. That’s important because Android 2.0 will finally support Microsoft Exchange email. But, for Motorola Droid hopefuls who use Exchange email, it’s going to come at a price. $15, to be exact.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) customers looking to get a Motorola Droid will have to sign up for one of three unlimited data plans on top of their voice plan. For $30, you’ll get unlimited data without Exchange support. If you need Exchange email support (and you’re a VZW business customer), your data plan will cost $45. Or, for $50, you can use the Droid as a data-only device, including Exchange support. For corporate Droid users, it’s going to cost $15 more to use their Exchange email.

The extra cost probably won’t affect a large majority of Verizon’s Motorola Droid customers, but that’s not going to console Exchange users slapped with the extra fee. Is it right to charge for the Droid’s Exchange feature? Will the extra $15 per month for Exchange support sway your decision to buy a Droid? Sound off below!

Oh, and if you want to get the low-down on the Droid, check out our coverage here, here and here.

[Update]
Turns out, Verizon business customers (those with corporate/business accounts) will be slapped with the higher-priced data plan. Consumers will get unlimited data and Exchange support on their Droid for $30, while business users will have to pay $45 for the same service. That should clear things up a bit.

[Via: PCWorld]

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Unlock your factory fresh iPhone 3GS with ‘blacksn0w’ (OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11 friendly)!

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:06:40 +0000

If you accidentally updated your iPhone 3G/3GS to the latest iPhone OS 3.1/3.1.2, then you’re also stuck with baseband version 05.11. If you recently bought a factory fresh iPhone 3GS with OS 3.1 or 3.1.2 already loaded, then you’re in the same boat. That used to be a bad thing, because baseband 05.11 couldn’t be unlocked to work with unofficial SIM cards. Today’s release of “blacksn0w” changes all that. The blacksn0w software unlock utility is now available to unlock any iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS running the latest iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11!

Yes, that includes brand new, out-of-the-box, iPhone 3GS’s.

If you’re running an older version of the baseband (04.26), simply jailbreak your iPhone and run Ultrasn0w. You can find your baseband firmware version by navigating to Settings>General>About>Modem Version on your iPhone. We have jailbreak (PwnageTool) directions here and unlock (ultrasn0w) directions here.

For the rest of you in the “baseband 05.11″ boat, keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial to unlock your iPhone…

First, you’ll need to jailbreak your iPhone. We’re going to use the blackra1n jailbreak utility for this guide. You can use PwnageTool, but it will require you download blacksn0w separately. Just follow this guide and you’ll be fine. (if you’re already jailbroken, skip to the unlock section)

Download blackra1n from blackra1n.com (choose Mac or PC version)
Extract blackra1n to your desktop
Execute blackra1n with a double-click
Connect your iPhone 3G/3GS to your computer
Click “make it ra1n”
- Your iPhone will reboot
You’ll see geohot’s picture upon reboot
Let blackra1n do it’s thing and wait for reboot
Once rebooted, you’ll be told your iPhone is now jailbroken

Now you’ll unlock your iPhone 3G/3GS’s baseband (version 05.11 only) – check your baseband version by navigating to Settings>General>About>Modem Version on your iPhone.

Find the “ra1n” app on your homescreen and run it
Hit the “sn0w” button
Let the app work its magic, it’s unlocking your baseband
Once your iPhone 3G/3GS is unlocked, you’ll be prompted to close the app
Enjoy your unlocked iPhone! (remember to disable “3G Data” if you’re on T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) USA)
- You’ll notice that “Cydia” is now installed on your homescreen. This is your jailbreak appstore, it’s your new best friend.

Note: If you want to remove the “ra1n” app, simply fire up the app again and select the “Uninstall blackra1n” option

[Via: geohot]

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Motorola CLIQ goes live on T-Mobile USA

Will Park — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:57:10 +0000

The Motorola CLIQ is hailed as Motorola (NYSE: MOT)’s first stab at reclaiming some of their lost mobile phone market share, and it just might be able to live up to expectations. Motorola and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) announced the CLIQ a little over a month ago, showing off the Android phone’s innovative MOTOBLUR interface and its ability to magically update its homescreen widgets with information from your social networks and news feeds. Today, T-Mobile has gone all official with the Motorola CLIQ in the US. No more pre-order, folks – the CLIQ is live!

T-Mobile’s CLIQ has the distinction of being Motorola’s first comeback handset as well as the company’s first Android phone to hit market. The CLIQ is decidedly more curvy than its evil brother, the Motorola DROID, but it packs a cutesy-punch. The CLIQ sports a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, GPS, WiFi, 3G data, 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot. But, the CLIQ’s highlight feature is its MOTOBLUR UI. Motorola created its custom MOTOBLUR Android UI to work with special MOTOBLUR servers to constantly monitor your social networks and news feeds. When something new happens or someone posts an interesting (sometimes not so interesting) tidbit to their profile, MOTOBLUR pushes that information to one of your homescreen widgets. Social butterflies, take note, MOTOBLUR will help you stay connected!

And, to help celebrate the Motorola CLIQ’s launch, Motorola and T-Mobile have announced a contest for college students. The college to sign-up the most Facebook fans to T-Mobile’s fan page will win a free campus concert by Weezer, and up to $25,000 for their school. Even better, you don’t even have to buy a CLIQ to enter the contest! Find out more here.

Fans of Motorola’s curvy Android phone can walk into any T-Mobile USA retail store or go online to nab their very own Motorola CLIQ for $199.99 with new 2-year contract and mail-in rebate. The CLIQ comes in your choice of White or Titanium color schemes.

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Motorola CLIQ gets official for T-Mobile USA

Will Park — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:32:03 +0000

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iPhone goes live in China

Will Park — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:54:58 +0000

China isn’t just some foreign country with a penchant for censoring their citizens into oblivion and peddling counterfeit handsets on the cheap. The land of dim sum and stubborn Communist politics has become the latest country to launch the iPhone. As expected, the iPhone is now ready to cater to the single-largest wireless market, by way of China Unicom’s network (China’s No. 2 wireless network). The 8GB iPhone 3G will cost $732, with the 32GB iPhone 3GS commanding a $1,025 price tag.

Now, considering how all that hard-earned cash will only buy a China Unicom iPhone that lacks WiFi support, it’s hard to see the handset making it big in China. There are gray-market iPhones that cost less, come unlocked and actually support WiFi. Good luck, China Unicom.

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Want a GSM Motorola DROID? Say ‘hi’ to the Motorola MILESTONE!

Will Park — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:11:20 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid is all the rage right now. It’s chock full of Android 2.0 goodies like Google Maps Navigation and enough smartphone hardware to satisfy even the hardest core of mobile enthusiasts – all wrapped in a slim, yet masculine, package. But, Motorola is going to have to look beyond Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s CDMA network to go truly global. In fact, Motorola’s already got O2 (NYSE: TEF) Germany in its sights. Yup, O2 will soon launch the GSM version of the Motorola Droid/Sholes as the Motorola MILESTONE.

O2 lists the price [PDF link] of the MILESTONE at €404.20 ($595), but that number should get a nice little price-chop after some carrier subsidies. The O2 website shows the Motorola MILESTONE looking every bit the GSM Droid we expected it to be, which is a good sign that German’s won’t have to wait too long before picking up their MILESTONE.

We’ve already seen the GSM Droid pass through the FCC and pop up in Vietnam, so it’s not surprising to see it going official in Europe. The only question is, when will Motorola release a US-spec GSM Droid?

[Via: BGR]

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Video: Motorola Droid gets unboxed, handled, loved

Will Park — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:42:21 +0000

The Motorola Droid is as hot as it gets in the smartphone space right now. It’s the first Android phone for Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless and it’s the first (that we’ve played with) to sport the newly announced Android 2.0 OS. It’s not just the slim-and-trim Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid’s impressive 3.7-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and slide-out QWERTY keyboard that make it a force to be reckoned with – the Android 2.0 OS blesses the Droid with integrated turn-by-turn GPS navigation with voice guidance and street view through the new Google Maps Navigation application.

Unfortunately, the closest you’ll be able to get to a Motorola Droid at this point is Best Buy’s pre-order. Us? Well, we’ve had the pleasure of playing with the Droid for a few days now. The Droid’s massive display is as good as it gets. The vanilla Android UI responds without any lag. Despite the huge display and full keyboard, the Droid is as comfortable in the hand and pocket as the similarly-sized iPhone 3G/3GS. And, with a respectable 5-megapixel camera and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps Navigation adding icing to an already impressive handset, we have to say the Droid is living up to the hype.

So, how does it fare as a competitor to the HTC Hero and a possible candidate to unseat the iPhone as the de facto leader in the smartphone space? Check out our unboxing/hands-on video to see for yourself!

Here’s a quick rundown of the Motorola Droid’s spec sheet:

3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen at WVGA (854 x 480) resolution
Full HTML5 browser that supports Flash and will be upgradeable to Flash 10 once it becomes available
5 megapixel camera with dual LED flash; video capture at 720 x 480 resultion, 24 frames per second
16GB microSD card included
3.5 mm headphone jack
WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS
1400 mAh battery
Google’s new Google Maps Navigation application (more on that here)
60 mm x 115.8 mm x 13.7 mm; 169 grams

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Motorola DROID Available at Best Buy Now

Simon Sage — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:28:16 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) droid has been turning a lot of heads since its launch yesterday, and no doubt some folks are hankering to pick up the super-thin, full-QWERTY, Android-powered slider as soon as possible. The officially-announced launch day was November 9, but apparently Best Buy has it in stores today for $199.99 on contract. Considering the hype and the early release, I doubt stock will hold up for long, so get ‘em while they’re hot. If you’ve had a chance to swing by your local Best Buy store, what’s the inventory like? For those that can’t get out to a brick-and-mortar store to pick up a droid, keep an eye on Best Buy Mobile’s online store, or if your palate isn’t sufficiently whet, take a look at our hands-on impressions.

[via BusinessWire]

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Quick shot: Verizon Motorola Droid in the flesh!

Will Park — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:45:31 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid went live as Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s first Android phone earlier this morning. Then, Google (NSDQ: GOOG) announced that their Google Maps app for Android 2.0 now supports GPS turn-by-turn directions with voice guidance. The two announcements merged, like that those really big storms in that one movie involving a fishing boat of some sort, to form one of the biggest product launches of the year. I just got a chance to put my hands all over the Motorola Droid and thought I’d let you in on my initial impressions (and from-the-hip pics). The short version: Verizon’s Motorola Droid is badass. Keep reading for the long version (and a massive hands-on photo gallery.

First, the Motorola Droid is slim – 13.7mm, to be exact. You’re probably not used to seeing a QWERTY slider as svelte as the keyboard-less iPhone 3GS, so the slim-waisted Droid is a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, all that thinness comes with sacrifices. The keyboard is decent, but the keys are almost completely flat and don’t offer too much travel. Thankfully, there’s a satisfyingly tactile “click” to the keys that makes the keyboard quite usable. It’s also good to see the top row sporting numeric alternatives and a dedicated “@” key.

The Droid is pretty. The little stub that extends below the bottom of the screen might look a bit awkward in photos, but in person the Droid is one attractive smartphone. Navigation buttons are flush mounted, making for clean look. The Droid’s sharp lines and modern industrial design remind me of Motorola’s glory days when the RAZR’s innovative design reigned king in the mobile phone market. And, with a soft-touch backside, the Droid is as pretty as it is fun to hold.

As for features and specs, the Droid is one power-packed handset. It’s got more than enough processing power to run its Android 2.0 OS without any noticeable lag or stuttering. Screen rotations execute without hesitation and menus pop up nice and fast. The 5-megapixel camera is impressive, as is the dual-LED flash and HD video recording at 24fps. The one video recording that I saw demonstrated on the Droid looked crisp and smooth, even at less than 30fps. The huge 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen is bright and responsive. Then there’s the microSD card slot pre-loaded with a 16GB microSD card. Can you say multimedia monster?

Google Maps Navigation is awesome (our video demo here). There’s a reason Garmin’s stock dropped through the floor this morning. Not only does Google provide turn-by-turn GPS navigation with voice prompts, the Google Maps Navigation feature allows you to overlay all kinds of data layers on top of your route – you can view traffic along your specific route, or you can find nearby gas stations, or Hilton hotels, or burger joints, or convenience stores, or… you get the idea. And, the ability to view your navigation route on top of Google Maps’ satellite view is amazing. There’s even a street view mode that gives you a look at what the upcoming turn looks like in real life!

More video and photos to come. For now, here are some quick shots of the Droid and its Android 2.0 UI.

[Update]
Check out our Motorola Droid video tour here!

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Reminder: Verizon’s Motorola Droid event on Oct. 28th

Will Park — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:37:49 +0000

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is set to unveil their new Android hotness tomorrow, and we’ll be there to witness history in the making. If you’re calendar isn’t already marked, remember to keep an eye out for out of Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid coverage from Verizon’s Android shin-dig!

For those of you that haven’t yet caught wind of the Motorola Droid or Verizon’s Droid advertisement blasting across all forms of media, the Motorola Droid is the first (of many) Android phones from Verizon. And with the way things are shaping up, the Droid could very well turn out to be the baddest Android smartphone on the planet!

In just a matter of hours, well be putting our crusty fingers all over the Droid’s 3.7-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera outfitted with dual-LED flash and low-light shooting capabilities, and the Android OS 2.0. Will the Droid have what it takes to reign supreme among worthy Android competitors like the HTC Hero. Will it give the iPhone something to lose sleep over? Well see soon enough…

For now, drool over the Droid’s spec sheet:

OS: Android 2.0 (Eclair), 550 Mhz processor
Display: 3.7-inch WVGA (480 x 854) touchscreen, backlit with haptic feedback
Camera: 5 megapixel with dual LED flash, autofocus, image stabilization, 4 X digital zoom, and video capture (24 FPS, 720 x 480)
Battery: 1400 mAh, 385 min. continuous usage, 270 hr. standby
Connectivity: EVDO Rev. A (3G), aGPS, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, microUSB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot (comes with 16 GB, expandable to 32 GB)

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More Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 (Rachel) pics surface

Will Park — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:35:09 +0000

The Android revolution has begun, and you know what that means – loads of Android smartphone spy pics! We’ve already seen the Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) XPERIA X3 (Rachel) doing its thing in the wild, and we even have video demonstrating the Rachel’s customized Android UI concept. But, we still can’t get us enough of the Rachel. So, we’re happy to see another round of Rachel spy pics coming to light. This go ’round, Mobile Crunch is calling it the Sony Ericsson “X10.” What happened to all those other “X’s” is beyond us.

The X10 you see in these pictures is reportedly running the vanilla Android UI, and not the “Rachel” UI that we’ve seen before. The lighting here is way better than we’ve previously seen in X3/X10 spy photos, but it’s as blur-tastic as most other spy pics. Maybe whoever took these pics thought it would be funny to use a Motorola (NYSE: MOT) RAZR as a camera.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3/X10 (Rachel) is still expected to launch in the first quarter of 2010 with its 4-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen, 8.1-megapixel camera, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, GPS, WiFi, 3G data and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Android 2.0 OS (Eclair) will likely be on tap to battle the well-endowed HTC Dragon.

Enjoy the pics, it’s going to be a long winter!

[Via: MobileCrunch and PhoneDog]

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Attack of the (Verizon) Droids?

Will Park — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:00:36 +0000

By now, you’ve probably heard of the Motorola Droid and how it’s going to rock Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s socks with all kinds of Android goodness. Turns out, though, the “Droid” brand might represent more than just a model name for the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Sholes/Tao. Word has it that Verizon will stamp their entire Android lineup with the “Droid” brand. The Verizon Motorola Droid will be the first in what Verizon wants to be a long line of high-powered Android phones. The second Verizon Droid? Well, we’re hearing that the HTC Desire will launch as the Verizon Droid Eris.

So, the Motorola Droid might kick off the attack as the “Droid.” And, according to Engadget Mobile, the HTC Desire will go live as the Droid Eris on November 8. The launch of the Eris (Greek mythology’s goddess of strife) should follow hot on the heels of the Droid (Sholes), which is expected to be unveiled on October 28.

The Motorola Sholes and HTC Desire are shaping up to be a pair of seriously cool Android phones. Watch out, it’s the attack of the Droids!

[Via: EngadgetMobile and GDGT]

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HTC HD2 caught multi-touching itself on camera

Will Park — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:32:44 +0000

Bet you didn’t know the HTC HD2 supported multi-touch in its Internet Explorer Mobile web browser. Well, consider yourself officially put on notice. The HD2 you see in this here video shows the gorgeously slim, yet incredibly well endowed, getting all multi-touchy with pinch-and-stretch zooming on its 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen!

The multi-touch feature seems to be slightly laggy in the video. It’s not clear if the lag issues will be fixed as HTC puts its finishing touches on the HD2 prior to launch. Still, even with buggy multi-touch, the HD2 is high on our wishlist. We had a chance to put hands on the HD2 earlier this month, and we can say that the HD2 is worth putting up with Windows Mobile 6.5 and a slightly quirky multi-touch browsing feature. With a little luck, we’ll see the HTC HD2 going live on T-Mobile USA shortly after its November 11 launch in Europe.

[Via: WMPowerUser]

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