Posted on 10/28/2009 12:47:49 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Motorola and Verizon Wireless on Wednesday unveiled the Droid, a smartphone that will test whether the companies can use software from Google to chip away at the dominance of Apple's iPhone.
The Droid, a svelte slider with a full keyboard and an expansive touchscreen, will be available at Verizon Wireless Nov. 6 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers have to sign up for a two-year contract and data plan.
Success of the new phone, which is being launched in a competitive holiday season, is crucial for Motorola, where co-Chief Executive Sanjay Jha has placed a heavy bet on Android to turn around the company's mobile devices business.
The Droid is the first phone with Android 2.0, the newest version of Google's operating platform, and is also Verizon Wireless' first Android device. The carrier announced a partnership with Google this month, pledging to co-develop phones and other gadgets using Android software. Like Apple's App Store, Google's Android Market offers thousands of applications that can customize a phone to perform functions such as search for reviews of local businesses, download podcasts and connect with social networks.
"What this phone does is it gives us the answer to what customers want in an open platform," said Marni Walden, Verizon Wireless' president of the Midwest area.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
I’d love to get an iPhone but AT&T coverage is so bad in our area that we don’t even have the Edge network, let alone 3G.
Ed
Must.
Have.
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