Well, it’s official now. Motorola have now announced that the Motorola DROID will be available on Verizon next week (November 6th). The specs include a 3.7″ widescreen display with a (slightly) weird 854×480 resolution. It’s the first phone to use Android 2.0 and has a 5 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, autofocus and image stabilization.
The WiFi and ultra-fast network connectivity is complemented by the slide-out QWERTY keyboard and integrated Android Market for downloading apps and games. Google Maps Navigation is included and you can navigate by simply talking to your phone. Yup, you read that right – turn-by-turn navigation out of the box.
The full press release is below along with extra photos of the device.
Upate – A fantastic hands-on video is now available on engadget.com with more shots and detail on the-gadgeteer.com
Link – Motorola DROID Announcement
Hello Humans: DROID by Motorola Arrives Next Week
Verizon Wireless DROID By Motorola: World’s First Smartphone
with Android™ 2.0
28, 2009
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. –
High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large
screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of
widgets and the best 3G mobile network in the country: DROID by
Motorola arrives on Nov. 6.
Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest
wireless 3G
broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the
mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone
powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the
brainpower and
breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where
other smartphones fall short.
“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the
first
smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive
officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile
Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer
experience with
warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in
design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open,
flexible
graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network,
DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”
“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the
DROID
by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under
our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John
Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for
Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a
lifestyle
device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them
stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in
the country.”
DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior
and is
one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It
is a
no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air
updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for
holiday wish lists.
With DROID by Motorola, you can:
- Zip through the Web: Access
the Internet at 3G
speeds via the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network or from
any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a
massive
processor delivers the Web the way you expect. - See it all in cinema-style:
View the Web, e-mail,
Google Maps™, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7”
high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to
reduce the
need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID
has more than twice that of the leading competitor. - Run multiple applications at once:
Customize your
DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available
on Android Market™. Toggle back and forth between up to six
applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps. - Perform Google Search™ at the speed of sound:
Simply tell DROID what you’re looking for using voice-activated search,
and it will serve up Google search results based on your
location. If
you want more, simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar
on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone,
such as apps and contacts, and the Web. - Capture moments: Snap digital
camera-quality
photos with a 5 megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a
dual-LED flash, AutoFocus and image stabilization, or capture your
friend’s antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and
playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so
you
always have it on hand. - Multi-task like a master: Keep
tabs on all your
messages with integrated Gmail™ and Exchange e-mail pushed directly to
you, but don’t let them get in your way. With the handy
Android
notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and
get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns
as you
type and automatically includes your contacts. - Get where you need to go with Google Maps
Navigation (Beta): DROID
is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn
voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps.
It’s powered by
Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply
say “Navigate to [your destination],” and you’ll be on your
way. See
live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route,
and get access to the most recent maps and business information from
Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.
Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements to
Google Mobile Services:
- Google Maps: With layers in
Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My
Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map. - Gmail: Multiple accounts
support and undo for common operations. - YouTube™: One-touch recording
and playback from
homescreen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the
ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos. - Google Talk™: Easily switch
between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and
videos sent by links. - Android Market: Browse and
download applications created by third-party developers. - Calendar: Ability to see who
has R.S.V.P.’d to your meeting invitations. - Facebook: Syncs Facebook
contacts to your address
book, and a live widget gives the ability to update status and view
latest updates from friends. - Amazon MP3 Store: Download the
latest tracks over the air. - Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail:
Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen
to prior messages or voice instructions.
Pricing and Availability:
- DROID by Motorola will be available in the United States
exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on
Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement
after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the
rebate in the
form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash
anywhere debit cards are accepted. - Experience the all-new DROID by Motorola at
www.droiddoes.com. - To get the most from DROID by Motorola smartphone,
customers will
need to subscribe to a Nationwide voice plan and an Email and Web for
Smartphone plan. Nationwide voice plans begin at $39.99 for
monthly
access for 450 minutes and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan is
$29.99 for monthly access. - For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and
services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2
JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.