Verizon Wireless announced their highly anticipated Droid phone today and will start selling their Android 2.0-based phone in Verizon stores Nov. 6 at $199.
The Motorola phone will be Verizon’s first device running Google software. At a launch event in New York, Verizon said it was embarking on its largest marketing campaign ever and would target 15- to 35-year-olds who are highly engaged with their gadgets for social networking, blogging and other online tasks.
- Android 2.0
- 5-megapixel camera
- A 550MHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor, used by the Palm Pre as well.
- 3.7-inch, 16:9 touch screen with 480×854-pixel resolution
- micro-USB port, and comes with a 16GB micro-SD card.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- GPS
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Webkit HTML 5 browser
- 1,400mAh battery provides 6.4 hours talk time, up to 11 days of standby time.
Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements include:
- 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.
The Droid won’t be first challenger for Apple’s iPhone. Sprint Nextel has been pushing the Samsung Instinct and Palm’s Pre while Verizon has been selling the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm. T-Mobile first introduced their Android phone, the G1 about a year ago. None has had much success against the iPhone, which has sold over 21 million units with some 100,000 applications on its App Store.
Verizon’s Droid uses Google’s Android 2.0 operating system, an open platform that anyone can customize.
Google introduced a turn-by-turn mapping application today that could provide the Droid with a marketing advantage over other smart phones. But Google plans to make it compatible with other systems and devices, including the iPhone and the Blackberry from Research In Motion.
Engadget has a comprehensive review. Additional coverage is available from; Verizon, C/Net, Engadget, Gizmodo, Paid Content, Android Central, Mobile Burn, UMPC Portal and Unwired View.
