Just when you started noticing age spots on the original Droid, Motorola decided to officially unveil Droid 2.  Though its large 3.7-inch multitouch display cannot out-match Droid X’s enourmous 4.1 inch screen, the Droid 2 does boast great specs.  The improved slideout QWERTY smartphone runs the latest build of Android OS (that’s 2.2 aka Froyo, for those of you counting), has a 5 megapixel camera, and comes preloaded with 8GB of onboard memory and packaged with an 8GB microSD card (expandable up to 32GB).  It supports Flash 10.1 for “access to the full web”, DNLA streaming, and Swype input for the on-screen keyboard.  If you choose to pay an extra $20/month the device becomes a 3G mobile hotspot with support for up to 5 devices over WiFi.  Droid 2 is up for preorder today and will be made available for purchase tomorrow August 12 for $199.99 with an obligatory new two-year contract on Verizon Wireless.  If your current VZW contract ends by December 31, 2010 you are eligible to upgrade to Droid 2 or any other VZW smartphone for that matter.

In the official PR posted after the break, Verizon and Motorola tease a limited edition ”R2-D2 DROID 2″ inspired by the iconic Star Wars Astromech Droid.  “The special version of the phone will feature exclusive Star Wars content and external hardware designed to look like the trusty Droid from the film saga.”  Expect the R2-D2 Droid to release this September.  It will only be available to purchase online.  View the teaser page here.

[Via Engadget]

The “See You Tomorrow” teaser trailer–erm, commercial–is making its rounds on the ‘Net and TV.  It promotes Verizon’s latest smartphone from Motorola, the Droid X.  The 8-megapixel packin’ 4.3-inch beast of a phone is now shipping for Verizon Wireless customers; $199.99 with a new two-year contract.

At this year’s Wireless Enterprise Symposium (WES), Research in Motion (RIM) showed off the latest BlackBerry OS in video form.  (Go acronyms! Anyway…)  RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis did not go into detail about “BlackBerry 6″ but he did have these choice words to say: “It’s an all-new user experience guided by a few fundamental design principles.  It had to be easy to use, yet incredibly powerful.  It had to be fun and approachable.  Anyone that looks at it should say ‘I want a BlackBerry.’”  He also shared his excitement about the “all-new WebKit browser.”  According to a leaked report from BGR, BB 6 will feature a new home screen (with customizable icons), the WebKit browser (with tab support), a redesigned media player and photo viewer, and a bunch of new keyboard commands.  It’s expected that BB 6 will natively support multitouch, finding a home both on touch and non-touch screen devices.  RIM confirms it will release later this year.

Also introduced at the event: the new BlackBerry Bold 9650 & BlackBerry Pearl 3G.  Sprint formally announced it will sell the new Bold for $199.99 with a new two-year contract; Verizon Wireless is expected to make a similar offer.  The Pearl 3G is heading to Canada first on Bell, Telus, and Rogers.  Peek after the break for an image of the sleek new pair of handsets.

[Via Gizmodo; Engadget; The Street] (Click here for more…)

And just when you thought the Verizon Wireless and AT&T ad war was cooling down…Verizon is back with more!  Check out this latest spot that rips off the current vampire craze.  Twi-hards will surely get a kick out of it.

[Via Engadget]

We’ve been here before, so let’s do it again.  According to an Oppenheimer research note from analyst Yair Reiner, who apparently has no real connection to Apple, the oft-rumored Apple tablet will release around March or April with production starting as soon as February.  Reiner says that the tablet will feature a multitouch 10.1 inch screen, it will look similar to the iPhone, and will sell for $1,000.  He also says that Apple has approached book publishers in hopes of forming “a very attractive proposal” to distribute their content digitally.  Reiner: “As innovative as it is, we believe the [Amazon] Kindle has disgruntled the publishing industry (book, newspaper, and magazine) by demanding exclusivity, disallowing advertising, and demanding a wolfish cut of revenue.  The tablet is set to change that.”  According to Reiner, Apple has offered the publishers a revenue cut of 70% without requiring exclusivity.  Sure, this is interesting and all, but there has still been no word at all from Apple about this tablet device and Reiner’s information is not entirely substantiated with proper evidence.  Folks, take all of this with a grain of salt, would you?

In related Apple news, analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray says that the Verizon network with be “the next big feature” of the iPhone.  Munster: “We continue to believe there is a 70% chance that Apple will launch the iPhone with Verizon in mid-CY10.”  He also mentions that the next-gen iPhone may feature hardware support to read RFID chips, enabling swipe payments.  ”The iPhone could feasibly become a full digital wallet,” says Munster.  News of a new iPhone comes from another direction with Eldar Murtazin, editor in chief of Mobile Review. Murtazin tweeted ”Foxconn received order for next generation iphone.”  Engadget calls him “the ultimate insider” when it comes to mobile news, so maybe you can take his word of a manufacturer ramping production for a new iPhone with a smaller pinch of salt.

Whether these rumors about the tablet and next-gen iPhone are true or not, sompthin’ is a brewin’ at Apple and we can all smell it.

[Via Engadget, here & here; Reuters; AppleInsider]

Last we heard in this AT&T vs. Verizon Wireless “There’s a Map for That” commercials debacle, AT&T had lost in court against VZ when they tried to force VZ to pull all of their Map-related advertisements from the air.  The judge had marked a date later this month where the two companies would battle again over this silly issue.

Now, however, AT&T has decided to drop all its lawsuits against Verizon.  Finally.

Instead of putting their money towards upgrading their 3G network, AT&T has decided to spew anti-Verizon ads featuring the quirky Luke Wilson.  Let’s take a step back for a moment.  This whole thing started when Verizon aired a commercial comparing their widespread US 3G coverage (on a map) to AT&T’s dismal coverage.  AT&T sued them because they stipulated that mass audiences would read their sad 3G coverage for their vastly more widespread voice coverage.  (AT&T, I doubt anyone made this blunder in the first place.)  After losing in court they’ve decided to create these Luke Wilson ads that fight back against Verizon in a nonsensical way; these ads don’t focus on AT&T’s 3G coverage, they are all about 3G speed.  Hey AT&T–Verizon’s got the SPEED, too; plus, they cover much more of the US than you do.  I’ve said this twice now, and I’ll say it one more time–AT&T, stop the lawsuits and advertisements and start actually expanding your 3G coverage!

Oh, and not only do Verizon’s ads make sense they are far superior than yours.  See for yourself.  Look after the break for the latest “headless Luke Wilson” AT&T and Verizon “misfit toys” spots.  (True this ad and other recent VZ ads have poked at the iPhone, but what they are really hitting hard is AT&T’s dismal 3G coverage.  Let ‘em have it.)

[Via Engadget; Gizmodo]

(Click here for more…)

It has been reported that a federal judge has ruled against AT&T’s request to pull the Verizon “There’s a Map for That” advertisements from the airwaves.  No surprise here.

What’s interesting, though, is that the judge has deemed it necessary for the two celluar carriers to meet again in court to discuss the matter further.  Apparently the judge called the ads “sneaky” and said that it is possible that viewers may mistunderstand the ads intent becuase “most people who are watching TV are semi-catatonic.”  Ha!  The court meets again on December 16.

For now, Verizon has all the freedom in the world to continue pumping out these advertisements for the holiday season without any scruff from AT&T.  Unless you count this sad, terrible ad featuring one of the Wilson brothers:

[Via Engadget, here & here]

So we all know the story thus far: AT&T has sued Verizon for their “There’s a Map for That” ad campaign.  AT&T claims that Verizon’s beautiful 3G map compared to their dismal 3G map is misleading in more ways than one.  Without going into further detail (because I have already done so here), let’s take a look at VZ’s long-awaited rebuttal:

AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s “There’s A Map For That” advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts.

DAAAAAMN!  But there’s more:

In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon’s side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T’s confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business, and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  AT&T, stop with the unneccesary lawsuits and start making your cell service better.  If you had created a superior 3G coverage zone in the first place, this discussion would not be taking place.

[Via Engadget]

What happens when you have a great 3G phone (ie. the iPhone) but a poor cell phone carrier that lacks proper 3G coverage (read: AT&T)?  You get plopped onto the Island of Misfit Toys, that’s what.  Look after the break for two more anti-AT&T ads from Verizon Wireless.  Oh, it’s on.

[Via Engadget]

(Click here for more…)

We’ve already seen the viral iDont and pods falling from space promos.  Now Verizon has decided to take a turn in marketing strategy moving towards more traditional “this is what the product can actually do” commercials.  I mean, what does DroidDoes do does did?  Peek after the break for two more spots that will take over the airwaves “soon.”

[Via Engadget]

(Click here for more…)

I have some bitter news for you.  Remember those delectable images and videos of the awesomely unique looking LG BL40 phone?  Well apparently that design was scrapped in favor of what you see above (left) because certain “focus groups” did not like the style of the original BL40 (right).  Though it has been released in Europe/Asia, LG has no plans of letting it loose in the States.  Gizmodo has the latest info on the new and no longer desired LG Chocolate Touch:

The LG Chocolate Touch is the latest iteration of the Chocolate line, and brings with it some new music features: FM radio, dedicated key for favorites, Dolby Mobile sound enhancements, and an unexpected and downright weird “Join the Band” feature. Join the Band features a virtual drum kit and scrolling 88-key keyboard so you can tap along with your music. Of course, it also offers Twitter, Facebook and MySpace integration, a 3.2MP camera and one-touch uploading. It’s not a super exciting phone like the BL40, but at least it’s odd enough to be sort of interesting.

The LG Chocolate Touch (VX8575) is available today on Verizon Wireless for $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate.

[Via Gizmodo; Phone Arena]

“What in the world is that?”

Silly man, it’s the Droid by Motorola, Verizon’s first Android phone.  It does everything iDon’t, remember?  The Droid “drops” November 6.  (That’s tomorrow, people!)

I’m really enjoying this super sci-fi viral marketing campaign.  Never has Verizon created such a bold and exciting ad campaign.  And it’s working; there’s much hype for tomorrow’s highly anticipated launch.

Come November 15 Verizon Wireless customers will be forced to pay $350 to terminate their cell phone contracts if they wish to change phones or leave VZW before the end of their two-year agreement.  The early termination fee increases from an already exorbitant $175.  Every month that passes, though, the fee decreases by $10.  VZ made it clear that this new termination fee only applies to “advanced devices;” it is safe to assume this means all smartphones, including the upcoming Droid by Motorola.  Blargh…ETFs were always garbage, but now they are stinky, rotten garbage.

[Via BGR]

Remember the “there’s a map for that” commercial created by Verizon?  It’s been playing on the airwaves for some time now.  So if you haven’t seen it here I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.  Anyway..AT&T has gone ahead and sued Verizon for showcasing their lack of 3G against VZ’s 3G-filled map.  In their own words:

In essence, we believe the ads mislead consumers into believing that AT&T doesn’t offer ANY wireless service in the vast majority of the country. In fact, AT&T’s wireless network blankets the US, reaching approximately 296M people. Additionally, our 3G service is available in over 9,600 cities and towns. Verizon’s misleading advertising tactics appear to be a response to AT&T’s strong leadership in smartphones. We have twice the number of smartphone customers… and we’ve beaten them two quarters in a row on net post-paid subscribers. We also had lower churn — a sign that customers are quite happy with the service they receive.

After further investigation Engadget has made further revelations about the matter: “AT&T thinks Verizon is trying to fool viewers into thinking that they can’t use any AT&T phone services outside of 3G coverage areas by showing two essentially different maps. Since Verizon’s entire network is 3G, the gaps in the red map are actual service gaps — but Verizon doesn’t show that the gaps on the AT&T map might be covered by AT&T’s huge 2G network. We can see how that could be misleading, but at some point you’ve got to compare apples to apples, and AT&T even says it has “no quarrel with Verizon advertising its larger 3G network” in its complaint, so we’ll see how the court reacts.”

Apparently VZ has changed the ads, removing the phrase “out of touch” and replacing it with ”Voice and data services available outside of 3G areas” disclaimer.  Still AT&T remains on guard and Engadget reports that they think ”the ads still confuse non-technical viewers into thinking AT&T provides no service at all outside of its 3G coverage.”

All in all, I find this quarell between AT&T and Verizon quite insignificant.  I am forced to favor Verion for the mere fact that their ad simply carries the truth; Verizon Wireless graces much more land with 3G coverage and AT&T’s 3G coverage, well, sucks.  (Take this from personal experience.)  Instead of battling for the removal of a competitive ad campaign (as slightly misleading as it may be), AT&T should be focused on their 3G services and coverage.

[Via Engadget]

Today Verizon finally released solid information about the first Android 2.0-powered device, Droid by Motorola.  The Droid is a Verizon Wireless exclusive and will be made available to purchase on November 6 for $199 (with a two year contract, after a $100 mail-in rebate).  So it costs as much as an iPhone; is it worthy of its price tag?  Seeing the handset in pictures and specification on paper alone make it look like a strong competitor.  We already knew this but here are a bunch of the official specs: 3.7-inch display (854 x 480 resolution), 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, a bundled 16GB memory card, and a full slide out QWERTY keyboard (Verizon notes that it is the world’s thinnest slide out QWERTY), 3G, WiFi, and over-the-air Amazon MP3 downloads.  A home dock accessory will also be available to purchase.  Oh, and it’s also the first phone to support Google’s brand new Maps Navigation software.  Get learn’d and preorder Droid here.  Look after the break for the official press release and a hands-on video from Engadget.

At today’s press conference Verizon also confirmed that Droid is indeed a family of phones, though there was no mention of the oft-rumored Droid Eris by HTC.

All in all the Droid by Motorola looks great on paper and even better in pictures.  Once it releases this November it will have to face the test of real usage.  Who knows, this may be the competition the iPhone has been craving for over three years.

[Via Engadget, here & here; Gizmodo]

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(Click here for more…)

Someone over at Motorola accidently spilled with beans the other day when they accidently revealed the product specs of the upcoming Motorola Droid (codename Sholes) smartphone (of “Droid Does” fame).  Though the product page was taken down shortly after it was posted, the guys over at Boy Genius Report were able to screen capture all the juicy details: “550MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3430 processor, separate PowerVR GPU, 256MB of RAM, CDMA Rev A., Wi-Fi, GPS, a digital magnetometer, accelerometer, proximity sensors, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, notification LED, four touch-sensitive navigation buttons, a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, 3.5mm headset jack, microUSB port.”   It sports a 3.7 inch, 16:9 capacitive touch screen with 480 x 854 resolution, a 1400 mAh Li-ion battery (up to 385 minutes usage time/ 270 hours standby  time), and comes pre-installed a 16GB microSD card.  It weighs six ounces and has measures 2.4 x 4.6 x 0.5-inches.  Also, BGR says that the browser supports HTML5 and Flash 10 is coming in 2010.

Here’s some even more interesting news.  Apparently “Droid” is not just a device; it also represents a brand–Verizon’s Android-powered devices.  Although the discussed device here is called “the Droid” the name will be carried with other Verizon/Android phones.  In fact, the second phone in the line-up has been leaked.  According to Engadget’s source, what the tech world has been calling the HTC Desire will be the “Droid Eris.”  The source claims that the Eris will be released on November 6, shortly after the Droid will likely be released.  Speaking of release dates, an official date has not been pegged yet, but Verizon is holding a special event for the press on October 26.  More information will be relayed then.  For now, indulge yourself in BGR’s up close and personal shot of the Droid in the gallery below.

[Via BGR; Engadget]

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APPLE, WATCH OUT.  Verizon is taking the battle to you, not AT&T, with this advertisement that is pushing over the airwaves on major networks such as FOX.

The 30 second spot begins with a bunch of “iDon’t” phrases, clearly bashing the Apple iPhone for all the things it can’tdo.  This plays alongside an Apple commercial-esque playful tune.  About 20 seconds in the viral fun begins.  The phrase “Droid Does” forms in a futuristic and mechanistic way and it leaves the viewer with a hint: something is coming in November.  Those who closely watched the ad caught the text visible on the bottom of the screen.  This is a commercial for Verizon, and, interestingly, Verizon had to state that “Droid is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd., licensed to Verizon.”  (It seems as if Mr. George Lucas owns the word “droid.”)

Anyway..after further investigation, all signs point to this being a commercial for Verizon’s first Android-powered cell phone, properly called “Droid.”  (For all you fellow techies, its code-name was Sholes.)  This device is developed by Motorola and will run Google’s Android operating system, version 2.0.  The teaser page includes an “alien counter” that has been decyphered; the timer ends on October 30.  Will more information be released about this mystery device on that date?  We shall wait and see…

Well, looks like we don’t have to wait thatlong for some new info.  The fellas at Boy Genius Report have captured some images of the Motorola Droid.  Here’s a summation of their “hands-on:” it runs Android 2.0; it’s very thin (for a QWERTY smartphone); it’s fast; it has a 3.7 inch capacitive display; it runs on a TI OMAP3430 processor; it has a 5-megapixel camera (with flash).  Will report on more information as it comes.  For now, check out images of the Droid below.

[Via Engadget; Gizmodo, here & here; BGR]

Looks like Verizon is about to play some hardball with AT&T.  Yeah, the iPhone may have thousands of cool apps, but Verizon can boast its vastly superior 3G expansion.  The question is, which is more important to you: thousands of games or better data reception?

[Via Engadget]