Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com Engadget Mobile http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget Mobile http://www.engadgetmobile.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Achtung! Motorola Milestone now free on contract in Germany, sort of]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/achtung-motorola-milestone-now-free-on-contract-in-germany/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/achtung-motorola-milestone-now-free-on-contract-in-germany/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/achtung-motorola-milestone-now-free-on-contract-in-germany/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Already jealous of the multitouch functionality afforded by Motorola Droids (or Milestones, as it were) sold outside the United States? Well, you might just want to look away for this one -- it seems that O2 is now practically giving away the phone in Germany. Specifically, it's selling it for a mere €1 with a 2 year-contract, which itself can be had for as little as €20 per month. As with other non-US carries, however, you'll have to make do without Google's own free navigation service, but you will at least get a 60-day Motorola's MotoNAV service in its place, and the endless joy that comes from telling your American friends that you got a free Droid.

[Via MobileTechWorld; thanks Bob]

Update: As some commenters have helpfully pointed out, that €20 a month for two years is actually on top of a standard contract, which certainly makes the deal a tad less attractive -- although you can technically still walk away with a Droid for just a handful of Euros.

Achtung! Motorola Milestone now free on contract in Germany, sort of originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidgermanymilestonemotorolamotorola droidmotorola milestoneMotorolaDroidMotorolaMilestoneo2o2 germanyO2GermanyTue, 17 Nov 2009 17:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Droid camera autofocus fixed in secrecy? (Update: it's a date-related self-correction)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/motorola-droid-camera-autofocus-fixed-in-secrecy/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/motorola-droid-camera-autofocus-fixed-in-secrecy/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/17/motorola-droid-camera-autofocus-fixed-in-secrecy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While we were busy looking into external speaker problems on the Droid, it would seem Moto was itself hard at work remedying a separate issue with the device. A number of users on support forums have complained of the Droid's camera failing to focus and giving them "red corners" when attempting to take pictures, but now -- suddenly and without warning -- their ailment has gone away as if touched by the hand of an omnipotent being (or, alternatively, a silent firmware update). This particular autofocus problem was mentioned in Verizon's 5-page treatise on known issues with the Droid, though the planned resolution was an official update by December 11. The fix seems to have been delivered early, as green corners are sprouting up all around, but this silent update conduit sounds a bit nefarious, no?

Update: Sure enough, we can confirm from testing one of our own Droids that the issue has been resolved. The endless quest for the green focus box is over, and you can now finally begin scanning all your discount cards into Key Ring.

Update II: And things have turned surreal. Dan Morrill, from Google's Android team, has confirmed that there's a date-related bug in the Droid's camera software that leads to it having cycles of good and bad focus that depend on the date. Our own testing confirmed this, as backdating to the 11th of November returned those red bars of failure. Apparently, the cycles last 24.5 days, meaning that you'll have good focus all the way to December 11, when the real fix is expected to drop. So breathe easy, Gotham, there are no phantom updates, just an oddly date-sentient camera.

[Thanks, AlexL and Kaiser]

Read - Android Forums
Read - Howard Forums

Motorola Droid camera autofocus fixed in secrecy? (Update: it's a date-related self-correction) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0autofocuscamera issueCameraIssuedroidfirmwarefirmware updateFirmwareUpdatefixissuemotomotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidproblemsilent updateSilentUpdateupdateupdatesverizonverizon wirelessverizonwirelessTue, 17 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Droid experiencing external speaker problems, could be a software issue?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/15/droid-experiencing-external-speaker-problems-could-be-a-softwar/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/15/droid-experiencing-external-speaker-problems-could-be-a-softwar/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/15/droid-experiencing-external-speaker-problems-could-be-a-softwar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's no reason to panic just yet, but apparently a good amount of people are having trouble with the external speaker on their Motorola Droid cutting out for no reason. It seems to be software-related, and sometimes a reboot fixes it temporarily, but it's a scary problem for people relying on the handset as an alarm clock (or, you know, to receive calls), since you never know when it will strike next. For its part it seems that Motorola is replacing handsets that have the issue, though that's no guarantee of escape from the clutches of silence. Let's hope Motorola updates us with a software patch or some other serious solution soon -- people need to hear that robotic "Droooiiid" alert sound -- and meanwhile let us know if you've been seeing a similar issue.

[Thanks, Bryan]

View Poll

Droid experiencing external speaker problems, could be a software issue? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbugdroidissuemotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidspeakerSun, 15 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola i680 gets FCC clearance]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/13/motorola-i680-gets-fcc-clearance/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/13/motorola-i680-gets-fcc-clearance/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/13/motorola-i680-gets-fcc-clearance/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's one thing we can promise when a Moto starts with "i" it's that it'll be an iDEN phone, so when you hear that there's an i680 in the FCC, you can pretty much gather what's going on here. Taking a look at the documentation, the newest push-to-talk clamshell out of Schaumburg looks way different than what we're used to -- but then again, so did the i9, so we can't say we're surprised to see 'em push the boundaries of iDEN design yet again. It's got a camera of unknown resolution and appears to be pretty well ruggedized (we'd expect no less from your average iDEN set) on account of that beefy thumbscrew holding the battery cover on around back, but it's hard to say when it's launching, so we're trying to keep our excitement level to a dull roar at this point. More as soon as we get it.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Motorola i680 gets FCC clearance originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clamshelldirect connectDirectConnectfccflipi680idenmotomotorolanextelsprintFri, 13 Nov 2009 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola's MT710 OPhone for China makes us dream of Droids without keyboards]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/12/motorolas-mt710-ophone-for-china-makes-us-dream-of-droids-witho/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/12/motorolas-mt710-ophone-for-china-makes-us-dream-of-droids-witho/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/12/motorolas-mt710-ophone-for-china-makes-us-dream-of-droids-witho/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While it's busy trying to rebuild market share on the backs of Android-powered devices in North America and Europe, Motorola's already got a bustling business in China, so it makes sense that they'd want to contribute some Google juice over there as well. That dovetails nicely with China Mobile's Android-based Open Mobile System -- which runs those so-called OPhones -- and Motorola has yet to bring an OPhone to market, so that's where this little beast appears poised to come into play. The MT710 is said to feature an 854 x 480 display clocking in at 3.7 inches and 3G support (using China Mobile's up-and-coming TD-SCDMA network), but beyond that, little is known; rumor has it that Motorola will intro a total of seven Android models in China over the next year, though, and this is clearly one of them. Shave three or four millimeters off the Droid's girth with this puppy, and count us in.

[Via PMP Today]

Motorola's MT710 OPhone for China makes us dream of Droids without keyboards originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchinachina mobileChinaMobilemotomotorolamt710omsophonetd-scdmaThu, 12 Nov 2009 22:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Droid torn down despite desperate cries of 'no disassemble']]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-droid-torn-down-despite-desperate-cries-of-no-disassem/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-droid-torn-down-despite-desperate-cries-of-no-disassem/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-droid-torn-down-despite-desperate-cries-of-no-disassem/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you were thinking of tearing apart your own Droid, let us direct you first to this quote straight from the folks at phoneWreck: "no easy task." It seems that even finding some of the screws involved in holding the mess together was a problem, but at the end of the day, good old-fashioned human ingenuity prevailed over... well, other human ingenuity, and the phone fell asunder into the 16 pieces you see here. As you might imagine, there's a bit of industrial magic involved in fitting a full QWERTY slide into a package this tight -- but just as Moto was up to the challenge of putting it together, some dude with a little time on his hands was up to the challenge of asploding it. Needless to say, we won't be doing this to ours.

Motorola Droid torn down despite desperate cries of 'no disassemble' originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a855androidcdmadisassemblydroidev doevdoifixitmilestonemotomotorolateardownverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwWed, 11 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Quantico gets rugged for AWS CDMA]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-quantico-gets-rugged-for-aws-cdma/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-quantico-gets-rugged-for-aws-cdma/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/11/motorola-quantico-gets-rugged-for-aws-cdma/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint (well, Direct Connect anyway) have all gotten their fair shares of ruggedized Motorola love, but what about the regionals like MetroPCS? The answer to that might very well lie in the Quantico flip that was announced today, bearing support for 1700MHz CDMA in addition to 800 / 1900 with EV-DO. Besides mil-spec 810F compliance for resistance to environmental evils like water dunks, heat, and dust, the Quantico offers up a 1.3 megapixel camera (a little meager, if you ask us), stereo Bluetooth, and microSD expansion. Moto's putting nearly all of its weight behind Android right now, but alas, no Android here -- speaking of, whatever happened to the non-touch version of the platform? Anyhow, look for the phone to hit markets in this quarter; carrier partners have yet to be announced.

Update: Turns out US Cellular is already selling the Quantico despite Motorola's vague statement on availability. Thanks, everyone!

Motorola Quantico gets rugged for AWS CDMA originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awscdmaclamshellev doevdoflipmotomotorolaquanticoruggedruggedizedWed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst estimates 100,000 DROID smartphones sold in first weekend]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/analyst-estimates-100-000-droid-smartphones-sold-in-first-weeken/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/analyst-estimates-100-000-droid-smartphones-sold-in-first-weeken/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/analyst-estimates-100-000-droid-smartphones-sold-in-first-weeken/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The lines may have been subdued, but one way or another, it sounds as if Motorola managed to sell quite a few DROIDs over the weekend. According to analyst Mark McKechnie at Broadpoint AmTech, the outfit managed to move around 100,000 of 'em during the opening weekend, with most stores moving at least half of their original shipments. He also estimated that Moto would sell one million Android-based phones in Q4 2009 alone (which includes the CLIQ, obviously), and that he viewed the first few days as "encouraging." It's been a long, long while since we've been able to say this, but hey -- nice job, Motorola.

Analyst estimates 100,000 DROID smartphones sold in first weekend originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0cdmacellphonedroidev doevdogooglehandsetiphonemotomotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidsalessmartphoneverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessTue, 10 Nov 2009 09:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Milestone headed to Telus in early 2010]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/motorola-milestone-headed-to-telus-in-early-2010/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/motorola-milestone-headed-to-telus-in-early-2010/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/motorola-milestone-headed-to-telus-in-early-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

You heard the rumors now it's official: Telus is getting the Motorola Milestone. The Android device is the same 2.0 QWERTY slider already announced for Europe and set to run exclusively on Telus' new 3G+ network in Canada sometime in early 2010. Unfortunately, that means no Google Navigation unlike those pesky North American neighbors to the south. Hmm, in that case maybe you should just wait for the beefier Sholes Tablet expected in Q1 -- just sayin'.

Motorola Milestone headed to Telus in early 2010 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcellphoneedgegsmhsdpamilestonemotorolaqwertyslidertelustelus mobilitytelusmobilityTue, 10 Nov 2009 07:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon already prepping DROID and DROID Eris firmware updates?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/verizon-already-prepping-droid-and-droid-eris-firmware-updates/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/verizon-already-prepping-droid-and-droid-eris-firmware-updates/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/10/verizon-already-prepping-droid-and-droid-eris-firmware-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The last thing you want to hear about a few short days after a product's launch is a litany of issues plaguing devices in the field, but that's not quite what's going on here -- instead, this looks to be an extension of Verizon's well-known policy of testing the crap out of devices until manufacturers are practically crying uncle. The carrier has already generated long internal lists of issues on both the DROID and DROID Eris, it seems, with the leaked documents revealing some five pages for the Motorola product and seven -- yes, seven -- for the HTC one; the good news is that they're all slated to be fixed in one of two firmware updates slated for December and January windows. Again, knowing Verizon, these firmware updates could very well get stuck in the testing lab for another six years, but we'll keep our hopes skyward.

Read - DROID
Read - DROID Eris

Verizon already prepping DROID and DROID Eris firmware updates? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroiddroid erisDroidErisfirmwarehtcmotomotorolarumorupdateupgradeverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwTue, 10 Nov 2009 04:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Motus gets FCC approval, Sholes Tablet looking legit]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/motorola-motus-gets-fcc-approval-sholes-tablet-looking-legit/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/motorola-motus-gets-fcc-approval-sholes-tablet-looking-legit/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/motorola-motus-gets-fcc-approval-sholes-tablet-looking-legit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Whenever a Moto with triband HSPA hits the FCC, we're naturally going to end up scouring the documentation -- what can we say, it's in our blood -- and today we've found a model claiming to be the rumored Motus. As a refresher, this is a device we'd heard would rock the Android midrange with a 5 megapixel AF cam, 3.1-inch QVGA display, and HSPA for a Q1 '10 release, so it's not much more than a tweaked CLIQ as far as we're concerned -- but the big news here might actually be that the Motus filing adds legitimacy to the leaked roadmap where we'd originally heard of it. That document made mention of a "Sholes Tablet" that takes the already-high-end DROID / MILESTONE further upmarket with an 8 megapixel cam and xenon flash, and as you can imagine, we'll be listening to our friends at the FCC pretty intently over the next few weeks to see if we can catch that one sliding through.

Motorola Motus gets FCC approval, Sholes Tablet looking legit originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewsedgefccgsmhsdpahsupahsupa1motomotorolamotusumtsMon, 09 Nov 2009 18:11:00 EST<![CDATA[New DROID ads show off Android, will make a man out of you]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/new-droid-ads-show-off-android-will-make-a-man-out-of-you/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/new-droid-ads-show-off-android-will-make-a-man-out-of-you/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/09/new-droid-ads-show-off-android-will-make-a-man-out-of-you/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"A robot is a thing that does..." Verizon / Google / Motorola are taking their ad onslaught to new heights and in a new direction, with three new ads (which will hit "soon," according to our tipster), two of which actually show off Android functionality. It's a bold new vision for a hyperbole-filled, guytastic campaign which shows no sign of letting up, and seems more than anything to be the complete antithesis to Palm's coma-inducing spots instead of an antidote for Apple's everyhipster sensibilities. Check out the three new DROID ads after the break.

[Thanks, DroidDoesItAll]

Continue reading New DROID ads show off Android, will make a man out of you

New DROID ads show off Android, will make a man out of you originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadsadvertisingandroiddroiddroid doesDroidDoesgooglemotorolaverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessMon, 09 Nov 2009 13:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Google breaks from tradition, posts DROID ad on home page]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/google-breaks-from-tradition-posts-droid-ad-on-home-page/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/google-breaks-from-tradition-posts-droid-ad-on-home-page/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/google-breaks-from-tradition-posts-droid-ad-on-home-page/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google's home page: a benchmark for simplicity in web design. Like clockwork, you can expect a text box, a pair of buttons, a logo (usually stylized these days), and not much else -- and if there's one thing you definitely won't see, it's an ad. So wait, what's this? Google is breaking from its time-honored tradition in a very big way today to pimp the launch of Motorola's DROID with an ad right below the search box, just like it did for the G1 last year. Not surprisingly, we've checked with our non-US editors and it seems that only Yanks are seeing this. We're conflicted about the whole thing -- we can understand that Google's stoked about Android 2.0 and the best Android-powered device to date, but this isn't really isn't as big of a deal as the first Android launch, so isn't it just a bit blasphemous? And even if it isn't, shouldn't everyone at least get on the same page about the capitalization of "DROID?"

Google breaks from tradition, posts DROID ad on home page originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adandroidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidgooglemotorolaverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Sears charging $50 less for new DROID activations than Verizon]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/psa-sears-charging-50-less-for-new-droid-activations-than-veri/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/psa-sears-charging-50-less-for-new-droid-activations-than-veri/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/psa-sears-charging-50-less-for-new-droid-activations-than-veri/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you walk into a Verizon store today and pick up a DROID, you'll be out $300 (before tax) out of pocket, then you'll twiddle your thumbs for a few weeks while you wait for some mysterious PO box in Texas to send you your $100 rebate on a debit card. Wouldn't you rather just pay $200 upfront? Or better yet, $150? Sears -- which, we have to admit, we didn't know sold phones -- is charging just $150 without a rebate for the DROID today, a full $50 less than Big Red proper with rebate. We don't know how good these guys are with customer service (Simplexity is running the store on Sears' behalf, it seems), but truth be told, we can deal with a little incompetency for $50.

[Via I4U]

PSA: Sears charging $50 less for new DROID activations than Verizon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcdmadroidev doevdomotomotorolasearsverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 06 Nov 2009 11:14:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-mania-sweeps-the-nation-so-to-speak/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-mania-sweeps-the-nation-so-to-speak/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-mania-sweeps-the-nation-so-to-speak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It appears that last night's midnight opening in Manhattan went off like gangbusters, but the situation across the country is a little more subdued this morning with seemingly short lines and easy access to DROIDs at every location we've visited. We won't put out a number, but we can confirm that several Engadget editors have taken the plunge today -- and if riffraff like us can waltz into the store and get them, you should certainly be able to. Good luck being assimilated out there today, and be sure to post pictures of your experience in comments (up above we've got San Francisco's first buyer courtesy of Ross Miller, and after the break, you can live it up with the good folks of Albany as they were paid a visit by Tim Stevens).

Continue reading DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak

DROID mania sweeps the nation, so to speak originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcdmadroidev doevdomotomotorolaverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 06 Nov 2009 09:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/verizon-confirms-droid-tethering-cost-will-ask-subscribers-to-d/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/verizon-confirms-droid-tethering-cost-will-ask-subscribers-to-d/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/verizon-confirms-droid-tethering-cost-will-ask-subscribers-to-d/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan
Just a few days ago Verizon made the less-than-shocking confirmation that DROID tethering was coming, but wouldn't say how much it would cost. Now that the hardest of hardcore fans are already waiting in line, disconnected from the world at large, the company is unleashing the bad news: it'll be $30. That doubles the cost of the required data plan that sits atop a subscriber's voice plan, meaning a total of $60 per month for "unlimited" data access on handset or laptop. Mind you, "unlimited" really means 5GB of data per, a total of 10 split between the two $30 plans. Glass ceilings: we hate them.

Verizon confirms DROID tethering cost, will ask subscribers to double-down on their data plan originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0data tetheringDataTetheringdroidmotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidtetheringunlimitedunlimited dataUnlimitedDataverizon droidVerizonDroidvirgin mobilevirginmobileFri, 06 Nov 2009 07:18:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID and DROID Eris now cash sentient on Verizon]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-and-droid-eris-now-cash-sentient-on-verizon/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-and-droid-eris-now-cash-sentient-on-verizon/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-and-droid-eris-now-cash-sentient-on-verizon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After weeks of buildup the day is here: the DROID (and his little HTC buddy, the DROID Eris) is now for sale on Verizon's website. As expected Motorola's new flagship will set you back $200 after $100 online discount and two-year commitment while his underhyped Eris little bro is a penny shy of $100 after the same discount and contractual prostration. If you're looking to shed your contractual duties then you can hand over $560 in non-Android green for the option of going month-to-month.

[Via Gearlog, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read -- Motorola DROID
Read -- HTC DROID Eris

DROID and DROID Eris now cash sentient on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewsdroiddroid erisDroidEriserisfor saleForSalegooglehtcmotorolaqwertysalesliderverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 06 Nov 2009 01:01:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/iphone-vs-droid-multitouch-keyboard-showdown-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I just dashed off this quick video for my Twitter followers to demonstrate that the DROID doesn't have a multitouch soft keyboard, and pretty much instantly realized that I should probably share it with everyone else, since we've been getting a lot of questions about it. Long story short, while Android 2.0 and the DROID's hardware support multitouch, the device itself doesn't do multitouch out-of-the-box, and the soft keyboard suffers mightily for it. Why it's missing is certainly open for debate, but for now just know that no amount of hoping, wishing, or booze is going to make the stock keyboard register more than one press at a time. Don't despair, though -- while I'm not a fan, Chris Ziegler absolutely flies on this same keyboard on his DROID. Videos after the break.

Continue reading iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video)

iPhone vs DROID multitouch keyboard showdown (video) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0appledroidengadget videoEngadgetVideofeaturedfeaturedvideofeaturesiphoneiphone osiphoneoskeyboardmotorolamultitouchmultitouch keyboardMultitouchKeyboardsoft keyboardSoftKeyboardvideoThu, 05 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/motorola-droid-goes-on-sale-a-little-early-at-best-buy-mobile/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/motorola-droid-goes-on-sale-a-little-early-at-best-buy-mobile/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/motorola-droid-goes-on-sale-a-little-early-at-best-buy-mobile/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looks like the DROID invasion is starting a little early -- we were just sent these pics of Motorola's beastly Android slider on sale at an unspecified Best Buy Mobile somewhere deep within America's heartland. Or perhaps it's lurking around the fringe of our nation's coasts. In either case, we're told BBM reps can sell you a DROID as of today, so it might be worth checking out if you're not psyched to hit up your local Verizon store at 7AM tomorrow. And do let us know if the DROID ERIS is available, will you?

P.S.- Just got a tip that Wal-Mart is now selling 'em early too. The DROIDs are loose, people. Gather your valuables.

P.P.S.- Target Mobile Solutions, which operates kiosks in California Target stores, has opened the floodgates too -- but the catch is that you'll be paying $249.99 for a new activation, $50 more than Verizon after rebate. Thanks, Tony! (Update: we're hearing it's back down to $199.87 now -- nice!)

[Thanks, Mike and Jesse]

Continue reading Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile

Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbest buybest buy mobileBestBuyBestBuyMobiledroidmotorolaon saleOnSaleretailverizonverizon wirelessverizonwirelessThu, 05 Nov 2009 14:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Canceled Motorola RAZR3 reemerges as KLASSIC in South Korea]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/canceled-motorola-razr3-reemerges-as-klassic-in-south-korea/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/canceled-motorola-razr3-reemerges-as-klassic-in-south-korea/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/05/canceled-motorola-razr3-reemerges-as-klassic-in-south-korea/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When the bulk of your business suddenly shifts virtually all of its marketing and engineering resources to Android, certain things are bound to fall through the cracks -- take the "Ruby," for example, once said to be the fallen would-be successor to the RAZR 2. We guess Moto got far enough along on engineering with this one that they figured they'd toss it over to one of its lower-volume markets rather than canning it altogether, though, because the higher-end flip has reemerged in South Korea as the KLASSIC. For anyone who keeps track of these sorts of stats, that's exactly three more letters than the typical Moto model name has, but the phone breaks all sorts of rules -- after all, it combines an old-school 2G radio (which in operator SKT's case, means CDMA) with a relatively fresh 5 megapixel cam, not unlike the ZN5. There's no word on a release outside South Korea at this point, but frankly, we're pretty sure the DROID would eat it anyhow.

[Via AVING]

Canceled Motorola RAZR3 reemerges as KLASSIC in South Korea originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdmaclamshellflipklassickoreamotomotorolasktsouth koreaSouthKoreaThu, 05 Nov 2009 04:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID's built-in apps don't have multitouch support, third-party stuff is another story]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/motorola-droids-built-in-apps-dont-have-multitouch-support-th/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/motorola-droids-built-in-apps-dont-have-multitouch-support-th/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/motorola-droids-built-in-apps-dont-have-multitouch-support-th/#commentsFiled under: ,

Turns out that the DROID does support multitouch after all -- it's just not as baked as the MILESTONE's, and it's certainly not the kind you'll see out of the box. The DROID's European cousin features multitouch right in the phone's core software load (most notably pinch-and-zoom in the browser, which we've seen demoed on video) whereas the DROID itself still features multitouch capability in APIs but doesn't expose it through any built-in app. Translation: the apps you use every day -- Google Maps and the browser, chiefly -- get left out in the cold for some reason that neither Google nor Motorola (nor Verizon) have thus far been willing to adequately justify. Where you can experience the magic of pinch-and-zoom is in third-party apps written to take advantage of Android 2.0's new APIs (Phandroid demos it on a fresh version of Picsay, for instance), but at the end of the day, that's a consolation prize -- we still want a spin-free explanation of why this was all turned off for the base apps. Follow the break for video of Picsay's support for the good stuff in action.

[Image via mobile-review]

Continue reading Motorola DROID's built-in apps don't have multitouch support, third-party stuff is another story

Motorola DROID's built-in apps don't have multitouch support, third-party stuff is another story originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidmilestonemotomotorolamulti touchmulti-touchMultiTouchpinch and zoomPinchAndZoomWed, 04 Nov 2009 05:05:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID tethering? It's coming early 2010, says Verizon]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/droid-tethering-its-coming-early-2010-says-verizon/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/droid-tethering-its-coming-early-2010-says-verizon/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/04/droid-tethering-its-coming-early-2010-says-verizon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When the Motorola DROID debuts in Verizon Wireless stores bright and early this Friday, one nice little feature that won't be making an appearance yet is tethering, for computing with your laptop on-the-go when that Android 2.0 interface just won't cut it. We're pretty sure that missing functionality won't be lessening the early adopter crowds too much, but if you are so inclined, Gearlog's confirmed with VZW that its "Broadband Access Connect" tethering plan is indeed coming to the device, but not until sometime early 2010. Now, how about muscling Motorola and / or Google for some of that double-finger pointing our fine European friends get to indulge in?

DROID tethering? It's coming early 2010, says Verizon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbroadband access connectBroadbandAccessConnectdroidmotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidtethertetheringverizonverizon droidverizon wirelessVerizonDroidVerizonWirelessvzwWed, 04 Nov 2009 02:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Verizon DROID commercial stealth attacks America]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/second-verizon-droid-commercial-stealth-attacks-america/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/second-verizon-droid-commercial-stealth-attacks-america/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/second-verizon-droid-commercial-stealth-attacks-america/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looks like those iDon't ads aren't all Verizon has in store to promote the DROID: this new spot, called "Stealth," just leaked to BGR. Again, we can't help but notice that Big Red's taking a nerdier sci-fi approach to things with these ads, but that seems to suit the DROID, if you ask us. Video after the break.

Continue reading Second Verizon DROID commercial stealth attacks America

Second Verizon DROID commercial stealth attacks America originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadsadvertisingcommercialdroidmotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidverizonverizon wirelessverizonwirelessvideoTue, 03 Nov 2009 20:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon announces early store openings for DROID launch]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/verizon-announces-early-store-openings-for-droid-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/verizon-announces-early-store-openings-for-droid-launch/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/verizon-announces-early-store-openings-for-droid-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We'd already heard through the grapevine that select Verizon Wireless stores would be cracking their doors open early to deal with the presumed flood of consumers "Humans" eager to snap up the first-ever Android 2.0 device, and now the carrier has come right out with the official details. We're told that "many" of its over 2,000 retail locations will open at either 7AM or 8AM local time to field orders for the DROID, though VZW mall stores will all open at their regular time. You should check with your local store to see exactly when they'll open, and while we can't guarantee it, we'd guess that having an Android-related tattoo on your person is a good way to get VIP treatment once you arrive on scene. Or, you know, you could just get your Best Buy pre-order in now and save $100 up front by dodging the mail-in rebate.

Verizon announces early store openings for DROID launch originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0cdmadroidearlyev doevdomotomotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidopenretailretailssmartphonestoresverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessTue, 03 Nov 2009 13:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Bug in Motorola CLIQ's OpenGL implementation breaks a few games]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/bug-in-motorola-cliqs-opengl-implementation-breaks-a-few-games/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/bug-in-motorola-cliqs-opengl-implementation-breaks-a-few-games/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/bug-in-motorola-cliqs-opengl-implementation-breaks-a-few-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you've run into trouble trying to load up Hexage's Buka or Totemo on your CLIQ, you're not alone -- it seems that some wonky handling of a few OpenGL API calls on Motorola's first Android device are causing heartache for users and developers alike. It's not clear how many apps in total make use of the calls, but we'd imagine they're in line to be fixed -- and thanks to the CLIQ's support for over-the-air updates, we're hoping those fixes come sooner rather than later. In the meantime, we suppose that DROID's always an option, right?

[Via I4U and Android and Me]

Bug in Motorola CLIQ's OpenGL implementation breaks a few games originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbugcliqdextmotomotorolaopenglTue, 03 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola MILESTONE does what DROIDon't]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-milestone-does-what-droidont/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-milestone-does-what-droidont/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-milestone-does-what-droidont/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've already seen the MILESTONE showing off multitouch capability, something the DROID clearly lacks in the States despite the fact that Android 2.0 rocks kernel support for it -- and now we've got another smoking gun: the official spec sheet. A quick glance at Motorola's tech specs for the Euro-flavored handset lists "pinch and zoom" as an interface feature, so yeah, it looks like this'll be in the shipping firmware. There's speculation out there that Apple was somehow involved in making sure that multitouch "fell" down a flight of stairs before reaching US-bound Android devices, but really, it's anyone's guess what's going on here -- and Moto's official statement isn't helping much:
"We work very closely with our carriers and partners to deliver differentiated consumer experiences on our mobile devices. At times, similar devices come to market with different features, depending on the region, carrier preferences and consumer needs."
Nor is Google's:
"The Android 2.0 framework includes support for multi-touch. As with other platform technologies, such as the text-to-speech engine, carriers and OEMs can choose to implement it."
So let the speculation -- and the firmware hacking -- begin.

[Via Gearlog, image via mobile-review]

Motorola MILESTONE does what DROIDon't originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidmilestonemotomotorolamulti touchmulti-touchMultiTouchpinchpinch and zoompinch to zoomPinchAndZoomPinchToZoomzoomMon, 02 Nov 2009 19:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola CLIQ lands in T-Mobile USA stores today]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-cliq-lands-in-t-mobile-usa-stores-today/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-cliq-lands-in-t-mobile-usa-stores-today/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/motorola-cliq-lands-in-t-mobile-usa-stores-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Motorola's Android-laden CLIQ has been available to existing T-Mobile USA users for a hot minute now, but not until today has the handset been widely available to all that care to take notice. Of course, the proper launch has been dampened somewhat by the emergence of the DROID (alongside Android 2.0), but hey, MOTOBLUR ain't nuthin' to scoff at, right? Feel free to locate your nearest T-Mob retail location, waltz in with $199.99 and get yours today.

Motorola CLIQ lands in T-Mobile USA stores today originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcliqedgegooglegsmhsdpain storesInStoresmotomotoblurmotorolamotorola cliqMotorolaCliqon saleOnSalesmartphonet mobilet-mobilet-mobile usaT-mobileUsatmobileMon, 02 Nov 2009 14:33:00 EST<![CDATA[GSM DROID with multitouch pinch-to-zoom demoed on video hating America]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/gsm-droid-with-multitouch-pinch-to-zoom-demoed-on-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/gsm-droid-with-multitouch-pinch-to-zoom-demoed-on-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/gsm-droid-with-multitouch-pinch-to-zoom-demoed-on-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The GSM flavor of Motorola's DROID, or Milestone as it will be known in Europe, has multitouch built-in to the UI. For reasons we can only assume have something to do with an unspoken intellectual property agreement between Google and Apple, the US version of the user interface lacks multi-touch features like pinch-to-zoom even though the underlying 2.0 OS supports multitouch events. However, the video of a GSM DROID headed to Europe clearly shows this feature at the 3 minute mark. No really, see for yourselves after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading GSM DROID with multitouch pinch-to-zoom demoed on video hating America

GSM DROID with multitouch pinch-to-zoom demoed on video hating America originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewsdroideuropegsmhsdpahsupahsupa1milestonemotorolamultitoucho2videovodaphoneMon, 02 Nov 2009 04:34:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID headed to Germany as Motorola MILESTONE (update: Italy too, no Google Maps Navigation)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/droid-headed-to-germany-as-motorola-milestone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/droid-headed-to-germany-as-motorola-milestone/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/droid-headed-to-germany-as-motorola-milestone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

O2 Germany has confirmed a GSM version of the DROID for Europe going by the name of the Motorola MILESTONE. The news comes courtesy of a sliver of O2's online store page that left itself exposed to the wiles of Google, complete with the above picture and the new moniker, and follows close on the heels of a leaked business guide which says the MILESTONE will retail for €404.20 to corporate customers, and will be available as of November 9th.

Update: It's now official on the Motorola Germany (and english language Western Europe) website where it lists Vodafone and O2 as local carriers. Italy now too, on an unspecified carrier. Oh, and it also lists "pinch and zoom" as a feature not found on the Droid. See for yourself after the break. It's carrying a public price tag of €481.

Update 2: As noted by a few readers, Milestone will ship with MOTONAV turn-by-turn directions, not Google's Maps Navigation.

[Via Boy Genius Report, Thanks Vincenzo, Peter B.]

DROID headed to Germany as Motorola MILESTONE (update: Italy too, no Google Maps Navigation) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroideuropegermanygmsmilestonemotorolamotorola milestoneMotorolaMilestoneo2sholesMon, 02 Nov 2009 01:31:00 EST<![CDATA[More on the DROID: thoughts from the rest of Engadget]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/more-on-the-droid-thoughts-from-the-rest-of-engadget/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/more-on-the-droid-thoughts-from-the-rest-of-engadget/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/more-on-the-droid-thoughts-from-the-rest-of-engadget/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Somewhat unusually, Verizon and Motorola actually gave us four DROID review units to play with -- and while Paul, Nilay, and Chris all contributed to Josh's official Engadget review, there were definitely some different perspectives (and dissenting opinions) amongst the team. Rather than try to squeeze everything together into one jumbled whole, we thought we'd let everyone add their own take on what's clearly a watershed device for Motorola, Google, and Verizon. Read on for more!

Continue reading More on the DROID: thoughts from the rest of Engadget

More on the DROID: thoughts from the rest of Engadget originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroideditorialgooglemotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidverizonverizon wirelessverizonwirelessFri, 30 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[November 6: stores open at 6AM for DROID, Droid Eris?]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/november-6-stores-open-at-6am-for-droid-droid-eris/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/november-6-stores-open-at-6am-for-droid-droid-eris/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/november-6-stores-open-at-6am-for-droid-droid-eris/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

So, you're a prospective Moto DROID customer. You've soaked up the review, studied the manual, and even built your own cardboard dock in anticipation of the big November 6 street date. What's next, you ask? Well, set your alarm early -- if the rumors are true, Verizon Wireless will be opening its retail shops at 6:00 AM sharp. Of course, all that is in addition to the Droid Eris, which is rumored to be making its debut on that auspicious date as well. So what's the plan, guys -- wake up early or camp out the night before?

[Via i4u]

November 6: stores open at 6AM for DROID, Droid Eris? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0android osAndroid2.0AndroidOsdesiredroiddroid erisDroidErisgooglehtcmotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidnovember 6November6verizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 30 Oct 2009 15:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID review on Engadget!]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review-on-engadget/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review-on-engadget/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-review-on-engadget/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's finally here: the Motorola DROID, perhaps the most hotly-anticipated Android smartphone yet. We've been poring over every nook and cranny of this svelte QWERTY slider, and our full review is up on Engadget Classic -- so what are you waiting for? Hit the read link and dive right in!

Motorola DROID review on Engadget! originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidfeaturedfeaturesMotorolareviewVerizonverizon wirelessverizonwirelessFri, 30 Oct 2009 11:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID user guide unearthed in its entirety]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/motorola-droid-user-guide-unearthed-in-its-entirety/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/motorola-droid-user-guide-unearthed-in-its-entirety/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/motorola-droid-user-guide-unearthed-in-its-entirety/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We're not sure how much more Motorola DROID tidbits you need to whet your appetite until its November 6th Verizon launch, but in hopes of keeping those cravings at bay, we've got the entire user guide here. No revelations so far, but seeing as we're already in possession of the phone, we weren't really expecting any. See it for yourself either via the gallery below or as a PDF just past the read link.

[Thanks, BBLeaks]

Motorola DROID user guide unearthed in its entirety originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidgoogleguidemanualmotorolauser guideuser manualUserGuideUserManualverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwThu, 29 Oct 2009 23:11:00 EST<![CDATA[DROID Phone Holder and Multimedia Station go for $30 apiece]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/droid-phone-holder-and-multimedia-station-go-for-30-apiece/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/droid-phone-holder-and-multimedia-station-go-for-30-apiece/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/droid-phone-holder-and-multimedia-station-go-for-30-apiece/#commentsFiled under: ,

Already got your DROID pre-order in and wonder what else you can blow your non-assured holiday bonus on? Well, that Phone Holder car dock and Multimedia Station home dock (pictured, our hands-on gallery is here) have just gotten price tags: $30 a pop. About in line with the general worldwide dock population, but horrifically overpriced in comparison with our own homebrew dual-purpose solution.

DROID Phone Holder and Multimedia Station go for $30 apiece originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoriescar dockCarDockdockdocksdroidmotorolamultimedia stationMultimediaStationphone holderPhoneHolderThu, 29 Oct 2009 15:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy offering DROID pre-orders as of today, automates the mail-in rebate]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/best-buy-offering-droid-pre-orders-as-of-today-automates-the-ma/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/best-buy-offering-droid-pre-orders-as-of-today-automates-the-ma/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/29/best-buy-offering-droid-pre-orders-as-of-today-automates-the-ma/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In the best sort of tradition, Best Buy Mobile has gone for a repeat of its Palm Pre offering and is offering a $299 phone, the Motorola DROID, in this case, at $199 thanks to the automation of a mail-in rebate you'd have to actually "mail in" if you were to purchase the handset straight from the carrier. Best Buy also seems to be the first place to offer pre-orders of the phone, so if you're worried about a sell out or just generally averse to affixing stamps to things, Best Buy appears to have you covered.

Best Buy offering DROID pre-orders as of today, automates the mail-in rebate originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbest buybest buy mobileBestBuyBestBuyMobiledroidmail-in rebateMail-inRebatemotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidpre-orderrebateverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessThu, 29 Oct 2009 10:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID spotted in fine GSM form (video)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-spotted-in-fine-gsm-form-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-spotted-in-fine-gsm-form-video/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-spotted-in-fine-gsm-form-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


While the newly launched DROID is keeping us plenty busy, we'd be remiss if we didn't hep you to this hands-on video that's recently popped up on the YouTubes. Of Vietnamese origin, we do believe that this is the first GSM version of the phone we've caught on tape. All seems to be going well until about 2 minutes 7 seconds, when the viewer encounters a considerable lag in between gesturing to open the app drawer and the event itself. But don't take our word for it -- see for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, Vincenzo]

Continue reading Motorola DROID spotted in fine GSM form (video)

Motorola DROID spotted in fine GSM form (video) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0droidgsmmotomotorolaqwertyverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-official-on-verizon-199-on-contract-coming-nov/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-official-on-verizon-199-on-contract-coming-nov/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-official-on-verizon-199-on-contract-coming-nov/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We knew good and well this thing was coming sometime in November, and now Verizon Wireless has made it official: the Motorola DROID will hit Big Red on November 6th for $199 on contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate). Naturally, the DROID itself is just the first of what could be many Android-laced phones coming to the carrier, and Verizon Wireless CMO John Stratton even stated that the phone "is wide open" -- pretty big words from a company like VZW. Android 2.0 will be front and center, along with Visual Voicemail, a 3.7-inch display (854 x 480 resolution), 5 megapixel camera (with dual-LED flash), a bundled 16GB memory card and a beta version of Google Maps Navigation(!). For those wondering, yeah -- the DROID is the first phone to offer that, which transforms Google Maps into a turn-by-turn routing system that'll have your dedicated TomTom / Garmin trembling in fear. There's also a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3G, WiFi, voice-activated search and over-the-air Amazon MP3 downloads. With all that, who needs the iPhone, right Ivan?

Continue reading Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)

Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.0Android2.0breaking newsBreakingNewscdmadroidev doevdogooglegoogle mapsgoogle maps navigationmotomotorolamotorola droidMotorolaDroidnavigationpndsmartphoneverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessWed, 28 Oct 2009 10:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Sholes / Droid comes in US HSPA flavor, probably not US-bound]]>http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/24/motorola-sholes-droid-comes-in-us-hspa-flavor-probably-not-us/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/24/motorola-sholes-droid-comes-in-us-hspa-flavor-probably-not-us/http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/24/motorola-sholes-droid-comes-in-us-hspa-flavor-probably-not-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We've been led to believe in the past that there'd be a GSM version of Motorola's mighty Sholes for markets outside the US, but this particular version that passed the FCC this week -- ID IHDP56KC5, if you must know -- has us particularly interested. Why? Well, it's packing WCDMA on the 850 and 1900MHz bands, which means it'd work on AT&T, Rogers, and HSPA newcomers Bell and Telus. We've been led to believe, though, that this particular device is destined for Latin America where 850 / 1900 is also used in favor of the 2100MHz spectrum more prevalent in Europe. That doesn't rule out Canada, but our instincts tell us that Verizon has every intention of locking up the Sholes as a US exclusive, which means AT&T is a likely no-go -- the carrier's been strangely silent on Android, anyhow, and we haven't heard a peep of recent intel suggesting they're prepping Google-powered gear in time for the holidays. Of course, enterprising individuals will probably figure out how to unlock and import this bad boy, so if you're an American and the thought of switching to Big Red for a Droid makes you physically ill, take heart that there might yet be hope.

[Via MobileCrunch]

Motorola Sholes / Droid comes in US HSPA flavor, probably not US-bound originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We just got some wild information from a trusted source about Verizon's Android strategy, and let's just say this shakes things up a little bit. Here are the big takeaways:
  • Droid is the brand name being applied to Verizon's Android devices. It isn't a single phone.
  • The Sholes -- the phone we've been calling the Droid so far -- may simply be known as the Droid.
  • HTC's Desire will be coming to market as the "Droid Eris." (Allow us to save you the Wikipedia lookup -- Eris is the Greek goddess of strife.) Interestingly, it's already up on gdgt as such.
  • Droid Eris will be released -- not announced, actually released -- on November 6. In all likelihood, it will not be announced or shown at Verizon's October 28 event -- that will probably just be for the Sholes.
That's all we've got so far, but it's a heck of a change in plans, isn't it? It's interesting that Verizon will be applying a sub-brand to its Android line -- and a pretty solid sign that Big Red's got a serious commitment to the platform going forward.

Verizon's Droid is a series, not just a phone; Droid Eris coming from HTC originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boy Genius Report has thrown up a full preview of the Motorola Droid -- or some prototype of it, anyhow -- and any way you slice it, it looks like Android fans, Verizon fans, phone fans, and red-blooded Americans alike should all be feeling pretty good that this thing is gonna kick some ass. As if feeling and looking like a rock-solid, metallic beast wasn't enough, Big Red's first Android outing is said to have killer battery life -- surprising, considering how mediocre the CLIQ's is -- and the seemingly flat keyboard apparently performs admirably, all things considered. Android 2.0 clips along at a nice pace thanks to an OMAP3 core, and obviously, there's not much to complain about visually when you're staring at a 3.7-inch capacitive display sporting roughly WVGA resolution. The icing on the cake, though, might be a magnetic sensor that detects an accessory dock that'll be sold at launch, turning the Droid into a desktop clock and weather station -- perfect for those rare moments when you're not out and about scaring little kids with the phone's robotic red eye. Needless to say, we're looking forward to the 28th.

Motorola Droid gets fully previewed, 'must-have' claims may not be far off originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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