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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

Published On: 29 October 2009 12:18 IST

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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

Verizon Wireless' answer to the iPhone the Droid will go on sale for $200 next week as the company taps into the growing appetite for smart phones that go far beyond making calls.

The Droid could help Verizon retain its status as the largest wireless carrier in US and contribute to a turnaround of its manufacturer, Motorola Inc., which hasn't produced a hit since the wildly popular Razr phone in 2005
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

The new device also could give a boost to Google Inc., which used the Droid to unveil new mapping software that could challenge standalone navigational devices.

The Droid won't be first challenger for the iPhone. Verizon has been pointing out the features Apple Inc.'s iPhone lacks, such as a physical keyboard and the ability to run several applications at once
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

Verizon is targeting 15- to 35-year-olds who are highly engaged with their gadgets for social networking, blogging and other online tasks.

Social networking is integrated throughout the device. That means you can sync Facebook friends into your contacts and share photos on Picasa without having to go through separate applications
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

With the Droid, Verizon and Motorola are hoping to shatter any perception that the iPhone is the end-all of mobile devices. Verizon, the Droid's exclusive US distributor, will start selling the phone November 6 for $199.99 after a rebate, with a two-year contract.

The price is comparable to the iPhone's basic model
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

With the Droid, Verizon is tapping into the frustrations some users have with the iPhone. Users have complained of dropped calls, while many software developers hate Apple's requirement that it approve all applications running on it ahead of time.

The Droid runs on Google's Android operating system, an open platform that any developer can customise
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

The Droid is a sturdy, angular device, with a standard, "QWERTY" keyboard that slides out, though you can also pop up a virtual on-screen keyboard with tactile feedback so it bumps back a little when you tap out the keys
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

It has a five-megapixel camera better than the iPhone and a tiny flash, along with voice-activated search that brings up your contacts and location-based Google search results. Say "pizza" and nearby pizza restaurants will pop up.

The Droid's display is slightly larger than the iPhone's, and its claimed talk time on a single battery charge is a bit longer 6.4 hours, compared with the iPhone's five hours
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

The Droid is heavier and thicker than the iPhone. Because it incorporates the slide-out keyboard, it lacks the iPhone's all-in-one sleekness.

The corners aren't as softly rounded and its target market may skew a little masculine. It's the Rolling Stones to the iPhone's Beatles. And, of course, no iTunes
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

Google is also throwing its weight behind the Droid, which is the first smart phone to run Android 2.0, the latest version of the system.

The Internet search leader released a mapping application that calls out turn-by-turn directions while providing a variety of visual guides, including satellite imagery and high-resolution photos of the streets being traveled in places where they are available.

Destinations can be found through voice commands or simply typing in an address
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Motorola Droid: The new iPhone killer

The free application, called Google Maps Navigation, will only work on devices running on Android 2.0 an exclusive distinction for now.

But Google plans to make it compatible with other systems and devices, including the iPhone and the BlackBerry from Research in Motion Ltd.

(Text: Associated Press)