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I’m on my way to pick up the Motorola Droid from a Verizon Wireless representative. I’ll be spending all day, night and tomorrow morning doing video reviews and coverage for you folks. It might take some time to compile/edit video, push it up to youtube and post it all but I’ll try my best to bring you the goods ASAP.
Look for a quick turnaround on some simpler pieces with more in-depth reviews coming tonight and tomorrow. And probably even beyond that. I’m very excited to grab this thing and I’ll try to pass along all the information I possibly can.
But for now… stay tuned… I’m off to get my Droid!
Dude please figure out the situation with the ROM (ie is it the same old bs with only 2xxmb of app install space)
Darn you Rob! You know I canceled my AT&T contract already to get this Droid, so tell me, how are you getting it now?? Is it because of the site?
How lucky you are ^^
Curious to see how it performs on the Linpack benchmark.
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-greenecomputing-linpack-zmqp.aspx
Yay! I’d really like to get my Droid ASAP, but am also trying to force myself to wait for a few people to test it and point out the bugs/flaws before I commit. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Maybe you can get two and give one away as a prize? Hint, hint….
I just wanna know if that multimedia charging dock comes with it retail or is it an accessory.
Dude please figure out the situation with the ROM (ie is it the same old bs with only 2xxmb of app install space)
Seriously. No one can find any official statements on the rom/ram of this phone. I’m guessing it’s probably going to have 512mb rom/256mb ram, but a confirmation would be great!! Also, there are a bunch of rumors going around saying you can install and run apps from the SD card (what rooting allows, except this doesn’t require a root!).
Could you please give the actual physical dimensions of the screen! yea yea yea 3.7″ that’s cool, but is it as wide and long ans the iphone screen? in other words, how much more soft keyboard room is there over existing android phones?
Thanks! you guys are the best!
I am sooooo jealous !!! I can’t wait for your reviews !
work in Spain?
gsm version do I have
@Jay
None of the accessory docks come with the phone. They are as you stated, accessories.
I’ve got the Hero and don’t like it since it is buggy as all heck. So my plan is to exchange it for the Moment, but given the features of the Droid, I know I’ll end up being disappointed.
Too bad I have no choice at this point. I’m locked into a nearly eternal Sprint family plan. Don’t get me wrong, the plan and price is the best available, but Sprint sucks when it comes to how they handle the hardware.
I just hope that in 12 months, the Droid makes its way to Sprint or at least some comparable phone does in time for my next upgrade.
The Droid makes me incredibly jealous.
@CrPercodani: Bingo! :P
rob, don’t worry testing the droid. It’s old news now. Next up is the HTC Dragon (Passion).
RE:9. Matt wrote on October 28, 2009
Check out the link to the Engadget videos. The new browser test shows the iphone side by side. The Droid screen is longer and narrower than the iphone.
Ok phases lemme work here. I will do something useful I promise! The VZW store has Droids out back boxed up but said I cant have one. You got some suction so hook me up!
Conga Rats Rob, hook a brutha up!
anyone know where to preorder this?
RE: Matthew Lenz wrote on October 28, 2009
That really sucks! guess I still have to wait for my perfect phone…
DROID: you were soooo close to being the love of my life… goodbye.
@Matt
I don’t know the actual screen dimensions but if I run the math I get the following:
.
Droid: 3.7″ diagonal, 854X480 px display => 3.22″ x 1.81″
iPhone 3GS: 3.5″ diagonal, 480×320 px display => 2.91″ x 1.91″
.
this jives with the video. The iPhone screen is wider but the droid is longer. Both devices are about 2.4″ wide so this sounds about right. Again, I don’t know if it is correct or not. It is just based on the published data.
RE: 19. Matt wrote on October 28, 2009
well its basically 2x the pixel resolution of the iphone. if you wanna hold out a bit longer the Sony Xperia X3 is coming out with a 4″ screen.
Please just upload a video of the Google Nav voice-instructions in action! That is, I want to hear the Droid telling you what turns to take. No one has uploaded a video of this yet, and although google says that it will do this, I want to see how well it works. The Nav stuff is great, but if I have to look down constantly at the device to see the next turn it’s not worth my time.
Is this phone available for pre order at all?
@Jay
check this link, the dock is seperate as an accesory!
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/Motorola-DROID-US-EN
@Matthew Lenz
GSM Arena reports 16GB internal storage. http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_droid-3001.php#
I need droid videos please! :) I am so jealous of you getting to test this thing out… please post a unboxing video very very quickly!
@l3reak: Have you seen this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXK4jKN_jY
@Justa Notherguy
I did see that video, but didn’t see any of the turn-by-turn voice directions in it – maybe I missed it. Thanks, though!
do what you can, I’m looking forward to your videos!
@l3reak:
No, you’re correct – they seem to have purposely avoided a demo of the voice output.
As a beta announcement, maybe that functionality wasn’t finalized in time for the video. Or, perhaps they knew that Verizon (makers of the first-to-market Android 2.0 handset) would modify it. After all, the video looks to have mainstream appeal; I’m not sure average folks would appreciate having a ’70s-era BSG cylon ordering them them, ‘Turn left in 100 yards, human!’ ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5nkDPBOp2k
Speaking of the Google Navigate beta, word of its release has created some interesting discussion – largely, consternation with Apple and desire for the app – among the iPhone faithful.:
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/uh-oh-google-releasing-free-turn-by-turn-gps-app-for-android/
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=810637
26. majkl wrote on October 28, 2009
That is speculation just like everything else that has been put out there. Pretty sure we just got confirmation that it is indead 512MB rom. F!
It comes with a 16GB mSDHC card, not 16gb of onboard memory.
I pre ordered at my local Verizon store with nothing down, I’m #3 in line WOO HOO!!!
Justa Notherguy wrote on October 28, 2009
” I’m not sure average folks would appreciate having a ’70s-era BSG cylon ordering them them, ‘Turn left in 100 yards, human!’ ”
I’m hoping the cylon voice is at least on option :D!!!!
I’d like to see how the phone works when you are using Google Navigation and get a phone call. I’d love it to me my “only” device, but it must be a true multitasker!
My Verizon rep called me this morning because I’ve been bugging her for months. She said she will make sure its in my hands on the 6th. But I told her I need some news on the Passion before I make a choice if I want to wait it out or not. Just matters on time.
@Bernal
No joke… Sprint seriously needs to give me a reason not to jump on the droid. Seriously…a simple press release on november 6th to whet the appetite for a phone that’s less than a month away and dampen the droid launch would make a lot of marketing sense.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-navigation-video-hands-on-you-want-this/
Here you go, guys!
You can hear the voice from Google Nav on this video from Engadget.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/google-navigation-video-hands-on-you-want-this/
unboxing motorola droid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixpdz9F_uFM
@hudman
Good tip. I just called my local store and while they aren’t pre-ordering them, they will set them aside. I’m guessing there is the incentive of a nice commission on their part.
I would suggest that if you want to make sure you get one you should make a similar call.
@AceDroid: You do realize your store will probably be getting two units on launch day, right?
Just came across the following quote on droiddoes.com: “Store all your tunes with built-in 16GB of memory expandable to 32GBs.” (see “Tunes” on the circle thingy) Can anyone confirm this? This is the only, repeat, only, official comment I have seen anywhere, from Verizon, Motorola, and all the sites claiming to actually have a unit, that gives an internal memory size. Please, for the love of whatever god you pray to, can someone confirm or deny this?
I just called my local store. The woman that answered said they haven’t heard anything nor do they have any at this time. She said I should just come into the store on the 6th, but can call back a few days before to see if that has changed. Hopefully I can at least get my name on a box.
@William
The 16GB storage is on a “pre-installed” microSDHC card. By saying it’s expandable to 32GB just means that you can replace the 16GB card with a 32GB card. The problem is of course, that 32GB microSDHC cards do not exist for sale (yet).
It is likely that there is 512MB of “internal” storage for the operating system and installed apps. The removable 16GB card will store your music, videos, recorded videos, pictures, podcasts etc.
Note: SDHC is different than microSDHC. This device takes microSDHC. Hence, 16GB is the max possible storage at this point.
Make sure you show off the web browser especially!
@William – I’m in San Antonio so its a bigger market here and the Rep I spoke with says there going to be getting 6-9 Droids and advised me they got 9 Storms in earlier, so hopefully this is the case for the droid, if not I’ll be droidless.
Ok, I just got the spec from Motorola. There is only 256Mb available for apps. See https://developer.motorola.com/products/handsets/droid/
PLEASE comment on how loud the speaker gets and how the vibrate function is. Can it ring and vibrate at the same time (silly I know, but my curve 8330 can’t w/o an app). Can you vary the strength of the vibrate (soft,crazy), etc. thanks!
Dear phandroid. Can you please change the drap gray wallpaper to something more eye appealing and post some new pics. If I have to see the fake stone or leather or whatever background i might have to throw up. Something nice and colorful like the htc eris wallpaper.
good on ya.
kg.
@steve:
Last I checked, every Android handset can do that…simultaneous ringtone & vibrate functions. Its in the OS.
Rob,
Been playing around with the Android 2.0 SDK, I noticed it supports mutiple Exchange accounts. Can you please confirm the Motorola Droid also supports mutiple Exchange accounts?
Thanks.