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The most interesting latest news on the topic: Droid |
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Verizon plans to launch the Droid Incredible 4G LTE "in the coming weeks," but consumers should pass and wait.
The Incredible 4G features some decent specs: it's powered by Google's new Android 4.0 software, runs on Verizon's faster LTE network, and features a 4-inch high-resolution display, top-notch 8-megapixel camera with 28-millimeter f/2.2 lens, Beats Audio for better music and a speedy 1.2-gigahertz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip. So what's not to love? 1. Consider the HTC Rezound The HTC Rezound, Verizon's fourth-quarter flagship phone, features a bigger 4.3-inch screen, with a higher 720-by-1280 pixel resolution -- that's a big difference. The Rezound also comes with an 8-megapixel camera, a plenty-fast 1.5-gigahertz chip, and will soon run on Android 4.0 -- initially released with Android 2.3 -- and works on Verizon's 4G LTE network too. While the Incredible is thinner, lighter, and offers NFC and Bluetooth 4.0, its only real advantage is HTC's Sense 4 -- over the Rezound's 3.5 -- a big improvement for a more streamlined interface, a 50 percent improvement in processing speed and lower power consumption. For a new flagship phone, the Incredible offers slight upgrades in hardware. If you're considering the Incredible, give the Rezound some serious thought. 2. Consider the HTC One The Incredible couldn't have come at a worse time. HTC is in the midst of a turnaround, after a serious decline last year. Why does that matter? The company overhauled its product line to focus entertainment, and the first batch of new phones is the... "One" series, which hit the market a few months ago. That's right. The One is the future. The Incredible is the past. AT&T and T-Mobile carry versions of it, but Verizon has yet to announce a launch -- but that's just a matter of time. 3. Sit Tight, HTC Is Revamping Its Products Still, it's probably best to wait. HTC's second batch will be leaps and bounds ahead. So if you're looking at HTC, give the first generation of One phones a pass, and wait for them to work out the kinks before diving in. 4. Samsung Is on Top of Its Game There's a reason Samsung sold over 20 million Galaxy S2 phones in under nine months. And the South Korean company just announced the successor, the S3, which also runs on Android 4.0, but features a massive 4.8-inch display, advanced "S Voice" technology that responds to spoken orders and gestures, and a 1.4-gigahertz "quad-core" -- not dual-core -- chip. It also comes with a 8-megapixel camera, but with "intelligent" camera options that tracks and adapts to what it sees you doing. Verizon may water down the specs before releasing its version in the summer, but if you can wait a few months, it'll blow the Incredible out of the water. 5. The IPhone 5, Nuff Said Rumors. They're all rumors, really. But still, we'll run through the list: made of liquidmetal, similar 4.6-inch screen, LTE-compatible, and other major changes. In short, it's the iPhone. Expect it sometime in June. Bottom Line If you're going cheap, the Rezound is a better choice. If you're sticking to HTC, wait for the next batch. And if you want the best, wait a few months. When everyone's showing off their quad-core phones, Galaxy S3s and iPhone 5s, just don't say we didn't tell you so. |
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Verizon plans to launch the Droid Incredible 4G LTE "in the coming weeks," but consumers should pass and wait.
The Incredible features some decent specs: it's powered by Google's new Android 4.0 software, runs on Verizon's faster LTE network, and features a 4-inch high-resolution display, top-notch 8-megapixel camera with 28-millimeter f/2.2 lens, Beats Audio for better music and a speedy 1.2-gigahertz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip. So what's not to love? 1. Consider the HTC Rezound The HTC Rezound, Verizon's fourth-quarter flagship phone, features a bigger 4.3-inch screen, with a higher 720-by-1280 pixel resolution -- that's a big difference. The Rezound also comes with an 8-megapixel camera, a plenty-fast 1.5-gigahertz chip, and will soon run on Android 4.0 -- initially released with Android 2.3 -- and works on Verizon's LTE network too. While the Incredible is thinner, lighter, and offers NFC and Bluetooth 4.0, its only real advantage is HTC's Sense 4 -- over the Rezound's 3.5 -- a big improvement for a more streamlined interface, a 50 percent improvement in processing speed and lower power consumption. For a new flagship phone, the Incredible offers slight upgrades in hardware. If you're considering the Incredible, give the Rezound some serious thought. 2. Consider the HTC One The Incredible couldn't have come at a worse time. HTC is in the midst of a turnaround, after a serious decline last year. Why does that matter? The company overhauled its product line to focus entertainment, and the first batch of new phones is the... "One" series, which hit the market a few months ago. The One is the future. The Incredible is the past. AT&T and T-Mobile carry versions of it, but Verizon has yet to announce a launch -- but that's just a matter of time. 3. Sit Tight, HTC Is Revamping Its Products Still, it's probably best to wait. HTC's second batch will be leaps and bounds ahead. So if you're looking at HTC, give the first generation of One phones a pass, and wait for them to work out the kinks before diving in. 4. Samsung Is on Top of Its Game There's a reason Samsung sold over 20 million Galaxy S2 phones in under nine months. And the South Korean company just announced the successor, the S3, which also runs on Android 4.0, but features a massive 4.8-inch display, advanced "S Voice" technology that responds to spoken orders and gestures, and a 1.4-gigahertz "quad-core" -- not dual-core -- chip. It also comes with a 8-megapixel camera, but with "intelligent" camera options that tracks and adapts to what it sees you doing. Verizon may water down the specs before releasing its version in the summer, but if you can wait a few months, it'll blow the Incredible out of the water. 5. The IPhone 5, Nuff Said Rumors. They're all rumors, really. But still, we'll run through the list: made of liquidmetal, similar 4.6-inch screen, LTE-compatible, and other major changes. In short, it's the iPhone. Expect it sometime in June. Bottom Line If you're going cheap, the Rezound is a better choice. If you're sticking to HTC, wait for the next batch. And if you want the best, wait a few months. When everyone's showing off their quad-core phones, Galaxy S3s and iPhone 5s, just don't say we didn't tell you so. |
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Verizon plans to sell the Motorola Droid 4, its flagship Android 4G device, on February 10 for $200 with a two-year contract. The Droid 4 runs on Verizon's 4G LTE service and allows customers to access the Web at a speedy 5- to 12-megabits per second. Users can also share its 4G connection with eight other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Verizon is looking for ways to differentiate its offerings -- either with faster 4G service, competitive data plans and services or, in this case, releasing another "Droid" smartphone, available only its network. Since AT&T and Sprint both carry the popular iPhone 4S, the Droid 4 offers Verizon a unique device to lure data-hungry customers, along with its flagship phones like the iPhone 4S and Razr Maxx. The company's push to release 4G phones fits largely with its strategy to profit from data services. As voice and texting profits wane, carriers, including Verizon, have shifted to emphasizing data services, capping unlimited data plans and instead offered tiered plans. And as customers begin to stream bandwidth-heavy services, such as video and music, data plans will account for a large part of its profits. Meanwhile, Verizon is racing to expand its nationwide 4G network, as well as release a portfolio of 4G-capable devices to capitalize on the shift to data. The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier said the Droid 4 runs Android 2.3.5, dubbed "Gingerbread" and includes an upgrade to Android 4.0, or "Ice Cream Sandwich." The Droid 4 also features a 4-inch HD LCD on scratch-resistant screen, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera capable of HD video capture, a front-facing camera for video chat, a 1.2-gigahertz processor and 16-gigabytes of storage. Earlier today, Verizon announced a "double-data" promotion to boost its 4G LTE network. |
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Verizon may be turning to Samsung's new Droid Prime as the carrier's exclusive flagship Android device, following news that the carrier was taking a pass on the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S2. According to BGR, Verizon doesn't think the Samsung Galaxy S2 can compete against the iPhone 5 when it launches. Instead, according to BGR's source, the Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier is betting the Droid Prime, expected to be the first Android smartphone running the latest Android "Ice Cream Sandwich" OS, will lead the charge against a slew of devices set to debut this fall, including Apple's iPhone 5. The BGR reports the Droid Prime, like the iPhone 5, is expected to launch in October, and may be one of the top devices leading the smartphone market into the crucial holiday shopping season. Verizon's announcement that the company wouldn't carry the Samsung Galaxy S2 last week was viewed as a setback in Samsung's campaign to dethrone the iPhone, since analysts judged the device's performance may position it to be a legitimate threat to Apple's next-generation smartphone. Samsung is expected to announce next week that AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile will begin carrying the Galaxy S2 in September. TheDroid Prime reports raise questions over whether it will become the Nexus Prime, rumored to be one of the newest Android offerings running Ice Cream Sandwich. A letter leaked from Samsung's legal team last week mentioned "Nexus Prime," prompting some to wonder about the name, but neither Samsung or Verizon commented on the report. The news also poses questions on Droid Prime's reported exclusivity to Verizon. No matter what Samsung phone ends up as the Android flagship, Samsung has lately been ramping up its smartphone business. The S2's launch in September is expected to be just the beginning of Samsung's deployment of an entire line of Galaxy phones. Just last week the company announced it will release four more Galaxy branded phones by the end of the year, as it attempts to flood the market with high- and low-end offerings in a market sure to be crowded with lots of selection. |
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Verizon today unexpectedly unveiled the Motorola Droid 3, the first of a series of phone releases the carrier has planned for this summer, for $200 with a two-year contract. The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based company said the Droid 3 runs on Android 2.3 software, and comes with a dual-core processor, 4-inch display, 8-megapixel camera capable of capturing 1080p video and 16-gigabytes of internal memory. The feature-heavy phone also supports 1080p mirroring to televisions through an HDMI cable. The new Droid -- the latest of Verizon's top-of-the-line Android phones, like the HTC Thunderbolt, Samsung Droid Charge and LG Revolution -- is the only option that comes with a dual-core chip, for a smoother user interface experience and faster app boot up, but lacks 4G speeds. The success of the original Droid and the Droid 2 made the Droid 3 a much-anticipated phone, so Verizon's quiet rollout amid little fanfare is a little unusual. But the launch comes at precarious time -- it arrives the same day Verizon caps its unlimited data plans. New customers who pick up a Droid 3 will have to add one of Verizon's new tiered data plans. Verizon's tiered plans may explain the Droid 3's lack of 4G. The release may also buffer the carrier until Motorola puts the final touches on its more robust Droid Bionic, which is much anticipated for its high-end specs and 4G capabilities. Regardless, the Droid towers to Verizon's catalog of top-of-the-line phones. But the buzz a new phone like this normally brings may be stifled by a lack of 4G support. |
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The Droid Bionic may finally hit Verizon stores on August 4, but it may be too late for customers looking to lock in unlimited data plans. A leaked, anonymous Motorola document indicated the release date next month. However, Verizon expected to scrap its unlimited data option on July 7 and replace its tiered data plans, meaning Droid fans who hoped to lock in more favorable plans are out of luck. The Bionic features a 1-gigahertz dual-core chip, 512 megabytes of RAM, 4.3-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera. The Bionic made news in April when Motorola delayed its release from the spring to the summer. But Motorola responded to a restless customer via Twitter last month, promising the device would come before summer. The announcement gave some customers hope that the phone would be released as early as this week, but subscribers may want to head to Verizon stores to renew their contracts first. While the Bionic is being marketed as a top-of-the-line device, it is not the only phone of its kind. The HTC Thunderbolt, Samsung Droid Charge and LG Revolution are also all 4G-ready, LTE-based phones. But none of them house a dual-core processor. While an August release date may upset some customers, Motorola would fulfill its promise to have it out by the summer. The company would also get a head start on the iPhone 5, which is expected to hit Verizon and AT&T stores in September. The leaked document also hints the Droid 3 may be launched on July 14. |
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Motorola assured eager customers that the Droid Bionic would arrive on time, but the phone's debut still may be too late for some Verizon customers. The Schaumburg, Ill.-based company said the Droid Bionic is still on course for release this summer, according to an announcement its official Twitter page. Motorola added that employees are working on a few new updates in preparation for the product's launch. Motorola's tweet was in response to a customer who threatened to buy Samsung's Droid Charge if the company didn't say when the Droid Bionic would be released. Motorola, which delayed the launch of the highly-anticipated phone in April, causing customer frustration, added that it was working on new enhancements to the phone after receiving "compelling feedback." The Bionic's pushback has put Verizon customers on edge due to the carrier's new plan to cap data plans on July 7. Verizon currently offers unlimited data for $30 a month, but the new offerings are not quite as favorable for customers' pocketbooks. In the next few weeks, Verizon will charge new subscribers $30 a month for 2-gigabytes of data, $50 for 5-gigabytes, $80 for 10-gigabytes and be given no unlimited data option. In addition, new customers may be forced to go with one of these new capped plans if the Bionic is released after the plans go into effect next month. Motorola may have hurt itself by pushing back the release of the Bionic. The HTC Inspire, Motorola Atrix and Samsung Infuse have all slowed the sale of the iPhone at AT&T and Verizon. Apple's iPhone 4 has been out for over a year now, the longest the company has ever gone without releasing a new product since the first iPhone debuted in 2007. The Bionic failed so far to take advantage of Apple's delay in releasing the iPhone 5, while others have been catching consumer interest during the window of opportunity. Apple is expected to release its next-generation iPhone in the fall, so there is still time for Motorola to hit its summer release date and give the Bionic a head start, but those hoping to lock-in the new phone to their existing unlimited data plans may be out of luck. The Bionic features a 1-gigahertz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 512 megabytes of RAM, 4.3-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera. |
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Verizon plans to sell the Motorola Droid X2, an Android-based phone with a sharper screen, on May 26 for $200 with a two-year contract.
The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier said the Droid X2 features a 4.3-inch touch screen display, with 26 percent more pixels than original Droid X, for sharper definition to browse the Web or watch videos. It also comes equipped with an 8-megapixel camera to shoot HD video. There's also an HDMI-out port to connect the device to an HDTV and watch movies on the big screen, making it a must-have for video lovers.
Unfortunately, the Droid X2 runs on Verizon's 3G network, not 4G.
The X2 is Motorola's latest Droid offering in a flagship line attempting to fight Apple for the attention of consumers. Prior to the arrival of the iPhone on Verizon, Motorola posted third-quarter earnings of $4.9 billion in 2010, the first time it made a profit since 2006.
But Motorola was sidelined when Verizon teamed up with Apple in February, hurting both Motorola's profits and popularity. Apple leap-frog over Motorola to become the third-largest smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. in early 2011, in part based on the support of Verizon.
Motorola chief executive Sanjay Jha, which attributed the slowdown in sales to decreasing demand for cheaper smartphones, is retooling its strategy to focus on higher-end devices like the Droid X2.
The good news for Motorola is the popularity of the Android operating system. A Nielsen research poll found that 29 percent of all smartphones run Android, edging out both iPhone and BlackBerry who each hold 27 percent of the market.
Motorola hopes the Droid 2X will help the company find its way again in a crowded smartphone market. The Droid X2's dual-core 1-gigahertz chip and Android software can help hook into the growing appetites for games and apps, which should help lure potential iPhone buyers to give the device a chance.
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Verizon today said it is delaying the Droid Charge, its latest 4G smartphone, as it struggles to fix an embarrassing high-speed network outage.
The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier didn't confirm the delay was linked to the outage, but selling the Droid Charge right now would be anticlimactic given its nationwide, two-day 4G outage. The wireless carrier says it's working hard to restore the high-speed connection, but gives no word on when the network or the phone will be ready to go.
The 4G mishap and subsequent phone delay could cost Verizon in its fight against AT&T. With both carriers selling the same marquee Apple products, they're competing largely on network quality. Verizon rolled out its LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, high-speed network last year and is well ahead of AT&T's 4G efforts -- but when the network is dark, that doesn't count for much.
Verizon can't afford such mistakes, as number-two carrier AT&T is poised to merge with T-Mobile in a $39 billion deal. AT&T will be able to build its own 4G network using T-Mobile's spectrum if the deal goes through, meaning Verizon may soon find itself a much larger foe than it's used to.
Once the network issues are surmounted, it's likely the Charge will do well, as it offers an powerful 1-gigahertz dual-core chip, a 4.3-inch touch screen display and 8-megapixel camera. The Charge can also share 4G connections with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices, and allows users to buy films and TV shows on Samsung's Media Hub.
Verizon sold 260,000 4G HTC Thunderbolt phones in less than a month last quarter plus another 240,000 4G devices. |
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Verizon plans to sell the HTC Droid Incredible 2, a new Android-based phone, on April 28 for $200 with a two-year contract, bringing another high-end device in the fiercely-competitive smartphone sector.
The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based carrier said the Incredible 2, which follows the footsteps of the original Incredible, features a sharp 4.0-inch touch display and runs on Android 2.2 software and a 1-gigahertz chip.
In addition, it comes with an 8.0-megapixel camera with high-definition video recording and a second 1.3-megapixel lens for video chat, as well as SRS WOW HD for virtual surround sound and DLNA access to share photos and clips on TV screens.
With the new Incredible, Verizon hopes to keep up pressure in the high-end smartphone market. Earlier this month, the carrier introduced the Droid Charge, a speedier 4G Android phone. The Incredible 2 only has 3G.
IPhone sales tripled Verizon's bottom line last quarter, but the company in a head-to-head battle with AT&T selling essentially identical Apple products. The Droid line, a Verizon brand, allows the company to offer a varied portfolio of Android products to draw new customers.
In addition, Verizon is racing to beef up its 4G network, to better differentiate its service from a combined AT&T and T-Mobile force. |
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