NEWS: Verizon's Droid X: Everything There Is To Know

Verizon confirmed the existence of a new Motorola-made Android phone
called the Droid X on Thursday. A newly launched section of Verizon's
Web site teases the device, showing an image of the phone along with the
caption: "The Next Generation of Does: Droid Does."

Verizon's site says the Droid X has a 4.3-inch display, HDMI output, and
the ability to capture 720-pixel video. (The site originally said "720p
screen" but was later changed, presumably as a clarification, to say
"captures 720p.")

The new info falls in line with a Verizon Wireless media event scheduled
for next Wednesday, June 23 -- yes, the day before that other
high-profile smartphone will be released. Executives from Verizon,
Google, Motorola, and Adobe are all slated to speak at the
invitation-only affair, entitled "Unleashing the Next Generation of
Droid."

Officially, that's all we know. Unofficially, there's a whole other
world of information.

Verizon's Droid X: The Rumors
MORE:
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/199177/verizons_droid_x_everything_there_is_to_know.html>

Vendors are adding cheaper and simpler Android-based phones to their
portfolios, in an effort to put smartphones in the hands of more users.
The products will also help close the gap between Android and Apple's
iPhone, according to analysts.

On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy 3 and Galaxy 5. On
Wednesday, Sony Ericsson announced the Xperia X8, which will start
shipping in the third quarter and cost less than €200 (US$250) before
subsidies, according to a blog post. The Xperia X8 comes with a 3-inch
display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and navigation using A-GPS
(Assisted-GPS).

The new price point will help attract a new audience for Android-based
smartphones, Sony Ericsson said.

Sales of Android smartphones have exceeded those of the iPhone in North
America, but globally the iPhone was still ahead of Android by more than
3 million units during the first quarter, according to market research
company Gartner.

However, the arrival of smartphones like the Galaxy 3, Galaxy 5 and the
Xperia X8 will help drive sales volume and give Google an edge in the
smartphone OS war with Apple.

"Android is undoubtedly growing in strength, and I think if you look at
the momentum that Android has now ... it looks set to next year really
start pushing Apple in terms of volumes, and in a two year time frame
become the second largest platform behind Symbian," said Geoff Blaber,
analyst at CCS Insight.

MORE:
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/199128/cheap_smartphones_will_help_android_overtake_the_i phone.html>

John Navas wrote on [Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:18:23 -0700]:
> Vendors are adding cheaper and simpler Android-based phones to their
> portfolios, in an effort to put smartphones in the hands of more users.
> The products will also help close the gap between Android and Apple's
> iPhone, according to analysts.
>
> On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy 3 and Galaxy 5. On
> Wednesday, Sony Ericsson announced the Xperia X8, which will start
> shipping in the third quarter and cost less than €200 (US$250) before
> subsidies, according to a blog post. The Xperia X8 comes with a 3-inch
> display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and navigation using A-GPS
> (Assisted-GPS).

I can't believe the difference of the cost of the handset is what people
pay attention to. It's ridiculous when you look at the cost of the plan
over the contract period.

a $200, $100 or a $0 price doesn't make much difference when the data for the
plan alone is going to be $720 for 2 years

On Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:49:57 +0000 (UTC), in
<hvfti4$om0$(E-Mail Removed)>, Justin <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>John Navas wrote on [Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:18:23 -0700]:
>> Vendors are adding cheaper and simpler Android-based phones to their
>> portfolios, in an effort to put smartphones in the hands of more users.
>> The products will also help close the gap between Android and Apple's
>> iPhone, according to analysts.
>>
>> On Tuesday, Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy 3 and Galaxy 5. On
>> Wednesday, Sony Ericsson announced the Xperia X8, which will start
>> shipping in the third quarter and cost less than ?200 (US$250) before
>> subsidies, according to a blog post. The Xperia X8 comes with a 3-inch
>> display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and navigation using A-GPS
>> (Assisted-GPS).
>
>I can't believe the difference of the cost of the handset is what people
>pay attention to. It's ridiculous when you look at the cost of the plan
>over the contract period.
>
>a $200, $100 or a $0 price doesn't make much difference when the data for the
>plan alone is going to be $720 for 2 years

People are nonetheless attracted by "free" phones, and new lower-cost
devices will make it possible for carriers to offer "free" Android
phones.

--
Best regards,
John

"There are three kinds of men.
The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation.
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
-Will Rogers

<http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Google-Voice-Launches-to-All-as-Google-Eyes-Integration-With-Google-Apps-441593/>
"Google Voice: A Guide to Getting Started":
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/199580/google_voice_a_guide_to_getting_started.html>

The tension between Apple and Adobe just got a little stronger.

Adobe Systems, Inc. on Tuesday announced its release of its Flash Player
10.1 to Android.

"Flash Player 10.1 will be available as a final production release for
smart phones and tablets once users are able to upgrade to Android 2.2
'Froyo,'" a June 22 Adobe press release said. "Devices supporting
'Froyo' and Flash Player 10.1 are expected to include the Dell Streak,
Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, DROID by
Motorola, Motorola Milestone, Samsung Galaxy S and others."

Launching a Flash player on an Android phone will allow users to access
websites and online games and videos that operate using Adobe Flash.
Consumers have criticized Apple CEO Steve Jobs for excluding Flash from
Apple's devices. Currently, when an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch user
visits a site supported by Flash, they receive this error message:

MORE:
<http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/the-problem-solver/2010/06/adobe-introduces-flash-player-to-android-.html>

John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> <http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Service...gle-Voice-Laun
> ches-to-All-as-Google-Eyes-Integration-With-Google-Apps-441593/>
> "Google Voice: A Guide to Getting Started":
> <http://www.pcworld.com/article/19958...de_to_getting_
> started.html>
>

Yep, got mine online today. Works great, I guess.....???

It'll ring Skype and my sellphone, so I guess that's what it does.
Voicemail to email is cool....



--
Creationism is to science what storks are to obstetrics...

Larry

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 03:26:40 +0000, in
<Xns9D9FEE801928noonehomecom@74.209.131.13>, Larry <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>news:(E-Mail Removed) :
>
>> <http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Service...gle-Voice-Laun
>> ches-to-All-as-Google-Eyes-Integration-With-Google-Apps-441593/>
>> "Google Voice: A Guide to Getting Started":
>> <http://www.pcworld.com/article/19958...de_to_getting_
>> started.html>
>
>Yep, got mine online today. Works great, I guess.....???
>
>It'll ring Skype and my sellphone, so I guess that's what it does.
>Voicemail to email is cool....

Explore. Lots of cool things when you get the hang of it. For example,
it can be used to make free phone calls over unlimited data services by
means of a SIP portal. And I particularly like the spam block feature
-- why don't carriers provide that?!

--
Best regards,
John

If the iPhone and iPad are really so impressive,
then why do iFans keep making excuses for them?

John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> why don't carriers provide that?!
>

Because they're part of the problem, not the solution?



--
Creationism is to science what storks are to obstetrics...

Larry

In article <Xns9D9FEE801928noonehomecom@74.209.131.13>, (E-Mail Removed)
says...
>
> John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:(E-Mail Removed):
>
> > <http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Service...gle-Voice-Laun
> > ches-to-All-as-Google-Eyes-Integration-With-Google-Apps-441593/>
> > "Google Voice: A Guide to Getting Started":
> > <http://www.pcworld.com/article/19958...de_to_getting_
> > started.html>
> >
>
> Yep, got mine online today. Works great, I guess.....???

Larry, the one thing you have to remember is that Google Voice is a
glorified forwarding service. And in that role, it works well.

It is NOT Skype, and it is NOT VOIP.

> It'll ring Skype and my sellphone, so I guess that's what it does.
> Voicemail to email is cool....

Yeah, but there are companies you can pay for voicemail-to-email
transcription that will give you a readable translation of your
voicemail. I've been a Google Voice user since they were GrandCentral.
My only major complaint is that the transcription quality SUCKS.


--
Steve Sobol, Victorville, California, USA
(E-Mail Removed)