Motorola Droid

Motorola's Droid has Google navigation features
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Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:15
NEW YORK (Reuters) -

Motorola Inc's new Droid phone will be the first to use navigation software from Google Inc, in a direct challenge to GPS device makers Garmin and TomTom.

The Droid will go on sale on November 6 at Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile service provider, which said it will promote the phone with its biggest marketing campaign ever. It will cost $199 for customers who commit to a two-year service contract, Verizon Wireless said on Wednesday.

Shares of TomTom fell 19 percent, extending their losses after the Dutch navigation device maker said earlier on Wednesday that economic weakness was making holiday sales tough to predict. ID:nLS458927 Garmin shares fell 12 percent.

The Droid, which includes a computer-like keyboard and a new version of Google's software, Android 2.0, will also compete against Apple Inc's iPhone which is available on AT&T Inc's network in the United States.

Verizon Wireless Chief Marketing Officer John Stratton said he believed the Droid would hold its own against the iPhone, even as he conceded that Apple had revolutionized the smartphone industry.

"We have to demystify the notion that (iPhone's) untouchable," Stratton told reporters at the launch event in New York. "This product can stand up and compete."

Google said Android 2.0 would include a Google Maps Navigation product with real-time, turn-by-turn walking or driving directions. ID:nN27274525

It will also respond to voice commands and offers a visual display that incorporates Google's online archive of street photographs.

Motorola said Droid was the world's thinnest phone to feature a slide-out QWERTY keypad. It also sports a five-megapixel camera and a day's worth of battery life.

"It's a pretty dramatic evolution of what Android was," Motorola Chief Executive Sanjay Jha told reporters.

Droid represents a massive bet for Motorola, which after losing ground to rivals for more than two years has reorganized its entire mobile business around the development of phones based on Android.

Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, will look to the device to help it stem market-share losses to AT&T.

Verizon recently started showing Droid video ads highlighting its advantages over iPhone, without actually describing the device itself. Stratton did not say how much the marketing campaign would cost.

"As long as it's not buggy, it will do quite well," Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said. "I don't think this will single-handedly save Motorola but it's a crucial step."

Greengart said that Android was "closing the gap" with rivals.

TomTom shares were down 18.8 percent at 8.31 euros and Garmin shares were down 11.8 percent at $33.34 near midday on the Nasdaq. Motorola shares were up 1.3 percent at $8.00, Verizon shares were up 2.3 percent at $29.86, while Google shares were down 0.9 percent at $543.52.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew, additional reporting by Alexei Oreskovic, editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Tiffany Wu and Matthew Lewis)

 

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G_2533: «link»
G_6816: it is
G_7511: the droid rock (H) :(
G_1572: Droid is the Shiz! One Complaint, People have trouble hearing me :S
G_6227: on ocassion, I have trouble hearing other callers and they have trouble hearing me; also it drops calls sometimes :(
G_2828: I am having trouble getting the alarm to sound. The volume is up, it vibrates, but no sound come out.
G_4448: Can I get web based email right on my droid?
G_5612: hi!
G_1777: can anyone tell me how to save a ringtone to my DROID phone. I sent an email from my computer to my phone with the ringtone as an attachment but I don't know how to save it as my ringtone
G_1797: is there going to be a new version of the droid comming out?
G_9494: «link»
G_1472: it seems the best and beautiful and multipurpose use phone.
G_1748: getting the droid tommarow if fedex deleivers it...
G_1748: hey
G_4360: This phone rocks!!!!!! :D o.O :) :) :D
G_9530: the droid 2.1 update... is coming out when?
G_1544: Has anyone recieved messages from a droid user that were obviously not intended for you?
G_1544: Has any one recieved text messages from a droid that were obviously not ment for you ?
G_6841: gmail sucks... never syncs my contacts.. and my droid broke with in 2 months
G_9438: do you like the droid
JoniJnm: G_7000 has been banned
G_7000: mmfmmg
G_7000: i love that phone :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
G_5382: beso's (L)
G_3374: does anyone know how to either remove the spaces on the right or left?
G_3374: hello
G_3374: hery
G_3127: i want 1 so bad :@
G_104367: :$
G_104367: $199 with 2 year contract right?
G_8620: how much?
G_104367: November 6th? right? thats what this site says anyway.
G_1001: When does the droid come out?
G_6775: Hey (L) It's your shorty ;)
G_1001: DROID!
G_1106: wats goodie lil nighas

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