WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

Android and Droid Free Apps 2Day: Slacker Radio

2009-11-06T16:33:52Z

The free Slacker Radio app is available for Android phones. Music lovers can now listen to their favorite Slacker stations anywhere they happen to be on their Android-powered smartphones.

Owners of Android smartphones can now enjoy the Slacker music discovery experience, including creating a nearly unlimited number of custom stations, over 100 expert-programmed Slacker genre, seasonal and spotlight stations, or over 10,000 artist stations.

Slacker also gives listeners the ultimate music resource by providing artist biographies, album reviews, station fine tuning, "peek ahead" song previews and song lyrics. In addition to marking songs as favorites, listeners can also ban songs and artists to create perfect custom radio stations on their phones.

The free Slacker Radio application for Android is available immediately in the Android Market or by visiting Slacker.com on any Android smartphone. DROID by Motorola owners can find Slacker quickly in the Verizon channel of the Android Market. The Slacker Radio app works with the free Slacker Basic Radio service, Slacker Radio Plus and Slacker Premium Radio subscription offerings.

Verizon customers using the new DROID by Motorola can locate the free Slacker Radio application quickly by visiting the Verizon channel of the Android Market on that phone.

The Slacker application has been optimized for the new DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and the HTC G1 and HTC MyTouch Android handsets. For more information please visit http://www.Slacker.com/everywhere.

]]> Additional application features for Android smartphones include an intuitive interface, support for vertical and horizontal orientation and the ability to run in the background while controlling the app from a widget on the smartphone desktop.

"Slacker continues to eliminate the obstacles between listeners and their favorite music," said Jonathan Sasse, senior vice president of marketing at Slacker. "Our free app for Android provides a great way for music fans to take their favorite Slacker Radio stations with them wherever they go."

Slacker Radio for Android offers: -Free music library featuring millions of songs -High-quality stereo playback from any wireless connection -Create custom artist stations based on artists or songs -Over 100 professionally programmed genre stations -View artist biographies and photos -View album art and read reviews -"Peek Ahead" artist and album preview -Multi-tasking - listen to music while using other applications -Rate songs as favorites -Ban songs and artists you don't like -Vertical and Horizontal modes -Desktop widget.

Review of Reviews Best Top Free Android Apps T-Mobile G1 and T-Mobile myTouch 3G.
Top Best Android Apps 2Day: Top Ten Paid Android Apps Full of Tools.
Top 10 Free Android Apps 2Day: Weather, Rings and Jokes.

Droid Fever: Droid Invasion Top Features Facts & News Roundup

2009-11-06T16:01:20Z

Droid has landed at Verizon and he's a quick view of the news and reviews. Through Twitter reports there have been lines at Verizon stores, today, but nothing that major. There were 100 people in line in New York City for a special midnight store opening for invited customers.

"Lots of white males btw 25-40 in the Verizon Wireless Droid line this morning. A little Star Trek-" noted one Twitter user.

Verizon sent out an email this morning, for future Droidites, suggesting you can beat the lines by by buying online. If you buy a Droid online don't forget to use If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

There are two Droid models available today, the Droid by Motorola and the the Droid Eris by HTC.

The Droid by Motorola has already received good reviews and is built for the Android 2.0 operating system that is power-packed with features that made the super-high-pixel Touchscreen explode. Features can be started with the touchscreen or the slide out QWERTY keyboard. The top features of this Droid include turn-by-turn directions and voice search. It is priced at $199 after rebates.

The Droid Eris by HTC is a touchscreen only smartphone that runs Android 1.5 and The has a customizable a seven-panel wide home screen to fill with different widgets and shortcuts. We uploaded a video of the Droid Eris, yesterday which gives a good overview of the Droid Eris by HTC.

AT&T Messaging Takes Flight with Samsung Flight $99

2009-11-06T15:52:25Z

AT&T and Samsung like to get your messages across. They announced the next generation messaging device from Samsung, the Flight, available in red and silver color options.

The Samsung Flight has a vertical portrait phone with a sliding-down QWERTY keyboard underneath. The Flight's touchscreen user interface provides one-touch access to functions like shortcuts, favorites and messaging, including SMS and MMS, Instant Messaging and mobile email.

The Samsung Flight offers social networking with AT&T Social Net, a 2.0 megapixel camera, Full HTML Web browse and is AT&T Navigator compatible. Other features include AT&T Mobile Music with Napster Mobile and eMusic Mobile, AT&T Video Share and Stereo Bluetooth technology. It measures 4.17" x 2.2" x 0.5".

The Samsung Flight is available for $99.99 after mail-in rebate. (Pay $149.99 and receive a $50 AT&T Promotion Card with a two-year service agreement.) New customers, use the Wireless and Mobile News $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of the Samsung Flight with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.

Samsung Mythic @ AT&T $199 FLO TV $9.99 a month

2009-11-06T15:16:32Z

AT&T and Samsung announced the Samsung Mythic The Mythic's 3.3" full touch screen uses the Samsung's innovative TouchWiz interface, which allows users to drag and drop widgets for their favorite and most commonly used features and functions on the phone's home screen.

With one-touch access to features including AT&T Mobile TV and social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, they claim the Mythic is a portable entertainment powerhouse.

The Samsung Mythic is the newest AT&T Mobile TV-capable device to hit stores. AT&T Mobile TV subscribers get access to full-length simulcast and time-shifted programming from FLO TV, including content from leading entertainment brands such as CBS Mobile, CNBC, CNN Mobile, COMEDY CENTRAL, ESPN Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go, Nickelodeon and the movie channel Crackle, plus more coming soon. AT&T Mobile TV is now available for $9.99 per month - a new, lower price point effective Nov. 8 for new and existing subscribers. Existing subscribers will see an automatic adjustment to the subscription price on their next statement. New AT&T Mobile TV subscribers receive the first seven days of their subscription for free

Mythic Specs:

One-finger Touch and Finger Zoom.
Full HTML Web browser.
Virtual full QWERTY keyboard.
3.2 megapixel camera.
Advanced Messaging capabilities

AT&T Mobile E-mail
SMS and MMS
Instant Messenger

AT&T Navigator (requires a separate subscription).
AT&T Mobile Music with Napster Mobile and eMusic Mobile.
Stereo Bluetooth technology.
Dimensions: 4.49" x 2.06" x .5".
Weight: 3.8 oz.

The Samsung Mythic is available for $199.99 after mail-in rebate. (Pay $249.99 and receive $50 AT&T Promotion Card with a two year service agreement.) New customers, use the Wireless and Mobile News $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of the Samsung Mythic with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.

Droid Fever: Droid & Android Expected to Be a Big Success, Says iSuppli

2009-11-06T15:00:25Z

Even industry analysts have gotten Droid Fever, iSuppli analysts suggest Droid could be the "Comeback Kid" for struggling Motorola. Their news release states, " Droid promises to reverse Motorola's fortunes in the cell-phone business."

Droid uses Google's Android Operating System (OS). Android is expected to account for only 2.4 percent of the total smart OS market in 2009. However, Android is expected to enjoy the fastest growth in usage of any of the smar-phone OSs, with shipments in 2013 rising at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 118 percent from 2008. This will give Android a 9.1 percent share of the global smart-phone OS market in 2013, boosting it the No.-4 ranking, up from a last-place seventh ranking in 2008 and 2009.

There are many things contributing to Android's success. Android is licensed by seven key handset OEMs, including No.-2 Samsung, No.-3 LG, No.-4 Motorola and No.-5 Sony Ericsson. The OS also enjoys support from eight global wireless operators, the most among all the seven major operating systems vying for a share of the smart-phone market. In addition to Verizon, Android is supported by Sprint and T-Mobile in the United States, as well as by China Mobile in China.

A popular new feature in Android 2.0 is free turn-by-turn navigation, which is available on Motorola's Droid. This will make the device more compelling in the smartphone market and poses a major challenge to the Portable Navigation Device (PND) industry.

Reviewers are raving over the Droid's touchscreen display, which uses capacitive touch technology following in the footsteps of Apple's iPhone. Shipments of capacitive touch-screen displays are expected to nearly quadruple from 2008 to 2013.

"Droid is potentially a game changer for Motorola," said Tina Teng, senior analyst, wireless communications for iSuppli. "Motorola now is no longer just emphasizing slick form factors, such as it did with its RAZR handset. The company now has focused on the hottest segment of the global mobile handset market--providing compelling smartphone products that are usable and expandable through third-party applications. Droid also has capitalized on the trend toward smart-phone widgets, which allow users to customize products according to their own personality."

]]> Motorola's share of global cell-phone shipments has been sliding over the past three years. The company accounted for 5.4 percent of worldwide unit shipments in the second quarter of 2009, down from 22.5 percent in the second quarter of 2006. While mobile handset shipments grew by nearly 7 percent in the third quarter, Motorola suffered a disappointing 8.1 percent decline during the same period.

Motorola's ranking in the global cell phone business has declined in concert with its falling market share. The company in the third quarter of 2009 held the No.-5 rank worldwide, down from fourth place in the second quarter. As recently as the first quarter of 2007, the company was the world's second largest cell-phone shipper after Nokia.

Rihanna to Stream Rated R Content Hosted by Nokia

2009-11-05T22:04:14Z

Rihanna will perform from her Rated R, exclusively to a Nokia audience via a globally streamed live performance on November 16th 2009. The event in partnership with Nokia will preview tracks from Rated R - set for a November 23nd release worldwide - performed live from a secret London location.

Rated R features the sultry, provocative first single "Russian Roulette," which is rocketing up the charts at radio stations across the globe.

Rihanna fans can:

- Sign up to watch the live stream

- Invite their friends to watch the performance simultaneously with them through Facebook and Twitter.

- Download a web widget counting down to the live performance.

- Download an exclusive Rihanna mobile application from Nokia's Ovi Store.

- Download the album with an exclusive track either to their PC or over the air to mobile from Nokia Music Store or Comes With Music.

In addition, Nokia will offer of an exclusive version of the new Rated R album via Nokia Music Store, as well as a companion Rihanna application with exclusive footage and other links on Ovi Store.

Rihanna stated, "I am so excited to partner up with Nokia. They are doing some really revolutionary things with this album, enabling me to reach more fans than ever before." Register at www.nokia.com/rihanna.

Samsung Convoy Joins Verizon Calacade of P-T-P Rugged Phones

2009-11-05T21:54:45Z

Verizon will offer the push-to-talk, Samsung Convoy with military specifications built to withstand the harshest of elements to its offering. The Convoy's high-quality stereo speaker, extended battery life and multiple messaging options make it the ideal device to stay connected in the toughest conditions.

The Samsung Convoy meets military specifications 810F standards for shock and dust resistance, vibration, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and low and high temperature storage It offers a 1300 mAh for long battery lile, 2.0 megapixel camera (with Night Shot, panorama, color effects and more) Bluetooth® version 2.1, object push (vCard and vCalendar only), basic image, basic printing and phonebook access, personal organizer with calendar, tip calculator, currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch

The Samsung Convoy will be available Nov. 15 for $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement with Verizon Wireless. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Verizon Wireless customers can add Unlimited Push to Talk for $5 per month per line to any qualifying Nationwide voice plan.

Droid Invasion: Droid Eris by HTC Landing with Moto Droid 11/6 for $99

2009-11-05T21:25:32Z

Today, Verizon officially announced the Droid Eris, an Android powered touchscreen smartphone from HTC. It's a lot like the HTC Hero and uses Android 1.5. It has been rumored that will be upgradable to Android 2.0 at a later date. The major differences between Eris and Droid is that Droid has Android 2.0 and a QWERTY keyboard.

The Droid Eris by HTC comes with 8 GB MicroSD card, Bluetooth, 5 megapixel camera.

The HTC Droid Eris has a 528MHz Qualcomm process, a 320x480 screen. This touchscreen-only smartphone also has HTC enhanced Touch Sense UI, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi, MS Exchange Sync, Media Uploader (for Facebook, Flickr, Picassa, Gmail,) Google services, news widgets, and Footpritns Geo-tagging for photos. The HTML Browser supports Flash Lite.

The Droid Eris by HTC has a customizable a seven-panel wide home screen to fill with different widgets and shortcuts.For social networkers, DROID ERIS by HTC also organizes interactions by person, which makes it possible to access text messages, e-mails, phone calls and even Flickr streams and Facebook updates from a single contact card.

Ceaser Da Costa, the marketing-guy has uploaded a video of the Verizon Droid Eris that shows the customizable scenes and widget which looks very useful on the video. All the apps are backed up through Google and can be restored if you loose your phone. You can open multiple windows and applications which Ceaser demos in the video. ]]>

Droid Eris by HTC will go on sale Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $99.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 for $99 on 11/20

2009-11-05T21:02:10Z

Verizon announced it start selling the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone on November 20. The slim BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone gives customers access to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities, as well as easy access to music, games and other mobile apps for entertainment on the go. The BlackBerry Curve 8530 comes in Black and Smoky Violet.

It has an easy-to-use, highly tactile, full QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive trackpad, along with 256 MB flash memory and 528 MHz next generation processor for enhanced performance.

It has Bluetooth (version 2.1), 2.0 megapixel digital, camera with zoom and video recording and advanced media player for music, pictures and videos, dedicated media keys and a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, plus BlackBerry Media Sync.
]]> BlackBerry Curve 8530 offers access to e-mail, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and popular social networking sites (including Facebook and MySpace.) BlackBerry services with access to up to 10 supported e-mail accounts, including most popular ISP e-mail accounts such as Yahoo! ®, Windows Live Hotmail, AOL and Gmail, and BlackBerry Enterprise Server support, which provides advanced security and IT administration features for corporate deployments.

The expandable memory uses swappable microSD/SDHC memory card slot, supporting up to 16 GB cards today and expected to support next generation 32 GB cards when available.

The BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone is expected to be available from Verizon Wireless beginning Nov. 20 for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Data plans for the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan.We don't know yet if it will be included in n the Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry Deal at Verizon. Currently, if you buy select BlackBerry devices, you can get another BlackBerry or mobile broadband device for FREE.

T-Mobile Outage Over and Out

2009-11-04T20:16:51Z

Last night there was a T-Mobile outage. Problems started around 5:30 p.m. EST.

Te outages occurred in several regions. T-Mobile customers from Atlanta to Los Angeles complained about the outage on web forums.

Today the T-Mobile Forum notes:

PDATE 11/04/2009 9:15 AM PST:

T-Mobile confirms it has fully restored voice and text/picture messaging services for customers affected by intermittent service disruptions on Tuesday. About five percent of our customers across various geographies were affected for much of Tuesday evening, and by late Tuesday PST their service was restored. Our sole focus has been restoring full services for all customers; we are now investigating the root cause of the incident. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused our customers.

If you continue to experience difficulty making/receiving calls or accessing data services, please power your phone off then back on. This will update your connection to the network and should restore your access to these services.

The last T-Mobile outage happened when Sidekick users lost their data.

iPhone, LG Dare, LG Voyager, BlackBerry Storm and Palm Treo Top Touchscreens, Says comScore

2009-11-04T20:02:27Z

comScore, Inc released a study of touchscreen mobile phone adoption in the U.S.and touchscreen phone adoption is growing rapidly. iPhone, LG Dare, LG Voyager (which also has a keyboard) BlackBerry Storm and Palm Treo top the list. The LG Dare used to be one of the few Verizon feature phones with email access that did not require a data plan. The younger crowd seems to be more "touchy" with higher percentages of touchscreen users in the younger demographics.

The study showed a significant 159-percent growth rate during the past year to 23.8 million users in August 2009.

The growth in touchscreen device adoption substantially outpaced the already strong 63-percent growth in U.S. adoption of smartphones. iPhone leads

Touchscreen Smartphone Adoption 3 Months Ending August 2009 vs. August 2008 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers, Age 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
Device Type	Subscribers (000)
Device Type	Aug-08	Aug-09	Percent Change
Touchscreen	9,219	23,843	159%
Smartphone	20,735	33,779	63%

]]> "Touchscreen phones have quickly gained adoption as new devices have flooded the mobile marketplace," said Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of Mobile. "It's clear that consumers are embracing touchscreen interfaces that allow them to easily navigate the increasingly powerful and complex services afforded by new phones. This is a trend that should continue to pick up as additional touchscreen devices, many of them running the Android operating system, arrive in the market before the holiday shopping season."

Top 10 Touchscreen Device Families

The Apple iPhone ranked as the top touchscreen device family with 32.9 percent of touchscreen device users age 13 and older, nearly four times larger than the market share of the next largest device family, the LG Dare (8.7 percent). LG Voyager ranked third with 7.8 percent of the market, followed by the Blackberry Storm (7.0 percent) and Palm Treo (6.5 percent).

Top Touchscreen Device Families by Share of Device Users Three Months Ending August 2009 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers, Age 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
Device Family	Share (%) of Touchscreen Device Users
Total Touchscreen	100.0%
Apple iPhone	32.9%
LG Dare	8.7%
LG Voyager	7.8%
Blackberry Storm	7.0%
Palm Treo	6.5%
Samsung Instinct	5.0%
T-Mobile G1	3.6%
HTC Touch	3.3%
Samsung Glyde	2.7%
LG Xenon	2.6%

"The iPhone clearly set the trend in the industry for touchscreen devices, so it's no surprise that it has the largest share of the market," added Donovan. "But as other players have entered the touchscreen market with compelling devices, competition is clearly heating up."

Touchscreen Users Younger than Average Mobile Phone User

Smartphones in general and touchscreen devices specifically tend to be more popular among younger users. While 38.8 percent of all mobile subscribers (age 13+) are under the age of 35, 51.4 percent of smartphone users are in this age cohort, as are 57.7 percent of touchscreen device users. In fact, a significant 20.6 percent of touchscreen users are in the narrow age range of 18-24. Meanwhile, less than 5 percent of smartphone and touchscreen device users are age 65 and older, compared to 13 percent of the total U.S. mobile audience.

Demographic Profile of Smartphone and Touchscreen Users Three Months Ending August 2009 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers, Age 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Total	Smartphone	Touchscreen
Total Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
Age 13-17	7.8%	6.3%	8.5%
Age 18-24	13.1%	16.4%	20.6%
Age 25-34	17.9%	28.7%	28.6%
Age 35-44	17.6%	22.9%	18.8%
Age 45-54	18.2%	13.6%	12.3%
Age 55-64	12.4%	7.5%	7.3%
Age 65+	13.1%	4.5%	3.9%

Digby Buys Web App Store Commerce Movaya

2009-11-04T19:37:18Z

Digby, the leading provider of mobile commerce solutions for retailers, announced the acquisition of Movaya Wireless, Inc., a Seattle, Washington-based mobile software company focused on building digital goods storefront applications for the iPhone, Android and mobile web platforms.

Additionally, Movaya Chengdu Technology, Ltd., Movaya's Asian operations center, will form the basis for Digby Chengdu Technology, Ltd. Digby Chengdu will serve as Digby's hub for the rapidly expanding mobile commerce market in Asia. Movaya co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Stanley Wang, has joined Digby as Vice President of Engineering.

"We're thrilled to be joining forces with Digby at this critical stage of market development," said Phil Yerkes, co-founder and Chairman of Movaya. "The transaction will allow our mobile commerce vision to be realized through the Digby Mobile Commerce Suite, and it provides a very exciting opportunity for all of Movaya team members."

]]> Movaya Wireless was formed in 2006 by Phil Yerkes and Stanley Wang. Their core product, Movaya Platform M, is utilized by software developers, game developers, and content producers to monetize their digital assets created for mobile device users. The product offers rich capabilities that enable content producers to create branded storefronts utilizing a unique set of self-service technologies. Platform M was also tightly integrated into various carrier-based billing systems including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others, enabling a seamless "bill-to-phone" payment system for acquiring digital products.

The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, will be finalized by November 15, 2009. Catapult Advisors LLC advised Movaya on the transaction.

Droid Invasion: Verizon Droid Demo Video 2Day

2009-11-04T18:39:28Z

If you would like a live demo of Droid before it is released on Friday as early as 6:00 am. Verizon has uploaded a YouTube video that demonstrates some of the best aspects of the Verizon Droid by Motorola. You can view the video at the end of this article after you continue reading. The Droid has received good reviews and has some neat cool features, some of which you can see in this introductory video.

Marketing consultant Ceaser Da Costa reveals the physical aspects of the phone including the 3.5 mm headset jack and keyboard. He shows how easy it is to tap and drag a widget. It's easy to hold drag and drop icons.

He also demonstrates how use Android Market and the download folder so that you can download your apps again if you change phones. The voice search on Google Maps finds pizza places by just tapping and saying Droid.

YouTube viewing is fast. The alert plays "droid" and let you know when you get messages or updates. Mutli-tasking is shown from toggling from a browser, not losing your place while you are browsing. The Google Latitude app lets you know when your friends are in the area.

]]>

Verizon Droid Smartphone Invasion: 6:00 AM Openings - Times Square Spectacular

2009-11-04T15:38:20Z

Many Verizon stores will open early Friday (Nov. 6) so people can buy the DROID by Motorola on its first day of sale. Some stores will open at 7 a.m. and others at 8 a.m.

These early-Droidites can also learn about its variety of advanced features and functions. Verizon Wireless will host demonstrations at select locations to help customers get the most from their new DROID by Motorola devices. The Droid has received good reviews and has some great amazing features.

Also on Friday, Verizon Wireless will create a first-of-its-kind interactive experience in New York City called, "DROID Does Times Square." This experience will let callers control two of Times Square's largest digital billboards - the NASDAQ and Reuters signs - using only voice commands.

The digital billboards will instruct passersby to call a toll-free number (1-888-376-4336) to search locations in the Times Square area. Participants can search for practically anything (e.g. their favorite cuisines, plays, movies, stores), and the search results will be displayed on the digital billboards using Google Maps. This activity takes place from Nov. 6 through Nov. 20, daily from 12:30 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. and from 6:00 a.m. on Nov. 27 through 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 28.

Droid by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Droid Invasion: Top Ten Best Coolest Features of Verizon Droid by Motorola

2009-11-04T15:00:30Z

The Verizon Droid is landing on earth November 6 as early as 6:00 am and the momentum is growing. We've been using the Droid and discovered the best top most likable features of the this new Android smartphone which we call neat, cool and damn right amazing. The reviews have been good for the Droid by Motorola, but they didn't delve into delight that come from using the features of Droid.

Voice Search - this feature is amazing, instead of typing a long url or several words, we just tapped the microphone and said, "Wireless and Mobile News" it Googled our words in seconds to show The Wireless and Mobile News website URL almost instantly. This feature worked for almost all major common news sites and words. The only place where it fell short is when we tried to find the popular feel-good app, "Feel-Goodies" which is a unique name and Googled up food places. The voice search also works for Google Maps which will show you where to go. To demostrate how well the voice commands work on Droid, Verizon, is letting people call an toll-free number to tell Times Square signs what to do.

Screen - this high resolution screen has been called stunning, gorgeous and brilliant. It's a 3.7″ WVGA 854×480 capacitive toucscreen with haptic feedback. It has excellent responsiveness and unmatched clarity. Verizon and Moto say it has DVD play-back quality and no matter how you phrase it is "lookin' good." The Verizon pr blurb notes that the screen "width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor."

New Google Maps - the turn-by-turn directions, layers of maps, turn Droid into a super GPS navigation unit. This Goggle mapping app comes with everything you'd expect to find in a GPS navigation system, like 3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance and automatic rerouting. But unlike most navigation systems, Google Maps Navigation was built from the ground up to take advantage of your phone's Internet connection. It includes popular Google Maps features including street and satellite views.

Web Browser - Google is about the web and so is Android. Reviewers raved about the super fast HTML 5 browser which you can also search by voice. You can even have multiple browser windows open at the same time.
]]> Unified Email- Android offers a handy notification panel, to get you to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts on the Droid.

Keyboard D-pad & Touchscreen Simulataneous - while using the keyboard you can also use the touchscreen as well as the back-button below the screen. We were able to use the touch d-pad to move the cursor through the screen effortlessly. This makes it easier for more computer-style navigation because many of us are used to using a mouse and keyboard simultaneously.

Accelerometer - so, the iPhone will auto rotate too. When this hi-res screen rotates it's a thing of beauty combined with both touch as well as the keyboard you can really zoom through functions.

Onscreen Instructions for Setup - new users who tap "contacts" are instructed how to setup their contacts and sync from sources. Of course it is easiest to sync with a Google account. The contacts and email functions synced quickly and easily.

Facebook App/Integration - for Facebook users the Droid will sync Facebook contacts with contacts. Facebook status updates are easy when you palce the Facebook widget on the home screen.

Voice Dialing - a feature missing for the iPhone until it's latest incarnation, voice dailing to contacts with common names works very well. When we dialed a friend with a common name "Sarah" it worked fine but our international friend and sometimes feature writer Yiorgos could not be found but we did get a Google listing for "US New York."

Features we could live without on Droid:

When you turn on the Droid, you hear a rubber-band electronic "D-r-o-i-d."
The default wllpaper is a dull grainy gray that can be easily changed to something more colorful.
When you turn on the phone to unlock it, you have to swipe across the phone for functions. This of course prevents the phone from accidentally dialing in a pocket or purse whichis always an issue with touchscreen smartphones.
While talking on a voice call we accidentally dialed numbers while leaving a message.