Google and Verizon announce partnership, love and new Android handsets to result
By Tim Stevens 
posted Oct 6th 2009 8:22AM
posted Oct 6th 2009 8:22AM
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well its about time!.........now when are we going to be seeing this with AT&T?
No! AT&T gets none of it! Apple and that accursed iPhone is AT&T's for all I care.
Verizon + Google = "This is getting good."
More exciting android phones from Verizon and Google....it's like when peanut butter and chocolate met for the first time I can't wait. Ummm...I'm lying again....this is actually the next lame desperate attempt to compete witht the iphone.
I am traditionally not a fan of Verizon, but if they're going to bring truly open and non-crippled Android phones to their vastly superior network, then they've got the AT&T iPhone beat without hardly even trying.
Explain to me how a company with the amount of coverage and excellent service and a superior OS is a "lame attempt". Please. I'd like to see the memo that Steve Jobs just sent you.
Fact of the matter is that VZW will probably will disable all kinds of great options that are normally free on Android phones. Then figure in the expensive data package and other expensive rates that you Americans pay for your mobile phones and it'll be way too expensive than it needs to be. viva la EU and consumer protection!
@David you responded to the wrong comment. Doh!
Sans AT&T, Tmo, and Sprint beat Verizon to the punch, I doubt this phone can save them. Get ready for the worst android set to go mass market.
So I have to wonder how Verizon will cripple them? Any thoughts?
My thoughts exactly! We will get a "Verizon Version" of Android. Were the only customization you can do is change your wallpaper!
Verizon's been playing nice lately, at least with their latest batch of HTC phones. So things might turn out OK with this.
I hope they dont make the mistake of crippling them.
SP
"My thoughts exactly! We will get a "Verizon Version" of Android. Were the only customization you can do is change your wallpaper!***"
***Wallpapers $5.99 per download. Additional data charges may (will) apply.
bat to the knees is always a favorite
The only possible way Verizon can cripple Android-laden phones is to disable Android.
From a loyal Verizon customer, here's hoping that the possibility does not come to pass.
Verizon has been pretty good about the most recent HTC phones and Blackberrys, so I doubt they'll cripple these ones. And word from the people on the Howard Mobile forums is that they aren't going to be crippled, so there's hope.
It’s not just phone gimping that the Big V is so notorious for. Ivan “the terrible” also wants Verizon to control the App store experience (i.e. he wants a piece of every app $old). It will be interesting to see how this flushes out. My opinion? I can see the regular Android Market Place continuing and a new Verizon branded Android market place in which the “good App devs” would be coursed into only posting their paid apps to the “V” App store. YIKES!!
PS Now you have another reason why the iPhone would have never ended up on the V. Sr. Jobs would have had none of it (loss of App store control? Plz.)...
So this begs the question.... If Verizon is evil, and Verizon is partnering with Google, then by the transitive property isn't Google now evil?
A lame, desperate attempt to compete with the iPhone would not involve a superior OS or a network with nationwide coverage.
Any phone release from any company not named Apple on any network not named at&t is just a lame, desperate attempt to copy the iPhone. Look, Steve Jobs invented the phone...
On the other hand, a lame, desperate attempt to compete with Engadget's comment system could be accomplished with a piece of scratch paper and a #2 pencil.
@ E-N
But is that not the truth? Apple and iPhone owners are not the ones who started this whole "iPhone killer" shit. You guys are the one whos are mad jealous of Apple's success in this arena.
And the truth of the matter is that until the iPhone came out the masses didn't give a damn about touch screen phones. And AFTER the iPhone came out is when you saw all these companies churning out their OWN versions of touchscreen interfaces and devices.
Lets see the Samsung Instinct (or InSTINK as I've heard others call it). The BB Storm...the HTC Diamond 1, the G1, etc...etc..
There's more and more but you get the point. Apple may not have the exact number first. But they damn sure were NUMBER 1 in getting the shit done RIGHT and they were #1 to get the public's attention with a touch screen phone.
So yes Apple did revolutioize the industry. Without the iPhone we wouldn't be seeing half the touchscreen phones we're hearing about these days. And yes these other phones are lame attempts to copy/replicate/duplicate the iPhone's success.
As for AT&T the lure of the iPhone has NOTHING to do with AT&T. AT&T isn't horrible but it isn't perfect either. I'd be perfectly happy with switching to Sprint if they had the iPhone. To me the iPhone is the best phone I've ever owned and it's ONLY on AT&T. Hence why I'm on AT&T and glad to be with them.
Any of the current smartphones such as the Pre, HTC Hero and others that offer apps, touchscreen, already have the iPhone beat. Try running more than one application at a time on the iPhone (point made).
Uhh like I care?
That one lil point that you guys keep bitching about sure doesn't seem to resonate with the millions of people who bought the iPhone nor does it matter to the average consumer.
Try again.
It sure didn't make the pre sell millions like all the anti apple losers wanted.
Oh, Thats right. iPhone is now more of gaming system. Really no need to multitask.
awww, google and apple broke up and now google's stepping out with Verizon... doesn't give me much hope for an iphone to verizon... :-\
I have a feeling these new phones will still have massive setbacks set upon them by Verizon... hopeful, but cautious.
damn it Verizon, update your logo!
Listen, everybody likes to pounce on Verizon for gimping features (and I know they do on their flip phones and candy bars), but I'm currently using their Centro (waiting for pre), and this is my third palm contract with them (Treo 600, 700p), and they have not touched the phones, other than a logo and the (sometimes useful) VZW mail icon. Verizon has been, in my experience, extremely hands off with their Palm smartphones. I don't know how they have been on their blackberries or other ones, but I am optimistic that they will keep their crapware off of their smartphone lineup (maybe they will just stick to killing off wifi).
Just horrified at what VZ will do to Android's UI.
Blood red everything. Red, red, RED icons, desktop ...red big ass clock???
Your avatar screams instant fail.
I want that.
(hearing the empire strikes back theme song)
Opens on image of a starfield. A giant cell phone lumbers into view, surrounded by hordes of support bluetooth devices. A small, stylish and simplistic phone with only a single engine is under attack. It is being pulled into the docking bay of the bigger device...
LOL
Good on ya big red!! So apple fan bois with verizon's network and googles massive financial cache and innovative know-how, the iphone will quickly become the next motorola razr. checkmate for verizon. I am happy with what i am paying because my verizon phone works. as for crippling. i doubt they will need to cripple it. With the launch of LTE and the redundancy of their Fios network Verizon will have the bandwidth to handle the more data hungry applications and features of what's to come. This means more options. Looks like the patience and investment of all the Verizon customers will be making something truly unique.
I'm confused. The press conference/conference call was supposed to be at 7am Pacific/10am Eastern - It's not even 6 Pacific yet. Did it happen crazy early, or is someone just blowing smoke from their nether-regions?
This looks more like a generally vague press release as a precursor to the conference call, not the actual call itself.
Timeline of Android on Verizon:
-They get the Sholes. It's a Google Experience device so they can't cripple it. People like it.
-They get a phone that's stock Android, but NOT a Google Experience device. They promptly disable WiFi, block the download of Google Maps from the Market, and force you to use their own terrible Navigator or whatever it's called, but they don't stick their brand name all over it like Rogers has done with their Android phones. Some people object, but it still sells well.
-They get a phone with an interface layer such as Sense UI or MOTOBLUR. Also not a Google Experience device. They disable WiFi and all that jazz, block the download of any navigation apps from the Market, and put their brand name all over that sucker. People hate it.
Android on Verizon simply will not end well.
Yeah, I'm sensing a bad future in store for Android on Verizon as well.
T-Mobile forever!
Verizon launched multiple WINMO phones with wifi, the announced that future blackberries will include wifi, so "blocking wifi" is a non issue and perhaps if you attempted to keep up to date with phone news you would know this.
I have the BB tour on Verizon. I was able to get Google Maps to the device (by downloading the google mobile app), I use Opera Mini for my browers.
I also have POYNT on my phone, which allows GPS, AND also acts as a 411 search (the other big selling point of VZ NAV). I also have blackberry maps
The ONLY "verizon branding" my phone had was the default theme wallpaper (which they included two standard themes as well, and I DL a third using crackberry mobile app), the inclusion of VZ NAV (which I put on hidden) and a shortcut to MyVerizon online. Oh, they pushed slacker radio to my phone.. big deal, I deleted it and DL pandora instead.
Please tell me how my Tour is "crippled" ? And if I wanted a Tour with Wifi I can get one next year, or get the HTC Ozone/Samsung Omnia, or any of the other handful of WINMO (and soon to be Android) phones that will include it.
Why don't you check out verizon phones again, since it's obvious you haven't in the past two years.
What happened to the 10AM conference call? Is this news from the future? I'm confused.
Truly - same here.
Still not the iPhone
Verizon's network may be better than AT&T but without THE PHONE.And I mean a phone that distinguishes itself from the masses in the public nothing major will come of this.
The anti apple losers will bitch and moan but they know it's true. No matter how bad you try to make AT&T seem I'll continue to stay with them cuz they've got the best phone IMO. Android and WinMo can't compete.
The Palm Pre started out okay and it still has a chance but Palm's dirty moves/tricks with iTunes are getting a bit annoying. Go create your ecosystem. You created your own phone...so why are you know all of sudden trying to leech off of iTunes?
ROFL do you really believe that?
Please explain to me why Android can't compete. I can listen to Pandora in the background while reading Gmail on the best dedicated Gmail app on the market, then send free text messages with my Google Voice app and gloat about it on Ustream by streaming a live video feed to the internet over 3G. What exactly am I missing out on here?
I like what this guy says!
While multitasking would be nice and I look forward to when Apple adds that capability it's not a must have feature for me...not to mention the other millions of iPhone users.
If it were then they wouldn't have bought the phone.
And Android as an OS is not a horrible OS. It's just not as good as the iPhone's. And to date there hasn't been a single Android phone that has sold as well as the iPhone or has gained as much popularity as the iPhone.
Those myTouch comericials from T-Mo aren't that great and so far I haven't seen a single person carrying a myTouch. The Hero for Sprint may do well though.
So far the only real competition to the iPhone is the Pre. White it isn't quite at the level that the iPhone is it's not surprising to see a lot of folks that own one. However Palm is sorta looking desperate with teh way they're pricing it now. Unless they plan on bringing out a higher capacity version soon I don't see why they're selling it so low. Seems kinda dumb to me.
Again Verizon + Google = nice attempt but ultimately doomed to failure because despite the great network Verizon they do NOT have a phone that defines them. It means nothing but more run of the mill Android phones...
Quite simply they don't have the iPhone. When/IF Verizon or Sprint gets the iPhone I'll consider jumping ship. Especially if AT&T hasn't improved at all by then. I'd much prefer Sprint getting the iPhone though. Until then though I'm more than happy with AT&T.
Thank god... now I can finally get some nice phones.
Hopefully Verizon wll realize how much they dropped the ball with Apple and allow an UN-CRIPPLED android phone
The Sholes is an amazing phone and may be an iPhone killer. My cube mate has been using it for two weeks now as we both work for VZW and he test new phones that are coming to market. This thing fells solid and has a touch screen that is just as responsive as the iPhone. Watch out Apple
lets not say "iphone killer" cuz nothing will ever kill the iphone
The real question in all of this is how much is the cheapest data plan? Sprint is the company that has an affordable plan ($70). Hopefully Verizon and ATT will match it soon.
why would Verizon and AT&T need to match the price of a company that's hemorrhaging users everyday? I don't see that happening.
Awesome news! Here's to hoping they have a good phone out by May when my contract is up.
Why do you fanboys insists on using number of sales to imply the quality of a phone. The logic is flawed and here is why.
If you compare the number of McDonalds hamburgers sold to any other burger chain you could say that McDonalds burgers must be the best b/c they sale the most. Well no, McDonalds sales more b/c they are cheap and they have the mindset of the masses.
If any other company had released the exact same product it wouldn't sell as well. Why not? because everybody including my mom thinks that iPods are cool and owning the iPhone is a status symbol. If you get rid of that symbol and compare the phones on features the iPhone is clearly not the best phone on the market.
I know you all love your iPhones, and if Verizon had gotten it than I would probably have one too, but please understand that your love for all things apple is seriously clouding your judgement.
You apple fanboys will buy anything that's shiny and made by apple. The fact that so many of you defend AT&T's network is living proof of that.
They also said that there will be 2 Android phones on Verizon this year. So, Sholes and...?