Verizon, Google schedule joint press conference for this morning

In case you hadn't noticed, rumors of an imminent Android launch on Verizon -- the carrier's first -- have been at a fever pitch the past few weeks, and like clockwork, the States' largest wireless network has gone ahead and scheduled a conference call with Google for 7AM Pacific Time / 10AM Eastern Time today. To be fair, it's not a guarantee this is Android-related, and it is interesting that Motorola isn't listed as a participant on the call considering that its Sholes / Tao / Droid had been rumored as Verizon's first Android device -- but none other than Eric Schmidt and Verizon chief Lowell McAdam will be in attendance, so we expect it to be something big. Stay tuned.

[Giantenemycrab Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:35AM]

YES!!! Verizon DESPERATELY needs Android.

[pika2000 Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:36AM]

The most draconian provider wanting an open-source smartphone? LOL.

[Sanskrit Posted Oct 6th 2009 10:18AM]

@pika2000:

If it means profits, they'd do just about anything. You know, (reasonable attempt at) happy customers and all that?

[TheGM Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:41AM]

T-Mobile, Sprint, and F**cken Verizon. I hate you AT&T.

[gerrrg Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:40AM]

LOL. But AT&T's got the iPhone. ;)

[Mister Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:47AM]

My iPhone 3GS has worn it's welcome. Give me Android + Sense UI.

[Nathan Sweeney Posted Oct 6th 2009 8:09PM]

@Spooner

Same here.

[seancollinduffy Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:48AM]

I'll beet you $5 they're announcing that Google will be the default search engine for there phones.

[TheGM Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:54AM]

Microsoft has a contract as their default search engine. Android would probably be excluded though.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/08/technology/microsoft_verizon.fortune/index.htm

[seancollinduffy Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:45AM]

So be it. I will amend my bet from "phones" to "netbooks"

[ericvicenti Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:54AM]

ima let you finish but,

GOOGLE NETBOOK WITH CHROME & VERIZON

ok that joke is soo last week

[MastrCake Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:07AM]

Last week? Try last month.

Which just so happened to be last week. How convienient! We're both right!

[Gregorian Posted Oct 6th 2009 1:55AM]

A new Google data archiving scheme where all calls to Verizon are recorded and stored in a searchable database. You can opt out if it of course if you contact Google and tell them exactly which calls are yours.

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:10AM]

Verizon, DON'T even touch the UI in any way, or touch the market in any way either.

[CaramelZappa Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:15AM]

Do you really expect that? C'mon, it's Verizon.

[ijcopon925 Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:27AM]

It's the Sholes / Tao / Droid.

[jupigare Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:34AM]

Wow, and on the launch day of WinMo 6.5 (and the HTC Imagio, which is already on Verizon's site).

Sounds like a good time to be up for getting a new phone on Big Red.

[Hydra Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:34AM]

If they can manage to not cripple it, i'm in

[jayayess1190 Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:58AM]

Android phone here I come! I use a 4 year old LG VX5200, went through a phase of wanting a Blackberry (to expensive), and have arrived at Android.

[Deathwish238 Posted Oct 6th 2009 3:08AM]

You all need to understand that it doesn't matter what Verizon does to the phone. All we need is a powerful Android phone, and that is what the Tao/Droid/Sholes should be. Anyone that cares is gonna flash a new ROM on there as soon as they can anyways so whatever negatives Verizon leaves will be taken out.

I'm running a Cliq ROM right now. It's really nice, I'm liking BLUR more than HTC's SenseUI.

[jupigare Posted Oct 6th 2009 3:15AM]

Verizon has been known to limit GPS to VZ Navigator, and nix WiFi on a device altogether.

It could happen. I hope it doesn't, but it still could.

[bradrel Posted Oct 6th 2009 8:16AM]

@Jasmine

Luckily this has changed - they having been allowing GPS on their latest BB and have announced that future phones will have wifi.

/here's to hoping they leave the device intact.

[Deathwish238 Posted Oct 6th 2009 3:47AM]

That's not really gonna matter unless they modify it in some way that devs can't reverse.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 6th 2009 4:46AM]

Is this a press conference or a conference call? Big difference!

[lembowski Posted Oct 6th 2009 11:30AM]

Well its 90 minutes after the conference call or press conference started. Hopefully we will hear something soon!