We've been
led to believe in the past that there'd be a GSM version of Motorola's mighty
Sholes for markets outside the US, but this particular version that passed the FCC this week -- ID IHDP56KC5, if you must know -- has us particularly interested. Why? Well, it's packing WCDMA on the 850 and 1900MHz bands, which means it'd work on AT&T, Rogers, and HSPA newcomers Bell and Telus. We've been led to believe, though, that this particular device is destined for Latin America where 850 / 1900 is also used in favor of the 2100MHz spectrum more prevalent in Europe. That doesn't rule out Canada, but our instincts tell us that Verizon has every intention of locking up the Sholes as a US exclusive, which means AT&T is a likely no-go -- the carrier's been strangely silent on Android, anyhow, and we haven't heard a peep of recent intel suggesting they're prepping Google-powered gear in time for the holidays. Of course, enterprising individuals will probably figure out how to unlock and import this bad boy, so if you're an American and the thought of switching to Big Red for a Droid makes you physically ill, take heart that there might yet be hope.
[Via
MobileCrunch]
posted Oct 24th 2009 7:19AM
when all the other carriers are releasing multiple android goodies left and right....*sigh*
Die AT&T die...
AT&T is likely waiting to use Android as a playing card for continued iPhone exclusivity. Love it or hate it, the iPhone has got to be huge business for AT&T, and I'm sure they want to keep it that way. So it's Prisoner's Dilemma ... Apple defects with iPhone to get more coverage, and AT&T defects to Android, leaving Apple the only one promoting the iPhone and _everyone else_ promoting Android.
Also, take in mind that after seeing how the Droid does, Apple and AT&T may release some kind of counterattack.
Like the dude or dudette above said, the iPhone keeps selling, and it is selling hot. We are sure that Apple is not sitting on the laurels signing "When will my prince come". No, they are like the animals on their OS names, silent cats of prey, watching every moment, every breath, determining the best moment to attack. The issue in hand here is that Apple does not have to rush as they have a very loyal following cult that will stick to their iPhone until something new comes to upgrade into another iPhone.
If Android, through the now released phones, but specially through the Droid - the must hyped phone in the history of Android - prove to be a strong competitor with huge sells and a strong following, Apple may be more dynamic and fast into reaction to the pressure and will seriously bump up the next iPhone. You need to consider though that people hear Android and hey think on a robot not a phone or operating system - we are talking about the average dude. I have talked to many people about Android and taught them about it - they had no idea it existed. But, when you mention Apple to this people, they know what Apple is, what they have done, and how famous they are for good design. Even my oldest aunt (62 years old) know what Apple is.
To end my torrent, if YOU , yes YOU! if you consider yourself and Android user that really wants the OS to progress, you have the obligation and necessity to spread the word, to pitch, to brag about it, to sell it to the masses. Yes, lots of people come here to Engadget and they know what Android. That is cool, but we know that anyone that replies to a comment has a higher level of interest in technology than the rest of the population - or likes to push buttons a lot. We need to reach those who only know Windows and Apple.
ANDROID WANTS YOU.
**Android flag waves behind, robotic eagle crosses the sky**
Doesn't Sprint's 3G network operate on the 1900MHz band? Does this mean the Droid could potentially be hacked to work on Sprint?
Stupid post, Raising my hopes of the Droid here in Sweden, then crushing them with the Latin America talk.
Well EU is getting the HTC HD2 which rivals the Droid in Specs (well the HD2 mighty actualy be the most powerfull smartphone ever when released thanks to the Snapdragon AND 448Mb of ram). The Best WinMo phone in EU and the Best Android phone in the US.
Yeah, and the HD2 can also double as snowboard due to sheer size, so it's really a no-brainer choice for Norway!
*o Sweden, even...
@ L
WIN COMMENT
To be fair the HD2 looks way cooler than the sholes, and second we don't know when and where the htc dragon is headed. Plus if motorola really wants to go head to head with the iPhone they will release this worldwide.
Please come to the UK
Please come to the UK
Please come to the UK
The English are coming!The English are coming!
The English are coming!
Hide your Droids!
Why would the Unites Ftates Federal Communications Commission be concerened with phones in Canada and S. America?
Roaming
Because they can, they want, and they have no fear of doing it.
So does this mean that the droid is definitely NOT coming to Europe? great...
we get the palm pre in SOME countries, just not mine, and no motorola droid either.
and i cont really care about HD2.. i'm done with Windows mobile for now
Take another look at the HD2, coz winn mob 6.5 is different from the win mob you're used to and besides HTC has tweaked the OS so thoroughly as to erase any lingering tracks of it under layer upon layer of unmitigated coolness.
Moreover I know for a fact that several bright minds at XDA dev are working hard to port android to the HD2 within few weeks of the phone release
I am getting mine nov the 1st.
Can't wait.
Why the hell do I ALWAYS see comments with people saying "You should get the HD2" or "HTC [insert product] will be better than he Droid" in every single post about the Droid in just about every gadget blog? I'm getting the feeling these droid posts are being spammed by HTC Bots =/
aw come on guys we NEED this in europe too. hey, you wanted that hd2 so badly for the us too, right? RIGHT?
It is coming to the US. :D in 2 years
Shame, real shame - I've been waiting for the Sholes (UK) since it or the Dext are the only phones with the feature mix I want....but the shoddy construction on the Dext put me off. Guess I might have to go for my second choice...stupid move Moto.
Don't panic just yet. Just because we know that the Droid is imminent in the US does not mean that it won't be announced in Europe afterwards. It may just be that Moto considers this a big enough thing that they're going to parlay Droid hoopla in the US into more information overseas.
Well i already own the Touch HD with a cooked WM 6.5 rom, and better (much better) performance just won't change the fact that it's still good old WM underneath . And i dont like the fact that you need to basically cover up what is underneath.
and if Android is being ported to the HD2, great. But is it android 2.0? with the great UI that motorola has apparently thrown together? i have only seen some of it, but it looks great.
and finally, i would LOVE to have a physical keyboard on a phone that doesnt really make the phone that much bigger then other phones with only a virtual keyboard
there are other markets other than the US!!!!
Bring out a 900/2100 version of this phone.... I want it!!
I, for one, am glad to hear such news. I live in Brazil, and here, there is not much option for those looking for a high-end smartphone. I have high hopes that the Droid will be available to us, since the Dext (your so-called Click) will be available in november, along with Samsung's Galaxy and Galaxy Lite, HTC's Magic (our version comes with 288 MB of RAM and HTC Sense UI), LG will be selling it's Android phone as well, and Huawei also announced it would be selling it's Android phone. So yeah, I feel that, for the first time, there are plenty of options for high-end smartphones in Brazil.
Don't forget Nokias (n95, N96, N97, 5800) are considered smartphones. Also Brazil has the iPhone and Windows Mobile phones. I am sure this is not the first high-end phone. Brazil is the a super-power in Latin America and a soon-to-be world power.
For one, I don't think Verizon has in mind attacking the iDoesn't knowing that AT&T will get a version of the Droid... That would leave them like... totally unarmed and in complete ridicule.
AT&T would say something like: Well, if iDoesn't, we also have the Does....
I wouldn't rule it out-I thought that android devices were going to be TMO exclusive here in the states, after the G1 was the only one for ages
I am proud to say that I bought an android phone 3 weeks ago and now I've convinced 6 friends of mine to come over to the darkside. 7 android phones and counting!
"...and the thought of switching to Big Red for a Droid makes you physically ill..."
That should read AT&T and not Big Red. I should know, I'm stuck with AT&T.
No, he wrote that correctly. I actually throw up in my mouth a little when thinking about how my wife use to be on Vzn.
Nice. I've come to the conclusion that I can't leave AT&T for now, because I rely too much on simultaneous voice and data. (T-Mobile might be an option, but I have places I need to go that they don't cover.)
If I didn't have such an amazing discount plan with AT&T I would have left a long time ago. I am def not stuck with AT&T because of the iPhone...if anything its the complete opposite. The iPhone makes me want to leave AT&T and go somewhere with open source choices for decent phones.
I hate that AT&T will be the last the get any kind of decent Android set.....its really annoying
Do u guys remember reading about atnt's CEO or something like that that said the Iphone exclusicvity was ending soon.... I remeber a couple of months back a verizon emloyee said that,Verizon was going to start using sim cards. What if this is a hint that the change is coming... just a though....
I love my Hero and Android... and there are many great apps, but until we see bigger companies developing the same kinds of apps for Android as we see for the iPhone, I'm not celebrating yet. This is a great step in the right direction, though.
A friend and I were comparing our phones this afternoon, talking about the things I can do on Android that he can't do on his iPhone 3GS, and vice versa. Then he slaps this one on me:
"my starbucks card was empty and i save like 60 cents when i use it over cash so i opened up my starbucks app hit the reload button and was done all while standing in line to order my latte. try doing that on a preblackwindowsdroid phone."
My first thought was, oh whatever. But then it occurred to me that while people make fun of the crappy app store apps (and believe me, there are plenty) I don't think enough credit is given to the good ones. Granted his situation isn't one I'd experience, but the idea of having such a converged experienced like that makes me slightly envious.
Now this doesn't speak for everything, but it made me think.
Where I live in northern Canada, we only got DIGITAL (1X) a few years ago, and we're getting HSPA through Bell/Northwestel in a few weeks. While it will be cool to finally have the iPhone available here, I'm actually way more interested in the Sholes right now.
No indication one way or the other whether it's coming.
If Tmobile ever puts a tower in my area i'll drop ATT like a bad habit...until then, no 3G for me, im relegated to an unlocked GSM and no 850/1900 but thats better than getting and iPhone!
Somebody give me a name of a reputable importer. Please?