Sure, the
DROID's getting all the attention today, but you might recall that it's not the only thing Verizon has in the pipe has it preps its first Android assault -- HTC's got the
Droid Eris in there somewhere, too, which is shaping up to be little more than a branded
Hero in a slightly different shell. Against the insanely-spec'd DROID, that may not be a drool-worthy proposition, but fortunately, it's looking like Verizon is going to be pursuing an aggressive tiered pricing strategy that might allow these phones to coexist in peace and everlasting harmony: unlike the DROID's $199 sticker,
gdgt has it on good authority that the Droid Eris will run a hundie less at $99. That spanks Sprint's version which currently runs $179.99, but hey, if this means we're going to see a price war down in the 528MHz trenches for the Android midrange, we're all for it.
[Image via
AndroidGuys]
posted Oct 28th 2009 3:37PM
With Google Navigation, that 528 wouldn't matter to me.
At All.
No Google Navigation on this one. I believe this one is a 1.6 Android build not a 2.0.
I just seen DroidEris.com for sale on GoDaddy... Wouldn't you think Verizon would already have that?
Wow, a nice blow to Sprint's Hero in terms of price. Still Sprint has a nice plan the $69.99 unlimited mobile. I wish Verizon would also change their plans. There has not been anything new to their plans besides the addition of the MyFaves-like thing.
Poor Palm.
Pre and Pixi crushed.
Sprint's plan is $60/mo (with employee referal discount) for Everything Data. Equivalent Verizon plan is $130/mo.
$70/mo less on Sprint = Sprint Hero MUCH CHEAPER. Sprint = Verizon roaming ... Why choose Droid Eris over Sprint Hero? That's like Sprint paying you $70/mo to be on the Verizon network... I'll take that deal.
130/mo really!? I had no idea, that's nuts. I will definitely be avoiding the verizon store haha
or you can pay $45 for straight talk for everything unlimited under the Verizon coverage :D (but not fancy phones)
450 Mins = 39.99
Unlimited Data = 29.99
Unlimited Text/Pic/Video/IM = 20.00
VZ Nav = 9.99 (Or you could use the Google verison for free).
Total = $90 or $100.00
900 mins = 20.00 more.
450 mins = 20 - 30 $ more then sprint, same with the 900 min plan.
I have no idea where you got 130.00.
VCast can be watched on m.vcast.com for free.
Yeah Verizon and AT&T are both about 120 - 130 once you have all the features you need to get full use of a smartphone. And i'm not even including any nav service with that. I'll be getting a Touch Pro 2 with Sprint when my ATT contract is up in February.
Either way around it, Sprint has the price war won. Not only that, Look at any phones in the past year that both carriers have launched & Sprint's version gets better reviews across the board because Verizon sodomizes their phones.
This, Moto Driod or the HD2?? I can't decided...
decide*
I can't believe you don't knew what to choose from...
*snickering*
@N900
I'm saw what you did there..
Ask yourself which can be docked?
Most apps. N will truly replace an iPod.
HD2 hands down dude, hands down
If you don't need a physical keyboard I can't see anything competing with the HD2. Only downside I can really see on the HD2 is with how powerful the hardware is it may not do well with battery life. Even that is just a guess at this point though.
Motorola Droid.
HD2 will be on T-Mobile, maybe, and a good phone on a not so good network is a paper weight.
Your move iPhone 3G (Eris) and iPhone 3GS (Droid).
Palm better get that Pixi out asap.
Does anybody really believe Palm stands a chance anymore? I don't.
On topic: $99 seems like a good price for that version of the Hero. Should do well.
Palm, not a chance but its kind of sad how much they tried and then not only failing at upping iPhone, now its getting bitch smacked by HTC\Driods phones and these aren't even the Snapdragon versions due to come.
Yeah, Palm's upcoming utter insignificance/demise is pretty sad. Illustrates well that just having a good product isn't enough nowadays, when a couple of rather small errors break your neck.
If Palm
-released the Pre around March or so instead of trying to go against the iPhone hype at the end of June
-released the SDK immediately after CES 2009, riding the hype wave
-released the GSM Pre worldwide at the same time as the CDMA Pre
-launced a proper app store with paid apps with the Pre, not months later
-release the Pixi on lots of carriers around the world at the same time
I think the picture would look quite a bit different. Alas, it doesn't...
Friggin' A... Verizon and Google are certainly hell-bent on blitzkrieg'n mobile tech this holiday season!
The Jury is still out on Big Red and Android. Since no one has actually had a chance to test the Eris (Villan) vs the Sprint Hero, dont be suprised if it has only one nut enabled compared to the Sprints full package enabled.
Wow..nice price...Pre-load Android 2.0 and i'm sold!
your kidding right? This won't come with 2.0 ....it will have 1.6
Agreed
awesome price point.
I'd also be interested if it can handle a custom 2.0 rom off the web...
My Sprint unlimited voice/text/data plan for the Hero = $100
Equivalent Verizon plan = $150 ($100 voice + $20 text + $30 data)
I made up the price difference in less than 3 months.
you may also have 1 year price protection on your credit card, and this may cause sprint to lower the price on their hero, so you'd save even more money :)
Who needs unlimited voice minutes?
@Dorf "Who needs unlimited voice minutes?"
I do. I use my cell for work, use 2000+ anytime minutes a month (I work from home). Much of it is not mobile-to-mobile.
Does ANYONE =really= think there is going to REMAIN a signifcant price difference between carriers soon?
we also don't know the exact specs or whether verizon is gimping anything, since it's not a "Google Experience" phone ;)
@ Dorf: People with very active social lives, business people, and bored people at lines, waiting rooms, airplane stops.
Sorry only your mom calls you on Sundays :( I am on the same boat.
Agreed - this comes down to the promise of Android 2.0, or being stuck on 1.6. If it can have 2.0, then 528Mhz vs 550Mhz... (i know the camera's better, hardware keyboard, etc...)
It looks like it's running Sense, so 1.5 for now, 1.6 in a couple of months hopefully. Note that the Hero (and I assume Eris) actually already has a lot of the features added w/ 2.0 because of what HTC did w/ the Sense UI.
There is a huge difference between the 528 and the 550. the 528 is an ARM11 and the 550 is an ARM CORTEX A8 with a dedicated gpu i bought a core 2 quad at 2.83 with a GTX 260 that is more powerful than my 2.8 P4 with onboard graphics.
if you're familiar with the cpu industry you know that advantages of
one processor over another totally depend on the tasks you're trying
to achieve. has anyone established that the cortex a8 is
going to deliver marked improvement over the arm11 for typical
smartphone tasks (i.e. things we spend 90% of our time doing on smartphones, like texting and browsing). the avg person won't be running 3d apps on a regular basis.
Tmobile had been the android pioneer, kinda surprised they dont have any beefier android hardware coming out for the holidays. Don't have Verizon's network and user base, but with the Project Dark pricing, would be mighty compelling and Verizon's doing a lot of marketing work for them with Droid = Android.
Project Dark really was nothing but bland hype... I don't see anything really competitive... the only thing Verizon needs to do with T-Mobile is play the "Map Size" game. If they own AT&T on those grounds, now imagine T-Mobile... I was expecting more from T-Mobile... I was left with a very very bad taste from this bitter Project Dark candy.
I, for one, am absolutely loving this Droid Invasion!
While certainly an attractive price point, I'd be surprised if I could get my hands on one before the end of November. We'll see what their initial stock levels are on the droid. Odds are, they'll be insufficient.
No way it cost $99! What a bad joke. It costs about $500!
Queensland
You missed the title.... hmmm ".. for Verizon"
He accidentally the article.
What the another android htc??!!!!
Holy shhh iPhone is hurting so badddd!
Especially after they just sold 7 million iPhones in 3 months.
Apple will need to beg Verizon to carry its iPhoen and it they don't , I will predict this will be the start of its exit from the smartphone market.
~
I also believe googlel could kick MS out of the mobile market (or give them a good blow ) if they were to acquire motorola and still give there software to everyone for free and sell there own phone and a Google experience UI.
~
I am thinking motorola did the right thing, hitching there dying business onto a up and comming star (Android) instead of pulling a palm, trying to bring there own change when change was already comming. I don't see palm lasting any more. motorola will also die because Android its open to all its competters.
~
HTC on the othere hand the best of all of them, not simply hitching there company on a big star (MS) but noticing change and seeing a new, up and comming star (Android).
Are you that short sighted, can't you see apple's trend of releasing new Iphones every year to compete with these new phones?
@paul: Right, because the Apple upgrade from the 3G to the 3GS was monumental.
I'm not bashing your beloved iPhone, but these new Android devices, and the backing Google can throw at them are game changers. It may take a while to trickle down from the tech savy, to the casual customer, but it's going to happen. Google is strong enough to pull it off.
And don't underestimate the whole Apple/Goggle Voice situation in that regard. Google has a bone to pick. They have willing carriers with Verizon at the forefront. Plus they have manufactuers that have more then enough exp. in making phones (HTC, Motorola, Nokia) to handle it.
Game on, folks.