Motorola DROID first hands-on! (update: video, impressions, more pics)
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Oct 28th 2009 1:51PM
posted Oct 28th 2009 1:51PM
Some quick observations on the phone:
- That big screen is killer. Bright, crisp, and tons of room for your icons and widgets.
- Speed is noticeably improved -- particularly when moving from app to app. We did notice that some of the home screen scrolling looked laggy.
- Android 2.0 is definitely cleaned up -- but it's most definitely still Android
- The browser seems significantly improved -- pages now load up in a fully zoomed-out mode, and the load times and scrolling are way snappier.
- The keyboard takes some getting used to, and it suffers from a similar hand-position issue as the G1, but it's fairly usable. We think it'll be second nature once we spend some time with it.
- Facebook is integrated into accounts, which means some of that BLUR functionality is here (though now it's part of Android 2.0 natively). The good news is that when you add a Facebook account you can choose to pull all Facebook info and contacts, or just info related to your existing contacts -- a real clutter buster.
Update 2: Video is up after the break! More coming too...
Update 3: And we've got a browser speed test to round things out.
Update 4: We've added another gallery of the car and home docks, which are pretty neat -- the phone detects the dock magnetically, and switches to the appropriate mode. We're told that there'll also be third-party docks, and that Google's the one behind the different interface modes, so this could be just the tip of the iceberg.
WANT.
I wish now someone could do some "I am a Droid." .... "and... I am and iDoesn't.... I mean... iPhone"...
Droid is cool, but Palm Pixi is the thinnest full QWERTY by quite a large margin.
Yo iphone I'm really happy for ya and I'ma let ya finish but Moto had one of the best phones of all time
Does this strike anyone as a repeat of the Pre hype? And the G1 before that. And the Storm before that. Everyone declaring how much they were in love with this new phone or that new phone, blah, blah, blah. The Pre was prettier, but on a bad network, while this phone is ugly, but on a good network.
So, it's kind of a wash.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
@ Gibson
I think by 'full qwerty', they mean in landscape format, whereas the Pixi is in portrait. I could be wrong.
*waves hand*
This isn't the droid your looking for...
ATTN: The first truly sexy android device has landed!
The Hero on Sprint looks nice and all, but this thing is gorgeous. And the innards of this device looks even better!
@Gibson
you dont go hijacking a thread because you think that the pixi is better
If you dont have anything nice to say, dont say it at all!
I currently have an HTC magic with fatality rom and love it. The only thing I miss is mini-jack and keyboard. Typing on the screen sucks. I hope this floats over the atlantic and into my open arms!
Maybe this can get motorola out of the hole they have been in for a long time.
never mind I didnt read the post
my bad!
i have a mogul at sprint... all i can say is goodby sprint... and good by mogul
ecto plasma. . . all over the place
@Napsterking
I'm not comparing the pixi to the Droid, I'm simply correcting the article. Don't be so defensive, guy.
WTF? really?
It's the thinnest SLIDER.
l2read
iJames White = another reason to hate Apple.
I can't tell if Mr. White is an idiot...or delusional.
Every technicall aspect he just said they didn't have...Droid has.
The kids are getting out of control. Where are the parents.
@iJamesWhite:
Droid has multitouch (and Android 2.0 supports it too), it's just uncertain for now if it uses pinch-zoom and stuff like that (you know, it's not yet been released to the crowds, so we'll have to wait and see how multitouch will be used)
Droid has a lot of apps, not as much as the iPhone but then again, there are lots of crappy apps for the iPhone (we call this the iFart-syndrome)
Droid hasn't got that many users, because, you know, it isn't released yet. How many users did the iPhone (3G(s)) have after the announcement but before general availability? Exactly.
Droid actually has a fast processor. Do your research.
Droid seems to have a solid build, but we can't judge that without holding the device, which, I assume, you haven't either.
The Droid commercial may play on the iPhone, but it actually has a lot of nice features and things that are way beyond the iPhone, and don't look like it either (Turn by turn, home screen that shows more than just some icons, the specialized in-car UI, the home-dock UI).
Droid has a file manager, you can install it through the Market (or, as Apple would say: There's an app for that!)
Droid may not have as much internal memory, but you can slide in MicroSD cards, which would make it possible to have more storage in your Droid than you can get in any iPhone available now (and in the future, probably).
Droid has unlocked WiFi! Maybe a carrier would cripple it, but it's inprobably and easily undone if done at all.
I'd love to tell you how Android is the greatest mobile OS, but well, you don't seem like you're ever going to agree, so I'm gonna let the point about the greatest mobile OS go.
About the CNET awards: CNET might seem slightly biased, but even if they aren't (which is possible, ofcourse), an unreleased phone has indeed not got any awards. Just like the iPhone before it was generally available didn't have awards.
Droid has the magnetometer, and it's not the first Android device to have one either. Apple was later to the game with this than Android.
And no, Droid doesn't use WAP (no Android phone on the market does, actually), it's got WiFi and the 3G flavours you need depending on who your carrier is and where you live (just like the iPhone). And it's got a spiffy browser, too :)
lose the keyboard so it could be even thinner and add a good touch keyboard and I'd definitely want.
Still fugly as hell.
what happened to "this isn't the final design"?
iWho?
It's nice to see Android on such a nice phone. I've got a Pre and loving it, but that phone is damn tempting.
It will be interesting to see if Sprint will still force the Everything Plan on Android phones when 2.0 is live. Telenav is something that's lumped into the plan.
Android 2.0 + 1Ghz CPU,- now we're talking!
to Mr White on behalf of Mr. Graey: BURNNNNNN!
Looks extremely good. It seems easy to use. Let's see how Motorola is gonna screw this one up. Motorola has become one major fail of a company where everything they touch turns to crap.
Sorry, but what is the big deal here? Anyone would think that this device is the 2nd Coming or something. It's a smartphone and not a particularly groundbreaking one at that. I realise that this isn't made by Apple but is it really necessary to lose our heads over something that wasn't designed in Cupertino? The Palm Pre was interesting but this...? Sorry but I just don't see what the fuss is about.
I see alot of Apple fanboys got nervous. They usually just laughed at those so-called "iPhone killer". I think DROID is the first true iPhone killer. I was going to wait until June 2010 for next gen iPhone, but more I look at all these galleries and videos, I don't want to wait another 8 months, unless Apple can convince me and preview next gen iPhone about 6 months earlier (like how they did for the first gen iPhone).
as a 1st gen and 3g iphone owner, I can say I've been looking forward to something like this for a while. It's got all the things I wish the iphone had and more. Plus it'll prolly run faster than the crappy 3.0 OS on my iphones... Aaaaaannd, I can take it on a road trip without worrying about losing a signal. Verizon, I'm back!
Brandon, I see people making stupid anti-droid slams too, but I don't understand what you, and those people, think there is to be nervous about. Why should they be nervous? Nothing actually kills the iPhone, it may get more sales, but it isn't like their phones suddenly will explode. You all take fanboyism way too seriously - on both sides of it. Example - See how Kevin and iJames White both looks ridiculous with their post.
@Kelmon 3.7" 854x480 screen and first device with 2.0 software seems pretty big deal to me. Also I am not familiar with US carriers but with all the whining from iPhone users about AT&T coverage the new Verizon push seems important to some.
This is how I see this playing out: the general public won't rush to buy a Droid because the marketing material makes it appear very technical. IPhone sales will go crazy this holiday season. Droid users will love the phone and defend it to everyone and wonder why iPhone users don't make the switch to a more advanced device. iPhone users will stand by their typical "it just works" stance. In a a year or two, Droid will evolve past the "early adopter" phase and see more success. It will be slow going at first (a la Palm Pre).
Apple will prove once again that great marketing with good products beats great products with inferior marketing.
Everyone (well, every Engadget reader) thinks campaigns like "Get a Mac" are getting old, but it is one of the most successful campaigns of the decade. Apple beats Motorola in marketing and that will prove to be deciding factor.
I've been in love with the iPhone for a while, but i believe I've found a new lover! Sorry iPhone, i'm a droid man now!
Who would've thought it would be Motorola that brings Android to the masses?
@ Mack
"The Pre was prettier, but on a bad network" - Um, have you ever used AT&T? It's hands down the worst provider. 30% of calls in NYC get dropped.
Verizion > Sprint > T-Mobile > AT&T in my book, most people would probably switch the middle two. Depends on where you live.
Droid looks great. iPhone would be everywhere if Apple didn't want a fat check from AT&T, now they will lose a lot of ground to the other networks.
I don't own an iDon't because everyone has it. Droid will soon fall into the same category. It will be the new "it" gadget to go along with Honda's and iPhones. I'm sure it's nice, but count me out. Samsung Moment here I come. Plus I'd have to get a 2nd job to afford Verizons scams, I mean plans.
From the demo in the video the GUI looks confusing and clunky, I think most consumers will actually value consistent and elegant.
The Droid hype reminds me of the ZuneHD hype, so it will be interesting to see what consumers do when they vote with their wallets.
BTW: Amazon MP3 bestseller list shows the Zune HD at #26 (16Gb) and #28 (32Gb), ouch so soon after the launch .....
@iJames White
Man, you got no idea do you. That whole list, my Sprint Hero does and has. The Hero has all those features plus turn by turn navigation and a 5mp camera that also does 720X480 video on the first round. It took iphone four years to collect all those features. LOL 3 years just to do copy and paste. Your post only proves your ignorance.
Please don;t compare these Apple fanboys wanna-bes to true Apple Users. Real Apple Users loves and embraces everything tech. Especially something this cool.
best Motorola phone since the Startac (which I still use on occasion). I can't wait for this thing to come onto sprint in 2011 when my 2year contract is up with my BB Tour that I'm not too pleased with
“Once darling of the industry, climbs back from the edge of death to announce a ground breaking new phone running an amazing OS that multi-tasks, has a slide out keyboard, and is backed by a massive ad campaign specifically to challenge the iPhone” Dude, I’ve seen this movie already. And It sucked.
NOKIA N900 beats its ass!;)
@iJames White
Droid Doesn't have multitouch
DROID AND IPHONE GO TO WAR. DROID TEABAG'S IPHONE. DROID DOES, DROID WINS.
But on a serious note, I would have NEVER imagined Verizon going this path and supporting the open community. Thanks You Google/Android for this!!! I'm completely sold come Nov. 6th.
Best Network- check
Best OS/(in the not to distant future)- check
Kick Ass Phone- check
Making iPhone fanboy's kneel down, looking to Steve Jobs for his response, and he "has to leave due to medical circumstances", - priceless.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THIS WILL BE ABLE TO WORK ON PAGE PLUS CELLULAR?? http://www.pagepluscellular.com/
IF IT DOES IM BUYING THIS UNLOCKED AND GETTING THE 1200 TXTS/ 1200 MINS WITH 50 MB DATA FOR $29.95. Verizon's post paid costs a bit too much in the pocket.
@BobCFC
I can appreciate that not running on AT&T may well be a draw but is the screen and Android 2 really that much of a big deal? The videos for the device do not show anything particularly impressive so I am wondering if the truly groundbreaking stuff isn't being shown. What is so damned exciting? What does this device do that nothing else does?
I honestly think you've all gone nuts. For example, the demonstration video shows the woman demonstrating it trying to open the Messages application by pressing it and nothing happened despite the icon illuminating on-screen. She had to press it again for the application to open. Now this might not be the finished product yet but stuff like that gives me cause to pause.
Like many, we WANT this product too :D - you got to give credit to engadget to one of the few people (aside from BGR) who laid their hands on the new droid. I don't think its ugly, but not the best looking phone too.. But take a peek at the specs, I mean does it still look ugly now? - I can't stress how much fast is the android 2.0 and how its (almost perfect) to the new droid models.
a detailed preview about droid plus some official (Hi-Res) from Motorola Corp: http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/motorola-droid-official-release-on-november-6-for-199-with-contract/
"kudus to all who waited" Judgment day: 11/06/09..
@ iJames White
Droid Doesn't have multitouch(Yes, it does)
Droid Doesn't have 100,000+ Apps(iPhone has more like 10, with about 10,000 repeats)
Droid Doesn't have 45+ million user(Hasn't been released, dipshit)
Droid Doesn't have a fast processor(Faster than the iPhone isn't fast?)
Droid Doesn't have a solid build (What, like people want a freaking brick in their pockets?)
Droid Doesn't know how to be original (Actually, this is more original than the iPhone. It has its own OS and features the iPhone doesn't have)
Droid Doesn't have a File Manager (Doesn't need a piece of crap that locks up computers)
Droid Doesn't have over 16GB of internal memory (but it still has 16 gigs, expandable to 32)
Droid Doesn't have unlocked WiFi (why the fuck would Verizon tout the WiFi if it isn't unlocked?)
Droid Doesn't have the greatest mobile OS (Yes, it has android)
Droid Doesn't have awards for being the best phone(It hasn't even been released yet)
Droid Doesn't have a Magnetometer(WTF would people need this?)
Droid Doesn't have the best mobile internet experience (It has full HTML, and will have support for IMBEDDED FLASH, unlike the iDoesn't)
Actually in the video I think they do say the thinnest.
But yes, definitely referring to a full-QWERTY slider.
Don't you mean the George Lucas' Lucasfilm-copyrighted Droid?
They have the license from Lucasfilm to use the name "Droid."
And it's a trademark... not a copyright.
I envy whoever gets to run it through its paces!
I can NOT wait for this phone!
one more week...one more week!
Looks great guys
Motorola says goodbye to that crappy MicroShyte WinMoan 6 OS that will soon be no more. Every major cellphone company will be dropping Steve Ballmer's supposedly world-beating mobile operating system. Farewell and goodbye to WinMoan which almost put HTC out of business. Take that, Ballmer and your idiotic rounding errors. Android will take all of MicroShyte WinMoan market share with in as little of less than a year.
Microsoft is not going anywhere and they do not give up on markets so you can take all that "WinMoan" and that other play on Microsoft and shove it up ur ass cuz sure as hell when WinMo 7 hits MS is going to be putting it on a lot of phones and a lot of those will be HTC phones.
Until then, Ill be rocking android
Did he just say WinMoan? Christ, these people get worse every day.
That is be-utiful.
Do want.
Ps.
Come on Motorola - I still believe in you!
It shoots video? Just another iPhone clo..oh snap.
So is it true that it is around the same thickness of the iPhone even with the QWERTY?
Yup.
iPhone 3G/S : 115.5mm x 62.1mm x 12.3mm
Droid : 115.8mm x 60.0mm x 13.7mm
Now...I'm just waiting for the Droid Touch/My Touch Droid/Droid Full Touch Screen Super Combo Hyper Fighter 2
That baby will be THIN as I don't know what...
wait what? Droid Touch/My Touch Droid ?? are we still talking about phones ? :D
Nice to see more solid Android devices coming out. Android market share is going to spike as it pulls side kick users.
Sidekick users are not going to make up any more of a significant addition to Android converts than people from flip phones or others that are unsatisfied with their current smartphone experience.
I've never actually seen a sidekick in real life, so you are probably right. Just figured this was better choice.
but what it is going to pull are palm webos users.
Negative Gigabit. Sprint users are not going to leave to pay more money at Verizon for this phone. Most pre owners are pretty happy with Webos so paying more at Verizon is not an incentive to jump ship when we already have a good product at Sprint.
Is this running the Snapdragon CPU? and Eclair?
No unfortunately its a TI OMAP not Snapdragon. =/ Not that the Ti isn't solid but I was really hoping for a snapdragon. And yes its eclair.
No, and Yes: TI OMAP Cortex A8, and Eclair
Thank you :)... I will keep waiting
No no no... you guys are still getting the CPU situation all confused.
Both Snapdragon and the TI OMAP in this phone are based on the Cortex A8 Chipset.
There are pros and cons to both implementations. Snapdragon seems to be clocking in at 1Ghz. The TI OMAP is at 550Mhz. But that's not the whole story either. The TI OMAP has a dedicated GPU which would lay the SMACK down on the Snapdragon.
So in the end. For regular day to day stuff, the snapdragon will be faster (but make no mistake the TI OMAP is faster than any Android device by a LANDSLIDE) but for gaming and entertainment applications, the TI OMAP would kill the snapdragon.
Snapdragon and OMAP are very, very similar. They're based on the same ARM A8 core, I think they just use slightly different graphics parts.
@Gig
I'm getting seriously tired of all these know-it-alls slandering around that the Snapdragon doesn't have a dedicated GPU.
It DOES, and it's more powerful than the SGX530 in the OMAP3430.
(22M Triangles/Second for the Imageon GPU in the Snapdragon vs. 14M Triangles/Second for the SGX530, the iPhone's SGX535+ does 28M and the Tegra 40M, the PSP 33M)
Secondly, the Snapdragon CPU isn't based on Cortex-A8, but on Qualcomm's own Scorpion architecture, which is similair, as it's also based on ARMv7, but it's slightly more powerful per clock. (About 5 percent according to Qualcomm)
I'm glad im on with Verizon. I was really hoping that Verizon would eventually get the iPhone, but honestly i'd rather have this now. Who needs an iPhone when you've got droid!
Keep telling yourself this...........the specs look decent, but it's still way behind the iPhone as far as UI, app availability, etc.......I love how Verizon and it's customers have been begging and pleading to get the iPhone, but when Apple said no, they suddenly hate the iPhone and consider it a second-rate device. Bottom line, the iPhone is still the standard for which everyone is trying to achieve. I can't wait to see what Apple has in store for the next iPhone this spring! Continue on with your hate!
@Dian
Even as an Apple fanboy, I must disagree with your bullpies here.
Droid is the device many of us have been waiting for: it's not only a competitor to iPhone (Pre, Storm, and G1 have all done this), but a competitor on a GOOD network-something that hasn't quite happened yet and can make the biggest difference. Just think about all of the complaints iPhone has gotten over the years; most can be chalked up to AT&T's network (tethering, mms, dropped calls, google voice, the list goes on). Droid is a good competitor not because it has awesome hardware or an awesome keyboard (bc it doesn't, just good), but because you have the package of Android 2.0, now google maps navigation, capacitive touch, thin sleek look with slide out keyboard, and the network with the widest spanning reception. That, imho, is an unbeatable package, even for Apple right now.
And btw, yout whole thing about Verizon begging to get iPhone is way off. Verizon originally rejected Steve Job's offer because they're a business. Historically, Apple is a tough bet: when they get it right, it's amazing. But when they get it wrong, it's a disaster, meaning a lost investment for Verizon and a scarred image. AT&T took the risk bc they needed to compete better with Verizon, and it worked. But to say they suddenly HATE iPhone is just stupid. As a business, they're going to do what they can do to compete, and that means bashing the competition. Apple has been doing it for years to MS, and it worked for them too.
I am a proud Apple fanboy, but I also have common sense, and can smell bs from a mile away. I wish more of you could say the same so that Engadget could be free of the annoying trolling that goes on all the time.
Dion: You mean how Verizon passed on the iPhone so it went to AT&T?
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,61985480,00.htm
I'd love to have this device too, but at what price? What is the cost for an all you can eat text/data/talk plan for two people on Verizon? My contract with AT&T is up in December and the bottom line is, price matters, a lot.
@HotBBQ
Hate to break it to you, but you get what you pay for. My contract is also up in december and I am desperately searching for the perfect device. It's pretty close between Droid and N900 for me. With the things I need, N900 would be cheaper (not counting the device price, of course, we're talking plans) on TMO, but with that I get guaranteed spotty 3G, less free network-to-network calls because less people use TMO, and other related issues.
With the Droid, I get MUCH broader 3G, all around stronger signal, and there isn't a town more than 10 miles apart that doesn't have a Verizon store if I need to speak with somebody. There's actually 2 Verizon stores in my town, and one in the mall. All I have from TMO is a small kiosk in the mall.
So you get what you pay for. More money means you're probably going to stress less overall. Simple as that.
@HotBBQ,
I pay $82/month for 450 minutes / unlimited data / 500 text (unlimited vzw-to-vzw) / insurance. I would imagine you get some sort of price break for family. I believe I saw somebody say he has a family plan for two people @ $135/month
Hope that helps...
DO WANT
WANT IT SO BAD!
Engadget - what is the screen color depth? 65K colors or something higher?
Meh am I the only one not excited about this phone?
It looks ugly. The keyboard is lame. HTC HD2 > this.
Looking at the comments above and below, you appear to be the only one, but you probably realized that. They are both nice phones.
Here, another comment to support CJ's thoughts. I don't think it's a good looking phone. It's close, but I'm not drawn to it. But then again, I'm not a fan of full QWERTY sliders.
I'm holding out for one of the non-QWERTY Android 2.0 options. I've gotten used to using an onscreen keyboard (even on my old HTC Touch with the HTC keyboard). Either that, or the HD2.
well this thing is just as skinny as the iPhone. You could just leave the thing closed and not use the slide out keyboard and instead use the onscreen keyboard. Best of both worlds in one phone.
I'm pulling for motorola to find their stride again with this phone. I had another moto years back that I loved (wasn't the razr) and have been waiting 5-6 years for them to put something out worth buying. This might be it.
I am still using the E815, so I've been waiting a long time as well for a hello moto comeback. Would be nice to upgrade to a decent phone finally...
Yea, well, I still have my Motorola Q, and life sucks for me. Was going to wait to get an iPhone, but now I'm glad Motorola is back.
My pubic hair is thinner then your E71. Pwned!
I'm sort of torn here... I'm a current Storm owner (the phone has its good points, but is very mediocre) and I'm debating making the jump in January to a new phone since I would be elgible to make an annual upgrade. Thing is I'm sort of liking my BB more now that OS 5 is out so I'm wondering if I should just wait and see whats out next fall.... decisions, decisions.
Waiting for your announcement of this phone Sprint !
Hopeful wishing at its best...
I think Motorola will probably keep this exclusive on Verizon for a while. I'm sure other manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung are working on Android 2.0 phones right now though.
You are correct. It is a techgasm. I can't wait to see 2.0 in action. Android has so much potential. It just isn't ver elegant yet.
I prefer dorkgasm
nerdgasm ftw.
@tikiteko
dork
1. Slang A stupid, inept, or foolish person: "the stupid antics of America's favorite teen-age cartoon dorks" (Joshua Mooney).
2. Vulgar Slang The penis.
Maybe a nerdgasm or geekgasm, but 1. is insulting, and 2. is the same thing as an ejaculation.
GIVE ME THE BOX