Motorola Droid and Dell Adamo latest to get Gorilla glass

Corning's darn-near-impenetrable Gorilla glass certainly isn't new -- in fact, we spied it in a few of Motion Computing's tablets just a few months ago -- but it's still not commonplace on mainstream gizmos. Yet. SmartPlanet sat down with Dr. Donnell Walton, senior applications engineer at Corning, in order to discuss the merits of the display technology as well as its importance in the gadget space. The discussion also mentioned that both Motorola's Droid and Dell's Adamo (not to mention Cowon's S9 PMP) are sporting the glass, which acts to make displays "damage-resistant." Not surprisingly, the company is seeing huge demand in the smartphone arena, where touchscreen-centric phones are being shoved into pockets at random and then costing manufacturers big bucks as return rates creep up. It's a pretty interesting read if you're into that type of thing, and yes, we did just give you permission to try and split your Droid display wide open in a moment of frustration. Just don't count on Motorola to accept that as a valid excuse for your RMA.

[Thanks, Jeff]

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:30AM]

Gorilla glass....lol

[glenskey Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:39AM]

@B3astofthe3ast
no lol

[sunnysuffy Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:12AM]

@B3astofthe3ast http://www.theallybox.com/home

[Saad Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:23AM]

B3astofthe3ast....lol

[OMGOMGOMG Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:33AM]

does this mean it will stop an ak-47 round?

I don't trust my neighbors.

[ramifications Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:37AM]

Well that settles it. Buying myself a Droid next week. My LG Dare is long due for an upgrade.

[ramifications Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:39AM]

Isn't Gorilla glass also on the Zune HD ??

[Readability Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:05AM]

@ramifications I dont think so(at least i hope not)... i dropped my Zune HD once and the screen cracked. i had a ipod touch before that dropped it countless times and got no cracks.

[TRLKOR Posted Dec 23rd 2009 7:52AM]

@ramifications
As far as I know, it does!
There's a vid on youtube testing the screen by scratching it with a knife, keys etc.

[twe4k Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:39AM]

here's a nice writeup at abi about the gorilla glass
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2009/04/glass-screen-durability-test-a-lesson-on-the-mohs-hardness-scale.php

ZuneHD also uses the same near indestructible glass

[Nel Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:40AM]

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2009/12/23/129060309489670094.jpg

[CHICHIgetdaYAYO Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:07AM]

Now if Apple could start using it on the iPhone..

[daytripper Posted Dec 23rd 2009 2:16PM]

@CHICHIgetdaYAYO
...or macbook pro.

[Adamgs Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:09AM]

Reminds me of the days when HTC used those plastic overlays on their smart phones that scratched by just LOOKING at it.

The iPhone is 100x better although ive managed to scratch it twice...so hopefully this stuff is better again.

[pika2000 Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:11AM]

Very nice. This, and oleophobic coating are the bomb! I hope the technology keeps improving the durability. I want to see this in digicams/camcorders too, or at least oleophobic coating.

[Gad Get Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:18AM]

Allow me to smugly remind you all that I own a Cowon S9. And just let me say, if you downrank me for saying that, you're obviously just jealous.

Steve Jobs is a cheesecake.

Trolling is evil.

I'm better than you.

I'm drunk.

Excuse me, I need to barf.

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:29AM]

@Gad Get
Your typing, spelling, and grammer are waaay too good for you to be drunk. You're just trolling.

[jordanbiffle Posted Dec 23rd 2009 4:35AM]

@Gad Get I'm not jealous, but I do feel sorry for you.

[mocax Posted Dec 23rd 2009 5:52AM]

how is the gorilla glass compared with motoaura's sapphire glass?

[hysonmb Posted Dec 23rd 2009 7:24AM]

@Readability
So, the obvious question is why do you keep dropping your devices?
Anyway, I've dropped my Zune HD once and the screen took no damage at all after sliding across concrete. (I covered it the next day with an InvisibleShield from Zagg)
Check out this scratch test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2X1FhJJTjk
It may not be the same stuff, but, whatever they used is tough.

[fastharryDOTcom Posted Dec 23rd 2009 9:09AM]

Si I guess this means that people that live in Gorilla Glass houses can throw stones....

[insky Posted Dec 23rd 2009 9:13AM]

Well I guess that means I own two devices with gorilla glass then. I've dropped my ZuneHD with a Zagg screen protector, and didn't even get a scratch. I dropped my Droid from about two feet and got a crack running down the entire screen. Luckily I got the Black Tie Protection from Best Buy and had a new one within hours. I'm guessing the weight diffrence had something to do with the such different outcoms.

[artist Posted Dec 23rd 2009 9:18AM]

that diagram presents many geometrical impossibilities, like an Escher illustration.

i hate it when ads lie. discredits the entire company and makes me hate them.

[Rebajas Posted Dec 23rd 2009 11:55AM]

@artist Care to elaborate on that - they look fine to me...

[ack154 Posted Dec 23rd 2009 12:16PM]

Wow... an article about work. I'll have to let Donnell know he made it on Engadget.

[logicbombde Posted Dec 23rd 2009 12:21PM]

@ack154

Nice!

I support Corning's CLC e-learning platform and thought his name seemed familiar.

checked my sent emails and verified that I had helped him out with competency assessments for his direct reports.

good times :)

[logicbombde Posted Dec 23rd 2009 12:26PM]

@ack154

come to think of it, if you've had to use CLC for any reason, I've probably talked to you on the phone or via email.

[ack154 Posted Dec 23rd 2009 3:34PM]

@ack154

Used it many times but haven't had to get any support for it... I work in another part of IT though.

[wesley anthony Posted Dec 23rd 2009 10:54PM]

Hmm another thing my DROID DOES.

wonderful! haha this is good news and I am happy and enlightened by this article!

[ips0fakto Posted Dec 26th 2009 11:45PM]

i can't wait till the day everything comes with gorilla glass