Motorola Droid 2 (and R2-D2 edition!) finally official: Android 2.2, Swype, $200 on contract
By Darren Murph 
posted August 10th 2010 9:30AM
posted August 10th 2010 9:30AM
In other news, that R2-D2 edition Droid 2 we told you about last month is legit, and we're having a hard time containing our excitement just dreaming about the design. Said phone will be available online only in September, and it'll ship with "exclusive Star Wars content and external hardware designed to look like the trusty Droid from the film saga." We're guessing these will sell out in no time flat, but there's no price being divulged just yet. Oh, and if you're wondering how on Earth you're going to swing this upgrade, Verizon's allowing any customer with a contract ending by December 31, 2010 to upgrade now (to any other smartphone, including the Droid 2) sans penalty. Sheesh guys, you shouldn't have!
Update: The R2-D2 edition portal has gone live. And yes, if you click this link, you will hear R2-D2 say "Droid!" Too bad there aren't any images of the handset, though. Thanks, Eric!
See What DROID™ Does Next: DROID 2 by Motorola Pre-Sale Starts August 11 at verizonwireless.com
Built on Android 2.2 with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, DROID 2 Comes Equipped with More Power, More Speed and an Improved QWERTY Keyboard
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation's largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today announced that DROID™ 2 by Motorola will be available for pre-sale on August 11. Hitting all the right keys, DROID 2 is a feature-packed device that helps manage work and social life with an enhanced QWERTY keyboard, ultra high-speed Web browsing, 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities, full push corporate e-mail, intuitive social messaging and Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 for access to the full web – all built on Android 2.2.
"When we announced DROID X last month, we reaffirmed our commitment to continue to bring unique Android experiences to the Verizon Wireless network," said Jeffrey Dietel, vice president – wireless device, marketing and development for Verizon Wireless. "The DROID by Motorola was our first Android device, so it is important for us to include the successor to that phone in our portfolio. DROID 2 is not only a continuation of our commitment to Android but offers customers the features and form-factor they crave on the Verizon Wireless network."
"With the new DROID 2, we've taken a big leap forward from the original DROID," said Bill Ogle, chief marketing officer of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home Business. "We listened to consumers and are providing an even more robust experience built on Android 2.2 that includes a new keyboard, increased processing power, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities to send, access and share information even quicker than before."
DROID 2's super-slim design helps customers e-mail, text and tweet with ease. DROID 2 offers a redesigned symmetrical keyboard with raised keys for more responsive typing to push out notes and status updates. Speech-to-text input and the virtual multi-touch keyboard allow for quick messaging; or customers can also use Swype for even easier text input. In addition, full push corporate e-mail delivers enhanced features such as remote wipe and password enforcement so that information remains secure.
DROID 2 packs power and speed. Customers can enjoy the freedom of wireless with the 3G Mobile HotSpot and the ability to connect up to five compatible Wi-Fi® devices, and watch content on the full multi-touch 3.7-inch brilliant display, or share content captured on the 5-megapixel camera with enhanced functionality and DVD-quality video capture with DLNA connectivity to share on compatible devices.
Customers can also download favorite apps from Android Market™, which has more than 70,000 applications, and store them on 8 GB of preloaded on-board memory and the 8 GB microSD™ card, which can be upgraded to a 32 GB SD card for a total cargo capacity of 40 GB. Popular apps available on DROID 2 include NFL Mobile (downloadable), Skype mobile™ and BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video. Customers can even manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones with My Verizon and with Backup Assistant(SM).
"It's great to see amazing new smartphones like the DROID 2 come pre-installed with Flash Player 10.1," said David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Creative and Interactive Solution Business Unit at Adobe. "With the completely redesigned and hardware accelerated Flash Player 10.1, DROID 2 users will be able to experience the full Web on the go."
Adobe Flash Player 10.1 lets mobile users experience millions of websites the way they were meant to be seen – with rich Internet applications (RIAs), content inside the browser, including games, animations, data presentations and visualizations, e-commerce, music, video, audio and more.
R2-D2 DROID 2
In honor of the iconic Astromech Droid from the Star Wars™ Saga, Verizon Wireless will offer a limited-edition R2-D2 version of the DROID 2, available only online in September. The special version of the phone will feature exclusive Star Wars content and external hardware designed to look like the trusty Droid from the film saga. Visitors to the upcoming Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Fla., can see a preview of the limited edition phone and sign up to receive alerts when the phone is ready for sale.
Pricing and Availability
DROID 2 by Motorola will be available at www.verizonwireless.com on August 11, and it will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning August 12 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. In addition to subscribing to a Nationwide Talk plan or a Nationwide Talk & Text plan, customers will also need to subscribe to an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.
Customers can add the optional 3G Mobile HotSpot service to their DROID 2 smartphones for $20 per month. The 3G Mobile HotSpot allows customers to turn their phones into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi® devices. In addition, current Verizon Wireless customers who have contracts ending by December 31, 2010, can upgrade to any smartphone, including DROID 2, without penalty.
For more information on DROID 2 by Motorola, go to www.droiddoes.com. For information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
@Mishka So every 2 months is 15 minutes now? Its ok though, we understand your upset that your iphone is going to be out of date in a couple months. I know your looking forward to getting a super eagle retina display in another year though.
interesting how i would have to pay for tethering if i didnt Root but now i can do it easier than you can do it if you pay.
Root Tether is as easy as pushing open an APP, and clicking the screen to start
Native tethering involves a few menus, why is this more complicated and it costs sooo much more?
OO oo I so want one because of a Android/Star Wars connection. Seriously - this is getting as daft as pink barbie phones.
The official phone of the Rebel Alliance.
No Vader version? Awwww...
What does it have to do with Star Wars ?????
@Brt312 Nothing at all. They're just trying to make it see cooler that what it really is.
@Brt312
Lucasfilms trademarked the word "Droid" long, long ago. Verizon licensed it from them, and uses it to market/rebrand some of their Android devices.
Just like how Marvel and DC have a joint-trademark on the word "superhero." Seems like such a common word... but someone owns it.
If you're going to refresh hardware every 9 months how about a shorter renewal window? The Droid didn't last very long and quick refreshes make me nervous.
not a big fan of the color though :/ and you think they would put a 8 megapixel camera :/
The Droid 2 needs a front-facing camera. Get with the (face) times, Moto!
If there was evar a reason to sign a 2 year contract with Verizon. The R2D2 edition Droid 2 would be it. With Android 2.2 running on top of some very solid guts, I'd wager this is the Android phone to beat now with the Galaxy S running very very close to it. It'll truly do some magical things once root is found for it and setCPU is installed. =]
This phone is a joke like the rest of the phones Moto puts out. Not impressed. All these "smartphones" are the same, one just lacks what the others have.
Goodbye iPhone? You all wish. What Droid has ever sold 1.7 million in 3 days? Come on, the iPhone 4 can sell that many in 3 days with a flaw and Droids "perfect" and never come close. Stfu Droidheads
@mcon25
Im willing to bet the R2 D2 can because collectors will want one. Which means what...marketing to irrational fans? Oh shit! Why does this sound so familiar? Hype and brand associated products? iCant pHucking bElieve aNyone wOuld tRy tHat! *sexy, ambiguous shadow jumps like the memory of Christmas holly into a neon blue air while jamming out to some talentless shit indie folk or ac/dc impressionist band*
....somebody's closer. :)
when theres no limit to how many droids you can get on one carriers line up theres no limit to what droid dose.
In all honesty though why? Its the incredible with a keyboard, im not saying it isnt cool but, now that there is this are they dropping the incredible?
Yesss!! :D I'm definitely grabbing one this week.
But why do they have to charge so much for WiFi hotspot -- yet Palm Pre users have it free huh? Lame.
I honestly wish I got one of these instead of my iphone 4 that keeps having issues! Looks nice
HD video recording?
So when does my Droid X get 2.2?
Wow, another droid. I am still waiting for an android handset with a vertical sliding keyboard.
C'mon Engadget, "pull your finger out"!
Start putting your "ear to the ground" for more n9 tidbits please!
@(Unverified)
to clarify I mean Nokia N9
Ah, Moto again riding on the (An)Droid wave, flaunting all that tech coolness. Most of which was supplied by a thriving colorful developer / hacker community. Way to go...not.
Now the only thing I'm hoping for is that some hacker named Skywalker or something will manage to pull the droid's restraining bolt (erhm eFuse) so we devs and hackers can go on doing what we do best: mod the hell out of its stock ROMs...
As R2-D2 met Luke Skywalker who pulled his restraining bolt to set him free...
let's hope the Droid 2 meets someone who can pull his restraining bolt.
Like the XBOX 360 before him, who met the hacker who removed its R6T3 resistor and set it free.
May the Force be with him...
still want one !!!
it'll still be $200 in a month, right? i can get one now since i'm within my 30-day NE2 window...but $50 is fifty dollars :)
I don't know, everyone seems to be hating on the color scheme, but am I the only one to actually like it? It seems different from the normal, boring (in my opinion) blacks of today's phones...
The D2's two-tone scheme with silver and blue actually looks pretty appealing to me.
Will be picking one up soon.