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Droid 2 R2-D2 edition dummy units force-arriving at Verizon retail?
The little astromech smartphone that could (pilfer your wallet) is now touching down in at least one Verizon Wireless store, according to spy shots via Boy Genius Report. The Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition launch kit contains just a dummy unit, not an extremely well-put together little Droid, so you won't find any lightspeed animation contained within. Still, if it's the faceplate you want see up close and personal, looks like you might get a chance at just that a tinge earlier than September 30th.
Droid 2 R2-D2 boot animation, live wallpapers leak out at light speed
Not willing to wait for the genuine R2-D2 edition Droid 2 later this month? Then it looks like you can now get the next best thing -- the Star Wars-themed boot animation and live wallpapers from the phone have already been dug out from the recently leaked ROM and made available for download. Those include the Millennium Falcon flying through an asteroid field, the always exciting jump to lightspeed, an interactive R2-D2, and everyone's favorite: the space slug. Head on past the break for a pair of videos, and hit up the links below to check out the rest (and download them).
Droid R2-D2 gets docked -- not in a X-Wing
Verizon's teaser site for the Droid 2 R2-D2 edition has been teasing a series of locked spokes, accessible by all as soon as anyone in the community solves the "puzzle." We don't know exactly what the magic code was, but regardless, thanks to David H. yesterday, we've got a new gallery of devices pics and -- oh, lookie -- a special edition Droid R2-D2 dock. We don't see room for a hyperdrive anywhere, nor wings, proton torpedos, or a cockpit for future Jedi to blast orbital space stations. So, let's just call it a vacation home for astromechs needing a respite. Update: As a number of you have pointed out, it's "proton" torpedo in Star Wars canon, and "Jedi" is already plural. We're left with two options here: total retcon the scope of which would put midi-chlorians to further shame, or just fixing the copy. We'll let ya know what we decide. %Gallery-101305%
Droid Pro is the global Droid 2: the evidence grows
We'd reported before our belief that the rumored Droid Pro is nothing more than the dual-mode version of the Droid 2, but the question remained: knowing that the Droid 2 has a model code of A955, what the heck is the difference between the model codes A956 and A957 that have been showing up in Verizon's systems? Looks like we might have some clarification on that question this afternoon thanks to a new shot clearly calling out the A957 as the R2-D2 version of the Droid 2 that's launching late next month. What does that mean? Well, it means that if the Droid Pro is a separate product with insane specs, it hasn't shown up in any screen shots and we don't have a model code for it. Our original tipster was pretty insistent that Verizon didn't have any product on its 2010 phone roadmap with crazier specs than the Droid X -- and besting it inside of six months would seem like an awful business move anyway -- so now, the only question seems to be whether Big Red will go with the "Droid 2 World Edition" or "Droid Pro" branding when this thing launches in the coming weeks. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
SWTOR finds a companion for the Jedi knight
In SWTOR's Deceived trailer, there was an odd shot of the Jedi leader giving a signal to an astromech droid. Per usual, the writers at BioWare do not put anything into their trailers without a specific reason. This past Friday, that little droid was revealed to be a companion for the Jedi knight class, named T7-O1 (tee seven - oh one). This little bot calls back to both T3-M4 of Knights of the Old Republic and, of course, R2-D2 of the Star Wars movies. In fact, his attitude is very similar to R2-D2's. According to the companion page on SWTOR's official site, he considers his owners to be more like partners and less like masters. T7-O1 was activated over two centuries before the Treaty of Coruscant and has yet to be memory-wiped in that whole time. He remembers every organic he has ever worked with, from the petty smugglers, to Senator Oodora of Manaan, to Captain Nico Okarr, and to Jedi Master Ven Zallow, whom we witnessed being killed by Darth Malgus in the previously mentioned trailer. For your Jedi knight character, you can expect this droid to be an invaluable source of information. His surveillance, cartography, and data-slicing skills are unmatched. BioWare has not revealed where your Jedi knight will meet T7-O1, just like every other companion mentioned for this game, but rest assured, he's waiting for you somewhere in that galaxy far, far away.
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition coming September 30
Looks like Verizon and Motorola have finally come clean with the release dates on that sweet Droid 2 R2-D2 edition -- a poster next to that demo unit at the Star Wars-themed Celebration V convention in Orlando says it's due to arrive on September 30. Unfortunately there's no word on how much more this thing will cost over the regular Droid 2, but hey -- Artoo's worth it, right? Check a couple more high-res shots at the source link.
Droid 2 R2-D2 edition spied in the wild, ready to repair your X-wing
If you compare this shot of the bespoke R2-D2 Droid 2 to the background of Verizon's teaser site (inset), you can see this is almost certainly the genuine article -- and we knew that Verizon intended to intro this thing at the Star Wars-themed Celebration V conference kicking off today, so this is all making a lot of sense. We admit, we were kind of hoping for a graphic that was a little more... you know, R2-D2-shaped, but when it comes to astromech-themed gear, we'll take what we can get. [Thanks, Brian D.]
Motorola's Droid 2 in the wild, looking as blue as ever
And that, folks, is our first in the wild look at Motorola's second generation Droid. It's not officially supposed to hit retail until tomorrow, but that obviously hasn't stopped a delivery truck from unloading a few at a nondescript Sam's Club. We're still waiting to hear back on whether or not they're actually being allowed out of the store today, but hey, tomorrow ain't too far away. P.S. - Nice Sony Ericsson mat. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Motorola Droid 2 (and R2-D2 edition!) finally official: Android 2.2, Swype, $200 on contract
All together now: "Finally!" At long last, the leaks are being plugged by none other than Verizon itself, who today confirmed that the Droid 2 is more than just a figment of everyone's imagination. Shortly after hamstringing the Froyo update for the original Droid, Big Red is tossing a tempting upgrade all up in your grille, as the Droid 2 ships with Android 2.2, mobile hotspot (a $20 / month add-on), Flash Player 10.1 and a revised QWERTY keyboard. It also ships with Swype pre-installed, though we'd prefer Swiftkey thrown in for good measure. You already know the specs by now -- a 3.7-inch multitouch display, 5 megapixel camera, DLNA streaming, 8GB of onboard memory and a 8GB microSD card -- but what you haven't known is the on sale date. VZW is putting this gem up for pre-sale tomorrow at $199.99 on a 2-year contract, with in-store availability locked for Thursday. 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! %Gallery-99155%
Droid 2 launching as soon as August 12, embraces Star Wars roots with R2-D2 edition
Ready to have your mind blown? Good, then sit down for a moment: we're hearing from a trusted source that the thoroughly-leaked Motorola Droid 2 for Verizon will be launching on August 12 -- although it seems to be something of a soft launch, because marketing efforts aren't scheduled to kick in until a week and a half later on the 23rd. What's even more interesting, though, is that there'll be a Star Wars edition of the phone launching with a white R2-D2 on the back. For the record, this isn't the first time Verizon has toyed with the Droid line's Star Wars origins; Motorola actually had to license the name from Lucasfilm, and to promote the original phone, Big Red sent around remote-control Artoos last year to various media outlets. What we don't know is whether the special edition will be launching at the same time as the stock version -- so if the plain-vanilla Droid 2 comes out first, that might automatically make the decision of which to buy for some folks. What about you? [Thanks, RBF] %Poll-49813%
R2D2 turned into retro gaming shrine, includes head-mounted projector
We don't know exactly how to say this without overloading your nerd subsystem, but this R2D2 unit packs eight consoles, an integrated sound system and a projector for throwing your Jet Grind Radio sessions onto a wall. The only extras you'll need are the masses of controllers you see above and the steady constitution to not erupt into geek euphoria. Popular Science reader Brian De Vitis is the man you have to thank for this splicing of console goodness, and he's been kind enough to also provide a picture of the R2's mobo-laden innards. It awaits just past the break. [Via Hack N Mod]
Limited edition R2-D2 DVD projector up for pre-order
Remember that R2-D2 projector that's been taunting you for months? Of course, how could you forget? Apparently, these critters are getting set to roll off the assembly line (seen above, if you couldn't piece it together) and into eager hands everywhere. The R2-D2 DVD Projector is up for pre-order right now for a stiff €2,799 ($4,114), and while that's most definitely more than we'd like to pay, it's probably better than waiting for all 4,000 to run out and being forced to pay "market price."
R2-D2 speakers beep beep bloop beep
The force is strong with these ones, although the drivers probably aren't. Available in December for $40, bigger pic after the break...[Via TechDigest]
Luke Skywalker's lightsaber heading into space
According to recent news out of NASA, the next time the Discovery crew take their ship into orbit, the "force" will be with them -- because they're taking Luke Skywalker's lightsaber along for the ride. That's right, for the film's 30th anniversary, the original lightsaber prop from the first Star Wars film is taking a ride into actual space... but that's not all. Apparently, Chewbacca will be on hand to pass the saber to officials from the Houston Space Center, and then together with Jango and Boba Fett, he will help push a plane back on the tarmac (for reasons unknown to us). But wait, there's more. When the Discovery lands in Houston returns after its space travels, the crew will be greeted by a group of Stormtroopers and other "Star Wars notables," including the much-loved R2-D2, who will then deliver the lightsaber to a waiting line of Hummers. Afterwards, there will be a party at the Mos Eisley Cantina, where Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes will play a set of their greatest hits.[Via Slashdot]
Nikko's R2-D2 projector abducted by Jawas -- on sale this fall
Oh you know you want it. Ever since his January debut at CES, you've been pining for the iconic friend of righteousness and home DVD projector. Let's just hope you saved up the ¥388,500 (about $3,160 or 43,000 galactic credits) to take him home. The 1/2 scale DLP projector features a slot-loading DVD player, 1,800:1 contrast, 1,500 lumen brightness, and resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels. But you're not buying this based on specs alone now are you. Limited production run of 1,000 units begins "this fall." Prepare. %Gallery-4336%[Via Impress]
Steam powered R2-S2: the R2 Steam Too
Just when you thought steampunk robots couldn't get any nerdier, along comes Crabfu -- creator of the steam-powered RC Rover and other magnificent creations -- and totally raises the bar. The R2-S2 (R2 Steam Too) claims to be the predecessor of R2-D2, and while its steam engine makes this guy quite the sluggish one, we're sure he still has that same heart of gold we've come to know in R2-D2. Crabfu built the bot out of an broken Hasbro R2-D2 Interactive Droid, and after gutting the electronics, he hooked up a fancy new pair of steam engines to the existing gears, squeezed in an old Cheddar Boiler and slapped on a few Victorian steampunk details for good measure. Peep the video after the break to see this puppy crawl.[Via MAKE]
Nikko's R2-D2 Skype callin' and media playin' oddities
It's hard to tell if this is some sort of elaborate hoax or just hasn't hit the wires yet, but a certain nikkor2d2.com purports to detail some rather decked RC R2-D2 bots, and who are we to stand in the way of awesome? Both bots look to be fully capable of rolling themselves around, and even feature edge detection sensors a la Roomba to keep from any nasty falls. But that's par for the course for RC-centric Nikko, what's much more interesting is the Skype and webcam functionality built into the R2-D2 C.S, thanks to a handy lightsaber remote that plugs into your PC and allows for wireless bot operation. The lightsaber seems to double as the Skype handset, and of course lightsaber sound effects are a given. R2-D2 M.E.S takes the Star Wars geekery to a whole new level, featuring a projector for repeat viewings of cute princesses in dire straits (you know, "help me Obi Whosit, you're my only yada yada"). R2 can even tilt back for ceiling projection, if that's more your style. In lieu of a lightsaber, you get an odd Millenium Falcon remote, and M.E.S Artoo houses a memory card slot, USB plug and iPod dock in addition to the usual DVD slot and video inputs that you'd expect for your video playback experience. We're completely in the dark when it comes to price and availability on these things, but perhaps we'll be spotting 'em this upcoming week in Vegas.[Thanks, Erwin]
