Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid
Jason Kincaid
Oct 17, 2009

Over the last few weeks there has been an increasing amount of buzz about an unannounced Motorola smartphone due to come out some time between late October and early December. Rumored specs include a powerful OMAP3430 processor, 5 megapixel camera, slideout QWERTY keyboard and touch screen, all housed in a super-compact package and running Android 2.0. A handful of potential names have swirled around, included the Sholes and the Tao, but tonight Verizon has made it perfectly clear what the upcoming phone will be called: Droid. And Verizon is positioning it to be a direct threat to the iPhone in a new advertising campaign it launched at the site DroidDoes.com.

Verizon isn’t pulling any punches: it calls out basically every major weakness on the iPhone, from its inability to run background applications to the App Store’s walled garden. The site kicks off with a stream of things that the iPhone can’t do, mimicking the black text-on-white background commonly seen in Apple ads but replacing it with statements like iDon’t run simultaneous apps. After a handful of these, the site kicks you to a page with the heading “DroidDoes”, with a banner rotating through a number of the Droid’s features that include Android 2.0, background tasks, and video recording support. Some of the differences mentioned, like the Droid’s inclusion of a physical keyboard, are really a matter of personal preference. Others, aren’t. For one, Droid can claim to run on “The Network”, which runs circles around AT&T.

The phone hasn’t been officially announced yet, and the release date is vague (the rumor is that it will launch at midnight on October 31). But we’ve heard from some people who have had the chance to briefly test it out, and they were very impressed (one response was that it was “totally awesome”). I’m not going to be foolish enough to call this an iPhone killer for the simple fact that the iPhone’s developer community is still miles ahead of Android’s regardless of how good Droid turns out to be. But don’t be surprised if you start hearing about people who quit the iPhone in favor of the Droid. After all, even if the phone doesn’t turn out to be quite as polished as the iPhone, it will be running on a network that will actually let them connect their calls consistently.

One final thing to note: given how direct an attack Verizon is making on the iPhone, it sure doesn’t sound like the iPhone will be making the leap to Verizon any time soon.

Commenter Christopher Daggett has tried to work out the exact timing of the countdown, revealing the (possible) launch date to be 10/30/09 at 1:00AM EST.

Video via BGR’s Twitter feed.



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  • Dr. Bob Obvious

    Nice. I can’t wait until AT&T sues Verizon for scamming in the “…You Will” at the end of their ad.

  • Justin Benson

    “Pulling any punches”

  • http://nustik.com nustik

    power to android.

  • http://cellecast.com Andrew Deal

    This is great news, and I am glad to see someone step up and point out the vulnerabilities of the iPhone. 2010 will be the year the smartphone goes mainstream.

  • Barrett

    Seems like this is going to be Androids new flagship phone. Look forward to seeing more about it.

    Unfortunately I can’t get DroidDoes.com to pull up on my iPhone :(.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andre_Garrigo-Bared/1063260112 Andre Garrigo-Bared

    heated.

    iDo have over 75,000 apps.

    iAm a stable, device that is here to stay.

  • Sean

    Rad. iPhone can suck it.

  • eCurmudgeon

    I thought “Droid” was a Lucasfilm trademark?

  • Jonathan

    I know someone using this phone as a daily for the past week, and it has been good – although he was able to crash it a few times. My guess is the price will be higher than iphone though, and that could kill it before it gets started.

  • http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-kincaid Jason Kincaid

    It is. At the bottom of the page it says that they’ve licensed the name from Lucasfilm.

  • Michael F

    Now if only T-Mo can get a phone this cool for Android. I love the N900 (from what I’ve read,) but I don’t think I want to go to WinMo…

    It is kind of annoying though that Moto makes this killer phone for VZW, and makes the stupid “Cliq” for T-Mo… if I gave two shits about Facebook and Twitter maybe I’d like the Cliq, but I’m not a 13 year old girl, and I don’t.

    Should I be holding out any hope that T-Mo will add a real contender in the Android arena anytime soon?

  • http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-kincaid Jason Kincaid

    The iPhone is certainly here to stay, but the whole numbers thing is stupid. Of those 75,000 applications (I think they’ve got over 80k now), a relatively small percentage are actually worth using. Sure, a wide variety means you can sometimes find some very niche apps that are exactly what you’re looking for. But let’s be honest: most of the apps are shit.

  • http://row27mobile.com Jonathan Dusing

    Wow I was able to buy DroidDoesnt.com

    Anyone want to collaborate on something fun?

  • Michael F

    I’m no iPhone hater – but I don’t think I’d ever say that ANY device is “here to stay.” Everything gets left behind by evolution sooner or later.

  • Greg

    cool. how many after you filter all of the duplicates and all of the templates filled with useless web content?

  • pruppert

    Looks to be some type of countdown in code at the bottom of the site. I’ve tried to decipher it. Assuming the format being used is “Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds”, this thing should land at around 11 am central time on November 9th.

  • Michael F

    I know something fun… sell it to Apple for an ass-load of dough. That would be fun.

  • http://www.retailzip.com William Blanchard

    iWar

  • Str1f3

    Yeah, they can brag about multitasking until June and from what I’ve seen there hasn’t been an Android app that you couldn’t already get on the App Store. Truth is while it may be nice to have Google Voice, I’d rather have Skype over 3G.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew_D_Smith/603064516 Andrew D. Smith

    Hooray for competition, but a lot of Verizon’s network advantage will disappear when it starts selling phones that are actually good enough to inspire people use the Internet. It’s easy to have an incredibly reliable network when no one uses it for anything but voice calls and a few emails via Blackberry.

  • igor

    It would be awesome if SE made an Android phone. Motorola will find a way to screw everything up. When was the last time Motorola made a good phone? I certainly don’t remember.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/John_Ellenich/2310688 John Ellenich

    “But don’t be surprised if you start hearing about people who quit the iPhone in favor of the Droid.”

    People have already been saying this with all the previous “iPhone killers” for the past 2 years…

  • Cog

    Yeah. I’m hoping they didn’t spend too much on this campaign, because it’s not going to have much effect.

    Unless the average consumer is suddenly concerned about — or even aware of — ‘open development’?

  • http://xxdesmusxx.net xxdesmus

    Well done Verizon. Apple needs to get kicked in the face every once in a while.

  • http://techie-buzz.com/mobile-news/droiddoes-verizon-takes-potshot-at-iphone.html DroidDoes: Verizon Takes Potshot at iPhone

    [...] from TechCrunch suggest, that the so called secret phone is basically an upcoming smartphone from Motorola which [...]

  • http://rjsteinert.com R.J. Steinert

    Droid is coming onto the scene just in time for me to be completely fed up with my iPhone. I ‘updated’ my iPhone to 3.1 last night using an XP VM (Ubuntu + Virtual Box) and it has completely bricked my phone. Bring on the competition.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher_Daggett/5307397 Christopher Daggett

    Hey Jason, on the Droid Web site (www.droiddoes.com), there is a counter-like feature on the bottom on the page. After watching the mysterious characters for a couple minutes, I was able to decode the numbers. I believe it represents a release date of 10/30/09 at 1:00AM EST.

    Photo is here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=39698435&l=d9d6dc18fd&id=5307397

    Please let me know if anyone calculates something different.

  • http://identi.ca/notice/12298381 Joel McLaughlin (gorkon) ‘s status on Sunday, 18-Oct-09 02:34:01 UTC – Identi.ca
  • Ian

    The Nokia N900 runs on Maemo a Linux based OS, not Windows Mobile.

  • S

    Ngolo Creations

    ngolocreations.com

  • Schmich

    I think Android needs to be more associated with Google. Sure us tech people know that it is but the average person doesn’t.

    As it is Android is just another random “thing” (people don’t know exactly what an OS is) that is trying to compete with the iPhone. If they were more informed that it’s Google’s software for phones people would be more interested. After all people only see good in Google.

  • deano

    Android gets much props… But VZW, you are soooo gonna get spanked when you finally come crawling to Apple’s doorstep. It’s almost too terrifying to contemplate.

  • http://www.genxor.com Karl Hadwen

    Looks a bit too big for me. I’m planning on getting rid of my blackberry for an Iphone, just the price kills me.

  • Kyle

    I think you’re right. How many people will leave iPhone in favor of Android? Most likely it will keep Verizon, etc subscribers (like me) from leaving their service for an iPhone on AT&T. I’m an early BB Tour adopter and I’ve hated the phone so much I’ve gotten within a couple mouse clicks away from abandoning VZW for an iPhone…even though in the back of my mind I knew ATT’s service was sub-par in comparison…solely based on the fact I need a better, more technologically advanced, more Internet-friendly smartphone than BlackBerry.

  • http://www.mattguthmiller.com Matt Guthmiller

    The cryptic countdown clock on http://www.DroidDoes.com counts down to 12 A.M. on October 31, confirming those rumors.

  • http://www.mattguthmiller.com Matt Guthmiller

    Excuse me, I meant to say 12 A.M. (CDT) on October 30, not 31. My apologies.

  • Moto?

    Big problem = Motorola phone. I’ve have a few motorola phones over the years, and every single one of them has been lousy. Might like to try this, but i’m not sure I’m going to plunk down money for this brand.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan_Frederickson/1254205278 Jonathan Frederickson

    Which is one of the most awesome things I’ve seen in a long time. As a Star Wars fan, I love that.

    How does the processor compare to that of the Samsung Moment? I know the clock speed’s slightly lower, but there’s more to it than just that…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan_Frederickson/1254205278 Jonathan Frederickson

    Considering how awesome Android is, I’d rather not. May want to look over at some of the Apple forums though. XD

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan_Frederickson/1254205278 Jonathan Frederickson

    Any idea what the unsubsidized price will be? I hate being locked in to a contract, but these smartphone prices are killing me!

  • http://www.monicadickey.com Monica Dickey

    I kind of thought it already was mainstream. Pretty much everyone I know has an iphone, blackjack, blackberry, etc.

    But for sure they are going to the next level.. Android and Pre are ushering in the sleeker smart phones

  • Jmaj

    Strange, my family owned four Moto phones over the years with no problems.

    One with Cingular before the merge, one with T-Mobile, and two with Verizon.

    The v300 was my fave :D

  • Scott

    IDont care… iPhone is still the best.

    The one nice thing about this is it puts pressure on Apple and ATT to get these features added to the phone and get improve their network.

  • Str1f3

    @kincaid That may be true about the quality of apps but they still highly outnumber Android in terms of quality apps and it has been proven in many times that iPhone users are actually willing to pay for apps. If Android users don’t pay for apps, devs won’t develop for it no matter how open it may be. Not only that but the Android’s store has been open for a. While now with paid purchases and has not enjoyed the same success as the App Store at the same point.

    Android still has a ways to go and has not really proven that their “open” platform provides any real advantages over the App Store besides good press.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher_Daggett/5307397 Christopher Daggett
  • robert

    “no real keyboard” ?? oh really? then how am i typing this?

    seriously the keyboards on most phones are way too small for my hands and i don’t have near cigar fingers, just larger hands on a tall american. i can’t type on blackberry phones nearly as quick.

  • Ben

    Verizon used to cripple every phone almost to unusable and now they are calling Apple a walled garden. iphone is the best best smart phone in terms of usability. I don’t believe the Verizon and their shit until i see the phone in action and also how they are pricing it.

    -Ben

  • RandomLogic

    Indeed!

    Mike, is the Droid the phone you alluded to here?
    http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/15/schmidt-android-adoption-is-about-to-explode/#comment-3039950

    Either way, looks like there are finally some great phones coming out that can do it all. And brilliant/obvious move by Verizon to confront and crush iPhone head-on… keep it up! Android, here I come.

  • http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-kincaid Jason Kincaid

    Great stuff, thanks.

  • http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-kincaid Jason Kincaid

    Yep, looks like the comments above agree. Thanks for working this out.

  • http://cellecast.com Andrew Deal

    Let’s take it up another notch.

    Useful apps are going to the browser anyway. They did so on our computers. When was the last time you installed a new app there?

    I am just glad to webkit for Safari arising as the standard decent touchscreen web browser. Now my webapps will work everywhere.

    oh, and btw.. the facebook iPhone web app works better on my G1 than the android app. Just incase you wanted a f’rinstance.

  • http://cellecast.com Andrew Deal

    what is wrong with the G1?

  • http://mildurainternet.com.au Michael Quinn

    iDO work outside of the USA.

    CDMA Droid completely irrelevant to 95% of the world.

  • ipod touch

    Main advantage of apple is monopoly of ipod. Those who had ipod will upgrade to iphone for their music library. And developers develop because their app can be sold even in ipod touch devices also. WinMo and Android should expand to music devices giving developers more scope.

    Clear example of expanding ipod monopoly into phone market. Time to break open iTunes like Palm pre did. Better place to do that is in court of antitrust law.

  • Shane Deetz

    It’s not debateable that Verizon’s network is better than AT&T’s? Really?

    Well I’m sitting here in orange county, ca and my work phone (a Verizon blackberry 8830) has 1 bar. My iPhone on ATT has 5 bars.

    Network coverage is ALWAYS debateable because it is 100% dependent on how close you are to a tower, and how many people are using that same signal at once. Maybe Verizon rocks where you are, but they suck here. Constant dropped calls too.

    Not to mention, my Verizon phone is a brick everytime I go out of the country for work or vacation, unless I buy a SIM card in another country and then have to send everyone my temporary number. Are you kidding me? My iPhone works everywhere, and people back home can still call my local number while I’m in Europe no problem.

    CDMA is ridiculous. I would much rather use a GSM phone, even if it was on Tmobile, before I would buy a CDMA phone.

    When Verizon gets their act together and finally moves to the worldwide standard for their 4G network, then I’ll care what phones they offer. Until then, it really doesn’t matter what phone they try to sell me.

  • http://www.str3em.com William Blanchard

    Hi Chris,

    I decoded: Saturday, July 3, 2010

    -Will

  • http://www.str3em.com William Blanchard

    addition: at 1:00PM EST…

    One of us is right for sure.

  • http://www.str3em.com William Blanchard

    How I figured:

    The last digit is a countdown of 9-0

    total seconds I gathered (at the time of looking at it) 22334400

    / 60 seconds in a minute
    /60 minutes in a hour
    /24 hours in a day

  • http://www.str3em.com William Blanchard

    Maybe I am way off.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher_Daggett/5307397 Christopher Daggett

    hey will, how did you come to that date? -chris

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher_Daggett/5307397 Christopher Daggett

    ah, okay. so your hypothesis is that all the encrypted characters equal one number, which represents the amount of seconds remaining?

    i find that intriguing, but i just returned to the web site and it’s quite clear that the first two characters are “11″ now. this i believe to mean 11 days. this change from the earlier combination (which i believe to be 12) would also disprove the possibility of all 8 characters combining into one large number, i.e. 11 million seconds, because the second character would not have changed that quickly if all the encrypted characters represented one large number of seconds, counting down.

  • bunnyhero

    i love my iPhone, but i also think this is an awesome ad campaign. good choice of apple-commercial-like music too.

    and speaking as a developer, it would be great for apple to see some real competition. the shackles of the iPhone app store can be confining.

    the only downside is that the droid part of the ad comes across as rather sinister (at least to me). it’s almost like a horror movie trailer. i’m not sure if that’s a great association to have :)

  • drt

    I’m an Apple fanboy of sorts, which is why I find it a bit sickening that Apple would start touting the whole quantity thing. That’s the argument we have always used to justify how there is fewer Mac OS applications out there… that sure Windows had more apps, but they were all shit. Mac OS was where QUALITY mattered more than QUANTITY.

    80K apps and maybe a tenth of them NOT hacked together over a weekend by some kid hoping to make some beer money.

  • http://www.financialsamurai.com Financial Samurai

    Good luck Motorola! It’ll be a losing battle with you and Verizon!

  • http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-kincaid Jason Kincaid

    There’s a GSM model that was just approved.

  • Anton

    Locale.

  • toddq

    So this must mean Verizon is not getting the iphone on their network anytime soon?

  • http://www.iphonessuck.com Kbcool

    You might want to whip up something like http://iphonessuck.com for the Android.

    I bet the list would be a lot shorter though. There’s enough material to keep iphones suck going for a few more years.

  • http://bestproductnetwork.com/iphoneblog/2009/10/18/fresh-from-twitter-today-134/ Fresh From Twitter today

    [...] Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid: TechCrunch (blog) And Verizon.. http://bit.ly/4AfkwNApple pulls plug on EyeTV iPhone app | Electricpig: Just hours after we revealed a secret ability [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/18/verizon-droid-is-the-real-deal/ Verizon Droid Is The Real Deal

    [...] and Motorola finally lifted the curtain on their new Droid Android phone yesterday. Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will [...]

  • Twirrim

    The browser is where Steve Jobs actually wanted apps to be in the first place:
    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/11iphone.html
    No need to waste Apple’s man hours approving or disapproving applications, people can chose to use them or not straight from the browser, with the added potential security there.

  • Nathan

    Neither AT&T nor Verizon offer reliable service in Eastern NC. Your iPhone or Droid or Pre or whatever nice phone you have will get service in Greenville, you might get a couple bars in Washington, but break down outside the city limits, and have fun playing with the apps with no bars, and pray someone with US Cellular stops to call you a tow. I took my US Cellular phone to CA to visit family, and in the mountains, I had five bars while my mother’s Verizon phone had no service — and US Cellular isn’t even in CA. They are just that good. I don’t know what it is, but they’ve never let us down. I’d love an iPhone or Pre or Droid, but I need the signal bars outside as well as inside the city limits.

  • http://www.john.com john

    Apple is a very innovative companies, they make incredible products that people love, while other companies compete by reverse engineering and making a few superficial changes. Some exaggerate the features of the droid and believe apple is concerned, apple is just focused on new features and even better products. While the competitors play catch up, Apple just keeps raising the bar.

  • http://thirdroute.com/ Brian Reavis

    Hmm, we have awesome Verizon service in Wyoming. I’d call that outside city limits…

  • http://www.slashgear.com/verizon-motorola-droid-promo-sets-iphone-firmly-in-its-sights-1860786/ Verizon Motorola Droid promo sets iPhone firmly in its sights – SlashGear

    [...] By Chris Davies on Sunday, Oct 18th 2009 No Comments Worth Reading? Verizon have launched an offensive against the iPhone, with a new campaign called DroidDoes.com for their upcoming [...]

  • http://blog.neuronaltraining.net/?p=10280 Motorola Droid con Android 2.0, An iPhone killer | [ Neuronal Training ]:

    [...] se conoce la fecha exacta de lanzamiento del Motorola Droid, pero un lector de techcrunch ha logrado descifrar la fecha en base a la campaña de Verizon, 30 de octubre del 2009 a la 1:00 AM [...]

  • http://www.pieto.com Piet

    iPhone envy. There’s an app for that.

    Droidoesnt work outside the US…
    Droidcant be unlocked
    Droidoes have freely available malware

    Customize your Droid! Turn it into a brick!
    Burn the midnight oil with your buddies! Create and distribute viruses!
    Fill your Droid with pirated music! Spend happy hours in court!

  • http://javierchico.es/blog/2009/10/18/idont/ iDon’t « javierchico.es

    [...] Este es un divertido anuncio de android que he visto vía Techcrunch: [...]

  • Mark A

    Yup. Smartphones have been commercially available in Europe for years. The first mass market one would be the N95 in early 2007.

  • Mark A

    Droid has a GSM variant.

    Was there anything else?

  • http://www.jennapatrick.com Jenna Patrick

    That was a great ad, simple, and straight to the point. It might be one of the only ways that these companies can gain any leverage against Apple in the smart phone niche.

    It’s a little unfair due to the fact the Iphone has been out for a while; I’m sure Apple will come out with something new soon enough.

  • http://www.pieto.com Piet

    iWant a GSM Droid! Where can iGet iT?

  • R

    Michael, I’m with you 100%, I work in a t-mo store, and we’ve had a demo cliq for a few days now… all the facebook and twitter crap *can* be dissabled/hidden, making it basically an upgraded mytouch with a badass keyboard.

  • Josh

    iDon’t break.

    My 2-year old iPhone has dropped on pavement and all sorts of places, lots of times. It has no protective cover. It has not broken, and it has hardly any scratches. I think that Apple has set a reliability standard here — if you are going to buy an expensive, portable device, which stores lots of important information, then it had better be robust. The iPhone has no removable battery and no sliding keyboard for this reason.

  • Evil Kerek

    What is going to eventually REALLY hurt iPhone is sticking with AT&T. As more and more phones come out that are on par with it, people will get sick of AT&T and leave it. They know this – this is why AT&T is so deperate to keep the monopoly it. Day one the iPhone shows up at Verizon (or anywhere else) AT&T knows it will lose just about every customer that’s not under contract.

    That said, it looks like ol’ Jobs is going to make the huge mistake of staying at AT&T. If they keep the iPhone there into 2011, it’s going to hurt their marketshare. Pre is about to release on Verizon as well – there are a LOT of people currently with an iPHone that despise AT&T. Fanbois put on your rose-colored glasses, but android, pre and BB are closing the gap – it’s no longer a no-brainer to pick an iphone. Sticking with AT&T is not helping it.

  • Jon

    Ya ya… great ad, perhaps a great product… but so what? As the writer factually stated, iPhone and iPod and iTunes and iApps developer community is eons lightyears ahead of this thing and Verizon. And do you think Apple will let this thing and Verizon get head anytime soon? I am willing to bet no later than a year after Droid launches, we’ll see the next generation iPhone that either matches Droid or outdoes Droid. Then where is Droid? Only thing they can boast about is their 3G network and what? Come on people… think before you get all excited. A superior product often gets shut down and goes out of business by a superior development of a vastly better run company. Remember, iPhone and Apple has control over AT&T, can Motorola say the same thing? And what really will prevent Motorola from going elsewhere in the near future. Now it is clear, iPhone will never go to Verizon with this vehement attack ad. Don’t let hatred of some “company” blind you to facts of business. No matter how great Droid is, it will have a nightmarish time trying to win over iPhone. Oh, ya… how is Google’s phone doing by the way? Please…

  • Jon

    Why do losers of our society always insist on this bizarre monopoly argument? What exactly is Apple’s iTunes violating? And why should the society or courts force it to break open as you say? Are people letting their envy run their hatred of successful people and companies perhaps? If other people want to beat Apple, they are more than welcome to do so… because they can’t beat it, they always cry monopoly and scream anti-trust BS. If you can’t beat your competition, get the hell out of the business. This I say to all the losers wanting to see Microsoft and Apple go out of business or force them to share their ideas and technologies in an open source format. Are we living in the weird communist society? All good original hard work needs to be rewarded!!! And Palm sucks… they should have gone out of business 10 years ago!!!

  • Jon

    Exactly, I don’t WANT a physical keyboard on my phone. iPhone does it quite aptly and rather excellently. Just a little practice and acclimation is all you need. I just cannot believe just how many iPhone and Apple haters are out there and most of them never even had iPod, Apple computers, or iPhone… they just hate for the sake of hating.

    Let me see… what will Verizon and Motorola say when next generation of iPhone hits a year after Droid tries to get their phone off and running? Eh? Please… please… I see Verizon and Motorola being utterly humiliated in the near future.

  • Derrick

    I look at this as more of an issue of competition and having a choice. The only people who love a monopoly are those in charge of running it.

  • Evil Kerek

    The point is that AT&T has a LOT more black holes than anyone else. This is a fact – you can dispute it all you want. There’s a reason why they are always at the bottom of the lists. There is no debate. Your bars are irrelevant and prove nothing.

    Sure the overseas thing is an issue for any CDMA phone as well as for any locked phone. But that’s just not an overriding factor for most people. Few people travel to Europe often enough to make it an overriding factor in choosing a phone.

    Anything else?

  • Evil Kerek

    Spoken like a true drone.

  • Jon

    Yup, bingo!!! All Droid did was give Apple more ideas for the iPhone. And unless you live in some crappy rural area, 3G coverage argument from Verizon is pathetic as well. You will not have any 3G coverage problem if you live in a decent urban area. I have no problem in all of Orange County with iPhone whatsoever.

  • http://maclalalalink.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/%e3%81%84%e3%82%88%e3%81%84%e3%82%88%e3%82%a2%e3%83%b3%e3%83%89%e3%83%ad%e3%82%a4%e3%83%89-droid-%ef%bc%9d-iphone-%e3%82%ad%e3%83%a9%e3%83%bc%e3%81%ae%e7% いよいよアンドロイド Droid = iPhone キラーの登場か « maclalala:link

    [...] Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid | TechCrunch 〈モトローラ Droid を iPhone にぶっつけるベライゾン〉 [...]

  • http://www.pieto.com Piet

    Oh! Good News!

    “Don’t get too excited Americans- the GSM frequencies don’t support AT&T or T-Mobile 3G bands and will more likely be used to launch on European networks. Perhaps Vodafone, whom owns half of Verizon Wireless, will get their exclusive shot at the Sholes much like the arrangement with the BlackBerry Storm.”

    Now all I have to do is emigrate to Europe to be able to buy a Droid that I can use in Europe, but not in the US?

    Wait! Stop! Think this through properly!

  • MFA

    [small hand motion]

    You don’t need a slide-out keyboard. This isn’t the Droid you’re looking for. Move along.

  • http://identi.ca/notice/12324389 Christopher Yee Mon (tinygrasshopper) ‘s status on Sunday, 18-Oct-09 13:23:26 UTC – Identi.ca
  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary_Creely/817009490 Gary Creely

    This must be about the seventh “iphone killer” to hit the market. It becomes old to constantly hear about the next thing that will unseat the iphone. With 50000 apps it is hard to compete. The last iphone killer (palm pre) at last check had 18 apps. And google is under 5000 apps.

    Good luck verizon google droid!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary_Creely/817009490 Gary Creely

    One additional thought-

    If companies want to truly beat the iphone they need to stop trying to out iphone the iphone, and come up with some different.

  • Sigurien

    It’s funny because Apple does almost nothing BUT reverse engineer other people’s innovations.

  • Chris

    Ask Firefox if open development work. Apple’s biggest problem is the closed nature of their business model. It’s why Microsoft had to bail them out. If Apple were to open their doors to outside development, it could be a monster.
    Droid being open to development will mean a Firefox-esque opportunity for people to write FREE programs, and offer them to others FREE. Just like Firefox.

  • Evil Kerek

    Lot more than 18 apps in the store – your last check was a while back. And only you fanbois talk about ‘whatever-killers’. The iphone killer will be Jobs keeping it at AT&T.

    49,500 pieces of crap. You know it’s true. That counter isn’t a mark of anything but a lot of poor development.

    What happened to quality vs quantity that Apple was always so high on? Money talks. How the mighty fall….

  • Todd

    “Useful apps are going to the browser anyway”

    +1

  • Evil Kerek

    Like you’d admit it if that happened. Synergy is something new but all you can do is point a finger at how many apps the iphone store has.

  • Jon

    Yes, and “smartphone” is not it!!! If they do not have the brains to come up with a proprietary OS that outperforms Apple’s, forget it as well. “smartphone” OS is not the answer to beating iPhone and Apple!

  • Jon

    Life and business is not about “fair”. It’s about a superior product run by a superior company. Nothing I hate more than crybabies crying Anti-Trust because they cannot compete with their vastly superior competitors. I am sure most of us agree that nothing is too big to fail. Ton of the crappy companies that caused our recent economic woes should have been allowed to go out of business; not bailed out!

  • Jon

    “After all, even if the phone doesn’t turn out to be quite as polished as the iPhone, it will be running on a network that will actually let them connect their calls consistently.”

    That is the most telling comment. So, it may just turn out to be a fancy expensive phone; not actually an iPhone killer or even a remote competitor. Again, with the network coverage argument of Verizon. It’s not relevant of an argument. Then their ad becomes a huge joke as well.

  • Jon

    Not only that; all of the so called competitors are really nothing more than iPhone copycats. That’s not innovation while their ads are referring to themselves as “iPhone Killers”. It’s sad really.

  • Jon

    This is exactly why “coverage” argument is irrelevant for everyone. Superior product, superior apps, superior company is the best argument. Verizon has yet to bring it. Wait and see… Verizon will discard Droid and Motorola very soon if let’s say Nokia presents something “better” to them. Loyalty and commitment is not what Verizon excels at.

  • Jon

    Take it up another notch… Apple should allow Mozilla to bring Firefox to iPhone!!!

  • Jon

    Uh, Verizon has yet to kick anyone anyplace; let alone Apple. And get ready for a thoroughly humiliating face kicking done to Verizon and Motorola by AT&T and Apple. It is coming way way way before even Droid gets off the ground. They’ll get kicked lying on the ground bleeding… over and over by Apple and iPhone.

  • Jon

    There is your answer. Get rid of your PC and get an Apple computer as soon as you can afford one. I take it you cannot afford an Apple computer right? I mean most people hate Microsoft… why are you using Sun’s product? They suck worse than Microsoft! Come on people… I want to see some relevant arguments on here!!!

  • http://motorola-android.com/verizon-launches-direct-attack-iphone-ads-motorola-droid/ Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid | Motorola Android T-Mobile CLIQ and Verizon Droid fansite

    [...] Source: TechCrunch [...]

  • http://officeinthecloud.blogspot.com Shuelin

    Great marketing.

  • Sarah

    I love the Feist-like “happy” music and the exhasted apple “reflection” on the typography.

  • http://www.pieto.com Piet

    Good point. The whole ad is about the things that the iPhone doesn’t do (very) well. I suppose the assumption is that there is a huge market out there for folks that need a phone that takes pictures in the dark and allows apps to run in the background and want to search for Open Source apps all over the Internet. Maybe there is such a market. I am just not part of it.

    So how about rather presenting me with something that speaks to what I want? I want a phone that is stylish, slim, secure, and for which I can run a huge variety of apps available from a secure marketplace, where I can also buy legal music. Oh, wait! I already have that phone!

  • robinson

    “open development”– hmm… Apple’s done wonders with a software development kit, has thousands of app programmers on board, has an easily accesible vehicle for downloading apps (iTunes), etc.

    By all accounts, Verizon turned down the iPhone because it, Verizon, wanted control over what could and couldn’t go on the phone! Verizon apparently cripples the software usable on its phones…

    Just wait for the call from Apple’s legal department… we’ll see the “open development” phrase dropped pretty quickly!

    And wait until we see how the hardware actually works! It’s easy to be great before going out into the real world and real consumers use your product! The iPhone is a proven, time-tested device and platform.

  • warren

    I love my mac and my iPhone. But, I live in a rural area and AT&T coverage is really terrible. They are offering a new femtocell device, but, they want $150 + charge extra and still not available in my area. Why should I have to pay more to improve my phone service using my DSL connection?

    If Verizon would offer a new phone, like mentioned in this article, that would sync my mac info I would sadly e-bay my iPhone but be more than happy to switch to Verizon.

    As I mentioned, I live in the sticks. However a friend and I have been all over the area, he is on verizon and me on at&t, and there is no comparison — he even gets 3G coverage, something AT&T doesn’t offer unless your in a really large city.

    I wish Verizon good luck — again, my beef is with AT&T’s service and not the iPhone (but, I wish it would multi-task!).

  • JD

    Anti-trust couldn’t be completed against Microsoft for having almost all of the desktop market with anti-competitive practices. Intel has nearly the same dominance and had some of the same anti-compete business practices too, computer brands got discounts for not selling competitor’s chips, and they had to get their ads cobranded by intel in order to get some of those discounts too.

    Don’t get me wrong, I wish Apple was more open, but how is antitrust going to be used against Apple for having a third of the music sales, 1% of all phone sales and *maybe* 20% of all smart phone sales? Apple doesn’t sell encrypted music anymore, and it’s trivial and legal to make an unencrypted version of the old encrypted songs.

    The numbers just don’t add up, and it would be ten years before any prosecution could finish anyway. I’d say let the market sort itself out.

  • http://identi.ca/notice/12330366 Noah Meyerhans (noahm) ‘s status on Sunday, 18-Oct-09 15:28:56 UTC – Identi.ca
  • Barry

    Droid does, what Nintendon’t.
    Droid does, what iPhonedon’t.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan_Frederickson/1254205278 Jonathan Frederickson

    This is no BlackBerry keypad. From the pictures, this keyboard looks huge. There are plenty like it as well.

    I think you haven’t been looking too hard.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan_Frederickson/1254205278 Jonathan Frederickson

    It’s flash. Which the Droid has and the iPhone does not. Congratulations, you just reinforced the ad campaign. XD

  • http://www.mujandroid.cz/2009/10/verizon-a-jeho-reklama-na-motorolu-droid-utok-na-iphone-zacina/ Můj Android » Verizon a jeho reklama na Motorolu Droid – útok na iPhone začíná

    [...] se na reklamní video, které připravil americký operátor Verizon jako součást kampaně oficiálně zatím [...]

  • Brad

    That’s where Double Twist becomes valuable.

  • http://www.thegraphicmac.com Jim

    Monopoly? Antitrust? Where did you get your law degree?

  • http://www.thegraphicmac.com Jim

    Motorola phone… Pffft. The whole Google/Verizon part aside, when was the last time Moto made a phone that could actually, you know, work properly as a PHONE!?

  • sandifop

    This ad campaign seems to be against the iPhone, if it develops that way then i do NOT like the message. Tell me the point of your product, not the pointlessness of another’s product.

    Though Apple does stoop to this behavior in their Mac ads it does not mean i must accept it.

    Apple’s iPhone campaign has been about revolution, Verizon’s seems to be about joining them to fight Apple. Why would i want to do that if the revolution suits me?

  • Tom Woolf

    In my book, Verizon snoozed, and they lost.

    I had been a very happy Alltel/Verizon customer for a couple of years. I was ready to ditch my basic cell phone for a smart phone, but was unwilling to go to AT&T (something about service and reliability) for the iPhone. I WANTED to stay with Verizon, but their smart phone selection was putrid – I jumped ship to Sprint for the Hero.

    Had Verizon been on the ball with their smart phones, they might have kept me as a customer. This new phone might not be too little, but it is definitely too late.

  • Chris

    Who cares if t-mobile doesn’t have a good hone, AT&T is lucky to have the iphone, its the only reason they are getting my business. No one compares to Verizon, in case you forgot these are phones and without service they are nearly useless. Granted I have many apps I use that don’t require connectivity but it is still a phone and AT&T service sucks and T-Mobile is only slightly better, Verizon is great and gives better service than anyone. Now that they finally have a decent phone props to them they will only get bigger, the only reason I switched away was to get the iPhone, I’ll admit I am not going back because I use it as a audio engineer to tune rooms quickly before I run Smart live. Once iAudiointerface comes out I hope to be able to sell my copy of smart and just use the iPhone (calibrated of course).

  • http://www.qibug.com/2009/10/verizon-droid-is-the-real-deal/ Verizon Droid Is The Real Deal | Tech stuff center

    [...] and Motorola finally lifted the curtain on their new Droid Android phone yesterday. Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will [...]

  • slim

    don’t litigate, innovate. we have way too many lawyers controlling our lives.

  • http://twitter Dr Rand Pink

    #BALLOONBARF

  • Giorgio Piras

    Oh yes, americans should buy also the GSM model when they want to travel abroad, europeans should buy also the CMDA model before travellig to USA, etc

  • http://fudge.org Jay Cuthrell

    Eastern NC is an odd market due to how towers and capacity were metered out by Level3 (WilTel) and AT&T during earlier years. Compounding that was Carolina Telephone becoming Sprint then later being abandoned as Embarq which is now CenuryTel/Link. The mashup of AT&T Wireless is just a headache of who bought who before being sold then bought. Gah!

    You’ll note that Alltel and Verizon combination have also contributed to folks having issues. I’m regularly on and around coastal NC near little Washington and my iPhone was really useless in some areas. i.e. No Service and when I had my Verizon phone it was usually 1-2 bars.

    However, the availability of towers and zoning changes will likely improve dense regions but a lot of folks don’t want to see a tower with the spectacular views on the coast. Eastern NC is where people want to live (increasingly) so the mobile market will improve as the sale forecasts catch up with the marketing folks.

    FWIW, I remember when nothing worked down there except bag phones! :)

  • http://fudge.org Jay Cuthrell

    Yeah, I get out that way and to Montana as well. Definitely a Verizon landscape.

  • http://www.developar.com developar

    iDon’t have a real keyboard. (Well iDon’t need it)

    iDon’t run simultaneous apps. (Well, I don’t care, push notifications is sufficient)

    iDon’t take 5-megapixels pictures. (iDon’t take 5-megapixels pictures either)

    iDon’t customize. (iDont’t care)

    iDon’t run widgets. (iDon’t want disturbing widgets)

    iDon’t allow open development (iDon’t prefer open development when there is a great app approval process somewhere else)

    iDon’t take pictures in the dark. (iDon’t know, but actually iTook ;) a couple of good pictures in the dark & its looking good!)

    iDon’t have interchangeable batteries. (iDon’t want a disassembled parts of my phone like the old nokia & win mobile days)

    Everything iDon’t (Everything iDon’t want) :D

  • Rabbit80

    Really? I had a Orange SPV C500 (a rebranded HTC smartphone) running WinMo years ago – around 2004 i think…

  • igz

    oh yes sooo true and this one you really cant port onto iphone

  • Loren

    One problem is that most decent games don’t run well in mobile browsers. Another is that access to the proprietary hardware is not standard or simple from browsers either. That makes stuff like augmented reality apps much more challenging to ‘browserify’.

  • What Happens if It Fails

    What happens if this phone fails like the Palm Pre???

    What does Verizon, Google and Motorola do for an encore??

    Verizon seems to backing itself into a corner.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kerrick_Long/1258688985 Kerrick Long

    Anybody else notice that some of the apostrophes are “smart” and others are “dumb” in the commercial? Bad copy editing…

  • Someguy

    169g and 13.7mm thick? Way too much.

  • MIKE

    at&t service kicks verizons ass first of all, second, this phone look ultra gay. why dont they make a fone that guys can walk around with without feeling like huge metro sexuals? and i expect it to be just like the BB tour. my gf just got one a couple weeks ago and its total garbage. it works great for like 2 days and then its gotta be reset. same with my two other friends. if u use the camera the application never closes and same with the rest of em. verizon is just so anxious to compete and they straight up suck with everything. i love watching them suck though so i really shouldnt be complaining

  • MIKE

    iDont care

  • MIKE

    itunes is garbage bro. u never noticed how much it slows down ANY computor as soon as its opened? or how bout the licensing. itunes shouldnt be in trouble for monopoly. people should just stop using it and grow up. everything apple is designed for stupid spoon feed people. plus, its for faggots

  • http://aikhan.wordpress.com Asad Khan

    whatever you say Apple is the aesthetic guru
    Apple has really set a standard & still nobody has even come close to challenging it

  • http://www.blastoffpowerplan.com Barry

    Does Droid sync with Outlook??

  • clude

    it’s counting down to 12am on 10/30/09, switch your computer’s clock to 11:59pm 10/29/09 and watch the counter count down to 00:00:00:00

  • clude

    it’s not timezone specific, it’s based on your computer’s clock

  • zato

    Dear Veryzon,

    Didn’t you know that Safart web browser is open dev, and that OSX is Free BSD?
    And that some Apps DO run in the background? And that some Apps are based on open source?

    Expect a call from Apple Legal.

  • http://CraigShipp.com Craig Shipp

    This may all be too late to take on the iPhone especially since ATT is upgrading their network so that issue will go away (in my area ATT coverage has always been great). I Virizon luck and they will need it to take on Apple!

  • rhegde75

    Congratulations…. you just saved some battery life by not running that power hogging flash on your phone.

  • http://horsealicious.com/2009/10/18/verizon-droid-is-the-real-deal/ Verizon Droid Is The Real Deal -

    [...] and Motorola finally lifted the curtain on their new Droid Android phone yesterday. Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will [...]

  • rhegde75

    fugly…. the droid can suck it.

  • rhegde75

    Don’t think Apple would care though. They don’t need to take cheap shots like this.
    Droid can be the next best thing since sliced bread … the general populace still wouldn’t care. Everybody I know (who’s not a geek) still wants an iphone. This droid will be one among all other wannabes that litter the wayside.

  • JMoney

    Jon,
    Every time you post you sound dumber and dumber. Go drink some more apple koolaid.

    Verizon is the largest US Carrier. They also have the best coverage. Now, if the iPhone does come to other carriers, which is it expected to do, it will help Apple, but I think they did far too little with the 3GS and there is a lot of excitement around Android right now. Android is fundamentally better than the iPhone because it is OpenSource. Verizon will be the 3rd major carrier to have Android on its network and I predict that you will see Android’s market share match that of the iPhone in no less than 2 years. In just 1 year, there are already 8,000 Apps for it which is pretty amazing considering up until a week ago, it was only available on T-Mobile (in the US anyway).

  • JMoney

    Why would he waste money on an Apple computer when he is running Ubuntu???? That’s a downgrade and a half!
    Hey RJ, I bet you won’t have any trouble connecting to your new Android phone from Linux! :)

  • Jen

    What he said!! ^ (typed on my fabulous iPhone keyboard) :)

  • Aaron

    Wow, what an insightful analysis! Thanks for taking the time to right that!

  • rhegde75

    you are incorrect.

  • JMoney

    That’s a silly thought. Android has with just the G1 gained 3% of the marketshare in a single year. Doesn’t matter if Droid is crap or not. I just picked up the HTC Hero on Sprint and have heard it’s coming to Verizon soon. It is bar none, the best phone I have ever used.
    Don’t make the mistake of thinking of the Motorola Droid as an iPhone killer. Its not about a single phone, the major innovation here is the Android OS.

  • Alex

    Amen to that, people try to talk up the supremacy of apple products when in reality they’re made pretty much cookie cutter so people don’t have to worry about everything inside. Viruses aren’t a problem, but half my friends with an Apple computer are pissed that now they can’t upgrade after putting all their shit into them. My HP, bought for 500 dollars less in the same month runs circles around them, and I only pay 50 bucks a year for antivirus. Two years later, I still have a startlingly fast computer, a hard drive size increase from 120 to 500, and an intact forehead for not bashing it against my iBook.
    As for Palm, their products are amazingly useful in the medical field for the information accessibility than waiting on an iPhone to pull up on “3G”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Paramendra_Kumar_Bhagat/621599484 Paramendra Kumar Bhagat

    This has been necessary. The iPhone has been a smaller desktop. Android is web.

  • rhegde75

    Yes sir. You obviously are smarter than Steve Jobs and the exec mgmt team at Apple. They should stop doing what they do (growing AAPL stock 2000% from 2001) and take advice from you on how to enhance their market share and profits. Yes, I think thats the way to go …

  • rhegde75

    what is synergy ? Exactly … nobody cares.

  • http://www.mashyep.com/2009/10/the-ultimate-threat-to-apple-iphone-verizon-droid/ The Ultimate Threat to Apple iPhone : Verizon Droid | Mashyep!

    [...] Google, Motorola and Verizon have put in their best into this phone and the idea is definitely to take on Apple’s iPhone directly. Industry experts who have been around the phone are buzzing about it. As things get [...]

  • JMoney

    noooooo…. those who travel outside the US should switch to a GSM carrier

  • FelipeDeezNuts

    Well I guess the iPhone keyboard doesn’t mean the user is capable of sensical sentences – “quite aptly and rather excellently”. Wow. BTW, I’m typing this on an iPhone and I love it. This doesn’t mean I can’t acknowledge, even OWN devices from other companies. Yeah, I said it. My Zune runs circles around the iPod, that’s why I hate on it. I prefer Win 7 to Mac OS because the latter is a counterintuitive POS. But I still like my iPhone. I just don’t buy in to Crapple.

  • rhegde75

    Actually OS X is not FreeBSD. OS X in fact has a MACH micro kernel. There is a BSD layer which does a bit of the VFS and networking stuff. But there is a lot of non-FreeBSD code — OS X uses the
    Mach scheduler and Mach IPC, and a quite different driver framework.
    There are significant
    quantities of FreeBSD, Mach, and Apple-originated code in the Mac OS X kernel.
    So Saying OS X is FreeBSD is completely incorrect. Now that said, the OS X kernel is open sourced as the ‘Darwin project’. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_%28operating_system%29)

  • JMoney

    Maybe “Droid” doesn’t, but there are plenty of GSM Android phones that do!

  • http://www.mobile-ent.biz Stuart Dredge

    The logo is a bit familiar though…

  • tenthings

    i don’t agree that the iphone community is miles ahead of android. in fact, there is no exclusivity with apple within this community. most developers can port their apps to android within days if they see higher monetization potential in android phones vs apple.

    apple has had its share of the smartphone market. and they ‘ve been able to monetize their share exorbitantly for quite a while. let’s see how they fare now that the competition is jumping in.

    this is kind of a big thing for apple. it’s like what happened to macs when windows launched

  • http://droidcases.com/droiddoes-commercial-released/ DroidDoes commercial released : Verizon Droid Cases and Accessories

    [...] to the video, the new smartphone is coming as soon as November. An astute TechCrunch reader has possibly pinpointed the release date to 10/30/09 at 1:00AM EST. If the release is this soon, be [...]

  • tenthings

    i ‘m pretty sure iDon’t &trade is trademarked by apple inc for their future impotency pills

  • j.b

    I’ve known around a dozen folks that have left Iphone for mytouch 3g and that is in the last month and just folks I talk to about it which is limited. People on here saying how Iphone is light years ahead must be from Apple’s spin control dept. Iphone just got the layer technology while Android is already able to overlay 3d images over it. Every app I show my Iphone cohorts has them somewhat jealous. Enough for them to jump from the Iphone ship. I’ve known noone that has moved from android to Iphone. Seriously, you can’t even categorize your apps in folders on the Iphone, move them to your desktop and run multiple apps at once. The Iphone is a dinosaur man. You fanboys are getting left in the past and don’t even realize it. Pretty sad.

  • j.b

    now that is funny

  • zaery

    Wow, that’s a really, really stupid comment there. What about the iPhone’s that overheat and have crap battery life anyways, what about my Nokia phone that I use about once every 4-5 days that hasn’t been charged since before this last summer? What about bluetooth and 3g and wifi, all automatically on, that all hog the battery?

  • j.b

    so apple can’t handle the heat so they have to send in their wiener lawyers. Typical hypocrite corporation who can bash MS every two minutes on tv but can’t take their own medicine.

    What is going to be interesting is when these android phones start reporting stellar sales, how will Apple’s stock perform. My guess is Apple will have no choice but to lower their ridiculous margins which will devastate the stock. It may start as early as next week which is when Apple reports their numbers.

  • Giles

    2004? I had a Nokia 9110 Communicator in 2001 and that was the second generation device. You can go back to 1999 for the original communicator.

    The 9110 even browsed the web, just a shame it didn’t have GPRS (you had to dial up).

  • bunnyhero

    i’m suddenly reminded of sega’s “genesis does what nintendon’t” campaign.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary_Creely/817009490 Gary Creely

    @Evil

    “Lot more than 18 apps in the store – your last check was a while back. And only you fanbois talk about ‘whatever-killers’. ”

    A whole lot less than 50k

    “49,500 pieces of crap. You know it’s true. That counter isn’t a mark of anything but a lot of poor development.”

    Like anything there are good ones, and not so good ones. The same could be said about all mobile apps open, closed, free, and paid.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary_Creely/817009490 Gary Creely

    @Evil

    I would not be the one making the proclamation. I am simply saying so many phone position them selves against the Iphone hoping to tap that market. At this point trying to out iphone the iphone has been a recipe for failure.

    For instance running background apps on a phone with the same processor as the Iphone equals a slower device. The droid touts that as something it does better or more than the iphone, but really it is simply a different compromise.

  • http://landonmiller.net Landon Miller

    The only monopoly Apple has, is a monopoly on excellence.

  • Joshua

    Have you not seen Apple’s commercials? They take cheap shots all the time. Rightly so btw, but c’mon, lets not delude ourselves here.

  • frank

    Yeah AT&T service sucks. The iPhone destroys all! Do you all really think apple would let a competitor take their market share? Watch them launch an updated SDK will all the same features and more.

  • Joshua

    +1

    Fanboyism is lame, let’s just report the facts people.

  • Joshua

    Your personal experience does not equal factual information.

    Furthermore, a golden turd is still a turd. Verizon isn’t perfect, they’re just better. Maybe not for you, maybe not for him or her, but for more people than what ATT can say.

    By the way, I’m sitting here with my ex who has ATT and I have Verizon. She has half the bars and I have full bars. See how that works? It all depends on your area. Who has more crappy areas? ATT. Go look up some coverage maps.

  • Lyn

    I have to agree.

  • Joshua

    1. It has a GSM variant which means that yes, yes it does work outside of the US.
    2. Why does it need to be unlocked?? It’s ALREADY unlocked out of the box. The iPhone has to be unlocked because they limit everything, the Droid doesn’t. Duh??
    3. Source?

  • Joshua

    Mine broke after a year when I dropped it onto the pavement.

    They actually break quite frequently. Did you forget about the overheating exploding issues they’ve been having as well?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ted_Blosser/7300758 Ted Blosser

    Three things VZW needs to do to get marketshare in this war – 1)Build an awesome apps store that is easier than Apple to add to and get approved. 2)Get 1 or 2 flagship phones that can REALLY compete against the iphone. 3) Partner with a large online music provider that can rival itunes’ dominance.

    if they can execute on these three areas – they can beat the iphone…

  • dll

    I think the call from the Apple Legal Department will be followed up by Verizon with a list of the developers who’s apps have been denied access to the App Store. Seems anyone can develop for the iPhone but not every one can distribute their app without getting though the Apple approval gate… doesn’t sound very “open” to me.

    (save your keystrokes arguing that there haven’t been many apps denied… there has been a whole “jail break” community built out of the fact that the iPhone distribution is “closed” to a wide range of apps)

  • Murdoc

    Wow “bro”. I Guess as a “stupid spoon feed person” I never noticed how much itunes slowed down my “computor”. You really know how to make a powerful argument. I’m sure a lot of people will abandon itunes now that they know “it’s for faggots”. Thanks.

  • http://macmagazine.uol.com.br/2009/10/18/campanha-da-verizon-traz-ataques-diretos-ao-voce-sabe-qual-phone/ Campanha da Verizon traz ataques diretos ao você-sabe-qual-Phone | MacMagazine

    [...] prepare-se para a _sutileza_ da coisa… Sim, é o Android, e na versão 2.0 (codinome Eclair). Segundo o TechCrunch, algumas pessoas que testaram o aparelho disseram que ele é “p*** [...]

  • http://yucasino.com/news1/?p=15 News for baza25 » Blog Archive » Verizon Motorola Droid promo sets iPhone firmly in its sights

    [...] have launched an offensive against the iPhone, with a new campaign called DroidDoes.com for their upcoming [...]

  • Nick

    I didn’t continue to read after about 30 posts debating which iphone or android is better. All I know is that which ever of the two platforms has the most users, those users will be catered to. More users will means more profit. Very simple.
    With the horde of android phone coming out, I don’t see how apple will keep up with Google, and the rest of the hardware world breathing down its neck.

  • Wayne B

    “They [Apple] don’t need to take cheap shots like this.”

    Bwaahahahaha. Every single Apple advertisement is a cheap shot.

  • Wayne B

    Really? What ideas does this commercial give to Apple?

    Do you think Apple hasn’t already thought about opening up the iPhone so that anybody could create an app store? This commercial isn’t going to change their decision on that.

  • Wayne B

    Pfft okay.

    Name one thing that Apple “invented” and I’ll show you a product that did the same thing before Apple did it.

  • Wayne B

    Actually he’s right. Sticking with AT&T is hurting Apple, but honestly I don’t think Apple has much of a choice in the matter. The only one bigger than AT&T is Verizon and Apple wants too much control over the branding and user experience than Verizon is willing to give up.

    Despite what you wish to believe, Steve Jobs isn’t really that great of a CEO. He’s very shrewd, but in the end he will lose. Just like they lost the PC wars to Microsoft, back in the nineties.

  • Pat

    i…was depressed when i saw the droiddoes commercial. i thought Lucas films was coming out with a sweet droid movie with an “i” pun in it’s trailer. Unfortunately not. It’s an apple bashing campaign. i can’t wait till apple pushes back.

  • singulariter

    Instead of attacking Apple on vague points like “not being customizable” and small hardware issues like non-removable batteries, Moto & Verizon should try something along the lines of “our network doesn’t suck”

    A lot of talk, lets see some walk.

  • Wayne B

    From what I’ve seen so far, the Droid looks cooler than the iPhone. Obviously, that’s my opinion though.

    What the thing looks like is completely beside the main point. If the Droid is more open and has better functionality than the iPhone, why would you _not_ want a Droid?

  • http://godsea.adicto.org Jordi Rivero

    The song is Magic of Mozella… only available on itunes :P

  • Kyle Pezzolla

    I thought the same thing at first, that is was the entire number was the amount of seconds but if you divide 11013539 by the amount of seconds in a day which is 86400 you get 127.4 days. seems like you got the right theory.

  • Kyle Pezzolla

    that was good thinking.

  • Michael F

    @Chris

    Well, I care if T-Mo has good phones… which is why I made that post.

    I live in New York City and I have fairly consistent 3G coverage at home and work – and everywhere in between. So, while I wouldn’t argue that T-Mo’s network is better the VZW’s, for where I am, T-Mo works just fine.

    I think your post sort of assumes that no one on T-Mo would have any use for a good smartphone? Is that it? I don’t really understand.

  • Dave Reid

    just do what i did unlock the iphone and put on any carrier the iphone as its ups and downs as well does the blackberry or any other phone. Its in our culture to get one up on the next guys so i say hoooray to verizon and yes i running with the iphone and the bb storm both phones unlocked !

  • ipod touch

    I wont mind if apple gains monopoly in ipods, it deserves it. But using it to expand into phone market? Music gadget market and phone market are different.

    Considering ipod touch sells 5 times the iphone, developers have more reason to develop. It is mistake of WinMo not to go into zune or some third party, or of Android that did not launch a music device.

  • Paul

    You mean cheapshots like the “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC ads?”

  • Corey

    concerning the bars issue:
    “Somewhat surprisingly, our testers also found that the “bars of service” readings on their phones were rarely an accurate predictor of the quality of the ensuing connection. In most places and with most wireless providers, the “bars” did little more than indicate whether the phone had access to some service or to no service.”
    -from a pc world 1 day test of cell phone service in 13 u.s. cities
    http://www.pcworld.com/article/167391/a_day_in_the_life_of_3g.html

  • .hee

    lol. …….no……..

  • DaTruff

    Verizon is allergic to smartphones. I’ll believe this when I see one in a Verizon store.

    Remember the Omnia II? It was the hot Verizon smartphone that never happened…

    If you want great cell phone reception, use Verizon. If you want a great cell phone, go somewhere else.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Aaron_Evancavich/1612313572 Aaron Evancavich

    I believe everyone here especially those leaving comments are somewhat interested in seeing this phone, even if they are trashing it badly. Nobody knows what exactly to expect. Right now it’s just hype. I used an iphone and honestly i think it’s very cool. But i do not like the poor service of AT&T (maybe just my area) and i also did not like the touch screen. My LG enV touch IMO has a better touch screen, multi tasking, and faster load times using the web. But dont get mad at me just yet, i didnt try out the Iphone for long so my opinion is subject to change. I love technology and am excited to check out this Droid phone.

  • http://thestoryforme.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/droiddoes-com/ DROIDDOES.COM « My Music, My Story

    [...] saw this on Techcrunch and I am seriously hooked! If this comes to Singapore next year, I’m so gonna get it for [...]

  • http://gadgetzen.co.cc/?p=5 Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The … « gadgetzen

    [...] the original post here: Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The … Stumble! for WP Share and [...]

  • Scott

    Because it won’t have more functionality and you STILL can’t install apps to the external memory (SD card) on Android. That means you run out of memory quick and is lame as hell!

  • http://verizon-droid.com/verizon-droid-release-date/ Verizon Droid release date | Verizon Droid

    [...] of the countdown, revealing the (possible) launch date to be 10/30/09 at 1:00AM EST. Source: TechCrunch // October 18, 2009 at 7:42 am by admin Category: Verizon, Verizon DroidTags: TechCrunch, [...]

  • http://verizon-droid.com/verizon-launches-direct-attack-against-the-iphone-with-ads-for-the-motorola-droid/ Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid | Verizon Droid

    [...] Verizon Launches Direct Attack Against The iPhone With Ads For The Motorola Droid Verizon has just made it perfectly clear what the upcoming Motorola Sholes will be called in their network: Verizon Droid. And Verizon is positioning it to be a direct threat to the iPhone in a new advertising campaign it launched at the site DroidDoes.com. Verizon isn’t pulling any punches: it calls out basically every major weakness on the iPhone, from its inability to run background applications to the App Store’s walled garden. The site kicks off with a stream of things that the iPhone can’t do, mimicking the black text-on-white background commonly seen in Apple ads but replacing it with statements like iDon’t run simultaneous apps. After a handful of these, the site kicks you to a page with the heading “DroidDoes”, with a banner rotating through a number of the Droid’s features that include Android 2.0, background tasks, and video recording support. Some of the differences mentioned, like the Droid’s inclusion of a physical keyboard, are really a matter of personal preference. Others, aren’t. For one, Droid can claim to run on “The Network”, which runs circles around AT&T. Source: TechCrunch [...]

  • mikek

    Because Apple is doing that same things that Microsoft was pinged as anti-competitive. Controlling there own close source applications.

  • mouse

    Couldn’t agree more Mike!

  • http://justin-goldberg.blogspot.com/ Justin Goldberg

    Too bad it won’t have Motorola’s MOTOBLUR.

  • Dave

    root. download. install motoblur.

  • arjun

    give it a rest, Jon

  • Chris

    So you’re a better person because you live in an urban setting, and no one else deserves decent phone/web service?

  • http://zengrrl.com/?p=512 zengrrl dot com » Blog Archive » These may be the Droids you’re looking for…

    [...] TechCrunch posted that Verizon, Motorola and Google are collaborating on a new phone that supposedly will give the iPhone a run for its money. It’s called the Droid, and from what I’ve read about it, I might have to break down and get one when it comes out (unless someone generously wants to buy me one for Christmas, if it’s out in time). [...]

  • Rabbit80

    I was simply making the point that smartphones have been around a lot longer than the N95 in 2k7

  • http://renovomedia.com/technology/the-droids-are-coming-video/ The Droids Are Coming (VIDEO) | Renovo Media

    [...] to TechCrunch, “Verizon isn’t pulling any punches: it calls out basically every major weakness on the [...]

  • carol

    I have Verizon service but, I also have the ipod touch and don’t use it after i bought it cause i hate itunes and, i don’t like the touch screen keyboard. I’m always hitting the wrong letter. This phone will be awsome, just like alot of people love the iphone. I don’t like the fact that iphone doesn’t receive pic messages. My brother has an Iphone so i do know a little about them. There all awsome phones. Everyphone has some sort of set back.

  • http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2009/10/14463/ Beware of The Droid, Mozilla for the iPhone and Rock on the iPhone

    [...] Due out some time between late October and early December. Rumored specs include a powerful OMAP3430 processor, 5 megapixel camera, slideout QWERTY keyboard and touch screen. Hell there are even some glamor shots you can ogle at. Verizon isn’t pulling any punches: it calls out basically every major weakness on the iPhone, from its inability to run background applications to the App Store’s walled garden. The site kicks off with a stream of things that the iPhone can’t do, mimicking the black text-on-white background commonly seen in Apple ads but replacing it with statements like iDon’t run simultaneous apps. After a handful of these, the site kicks you to a page with the heading “DroidDoes”, with a banner rotating through a number of the Droid’s features that include Android 2.0, background tasks, and video recording support. Some of the differences mentioned, like the Droid’s inclusion of a physical keyboard, are really a matter of personal preference. Others, aren’t. For one, Droid can claim to run on “The Network”, which runs circles around AT&T. [#] [...]

  • http://somegenius.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/verizon-droid/ Its Bad When VERIZON Calls You Out for Not Being Open Source… « Some Kind of Genius

    [...] shown here, here, here, and here, and now above, Verizon is calling out AT&T big time. With their [...]

  • Patrick

    I like the ad, I actually use an iphone 3GS but hold no loyalty to apple. I think this clever jab at them is a bit of karma for all the MS bashing ads apple has run over the years.

  • msoori

    Only way VZ is going to get a leg up on the iPhone with an android is by coming out with a plan that undercuts AT&T fees by a huge margin. No droid is going to integrate well enough to give the iPhone any competition.

  • http://www.jenkinslaw.org/blog/2009/10/19/ithink-verizons-burning-some-bridges/ iThink Verizon’s Burning Some Bridges

    [...] case you don’t get it, Verizon will be introducing an Android-based phone called the Motorola Droid later this month. Boy Genius Report has played with it and in their first review they used the [...]

  • JMoney

    I couldn’t agree more

  • http://sparxoo.com/2009/10/19/advertising-launch-verizon-android-takes-on-iphone/ Sparxoo » Advertising Launch: Verizon Android Takes on iPhone

    [...] to topple the hottest, most buzzworthy phone in the world.  The first step in the Android attack, an advertising campaign Droid Does, has launched and we like what we see.  TechCrunch’s Jason Kincaid says, [...]

  • http://applemania.pl/2009/10/19/iphone-czyli-everything-idon%e2%80%99t-%e2%80%93-kampania-wycelowana-wprost-w-telefon-apple/ iPhone, czyli Everything iDon’t – kampania wycelowana wprost w telefon Apple

    [...] też zakodowane odliczanie do daty premiery dziecka Motoroli, Verizon i Google. Droid zadebiutuje najprawdopodobniej 30 października. źródło: [...]

  • RP

    Considering the web is moving more and more toward flash apps, I’d say you just gave a pretty stupid argument as well. I’d rather charge it back up or buy an interchangeable batter (as they noted in the droid commercial) and have greater access to what I want to see/do from my phone.

  • http://yucasino.com/news2/?p=15 News for baz25 » Blog Archive » Verizon Motorola Droid promo sets iPhone firmly in its sights

    [...] google_color_link = "1f527b"; google_color_text = "191919"; google_color_url = "5f92bb"; Verizon have launched an offensive against the iPhone, with a new campaign called DroidDoes.com for their upcoming [...]

  • RP

    devil’s advocate – but apple certainly rips as often as they can and it’s kind of humorous. I haven’t bought the iphone because i’d rather have verizon (went with storm), but i think the droiddoesn’t.com name was a good buy. you’ll get more than what you paid, and if apple doesn’t want it, i would think verizon might want it just to keep others from using it.

  • http://www.elevatecompany.net/uncategorized/the-best-piece-of-advertising-ive-seen-this-year The best piece of advertising I’ve seen this year | Elevate Consulting

    [...] You are here: Home » Uncategorized » The best piece of advertising I’ve seen this year via techcrunch.com [...]

  • http://www.jphotog.com Eric

    Bigot

  • http://www.jphotog.com Eric

    Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard this all before from Verizon and RIM. They had the iPhone killer that was a massive dud.

    Yeah, but this time they got it right? Ya?

    No.

  • mike

    lol. …….yes……..

  • Tedex

    It’s quite simple. If the thing has Bluetooth stereo audio and tethering, WiFi, GPS, a decent browser and can run open “apps”, coupled with a better network, and some good battery life, then it kicks iPhone’s ass. I just got my first iPhone, the 3Gs, and it’s cool and all, but there are some glaring omissions in performance.

    Apple fanboys are gay and so 2006, btw…

    I run Windows 7 on my iMac 24″ because Windows doesn’t suck as bad as “OS” X. Apple does make some solid hardware, even though it looks kind of girly.

  • http://andreadulko.com/?p=1020 Andrea Dulko

    [...] has been relly happy with the Android on T-Mobile. I think the Verizon version can only be better. Check out this TechCrunch Article. “Very Impressed” “Totally awesome” WHAT TO DO NOW? Post a comment or [...]

  • robert

    Actually, no. The web is not moving towards more and more flash apps.

  • http://www.charmainelimblog.com Charmaine

    Well! in the current economic downturn, the unexpected will occurred, desperate for business. It is very unprofessional of Verizon to launch a direct attack at its competitor.

  • http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/10/19/verizon-this-is-the-droid-you-are-looking-for/ Verizon: This is the Droid you are looking for

    [...] off its weekend of new found fame and glory, Verizon’s upcoming Android 2.0 device, the Motorola Droid, appears to have found [...]

  • G.O.

    The iPhone has a great app approval process?

  • JAH

    All the words you type….I’ve seen them all before…but in your message they make no sense.

    Learn to smart…

  • http://digitallifeforyou.blogspot.com LDT

    I love mac and iPhone! but I do not get it!

  • Tedex

    I occurred to me that the one thing we won’t miss with ‘Droiders is the iPhone fanboy quirk of constantly whining every time a new iPhone version is released, demanding Apple replace their old scratched up iPhone with a brand new model, just for being “loyal”..

    Most of the under 30 crowd carrying iPhones on personal plans can barely afford them and are anal and fidgety about their shiny little bauble, worried that it might go obsolete or get a scuff because they refuse to put it in a protective case, which, by the way, it needs because it is an effete, delicate but marvelous piece of technology. It is an annoying cult. Pure and simple.

    Look how long it took for Apple to finally include the commonly used Bluetooth A2DP stack in desktops and the iPhone. Wonder why? Well, with the iPhone it was hesitance to erode the free iPod visual brand advertising that millions of people wearing little white earbuds and wires gave them. WIth the desktops, who knows, but I suspect it was just spite against Windows users attempting to make the iMac useful for anything besides synching iPods and making movies. Lord knows it’s almost impossible to do any real work with OSX unless you are an artist or musician. And for hobbies using a variety of applications such as electronics, r/c, radio, forget it. There is one expensive and clunky OSX app for every 100 free and working Windows apps to do amateur radio data processing.

    The lack of Bluetooth network tethering is a pisser. I came off two years of a Verizon Voyager and two before that on a Moto clamshell, both of which acted as a Bluetooth laptop modem for me.
    That was great for the road warrior. Now I have to carry an aircard account.

    After the initial frenzy of playing with apps on the 3Gs, I’ve settled down and it works mostly as a phone for me, albeit a muffled phone, compared to the old crystal clear Verizon sound. It does surf the web nicely, though. Much better than the old Voyager. And the GPS is cool. Too bad Safari doesn’t have a good working WMA or ASF or Quicktime or Flash or Java plugin.

  • G.O.

    Why is it so unprofessional?

  • http://www.digitalovercast.com kien

    nice verizon commercial calling out the flaws of iphone. Android is really moving on up – hint, hint, wink, wink NOKIA. Personally, I’m looking forward to Sony’s X3 powered by Android + SnapDragon. Check out my Android commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8CqMVa6ZeU&hd=1 in HD.

    very similar to the one made by verizon.

  • http://endeavour2m.com/blog/?p=259 Watch Out iPhone…here comes the “Droid” | Endeavour Marketing & Media, LLC.

    [...] and Motorola finally lifted the curtain on their new Droid Android phone yesterday. Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will [...]

  • Jason

    iDont want a slide out physical keyboard.

  • Stephen

    character is not entered until you lift your finger, so you can slide over to correct character, which you can see in the bubble, before lifting finger and enter the desired character. My typing got better when I learned this.

  • Mr. Moviefone

    StarTac baby

  • mike g.

    Whatever nugget of intelligence might have been in your comments is completely wiped out by the stupidity and gratuitous bigotry of your adding in the “faggots” remark.

    What a complete jerk you are to (a) be a bigot in the first place, (b) imagine that it could actually help you persuade anybody other than other bigots.

    If people like YOU are anti-apple, I’ll put that down as a “plus” in apple’s corner. Grow up.

  • Kevin

    All this arguing about AT&T and iphone will soon come to an end once Verizon signs the contract with apple at the beginning of 2010 to bring the iphone to the verizon network.

  • Dave

    Droid doesnt do Exchange email, for me that is a huge FAIL.

  • iOMG!

    It’s amazing how competitors always let you know what the innovator (key word) didn’t do. If the product is so bad why would you imitate it?

    The Droid looks like just another bad knock off. There is nothing sexy about it.

    One thing I will admit, Apple made a bad decision going with AT&T. My iPhone runs great on t-mobile though (-3g).

  • robert

    Oh he said “crapple” –

    -2 mod troll

  • http://gearheadgal.net Gearheadgal

    Am I the only one that also noticed a little sideswipe at another brand? On the Droid Does website landing page they call it a “robot sidekick”. And Mr Subliminal Man tells me that the layout of that one sentence description conveniently places the word “sidekick” above the word “problem”. Or was that Mr Conspiracy Theory who told me that? BTW, he also tells me a big complaint for Sidekick users has been the closed app catalog. And the camera didn’t have a flash till this year so taking photos in a dark club was very hard. While they’re at it, why not pick up a few customers from TMO who are unhappy with the Sidekick data loss, don’t like the iPhone because it has no keyboard, and love to play games?

  • http://gearheadgal.net Gearheadgal

    The VZN marketing person who DIDN’T already buy droiddoesnt.com before the ad ran should be fired.

  • http://www.esarcasm.com/6579/verizon-to-apple-suck-on-this-fanboys/ Verizon to Apple: Suck on This, Fanboys

    [...] has taken a shot at Apple with a clever commercial titled “iDon’t” that points out everything its new Android 2.0-powered phone, The Motorola Droid, does that the [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/19/apple-on-its-iphone-competitors-theyre-still-catching-up-to-the-first-iphone/ Apple On Its iPhone Competitors: They’re Still Catching Up To The First iPhone

    [...] real challenger to the current leading iPhone. Verizon obviously feels the same way, given its advertising campaign. [...]

  • Roy

    Well, VZW doesn’t have iDon’t at the moment, so what’s too terrifying to contemplate.

    Actually, what is indeed terrifying to contemplate is when all the iDon’t fanboys will ditch their AT&T locked phone and flock to VZW-Droid as then Apple will come crawling to VZW.

  • Roy

    Apple “should” do a lot of things, but it “won’t” do anything that weakens its control over the iPhone/iPod platform.

  • john doe

    Its not a monopoly or Antitrust its called “creating a better product that more people want” people get so caught up on this monopoly idea… the oil companies are a monopoly or oligopoly…

  • http://www.matchasiansingles.com/ Jackie

    Very exciting stuff. I’ll have to buy this when it comes out!

  • http://cellecast.com Andrew Deal

    Silly to say it is the best without seeing the showdown video of Palm Rre vs iPhone vs G1

    http://homesafari.us/blog/2009/08/pre-paration-on-the-mobile-web-for-real-estate/

  • http://homesafari.us/blog/2009/10/droid-the-world-verizon-finally-enters-the-new-smartphone-game/ Droid the world! Verizon finally enters the new Smartphone game! | HomeSafari

    [...] thing we enjoyed right way when we heard about this was the aggressive superiority to iPhone campaign that Verizon put forward, which I believe is going to tip the touch-based smartphone [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Randy_Isdahl/1494764203 Randy Isdahl

    Unless this device can play AAC\M4A files, forget it…

  • Zachary

    if the countdown is in seconds the release date is November 12 2009

  • http://iphoneros.com/?p=5571 Todo lo que el iPhone no hace, lo hace Droid en iPhoneros.com

    [...] Techcrunch y MobileCrunch. Entradas relacionadas con la que acabas de leer:La alternativa de Motorola al [...]

  • Rob

    that’s silly. all things aren’t going to the browser. the browser is so 2 years ago, apps have taken over – thanks to the ipod.

    By the way – the droid commercial really sucks. these discrepancies they point out are superfluous, or subjective. Only tech geeks got it at all. I would guess 3/4 of the population didn’t know the product, let alone get the iPhone digs.

    It was an inside joke.

  • Rob

    duh, the situation is reversed. the PC is the dominant in that market… the iPhone is the dominant in the phone market. that’s the difference.

    In the former you’re the hero, in the latter you’d be the bully (a cheapshot)

  • Rob

    stop. let it come out first. so far it looks like the Nokia N Series (I got one of those bricks). It has a better chance of being a Zune. If the iPhone comes out to Verizon in 2010, it’s all over.

  • Rob

    This argument is silly. Open source is killing the iPhone? Are you kidding me? The reason it’s flourishing is the availability of apps… there are 75,000 of them.

    Also the iPhone is coming to Verizon in 2010. Game over.

    That ad was a joke

  • Rob

    watch out consumers! here come the geeks!

    Droids…. Does google let tech manage marketing? Should lock them up in the closet and a keyboard like they do everywhere else.

  • Rob

    Sista, the ad was pathetic. I work in advertising. This was purely shit. An inside joke that was pure red meat for the geeks who’ll actually get it. My parents who want an iPhone? Have no idea what that ad just said.

    It speaks to the iPod simpliciticy, the opposite goal it has in mind. The lack of custom buttons, the lack of a removable battery…. please. The iphone is one button. one big screen, and the best mobile browser anywehre.

    I got a Storm BTW. Not a fanboy. They’re number 1 for a reason, brilliant marketing and hardware.

  • Rob

    They’re not going to stick with AT&T. 2010 Verzion, havne’t you read the news? You don’t think that Verizon isn’t hot to feature Android, iPhone, Palm Pre’s, and WinDoze7 devices all at once???

    Buy an Android or a iPhone – your carrier of choice, you’re buying an iPhone. You’re stupid if you dont.

    Wouldn’t be surprised if this campaign was verizons attempt push the conversations along with Apple.

  • Rob

    Just kills you people that Apple is succeeding. All those years of bashing them for being elitist… expensive, artsy… If you had money you’d be able to buy a Mac. If you lived in a city, you’d get AT&T reception and have an iPhone… bu you live in kansas, so get your droid fan boy. Linux isn’t dead. Really it’s not. Uh huh. Apps are dead, the web is the future! yeah, whatever 2 years ago.

  • Justin

    lmao XD

  • PKM

    I don’t think so. VZ is surprisngly burning the Apple bridge here, by launching a device switching campaign against users who, for the most part have little desire to switch. Bad bet.

  • http://twitter.com/ZoullH ZoullH

    cant wait to see it into the market and hold it..

  • PKM

    No it isn’t.

  • PKM

    +1. Irrelevant advertising that only appeals to the geek squad. Most iPhone users don’t care and won’t even be paying attention.

  • PKM

    I agree with you Michael. However, I’m not convinced that just another mobile phone is going to be the device that knocks out the iPhone. Innovation is tricky that way, can hit you from unexpected directions.

  • Alpha

    And because I’m already content, and lazy, like most non-technical users. Why change?

  • Alpha

    Of course he isn’t, but he is right by implying that Verizon’s network coverage advantage is oversold.

  • Alpha

    “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

    Yeah, there’s a good counter-campaign in that somewhere for Apple, but then they would have to go pay Lucas as well.

  • http://genexite.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/hello-world/ Look who’s challenging the iPhone – Yes, Droid! « Everything mobile

    [...] phone set to hit the market! This is the Motorola Droid to be launched by Verizon. Read this Techcrunch article to know [...]

  • http://masquemac.com/?p=1755 Mas Que Mac » Archivos del blog » Interesante vídeo, iDont Droid does

    [...] Vía: Techcrunch [...]

  • http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/20/the-blackberry-storm-2-makes-an-appearance-on-verizons-website/ The BlackBerry Storm 2 makes an appearance on Verizon’s website

    [...] live up to Verizon’s standards or it could simply be that Verizon doesn’t want to take the attention off of the Motorola Droid. Whatever the case maybe, the BlackBerry Storm 2 will probably be made [...]

  • Bruce

    iDon’t allow upgrades from Windows XP (TM!) to Windows 7 – CHOKE! Puhlease! Apple is gaining more and more ground because of the limited MS products!

    …and how far has Apple come? MS looses more and more ground because MS doesn’t keep up the pace!

    An Apple a day…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Justin_Dickinson/24401924 Justin Dickinson

    Does anyone know the agency that produced these ads?

  • http://mcstreetsmart.blogspot.com mcstreetsmart

    even I’m waiting for Droid. Im glad to see that the world will have alternative too iPhone. Android 2.0 is the coolest and a very advance platform in the area of mobile computing. I hope Motorola and verizon are able to leverage that.

  • Harvey Milk

    LMAO/ great insight…truely imperative to get the word out that Apple are for queers and carpet munchers…

  • uncle_poopbelow

    dont call me bro ..guy

    Get some sun, step out of your moms basement fools. Read a Douglas Coupland Novel or something.

    Apple makes great products. I am sure Droid will be great too. Why is everyone shilling for their favorite company as if one represents a more perfect representation of human values than the other ? plumb dumb

  • http://www.scoopernews.com/video-the-rejected-windows-marketplace-apps-humor/ Video: The Rejected Windows Marketplace Apps (Humor) | ScooperNews.com

    [...] and the number of ridiculous apps in the store. This follows Verizon’s newest ad which takes on the iPhone head-on, while teasing about its new Droid [...]

  • Uri

    yeah… rural. or anywhere south of palo alto, or most of San Francisco, or inside buildings in NYC.

  • Uri

    Honestly, I don’t like my iphone. Great device, but practically useless as a phone.

    However, one thing apple gets which many others don’t, it’s not about the features.

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/20/the-verizon-droid-might-be-landing-sooner-than-we-thought/ The Verizon Droid Might Be Landing Sooner Than We Thought

    [...] the weekend Verizon unleashed its marketing campaign for its upcoming Motorola Droid smartphone, pointing out some of the [...]

  • http://www.scoopernews.com/the-verizon-droid-might-be-landing-sooner-than-we-thought/ The Verizon Droid Might Be Landing Sooner Than We Thought | ScooperNews.com

    [...] the weekend Verizon unleashed its marketing campaign for its upcoming Motorola Droid smartphone, pointing out some of the [...]

  • Justin

    Droid is a joke. How’s it better it’s not even out. This was an amusing read on my iPhone 3gs. I upgraded after jumping in the pool forgetting my iPhone 3g was in my pocket. And I beat the crap out it took it apart and it still works fine for wifi and games and everything but AT&T and the home button bit that’s why I got a new one but I still use the old one it stays on while it’s in peices

  • http://inkandvirtue.com/general/the-verizon-droid-might-be-landing-sooner-than-we-thought-43/ The Verizon Droid Might Be Landing Sooner Than We Thought » Ink and Virtue – Gonna Save the World Today

    [...] the week­end Ver­i­zon unleashed its mar­ket­ing cam­paign for its upcom­ing Motorola Droid smart­phone, point­ing out some of [...]

  • Jack

    Have IPods but I have never used ITunes….
    I use windows media and a program that I downloaded off of the internet. MUCH BETTER!

  • http://www.yp-cp3.co.uk/the-ultimate-threat-to-apple-iphone-verizon-droid/ The Ultimate Threat to Apple iPhone : Verizon Droid

    [...] Google, Motorola and Verizon have put in their best into this phone and the idea is definitely to take on Apple’s iPhone directly. Industry experts who have been around the phone are buzzing about it. As things get [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Cool_Fx/1806777706 Cool Fx

    I’m so happy to see Verizon bring the Motorola Droid to the marketplace. I have the LG Dare, but will take a serious look at this phone. My husband has had both AT&T and Sprint (as required by his company) and their service is sub-par at best…he is constantly dropped STILL even though they say they are adding towers all the time and we live in a major metropolitan area. I, on the other hand, can count on one hand how many times I have been dropped in the last 5 years. I am often, when traveling, the only person who has a signal in remote or less populated areas as well. But when you don’t know any different than AT&T service or Sprint, you have nothing to compare it to. Eighty seven million plus customers can’t be wrong! Way to go Verizon. Discuss more on http://www.Motorola-Droid.org a place for Droid owners.

  • Wayne B

    Yeah the memory card on the iPhone is HUGE.

  • Wayne B

    But they _are_ sticking with AT&T because there is no news to the contrary. Nothing is confirmed, you’re just hoping, that’s all.

    You’re stupid if you do buy an iPhone. Why support a company that doesn’t support you? Enjoy your walled garden.

  • http://mobilegreenguy.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/vzn-takes-on-iphone-widont-too-funny/ VZN takes on iPhone w/iDon’t… Too funny. « Mobile Green Guy

    [...] have launched an offensive against the iPhone, with a new campaign called DroidDoes.com for their upcoming [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/the-problem-with-iphone-killers/ The Problem With iPhone Killers…

    [...] While they apparently have had quite a large hand in helping with Droid, it’s Motorola and Verizon that are hyping it big time. But I think Google knows that the Droid isn’t an iPhone killer. Instead, [...]

  • http://www.fun2chill.com/iphone/can-we-kill-i-phone.html Technology – Gadgets – Mobiles – Laptops – Iphone – Mobile Tools » Can We Kill I Phone?…..

    [...] that. While they apparently have had quite a large hand in helping with Droid, it’s Motorola and Verizon that arehyping it big time. But I think Google knows that the Droid isn’t an iPhone killer. Instead, [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/verizon-idont-not-want-the-iphone/ Verizon: iDon’t Not Want The iPhone

    [...] from the first Verizon commercial about the Droid project, it would seem that they clearly believe it is better than the iPhone. But [...]

  • Wayne B

    “most non-technical users”

    Are you sure that you want to make that broad of a statement? You’re assuming that you know how most non-technical users feel just because you are one.

    Besides the assumption, your argument has a logical flaw. You’re asking “why change”, yet the only thing that you can really count on in this world is that things generally CAN and DO change, whether you understand it or not.

    Suffice it to say that when there is a better option on a better network and it’s the same price or lower (or even slightly higher), most people will want to change. This is not an assumption. It’s a simple fact that people generally want a better deal than what they have.

  • bcos

    @MIKE: “plus, its for faggots”

    While I give you credit for correctly not using an apostrophe in “its” you lose major points for the homophobic comment. Would you say that say that face-to-face to a homosexual? I suspect you’re better than that and wouldn’t. You should to spend some time talking to gay folk about the power of the word “faggot.”

    In the future please consider not using homophobic comments to describe software (or anything else).

  • Dan

    You all are missing a very big point here… it’s not trying to BEAT the iPhone. It’s trying to contend with it, because that’s simply all VZW needs. It has the customer base already, it’s not asking for people to transfer from AT&T, it just wants to tell everyone who has VZW already “Hey, just in case you were looking into the iPhone, you don’t have to.”

    I’m going to buy this phone, and I personally love Verizon, but Apple has made a great product, based off of “Keep it simple, Stupid.” They’re easy to use, easy to familiarize yourself with, but some people just don’t want to switch networks and don’t want to deal with the hassle of Apple’s overpriced shit. I’ve seen just as many problems between coverage areas between Verizon and AT&T (I had both for a while for a contract job). That’s not in this ad, it’s not a point theyre trying to make. They’ve made it before.. but that’s not what they’re aiming for here.

    TL;DR:
    VZW doesn’t give a shit about what AT&T is going to do, it’s just securing the customers it’s already got (but I’m sure they wouldn’t mind a few “converts”)

  • http://www.adwords-articles.com/blog/g1-phone/see-android-2-0-in-the-emulator-without-the-droid/ See Android 2.0 in the emulator without the Droid – Adwords articles

    [...] These instuctions over at Androidandme do a good job of displaying the steps to install the simplified SDK and viewing Android 2.0, which is the operating system for Verizons Droid smartphone from motorola. [...]

  • http://laimeasilli.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/kannykkamarkkinoista-3qlla/ Kännykkämarkkinoista 3Q:lla « Rakas sijoituspäiväkirjani

    [...] Droid on CDMA-pohjainen älyluuri jonka USA:n suurin operaattori Verizon ottaa myyntiinsä ja mainoskampanja on Applen iPhonea ja sen puutteita vastaan suunnattu. Aiemmin on ollut spekulaatioita että Apple tekisi iPhonestaan CDMA-variantin Verizonille mutta [...]

  • peetee

    @O.P of this comment, how bitter Again, judgment day on Nov. 6 Will the droid be welcomed by us, humans?

    detailed preview: http://tinyurl.com/droid-finally-release-good-bad

    and it came to pass that the waiting has finally been ended

  • NormalGuy

    Actually, bcos, he didn’t even get the apostrophe part correct- the proper written statement would have been “… Plus, it’s for faggots.” You see, the proper, unabridged sentence would have been “it IS for faggots,” so therefore, the contraction of “IT” and “IS,” namely “IT’S” would have been the proper way to go.

    Of course, someone of such limited intellect who would actually use the word “faggots” at all, let alone get so upset about anyone’s preference in software usage, couldn’t be expected to remember such a simple f*#king rule.

    Idiot.

  • http://shannonturlington.com/2009/11/05/lots-of-google-news-and-link-love-but-im-not-kissing-up/ Lots of Google news and link love (but I’m not kissing up) « Blog, by Shannon

    [...] you’ve seen that commercial for the new Motorola Droid phone that attack the iPhone head on? If not, go here to watch it. I likes [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Pinoy_Tutorial/100000073413695 Pinoy Tutorial

    We hate to say this to some apple fans, but this droid release by Motorola seems to be a killer for iPhone.

    Thanks to boygenius, we can finally see first-hand what should the look and feel of the hottest droid phone

    Our summarized review: http://tinyurl.com/droid-finally-release-good-bad

  • Motorola Droid user

    I just got my Verizon Motorola Droid,it’s a great handset,a Verizon cell phone blog sharing the tutorial for us,check them.

    How to transfer music files between Verizon Motorola Droid and PC
    http://www.verizon-cellphone.org/10-stepstransfer-music-files-between-verizon-motorola-droid-and-pc.html/

    Verizon Motorola Droid A855 Tricks:Change the home page/browser start
    http://www.verizon-cellphone.org/verizon-motorola-droid-a855-trickschange-the-home-pagebrowser-start.html/

  • Diabl0

    WOW droid does a price drop again? What could be more sweeter than that.. So wait around for 1 month and see droid drop’s it price again.. maybe to 100 USD only? That will be insane

    http://bit.ly/motororola-droid-120-usd-at-dell-insane

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/26/sidebar-delivers-personalized-mobile-apps-and-content-to-the-android/ Sidebar Delivers Personalized Mobile Apps And Content To The Android

    [...] is built for all Google-powered Android phones, the app has been configured specially for the newly released Verizon Droid. Android users can download the app [...]

  • http://www.stoth.com/2009/11/26/sidebar-delivers-personalized-mobile-apps-and-content-to-android/ Sidebar Delivers Personalized Mobile Apps And Content To Android | Stoth

    [...] is built for all Google-powered Android phones, the app has been configured specially for the newly released Verizon Droid. Android users can download the app [...]

  • http://www.techgearx.com/with-nexus-one-is-google-eating-its-own-dogfood-or-its-own-children/ With Nexus One, Is Google Eating Its Own Dogfood Or Its Own Children? |

    [...] was seen as the Android platform’s Messiah by some, and the one phone that could maybe hold a candle to the iPhone. Sales have been good, and the general consensus is that the phone is a winner. But [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/12/29/nexus-one-google-droid/ With Nexus One, Is Google Eating Its Own Dogfood Or Its Own Children?

    [...] was seen as the Android platform’s Messiah by some, and the one phone that could maybe hold a candle to the iPhone. Sales have been good, and the general consensus is that the phone is a winner. But [...]

  • http://internettechnologieblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/verizon-gegen-den-iphone-in-seinem-feld.html Internet technologie: Verizon gegen den IPhone in seinem Feld, um den Motorola DROID anzuzeigen

    [...] DROID, mit dem sie vorhaben, ihm Marktquote im Telefon von Apple wegzunehmen. Diese von Verizon haben schon den ersten Handelsvertreter vorgestellt, um den Motorola DROID zu befördern, in dem sie auch "dem IPhone Rohr" geben. Es [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/05/apple-google-carriers/ Apple And Google Just Tag Teamed The U.S. Carriers

    [...] wrote that the time, that device too, was never about that from Google’s perspective (though it was from Verizon’s). It was about continuing to inundate the market with their devices and gain partnerships. With [...]

  • http://www.techgearx.com/apple-and-google-just-tag-teamed-the-u-s-carriers/ Apple And Google Just Tag Teamed The U.S. Carriers |

    [...] wrote that the time, that device too, was never about that from Google’s perspective (though it was from Verizon’s). It was about continuing to inundate the market with their devices and gain partnerships. With [...]

  • http://littlemongoose.com/?p=42 Apple And Google Just Tag Teamed The U.S. Carriers « Little Mongoose

    [...] as I wrote that the time, that device too, was never about that from Google’s perspective (though it was from Verizon’s). It was about continuing to inundate the market with their devices and gain partnerships. With [...]

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