Posted on 07/16/2010 1:48:45 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Motorola Droid X launched Thursday and is already sold out, exceeding Verizon's demand expectations. The carrier had said that there would be no Droid X shortage, but the initial online stock of the hot Android smartphone is now exhausted, with the next shipping date pushed back to July 23. Many Verizon Wireless retail stores and Best Buys around the U.S. are reporting low or no stock.
The Droid X is this summer's flagship Google Android phone, selling for $200, after a $100 online discount on Verizon's site. It has a roomy 4.3-inch display, an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, and runs on a 1GHz processor with Android 2.1 on board.
If you still want to get a Droid X, it appears some Verizon stores across the country still have limited numbers of the device, but you won't be able to get the instant $100 discount. Instead, you will have to get the $100 mail-in rebate.
Anti-Hack and Brick Warnings Reports surfaced on Thursday warning enterprising Droid X users that the phone could be rendered useless if rooted, due to an encrypted bootloader installed on the device. Basically, if you try to hack the device and install Android 2.2 by yourself (Motorola says it will roll out the update later this summer), then you might end up with a bricked phone.
The Droid X has a chip inside also known as eFuse, which verifies if you are using the correct software shipped with the devices, or approved by the manufacturer. If the check fails, the phone is rendered useless.
(Excerpt) Read more at pcworld.com ...
For those interested in the Internet Phone market wars, here’s more report from the same source for perspective....
“Apple’s flash iPhone 4 has been plagued with a flurry of negative reports regarding the “death grip” — a phenomenon happening when you hold the phone in a certain way.
For the last few weeks, this issue has been topping the headlines, giving the Droid X an opportunity to shine. Motorola took advantage of the iPhone 4 troubles, and even published an ad in the New York Times mocking Apple’s device.
It is yet to be seen how many devices Motorola and Verizon sold in the first few days, so all bets are on whether the Droid X will manage to sell more than the iPhone 4’s 1.7 million magic number.”
I love the Android OS and will do anything to avoid Apple products. However, there is no way in hell that that the Droid X will come anywhere close to the iPhone4 in sales.
btt
Co-worker got one today, and wow, it’s pretty large, fast and fun. I’m a Blackberry user and wont change, but it was more enjoyable than the other PDA’s I’ve played with. The screen is huge, it has a cool ridge on the back so the finger can hold it a little more securely and the screen definition blows by BB Tour away. Just my 2cents.
Too bad the battery life absolutely sucks! I’ll stick with my Motorola Q9c for the time being.
Motorola needs a hit.
My predictions: It will generally be popular, but people will be severely disappointed with the camera quality, somewhat disappointed with battery life (and the wars will begin between those who say to use and not to use a task manager), and while they’ll love the large screen they’ll eventually notice how bad it is for reading with the low resolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bcryQUuDwM
I came across this cartoon looking for comparison’s between the I-Phone and other ones.
After he talks about the replacable batteries in the other brand the language gets REALLY bad. Before that it is pretty funny! The guy that created it got fired from his job at Best Buy when his bosses found out!
“I need an I-Phone 4”
Doing many new functions now and keep a charger at home and in the car. But I enjoy being able to do much more than before. Good for my business also.
Next year, I'll look at phones again. I have heard I can down load the next droid software 2.2? without a new phone.
I like apple, but my wife was experiencing many drops and so we went to verizon.
Just got mine in from Fed Ex this afternoon and setting it up.
Nice big screen and fast.
That review read like a 2008 NYT endorsement of Obama.
Download taskiller and task bar.
I just kill all after boot so the only background programs are the ones that I’m using and turned off autosync. I went from having about 15% battery life at the end of the day to 50%. It gives me plenty of buffer so if I need to spend a few hours on line, I still don’t need to recharge during the day. I don’t have a droid but it would probably work for you too.
Of course the mini USB connector makes recharging easy, I have extra cords at work, at home and even one floating around somewhere in the car.
My wife is looking at one of the new Samsung superphones, they look pretty good but the T-Mobile genius button made a pretty big impression on her so she still hasn’t made up her mind.
Ordered mine yesterday at 5:45am Eastern. Was supposed to be shipped yesterday with free overnight delivery. Today, I find out they ran out of stock at 2:30pm, and even though I ordered well before then, I got caught up in that. Looks like Verizon is pulling another Droid Incredible.
Sheesh ! Will all this rush to madness, I am beginning to feel that we are out of the recession...
If this is akin to the great depression as many people are telling us, where’s everyone getting the dough to afford these toys ?
My contract ends at the end of August and I will be getting a Droid X. Can't wait!
Sheesh ! With all this rush to madness, I am beginning to feel that we are out of the recession...
If this is akin to the great depression as many people are telling us, where’s everyone getting the dough to afford these toys ?
These are not the Droids you’re looking for. HAH!
BTW, I have a Nexus One and it rocks. The Nexus One is far better than the iPhone. I can hold my phone any way I want and still make calls!
It’s too bad both Verizon and ATT’s data plan alone costs more than my entire monthly charge per line.
Deficit spending.
Well I just got a new job, so... Plus, I sacrifice other things. The extra $30 unlimited data plan means 6 fewer lunches out- and that’s fine by me.
I’m youngish (29), I’ve got a stable job where I make good money, no wife, no kids, and my only debt is my house (car is paid for). I’ve already got a smartphone (Samsung Omnia) and my NE2 is up, so basically I’m upgrading my phone without much cost and paying the same amount for service. I’m not one of those people who gets a new phone every three months (it’s been two years), but I do like my toys.
I'd like to find a nice phone under < 3oz so it can feel somewhat lightweight in my pocket - no heavyweight anchors needed.
A Nexus One has almost the same resolution, yet the screen is only 3.7 inches. But at least it's better than the EVO.
An interesting point, but I think people are “trading down” in many cases.
IOW instead of getting a thrill buying a new car or big vacation, they’re getting a trendy phone.
Which compares really well to carrying around a laptop. My previous computers since 2003 have been laptops, but to be honest, their portability doesn't really count for much since I mostly keep them on my desk. I have decided, however, that one of these phones, plus a desktop computer, will replace my laptop. The phone will be my mobile computer, and the desktop stays at home. And while larger than a regular phone, they are still small enough that I will actually take the phone somewhere, where I would rarely take the computer.
I’d like to see more chassis (chassai?) whose frame & back side is made from rubberized plastic that is much lighter than the metal (aluminum & chrome) versions and offer more shock absorption. I understand what you’re saying but I want a lightweight phone that doesn’t feel like an anchor in my pocket...and has EXCELLENT voice quality. When I travel, I have a small, 9” netbook that is FAR MORE functional than a cellphone for email & websurfing.
A Nexus One has almost the same resolution, yet the screen is only 3.7 inches. But at least it's better than the EVO.
A buddy of mine at work is an iPhone 3gs owner that had a bad case substituting news of what everyone else was buying for actual research. Myself and another geek co-worker had some fun with him one lunch drilling him on just what about iPods and iPhones made them superior to all other products. He was sure that Apple "revolutionized" music players but couldn't really provide any details how. (Hey, we're guys, we pick on each other. No, we're not growing up, stop asking) He's since come back down to earth with the much more reasonable position that Apple's makes some very decent products that are superior to others in some ways, ie. interface, appearance, and actually not as as good as other products in other ways, ie. removable batteries, iTunes requirement.
Frustrated with AT&T (me too, we're treated daily to Verizon folks getting and making phone calls standing next to us while we can't get a speck of signal) and leary of the iPhone4 antenna issue he's looking at leaving possibly his soon-to-end contract and buying something besides an iPhone. Likes my Nexus One but is keeping his options open.
With that (long) context I arrive at my point, he was looking at another co-workers Evo and commented that while the big screen is very nice, the device is too big for someone that doesn't carry a purse. We might be topping out on how big screens can be on a "phone".
thanx
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