Hasta La Gadget!

Picking up shiny new Motorola Droid this weekend? Have you fingers crossed for some PC tethering? Well, Verizon has some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that the wireless provider is indeed letting owner utilize their handset as a wireless modem for the computers. The bad news? It’s going to cost you–$30 a month in fact. That’s roughly the price of the phone normal data fees.

Still, at least the companies are offer the feature, unlike some people *cough* AT&T.

You know that smartphone you love, that ultimate expression of handheld convergence that some would call a mobile computer? It’s crap. Or so says octogenarian, Martin Cooper, former lead engineer at Motorola said to have invented the handheld cellphone — really, his name is on the “Radio telephone system” patent and he’s credited with making the very first private handheld cellphone call from a busy New York City street on April 3rd, 1973. Well Marty doesn’t like those newfangled handsets. In fact, according to our sterling Mr. Cooper, “Our future I think is a number of specialist devices that focus on one thing that will improve our lives.” Words uttered this week during a conference in Madrid. Imagine it: a future where we carry a portable radio, film camera, wind-up watch, Kaypro luggable computer, HP calculator, and Atari handheld… oh wait, that was the eighties.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Cellphone inventor says they’ve become ‘too complicated,’ rock-n-roll too loud originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like the DROID invasion is starting a little early — we were just sent these pics of Motorola’s beastly Android slider on sale at an unspecified Best Buy Mobile somewhere deep within America’s heartland. Or perhaps it’s lurking around the fringe of our nation’s coasts. In either case, we’re told BBM reps can sell you a DROID as of today, so it might be worth checking out if you’re not psyched to hit up your local Verizon store at 7AM tomorrow. And do let us know if the DROID ERIS is available, will you?

P.S.- Just got a tip that Wal-Mart is now selling ’em early too. The DROIDs are loose, people. Gather your valuables.

P.P.S.- Target Mobile Solutions, which operates kiosks in California Target stores, has opened the floodgates too — but the catch is that you’ll be paying $249.99 for a new activation, $50 more than Verizon after rebate. Thanks, Tony! (Update: we’re hearing it’s back down to $199.87 now — nice!)

[Thanks, Mike and Jesse]

Continue reading Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile

Filed under: Cellphones

Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not only will people be getting their hands on their shiny new Droid phones on Friday, but Verizon is also throwing in a bonus. Customers in New York City are said to be getting free tickets to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs perform at a secret Droid launch show.

Also, followers of Verizon’s VCast Twitter feed will also have a chance to win tickets.

According to the press release: 

You can be one of the first to experience the brand new Droid by Motorola – the world’s first smartphone with Android 2.0 – available exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network. Follow Verizon Wireless’ New York Street Teams at Twitter.com/vcastmusic to find out where they will be so you can be one of the first to try the Droid out for yourself and win tickets to attend an exclusive celebration in Manhattan’s Lower East Side featuring a performance by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and mingle with celebrity guests including Adrian Grenier, Kim Delaney, Katrina Bowden and more.

Anyone who purchases a Droid on November 6 will also win tickets to attend the event.

For more information visit Twitter.com/vcastmusic.

[Via Prefixmag.com]

When the Motorola DROID debuts in Verizon Wireless stores bright and early this Friday, one nice little feature that won’t be making an appearance yet is tethering, for computing with your laptop on-the-go when that Android 2.0 interface just won’t cut it. We’re pretty sure that missing functionality won’t be lessening the early adopter crowds too much, but if you are so inclined, Gearlog’s confirmed with VZW that its “Broadband Access Connect” tethering plan is indeed coming to the device, but not until sometime early 2010. Now, how about muscling Motorola and / or Google for some of that double-finger pointing our fine European friends get to indulge in?

Filed under: Cellphones

DROID tethering? It’s coming early 2010, says Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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