Apples Inc.’s iPhone has been a huge hit for the company and is likely on the holiday wish lists of many business executives.
However, other companies are developing new mobile devices in an attempt to compete with the iPhone.
The latest mobile device added to wireless communications industry was from Verizon Wireless on Nov. 6, with the announcement of the Droid with Google by Motorola. The Droid is the first-ever Android 2.0-powered smartphone developed exclusively for Verizon with a partnership with Google. The Android system, created by Google, provides users with high-speed web, voice-activated search and access to widgets and applications from the Android Market.
The Droid is a touch screen, slim slider phone with a full keyboard for texting and email messaging on Verizon’s largest 3G broadband network.
“The Droid pushes the envelope to multi-media browsing to take the laptop experience and convert it down to the handheld device,” said T.J. Fox, president for Illinois and Wisconsin region for Verizon Wireless.
The Droid can be used for multitask messaging, providing connection to exchange email accounts and Gmail email accounts pushed into one email box.
“It is a one-touch customer device connecting corporate emails with MS Exchange and personal accounts all in one color coded box,” Fox said.
The Droid includes 16G of removable memory and a 5MP camera with a dual LED flash.
The Android Market includes more than 12,000 applications, including entertainment, travel and banking categories for the CEO.
The Droid is available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communication stores for $199.99 after mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
Another hot-ticket phone this holiday season is the BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a redesign and release of the BlackBerry Bold 9000. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a smartphone that has access to 3G HSDPA networks including built in GPS, Wi-Fi and a 3.2MP camera.
The BlackBerry Bold 9700, like all BlackBerry devices, has access to numerous applications in the BlackBerry App World, BlackBerry’s one stop shop application store.
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone is expected to be available from carriers in November. Currently the original BlackBerry Bold 9000 is available at AT&T Wireless Communication stores nationwide.
