Update: Boy Genius has an advanced preview up for the Droid rocking Android 2.0. His take away:

The Droid isn’t an iPhone competitor because nothing at this point in time is an iPhone competitor besides the new iPhone. And things don’t have to be right now. Everyone can eat. So will the Motorola Droid be successful? Absolutely, we think. It will eat in to BlackBerry sales, Windows Mobile sales, and positively murder any lingering Palm Pre sales. It’s that good. Did you notice how Verizon still hasn’t announced the BlackBerry Storm2?

Original: This time it wasn’t the blogshinobi who leaked more details on Verizon’s upcoming Motorola Droid “iPhone Killer”, but good old Moto itself, according to Android Central:

Motorola just went live with the official Droid webpage and it went into beautifully excruciating detail about this most anticipated device. The early publishing of the website is no longer available but Motorola’s mistake is our gain, now we don’t have to wait til October 28th to get the nitty gritty specs.

And those specs are a fairly impressive:

• Android 2.0 ‘Eclair’
• 3.7-inch WVGA (480×854), 16:9 touchscreen
• 550 MHz processor
• 6 oz (169g)
• 2.4 x 4.6 x.5 inches (60×115.80×13.70mm)
• 3.5mm headphone jack (yes, HTC has now made this a feature for Android)
• Broswer will support Flash 10 in 2010
• Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth, microUSB (comes with 16gb microSDHC card)
• 1400 mAh battery (rated at nearly 6 and a half hours of usage time)
• 5 megapixel camera with image stabilization, 4x zoom, dual-led Flash, and auto-focus
• the color is listed as: ‘Licorice w/ brown sugar accents’

So Android is now taking a page from Windows Mobile and really pushing the hardware. Is this finally enough to force Apple into raising its own spec game? (TiPb did ask for an iPhone HD last year already). And if so, will next June be soon enough to keep the new generation of competitors at bay?

Or were Tim Cook and Fake Steve (twice) right, that usability and unified platform are the killer iPhone advantages, and on those terms, Apple is still way ahead of the competition?

If the latter, should Windows Mobile (which uses the same split software model and hardware partners), and BlackBerry (which used to have Verizon’s spotlight) be worried?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

UPDATED: Verizon/Motorola Droid Revealed, Kicks iPhone in the Specs

20 years before there was Verizon’s iPhone iDoesn’t… and Droid does campaign, there was Sega Does and Nintendon’t.

Be interesting to see if it works out better for Droid than it did for Sega…

[via Daring Fireball]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Monday Fun Video: Before Verizon’s iPhone iDoesn’t, There Was Sega’s Nintendon’t

Just a few days ago Verizon started their iDoesn’t campaign specifically targeting Apple’s iPhone. Well late last night images started to emerge all over the blogs, including our very own Android Central, giving us a sneak peek to what may be some legitimate iPhone competition. After a hands on, BGR came away mighty impressed. Here are just a few of the highlights spotlighted by BGR:

• It’s thin. Just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS and the thinnest QWERTY-slider we’ve ever seen.
• It is the fastest Android device we’ve ever used. (It’s running a TI OMAP3430 processor)
• Awesome capacitive display. Plus it’s huge. Easily the best screen we’ve ever seen on an Android handset, and an amazing screen overall.

The specs seem impressive but I’m not sold on the look of the device yet. What are your thoughts on this new Motorola Android device? Do you think Apple is shaking in their boots? Let us know in the comments!

[Via Android Central via BGR]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

The Competition: Motorola Droid Images Emerge

First up, the highly anticipated HTC Hero is in Android Central’s house, and Casey gives us a look at the decidedly non-Google Android phone and SenseUI, something closer akin to HTC’s previous Windows Mobile powered TouchFLO3D. And we think he likes it:

We believe that you’ll be stunned at how easy it is to use and how polished it all works. If you’re looking from the myTouch 3G or T-Mobile G1, you can’t help but be jealous of the Hero. The UI offers a great experience while still maintaining the same lovely Android and even adds a better browser! We have no hesitation in saying that the HTC Hero is the best Android phone available and after using HTC Sense, will be for quite some time.

Next up, I don’t think we’ve ever mentioned “Motorola” and “competition” to the iPhone in the same paragraph before, but with the introduction of the CLIQ, their first device running Google’s Android OS, do we have to stop chuckling at the mere concept?

Maybe. We often say (okay, Chad often says) that Apple designed the iPhone for RAZR users — the first dead-simple, consumer-friendly smartphone. Well Moto built the RAZR, and now they’ve built MOTOBLUR, a new, hyper-social network focused new layer on top of Android designed to hook the heart of the Twitter/FaceBook generation (yes, Icebike, I campout firmly in the former). And they’ve put it on a G1/Dream-style horizontal slider.

Have they succeeded? Engadget says:

Let’s be very clear: though it fares pretty competitively against the aging crop of Google-powered devices on the market today, the CLIQ isn’t the Android phone to end all Android phones. Then again, it’s not supposed to be — at least, we hope it isn’t — because a smallish HVGA display and an overworked, outmatched MSM7201A core aren’t going to win any believers that haven’t already been won over by HTC’s stable. What the CLIQ does do, though, is lay the groundwork for something better — a Motorola that doesn’t cause eyes to roll, a Motorola that makes aspirational phones that people can want to own again.

One thing’s clear, however. The competition is focusing on the social networks, something Apple’s never been historically good at, and something they may still not quite understand. Is it an achilles heel for the iPhone? Not yet, especially not with the App Store. But there’s no MOTOBLUR or widgets or Synergy in the App Store yet, and likely there won’t be given SDK restrictions. So, Apple, howsabout 4.0?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

The Competition: HTC Gets a Hero and Motorola Goes Android with CLIQ

The Motorola MOTOROKR S305 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones [$49.95 - TiPb Store link] for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G are great for enjoying your music on the go. Whether you’re on your daily jog or spending some time in the gym, these headphones are the perfect fit that will not hurt your wallet.

Read more after the break!

I’ll be honest and say I have never been a fan of Bluetooth stereo headphones but Motorola’s S305 has recently made me a fan. All of you active people out there can put these headphones to good use. Heck, with what these headphones actually bring to the table, you can take full advantage of them while lounging around your home.

In the box you get the S305 wireless stereo headphones, microUSB travel charger, and getting started guide. Syncing to your iPhone is a breeze and once you are all set up you can enjoy your music and phone calls with high performance and remarkable wireless sound up to 33 feet – priceless.

For those of you who are not a fan of in-ear earbuds, you are in luck with the S305’s very comfy setup. These headphones are extremely lightweight and fit comfortably with the out of ear 1.2-inch pods. On the outside of one of the pod’s housing you get some controls – audio track navigation, volume, and call controls. Along with the comfortable fit you also get a excellent battery life. Expect a talk time of up 6.5 hours, music time of 6 hours, and standby time of up to 4 days.

The Motorola MOTOROKR S305 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones are not too shabby. With their very low price point of $49.95, you can’t go wrong.

Learn More and Purchase via TiPb’s iPhone Store >>

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Motorola MOTOROKR S305 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones for iPhone 3GS & iPhone 3G

In the Box

The Motorola H15 box contains with the headset, two additional ear cushions for comfort, cradle and charge cable (it is not a USB cable, but it plugs into the headset and cradle only, not the computer).

Design

The Motorola H15 is one sweet looking headset! It is not only lightweight, but has a transparent earloop and a couple or selectable ear pieces with a flip microphone. The best way to describe the H15 is that is an evolution of the 700. There is also and accompanying charge cradle which makes for an excellent accessory addition. The noise cancellation feature is one of the main selling points of this device and Motorola states that it is best noise-cancellation headset currently available.

Daily Use

I found the noise-cancellation to work really well. I could not find any supportive documentation in Motorola’s claims that it is the best (the Jawbone headsets are spectacular) however, I can honestly say that none of my call recipients ever complained of any poor call quality due to background noise from driving, shopping, etc. The flip microphone is one of my favorite features. It seems simple enough, but not all headsets implement it; the microphone flips to open and doubles as an on/off switch for the headset. The transparent earloop is quite handy and is somewhat invisible. It keeps the headset in place in conjunction with the ear piece.

Speaking of the ear piece, I swear I have malformed ear canals. Every headset I have used with an ear piece never seems to fit properly. However, this is the closest I have come across (yes, even better than the Jawbone). There are three included ear piece sizes to choose from, however, only one seems to work best for me with extended use; but one is all you need, right?

One of the really nice benefits to this headset is the cradle. I don’t know about you, but I loathe having to plug my headsets into random wall sockets only to have my headset fall on the floor because it is not stationary. So the cradle Motorola provides is a great help to me; I have it sitting next to my iPhone on my desk and it’s safe and stationary. There is also a light on the front indicating charge status, so you know when you are good to go.

The other convenient feature about this headset is that it is tested with over 200 existing phones. This is great because sometimes you might want to use the headset with an additional phone, or let your significant other or friend borrow your headset, and it may not work. This device is thoroughly tested to work with a wide variety of models.

Conclusion

It seems that lately I am on a stellar track of reviewing awesome accessories for the iPhone and the Motorola H15 does not disappoint. I love the look and feel, the call quality, comfort and cradle. All of these variables combine into a great, well-rounded Bluetooth headset. If you are looking for a headset in this price range, you cannot go wrong with the H15!

Pros:

• One of the hottest looking headsets (IMO)
• Very lightweight
• Love the collapsible flip boom for power on/off
• Comfortable transparent earloop to help keep the headset in place

Cons:

• No glaring negative issues!
• More ear cushion sizes would be nice
• True USB cable to plug directly into your computer for charging

TiPb’s Rating:

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Motorola MOTOPURE H15 Bluetooth Headset

Motorola’s RAZR stood atop cellular handsets in the US, in terms of sales, for the past 3 years. Well as of today, it stands no longer. According to the market research firm NPD, enter in our new #1: iPhone 3G.

Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for NPD said:

“The displacement of the RAZR by the iPhone 3G represents a watershed shift in handset design from fashion to fashionable functionality, four of the five best-selling handsets in the third quarter were optimized for messaging and other advanced Internet features.”

It seems U.S. consumers are looking for a few good but common features. 43 percent of consumers stated they needed a camera, while another 36 percent needed the ability to send SMS messages. Phones with a physical QWERTY keyboard showed the greatest year-over-year rise in sales. 30 percent of devices sold happened to have QWERTY keyboards, which was up 11 percent from the previous year.

All of this news coming days after it was announced that Apple has taken the number 2 smartphone spot away from RIM. And that is worldwide, not just in the US. Life must be grand for Steve Jobs…

It has taken Apple a very short time to reach this position, would it be wise to assume that it is only a matter of time for it to become #1 worldwide?

[Via Appleinsider]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Motorola RAZR Takes Back Seat to the New #1: iPhone 3G!

Not evil twin to theiPhoneBlog.com Week in Review, not an invasion by Fake Steve, This Week in Smart Phone Schadenfreude brings you all the feel-better news you need about the smartphone world outside Apple’s current media dominator. (Who knew there was such a world? We were just as surprised! Inelegant, interface challenged, keyboardy, crashy, single-touchy place — best not to linger…). Join us as we mock review the big news from last week at our sister sites. Everybody loves sibling rivalry!

This week: Zilch again. Nadda. We’re too busy getting ready to cover the no doubt universe denting news Apple will unleash at “Let’s Rock” on Tuesday. And, frankly, so is the competition. Face it, they’ve been quiet as little blue-OLED mice lately.

Blackberryboss Lazeridis is all dressed up like Leo Laporte and is already lining up in San Francisco to find out what Apple’s releasing this year… so he can release it next. Palm-Top Colligan’s not releasing anything new until Nova ships sometime in 2012, and Larry and Sergey have shifted the focus off Android and onto their new Chrome browser, which we just know they’ve been running on gLinux in-house for years but is somehow only released (in what will not doubt be perpetual Beta) for Windows.

And speaking of Windows, Steve Ballmer’s off preparing an extra-special CES-sized Monkey Boy dance (YouTube it) for his first adult Keynote since Bill Gates retired to make $10,000,000 mockumentaries with Jerry Seinfeld (Wikipedia him).

No doubt they’ll return to their usually scheduled schedules next week, and so will we!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

This Week in Smartphone Schadenfreude, September 6th Edition

Not evil twin to theiPhoneBlog.com Week in Review, not an invasion by Fake Steve, This Week in Smart Phone Schadenfreude brings you all the feel-better news you need about the smartphone world outside Apple’s current media dominator. (Who knew there was such a world? We were just as surprised! Inelegant, interface challenged, keyboardy, crashy, single-touchy place — best not to linger…). Join us as we mock review the big news from last week at our sister sites. Everybody loves sibling rivalry!

This week: Boldly browsing (or not), AppClones, HTC’s dreaming, and Treo requiem.

The Bold and the Buggered

We can’t even make fun of this. Seriously. It harshens even our mellow. Crackberry Kevin spent days and days simply trying to get a freaking javascript enabled website to load up on his state-of-the-RIM Blackberry Bold, and basically every other Bold he could get his addicted fingers on, and word is he’s still waiting for the progress bar to hit 2%.

Yeesh, who does RIM think it is, shipping a buggy, clearly pre-release firmware on one of the most hotly anticipated handsets of the year? Apple?

Official List of Blackberry OS 4.6 Features and Enhancements

First!

Okay. Fine. Crackberry.com deserves some bragging rights over predicting the new RIM iClone… er… Touchscreen Blackberry would be called both the Thunder and the Storm. However, as any long term reader of this column (hi mom!) knows, WE were the first ones to bust out ThunderStorm and it’s inherent brando-confuso. NOT them. Us. So on behalf the the TWiSS nation:

Nailed it!

(And when Microsoft finally unveils WinVistaZuneMob for Windows Live! (Technology Preview), we’ll be right back to claim credit for that to!)

That Ain’t a Browser

While they may handle Javascript better than the Bold (and likely Flash better than the iPhone!), Crackberry claiming Nokia leads in “Mobile Bowsers” just because they’ve jammed a WAP rendering engine on 8 kazillion frighteningly insecure feature phones is like claiming Microsoft Paint is the premiere graphics package in the world just because it ships on every Windows PC since 3.1 (Take that, Photoshop!).

When it comes to the really realz browser champion of the world, if Crackberry even dreams of calling it any other way, they better wake up and apologize to the iPhone…

Putting the Carts Before the Stores

First came the iPhone, then came the iClones. Next came the App Store, so now we’re getting the Aped Stores. Kinda. Google is doing one for Android called Market (because it’s not a store, get it?), which has no production units yet, and it looks like Microsoft is doing one for Windows Mobile Se7en called SkyMarket, which has no modern SDK.

We suppose it stands to reason that, what with the App Store making developers money handset over fist, all the commodity OS makers would try to duplicate it. Would that they would spend half the time or effort, however, duplicating the innovative spirit and business prescience that drove App Store.

(And seriously, SkyMarket?! To fit in so perfectly with Xbox Marketplace and Zune Marketplace? What, we’re supposed to believe Windows Mobile Marketplace was taken? Does it tie in to SkyDrive, and leverage Mesh? Could Microsoft’s branding be anymore broken? We can’t even make fun of it anymore, because every week they come out with something funnier than we ever could… yeesh!)

Does Android Dream of Engadget Peeps?

We’ve got to give full faith and credit to HTC, they actually made manifest a handset that so totally embodies the palette and yet completely misses the spirit of the Google home page. Bravo-oh.

Given the 87 fold out slider keyboards this gPhone sports, however, why couldn’t they squeeze in a hardware button for “I’m feeling lucky”?

Xperia’ncing Delays

HTC must be super busy pumping out phones for Google, Palm, and… themselves, what with Sony being pushed back to 2009 (which can feel like decades in gadget time). We could joke that they’re waiting on WinVistaMob for Windows Live! Se7en (Technology Preview) to hit, but that’s more likely to be 2012 on the outside… What’s especially confusion is that Dieter actually used the Xperia waaaaaaay back in April and it seemed to be working fine. His thoughts on the delay?

Good luck to ya, SE, given how long you’ve been working on this since we saw it, we suspect you’re going to need it.

You Only Look Twice, Mr. Bohn

Speaking of Dieter, his mega-super-ultra-everything-plus-the-kitchen-sync-and-pipes Treo Pro review is now online, finishing the “beauty and beast” double feature that began with the 800w a month back. As we’re unlikely to see any more Treo’s out of Palm this year, and certainly nothing rocking NovaOS 2.0 (What comes after Garnet and Cobalt anyway… Kryptonite?) it’s be best to savor these. The truly masochistic among us might even want to join Malatesta for second look…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

This Week in Smartphone Schadenfreude, August 30th Edition

Bluetooth headsets are becoming increasingly popular, on a common day you’d run into plenty of people using these hands-free devices. Some make you look like a bionic man, others simply look bland, but there are a rare few that makes your head turn. The Motorola H9 Bluetooth Headset ($89.95) falls in that head-turner, borderline sexy category.

Sculpted to be no larger than a quarter, the Motorola H9 is sleek, lightweight, and unmistakably TINY. How can they fit a capable Bluetooth Headset in such a small package? Does it sacrifice performance for the sake of good looks? Is it even useful?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

Obviously, with such a strong emphasis on the size of the Motorola H9, it better be jaw droppingly small and impressive. And to that fact, it is, the headset is amazingly small yet it still manages to remain sturdy and look sleek.

A blue indicator light illuminates the shiny silver on the front face of the Bluetooth headset. Though eye-catching to most, some may find it annoying so pressing all of the control buttons can turn it off. But there is no denying that the Motorola H9 is one of the better looking Bluetooth headsets available, its combination of good looks and superb build quality makes it without a doubt, a high end set.

However, with such a strong emphasis on the size and design, Motorola keeps the functions of the H9 to a minimum. The key control is simple—a main multi button and standard volume buttons. The H9 is designed as an in-ear headset, so those that dislike the in-ear design should obviously stay away. Also, though the headset is tiny in size, it is a bit thicker than expected.

Usability

Because of the H9’s in-ear design the headset will take some getting used to. Though the lightweight of the H9 helps this issue, the in-ear design may not be for everyone. Also, It doesn’t come with an ear loop so though it is secure for daily use—running or even light jogging will probably dislodge the headset.

The fit is decent, after you get used to the in-ear design it slowly grows on you. It isn’t immediately comfortable like those from the Plantronics Line but it’s not uncomfortable either. The fit will probably boil down to how forgiving you are of in-ear designs.

Since there isn’t room for a charging port on the headset itself, the H9 is accompanied by a charging cradle. To charge, you insert the mini-USB port to the cradle and place the headset on the cradle. The charging cradle doubles as a portable charging unit, which is necessary since the H9 itself only holds 1.5 hour of talk time. With the charging cradle, you can add an extra 6 hours albeit at a 1.5 hour a time pace.

Overall, the Bluetooth headset performs solidly—earning rave reviews in more quiet areas but having problems in slightly noisier environments. It’s amazing that such a small piece of technology can perform as well as bigger-sized products. Though callers complained of background noise such as other voices and wind, when I used the H9 in the car, it performed quite well. The in-ear ear buds worked to keep the incoming audio quality clear because it manages to block out exterior noise.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be honest, with such a tiny design the Motorola H9 will obviously have some limitations. Pointedly, the battery life is a concern for constant travelers not everyone may prefer the fit. Luckily, Motorola packaged a charging cradle that offers a boost to the headset’s battery life and the in-ear design blocks out background noise and isn’t all that uncomfortable.

The most important aspect of the Motorola H9 is that it attempts to be unique in the bland world of Bluetooth Headsets and to that extent, it succeeds. The audio quality is near flawless in a quiet setting and it keeps pace with comparable (but bigger) headsets in noisy environments. If you’re looking for a long-lasting Bluetooth headset and your commute is noisy, the Motorola H9 is not for you. But if you want a stylish design that doesn’t skimp on quality, look no further.

PROS

• Incredibly Small Design
• Great Audio Quality in Quiet Environments
• In-Ear Ear Buds Makes For Outstanding Incoming Audo
• Stylish Look

CONS

• Short Battery Life
• Average Performer in Noisy Environments
• In Ear Design May Put Off Some

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Motorola H9 Bluetooth Headset