Digital Products and eBooks

Sometimes I like to look for unusual applications of digital technology.  Other times, I like to look for cool new things in digital technology.  The Motorola Droid smartphone might be one of the coolest things to come along since…well, maybe the iPhone.  I checked, and it looks like Amazon is already set to go with their Motorola Droid gear.

I’ve got nothing against the iPhone.  I don’t personally have one because the cost just seemed to high for what you get.  That and the fact that every time I’ve rushed out to get the first generation of some cool new thing, it seems like something better comes along cheaper in no time flat.  I still recall shaking my head in amazement as people hurried out to drop $500 on the iPhone when it was released.  That was a no-brainer for me.  I didn’t have that kind of money sitting around or burning a hole in my pocket, but I did think it was pretty interesting.

The Droid is supposed to be the first real competition that the iPhone is running into and it even has some features (like free GPS) that out-do the iPhone.  The Droid also offers users the opportunity to use not only a touch screen, but an optional keyboard if they prefer that.

The Motorola Droid was shown off to the public on Wednesday, October 28, 2009.  It will formally be unleased on November 6.  You might want to start the stopwatch if you didn’t already.  It could be exciting to see if this sparks any kind competition that drops prices even more or if any kind of frenzy breaks out like it did when people lined up to get their hands on the iPhone.  If nothing else, this may force prices for iPhone services to drop a bit which is very good news for their owners.  When you take into account a rebate that is being offered by Verizon, the Droid will only cost about $200!  Even tacking on a calling plan that covers the nation will only add on an additional thirty bucks.

Even though Apple isn’t the kind of company to start trembling in its boots over something like this, they have got to be watching very carefully.  I don’t own an iPhone and I don’t plan on rushing out to get a Motorola Droid, but I’ve got to admit that I’m sort of pulling for the underdog in this one.  I think part of it may be that many people I know with iPhones are just a bit snobbish about the fact.  I don’t like to think that I suffer from phone envy, I just get tired of hearing about everything it can do.  I’ve got a Blackberry, and I’m comfortable with that for a while.  I think the other reason this caught my attention is that like it or not, when I hear the name Motorola, I still think of the old walkie talkies we played with when I was a kid.  My how far they’ve come!

You can read more about the Motorola Droid Smartphone at PCWorld.

Here are a couple of video walk through tours of the Motorola Droid that show off some of its many features!

This one is from CNET

and here is one more…

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