On June 23rd, 2010, Google/Android, Verizon, and Adobe release two new incarnations of their best-selling smartphone, the Droid. Smartphone aficionados will be able to select from the Droid X or Droid 2. That begs the question, “whats the diff?”
The Droid 2 is essentially a better Droid. Equipped with a faster processor (750mHz), a better keyboard, and the same size screen, the Droid 2 represents what the Droid probably should have been.
The Droid X is the future of the Droid line. “X” comes with the 1-GHz processor, a larger 854 x 480 resolution touchscreen, and HDMI port, an 8 megapixel camera, 8GB of internal storage, and Android 2.1. Droid X also records 720p HD video.
That being said, in the near future (July or August 2010) a new Droid will step out of the shadows. The version is aptly named the Droid “Shadow.”
On June 24th, 2010, Apple and AT&T releases, finally, the iPhone 4. In my opinion, if the iPhone shipped with your choice of creamy filling, people would still camp-out at their friendly neighborhood AT&T store.
Apple iPhone 4 ships with the best screen ever on an Apple iPhone, 3.5″ screen with 960×640 resolution, HD video recording, a 5MP camera, video calling, and perhaps the coolest feature of any phone, a gyroscope. The gyroscope gives the iPhone the ability to detect both gravity and motion. Expect some seriously cool apps centered around this capability.
And somehow, everyone is forgetting about the gorilla in the room, RIM’s Blackberry, which owns about 42% of the smartphone market.
On various message boards the vitriol between Apple fanpeople and anti-Apple fanpeople is yet again reaching fever-pitch. Such polarized arenas remind me of difference in religions, antagonism between monotheists and polytheists.
If Apple is God, Jobs is Christ (or at least Abraham), the prophet and voice of Apple. Apple prefers no devices other than its own. Motorola, LG, HTC, and Samsung are false smartphones, pretending to be the one true iPhone.
Apple fanpeople are devout and true to the one true iPhone. One will rarely see an iPhone user backslide to another false smartphone. Notice that when backsliding occurs that person sees their societal position slide, too. Now, they have to sit at another table at lunch, “with those other users,” or, they in sullen silence while iPhone users worship their iPhones.
Apple requires special rituals when using their iPhone. Users that want to advance their iPhone experience must also have an iPad or Mac, must apply to be part of the develop’s group, and must submit their homage/app to the upper echelons at Apple.
Android, on the other hand, allows people to develop at will. Downloading the Android SDK is free. Apps then run on any platform supporting Android, such as Motorola, HTC, LG, or Nexus.
Even Apple has their Judas. AT&T promised to support, encourage, and stand-by Apple and the iPhone. When the pre-order day arrived, however, AT&T was not ready to handle the new Gospel According to Steve. Much disappointment was had by all the fervent followers of Steve and Apple. According to news reports followers persevered and anxiously await the fourth coming of the iPhone.
Are you the monotheist/Apple smartphone user; or, are you the polytheist/Android smartphone user?
This week, you will have the opportunity to decide.
PCWORLD, PCWORLD, digital trends.