I make no secret that I’m a fan of Verizon’s Android phone line – and I appreciate that they let me test out a lot of the gadgets. However, I get a lot of questions about the NAME. I spent 30 minutes once explaining to someone the difference between their HTC Hero Android phone and a Verizon Droid Eris – all due to naming. So Verizon, I may really like your stuff – but I question the naming convention you’ve gotten yourself into.

So here goes …

Droid is a product line of Android (Google) operating system phones from Verizon. If it’s not from Verizon, it may indeed be an Android OS, but it’s not a Droid. For instance, the Sprint EVO and Hero are both running Android OS. However, they are not Droids. A Droid phone has to be Verizon and run Android OS, but can be made by anyone. Right now, Verizon has good relationships with Motorola and HTC.

To make things slightly more confusing, the first phone released in the Verizon Droid line of phones was … the Motorola Droid. Yeah, I know. It’s basically the Droid Droid.

Verizon also has the HTC Droid Eris, the HTC Droid Incredible, the Motorola Droid X, and the Motorola Droid 2. I think the Motorola Droid Devour is still available as well. Where does it get really confusing? Well, I’m not exactly sure where the Android-based LG Ally falls. Is it a Droid or just an LG?

So, is your T-Mobile MyTouch a Droid? Nope, it’s an Android phone. Is your original Motorola Droid a Droid? Yep, because it’s from Verizon.

I know this seems a bit simplistic, but the amount of times I’m asked this question is a bit out of control. So when you see those Droid Does commercials from Verizon, just remember that even if your Android phone isn’t a Droid, it still probably does a lot of what the ad mentions. In my opinion, apps really help make a phone, and those are available to all Androids.

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Cheers!
Tweet Michelle @writetechnology, send her technology news at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, visit her wine blog when you’re thirsty, and drop by one of her day jobs.

Have you ever had the sort of summer where everything gets away from you? That has been my summer. Back in early July, the good folks at Verizon sent me a Droid X to play with. I realized this morning that almost two months later, I still have it. They’ve been very patient with me considering that it had completely slipped my mind.

So, what do I think of the Droid X? Well, it’s a great phone. It’s also a big phone, so I won’t be trading in my HTC Incredible just yet. I need something that fits in my pockets a little more comfortably. But if you’re into bigger is better, you may absolutely love the Droid X.

Thin form, with a bump at the top to support the camera

The Droid X is everything the original Droid (it hasn’t even been a year) should have been. The keyboard, while virtual, I found extremely easy to use. It supports Swype and while I didn’t intentionally use Swype, it certainly typed easier than even my Incredible. It could just be the form factor – no matter which way you turn it, the Droid X has a huge screen.  It’s a 4.3″ FWVGA 854 x 480 resolution screen. It’s crisp and instantly responsive. Putting numbers aside, things just look pretty on the Droid X screen. It’s closest comparison would be the Sprint EVO, which has a slightly thinner, shorter form factor.

There are aspects of Motorola’s MotoBlur integrated into the Droid X, mostly apparent through a few apps and widgets. For the most part, the Droid X is pure Android though. If you’re familiar with HTC’s Sense UI for Android, then you know how different a UI can make this OS. Whatever parts of MotoBlur they added to the X, it’s few and far between. In fact, I’ve gotten so accustomed to the Sense UI, that it could be one reason I wasn’t bowled over by the Droid X.

Over the last 6 months or so, I’ve adjusted to the fact that physical buttons on phones may actually be a thing of the past. A while back, one of my favorite things about the Droid Eris was that the buttons were actually physical. There was a button for home, back, Phone, and so on. The Droid X picks up on this, with buttons for Settings, Home, Back, and Search. While the keyboard is virtual, the physical buttons are a nice switch.

With heavy usage, I’ve gotten one day of battery life out of the Droid X, which pummels my Incredible (for which I always carry a backup battery).  The most draining things on the Droid X battery are using the GPS for actual navigation and using the built-in mi-fi-like 3G Mobile Hotspot. While I believe it requires an extra plan from Verizon, you can easily replace your mi-fi or broadband stick with this feature. Running a test while traveling in Chicago, my husband and I hooked up a netbook, iPad, and full laptop to the Droid X signal and had great service.

The Droid X is a speedy machine, and I would expect nothing less. I laugh a lot about the specs of the new “super” phones. Years ago I had one of the first iBooks (in orange, with a handle). These phones at least triple the specs of that machine, if not more. The Droid X has 8 GB onboard memory, 16 GB microSD pre-installed, and supports up to 32 GB micro SD – total memory expandable up to 40 GB. It has a 1 Ghz ARMv7 processor.  Speedy. I sometimes look at my old/current MacBook Pro and think, “My phone might be faster than you.”

It has an 8 mp camera that works as fast as the camera in my Incredible. I turned my husband loose with the Droid X while we were on a Frank Lloyd Wright Walking Tour in Chicago and he got some great shots with bright colors. I find the camera button to be a bit stiff, but apparently its just a matter of personal adjustment. There is an HDMI out port on the device as well, which I didn’t get a chance to test. Note that an HDMI cable is not included in the box.

Photo taken with DroidX

As far as call quality, with and without Google Voice, I had great quality and no dropped calls. I had no trouble hearing anyone and they were able to hear me without any issue.

Overall, the Droid X is a great device. I hesitate to use the word “phone” anymore, as these devices are really uber-portable computers. I already have several friends who ordered the Droid X as quickly as I ordered the Incredible. While it’s certainly not the device for me, due to size and my apparent attachment to HTC’s Sense, it’s certainly a great addition to the Verizon Droid line.

It looks as if the latest batch of Droid X devices will be shipping by August 31. With a two-year contract, the Droid X retails for $199.

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Cheers!
Tweet Michelle @writetechnology, send her technology news at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, visit her wine blog when you’re thirsty, and drop by one of her day jobs.

Help define who and what matters in the mobile space. If you’d like to connect with others and amplify your influence in the mobile tech space, then join NetShelter and publishers PhoneDog, IntoMobile and VentureBeat for an evening of insights, merriment and mingling.

EVENT DETAILS:

Where: ROE Nightclub. 651 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105

When: Thursday, July 15, 2010 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Registration: http://netsheltermixermobile.eventbrite.com
Cost: Free

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130248163665499
Hashtag: #netsheltermixer

HOSTS
Pirouz Nilforoush [@pirouzn] and Peyman Nilforoush [@netshelter_ceo] , NetShelter [ @netshelter ]
Noah Kravitz [@phonedog_noah], PhoneDog
Will Park [@willpark], IntoMobile
Owen Thomas [@owenthomas], VentureBeat

YouTube has reached 2 billion downloads a day, marking an amazing milestone for the user-generated video sharing site. The announcement from YouTube came as the company was celebrating its fifth birthday, solidifying its position in the recent web revolution.

And the reason for YouTube’s success? Being able to integrate itself with as many aspects of the changing trends for media consumption and sharing. The beauty of the early YouTube was its free video upload and storage, with a widget that can place the clip just about anywhere on the web. Latching onto the widget trend, YouTube helped drive a new concept around media-sharing.

From there, we saw explosive growth, plenty of copycats, and an interest from the mainstream media sector, for better or worse. The acquisition from Google gave YouTube some status, and the ads began to roll in. One way in which those ads will eventually generate revenue is through location-based targeting, which notes the importance of YouTube’s mobile push. You can watch any YouTube clip directly from your phone.

The video-sharing site has also taken to more social features and premium pathways. You can get recommendations based on your viewing patterns and social circle, and you can orient your entire YouTube experience from a social perspective. YouTube has also recognized the benefit of expanding its services, as it moves into generating interest in indie film production, movie rentals, and series archives.

While YouTube may have been able to win big in the popularity contest, its revenue generation still leaves something to be desired. Yet 2010 is expected to be the year for YouTube to reach steady profitability, giving the site another milestone to achieve before we reach December. The future of YouTube will be determined by the company’s ability to monetize the service.

As a widely used Google App, we’re sure to see further integration for platforms like Android, and other Google services. With location-based enhancements being added to mobile apps, we’re also likely to see YouTube develop out this trend. As far as ad revenue is concerned, the mobile industry carries a huge opportunity for Google and its media delivery. With additional personalization, we could also see YouTube create a series of apps (such as a bundle or rental package) that could be purchased across multiple channels (iTunes App Store, Android Market, Facebook, etc.)

A platform on top of a platform? Seems to have worked out well for Labpixies, the app development firm that was recently acquired by Google. The deal suggests Google’s desired expansion for apps to run on its Android platform, which has staked its claim in the mobile realm and is moving beyond to include other consumer electronic devices. As Google continues to push Android, the need for apps running on the platform continues to grow as well.

Giving the app market a bit of a kick start, Labpixies was acquired in order to incorporate more casual games into options for users. This is a welcome change, as gaming on the Android platform has been relatively dismal, especially when compared to Apple’s mobile platform for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, or even when compared to Facebook.

Labpixies uses Google’s OpenSocial platform, meaning its apps will run on Facebook and other places where widgets and OpenSocial apps are supported. This gives Google a multi-pronged approach to maintaining a widespread presence, even if it can’t own all the aspects of that presence across the board.

This is an important perspective for Google to have, as it looks to control a major portion of its consumer data. Given Google’s ongoing move into industries that are new to the company, Google leverages its search tools for individual consumer benefits. While that has given Google a wealth of opportunities, it’s also given the company plenty of chances to toy around with various aspects of several industries.

The mobile industry looks to be very promising, and in Google’s desire to appeal to consumers, apps have become an ideal way in which to do so. Using Labpixies as a part of this initiative will also encourage other developers and publishers to get more involved with the android platform as well.

Of course, there are many other things to address before Android becomes the top platform for developers and consumers, particularly as its open source status and frequent updates means a less stable environment than Apple’s for building mobile apps. This appears to be a step in the right direction for Google.

I had about 24 hours to play with the HTC Incredible this weekend and I loved it. If you can handle an on-screen keyboard, and want an Android device, then this is the phone for you.

Quick specs include 8 GB internal memory, 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor (which makes it snappy), 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive screen with yes, pinch to zoom, and integrated GPS. Oh, it also has a rather amazing 8 MP camera.

The Incredible is available for pre-order from Verizon today and will arrive in stores on April 29. It’s priced at $199.99 after a $100 rebate and with a 2-year contract.

It’s tempting to trade in the Droid for the Incredible. It really lives up to its name.

So, remember how I’m trying to get better with web video? Well, I haven’t really improved, but at least I’m not scared of it anymore. See the video review below.

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Visit Michelle at her day job, tweet her, or visit her when you’re craving some wine.

BlackBerry is developing a Twitter app to run on its mobile platform, giving BlackBerry users a more integrated and dedicated tool for managing their tweets. Currently still in private beta, the app is still under wraps and in need of additional development. But the fact that Research In Motion, BlackBerry’s parent company, is creating an app for the popular microblogging service indicate’s its interest in social media and the mobile app economy.

While still ahead of Apple and Android in some regards, BlackBerry has yet to make a splash with a mobile app marketplace. A great deal of effort has been put into Apple and Android’s mobile platforms, growing their marketplaces as opportunities for developers and publishers.

As BlackBerry phones ar still well distributed amongst smartphone users, it would be in BlackBerry’s best interst to find a way in which it could incorporate a better mobile app experience. Contending with the device-specific capabilities of Apple and android mobile phones, BlackBerry has a ways to go. But at least appealing to its current user base means that the company recognizes its existing market share and the potential therein.

BlackBerry plans on making its Twitter app far more integrated than any third party Twitter app currently available for BlackBerry phones. The offering of a Twitter app from BlackBerry itself means that more options that are specific to the BlackBerry device can be incorporated. This could increase its appeal to BlackBerry users, creating a more loyal customer experience.

The benefit of doing this is, of course, the ability to better integrate a Twitter app with other aspects of the phone. Other BlackBerry apps, for instance, could be combined with the BlackBerry Twitter app, enhancing both apps duly. This is a tactic other platforms are already using, including Nokia and Google.

Nokia has its own phones, devices, apps and marketplace, giving it a unique vantage point for implementing various tactics around controlling its aspect of the mobile industry. Google has its own apps that span the web and mobile devices, along with a mobile platform and an app marketplace. The ability to reach the various access points for a mobile app gives these companies better mechanisms for serving their consumer base.

As companies look to corner the market based on their ability to appeal to consumers, the use of convenient services makes for a great offering to customers. Better integration with the tools those customers already have could mean a higher retention rate and monetization options for the companies.