Droid 4 Comes to Verizon

by Holly Shoemaker

The Motorola Droid 4 garnered good reviews when industry insiders and retailers had the chance to view the Droid 4 at CES. Now, consumers may purchase the phone starting on Feb. 10, 2012 from Verizon. Those interested will need to pay $199.99 and sign a two-year contract.

The Motorola Droid 4 gives the company a competitive advantage for those looking for a QWERTY-slider phone. The phone also has a 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor, a four-inch touch screen and an eight megapixel camera. The phone also runs on the 4G LTE network. Consumers also have the option of purchasing a docking station if they want to use a larger keyboard. The Lapdock 500 is available for $299. This station is also compatible with the Razr.

The element missing from the Droid 4 is the use of Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest Android operating system. The Droid 4 will operate using Gingerbread. Verizon has said it plans on issuing an upgrade. At this time, the date of the upgrade remains unknown.

Concluding Thoughts

The Motorola Droid 4 has the ability to make up for disappointing sales of the Droid 3. However, if you want a more compact phone, this is not the device for you. The keyboard adds to the bulk, but all reviews thus far highly praise the keyboard. Indicators predict the Droid 4 will become a welcome addition to the QWERTY phones from Motorola.

Nokia Hopes to Regain U.S. Consumer Interest with the Lumia 710 and 900

by Holly Shoemaker

Industry insiders, businesses and resellers attended the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that ended yesterday in Las Vegas, NV. While the show was not open to the public, I found Nokia’s presence at the show noteworthy - along with Nokia re-entering the U.S. smartphone market on Wednesday.

Before the days of smartphones, I recall having a Nokia phone. Then Nokia dropped off the radar for many years in the United States. Now, Nokia hopes to win over U.S.-based consumers with the announcement of the Lumia 900. The company may gain some insight regarding how its brand will be received in the United States now that consumers may purchase an older version of the phone – the Lumia 710 went on sale at T-Mobile on Wednesday. Both phones run on the Windows platform.

Concluding Thoughts

The Lumia 900 garnered a lot of media attention at CES and Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, has stated the company did not want to go the tablet route at this time. Partnering with Microsoft to run a Windows phone on the 4G LTE network provides a way for the company to compete in the United States – something the company has not done since the smartphone evolution.

This is Nokia’s best chance to regain consumers in the United States and Canada. The 900 model also impacts AT&T who will start selling it in March 2012. If the phone catches on with individual consumers, it will give AT&T something to celebrate after its failed acquisition of T-Mobile.