Verizon takes swipe at iPhone, begins marketing Droid

Verizon Wireless launched a new ad campaign this weekend that serves two purposes: taking a shot at AT&T Mobility and the iPhone, as well as building hype for its first phone, called Droid, based on Google's Android platform.

[1]The campaign kicked off with television advertisements that take on Apple's smartphone directly, imitating the familiar iPhone ads but reminding viewers that "iDont's have a real keyboard" and "iDon't run simultaneous apps." The ad goes on to say that "everything iDon't, DroidDoes," and then proclaims that the Droid is coming in November.

On a promotional website, Verizon touts some of the features of the phone including "5 megapixels," "Android 2.0," "video," "mulitasking" and "notification panel." A seemingly coded countdown clock on the site has been deciphered by many to point to midnight Oct. 30. The Droid is widely believed to be Motorola's second Android phone (indeed, Verizon's promo site for the phone includes the word "motorola" in the URL). Motorola's first announced Android phone is the Cliq, bound for T-Mobile USA.

Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney declined to comment on the ad campaign or the device. When Verizon and Google announced their partnership earlier this month, Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam said the carrier's first Android phones would be rolling out "in a few weeks."

For more:
- see the commercial [1]
- see this Droid site [2]
- see this NYT article [3]
- see this PC Magazine article [4]
- see this Engadget post [5]

Related Articles:
Rumor Mill: Verizon dropping support for Palm Pre [6]
Verizon opens door to Android, Google Voice [7]
Rumor Mill: Verizon to unveil Motorola Android phone next week [8]
Rumor Mill: Motorola, Acer headline rash of Android tidbits [9]
Motorola's first Android phone, Cliq, headed for T-Mobile USA [10]