Verizon Officially announces the Droid: Updated with Video

Just a few hours before the DROID DOES event scheduled for today, Verizon and Motorola hurried up to announce the upcoming availability of the largest U.S. carrier’s first Android handset, the Motorola DROID. Customers will be able to purchase it, starting November 6, at a price of $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate.

But here goes the most interesting part – the Motorola DROID will be powered by Android 2.0 and will feature a massive 3.7-inch touchscreen with a resolution width of 854 pixels, which is way higher than current HVGA devices. Other hardware highlights include a microSDHC slot and a 5-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash to enable users to take shots in the dark. Of course, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity are also available. On the software front, Google Maps Navigation (Beta), a turn-by-turn voice navigation feature for Google Maps is to make its debut on the DROID. That, along with allegedly more than 12,000 apps currently in Android Market should make for quite a decent software experience.

So, how do you feel about the Motorola DROID? Are you going to shell out that $200 (after rebate) Verizon wants in a week?

Stay tuned for our Hands-on with the Motorola DROID later today!

Motorola DROID Specifications

source: Verizon