Verizon's Infocenter shows yet again a September 8th launch date for the Motorola DROID BIONIC

5. xmrrushx (Posts: 29; Member since: 07 Aug 2011)

ARGH!!!!

14. mobile junkie (unregistered)

Yes, I agree. Looking at the tentative specs I don't see anything to get that excited about, and that same old square design is getting old. The Samsung Galaxy S 2 sounds like it could be worth the wait but my cutoff date is Oct. 8th. I have the original Droid with the only issue being storage space. i had to delete quite a few apps so the phone could operate properly. So If I don't see the Samsung Galaxy S 2 by Oct 8th I may have to consider the Bionic or even I hate to say it the IPhone 5.

45. mwebber473 (Posts: 5; Member since: 24 Aug 2011)

I wouldn't consider the IPhone as a future phone for me. I believe that Apple has pretty much reached it's peak in terms of features with the IPhone. The Andriod having several different phone manufacturers is only now beginning to scratch the surface.

26. Knicknevin (Posts: 153; Member since: 18 Mar 2011)

Here Here!! With the information coming out about the SGSII, Vigor, and the NPrime; the Bionic seems rather lacking. Although, with G taking over M, perhaps they might finally get rid of Blur and make the devices easier to use?

9. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

You do realize that high end phones used to be three to four hundred dollars with regularity, right? That would include the epically s**tty Samsung Glyde.

21. dandirk (Posts: 187; Member since: 04 Aug 2011)

yes and 1 year after the Glyde, the Moto Droid released as a premium phone for $199.

The price has gone up in the last year to $300...

Not sure if its the actual prices of phones or if just the carrier subsidy went down.

All I am saying is that for $300 on contract, I would think twice or possibly even look at no-contract. Actually no-contract is pretty pointless... since you can't really move carriers anyways.

Its a personal decision. $300 is $15 per mo on 20 months.... $200 is $10

25. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Okay, but consider what you're paying foe with the higher premium, a 4G phone with dual core processor, gig of RAM, Gingerbread (probably upgradeable to ICS), etc. It's basically what a premium laptop would've been about 4 to five years ago. In the palm of your hand.

29. dandirk (Posts: 187; Member since: 04 Aug 2011)

Sniggly, sorry but "higher premium" then what exactly? Higher premium then my OG droid which is probably worth $50-100 now?

Again the OG Droid was a "higher premium" phone back in 2009, wasn't I paying for higher premium when I got it for $199?

It is all relative. Most of the time, especially in the tech world, new tech is pretty much the same price as old tech was when it was "new"...

I am sure there are reasons for the higher cost... some greed or maybe unavoidable costs... I don't know.

Sure dual core may have more of a premium then top end single core a few years ago but 50% premium?

I just know that I would not balk at $200, I will at 3.

31. darth8ball (Posts: 520; Member since: 02 Aug 2011)

If you went into your local car dealer and bought a model, top of the line all the extras last year, and go in this year for the exact same car.....You would expect to pay the same as you would have paid last year?
It's called inflation

35. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

what? your logic makes no sense. you evidently don't remember the days of phones like the LG Voyager costing $400 ON CONTRACT. i do so i'm not complaining about $300 for a phone that's vastly superior to phones like the Voyager and the Motorola Droid.

40. dandirk (Posts: 187; Member since: 04 Aug 2011)

Darth8ball - If inflation where you live is 25% per year, I feel sorry for you. Hope you get at least that much in a raise for cost of living each year. And yes cars generally cost the same from year to year. Just like video cards do and other computer equipment. The difference is that the equipment improves in performance, while last years model goes down in price.

Yes there is inflation, cost do go up but not by 25% per year.

ThumActually - Yeah I remember when a computer was 3-4k... The voyager was 4 years ago, a life time in technology. If I were to do the math... voyager 4 years ago... $400... Droid 2 years ago $200... That would mean the bionic should be free????

Am I saying the bionic is way over priced, maybe a little. I know I will think harder in pulling the trigger, that is all.

But YOUR logic is what doesn't make sense, given the history of technology pricing. At least sniggley alluded to possible reasons why the price for top tier phones have gone up instead of the trend of going down (or relatively the same)... Dual core... could the process be sooo new is drives the price up? Or at least costs more then just speeding up single core chips with each generation... maybe.

41. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

dude, do you just say things without thinking? how is it can you get a newer & vastly superior Flagship device cheaper than last year's Flagship Device which technically didn't bring anything new but a shiny new OS? construction is a factor you know. you have all this new stuff in phones like the Bionic and to actually be able to turn a profit you have to price it higher to justify building it or paying whoever else for their part in building it. there's no pattern as you see it.

48. Droidman80 (unregistered)

As I recall the voyager and those phones never hit the $400 mark except at full retail. Check your facts. The voyager at FULL RETAIL was $430. Contract was somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 or possibly lower. I personally have been waiting for the Bionic since January and am definately going to get it when it comes out.

49. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

well actually i was a Benjamin off. phones at that time like the Voyager and the Razr 2 were $300 on contract with a $50 mail in rebate. i was a little off but my point is still valid.

36. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

I know, right? iPhone was expensive at first, but as the tech got better and improved, it became cheaper. Now you can get an iPhone free and it's always going to be better than anything Android can offer which is malware, inconsistent updates, forced closes, crashing, lockdowns, horrible build, and so on.

47. StillStuckWithDroid (Posts: 65; Member since: 19 Jul 2011)

whatever homo boy.....keep thinking you year behind the times technology is the best. Everyone knows your a moron

10. Smokn04cobra (Posts: 22; Member since: 20 Feb 2011)

Agreed...htc vigor or prime

12. darth8ball (Posts: 520; Member since: 02 Aug 2011)

I have to agree with alec, with one small question. I was fired up to get the Bionic Etna. I think this release of the Bionic is the Targa version of the Bionic namesake. Although disappointed and frustrated I now have gone on to waiting for something else unless I try it on Sep. 8 and it totally blows me away.

24. roldefol (Posts: 4744; Member since: 28 Jan 2011)

They delayed the Bionic (cancelled the Etna) to make improvements, which we now see with the Targa Bionic. They doubled the RAM, switched from the Tegra 2 to OMAP 4, and have apparently improved battery life and fixed whatever bugs the Tegra-LTE combination caused. If they had released the Bionic a month ago, they would have had a major win on their hands. But now that the Nexus Prime, Vigor and GS2 are on the horizon, people aren't impressed. Too bad, I like Motorola and the Droid brand.

16. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

dude, the Stratosphere is not the Galaxy S II.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Samsung-slider-with-Android-2.3.4-and-LTE-for-Verizon-returns-again-in-new-pictures_id20418

it's this thing.

32. darth8ball (Posts: 520; Member since: 02 Aug 2011)

I believe the Samsung Function is the GS2 Verizon brand name. Now if my hunch is correct, and again it's just a hunch. The release of the GS2 whatever it is to be called on Verizon and AT&T will be on hold right now under heavy pressure from Apple. Those are the two carriers that carry the iDiotPhone and Apple doesn't want this phone to be in circulation.