While the Droid Pro has been blogged about before, it looks like the rumors were all wrong. It was originally thought to be a world edition of the Droid 2, which simply means it would support cell networks around the world.Not a very exciting prospect for a new mobile phone, but Verizon has somehow been able to keep the real Droid Pro specs under wraps until now. The Droid Pro is much more than anyone expected, providing a “new, powerful, stronger and faster solution designed to meet both business and personal needs.”
The first Android™-based smartphone optimized for business use, DROID PRO is also a global-ready Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries.
To put it bluntly, the Droid Pro looks and feels like a Blackberry, except that it’s running Android 2.2. It’s a candybar phone with a QWERTY keyboard and is geared towards business professionals. Built-in security features like VPN and remote wipe as well as pre-loaded Quickoffice Mobile Suite only enforce the business side of things.
“The DROID PRO is an advanced business-ready solution that provides users with the full smartphone experience, redefined by delivering the power of a DROID,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility. “The DROID PRO consolidates users’ work and personal needs. This is just another reason the DROID PRO is setting a new standard for enterprise, allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone with full push delivery of corporate e-mail and corporate level security.”
Key features and specifications:
- Support for both Exchange e-mail and Gmail™ for business
- Corporate directory look-up, unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar™
- PC-like browsing with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 on a full, multi-touch, 3.1-inch brilliant display built on Android 2.2
- View, edit and share documents, including Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets, PowerPoint® presentations and Word® documents
- Built-in security features, including AuthenTec IPSec multi-headed VPN integration, remote wipe of device and SD card, and complex password support. Device and SD card encryption will be available in early 2011
- 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to connect up to five other Wi-Fi®-enabled devices and laptops
- Live widgets that stream e-mail messages to the home screen; customers can filter the widgets to separate work and home e-mail
- 5-megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash as well as DVD-quality video
- 3G diversity antennae provides customers with enhanced data speeds and range
- Wi-Fi®-enabled DNLA® connectivity
- Android Market™ – Provides customers with access to more than 80,000 applications
- My Verizon and Backup Assistant(SM) support – Allows customers to manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones
The Droid Pro will be coming to a Verizon Wireless Communications Retail Store near you as well as Verizon’s website (verizonwireless.com) in the coming weeks. Pricing will be announced shortly before the phone is actually available. It was speculated initially that Verizon might offer some type of upgrade path for Droid 2 early adopters, but the Droid Pro seems to be a different beast entirely.
via Verizon Wireless, Engadget, Mobile Crunch