This story appears in the
January 2011 issue of
Entrepreneur.
Subscribe »
Motorola's new Droid Pro smartphone isn't yet another iPhone killer--it's a BlackBerry killer that vaults Google's fast-growing Android mobile operating system to the frontlines of the battle for business mobility supremacy.
Promising a PC-caliber browsing experience bolstered by Adobe Flash Player 10.1, a lightning-fast 1GHz processor, a number of loaded business solutions and airtight security safeguards, the Droid Pro does everything a BlackBerry does, but better, liberating you from the clunky and increasingly archaic BlackBerry user experience.
Priced at $179.99 after mail-in rebate and contract, and available via exclusive U.S. operator partner Verizon Wireless, the Droid Pro touts both a 3.1-inch touchscreen display and qwerty keyboard, complete with single-click access to push e-mail, a unified calendar with additional work tools and Quickoffice Mobile Suite for on-the-go document creation and editing. It's the first Android smartphone to integrate data encryption and remote data wipe. Remote password management enhances security, and the device also doubles as a mobile hot spot that can connect as many as five other Wi-Fi-enabled handsets or laptops.
The Droid Pro offers voice and data coverage spanning more than 200 countries, with Google Maps and turn-by-turn navigation tools to help you find your way while you're abroad. In fact, direct access to Google's cutting-edge mobile services may be the Droid Pro's most persuasive selling point: As of late 2010, the Android Market application storefront was home to well over 80,000 apps, while rival BlackBerry App World mustered only about 10,000. Could this mean hasta la vista for the Berry?
Jason Ankeny
Chicago-based writer Jason Ankeny is the executive editor of Fiercemobile content, a daily electronic newsletter dedicated to mobile media, applications and marketing.
Read more
