I know you won't believe me but here goes nothing

[kamek89]

Verizon along with motorola have been marketing their phones at major malls in the midwest. I go to a local mall (woodfield) in schaumburg. They have stands out where people can play with the DROIDs and ask questions. I talked with the reps there a couple times, but today was special....very special!

One of the developers for the Droid was there and he told me that the droid was pretty much developed at the motorola facility in schaumburg, and that most the developers lived in the area.

We talked for a while about the Droid, he was asking me what I liked and what I didn't, because that's why he and the other reps were there for. (besides to show the phone off)

And than it happened.... out of his pocket came 3 droids, all different! 2 of the droids just had different colored keyboard, etc. which he said might be future colors. One had silver frame, all the gold colored things were red. They looked like eye candy (pretty nice)

The 3rd droid was a normal Droid, and i looked and asked is there anything special about this one. He kind of smirked and said "open it up." I open the droid and the keyboard was completely different. It was "popped" The best way to describe it is that the buttons were like the Motocliq.I was shocked and of course asked to take a picture, but he kindly denied for obvious reasons.

All I can say is that the keyboard was nice, and it felt even better. He also said that by July Motorola is planning on releasing another wave of phones. He also mentioned that by 2012 ..."you won't believe the things they have planned" I told him that by 2012 motorola won't be the only ones with new technology lol

So take this as you want, I'll answer questions if you guys have any.

 

[johnatthebar]

Sounds like you sir, are a lucky man. I played with a Cliq a few weeks ago and the keyboard is definitely better, but the Droid is so slim. Was the one with the 'popped' keyboard just as thin as the current Droid?

 

[kamek89]

Sounds like you sir, are a lucky man. I played with a Cliq a few weeks ago and the keyboard is definitely better, but the Droid is so slim. Was the one with the 'popped' keyboard just as thin as the current Droid?

Yea everything was the same. idk if they pushed the keyboard down or what, but it was the same size.

And yea, I didn't know most the developers lived here, I should have tried to become better friends with him lol

 

[johnatthebar]

IL is a big area for Motorola. For years they had a large facility in Quincy. Their longtime HQ is in Shaumburg.

 

[ericatomars06]

hmmm interesting! colored droids... I hope they don't over kill the droids like the sidekicks... we dont need a phone in every color...

 

[motodroid.md]

The difference is very minimal. Although the raised keyboard does look better and is more accurate for typing. For some reason it seems like you can type faster on the flat keyboard. Although the Flat keyboard requires more looking at the keyboard for typing. One is not really better than the other and it seems that the flat keyboard is what most people have.
Picture #1 - Flat keys
Picture #2 - Raised keys

 

[kamek89]

^^^^ NO nothing like that! they were literally just like the motocliq keyboard!

 

[hal1]

I think the OP is credible, the facts make sense.

The Wood field mall me mentions is in Schaumburg. The mall is couple miles from Motorola Headquarters

 

[ChocoBilly]

I think the gold detailing is rather tacky. That may have been OK in the 70s or 80s, but nowadays...

...I'd take silver or black for the detailing; even the red sounds better.

 

[edwinc8811]

oh wow!!! i believe you. i go to woodfield all the time and i always walk past the droid kiosk. i dont think the guy i talked to was the motorola guy because he said the blackberry storm2 is not out yet..........dont ask <_<

 

[kamek89]

oh wow!!! i believe you. i go to woodfield all the time and i always walk past the droid kiosk. i dont think the guy i talked to was the motorola guy because he said the blackberry storm2 is not out yet..........dont ask <_<

Yea those are just the reps... Today the developer came in he said it was his first time, maybe since it was the last day

 

[edwinc8811]

aww, today was the last day..? i was gonna go tomorrow

 

[droidweasel]

They have the same ppl or developers herein Ark. They actually have a huge office bldg. Lotta actual developers here. Drive past the manufacturing plant every day.

 

[Zorro1]

Well, I ain't waiting until June. In fact, I'm glad you didn't say the end of January. I don't want to wait for that either!

 

[tealturboser]

Damn no pictures?

 

[kamek89]

Damn no pictures?

just photoshop a motocliq's keyboard on the droid's and there you go

 

[chrislitzkow]

Maybe they will put in a "Pimp My Droid" kiosk!

It would be cool to be able to change out keyboards, etc. That is something I loved about my BB 8830 is that many parts were interchangable.

 

[Kaus]

neat I hope the new keyboard rocks although iIlike my current one allot.

 

[herki]

So I had to make a mock-up just to visualize the one that "popped". Because I couldn't. And then I figured I'd post it here.

 

[Bako]

So I had to make a mock-up just to visualize the one that "popped". Because I couldn't. And then I figured I'd post it here.

Nice work. And wouldn't that be a nice to have on one's Droid? Oh well, I've made my peace with the current, flat keyboard. Plus, Swype may help a lot.