SMARTPHONE BATTLE: AT&T APPLE IPHONE 3GS VS. VERIZON WIRELESS MOTOROLA DROID

Verizon Wireless and the Motorola Droid aka Sholes has just issued a challenge to AT&T and the iPhone 3GS. The upcoming Verizon Wireless flagship phone has drew first blood by releasing the iDon't bashing campaign. However, will the Android powered QWERTY phone be able to topple the proven iPhone? Or will it suffer the same fate as the over-hyped BlackBerry Storm? Let's compare the known features and capabilities of these high-end phones to get an idea on the device that will get the upper hand.

Now, the information we have on the Motorola Droid is preliminary because the official specs for the device has not been released. However, we do have enough information via leaks to make an adequate preliminary comparison.

Operating System: The Android platform is the foundation of the Motorola Droid smartphone. This OS is a relative newcomer but handsets that are based on this platform are steadily increasing in number and multiple carriers are now selling them. However, observers have remarked that the performance of Google's OS has largely depended on the quality of the device on which it runs so have to wait ans see if the Motorola Droid can maximize the potential of the operating system.

The iPhone 3GS runs on a proven OS that has been continually improved over the past few years. It has also earned various awards for reliability and ease of use. It's not perfect but the iPhone OS has gained the trust of millions of users.

The iPhone has the advantage in the OS department unless the Droid proves that it is capable of tapping the full potential of the Google Android platform.

Design/Form Factor: The iPhone is probably the most recognizable handset in the world. It's stylish design has become an icon for high-end devices. The design of this handset prioritizes the slim and sleek body over the presence of a physical keyboard and its added bulk.

The Motorola Droid offers a futuristic QWERTY Slider design. It is not as sleek or sexy as the iPhone but it is equipped with a physical QWERTY keyboard that is in-demand by consumers who want quick email and messaging. This upcoming Verizon phone's full horizontal slide-out keyboard also offers broader keys that favor heavy text and email users.

This category boils down to the user's needs. It's a choice over the stylish design of the iPhone against the bulkier Droid and its useful physical keyboard.

Touchscreen/Display: The Federal Communications Commission filings for the the Droid indicate that the device's screen will displays video at 854x480 pixels. This is numerically superior to the 640x480-pixel display that is used by the iPhone 3GS. The Droids screen is also slightly bigger at 3.70 inches compared with the iphone's 3.50 inch display.

However, figures do not give us an idea of the performance of the screens. The iPhone sets the benchmark for responsiveness with its multi-touch screen. The Droid will have to show that its screen performs better before it can dethrone Apple's prized handset in this category.

Processing Power: Early info indicates that the Verizon Droid will be equipped with the powerful 600MHz TI OMAP 3430 processor which allows the device to offer ability to run simultaneous applications. This processor may catapult the upcoming handset into gaining the title of fastest Android device.

However, the iPhone 3GS will not be outdone with its 600MHz Samsung S5PC100. This hardware packs a central processing unit, a graphics processing and a memory controller in a single chip.

This match up is ruled a draw as users will get top-notch processing power with both of these high-end smartphones.

Camera:Verizon's iDont campaign criticized the iPhone's camera because of the absence of flash and lack of resolution (3.2 megapixels). Preliminary information indicates that the Motorola Droid will sports a 5 megapixel auot-focus camera with flash.

Applications: App Market: The Google Android Market has grown since the arrival of the T-Mobile G1 and is currently offering more than 10,00o applications. However, it is still puny compared to the Apple app store which offers more than 85,000 products and over 2 billion downloads. The Apple iPhone 3GS has a huge advantage in this category.