Today, Verizon Wireless made the release date for the Motorola DROID R2-D2, Star Wars Special Edition handset public. The device will be available beginning on September 30th online and in select stores for $249 after a $100 mail-in-rebate. The special-edition smartphone will come preloaded with notification sounds, ringtones, wallpapers, widgets, and music from the Star Wars movies. The full press release is after the break.

MAY THE DROID BE WITH YOU: LIMITED EDITION DROID™ R2-D2™ BY MOTOROLA LANDS ON VERIZON WIRELESS’ NETWORK

DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola Brings the Galactic Empire to Customers

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Verizon Wireless announced that the highly anticipated limited edition DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in select Verizon Wireless Communication stores beginning Sept. 30. With a graphic design to look like the iconic Astromech Droid from the Star Wars™ Saga, the DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be packaged in a custom box resembling carbonite and come with a Star Wars media dock and wired stereo headset. Exclusive content comes pre-loaded on the special edition smartphone, including:

• R2-D2 notification sounds and ringtones
• Four live wallpapers
• R2-D2 Clock Widget
• “The Best of R2-D2″ video with the original Cantina music
• Exclusive Binoculars App

Star Wars Mobile App Available for All Customers with Android 2.1 phones
To celebrate 30 years since the film hit theaters, customers with Android devices running Android 2.1 or higher will soon be able to get the Empire Strikes Back app from Android Market™. The app, only for Verizon Wireless customers, allows Jedi Masters to browse, preview and download Star Wars content related to Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Verizon Wireless customers can access premium Star Wars content for a one-time charge of $2.99.

The Star Wars mobile app will have the following features and content:

• Bounty Hunt Visual ID: Find and capture images around the Star Wars universe to unlock hidden content
• Sound and Photo Gallery
• Live Wallpapers:
  • Blast the Probe Droid
  • Luke Balancing Yoda
  • Navigating the Asteroid Field
  • Watch Bespin’s Cloud City
• Trivia Challenge: Answer trivia questions about The Empire Strikes Back
• Widgets

The DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be available for $249 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk plan or a Nationwide Talk & Text plan (beginning at $39.99 monthly access) and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan (beginning at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access). Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

For more information on DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola, go to www.droiddoes.com/r2d2.

Star Wars fan? Android fan? Verizon Wireless customer? September 29th at midnight should go down in history for you then. Not only is that when Motorola’s DROID R2D2 limited edition device goes on sale at select Verizon Wireless stores across the country, but it’s also looking to be quite an event. We have been just sent a couple images from one of the participating stores, a store called Vista Ridge in Lewisville, Texas, and we also have some info on what is exactly is happening for the launch — it’s pretty crazy. Apparently, the participating stores will be giving away 5 Motorola R2D2 units, there will be actual “Stormtroopers” at the store (employees dressed up as Stormtroopers), video gaming, a live DJ and more. Stores are getting approximately 200 units and stock will not be replenished. Last bit of info… our tipster said that Motorola reps have indicated the Star Wars edition device is actually running a 1.2GHz CPU, not a 1GHz. Pretty interesting, huh? Our only wish? That the keyboard on the handset was white.

Let’s hear it — anyone gearing up to get one of these things on Tuesday evening?

One more photo after the break!

It looks like those images that surfaced of the Verizon Wireless DROID 2 R2-D2 Special Edition are the real deal. Android Central was sent an image of a Verizon R2-D2 promo poster — located at a Star Wars convention — that pictures the same exact device that was showcased yesterday, and the device is listed as “coming to your galaxy”  on September 30th. So there you have it. Thoughts? Any takers?

Read

By the beard of Chewbacca, we hope this isn’t an actual image of the Motorola DROID R2-D2 special edition! The erroneous image above surfaced on Twitter and its publisher is claiming it is none other than the Motorola DROID 2 R2-D2 special edition due out from Verizon Wireless in September. While the camera, dual-LED flash, and micro-USB port all seem to match the location of the actual D2, we’re hoping someone with too much time on their hands got a hold of some spray paint and blue stickers. Do you think George Lucas would license out the R2-D2 name and allow it to be bastardized like this? We sure hope not.

[Via Fone Frenzy]

Read

Fresh out of the rumor oven, still warm. Engadget is reporting that the Motorola DROID 2 could launch on Verizon Wireless as soon as August 12th. The tech site quotes a “trusted source” who also detailed that the 12th could be some sort of “soft launch” — as a full DROID creepy commercial media blitz is not set to kick off until the 26th. There was also mention of a Star Wars special edition DROID 2 with a picture of R2-D2 on the back of the phone. If the report is accurate, August 12th is just 23 days away… who’s excited?Read

The folks developing the Android SDK enjoy a good laugh as much as they enjoy coding. Two amusing Easter Eggs have been found in the latest version of the Android SDK. Intermixed in with the usual constants for the accelerometer are the following two values:

• float GRAVITY_DEATH_STAR_I 3.5303614E-7
• float GRAVITY_THE_ISLAND 4.815162

Looks like Star Wars and Lost are two of their fave entertainment choices. Hidden within the camera application is another Easter Egg. Just snap a picture and you will be rewarded with a handsome (?) picture of Bill Lumbergh from “Office Space”. LOL.

Thanks, Chris!

Read