Droid X A Hit, Orders Pushed To AugustDroid X A Hit, Orders Pushed To August

The Droid X by Motorola went on sale July 15. Eager Android fans lined up at Verizon Wireless stores around the country and snapped up most of the Droid X stock shipped to Verizon Wireless retail stores. The device sold out online the first day, with new orders not shipping until July 23. Now, shipments have been pushed back even further.

Verizon had originally stated that it would have enough supplies of the Android handset on hand to meet initial demand. Turns out that still isn't the case. In addition to the Verizon Web site's declaration that the Droid X won't ship until August 3, I called three local stores and all three reported no Droid X stock left.

In an interview last week, Verizon Wireless spokesperson Brenda Raney said, "While we are currently experiencing delays on orders of [the HTC Droid Incredible]. We view that as an anomaly driven by a combination of supply and popularity. At present, we feel that we have done everything possible to ensure we have inventory to meet customer needs around the Droid X." Well, it didn't do enough.

The Droid X is Verizon's newest premium Android device, and it features a 4.3-inch display, 8 megapixel camera, 720p video capture, and a nice, thin form factor. It has scored mixed reviews around the Web for a number of reasons, though I feel it is one of the better Android handsets available at the moment.

One of the complaints voiced by the blogosphere is a mechanism Motorola and Verizon Wireless have included in the Droid X that enforces a verified operating system. Motorola and eFuse, maker of the silicon in question, say that the chip is meant to protect end users and ensure a good experience. What critics are complaining about is that the Droid X won't support custom (i.e., hacked) ROMs. Long story short, no stuffing Froyo on the Droid X until Verizon and Motorola make it official.

In other Droid X news, it appears as though some units are shipping with faulty screens. Early adopters are reporting flickering and vertical banding on their new Android devices. Anyone think we should start up a "Displaygate" meme?