Verizon says it isn’t worried by claims that additional costs for using Microsoft Exchange will put business users off the forthcoming Motorola Droid handset. It notes the policy applies to all handsets and says the Droid is “primarily a consumer phone.”

Motorola’s Droid handset, the subject of a Verizon ad slamming the iPhone, appears to be ready to buy earlier than expected. Verizon has announced what appears to be a launch event for Oct. 28, while Best Buy looks set to sell a contract-free version of the phone four days earlier.

Motorola has unveiled its first smartphone running the Android system, the Cliq. While it has some neat features, it may not be spectacular enough to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

Samsung has introduced a cellphone which lets you care for the environment without breaking the bank. The device, which will run on the Sprint network, is by no means environmentally harmless but is considerably less damaging than most handsets.

Motorola has announced its handset sales are down almost 50 per cent in the space of a year. The firm says the problem is that its range is too narrow and that adding more Android-based phones may revive its fortunes.

It’s pretty fair to say that Motorola has one very specific demographic in mind with its new Karma QA1: socially connected teenagers.