And ... the Droid 3 is officially official

The cat's been out of the bag on this one for quite some time now, but Verizon has just officially announced the Motorola Droid 3. Specs are as we've been telling you for a while -- 4-inch screen with qHD resolution, dual-core 1GHz processor, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and so on and so forth.

It's available now online for $199 with a two-year plan, and will be in stores on July 14.

Note that Verizon's new data plans are now in effect as well. So if you're a new customer you'll have to go for one of the tiered packages -- see our complete breakdown here.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the new Android™-powered DROID 3 by Motorola, a global smartphone that delivers power for work and play without making compromises.

DROID 3 by Motorola is the world’s thinnest full QWERTY smartphone, and still delivers the power of a dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast multi-tasking. Customers can take stunning photos with the 8-megapixel camera or capture the moment in 1080p HD video. Equipped with Android 2.3, the DROID 3 by Motorola features a brilliant 4-inch qHD display, a roomy 5-row QWERTY keyboard and 3G Mobile Hotspot capabilities, with the ability to connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. DROID 3 by Motorola delivers the power needed to conquer the day whether customers are at home, work or somewhere in between.

Additional features:

Powered by Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread

Mirror mode allows you to view and share photos, videos and movies on a larger TV via HDMI output (requires HDMI cable)

Global ready, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, including more than 125 with 3G speeds

Enterprise ready with advanced security policies, device and SD card encryption, complex password support, remote data wipe of device and SD card; document and presentation viewing and editing with Quickoffice®

Citrix® GoToMeeting® for Android, gives users the ability to attend online meetings while on-the-go, and Citrix Receiver® for Android, a universal software client that allows companies to deliver corporate apps, desktops and data to any corporate- or employee-owned device

ESP smart dock technology for a tailored experience based on whether DROID 3 is docked in home, office or car settings

Adobe® Flash® Player 10

Front-facing camera for still shots and video chat

Video playback in 1080p HD in mirror mode

Pricing and availability:

DROID 3 by Motorola is now available online at www.verizonwireless.com, and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores by July 14 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Customers that purchase a DROID 3 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. New Verizon Wireless customers will have the option of smartphone plans starting at $30 for 2GB of data. Current Verizon Wireless smartphone customers who are upgrading their smartphone can keep their current data plan.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Phil Nickinson