Over in the USA, the Motorola Droid has attracted plenty of attention and crucially, good reviews, proving that Motorola are truly back with an impressive device at the top of their range.  The only trouble was, Motorola hadn’t said anything about a European launch, leaving phone fans wondering if it was ever going to happen at all.

O2 Germany broke the silence when the Droid appeared as the Milestone in their sales literature, however O2 in the UK denied they would be following suit and bring the Milestone to the UK.  Now, one month on, the wait is over and the Milestone is officially available here!

Sold as an exclusive until the end of 2009 by online retailer Expansys, you’re going to have to dig deep if you want to be among the first to experience Android 2.0, as the Milestone is an unsubsidised, SIM-free phone and costs £450!  This puts it squarely in the middle of some very tough competition including the Nokia N97, the iPhone 3G and the Palm Pre.

If you need reminding of the Milestone’s spec, here’s a refresher:  It has a 480×854 pixel 3.7″ screen, Android 2.0, a 5 megapixel camera, GPS, Wi-Fi and 3G HSDPA.  The phone has both a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard hidden underneath.  Inevitably, the Milestone will be out with a contract in 2010, so those not wishing to spend a fortune just before Christmas will need to exercise a little patience.

Whilst we’re pleased it’s here, we’re still a bit sad about that name change, though.