Motorola Droid & HTC Droid Eris

[DTro]

email package?

first I've heard of that.

[PierBridge]

email package?

first I've heard of that.

Actually it says... All Smart phones require a New 2 year renewal/activation on a voice plan with E-Mail Feature.

[aanderud]

There's no email package necessary for most folks. You pay the $30 data plan and that's it. If you want corporate email (exchange server) you have to pay an additional $15, but 99% of people will not need that. This is not specific to the droid, it's the same plans available with all of their smartphones.

I love the droid...a few annoyances (no multitouch, UI is somewhat lacking compared to some other android phones, etc), but by far the best phone I've seen for VZW with the most features (huge screen size, high resolution on the screen (after all what use is a large screen with a low pixel count), touchscreen AND keyboard, lots of apps, great browser, google voice, etc). I don't know if it's better than iphone or not, but I can't stand the ATT network, so there's no comparison for me. Network is king in my mind.

There is a keyboardless version of the droid coming out (I think very soon, but I haven't kept up on the schedules since I bought my droid and locked in for another year), for those of you who are interested in slightly slimmer. As for the keyboard being "too small", I have to disagree....show me a physical keyboard on a phone that's bigger than the droid. Every blackberry ever invented has a smaller keyboard and people seem to do OK with those.

The nexxus is an awesome looking phone, but who wants to pay $500 for a phone that isn't subsidized by the carrier....and again, who wants a GSM phone anyway. It'll only get 3g service with T-Mobile. It won't work with Sprint or Verizon at all, and it works on ATT's slower network. Have you seen the lack of 3g coverage from T-mobile? I've seen droid as low as $59.99 from various online vendors (of course with 2 year contract). Sure, you aren't locked into a contract with your $500 nexxus, but then again, you need service from someone, don't you? I guess if you go with T-mobile you don't really have service anyway.

[PierBridge]

Good Stuff! Thanks!

Maybe I'm nitpicking a bit but my Voyager keyboard is much better/bigger at that's what I'm used to.

All the good stuff you get with the Droid outweighs that minor inconvenience. I'm sure I'll get used to it or maybe they'll get rid of the touch-pad and expand the keyboard.

[LMITOUT]

Its said the Google phone is coming to Verizon in early 2010 (it'll be a different version for their system), and it will be subsidized by whatever carrier decides to take it on. They'd be foolish not to.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

My T-Mobile expires in July, then it's Verizon all the way! Current target is the Nexus, but a lot can happen before then.

Nexus has the 2.1 android and an awesome screen. Like the slimmer profile and don't need a physical keyboard... perfect.

[deadeye]

I got the droid last Friday and I love it so far.

Its for sure faster than any internet phone I have seen. The other thing I like is that the touchscreen keyboard is awesome. The actual keyboard is OK but the touch screen is much better. It is nice to have both options. The directional pad on the keyboard is very helpful at times though especially for games.

I am new to he smartphone game as my last phone was a flip phone. So far it has been awesome to have all the features. Im pretty sure that I wont get bored with all the Apps either. I would be willing to bet that its faster than my thinkpad (not that it takes much).

My buddy has got the htc hero and he was pretty impressed with how fast my Droid was. He also commented on how decent the touchscreen keyboard is. He was trying to convince me that the eris was the way to go but after I tried both at the store it was easy to tell the droid is faster. I'm not real hot about the touchball on the eris/hero but he seems to like it.

The Google maps are sweet. I have yet to use the navigation feature but its sweet to pull up a satt image at any time. It will be great for hunting.

It works just as good as the computer.

Any way, I thought I would report the little I know. I'm hoping for a navionics app and then I would really be set.

[MuleShack]

I just switched from a flip phone to the Hero with sprint. I dont need the fastest phone, but this was pretty easy to get to know. I have 4 email accounts set up on it...I love the voice recognition which works on google search and has voice calling also. When I turn the phone sideways, the keyboard seems bigger for my fingers to hit the right buttons. I guess I never knew what i was missing, but who needs a computer now

[deadeye]

Exactly, I couldn't believe what my new phone can do. My laptop is pretty much obsolete with this thing. I can't believe I was thinking about skipping this thing for another flip phone.

[PierBridge]

I was messing with the Droid again and the physical keyboard drives me nuts. It's horrible.

I'll try the touch-screen board next time it sounds like that's much better.

[deadeye]

I would like to see a droid 2 with a keyboard like the HTC touch pro 2. That would be mint.

Now that I have had the phone a week I have gotten used the physical keyboard but I still prefer the virtual keyboard. Especially when you tip the phone on its side, the "buttons" are big enough for my fat fingers.

I do have to say after getting the whole Google service stuff figured out its pretty awesome. Another sweet deal is that you only have to pay for the apps once. No monthly fee like the vcast stuff. Also, if you loose your phone you don't have to buy them again cause they are tagged to your gmail account. You just download it again and your set.

[BoxMN]

Just my 2 cents - I have iphone (got it for work reasons, and I am no Mac lover, thats for sure) and my boss has Verizon Droid, I set it up with exchange server, etc etc...

He had issues with the account settings getting goofed up, and the Verizon support was pretty, well, poor... They tried but could not get it fixed. We ended up getting it to recognize the exchange server but the auto identification did not work as it should, maybe on Verizon's side, but it took Verizaon techs and Motorola guy and even our ISP all hooked up on a conf call. What a mess, but possibly not the Droid, but combo of exchange stuff.

I digress... But now it is working perfectly and he likes it, but thinks it is too big and clunky. He has gotten used to the touch keyboard and likes that, but not the slide out keyboard.

The thing that I really notice after using my iphone for a couple months now, and then using his or frineds Droids, or other touch screen phones, is that none is even close to as good a touch screen with respect to responsiveness and "accuraccy" as the iphone. Meaning, I can notice a slight delay in the response time on the Droid, and while it might not even be noticable to those who only use these others, to me it drives me nuts.

As for the apps, it is all software whatever phone you have, and some works and some are trash. Lots of good stuff out there for the Droid, and it is powerful.

In summary, I am not a Apple fanboy at all, but I like my iphone better than Droid, but had I not had it first, I think I would love the Droid or Eris, probably the Eris more.

[upnorth]

We demoed a couple Droids and I liked the slide out keyboard, I have nothing but problems with any touch screen. If you don't hit the keys exactly straight down it tends to get the wrong key, I am sure I could get used to it, but.... And yes the exchange portion of it is a bit more touchy than the blackberry/iphones were. But over all I liked it better than my blackberry, not sure how it stacked up against the iphones.

[DTro]

I would love to be able to get the IPhone for Verizon. For me it's provider first, phone second.

[deadeye]

I would love to be able to get the IPhone for Verizon. For me it's provider first, phone second.

Exactly why I got what I have. It would be sweet to have a iPhone but it wouldn't work at a lot of the places I go. A lot of my freinds have the iPhone and love it but they got plenty of stories about it not working/dropping calls ect.

IMO if they brought the iPhone to Verizon it would be able to live up to its full potential. Right now, the iPhone is a champion boxer with shackles around his ankles.

Plus, if the battery goes dead in a iPhone your up **** creek. I like that if I'm on a long trip and don't have power I can swap the battery out for another. Or if the battery does die you can just get another. Your not out the price of a new phone.

If they had the iPhone on Verizon and it had a replaceable battery it would be mint.

[PierBridge]

Yep what they said.

Chalk up one for a Droid user liking the Droid keyboard. It sounds like most are using the virtual and for the most part the only time the Droid gets opened is to show the keyboard to people interested in the phone.

[PierBridge]

I use to think the battery replacement scam was pretty bad. Service providers make a lot of money on replacement battery's.

Sounds like Apple has taken it to a whole new level. Yes sir your battery is dead and now you need a New phone and your not under contract that will be 700 please.

[picksbigwagon]

I currently have a flip phone and don't have an real interest in a smart phone since I don't think I will use it.....why did you all get a smart phone? I will stay with Verizon since I rarely lose their signal

Oh yeah, what are you paying a month for having this smartphone, lock stock and barrel, how much does it cost a month

[hydro]

It is looking like Verizon will have the iPhone, possibly as early as the middle of this year. Don't expect it to be the same as the current offering though. Expect features to be disabled or "pay only" and look for the apps to shift to Verizon's store, and no longer be low cost. Also look close at their data package for limitations that may catch up to you if you use lots of bandwidth.

All that said, the iPhone and Verizon's coverage will make a pretty attractive package.

[deadeye]

The main reason for me though was the entertainment factor. I can go online and see everything as it would be on a computer. I email and do anything online that I want. I have HSO bookmarked and go on here alot.

Email, calender, contacts ect are all backed up to my google account so there is no way that I will ever loose them. If I do drop my phone down the hole ice fishing then I use my insurance to get a new one. When I activate it automatically syncs with my account online.

Out the door I pay around 100$ a month with insurance.

I also text ALOT. I used like 74 out of the 400 minutes last month but I texted something like 4000 texts. The smart phone is so much better for that.

[MuleShack]

We demoed a couple Droids and I liked the slide out keyboard, I have nothing but problems with any touch screen. If you don't hit the keys exactly straight down it tends to get the wrong key, I am sure I could get used to it, but....

I found an option to tweak the touch screen keypad called "touch calibration tool" where the virtual keyboard asks you to type different words. I had all kinds of problems with missed letters when typing and then I used this feature and it helped quite a bit. It seemed to learn where i press on the keypad or something because I dont have to hit the back space near as often now

Also check that your phone is not set to "compact Qwerty" which would decrease the size of letters on the Virtual screen.

[ripper]

Interesting to see all the comments. I was with Verizon for 13 years,only provider i've every had. I wanted the iPhone and was very leary about everything you seem to hear about AT&T as well. So looked at the Droid because of this and was impressed but still not an iPhone. Seriously if you compare the two it's a no brainer what is the better device. Why do you think everything gets compared to the iphone? Bottom line I made the switch to AT&T/iPhone and after 2 months I'm completely sold. Trust me, don't believe all the ads and things you hear. I've had rock solid coverage, service has been a non issue, no issues what so ever. Let's be honest Verizon was not perfect, I had dropped calls from time to time, all providers I'm sure do. I think Verizon overall may have the "best" network but AT&T is solid as well. I travel all over the metro and have a cabin in Ottertail Co and have had no issue between the two. They have a 30 return policy...you have nothing to lose.

[DTro]

I think that AT&T has made some progress, but if I had a dollar for every time someone on service other than Verizon asked to borrow my phone on a fishing trip, because they didn’t have coverage, I’d have enough money to buy them both.

[upnorth]

AT&T is fine around populate areas, but you get very far off the beaten track it is not so good. Gotta make a choice, I have a verizen Blackberry for work and an AT&T phone for personal, both have different dead spots.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

If Verizon sold the iphone, or if ATT extended their 3G, I would be all over an iphone.

Having an iphone without 3G coverage is like putting a bass boat into your swimming pool.