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NickDG

Dumb Guy with a Smart Phone Question . . .

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My Motorola cell phone (I've had for 12 years) finally died the other day. So time for something new.

Julia has an iPhone and gets them from her employer for free. Actually she's on her second one as the first one fell off a table and the glass screen shattered. But the dropped calls are a real serious problem for her. Also I know I'm not an Apple guy as in those commercials it's the "cool" guy I want to bitch slap. So the iPhone is out. Plus I've experienced everything Apple since the Lisa through the latest iBook and I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something creepy about them.

So I'm thinking Droid. (Unless someone has another suggestion.) I like the open source idea but reading through the various forums and tech websites is making my eyes bleed. I'll tell you what. Web 3.0 better be voiced based as very few people can write a coherent sentence these days, especially a technical one.

Anyway, can anyone give me the current Droid status in a nutshell? Should I buy today, or is there some better version of the Droid or Android OS looming on the horizon I should know about? Price point seems to be around $149. Does that sound about right?

NickD :)

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I just got the HTC Incredible and have been very happy with the device. I really like the Sense User Interface by HTC. I believe Motorola is about to release an updated version of the Motorola Droid that doesn't have a querty keyboard...

The Incredible is a great phone however... I tend to be very google oriented (gmail, google voice, google maps, etc...) and the interaction/with google applications is wonderful and something I really like.

Scott
Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

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It all depends on who your carrier is. If your on AT&T then they best thing (imho) they have is the iPhone.

If you like Motorola, then the Droid is the phone for you.If your on Verizon that is. They are getting ready to release a new version of that phone soon.

Sprint has the EVO, which is hands down has the best specs on the market. It is having some manufacturing issues right now though. Seems like the screen may be lifting away at the bottom on some of the ones they sold on release day.

Next to the iPhone, HTC makes the best hardware in the market.

Check out this site. www.engadget.com

Dont get caught up in the whole closed or open source thing. Unless you are a hardcore user and NEED to be able to change every little thing on your phone. I have had an iPhone and my current phone is an HTC Hero. So I have used both Android and iOS. Apple still kicks butt as far as a product that works and does what it is advertised to do (I'm talking the phone, not the network) HTC phones running android do the job, but in my experience seem to have more issues because of all the extra UI stuff that HTC adds to the phone. NOt a big problem, just slows the phone down and creates lag when pressing the screen. Plus with and Android phone you need to always be watching your battery life, as it is easy to leave a bunch of applications open at once. They do have tools to deal with that, but to some people it is a turn off.

Pick the best carrier in your area 1st, and then worry about the phone ya want. It does no good to have a kick ass phone and get shitty reception.
Dom


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I have an iphone but we use HTC touch pro2's here at work for all our service techs. What Dom said regarding the multiple apps open is true, battery life and slow down are terrible. Once you know that, it is easy to work around though. I actually like the phone itself and it is pretty hardy, i have 14 A/C techs carrying and using them everyday in S. TX:)


Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

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HTC touch pro2's



Do you actually like the windows mobile running on that phone? I havent played with one, but I always here how much better Android is. That is a great piece of hardware though. I personally like Sense running with Android on the Hero. As soon as they fix the issues with the screen lifting. I will be getting an EVO. Not sure about the over lay on the TP2.

Seems that Windows Mobile is losing a lot of steam and MS really blew it with the Kin and Kin2.
Dom


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Motorola has two new Droid devices coming out for VZW, the Droid X and the Droid 2. The Droid 2 has a QWERTY keyboard. They're both expected to be out sometime in July.

I don't know who your carrier is, but if you're with Sprint, the flagship Android device is the EVO. Currently for VZW, it's the Incredible (but it's seriously backordered, online orders don't ship until 7/12). For AT&T, it's the Motorola Backflip. T-Mobile, it's the MyTouch Slide, or Garminfone. ALLTEL, the HTC Hero.

NOTE: There have been quite a few reports of some build quality issues with the EVO and Incredible. Also, there has been quite a bit of discussion about the usability of the Incredible's touch screen if not "grounded" (used holding two hands, versus one hand while the device is on a table).

Don't even bother with a WinMo device. Windows Phone 7 will be out later this year.

While looking at the Android devices, take a look at the Palm Pre/Pixi and their WebOS, a very capable system and now that HP is buying Palm, they aren't at risk of dying anymore. Don't over look Blackberry either. If you get a BB, we can link you up with the BBM DZ.com gang...tons of fun I tell you!

If you want a touch screen, all of the above mentioned have something to offer, all are very capable.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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Palm Pre/Pixi and their WebOS



I had a Pre as well and and traded that for the HTC Hero.

Palm OS is not bad at all. My issues was when they lost all of my contacts and their online backup system didnt work like it should. They never saved my information like they said and as a result I lost all my contacts. Lucky I had on old phone that still had most of them in it. My fault for not backing up everything in Google, but I lost confidence in Palm after that. They actually told me to log into an old blackberry account to get the info. I thought that was pretty funny when they did that. Send me to another manufactures back up when theirs didnt work? Traded the phone the next day. Actually that was my 2nd Pre in 3 weeks time, they both had hardware issues too. Some of the keys didnt work when pressed.

I dont have much faith in what HP is going to do in the smart phone market. There CEO even stood up one day and said that they didnt buy Palm to get into the smart phone market. They are more interested in the patents that Palm had. He did come out and change that statement the next day to say that they didnt buy Palm to only get into the smart phone market. I just dont think it is a high priority for them. I think they will use web os to run on tablets more then anything.

Quote

There have been quite a few reports of some build quality issues with the EVO and Incredible. Also, there has been quite a bit of discussion about the usability of the Incredible's touch screen if not "grounded" (used holding two hands, versus one hand while the device is on a table).



That is true, but the issues that they showed in those videos seems to be a problem with most touch screen phones on some level. My sister has an Incredible and she has had none of those issues. I even tried the same test as seen in the videos and couldnt recreate what they should on that video. I havent played with an EVO to see yet.

The EVO will have some problems for sure. Glad I wont be eligible till January for my upgrade. Gives me time for them to work out the bugs.
Dom


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Not really but the dispatching software we use only works with windows mobile. These phones do all our invoicing and data entry into our database from the field so i needed one that would communicate and the TP2 was the best one out at the time. I don't like using windows anything really, but here at work it is all i have. At home is all Mac.:)


Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

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At home is all Mac



But you have an Incredible. Why did you get that instead of the iPhone?

I got the Hero because AT&T sucks in NYC and Sprint is great here. Plus with 69.99 a month for unlimited everything...well, I only get 450 minutes to call land lines, but who calls land lines that much anymore? Best deal out.
Dom


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Just ditched my Touch Pro 2 for the Evo. So far it has been awesome. I hated the windows mobile software. The Evo is a hell of a lot faster and smoother. I just have to get used to not haveing a full qwerty slide out. The talk to text is pretty good and it links up nice with outlook on my desktop. I also like the way it links with google apps. I have been using google maps instead of the sprint navigation. It is cool to have the google earth view when navigating. Not sure if it is neseccary but it sure looks cool B|

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

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Motorola has two new Droid devices coming out for VZW, the Droid X and the Droid 2. The Droid 2 has a QWERTY keyboard. They're both expected to be out sometime in July.



What do you think of the Droid X vs. the Droid 2?
Adrenaline is my crack

DPH #3
D.S. #16 FAG #12 Muff Brother #4406

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Motorola has two new Droid devices coming out for VZW, the Droid X and the Droid 2. The Droid 2 has a QWERTY keyboard. They're both expected to be out sometime in July.



What do you think of the Droid X vs. the Droid 2?


Well, the Droid X has an 8MP camera and a whopping 4.4 in screen. The Droid 2 has a QWERTY keyboard (better than the Droid hopefully) and 5MP camera.

Otherwise, they're both powerhouses with the Snapdragon processor, etc. If it were me with only those two choices, I'd get the Droid X. Android hasn't won me over yet though. I'm still a die-hard Blackberry fan, and am very intrigued by WebOS. But everyone has their own flavor right? ;)
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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