| The first Android-powered phone for Verizon Wireless, the 3G-enabled Motorola DROID smartphone offers a full package of powerful mobile connectivity--from easy access to all your social networks and viewing of full Web sites, to spoken turn-by-turn directions thanks to the new Google Maps with Navigation Beta app. One of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available, the Motorola DROID also features a high-resolution 3.7-inch touchscreen display and a virtual onscreen keyboard that auto-rotates depending on the phone's orientation. You'll also be able to capture high-resolution images and DVD-quality videos on the go with its 5-megapixel camera with flash. 
The Motorola DROID offers the powerful Android 2.0 operating system, fast and reliable Verizon Wireless 3G connectivity, and a wealth of Google Mobile services--including the new Google Maps with Navigation app. | With integrated Google technology, the Motorola DROID brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by Voice, YouTube, and Picasa. The DROID also provides easy access to both personal and corporate email, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. In addition to 3G connectivity, the DROID offers Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home networks, business networks, and Wi-Fi hotspots while on the go, and Bluetooth connectivity for both hands-free devices and stereo music streaming. Other features include memory expansion via microSD memory cards (a 16 GB card is included with the device), threaded text and picture messaging for seamless on the go conversations, Visual Voicemail capabilities, 3.5mm headset jack, and up to 6.4 hours of talk time. Here are just a few of the things that the Motorola DROID can do for you: - Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network, or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.
- See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, email, Google Maps, videos, and more on a brilliant 3.7-inch high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning, and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.
- Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available at Android Market. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at once to juggle the universe and your apps.
- Perform Google Search at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you're looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, just type what you're looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.
- Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5-megapixel camera loaded with the works, including a dual-LED flash, auto-focus, and image stabilization, or capture your friend's antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.
- Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail and Exchange email pushed directly to you, but don't let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts.
Other features include a 3.7-inch touchscreen, slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, real HTML web browsing, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, microSD memory expansion (with included 16 GB card), and access to both personal and corporate email (see larger image). | 
See a schematic of all the controls. | - Get where you need to go with Google Maps Navigation (Beta): DROID is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. It's powered by Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply say "Navigate to [your destination]," and you'll be on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.
The Motorola DROID comes pre-loaded with a variety of Google and Verizon Wireless mobile services, including: - Google Maps: With layers in Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map.
- Gmail: Multiple accounts support and undo for common operations.
- YouTube: One-touch recording and playback from home screen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos.
- Google Talk: Easily switch between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and videos sent by links.
- Android Market: Browse and download applications created by third-party developers.
- Calendar: Ability to see who has R.S.V.P.'d to your meeting invitations.
- Amazon MP3 Store: Download the latest tracks over the air.
- Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail: Delete, reply, and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.
Key Features and Specifications - Fast 3G connectivity thanks to the reliable Verizon Wireless EV–DO, Rev A network
- Powered by the Android 2.0 operating system with deep integration of Google services and access to thousands of apps to customize your phone via the Android Market. Built-in GPS with turn-by-turn directions provided by Google Maps, and voice prompts using the Google Maps Navigation (BETA) app.
- 3.7-inch touchscreen with 480 x 854-pixel resolution and 16 million color depth
- Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard with familiar layout lets you type messages easily without scrolling for the letter you want.
- 5-megapixel autofocus camera also includes multiple scene modes, white balance settings, image quality choices, macro setting, multiple color effects, and geotagging capabilities.
- DVD-quality video capture at 720 x 480-pixel resolution and up to 24 fps capture; up to 30 fps playback
- Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home networks, business networks, and Wi-Fi hotspots while on the go.
- Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
- Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB (16 GB card included).
- Multi-format digital audio player with dedicated Amazon MP3 Store app for over-the-air downloads. Includes compatibility with MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, and WMA formats, and the capability to create and manage playlists on the phone.
- YouTube app for streaming video over 3G and Wi-Fi connections.
- Real HTML Web browsing provides more pages and better Web content delivered efficiently to your phone (Android Webkit HTML5-based browser).
- Standard voice mail and compatibility with Verizon Visual Voice Mail (subscription required), which enables you to delete, reply, and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions. Features include on-screen access to voice mail message status, the ability to save up to 40 messages for 40 days (or archive permanently), create up to 10 different caller ID-based greetings, and reply via call back, text, or even voice mail.
- Email: Corporate (Exchange 2003 and 2007), Gmail, IMAP, POP3, Attachment and browser document viewer (Microsoft Office and pdf)
- USB 2.0 connectivity
- 3.5mm Headset Jack
- Bilingual Interface: English/Español
- Cortex A8 processor with dedicated HW Acceleration
- Memory: ROM: 512MB; RAM: 256MB
- TTY compatible
- Hearing Aid Compatibility = M3/T3
Vital Statistics
The Motorola DROID weighs 5.96 ounces and measures 4.56 x 2.36 x 0.54 inches. Its 1400 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6.4 hours of talk time, and up to 270 hours (11.25 days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as EV–DO, Rev A 3G frequencies. What's in the Box
Motorola DROID handset, rechargeable battery, wall/USB charger, 16 GB microSD card, quick start guide, user manual |
|
 Verizon's best phone, and a worthy competitor to the iPhone |
| Review Date: November 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ron Cronovich, Kenosha, WI |
UPDATED 5/14/2010 WITH COMPARISON TO NEW HTC DROID INCREDIBLE
If you're considering getting a Droid with Verizon, you should probably also consider the HTC Droid Incredible. I have one now and can tell you how they compare. (My wife's new-every-two came up and she kindly took my 6-month-old Droid off my hands so I could use her discount to get an Incredible. Is that true love or what??)
The first difference you notice is that the Droid has a physical slide-out keyboard while the Incredible does not. This makes the Incredible thinner and lighter (4.6 ounces compared to the Droid's 6 ounces). The weight difference doesn't look like much on paper, but it feels significant.
Other differences:
- The Droid's battery lasts a couple hours longer than the stock battery that comes with the Incredible.
- The Incredible's MP3 player has better sound quality when using good earphones or plugged into the car stereo. The Droid's sound quality isn't bad at all, but it's not up to par with the iPhone or iPod touch. The Incredible's sound quality is similar to iPhone / iPod touch.
- The Droid has 3 customizable home screens, the Incredible has 7, plus a cool way to navigate among them by seeing a thumbnail of all 7 at the same time. (I can't imagine filling up all 7, I've only filled up 2 of the 7.)
- Multitouch pinch and zoom is implemented better on the Incredible than on the Droid, though the new 2.1 Android software update that all Droids should have now has improved it substantially on the Droid.
- The Droid comes with a 16gb micro SD card, the Incredible either comes with none or with a 2gb card (mine came with none, but Verizon sometimes includes one). However, the Incredible has 8gb of internal flash memory, which is plenty to get started, and you can add a micro SD card later if you want.
- The Droid's camera is definitely not below average, and sometimes takes really good pictures. The Incredible's camera takes better pictures indoors and similar or slightly better pictures outdoors. The Incredible's camera has 8 megapixels, the Droid's has only 5. But 5 is as good or better than the vast majority of camera phones, and besides, if you set your camera at the maximum resolution, your pictures will take up more memory. With any camera, 3 megapixels is plenty enough for most purposes, including getting sharp 4" prints if you want them.
- The Droid's speakerphone is a bit louder than the Incredible's. The difference is not huge, but it's noticeable.
- The Droid runs the standard Android operating system, version 2.l. The Incredible includes that plus includes HTC Sense, which adds a few nice tweaks to the basic Android software. I don't think the difference is enough to influence most people's purchase decision.
- On paper, the Incredible's internal processor is faster than the Droid's. But I do not notice any difference in performance when running the same apps on both phones side by side. And the Droid's processor is faster than almost every other smart phone.
Overall, both phones are really really excellent, both are very fast, both have huge beautiful displays, and both have tons of great features. You can't go wrong with either phone.
I think the choice for most people will come down to the physical keyboard vs. thinness/weight issue, and possibly the camera if you like using your phone to take a lot of pictures.
That's the end of my update. Here's my original review of the Droid (sorry for the length!):
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I wanted an iPhone bad, and finally gave up waiting for it to come to Verizon. Got a Droid and am very happy with it.
The screen is awesome - bigger than an iPhone's and more dense with pixels, so images are very sharp. The colors are great, and the screen is nice and bright. I had a Samsung Rogue for about 10 days. Everyone raved about the Rogue's screen. The Droid's screen blows it away. The touch screen is accurate and responsive, and very intuitive to use. About as good as the iPhone but much better than every other touchscreen phone I've tried and better than a few cameras with touchscreen controls.
The Droid's display is sharp enough and wide enough to view most web pages - including those not specifically formatted for mobile phone browsers. Because of this screen and because of the way that the Android OS implements the browser, surfing the internet is very easy, intuitive, and pleasant. Much less horizontal scrolling/panning. Much better than most phones I've tried, including the Samsung Rogue and Blackberry. The iPhone's browser is also a pleasure to use, but the Droid's screen is better at displaying full web pages.
Email is very well-implemented in the Droid. I was already a Gmail and Google calendar user before getting my Droid, and the level of integration is amazing, thanks to the Google Android OS. But any Android phone will also handle most other popular webmail, like hotmail, and also can sync with Microsoft Outlook and similar programs.
The Droid's call quality is good, and the speakerphone is loud and clear enough to be useful in most places. I get slightly better reception with the Droid than with my previous Verizon phones, especially in places with poor network coverage.
The Droid's built-in Facebook app is good, but is not as full-featured as the iPhone's FB app, which has been around longer and had more time to be improved. Yet, the Droid's FB app is as good as or better than FB access I've seen on most smartphones, including Blackberry and especially the new Samsung Rogue.
One extremely cool thing is you can easily import the contact info from all your Facebook friends into the Droid's contact manager, including their profile photo, email, phone, birthday, etc. Then, from your contact list, you can tap on any of their names and with one touch either call, email, or jump to their FB page. This is very well-implemented and easy to use, and makes the Droid's contact manager highly useful.
The Droid has pretty good voice recognition. I can tap the microphone icon in the upper right corner of the screen and say "Starbucks" and the Droid will show a list of the nearest Starbucks - and then I can pick one and either touch the phone number and Droid will call it, or I can touch the address and Droid will show its location on a map and give me driving directions.
Droid like all Android phones has Google maps built in, including satellite view, and Droid can give you directions (from your current location or any location) just like Google maps on a computer.
What's more, Droid has built-in GPS functionality and can give spoken directions, just like a Garmin GPS. I tried it and it works pretty well.
Loading music and photos onto the Droid is as easy as dragging and dropping files from your computer to a thumb drive. Droid's music player is not as refined as iPod/iPhone, but it is easy to use and works great. If you have an iPod, you probably have lots of music tracks in AAC format. The Droid will play them no problem, as long as they don't have DRM copy protection (and most don't nowadays). The Droid also plays MP3 and other formats.
The Droid has the standard 3.5" headphone jack so you can use it with any earphones, unlike some phones that have a non-standard jack. To judge the sound quality, I listened to the same track on the Droid and on an iPhone. Using $100+ headphones, the sound quality was better on the iPhone, but the difference was harder to notice with cheaper earphones or through my car stereo. Yet, the Droid's sound quality is as good or better than other music-playing wireless phones, and I've tried quite a few.
I have not yet loaded videos on the Droid. But I have watched streaming video, and it is very smooth, studder-free, and looks really great, best I've ever seen on any phone, including the iPhone and iPod touch.
The Droid comes with a 16GB microSD card. These normally go for 40 to 50 bucks at least, so I'm really grateful that Verizon and Motorola included it with the phone. It can hold a ton of music, video, and photos. For comparison, the highest-capacity iPod Nano also has 16gb of storage.
Plus, the Droid has internal memory for apps and its own operating system, so your phone will still work in the unlikely event the SD card ever fails. (My Droid worked fine even though the Verizon store guy didn't insert the SD card correctly when he set up my phone and the phone didn't recognize it. I reinserted it later and all was fine.)
The Droid's interface and OS (Android) is not quite as polished as the iPhone's. But it is still excellent, VERY easy to learn, and very easy to navigate around and use. Like most phones, the Droid is highly customizable (ringtones, wallpapers, placement of your favorite widgets and icons on your home screens), and the Android OS makes it super easy to do so.
The Droid has one-touch access to the Android app market, which has 10,000 apps so far. I've downloaded a couple dozen. There are lots of good ones, but overall the Android app market lags the iTunes app store in selection and quality, and specific apps available for both platforms tend to be a little better on the iPhone/iPod touch than on Android.
However, the Android app market is much younger than iTunes app store and is growing very quickly. Until the Droid, there were only a few phones running Android. That number will at least double over the next few months, and the number of people who use phones running Android will more than double, according to industry projections, because of the increasing quality and selection of Android phones on most major carriers. All this will fuel even more rapid growth in the Android app market. But even in its present state, you can find a lot of really useful and fun apps for the Droid, many of which are free.
The physical QWERTY keyboard is not as good as it could be. The keys are flat with no space between them. Still, I'm not a big texter and I find the keyboard fairly easy and pleasant to use. I also find the 5-way rocker button on the keyboard to be very useful. But if I were a big texter, I might not like the keyboard as much. So, my advice is to go to your local Verizon store and try out their demo unit.
The 5 megapixel camera has a built-in LED flash. I have taken a couple dozen pictures inside and out, and find the photos to be acceptable, good for a camera phone, but nowhere near as good as a dedicated digital camera, and maybe slightly inferior to the iPhone's picture quality. The flash is better than nothing, but causes the colors to be off. I have posted 6 pictures I took with the Droid to the "customer images" area so you can see for yourself the quality of photos you get with Droid. Once you snap a picture, you have to wait a couple seconds before Droid will let you take another; this lag is common on camera phones and cheap digital cameras, but seems slightly worse on the Droid.
I have not yet shot any video clips with the Droid, so can't comment on their quality.
The Droid is 1.5 to 2 ounces heavier than most other smart phones I've used or tried. Doesn't sound like much, but you can definitely notice it. For me, having the bigger screen and keyboard easily justifies the weight, but for some folks, the weight could be an issue. This is another reason why I wouldn't suggest ordering it online without first seeing it and holding it at your local retailer.
Everyone has different tastes, but I think the Droid is not the most stylish phone. It has kind of a masculine, industrial look to it, which I can tolerate but I'm not crazy about it. But, it is easy to change the wallpaper, and there are a variety of cases for the Droid - more coming out every week - so you can customize the look any way you want.
The only other thing I'm not crazy about is no physical dedicated call button. To use the phone, you have to press the phone icon on the home screen. This is a very minor inconvenience, and I got over it pretty quickly. But it'll bug some people.
I really like that the Droid has WiFi, and I've used it to connect to wireless networks at home, work and a Panera cafe. It's easy and works great.
If you've taken the time to read all this, then you're probably interested enough to justify a trip to your local Verizon store or Best Buy and play with their demo unit. Try the keyboard, try the browser, play around with the pre-installed apps or maps. Take a picture or video clip. See how the weight feels in your hand. I think you'll really like the Droid, especially if you'd been wanting an iPhone but didn't want to leave Verizon to get one. |
Best Verizon Smart Phone Ever!
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| Review Date: November 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Knowledge Forest, Washington, DC United States |
I've own many of the Verizon smart phones including the Treo, Moto Q, XV6700, Sage, Omnia, Touch Pro, Blackberry Curve, Storm1, etc. The Droid is the best VZW smart phone I've ever used.
LIKES
- Nice, big screen. The touch interface is will done.
- Full exchange email support including calendar, contact sync, and email folders. Separate corporate calendar is cool too.
- Voice search is the bomb. I searched "McDonalds", "home depot", and "gas station" and found the closest ones to my location. I searched on "Phone John Smith Mobile" and droid made the phone call. I even searched "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and got the wiki page. lol
- The free GPS is excellent. The satellite layer is awesome. I was going to buy a GPS so the Droid saved me a couple bucks.
- Facebook contact integration is nice.
- Tethering is available via the PDANet app.
- Battery life is surprisingly decent. I returned many good windows mobile phones simply because of the lack luster battery life.
DISLIKES
- No Send or End Buttons. I'd much prefer initiating and terminating a call with dedicated buttons
- Flat keyboard causes some typos. The top row of keys are too close to the bottom of the screen.
- I don't like the window shade motion for notifications. I'd prefer a simple button press.
- When viewing emails in landscape mode, the on-screen Delete button is right next to the back button. I deleted 2 emails already. :-P
- I've observed some button press glitches when switching between landscape and portrait mode.
- No pitch and zoom in the browser. Browser seems a bit slower than with the iPhone and the Palm Pre.
- Many operations require a couple extra button presses compared to my old Blackberry.
- Right now, I'd only recommend the Droid to people with a bit of geek in them.
VS IPHONE
The Droid is a worthy alternative but it doesn't sniff the iPhone's total user experience. Syncing media with your iPhone is much easier. The iPhones web browser is still the best on any phone. The Droid's customization capability, voice search, awesome free gps, and comparable development platform does put it on the same playing field with the iphone. The Droid however still has to make the UI a little more polished and take steps to make syncing with your computer more seamless. Right now, I'd only recommend the Droid for people that have a slightly higher geek meter.
VS BLACKBERRY
Cha... I never asked my Blackberry to do much more than send messages and make calls. And to date, it still does it better than any other device I have ever used. The sleep case, keyboard, trackball, and typing short cuts makes the BB the most efficient device you will use for messaging. The Droid (and the iPhone) will require extra button presses to complete the same tasks. Heck, the sleep case alone allows you to check a message without pressing a button. ;-)
BOTTOM LINE
This is a great Verizon smart phone, possibly the best. The voice search works brilliantly. It's unbelievably good. The GPS is great. The Droid development platform seems decent. I especially like the Droid's full exchange support. The Droid's battery seems decent but I'll find out for sure after a couple weeks at work. It's certainly not as bad as the launch Palm Pre- the Pre's battery life would count down in front of your eyes. :-P
One major gripe I have with the device is the lack of Send and End buttons. I would never ship a phone that doesn't have Send and End buttons. I prefer to locate these buttons by feel rather than locating them on the touch screen.
Another gripe is that many functions on the Droid requires several extra button presses to accomplish the same task versus my old BlackBerry. I just have to wonder if phone manufacturers ever have business people test their phone. (I'm available, Motorola! ;-)
Should you try the Droid? Absolutely! BlackBerry users should hang on to their receipts however. You will give up some efficiencies in exchange for the Droid's advanced features. |
An ambivalent new Droid owner...
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| Review Date: November 13, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Karen Kelly, ventura, ca, usa |
I was so excited about this phone I bought it the first day it came out, even though I have 7 months left on my TMo BlackBerry 8900. It was everyting I've ever wanted in a smartphone, at least in theory. So, why do I say "ambivalent" in a 5 star review? Well, the only time I feel conflicted about it is when I am reading about it, or thinking about it. But when I have it in my hands, all that melts away.
THE AWESOME:
* The screen, the screen, the screen. Everyone raves about it for good reason. It's just gorgeous.
* No need to jailbreak if all you want to do is run non-Android Marketplace apps. There's a switch for that, it's under settings / applications. It's the top option on that menu: "Allow install of non-market applications". That's it, just check a box.
* The GPS - wow. Really glad I didn't invest in a "real" GPS, which I'd been intending to do. The Droid's voice navigation is everything you could ask for, without having to ever buy map updates. Ooh - and get the Google Sky app (it's free) - awesomeness in stargazing.
* Google! This, to me, is the biggest advantage -- the power of Google's development. This is the first few days with a major upgrade of an OS, so, everything that is "not quite there" yet about it will improve. People say it's not as polished as the iPhone, but with an open development platform on Android as opposed to Apple's walled-garden approach, it's only a matter of time. This is the first Android-based phone that Google's devs were closely involved in every step, and it's a good partnership.
* The network - again, wow. coming from TMo, where my area didn't get 3G until a few months ago, and with dead zones galore, this is just such a relief.
* Call quality - again, wow. I have never, ever experienced this sort of clarity, I was at a point where I liked smartphones mostly because I hated trying to hear & be heard on them, so it was easier to communicate via text, email, etc. Also, a very impressive speaker.
* Tight integration with several of Google's services, with more to come -- how nice to set up my gmail ID, go to YouTube on the phone, and just be logged in. Expect good things with Google Docs and even Wave in the future.
THE NOT-QUITE-THERE-YET
* The camera takes awesome pictures in full daylight, but struggles with focus. Good news is, developers are aware of this, and a leaked memo indicates there will be an over-the-air update on or around 12/11 which will address the focus issues.
* The apps -- the reason there are not as many huge, shiny apps like some of the more elaborate iPhone games is that app executables can't be stored on the memory card, just in the phone's memory, so this severely limits the amount of space for larger, more elaborate apps[correction]. The good news this is also fixable by software, and you know Google will work towards this in order to compete. However there are still plenty of awesome apps, and considering how Apple tends to reject and censor apps while Google welcomes them, there will eventually be a much broader selection. (update: Facebook's iPhone app developer just quit the project because he couldn't deal with Apple's controlling tendencies.)
THE MEH
* Well, the physical keyboard isn't the greatest. A bit flat, not enough key travel. However it was so easy to get good at the onscreen keyboard that this doesn't matter too much, and the real keyboard IS better (and quite adequate) for times you need to do more than a little typing.
* It's heavy! The night I got it, I played with it for like, 8 hours straight, and my hands were *sore*. Um, well, maybe just don't play with a phone for 8 hours straight, your hands should be fine?
* Battery life, what can you expect? A device of this magnitude needs power. I carry a charger & have a power inverter in my car, and I like powerful devices so I don't mind, really.
The other reviewers here have done a great job of going into deep detail on all the various features, these were just a couple things I wanted to point out, most especially, that almost everything brought up as a flaw is actually just an area in which Google's Android shows much potential.
I'll be getting that media dock too, that seems like a wonderful addition. Also, I have the Motorola S805 Bluetooth 2.0 (DJ Style) Stereo Headphones and they get along with the Droid very well. It's really, really helpful to have bluetooth controls when listening to music, because it's a pain in the rear when the screen goes to sleep and all you wanted to do was skip songs or pause.
All in all, I'm thrilled with the Droid, not just for what it is, but for what it will be - I have gone through *so* many phones in the past few years, finagling upgrades approx. every 9 months, but I believe this one will last me until I qualify for "new every 2" with Verizon - and by then, they'll have 4G. 4G! |
Road Warrior's Dream
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| Review Date: November 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Reckless Reader, |
The very best cell phone for use on the road that I have ever used. And I have used a lot of them.
Why?
1. Great telephone sound -- hugely important when you make calls all day and night.
2. Great email management -- integration with both gmail and Microsoft Outlook really works and keeps it all coming.
3. Great Verizon network -- puts ATT/iPhone to shame; and even better than my prior Verizon Palm in difficult locations.
4. Great music system -- I put in really nice headphones because it's 3.5 mm and my good cans go in easily. And provide great sound.
5. Great maps -- in each town, it tells me where I am, and navigates me to where I'm going...no bumps in the road so far.
6. Great keyboards -- the on screen keyboard is actually easier and less error prone than iPhone, and the flat slide-out keyboard backlighting actually helps in dark areas, and I find it as easy to use as the Blackberry and Palm 'bump' keyboards
7. Great bright screen for youtube movies when I'm bored and need a break.
What I'm saying is that it may be a geek's delight because it will do so much, and it may be incredibly versatile for people who want to play with app after app after app, but what I like is that it is so totally practical, so totally useful, so right for just taking care of business.
8 Great extra batteries --- lasts most of the day, lot of juice in its battery, but best of all, can change batteries. Worst thing about iPhone is when it's dead, you're dead. Not so with this one.
THIS PHONE TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS. |
Will the Google Phone replace this?
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| Review Date: February 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: E. Dunn, Fairfax, VA |
That was the question for me - should I just wait for Google's phone? I mean, it has nearly twice the processing power (1GHz, vs. 556 MHz). I'll explain below why I went ahead and picked up the Droid. (Likes/Dislikes/Contrast with what others have said/Etc). (Btw, sorry for the long review, but I do think you'll find the information helpful. :) )
LIKES:
- I LOVE the screen. It's mentioned in the description of the product that it can take DVD quality video - it also displays that video on an incredibly glossy and surprisingly large screen. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but it even feels amazing to the touch. Also, contrasting with my recent HTC Touch, when you make a call, and bring the phone to your cheek, it blanks the screen. That's fantastic because... well, it saves power, which is nice, but more importantly, you don't start making random phone commands because your face is touching the screen! ARGH that used to drive me crazy on the HTC. Not sure if the Eris does this or not, but it was enough to keep me from ever looking at an HTC again.
Additionally, when you bring the phone away from your face, the screen on the Droid turns on again, so that you can hang up the phone. Very intuitive, and such a relief! I used to have to manually turn the HTC back on again (it would blank after 60 seconds) and by then, I could never tell if I was hanging up, or what.
- Intuitive interface. Without using a manual (and I'm a huge manual reader!) I was able to navigate, check my email, make phone calls, open up the GPS, all within about the first three minutes of having the phone in my possession. The GPS is gorgeous, btw. I'm still learning things about the phone, as I've only had it for two days. I'll be updating this review at a later date.
- Apps. No, it doesn't have 140k apps and 3 billion downloads like the Iphone. But, as mentioned by others, it's not locked down like other Verizon phones. I've worked for a government agency that has been struggling with Verizon for YEARS to get a GPS on their BlackBerries. And now, voila, here it is. I imagine it would take someone with the leverage of Google to insist with Verizon to allow this type of functionality. Also, the Marketplace (where you find apps for the Android OS) is easy to find, navigate and purchase from, if you desire any non-free applications. It's right on your home page, and you'll be downloading and installing apps within seconds.
Recommended Apps. There is one called KeyRing, which is free, (with a link to a Youtube video with surprisingly succinct instructions on that beautiful screen!) that holds all those plastic UPC things that various stores want you to carry around with your car keys. The camera takes the picture, identifies the UPC code and gives you the choice of over 650 retailers to choose who the UPC code works with. Very neat!
There are also apps to lock down files (I am using one called Hide and Seek). If you want to show off your Droid, you may not want to let kids/friends/family see every last thing on your phone. An app allows you to expand your desktop from three screens to nine. (That's a big desktop! And extremely easy to navigate.)
- Keyboard. Okay, I know it's flat, it's small, and may take some getting used to, but it's a friggin keyboard! The new Google phone doesn't have one, neither does the Iphone. I guess I'm just one of those people who have to have the tactile keyboard to type efficiently. The keys (as well as other buttons) are a rather classy looking gold color. The keyboard itself has a very easy to read and intutive layout. I do have to admit that I couldn't find the "?" key for a while. ;) On this keyboard, you don't need a shift or the alt/function button to find it. The /, ?, @ are all standard buttons, requiring no shift or additional keypress.
The mouse thingy (for lack of a better term) looks like a fingerprint authentication device on the side of the keyboard. (If you're looking at pictures of the Droid, it's that gold square on the right side of the keyboard.) Also, very easy to use, very handy to have there (beats the heck out of arrow keys on so many other keyboards) and you can press the gold center to select items.
- Durability. Also, something I haven't seen mentioned, and perhaps I'm more sensitive to the fact since my last phone was the recently reduced in price HTC Touch Diamond (or Pro). For whatever reason, the last two HTC phones I had (I tried the Ozone for several days as well) both seemed SO FLIMSY. The back (very cheap feeling) covers on the phones would just fly right off. When I'd slide the top on the HTC up to start typing on the keyboard, it was just so slippery. And while I'm on the HTC - that was the first phone I ever had that I would make multiple accidental calls per day. Drove me crazy! More a function of the screen, but still.
Well, the Droid just feels tough. I mean, when you slide the top up to reveal the keyboard, it feels like you'd have to really struggle to break it and it snaps in place with an encouraging click. People have commented on the weight, but like others, I feel like I'm carrying around a computer in the palm of my hand; I can handle the extra ounce or two. I even use a belt clip (body glove case) and it works great. Very well balanced on my hip; hasn't fallen off yet.
- Sound quality. Fantastic. I had an ENV2 from Verizon in the past, and it actually had stereo speakers which gave great sound. Well, this (over?) two inch bar on the back of the phone delivers surprisingly loud sound. I'm glad for that, since (sorry HTC!) but the HTC Touch Pro - you could barely hear someone on speaker phone. We all know how important that can be while driving without a headset. Also, the 3.5MM jack is convenient.
DISLIKES:
There are few, since I gave it five stars.
- Manual. There isn't one enclosed! It's a good thing it's easy to get going on this phone, as that would have been enough to make me bring it back. I've yet to actually need one, but I'm sure there is a lot of functionality on this phone that I'm still missing.
- Phone button. I too wish there had been a hard-wired phone button. Not a big deal, as it's easy to navigate to, and if the phone's ringing, it's right there, but still.
- Customizable buttons. There aren't any, that I've found. Externally, you have volume, camera, on/off, home, search, back, and menu. On a BlackBerry, there are several buttons you can define for yourself, which is very handy on a PDA. Allows you to pull up email, your desktop, or whatever you like with one external press of a button. I miss that. Having said that, this isn't a BlackBerry. ;)
- No Itunes. Yet. Someone's working on an app already, though. Based on Steve Jobs' recent Google rant, I doubt Apple will make the app, despite it making business sense.
- Picture Gallery. Not thrilled with it. There's an app that will hide the folders for you, but as it stands, it's not particularly intuitive on how they organize it as shipped.
Contrast with what some others have said:
- I mentioned the keyboard. I actually am ecstatic that it has one! Could be better, but sheesh! You should see the size of this thing. It's actually a surprisingly slim phone for what it offers. Frankly, I find the phone to be quite elegant.
- The Camera. I like it. 5MP? Yowza. Very easy to use, and faster (though not stand-alone-camera-like) than any other phone I've used.
- Google vs. Apple. I haven't read all 100 reviews, but I haven't heard the companies themselves brought up yet. Fact is, Google has a tradition (if you call a ten-something year old company as having traditions) of giving things away for free. Apple does not. I think it's important to note that Apple put the same OS on their new tablet - which gives them a bottleneck for charging for every little bit of content on their device. Essentially, it's a computer set up to be a closed-end device. Google's "marketplace" is almost a misnomer, since so many apps are available for free. As much as Google may be the next "Big Brother" - so far, they give most of their stuff away.
- Google vs. Microsoft. One of my beefs with the HTC I just ditched was that it used Windows Mobile 6.1. I thought after seeing my wife's Omnia that I'd love it. BOY was I wrong. It crashed all the time, was slow as mollasses and was the case-book example of being a lot harder to use than other competing OSs, just like Microsoft has been since the days of DOS vs. the Macintosh. (Sorry to geek out, but have been a Microsoft user since 1991ish.)
I've already added more applications in two days with the Android OS than I did with 6 months on Windows Mobile. Oh, and I've already updated the Android OS. You can't even go from Windows Mobile 6.1 to 6.5 w/out changing phones. OUCH.
ETC:
Love how much memory is shipped with this thing. 16GB? WOW.
Video looks awesome. Can't wait to try streaming music with Pandora. (Yep, there's an app for that. And programming DirecTV? Yep, there's an app for that too. With apologies to IPhone. ;) )
Hey, it's Verizon's network, which is just plain awesome.
The Iphone isn't due out on Verizon until Summer, from what I understand, and who knows when Verizon will get Google's phone.
I love Gmail and I love the integration (which is to be expected) between Android and Google's apps (like Google Docs, etc). Gmail looks plain awesome on this phone.
Long story short: If you were looking for an Iphone with a keyboard, this will do the trick. If you want a great phone that runs the Android OS, this is what you want.
To answer the question I posed in the title: No, I don't think it will. Here's why: Motorola has been making phones for a long, long time. I believe Motorola's expertise in the field and their consciousness of features, durability, battery life, touch screen technology, WiFi and all the rest - will simply outshine Google, at least in their first rendition. Keep in mind, even when Apple first put out the Iphone, it was hardly ideal. The 4GB IPhone was discontinued after less than 3 months.
Plus, the Google Phone doesn't ship with a QWERTY keyboard. ;)
2/9/10 Update:
Okay, a few things I've learned. One, the location of the manual. :) Thanks to a commenter, not sure if links are allowed, but look to the first comment reply to this post to find it.
Second - the screen that I love so much - well, I went looking for a protector. I'm a big suspicious of them, since I know you lose some sensitivity and have to press harder on a screen to get your phone to do what you want. Well, in Amazon's review section of one of the pricer screen protectors, several commenters mention you don't need one. I tend to agree. It looks better, feels better, and most importantly, do a google search on "Gorilla Glass" and do a Youtube search on "Droid Scratch", etc. There's a video that shows a guy using a key on his screen and it doesn't scratch. This is the same material they use to protect helicopter blades! It's amazing. This phone doesn't cease to amaze me.
Third - I discovered voice search! Oh, this is neat. Without "learning" my voice, there's a mic next to the omnipresent Google search bar. So, I pressed the mic button, spoke "Olive Garden" into the phone and voila, it listed Olive Garden and about the 4th link down even had the one that was closest to my location! How amazing is that?! Okay, geeking out a bit, but it was very cool. Also, you can just touch the phone number that's listed right there in the Google search listing. Say goodbye to paying 411 information fees! Nice.
Fourth - A couple of neat tricks:
--you press and hold an icon to move it around or toss it off your screen again.
--You can easily add applications to the keypad and you access them by simultaneously pressing Search and the letter. Several default options are search+B brings up your browser and search+C brings up your contacts.
--Pressing and holding your Home button brings up your six most recently used Apps.
Fifth - Look out for the new Android 2.1 coming out this week! Will come back with some details. The upgrades so far have been completely painless. Basically just accept the download and it downloads and installs in the background. I believe it requires a reboot.
Six - A couple of must-have apps:
--dockrunnner - is essentially the app that you use that is the same as having the doc station. Turns your Droid into an extremely serviceable alarm clock. :) With the weather!, and you have a button for turning your gallery into one of those stationary electronic picture frames (like I bought for my wife that cost me 100 bucks, though, admittedly it was about twice the size, but still...) - oh, one word of warning, some people, when they use this app can't "turn it off" and the screen "stays in landscape mode" - it's actually easy to turn off. Hold the home button down to bring up the list of six apps, and then press and hold the dockrunner button to turn it off.
--Screen Mode - oh man, I like this app. Essentially, it puts a 3 button bar on your desktop. One for keeping the desktop on all the time without blanking to save energy. Very useful when you have your wife emailing you a shopping list before a snow storm and you need to walk through CVS without having to try to keep the screen on :) Another button makes it so that it sleeps normally, but it removes the annoying unlock button. You can also use the camera button to wake the phone back up. And finally, the last button that makes it so that when the phone sleeps, it behaves normally (back to the unlock button being there).
Seven - found a really, REALLY good community site out there. Again, don't know Amazon's policy on links, but heck, there's even a Verizon support rep who posts there (and that thread has 150 pages of posts since November?!). Just do a Google search on "droid forum". Extremely helpful for help, apps, tips, etc.
Can you tell I love this phone? :P
March 02, 2010 Update -
Still loving the phone! Also, referring to the screen protector, etc. above - still no protector, still no scratches. It's not like I throw the phone around or anything, but I DO use a belt clip (still hasn't jumped off my hip with the Body Glove protector) and the phone still looks like it's brand new.
A note on battery life. One thing I've done this go round that I've never done with any other phone, is I religiously let the battery die all the way down to nothing. If I'm down to 10% or less (there's an App for that! called appropriately enough "Battery Indicator" - just do a search on the marketplace for it - it's free) - I turn on my screen and let it completely discharge and then start charging again.
This is completely anecdotal, but I'd swear that the battery actually lasts longer each time I do that. In the manual, it says to do that "a few times" if you find your battery life getting shorter - but I now go 3-5 days without a charge, despite heavy data usage. If there's one piece of advice I'd give any phone user, it's try to let your phone discharge completely for every charge to get the most out of your battery.
Also, I've learned a lot more about Google's phone. It has had a TON of issues, starting with Google's support. Get this - it was initially only via email! No phone support whatsoever, and T-Mobile wasn't supporting the phone either. It also had a number of issues, apparently. Also, Google had initially been charging some ginormous fees if you wanted to return the phone. The FCC even did an inquiry about it - it was a whopping $350 dollars initially. This was in addition to T-Mobile's $200 early cancellation fee! Google has since dropped the price of their equipment return fee to $150 (free if within the first 14 days), but still. From articles I've read, it definitely impacted sales. It also gave me no small measure of re-assurance that I went with the right choice. |
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