My last blog post was about the feud between AT&T and Verizon. “There is an app for that” VS “There is a map for that”.
Since then, I have been taking note of the different phones that each service provider offers even more than I usually do. And something that caught my attention was…
…the new Droid phone.
Their commercials, in case you haven’t seen them yet, seem almost like a subliminal message or preview for a creepy movie. They’re actually quite effective at catching your attention and sticking out amidst all the rest of the ads on TV.
So with my own Verizon contract ending soon, I thought ”Do I stick with them or switch over to AT&T?”
I hope I don’t rile people up too much, but this decision was solved within a split second — my loyalty lies with Verizon.
And before you all begin to get extremely upset with me, I use to be an AT&T customer. But after having many unresolved issues with customer service, high prices and my service in general (dropping calls), I decided to see what else was out there. And then I found Verizon and haven’t looked back.
So what I have really been racking my brain over is since my contract is coming near an end- that means FREE UPGRADE time. So with this new Droid phone out, I figured I better do my research to see if it was worth my time and money.
(It reminds me of a BlackBerry combined with the LG Dare)
Here is what I have found out so far (Some of which is word of mouth through the blogosphere):
- 5-megapixel camera with flash
- DVD-quality video recording
- Good Speaker
- 854 X 480 pixel touch-screen (I am a fan of the touch-screens)- And this touch screen actually happens to be larger than that of the iPhone’s.
- And if you don’t want to use the touchscreen to type- It has a slideout QWERTY keyboard
- Lastly the Droid connects to Google’s Android Market…
Which brings about the question, what is…
…the Android Market?
The Android Market is like the app store, except it only has around 10,000 apps, while 100,000 are available to iPhone users from the iTunes store.
Although this may seem like a downside to most people, I really can’t think of more than 20 apps I would really need on my phone, so I think the 10,000 might just be enough for me. 
SO is it worth all of the hype? So far the critics have been saying some great things…
The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg seems quite keen on it “It’s the best super-smart phone Verizon offers, the best Motorola phone I’ve tested and the best hardware so far to run Android. I can recommend the Droid to Verizon loyalists who have lusted for a better smart phone, but don’t want to switch networks.”
I guess my next step is to try it out for myself!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I would take a 1 year contract to get a Droid, no more. It is possible Verizon will get an iPhone within a year. Also, Verizon will soon get a webOS phone. Both of these are worthy alternatives to Droid.
One of the comments mentioned compatibility with Mac. Not really an issue. Of course, the iPhone is most compatible with OS X, but the Droid and Pre both rely on OTA sync with google and there are sync solutions to get data back and forth from google to your Mac.
Nice Article. Like that, while you still maintained loyalty to Verizon, you were objective in your assessment of the devices.
The only issue I have with your post is that in your first image you are featuring a photo of the HTC Eris handset (Android 1.5 + HTC Sense) and not the Motorola DROID hanset (Android 2.0). The OS version is neither here nor there but the incorrect handset image should be corrected or at the very least be labeled properly. As an AVID Android User I follow the devices using the OS with a fervor, so I do apologize if I seem a bit harsh.
I do agree that AT&T is an inferior carrier for a device such as the iPhone, thus, I do not own one.
Again great post.
Thanks.
Thank you!
Great points. Thank you!
You can count on a very lively marketing war for the next year or two. Some basic facts:
1. there are no perfect carriers.
2. no matter which one you are with, the others look better
3. technical innovations are going to make the lead change hands between smart phone manufacturers.
I bet on Apple to hold off Google because the later does not have the experience in hardware software integration and the presence of a querty keyboard means it will take more steps to achieve a given function. Simple always wins in the mass market. I don’t believe Google can out-simplify Apple.
Either way, it is going to be a lot of fun to watch. Check the Economist’s article on the smart phone wars “cleverly simple” from the Oct 1 09 issue for a good overview of what is coming.
Hi David,
Great points. I’ll check out that article.
Thanks,
Tim
I’m with you. I’ve wanted an iPhone for a long time but thought it would be foolish to leave Verizon when I’ve been completely satisfied. Now that the Android phones are out, it looks as if I can get something that’s at least in the same league as the iPhone and still stick with Verizon. I’m leaning towards the HTC’s Eris (first image in your post) instead of Motorola’s Droid (second image) because I think the Motorola will be too big for my pocket. The drawbacks are that the HTC has a slower processor and a lower screen resolution. I’ll make the final decision once I’ve tested them out in the store.
Hi, I recently purchased a HTC Tattoo and I have to say that I am loving Google Andriod it is by far the best mobile os I have tested. The endless supply of apps makes every day with my phone an new experience.Sorry for my long rant I just wanted to tell you my experience with android. Have a nice day and thanks for a superb blog.
Thank you so much!