Motorola Droid (hands-on) from an iPhone user's perspective

[Capt Caveman]

fwiw - CNET's Shoot-out between the Droid and iPhone 3GS - http://cnettv.cnet.com/motorola-droid-vs-iphone-3gs/9742-1_53-50079391.html

 

[SunnyD]

The one thing that the Droid has going for is is the $29.95/month deal for voice/text/data at PagePlus. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch Verizon with a 10 foot pole. That's not to say that AT&T is any better.

 

[destrekor]

The one thing that the Droid has going for is is the $29.95/month deal for voice/text/data at PagePlus. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch Verizon with a 10 foot pole. That's not to say that AT&T is any better.

i :wub: Verizon. Well, currently on a family share plan still. Once I move out permanently I'll move onto my own plan, and then I'll bitch and gripe about how the total cost is unjust. But worthwhile having reliable means of communication. Right now the total cost for me isn't that bad.

The data deal at PagePlus isn't exactly a lot. If I had access to wifi everywhere it wouldn't matter, but I can, without trying, blow through 20mb in a day.
If your browsing web pages from time to time, 20mb will last a month. But with a lot of stuff going on, especially to have the Droid integrate so perfectly with my life (Windows Mobile fought me constantly when trying that), I need the data access. That, and Verizon is awesome when not considering plan costs, and even then, they aren't greatly different from other cell providers... at least, of providers of similar quality. Of which Verizon ranks as #1 in my experience and location. I don't find myself in low network signal areas often, but when I am, I often have service (no 3G perhaps) when others do not. And now with the Droid having amazing reception, that will definitely be the case more often. I had areas where my Omnia didn't have reception when my last Motorola phone, the V710, had reception. This thing gets better reception in the middle of Columbus than my Omnia did, so that's a good sign it has similar radio capabilities as the V710 - haven't been in the middle of nowhere in awhile though, and not with my Droid.

 

[SunnyD]

i :wub: Verizon. Well, currently on a family share plan still. Once I move out permanently I'll move onto my own plan, and then I'll bitch and gripe about how the total cost is unjust. But worthwhile having reliable means of communication. Right now the total cost for me isn't that bad.

The data deal at PagePlus isn't exactly a lot. If I had access to wifi everywhere it wouldn't matter, but I can, without trying, blow through 20mb in a day.
If your browsing web pages from time to time, 20mb will last a month. But with a lot of stuff going on, especially to have the Droid integrate so perfectly with my life (Windows Mobile fought me constantly when trying that), I need the data access. That, and Verizon is awesome when not considering plan costs, and even then, they aren't greatly different from other cell providers... at least, of providers of similar quality. Of which Verizon ranks as #1 in my experience and location. I don't find myself in low network signal areas often, but when I am, I often have service (no 3G perhaps) when others do not. And now with the Droid having amazing reception, that will definitely be the case more often. I had areas where my Omnia didn't have reception when my last Motorola phone, the V710, had reception. This thing gets better reception in the middle of Columbus than my Omnia did, so that's a good sign it has similar radio capabilities as the V710 - haven't been in the middle of nowhere in awhile though, and not with my Droid.

Okay, then the $39.95/mo unlimited plan from PagePlus. By the way, they use Verizon's network.

 

[lokiju]

Okay, then the $39.95/mo unlimited plan from PagePlus. By the way, they use Verizon's network.

Unless I'm blind, I'm not seeing a unlimited data plan offered by PagePlus.

And without a unlimited data plan, I'm not sure how useful a Droid would be on it.

 

[SunnyD]

Unless I'm blind, I'm not seeing a unlimited data plan offered by PagePlus.

And without a unlimited data plan, I'm not sure how useful a Droid would be on it.

Hmm, okay, it may have been one of the other MVNO dealers.

Oddly, I just looked - and laughed. Their "unlimited" plan only gives you 20MB per month, while their 1200T&T plan gives you 50MB per month. Funny.

 

[basslover1]

I'm tempted to give the Droid a shot, especially after seeing how much an unlocked 3GS sells for on eBay. I could sell mine, and after ETF and new handset fees, still be up about 200 bucks.

I think I need to visit a Verizon store and get some hands on with the Droid.

 

[Tom]

I'm tempted to give the Droid a shot, especially after seeing how much an unlocked 3GS sells for on eBay. I could sell mine, and after ETF and new handset fees, still be up about 200 bucks.

I think I need to visit a Verizon store and get some hands on with the Droid.

Better read the terms carefully, I read the Verizon ETF for smartphones is gonna be $350.

 

[Muadib]

Better read the terms carefully, I read the Verizon ETF for smartphones is gonna be $350.

He's going to sell his iPhone to get the droid. I have a similar plan in mind, but it's not the droid that I'm looking for.:sneaky:

 

[QueBert]

the 256 meg app install limit is the most retarded thing ever. I know Motorola isn't even going to address this, but are any hackers working on fixing this? I had 8 gigs of games+apps on my iPhone before I sold it, I couldn't possibly function with 256 megs. From what I gather apps can be written where the core app installs to phone space and the big chunk of data installs to an SD card, but this isn't common at all.

I have PagePlus and since this phone has WiFi I'd be interested in paying full price for one, but if the 256 meg thing isn't remedied they can keep it.

 

[Spineshank]

the 256 meg app install limit is the most retarded thing ever. I know Motorola isn't even going to address this, but are any hackers working on fixing this? I had 8 gigs of games+apps on my iPhone before I sold it, I couldn't possibly function with 256 megs. From what I gather apps can be written where the core app installs to phone space and the big chunk of data installs to an SD card, but this isn't common at all.

I have PagePlus and since this phone has WiFi I'd be interested in paying full price for one, but if the 256 meg thing isn't remedied they can keep it.

You gotta remember stuff for android is coded differently than the iphone. But yes it can be hacked to install games and what not on the sd card.

 

[basslover1]

the 256 meg app install limit is the most retarded thing ever. I know Motorola isn't even going to address this, but are any hackers working on fixing this? I had 8 gigs of games+apps on my iPhone before I sold it, I couldn't possibly function with 256 megs. From what I gather apps can be written where the core app installs to phone space and the big chunk of data installs to an SD card, but this isn't common at all.

I have PagePlus and since this phone has WiFi I'd be interested in paying full price for one, but if the 256 meg thing isn't remedied they can keep it.

Google is already working on a fix:

http://phandroid.com/2009/11/03/google-iso-developers-for-app2sd/

 

[KillerCharlie]

the 256 meg app install limit is the most retarded thing ever. I know Motorola isn't even going to address this, but are any hackers working on fixing this? I had 8 gigs of games+apps on my iPhone before I sold it, I couldn't possibly function with 256 megs. From what I gather apps can be written where the core app installs to phone space and the big chunk of data installs to an SD card, but this isn't common at all.

I have PagePlus and since this phone has WiFi I'd be interested in paying full price for one, but if the 256 meg thing isn't remedied they can keep it.

Besides the fact that there are 3rd party work around and google is coming up with a fix themselves, I believe that it's only the executable files that go on the 256 memory - if you have an application with lots of images or whatever, those already go on the SD card.

 

[basslover1]

I went up to the Verizon store today, to get a look at the Driod.

I was impressed with it. Switching screens was a bit laggy compared to my 3GS, but definitely not anything that would completely put me off from it.

Keyboard would take some getting used to, that is for sure, but overall it isn't bad.

Screen (not the resolution), is meh. Coming from a 3GS with the oilephobic screen coating, the finger prints on the Droid take a lot of extra work to clean off, a finger print resistant screen cover would be a must for me. Again, not anything that would deter me from purchasing it, but it could have been a bit better.

Overall, I'm having a hard time not buying and cancelling with ATT right now. I love my iPhone, but Apple's way of having complete control over it, is a PITA. Even being jailbroken, waiting for the next fix after a FW update is annoying.

 

[zerocool84]

I went up to the Verizon store today, to get a look at the Driod.

I was impressed with it. Switching screens was a bit laggy compared to my 3GS, but definitely not anything that would completely put me off from it.

Keyboard would take some getting used to, that is for sure, but overall it isn't bad.

Screen (not the resolution), is meh. Coming from a 3GS with the oilephobic screen coating, the finger prints on the Droid take a lot of extra work to clean off, a finger print resistant screen cover would be a must for me. Again, not anything that would deter me from purchasing it, but it could have been a bit better.

Overall, I'm having a hard time not buying and cancelling with ATT right now. I love my iPhone, but Apple's way of having complete control over it, is a PITA. Even being jailbroken, waiting for the next fix after a FW update is annoying.

Well think about it this way, you're going to be saying similar prices and actually get reception now.

 

[basslover1]

Well think about it this way, you're going to be saying similar prices and actually get reception now.

I'll actually pay about 10 bucks less a month, not much, but still 10 bucks is 10 bucks.

ATT service for me, has been fine. It's been a bit sketchy as of late, but usually I get full 3G reception where ever I go, with minimal dropped calls.

 

[Muadib]

I went up to the Verizon store today, to get a look at the Driod.

I was impressed with it. Switching screens was a bit laggy compared to my 3GS, but definitely not anything that would completely put me off from it.

Keyboard would take some getting used to, that is for sure, but overall it isn't bad.

Screen (not the resolution), is meh. Coming from a 3GS with the oilephobic screen coating, the finger prints on the Droid take a lot of extra work to clean off, a finger print resistant screen cover would be a must for me. Again, not anything that would deter me from purchasing it, but it could have been a bit better.

Overall, I'm having a hard time not buying and cancelling with ATT right now. I love my iPhone, but Apple's way of having complete control over it, is a PITA. Even being jailbroken, waiting for the next fix after a FW update is annoying.

I'm with you on the Apple thing. If there was a decent gsm android phone on at&t, I'd be all over it. As it is, there are two things keeping me from getting a Droid.

1) No Slingplayer mobile
2) The next Android phone on Verizon is rumored to be less than 30 days away.

 

[basslover1]

I'm with you on the Apple thing. If there was a decent gsm android phone on at&t, I'd be all over it. As it is, there are two things keeping me from getting a Droid.

1) No Slingplayer mobile
2) The next Android phone on Verizon is rumored to be less than 30 days away.

#2 has me interested. I was about 20 seconds from ordering a Driod, but VW's site was hanging up, so I checked this thread.

Glad I did, I'm not in any rush. I've got until sometime this summer till the next gen iPhone comes out, and my 3GS' value tanks .

 

[KillerCharlie]

fwiw - CNET's Shoot-out between the Droid and iPhone 3GS - http://cnettv.cnet.com/motorola-droid-vs-iphone-3gs/9742-1_53-50079391.html

They claim that video playback (downloaded videos, not web videos) was choppy on the droid. Can anyone comment on this?

 

[zerocool84]

They claim that video playback (downloaded videos, not web videos) was choppy on the droid. Can anyone comment on this?

My friend's was fine.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i didn't know this. what's the best way to keep your battery life longest when you initially use the phone? i was charging it fully and letting it die fully and then repeating the process about 3 times. is that not good?

yeah, you basically mutilated the battery right out of the box.
NEVER let a lithium battery go to 0%.

 

[Glitchny]

They claim that video playback (downloaded videos, not web videos) was choppy on the droid. Can anyone comment on this?

Yea, they are wrong.. I've had 0 issues watching downloaded or web videos.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Choppy videos is a function of bitrate. If the reviews actually measure the bitrate that the phone can handle, then that's great. I remember GSMArena doing tests showing the HTC Touch HD could handle up to 1.1mbit videos...

 

[maziwanka]

yeah, you basically mutilated the battery right out of the box.
NEVER let a lithium battery go to 0%.

wtf? mutilated sounds harsh

 

[basslover1]

yeah, you basically mutilated the battery right out of the box.
NEVER let a lithium battery go to 0%.

I wouldn't say never. Most manufacturers recommend letting the battery drain completely to zero, maybe once every other month.

This helps recalibrate the battery it self to the battery meter you see, making the meter more accurate.

Lithium-Ion batteries for cell phones typically have a 400 full charge life cycle. That means you can usually charge it from completely empty to 100% 400 times. However, if say, you charge it from 66% every day, you can do that 3 times before it's technically considered a full cycle charge. Which means you can stretch that 400 out to 1200 charges from 66%, which is like 3 years in time, if done every night.

I don't know of that many people that keep a phone for longer than two years, let alone three.