I got the droid but still feel...

[ZebraineZ]

I sort of feel weird I mean I've had an iPhone for so long but I don't have internet at my house and well my phone pooped on me twice already and I've had trouble getting internet anywhere just for the sake of activating the phone, so I can get back to tethering for internet, but recently I just got fed up (plus it was my birthday) with my 3G always getting screwed up one way or another just because of 1 jailbreak to tether internet, so my mom took off the iphone plan and uses it for her phone, I still have my 3G but I got the droid.

I like the droid especially with it's open-ness and a lot of things work out of the box (and hopefully will last in case if it decides to poop as well, since I am using it to tether now too) but it just feels a bit too clunky and very distant, I was just really happy with my 3G but the constant slowness of the OS and poops were the last straw.

I don't know if I should still return the droid, before the 30 days and etf and just wait until I can get internet (hopefully) and then work my 3G again. until maybe next year when a better iphone is out and get that for my bday, I mean for me time passes quickly so I don't usually 'wait' for anything since the time passes naturally.

My only complains for the droid are the OS fluidity and GUI, the lack of a central forums like macrumors (I will still stick around here though <3), and the stable 0-1.0mb speed verizon offers compared to the unstable (though fast) 0-2mb att has, both vary a lot but meh, I need fast speed for tethering.

 

[GoCubsGo]

First, I don't agree with you completely. I've now spent a fair amount of time with the Droid and I found that texting, internet, and some apps felt faster. Perhaps speed tests tell otherwise, but I was texting just tonight and the owner of the Droid said the text was sent slow. Sure enough, his was real fast or faster.

My opinion is the Droid is a better phone than the first iPhone ever was. It is a great first attempt and tells me that gen 2 will be remarkable. I don't quite like the virtual keyboard in portrait mode as it is slightly too hard to use due to the Droid's screen being more narrow than the iPhone. I also found myself pushing the home buttons of the bottom a lot while typing in landscape mode. But really, it is a better 1st version than the iPhone ever was.

Second, really? You don't like the Droid as much because of the lack of a central forum? The Droid can have central forums or you can head over to howard forums (which have been around for ages). The iPhone is here because this is a Mac site but that's not to say the Droid can't be discussed as using it with a Mac is probably something people will do.

I am very tempted to get a Droid. I can drop $200 for a 2 year or $300 for a 1 year (which I love). It's really a fine first attempt.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I have seen a few forums pop up and some hold a lot of promise to staying around.
The android has not had the time to make a few good central forums like the others. The iPhone grew off of apple forums. Blackberry have been around long enough to make 2 good forums I know of.

Google is your friend in finding a good forum because I know there are a few out there.

 

[ZebraineZ]

First, I don't agree with you completely. I've now spent a fair amount of time with the Droid and I found that texting, internet, and some apps felt faster. Perhaps speed tests tell otherwise, but I was texting just tonight and the owner of the Droid said the text was sent slow. Sure enough, his was real fast or faster.

My opinion is the Droid is a better phone than the first iPhone ever was. It is a great first attempt and tells me that gen 2 will be remarkable. I don't quite like the virtual keyboard in portrait mode as it is slightly too hard to use due to the Droid's screen being more narrow than the iPhone. I also found myself pushing the home buttons of the bottom a lot while typing in landscape mode. But really, it is a better 1st version than the iPhone ever was.

Second, really? You don't like the Droid as much because of the lack of a central forum? The Droid can have central forums or you can head over to howard forums (which have been around for ages). The iPhone is here because this is a Mac site but that's not to say the Droid can't be discussed as using it with a Mac is probably something people will do.

I am very tempted to get a Droid. I can drop $200 for a 2 year or $300 for a 1 year (which I love). It's really a fine first attempt.

The thing is it's got the same (more or less) hardware as the 3GS, you would expect it to run as fluid as a 3G, if not the 3GS.

Yes having a place to go and discuss about a phone as good as this site (in my opinion that is) is a contributing factor of the type of experience you get with the phone.

One thing I can at least say about the droid that is good is the hardware, but 2010 is coming right around the corners, the hardware might even feel a bit old very soon, same with the 3GS which is why if I return this I rather wait it out for a phone fresh out of the oven since I don't mind hardware refreshes when they are given accordingly, be it the next iphone and/or android device (hopefully with a hard keyboard, or responsive soft).

The droid is smooth with apps and multitasking but not smooth enough, thanks.

I know a lot of android forums, a good 5 to say the least, but for the iphone when someone needs help with something where do you usually see them come to, macrumors. Each forum caters to specific users but there is always 1 that caters generally to everything, android does not have that.

 

[nfl46]

First, I don't agree with you completely. I've now spent a fair amount of time with the Droid and I found that texting, internet, and some apps felt faster. Perhaps speed tests tell otherwise, but I was texting just tonight and the owner of the Droid said the text was sent slow. Sure enough, his was real fast or faster.

My opinion is the Droid is a better phone than the first iPhone ever was. It is a great first attempt and tells me that gen 2 will be remarkable. I don't quite like the virtual keyboard in portrait mode as it is slightly too hard to use due to the Droid's screen being more narrow than the iPhone. I also found myself pushing the home buttons of the bottom a lot while typing in landscape mode. But really, it is a better 1st version than the iPhone ever was.

Second, really? You don't like the Droid as much because of the lack of a central forum? The Droid can have central forums or you can head over to howard forums (which have been around for ages). The iPhone is here because this is a Mac site but that's not to say the Droid can't be discussed as using it with a Mac is probably something people will do.

I am very tempted to get a Droid. I can drop $200 for a 2 year or $300 for a 1 year (which I love). It's really a fine first attempt.

At times I don't think its fair to compare the first Gen iPhone to the Droid. Technology has improved drastically since 2007. I'm sure if the first iPhone came out in 2009, it would have been way better then the 2007 version. Honestly, I think it would have came with all the features the 3rd Gen version have. There's no way the 2007 version could have competed with any of the 2009 version phones now a days.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Maybe my time with it was not enough then because I found it more fluid than my iPhone 3G. Screen rotation alone was smoother and faster. Then again, I probably only played with one for about 3 hours total.

At times I don't think its fair to compare the first Gen iPhone to the Droid. Technology has improved drastically since 2007. I'm sure if the first iPhone came out in 2009, it would have been way better then the 2007 version. Honestly, I think it would have came with all the features the 3rd Gen version have. There's no way the 2007 version could have competed with any of the 2009 version phones now a days.

Let me rephrase that then because what I meant was the 1st gen iPhone was good for it's time, the Droid is good for it's time but in terms of first attempts, the Droid is a better first attempt. By that I mean that with available tech the Phone was lacking out of the box. May I remind you about two simple functions such as copy/paste and MMS? Sure, blame AT&T but still ... the Droid for it's time is a great first attempt that did not strip users of certain features as the iPhone did.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Maybe my time with it was not enough then because I found it more fluid than my iPhone 3G. Screen rotation alone was smoother and faster. Then again, I probably only played with one for about 3 hours total.

The 3G and original iPhone have very sluggish rotation. However, the 3GS is snappy, and I don't think it's fair to compare the 3G (especially running 3.0) with the droid, since the 3G is a year older. (A year is 20 years in the cell phone world)

 

[nfl46]

Maybe my time with it was not enough then because I found it more fluid than my iPhone 3G. Screen rotation alone was smoother and faster. Then again, I probably only played with one for about 3 hours total.




Let me rephrase that then because what I meant was the 1st gen iPhone was good for it's time, the Droid is good for it's time but in terms of first attempts, the Droid is a better first attempt. By that I mean that with available tech the Phone was lacking out of the box. May I remind you about two simple functions such as copy/paste and MMS? Sure, blame AT&T but still ... the Droid for it's time is a great first attempt that did not strip users of certain features as the iPhone did.

I understand where you are coming from. But in 2007, there wasn't any other phone like the iPhone. Now that I think about it, I see why the iPhone was stripped of its features. The iPhone set the standard for touch screen phones. Since then, everyone has been attempting to come out with an "iPhone killer". I don't think Apple would have left out MMS and Copy/Paste if they launched their first phone in 2009. There's no way people would deal with that foolishness in 2009. If the iPhone didn't have MMS or Copy/Paste in 2009, then I'm sure a lot of people would have left it.

 

[Abyssgh0st]

My opinion is the Droid is a better phone than the first iPhone ever was. It is a great first attempt and tells me that gen 2 will be remarkable.

Well damn; it'd better be! The original iPhone was in released more than two years before the Droid, and at the time it (and still today) it revolutionized the cell phone market. The Droid and many other smartphones today are only possible because of the iPhone's advanced innovation.

Hell, even the UI that the Droid uses is a direct interpretation of the iPhone's OS.

I'm not here to bash the Droid or Android, but until they stop admitting that their main opponent in superior to them and they have to result to insulting them instead of showing how 'innovative their product is.'

 

[jjprusk]

My only complains for the droid are the OS fluidity and GUI, the lack of a central forums like macrumors (I will still stick around here though <3), and the stable 0-1.0mb speed verizon offers compared to the unstable (though fast) 0-2mb att has, both vary a lot but meh, I need fast speed for tethering.

I tried the Droid for a month so I could examine the phone. As far as forums, try http://www.droidforums.net/ - its as active as Macrumors and has a simialr feel (ie, many fanboys...).

I liked the Droid quite a lot - the openness and having MUCH larger 3G coverage was attractive. What I didn't like (and ultimately drove me to return the phone) was the feeling that it wasn't quite "done" yet and the physical keyboard, which adds nothing to the phone other than weight, width, and future trouble.

I've been keeping a close eye on the upcoming Nexus One and it can be followed at http://www.nexusoneforum.net/ .

 

[aristobrat]

the Droid is a better first attempt.

To me, the Droid's not really a first attempt.

The hardware is made by HTC, which has been making phones since the late 90's, and the OS is Android 2.0, which has had some decently-sized dot releases between 1.0 and 2.0 (remember the T-Mobile G1 phone?).

Def. agree about the craziness of not having MMS and copy/paste in the iPhone 1.0 software though.

 

[TeamDNA]

blah blah.. Stick with your droid ... the 4th Gen iphone will be ridiculous ..I have had every iPhone and LOVED everyone of them.. especially because of jailbreaking.. NO phone and I repeat NO phone can beat a Jailbroken iphone.. I really dont care if it didnt come with these features out of box if i can make these features happen with a 2 min jailbreak then what the hell.. My 3GS is amazing and the new one will be too .. while the droid will still be behind

 

[kdarling]

The Droid and many other smartphones today are only possible because of the iPhone's advanced innovation.

And the iPhone was only possible because of years' worth of smartphone and touch R&D by everyone else. Not to mention the wireless data networks that were created for all the previous smartphones.

Other smartphones already had Google maps, weather widgets, browsers like Picsel, etc.

The world was also already headed towards more touch. Apple knew they had to move quickly, as other devices were beginning to showing multitouch.

OpenMoko with icons and dock months before the iPhone was shown off.

Linux phone multitouch and pinch... November 2006.

Along with other real and demo phones such as the Prada, BenQ BlackBox, Synaptics capacitive Onyx, etc.

What Apple did was distill that all down into something simpler to operate for the casual user... which was no small feat... plus create a truly nice browser (still the best, IMO) ... and leverage the iTunes support system and Jobs' salesmanship. This was necessary to create the iPhone, but not other phones.

The main reason other phones are not as easy to use, is because they're not just trying to duplicate the dirt simple iPhone UI. Instead, they're trying to add more functionality with respect to alerts, homescreens, multitasking, app integration, etc.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Well damn; it'd better be! The original iPhone was in released more than two years before the Droid, and at the time it (and still today) it revolutionized the cell phone market. The Droid and many other smartphones today are only possible because of the iPhone's advanced innovation.

Hell, even the UI that the Droid uses is a direct interpretation of the iPhone's OS.

I'm not here to bash the Droid or Android, but until they stop admitting that their main opponent in superior to them and they have to result to insulting them instead of showing how 'innovative their product is.'

You're totally missing my point or perhaps I am not being clear enough for you all. It is not about when it came out it's about it being a better first attempt with the tech available today. And while the point was brought up that it is not really a first attempt, I can fully see why that would be the case. Still, you all are saying it better be nicer because the iPhone came out years ago. That's not my point. Might I remind you fanboys about the lack of simple features that the Droid has? You think because the iPhone came out years ago that copy/paste was a sign of things to come? I've had copy/paste on my damn BBs for years before.

 

[question fear]

To me, the Droid's not really a first attempt.

The hardware is made by HTC, which has been making phones since the late 90's, and the OS is Android 2.0, which has had some decently-sized dot releases between 1.0 and 2.0 (remember the T-Mobile G1 phone?).

Def. agree about the craziness of not having MMS and copy/paste in the iPhone 1.0 software though.

Actually, the Droid is made by Motorola; the Droid Eris is made by HTC.

The Droid is a great phone, IMO. I've had mine for just over a week and love it. In the last few years I've used a first-gen iPhone, a Samsung Epix, a Nokia E71x, a Samsung Propel Pro, and back to the iPhone again. The Droid is easily faster than any of those. Is it faster than the 3GS? Not sure, as I've never handled one for any length of time. But the Droid is a great phone.

Honestly, I didn't switch to VZW for the Droid, but I'm happy I have it (I get a great corp discount at VZW, and it was easier/cheaper to combine with my fiancee on a VZW family plan for the awesome discount.)

 

[gigapocket1]

First off.. U have a 3g.. The 3g is very sluggish! U can't compare the 3g to the droid. If anything u have to compare the 3gs to the droid..

Second.. You all are talking like this Is motoralas first phone! It isn't..
You all also are talking like this is google first android phone.. It isn't.
Android is running on dozens of phones.

Third.. The only reason we have FULL touchscreen phones is because of Apple!! If I can recall.. What other phone had a full touchscreen at the time of the first iPhone? No one.. And I can bet no other company was planning on a full touchscreen phone.. So if the iPhone never came out..we wouldn't have any of the devices we have now..

 

[shadowbird423]

My only complains for the droid are the OS fluidity and GUI, the lack of a central forums like macrumors (I will still stick around here though <3), and the stable 0-1.0mb speed verizon offers compared to the unstable (though fast) 0-2mb att has, both vary a lot but meh, I need fast speed for tethering.

If you need tethering, use PdaNet (in android market I think) or root your phone (Only do this if you know what you are doing, its much more complicated than jailbreaking)

 

[anjinha]

First off.. U have a 3g.. The 3g is very sluggish! U can't compare the 3g to the droid. If anything u have to compare the 3gs to the droid..

Second.. You all are talking like this Is motoralas first phone! It isn't..
You all also are talking like this is google first android phone.. It isn't.
Android is running on dozens of phones.

Third.. The only reason we have FULL touchscreen phones is because of Apple!! If I can recall.. What other phone had a full touchscreen at the time of the first iPhone? No one.. And I can bet no other company was planning on a full touchscreen phone.. So if the iPhone never came out..we wouldn't have any of the devices we have now..

Didn't the LG Prada have full touchscreen?

 

[gloss]

Didn't the LG Prada have full touchscreen?

Yeah, there were a few.

Apple was by no means the first company to do most of this stuff, they were just the first to tie it all together in a friendly and easy to use package.

 

[kdarling]

Third.. The only reason we have FULL touchscreen phones is because of Apple!! If I can recall.. What other phone had a full touchscreen at the time of the first iPhone? No one.. And I can bet no other company was planning on a full touchscreen phone.. So if the iPhone never came out..we wouldn't have any of the devices we have now..

Post #13 above details such full touchscreen phones.

 

[Compile 'em all]

My opinion is the Droid is a better phone than the first iPhone ever was. It is a great first attempt and tells me that gen 2 will be remarkable. I don't quite like the virtual keyboard in portrait mode as it is slightly too hard to use due to the Droid's screen being more narrow than the iPhone. I also found myself pushing the home buttons of the bottom a lot while typing in landscape mode. But really, it is a better 1st version than the iPhone ever was.

What difference does it make that the Droid is better than the 3 generations-old iPhone?

If anything it is a statement against the Droid.

 

[gigapocket1]

Haha.. How couldnu even bring up the prada? That was one of the worst phones ever made.. It wasn't even a contendar

 

[chris975d]

It's amazing to sit back and watch how worked up some people get when anyone says anything positive about any phone OTHER than the iPhone. The iPhone is a great phone, but it's not the best phone out there for everyone. Why can't people have differing opinions on phones without others getting their panties in a bunch because someone didn't say the iPhone is king of all phones? I'm an avid Mac user, I own a Rev. C Macbook Air, a unibody 15in Macbook Pro, every iPhone so far, including a 3GS (which I now use as a iPod touch), and I prefer the Droid as well. It does more of what I need a phone to do, BETTER than the iPhone 3GS did for me on AT&T's network. It's data connection is more reliable and consistent, and no matter how "bad" some people think the hardware keyboard is, it's still infinitely more useful than not having one at all. It's not hard to get used to if you just use the phone for more than a few minutes (just like how everyone complained about how "hard" the onscreen only iPhone keyboard was at first...you just have to adapt), and it's A LOT better when inputting data in landscape orientation, as you can actually see the screen and the info on there, without an onscreen keyboard taking up 2/3rds of the viewable space.

 

[anjinha]

Haha.. How couldnu even bring up the prada? That was one of the worst phones ever made.. It wasn't even a contendar

No one said the Prada was good, we said the Prada had a full touchscreen when someone said the iPhone was the first phone to have it.

 

[MBHockey]

You're totally missing my point or perhaps I am not being clear enough for you all. It is not about when it came out it's about it being a better first attempt with the tech available today. And while the point was brought up that it is not really a first attempt, I can fully see why that would be the case. Still, you all are saying it better be nicer because the iPhone came out years ago. That's not my point. Might I remind you fanboys about the lack of simple features that the Droid has? You think because the iPhone came out years ago that copy/paste was a sign of things to come? I've had copy/paste on my damn BBs for years before.

We understand what you're saying; it's just asinine. Of course the original iPhone will be slower than the Droid. It's laughable to compare the two even if you try to rationalize it by calling the phone a "first attempt" and ignoring the hardware differences between the 2G iPhone and the Droid.

I do think the Droid is a nice phone, and I can't wait to see the Google Phone in person...but to compare contemporary phones to something released 2.5 years ago is fruitless.