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iPhone vs Droid - Interesting
- Thread starter AbSoluTc
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I don't think anyone who already has an iphone is being lured away because of android. I think people are either fed up with AT&T or are Verizon customers who can't get an iphone. Get rid of that stupid exclusivity and watch the iphone dominate by a VERY wide margin.
same here; no problems with the iphone as a phone. but my 3G speeds do vary considerably (from a few hundred kbps to about 2 mbps). I think it really does just depend on where you are - you can't generalize about any network / provider as a whole.
This extract from a page at Engadget, I think sums Droid up superbly:
"Keyboard aside, the DROID is very much the ultimate phone for phone geeks. It's not "friendly" in the way that the iPhone is immediately intuitive and welcoming, but that's not what it's trying to be -- at all. It's like a muscle car and a Mercedes: most people are going to take the Benz, but the people who know they want a '69 Boss 429 aren't going to settle for anything less. The Droid is big, heavy, and intimidating, and if you take the time to learn Android's quirks and how to use it, it'll do everything you could ever want -- but at the price of some refinement and style."
"Keyboard aside, the DROID is very much the ultimate phone for phone geeks. It's not "friendly" in the way that the iPhone is immediately intuitive and welcoming, but that's not what it's trying to be -- at all. It's like a muscle car and a Mercedes: most people are going to take the Benz, but the people who know they want a '69 Boss 429 aren't going to settle for anything less. The Droid is big, heavy, and intimidating, and if you take the time to learn Android's quirks and how to use it, it'll do everything you could ever want -- but at the price of some refinement and style."
Unless you've had the opportunity to use the yet to be released phone, how can you be sure that the writer's opinion "sums" superbly? Or is it merely an opinion that you'd be happy to support if true?
It's funny when I hear people talk about Droid as if it's the iPhone+ all the features that should be there. The Droid (or more specifically Android) has issues that switchers should know about before just reading what certain sites say and shelling out an extra $300.
1. While Android does have multitasking, you cannot use voice and data at the same time because you're on CDMA. In certain situations, it becomes very handy.
2. Since Google's GPS relies on a data connection, when you have a call coming through, it will cache the data when you're talking. While that may suffice, but what happens when you're data connection isn't too good?
3. With Android you can only have up to 256mb of applications. Don't believe me:
http://androidandme.com/2009/10/new...app-storage-issue-with-droid-and-android-2-0/
Android will not allow you to install apps onto SD cards for fear of piracy. Take a look at your App Store apps and see if they're only 256mb. The Droid ships with a 512 MB ROM which contains only 256 MB available for app storage. How does that "open" OS sound to you now?
4. There is no solution for downloading TV shows or movies that I'm aware of.
5. As always with Google, there is the privacy issues. With Google Nav, they're now at the point where they know exactly where you are. It's funny that we're always concerned with our privacy when it comes to the gov't, but we give the same info to Google in trade for free apps. I wonder what would happen if certain gov'ts ever got their hands on this info.
While the iPhone may have it's own shortcomings, I think a lot of it will be fixed by OS 4.0. It's surprising to me that no tech sites manages to talk about the boot ROM issue. I guess they're too busy trying to promote an iPhone rival and sucking up to Google at the same time.
1. While Android does have multitasking, you cannot use voice and data at the same time because you're on CDMA. In certain situations, it becomes very handy.
2. Since Google's GPS relies on a data connection, when you have a call coming through, it will cache the data when you're talking. While that may suffice, but what happens when you're data connection isn't too good?
3. With Android you can only have up to 256mb of applications. Don't believe me:
http://androidandme.com/2009/10/new...app-storage-issue-with-droid-and-android-2-0/
Android will not allow you to install apps onto SD cards for fear of piracy. Take a look at your App Store apps and see if they're only 256mb. The Droid ships with a 512 MB ROM which contains only 256 MB available for app storage. How does that "open" OS sound to you now?
4. There is no solution for downloading TV shows or movies that I'm aware of.
5. As always with Google, there is the privacy issues. With Google Nav, they're now at the point where they know exactly where you are. It's funny that we're always concerned with our privacy when it comes to the gov't, but we give the same info to Google in trade for free apps. I wonder what would happen if certain gov'ts ever got their hands on this info.
While the iPhone may have it's own shortcomings, I think a lot of it will be fixed by OS 4.0. It's surprising to me that no tech sites manages to talk about the boot ROM issue. I guess they're too busy trying to promote an iPhone rival and sucking up to Google at the same time.
It should be fine. Most apps should be far less than a megabyte for their executable, so you could download hundreds of apps.
If an app needs a lot of data, it's supposed to download it the first time and store it on the SD card.
The separation makes some sense: by only having data on the SD card, you're far more able to swap them. I actually do this on WM phones when traveling: I'll pop in an SD with movies for my daughter if she's along. Otherwise I pop in an SD with stuff for me. A bazillion times faster and easier than sync'ing up.
Still, if I had an Android, I'd probably hack it to get apps off the SD.
The problem is that it introduces a whole new level of complexity to app management on your device. It means that an app essentially exists in two places instead of one. Theoretically, if using multiple SD cards, you could remove an app on your SD card while it still takes up space on your ROM. While I'm sure you're quite capable of handling this I wonder if the average customer, on those on these forums, would easily deal with this.
Another situation could be that poorly written apps can take up more space than necessary than it should. Also it remains to bee seen how this affects gaming on Android if you're into that.
While Android does have some nice features and I believe will eventually be the marketshare leader, it is situations like this where it shows that there is a level of rifinement that is lacking in competing companies product.
As someone that carries both a Hero and iPhone on a daily basis, I can easily say there is "NO WAY" the soft keyboard of the hero, compares to the one of the iPhone. Try typing with a bunch of apps open and you will wait for the keyboard to catch up.
Some desktop apps are like that: you need the CD-ROM for clipart etc, unless you have the onboard space to put it.
But I agree... a buyer who's totally clueless about technology, and doesn't intend to learn any, should probably stick with something simplistic like an iPhone for now.
Not at all. What it means, is that it has a level of functionality above what the iPhone provides.
As I noted when it first came out, Apple's design choice of only allowing built-in storage was not motivated so much by making people pay to upgrade (whereas on other phones, you drop in more storage)... but to make life easier for their OS programmers and users.
Removeable storage cards have been a pain for mobile OS's to handle since the beginning. There's no clear and easy way to divide them, although Android is trying.
The user has to have at least some brains involved. Just like owning a stick shift, or a really nice home theatre system. There's no reason to dumb down everything in the world (as they've done in schools to make everyone pass), nor to try to always target the least common denominator user.
Smartphone showdown
iPhone 3GS versus Motorola Droid
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/10/30/smartphone-showdown-iphone-3gs-vs-motorola-droid/
I thought this was a good review and a nice comparison. I know that iPhone fans are laughing this phone off as complete garbage, but if you read this comparison with an open mind you can see the Droid has a lot going for it.
I honestly think this is truly the first excellent iPhone alternative. Notice I didn't say "killer" I said alternative. It allows people who would really prefer the Verizon network to get an excellent well designed smartphone.
iPhone 3GS versus Motorola Droid
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/10/30/smartphone-showdown-iphone-3gs-vs-motorola-droid/
I thought this was a good review and a nice comparison. I know that iPhone fans are laughing this phone off as complete garbage, but if you read this comparison with an open mind you can see the Droid has a lot going for it.
I honestly think this is truly the first excellent iPhone alternative. Notice I didn't say "killer" I said alternative. It allows people who would really prefer the Verizon network to get an excellent well designed smartphone.
Well there's 2 dealbreakers for the Droid for me:
First, the app storage issue as described above by another poster. I was going to bring this up if someone else didn't. I do not want to deal with wondering how much ROM storage is left for apps and whether I have the right SD card in there for the data for the app that I want to use. Other people may not mind that kind of stuff, but it's a dealbreaker for me after using the iphone for 2 years.
And second, the syncing of music and media. With the iphone, I just set it on the dock and everything syncs automatically with itunes. I'm not going back to dragging and dropping stuff and finding folders, or putting it onto an SD card that if I'm not mistaken I must take out the battery and put it into a slot behind there to get it into the Droid phone. Sorry, just dealbreaker there.
But this does not just apply to the Droid, these issues really apply to a lot of the phones out there. I guess that's why the iphone has spoiled me. It will be difficult to ever go back to something that doesn't have the itunes ecosystem.
First, the app storage issue as described above by another poster. I was going to bring this up if someone else didn't. I do not want to deal with wondering how much ROM storage is left for apps and whether I have the right SD card in there for the data for the app that I want to use. Other people may not mind that kind of stuff, but it's a dealbreaker for me after using the iphone for 2 years.
And second, the syncing of music and media. With the iphone, I just set it on the dock and everything syncs automatically with itunes. I'm not going back to dragging and dropping stuff and finding folders, or putting it onto an SD card that if I'm not mistaken I must take out the battery and put it into a slot behind there to get it into the Droid phone. Sorry, just dealbreaker there.
But this does not just apply to the Droid, these issues really apply to a lot of the phones out there. I guess that's why the iphone has spoiled me. It will be difficult to ever go back to something that doesn't have the itunes ecosystem.
I'm on O2 in Ireland and have no trouble of using iPhone as an actual phone. Why would you blame
if this is clearly network provider who is in fault. Never had a single dropped call or bad call quality while on O2 network.
And iToy? Really?
I couldn't choose for a long time BB or iPhone. Last one looked like toy to me and BB more for grown ups, but after long thought what my priorities are I went for iPhone and never regret once (plus I always hated all that "look how important I am" businessman image).
Now I have proper SatNav, internet browser, my e-mails, my photos, internet radio, GPS tracker, irish phone book and white pages, proper dictionary (yes, you guessed right, english isn't my first language
), multi converter. I can text my friends and parents for free via jellySMS as not many of them have fancy phones with e-mail apps and even see my mobile bill and all allowances such as how many minutes or texts left until new billing cycle etc, etc. All of this in a single device!
Now, I don't know much about that droid fella you are all talking about but I'll stick with
for while as it does what I need. New toys are nice but I've learned to appreciate amount of work people put into items they make and wouldn't be quick on saying that something is crap just because new item appeared on the market. But that just my opinion.
I had the htc diamond I had to remove the battery each time it would freeze.Also a new Windows Mobile beauty 800X480 4.3" LCD
http://www.htc.com/europe/product/hd2/specification.html
Honestly the iphone is the best PHONE iv;e ever owned.
I can use voice control to call people (and its reliable for me)
The speaker phone is very clear.
Its so intuitive to use especially compared to my old Nokias, Ericcsons (thank god apple changed the rules here and has swept out the complacent garbage which phones were)
I can phone by clicking numbers from web sites.
I find calls clear and reliable.
And to top it, its an iphone and if I have to say anymore well there is no point.
With something like what google wave promises to be the iphone could be the absolute ultimate.
Google wave is a real time communication dashboard- I hope apple is working on their own.
First off this is the first Android phone offered by Verizon and they are generallly considered to have the best coverage.
Also, you must understand that this becoming more about the classic PC vs. Mac debate. What Googlle has done is essentially removed Windows as an alternative and replaced Android as the alternative on the cellular side. Right now the argument is about specs and OS advantages (kdarling I'll answer your comments tomorrow as I'm at a Halloween Party and pretty gone).
The reason why others compare the Droid to the iPhone is about specs. The Droid does have advantages in specs which PCs have always been about but the iPhone still has the advantage in usability. This has been the age old question of whether an OS built for multiple platforms is better than an OS built by one company for its hardware.
The Droid will be sucessful, don't get me wrong, but it won't be as successful as the iPhone. Why? Well I made some reasons as my post earlier on this thread but it mostly comes down to usability. Google's apps are always developed by engineers and , while techies may be ok with that, the average consumer has other things to worry about.
The main question is for Droid (which is Verizon's intentions) is whether this will stop from more more people switching to the iPhone. I don't think it will. The Droid, besides multitasking which I think will be fixed in OS 4.0, offers no reason to switch except a better network coverage (Verizon) in urban areas but having serious UI issues.
The other thing that they are offering is a network (Verizon) that actually works as advertised. AT&T's network is dreadful, with dropped calls, spotty and slow 3g. If the Droid is half as good as my iPhone, I'll switch to it and never look back. The iPhone is a great piece of hardware that is ruined by being tethered to AT&T's antique network.
AT&T's network isn't antique at all, it simply doesn't have enough coverage. Complainers are loudest, but if you were able to visually SEE the location of complaints, you'd see it match AT&T's coverage map. This is one of the reasons the Internet is so imperfect.
My 3G coverage has been phenomenal here in Boston, and even when I went to a family reunion last year in Birmingham, AL. Moreover, I love being able to browse the Internet over cellular while I'm on the phone. For instance, someone will call me while I'm using the GPS, and I can still get my map updates... or the other day when my mother wanted me to look up whether some vegetation in her backyard was poison oak or not. When I was on EDGE, I remember the first time I need to get OFF the phone to do a Google query... it was IRRITATING. If anything is "antique" its networks whose phones haven't worked around this basic equation. I also hear you can't send or receive SMS messages while you're on a call either. Sounds stupid. although allowing WiFi is certainly a help when its available (in the environment or on the phone).
~ CB
Well I understand that you feel that the iPhone is a superior device, but don't you think that the Droid is a good alternative for those of us who either cannot get AT&T service or have poor AT&T service? Believe it or not there is a HUGE market out there served by Verizon that is either not served by AT&T or poorly served by AT&T. That is what happens when you limit yourself like Apple did with a one carrier strategy. I'm not saying that it is the wrong strategy. It might be the right one if you are satisfied with selling your phone within a 29% slice of the market. Google's plan is to offer their phones to 100% of the market. In a few years we will see how it all turns out. iPhone will probably still be ahead on brand alone, but the competition is getting stronger.
Simultaneous phone/data ability is why GSM (AT&T) is superior to CDMA. (Verizon) Unfortunately, AT&T took the money it got from all of those new iPhone customers and used it for purposes other than expanding it's network. Try using your iPhone in New York City, and you will find that because AT&T is way over capacity, calls get bumped quite frequently. GSM also does not penetrate buildings as well as CDMA, which makes more GSM towers a necessity.