Droid is comparable to iPhone, but has QWERTY keyboard, GPS, and changeable batteries. If you like your iPhone, probably not worth switching, but good if you're thinking of upgrading.
amyk49's Full Review: Motorola Droid (2 GB) Smartphone
I've been a satisfied Verizon customer for years. I loved the network and customer service enough to stick with an older, limited LG cell phone, while secretly lusting after the iPhone. I checked out the Blackberry Storm, but just didn't like it, so I decided to wait and see if Verizon would offer something competitive with the iPhone. As soon as I learned about the Droid, I pounced and ordered the day it became available.
~ Overview
The Droid arises from the combined efforts of Verizon, Motorola, and Google. It runs Android v.2.0, and aTI OMAP3430 processor. It's just slightly thicker than the iPhone, but unlike the iPhone, the Droid has a super thin slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
Here's some of the main features and specs, taken from Verizon's website:
OMAP3430 - 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 PowerVR SGX 530 GPU 430MHz C64x DSP ISP (Image Signal Processor)
* Dimensions 60.00 x 115.80 x 13.70 mm
* Weight 169 g
* Battery Li-ion 1400 mAh.
* Standby 450 hours, talk time 420 minutes
* 3.7-inch touch-sensitive display with a resolution of 854×480 pixels, 16 million color depth. Physical screen size is 45.72 mm by 81.34 mm.
* 512MB/256MB ROM/RAM
* microSD / microSDHC expansion slot
* Camera: 5.0 megapixel with autofocus and video recorder
* Connectivity: USB2.0, 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, Wi-Fi
* Supported video formats: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, WMV
* GPS navigation
~ Pricing and Plans
As a Verizon customer I paid $199 for the Droid, which included a $100 rebate. The phone sells ordinarily for $299. I needed to add a $29.99 data plan to my existing plan, so I'll be paying an extra $30 a month.
Tip: If you order the Droid online, your $100 rebate will be automatically taken off the purchase price, so you won't have to go through the hassle of sending in a rebate fform and waiting to receive it.
~ My Experience
First of all, you should know that I've never used an iPhone, so I cannot make any comparisons. Further, I've never used any smartphone, and I'm not much of a techie, nor what I would consider a power cell phone user. My phone is for personal use, including social networking, web browsing, and search capabilities.
Since I ordered online, I received the Droid by mail, Fed Ex Overnight. I was able to activate the phone, transfer over all my contacts, and get it up and running easily, and I usually sweat bullets with this kind of thing. Piece of cake!
Included in the box with the phone is a charger with a USB cable. The cable can also be used to connect the phone to your computer. There is a very simple user manual that was surprisingly easy to follow and understand. It's not a huge, multi-page, detailed booklet, but did the job and I had the Droid pretty much figured out within minutes.
Display and Navigation: First impressions are the display is awesome! Large, very crisp and sharp, with brilliant color. The display is big enough that web pages are easy to read. You can zoom in to any place on the page by a double tap. Web browsing speed is FAST! I mean it's like using my PC. I've experienced no lag time in pages loading. The Droid exceeded my expectations here.
The touch screen is very sensitive though, and many times I've been wanting to scroll through a list or whatever, and the screen thinks I've chosen a particular item instead. I think this will lessen as I become more practiced with the proper touch. Generally speaking navigation through menus and applications is intuitive and I've been able to figure it all out rather quickly, and that's saying something as a relative novice to smartphones.
You can add widgets and shortcuts to your home page, customize with wallpaper, and ringtones. Note that there are actually three home pages - just scroll left and right for two additional pages if you need the room.
~ Phone Qualities
My cell phone is my only phone, as I do not have a land line. Let me tell you, the sound quality of incoming calls is stunning. The voice is clear and sounds as if the person is right there, or almost anyway. I notice a HUGE difference in sound quality over my old LG, which was also on the Verizon network.
Incoming calls can be answered or ignored, and the ringer can be turned off if you'd like. The phone is flat, so fits comfortably against my ear.
~ Keyboards, Text Messaging
I do a lot of texting, so the keyboard is important to me. I'd never used a QWERTY keyboard before. The Droid's slider keyboard is very flat and slim, and just pulls out. It does not have a spring mechanism. It slides out easily, yet is secure when slid under the phone. The keys have a flat, rubberized like surface. Yes, the keys are closely spaced, but I find easy to use. There is a gold D pad, but I find it awkward and not really necessary.
A virtual keyboard is also available, and sometimes that's easier than pulling out the slider, but I make way more mistakes with the virtual keyboard, as it is very sensitive. It's nice to have the option though.
~ Camera and Video
I do use my cell phone to take pictures on occasion, so a good camera is a plus for me. I also use the video capabilities sometimes. My first impression of the camera is that the color of the pictures isn't that great somehow. Also, especially if I'm trying to take a picture of myself, or me and a friend, holding the camera at arm's length, the picture is often blurry. Perhaps with practice that will improve, but honestly I think I got better pictures from my little LG, and it was easier to use. The big display on the Droid is nice, though, for viewing pictures.
*Update: I figurered out how to focus the camera better (read the directions - haha!), so the pictures are clear, but I still think the color seems "off" a little bit.
The video recorder, on the other hand, is great! Very simple and intuitive to use, and the video capture is sharp and clear. No complaints at all there.
~ Other Things to Note
The Droid interfaces well with Google applications. There is even a voice-activated Google search that really worked great. The Droid comes with free GPS, although I haven't tried it out yet.
The Android Market offers over 10,000 different applications, many free, that are easy to download from your phone. I got busy right away browsing through apps and downloaded about 5 free ones right away. True, Apple has over 100,000 apps, but hey, 10,000 is plenty for me to choose from, and that number will continue to grow.
~ Final Thoughts
The Motorola Droid has a few notable pros over the iPhone, including the ability to switch out batteries, the slim, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and the free GPS. And of course you have, in my opinion anyway, the superior Verizon network.
The Droid is a handsome, well-built handset that is easy to use, even for a novice. The display is large, detailed, crisp and clear. I suppose the only thing that has bothered me so far is that it took a little practice to get sharp pictures with the camera.
Bottom line, if you're happy with the iPhone, I don't think it's worth switching. But if you're a Verizon customer ready to upgrade, or with another carrier and ready to try a smartphone, you really should seriously consider the Droid. I'm very happy with my purchase.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199 Recommended for: Professionals On-the-Go - Internet and Email is a Must!
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