Life With Droid: The Good, the Bad, and the Bizarre

I put my iPhone away and switched to a Droid for a month. Here's what I found.

By  |  Monday, March 22, 2010 at 8:38 am

From July 11th, 2008–the day the iPhone 3G went on sale–until February 15th, 2010, I was an iPhone user.  But for all the things that are wonderful about the iPhone, I was increasingly fed up with one, um, minor weakness: I had trouble making and receiving phone calls on it. That’s in part because I spend a lot of time in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, much of which seems to be Bermuda Triangle of AT&T coverage.

So after thinking it over for a couple of weeks, I took dramatic action: I bought myself a Motrola Droid from Verizon Wireless. Why the Droid? Well, with the profusion of new apps for Android phones, I figured I needed an Android phone on hand to review them . And the Droid is on the famously dependable Verizon network, is available now (unlike the Verizon Nexus One), and has a keyboard (also unlike the Nexus one).

Oh, and Amazon had the Droid for $109 with a two-year contract, no rebate paperwork involved. Which sounded like a great deal until it knocked the price down to $49.99 shortly after I placed my order…

(Side note: I also spent some time with a Verizon Pre Plus that Palm loaned me, and mostly enjoyed the experience. If I didn’t want an Android phone around as a review platform, I might have opted for the Pre Plus.)

Once I had the Droid in my possession, I used Google Voice and iPhone call forwarding to ensure that all my calls would reach me on my new handset. Then I put the iPhone on my dresser, and there it’s mostly stayed. I’m not saying I’m done with the iPhone–no matter what happens, I have no plans to terminate my AT&T contract, since I need the iPhone to review apps and am generally very happy with it as long as coverage isn’t an issue.

How am I liking the Droid after a bit over a month? Executive summary: There are a bunch of things about it that please me, most notably the fact that virtually always lets me conduct phone calls and connect to the Internet, including in spots where my iPhone is nothing but trouble. But the Droid is rough around the edges–really rough around the edges–in the way that Apple’s phones never were.

Want more detail? I think I’ll segue into list mode.

Note: The lists that follow don’t constitute a full-blown review of the Droid. I’m skipping multiple pros (the high resolution screen, for instance) and cons (the lack, until Verizon pushes out the 2.1 update, of multi-touch).  These are just the things that have struck me about the phone over a little more than a month of real-world use.

The Ten Things I Like Best About the Droid So Far (in rough order of importance)

1. Verizon. I understand that Verizon Wireless’s 3G is far slower than AT&T’s, and there are times when I regret the fact that I can’t talk on the phone and use the Internet at the same time. But I don’t think I’ve had a single call that dropped or was hopelessly unintelligible, or a single incident when I’ve been unable to get online at an acceptable clip.

2. Facebook integration. Google borrowed this idea from Palm’s WebOS and added it to Android 2.0, but it’s delightful: You can choose to have the Droid sync all your Facebook friends into its Contacts list. You get access to phone numbers and e-mail addresses from Facebook, and when a Facebook friend calls you, you see his or her photo as the phone rings. The intermingling of Droid and Facebook info seems to work perfectly; if I go back to the iPhone, this is the single OS feature I’ll miss most.

3. Google Voice. On the iPhone, Apple’s refusal to approve the Google Voice app leaves you with a not-entirely-satisfactory Web app. On the Droid, you get a real native app and the option of automatically routing all your outgoing calls through Voice, using your Google phone number. Which is what I’m doing–I’m trying my darndest to never use the phone number assigned me by Verizon, so I can switch to other carriers in the future without repercussions.

4. Multitasking for third-party apps. Mostly because it lets me listen to Slacker while browsing the Web or performing other tasks in the foreground. Oh, and it makes IM a lot more usable, too.

5. Fast access to recently-used apps. Hold down the home button for a moment, and icons for the apps you’ve used most recently pop up, letting you return to any of them with a tap. Apple could implement something similar without enabling full multitasking, and should: One of the iPhone’s biggest usability glitches is how cumbersome it can be to get to your favorite programs.

6. Its basic Googleosity. If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google services–and I do–the smoothness with which they’re integrated into the Android experience is a pleasure. (One nitpick: I want a Google Tasks app, too.)

7, Navigation. Sure, you can get a profusion of turn-by-turn GPS apps for the iPhone, but they all cost money. The navigation built into the Droid’s version of Google Maps isn’t bad, and the price–$0.00–is unbeatable.

8. Swype. You’re not going to see this ingenious alternative keyboard on the iPhone unless Apple decides to put it there. Actually, you’re not going to see it in the Android Market, either–Swype’s creators only want to distribute it by cutting deals with handset manufacturers and carriers. But they were nice enough to give a copy I could install on the Droid to test it out, and if you Google around you might be able to find an installable copy. Swype isn’t perfect, but it’s great for dashing off quick notes with one thumb–I’m using it a lot, and sliding out the Droid’s hardware keyboard less frequently than I expected.

9. Status notifications. Slide down on the System Tray-like bar at the top of the screen, and you get a list of updates–such as recent e-mails, IMs, installed apps, and calendar items–and the ability to jump to the originating app with one press. This feature isn’t perfect–I can’t always figure out the logic of the order, for instance–but it’s way better than the iPhone’s one-at-a-time alert messages.

10. The Back button. I’m not convinced that Android’s four-button interface (Back, Menu, Home, Search) results in a more efficient experience than the iPhone’s Home-only approach. (Overall, in fact, I’m pretty sure that I get stuff done faster on the iPhone.) But I do like the Back button–it helps compensate for the other ways in which the Android interface is less than gainly.

If the Droid had all these virtues and was competitive with the iPhone on all the fronts in which Apple’s phone  was a delight, it would a thing of wonder. But like I said, it’s a far scruffier handset than the iPhone 3GS–there are ways in which it  feels positively unfinished. Let’s count ’em…

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46 Comments For This Post

  1. twitter.com/savageje Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 1:16 am

    While some of what you wrote is correct, there are some issues for disagreement.

    Some of your drawbacks are the users' fault or can be avoided.

    I'll begin with Swype. I LOVE IT. No other way to put and anyone who has used it will understand why. However, since it is not available in the market and is from an outside source, it drags the whole system down. I had to 86 it. I know these problems don't exist on iPhones, but since you can't 'add outside apps' on it, it's a non-factor. Other apps like Home++, an alternate home app w/ 3+ home screens, is another example of a cpu hog. Most times if I add an app similar to this and runs counter to the snappy response of touch or ui menu, IT IS GONE.

    As far as app development, Android is lagging, but as you have stated, that will be and SI changing. It's only fair. Apple does have a huge start, even if you count the early days of the Android Market for the G1. The apps are coming, but as Corporate America hasn't embraced Android, it is still slow going.

    Google Voice… while you bring up points about integration, I have to disagree, slightly. I too would love to see the apps combined in some form or fashion. However, it is probably worthwhile to remember that there are numerous users who don't like/have/want Voice. Also I am not sure it could be programmed in with multiple carriers' VM products.

    Keyboard is flat, but is still better than Apple's. I don't have a problem during daylight hours or when I can see the key outlines. It is at night that I can't find the "well defined keys" =). I think the ALT/SYM keys throw me off. A landscape change might not prove better as you would trade that for key size.

    Despite all that, I think this is a fair representation of Android on the Droid. I am biased and am trying to win other Apple owners over, but stick with it. The openness of Android and non-ATT factors far outweigh any drawbacks to the closed kingdom-system that is Apple.

    Check out my blogiverse on Twitter @SavageJeep

  2. Muay Thai Says:
    January 4th, 2012 at 5:08 am

    Very well put together, nice points. Muay Thai | Muay Thai Kick | Martial Arts for Children

  3. Bill Pytlovany Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:34 am

    Nice summary.

    You didn’t mention anything about the playing music interface. It was my biggest disappointment after using my iTouch. There hasn’t been a lot of documentation on how to copy your music to Droid. I finally wrote up a post to help people understand the file structure and learn how to copy mp3’s to the music folder.

    My biggest surprise is the voice interface. I have never been happy with voice input but I use the voice interface to search all the time. It’s now a must-have feature for me.

    I agree the integration with Facebook is really cool. Unfortunately, the Facebook application sucks compared to the one for iTouch/iPhone. Luckily, there are some good Twitter apps.

    I’ve been happy with the camera once they fixed their initial date/focus bug.

    My biggest disappointment is no Slingbox app and nothing expected. 🙁

    Bill

  4. Denis Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:37 am

    Actually there is third-party app for Google Tasks, it’s called gTasks. I heard it’s reasonably functional.

    If you decide to go back to iPhone, there is also a native Google Tasks app called GeeTasks, of which I am the author. 🙂

  5. Steve Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:45 am

    have you tried to use the internet while on the phone.. I have several times, to check my calendar, to look at a product (dolphin browser trumps safari and supports multitouch). The physical keyboard does stink I agree I rarely use it.. but the soft keyboard betterkeyboard app works well using the “hero” skin .. As far a music players go I regularly use tunewiki.. and sometimes rockon both slick like apple giving you lyrics as the song plays (if you want).. Android is a bit rough.. but it is a relative rookie in the OS dept.. remember Apple has been around for a while. Google is virtually a search engine..

  6. Jessica Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:51 am

    I used gTasks (3rd party app) to sync my google tasks…there is even a widget for your desktop. Works great, no complaints here!

  7. Pierremarie Gustave Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:53 am

    I just got an iphone not too long ago. The one thing I don’t like about the Iphone is that the issue with flash. I don’t know how many iphones users by now wish they had a droid with the March Madness tournament. No flash! This is a terrible deal. Give me the droid now!

  8. Harry McCracken Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:59 am

    @Steve: You can’t talk and use the Internet at the same time on the Verizon network–a drawback to be sure compared to AT&T, but I didn’t mention it because it hasn’t been one of my top 10 annoyances.

    @Denis–I’ll check out both, thanks!

    –Harry

  9. Matt Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 10:16 am

    The Facebook app on the iPhone can sync your friends photos and contact info as well for existing contacts. Granted it isn’t what you’d call an “OS feature” and it’s not automatic, but hey, you just want the pretty pictures when people call. 🙂

  10. twitter.com/savagejeep Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 10:37 am

    I should have also mentioned, I would suggest a task manager. There are many out there, but I use Free Advanced Task Manager. Free up some of that memory by killing apps and services when not in use.

  11. Brad in Corona Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 10:41 am

    @Bill
    SlingPlayer for Android expected in Summer 2010.
    http://phandroid.com/2010/03/19/sling-player-coming-to-android

  12. JimNY Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 10:57 am

    I’m very confused about your comment on the Droid’s email functions. As a business user who also uses the Droid as my personal cell phone, it’s absolutely perfect. I have the “EMail” button to have instant access to my work email, and my GMail button to have instant access to personal email. I can’t imagine having the two merged — I really don’t want to open one window at 9 on a Friday night and see both an email from a friend about going out for drinks and an email from a client about getting documents to him by the next morning… imagine if I’ve had a few drinks and respond to the wrong one! Same thing with having a Google Calendar button for my personal calendar, and a corporate calendar button to sync with my office’s Exchange server, so I don’t accidentally input a personal date in the wrong calendar and let the entire office know I have a doctor’s appointment or a dinner date next Thursday. I just really don’t understand why you view something I see as a key feature to be a negative.

    As a non-Google Voice user, I couldn’t imagine having the “phone” ap replaced by a Google Voice ap, since, you know… then I wouldn’t be able to use the phone.

    For your phone, Advanced Task Killer is a necessity; you need to kill all the background aps from time to time to conserve system resources and battery life. Your problem with being unable to shut off the alarm stems from the phone exiting the alarm ap and moving on to something else, which (not being the alarm ap) doesn’t have a button to control the alarm. If you have Advanced Task Killer, which permanently sits in your status bar, you can just swipe down and kill the alarm ap (or whatever other ap is giving you trouble). Of course, that stems from the Droid’s ability to actually multitask… which of course the iPhone can’t.

  13. Max Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 11:16 am

    It has been a month since your review…. are you liking it so far or have you switched back to the iphone?
    I also noticed you didn’t mention rooting the Droid, as that really unlocks some features of the phone(performance and otherwise)… and unlike the iphone it doesn’t put you on a hitlist of sorts. (i only have heard that about hacking the iphone, never had one myself)
    All i know is even my non-nerd friends can root it, over-clock it and love the increased speed and access without penalty from Google or Verizon. Everyone i know that has a Droid now loves it as the best phone they have ever used.

    -an admitted Verizon lover and iphone/at&t hater

  14. Max Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 11:26 am

    and…………………………………
    i just realized that it hasn’t been a month, this was posted today.
    Just because i don’t know what month it is, shouldn’t discount what i said 🙂

    “You don’t go out dressed like that looking for a job do ya … on a weekday?”
    “uhhhhhh is this a….. what day is this?”

  15. Denis Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    @Harry, let me know if you want a review copy for GeeTasks or have any questions, contact email is linked under my name.

  16. Patrick Moorhead Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 12:43 pm

    @Harry, I do like some of the differentiated apps on my Nexus One.

    I have really enjoyed:
    * Google Sky Map
    * Google Goggles
    * Backgrounds (live backgrounds)
    * Linda Manager (Access to the file systems)

    As it relates to multitasking, I have found “Advanced task Killer” very valuable to end apps in the background.

  17. Kendall Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    There is a turn-by-turn nav app for the iPhone that is free – Waze. It’s actually a pretty nice app, especially for driving around with a live map showing you what streets are near. It’s not as helpful as a “real” nav app (I also have TomTom) at getting you somewhere, but if you just want to know where something is and have a route presented to you you can follow, Waze works well (in fact I greatly prefer it for searching for destinations since it uses google to find places around you). It’s just not as good about saying things like “stay in lane four”

    It’s also on most of the other platforms too.

  18. yoshi Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:02 pm

    Just an observation (and with a note of irony for people complaining about Apple’s “closed” echo system) – most of the apps that people appear to use the most on a phone running Google OS are the Google apps. Any experience with other e-mail providers such as yahoo or activesynced exchange servers?

  19. James Bailey Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:14 pm

    “For your phone, Advanced Task Killer is a necessity; you need to kill all the background aps from time to time to conserve system resources and battery life. Your problem with being unable to shut off the alarm stems from the phone exiting the alarm ap and moving on to something else, which (not being the alarm ap) doesn’t have a button to control the alarm. If you have Advanced Task Killer, which permanently sits in your status bar, you can just swipe down and kill the alarm ap (or whatever other ap is giving you trouble). Of course, that stems from the Droid’s ability to actually multitask… which of course the iPhone can’t.”

    So, the fact that the alarm is broken is actually an advantage because you can install a third-party “task killer” that will multi-task so you can have an alternate way to turn off an alarm? This really makes you think the Droid is better than an iPhone? I’m not saying that the Droid isn’t better than an iPhone but this is just a bizarre reason to believe it is.

    BTW, one of the multitasking applications on the iPhone is the Clock app. But I’m guessing the irony of that is lost on you.

  20. //// Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm

    As you’ve pointed out elsewhere, Harry, the current conventional wisdom is apparently that Palm is dead, but I’m struck by the fact that my Palm Pre sports 9 of your 10 Good Droid Features (if you count the system-wide Back gesture as a Back button), and only one, maybe two of the Bad Droid Features (battery life woes and third-party app quality). The Pre has a level of polish in the OS that’s just not there in Android yet. webOS 1.4 is much snappier than what we had when the phone first released (and finally we can record video!). Can’t quite understand why more people aren’t falling in love with the Pre, especially now that it’s on Verizon.

  21. manou Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    Most of these points are irrelevant for Europe!

    1) The EU has a much better 3G coverage than the USA, so no call drops
    2) I never use Facebook, so the app is available for the iPhone, no need to have it integrated with my phonebook
    3) Google voice can be replaced with Skype, no one uses Google voice in EU
    4) The turn-by-turn Google app is of no use in EU due to expensive roaming data, as you will travel through many different countries. Real nav software (Navigon, TomTom) is much better, but cost are less than roaming prices.
    5) Google services like gmail, contacts etc. are only useful for Google service users. I stay with my mobile me account it works perfectly for me
    6) the iPhone does Multitask, though not for all apps. But I bet that will come for OS 4.

    So I really don’t see why I should have an Android system?

  22. Steven Fisher Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    @manou: “the iPhone does Multitask, though not for all apps. But I bet that will come for OS 4.”

    And I bet you’re wrong. Multitasking doesn’t fit with what Apple’s doing. Hopefully OS 4 will have better app navigation, though.

  23. britmic Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    I’ve decided my next phone will be a Nexus One after some deliberation.

    http://rantcloud.blogspot.com/2010/03/iphone-or-android-cathedral-or-bazaar.html

  24. Sean Schraeder Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    The iPhone Facebook app allows you to sync contacts with your phonebook, including profile pictures. In otherwords, your #2 most favorite thing about droid is available on the iPhone as well.

  25. Hamranhansenhansen Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 6:30 pm

    I finally heard a sensible reason why San Francisco and New York City have poor AT&T coverage: those cities only permit AT&T to deploy small 1 meter antennae, not the 2 meter ones AT&T has deployed elsewhere. When you factor in that there are so many iPhone users in those cities, and they use their phones so much, and all have truly unlimited data, and the obstructed geography of those cities (hills in SF, buildings in NYC) you get the problems we’ve been having.

    Verizon has the advantage that their proprietary CDMA technology works with smaller and fewer antennae (although, not with most of the world’s phones of course) and they have fewer users with desktop-class Web browsers on their phones.

    However, in 4G, both AT&T and Verizon will be using standard LTE, so at that point the antenna restrictions won’t work against one or the other. We’ll also likely have iPhones on both networks.

  26. Daniel Markham Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    Side note: I also spent some time with a Verizon Pre Plus that Palm loaned me, and mostly enjoyed the experience. If I didn’t want an Android phone around as a review platform, I might have opted for the Pre Plus.

    That’s too bad. They could use the press. Seems nobody is interested in putting out a my-month-with-a-palm-pre article even though on the rare occasion I do hear about Web OS, it’s mostly good things.

  27. Josh Says:
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    @Pierre – The iPhone does have a March Madness viewer. It’s called an app. It streams the games. Get with the times dude. You’re just draining your Droid battery, by running that in the browser.

  28. JulesLt Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 2:20 am

    I’m intrigued as to why Facebook’s App is inferior – you would have thought the iPhone app could serve as a design blueprint, even if there is little reusability of code.

    It suggests they’re lacking some level of management above the app development – i.e. that they’ve got two different coding teams (fine) each designing their own software and interfaces without learning from each other (less fine).

  29. Steve Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 6:35 am

    If you happen to live in one of the few places where AT&T coverage is really that bad, then you are better off with a phone on a different carrier. I spend most of my time in the north east and AT&T coverage is generally very good. I don’t get dropped calls, always get 3G service and I’ve done web surfing comparisons with friends on Verizon to confirm that the iPhone 3G experience is much better. In my case, there is simply no real advantage to Android or Palm Pre. Having used all three, if I couldn’t use the iPhone, I’d use the Palm Pre over Android though. The only advantage I’ve seen with the latest Android systems are the free navigation services.

  30. Grover Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 7:00 am

    I tried Swype this weekend on my sister’s MyTouch and good lord was it awful. I am baffled to see Harry raving about it. It’s true that it’s faster than the tap, wait, tap, wait, tap, wait that Android’s on-screen keyboard requires, but I can not imagine trying to type even a brief email using it and it’s still a big step down from the usability of the iPhone keyboard.

    I dreaded the iPhone’s touchscreen-only keyboard (to a degree where I bought a Windows Mobile phone with a hardware keyboard a few months before the iPhone came out) and the Android keyboard situation is exactly what I feared. Of all the innovations in the iPhone, I feel like creating a usable touchscreen keyboard is the most significant, yet really under-appreciated because even three years later, no one else has come close.

  31. Me Not You Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 7:27 am

    It’s not iPhone vs. Droid; It’s Android OS vs. Apple’s OS.
    *** Droid/Nexus 1/Cliq/Hero/MyTouch3G/Moment/Backflip/Milestone/Desire/Devour… 18 phones in all and growing.

    Bigger screen, more pixels. 5mp cameras, a physical keyboard. Multitouch and multitask. Voice to text, live backgrounds with interactions
    Open source and freedom form Apple’s ridiculous approval process. You decide what and where you want YOUR phone to be, and not some corporations with this agreement or that. You don’t like ATT, fine. Verizon is too stifling, fine. You pick… You choose. Yes it can do Yahoo mail or Hotmail. You don’t like Google’s customization of Google’s search and default, change it. Whatever you want, your needs, your phone.
    See the things that Apple can’t?

    The iPhone is/was a revolutionary device, but that was 4 years ago. The competition has caught up and is poised to take the lead. Jobs had better up the ante a lot with OS4, because the iPad won’t do enough.

    This is so obviously an Apple lovefest, but I encourage you to pick up an Android phone.
    There is a reason that it’s growing at an incredible rate and will supplant the iPhone’ OS within 2 years.
    (That’s not my opinion, that’s the industry analysts.)
    Android for life.

  32. twitter.com/savagejeep Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 8:46 am

    FYI: Swype is not an Android or Apple product. It is a 3rd party app and still in BETA. The technology is great and will be licensed or patented by some company.

  33. A.S. Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 10:33 am

    Can you let me know if I’m able to browse the internet or do some other internet related work/fun while in a phone call in the Droid or Nexus phones using 3G?

  34. Sigivald Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 am

    It’s rare to see better specs have so little real-world benefit. It’s got five megapixels and a flash, but its photos don’t look as good as those from the three-megapixel iPhone camera

    More megapixels in the same size sensor just means more noise, not better images.

    (That’s why the megapixel marketing race for point-and-shoots has mostly just led to very large ugly pictures…)

  35. Me Not You Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    @ AS
    Not on my Verzion Droid. I believe you can on a GSM network. So I think the Nexus One can T Mobile. The Droid itself can, it is Verizon’s CDMA network which will go away as stated with 4G.
    Can you Facebook chat, email and use Navigation on iPhone? -NO

    @Sigivald
    That is just an opinion. But the ability to crop a photo and zoom in/out with details is a feature I love and a durect result of more mp. The shutter speeds are less desirable though.

    Good and Bad with any phone.

  36. leef Says:
    March 23rd, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    I ditched my iphone for a Nexus One a few weeks ago. Android is on a whole other level, I love the google apps like Voice Input, Google Voice, and Maps, and then there’s Layars, and the whole list of OS mod apps that I had to jailbreak my iphone just to find similar ones. I disapprove of Apple’s level of control over the iphone, and the difference that an open OS has is remarkable.

    Loving Android and not looking back.

  37. Yanguang Says:
    March 25th, 2010 at 3:06 am

    I am fortunate enough to own a HTC Magic (or myTouch 3G for most of you out there). I don’t like in the US, so I am denied Google Voice. I still don’t have paid apps available where I live. But it’s been an excellent experience thus far (almost half a year).

    It’s almost like a tinkerer’s dream. I rooted it the first few weeks I got it and tried several ROMS. Eventually I finally found CyanogenMod (which is awesome, really).

    While I may not have as many applications at my disposal, I find the overall Android experience very interesting. The various Google apps are polished and useful (my recent love is Shopper, brilliant thing).

    I don’t have the Droid where I live, but I hope the telcos will ship it soon enough, or at least the new HTC phones when they are released. Or better yet, Nexus One subsidy plan deals.

  38. mike Says:
    March 28th, 2010 at 8:25 am

    I don’t have, nor have I ever had an iPhone. So I can’t make any comparisons.

    But here’s what I do know after owning a Droid for 4 months:

    Battery life-
    Like any smartphone, smart use of your phone will extend your battery life. One of the Useful things Android does is identify the biggest draws of power from your battery. Once you know this, you can manage how you use the phone. The Droid’s screen being on accounts for the majority of the power draw, so, turn it off when you’re not looking at it. There are also screen dimmers and an app called Screebl that will turn off the screen when not in range. So, after learning this, I can squeeze almost 36-48 hours out of my Droid, with effective screen management that becomes habit once you do it.

    Usability mistakes-
    the Android OS is still growing and as someone said earlier, each version is more and more refined. And what you described as a ‘maddening mistake’ doesn’t really seem to be that big of a deal to me. *shrug*

  39. Gonzalez Says:
    April 10th, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    @ Hamranhansenhansen

    Even when both companies do switch over to LTE (and it looks like Verizon will have a slight edge in getting to market first), there is still a key differentiator. Verizon was lucky enough to get the majority of its wireless spectrum in the lower frequency ranges. Lower frequencies have a much easier time penetrating solid objects. In addition, they carry farther, enabling a single cell to serve more users. That lower cell density enables better coverage and lower cost/time to deploy.

    That’s not to imply that AT&T could never reach Verizon’s level of coverage quality, but it is likely to be more costly for them. And they have do have some lower-frequency licenses.

    Sprint’s in an even worse situation spectrally-speaking. If I’m not mistaken, most all of their licences are on the high end of the scale. This may help to explain why they’ve decided to pursue Wi-Max in lieu of LTE in its partnership with Clearwire.

    Cheers

  40. Gunsy Says:
    June 4th, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    I am SO tired of hearing the “Only ATT lets you talk and surf the web at the same time” garbage- I’ve had a HTC Eris for months now, and guess what- You can talk and surf the web at the same time with Verizon too!! Who would have thought ATT would have lied about something!!??!?!

    You people all need to get your facts straight, from Luke Wilson on national tv commercials to all the lowly iCan’t slaves. It’s false advertising. Have some class.

    Sure the iPhones are simpler, but so are the people using them.

    People with technical savy go for Droids. The end.

  41. Rob Says:
    August 7th, 2010 at 7:56 am

    You mention a few puzzling comments: You start off by saying that Verizon's 3G network is "far slower" than At&T's but from everything I hear, one of the complaints by users is the slow AT&T network..am I wrong on this? Also, you mention maybe Droid will catch up to the Eris once it gets 2.1 update. I have been running 2.1 since Jan/Feb and now waiting for 2.2 soon here in August.
    I have no point of reference since this is my first smartphone, but I think some of the Iphone annoyances would be really awful if I switched at this point.

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    Hey I LOVE Swype and I wouldnt use anything else!

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    I enjoyed reading your review, I stumbled upon it while Googling how to forward calls from my droid to my iphone. As you suggested in your summary, I am basically having to rubber band my personal droid and work iPhone. Are you aware of any way to forward calls and texts from the droid to the iPhone?? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! 🙂 Thanks!!

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