All you phone geeks, give a brother a hand here...

[MCDavis]

We're changing the company cell phone plan, so it's time for me to replace the dinosaur. Yes, I have a basic phone people. Only special thing it does is flip open and work underwater while being peed on (some of you might remember that one). Anyway, wife and boys have Crackberry's, oldest girl has some touch screen thing. What do you guys like and why?

iPhone is not an option...will not go with AT&T here, and the company will be buying a group of phones so I'm not getting into unlocking one. iPhone is 100% out.

Droid's intrigue me more so than berrys.

IF I go with a nicer phone than basic, I'll want to have internet ability, email, and phone. Don't care about (and probably won't pay for) GPS. Don't care about music, but wouldn't be upset if it had that capability.

I text with the wife and kids (yes, my oldie can do that).

I hope that's enough info to get some good input from you guys.

Thanks! :thumbs up:

 

[TheTrueReview]

Since I have an iphone, my opinion is out.

From memory, I think NVM has a droid. Perhaps PM him & when he's back from being stampeded in Calgary, he could pass on his thoughts.

 

[Wayneo]

Go with an HTC Android device. Make sure it's running Android 2.1 The latest and greatest and fastest use the Snapdragon processor at 1Ghz (I believe). I work for a cell company and try 'em all out all the time. My favourite was the HTC Hero, but now their latest HTC Desire. Here - HTC - Products - HTC Desire - Overview

Better and worse than the iPhone in ways. I've got an iPhone, and I find typing, word guessing, better, but that's about it.

 

[MCDavis]

Sorry, TTR, but thanks for the tip on NVM.

Wayneo, HTC's Incredible is coming out here in a few weeks, so I've looked at it. I also like the LG Ally for some reason...probably because my current phone is an LG and it's been virtually indestructible. Thanks for the tips and link!

 

[SilverUberXeno]

I also worked for a wireless company for a while, and I've been researching the blackberry vs android war for quite some time, as I'm sort of in the same boat.

MCD; Blackberry is the superior MESSAGING device. Blackberry has unique, patented, exclusive email software that enables your emails to hit your blackberry (and be one button-press away from viewing) almost EXACTLY as it hits your online mailbox. It's unreal, and I was absolutely SPOILED by it. Blackberry also has an extremely nice physical keyboard that you can type lightning-fast with using two hands, or acceptably while using a single hand. The app (application/program) market is big; as a planet I'd call it Earth-sized, but I have not ever really looked into them. Blackberry is the outdated smart phone of today. Blackberry takes one baby step forward for every 6 giant leaps Android takes. However, I can tell you very honestly that BB is absolutely the superior text/email phone. If that is the MOST important feature you want, you can do no better than the new Blackberry Bold (9650 model with verizon). It has a browser, but it is a bit slow and a compromised version of the internet, as opposed to...

Android... Android is almost a nation in itself. If the Blackberry App market is Earth, Android's is a Neptune-sized-expanding-supernova. I had a Moto Droid of my own for a while and it would blow me away how many things you could download for FREE. Android is an "open source" operating system, which gives just about anyone the capacity to write a program for it. Android is expanding faster than anything on the market right now, and is light-years ahead of blackberry. It's not just the apps, but the operating system itself. If you think your phone should do something when you make a certain movement on it, it probably will. The ease of use, or complexity (depending on how deep you wish to dive in) is brilliant. You can do almost ANYTHING with the phone. Most of them have EXCELLENT cameras (almost twice the resolution of comparable BBs) and MUCH better processors than BlackBerry.

My MAJOR gripe with Android... the hardware. I do not want a full touchscreen phone. They're very responsive, and I could PROBABLY get away with typing purely using the outstanding touch interface, but I don't want to. I like to feel the letters I'm hitting. It's almost enough to keep me with BlackBerry, as their keyboard is the best in the industry. The original Motorola Droid has a physical keyboard and it's... decent; better than nothing, but archaic compared to everything else on the phone. The Droid X just came out at Verizon, which has an enormous screen that makes the touch-typing pretty easy, but I still demand a full keyboard. The Motorola Droid 2 will be out with VZN August 23rd, which is ALMOST the EXACT same hardward as Droid 1 (slightly better keyboard) but with vast improved internal components. Oh, the internet browser... Unbelievable. Makes a computer almost obsolete. You will see Shottalk EXACTLY as you see it here. You can "spread" an area of the screen to zoom in, and pinch it back in to zoom out. Double tap an area to fit that text to the screen. Seamless, brilliant, fast, outstanding.

In closing, MCD, I think of it like this. BlackBerry is the superior messaging phone for text and email, and the keyboard is far better than anything you can find in Android.

In EVERY OTHER WAY, Android is absolutely universes ahead of BlackBerry. Blackberry won't have a browser as good as Android's for years, most likely. The app market is incredibly easy to access, and is more vast than you can imagine. The user interface is almost a blank slate that you can customize very easily to whatever you like (shortcuts, bookmarks, etc are so easy to set up). And the messaging isn't terrible. The interface for messaging is just as good; its really just the keyboard that kills it for me. Oh, and the email is inferior to BlackBerry. You will NOT get them instantaneously. Sometimes I'll get 4 at once after 5 hours of nothing, and believe me, they weren't all sent at the same time. It gets the job done, but it is no where near as fluid as BB's email.

The score would be:

BB - 2
Android - 50

But if those two things blackberry is PHENOMENAL at are the most important to you, it might be the way to go. A lot of the things android is great at are very unnecessary. Oh, most of the Android phones DO have free navigation with google maps (as they are google phones; android is a google product).

One of my friends is a diehard BB fan. I showed her the droid for 5 minutes and she was ready to jump ship. It's that good.

 

[mddubya]

Me and SWMBO just switched over to T mobile and Motorola Cliq XT's. Love all the apps, the 5 megapixel camera takes great pics and Golflogix runs great on it.

 

[FATC1TY]

I'm a Crackberry user, and I mainly use it for text and e-mails, for personal and work. I always get a signal on Verizon, and while the browser is somewhat slow compared to others, I think it does a good enough job for the occasional web browsing. The map/traffic app is great when I'm in the city and needing to see the wrecks and stalls.

The email client is the best. I get them all I swear, almost within seconds of my inbox getting them on the computer. It's easy to type, and not have to guess what your doing. I like the size of it too. I have the Storm, and while I'm not super fond of the touch screen, it does work pretty well.

I think the Droid is a cool phone, I'm just at the point of where I don't want to learn another phone interface all over again,.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

I think the Droid is a cool phone, I'm just at the point of where I don't want to learn another phone interface all over again,.

You'd be surprised how fast you learn and how exciting it is. Until you really have and use a droid for a week, you don't realize just how dark-ages the current blackberries are. But as you said, for text and email, the physical keyboard and messaging software is THE best available.

 

[MCDavis]

Great info, guys...thanks!! SUX...great in depth answer..that helps a lot!

2 more questions: Is the LG Ally any good? It has a keyboard and is a Droid, but less expensive. It's the only one I've seen from Verizon (my carrier) with an actual keyboard.

Anyone familiar with the HTC Imagio? Wondering how Windows Mobile 6.5 compares with Droid/BBerry.

btw, SUX, I was talking to our Verizon rep and he pretty much agreed with everything I could remember you said. Our DSL was down most of the day today, but I did read this before it went down.

 

[N.V.M.]

Droid X !

google it. 'nuff said . *drool*

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Great info, guys...thanks!! SUX...great in depth answer..that helps a lot!

2 more questions: Is the LG Ally any good? It has a keyboard and is a Droid, but less expensive. It's the only one I've seen from Verizon (my carrier) with an actual keyboard.

Anyone familiar with the HTC Imagio? Wondering how Windows Mobile 6.5 compares with Droid/BBerry.

btw, SUX, I was talking to our Verizon rep and he pretty much agreed with everything I could remember you said. Our DSL was down most of the day today, but I did read this before it went down.

I'm glad it was a helpful answer in all its hugeness.

I dont know much about the LG Ally. Verizon does not tout that phone as anything special, and it seems pretty clear to me that Google is working closely with HTC and Motorola to develop Android specific phones. I have not heard anything BAD about the Ally, but I think it's just LG's attempt to say, "We have an Android phone too!" There's hardly anything special about it.

If you're content with the specs on the original Motorola Droid (they're pretty good; much better than current BlackBerry) the price is about to drop quite a bit. I believe you can get them for $99 now if you ask, as that's the price on their website. The Droid 2, which I mentioned has nearly the same physical look and feel with some more advanced internal power is launching late August, and the Droid 1 shipments are over. They'll be phasing them out on the cheap.

I've played with the new Droid X twice now, and I really do NOT like it. The tout the "swype" texting as a way to more quickly converse on the touch-screen keyboard; I find it to be the exact opposite. How is moving ONE finger back and forth across the keyboard faster than using two thumbs to type? Even on the touch keyboard, regular typing is MUCH faster, and in comparison, the Droid 1 keyboard is vastly better than any sort of typing on the Droid X. The Droid X is an exceptional multimedia device; hi-def video recording and playback, 8.0MP camera, 4.3" screen; just nuts. But the Droid 1 with the physical keyboard is still a better device for my needs. I am holding on until August 23 when Droid 2 comes out. That is the phone for me.

Windows mobile does not compare at all to Android. Like I said, Android is an expanding nation. Windows mobile is functional, but it just does not compare. When you have Android, you are never bored. There is ALWAYS something to do, to look at, and the internet browser is so crisp, quick, and easy to use that it's second nature after two minutes. ESPECIALLY with a nice physical keyboard.

Keep that in mind about full touch screens. That 4.3" screen isnt very big when two-thirds of it is taken up by a touch-keyboard. The Droid 1 has a smaller screen, but you get to see ALL of it even when you're typing. Droid 1 is also buy-one-get-one-free now. If you can get out the door for $99 for two Droids, you'll be sitting veeeery pretty. Oh, they come with 16gb memory cards installed for all the music and picture and videos and whatever else you want to put on there. With the Android 2.2 update that is coming within the next month, you will be able to store and run apps from that memory card as well. Currently apps can only be run from the device memory (but EVERYTHING else is stored on the memory card, so you have a lot of room anyway).

 

[MCDavis]

Not to sound snotty, but I'm not too wrapped up in the price. This is a company purchase moving into Verizon from Alltel (who Verizon bought). We're looking at 12 lines and all new equipment, so I'm basically getting the equipment for almost nothing/free. That's why I'm considering jumping from a plain phone to a full blown Droid. They're working up a quote for me now, so we'll see how that turns out.

Starting to really lean towards the HTC Incredible. From what I've read, it's better than the Motorola's EXCEPT it doesn't have a keyboard like the original Droid. I can't decide if that's really important to me. I do text, but I'm not really to worried about how fast I can type. Probably an age thing. Plus, I'm currently texting on a phone that uses T9Word, so anything will be an improvement (I think).

Oh, and after posting I did some review searching. Ally doesn't get good reviews. Not bad, just not great. Think I read the keyboard is very good, however. Just FYI.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

The HTC Incredible is a very capable phone, and when it was released it was a top-of-the-line product. Now though, the Droid X IS superior. The battery is much longer lasting (which is something all Droid phones tend to score poorly on), the camera is better, the processor is just as fast, it's bigger (making all that touching even easier) etc. Android expands very quickly. The Incredible's screen material makes it a little easier to see in direct sunlight, I believe.

You must not have had enough time to enjoy T9 Word. I can probably type FASTER on T9 than I can on a keyboard like the Ally's. On my Blackberry it would be close, but a good T9 typer still needs only about 1 keypress for the correct button once you learn which words you need to "next" to get. That's the best thing about the full keyboard to me, one button press = one letter that I know I wanted.

You NEED to go to a Verizon store and type several messages with the different phones. See if one just feels better in your hand. The processors in the Incredible and the Droid X are similar in performance so if the Droid X is just TOO BIG for you, or you wish the Incredible WAS a bit bigger, it could come down to something that simple. You're not going to LOSE either way; both phones are extremely capable devices. If I was going to choose between the Incredible and the Droid X, I'd go Droid X. I don't know when the Incredible is getting the 2.2 OS Update; I know Droid X is getting it very soon. Being able to run apps from the memory card effectively gives you 30x the space for apps. Yes, THIRTY times.

But like I said, you will have a very high end handheld device either way. Both are running an outstanding, innovative operating system. It's kind of like choosing between a high end TM or Cally driver; you can't really LOSE. But go check them out and see if one is easier for you to work with by virtue of its size. Remember too that the Droid X is probably more equipped for multimedia than the Incredible, but that would not make me change my decision if the incredible just felt that much better in my hands. The Droid X is a pretty big phone.

 

[slickpitt]

Love my Android phone.

 

[MCDavis]

The HTC Incredible is a very capable phone, and when it was released it was a top-of-the-line product. Now though, the Droid X IS superior. The battery is much longer lasting (which is something all Droid phones tend to score poorly on), the camera is better, the processor is just as fast, it's bigger (making all that touching even easier) etc. Android expands very quickly. The Incredible's screen material makes it a little easier to see in direct sunlight, I believe.

You must not have had enough time to enjoy T9 Word. I can probably type FASTER on T9 than I can on a keyboard like the Ally's. On my Blackberry it would be close, but a good T9 typer still needs only about 1 keypress for the correct button once you learn which words you need to "next" to get. That's the best thing about the full keyboard to me, one button press = one letter that I know I wanted.

You NEED to go to a Verizon store and type several messages with the different phones. See if one just feels better in your hand. The processors in the Incredible and the Droid X are similar in performance so if the Droid X is just TOO BIG for you, or you wish the Incredible WAS a bit bigger, it could come down to something that simple. You're not going to LOSE either way; both phones are extremely capable devices. If I was going to choose between the Incredible and the Droid X, I'd go Droid X. I don't know when the Incredible is getting the 2.2 OS Update; I know Droid X is getting it very soon. Being able to run apps from the memory card effectively gives you 30x the space for apps. Yes, THIRTY times.

But like I said, you will have a very high end handheld device either way. Both are running an outstanding, innovative operating system. It's kind of like choosing between a high end TM or Cally driver; you can't really LOSE. But go check them out and see if one is easier for you to work with by virtue of its size. Remember too that the Droid X is probably more equipped for multimedia than the Incredible, but that would not make me change my decision if the incredible just felt that much better in my hands. The Droid X is a pretty big phone.

Wait, TM and Cally make high end...oh, never mind...

Actually, I'm pretty good with T9 and I've had it for quite a while. I just figured with time the full keyboard would work better.

Went to a store today...noticed immediately the difference in size between the 2. I like the thought of the bigger screen, honestly. Otherwise, they seemed very similar to me. I just need to go back, I guess.

I thought the Incredible was just being released? Maybe they're just out of stock right now. I must have read older reviews because I really had the impression that the Incredible was the better phone.

Thanks SUX and everyone...this really helps a lot!