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stars
"Motorola Droid: Refreshingly Customizable" on by Hanoveur
Pros: Almost every part of the Droid is customizable. The screen is gorgeous. Creates a nice uninterrupted workflow.
Cons: The amount of freedom this phone gives you is very overwhelming at first. I'd rather have the trackball than the directional pad. Some of the current apps don't scale to the size of the screen. Facebook app needs some work.
Summary: I was an Apple iPhone user for about six months. Then the day I decided I wanted to use Google Voice came the same day Apple yanked that app out of their store. I was furious and decided I was a 38 year old man who should be able to make decisions as to which Apps I want to purchase. Then Apple lied, and AT&T lied to the FCC... add those things with the dropped calls I kept getting from AT&T. I was ready to return to Verizon...and then the Droid appeared and I had a great reason to go back. I didn't care about the $135 I had to pay to break my contract...in the long run, my sanity and my freedom was much more important.
I started a bit torrent on my PC at home remotely using an app I found in the Market. It texted me to let me know the torrent was finished.
After using the Droid for about four days, I'm happy to say...farewell APPLE!
I'm going to go into some features a lot of people haven't talked about...and this is from the perspective of a former iPhone user.
The fact that I can go to any of the songs on my phone, open a menu and select, "Make into Ringtone" says it all. There are no walls. There is no big-brother telling you what you can or cannot do on your smart phone. I have different notification tones for my two email accounts, my voice mail and have my favorite Stereolab song as my main ring tone. I didn't have to buy anything from the iTunes store in order to have a song as my ringtone.
The Market has this great feature where you can try any app you want for a limited time...if you don't like it, you can just uninstall it and get a refund. No hassles, no risk...no reason to wait for a lite version. The Market also contains applications such as emulators and other things I know that Apple would lose sleep over having in their app store.
The phone dialer has some nice features such as being able to have the phone not ring for certain numbers, or sending certain contacts directly to voice mail.
I am using Winamp to synchronize my music to my Droid and it works flawlessly. Goodbye iTunes! Hello being able to listen to music at work without having to synchonize my device to my work computer, accidentally losing all the music on my device in the process.
FOLDERS! The droid lets you create folders! Freedom to organize your apps! What a concept! No more page after page of square icons that you needed a special application in iTunes to organize.
With the Better Keyboard application, I was allowed to choose from a variety of on-screen keyboards and I didn't need a permission slip from Verizon to do it!
Voice search! It works extremely well and is great for those quick look-ups while you're out and about.
When someone messages you and you're watching the latest TED talk, it doesn't suddenly stop your video to throw a huge message up and stop your video. It will politely notify you via the tone you've assigned and place the notification at the top of the notifications bar. This bar can then be pulled down from almost any app so you can then do a quick email/voicemail/IM check before going back to whatever you were doing. You wont realize how great this is until you start using it.
Then there is the built in GPS, multi-tasking, Google Voice with transcribed voice mails, a voice dialer, a decent physical keyboard, and eventual Flash 10 support.
...all this freedom and you don't have to worry about someone taking it away with their next software update...and then waiting for some hackers to release the next jailbreak to get your freedom back.
As I said, I don't need some authoritarian telling me what I can or cannot have or do on my smart phone. Verizon has definitely taken the right approach when it comes to marketing the Droid against the iPhone. Add this with the gorgeous screen and a very fast and snappy Android 2.0 operating system...and you definitely have a winner.
Updated on Nov 19, 2009
I also edited a song I downloaded from Amazon.com into a ringtone via RingDroid...another app in the Android Market.
Does Apple have an app for either of these things? I didn't think so. (unless you Jailbreak)
Two weeks with the Droid and I'm not missing my iPhone one bit. In fact, the Droid is much more useful to me than the iPhone ever was because the developers for the Android are allowed to make useful apps without them being rejected because they provide too much functionality.
- 31 replies to this review
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Well, it's not as customizable as you might want to believe. If ind the slide-out key pad to be useless and nothing but added bulk. I've had this phone for six months and NEVER used the slide-out key pad. The on screen key pad works OK. But, most browser search results are to small. When you enlarge them, you can only see partial results and it's very difficult to maneuver around the screen. Using email is frustarting because trying to tap and open an email results in mssing the one I wanted and other options popping up. What has really made me dislike this phone more than anythong is that it CAN NOT be used for international calling. I am going to Europe in the next couple of weeks and was told by Verizon customer service that the Droid can't be used in Europe!!! Motorola!!! Are you listening??!?!?!?!
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Damn sexy review. I used my bro's Droid and ma getting addicted to it...:-)
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I've been torn about getting an Iphone for several months now. AT&T's service was my main reson for doing so. That along with the fact that I already own an Ipod touch and I really like it, but I'm not sure how well the OS translates into a REAL phone. Can't multitask on the Iphone either and I'm a person who has several things going at once and having to shut down and restart each time I take a call or go to a different app is a pain.
I've already ordered my droid from verizon so I'll see how I like it. I use a WinMo device now. -
I with Verizon now after dealing with months of dropped calls from Metro PCS and started off with the BB Tour 9630 ,which is a great phone but no indication of a Tour 2 like RIM did with the Curve and the Storm and getting really disappointed. I stopped at my local Verizon store and played with a Droid and let me tell you ..as far as receiving emails like my BB it does that.Internet speed.SCARY!! My mobile banking NO PRESSURE...So i decided to get a Droid and instead of waiting for me to upgrade a great rep found a open box refurbished one for $100 bucks and I switched my number to that phone and haven't been able to put it down yet.
I researched Android OS as well and Google DEFINITELY beat the iPhone original by 1% in sales the first 74 days and killed BB OS as well. I RIDE WITH ANDROID NOW! -
Thanks for the very informative review! I have been wth Verizon for about 5 years now and am VERY happy with everything except for their slowly icreasing prices. I came from Bellsouth/cingular/at&t <(CLUSTER) and was very dissatisfied as I had repeated dropped calls, bad reception, and the final thing that made me move was they started sending me $350 phone bills that they couldnt explain and wouldnt fix. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WITH AT&T.... I am in the market for a new phone and currently have a blackberry that I use for business, but the browser sucks BADD and there are very few apps for it among a long list of other issues. I love the Iphone but you have sold me on the droid. Thanks for the info my friend.
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Very informative review - really appreciate it. But...
What about the issue with the back coming off? Do you have a problem with that? -
I loved your detailed review! I am a long term T-MOBIL customer and I have been so torn about what to get . The CLIQ is a sister to the droid with t-mobil and almost purchased it but after reading your review and watching the cnet videos I see that the CLIQ does not have a flash or file manager so now I have to figure out how to get the DROID unlocked . Not sure about the switch to Verizon although I have used them for over 2 yrs with my Aircard. None the less your review made my decision and I won't feel so bad knowing all that you brought up about the iPhone that I do not have an i phone. Thank you again!
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WOW! Thanks for your awesomely detailed review! You have helped me make up my mind about whether I should leave Verizon for the iPhone & AT&T world or... NOT!!! I have been dreading making this decision because I really didn't want to leave Verizon and was afraid that once I did I would regret it. You have just convinced me that the Droid and staying with Verizon is the way to go! Thanks so much!!
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EXCELLENT review! I was thinking of which Droid to get Motorola or HTC Eris until I went in the store and saw both. The display on the Motorola was fantastic. I don't need a lot of things. I'm not a gamer and I don't really listen to music, but I'd use this to replace carrying my Palm T/X. I think this is exactly what I need PLUS I was just notified by Verizon that I qualify for early replacing of my phone.
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Excellent review by someone who obviously is a more sophisticated user than what the iPhone is designed for (and what the jailbroken versions address).
IridiumEX: "Cant beat the 32GB built in iPod/iTouch." Yes you can. With the Droid that has a removable 32GB mini sd card. -
I disagree about the customizability, at least with regard to e-mail. While the interface is very flexible - which is nice - compared to my old Samsung i760, the customization options for e-mail are very limited and frustrating.
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That does it! I've had the iPhone since July and since it recently broke, I had to get a new one from Apple. I took this time to think about going back to Verizon (I absolutely HATE AT&T). I decided that the $150 is totally worth it for me to cancel AT&T and go back to Verizon. I was debating between the Droid and the Storm 2 but after reading this, you just sold me on the Droid. I think I'm going to head down to Verizon now! Thanks a ton!
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That settles it then! You have finally pushed me off the fence and I am about to be on my way to Verizon to purchase the Motorola Droid phone. I'm a diehard google app user now anyways so it only makes sense. Great review!
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Fantastic. As a iPhone junkie and ATT hater, I have to say this review gave me enough input that I can seriously think about dropping my iPhone. Now I have to decided it I should wait for the "google" Droid.. or bite the bullet now.. thanks, awesome review
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Great review... I too will be paying to get out of my contract with AT&T...I have had it with all the dropped calls and lack of 3G coverage. I hope Verizon will be better as far as coverage. There is no doubt in my mind that the Droid will be better than the Iphone. Look how long it took the Iphone to get basic features...Very helpful. Thanks.
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Good, thorough Review. : - )
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Thanks so much for the detailed review! I have friends who just went to IPhone...& AT&T...and I was starting to think maybe I was missing something. I'm a Verizon customer & devotee...had been with AT&T and also had to pay to leave...never looked back. Dropped calls all the time. Verizon service and call-clarity is wonderful. So...it seems that I don't need to lust after a marketing campaign and can get the same thing and, apparently, as good or better, as Iphone...
Your info was right-on...Thanks for taking the time to give us the details and comparison! -
This article was AWESOME. I thank the person who wrote this. I am researching my first internet phone. I did not really want the IPhone and am already with Verizon. I spent some time with the tech and he was very helpful. However, this article goes into detail that would not be possible in a store. And the end user would not know about even after reading article after article. THANKS so much for taking the time to share. Freespirit44
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The facebook app that comes with it is a little weak, but there is a solution in the market. Bloo is a better facebook application that even has the option to vibrate when you get notifications. It doesn't have a widget so you can't read other peoples' statuses from your home screen, but big deal right? There is also an inbox unlike the installed facebook app.
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I too want to thank you for this review of yours. I am not a smartphone user at this time. However, I am due for an upgrade on my phone and looking for an up to date gps unit at the same time. If this cell phone has a decent gps included. Then that makes this a no brainer. Curious if you could write up a comparison your thoughts about between the Google GPS versus a auto unit like garman or magellan Appreciate any additional information you provide..
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Fantastic review! Excellent information, and very well stated. Thank you, you have given me the info i wanted to be able to make up my mind. Greatly appreciated.
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Thanks for the review. This review has really helped me to understand the phone well. I'm a very annoyed from my iPhone. Their is no end to my problems with iPhone. for some reason my iTunes does not create any backup, second it deletes the playlist I creat, third u have to become a slave to your laptop and the phone as u can't connect it to any other laptop...
Thanks.. -
I have been considering purchasing the phone but upon reviewing the phone on Cnet, i saw that there are price differences between purchasing from verizon and best buy. Your reveiw seems to show that you are pleased with your phone and it seems that it would be a good choice for me as well. So bottomline: Just wondering, did you buy a more expensive version of this phone? Your reveiw has been very helpfull.
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I started using DoubleTwist to sync my Droid with iTunes, however not all of my songs will sync because most are not iTunes Plus. Is this an issue across the board or will Winamp allow the transfer to occur?
Thanks -
Thanks for taking the time to write this review. I am old enough to remember when Apple computers were the #1 seller. And I owned one (still do, in fact). But when I began playing with PCs, I liked the freedom to do things that Apple took it upon themselves to tell me I cannot do on their computers. I don't need training wheels to operate electronic devices, and I feel that Apple treated their computer business that way, and just being exposed to my daugher's iPhone, that is the way they are approaching their phone business.
I am reading reviews on various phones as my wife was wanting an iphone, but decided to wait for a while longer due to the issues you mentioned that my daughter is having with her iPhone. It may take a while longer, but Apple needs to be careful because the same fate is awaiting iPhone in terms of market share. -
oh sweet! lets have page after page of folders FULL of stuff. instead, put your more important apps up front. cant beat the 32GB built in iPod/iTouch. Apple is years ahead of the curve
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OMG!!!! THANK YOU for writing such a detailed review...I am currently and iPhone, 3G, user and I am SO tired of AT&T and Apple!!! The service, in my opinion, is worse now with the addition of 3GS AND I am tired of Apple controlling everything I do with or for my phone....I will definitely be ditching my iPhone also....
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Oh my thank you so much!!
You gave quite a lot of info.
Honestly folders would make up my decision to get this phone.
That sounds completely unreasonable but, thats how much
i love the idea of folders and organization. So glad for that!
and the notification while your doing something.. SO HELPFUL!!
Thank you very much,
But i still dont know if i want this or the Eris because it is 100 cheaper
and quite smaller and lighter, i sometimes have a problem with my EnV Touch
where it bulges out to much from my jean pockets and stretches my jeans...
Will this phone do that? -
The folders are too good, i like it.
Thanks for your review. -
Great write up. Very succinct yet complete with key info from a former iPhone user perspective.
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Very detailed and complete. Thank you!
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