Five things we like about Droid

WOW droid does a price drop again? What could be more sweeter than that.. So wait around for 1 month and see droid drop's it price again.. maybe to 100 USD only? That will be insane

Motorola Droid at 120 USD: Best or Worst?

For those of you that are upset that there are only 10,000 apps, it's not about the number of apps it's about the quality. I have the droid too and absolutely love it. The apps are ok and I just started looking at them. Plus the verizon network and google/motorola…how can you go wrong. You know there going to come out with thousands more apps. It's open marketing. I love it! Quit bitching! lol if it's that big of deal for some of you…Get a different phone on a different network ie iphone. Have fun dropping calls and lagging on vids ect. Go Droid!!!!!!!!!!!

just bought the Droid, and as a person who had a Blackberry Storm ( for a month, and traded it back to my old fashioned Treo 750), I have to say that I am impressed. As a 63 yr. young man, it takes a while for me to "get it". No problem with understanding the Droid- it is definitely the easiest phone I have had to decipher in decades. Everything that I had hoped for in the Blackberry Storm, and did not find, is in the Droid. On the negative- the background apps have to be monitored, or your battery will die in a very short while. The screen turns off while on a call, very annoying- the Motorola rep. said it was to protect my "face" when the phone was held close to my ear. At my age, saving "face" is a lost cause.It was really fun walking while having the map show my exact location.The sound from my stereo headset is as good as my Ipod, but I would like to see some easy controls for the bass/treble. The Droid is a great phone, so far. Tom A.

So its judgment day today for Droid, was it? According to Cnet it was a little bit slow nonetheless a good start of droid, other "critiques" says otherwise. But I say, "Hell yeah! droid conquered US for a couple of hours today". We just hope that their ROI is profitable compare to the hunderds of thousand worth of ads they spend during the promotion period and err.. did I say, their impending "lawsuit" with AT&T too?

Collation of info about droid release today: http://bit.ly/did-droid-conquered-USA-today

Hope Droid will serve as a hand of midas to Verizon Corp. Soweet

Wow, really unbelievable phone. I can keep. Up with my kids while texting. Alps are great very user friendly navigation system is best I have seen (so long Tom Tom)

I have a Droid. It is amazing. The voice recognition works great for me, the navigator worker well too, though it is only as smart as Google Maps is and there is no traffic avoidance. But hey, its free. The free apps in the market are great. I don't feel like there is anything missing despite it containing ONLY 10,000 apps (sarcasm). I've installed several apps, all of them free and all of them useful. Haven't found one that I need that requires payment yet. The touchscreen is responsive and smooth, the keyboard is fast now that I have adjusted to it, and the video recording and camera are amazing. The weight is acceptible as well. I am kind of amused by the iPhoner's ctitiques of the Droid. 1) It's too heavey. Really?! Feels like the typical weight of a phone to me. 2) The keyboard is awkward. At least it has one in addition to the exact same touch screen keyboard on the iPhone. 3) No pinch zoom. Double tapping on the screen is not as cool and pinch zoom, I admit. But it is not that hard to double tap. 4) No send and end keys. Uhhh….. iPhone has 1 button and it is not a send or an end key. I really think people are nit picking here because something as cool as the iPhone, maybe / maybe not cooler, is on the market and Apple didn't make it. I'm just glad it wasn't Microsoft who made a device this nice or no one would even give it a change. BTW….. side by side with my wife's iPhone, my Droid loads pages way faster on network with full signal and over wifi.

I bought a droid and what amazed me is that it is useless for handsfree operations… Voice Dial does not dial.. IF it finds a match for you it still requires you to physically confirm the choice on the screen,. usually it gives you three choices… THERE IS NO WAY TO USE THE PHONE IN A HANDSFREE MODE.. it is a moderately good internet communication device

if you dont like att and want a good phone you can still get an iphone. it is rather simple to unlock the phone and use on t-mobile and then you can get non apple apps which makes the iphone the best phone out there hands down.

I have a driod and let me say this is the phone of all phones, it does more is easier to use and there is no limits be verizon. I have beenw aiting for a good pda on the best network out there and the droid is it. I don't knock anyone who likes anything else, but be open enough to hit a verizon store and play with the phone……..it might be enough to make you switch or upgrade.

I just got a Droid.

I was excited.

works well for some things.

But when I tried the Voice Recognition stuff, it didnt really work well.

At the store, the clerk couldnt manage to make it find San Francisco thru voice from the store in Palo Alto.

I had a BBQ the next day in Oakland, and when I used to voice 'Navigate' GPS function, the Droid directed me to a street with the same name but in Danville, not Oakland, even though it had clearly recognized my saying 'Oakland', since you could read it on the screen after i said it.

The battery lasted 5 hrs each day, so the phone was dead way before i even got home around 9pm.

I'll go back to the Verizon store and exchange it for a different one, but if the problems persist, ill return it for good.

I am a pseudo freak and shall continue using the iphone. I like dropped calls and shall continue using AT&T. I am a moron and shall vote again for Palin.

Any questions?

I purchased the Droid yesterday. It got very hot and would not turn on. I replaced it today. I couldn't adjust the volume and noticed the toggle wouldn't move, defective right out of the box. How could they have missed that during inspection. I am returning it tomorrow and getting a Blackberry Tour. Sorry Droid. Two strikes and you're out in this game.

We just Purchased the Driod for my son, and so far it seems like an amazing device. I really hesitate to call it a phone, because it really fundtions more like a notebook computer, only easier to use. He can play his music on it, gets his emails, surf the web, he loves the keyboard. I know that most of you don't think that's a big deal, but we, the adults in our home, have been minimal users of just the most basic cell phones, and we are loving how easy it is even for us to use this new Droid Phone..

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/06/droid-mania-sweeps-the-nation-so-to-speak/

Phones, like everything, are about personal preference. Just like a car, some line Honda-some Toyota, some like Chevy-some Ford. Who cares? You like a device, because it works for you. Why expend effort trying to convince others why their opinion is wrong or the "other guy" sucks. Choice is a good thing!!

And those who whine that they spent a bunch of money on another device and now something they might like better has come out…get over it! Welcome to the real word of technology; new things come out all the time. Either always be prepared to replace what you have when something new comes out or just use what you have, which you were probably completely satisfied with yesterday.

Oh and BTW, my household has both VZW and AT&T (yes the iPhone)—due to personal, divergent tastes.

I`ve had G1 since day 1 and love it. Tmobile service sucks here in the NYC [Manhattan] 3G coverage spoty.
Google is all about speed which I love but tmobile does not do a good job.
Looking forward to buying Droid. Hopefully Verizon coverage and speed plus Google`s Droid experience will be right on.
I don`t care about iphone.

I just stopped at my local Vzw store to check out the new Droid! Don't knock the Droid unless you've actually tried the real thing! The photos of the Droid don't do it any justice! The weight feels right in my hands, and the screen is even more crisp than my PC screen! The craftmanship is solid and device is so darn responsive! Definitely gonna buy it tomorrow!

The keyboard feels nice and doesn't feel much different from my samsung alias! Bye bye Alias hello Droid!

I've also been playing with the SDK for Android 2.0. I got it up and running and compiling projects for the phone emulator easily!

I honesty was dissappointed when Apple released the 3GS as I thought it'd be huge upgrade from 3G, but didn't appear so when I tried my friends 3GS. Sorry Apple you had your chance to increase your lead and just got lapped by Motorola!

I personally am very excited about the Droid phone. I tend to lean more towards a gadget then the network. As it is for most kids now-a-days. As it is for more and more users now too. Phones are no longer just things to make calls or send text messages on anymore, they are mobile devices.

I believe when Apple presented the iPhone to Verizon (and yes in the past VZ had the tendency to block apps), Verizon felt the network was enough. Unfortunately, when the iPhone went to AT&T (and yes I am comparing the iPhone because it did dominate the market for a time). Not everyone cared too much of the reliablity of the network. So they got locked into a company that had to build a network to support the iPhone. Which is failing – sadly. I am not bashing any wireless company. I feel that Verizon put alot into its network and that is why it is as reliable and strong as it is. They don't try to push out a device they cannot fully support. Ok, the original Storm was BAD, I admit. It was flawed, but that was after the realization that AT&T had only ONE phone. Besides the iPhone AT&T honestly don't have any talked up phones, that you hear about. VZ's new Storm2 is far better, I already played with one. You don't hear too much about it because of the hype of the Droid. I read mentions of T-Mobile and their android phones. I checked out the latest Motorola Cliq, and it is okay. I used to have VZ, but the network did not keep me, even though I had service even when on I went on vacation. I haven't traveled in some time now, but switched to T-Mo because I liked the G1. I liked the cost in comparison to the iPhone. I don't like the fact that it does not have an extended battery. I love the apps and the upgrades that have pushed to my phone a few times already. But the phone has a tendency to freeze. And I need to reboot it. I could have switched to a My Touch but I do not favor viritual keyboards.

Yes, there are diehard fans on here of each company or a particular phone. No one is saying YOU have to switch. I personally will be moving back to VZ for the Droid, because I want a great gadget and an even better network. It appears that some will say bad things about what VZ has done in the past, but they are not only providing a better network and what I have read a BETTER one to come, but phones that will please the upcoming and changing trends that started with the iPhone and Google sees as a way of the future.

As for the Motorola moniker comment, I live in a region known for spotty At&T coverage. My friends with Motoroa RAZR phones even on AT&T get good reception anywhere while iPhone users have to drive around town looking for reception. Not just the provider but the phone makes a difference in reception.

I will be getting the Droid on Nov. 6th and I'm hoping to see the same great reception others have had with Motorola phones combined with the superior coverage Verizon provides.

The keyboard is so flat as to be useless…

How flat is your iPhone virtual keyboard?

Some people prefer rounded keys. While I would prefer concave keys, the same as a most keyboards, I will be happy to have even the flat keys over any virtual keyboard that obsures the video display.

alright people, this is a google experience phone, which means for it to be called that, it is google, NOT verizon calling the shots. the navigator and gps will be included, as well as a slew of other features. there IS multi-touch, and pinch-zoom will most likely be activated in the near-future as there is already video of the euro device with it. $30 data plan will include exchange support. devs are already working on apps2SD to overcome the 256MB onboard storage limit for apps. any other concerns you have that can be addressed with a quick internet search?

I agree with several other posts that say that some of the items mentioned in this article are misinformed. My main issue is that the author spent a lot of time complaining about The Cliq and Motoblur ultimately saying it was an abandoned name. This is wrong.

The Motorola Cliq is a completely different phone that is carried by T-Mobile. There are some similarities but aesthetically they are very different devices. Motoblur is available on the Cliq while I have yet to find any definitive statement that it will be on the Droid.

Lastly and moreover, we may want to check the Cliq which launched on Monday and see which version of Android is loaded as one T-Mobile tech informed me that his info showed it would be launching with 2.0 which means the Cliq is the first phone with Android 2.0. I have not confirmed myself but there it is.

iDon't have an opinion one way or another. But what I am excited about is that cell phones have now become hardware with an upgrade path. Before the iPhone, it seemed like every time I bought a phone, it was completely different from its predecessor, especially when it came to the software. Now, Apple has a phone and instead of making it perfect on day 1, they released what they could make workable on day 1 and have dutifully improved, upgraded and developed. At a cost, sure.

I didn't buy the first 2 iterations of the iPhone because it didn't have the features and ability that I wanted. But I would have been more upset if they had those features and they were horribly half-baked. I think there's a bit of integrity in a company that can admit that something isn't good enough and not include the feature.

The Droid is the second step for Android and now we're starting to see what their upgrade path looks like. They're taking big steps very quickly to make features available that iPhone does not yet support. A good business plan, but I hope their advertised features aren't half-baked.

I'll take a ridiculous example – would you rather have an "iDon't have a flash" or would you rather have an "iHave a flash, but the bulb burns out in 2 uses". I'd rather have some company tell me the truth about it's shortcomings than to promise me something and not deliver.

But here's to hoping that the Droid delivers and that Google continues to enhance its software capabilities while others continue to enhance their hardware capabilities.

@ Tom in Boston. Don't assume that just because your compadres in Boston or the rest of the East Coast have a bad experience w/ AT&T that it's like that everywhere else. What about the rest of the country? Not all 30+ million iPhone users are polarized to the coasts. I'm from Lincoln/Omaha, Nebraska. People tend to think that we drive to work and school on tractors and that we have corn in our yards instead of grass, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. We have one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffet, living in what is essentially our back yard.

I travel frequently between Lincoln and Omaha, to Des Moines, to Kansas City, to Denver and have had excellent results with my service, rarely losing service for the exception of the occasional underground parking garage…hardly something to complain about. Sure, some areas are spotty and I drop to 1 or 2 bars, but I can still make/receive the calls necessary for me to be satisfied. Ask around to the rest of the world to see how they are before assuming they all live in the dark ages.

@Posted By MaCayn Chicago, IL: November 4, 2009 8:21 AM

third party apps support multi touch, for some reasno core apps dont. silliness if u ask me

"it's so funny that people would take one phone over another because she/he can't change the battery…LMAO. When is the last time you have to change your battery on any mobile devices?"

I know plenty of people that have had to ship their IPods and Iphones back to apple for replacement of batteries, and I had my cell phone for 3 years and replaced the battery 3 times before I got my Blackberry Storm.

Batteries fail all the time – they do not last forever. This is an important, and convenient, feature.

I really like the droid, and I plan on getting one when I can.

I hate Apple for locking in the iphone to ATT. I hate ATT because of their false advertising, high pricing and worst network.

I like whats happening in the market. With all this firece competition, we all win. Apple will eventually give in and become more open.

BTW, I'm a Tmobile fanboy, if such a thing exists

@Tony and Tony's questioners:

Verizon has, historically, crippled it's phones built in features so that they could charge for the feature. Smartphones on Verizon have had built in GPS receivers for a long time, but they've locked them out to anything but VZ Navigator (which costs money). Ironically, in June they unlocked the GPS in my Samsung Saga through an update. The update unlocked GPS, which had such a weak signal it hardly worked. Something about the update reduced my signal reception by 2 bars in most places, my dropped calls increased, my phone froze more often, and my text messaging program began randomly not sending messages (and when it failed I had to open up a separate program to retry the send…Which often led me to just writing out the message again…) The best part, Verizon wouldn't acknowledge the issues even though other owners were all having the same problems. I finally convinced Verizon to replace my phone early and should have a Droid shortly.

Writters seem to systematically make the same pitfalls. You need to read other articles written on the Droid, and read the comments posted by viewers. This article could have been much more informative and worthwhile if you had done so. The "Pinch zoom" for example has been beaten to death yet comments have been posted on all other articles related to the droid stating that this feature is possible and is only a matter of time before it is "turned on" by a developer, not related to Google. There is also information regarded the pinch zoom and why it was left out for only the US version of Droid; as it is available for the EU version, named "Milestone". Overall, your article is a fair neutral opinion but the shortfall is that there is nothing new or worthwhile compared to other articles out there. It's just another one in the bunch.

My Touch 3g with Google from T-mobile. All Android phones (minus the G1 which was a bust) will be better than iPhone. Get over it. Stop being upset that you dropped all this money on the Apple name and wish you would have waited. Do the research. The My Touch IS better than iPhone. Sorry guys. Talk to AT&T or Apple and get your money back. You got swindled.

I'm assuming the "crippled" comment has to do with the fact that the Droid does have pinch zooming, but it is disabled for the North America market because of concerns over a patent that Apple owns. The European version of the Droid has pinch zooming activated.

Wow, a lot of you people are hardcore supporters of your cell phone company. You bash the others even though most of you never had them anyway. All I know is I have had AT&T for about eight years and the only time I ever had trouble with dropped calls or reception was for a few months when they switched to cingular. I do not support AT&T, I just have not had any reason to ever switch or complain.

I would like to try this after my curve dies… I like some of the things I've heard about droid and they truely could contend with Ijunkies if they keep up dev support and don't cripple features. IE Verizon's main compliant along with high prices. In this article it mentions Google Maps Nav will that become a pay feature after beta? I don't like the fact that I have to pay extra to get my gps on my curve. I already pay too much for bandwidth. If they really want to get some more customers work on the internet browsing features. Most mobile browsers are JUNK.

I own an iPhone and have found AT&T's service to be quite reliable. It could be that I live in the Boston area and the 3G network is pretty robust, but I am quite satisfied with the Apple/AT&T bundle.

However, I do look forward to healthy competition from Google's Android system and any phone maker that bundle's with Google's OS. Apple has led the way to revealing that cell phones can do so much more than just handle calls, text messages and emails. Their iTunes app store validates the notion that software modules can be written to help smartphone users with whatever task they may need to accomplish.

As a recent developer of an iPhone app (armadealo.com), we are now looking towards the next operating system upon which to develop. With Armadealo's target demographic as young (13-24 years old) shoppers, we need a smartphone OS that captures the imagination of young, tech-savvy purchasers of smart phones. With a solid launch of the Droid, we feel our direction for the next OS development project will be more clearly defined.

"Why would anyone want to do business with a company that cripples its phones in order to charge customers more …Don't waste your money on a crippled Verizon Phone!"

I believe he is referring to Verizon's bad habit of removing functionality from phones, such as scrapping wi-fi functionality on some blackberries.
Hopefully they don't start cannibalizing any of the new droid lineup.

To the guy (in Venice, you should be smarter) that talks about the AT&T network being more accessible worldwide…can you say Verizon 4G, with worldwide roaming, due out mid 2010?

I haven't upgraded to a smartphone yet; I wanted an iPhone, but everyone I know that has one HATES AT&T; I still have my old school RAZR waiting for iPhone to come to something other than AT&T.

Now I don't have to, and Verizon has a much better network.

Sorry Apple. And I love my iMac.

Several 'droid' problems:

1. Verizon's antiquated network only allows voice OR data. So much for multi-tasking.

2. Verizon charges $15 more per month than ATT (or about $360 over two year contract).

3. Android apps look horrible on the 'droid due to screen resolution differences between 'droid and older Android phones.

4. Expect more problems with Verizon when they switch their network from the dead-end CDMA to LTE (more similar to ATT's GSM network).

What the guy is talking about is Verizon charging out the waazoo for features that are free or carry a one time fee on iPhone. I have the Verizon LG10000 and they talked highly of that for a month about how many apps it has. Well guess what, google costs 5 bucks a month. Mapquest costs 10 bucks a month. Whats worse is I can go online at my PC and see both for free without a data charge added on to a monthly subscription! So the highly anticipated Voyager was a flunk because of Verizon policies.

Also Verizon gimps thier phones. Goes way back to the V710 that was supposed to come with Bluetooth and carry downloadable music. Verizon got Motorola to turn these off so people would have to buy music from Verizon and the only Bluetooth option was the Verizon headset. They got sued over it rightfully so but they have carried on thier tradition with more legality. They murmur on thier website about features that are disabled. You got to dig to find or they blind side you with thier subscription apps so you don't 'notice' the problem.

So I beg to ask, how much is this Droid going to cost in the end after you subscribe to all the VZ crap and what parts of it will be locked out once you get it? Since its a smartphone series, you'll be paying already a ton of cash each month. The LG10000 I got fortunently is not classified as a smart phone so I get away with having 3 good solid phones at 100 bucks a month.

I am a sales rep with 5 years in the wireless market and can tell you from experience…..AT&T and Verizon are priced virtually the same, and Verizon is ahead in technology, 85% 3G and testing 4G in seattle and boston. AT&T is only about 15% 3G, and has the lowest smart phone satisfaction ratings among the 4 major carriers.(Verizon is #1)

I think the iPhone is great but when you sacrifice service and network for a flashy product your gonna get what you pay for. I'm looking forward to playing with a Droid. I might even set my Blackberry aside for one.

Oh yeah, to the gentleman who trashed Verizon about his $40 savings, learn to read a brochure and I gaurantee you could've done the same without switching. Where did the "fewest dropped calls" campaign go?

Had an iPhone with AT&T for two years. Buttons on bottom of iPhone froze, neither Apple nor AT&T wanted to fix/replace (after paying $500.00 to buy the phone when it first came out). Switched to MyTouch with Google and T-Mobile. Much better reception and internet speeds, makes the phone actually usable and enjoyable and with a less expensive plan. Best move I have made with a phone in a long time.

Tony, how is the Droid "crippled"? And what does Verizon charge you for that AT&T doesn't?? And the reason people want to do business with Verizon is because its network is larger and more reliable than AT&T. The most important factor of a phone is the size and reliability of the network, and anyone who has an iPhone can tell you how bad AT&T's network is.

And to those who say Apple "chose" AT&T because of GSM/CDMA issues, that has nothing to do with it. EVERY other phone manufacturer makes both GSM and CDMA phones. If Apple wanted to, they could very easily produce a CDMA iPhone. Now that Verizon is finally getting some good phones on its network, I'd bet anything Apple will be making a deal with Verizon, as very few people will stick with AT&T just so they can have an iPhone once Verizon gets some good phones.

"Why would anyone want to do business with a company that cripples its phones in order to charge customers more …Don't waste your money on a crippled Verizon Phone!"

This comment is not very helpful. Give some examples and evidence. How are the phones crippled?

Why would anyone want to do business with a company that cripples its phones in order to charge customers more for things that are available on T-Mobile, AT&T, etc.? Don't waste your money on a crippled Verizon Phone!

I don't even use Verizon (I have an iPhone), but your comments, while less extreme, are still off the mark.

"Looks like another iPhone copy. Form is similar, front dominated by a screen, etc."

So it looks like the Treo 180g, made by Handspring in 2002? The basic iPhone hardware design wasn't new, except for the complete lack of buttons. Most of the software features weren't new either, Apple just did a good job putting them together, and as usual has a great marketing team. The iPhone was one of the first largely marketed handsets, traditionally it has been the network which was on TV (just look at Sprint commercials).

"VZ uses CDMA technology. The rest of the world uses GSM, as does ATT."

Apple approached Verizon before AT&T but they wouldn't play ball. Verizon sells GSM/CDMA phones that work worldwide.

"MMS support – this was ATT's doing."

Until iPhone OS 3.0 (released earlier this year) this was Apple's doing. Android has had MMS since release, the iPhone OS did not anywhere in the world.

"The iPhone isn't closed entirely. Look up jailbreaking…"

This is a hardware bug, not a feature. It just happens to be a beneficial bug. This is not to say Android is better, rooting the device is not meant to be possible.

The droid will get some customers(suckers) and verizon will suck them dry( high contract fees). I was a verizon customer for 13 years and i am so happy i moved to at&t. I get a better phone(iphone3g), better plan, and i pay $40 less with more minutes and 3g service. I get no dropped calls and my service is stellar!!! Thank you At&t! I am a happy customer!

Umm thats help me your are my only hope

it's so funny that people would take one phone over another because she/he can't change the battery…LMAO. When is the last time you have to change your battery on any mobile devices?

Great post by Posted By Aaron, Chicago, IL: November 3, 2009 2:22 PM

iPhone… the Toyota Camry of phones.

Interestingly, the Droid's commercial points out many facts about the iPhone 3Gs can't do or provide which even the Palm Pre can do.

But the Droid has raised the bar even higher by including additional benefits not even the Pre currently does not possess. That's a 5MP auto-focus camera AND a 854 x 480 screen resolution. That's an improvement over twice the quality above the Palm Pre and the iPhone 3Gs which both use at 480 x 320.

Although the Droid and Palm Pre both use the same fast processor OMAP3430, the Droid still performs at a draw compared to the iPhone 3Gs, despite being a multitasking operating system and having a larger screen resolution! (see YouTube videos)

I see some people don't understand what's the big deal behind a removable battery. This big deal of course is talk-time. Because it is interchangeable (including the Palm Pre), you can buy higher capacity batteries which can be swapped to significantly extend talk time beyond the limitations of the iPhone 3Gs.

True multitasking, customizable, microSD support, real physical keyboard (and online), removable battery, free turn-by-turn GPS navigation app are all things not even the iPhone 3Gs can keep up with!

Unless the iPhone can match or exceed these specifications, Droid is the clear winner above the iPhone 3Gs!

It's amazing to me that grown human beings argue with each other over their preferred cell phones. Why do any of you care if the Droid does well or even how it stacks up against the iPhone? The only people who should even give this a second thought are employees of Apple and Motorola. The rest of you are basically 9 year olds with money.

Grow up, it's a phone. If you don't want it, don't buy it. If you do want it, buy it.

@ Andy. Spoken like a true Apple Fanboy. U sound mad dude. Go get you an excedrin or sumn because this is just the beginning. they have numerous devices dropping in the next few months. as for that keyboard comment….no way u type faster. everyone i know with an iphone got another device on them to txt with. everybody i know with an iphone text me one or two words too. never a paragraph. get real bro. sorry but the iphone has come to pass. it wont be long now before everyone realizes the monopoly they are under

If iphone would join forces with VZ, life would be good. What good is iphone with ATT – horrible network to buddy up with – no signal anywhere…so the Droid it will be on the 6th!

It seems people "claim" to have worldly knowledge concerning cellular phone technologies and then make bold claims of CDMA being used only in the US. I am afraid that is incorrect:

http://www.cdg.org/worldwide/index.asp

The only authoritative statement that one could make is that the installed base of GSM is about 8 times greater than CDMA.

Personally, I wasn't interested in the iPhone. Now, with the driving directions capability I am intrigued by the Droid and may have to stop by a Verizon store. I want a phone with a physical keyboard (iPhone virtual keyboard was very difficult to use and quite frustrating – even though my fingers are quite dextrous and slender: I have no problems playing guitar and working on surface mount electronic components).

Now I just have to wait to see how the reports of call quality turn out.

When you are #1 everyone takes a few shots at you. Keep them coming, that means iPhone will stay on top.

First, comments about the Droid;

Looks like another iPhone copy. Form is similar, front dominated by a screen, etc. I don't think that the physical keyboard is really necessary, I thought I would miss my Treo's keyboard when I switched to a iPhone and I don't miss it at all (I can type faster on my iPhone actually). Same for the battery. I thought not being able to replace my battery would be a negative, but then again I never keep a phone longer than 2 years and haven't ever replaced a battery, even on a phone that I CAN replace the battery on!

Now, to address some of the comments out there. People compare ATT and VZ networks and challenge the exclusivity deal with ATT and ask why Apple is ignoring VZ. Easy. VZ uses CDMA technology. The rest of the world uses GSM, as does ATT. Sure, Apple ignored a few CDMA uses in the US, but when you look at the big picture (worldwide), they made a better decision to go with the 2nd largest carrier in the US that also uses the standard most of the rest of the world is on.

Another one somebody asked is "why does everything get compared to the iPhone?" Because it's pretty much the best do-it-all device out there with the best designed OS, etc. That doesn't mean it's for everyone, but it still suits a large variety of people better than any other phone on the market right now.

MMS support – this was ATT's doing. Their data network is relatively weak (though I haven't had a problem with it personally) I hear. Adding MMS to a data hungry device would only cripple the ATT network. Last month ATT issued a carrier patch for the phone that adds MMS. This was in no way Apple's fault.

The iPhone isn't closed entirely. Look up jailbreaking and if you REALLY want to, you can free yourself from Steve Jobs' clutches. Is it right? No, IMO. But it's reality.

As for battery & memory…heck, I got a iPhone 3G and 11 months later ATT let me upgrade to a 3GS. I sold my 3G on Craigslist for more than I paid for the 3GS! I got a new phone AND $200 in my pocket! Awesome resale value I guess. Why worry about a battery that goes bad in a couple years when I get to upgrade every 11 months AND get paid to do it!?

I'll stick with ATT and the iPhone for now. As with anything technology related, this phase will pass and something better will come along.

Phone is for talking, if you call drops, IPhone is no good. I like Iphone and I would like Iphone to go with Verizon, otherwise I am buying DROID

Stick with your iphone and your great att network! LOL!

I am waiting for a decent phone that does not drop calls.. iphone has the worst call quality and drops way too many calls. unreliable.

The point is not that the Droid is supposed to take users away from the iphone. The point is that Google beat Apple with a Smartphone to Verizon's network, ensuring 1st mover advantage on the #1 US network. They don't need to lure a single iphone user to sell a million or 5 of these phones. Apple's "exclusivity" kicks itself in the pants again.

You know, it's indicative of their intelligence (and the worth of their comments) that most of these Apple haters can't spell….

I can see that you read around for a while before posting this, as I can pick out parts of this article that were most likely heavily inspired by other articles. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because this means you wanted to be well informed. Good article. I am seriously thinking about getting this phone.

"The name "Droid" sounds like very old 1970s StarWars. Outdated."

Really? It's retro-fresh. Certainly better then just slapping an "i" in front of something, which is beyond passé.

One of the biggest factors that we are all forgetting is the Service. AT&T vs. Verizon…. IPhone is good, but back cell service. Droid is good with better cell service.

The great thing about the Droid is that you can't use data and voice at the same time. None of that stupid talking to your boss while getting directions to your next appointment. You have a perfect excuse to hang up on your supervisor! And since it works with Verizon's system, it won't work in most countries of the world. Too bad the iPhone does voice and data simultaneously and works around the world. Who needs all of that quality?

Here are a few other great things about the Droid.

1. You can replace the battery.

With the iPhone, you are stuck with the same battery.

2. The Droid has expandable SD Memory Cards.

Rather than having to buy a new iPhone every six months because Apple decides to upgrade the memory, you can do it yourself.

Why do I keep hearing people "expect" dedicated send and end keys on a smart phone??….the iPhone has one freakin' button and it's the most popular phone out there.

Where were Apple and Google in the phone market 2 years ago? They have done it. American Innovation. You've got 100's of thousands of innovators working on these platforms. The world has opened up to the consumer. The sea change in who owns the data has not been absorbed by the major corps yet. The consumer now controls his/her electronic information. Google is not an also ran, they are throwing down the gauntlet. This is something never seen in the Apple-Microsoft non-wars. Let's see if Apple responds!

Droid seems like a cool phone. I don,t understand why everybody compares everything to iphone. I had an iphone 3g and took it back after just 2.5 weeks, the internet was so slow and unless you had a really good 3g connection it would just say timed out and would not even get to the internet!touch screen would start loading pages that I didn,t want just trying to scroll the page, and battery just awful. I GOT A Nokia e71x now and it beats the pants off of the iphone 3g!

I have been an Apple fanatic for decades and I have an iPhone, but I am all for competition and want to see other phones push Apple to do better. The features offered by the Droid seem to clearly trump the iPhone on many things.

I have to say though, that I was really disappointed when I saw the design of the Droid. The overall design looks very outdated and nowhere do I see it called the "Droid." Instead we have two ugly Motorola and Verizon logos on the top and bottom.

From an advertising standpoint, the three companies did a horrible job. I work as a creative director and the cheezy "iDont" phrases are fun to watch, while the Droid graphic that follows looks like a horror film. This will turn viewers off. I guarantee it. People want a dependable device, not a chainsaw in their pocket.

If the Droid is such an amazing device, then where is the branding on the device itself? Even the website is horrible with an overwhelming amount of information they present visitors and no real way to actually view the phone itself.

The one thing that differentiates Apple from others is that they want people to experience their products and not have to listen to a bunch of marketing slight-of-hand advertising.

I'm not impressed with the Droid. Help them Obi Wan Kenobi, you're their only help!

Verizon is symbol is VZ not VW

High ethics of Apple???? The guys that put DRM on iTunes locking you to ipod for any music you purchased from them until the European Union forced them to change it???

The guys that pushed the Apple IIGS as the next big thing, then dropped support for it 5 months later for the MAC????

The guys that allowed Google Voice apps, until Google actually made one and then stated it wasn't rejected it was in review??? What about the apps you removed???

The guys that had iPod Nanos melting but refused to admit it was an issue???

This does look like a beautiful phone–can't wait to get one on the 6th.

If anyone is interested, I'll be posting reviews and ways to save money when purchasing the Motorola Droid (and other future Verizon Android phones) over at BuyDroidPhones.com.

What did Apple do to create all of these iPhone Zombies? What is so special about this phone? Seriously, until the 3GS, this phone was seriously deficient (no PICTURE messaging? REALLY?) It's a great phone, don't get me wrong. It's probably the best phone on the market now (though I think the G1 was a better phone before the 3GS was released). It's exclusivity to AT&T is disturbing…THAT in of itself is enough to keep me away from it. Oh, I would have gotten one if it came on Verizon, but Apple chose to ignore the single largest cell carrier in the US. WTF? So, since I loved the G1 and I'm currently with Verizon, I will be getting a Droid.

I believe in change..say good bye to IPHONE. Burry it with black bury….

It's either weird or uninformed that you mention the name as the good part. In fact, the Droid name is far more confusing than the Cliq, because Verizon is releasing several Droid phones, including the Droid Eris.

It's also odd that you like the keyboard. Most reviewers say the keyboard is too flat.

HAHAHA

All of you are mindless drones. High ethics of apple. lol you must be kidding? Apple sold itself to the devil in order to get out of its slump.

An Intel in my mac?

I would rather buy a Japan Panasonic or Sharp phone from Docomo over any american phone in the next 5 years.

High ethics? Until it comes to Steve Jobs and stock grants. He skated on it on mere technicalities.

The keyboard is so flat as to be useless.

Awful design flaw.

If you are buying this "for the keyboard" you will be VERY disappointed.

The name "Droid" sounds like very old 1970s StarWars. Outdated.

"I have a Droid now" sounds childish.

You prefer the HIGH prices and CLOSE platform of Apple, so you shouldn't stick with the iPhone…

There may be 5 million things Jessi likes about the Droid, but there is only one thing that the rest of us like about the Iphone and that one thing happens to mean the most.

We LIKE Iphone.

The iPhone 3GS is still better!!

I prefer the HIGH ethics of Apple, so I'll stick with the iPhone…