Played with a Droid today, Im keeping my S2.
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Played with a Droid today! Its definately a nice phone.
HOWEVER,
the thing that set the MOTO droid apart from all the other android based phones is it being the thinnest slide out keyboard device.
Guys, the storm 2 touch screen is more of a physical keyboard than the droids. This is being 100% honest and straight up with you.
THe browser on the droid of course is fast, its very nice experience and loads at a decent rate (always try CB when loading websites, thats how you really know if a browser is painful or not).
The phone is a nice Verizon alternative to the iPHone, but will never be as popular as the iPHone. Until Android/google produce a phone where they make the hardware too, then to me android throwing their OS on any kind of phone is not gonna cut it. If it was my choice, I rip the whole slide out keyboard off the phone and just use it like that.
The UI was very intuitive and fluid. Typing on the on screen keyboard is no better no less than the iPhones, just another haptic feedbackless touchscreen device.
Overall the phone is very slick looking and would fit into the likes of a business world LOOKS wise. It isnt nearly as bad as I thought it would look, and seems to be built tough to an extent. Could be even sleeker, but if you like boxy super nintendo controller type style then the Droid should be no issue as far as looks go. But doubt any real business has 6-7 minutes to wait for an email to get to their phone when they are on the move to make quick important decisions, as well as be guaranteed a secure platform.
IMO, the touchscreen on the storm 2 is a perfect typing experience out of all devices,(non haptic, slideout, whatever). Can you imagine using BBM on the droid with that horrible keyboard? Especially if your a frequent email sender or texter. If you have big thumbs or fingers the droid is not for you as far as a slider phone goes.
The thing that is going to make the droid sell is not its physical keyboard or even the large screen (which I really liked) , but its UI and specific google services that allow it to be competivie as far as applications, entertainment, and widgets go with the iPhone.
However nothing about the DROID is enough to push me over the edge of selling my storm 2. Its NOT innovative, only the operating system is which you can have on any other android supported phone.
I cant wait until RIM throws a sweet browser and UI onto my berry. The hardware of this thing is too much to give up. I want a phone that I can feel comfortably solid with for another year. And within that year or two years until I am elgible for an upgrade, there will be many progressions in the BB operating system that leave other manufactures pedastools in certain areas invalid.
BUT, if you do not like the BB OS or UI and just cant tolerate a phone with a slow browser and just CANNOT use a third party browser which is just as fast, then the DROID is definately a safe alternative to you out there who are scared to make the move.11-06-09 02:22 PMLike 0 -
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I always enjoy reading your post. They are informative. Thanks. Not that I totally agree with you on everything, but you give me reason to at least hear you out. Nice writing. I think I will stick with my s2, but im going to go give the droid a test run after work today.11-06-09 02:28 PMLike 0 -
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i was really considering the droid..but i realized how important my emails are and i need them fast..so since i have gmail i thought well..the droid has push gmail..well not quite..read and seen videos on how slow the droid gets emails and its slow..not instant like my bb..im stickin with my bb11-06-09 02:48 PMLike 0 -
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I only spent a few minutes on the Droid and here's what I noticed:
1. Max brightness is not anywhere near as bright at the Storm. I suspect the screen would wash out in bright sunlight--I can see the S2 in direct sun.
2. Browsing is AMAZING! Dang, I'd love to have that browser experience on my S2.
3. Speaker phone quality is inferior to the S2, but it's hard to tell just HOW much worse it is, given the conditions under which I listened to it.
4. My general impression of ease of use of the interface, including the phone app, is a thumbs up.
5. Lack of BT VD is a deal breaker.11-06-09 02:54 PMLike 0 -
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Nuff said.Played with a Droid today! Its definately a nice phone.
HOWEVER,
the thing that set the MOTO droid apart from all the other android based phones is it being the thinnest slide out keyboard device.
Guys, the storm 2 touch screen is more of a physical keyboard than the droids. This is being 100% honest and straight up with you.
THe browser on the droid of course is fast, its very nice experience and loads at a decent rate (always try CB when loading websites, thats how you really know if a browser is painful or not).
The phone is a nice Verizon alternative to the iPHone, but will never be as popular as the iPHone. Until Android/google produce a phone where they make the hardware too, then to me android throwing their OS on any kind of phone is not gonna cut it. If it was my choice, I rip the whole slide out keyboard off the phone and just use it like that.
The UI was very intuitive and fluid. Typing on the on screen keyboard is no better no less than the iPhones, just another haptic feedbackless touchscreen device.
Overall the phone is very slick looking and would fit into the likes of a business world LOOKS wise. It isnt nearly as bad as I thought it would look, and seems to be built tough to an extent. Could be even sleeker, but if you like boxy super nintendo controller type style then the Droid should be no issue as far as looks go. But doubt any real business has 6-7 minutes to wait for an email to get to their phone when they are on the move to make quick important decisions, as well as be guaranteed a secure platform.
IMO, the touchscreen on the storm 2 is a perfect typing experience out of all devices,(non haptic, slideout, whatever). Can you imagine using BBM on the droid with that horrible keyboard? Especially if your a frequent email sender or texter. If you have big thumbs or fingers the droid is not for you as far as a slider phone goes.
The thing that is going to make the droid sell is not its physical keyboard or even the large screen (which I really liked) , but its UI and specific google services that allow it to be competivie as far as applications, entertainment, and widgets go with the iPhone.
However nothing about the DROID is enough to push me over the edge of selling my storm 2. Its NOT innovative, only the operating system is which you can have on any other android supported phone.
I cant wait until RIM throws a sweet browser and UI onto my berry. The hardware of this thing is too much to give up. I want a phone that I can feel comfortably solid with for another year. And within that year or two years until I am elgible for an upgrade, there will be many progressions in the BB operating system that leave other manufactures pedastools in certain areas invalid.
BUT, if you do not like the BB OS or UI and just cant tolerate a phone with a slow browser and just CANNOT use a third party browser which is just as fast, then the DROID is definately a safe alternative to you out there who are scared to make the move.11-06-09 03:02 PMLike 0 -
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Bingo! Therein is, in a nutshell, the bottom line reason the iPhone will always be a tough nut to crack for years to come. That all important integration with the likes of iTunes as a source for content of all types gives it popularity and a headstart with the masses that will take many more years to surmount.11-06-09 03:31 PMLike 0 -
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Good comparison post. I think I'm gonna go to VZW and check out the Droid just to see. I already got the 9550 so I wont be switching, but I wouldnt mind messing with it for a few minutes.11-06-09 03:33 PMLike 0 -
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Think of the millions of potential iphone customers who would buy one if it wasn't on AT&T. Despite having great sales numbers, Apple is leaving a LOT of money on the table. I'd NEVER, EVER go with AT&T.Bingo! Therein is, in a nutshell, the bottom line reason the iPhone will always be a tough nut to crack for years to come. That all important integration with the likes of iTunes as a source for content of all types gives it popularity and a headstart with the masses that will take many more years to surmount.11-06-09 03:35 PMLike 0 -
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Great post. I have too admit, I really wanted to be impress with the DROID. I wasn't and it wasn't from the feature standpoint. Lets be honest, most smartphones are feature rich ( this coming from a 48 year old male that was involves in the sports industry. Cool is always in, also having owned a Casio Boss,one of the first cool PDA(1986 i believe))..don't laugh. My problems have always been to get it when it first comes out. I think were Motorola/Verizon/Google could have benefited here is to bring out both keyboarda non keyboard version as well instead of the Eris, nothing against the Eris, cute but not as cool as it could be. Before my storm, I thought i could never use a on screen keyboard, but i loved it, its the sleekness(cool factor). getting back to the droid, feature and functionality wise I think its on top of the charts. people forget the Storm and the Iphone needed software updates..ALOT..BOTH. it took the IPHONE 3 version to get to this point, and for that there are reason i should jump on this phone..but once again ..kool factor, have you seen the cases and clips for it. Looks like I work at Home depot. which i a great job, but not when I'm pulling it out at a nice bar or event...lol..I know I'm rumbling, but i really want to get excited about this phone, and in the end I will probably have it clipped on my tool belt, but until then my storm still looks cool, 5.0 has made it very fast, and if the new google nav would be made available to the storm..I wouldn't switch for a while, but oh well this makes life interesting..by the way, my wife wants this phone...for the flip out keyboard!!!...peace11-06-09 03:36 PMLike 0 -
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Aren't you the same people that said that you cannot review a phone by just "playing" with it. When people were saying certain things about the S2, you defended it by saying "You don't own one. You can't make a judgement just by playing with the phone, you need to have it for a few days." Remember that? Why should this be viewed any differently? Just curious.11-06-09 03:41 PMLike 0 -
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Don't know if you picked up on it, but there is a really neat slide-down menu at the top of every page in the touchscreen, and it shows the unread messages, weather, etc. I thought that was a great feature.
As for the keyboard, I agree 110%. The keyboard is made for people with skinny fingers,big hands, and it feels very cheap and flimsy.
The virtual keyboard was NOTHING like an iPhone experience. It was soooo hard to text on, and I messed up a million and a half times. The iPhone virtual keyboard is nearly flawless.
AND!!! the physical keyboard gets the award for the worst color choices of all time. THAT GOLD IS REPULSIVE!!!
Other than that, I found it to be a very fun device.11-06-09 03:42 PMLike 0 -
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Hey, I currently am not a BB, iPhone, Droid or any smart phone user. I am in the market for a smartphone as I will be graduating college in december. My current phone is the old razor... i have been holding out for the storm 2, but after trying them both I am more impressed with the Droid. I was hoping I would like the Storm 2 better because it is a better looking device. Is the keyboard on the S2 something you get used to because I sucked at using the thing and the familiatiry with a physical keyboard was nice. The buttons were big also wish is a plus versus other BB phones cause my stubby fingers press multiple buttons.
I will go over my take on the phones now: Take it for what its worth seeing as how I am not a current user of any smartphone and may be a complete *****.
Storm 2:
Better looking, responded faster when changing orientation of the phone. Loaded maybe slightly slower then the droid but fast none the less. Buttons were responsive and everything worked solidly. I like the fact that in usual BB style it syncs up with your email and there is no refreshing to get email. BBM is also a plus there is no denying. I really WANTED to like the S2 better and entered verizon today with the S2 way ahead in the running
Droid:
The browser was in general easier to use, and I personally loved the physical keyboard as I am just not used to a touch screen. The email is on a delay which is not a plus and it does not have BBM, but it does come with google maps with turn by turn directions, which would be nice so I do not have to purchase a GPS. Not quite as sleek as the S2 but not as terrible as I imagined it would be after seeing pictures. Overall the phone just semed to be easier to use and operated smoothly. The keyboard sliding out also allowed for web browsing without blocking the screen to bring up the keyboard which was nice.
Overall:
Both phones displays looked great! Looking at them both I would be hardpressed to say either one wouldn't be a great choice. Still have not made my decision yet and I will probably wait a week or two but I went from leaning towards the S2 to leaning towards the Droid. I am not sure it just being used to the physical keyboard made that much of a difference or what. I am going to continue researching these phones and seeing what I am going to do. Dunno what my extremely smart phoen uneducated opinion is worth but maybe this will help someone out. Both seemed to be pretty sweet phones!11-06-09 03:52 PMLike 0 -
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It is my understanding that it does have haptic feedback for the on-screen keyboard. It's just an option that is turned off by default.
I haven't played with one myself, yet, so I cannot confirm that.11-06-09 03:57 PMLike 0 -
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What does that mean? Are you trying to imply that the Droid can only receive email on a 5-minute poll? That is incorrect.
The Droid supports ActiveSync. Any "real business" running Exchange can run that a lot less expensively than RIM BES. And it gives direct push (i.e. "instant" delivery) and is just as secure as email delivery via BES.
And, ActiveSync will actually sync your Inbox, so you get all the older messages in your Inbox, too. Unlike BB, where you only get new messages that came in after you connect your BB to the email account. I.e. it's a true "sync" versus BlackBerry's "push and reconcile".11-06-09 04:02 PMLike 0 -
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I played with a dummy droid unit today. If they spent more time getting the keyboard right I think they would have a hit. The rest of the phone seems pretty sleek, and the reviews tout how good the software/hardware is. How hard is it to make a better keyboard? If they knocked out the d-pad I think they could have gotten it right.11-06-09 04:06 PMLike 0 -
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the dummy phones are not a good judge of the actual hardware makeup of the device. They are only good for judging size.I played with a dummy droid unit today. If they spent more time getting the keyboard right I think they would have a hit. The rest of the phone seems pretty sleek, and the reviews tout how good the software/hardware is. How hard is it to make a better keyboard? If they knocked out the d-pad I think they could have gotten it right.11-06-09 04:16 PMLike 0 -
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Im the one that said this but to each there own when it comes to forming an opinion. So your telling me that you had your storm 2 for a couple days? Oh wait, thats right you never did actually own oneAren't you the same people that said that you cannot review a phone by just "playing" with it. When people were saying certain things about the S2, you defended it by saying "You don't own one. You can't make a judgement just by playing with the phone, you need to have it for a few days." Remember that? Why should this be viewed any differently? Just curious.
11-06-09 04:18 PMLike 0 -
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droid vs s2 talk is crazy,s2 isnt in the same league! over 10,000 apps, 7 hours of talk time, highres playback, dual processers,goggle maps turn by turn while on the phone...NEXT WEEK it will support "FLASH"STOP IT11-06-09 04:19 PMLike 0 -
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Played with a Droid today, Im keeping my S2.
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