December 4, 2009 83 Comments

Motorola Droid- My Take

Droid Report I purchased my own Motorola DROID (amazon affiliate link) on the day they came out, and have been using it as my primary (only) cell phone for weeks. I left behind the iPhone 3G primarily because of AT&T’s service. I just couldn’t keep a phone call up. My take, after a few weeks of intensive use of the Droid is that it’s a good phone and worthy of your consideration. Let me give you a bit more information.

Motorola Droid – The Good

I’m a Google kind of guy. My email is gmail. I use Google Apps. I use Google Calendar. The phone is built for this. Calendar, Google Voice, and all the other apps really integrate well. I make my calls via Google Voice. I schedule appointments with the same calendar I use on the web. So with that in mind, everything I used worked really seamlessly between the web and the phone (except, oddly, Google Wave, which says it’s not compatible with the browser).

The camera is 5 megapixels, and does stills and video. It’s pretty decent. The “hard” button is in a silly place, and using the soft button wasn’t very simple. But there were all kinds of 3rd party apps in the store to make this easy. The video is HD quality, by the way, which is nice. Oh, and there’s a flash for stills. Eat that, iPhone.

The app store had lots of apps that I was using on the iPhone, including Evernote, PixelPipe, SnapTell, Shazam, Pandora, and more. I’m using Twidroid right now for a Twitter app, though I’m hoping the Seesmic Android app gets better, as I’d like to support Loic LeMeur.

I love the maps feature, which is a lot more like a full function turn-by-turn GPS and blows away the iPhone built-in maps feature. It’s provided by Google and it’s really a threat to Garmin and Tom Tom and the boys.

The 3G network seems pretty darned fast. I have done some comparisons that showed the iPhone winning, and some showing the Droid winning, but in general, I feel like the Internet runs faster on the Droid. Might be a perception. You be the judge.

Motorola Droid – The Bad

The soft keyboard is silly. It’s messy, not very responsive, and requires a lot of patience. The hard keyboard isn’t as good as a blackberry, but after a while, I got used to it.

Battery life is a hair better than an iPhone, but not much. I like that I can buy replacement batteries and swap them out on my own. The guys at AMD told me a lot of the future wars around computer components would be around battery life. This makes me believe them.

Apps crash every now and again (but then, they did on the iPhone, too).

I have only 10,000 apps and iPhone has 100,000 or something. So, sometimes that shows. Now that everyone and their brother is making an iPhone app, I find myself hoping they’re also making Android apps. It’s never fun to be in the “B” category of software crazes. But so far, that’s not hurting me too bad.

I find there are lots of design elements where Apple did it better. The iTunes interaction is much better than the various entertainment products lopped into the Droid. Meaning, the App Store seems smoother than the Android Market. The iTunes part seems better than Droid’s Music app. So, it’s a little bit of what Robert Scoble said, about it not exactly being as ‘smooth,’ but I’m holding out that there are more options for improvement.

How I think the Droid Compares

I think people who have a Blackberry should think about the Droid.

I think people who are considering the Palm Pre should think about the Droid.

I think people who are tired of AT&T dropping their calls should think about the Droid.

I think the other Android phones are good, but Droid is Android 2.0 and seems a little bit nicer.

So that’s it. That’s what I think. What about you? And are there any other questions?

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  • gliss

    I like my iPhone. I'm a long-time Apple fan, but I have to admit, this looks like the 1980s and early 90s all over again. Back then Apple came out with the Mac and could have owned the world. Microsoft came out with Windows (yuk and more yuk) but they have ruled the world in that area since then.

    With the phone? Same thing except this time it's Google. Though I like my iPhone, I'm not stupid about it and would definitely consider something else if it worked better.

  • http://twitter.com/josephdepalma Joseph De Palma

    I really think a big aspect of me not liking other phones is the keyboard… I use an iPhone, and i've become so accustomed to being able to type quickly, it's very hard to switch to something that isn't heat-sensitive.

  • Marki Conway

    This is a great post for anyone who is in the market for a new smart phone and would like to compare. However, I think there should be some sort of a explanation about AT&T and your dropped calls. It may be the area in which you live that causes your dropped calls. I have used AT&T for almost seven years now and have consistently loved their service. I am not affiliated with AT&T in any way, other than being a satisfied customer. I cannot even remember a dropped call I have ever had, though I am sure it has happened at some point in seven years. Personally, I love their service, and the iPhone. Also, I have always received excellent customer service when I am in the market for an upgrade. The Droid is of course an excellent phone, but I wouldn't recommend AT&T users switch services for it. The iPhone is an amazing product and let's be honest – it's made by Apple and I think we all have a certain level of trust and respect for Apple's innovations in technology.

  • GreenSmithC

    It's always intriguing to me to hear people trash AT&T, I've had it for years, taken it many different places, and haven't had all the dropped calls issues people often talk about. Maybe I'm lucky?

    I recently bought my first iPhone and have really loved how well it's worked, how everything integrates, and, using a Mac with all IMAP emails, how seamlessly it functions with that. Chris, I can see your point, being Googlecentric, that the Droid would nicely fit the bill for you. Me, I use Google indirectly, hosting my email and using Reader via Feedly (Reader is fugly on it's own!) there's not an advantage for me there. I can definitely appreciate the innovations that are likely to come from Google on the Android platform, but being both a fan of good aesthetics and a large community of developers, I'm with iPhone.

  • http://nicolena10.blogspot.com Nikki Stephan

    Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on the DROID. This post is very helpful for someone like me who's been debating between an iPhone and the DROID. You've just confirmed what I've been reading and hearing from others – go with the DROID!

  • http://www.loiclemeur.com Loic Lemeur

    thanks Chris for willing to support me, it's only a first version of our app, what would you like by order or priority for us to add?

  • http://www.loiclemeur.com Loic Lemeur

    what did you not like about Seesmic? No search etc? We are adding search and lists right now. Tell me! We will do it

  • http://twitter.com/vinnyohare vinnyohare

    I have been loving the Droid since I got one a few days after they came out. I agree on the keyboard as it was tough to get use to at first but I got use to it now and its just fine.

  • http://www.archcityhomes.com Karen Goodman

    I'm probably going to need a new phone in the next few months since the plastic over the on/off button on my Motorola Q just started chipping. I want to stay with Verizon, so was very excited to hear about the Droid.

    My problem is that I've been using Outlook for my email, contacts and calendar for years, and need to be able to sync with my phone. I'm just not ready to switch to something web based…I've got too much on my plate to switch everything over and learn a new system.

    So, I'm hoping a future upgrade will allow syncing with Outlook, or that a Droid-like smartphone comes out soon!

  • http://jasonkeath.com jakrose

    I am biased with a pretty nice ATT network in Charlotte, NC. I don't get dropped calls. And maybe I am lucky, because when I travel, I never have issues with signal. The one exception being in the belly of the iPhone flooded beast like SXSW.

    I have played with the Droid. It is nice. My main complaints are UI. Just does not seem intuitive to me. And I don't need the hard keyboard. But I would definitely agree it is the perfect next step for blackberry users.

    I stand by the iphone. But driod is nice.

  • http://twitter.com/tshelton Ted Shelton

    Have been using three phones over the past month – Nokia N97, Apple iPhone, and Motorola Droid. Also have b een using them in both US and UK (not the droid which is still US only)

    While I continue to believe that this war is still in its early days, I have to say that Apple is still clearly in the lead in the most important qualities — usability and user enablement.

    There are more things which can be done more easily with an iPhone than with either of those two other devices.

    You can take potshots at AT&T (please do!) or complain about the lack of a flash on the iPhone, but this is small time compared to the substantially harder issues around user experience and richness of 3rd party apps

    Competitors to apple have a long way to go!

  • http://twitter.com/sethgoldstein Seth Goldstein

    I really want a Droid, but my concern is the fragile-ness of the screen. I have an LG Voyager right now and well I've been through 5 of them their screens keep cracking.

    So dare I buy a Droid? Or should I head over to RIM and get a Blackberry? Such decisions.

    Chris thanks for your review of this device.

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  • http://twitter.com/catybennett Caty Bennett

    As a loyal Verizon customer, I really appreciate knowing the pros and cons of the Motorola Droid. I'm looking to upgrade from my BlackBerry Curve 8330 in the next few months. I'm not sure how app-savvy I would be on such a device, but I like having the options. I will never downgrade from a smartphone, but I need to decide how smart my phone should be.

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  • http://www.steigmancommunications.com Daria Steigman

    Hi Chris,

    Thank you. Your review is really helpful. I'm a BlackBerry user who has resisted the iPhone (if AT&T is bad in Boston, the network is has people roaming in their own homes here in DC) and been eyeing Android 2.0. Your experience might just push me to make the switch.

    Best,
    Daria

  • destardi

    Hm. I'd say not having a network that's reliable is 'harder' to deal with, vs. a higher learning curve than a 5 year old's, and with Android being available on multiple phones, and multiple carriers.

    By default, this will *quickly* lead to new, better, and 'richer' apps.

    Grab a seat Ted: we're in for a ride with Android.

  • kemae27

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Marseilles-Jr/501067211 Chuck Marseilles Jr.

    Living in Indiana, I have to say Verizon Wireless has the best coverage of the carriers (and far exceeds ATT’s coverage) and so I was ecstatic that they came out with the Droid, since I really wanted an iphone.

    The one major question I have for you Chris (since Jon says you’re the tech expert – and would be a heavy software user), is, from your perspective, how well does the Droid operate with Microsoft Office software – mainly Outlook (of which I am a diehard fan) and the ability to create/edit/view Microsoft Word and Excel? Or do I need to find a conversion software/tool in order to continue my use of these products.

    Thanks for your insight,
    chuck

  • AF

    Not as happy with this device as you are. Email downloading is SLOWWWWWW! Takes 5 minutes or longer just to download a few emails and than another 5 minutes or so to view if there is any attachments. Half the attachments can not be viewed. This is a technophilic phone..not a work serious phone. I can't even get anyone from Motorola to explain why my email disappears off the phone once the email is downloaded to my Outlook file on my PC, as soon as the next download occurs on my phone all my email on the phone is automatically deleted. The button position for getting the phone out of sleep mode is incoveniently positioned it seems to me the phone should automatically “awaken” when the home key or some other key on the front panel is hit. My phone has timed out after a call is made while trying to dial an extension number. The web based apps are fast, but not sure that is worth the troubles. Have had the same trouble you have had with the keyboard. Wishing I had kept my Blackberry! I say wait for the next version!

  • AF

    Not as happy with this device as you are. Email downloading is SLOWWWWWW! Takes 5 minutes or longer just to download a few emails and than another 5 minutes or so to view if there is any attachments. Half the attachments can not be viewed. This is a technophilic phone..not a work serious phone. I can't even get anyone from Motorola to explain why my email disappears off the phone once the email is downloaded to my Outlook file on my PC, as soon as the next download occurs on my phone all my email on the phone is automatically deleted. The button position for getting the phone out of sleep mode is incoveniently positioned it seems to me the phone should automatically “awaken” when the home key or some other key on the front panel is hit. My phone has timed out after a call is made while trying to dial an extension number. The web based apps are fast, but not sure that is worth the troubles. Have had the same trouble you have had with the keyboard. Wishing I had kept my Blackberry! I say wait for the next version!

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  • jeff

    how about taking contacts from apple macbook to Droid. I have read both apple and moto. web pages on it and I am lost. I am not up to date on a great number of features and I am hoping to actively learn with these two tools being my method to have no one in the office and do it all myself. To do this I need easy communications between the two platforms. Fluid is my goal. As a separate issue has anyone had success with antenna boosters. I have heard Wilson is the best supplier. Home has marginal but functional outside reception. I would love to booster for truck and home.

    Jeff L.

  • http://www.vitabits.de/multivitamine/az-multivitamin--mineralien-tablette/16485 multivitamin

    Hi,
    I am not happy with device. When it comes to internal storage Xperia X10 has double the memory of the Droid with 1GB while the DROID only has 512 MB ROM.

  • Frank

    To decide what is best for each individual, one must consider what the device was targeted for.

    Win mobile devices are intended for people that are professionals that need access to docs, spreadsheets, and presentation material. They also need a comprehensive contact list with sort functions, calender, task program, and note program. All this tied together in a cohesive package.

    Iphones and droid phones missed the mark at the higher business level. They both have powerful electronic platforms, but target their software to kids and younger adults that want music, games, web surfing, and simple hobby/utility applications.
    They are very weak in higher business apps, especial android phones.

    Blackberrys are effective communication devices, but don't have the extensive application apps as iphone or windows.

    Every smartphone platform has its strengths and weaknesses. They each must be evaluated separately. Good luck with your hunting.

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  • Bridget

    Thank you bunches for this information. I've downloaded it and it is working great!

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  • http://www.eyewear-rayban.com ray ban wayfarer

    I'm a little late finding this article, but I loved it.

  • http://www.memorybits.co.uk/ usb flash drive

    Virtual keyboard I can type quite a bit faster. I'm considering switching to Motorola Droid, but will play around with it a while back in the shop. The first time I think with Eris, the size and weight better liked. But there are only slightly smaller screen on the keyboard for about Droid.As Droid on giant screens, you have an app that you only keyboard HTC Eris, which gives I can get over something that can be is pretty darn good and much easier to type than the iPhone.

  • http://www.yuregininsesi.com yuregininsesi

    Thanks for posting the review, I will consider your take when I shop for a smartphone this season.

  • http://www.disfuncionerectiltratamiento.es Disfuncion

    Remarkable device. I have the same.

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