Motorola Droid
Photo source: Verizon
Are we the only ones not completely excited about the upcoming Motorola Droid on Verizon? It's a great thing that Verizon is finally getting some cool phones. However, to put this up against the iPhone is a huge mistake.
First of all, this thing looks like an oversized brick with style right out of the late 1990s. The keyboard looks like it was made by Matell for one of their Barbie collections. It has a 3.7 inch screen which is good for some, way too big for others. Overall, it reminds us of the ill-fated OQO more than a smartphone.
Much of the excitement over the Motorola Droid is the fact that it will be the first device to run Android 2.0. So far, Android reminds us of early Windows Mobile devices that kept every program open in the background. We can't see Android 2.0 being that much more user friendly, although our impressions could be wrong.
The reason people like the iPhone is because it's simple to use and is simple to carry. Its on-screen keyboard is so good that it renders a physical keyboard irrelevant. Unfortunately, the iPhone runs on AT&T, not known to be a great quality network. The Motorola Droid will be helped by the fact it runs on a great network, Verizon.
If anything, we are happy that Verizon is finally getting a varietly of phones that don't have half of the software crippled. In additoin to the Motorola Droid, Verizon will be getting the much-improved Blackberry Storm2, Motorola Calgary and Palm Pre.
If you liked this article, please check out the following:
iPhone: May not lead the pack much longer
Palm Pre or HTC Hero?
HTC Imagio: Crippled by Windows Mobile 6.5
Comments
Please review a previous android device first before comparing to Windows Mobile. Windows mobile is so far behind. I know cause I currently have a Motorola Q. The android isn't as big as you think it is. Please check boygeniusreport.com before making your statements. I am getting sick of these so called expert reporters that haven't even tested the device.
I agree with you Chris! This is craziness....come on, give a review first!
How some kinda trash accusation, the Moto Droid isn't even that big?... Retrded Moto Droid Ftw
"Its on-screen keyboard is so good that it renders a physical keyboard irrelevant."
That is a joke right?!
Your face is an oversized brick.
fail. Quit this job now.
I was an ATT/iphone user for some time before switching to t-mobile. I can honestly say, no one has created a soft keyboard that can replace the usefulness/speed/accuracy that a physical keyboard has. Even the FIRST android phone blows the iphone away in my opinion. the iphone gets old real fast. real fast. so far, my G1 has gone through so many changes (without rooting, btw!) with apps that let me basically create a new phone for myself at will. It's so customizable and the iphone certainly didn't let me have full video game emulators... (go ahead, pay $5 for one iphone game while I pay $2.99 and get EVERY super nintendo game ever made - now in my pocket! - just try to play those classic games without a physical keyboard).
I can't tell you how great of a decision it was to switch to an android phone. I have yet to be disappointed and I will continue to purchase android phones...probably on verizon next!
Hmm, lets see... Droid 3.7" screen; iPhone, 3.5" screen; OQO, 5" screen...
The iPhone and Droid are A LOT closer in size than the Droid is to the OQO. (btw, you state it has a 3.7" screen like it's obviously a bad thing. Care to elaborate, or is that supposed to be self evident?)
Also, that photo you're using, it's old. The keyboard has changed. For anyone interested in an actual review/info/opinion of this phone should definitely check out Boy Genius Report.
Why do you dislike android so much.
I that the iPhone's keyboard is "so good that it renders a physical keyboard irrelevant." I HATE my iPhone virtual keyboard in either regular or landscape mode. I, like many people, like to text and type rapidly with my thumbs. For me, the iPhone is grossly lacking in this regard.
Are you a iPhone Fanboy or just somewhat ignorant on this phone?!? Look into it before writing an article. It makes you look so...hmm ...I'm not really sure. Good luck!
damn dude. you pretty much got served up there with the comments. guess it pays to do some research?
This piece seems to be poorly written. For one thing, why didn't the writer take 2 seconds and at least research the sizes of these phones? The iphone 3gs' dimensions are 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 (in mm). The droid is 115.8 x 60 x 13.7 (mm). So the droid is basically the same size as the iphone, just 1.4 mm thicker (you do know what a millimeter is, don't you?). Yet the droid gives you a 3.7" screen vs 3.5" with higher resolution (480 x 854 vs iphone's 480 x 320), and gives you the option of using a physical keyboard (imagine that, a choice!). And where, oh where, did you come up with the idea that every app on the device is kept open? Do you have the slightest idea of how a CPU works? So yeah, it's a 1990's brickish device except that it's the same size as an iphone, has better specs, and runs on a fully multi-tasking modern OS. Next time you may want to do at least some rudimentary research before you write.
/facepalm
You said in an earlier article that one of the shortcomings (or things you missed) from the HTC Hero (an android device) was a physical keyboard. Now here's an android device with a beautiful screen and a physical keyboard, and you've got the opposite complaint.
You also said in an earlier article, "some who comment, claim that we're iphone fan boys"...well with a title, "motorola droid: oversized, ugly brick?"...without having reviewed the phone or having seen 2.0 - I'm certainly starting to believe that.
If you open your mind a bit, and hop off of steve job's fashionable penis for a second, and start writing articles that provide CURRENT photos, ACCURATE comparisons, and reviews of devices AFTER the final product is ready - people may actually respect you as a writer.
This happened when you reviewed the HTC Hero...gave it a B...said you'd prefer the Palm Pre to it...(then after actually using it, like you should have) you said it's probably a B+ and on par/maybe better th
Everyone here has proved you haven't looked into specs, read anything about the Droid, do not know what Android is, and are helplessly crippled... mentally.
Dimensions
Droid: 60.00 x 115.80 x 13.70 mm
iPhone: 62.1 by 115.562 by 12.3 mm
In other words, the iPhone is also nothing more than an oversized brick.
Well, considering the fact that the Droid's screen is only 0.2" larger than the iPhone's and the droid is only slightly thicker than the iphone, even with a slide-out keyboard, I'd have to say that you, sir, are not very bright.
LA Gadget Examiner; Dumb as a brick?
Sorry I couldn't resist.
Seriously, some posters above nailed it. Go find more info before you write something. As for dimensions: The droid is 60.00 x 115.80 x 13.70 mm iPhone 3gs is 62.1 x 115.5 x 12.3 mm. So the Droid is 2.1mm less in width (about .080") The droid is .3mm taller (.012") and is 1.4mm thicker (.055")
That tiny difference really makes it a huge ugly brick LMAO.
ha! Well I guess we learned the answer to your opening question:
'Are we the only ones not completely excited about the upcoming Motorola Droid on Verizon?'
Sounds like a resounding: Yes, you are the only one not excited about the upcoming Motorola Droid.
And considering the total lack of research in the article there should be an iphone commercial that goes something like:
'Want to know if the specs for the Droid are better than the specs for the iPhone? Well there's an app for that'
Hmm, lets see... Droid 3.7" screen; iPhone, 3.5" screen; OQO, 5" screen...
The iPhone and Droid are A LOT closer in size than the Droid is to the OQO. (btw, you state it has a 3.7" screen like it's obviously a bad thing. Care to elaborate, or is that supposed to be self evident?)
Also, that photo you're using, it's old. The keyboard has changed. For anyone interested in an actual review/info/opinion of this phone should definitely check out Boy Genius Report.
Owned biaatch!
"Simple minded people like the iPhone because it's simple to use (1 app at a time) and simple to carry."
Fixed.
What a fail article. This guy on Apple's payroll or just another Apple fanboy tard?
Wow. And I thought the Public School System was starting to improve. Guess next you'll ACTUALLY do some homework AND ACTUALLY have the phone before you start a failed attempt at a critque like this one.
I personally have never had a problem with AT&T and to get a phone that's even larger than an iphone is ridiculous...honestly how long are we away from a computer or a wifi spot?
David S., I strongly urge you to visit boygeniusreport for phones that are reviewed thoroughly and unbiasedly. Good luck in your search.
This article is atrocious. The lack of information and clear motive driven writing is giving me a hemorrhage. As a fellow San Franciscan, if this is what the Examiner have as journalism, soon they'll be paying people to read their newspaper, and not just giving it away for free.
Users love Android. Clearly, when you say that Android reminds you of an early version of WM with all programs opened in the background, I don't think you realize that might be a positive. Hello, we can run simultaneous apps. That is one of the iDoes and not the iDont's that the Motorola marketing team is trying to sell you. In by saying "we" and "us" throughout your article, how many people are you actually asking? Let me guess, its a Tech department office full of MacBooks. I would think it would be smarter to do your research on a broader range of less like-minded individuals. Why? Because that is journalism and not a piece of writing with a clear agenda to diminish a big time competitor.
oh wow it is a rendering lol mega fail there are actual pics of the phone you know? And I'm sixteen and know this is the most bias bs ever
How can you judge something even before it is out there ...I hope the author does a proper review when the phone is out...
Great article, Daryl. Don't let these Android fanatics bring you down.
Note to Daryl's editor: You are the reason the Examiner is going out of business.
When you hire writers for your tech department, are you merely looking for somebody to regurgitate what you read in Forbes' technology quarterly? Do you give Daryl his notes using a typewriter?
I think you have been drinking too much of the Apple cool-aid. Sir, I suggest you hire writers who understand that technology is not a zero-sum game.
Daryl seems to be confused with the idea that sickly men in turtlenecks are not the only ones who can innovate. Daryl seems to have forgotten that competition breeds excellence and Daryl has forgotten that the "leading technology" of today rarely comes from the same company that dominated yesterday.
Mr./Ms. Editor, I suggest you syndicate CNet instead of paying Daryl for this kind of work. (hint: You can now do this on your iPhone by copy+pasting their stories into your website... a huge "innovation" recently invented by Apple)
Daryl,
don't let these comments get you down. AAPL fanboys have a job to do, and must do it come what may.
(dude.. one small piece of advice (fb to fb)- next time, try to be a little subtle. read bgr. brick? it's almost the same size as the iphone. what were you thinking???? )
Thanks, Babak. By the way, a lot of the comments (disguised as different people) are coming from the same ip address. Hmm......
Daryl, great article. I'm so sick of people acting like Android is the best thing that has ever existed. It sucks! I like your comparison with Android and Windows Mobile.
Some of these commenters are pathetic and have no life. So what, the author doesn't like the looks of the Mortorola Droid! Should we hang him? I think he makes good arguments for not liking it.
Interesting how there is always a supposed ipod killer every couple months? Anybody remember the Palm Pre?
The few people who defend this guy have no facts at all. All of the posts telling this guy he is wrong are full of facts. I ask you who is more informed? Those of us who are looking forward to this phone know all about it and yes we are still looking forward to it. I do have to argue with the person who said there offices are full of Mac's. I am on my mac book right now and I still love the idea of the Droid. I gave up the iphone cool-aid a long time again so I could actually make calls on my phone.
Than god the iphone's screen is only 3.5 inches. Two more tenths of an inch and it would have been an over-sized ugly brick, right?
You may not be the only one who isn't excited about the Droid, but you certainly take the cake for the lamest article about it.
iPhone is so much better then DROID! You can copy and paste with an iPhone people! COPY and PASTE! Think about that for a second. You can copy something... and then paste it somewhere else! IT'S REVOLUTIONARY PROPRIETARY APPLE TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE... oh that's been around for over 30 years?! but wait I just saw a commercial where someone was copying and pasting on the iPhone...
In your previous article 'iphone: May not lead the pack much longer' (which was written just 3 days before this article you wrote):
'Luckily, Android 2.0 was previewed today and it looks like a very robust operating system.'
Now you write:
'So far, Android reminds us of early Windows Mobile devices that kept every program open in the background. We can't see Android 2.0 being that much more user friendly, although our impressions could be wrong.'
So do you have a favorable impression of Android or not?
And if you mean that every program is open in the background (let's just be clear, every running program), well, duh, that's what a real multi-tasking OS does (which by the way the iphone only does partially. It can only run built-in apps simultaneously, not 3rd party apps.)
By the way, who is this 'royal we' you keep referring to in the article?
Be an individual and follow the pack and get an iphone. stand out and get the droid. all i have to say. any highschooler that likes to text and thinks its cool to play games gets an iphone. time to grow up
I can live w/o copy paste, wake up iphone users a new age in time is always coming. And remember an open source operating system makes anything possible !
hehe...oversize ugly brick? it's basically the same size as the iphone *and* has a bigger screen and sliding keyboard! this article makes no sense.
A 3.7 inch screen is way too big?? But the 3.5 inch on the iphone is apparently perfect? Can you actually picture someone saying: 'Damn this extra .2" of screen space. This is way too big. Where's my power rotary saw?'.
Oversized brick? The dimensions are virtually the same (the Droid is actually smaller in width and length):
Droid: 115.8 x 60 x 13.7 mm
iPhone: 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm
So it's the same size, gives you slightly more screen space, gives you the choice of using a physical or virtual keyboard, and runs simultaneous tasks in the background. But according to the author these are all negatives.
Um .... okay ....
This guy is crazy."sigh"
Iphone has to go someday.
This article is f__king retarded but atleast the picture isn't a picture of the render like before... good job you got one thing right now fix the rest of this trash article and get your facts straight because the last I checked the line between ugly brick and something "great" like a garbage iPhone which lags like crazy half the time for me anyway isn't .2 inches...
You guys can rip on the writer all you want.
But verizon thought the storm was a iphone killer.
there is NO phone to date that has even touched iphone sales.
Iphone sales are up 10% from last quarter which means every quarter more and more are sold.
No other smartphone will pull users from the iphone except another iphone.
Sorry verizon, you did the wrong thing by bashing iphone. you will never get the iphone on your network, apple holds grudges.
Calm down guys, it's only a phone! I do not own an iPhone but still think it's the best piece of hardware out there. I will review this phone and give an honest impression of it. However, it just seems overhyped. I hope to be proven wrong.
This article is f__king retarded but atleast the picture isn't a picture of the render like before... good job you got one thing right now fix the rest of this trash article and get your facts straight because the last I checked the line between ugly brick and something "great" like a garbage iPhone which lags like crazy half the time for me anyway isn't .2 inches...
This article is f__king retarded but atleast the picture isn't a picture of the render like before... good job you got one thing right now fix the rest of this trash article and get your facts straight because the last I checked the line between ugly brick and something "great" like a garbage iPhone which lags like crazy half the time for me anyway isn't .2 inches...
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