Moto Droid (Verizon's Android Phone)

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

The Droid was officially announced today. Based on dozens of reports I've read, it sounds like a pretty sweet phone. I'm planning to go out next Friday (11/6) to try to snag one based on the Google Navigation alone.

Despite being a tech-loving geek, I've thus far stayed away from the iPhone. I'm excited to finally having the Internet on the go.

[YourLandlord]

The Droid was officially announced today. Based on dozens of reports I've read, it sounds like a pretty sweet phone. I'm planning to go out next Friday (11/6) to try to snag one based on the Google Navigation alone.

Despite being a tech-loving geek, I've thus far stayed away from the iPhone. I'm excited to finally having the Internet on the go.

Wow, that does sound nice.

You do know that iPhone does have google maps as it's default map service, right? It doesn't speak to you, but it gives you directions -- for car, walking, or public transport.

Also, i'm confused about the bold part -- is this a reference to ATT poor 3G coverage? Because the iPhone has the internet...

[hc5duke]

Motorola? No thank you. I'll wait for an HTC or Samsung phone with Android 2.0.

(I still have a G1 and love it thus far)

[FireOgilvie]

Motorola? No thank you. I'll wait for an HTC or Samsung phone with Android 2.0.

(I still have a G1 and love it thus far)

What's wrong with Motorola? I don't know much about this subject, but was thinking about getting the Droid.

[DevilAlumna]

Despite being a tech-loving geek, I've thus far stayed away from the iPhone. I'm excited to finally having the Internet on the go.

You do know that there were other "smartphones" long before the iPhone, right? Blackberry, Windows Mobile - all were around pre-2004.

What are your geek credentials again?

[DevilAlumna]

Motorola? No thank you. I'll wait for an HTC or Samsung phone with Android 2.0.

(I still have a G1 and love it thus far)

No mention of your new app?

HTC makes a good phone, as does Samsung. But Samsung uses too many proprietary connectors - special charger, special headphone jack, etc. Trez annoying for interop. HTC ftw on that one.

[hc5duke]

What's wrong with Motorola? I don't know much about this subject, but was thinking about getting the Droid.

just being a phone snob I used to write software for phones, and Motorola phones were absolutely the worst in terms of compatibility and overall quality. every phone they've produced since the razr (inclusive) has been absolutely awful (anyone remember the rokr? part of that was steve jobs sabotaging it but that's another story)

to be fair, the droid is getting a lot of good reviews.

No mention of your new app?

Well, if you insist it's pretty much useless for 99% of people. Phonetic keyboard for writing Korean.

HTC makes a good phone, as does Samsung. But Samsung uses too many proprietary connectors - special charger, special headphone jack, etc. Trez annoying for interop. HTC ftw on that one.

pshh, my HTC doesn't even have a headphone jack, you need to connect it via usb!

[Indoor66]

No mention of your new app?

HTC makes a good phone, as does Samsung. But Samsung uses too many proprietary connectors - special charger, special headphone jack, etc. Trez annoying for interop. HTC ftw on that one.

Like I said before, DA, just another good excuse for you geeks to spend more time charging your batts.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

You do know that there were other "smartphones" long before the iPhone, right? Blackberry, Windows Mobile - all were around pre-2004.

What are your geek credentials again?

Windows Mobile, hahahahahahah

I think I just proved them.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Wow, that does sound nice.

You do know that iPhone does have google maps as it's default map service, right? It doesn't speak to you, but it gives you directions -- for car, walking, or public transport.

Also, i'm confused about the bold part -- is this a reference to ATT poor 3G coverage? Because the iPhone has the internet...

Google Navigation is a new product for Android 2.0 only at this point. It differes from basic Google Maps in that it does turn by turn directions spoken directions and can search by voice command. It also switches to StreetView when you get close to your destination.

Check out TomTom and Garmin's stock prices. Both tanked yesterday after Google announced they'd be eating their lunches.

[YourLandlord]

Google Navigation is a new product for Android 2.0 only at this point. It differes from basic Google Maps in that it does turn by turn directions spoken directions and can search by voice command. It also switches to StreetView when you get close to your destination.

Right, but the fact is -- the iPhone has google maps. And it can give you directions between two places. The only GPS feature it does not have is a voice talking to you (which, on my GPS device, I never use anyway -- far too annoying)

The marginal upgrade of a voice is not worth the celebration that OMG GOOGLE NAVIGATION HAS ARRIVEEEEEDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SoCalDukeFan]

As I understand it the Android is open source while the iphone is closed and all new iphone apps need Apple's approval.

Will the open source not encourage or make it easier for hackers to send out Android worms etc to sabotage the phone.

SoCal

[juise]

One of my Facebook friends posted this link yesterday, which outlines the total cost of owning the iPhone vs. the Palm Pre vs. the Droid. It also compares a basic feature list. (I'm sure DevilAlumna will join one of the blogs comments in pointing out that the comparison does not include a Windows Mobile phone .) I thought it was interesting, though I'm too cheap to spend $1500/year on my cell phone.

Will the open source not encourage or make it easier for hackers to send out Android worms etc to sabotage the phone.

This is an interesting question. I am definitely not an expert when it comes to programming or cell phones. My only long-term experience with a open-source vs. closed source programs is when I switched from IE to Firefox in 2004. In that case, the open source program was much more secure. Maybe with more eyes looking at the code, the "good guys" are more likely to discover the security holes before the hackers do? (Again, I am by no means an expert here.)

[hc5duke]

Will the open source not encourage or make it easier for hackers to send out Android worms etc to sabotage the phone.

SoCal

Not really, but it does make the market full of crap. Well, more full of crap than the iPhone market. Anyone with $25 can post an app on the market and it becomes available within minutes - this might be a good thing for developers, but it's a nightmare for consumers. Actually it's not that great for developers either as it dilutes the market and when monetization becomes an issue, quality of apps drops.

I think what they still should have made the marketplace a very closed place like the iPhone AppStore. Then if you want to add a 3rd party app outside the marketplace, you can still do it, you just have to be careful about it.

One of my Facebook friends posted this link yesterday, which outlines the total cost of owning the iPhone vs. the Palm Pre vs. the Droid. It also compares a basic feature list. (I'm sure DevilAlumna will join one of the blogs comments in pointing out that the comparison does not include a Windows Mobile phone .) I thought it was interesting, though I'm too cheap to spend $1500/year on my cell phone.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Right, but the fact is -- the iPhone has google maps. And it can give you directions between two places. The only GPS feature it does not have is a voice talking to you (which, on my GPS device, I never use anyway -- far too annoying)

The marginal upgrade of a voice is not worth the celebration that OMG GOOGLE NAVIGATION HAS ARRIVEEEEEDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know, it looks pretty good to me. Wall St seems impressed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXK4...eature=related

[YourLandlord]

I don't know, it looks pretty good to me. Wall St seems impressed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXK4...eature=related

I don't understand why people are impressed.

What's the point of a GPS? To a) see where you are now, b) determine where you want to go, and c) give you directions on how to get there.

The iPhone, using google maps, already does this.

What's the big deal? That it talks to you? Is that really some world-altering event?

The tech world, amplified by billions of blogs, has really started talking up things that aren't, in reality, that big of a deal. Yes, it's always been this way, but it's getting much worse.

[moonpie23]

avg cost of plan? to the penny for 2 yrs?


what's the definition of "price fixing?" again




let's see if MILLIONS of people around the freaking GLOBE line up at midnight before it's available....

[YourLandlord]

avg cost of plan? to the penny for 2 yrs?


what's the definition of "price fixing?" again




let's see if MILLIONS of people around the freaking GLOBE line up at midnight before it's available....

uhhh dude, i know you're all into conspiracy theories and all, but that's why it's called an AVERAGE.

[hc5duke]

uhhh dude, i know you're all into conspiracy theories and all, but that's why it's called an AVERAGE.

it's not "average" in that it's the average price people pay, but the price of what an "average user" would pay. not sure about price fixing, but it does make sense to set your price at or slightly lower than what a successful competitor is charging.

[YourLandlord]

it's not "average" in that it's the average price people pay, but the price of what an "average user" would pay. not sure about price fixing, but it does make sense to set your price at or slightly lower than what a successful competitor is charging.

I know. Or were you responding to moondog's fright that the exact cost (to the penny!) could somehow be known.