# Which one, Droid vs iPhone?



## cignus_pfaccari (Jan 17, 2010)

Which do y'all think is better to replace my 5.5 year-old regular cell phone with?

I like the idea of the keyboard on the Droid, because I can't stand trying to type on a touchscreen with my non-tiny fingers.  OTOH, the Droid feels cheap, the plans appear to be more expensive than the iPhone, and there aren't as many apps for it at this time.

The iPhone definitely has more apps, and I'm already with AT&T, which slightly simplifies things.  But no keyboard, and then there's the Cult of Steve Jobs thing.  Also, I'd be forced into using iTunes, which, while I'm not completely opposed to it, it's just another annoying thing.

Brad


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## Mercule (Jan 18, 2010)

Consider the Palm Pre.  I've been using one for about 5 months and really loving it.  If you're opposed to Sprint, it'll be on Verizon soon.

Otherwise, I've heard good things about the Android OS.  It apparently doesn't handle switching tasks as well as the Pre (but, you can multitask, unlike on iPhone).  And WebOS (Pre) actually integrates better with the Google calendar and contacts than Android does, at least according to what I've read.

I'd rank the major smartphone OSes this way:
1) Web OS.  Best overall OS.  It's got a very comfortable interface and really embraces the idea of cloud storage.  There's an active "homebrew" app community that supplies more apps than the official catalog, which is growing.  The hardware isn't bad, but that's probably where it's weakest -- high on style, low on power, but WebOS is pretty snappy, anyway.  It's just that comparable hardware would blow the competition away.  It also has the smallest form factor of all of these, which is both a positive and a negative.

2) Android.  Google will support this sucker, so you know it's long-term.  Even though it's sync isn't as good as Palm's Synergy, I can't imagine that Google will remain content with that.  I believe they have a good sized official app catalog, but I don't know about homebrew.  Droid is, by all accounts, a darn solid phone.

3) iPhone.  You know the drill.  It's Apple, ergo shiney and stylish.  Biggest app catalog around.  Homebrew is stomped out with jackboots, though.  But, vast amounts of hardware cradles, speakers, etc.

4) Blackberry.  Great for business, but mediocre for personal.  I have no idea about apps.  My entire experience is based on using a locked-down version at work and having friends who have swapped out their personal BB for one of the above.  A plus is that I think certain models will also sync multiple Google calendars.

5) Windows Mobile.  I used to use this.  Not overly impressed, even as a .NET programmer.  My understanding is that the latest version is much better, and I was running one of the older phones (not 3G).  On the plus side, it syncs with Outlook very well.  MS has also added an app catalog.

Of course, YMMV.  Needs are different.  What I was looking for was something to sync up my various stores of contacts, seven Google calendars (work, personal, wife, and four kids at a glance), multiple email accounts, multi-tasking, and music.  For most of those, the Pre won.  I considered the HTC Hero (Android OS, no physical keyboard), but it didn't seem to have anything that it did better than the Pre and the Pre was about half the price.


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## Felon (Jan 19, 2010)

I've had an iPhone for about a month. I can attest to some things about it:

1) The battery is rubbish. 
2) iTunes sucks if you have the gall to think you should be able to sync your phone from two different computers.
3) No physical keyboard is kind of a pain, but it's no less a pain than having a physical keyboard that's too small and cramped and flat.
4) The app store is pretty neat. Not sure how Google's is coming along.
5) If you have can a discounted upgrade to the 16 GM model or better, it's probably worthwhile.

If anyone can tell me how I can check for text messages, I'd appreciate. I don't have a text plan, and I want to see if folks are texting me to the tune of $.20 a pop.


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## MarauderX (Jan 20, 2010)

Droid.  My wife has the iphone, my friend has the droid.  I have used my wife's countless times, but the two times I have used my friend's I thought it to be easier and more reliable.  

I'd say try them both to see what you like.

Oh, and be aware that the iphone has a GPS in it that apple keeps an open line to(to 'track traffic patterns, assist with distress calls, etc.).  Also apple can kill any application you put on it at any time (like Google phone).


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## Felon (Jan 20, 2010)

MarauderX said:


> Oh, and be aware that the iphone has a GPS in it that apple keeps an open line to(to 'track traffic patterns, assist with distress calls, etc.).



Sure, there are games that use this feature to award you points for hanging in certain tagged locations. Hang out at your favorite coffee shop long enough and you become its virtual mayor.


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## MythosaAkira (Jan 20, 2010)

I have a Droid and I love it, though I don't really have much experience with the iPhone (my previous phone ran WinMo). The Apple AppStore has a lot more apps at this point, but the Android Market is growing.

One of the reasons I went with the Droid was I could develop for it on Windows or Linux. Also, the screen resolution is great (480 x 854; the iPhone has 480 x 320).

The slide-out keyboard is actually the one thing I don't really like on the Droid; I find that the virtual keyboard works better for me than the hardware one.


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## Felon (Jan 21, 2010)

Well, the big question about the Google app store isn't how many apps it offers, but rather if it offers the basics, like the apps for Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Yelp, and so forth. I guess games are where they take a big hit--no GTA Chinatown Wars for you Android guys.


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## Remus Lupin (Jan 22, 2010)

Well, I haven't used the Droid, but I would like to put in a good word for the iPhone. All of the criticisms notwithstanding, I find it to be amazingly easy to use, and the number of apps available for it is astounding. It's not perfect, but it is pretty nifty. I wouldn't go with the Droid.

On the other hand, if it had come up prior to the iPhone, I would have given very serious consideration to the Palm Pre (even though their commercials for it are scary).


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## Mallus (Jan 22, 2010)

I'll say a few nice things about the iPhone, too. It's a nifty, stylish  hand-held computer with a really, really slick interface (and not-so-good battery life). As I said to my wife, it almost fulfills my childhood  fantasies of owning a tricorder --particularly when I play around w/the Yelp Monocle. 

It also makes a Kindle unnecessary for me. I have the app, and find the reading experience on the iPhone to be more than pleasant. Actually, I have another free eReader called Stanza, which plugs right into the Project Gutenberg site, which nearly makes the Kindle app unnecessary.  

I'd say the real reason to own an iPhone is the size of the development community. Statistics alone guarantee a wealth of high-quality apps. Though there's no doubt Android will be well-supported by the major players.

And if I'd were the the market for an Android phone, I'd get the Nexus One over the Droid. The Nexus has better --on paper, at least-- hardware and was custom built to Google's specs.


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## cignus_pfaccari (Feb 22, 2010)

I wound up getting the Droid, and now I wonder how on earth I managed to live without it.

Heck, after playing with it in the restaurant for a half hour on Friday, my friend decided to get one, too.

I *really* like the keyboard.  It doesn't feel nearly as cheap as I thought, and they adjusted the plans to make them more sensible.

So far I haven't gotten any games for it, but I did find an app that lets me play Bender quotes.

Brad


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## Cergorach (Mar 3, 2010)

While the Android is the younster with a lot of potential, iPhone is the young adult that has reached it's potential.

I currently own a HTC X7500 and am considering an iPhone and an iPad as a replacement for the thing. Sure the iPhone has a lot of very annoying restrictions, but what it can do, it can do very well. After years of Windows Mobile use, I've found iPhone OS a much more user friendly experience.

I've got a couple of things that I really want to use on my mobile device, and the first thing I did was look on the internet if there was an app that would do what I would want it to do. So I found bookshelf for my ebooks, comic reader mobi for my comics, for music I start with iTunes, and hopefully we'll have Opera for browsing the web.

My X7500 has a detachable keyboard, and I never use it, having big fingers isn't that bad. I tend to type with the tops of my tumbs and that works decently. It works even better with the iPhone (my 'little' brother has one). I have noticed that not everyone can type very effectively that way (if you have long nails, it's a pain).


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## sellars (Mar 3, 2010)

A vote for iPhone from me. I have an iPhone and love a lot of features of it. Personally I really like the virtual keyboard. also scrolling, zomming etc. gives a very smooth feel. It's almost as if you can feel the webpages under your fingers.

I really, really like the applications on the iPhone. I don't know the amount of applications on other phones, but I *love* the games on iPhone. Currently I'm playing Dungeon Master (Diablo-esque hack-n-slash), Final Fantasy I and plants n zombies. My DS and PSP don't make it to my work-bag for on-board-train-gaming since I had my iPhone.


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## Vicente (Mar 4, 2010)

Maybe not the answer you are searching, but if you have waited 5.5 years to change your phone, I would wait a little more for Windows Phone 7 Series.

No idea if it will be better or worse than those two phones, but it looks really promising, and the first handsets should be out in September/October.


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## Mercule (Mar 5, 2010)

Vicente said:


> Maybe not the answer you are searching, but if you have waited 5.5 years to change your phone, I would wait a little more for Windows Phone 7 Series.
> 
> No idea if it will be better or worse than those two phones, but it looks really promising, and the first handsets should be out in September/October.



I'm very much looking forward to seeing what the new Windows Phone has to offer.  Palm is supposed to be releasing a new WebOS phone this year, too.  Sprint is nice enough to promise me a yearly upgrade on my phone, so we'll see which of those entices me more, come this fall.

I've finally talked my wife into getting a smart phone.  Unfortunately, what she'd really like is a WebOS phone with a profile like the Blackberry Pearl.  If the Sprint Pixi had wifi, that'd probably do the trick.

Question for Blackberry users: Does the Blackberry calendar allow two-way syncing to multiple Google calendars under a single gmail account?


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## John Crichton (Mar 5, 2010)

I'm waiting to see the next generation of Droid phones to see if they can match the iPhone in terms of available apps and greater functionality that always comes when a product has more time to grow.  

I've lusted after an iPhone for a while now mostly because I adore my iPod touch.


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## Atlatl Jones (Mar 11, 2010)

Vicente said:


> Maybe not the answer you are searching, but if you have waited 5.5 years to change your phone, I would wait a little more for Windows Phone 7 Series.
> 
> No idea if it will be better or worse than those two phones, but it looks really promising, and the first handsets should be out in September/October.



Or just wait until June, when the next generation of iPhone comes out, along with the next gen of iPhone OS.


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## DMFTodd (Mar 12, 2010)

Atlatl Jones said:


> Or just wait until June, when the next generation of iPhone comes out, along with the next gen of iPhone OS.




Don't get the .0 version of anything. Wait til June for the new iPhone, then wait 3 months for the .0 version to get debugged (and for Apple to cut the price in half). But that's September at that point. So wait until November when surely some new driod phone will be out. But wait three months after that for the .0 version to get it's bugs worked out.


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## Fast Learner (Mar 22, 2010)

MarauderX said:


> Oh, and be aware that the iphone has a GPS in it that apple keeps an open line to(to 'track traffic patterns, assist with distress calls, etc.).  Also apple can kill any application you put on it at any time (like Google phone).




Rubbish on both counts. 

On the GPS, show me _any_ proof of this. 

On the apps, that's completely untrue: Apple can pull the app from the store, but it stays on your phone and any computers you synch with. This is true if the publisher pulls the app, too. I have direct app evidence of both. Feel free to show any proof of this one, too.

Sorry man. The iPhone and Apple ecosphere have plenty of problems, but neither of those are among them.


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## Hand of Evil (Mar 22, 2010)

The Palm is looking good!

Oh, all cell phones have GPS in them for tracking, Patriot Act.  There is a lot of urban legends being built up on this but it is like the web bot, is is ONLY a marketting tool, only a marketting tool; track your kids and your workers.


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## Fast Learner (Mar 23, 2010)

Actually, all cell phones don't have GPS in them, by any stretch. They do, however, have to provide the user's location via cell tower triangulation (and GPS if the device has it) if the police request it during an emergency, or if certain authorities (like the FBI) get a search warrant.

The location-in-a-emergency stuff is key for 911 calls, since people can rarely give good directions to where they are in an emergency if they're not at a familiar location.

Neither of those has anything whatsoever to do with _Apple_ doing anything, and all cell phones -- every single one of them -- have this.


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## Hand of Evil (Mar 24, 2010)

Fast Learner said:


> Actually, all cell phones don't have GPS in them, by any stretch. They do, however, have to provide the user's location via cell tower triangulation (and GPS if the device has it) if the police request it during an emergency, or if certain authorities (like the FBI) get a search warrant.
> 
> The location-in-a-emergency stuff is key for 911 calls, since people can rarely give good directions to where they are in an emergency if they're not at a familiar location.
> 
> Neither of those has anything whatsoever to do with _Apple_ doing anything, and all cell phones -- every single one of them -- have this.




How Easy Is It For The Police To Get GPS Data From Your Phone? | TPMMuckraker

Just tinfoil hat time


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## Goodsport (Apr 15, 2010)

As it's been about two years since my last cell phone purchase and I just became eligible to extend my T-Mobile account with the full discount, I finally relented and recently upgraded to my first smart phone - a Motorola CLIQ Titanium (an Android phone).

Anyone here know much about the phone (among other things, I like having both a physical keyboard and a touchscreen one)?  Did I make a good overall choice or did I waste my money?


-G


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## Goodsport (Apr 16, 2010)

I suppose the lack of responses speaks volumes of my phone choice. 


-G


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## LightPhoenix (Apr 16, 2010)

Or the lack of interest in either smartphones or Apple vs. Android flame wars.

I recently got a Droid, and I'm loving it.  The keyboard is a big draw for me; I can't stand using the screen to type, and I'm equally averse to a stylus.  I wish the keyboard was a big bigger, but that's a problem inherent to phones in general and not any specific brand.

I'm not terribly big on apps; most of the big ones came with the phone.  I do like the integration with my gmail, doubly so since I used to do a lot of emailing when I was a grad student.  I also like that in a pinch I can call up a map or look up information.


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## Mercule (Apr 18, 2010)

Goodsport said:


> I suppose the lack of responses speaks volumes of my phone choice.



I'm on Sprint, so I don't know what phones are available to you.  Android isn't a bad OS, but I thought T-Mobile only had Android 1.x phones, which (if I understand correctly) are significantly less... shiny than the 2.x phones, like Droid or Hero.

Besides, I'm a WebOS fanboy.  It blew everything else out of the water when I got it (about the time the Hero was released) and I like it even better after 6-8 months of ownership.  T-Mobile doesn't offer the Pre or Pixi, so I can't really render any relevant opinion.


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## VictorC (Apr 20, 2010)

iPhone is great, but... AT&T

My Verizon contract recently ended and I switched for the iPhone. Thank god I haven't exceeded the 30 bail out period.

Because seriously, in terms of service At&t can't come close to competing as far as quality is concerned.

Again iPhone is great, unfortunately they hitched their wagon to a giant turd. Oh well off to the Droid for me.


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## Woas (Apr 20, 2010)

Droid.


Cause it has that robotic 'droid' sound clip when you open it or recieve a call. And that's really the only reason you need.


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## Goodsport (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks for the info, everyone.   Hopefully I didn't make the wrong choice going with the Motorola CLIQ Titanium. 

It seems that while most other Android-based phones have already been updated with Android version 2.1, the CLIQ hasn't yet but reportedly will soon.


-G


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