If you are a tech lover, there is nothing quite like the launch day of a much hyped new gadget. Expectations run high. And since those expectations are rarely satisfied once you have the special little device in hand, it’s a moment to savor. In the hours before you own it, that device is perfect in every way. It will make you happier, a better person. There are no bugs, there are only features. It is whatever you want it to be.
Launch day of a new cool gadget is the closest thing to being a kid again on Christmas day (or whatever your winter solstice holiday of choice). You’ve anticipated the day. You’ve called in sick to work. And you are standing out in the freezing cold at 7 in the morning, hoping your place in line assures you a device before the carefully-planned sell out occurs. You’ve worked yourself into…a Fever Pitch.
I’ve always been let down with the real world gadget after that high of anticipation. But that’s ok. It’s part of the cycle of tech.
Today is Droid day. In just a few hours Verizon stores will open and the first customers will get their hands on their very own Droid.
And I promise you, if you are one of the people waiting in line, you will have a much lower than average amount of letdown. That’s because, in my humble opinion, the Droid is the coolest mobile phone to exist to date. It is as close as we’ve come to the Platonic ideal of a smartphone. Its very existence ensures that the next iPhone will be even better than it otherwise would have been. Competition is good.
Yes, this is an unabashed love letter to the Droid. If you want the dispassionate reviews, we’ve got em. And then some. That isn’t what this post is about.
This post is about love of technology.
I’ve had one of the devices, a free loaner that I wasn’t ashamed to beg for, for a week now. I’ve assigned it to my Google Voice account and have used it and only it since it arrived.
I have placed it in the car doc and have used Google Navigator to get around, shunning my expensive but suddenly dated in-car navigation system. I talk to my Droid. And it talks back to me, guiding me to my destination.
I have installed a dozen apps on my Droid, and all run smoothly in the background. Skype, Yammer, Twitdroid and Google Voice all let me know when something is happening that I need to be aware of. There is no lag when I open these apps. Even when most of them are running at once.
And when I respond, I can choose between the quick virtual keyboard or the slider real keyboard. And I notice how slim the device is, about the same as the iPhone, even though it has a physical keyboard.
I make calls from my home via the robust Verizon network, something I had to forgo in my AT&T/iPhone days. My voicemails are transcribed automatically by Google Voice and delivered via email, along with my text messages. Not one call has been dropped in a week’s use.
I view web pages in the gorgeous 3.7″ WVGA (480 x 854 pixels); 16:9 widescreen. And the scrolling speed on web pages is faster than even my desktop computer.
Droid is the Alpha phone. And I will love it and only it. Until something better comes along.
Happy Droid Day. Let me know what you think of yours.
i’m on my way to verizon. ditching iphone for something that excels as a “phone”- the killer “app” for “app phones” : )
i actually prefer that there are only 10,000 apps instead of 100,000. it’s a good filter. means only the real ones that are worthwhile make it across.
better speakerphone, better screen, better email, better contacts, better mapping, better phone, better connectivity. you can keep the rest of the stuff. this is all i want. i was about to ditch my iphone for blackberry, so this is a godsend.
yes but will there be a MOG app on the Android?
haha the first two paragraphs of this post made me LOL. Soooo true!
@david Hyman — The statement “it’s a good filter. means only the real ones that are worthwhile make it across.” is untrue. I have a G1 and an iPhone. While it may be easier to find apps on the smaller Android Market, there is just as much crap there (%-wise) as there is on the iPhone app store.
The approval process for Android is simpler (which is good AND bad), so you get quite a few fart apps, ‘pretty lady’ apps, etc.
Let’s talk about where the Droid really excels and quit the fan-boy posturing/hating. The Droid has superior hardware and the open source roots means we can expect to see some pretty cool homebrew versions of Android (I have been running Cyanogen on my G1 and it actually makes THAT phone useful). I just wish it looked better (purely judging on looks here).
Too bad Verizon’s prices are not better or equal at least with ATT’s…
it is the exact same as the iphone pricing – $70 per month.
With great service comes a price. How many iPhone users do you know that love their 3G coverage? Ask the same question to VZW users. Verizon doesnt have to adjust prices. If they build it folks with come.
I want some of your drugs.
Sturgeon’s law hasn’t been repealed just because this isn’t Apple.
90% of your 10,000 are still crap.
o after the “not so phenomenal” unveiling of Motorola Droid to USA yesterday http://bit.ly/did-droid-conquered-USA-today
Like us, other buyers are asking too, if did it really conquered america or not (like verizon promises to their “mocking” advertisement)
Now it seems, iPhone realize that they should try AT&T for a change? Dang.. shouldn’t they see what will happen to droid first? before making hasty testosterone induced decisions…
Your opinion is never humble
(rimshot!)
I am looking forward to actually owning something that I actually want to write about. :/
Lovin the droid love.
You make me realllly want to get one!
So tired of my iPhone’s lack of keyboard.
If you’re going to buy the Droid just based on it having a “real” keyboard..then that’s a failed decision.. The keyboard is craptastic. It’s completely flat, horribly spaced, top row keys are very close to the sliding part of the phone and there’s a super nifty D-pad that’s way too big for its use. Also, there’s a space bar which takes up 3 button spaces and there are 2 button spaces on the keyboard which aren’t used at all. You’d think after companies like LG came out with an awesome keyboard like what’s on the Env’s others would either copy or improve…not shittify.
I’m not dogging on the phone though..I think it’s great..I’m just a picky prick and want the best..especially if I’m going to be paying more for a data plan..I’ve been up for my new every 2 for around 6 months now..and I think I’m going to wait til end of Christmas..maybe mid January..I know a bunch more smart phones are coming out..and I hope a new Droid comes out with hardware by LG.
It did. There is an LG Android phone. In Canada, and should see in US by April/May (Vodaphone in CA, Verizon in US)
Mike – Love is blind!
In Mike case , its hate. (IPhone)
At $550.00 for this existing customer it is not the Droid I am looking for and neither is the Eris at $450.00. I will have to wait to get an Android phone until either June when I can get a discount or until they drop the price for existing customers. If they want to take over the market then they need to get their existing customers purchasing these phones as well as the new ones.
it’s worth it.
I am sure it is worth it and I am absolutely thrilled with this OS but right now I am raising my daughter on $1000.00 a month so $550.00 on a phone won’t work. I’ll be patient and wait until June or until I can find a better job.
a free phone is always worth it.
You should hook @tawnie up with a free Driod.
I second that! Give it to her!
Yes it is. I bought it retail.
Pay big now, pay little when the Droid 2 comes out.
My friend just bought one on Verizons web site for only $99. Just something to look into?
Phone price $560
2 yr act -$260
Yrly upgrad -$100
Mail in rebat-$100
The Android fanboi just poked the iPhone fanboi (Seigler). Waiting for a rebuttal
I love the idea of this device. The specs are stunning and I really love Android. However, I just think that keyboard is the awful.
Aesthetically, the Dpad on the right doesn’t line up with anything and the gold?
Functionally, its almost flat. If I’m going back to a physical keyboard please make it a one where they keys are ofset or at least have some definition.
I really really wanted this to be the phone to replace my iPhone 3GS, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the HTC Passion if it every surfaces.
Oh yeah and what is the deal with the random chin at the bottom of the phone? I’m sure there is a good reason for this but damn, surely there was a better looking solution.
Completely agree. It’s a triumph of marketing over esthetics. Ugly as hell, and that chin just makes my skin crawl.
I think the chin on all cell phones is there for engineering reasons — you need somewhere to put the antennas (WiFi and cellular) where the signal is not obscured by the screen electronics. Putting it at the bottom is better than putting it at the top since people typically hold the bottom of the phone further from their head than the top.
Agreed. It looks like a 1997 Sony remote with a screen. *And, isn’t the multi-touch crippled for the U.S. market on this thing?
multi-touch browsing can be re-enabled through rooting the device now.
I guess verizon deactivated it because of possibilities of being sued by Apple..I don’t know if that’s accurate though.
BTW, the LG Android phone looks exactly like the Nexus One, only with a slide-out keyboard, 5 row keys, Env/Voyager-style buttons and button spacing. The gods have smiled upon us!
Google deactivated Multi-Touch natively, Verizon had absolutely nothing to do with it. Multi-Touch hooks are NOT disabled, however, and can be seen in many apps. Multi-Touch for internal programs, such as the Native Google browser, lack MT.
You don’t have to use the physical keyboard. I prefer virtual keyboards on phones anyways, but I am glad this has a hardware keyboard simply for emulation gaming (NES etc). Without a real keyboard you can’t play these worth crap, but now you can. Well… once the developers update them for Android 2.0 anyways… right now they don’t work but I imagine they will within a week. I think it has to do with the new resolution of this model.
“You don’t have to use the physical keyboard. I prefer virtual keyboards on phones anyways”
Perhaps that’s what Apple thought when simply leaving the physical keyboard and being able to ship essentially the same product to markets with different characters (e.g. China, Russia, etc).
Yes, you DO need the physical keyboard. Think how you would scroll to the right in a string of text. You cant do that on the virtual android keyboard. Yes, of course you can swipe your finger thereby dragging the cursor to the right, but that isnt the point when you are discussing the need or desire for the phyical.
Competition is indeed good Mike, and that’s really the only reason I like Google’s Linux based mobile OS.
With Android based phones flooding the smart phone market, and Yes.. Windows Mobile 7 will be a force next year that Apple has to deal with.
We get great feature full phones that put Apple under pressure and gives AT&T headaches.
Bring it on..
Android is way more java (and hardly even that!) than Linux. Barely Linux based; it’s more a modification and since January of this year (2010), has no connection with Linux whatsoever. Different, very different. Android OS is really quite a hobbled mess of code that needs to have adaptors made just to fit the apks. Kind of ridiculous, really.
Nice article Michael..
Pushing out new apps for Droid..
Time magazine has a very good *objective* article about the Droid.
http://nerdworld.blogs.time.com/2009/11/05/motorola-droid-review-verizon-wireless/
One thing I did not realize is that, while the Droid has plenty of memory thanks to the microSD support, you cannot use that for applications (thus you’re limited by the onboard 256MB for apps).
Does the Droid have an accelerometer? So many cool iPhone apps make use of that.
Surely this can’t be true. Apps are limited to 256MB onboard? WHAT?
The executable space is limited. Apps can store their data on the card. I have a few Android apps that are just a small executable in system memory, and then a fairly large DB on the card.
It really isn’t the issue you think it is. I have around 40 apps installed, and they are using 58 megs of space on the system memory. The apps themselves are not big.
Thanks for expanding on this.
Yeah. But by limiting the onboard memory, Motorola killed the chances of this thing running 3D games. Go onto Glu or Gameloft sites and look at how much clunkier the games are on Android vs. Iphone/iPod.
Yes, non-executable files can be applied to the SD card but that leaves alot of opportunity for “breakage” by the consumer. What if they swap SD cards, update SD cards, look at their SD card and see a random directory, say “what is this” and delete it. All problems that will keep big game houses more focused on iPhone than Android at this time.
Hopefully HTC will see this problem and ship the passion with plenty of onboard memory.
At least on the Droid, you can’t remove the SD card without removing the battery. And Google is working on many of the problems you addressed in your comment.
Call me silly, but if I want to play a 3D game, I get out my PSP, not my phone.
The problem with this (that no one seems to be bringing up) is that this is because the SD card storage space on an Android phone is OPEN — you can just plug it into your computer and access it.
On an iPhone, I’m pretty sure the only way to get data on and off a (non-jailbroke) phone is by using iTunes.
Now, this is kind crappy to the consumer, but great to a developer — on the unjailbroken iPhone world, piracy isn’t a problem — the user has no ability to access application files.
In the Android world, if they let applications be run on the SD card, any user would be able to access these applications directly and then possibly distribute them — disastrous to the developer, if these applications cost money.
This argument is flawed in that you don’t NEED to get apps from the App Market for Android. You can distribute apps via your web site, or however you wish.
To run apps not purchased from the App Market, it’s simply a checkbox in the settings on Android. So someone can already pirate the Android apps if they really want to.
It might not be the most user friendly solution, but the guys over at the xda-dev forums solved this problem a long time ago with app2sd. I have flashed Cyanogen ROM on my G1 and all my apps are on my sdcard. I am sure someone will find a way to root the Droid and let the games begin
That doesn’t help the other 90% of the public. The developers are looking to satisfy that 90% so the 10% of you that root your phones are going to miss out because of the 90% not able to install to SD.
It’s a huge problem.
It’s not the big deal you think it is. Very few apps are over 1MB so unless you’re insane 256MB is fine. The only problem with it is if you are a big gamer. But as someone else mentioned, developers have the choice to store everything besides the executable itself on the SD card (sound/textures/etc).
So really, it’s not a big deal. Promise.
What is the data thruput speed of the internal 256MB RAM vs the mSD card? Not a problem for 3D games? Please. THe Nexus 1 has half that of RAM, aint no way that’s gonna game.
Yes, the Droid has an accelerometer.
Competition is good.
Waiting with lots of anticipation for the Droid to hit the UK, along with all the other next-gen Android handsets.
New Android-powered Sony-Ericsson Xperia X10 (http://bit.ly/eWCcy) also looks pretty sweet.
“My boots are full of Vaseline . I can feel it squishing in between my toes.”
God that was one squishy “review”. A free phone does wonders I guess.
iphone or not, it’s a g*damned phone.
When, oh when, is the UK going to be treated to the Droid? Just an announcement would help please Moto?
Everybody hold your hats. the Pope of Silicon Valley has blessed the Droid!
Now, I’m not sure who’s goona be standing in line, I didn’t understand why one would do so for an iPhone. I still have my 2006 BlackJack on ATT.
I’ll even bet if you wait a couple months, you might see better refinements to the Droid, and even better models for A2.0.
Still as one who has a Wallmart right down the street, and it is a GPS….which I don’t have in the car….hmmm.
And, ATT gives me no coverage at home.
Is there a Skype or Gizmo APP for Android? Anyone?
Unfortunately the version of Skype is just Skype Lite, which still uses phone minutes. Sipdroid will let you connect to any SIP service over Wi-Fi or 3G though, without using any minutes.
Google will be releasing a Gizmo app for Android very soon.
I Said This B4 Being A Former Google Tech.. Bet On Google Like U Bet On My Coffee
c|_|
Michael,
Does this mean you are effectively giving up your MyTouch?
the mytouch has been retired.
The Droid Gadget looks so kool!!!
Its Droid everywhere.
DROID for $149 for existing customers when you renew your contract for two-years – http://bit.ly/136bNa
Just needs to be a $69.99 plan or better, I think
Mike, what do you think of the physical keyboard? So much has been made of how bad it is.
i think i can type about twice as fast on it as i could on my old iphone.
And right about…..now, the keypad labels are peeling off, falling off, or getting stuck under the slider, Mike. And you know it. Screw You Mike Arrington!
Makes me kind of wish I had waited for this phone instead of my 3GS.
Aw…feelin’ all warm on the inside!
I have the TMobile MyTouch 3G. Nice, but not a Droid. I am looking forward to the 2.0 update but won’t switch to Verizon until they drop their price somewhat. My wife and I have a pair of these and are both on an unlimited plan. It costs $150/mo. With Verizon, its $250/mo. I can’t justify the extra $1200 a year.
But I have to say that even without all the 2.0 goodness, sliding keyboard or the Verizon network, I still think my Android phone is great and I don’t even drool over the iPhone the way I used to. It’s like the kid in high school you thought was cool until you woke up one day and realized he’s a douche!
BTW…I expect a MASSIVE explosion of Android apps in the next 6 months. Critical mass is going to kick in.
Have you installed the latest Cyanogenmod on mytouch? The latest version makes it as smooth as butter.
Oh boy, hope to have one soon..
The key to this review is “Enjoy The Moment.” It is a moment, and it’s an enjoyable one – made more enjoyable because I’m eligible for a free update from VZW otherwise. Not sure yet that this will qualify, but I’m sure a VZW customer rep will help.
But it is only a moment. If you want to see innovation, market churn, and design mania, check out the keitai scene in Japan, and then match that with the reality of phone service in the US … will things really be much different in 2015.
Add to this the dominant (western) mindset. I wonder how VZW will edit their iDont ad now that they have a device with a “virtual” keyboard ??
Me, I’ll keep my iPhone, update my VZW phone, and keep my eye on the clone phone market place …
wow! thats what i was looking for the next Motorola i-phone.am a fun of Motorola veru much.has great features.Artificial intelligence wherever i go.
i think the look they are going for is the HP 12c
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hp12c.jpg
Why doesn’t it have on-board memory? It can’t really be an self-proclaimed “iPhone Killer” without that, can it? Doesn’t quite make sense.
It isn’t like a mini (or micro, I can’t remember which the Droid has) SD card is some huge burden to tote around. I’m quite positive I’ve seen hits of acid bigger than the microSD in my G1!
While it is possible for apps to store data on the SD card, there is a performance hit to consider. The load time on some apps can be slow (ex: camera app). And I get frequent skips/stutters with the music player when using other apps, receiving email, etc. Maybe this is addressed with the better hardward of the Droid.
I just don’t see why a manufacturer has not created an android phone with more onboard storage space. I rooted my G1 because I was running out of space on my phone and ended up spending more time than needed to cull apps from memory.
With the Cyanogen mod I have nearly 600MB of apps on the phone. Do I use all of them often? No. But it is nice to be able to show that on Android there is also an “app for that” and just because and app is seldom used doesn’t mean I won’t use while waiting at the airport or on the bus to kill some time.
You know, I sometimes feel so bad for handset manufacturers. It doesn’t matter what decision they make, there will be a bunch of people who think they know better. I remember when the big trend in PocketPC and PalmOS devices (long before the iPhone came out), was to add more and more internal memory, and all anyone complained about was that they wanted expandable memory slots. Then developers made handhelds with tons of memory, and multiple expandable memory slots, and everyone complained that they were too expensive. Now they have gone to very little memory on the device, and one expandable memory slot, and people are screaming that they should go back to where they started, because Apple came into the game 10 years late, and reset everything back to lots of internal memory on the device.
I personally could care less where the storage is. I’ve had devices with every combination imaginable of external and internal memory, and I don’t remember it ever making the slightest bit of difference to my use of the phone, except on the very first Palm Pilot. I would maintain that the market for app collectors like yourself, who just want to have hundreds of apps, just to say they have them, is fairly small in the grand scheme of the mobile phone market, and Apple, with their 10 billion apps (or whatever the number is up to this moment) seems to be more than happy to make the device for them. For the rest of us, who just want to do certain things on our phone, a paltry selection of tens of thousands of apps, with only 40 or 50 installed on our phone is more than enough to make us happy.
By the way, as far as music skipping, you must be encoding at an insane bitrate if 2MB per second is a bottleneck! Have you tried a Class 4 card?
It’s because the manufacturers are cheap. There’s really no other excuse for the pitiful internal storage.
Christ all mighty, cant you fuckin read!? The droid HAS 256MB of ON BOARD FUCKING MEMORY.
For those who want to save a quick $100 *NOW*, don’t forget that Best Buy is offering to give you the rebate in store which makes the initial purchase an honest $199
I got one on wirefly for 149, no rebates needed
How come no comments on pricing like you bashed AT&T? I am considering switching, went on line, and saw that as a new customer, I have to pay $50 more for the phone!? F that!
Anyone know if Augmented Reality apps will work well on the Droid?
Does it have a decent compass (magnetometer I believe they call it) and fast enough video camera? I have been hearing some bad things about the camera, but I am not sure if it is a hardware or software issue.
AR apps? Define Augmented Reality app, dude. Really!?!
MOG on android for sure.
Elitist pricks, WTF is “MOG”.