HTC Eris vs. Motorola's Droid: A Tale of Two Droids
Friday, 06 November 2009 06:18
administrator
Ever since Verizon Wireless used Motorola's Droid to diss the iPhone, it's been nothing short of Droid hysteria in the tech world, and it's only getting crazier with today's reveal of the HTC Droid Eris. What can I say? We love a good fight. But let's not let flame wars get in the way of solid information, which may prove valuable if you're planning to pick up either the Motorola Droid or the HTC Droid Eris on launch day, Friday. Here's what you need to know:
Look and Feel
The Droid has some hard edges -- Computerworld's Matt Hamblen says it's geared towards "guys, especially" -- and weighs 6 ounces, measuring 4.56-by-2.36-by-0.54 inches when closed. The Droid Eris has curved, rubberized backing that gives it an overall rounder feel, measuring 4.45-by-2.19-by-0.51 inches and weighs 4.23 ounces.
Hardware
The Droid gives you the most screen real estate, measuring 3.7 inches compared to the Eris' 3.2 multi-touch screen, plus it has an impressive pixel count of 480 by 854, easily dwarfing the Eris' 320-by-480 resolution display. Both the Droid and the Eris have 5-megapixel cameras with autofocus, but the Droid has LED flash as well. You get a slide-out QWERTY keyboard with the Droid, though our testers had trouble using it.
If you're looking for more nitty-gritty specs, check out the Droid's and Eris' respective pages.
Software
The Droid uses straight-up Android 2.0, which gives you three home screens, a widget for controlling power-hungry features, a notifications bar and universal search. The Eris uses HTC's "Sense" interface, whose frills include widgets for adding all kinds of data to your home pages and interchangeable "scenes" for different uses, such as work and play.
However, while Sense may be more advanced, only the Droid will launch with Android 2.0. The Eris is stuck on Android 1.5 until HTC can fully integrate its Sense interface. That means Web browsing will be a little slower, virtual keyboard typing will be a little tougher, and you'll miss out on other perks such Google Maps Navigation.
Price
The Motorola Droid costs $200 after a $100 mail-in rebate, which sticks you with a pre-paid debit card that you'll have to use like cash. HTC's Android Eris is $100 after a $100 mail-in rebate, though it's not clear if the rebate delivery method is the same.
Of course, there are aspects of both phones that won't become clear by their specs alone. You can check out our Motorola Droid review for now, by why not do a little hands on at Verizon's store tomorrow? After all, once you buy a phone, you're pretty much stuck with it for two years.
Motorola Droid for Verizon First Impressions Review
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 09:43
administrator
BY: Ed Hardy, Brighthand.com Editor PUBLISHED: 10/29/2009
I traveled up to New York City today for Verizon's launch of the Motorola Droid. It was worth the trip. Previous phones running Google's Android OS have ranged from OK to fairly good, but the Droid is the first really great one I've seen.
It offers an impressive feature set: a large WVGA+ capacitive touchscreen, physical keyboard, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, and the latest version of Google's operating system
 I've only had a few hours with this device, but I want to go ahead and share my first impressions of it. I'll have a full review in the coming days.
Build & Design
Motorola says the Droid is the thinnest phone with a QWERTY keyboard ever made, and I believe them. At first glance, it looks too slim to be a slider, but it is.
Probably the next thing you'll notice is the 3.7-inch display. This is one of the largest available -- bigger than the one on the HTC Touch Pro2, and slightly higher resolution, too. In fact, it's of a much higher resolution than all the earlier Android models, which have HVGA screens.
The display is ideal for looking at web sites, images, and video.
Built into the touchscreen are four control buttons: Search, Home, Menu, and Back. The traditional Call and Disconnect buttons are conspicuously absent. You have to depend on on-screen buttons for this.
Because the keyboard has a landscape orientation, it's of a decent size. On the other hand, the keys are all set in a flat surface, with little or no space between, which isn't an ideal arrangement.
There's a large D-pad next to the keyboard -- that placement means it's only available when the slider is open. This isn't the best arrangement for one-handed use, as the D-pad isn't available in portrait mode.
As far a build quality goes, the device feels solid in most ways, but the slider on my unit is just a tiny bit loose.
This Motorola model lives up to it's name in one way: it's very angular... mechanical. It has a masculine look. I suspect it's going to be a love-it or hate-it design. I'm in the "love it" category.
Performance
There has been some concern about the fact that the Motorola Droid runs Android on a 550 MHz processor. It's a mistake to judge performance based simply on a number: if you could, every guy over 6'6" would be able to play in the NBA.
The real-world performance of this phone is good. Admittedly I've only had a short time with it, but I'm not seeing any lag or irritating delays.
Android 2.0
The Droid is the first model with Google Android 2.0, which has some new features.
 Easily most important of these is support for synchronizing with Microsoft Exchange. Until now Android was a decent option of consumers, but not for business users. Now that people can send and receive their corporate e-mail messages, that has changed. The Droid can also sync your Calendar and Contacts, too.
Naturally, this OS can still sync with Google's services, so you can have your G-mail, personal calendar, and contacts on your phone.
And the Droid doesn't stop there: it can pull the contact info for your friends out of Facebook, too. But don't worry, all this information won't all be jumbled together.
Software
This smartphone comes with a suite of applications for handling many basic tasks. I already mentioned the e-mail, calendar, and contacts apps, but that's just the beginning.
Android was created by Google, so it's no surprise it has one of the best web browsers available. It's one of the few that can go toe-to-toe with Safari on the iPhone. The latest version is tweaked, but there wasn't much room for improvement.
There's also a music player, and a combined video player and image viewer. I'm happy to report that this plays a much broader array of formats than its predecessors. There's also a YouTube app.
Generally, Verizon seems to have taken the attitude that "less is more" and didn't load the Droid down with extraneous software. But if you want to fill it up, you can; there are over 10,000 apps available for easy download in the Android Market.
Navigation Software
A relatively simple mapping application was part of Android 1.0, but Google has taken this to the next level in the new version. Voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions have been added, making this app vastly more useful.
It now works like you'd expect a stand-alone GPS receiver to, giving you audible directions of when to turn, and automatically re-routing you if you miss a turn.
You can even program it with voice commands.
Video Preview
I put together a short video demonstrating the Motorola Droid, including a quick overview of its hardware, user interface, and web browser.
Preliminary Conclusion
The Motorola Droid is definitely the new flagship of the Android OS -- the one that future models are going to be compared to. And they are going to have to work hard to live up to the new standard.
Verizon is positioning it as an iPhone killer, but that's a topic for another article. I'll just say that at this early stage this new smartphone looks very promising.
I'll continue testing it, and I'll bring you a more complete review as soon as I can.
|
Hands-on with the Motorola Droid
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 23:00
administrator
 After that recent barrage of "iDon't" TV commercials, it's safe to say that Verizon Wireless hopes it has an iPhone killer on its hands with the just-announced Motorola Droid.
Well, I've got my hands on a test unit right here, and while I'm not ready to declare a victor quite yet (I've only had the phone for a few hours, after all), the Droid certainly looks to be one of the iPhone's toughest—and most envy-inducing—competitors to date.
Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this is not a full review; Verizon only handed out Droid review units a matter of hours ago, so I've only had limited time to test the handset. That means no results on the Droid's battery life (Verizon claims more than six hours of talk time, which sounds pretty optimistic), no final answer the inevitable "Is it an iPhone killer?" question (which is practically impossible to answer, anyway), and no final verdict on whether you should buy or not.
Still with me? Good.
Verizon has been touting the Android-powered Droid (set for release next Friday, Nov. 6, for $199 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate) as the slimmest full-QWERTY slider phone on the market, and I'm inclined to agree. Measuring 4.6 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches—almost precisely the same size as the iPhone, if a few hundreds of an inch thicker—the 3G- and Wi-Fi-enabled Droid makes for the thinnest, sleekest QWERTY sliders I've ever laid eyes on, especially compared to the recent, somewhat clunky Motorola Cliq on T-Mobile. Yes, it's a bit heavy at six ounces, but the extra ballast mainly makes the Droid feel study and substantial.  Slide the phone open (and yes, the Droid's sliding action feels smooth and solid) and there's the QWERTY keypad, which is decent-sized for a smartphone, but the keys themselves feel flat and a bit slippery. Guess that's the price you pay for having such a slim profile in a QWERTY slider like this. Moving along, though, check out the Droid's gorgeous, 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, about two-tenths of an inch bigger than the iPhone's display and crammed with 480 by 854 pixels. Indeed, the Droid's jumbo-sized display is a joy to look at, especially when it comes to viewing Web pages.  That brings us to the Droid's operating system: Google's Android OS, and the Droid just so happens to be the first phone to run version 2.0 of Android, which now includes full-on support for corporate Exchange e-mail accounts, Facebook integration (meaning that the phone will draw contact information from your Facebook pals into your address book), new Google Maps features (like layers for satellite view, traffic, ATMs, and restaurants, as well as turn-by-turn directions; more on that in a moment), and a more polished-looking interface overall. Just a few taps on the Droid's main screen showed me that this is the peppiest Android phone I've tested yet. No lagging keytaps or jittery menus here; instead, my fingertaps registered almost instantly, while scrolling through menu lists or opening apps was, for the most part, a smooth operation—maybe not as fast or smooth as on the iPhone 3GS, but still, quite impressive.  Setup on the Droid is, as usual for Android phones, a snap: I just entered my Google and Facebook log-ins, and within a few minutes my address book was populated and my Gmail inbox was humming. Duplicate Google and Facebook contacts were automatically and seamlessly integrated, and it's just one click from a contact entry to that person's Facebook profile, complete with status updates (and yes, clicking the Back button brings you right back to the contact card). Unfortunately, the Droid lacks Motorola's new MotoBlur service, which sends a steady stream of social-networking updates to your phone's home screen and does a better job of integrating e-mail/text/messaging histories and Facebook/Twitter/MySpace updates into the address book. (GPS-aided phone finder and remote-wipe features in Blur are also missing.) Why no MotoBlur for Droid, you ask? Good question: the Verizon reps I asked told me that the Droid has the "full Google experience," and that the Droid and the Blur-powered Cliq are aimed at "different audiences." Not much of an answer, but there you go.  Next up: the new and improved Google Maps, now with GPS-aided turn-by-turn navigation, new for Android 2.0 and appearing first here on the Droid. It's a free, voice-activated service that looks a lot like other GPS navigation apps on the market, complete with a first-person perspective view, big arrows that tell you where to turn next, spoken directions, and the ability to automatically reroute you if you make a wrong turn. Want to say where you want to go rather than type? No problem, thanks to Android's voice-recognition capabilities. Of course, one of the best things about Google's new Navigation app is that it's free—no initial fee, no monthly charge, nothin'—and you can even use it with Street View switched on at the same time. I haven't had a chance to properly test the Droid's accuracy when it comes to navigation, though, so I'm hold off on any final judgement here. Still, I have to say ... very cool. (A plastic dashboard mount will be available for an extra $25; the mount doesn't come with its own built-in charger, however.)  Also impressive: The Droid's 5-megapixel camera, which comes armed with a dual LED flash and auto-focus/image stabilization capabilities. I took some snapshots out the window and in a dimly lit corner of my apartment, and the Droid did a solid—if shy of Ansel Adams-worthy—job of lighting up the dark scenes, and my out-the-window shots looked sharp, rich, and detailed. As far as the Droid's "DVD-quality" video recording does, well ... I wouldn't call my test clip as sharp as a DVD, but it looked relatively good, on a par with the snippets I've recorded on my iPhone. And yes, the Droid makes voice calls, too—and even better, the improved Android 2.0 interface means that buttons for "Add call" and "mute" are now surfaced while you're in a call. So, how is the Droid stacking up to the iPhone so far? (Hey, Verizon invited the comparison with those "iDon't" ads, so I'll bite.) Again, because I've only had the Droid for a few hours, I'm not going to tip a winner here. But a few immediate comparisons are obvious: the iPhone is slimmer and lighter, while the Droid crams in a full, slide-out QWERTY keypad. The Droid's camera is clearly superior to the iPhone's, but if you ask me, the iPhone's interface is still smoother, peppier, and more elegant. The iPhone has more apps—way more apps—but the Droid has Google's new, free GPS app, not to mention (as Verizon loves to tell us) a more open development community. The Droid has a user-replaceable battery and a microSD slot, but the iPhone has way more media at its disposal, including wireless movie rentals from the iTunes video store. (The Droid doesn't even have access to Verizon's V Cast media network, or at least not for now.) And while the iPhone's multitouch-enabled browser is still superior to the Droid's, I'm in love with the Droid's killer ability to seamlessly integrate Facebook contacts into your address book.
Droid Review By CNET
Monday, 26 October 2009 14:14
administrator
Product summary
Verizon Droid
Manufacturer: Motorola
Part Number: DROIDBLKVZW
CNET editors' take
- By: Lance Whitney
- Published on: 10/19/2009
Could the new Droid finally be the smartphone to knock the Apple iPhone off its pedestal? Droid partners Verizon, Motorola, and Google are positioning it as such.
The latest Android-based smartphone, the Droid, could debut as early as October 30, according to a cryptic countdown code on Verizon's Web site that promotes the new device.
Verizon has set up its Droid promo page with direct challenges to the iPhone, with such slap-in-the face headlines as: "iDon't have a real keyboard," "iDon't run simultaneous apps," and "iDon't allow open development." And "everything iDon't...Droid does."
The page goes on to tout all that the Droid does offer, including high speed, multitasking, networking, a high-resolution screen, speech recognition, directions, video, music, and more than 10,000 apps.
 (Credit: Verizon)The Droid is the same smartphone formerly known as the Motorola Sholes, so some technical specs have already been known.
The phone will run the new Android 2.0 operating system. It will provide a 3.7-inch touch screen along with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The 5-megapixel autofocus and flash camera will offer both still and video recording. Wi-FI, Bluetooth 2.0, and GPS are there as well.
Calls to Motorola, Verizon, and Google for further details were not immediately returned.
But Web sites are already touting the Droid as the hottest phone that will hit the market in awhile.
The Boy Genius Report site says it's already gotten its hands on a Droid, revealing a few key details. The phone is just slightly thicker than an iPhone 3GS, says the site, sporting a "pretty usable," ultrathin, sliding QWERTY keyboard.
Powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 processor (the same chip used by the Palm Pre), the Droid is the fastest and most impressive Android device that Boy Genius says it's seen. (Google reportedly had a strong hand in its design.) The site also is gushing over the phone's display, calling it the best screen so far on an Android handset.
The TechCrunch site calls the Droid a three-way effort among Motorola, Verizon, and Google. The site says that, according to people who've tried out the device, the Droid is the "most sophisticated mobile device to hit the market to date from a hardware standpoint." TechCrunch sees it as "Android's flagship product, and the first phone that will pose a significant threat to Apple's iPhone."
Verizon has often been a mixed bag for many customers, offering a reliable, high-speed network but lacking a must-have smartphone a la the iPhone.
|
