OK... I have the droid Eras.... I was in the same situation. On with Alltel, bought out by Verizon. Long time customer with a really rock solid Motorola phone that was close to 6 yrs old, on it's second battery. My daughters wanted to upgrade to the Droid, and it was their birthday present...a gift that keeps on giving.... to Verizon every month. My old phone would not work on the new plan and the Verizon network, so I could pay a fairly large monthy fee to keep the old phone on the new network or upgrade my phone to a droid and the cost was only $10 more.... so I upgraded.
Two weeks later, I was not really liking it, but it has grown on me as I discover what this thing can do.
It has a touch screen... no buttons used for most functions. The 2 buttons on it are handy for waking up the screen.... the same button puts it to sleep and will end a call... the other one is for initiating a call...and probably a few other things as well. One of them lets you answer an incoming call and the other send the call direct to voice mail.
On the touch screen.... fro me, it is taking some getting used to. I can't count how many times I have redialed the same number in my confusion to attempt to hang up and close the phone screen. I'm getting better.
Apps and DATA. there are tons of free apps for just about every thing you can imagine. I have Drudge report, and some other news feeds, a few games, and some cool apps, like satellite/space station trackers.....
One app.... that is free is called EasyTether. The basic ET is free, the full version is $10 IIRC...well worth the money. It allows you to connect your phone to a computer and access the internet where ther is no WIFI connection available... like driving down the highway (assuming someone else is driving the car).
We used this recently while on vacation. It works great. AND... you have your own private connection, unlike some of the open networks that you tend to find in coffeeshops and motels.
If you get this ET app, be sure you have the unlimited data plan or your bill will shock you.
All in all, I like this phone now. I used it the other night to look up some info on the internet at a meeting to provide updated info on a topic.
The GPS apps and the Locate apps, for resturants and stores is very cool...even gives GPS to the location and push another screen button to call them right from the app.
The biggest downside to me right now is battery life. If you shut off the "Network Connection" the Droid still works like a phone everywhere, and you can text...send and receive, but the internet is not available. You can turn it on easily when you need it. Just be sure to turn it off after using it. You always have internet available to you when you are home IF you have a wireless network in your home. set it up once and you're good.
The "Network ON" function has the phone always connected to the internet, and it will run the battery down pretty fast. If you send and receive lots of email you might want this on. I tend to turn it one several times a day to check email. I now run the Droid off the network unless there is a specific reason to be online.....I can easily make it through the day and still have about 70% battery at teh end of the day. If I make a number of phone calls that will also eat up the battery.... I think it says about 1.5 hrs of talk on a charge. So, if you talk a lot, get a car charger. I nede to be available but don't generally talk a lot.
Camera is cool.... I can shoot a pic and in 60 seconds have it on FB. Video also.
Screen rotates depending on how you hold it. Texting is easy when it's sideways since the letters are larger, and it anticipates the words for you.
Go play with one at the local store.
I generally do not recommend buying the insurance on electronics, but in the case of an $800 phone (that was the list price back then) I would say yes. Screen cracks, drops, and other things are covered. My daughter's Droid died from a software/hardware issue... it was covered by warrantee.. no problems, new phone in 15 minutes and we were headed back home.
that's my review.
One more thing: I also bought the soft rubber case for it... to cushion drops, and it makes the phone "sticky" in my hands ...easier to hold on to, and when I put into my old phone case, it "grabs" the material so it doesn't slide out and get lost.
Another cool phone app...free too... Find my Droid... get it.
Loose your phone.... grab another smart phone, text a number to your droid and the phone rings on it's loudest setting for a number of minutes, allowing you to find it in the recliner......
somebody stole it? text it a different number and it sends you a GPS map of where it is at that very moment.... and I think it remains quiet on the other end.
post edited by Guitarhacker - 2010/09/18 09:33:51