The Motorola Droid on Verizon - Hardware & Software

Okay guys, I was able to get an early upgrade and Verizon is sending me my Droid via mail. It'll be here by Thursday. Anything I should know?

[QUOTE=DamagePoint;18289465]Most things on this phone look O.K., but what's the point of having multi-touch if there's an external keyboard? If you have a keyboard like that you might as well have a trackball like on the Blackberry Curve.[/QUOTE] Fuck that. I'm getting really sick of the trackball on my blackberry. It's nice but I'd much rather than something with a touch screen, such as an iPhone or possibly a Droid. I think the keyboard is a really nice option with the Droid though. It's there if you want it.

Ugh, I wanna get the Droid...but the costs for all the internet and such just don't make my dad happy.

[QUOTE=Veers;18290522]I went in Friday to check on the phone, which seems very good, but after having a bad runin with a Verizon customer sales person here I am with an iPhone. I wish I had gotten more of a chance with The droid but watcha gonna do? [editline]08:33PM[/editline] Although after having a touch for a year the familirarity is nice.[/QUOTE] :bahgawd: Get out [editline]09:35PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Arachnidus;18291539]Okay guys, I was able to get an early upgrade and Verizon is sending me my Droid via mail. It'll be here by Thursday. Anything I should know?[/QUOTE] Your life is going to change for the better

[QUOTE=Anonymouse;18293296]Ugh, I wanna get the Droid...but the costs for all the internet and such just don't make my dad happy.[/QUOTE] Who would've guessed that the kid with the name "Anonymouse" has to worry about the costs because his father wouldn't like it? I kinda imagined him as some 25 year old basement dweller, my mistake.

[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;18294077]Who would've guessed that the kid with the name "Anonymouse" has to worry about the costs because his father wouldn't like it? I kinda imagined him as some 25 year old basement dweller, my mistake.[/QUOTE] Oh teehee, you're such a comedian. No but seriously, data charges are amazingly expensive, no matter how much you try to deny it.

Android Protip: Download the app "Power Manager", literally a lifesaver.

[QUOTE=advil0;18294164]Android Protip: Download the app "Power Manager", literally a lifesaver.[/QUOTE] Also, Advanced Task Manager. You'll find that android isn't so good at ending applications when you close them etc, this app lets you end processes and applications. It also shows system, and you can uninstall applications from it. All in all handy free app that speeds up your phone.

[QUOTE=doggunn;18288777]Verizon is CDMA, so you'd have no luck running it in Portugal due to GSM. How much would you be looking to spend on the phone at max?[/QUOTE] About the same as the Nokia 5800 here which is 219,90€ or $329,82 (USD) according to Google. Camera quality is not a requirement, as long as it has a memory card slot so I can put some songs in and WiFi so I can do some web browsing. Having a hardware keyboard would be good looking at how Android 2.0 already has a virtual on screen keyboard, having both would be useful. I was looking at the HTC Magic but it's 400€ and I don't think I liked it very much. Also, if a phone is running 1.5 can't you upgrade it to 2.0 as it is open source?

[QUOTE=tobolateV2;18294517]Also, Advanced Task Manager. You'll find that android isn't so good at ending applications when you close them etc, this app lets you end processes and applications. It also shows system, and you can uninstall applications from it. All in all handy free app that speeds up your phone.[/QUOTE] Only reason Android does this is because it was built for multitasking, so it thinks you want the app open in the background. I don't end apps and Android performs quite well.

I use taskill, but ill look into power manager. [editline]12:34PM[/editline] Eh it was so so [editline]12:35PM[/editline] Eh it was so so

[QUOTE=DamagePoint;18289465]Most things on this phone look O.K., but what's the point of having multi-touch if there's an external keyboard? If you have a keyboard like that you might as well have a trackball like on the Blackberry Curve.[/QUOTE] Multi-touch =/= touchscreen. Also you can, you know, click on buttons, pinch-zoom, use virtual analog sticks (emulators), form rectangles and much more with a multi-touch-capable touchscreen. [QUOTE=compwhiziitothemax;18290325]Yep. [editline]09:25PM[/editline] For droid owners having trouble with battery life, try turning auto brightness off and setting it to the lowest setting, I still have a 90% charge 2 and a half hours later, while listening to pandora for over an hour and a half.. This could just be the fact that I'm connected to my home wifi and I turned off Latitude off, but hey, this is very little battery use.[/QUOTE] :aaaaa: [editline]07:24PM[/editline] [QUOTE=DarkSpirit05er;18296187]Also, if a phone is running 1.5 can't you upgrade it to 2.0 as it is open source?[/QUOTE] The Android version distributed with phones isn't completely open source. I guess one [I]could[/I] hack a 2.0 firmware for 1.x phones together but I don't think it's worth it. Oh and 2.0's source isn't available yet and there's no official info on whether it ever will be.

[QUOTE=DrTaxi;18299585]The Android version distributed with phones isn't completely open source. I guess one [I]could[/I] hack a 2.0 firmware for 1.x phones together but I don't think it's worth it. Oh and 2.0's source isn't available yet and there's no official info on whether it ever will be.[/QUOTE] Well, it's like upgrading firmware, imagine the first Android version, then, the cupcake update came out, people with the old version would certainly want the cupcake [b]update[/b], therefore, you could upgrade it.

Android 2.0 does not run unmodified on 1.x phones (which have modified Android versions to begin with). I don't know if any Android 1.x device vendors have already stated whether they will produce a 2.x update.

[QUOTE=compwhiziitothemax;18298238]I use taskill, but ill look into power manager. [editline]12:34PM[/editline] Eh it was so so [editline]12:35PM[/editline] Eh it was so so[/QUOTE] No, keep it. Sure the app itself looks like shit but I literally NEVER open it, it sits in the background and checks the battery level. It's the most important app you can have.

[QUOTE=advil0;18298054]Only reason Android does this is because it was built for multitasking, so it thinks you want the app open in the background. I don't end apps and Android performs quite well.[/QUOTE] You're running a highly optimized version of cyanogen, of course its fast. When I was on stock android, it would often lag to hell without closing processes, however after switching to quicker ROM's that stopped mattering as much. Still really nice to have around.

[QUOTE=DarkSpirit05er;18296187]About the same as the Nokia 5800 here which is 219,90€ or $329,82 (USD) according to Google. Camera quality is not a requirement, as long as it has a memory card slot so I can put some songs in and WiFi so I can do some web browsing. Having a hardware keyboard would be good looking at how Android 2.0 already has a virtual on screen keyboard, having both would be useful. I was looking at the HTC Magic but it's 400€ and I don't think I liked it very much.[/QUOTE] Please?

So how many apps is the Droid able to multitask at once?

I am getting it, I will but it retail if i have to but I will Have an enV2 with 1 yr 8 months left on contract, but im still getting it

[QUOTE=Benji;18312481]So how many apps is the Droid able to multitask at once?[/QUOTE] I think I read that it is six.

[QUOTE=Veers;18317951]I think I read that it is six.[/QUOTE] Wow. I was thinking maybe 2 or 3. If this is correct, that's impressive. [editline]04:37PM[/editline] [QUOTE=iownuall;18312679]I am getting it, I will but it retail if i have to but I will Have an enV2 with 1 yr 8 months left on contract, but im still getting it[/QUOTE] You got a new phone 4 months ago and you're already going to spend money on a new phone. Seriously?

[QUOTE=Veers;18317951]I think I read that it is six.[/QUOTE] Theoretically it's unlimited, but after a certain point the battery will drain like hell and the device will become laggy.

That's what I meant. How many apps before the phone becomes too laggy

A reasonable amount.

A lot, that's it basically.

So I just got my Droid guys. I love it. Absolutely perfect phone compared to my last one(enV2). [editline]04:19PM[/editline] Would anybody happen to know how to wipe my contacts list? I imported them from Facebook, but there's a few hundred or so I don't want.

I feel bad for anyone that uses those pieces of shit "enVs". The first one was horrible, they keyboard sucked, they fixed that with the enV2 and some little software updates. The enVTouch is just absolutely fucking disgusting compared to anything using Windows Mobile/Android/Blackberry software. Beats the hell out of me why so many people have them...

[QUOTE=Alex_DeLarge;18343547]I feel bad for anyone that uses those pieces of shit "enVs". The first one was horrible, they keyboard sucked, they fixed that with the enV2 and some little software updates. The enVTouch is just absolutely fucking disgusting compared to anything using Windows Mobile/Android/Blackberry software. Beats the hell out of me why so many people have them...[/QUOTE] As an enV Touch user myself, I can safely say that this is one of the best phones I've had in my life. It's great. And not all of us want phones that do more than text and call people. I use my iPod for the other stuff, and that means I have twice as much battery to text and to play games and stuff.

I still love my phone. I do so many useful things with it and it's perfect. I only had a problem this morning with it booting up and that was due to a fully dead battery.

I'm considering getting a smartphone, and right now my two top choices are either this or the palm pre. Sure, asking here will get me biased results, but if anyone has experience with both, what are the major differences?