A lot has been stated about the Apple iPhone 4. For all of you non-AT&T users or Apple haters there has been some very exciting news in the Verizon and Droid world. For those of you who haven’t heard on the news or who don’t watch tv commercials, the Motorola Droid is a smartphone which runs Google’s Android operating system. The brand name “Droid” is a trademark of Lucasfilm and is licensed to Verizon Wireless and originally was released back in November of 2009. Various other devices are running the Android operating system and labeled as “Droid” phones.
Enough about the history lesson and onto the Motorola Droid X. Jump to July 16, 2010. The successor to the original Motorola Droid went on sale and completely sold out, despite Verizon’s reassurance that there would be more than enough phones to go around. Verizon’s website shows a ship date by August 3rd.
Similar to the iPhone 4 launch, the Motorola Droid X is having its share of defects and complaints. The defects include some units have flickering or banding displays as well as a Wi-Fi bug where we connection signals are being reported. The numbers of issues for the screen defect and affected users are small and replacements are being issued currently.
The Motorola Droid X has an impressive feature list and understandably contributed to its success on launch day.
Features
- 8 Megapixel camera with dual LED flash
- 720p HD video camera
- 4.3-inch screen in 16:9 ratio
- Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
- 8GB internal storage with 16GB microSD preinstalled expandable to 32GB
- Push email support for Gmail & Exchange & Yahoo
- Unified Google Calendar and Exchange Calendar
- Unified inbox
- 480 minutes usage time
- 220 hours of standby time
I will add in one thing that I don’t think many people are aware of. Verizon’s network currently doesn’t support simultaneous voice and data. What that means is that if someone calls you and says “take a look at the email I just sent you.” Unfortunately, unlike AT&T you will need to get off the phone to do so. The same goes for pulling up a web browser and being on the phone. There are times when I may be on a phone call and I need to Google a phone number or an address and being on AT&T’s network definitely comes in handy.
I have a droid and found tethering very useful when your not in a place that has wireless internet! I use an app called PDANet and my Droid becomes a modem! Just download the app to your computer (I have a Mac) and your Droid phone… couple set up steps away – your connected. You can use the app for a trial basis or just purchase outright – its very inexpensive.
Which Droid phone do you have? I believe a new feature on the Motorola Droid X is that it comes by default capable of supporting up to 5 devices for Internet tethering
Tei,
The Droid X is pretty impressive. I got to ‘hold’ one last Monday. In another month or two there will be another new Droid released. The newest one will be the Droid 2 and like the Droid X, it will be running at a blazing 1000 mhz. The Droid 2 is indentical to the X except that it will also have a QWERTY/physical keyboard.
I’ve heard some great things about the Droid phones. The EVO has been quite popular. I’ve heard that the new Samsung Galaxy phone has a spectacular screen. All things considered, I do LOVE my iPhone 4! I do experience the occasional dropped calls, but the features of the iPhone itself along with the ability to talk, surf and/or email etc at the same time totally makes up for it all.
Thanks for the info Tei!
I ordered my Droid X online on the early morning of July 16, 2010 and received it the next day, July 17, 2010 and I have to share with everyone the following positive experiences which I never had the pleasure of having when I had my Blackberry Storm: (I waited in line for 8 hours to buy my wife an IPhone 4 on June 24 as my 8 year Anniversary gift to her and I did not want to get in line again for the Droid X knowing the Droid X would probably be sold out by the time I got to the front of the line…)
1) Speed – The Droid X is by far a much snappier and responsive unit than the Blackberry Storm I had when it comes to checking your e-mail, your schedule on your calendar or surfing the Net, yes! I can finally get on the Internet like I do with my laptop! When you upgrade to a Droid X be prepared to live life in the Fast Lane!
2) Voice activated Navigation – The Droid X is a real Navi machine and so real that I decided to buy a windshield mount for it, I even stopped using the Navigation system in my car because the Droid X’s Navi is so much faster and efficient than the one in my car. For example, when you are entering your destination you simply speak your destination and it will find it and its speech recognition is about 99.99% accurate. What a time saver!!! Click on this link to see pictures of my Droid X Navi in action that I posted on Facebook, you will be amazed at its clarity:
http://www.facebook.com/GregWang168?ref=name
3) Camera – I stopped using my digital camera because at 6 megapixel it is obsolete compared to the one on the Droid X! Droid X has the 8 megapixel which takes crystal clear pictures. And the HD video camera is just out of this World especially when you play back everything you recorded on your big screen HD T.V. Vivid show!
4) Bluetooth and Wi-Fi – It takes less than half of a second to activate or deactivate these features by touching a designated button on the screen, and when you’re not using these features you simply deactivate them to conserve your battery…
5) Google Contacts, Calendar and e-Mail Sync – One of my fear and main concern about upgrading to the Droid X before was that I thought I was going to lose over 3,000 contacts, all the e-mails and most importantly my schedule in my calendar that I had in my Microsoft Outlook, however, I simply exported everything into Google and everything in my Google account automatically syncs with my Droid X so the data stay consistently the same 24/7. This feature alone is worth the upgrade!!! I no longer have to sync the data between my cell phone, my desktop and my laptop. This is another time saver and we all know time is money right?
6) Apps – When I was downloading all these wonderful FREE apps with my son on his Apple Ipad I thought it was fun but on my Droid X I ended up spending half of day downloading hundreds of very useful FREE apps, the keyword here is FREE and you do not end up paying for it if you wish to keep it, it is really FREE for you to keep! And because the Droid X is so fast unlike the Ipad each download on the Droid X takes no more than a few seconds.
7) Phone Locking up – What’s that? That is a thing of the past because since I started using my Droid X I don’t have to deal with the frustration of my phone locking up on me anymore. Halleluiah!!! This is also one of the reasons most of my Friends and Family Members are looking into upgrading to the Droid X from their Blackberry…Because since the Droid X is sold out everywhere they have to wait until about second week of August now to enjoy their new Droid X but they all tell me it will be worth the wait!
Thanks to Motorola and most of all thanks to Google for building the Android operating system for the Droid X because it just makes the experience of using my smart phone for my Business so much easier with the least amount of hassle or frustration and I can once again feel good about having this essential tool for my Business!
Cheers to you all Droid X Owners!
Hi Tim – I held a Droid X last weekend. Very cool phone and a very nice and large screen. I’m not much for physical keyboards (being an iPhone user and all) but overall I was very impressed with it
Hi Randy – I am really excited about the iPhone 4. I have been waiting for the white version and am really disappointed that production delays have been rumored as long as at the end of the year. I sure hope not because I really need a new phone!
Hi Greg – Thank you for the personal insight and opinions! It’s always great to hear first hand experiences!
I got my first smart phone just last May – Samsung Moment (droid) on Sprint. Not having an iPhone or Blackberry before, I’m just like a kid with the newest toy. No dropped calls. I’ve traveled to Dallas and Phoenix with no problems. I don’t know how Sprint holds up in less populated areas, but they say that they are working on it. I am cancelling my air card after 10 years as I no longer use it.
Negative-I do not like the keyboard at all!
Made my purchase 2 weeks before the EVO came out – have played with it since at the store and am on the list for a trade. They are way backed up as well, hope to have it early August.
By the way, they are cheaper at Radio Shack than at the Sprint Store.
Hi Lorne – Thanks for your feedback! I am glad to hear you made your decision on the aircard. I had considered doing the same for mine. However, once I got my Wi-Fi iPad I find myself using the iPad more than my iPhone for email when traveling or on the weekends
My new Droid X will be here any day. I’m very excited to start using it. I currently have a Blacberry through AT&T. My blacberry is a fine phone, most of the time. I actually love it, but I can’t use the stupid thing at my house… drops almost every call and always works intermitently. I hear every 3rd or 4th word. I’ve switched to Verizon and, since my Blackberry won’t work on Verizon’s network, the Droid becuase of the reception issues. I’m really looking forward to a phone that I can actually use at my house!
The saying around the office is “AT&T… less bars in more places”
It can be very frustrating for sure. Obviously if we could all have what we want we would be able to have any phone of our choice on any carrier of our choice.
Wouldn’t life be grand if that were the case?