Motorola Driod Phone

[mommykds]

Anyone plan on buying this new phone? It's supossed to rival the iPhone. We have a Verizon contract that is about to expire & was wondering if this is worth a look? Thanks!

 

[AshleyW]

Anyone plan on buying this new phone? It's supossed to rival the iPhone. We have a Verizon contract that is about to expire & was wondering if this is worth a look? Thanks!

My contract doesn't expire for awhile, but if I was going to upgrade now - I'd get the Droid in a heartbeat. It looks amazing, and the price isn't TOO bad ($199). The only thing you have to consider is that if you don't have an e-mail plan, you'll have to add one.

 

[FireDancer]

One of my friends works at Verizon and loves the phone. I was listening to some in the know tech journalists and they all really love the phone too. I am in the Android camp and this is the first phone released with Android 2.0 (Eclair). I think the best phone OS out there right now is Android. It is still young and there will be growing pains but I like the open source OS based on the Linux Kernel.

I am not a Verizon customer but will be playing with it once it is out because I know a lot of people who will be getting it. I won't get an iPhone because I find the Apple model too closed.

 

[MinnieTink]

I'm not eligible for a new Verizon phone for a couple months but I am just curious if the droid will use the $15 per month "V-cast" kind of plan or if you have to purchase a $30 per month Blackberry-style plan?

 

[AshleyW]

I'm not eligible for a new Verizon phone for a couple months but I am just curious if the droid will use the $15 per month "V-cast" kind of plan or if you have to purchase a $30 per month Blackberry-style plan?

I think (don't quote me on this) you have to have an actual e-mail plan, or what they call a "PDA/Smartphone Nationwide Email" plan.. they start at $79.99 a month, which is the same as a Blackberry plan.

 

[FireDancer]

I'm not eligible for a new Verizon phone for a couple months but I am just curious if the droid will use the $15 per month "V-cast" kind of plan or if you have to purchase a $30 per month Blackberry-style plan?

$30 per month for the droid. $30 is the standard charge for data plans from Verizon. The $15 V-cast plan is not comparable because it is not really data. I won't get into the underlying technology differences but it can most easily be compared to an intranet vs the Internet.

There is also a $45 corporate plan which contains what we in the industry call a stupidity tax. You get nothing with this that you can't get with the $30 plan (including exchange contrary to the press release) but since many corporate people don't know this they pay $45 without questioning it. Listen to the Buzz Out Loud from November 4 if you have any questions.

 

[mommykds]

Wow, I am so glad I asked here...thanks for all the info.

 

[Robmom]

I'm really interested. My phone is up at the end of the year.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

DH is going to look at it today - his phone is up for renewal and his boss is pushing everyone to get smart phones (but can't require it since the company won't pay anything towards the phone bill).

I have an itouch and it has made me long for an iphone - but we are with verizon and don't want to switch to at&t.

 

[pigletgirl]

I've heard (dont' quote me on this) but the price of the phone (not the monthly bill) is $3500. It is then another $200/month.

I personally don't mind have a cheapy phone.

 

[FireDancer]

I've heard (dont' quote me on this) but the price of the phone (not the monthly bill) is $3500. It is then another $200/month.

Not even close. The price of the monthly plan will be $30 + whatever plan you have and the phone will be $199 ($299 - $100 mail in rebate).

 

[HeatherH]

TOTALLY will be getting this phone when I'm due for an upgrade later this month! For existing customers doing an upgrade and a new two-year contract, it's only $149.99, plus the data plan.

Can't wait! I'm not a big "phone" person, but this one has me totally excited.

 

[YodasMom]

I got the Droid this morning!! Looks like an awesome phone! All the free apps are fantastic, too. My Verizon store said they have occasional classes and will be having them more frequently now that the Droid just came out. Verizon reps run the classes so if anyone is wanting something like this, check with your stores to see if and when they offer them.

FireDancer is correct about the cost and Internet fees. I was already a Verizon customer and retained my same plans when I upgraded to the Droid. The internet plan for my Blackberry was the same cost as the Internet fee for the Droid.

It will probably take me the whole two years to find 25% of all that is on this toy, but it will be fun!

 

[Dani C]

I am still considering it. I looked at one of the G phones and wasn't impressed with the style for the keyboard, but I don't want to switch to AT&T (coverage issues). I think I will have to go in and actually look at the Droid to make a decision on it as the photos are not that great at telling you the important things. I already know I am not impressed with the shaping though as it seems to have too sharp of corners on the phone but that can be corrected with proper casing.

My contract is set to expire at the beginning of the year and I am already eligible for the upgrade.

 

[FireDancer]

I got the Droid this morning!! Looks like an awesome phone! All the free apps are fantastic, too. My Verizon store said they have occasional classes and will be having them more frequently now that the Droid just came out. Verizon reps run the classes so if anyone is wanting something like this, check with your stores to see if and when they offer them.

The beauty of the Android environment is also that you don't need to use the store. You can go out and find any app that was written for Android and load it without even using the store interface. This is one of the main reasons I like the Open Source model over the Apple iPhone model, no waiting for Google to approve apps. I can develop an app and put it up on my private website for you to download directly. This will be the long term model of the mobile OS just like it is for the desktop. No one has to wait for Microsoft to put a program in their store before you can buy it.

Because Android is running on the Linux kernel so many Linux programs will be made available for the device. Some will need nothing more than a UI tweak to work while others will need some more significant changes to work with the Android Java library.

 

[sorcerormickey]

We went and checked out the phone today - LOVE IT!! The screen is nice and big and I like that it has an actual keyboard instead of just on the screen. BF's New Every 2 is next week and he is getting the Droid for sure. My NE2 is not until the spring, but I will probably get the Droid too.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

DH bought the first Droid in Des Moines this morning. He was at the store by his office when it opened (it opens earlier than the other stores in town) and the guy helping him kept getting interrupted by calls from the other stores "you sold one already?" It must have showed up in their computer system..

We aren't ones to get stuff when it first comes out, so this was a new experience! so far so good - he didn't get much done after returning to work - everyone had to come see the new toy

 

[YodasMom]

DH bought the first Droid in Des Moines this morning. He was at the store by his office when it opened (it opens earlier than the other stores in town) and the guy helping him kept getting interrupted by calls from the other stores "you sold one already?" It must have showed up in their computer system..

We aren't ones to get stuff when it first comes out, so this was a new experience! so far so good - he didn't get much done after returning to work - everyone had to come see the new toy

Yes, it does show up on their computer systems. When I was buying mine, the manager was on the phone looking at his computer and reading off the number of Droids left at each store in the northwest suburbs.

I'm like you, I never buy something either when it first comes out. There will be a learning curve, but I think it will work out and that I will like it better than my Blackberry.

 

[nskjerven]

The beauty of the Android environment is also that you don't need to use the store. You can go out and find any app that was written for Android and load it without even using the store interface. This is one of the main reasons I like the Open Source model over the Apple iPhone model, no waiting for Google to approve apps. I can develop an app and put it up on my private website for you to download directly. This will be the long term model of the mobile OS just like it is for the desktop. No one has to wait for Microsoft to put a program in their store before you can buy it.

Because Android is running on the Linux kernel so many Linux programs will be made available for the device. Some will need nothing more than a UI tweak to work while others will need some more significant changes to work with the Android Java library.

I have to laugh at your comments, because they take in assumption that "we" choose to program apps and upload those directly to our phones. The majority of "us" have zero interest and desire to do such a thing. The real value in this kind of functionally it that software programers can create apps and directly market them to people. The bad thing about this is there is no QC for that kind of code and it's likely that lots of peoples phone could be hosed because of crappy code and who will support those phones with all the crap on them???? I wouldn't think the service provider would, unless it's for a fee.

Seems we average peeps are happy getting our stuff from Apple or Microsoft.

It really wasn't broken, so it didn't "need" to be fixed now did it?

Waiting to hear why the Droid is any better still

 

[OK!]

One of my friends works at Verizon and loves the phone. I was listening to some in the know tech journalists and they all really love the phone too. I am in the Android camp and this is the first phone released with Android 2.0 (Eclair). I think the best phone OS out there right now is Android. It is still young and there will be growing pains but I like the open source OS based on the Linux Kernel.

I am not a Verizon customer but will be playing with it once it is out because I know a lot of people who will be getting it. I won't get an iPhone because I find the Apple model too closed.

One word: jailbreak.