[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Why so serious darling?

[LunkHead]

This thread can probably be closed since I no longer have the Fred...

Kris

[apirjanian]

I love my Droid! The commercials sold it to me lol. If you got a Droid you gotta get one of these Screen Protectors...Booo ya!

[akosnitzky]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

This thread can probably be closed since I no longer have the Fred...

Kris

Why no more?

[akosnitzky]

I just wemt back through the thread. I see you have the bb bug

[LunkHead]

Yes I did.... Sportin the Curve 2 now...

I never last long away from BB... I really liked the Fred but this 8530 is pretty sweet!!!!

[contraria2]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

Yes I did.... Sportin the Curve 2 now...

I never last long away from BB... I really liked the Fred but this 8530 is pretty sweet!!!!

Wow Kris...

You are WORSE than me.

I at least talk about my pros and cons before returning a phone. YOU, just "did it"

I am also leaning to returning the phone and getting the C2 or waiting for the Tour2.

Please tell me about the C2. Did you find better reviews? Or, were the reviews wrong? Also, what will the differences be with that and the Tour2?

If you wanna pin me: 31a64e05. Thanks

[WPWoodJr]

I got the Droid on D-Day, Nov 6, at 6am.

I was moving from a BB Pearl 8130. My Pearl has been great and did everything I asked it to, including streaming music, stereo Bluetooth, email, and keeping a charge from Fri evening to Mon morning (with light usage).

But the Droid is a real step up. Web browsing is fantastic, the screen is gorgeous, GMail has HTML support, there are lots of great applications available, and I've even started to like the hardware keyboard.

Its been great having wi-fi. Recently I've been abroad without data and I can still go online with wi-fi. The EVDO Rev A is lightning fast, I'm getting 1600Kbs (vs 900Kbs on the Pearl and, in informal testing at the store, the Storm 2). A good place to test the speed is at: iPhone speedtest - let us know what speed you get on your Storm 2, Droid, or Eris!

So I'm really enjoying the speed, screen, web browsing, and applications on the Droid. The battery isn't even so bad. What's not to like? There are two main things.

Firstly, the Droid does not play nicely with the MS Sync bluetooth in my Ford Fusion Hybrid. It usually doesn't automatically reconnect to both the phone and the stereo for media playback and I have to connect manually. Then, it acts very laggy so that commands that I initiate on the phone take 20 seconds or so to take effect. For example, pausing the media stream or adjusting the volume. Sometimes, it acts strangely when answering incoming calls and also disconnects intermittently.

Secondly, the lack of hardware buttons makes it frustrating to use. There are no dedicated phone buttons - the phone is just an app like everything else! Sometimes it can take up to 6 actions to get to the "Call log" screen which is where I often dial from. For those who are counting:

1. Turn Droid on
2. Swipe
3. Exit to home screen (if in an application)
4. Swipe or press "home" to get to center home screen (if not there already)
5. Press phone application icon
6. Press Call Log tab

This isn't a huge problem for me, as I don't use the phone a whole lot. However I do miss the dedicated Mute key on the BB.

Also, I listen to pod casts, the media player, Slacker, and Pandora a lot in the car and while working out and its a real problem for me not to have a dedicated pause button. Instead I must:

1. Turn Droid on
2. Swipe
3. Press pause button in application

This is a PIA and gets the screen all messy when I'm working out!

BlackBerries turn on/off when you remove/place it in the holster, there's none of this "swipe to unlock" every time you turn the phone on.

So I'm considering switching to the Storm 2. I'd consider getting an Eris but the battery life stories have scared me away. Problem is, I've played with Storm2 in the Verizon store and its slow and clunky compared to Droid. But, it does what I want (except decent web browsing) and has the dedicated buttons so I may just switch over to it. I like the click keyboard too - its much more accurate than Droid's various keyboards.

Other thoughts:
The lack of key rollover on the Droid software keyboards is a real limit to typing speed. Key rollover is when you press a key while lifting off another key. On the Droid I seem to miss a lot of characters because it doesn't support this. My understanding is that the Storm 2 has key rollover.

Battery life is pretty decent but I tend to use the Droid more than my Pearl because of the superior web browsing and bigger screen so it probably wouldn't last me the entire weekend like the Pearl does.

YouTube videos can be viewed in high def if you select this in the menu options. Its absolutely incredible.

The Droid has separate volume settings for notifications, media, etc but does not distinguish between Bluetooth volume, ear-piece, speaker, and headset volume the way BB does. On the BB I always leave the Bluetooth volume on max but on the Droid there is no concept of BT volume.

I'm thinking I will not like the Storm 2 as much as the Droid (S2 is slower, clunkier) but that it will do everything I use every day better. I hope that webkit browser and 3d graphics support will arrive in early 2010 and make it much more enjoyable as a web device.

The Droid is like a small computer, I love using it at home or when I'm waiting at the Dr's office or something. For daily use in the car, phone calls, music, etc the BB is better. Its the little things that are driving me crazy on the Droid. I love the apps but I hate the usability on stuff I do all the time.

I decided to return my Droid On Friday and reverted to my Pearl 8130. Its a relief actually. The Pearl does better at Bluetooth, being a phone, and controlling music; plus its smaller. After the 3-day Verizon "cool-off" period, I may get a Storm 2, or wait and see what comes out over the next month or two.

[LunkHead]

Originally Posted by contraria2

Wow Kris...

You are WORSE than me.

I at least talk about my pros and cons before returning a phone. YOU, just "did it"

I am also leaning to returning the phone and getting the C2 or waiting for the Tour2.

Please tell me about the C2. Did you find better reviews? Or, were the reviews wrong? Also, what will the differences be with that and the Tour2?

If you wanna pin me: 31a64e05. Thanks

Yes I am pretty bad when it come to electronics... I have been called a serious junkie...

I have been evaluating the pros and cons with it for 3 weeks as I used it.. I still have / had a Tour sitting around that I need to get up for sale at some point, I still have a 8330 (my son was using it before the Eris, and now he got the Curve 2 as well) and I have an 8703 as well...

I really did like the Fred.. It IS an awesome device. Almost like having a mini computer in your hand.. I had no issues with it whatsoever as far as speed, lockups, reboots, ect....

I guess I have been using BB's for so long that it's hard to stray away from them no matter how much I like another device...

For me, there were a few things on the Fred I just don't think I could accept for the long term.. The main and number one reason was the keyboard... I was getting better on it, but I really could not see myself ever enjoying the device when it came to sliding out the keyboard...

The other main pain in the rump was the auto screen lock.. As the awesome review posted by WPWoodJr above states it's a serious pain... You need to push the button on the top of the device to wake the screen, then swipe to unlock it, then navigate to what you want to do.. Put device down for a few minutes and want to do something else? Repeat above.... Quite the pain if you are texting, listening to music ect...

Lastly I could never get use to the lack of a dedicated call and end button... It's a must have...

There were so many things to love about the Fred and it is an awesome device.. I guess I just never wanted to really love it and stick with it because it was not a BB...

Now onto the Curve 2 (8530)...

Feels like I am holding a feather... The KB is nice and the clicking sound it makes does not bother me as other reviews have said they hate...

The screen is no Fred.... Not even close! But it is good enough for my needs...

The KB is awesome! It's a BB KB so enough said... While I hate the KB on the Tour and loved the KB on the 8330 the KB on this is more like the 8330 which is obvious since it's a Curve 2...

It's pretty snappy and fast as far as the OS goes... Takes about 2 minutes to boot (my Tour took / takes over 8 minutes) and I have had no issues since I picked it up with freezes, lockups, or reboots.. OS 5 is pretty nice and I like the fact that my fav apps are work like a charm on it...

The trackpad is awesome!!!!!! Love it! One of the best choices BB could have ever made was to change over to it... It's pretty sweet and responsive...

Phone quality is OK and it's usable... My Fred sounded better.. I like the dedicated media buttons on the top as I can FF Pandora when a tune I don't like is on...

As far as the debate on the Curve 2 or the Tour 2 goes... I'd say it depends on which KB you prefer.. That will all but make your choice... I hate the KB on the Tour and am pretty sure the Tour 2 will sport the exact same KB.. The Tour 2 will probably be exactly the same as the Tour but will sport the trackpad and wifi...

Many of the reviews I read on the Curve 2 were rather underwhelming... I think that is because the Curve 2 does not have a camera flash, and reviewers were hoping for a better screen resolution.. Many also said the Curve 2 feels cheap and they did not like the clicking sound it makes..

It does not feel cheap to me (it is as light as a feather though) and I can care less about the camera's lack of a flash... I actually like the clicking sound it makes..

That is all for now...

Kris

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by WPWoodJr

I got the Droid on D-Day, Nov 6, at 6am.

I was moving from a BB Pearl 8130. My Pearl has been great and did everything I asked it to, including streaming music, stereo Bluetooth, email, and keeping a charge from Fri evening to Mon morning (with light usage).

But the Droid is a real step up. Web browsing is fantastic, the screen is gorgeous, GMail has HTML support, there are lots of great applications available, and I've even started to like the hardware keyboard.

Its been great having wi-fi. Recently I've been abroad without data and I can still go online with wi-fi. The EVDO Rev A is lightning fast, I'm getting 1600Kbs (vs 900Kbs on the Pearl and, in informal testing at the store, the Storm 2). A good place to test the speed is at: iPhone speedtest - let us know what speed you get on your Storm 2, Droid, or Eris!

So I'm really enjoying the speed, screen, web browsing, and applications on the Droid. The battery isn't even so bad. What's not to like? There are two main things.

Firstly, the Droid does not play nicely with the MS Sync bluetooth in my Ford Fusion Hybrid. It usually doesn't automatically reconnect to both the phone and the stereo for media playback and I have to connect manually. Then, it acts very laggy so that commands that I initiate on the phone take 20 seconds or so to take effect. For example, pausing the media stream or adjusting the volume. Sometimes, it acts strangely when answering incoming calls and also disconnects intermittently.

Secondly, the lack of hardware buttons makes it frustrating to use. There are no dedicated phone buttons - the phone is just an app like everything else! Sometimes it can take up to 6 actions to get to the "Call log" screen which is where I often dial from. For those who are counting:

1. Turn Droid on
2. Swipe
3. Exit to home screen (if in an application)
4. Swipe or press "home" to get to center home screen (if not there already)
5. Press phone application icon
6. Press Call Log tab

This isn't a huge problem for me, as I don't use the phone a whole lot. However I do miss the dedicated Mute key on the BB.

Also, I listen to pod casts, the media player, Slacker, and Pandora a lot in the car and while working out and its a real problem for me not to have a dedicated pause button. Instead I must:

1. Turn Droid on
2. Swipe
3. Press pause button in application

This is a PIA and gets the screen all messy when I'm working out!

BlackBerries turn on/off when you remove/place it in the holster, there's none of this "swipe to unlock" every time you turn the phone on.

So I'm considering switching to the Storm 2. I'd consider getting an Eris but the battery life stories have scared me away. Problem is, I've played with Storm2 in the Verizon store and its slow and clunky compared to Droid. But, it does what I want (except decent web browsing) and has the dedicated buttons so I may just switch over to it. I like the click keyboard too - its much more accurate than Droid's various keyboards.

Other thoughts:
The lack of key rollover on the Droid software keyboards is a real limit to typing speed. Key rollover is when you press a key while lifting off another key. On the Droid I seem to miss a lot of characters because it doesn't support this. My understanding is that the Storm 2 has key rollover.

Battery life is pretty decent but I tend to use the Droid more than my Pearl because of the superior web browsing and bigger screen so it probably wouldn't last me the entire weekend like the Pearl does.

YouTube videos can be viewed in high def if you select this in the menu options. Its absolutely incredible.

The Droid has separate volume settings for notifications, media, etc but does not distinguish between Bluetooth volume, ear-piece, speaker, and headset volume the way BB does. On the BB I always leave the Bluetooth volume on max but on the Droid there is no concept of BT volume.

I'm thinking I will not like the Storm 2 as much as the Droid (S2 is slower, clunkier) but that it will do everything I use every day better. I hope that webkit browser and 3d graphics support will arrive in early 2010 and make it much more enjoyable as a web device.

The Droid is like a small computer, I love using it at home or when I'm waiting at the Dr's office or something. For daily use in the car, phone calls, music, etc the BB is better. Its the little things that are driving me crazy on the Droid. I love the apps but I hate the usability on stuff I do all the time.

I decided to return my Droid On Friday and reverted to my Pearl 8130. Its a relief actually. The Pearl does better at Bluetooth, being a phone, and controlling music; plus its smaller. After the 3-day Verizon "cool-off" period, I may get a Storm 2, or wait and see what comes out over the next month or two.

You should have really looked at other Android phones. The Motorola one seems to be getting the most attention, but in my opinion, Motorola sucks and always has. Many of the Droids deficiencies seem to stem from the hardware, not the OS. HTC seems to have it right when it comes to Android. Their phones DO have a dedicated phone button and their software keyboard is far superior to the stock version on the Motorola one.

[LunkHead]

My son had the HTC Eris and hated it... Yes it has dedicated call / end buttons but the OS was far slower than that of my Fred...

Also, the Eris is running OS 1.6 and has had the time to be tweaked and fixed.. The Fred is running OS 2.0 and is still brand spankin new...

As I said earlier... The Fred is not only a 1st gen device but it's also running a 1st gen OS...

I played with my son's HTC and I really hated it... To each their own I guess... Different strokes for different folks...

My .02

Kris

[ArgonNJ]

2.1 is already leaking for the HTC Hero, which like the Eris is running Sense UI. I imagine the Eris will be getting the update soon, which should improve it.

[contraria2]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

Yes I am pretty bad when it come to electronics... I have been called a serious junkie...

I have been evaluating the pros and cons with it for 3 weeks as I used it.. I still have / had a Tour sitting around that I need to get up for sale at some point, I still have a 8330 (my son was using it before the Eris, and now he got the Curve 2 as well) and I have an 8703 as well...

I really did like the Fred.. It IS an awesome device. Almost like having a mini computer in your hand.. I had no issues with it whatsoever as far as speed, lockups, reboots, ect....

I guess I have been using BB's for so long that it's hard to stray away from them no matter how much I like another device...

For me, there were a few things on the Fred I just don't think I could accept for the long term.. The main and number one reason was the keyboard... I was getting better on it, but I really could not see myself ever enjoying the device when it came to sliding out the keyboard...

The other main pain in the rump was the auto screen lock.. As the awesome review posted by WPWoodJr above states it's a serious pain... You need to push the button on the top of the device to wake the screen, then swipe to unlock it, then navigate to what you want to do.. Put device down for a few minutes and want to do something else? Repeat above.... Quite the pain if you are texting, listening to music ect...

Lastly I could never get use to the lack of a dedicated call and end button... It's a must have...

There were so many things to love about the Fred and it is an awesome device.. I guess I just never wanted to really love it and stick with it because it was not a BB...

Now onto the Curve 2 (8530)...

Feels like I am holding a feather... The KB is nice and the clicking sound it makes does not bother me as other reviews have said they hate...

The screen is no Fred.... Not even close! But it is good enough for my needs...

The KB is awesome! It's a BB KB so enough said... While I hate the KB on the Tour and loved the KB on the 8330 the KB on this is more like the 8330 which is obvious since it's a Curve 2...

It's pretty snappy and fast as far as the OS goes... Takes about 2 minutes to boot (my Tour took / takes over 8 minutes) and I have had no issues since I picked it up with freezes, lockups, or reboots.. OS 5 is pretty nice and I like the fact that my fav apps are work like a charm on it...

The trackpad is awesome!!!!!! Love it! One of the best choices BB could have ever made was to change over to it... It's pretty sweet and responsive...

Phone quality is OK and it's usable... My Fred sounded better.. I like the dedicated media buttons on the top as I can FF Pandora when a tune I don't like is on...

As far as the debate on the Curve 2 or the Tour 2 goes... I'd say it depends on which KB you prefer.. That will all but make your choice... I hate the KB on the Tour and am pretty sure the Tour 2 will sport the exact same KB.. The Tour 2 will probably be exactly the same as the Tour but will sport the trackpad and wifi...

Many of the reviews I read on the Curve 2 were rather underwhelming... I think that is because the Curve 2 does not have a camera flash, and reviewers were hoping for a better screen resolution.. Many also said the Curve 2 feels cheap and they did not like the clicking sound it makes..

It does not feel cheap to me (it is as light as a feather though) and I can care less about the camera's lack of a flash... I actually like the clicking sound it makes..

That is all for now...

Kris

Ok...I returned the droid and picked up the C2.

What the heck was I thinking?! This thing is awesome! Wow....

I guess I needed a week of "something else" to prove to myself how hooked I am to bberry! They think of everything. Amazing.

Like you said, the camera makes no difference to me. I don't use it all that often. The OS 5.0 is really nice. And it SO light. Love it!

When the Tour2 comes out, I'll decide what to do then. For now, though, this is what I was looking for. Even the browser, which generally sux, is much better.

I assume at some point in the near future BB will come out with a product that has a better browser. Whatever. The BB is exactly what I need.

And the track-pad is infinitely better than the ball. Now I can answer the phone during dinner

[WPWoodJr]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

Now onto the Curve 2 (8530)...

I also like the new Curve 2. Its small, speedy, and functional. But did you look at the Storm 2? I find it much easier to type on than the Droid. Why did you not get it?

- Bill

[WPWoodJr]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

You should have really looked at other Android phones. The Motorola one seems to be getting the most attention, but in my opinion, Motorola sucks and always has. Many of the Droids deficiencies seem to stem from the hardware, not the OS. HTC seems to have it right when it comes to Android. Their phones DO have a dedicated phone button and their software keyboard is far superior to the stock version on the Motorola one.

Yes, I like the Eris and the Sprint Hero. The Eris seems to have battery life problems though, and it has the same "unholster, turn it on, then swipe to unlock" baloney that the Droid has. I really prefer the BB "unholster to unlock" way.

[LunkHead]

Originally Posted by WPWoodJr

I also like the new Curve 2. Its small, speedy, and functional. But did you look at the Storm 2? I find it much easier to type on than the Droid. Why did you not get it?

- Bill

I would never get a device that does not have a physical KB.... It's just not for me...

The Cruve 2 is very fast.... Surprised the heck out if me as I was expecting it to be as slow as the Tour... This little guy scoots!

I am missing some things from the Fred but some things from the Fred I am glad to be rid of...

My son played with the Strom 2 but decided to go with the Curve 2 instead.. I think the Storm 1 left a very bad taste in his mouth and he does / did not trust the Storm 2...

Originally Posted by contraria2

Ok...I returned the droid and picked up the C2.

What the heck was I thinking?! This thing is awesome! Wow....

I guess I needed a week of "something else" to prove to myself how hooked I am to bberry! They think of everything. Amazing.

Like you said, the camera makes no difference to me. I don't use it all that often. The OS 5.0 is really nice. And it SO light. Love it!

When the Tour2 comes out, I'll decide what to do then. For now, though, this is what I was looking for. Even the browser, which generally sux, is much better.

I assume at some point in the near future BB will come out with a product that has a better browser. Whatever. The BB is exactly what I need.

And the track-pad is infinitely better than the ball. Now I can answer the phone during dinner

The browser is much better under OS 5 and as sated above this little guy is lightning fast!

I loved the KB on the Curve 1 and the Curve 2 version is just as good...

I don't even think I will look at the Tour 2 unless they change the KB which is highly doubtful...

[contraria2]

Originally Posted by LunkHead

I would never get a device that does not have a physical KB.... It's just not for me...

The Cruve 2 is very fast.... Surprised the heck out if me as I was expecting it to be as slow as the Tour... This little guy scoots!

I am missing some things from the Fred but some things from the Fred I am glad to be rid of...

My son played with the Strom 2 but decided to go with the Curve 2 instead.. I think the Storm 1 left a very bad taste in his mouth and he does / did not trust the Storm 2...



The browser is much better under OS 5 and as sated above this little guy is lightning fast!

I loved the KB on the Curve 1 and the Curve 2 version is just as good...

I don't even think I will look at the Tour 2 unless they change the KB which is highly doubtful...

I know. There's NOTHING not to like about this BB [except maybe the camera/flash.]

I'm hooked. I almost feel like I was released from droid prison and re-united with my loved ones. Technology invokes strange emotions...

[WPWoodJr]

How is the battery life on the Curve 2?

[LunkHead]

I am easily getting a day out of it... Several phone calls, email, text messages and running Pandora.. I also brows the web a little... At the end of the day I have like 40% left....

[zerog46]

Ya talked me into it, I just ordered the Curve 2 today.