DROID

[aimeekitty]

Hello daaahlings,

um... so, Mitch's cellphone, after being literally taped together for a year or so (both our cells are pretty old... mine has a dark corner for a year. haha.) well, his finally bit the bucket yesterday. He HAS to have a relatively advanced phone since all his reminders and schedules are on it. (He used to have a palm pilot back in the dark-ages. hurhur)

Point is, he got a DROID (droid 2 I think?)

I really like APPLE stuff, but my family uses Verizon, I hear bad things about AT&T's coverage... and Mitch is pretty set on the DROID.
Tell me that Mitch and I will be perfectly happy using DROIDs?
I want to look up constellations, I want to have a GOOD drawing app, I want to be able to post pictures directly to LJ, TW and FB from my phone, I want to have videos and mp3s synch from my iTunes program onto my phone. Is all of this sort of thing possible on the DROID, too? (I worry about stuff like this, which matters when you're drawing...)

aggggh... I hate even thinking of paying for a data plan. *____* But you can't get smart phones really anymore (like just for an organizer purpose) without getting a data plan.

Comments

[slave-to-anime.livejournal.com]

You know I'm an iPhone user, but I suspect you'll both be reasonably happy with Droids. Those specific apps, I'm not sure about, but I'm guessing they probably do exist on Android. I'll leave it to someone with more expertise on the platform to say for sure.

Synching with iTunes admittedly is the question mark. Apple is supposed to have that locked down. Google suggests trying doubleTwist. No clue how well that would work. Movies bought on iTunes will almost certainly be trouble. Music bought on iTunes is probably a bit more possible since iTunes music should be DRM-free now.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I'm not TOO worried about movies, as that's not as important and I seldom buy movies through itunes. It's mostly my own movies on my iPod that I've converted for iTunes.

But the music library is important.
I have visions of having my iPod and my phone... I guess that's ok, but it kinda defeats the purpose of having an all-in-one (supposedly) phone.

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

The ONLY reason I would get an iPhone over a Droid (note: Alltel was bought out by Verizon) is because I have Mobile Me. I currently have a flip phone that I love so until iPhones move to Verizon AND my flip phone dies I probably won't be getting one... If iPhones don't move to Verizon within the next year I will probably get a Droid though.

I really think the Droid is a superior phone, and I think it'd be an excellent choice. I'm not sure about any of the things you listed though; I don't know how uploading music to it works (legally it couldn't use iTunes). But I have a friend who REALLY loves his Droid and he does graphic stuff as well (video game, but still~) and most of everyone that has a Droid has been super happy with it.

Sorry I'm not much help with the specifics, but I don't think you'd be unhappy with it. :) Hopefully someone has one and can give you specifics :)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

what's the deal with Mobile Me? (I also have that)

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

Mobile Me will push all your contacts, sync with your calendar, all of that. It's linked in with iPhone. I really want it so i can push my email to my phone when I can't be around.

When they upgraded from .mac to Mobile Me It -really- increased the amount of stuff you can do with it. As I don't have an iPhone I can't tell you everything but if you look around a bit on the .me site or on apple forums they'll have info out the arse. :)

[hinoai.livejournal.com]

I thought that Mobile Me was ridiculously expensive? So much so that I couldn't imagine why people would subscribe to it.. I must have misunderstood the description...

I dunno about an android. Admittedly I know nothing about it, and iphones here are managed by Softbank, which is the best of all of the phone companies (imo), but to be honest, even if that weren't so, I wouldn't get any other type of smartphone. The reason being that iphone is the one that people think of first, and so iphone will almost always be the first to have apps. I doubt that anything exciting will come out for any other platforms first. It's like how all of the cool new software comes out for PCs before (if ever) it comes out for macs. If you want variety of apps, then you have to get the most widely used product.

[mercurykitty.livejournal.com]

One of my managers at work has a first generation Droid and LOVES it.

My coworker and my future mother-in-law both have phones with Android operating systems and LOVE them.

Daryl has an iPhone 4 though work and, while he loves it, I HATE the damn thing. Whenever he calls me it sounds like he's far away and underwater (even with the case that prevents the death grip effect).

[purpleallison.livejournal.com]

I can see what that article is saying about screen sensitivity and straight lines and such. But then again I can't draw a straight line even with a protractor and a robot exoskeleton guiding my arm! ;P
But I do otherwise love my droid. (Droid 1, the X and 2 are probably spiffier than mine) the first apps I recomend are app killer, swift key or swype, lj beetle and google sky maps.
The sonic screwdriver, lightsaber and tricorder ones are also fun.

Hope you enjoy your new phones!

[spiralstairs.livejournal.com]

I love my iPhone, but when I lived in Cali, AT&T service was horrendous. My calls got dropped at least twice. You can jailbreak it to get Verizon services, but then that voids the warranty and all that other business. :( I don't know what's available for other phones, but I know Sketchbook Pro is available for iPhone. Best of luck! :)

[adichappo.livejournal.com]

I don't have an smart phone of any kind, but my brother just got a DROID and loves it! It even has a "sonic screwdriver" app. That's all I really know of them.

[obliviousally.livejournal.com]

I don't have a Droid, but I'm with Verizon and I've been pretty happy with what I've been able to do with their smartplans and all. I've got a Palm Pixi, actually and if it does the same sort of things the Droid does, you should be pretty happy with it. I can post easily to FB and update LJ, as well as easily transfer music and all that.

A few people I know have Droids, as well, and are pretty happy with them.

I can't really give an opinion on any drawing apps. I had one for my Pixi, but it just wasn't something I personally liked at the time.

[hoshikage.livejournal.com]

Mark and I both have Droids and really like them. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about its options for the specific apps you've described, but I do know you can put music on it (I just haven't bothered because I did wind up with an iPod from a gift before getting the phone... ^^;)

One note of warning - the protective cases (which I definitely wanted, with my clumsiness) do have a bit of a tendency to break off at the corners after a while (or perhaps it's determined by number of impacts...), because there isn't a lot of space in the Droid design to attach the things and so the brackets that hold them on are super-thin and fragile. Just a heads-up.

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

I don't want them both on the same battery. I have no problems carrying around both of mine now :)

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

$99/yr, but when I worked for Apple I got it free. And then I got another free code for doing their training. Etc.

[fiducia.livejournal.com]

I have the HTC Incredible (Droid-type phone)and...

I
LOVE
IT!

Seriously. It's amazing. I haven't looked up apps for constellations or drawing but I know you can post pics directly to Facebook via the Facebook app that comes already installed on the phone. I don't know about LJ since I haven't found that app nor Twitter but I'm 99.9% sure they are out there.

The only problem is that Droids don't sync with iTunes. You CAN, however, import those mp4 and video files onto your Droid's media file and listen to them just fine. You just have to plug your phone into your PC and use it like an external data drive. You can take songs right out of your iTunes folder and copy/paste them onto your Droid's memory card or into the internal phone memory. You won't have the fancy cool iTunes interface to work with but the functionality is there.

My touch screens accuracy is great, honestly. I don't have a problem typing and there are auto complete words similar to the iPhone/iPod Touch so that's NOT a problem.

$30 data plan is unlimited use as opposed to AT&T's which is $25 but only 2 gig or something like that. Now granted if you use 2 gig a month of data I want to know what illicit web sites you're visiting so Ic an book mark them for myself...but anyway the plans are comparable.

*hug* Good luck!

[ladyofdragons.livejournal.com]

Speaking from someone in the app industry, both the iPhone 4 and the newest Droid offerings (Like the X or EVO) are comparable. You can nick-pick the hardware if you want but really you'll get a good phone either way. Maybe do a little bit of research into the pressure sensitivity for the newest phones if that's a point of importance for you.

Honestly I don't think carriers are as much of an issue as the hype says. They ALL have pros and cons both ways and SOMEONE's network is always going to be "better" than another's because it's the evolving nature of hardware. Is that computer you bought last year total shit because your neighbor has one that's only a week old? Not really. Same goes for networks. AT&T is already upgrading their outdated hardware, Verizon will eventually have to as well, as will Sprint one day when 4G becomes obsolete.

I also would not put too much weight into Verizon having unlimited data where as AT&T does not anymore. They have plans to cut their unlimited data and eventually all carriers likely will have to as well. Nature of the beast.

As apps go the iPhone/iPad has a HUGE library compared to the Android Marketplace and it may even stay like that. Though Android is a more flexible OS to develop for that also makes it harder to control. The more handsets that are released that use Android the more variables there are in development and the more opportunists there are for apps to break. That's the benefit of the "closed" dev environment of Apple's OS. It's much easier to develop and test for. Plus you can always jailbreak your phone if you want more options or apps. SO in terms of content I would say Apple beats Android hands down, though Android may narrow the gap as time goes by.

Though I love Google products I have an iPhone 3GS that I love. I'm not an Apple fangirl as I'm not fond of their "strict" style, but they do make an amazing product. I also use AT&T as a carrier and have for almost 10 years now, and have had very little issue. Unless you spend a ton of time in really rural areas AT&T's coverage won't be an issue.(Verizon was not an option for me personally because I know a little too much about their company politics/morals and won't give them my personal money if I can help it.)

[mrlich.livejournal.com]

I read (and am replying to this) on my 'old school' Motorola Droid (original). I couldn't be happier with mine. My girlfriend couldn't be happier with hers. My coworker (who, like me, is a tech toy nerd and currently has an iPhone 4) is disappointed with his iPhone and keeps threatening to jump ship to Android.

I'm certain you would be quite happy, with the possible exception of the art apps. As a fellow illustrator though, I wouldn't recommend a phone (any phone) for even a digital _sketch_book. Much better to get something like an iPad, old XP Tablet, or an upcoming Android tablet for that.

Good luck!

[miss-jane.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you posted this - I have no idea what new phone to get when I move to the US. I really hope you make the right choice!

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

that's a good point. I'm happy with my current ipod, maybe I should just let the ipod be itself and the phone do things the ipod can't do.

[merrycalliope.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who is a pretty hardcore Apple person but decided on the Droid over an iPhone and is very happy with it. I'm not sure how she syncs her iTunes though--that's really the only thing that I'd have any doubt over.

For what it's worth, M and I both have iPhones and have had no issues with AT&T's service. Otoh, we had Verizon for other services and that's been moderately flaky and my mom had serious issues with her Verizon cellphone coverage. It seems like providers can be really hit or miss. >_< The main downside of an iPhone for me, really my only complaint, is the lack of physical keyboard. The massive amount of third party development for the iPhone largely makes up for that shortcoming though (if you don't text/email much from your phone). You can find an app for just about anything!

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I do txt a decent amount, so... you're saying that hwould be difficult on an iphone?

[merrycalliope.livejournal.com]

The virtual keyboard on an iPhone is definitely more awkward to use than a physical keyboard on any other smartphone. On my old Sidekick I could easily carry on conversations or type email nearly as fast as on a regular keyboard but I'm suuuuper slow on the iPhone and tend to avoid lengthy conversations/email.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I wonder if I can synch my contacts from address book, etc, into a DROID?

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

Droids will sync over everything from google. (calendar, email, etc). i DO know that b/c I was looking at it the other day.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

is there some way I can synch my contacts from "address book" and "calendar" onto a DROID... (etc...?)