Will Verizon’s new Droid present a challenge to the iPhone?
I realize that for many iPhone users out there, the thought of switching phones is roughly on par with the idea of changing moms. It’s just not done.
But for those of us who lack that extreme loyalty to a brand, the new Droid smartphone - it officially hits the streets on Nov. 6 - could present an interesting alternative to the iPhone, offered by AT&T.
I don’t do product reviews in this space - leaving that to the experts in various types of equipment. For that sort of thing, check out CNET, engadget, or PCMag.com.
However, I do have one of these new phones in my hands right now.
And my initial impression is that I may have found a replacement for my Blackberry Curve. I’ve never been a huge fan of touch screens (at least for typing) and the Droid, made by Motorola, solves that problem for me by offering a screen that slides aside to reveal a full keyboard.
The other drawback, for me, with the Blackberry has been the lack
of cool apps. Probably because the Curve is aimed at more of a business user - people who don’t need things like a Magic 8 Ball to help them make decisions. (Of course, the Curve’s lack of motion sensors makes that one pretty impossible anyway).
The Droid seems to be headed down a different path. Verizon tells me there are already some 10,000 apps for Google’s open-source platform.
Certainly we’ll be hearing a lot about this phone in coming weeks. But a few details:
- The phone will sell for $199, with a new two-year agreement.
- Plan on adding a voice plan (at least $39.99) and a data plan (at least $29.99).
- The screen has a 3.7-inch display, with more than 400,000 pixels. Verizon says that’s double it’s leading competitor (assume they mean the iPhone.)
- There’s a voice-activated search through Google.
Tim has covered a wide range of topics, including tourism, crime, aviation and gambling, since becoming a reporter in 1990. The Oklahoma native joined the Post-Dispatch in 2007 after spending nine years in Orlando. In his spare time, he's often exploring one virtual world or another. He can be reached at tbarker@post-dispatch.com. 
Don’t forget about Google’s FREE turn-by-turn navigation! Google Android devices will soon see a larger market share of smartphone users. While none of them match the hardware specs of the iPhone yet, there’s at least one device on 3 of the 4 big cell services (AT&T being the one left in the cold).
There are plenty of rumors swirling around the Snapdragon processor coming to new Android devices in the near future.
Ah! Funny that the navigation feature was the first thing someone commented on. I tried it last night for my drive from the Post-Dispatch to my home in Chesterfield…and the phone stubbornly insisted that I take Highway 40. It could not be dissuaded, even as I was driving past Hampton on I-44.
Kurt, unfortunately the problem of having a free service as a major selling point is that the free service has to be up to par with the pay services. Everytime I use Google Maps to get across town, it tells me to take I-64. Thankfully it will be back open in a month or so!
I’m an iPhone owner, and I’m so freaking sick of the “There’s an app for that” spots I can’t hit the mute button fast enough. Apple’s got a good thing going, but they really need to find a different theme. Quickly.The Droid ads are pretty original, have nothing to do the with devices at all - and they get one’s attention. Like Seanathorne wrote, the new ads are a fun change.