With so many great new
phones on the market, it is challenging at times to figure out which one to
buy. As a long time Blackberry owner myself, I will admit that it took me a
while to warm up to the newcomers. I was very comfortable with what I was using
and didn't really even take the time to learn about the Droid or the iPhone.
That started to change
when I bought my first iPod Touch (essentially an iPhone without the service
contract) to use at the gym. What I originally thought would be a workout
device quickly caught my attention as I started to realize the power of the
device. What started out as downloading a few fitness related applications
quickly grew into a new obsession with addicting games, schedule management
apps, and high quality video content. I started to wonder if perhaps I was
missing out on something that my handy Blackberry couldn’t deliver. I have now
reached a point where I have owned and used each device. Hopefully my
experience will be beneficial to those of you who are still deciding which
Smart phone should earn your business.
Blackberry Phones
I have owned several
Blackberry phones including the Curve, the World, and the Bold. The biggest
thing that kept me loyal to Blackberry for such a long time was the reliable
carrier service. I had a contract through Verizon and in over 4 years, never
experienced a single dropped call. I was able to send text messages from remote
trails and mountain tops (literally) and the network coverage was outstanding.
Another area that
offered some comfort was the great battery life. There were times when I
accidentally forgot to bring my charger for a 2 day weekend trip out-of-state
and my phone was able to survive the entire trip without going dead on me; that
was impressive! In addition to the reliable service and strong battery life, I
was always a fan of having a real keyboard for quick dialing and text
messaging. Call me a traditionalist but I still like to use a physical
keyboard, especially when I need to send a message quickly.
Even with all the
pluses, my Blackberry devices did leave me wanting more in certain areas. Web
browsing was slow and the lack of a fully functional web browser was maddening
at times when all I wanted was a quick sports score or news update. The lack of
available applications also meant that the possibilities for expanding
functionality were fairly limited. I was able to carry out basic work-related
productivity tasks like checking email, making calls, and responding to text
messages but functionality beyond that required a laptop in most cases.
The Droid and Other
Android Phones
I got excited when I
found out that I could get a Droid on my existing Verizon network and jumped at
the opportunity to try a phone with expanded capabilities. I have to admit that
the first couple of days were a bit frustrating as I had to learn a new system
and get used to texting with a touch screen.
After the adjustment
period, I found that I was actually more productive and could send text
messages even faster as I learned to take advantage of suggested spellings and
prompting for frequently typed words. Once the basics started to flow a bit
more naturally, I was able to start taking advantage of some of the extended
features that really make Android phones stand out. I loved the extensive
library of downloadable apps (many of which are free) that covered everything
from tools to help me manage my finances to GPS navigation, up to the minute
news, and weather updates.
My favorite feature is
the web browser which allows you to select between a mobile version and
traditional view with the ability to support JavaScript and pages requiring a
login. Having the ability to view web pages with full css support is really a
blessing after several years of looking at skewed web pages on a mobile phone.
This has opened up a whole new world of information gathering which to me makes
the phone worth having just for that alone. If having access to personal media
such as photos, an audio library, and video content is your thing; chances are
you will really like the Droid as it allows you to carry everything in one
device instead of having a phone, MP3 player, and laptop all jammed into a bag.
The three models
getting the most attention are the Droid Incredible 2, the Samsung Galaxy and
the Samsung Epic. The biggest drawback for me so far has been the battery life.
All of those powerful features do drain a charge in a hurry so it is important
to charge your phone nightly and buy a car charger for it as well. To me
though, that certainly wouldn't drive me away from using it. Once you get used
to all the features, it is very difficult to convince yourself that you don’t
really need them. I just can’t find enough positive things to say about it and
would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great smartphone!
The iPhone
I bought my iPhone
shortly after an iPod Touch which I quickly fell in love with. I couldn't get
enough of the app store and was constantly adding new games, productivity
applications, and whatever else looked like it would be fun. I thought it would
be wonderful if I could combine all of my media, apps, movies, and games with
my phone so I decided to give it a shot. The phone was very easy to learn how
to use and the touch screen technology was second to none. While other phones
do have touch screen capabilities as well, Apple seems to have figured out how
to keep their screens super responsive and calibrated to near perfection.
The other area where
they stand out is in size. The slender phone fits easily in a pocket or purse
without taking up much room at all. I know I've touched on this before but
battery life is pretty important to me and the iPhone performs well in that
category, especially when you consider how much it does.
Just when I started to
think that I had found the perfect phone for me, I started to dread being tied
to an AT&T network started to set in. The 3G coverage was spotty at best
making it almost useless in areas lacking coverage. The dropped calls were also
frequent and annoying to the point where I eventually ended up going back to
the Droid. I am still looking forward to testing out the newest version of the
iPhone 4G which is already a top seller heading into the holiday season this
year.
My Decision
Now that Apple offers
Verizon service, look out! They have an amazing device along with one of the
best network providers in the business. I have found a nice comfort zone by
using a Droid as my primary phone and having my iPod Touch on the side for
added fun. In the end, a great, full-featured phone combined with a consistent
and reliable carrier made the Droid Incredible my phone of choice.
Ultimately, the choice
of which smartphone to buy will depend on what’s important to you and what
kinds of tasks you rely on most. If simplicity is your thing and you need a
business workhorse, a Blackberry phone is probably a good choice. For those of
you who are in need of full web connectivity and rendering along with access to
extensive applications, the Droid is probably one you should seriously
consider. Last but not least, the iPhone is still an amazing device and is well
suited for people who want to stay connected to media such as music, video, and
pictures. As long as you can tolerate a carrier with less than perfect service,
the phone itself is great! While there is no clear-cut winner that will be
perfect for everyone, one thing is certain;technology keeps getting better and
better and all three of these options will give you faster access to data than
ever before.
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