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Posted by Myriam Joire14 Comments on Motorola Droid first impressions Apple

Motorola Droid first impressions

It’s been less than a week since the Motorola Droid unexpectedly landed on my doorstep after making quite a fuss on the intertubes. So it’s time for a reality check.

Does this über phone live up to all the hype? The short answer: yes, absolutely! Does it challenge the mighty Nokia N900 to the throne of geekdom? The long answer: possibly, maybe…

If the iPhone is the device for the masses, and the N900 the device for the hackers, then the Droid is the device for the nerds.

Curves vs. edges, shiny vs. matte, simple vs. tweakable, closed vs. open, OS X vs. Android, Apple vs. Google, GSM vs. CDMA, AT&T vs. Verizon, virtual vs. physical keyboard, sealed vs. removable battery – the Droid is the anti-iPhone :)

What’s hot:
– Slim, retro design
– Awesome display (3.7″, 848×480 resolution)
– Fast, responsive UI
– Android 2.0 (Eclair)
– Google Navigation (the killer app)
– Multiple Google accounts (mail, contacts, calendar)
– Built-in Facebook support (contacts)
– Exchange support
– Dedicated two-stage camera button
– DVD-quality video recording

What’s not:
– No multitouch
– Problems with camera auto-focus
– Average keyboard
– No built-in Twitter support (Twidroid not pre-installed)
– No built-in Flickr support
– No Bluetooth or USB DUN
– CDMA only

Categories

Apple, Droid, experiences, iPhone, links, Motorola, N900, Nokia, thoughts

14 thoughts on “Motorola Droid first impressions” Leave a comment ›

  1. hey tnkgrl, could you please do a comparison between N900 and Droid, I’m sure many will be keen on reading that! Thanks for all your pictures and videos and impressions write ups btw. Cheers.

    Reply

  3. I’d really love to see a Droid vs. iPhone vs. N900 shootout from your gangsta/geeksta perspective. I like how you see the market for each of them. iPhone for Joe Blow, Droid for the nerds, N900 for the geeks/hackers! Couldn’t say it better.

    (And for the haterati out there, geeks and nerds aren’t the same. Geeks are cool and probably your boss. Nerds are social outcasts, but wanna be geeks so bad…)

    Reply

  4. Any comments about battery comparison between this and the n900? Just initial thoughts since your usage patterns are likely to be similar

    Reply

  5. those r some neat pictures. one of the best ive ever seen on mobile device. btw r u still on your ways or can u already test if the audio controller on the cable from symbian nokia´s works for the music player?

    Reply

  6. I’m considering the Droid (well, the UK equivalent, the Milestone) but I’m a little bit concerned about the keyboard (I’m a stocky 6.5″ guy so have prolems with fiddly devices). I’ve not been able to go hands on with one so I’m trying to find a frame of reference to work from. Would you be able to tell me how it compares to the following (where possible)

    Nokia e71 – tiny but very bowed keys
    Nokia n810 – keys look about the same size, slightly rounded
    Blackberry Bold – About the only BB keyb I’ve been able to tolerate
    HTC Universal – blech WM5, but at least had an OK keyboard :)

    Reply

  7. I’m considering the Droid (well, the UK equivalent, the Milestone) but I’m a little bit concerned about the keyboard (I’m a stocky 6.5″ guy so have prolems with fiddly devices). I’ve not been able to go hands on with one so I’m trying to find a frame of reference to work from. Would you be able to tell me how it compares to the following (where possible)

    Nokia e71 – tiny but very bowed keys
    Nokia n810 – keys look about the same size, slightly rounded
    Blackberry Bold – About the only BB keyb I’ve been able to tolerate
    HTC Universal – blech WM5, but at least had an OK keyboard :)

    Thanks muchly for any advice you can provide

    Reply
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  9. Hey tnkgrl … can you please tell me about the Music quality of DROID through headphones, possibly compare it with the iPhone in terms of loudness, hi and lows. I have been trying to find out about that but there is nothing out there that explain … because thats the only thing that is holding me off to get the DROID. Thanks.

    Reply
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