As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Considering a Droid

rocketshipreadyrocketshipready Registered User regular
edited December 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I have the opportunity to get a Droid on our family plan right now, but a smartphone isn't really necessary in my current life situation. It'd be nice, of course, but I definitely wouldn't use it to its full capability. However, I'll most likely be moving to New York for the 2010 fall semester, and I'll be spending quite a bit of time in NYC where I'll be sure to use it quite a bit. The Droid looks like a nice piece of technology, but I'd hate to get it right now and have it outdated before I really get a chance to use it. Are the 2010 smartphones looking substantially better than the current Droid stats, or will the Droid remain great for the next couple of years? The Android updates make me believe that it'll be fine, but I guess I just want to be sure, since it'll mostly just be a nice toy at this point, rather than a legitimately useful tool. Thanks!

rocketshipready on

Posts

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    You should be fine. The Droid is one of the absolute top phones on the market right now, Google's been good about patching in new functionality, its app store is doing well and there's really not anything coming in the near future that will blow it out of the water.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • RohaqRohaq UKRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I made the mistake of going with the first gen Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, and after switching to an iPhone, I can honestly say that I prefer the iPhone.

    That said, my main issues with the phone was likely down to the hardware: It had poor task management, meaning that processes were being kept open that no longer needed to be, which was annoying when you had limited memory and processing power as it slowed up the phone. Other than that, the operating system was sound and I'm willing to bet that the app store has vastly improved since then.

    Also, don't bother with phones with physical keyboards: I thought that it would bother me to have a touchscreen keyboard, after my past experiences with Windows Mobile based phones, but touchscreen technology and UIs have come on a long time since then, and I found myself very rarely using the G1's physical keyboard.

    In summary, Android phones are generally good, but don't fucking bother with the G1.

    Rohaq on
  • CrystalMethodistCrystalMethodist Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I tried it and hated it. No multi-touch, few apps, looks like ass.

    See if you can play with one in a store, your mileage may vary.

    CrystalMethodist on
  • rocketshipreadyrocketshipready Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Oh yea, I like the phone, but I'm more just wondering if I should bother getting it now, or if I should wait a couple months. I'm not really in the know with new cell phone tech, and I'd hate to get the phone only to have a substantially better one come out in a couple months when I'll actually be using the phone to it's maximum.

    rocketshipready on
  • RohaqRohaq UKRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Multitouch is coming in the next big update, I seem to remember, or it's in the unofficial OS updates.

    Rohaq on
  • RohaqRohaq UKRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    There's aways going to be a better phone coming out, keep on waiting and you're going to be waiting for a very long time :P

    Rohaq on
  • NotYouNotYou Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    The nexus phone which is designed by google is coming out soon (supposedly). Not a ton of info on it yet, but personally I'm just waiting till there's some more info on it before i jump into a smartphone.

    NotYou on
  • KyouguKyougu Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Wait till late January, to see what's happening with the Nexus One.

    And no matter what, any phone you buy will be outdated by the time the cash leaves your wallet. :P

    Kyougu on
  • saggiosaggio Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    r2d2.jpg

    saggio on
    3DS: 0232-9436-6893
  • rocketshipreadyrocketshipready Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    saggio wrote: »
    r2d2.jpg

    And people say having a little bulk to your gadgets is bad...

    Re: Future proofing: I don't mind being an early adopter, but it's just the fact that a Droid in Kansas is a little less helpful than a Droid in NYC, so I'm just figuring if I won't use it to its full potential, there's a reason to wait. I'll probably just jump on it since the software updates will seem to keep the phone relevant in the coming years.

    rocketshipready on
  • useless4useless4 Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Why is a droid less useful in Kansas then New York

    useless4 on
  • ಠ_ರೃಠ_ರೃ __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2009
    Like computers, there will always be new and more powerful mobile phones coming out shortly after you buy one.

    There will be a new droid in 2010, just like there will be a new iPhone, and the nexus by google. Always moving.

    The lesson to learn is to pick something and just be happy.

    ಠ_ರೃ on
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    useless4 wrote: »
    Why is a droid less useful in Kansas then New York

    Likely the same reason it's less useful here in Vermont than in New York... lack of 3G/tower coverage.

    Shadowfire on
    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • xThanatoSxxThanatoSx Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    There's always going to be something newer and shinier down the road.

    That's just technology.

    If it's not something you NEED right this second, I'd say hold off until a month or so before you go - by that point, there will be more phones out... and if you still want the moto droid at that point, it may cost less than it currently does.

    xThanatoSx on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    A Droid will be exactly as useful in Kansas as it is in New York, unless your area doesn't have 3G coverage. And if you don't have 3G coverage, getting any smartphone will just be an exercise in frustration.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • rocketshipreadyrocketshipready Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Well, using it to find the nearest subway stop, or the location of a particular style of restaurant, would be a bit more useful than its Kansan application (presumably figuring out the best day to harvest the soybeans)

    rocketshipready on
Sign In or Register to comment.