Motorola Droid

[Vdou]

Verizon and Sprint already offer Blackberries (the Storm and the Tour) with both CDMA for the US/Canada and GSM (with a simcard!) for connectivity in Europe and elsewhere. It can be done, though I'd imagine it makes the phone a bit heavier. Size constraints may be what prevented them from doing the same thing with the Droid.

No, I think they just didn't want to offer it. I doubt many of the features would be available world-wide, unlike the blackberry.

[aazdazen]

I doubt any CDMA phone can ever be a World Phone, but I could be wrong about that.

VZW had very few phones that where global capable but they have others besides the Blackberries but they sucked. They are a combination of CDMA and GSM. The GSM is only the overseas frequencies not the ones used in the US so you could not use it on a carrier here. I am sure you could probably hack the phone to make it work though. There was a Motorola slide phone that was just awful(on VZW anyhow), as most Motorola phones where a year ago(on VZW anyhow). Global capabilities is why I lost a lot of customers to AT&T and T-Mobile.

[Uggliey]

I'm befuddled that any new phone coming out isn't a world phone. How is there even a market for this?

Because most people do not leave the US. And CDMA > GSM in every way possible except global coverage imo. That is why there is a market for CDMA phones. The CDMA network isn't going to disapear any time soon. I am putting together a vending network that will use cellular modems for data and credit processing, and CDMa is WAAAAYYY better and CHEAPER than GSM for data. GSM is on the order of 3-4 times as costly for data rates.

[Solesk]

Because most people do not leave the US. And CDMA > GSM in every way possible except global coverage imo. That is why there is a market for CDMA phones. The CDMA network isn't going to disapear any time soon. I am putting together a vending network that will use cellular modems for data and credit processing, and CDMa is WAAAAYYY better and CHEAPER than GSM for data. GSM is on the order of 3-4 times as costly for data rates.

it's not really a benefit to be cheaper if the customer never sees that though. is it still considered price fixing if you price your product the same as your competitors, not because you have a deal with them, but because they cant go lower? obviously verizon could offer lower prices. but they dont. it makes you wonder. hopefully the FCC continues their probes in to cell services.

[Mitebe]

I am very interested in this phone. I will wait a month or 2 before jumping on the bandwagon to let any bad news/network oversubscription issues get worked out.

It does appear they are releasing a GSM version of this phone.

Droid known as Milestone in Europe.

[Eamin]

Sony Ericsson just announced their sexy new 1GHz Android phone today. From the spec sheet it looks like there will be two versions, each one compatible with either AT&T's or T-Mobile's 3G networks.

I'm kind of baffled as to why it's not running Android 2.0, especially since it won't be released until next year. Still, even without 2.0 it'll be the best GSM Android phone hands down, and I imagine they'll manage to update it eventually.

I'm also baffled as to why they aren't releasing it until next year. Doesn't the Christmas shopping season mean anything to phonemakers?

[Gemdiver]

I'm also baffled as to why they aren't releasing it until next year. Doesn't the Christmas shopping season mean anything to phonemakers?

They've come out and said that the reason its not shipping this year is because they're afraid it will cannibalize sales from their other existing headsets. (I'm not saying that its a good reason)

[Galiven]

Sony Ericsson just announced their sexy new 1GHz Android phone today. From the spec sheet it looks like there will be two versions, each one compatible with either AT&T's or T-Mobile's 3G networks.

I'm kind of baffled as to why it's not running Android 2.0, especially since it won't be released until next year. Still, even without 2.0 it'll be the best GSM Android phone hands down, and I imagine they'll manage to update it eventually.

I'm also baffled as to why they aren't releasing it until next year. Doesn't the Christmas shopping season mean anything to phonemakers?

Careful, the demo hardware at the press conference was apparently quite slow.

Unfortunately, there was only a solitary X10 on show, and that bad boy had such an early build of the software that it really doesn't merit talking about. Calling the present interface "laggy" would be paying it an unearned compliment.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/02/s...e-go-hands-on/

Too bad too, the hardware certainly looks sexy.

[Vdou]

So I picked up my Droid today. So far I'm very very happy. The last two 'smart phones' I had sucked major balls (Moto Q and Samsung Omnia) and this is such a breath of fresh air.

I used the navigation system from the store back home and it worked just fine. I'm looking forward to really putting it to use somewhere.

I'm just at the tip of the iceberg so far and I have to say that I'm really impressed that Verizon actually let this phone exist. Its a dream come true if, like me, you've stuck with Verizon because of the network and put up with shitty crippled phones.

[Eamin]

How are you liking the keyboard? Some people seem to really, really hate it.

BTW, for anyone looking to buy a Droid - it's only $150 on Amazon Wireless.

[Delaregar]

How are you liking the keyboard? Some people seem to really, really hate it.

BTW, for anyone looking to buy a Droid - it's only $150 on Amazon Wireless.

Apparently the same at Sears: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/06/p...ons-than-veri/

What's this I hear about verizon charging you out the ass to be able to tether your phone? I'm sure it'll be rooted pretty quickly and that will unlock your ability to tether your phone.

[Eamin]

Yeah, Verizon has declared that tethering is going to cost another $30/month in addition to the $30/month for the unlimited data plan.

[aazdazen]

Apparently the same at Sears: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/06/p...ons-than-veri/

What's this I hear about verizon charging you out the ass to be able to tether your phone? I'm sure it'll be rooted pretty quickly and that will unlock your ability to tether your phone.

The tether feature on a pda is either $15 or $30 a month, depending on what web/email plan you have. You will have a 5gb cap on what you use for data while tethered. You will still have unlimited data on the device itself but 5gb for tether.

[Nadiar]

Yeah, Verizon has declared that tethering is going to cost another $30/month in addition to the $30/month for the unlimited data plan.

It won't matter, they can't control that once you root your phone.

[Vdou]

How are you liking the keyboard? Some people seem to really, really hate it.

BTW, for anyone looking to buy a Droid - it's only $150 on Amazon Wireless.

Well the omnia had a shittastic virtual keyboard, so i really was excited about the droid mainly because of the physical keyboard. I had made up my mind that i hated virtual keyboards after using the iphone and the omnia. However i find myself using virtual more often so far because its really good. The physical board will take some getting used to but i find that it is quite serviceable.

[Solesk]

hey vdou, what happens if you are using navigation and you get a phone call? that's like the one thing holding me back from dumping my iphone.

also, can you leave instant messaging programs running in the background all the time?

[Vdou]

hey vdou, what happens if you are using navigation and you get a phone call? that's like the one thing holding me back from dumping my iphone.

also, can you leave instant messaging programs running in the background all the time?

From the test I just did, it went into incoming phone call mode. Now when this is in the special car dock, it might act differently. Also, if there is anything I have learned about this device today its that it has an option for almost everything. I haven't found one for this yet, but I'm still looking.

I assume so on the IM programs, but I didn't try. It worked that way on my last two smartphones from verizon.

[Nadiar]

If the app is written correctly for android, it should have a background service that it can just leave running all the time, and the full app is probably running "full" in the background unless you're using a lot of different apps.

I've been using modded images for so long that I forget what the defaults are.

[Goladus]

ugh, if I buy that phone I will DOUBLE my monthly costs (from $70 to $140)

[Solesk]

well someone said that it shuts off the navigation if you get a call. so i was trying to find out exactly what it did. i dont see why there cant be an option to keep it up while talking though.