OK all you first adopters I have a comparison question on cell devices. I am trying to make a decision between a Droid, Palm, or Blackberry. I understand that the Droid far surpasses the other two with respect to apps. My need is simple. No social networking, but a Wi-Fi hotspot, talking GPS, and maybe incoming email is on my want list.  I guess the Droid is kinda like a minature computer, but it doesn't bother me that I would actually need to put my laptop on line (via the hotspot) to do what could be done with the Droid. I already do that using my air card.

The $200 price tag for something like a Droid X with 2.2 vs $50 for the others is a consideration for a cheapo like me.

But since I'm not up on everything the Droid could do for me when I'm RVing (about 10K miles and 6 month/yr) the price tag might be worth it if I find that it really does simplify the things I do when traveling in the RV.   

Any ideas would be appreciated.

I can't tell you much of anything about the Droid, but I have a Palm Pre and Johnny has the Blackberry. If you are looking for more of a basic phone, I would go with the Blackberry. It's reliable and makes a good phone. Johnny receives his email on it and his major complaint is that he often can't open the attachments people send him and that the screen is a little small to read. I would not get the Palm Pre. I've had mine a little over 1 year and am on my 3rd replacement phone. Thankfully I carry the protection plan so they replaced it free. I like having the apps and being able to check this forum while out and about. I don't like the touch screen. I'm always bumping it and either hanging up or calling someone inadvertently. We're both looking at the new Droid-like phone Sprint has out. I think Johnny might get the EVO (I think that's what it's called.) I should let him do more with his email from the phone and still has a keypad. I don't think he would like only having the touchscreen.

Having used them all (and had to implement corporate support structures for them all), I went with iPhone. To me, even the Apple part aside, it's the better product at this time. Next to that, the droid, by far. Both as a phone and micro-computer. It would be the best choice to have long term options, especially with us geeks getting more and more into full timing, there will be more rv specific apps out on iOS and Android over the next 12 - 24 months, so that is a consideration also. That said, if you're hard on cell phones or lose them often or what not, I woud say if a cheaper phone suits your needs, has decent user ratings and will be less of a burden if you know you'll lose/break it, go with the cheap one. Otherwise, droid gives you much more for the actual dollar in product quality and options. Sorry to ramble, exhausted alpha geek here, lol.

I have to hand it to Verizon, by licensing the name "Droid" from George Lucas they make it sounds like Droid phones from Verizon are different than phones from other carriers that run Android. There is no difference, the EVO from Sprint and Droid Incredible from Verizon are both made by HTC, run Android, and are in many ways similar. The EVO also does 4G, which has very limited coverage, which you pay $10 extra a month for.
Anyway back to Palm Pre Plus and Droid. The big advantage of the Palm Pre Plus against a Droid is making it a wifi hotspot is free, while it costs $30/month extra for a Droid. You do want to plug either in when using them as wifi hotspots since it does use electricity. The Droid's have more apps, but the Palm seems to have enough apps for many users. There is word that the Palm is more fragile, but it is best to treat any smartphone gently since they are really computers that also happen to make phone calls. Many find the Palm easiest to use.

I don't have a smartphone, but like to mess with friends when we get together. I really like the idea and will probably find a way to justify the extra expense to myself and my wife.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 29th of August 2010 06:47:07 AM

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 29th of August 2010 06:47:39 AM

I got a Palm Pre yesterday on a trial basis for a few days figuring to start with a "dummer" phone to get some experience.  Right away I agree with Ckerr. the touch screen and very small keyboard aren't impressive. It does provide a nice Wi-Fi hotspot which is my primary reason for upgrading. GPS is text only and I think that would be a safety issue trying to drive and read the screen. Haven't gotten to email yet.

I need to stay with Verizon products since that's my carrier. Remi, your comment about the RV apps is appropraite. There are already some of those available now. Getting in postion to take advantage by having a Droid is one of my thoughts also.

bjoyce> I know that a Mi-Fi card which I have used was $60/mo. It's a no brainer to have a hotspot for half that. I had to pay $30/month to make the Palm a hotspot plus the $9.99 for the phone line. Are you saying that I didn't need to pay the $30?

I was told I could only get one trial period on a single device. That doesn't seem logical for someone who needs to try both before locking in and 2 yr contract. I am wondering if there is a work around on that issue.

Je regrette, I had a brain lapse. If you are undecided, go cheap for now as verizon is supposed to be adding several new android phones and the iPhone next year. Also, if you go with any android phone, make sure it's running on of the newer versions and not something outdated like Andoid 1.5. Also, since Palm is dead or dying, depending on you view & HP doesn't have a good track record with phones, I would stay away from the palm for that reason alone. If you want to hotspot from your phone, some new android phones can & if you jailbreak iPhone it can to. You're usually better off with an actual mifi or a card & cradle point & such. The phones sometimes spaz when used that way & the cards or mifi type devices often allow external booster antennas as well. Just a few additional opinions on that now that I have a half functioning brain, lol. Bon chance

The last I heard the wifi hotspot for the Palm Plus phones with Verizon was free, just download it and turn it on. So yes, you can save $30 a month over a MiFi or aircard. Since many here on the forum are strongly driven to save money that is why I recommend the Palm Plus phones.

HP owns Palm now and is willing to spend money on them. We will see how they do. HP has a checkered track record on software.

Since I already have a Cradlepoint MBR-1000 and aircard I will stay with that, especially since we have two to four computers running at once. I would be getting a smartphone for its own merits, not to tether or use as a wifi hotspot.

Having played with a friend's Droid X, I like it. The large size lets it work well as a ebook reader and many other tasks, but it is still usable as a phone. It is probably as large as a phone can go since the Dell Streak is too large for most people plus it is running Android 1.6 instead of 2.1 or later.

I understand only one 30 day trial, they are subsidizing those phones a lot to give you a 2 year contract and once you do a trial it is used phone, not a new one. 


-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 29th of August 2010 09:28:06 AM

Johnny just upgraded to the Android phone with Sprint.  He went with the Epic that just came out yesterday.  So far so good...

One concern is it's battery life with all the apps.  Good news is they sell a spare battery and charger for $50.  Will see if we need it...'

Will let you know how it goes.

Just checked into getting a Droid from Verizon. If you want to use it as a WiFi hot spot, it's $20 additional a month and you're limited to 5 devices and 2 GB. The data plan is $30 a month.

I had an iPhone and it did everything I wanted it to do. In rural areas of Texas I would lose service. DH switched us to Verizon and the Droid. Service issues have been solved. I love the Droid and have a friend that has the DroidX that is an amazing piece of equipment.

The one thing I liked better about the iPhone was the voicemail. Being able to view them on the screen of the iPhone is much faster opposed to having to listen them in que like you have to with the Droid.

Gary wrote:

---

Just checked into getting a Droid from Verizon. If you want to use it as a WiFi hot spot, it's $20 additional a month and you're limited to 5 devices and 2 GB.

The data plan is $30 a month.

---

This is true....

Thanks! Have to keep this in mind.

Watch for Verizon to put one of the Droid models on a 2fer sale. DW and I got ours like that and recieved two (2) $100 debit rebate cards. Not a bad deal...$179 for two phones and rebated $200. We have the Droid Eris models. All the features one would expect in a small, cheap computer. Great camera to boot.

Tony,

We have had our Sprint Epics for about 4 weeks and already feel we can't do without them.  We also are paying the extra $30 a month for the hotspot, which works great with both our laptops and our wifi printer.

BUT, when i was hunting on the web for the programs to tether without the $30 it seemed that the Epic and the newest android phones have something in them stopping you from doing that and having to use the $30 hotspot.  Is that correct or do I have bad info?

If I can get it to work, I will of course turn off the hotspot.

Now I know that if I tether with windows 7 i can turn it into a wifi and my DH and the printer would be able to network with me, but what do I use to tether?  Your talkiing about the root and that's beyond my technical understanding.  Could you explain?  I will in the meantime go to android marketplace and see what I can understand on my own.

Thanks in advance!

Doris

Anyone considering a blackberry I would recommend staying away from the Storm 2, have it and would love to get rid of it. The touch screen on it is awful.

As a side note, the rumor mill over at Wall Street Journal and NY Times are both kicking off the "insider rumors" that verizon will be getting a CDMA iPhone in 2011. Optns might open up a bit there. This has been an ongoing thing and verizon seems to waffle back and forth about admitting to any kind of timeframe about it though, so who knows. I could have sworn the original contract they made with AT&T gave exclusivity until 2011 here in the US, but maybe not.