New to the forms/site and need some help!!

[iLive an iLife]

Hello everyone!!

I am brand new to the site (just signed up a few minutes ago) and need your help!!

I have been an avid BlackBerry user for a good 4 years now. I had the Curve 8330 and loved that phone. I upgraded to the Storm 2 about 10 months ago and it just kicked the bucket (luckily, a friend gave me their old BB to use for the time being).

I love BlackBerry, but I think its time to start looking into another device aka Android. I've never been one to really look at the specs on a phone and when I started looking at this Android devices I was baffled. Snapdragon processor, 512 RAM vs 1 gig, dual core vs quad core processor (sorry if I botched that up).

The reason I signed up for this site is because I am at a total loss. A friend of mine had the original Droid and I didn't like it at all. I found it to be slow, not easy to navigate and overall very lackluster. Plus, he always was carrying a car/home charger around with him because he'd constantly need to charge it.It left a bad taste in my mouth and it wasn't even my phone!! I need help learning about Android, the different available/future devices and picking out something I'd like. Im a Verizon user and one of my biggest concerns is battery life. I don't want to be having to plug my phone in all day. I'm used to charging my BB once and having it last the entire day. I also like a keyboard. Other than that, I don't have much criteria. I've been seeing a lot of talk about the Incredible HD and Merge. If the board could share some articles I could read (to learn more about Android) and some device suggestions, I'd appreciate it!!

Thanks a lot for the help and sorry for rambling!!

PS - If this post doesn't belong here, please move it to the correct place!

 

[Donmeister85]

Hey man! Just came across your post. Welcome to the forums! This is a great community to be in if you're new to Android. I've been on the Android bandwagon for a little over a month and I have learned so much thanks to the folks here.

With that being said, I'm on Sprint, so I don't know much of their Android devices. I know they're running a lot of "Droids." You say you don't like the original droid and I couldn't agree with you more. Got a friend that has one and I don't like it at all. I would recommend the galaxy s fascinate but all galaxy s phones here in the US are still waiting for froyo (wtf) but that's not too much of an issue for me with the custom 2.2 ROMs out now.

Perhaps someone more knowledgable with Verizon's offerings could be of better help to you. Just wanted to say hey and welcome to AC, and to offer my two cents on the matter.

Good luck in your search for a new Android device!

Sent from my Epic 4G

 

[Donmeister85]

Also note that the Samsung 4G LTE phone will be released on Verizon too. If you're into the latest and greatest with 4G speeds, you might want to read up on it.

Sent from my Epic 4G

 

[menschmaschine5]

I have a Droid Incredible and really like it. The user interface (HTC Sense) is very intuitive, and probably the best manufacturer UI out there. Also, the phone is very fast. It's a pretty sleek device as well. The only thing lackluster about it is the battery life, but I can usually get through the day without recharging on the stock battery.

If you want a good UI, you may want to wait for the HTC Thunderbolt to launch. It'll be the first LTE (4G) phone on Verizon. However, the Android software has improved quite a bit since the summer, so you'll have to see.

Keep in mind that a bunch of 4G phones were announced a few days ago for Verizon, so you may want to wait for those. Also, if you just want a simple, clean user interface that's much more limited as to what it can do, the iphone will probably be officially announced for Verizon on Tuesday.

Really, the best thing to do would be to go to a Verizon store and play with the phones there and see what you like. Just don't let a sales rep talk you into making a purchase that you're not sure about.

 

[RUSH]

Hi,, TechnologyNerd37.
Welcome to Android Central Forums. Whichever reason made you sign up it doesn't matter at all.

That's what the forums is here for - To help others with general questions and concern.
There are a lot of android phones to choose from. Not expect too much with the battery life, all phones battery sucks. Look around and see which phone that suite your need.

Best of luck.

 

[iLive an iLife]

@Don: Thanks for the welcome buddy! I am a little nervous, but also excited about switching to Android... I think it will take a little getting used to, but a much needed step in a new direction for me! Hope you see you around the boards later!

@Mensch: The Droid Incredible has always piqued my interest, so it's funny that you mention that! My upgrade is still almost exactly 2 months away. Whatever I do, I'll definitely be looking into an LTE device. The Thunderbolt looks great and I've also been seeing some posts about the Merge (I love a good keyboard) plus Sense looks awesome! I do like the iPhone, but it won't be LTE ready (at least I doubt that) and it just doesn't grab me like it used to.

@Rushrl: Thanks for the welcome and advice. I'm going to definitely poke around a little more! I did find a great article on switching from a BlackBerry to Android!

 

[menschmaschine5]

I can almost guarantee that the iphone won't be LTE ready. It's too new a technology for Jobs to embrace.

And good, by the time your renewal is here, we'll probably have a couple LTE phones on Verizon. So forget the 3G phones and see what LTE phone grabs your interest. The Thunderbolt will also have the new Version of Sense, which looks pretty good.

Oh and edit: The Merge has been a rumored device for some time, but nothing has come of it. It's possible that it was canceled (I believe it was going to be a Verizon version of the Desire Z/T-Mobile G2?).