I'm a Verizon user who has an upgrade in 3 days...

[NickF227]

I'm 15(turning 16 in a few weeks) and I'm very conflicted on which Android phone to get. I currently run with an ENV Touch, which I like, but definitely want a smartphone. I love love love the Nexus One, but its completely out of the question because of the whole...can't be on a family plan with it thing. My parents pay for most of my bill, except for the data plan and the activation fees(And the phone itself).

I could, and kind of want to wait for the iPhone, but we don't even know when Verizon will get it.

Now, I really text a lot, and I've played with some friends who have Moto Droids, and I hate the physical keyboard, and I have some trouble with the virtual one(and I have tiny fingers). I like the Eris, its a very 'sexy' phone, and a trackball is always useful. But the processor is slower, I heard?

What should I do?

(And if I get the Droid I'd have to wait another week or two, I have about $140 right now in my wallet and I didn't work many hours last week.)

 

[ERDude]

My suggestion would be to wait and see what's hitting the streets. If you're not comfortable with the keyboard on the Droid and you're afraid the Eris processor is too slow, it sounds like neither of them are for you.

We don't know yet if the Nexus One will have the same purchase stipulations put upon it as it did with T-Mobile.

Rumor has it there are a few phones coming to Big Red that might be more to your liking, so if you're not in a big hurry I'd sit back and wait. Plus that gives you the opportunity to save a little more cash.

Now on the saving cash thing, would you like to talk to my niece and nephew and tell them that their uncle isn't a cash machine and all about the good feelings you get from earning your own money? ;-)

 

[Cory Streater]

My 2 cents:

1.) I HATED the Moto Droid physical keyboard more than anything when I first got it. I'm not sure if you've seen or heard of the Touch Pro 2, but that was my phone prior to the Droid. I was spoiled by that keyboard and was really disappointed when I had to give it up. That said, the Droid's keyboard seemed to "soften" over time and I eventually got used to it. It's been a few months, and I can't say I love it by any means, but I am definitely okay with it now.

2.) I LOVED Touch Flo 3D on the Touch Pro 2 and really struggled on whether to go with the Moto Droid - that does not have TF3D - or the Eris, which at least has HTC's Sense UI (basically TF3D). Had the Eris come with a physical keyboard, I think it would have been a slam dunk, but in the end I chose the Moto Droid, in hopes I'd get used to it's keyboard.

In the end I have not regretted my decision. Also, you have 30 days to trade your phone in one time. You could always buy one of the two and exchange it if you think the other would be better.

 

[klittle81]

...

 

[NickF227]

Now on the saving cash thing, would you like to talk to my niece and nephew and tell them that their uncle isn't a cash machine and all about the good feelings you get from earning your own money? ;-)

Hah, just tell them its way better when you buy stuff with your own money. It means more to you, you want to take care of it more, and you don't have your parents breathing down your neck when you buy clothing. When my mom drives me to the mall because I want to pick up a few things, she dies a little inside when I fork over the cash for some clothing.

And on the Moto Droid's physical keyboard, everyone I know who has it says they NEVER use it and just use the virtual one, and the phys one makes it so bulky so like...I dunno. Its like buying a car with 'mood lighting'. If your not gonna use it, then why pay for it? =/

Can you give me some links to the rumors about the Android phones coming to Verizon soon? If they appeal to me I might just wait a little bit. If something like the G1/HTC Dream is coming to Verizon, I will definitely wait. Probably. I'm indecisive on stuff like this.

ETA: Klittle, with the Nexus One with T-Mobile you can't have it on a family plan for whatever reason because of Google handling all of the sales and stuff, and I assume with Verizon it'll be the same way.

 

[doogald]

Did I miss something? Where does it say that you cant have a N1 on a family plan?

You cannot with T-Mob, but so far nobody knows if it will be the same with VZW. A good guess is that it will be the same, but it may not.

 

[klittle81]

...

 

[ERDude]

Here ya go

Verizon Employees See the Motorola Sholes and Calgary Emerge in Inventory Tools? | DroidTalk

 

[gvillager]

Even if you buy it straight out? not as part of a contract?

You can do whatever you want with it if you pay the unsubsidized price.

 

[NickF227]

I was just looking at the Androidcentral store and it says a Moto Droid is 120 with a contract extension...does that work like an upgrade?

 

[ERDude]

I was just looking at the Androidcentral store and it says a Moto Droid is 120 with a contract extension...does that work like an upgrade?

Yes, but be sure to read the fine print. Some 3rd party sellers require that you don't make any changes to your plan for up to 6 months.

 

[NickF227]

Eeeh...I really don't feel like jumping any loop holes, I'll probably just buy directly from Verizon.

Watching some comparison videos and the Eris isn't that much slower, people were overblowing it like craaazy, I think I might just get the Eris. Will go in and play with them both on Wednesday. The Droid Devour looks cool but I googled and the prelim specs make it seem like a dumb downed Droid.

 

[ERDude]

A friend of mine calls it the Bubble Gum Droid.

 

[ERDude]

Here ya go Nick, Best Buy $79.00

Verizon Droid Eris $79.00 at Best Buy | DroidTalk

 

[NickF227]

Can I get that deal in store? Because if I can I'll just go in on Wednesday and get it, because to get that price from Verizon I'd need to order it online...

I'm actually kinda mad that I switched from T-Mobile now, their service kinda sucks in my area, but I really switched because at the time the only cool phone it had was the Sidekick series. Now its getting everything cool like the Motoroi.

 

[nox]

I wouldn't go with the Droid Eris, I would go with the DROID (Which I did lol).
Just wait it out and see if 2.1 comes anytime soon, and when it does, buy the DROID. Best purchase you'll make for a while lol

 

[NickF227]

^^Biggest example of someone who didn't read the whole thread, lmfao. I already voiced my problems with the Droid. And it only has 3 freaking pages, I need more than that. My iPod Touch has spoiled me.

 

[nox]

^^Biggest example of someone who didn't read the whole thread, lmfao. I already voiced my problems with the Droid. And it only has 3 freaking pages, I need more than that. My iPod Touch has spoiled me.

Then Root it and get 5. No big deal.
I'm running 5 pages right now. It's so simple too. Just as easy as Jailbreaking your iPhone/iPod.

As for your keyboard "problems", I use it all the time and prefer it over the soft keyboard anyday. At first it's weird, but then you grow attached to it. At least I did. I love that thing. That was the major selling point to me.

 

[NickF227]

Well, after playing around at Verizon, I got the Eris, and I LOVE it. Probably the best phone I ever had. Well, I got it at Best Buy because the Verizon guys were horrible about swapping the phones, and the Best Buy guy actually just straight out GAVE me an upgrade(And suggested a fantastic Silicon invisigaurd, I'll be picking up a case soon, they didn't have any Eris cases in stock there). And he swapped my contacts from my old phone to the Eris and even did it for my mom to my old phone from her old one. <3

Any apps I should download? I already downloaded Facebook, Barcode Scanner, Advanced Task Killer Free, and Pandora...

 

[ERDude]

If you use Twitter head over and get TweetCaster, then search the forum for it, there's a link for a free upgrade key to pro that HandMark is giving out. Hurry though it's only available for a limited time.

You also dont' need a Task Killer, they can do more harm than good. Again search the forums on the topic. Should I Install a Task Manager/Killer on My Android Device? | DroidTalk