Let's come to a decision as fellow Verizon Wireless customers-- which of these two devices will earn our money this holiday season? Stay tuned here for my thoughts, complaints, and daily reactions-- ask questions, sound off, and let me know what you think-- which one has the edge?
Day 1-- This is going to be more difficult than I thought....
My first day of touting two of Verizon Wireless? best devices started early at 7 a.m., and the challenge has already begun. Before I jump into the shower I place both devices on the shelf and hit play?I listen to music to keep myself from falling asleep while getting ready. The winner here was clearly the Note 2?volume is loud and distortion is minimal, with rich tones and deep bass. The DNA, despite its amplified rear speaker, remains just a hair too quiet for comfortable listening.
I?m off. I head to the subway station, which as New Yorkers know (and often regret) is just far enough underground to avoid most cellular reception. This poses a problem for the DNA?without removable storage, my music choices are limited to Rdio and Google Music, as I tend to be stingy with my internal storage. Sure, I could sync a playlist or two, but why not just switch over to the Note 2? It?s microSD card has been with me for years, and contains an extensive library of my favorite music. Samsung?s phablet, thanks to its removable storage, wins another round.
Thirty minutes later, I?m back above ground. Before I head into my office, I stop for a coffee at the cart on the corner. As I?m drinking and walking, I notice an email that I want to respond to before it slips my mind. I begin to compose and realize that this is a daily occurance, and it?s a situation that can only be handled by one of these phones. The Note 2?s 5.5-inch whopper of a screen is simply too big to compose a message single handed. I?m not talking about comfort or convenience here?the task is absolutely impossible, even for a semi-large handed individual like myself. The DNA, on the other hand, strikes a perfect balance of size and usability, and I?m able to type my email comfortably with one hand. The DNA comes from behind.
I spend the next few hours at my desk, where my phone(s) sit idle with the exception of a few text messages. During this downtime, both devices conserved power admirably, yet the DNA outpaced the Note 2 by a few notches; after a few hours of little to no usage, the Note 2 lost about six percent of its battery, while the DNA lost just one. I?ve noticed this stellar performance consistently during my time with the DNA, and I can comfortably say that this phone goes stone cold in standby, a testament to the Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and HTC?s optimizations.
The long day is coming to a close, and I head out on my nightly walk home (I try to keep my time underground to a minimum). This time, thanks to the uninterrupted data connection, the DNA is the better music player, as the built-in Beats audio produced sound that is noticeably more detailed and deep than the Note 2?s. A lot of critics deny the benefits of Beats, and it is admittedly a matter of personal preference, but for me, it outperforms the competition.
And just like that, the day is over and I?m no closer to a decision. All of a sudden, I remember the last time I was in this predicament; it was the HTC Thunderbolt vs. the Droid X, and I was just as torn. But for the first time ever, Verizon Wireless customers like myself will have a hard time deciding where their money will go due to an overabundance of quality devices rather than a shortage. It?s going to be a confusing and conflicted few days.
Stay tuned.
Day 2-- The Note 2 wins the wow factor
I attended a holiday party last night with a nice mix of colleagues and friends, all in their 20s and 30s and most carrying a smartphone. I had both phones on me and used both occasionally throughout the night to text and make a few phone calls. Every time I busted out the Note 2, it attracted at least once "ooh" or "ahh". An iPhone user stopped me and wanted to chat about "that huge phone", and one person asked to put it in their pocket to get an accurate feel, as he was considering buying one himself.
The Droid DNA, on the other hand, caught nobody's eye. Not due to lack of character, as the DNA is one of the most handsome phones I've ever used, but it does appear a bit more generic than the Note 2, and certainly lacks the "wow" factor.
This isn't enough to sway me either way, as I have phone for myself and not the attention of others, but it's worth the mention.
Looking forward to spending the weekend outside of the office with these two...
Day 3?Let?s go shopping for some accessories
During my first weekend with both devices, I decided to do some shopping, in particular for cases. I know, I know?both devices are gorgeous enough to leave naked for the whole world to enjoy. But I?m a firm believer in cases, not only for the protection, but for the personality they add. I don?t want my phone to look like everybody else?s, and slapping a cool case on it is my way of making the device my own.
I stopped by my local Verizon Wireless store and was faced with a vast sea of nothing. Nada. Zip. There wasn?t one case for the DNA, and the only thing in stock for the Note 2 was Samsung?s Flip Cover, which I?m trying to avoid. Herein lies the problem?even at Amazon, Ebay, and other online retailers, there are few, if any, cases for the DNA. The only remotely attractive option I?ve found are the Otterbox varieties, but I?m looking for something a bit more stylish.
On the other hand, the Note 2 already has plenty of choices, and from the Verizon Wireless store I walked across the street and found a great Speck Candyshell case for the Note 2. This says a lot about this predicament?since the Note 2 is on nearly every carrier right now, your accessory options are multiplied. You?d be hard pressed NOT to find a case in either T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon stores. And open up your search to Amazon or Ebay, and you?ve got a plethora of cases to chose from.
This is a major pro for the Note 2 and con for the DNA, not just in terms of cases, but all accessories. Whenever a device is limited to one carrier, the available accessories lacks dramatically. And if you?re buying into an obscure or unpopular phone, forget it?you?ll be left with nearly nothing. I trust that manufacturers will eventually release more cases, chargers, docks, and car mounts for the DNA, but the device?s options will never reach what?s out there for the Note 2. In a case like this, it helps to own a popular and widely-available device.
I left with my Candyshell case and never looked back. The Note 2 wins another round, has temporarily taken the lead.
Day 4-- Durability
Well this is a fitting follow up to my accessory dilemma. Got to work today and took both devices out of my jacket pockets. Upon closer inspection of my DNA, I noticed a scratch on the soft-touch back. It's not super noticeable, but it's there, and that's enough to really grind my gears. This could have been avoided had I found a case for it this past weekend, but we all know how that turned out.
This leads me to my next question-- which device is more durable? Putting cases aside, which one will age more gracefully? I'm extremely careful with my devices, to the point of obsession, and I was able to scratch the DNA with nothing more than a quarter floating around my pocket. The Note 2, on the other hand, has a finish less attractive than the DNA, yet it's less likely to show blemishes.
Has anybody dinged/scratched/scuffed or otherwise marked up their device yet? If so, how?
Day 1-- This is going to be more difficult than I thought....
My first day of touting two of Verizon Wireless? best devices started early at 7 a.m., and the challenge has already begun. Before I jump into the shower I place both devices on the shelf and hit play?I listen to music to keep myself from falling asleep while getting ready. The winner here was clearly the Note 2?volume is loud and distortion is minimal, with rich tones and deep bass. The DNA, despite its amplified rear speaker, remains just a hair too quiet for comfortable listening.
I?m off. I head to the subway station, which as New Yorkers know (and often regret) is just far enough underground to avoid most cellular reception. This poses a problem for the DNA?without removable storage, my music choices are limited to Rdio and Google Music, as I tend to be stingy with my internal storage. Sure, I could sync a playlist or two, but why not just switch over to the Note 2? It?s microSD card has been with me for years, and contains an extensive library of my favorite music. Samsung?s phablet, thanks to its removable storage, wins another round.
Thirty minutes later, I?m back above ground. Before I head into my office, I stop for a coffee at the cart on the corner. As I?m drinking and walking, I notice an email that I want to respond to before it slips my mind. I begin to compose and realize that this is a daily occurance, and it?s a situation that can only be handled by one of these phones. The Note 2?s 5.5-inch whopper of a screen is simply too big to compose a message single handed. I?m not talking about comfort or convenience here?the task is absolutely impossible, even for a semi-large handed individual like myself. The DNA, on the other hand, strikes a perfect balance of size and usability, and I?m able to type my email comfortably with one hand. The DNA comes from behind.
I spend the next few hours at my desk, where my phone(s) sit idle with the exception of a few text messages. During this downtime, both devices conserved power admirably, yet the DNA outpaced the Note 2 by a few notches; after a few hours of little to no usage, the Note 2 lost about six percent of its battery, while the DNA lost just one. I?ve noticed this stellar performance consistently during my time with the DNA, and I can comfortably say that this phone goes stone cold in standby, a testament to the Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and HTC?s optimizations.
The long day is coming to a close, and I head out on my nightly walk home (I try to keep my time underground to a minimum). This time, thanks to the uninterrupted data connection, the DNA is the better music player, as the built-in Beats audio produced sound that is noticeably more detailed and deep than the Note 2?s. A lot of critics deny the benefits of Beats, and it is admittedly a matter of personal preference, but for me, it outperforms the competition.
And just like that, the day is over and I?m no closer to a decision. All of a sudden, I remember the last time I was in this predicament; it was the HTC Thunderbolt vs. the Droid X, and I was just as torn. But for the first time ever, Verizon Wireless customers like myself will have a hard time deciding where their money will go due to an overabundance of quality devices rather than a shortage. It?s going to be a confusing and conflicted few days.
Stay tuned.
Day 2-- The Note 2 wins the wow factor
I attended a holiday party last night with a nice mix of colleagues and friends, all in their 20s and 30s and most carrying a smartphone. I had both phones on me and used both occasionally throughout the night to text and make a few phone calls. Every time I busted out the Note 2, it attracted at least once "ooh" or "ahh". An iPhone user stopped me and wanted to chat about "that huge phone", and one person asked to put it in their pocket to get an accurate feel, as he was considering buying one himself.
The Droid DNA, on the other hand, caught nobody's eye. Not due to lack of character, as the DNA is one of the most handsome phones I've ever used, but it does appear a bit more generic than the Note 2, and certainly lacks the "wow" factor.
This isn't enough to sway me either way, as I have phone for myself and not the attention of others, but it's worth the mention.
Looking forward to spending the weekend outside of the office with these two...
Day 3?Let?s go shopping for some accessories
During my first weekend with both devices, I decided to do some shopping, in particular for cases. I know, I know?both devices are gorgeous enough to leave naked for the whole world to enjoy. But I?m a firm believer in cases, not only for the protection, but for the personality they add. I don?t want my phone to look like everybody else?s, and slapping a cool case on it is my way of making the device my own.
I stopped by my local Verizon Wireless store and was faced with a vast sea of nothing. Nada. Zip. There wasn?t one case for the DNA, and the only thing in stock for the Note 2 was Samsung?s Flip Cover, which I?m trying to avoid. Herein lies the problem?even at Amazon, Ebay, and other online retailers, there are few, if any, cases for the DNA. The only remotely attractive option I?ve found are the Otterbox varieties, but I?m looking for something a bit more stylish.
On the other hand, the Note 2 already has plenty of choices, and from the Verizon Wireless store I walked across the street and found a great Speck Candyshell case for the Note 2. This says a lot about this predicament?since the Note 2 is on nearly every carrier right now, your accessory options are multiplied. You?d be hard pressed NOT to find a case in either T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon stores. And open up your search to Amazon or Ebay, and you?ve got a plethora of cases to chose from.
This is a major pro for the Note 2 and con for the DNA, not just in terms of cases, but all accessories. Whenever a device is limited to one carrier, the available accessories lacks dramatically. And if you?re buying into an obscure or unpopular phone, forget it?you?ll be left with nearly nothing. I trust that manufacturers will eventually release more cases, chargers, docks, and car mounts for the DNA, but the device?s options will never reach what?s out there for the Note 2. In a case like this, it helps to own a popular and widely-available device.
I left with my Candyshell case and never looked back. The Note 2 wins another round, has temporarily taken the lead.
Day 4-- Durability
Well this is a fitting follow up to my accessory dilemma. Got to work today and took both devices out of my jacket pockets. Upon closer inspection of my DNA, I noticed a scratch on the soft-touch back. It's not super noticeable, but it's there, and that's enough to really grind my gears. This could have been avoided had I found a case for it this past weekend, but we all know how that turned out.
This leads me to my next question-- which device is more durable? Putting cases aside, which one will age more gracefully? I'm extremely careful with my devices, to the point of obsession, and I was able to scratch the DNA with nothing more than a quarter floating around my pocket. The Note 2, on the other hand, has a finish less attractive than the DNA, yet it's less likely to show blemishes.
Has anybody dinged/scratched/scuffed or otherwise marked up their device yet? If so, how?
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Size wise: the Note 2 isn't a problem; comfortable in hand and for me easy to hold in landscape as well. I can't imagine going back to anything less than a 5.5" screen now.
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