I was an original droid owner. I didn't want to switch to AT&T, as I had dropped them years before for a variety of reasons. Everyone I knew got iPhones, and I stuck with Verizon and was happy with my droid. Two months (or so) before the iPhone was released on Verizon, my droid essentially died (left side of touch screen unusable which rendered the phone useless). I got a Droid2. At the same time, I got my non-techie fiance a DroidX.
Right after acquiring those two phones, Verizon announced iPhone. So...I returned them at the 30 day mark. Went to some old phones we had for a month or so and then got the Verizon version of iPhone a few days before everyone else.
I DO NOT like the iPhone. My fiance also DOES NOT like the iPhone. I will be giving mine to our teenager in a month when I have an upgrade available and she will be giving hers to another kid a few months later with the next upgrade. I will immediately go back to an android phone, and most likely a Droid. Why?
1. Unexpectedly - the droid battery life sucks. That was the major reason I wanted an iPhone. But, I'm willing to deal with it. In fact, when I actually USE my iPhone, its battery life isn't substantially better (but still better). But it's not enough for ME.
2. I am just old fashioned I guess - I like the physical keyboard. In its absence, I like swipe. For me, it's just faster to get my emails/sms messages sent. Forget the keyboard - it's a preference thing. I can get a device on android WITH a keyboard or WITHOUT a keyboard. I like the options!
3. Google Maps/Navigation is SPECTACULAR on Android. It's not even comparable on iPhone. I'm sure I could purchase an iPhone app to make my experience better...but I refuse! The android app is free, it's awesome and with the various layers it's just something that I can't live without. I'm very directionally challenged and that app is a lifesaver that I don't want to live without.
4. Little indicator light telling me I have something new. Stupid, right? That little light saves me from having to unlock the phone and see if I have something that's new or not. The notification system is just better.
5. Email - I can't (or I don't know how) to reply to an email on the iPhone and add an attachment.
6. I used my droid WAY more for voice search and voice navigation. I NEVER used voice in other areas of the device, such as txt messaging - but I LOVED it for certain things and I just don't do it on the iPhone. Why? Don't know! I bet it's there - somehow. For me, it's just not part of the experience.
7. File/Photo transfer - it was so easy with my droid. Plug it in to my PC - copy! DONE. I could even copy from my PC back to the phone and it figured it all out. With iPhone, it seems I have to do everything through iTunes. iTunes is slow as hell on my PC. I hardly EVER sync the phone via my PC for this reason.
8. I don't recall (and maybe I'm wrong???) ever having to delete voicemail on my droid to free up space.
I have more reasons I'm sure - these are off the top of my head. In the end, it doesn't really matter. If people are still replying to this thread, I'm sure some will give me an equal number of reasons why the iPhone is better - or even challenge some of the reasons why I loved my droid. At the end of the day, I'm going back to the android platform. I LIKED IT BETTER! I don't REALLY regret switching, because it allowed me to form my OWN opinion of the two platforms and come to my own decision.
This is relevant to this conversation because I would PAY the same, or more, for an android phone over an iPhone. That's MY preference, as a techie, and that's my fiances preference - and she is definitely NOT a techie. I have very close friends who just don't get where I'm coming from - that I must be crazy...to them - enjoy your iDevice. I'll soon be back to enjoying my android device!
That physical keyboard thing is a huge deal with women with nails (nails don't trigger the iPhone screen).
While iOS catching up on the notification system, you're right about the defaults being somewhat better on some android phones for people (sync/maps especially).
If you don't like apps (sounds like you don't), it's a tossup which phone you'll like better. iOS has a better browser, sync is better on many (but not all) android phones, the lack of a physical keyboard is daunting for many, especially women with nails.
If you just take pictures with the default app, mail, text and use the default maps app, the higher quality camera in many droids can make it a better device for you. It's really only when you get into apps themselves (especially 3rd party apps) does the difference hit you. You and your fiance do not sound like app people.
That said, if you want to make your phones suck less till you get new ones:
Install PhotoSync to copy your pictures over. Don't even need to plug in.
Install navigon to make driving directions better
If you want new notifications now, either install a GM seed (not recommended) or jailbreak (a bit of a pain if you're getting rid of the phone), there are lots of different much better notification schemes on there.
Comments
I was an original droid owner. I didn't want to switch to AT&T, as I had dropped them years before for a variety of reasons. Everyone I knew got iPhones, and I stuck with Verizon and was happy with my droid. Two months (or so) before the iPhone was released on Verizon, my droid essentially died (left side of touch screen unusable which rendered the phone useless). I got a Droid2. At the same time, I got my non-techie fiance a DroidX.
Right after acquiring those two phones, Verizon announced iPhone. So...I returned them at the 30 day mark. Went to some old phones we had for a month or so and then got the Verizon version of iPhone a few days before everyone else.
I DO NOT like the iPhone. My fiance also DOES NOT like the iPhone. I will be giving mine to our teenager in a month when I have an upgrade available and she will be giving hers to another kid a few months later with the next upgrade. I will immediately go back to an android phone, and most likely a Droid. Why?
1. Unexpectedly - the droid battery life sucks. That was the major reason I wanted an iPhone. But, I'm willing to deal with it. In fact, when I actually USE my iPhone, its battery life isn't substantially better (but still better). But it's not enough for ME.
2. I am just old fashioned I guess - I like the physical keyboard. In its absence, I like swipe. For me, it's just faster to get my emails/sms messages sent. Forget the keyboard - it's a preference thing. I can get a device on android WITH a keyboard or WITHOUT a keyboard. I like the options!
3. Google Maps/Navigation is SPECTACULAR on Android. It's not even comparable on iPhone. I'm sure I could purchase an iPhone app to make my experience better...but I refuse! The android app is free, it's awesome and with the various layers it's just something that I can't live without. I'm very directionally challenged and that app is a lifesaver that I don't want to live without.
4. Little indicator light telling me I have something new. Stupid, right? That little light saves me from having to unlock the phone and see if I have something that's new or not. The notification system is just better.
5. Email - I can't (or I don't know how) to reply to an email on the iPhone and add an attachment.
6. I used my droid WAY more for voice search and voice navigation. I NEVER used voice in other areas of the device, such as txt messaging - but I LOVED it for certain things and I just don't do it on the iPhone. Why? Don't know! I bet it's there - somehow. For me, it's just not part of the experience.
7. File/Photo transfer - it was so easy with my droid. Plug it in to my PC - copy! DONE. I could even copy from my PC back to the phone and it figured it all out. With iPhone, it seems I have to do everything through iTunes. iTunes is slow as hell on my PC. I hardly EVER sync the phone via my PC for this reason.
8. I don't recall (and maybe I'm wrong???) ever having to delete voicemail on my droid to free up space.
I have more reasons I'm sure - these are off the top of my head. In the end, it doesn't really matter. If people are still replying to this thread, I'm sure some will give me an equal number of reasons why the iPhone is better - or even challenge some of the reasons why I loved my droid. At the end of the day, I'm going back to the android platform. I LIKED IT BETTER! I don't REALLY regret switching, because it allowed me to form my OWN opinion of the two platforms and come to my own decision.
This is relevant to this conversation because I would PAY the same, or more, for an android phone over an iPhone. That's MY preference, as a techie, and that's my fiances preference - and she is definitely NOT a techie. I have very close friends who just don't get where I'm coming from - that I must be crazy...to them - enjoy your iDevice. I'll soon be back to enjoying my android device!
That physical keyboard thing is a huge deal with women with nails (nails don't trigger the iPhone screen).
While iOS catching up on the notification system, you're right about the defaults being somewhat better on some android phones for people (sync/maps especially).
If you don't like apps (sounds like you don't), it's a tossup which phone you'll like better. iOS has a better browser, sync is better on many (but not all) android phones, the lack of a physical keyboard is daunting for many, especially women with nails.
If you just take pictures with the default app, mail, text and use the default maps app, the higher quality camera in many droids can make it a better device for you. It's really only when you get into apps themselves (especially 3rd party apps) does the difference hit you. You and your fiance do not sound like app people.
That said, if you want to make your phones suck less till you get new ones:
Install PhotoSync to copy your pictures over. Don't even need to plug in.
Install navigon to make driving directions better
If you want new notifications now, either install a GM seed (not recommended) or jailbreak (a bit of a pain if you're getting rid of the phone), there are lots of different much better notification schemes on there.