Ken,

Thank you for the info. My son has the Samsung Charge and I agree, the display is outstanding. It has spoiled me for most any other. The only thing keeping me from the Charge is that it has a single core processor and still comes with Froyo, an older version of the operating system. It is an excellent phone, but as long as I've waited this long, I want the latest software and the dual core processor. I was hoping that Verizon would get the Samsung Function (their version of the Galaxy II) but it doesn't look like it. I could get the Galaxy II from another carrier, but I have a very sweet, unlimited data plan with Verizon, and in my area Verizon is by far and away the best service.

As you've said, 4G is very fast. The lack of it is one of the reasons I'm so disappointed in the iPhone 4S. Apple iOS works and works well, but I'm not an especially big fan of it. I have it on my iPad and use it, but I prefer the Android op sys.

 

Rob - have you checked out the Thunderbolt? It's 4G - very fast.

 

Rob, I am right where you are. I looked at the Bionic and compared it to the X. I like the X becuase it has a slide out keyboard. I am not a big fan of the touchscreen keyboards, but admittedly, I have not given them a chance. The Bionic touchscreen keyboard is about the best one I have tried. It also has a feature whereby you can drag your finger from letter to letter and when you lift your finger, the correct word appears. Kinda neat, not sure if I would use it. I like the Bionic for being right up to the minute on operating system and hardware. The quality of the screen did not seem to be a problem. Some other device may have a better screen, but I am not a big gamer so I don't think the difference in screen quality will make a difference to me. I do want to test it in the sun to see if it washes out.

My BB is so slow I don't even bother to use it for internet browsing. I was also waiting for the iphone, but knew it would not be 4g. I'm not sure how important that is. My firends who have iphones whip around on the internet very quickly. Have you made a determination that they are not fast enough for you based on actual use? That is what I plan to do.

I'm also with you on Verizon becuase of their serivce and coverage. However, the representative at the Verizon store was horrible. He knew nothing about the phones and had to go and ask someone else to get the answer to every question I asked. You are better off doing your own research.

I will take the iphone for a test drive in the next month or so and then make up my mind between the three contenders.

 

Rob, long time no talk. I've been at Motorola for just short of 5 years now (last day is Friday, on to bigger and better things), but never in the cell phone group. Our companies recently split, so I have no real ties to them anymore (no longer an employee or shareholder) but addmitedly am biased towards their products.

That said, I've had an original Droid for right about 2 years, and have loved it. It's a very substantial phone, and feels well built; something I don't think I can say about the HTC and Samsung Android phones. Not that they AREN'T well built, but they don't FEEL as well built. Also, now that Google owns Motorola, Moto phones may have a slight edge in things like support and updates. Maybe, maybe not.

Personally, I went in expecting to buy a Droid Bionic, but just wasn't impressed enough to spend the $300 (plus another $300 for my wife to replace HER Droid.) I expect the phone to go on special sooner or later, maybe BOGO in a month or two, and will buy it at that time. There also is "rumored" () to be another phone coming soon, the Motorola Dinara which will either A) be a more advanced phone, if that's what you want, or B) likely push down the price of the Bionic, which you might prefer. Either way, the Bionic is CURRENTLY the most advanced VZW phone on the market.

I'm also an Apple fan (I have numerous iPods and a 2G iPad that I love, plus a Mac Mini) and was waiting to chose between the new iPhone and the Droid Bionic, and there's no way I'd buy the iPhone 4S. I really want the big screen on the Bionic, and I use the navigation in the Droid as my primary GPS (haven't touched my Garmin in years and just chose to get a DD without the Nav because I use the Droid) and do not want to give that up.


If you have more questions, feel free to let me know.

 

Rob,
I got my first smart phone in May and went with the IPhone. I like it but don't use half of it's capabilities. (I don't give my cell phone number out to clients. If anything is an emergency, it's always that they waited to long to call)I paid 149 after rebates, credits etc. I just got my +1 the same phone for her birthday and it was 99 after rebates etc. I suspect now that the Iphone 4S is out, it will drop even more.

Funny story- the +1 really likes her IPhone and set it up to make a car alarm sound when I call her. Well I called her when she was out on house tours with friends, and when her phone went off, they all said "Oh somebodies car alarm is going off". I called her again 1 minute later, same thing. Nobody wondered why the alarm was coming from her purse and she didn't either.

 

I currently have the Droid2 and will be switching to the iPhone 4S. The Droid is fine for most things but my employer has standardize on the iPhone and will not let us access our e-mail on anything other than the iPhone.

The only issuse I have with the Droid is with the last update my contact list got erased and my calender got duplicated so I have two entries for every event.

I am also looking forward to ios5 and iCloud.

 

Deb,

I have looked at it and it's quite a nice phone. The only problem with it is the battery life.

 

Bill,

I'm a big fan of touch screen. I have it on my Storm2 and even though it's not as accurate or sensitive as I'd like, I still like the touch screen feature. I think it's the way to go.

I have heard that the iPhone is pretty fast even without 4G, but I can't help but think that in the not too distant future 4G will become very important. Besides, its technology I want.

I've thought long and hard about the iPhone. Everyone who has one seems to love it and the retention rate (that is people with iPhones upgrading to another iPhone) is very high, some where around 85% whereas the rate for those with Android phones is about 47%. Still everyone I speak to who has an Android phone loves it too.

Some of the reasons I'm probably not going to get the iPhone are:

1. You can't remove the battery. This is very important to me as I keep my phone on all the time and it's always with me. I have a few batteries for my Blackberry and an external charger. I change batteries every day.

2. Smaller screen. I find it hard to view the internet on my Storm2 and the iPhone screen isn't much bigger. Of course the bigger screen comes at the cost of a bigger phone which I really don't like, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

3. No card slot. I suppose if you get the iPhone with 64 gig you don't need it, but that option is $499. Besides I like being able to change the card.

4. No support of Flash. This drives me crazy on the iPad. I can't read some web pages and the content of some e-mail. Supposedly, the world is moving towards html5 which is supported by the iPhone, but it could take years. There is an app available for the iPad that converts the Flash content so it can be read, but I don't like the whole concept. I've never been able to figure out why Apple doesn't want to support Flash.

5. ios. The software works, and it works well, but I find it uninteresting and uninspired as compared to the Android operating system. In ios favor is that it is standardized, simple to use and it works but I like the Android operating system better.

On the other hand the drawbacks of the Motorola Bionic are:

1. It just too big. There is no good reason for the phone to be quite that big, and I'm not sure it'll be convenient to carry around.

2. I'm concerned that buying a Motorola today would be like buying a Chevy in the late 1990s in that it's always just a year away from being right.

3. I've read that sometimes the apps get sluggish and sometimes they don't work at all.

4. Like you I don't watch movies on the phone but I do want as clear a screen as possible. Some of the reviewers have said the the screen leaves a bit to be desired.

5. The camera is very slow. I never realized how handy it is to have a camera on your phone, but with it you have a camera along whenever you have your phone. Before my mother passed away, my sister and I (whoever was visiting her in the nursing home) would take a photo and e-mail it to the other. This gave both of us a chance to see how she was. I also use the camera to photograph documents when I'm at a client. Very, very handy, but I've heard the Motorola camera is very slow.


All of that said, I'm leaning towards the Motorola Bionic.

 

Hi Chris,

It has been a long time. How are you?

Do you know when the Motorola Dinera is scheduled to come to Verizon?

 

Rob,

I believe the 64GB is $399.00, not $499.00. I could be wrong.

KT