In praise of the Eris

[bottlecap]

It's easy to say that this phone doesn't have "X feature" or that it's slow or what have you, but I think the Eris is going to go down as 1 of the more important phones that helped created a cult of Android.

For $100 you great a great phone, with a respectable processor, a nice 8GB card comes with it, (my partner had to pay for a 2GB card in their latest phone), upgradable to Eclair and is root-able. For that $100 currently you would get a Blackberry, (seriously why is BB still around), or the HTC Ozone that has Windows 6.1 on it.

The Eris may not be the prettiest lady at the Android ball, but it's price point and features made it a GREAT entry phone for people who wanted to see what you and I know, that the Android platform is amazing is taking off like a titan rocket.

 

[smacky]

I doubt you can say the Eris was that important in making Android. I think the Droid, the G1, and the MT3G were more influential. No one mentions the Eris in TV ads, it doesn't have, what someone would call, a big hacking community,nor did it have exposure in the media, either through commercials, movies, etc.

And considering it was a rebranded Hero, you can't forget the Hero and say the Eris is important.

I think the people that are still with their Erises wouldn't call themselves power users. They just care that the phone works and that it has neat little perks like Maps, music, etc. When it comes time for an upgrade, I feel they will forgo the $199 option at that point and go with the cheaper, more outdated version of the phone.

Not all may do this, but for those that were looking for a bargain-bin smartphone and got the Eris, it's safe to say they've found their niche and are happy with not having a quad-core monster that explains to you the meaning of life.

 

[erisuser1]

Not all may do this, but for those that were looking for a bargain-bin smartphone and got the Eris, it's safe to say they've found their niche and are happy with not having a quad-core monster that explains to you the meaning of life.

I don't have any particular insight into how the marketing wizards at the handset makers decide to "fragment" their market segments. Clearly, price is going to be important to many customers, and for them, a stripped-down hardware solution will be the only way to fill that requirement (low price).

OTOH, If there had been a performance equivalent to the original Moto Droid in the smaller-screen form factor of the Eris - even at a higher price point, that is what I would have bought. For me, form factor was a enormous thing, not the price. I didn't want to be carrying around a brick in the pocket of a dress shirt - or any other pocket, for that matter.

I've laid my Eris on top of an Evo for comparison; no thanks, Evo!

I'm dreaming, of course - the marketing seems to run towards "bigger everything is better" - more screen area, more pixels, more RAM, more NV storage, bigger batteries to support all that, etc. And if phones are built at the same processor cost point, the one with the smaller screen area will be judged deficient by the (male-dominated) technical press.

HTC, are you listening?

eu1

 

[Demache]

I think the people that are still with their Erises wouldn't call themselves power users. They just care that the phone works and that it has neat little perks like Maps, music, etc. When it comes time for an upgrade, I feel they will forgo the $199 option at that point and go with the cheaper, more outdated version of the phone.

I could technically be called a "power user". I use it for tethering, web browsing, music listening, and such. Would I like a more powerful device? Boy would I! After seeing what Android can do on a more limited device, I can't wait to see it in action in a more powerful device. But you make do with what you have.

I'm saving up for better desktop PC than my current one, which is about 7 years old and is a Celeron (yuck). Otherwise, I would probably buy myself an original Droid.

 

[erisuser1]

I'm saving up for better desktop PC than my current one, which is about 7 years old and is a Celeron (yuck). Otherwise, I would probably buy myself an original Droid.

Don't feel bad, Demache.

My 6-yo laptop died, and then I spent several months using a 10-yo Pentium II computer (running Ubuntu) while I figured out what I wanted to build for my next computer. It was extremely embarrassing when one day I realized that (native) programs compiled for my Eris were running faster than they did on my "computer" - my humble Eris was faster!

My last cell phone was a "dumb phone" - I used it for 5 1/2 years. If my Eris is willing to last that long, I'll probably have it for an equally long period of time. Sure there will be better phones available. To me it's just a tool - but that's about all. I'm not vain enough, nor young enough, to worry about what people think of me because I don't have "this month's best phone".

eu1

 

[Joe_Evaristo]

The Eris may not be the prettiest lady at the Android ball, but it's price point and features made it a GREAT entry phone for people who wanted to see what you and I know, that the Android platform is amazing is taking off like a titan rocket.

I suppose I fall into that category. I wanted to see what the hype with Android was about, but I'm not willing to spend a lot of money on a phone.

However, I don't think "great phone" and "Eris" belong in the same sentence unless preceded by "not a." My number one concern is having a phone that works, and when it doesn't, support is available and willing to help rather quickly. The Eris often doesn't work right...and asking HTC to support it is about as easy as instructing the weather to get warmer.

All I know is that this phone has convinced me to never buy another HTC product again. I shouldn't have to file a BBB complaint just to get tech support.

 

[Demache]

I suppose I fall into that category. I wanted to see what the hype with Android was about, but I'm not willing to spend a lot of money on a phone.

However, I don't think "great phone" and "Eris" belong in the same sentence unless preceded by "not a." My number one concern is having a phone that works, and when it doesn't, support is available and willing to help rather quickly. The Eris often doesn't work right...and asking HTC to support it is about as easy as instructing the weather to get warmer.

All I know is that this phone has convinced me to never buy another HTC product again. I shouldn't have to file a BBB complaint just to get tech support.

This is why we have Google search, and root. Most of the time, tech support from most companies is a joke, as many more tech savvy users know. The only time we really call them is when we need to get something done that we can't do on our own (ie. asking for a replacement).

If you type in your problem into Google, odds are someone has already had the same issue and has had it answered. Best part is, you don't waste your time being put on hold or after being on the phone for an hour, finding out your problem can only be fixed with a replacement.

 

[Joe_Evaristo]

This is why we have Google search, and root. Most of the time, tech support from most companies is a joke, as many more tech savvy users know. The only time we really call them is when we need to get something done that we can't do on our own (ie. asking for a replacement).

If you type in your problem into Google, odds are someone has already had the same issue and has had it answered. Best part is, you don't waste your time being put on hold or after being on the phone for an hour, finding out your problem can only be fixed with a replacement.

Actually, Google was my first stop...always is when I have a problem. Other users are reporting the same problem, and also reporting the unwillingness of HTC or Verizon to do anything about it. The only "solutions" have been to use third party apps--ones I've determined weren't to my liking before the problem started, and weren't any better after, either.

 

[SyDTRaKKeD]

I wanted an Eris since the day it came out... unfortunately I was stuck on my TMo contract with a crappy BB Pearl... I never wanted the Droid, from the moment I saw that brick of a phone I hated it... I didn't mind the performance difference between that and the Eris...

Finally I got my Eris pretty close to when the Incredible was going to be released and have been happy with it ever since... I've had no issues at all with my Eris (except installing the dreaded "Leak" by mistake, but I'm rooted now) so I guess I got lucky to not have to deal with the whole refurb madness that many members on these forums had to go through.

But like its been said before: The majority of people on these forums are looking for solutions to issues they are having with their phone. But they are not the majority of the owners of an Eris. So coming here it seems like every single Eris owner has some sort of problem with their phone when in reality there are sooo many other people out there compared to on these fourms who are content with their Eris and don't have any problems at all. If everyone who bought an Eris was having a problem I'm sure that would warrant some sort of recall.

Many of the people who come to these forums are power users and expect higher standards from their phone so they come here to seek out ways to improve it. I don't consider a power user as someone who maxes out their CPU with multitasking galore but more of someone who uses most/all of the features their handset has to offer. I'm a power user, I use my phone for Music, most of my Social Networking, Browsing, some gaming here and there, and lets not forget a phone's main purpose in life, being a phone for calls and messaging. Some people have the most recent snazzy smartphones and do nothing more than make phone calls on them. Definitely not power users and probably wasted their money on something that is top of the line for no reason other than aesthetics.

So I rambled on a bit there... my point is that I 100% agree with OP and praise my Eris as well!

 

[bjf88]

When the Eris came out, it was either this or the Droid. I think both of these phones played the biggest role in the industry of Android becoming mainstream. Yeah, other Androids like the Hero were already out, but Verizon brought it to the forefront and really started the big Android movement.

In my opinion and those of others I know that have the Eris, it was the best of the two at the time. The trade off of the speed and screen was worth the form factor and general experience of the Eris.

Even now with so many bigger, faster, brighter phones out, I still don't think I would want to trade my Eris for any of them, even for a discount. The only phone that would be a close trade off would be the Dinc, but it's still just not the same build quality and solidness. That's really important to me. Yes, the speed would be great and maybe if I was more of a constant power user I would not be so content.

I still think my phone is the best one for me right now, all things considered.

 

[dcfan99]

I think the people that are still with their Erises wouldn't call themselves power users. They just care that the phone works and that it has neat little perks like Maps, music, etc. When it comes time for an upgrade, I feel they will forgo the $199 option at that point and go with the cheaper, more outdated version of the phone.

I would consider myself a power user. I'm rooted, use my phone for wifi tether on long trips in the car, wired tether while travelling, I use the music app and stream pandora in my car. I do most of my scheduling, email checking browsing etc. on the device. It is certainly not the fastest thing out there with the prettiest screen - however as I've said before I actually had and returned an Incredible because I missed the physical buttons and the feel of the Eris. Speed isn't the most important thing for me.

I've found that Not Call Log and Call Confirm solved my phone issues, while rooting and overclocking solved my lag issues. I will keep this phone for a long time. That's the nice thing about all the phone choices out there - there's something for everyone. Not everyone wants to go for faster, bigger.

To the OPs point this is the phone that sold me on Android. Before this I was drooling for an iPhone (but couldn't stomach AT&T's coverage). Now I wouldn't take one.

Cheers.

 

[socarwolverine]

The eris is a decent entry level phone, but I wouldn't call it great. Having owned it for a while I will admit that it got me hooked on Android (which is why I bought it, to test out the OS). But the speed of the device is almost a deterrent and it had me wishing I had got the MotoDroid. Even though the Droid is a brick, it worked and was snappy even at stock speeds. The only thing the Eris had going for it at the time was that it was the only budget option for Android on VZW. Even if it was still for sale, I'd say the Ally is a better budget option, even with its own set of problems. The Ally still felt smoother than my Eris did. But I'm in the Eris forums, so I know people are gonna hate on my opinion.

 

[Hypo Luxa]

I guess I got lucky with mine. I haven't had any hardware problems and the few software problems were fixed by rooting and going with a stable ROM. I really do like my phone and will happily use it for the duration of my contract. I definitely got my $30 worth I paid for it on VZW. Sure, I'd love to get my hands on a MotoDroid or a Dinc, or an X, but in another year and a half, I can only imagine what kind of power will be out there.

 

[stanlalee]

as I've said in my one other post here I've played with the EVO extensively side by side with my eris since I know someone with one at work. you couldn't pay me to trade for that. too big and bulky and I've heard people say the screen looks better but I dont know what eris/evo they were looking at because my screen though smaller looked much sharper than the evo's. when I first saw it, it was in a hard case sitting on the desk and was so big it did not even register as a phone. Definately something requiring a purse not a man pocket. there is no 4g in my area like most areas and I tested web browser side by side with my eris and for some reason (perhaps the network) my eris pulled up pages a tad FASTER although neglibly than the Evo! the rest of the experience was EXACTLY the same. besides how we set up icons and widgets function is identicle (heck its a HTC with andriod 2.1 and Sense). Even she said after playing with mine "damn its basically the same phone". Yes it has some features the eris doesn't (camera with flash, front mount camera, live wallpaper, faster processors which made no difference in ANY of our side by side experience, a few exclusive sprint apps) but can you guess what the only thing I envy'd after playing with the EVO...... the rear kick stand for watching you tube video's! Now I'm sure the features, big screen and faster processors are beneficial to some people somewhere but for my use all it did was make me glad I didn't spend another $100 for the incredible or evo (or any other phone using andriod 2.1).

My wife on the hand HATES the eris. go figure. I've never had a single issue though I know several people personally who have had multiple issues with the weather/time widget, battery life and contact syncing.

also you can just look at the post numbers for the eris forum here vs other andriod phones and see its a pretty significant phone for andriod. Not quite as popular as the top tier andriods but not far off and way popular than any other entry level andriod. alot of these top tier andriod phones out now werent out when the eris was introduced. there ALOT of eris phones out there. including me there are four with it at work (we are talking less than 60 people I associate with), a zillion people with blackberry's, two iphones and only one with the evo (the rest dont have smartphones. they really arent as popular as we make them out to be here for people who dont NEED them for business). went on vacation 1000 miles away, of smart phones I saw the inlaws with: one incredible and one eris.

 

[talktothehandroid]

I suppose I fall into that category. I wanted to see what the hype with Android was about, but I'm not willing to spend a lot of money on a phone.

However, I don't think "great phone" and "Eris" belong in the same sentence unless preceded by "not a." My number one concern is having a phone that works, and when it doesn't, support is available and willing to help rather quickly. The Eris often doesn't work right...and asking HTC to support it is about as easy as instructing the weather to get warmer.

All I know is that this phone has convinced me to never buy another HTC product again. I shouldn't have to file a BBB complaint just to get tech support.

I agree. I loved my Eris until it stopped working. I feel like I am carrying around an iphone 4

 

[Joe_Evaristo]

I agree. I loved my Eris until it stopped working. I feel like I am carrying around an iphone 4

That sums it up well. I don't see how one can love a piece of technology that just doesn't work.

 

[smacky]

I guess you can be a power user with an Eris, but you definitely see the boundaries of the phone when trying to do a few tasks at once. You can do the same on a Droid, but it takes a bit more to get to that point.

I think the Eris has as very similar form factor to the Nexus One. It's just a shame it never made its way to VZW. It is much better than the DInc, which was used by VZW as an analogous handset. Let me tell you, it's not.

The EVO was hyped because of the 4G. There is/was nothing special about the phone outside of that. The Droid X? Same thing. IF it truly were great, it would not have been released so close to the D2's launch date. The D2 is not that spectacular either. It's thriving off its predecessor's success, much like the EnV 2 and 3 did with the EnV. It's nothing prolific.

In my opinion, the last two influential phones for Android were the Droid and the Nexus One. Until something as prolific as those two comes along, there's nothing worth getting excited about.

Just my thoughts. Form factor, I thought, was an issue for me. But not anymore. I would take the "bulky" Droid over any phone out right now, save for the Nexus One.