Need replacement phone--will LG Ally do?

[androidintheatl]

I was introduced to the world of Android with the Moto Droid early this year. Overall, I liked it. It could be a bit buggy (headset and camera issues, using the phone just to make calls could be annoying since my face constantly "dropped" them) but I would still give it 4/5.

Now, my phone is gone (water damage). Fortunately, I don't have to pay full retail price for a new phone even though I'm still young into my contract, though it won't be Moto Droid since they're out of stock.

I've got the option of getting an Ally (downgrade) for about $100 or the Incredible for almost $300. I really don't want to shell out the ample cash for the Incredible. It's simply not in my budget. At the same time, the Ally is a downgrade and may not be getting Froyo anytime soon, making it pretty obsolete for this fairly tech savvy chick.

Would love some feedback. Shell out the extra cash (which is really out of my price range) or stick with the much cheaper Ally? Thoughts?

 

[gndmepyon]

if you are even relatively tech savvy you'll just end up pissed off at the Ally.

 

[androidintheatl]

hmmm. care to elaborate?

if you are even relatively tech savvy you'll just end up pissed off at the Ally.

 

[phillynitro]

Ally is a decent phone but if you could come up with the extra money I would do the inc it just has more fire power and you would be happy with it for a longer period of time.

 

[gndmepyon]

hmmm. care to elaborate?

The Ally just doesn't have the CPU power to function as well as the higher end devices. Also the rooting and romming process is rediculous. When the Ally gets 2.2 (Late Sept. MAYBE) according to Adobe it won't be able to run Flash 10.1. It is a solid device for my wife who wants more than a feature phone can offer but for someone who is tech savy it just doesn't cut it. I returned mine and got the Moto Droid and have never looked back.

 

[Outlaw.99]

I like my Ally just as much as my original Droid... Very nice device for the price point...

 

[cdsmith]

Not sure what to think about all these comments that the Ally is not a good device for "tech savvy" people. It's done everything I've asked it to do, and that includes rooting, wifi tether, ssh and custom ROMs, building LaTeX documents and reading PDFs... even scripting with Python.

If you say it's weak for gamers, you might be right... I've noticed pauses and jerkiness in action/real-time games. Saying it's not reasonable for "tech savvy" people is probably misreading your own concerns onto others.

 

[flyinjoe13]

Also the rooting and romming process is ridiculous.

I rooted mine in about 10 seconds using Universal Androot. Haven't installed any custom Roms yet, but looking at the directions, it doesn't seem all that complicated. To each his own I guess, but i'm not sure why you think rooting and romming is so difficult on an Ally.

 

[Johnny Langton]

Not sure what to think about all these comments that the Ally is not a good device for "tech savvy" people. It's done everything I've asked it to do, and that includes rooting, wifi tether, ssh and custom ROMs, building LaTeX documents and reading PDFs... even scripting with Python.

If you say it's weak for gamers, you might be right... I've noticed pauses and jerkiness in action/real-time games. Saying it's not reasonable for "tech savvy" people is probably misreading your own concerns onto others.

I have to agree. The Ally does everything I ask it to, and the keyboard is actually useful,unlike the pile of crap that's attached to a Droid or Droid 2. If Motorola would have used a good keyboard,then there would be no contest.
JL

 

[Outlaw.99]

Also, 2.2 is coming anyway... So Im just gonna have a bit of patience and wait...

 

[Vmanisme]

Yeah the Ally is a great phone, its not a "killer" gaming phone like the Droid X, Inc, Droid 2 but it has its ups, from root to custom rom's to updates it gets it all so if you aren't planning to do 3D gaming and want an awesome android device LG Ally will do the job.

 

[lolbug]

The Ally is a good smartphone. It'll do what you want it to, and modding it isn't difficult in the least. It's not crazy on internal space, and since it's one of the cheaper phones it doesn't have dedicated RAM (which in my opinion is a very clever, cost-cutting move), but if you are either easy on installing apps or use/enable apps2sd then you'll have plenty of space on the phone for volatile use.

It isn't good for intensive games, period. No dedicated GPU or RAM is the deal-breaker here. It'll do simple arcade-type games, along with GB(A) emulators, but things like 3D and real-time rendering or things like that just won't run smooth.

But it's a good daily use and business phone. Short of running the more intensive games, it'll do everything the droid does. If you want something that can handle games, heck, do with the Incredible or something like that. But if you're cheap and want a keyboard, the Ally is just fine.

 

[element9891]

I own an Ally and I love it. It isn't a 300 dollar phone, so you aren't going to get 300 dollar performance. For its price range, its a very very nice phone. The keyboard is a major selling point.

 

[RhinoDoc]

I have an Evo, my daughter has a Droid (I have Sprint for business, the rest of my family is on Verizon). My other daughter and my wife have become jealous of our Android phones and their capabilities - they are currently on (I think) a Rogue and something else, but fairly basic phones with fairly difficult internet and email access. Neither of them is up for a new phone any time in the next year or so. The Ally is the cheapest Android phone at Verizon and looks like a nice step up from their plain Jane phones currently. Or should I bite the bullet and spend the money on a Droid 2? I can't imagine my wife will use it to its full abilities. Also, they both want a hard keyboard. My daughter is somewhat more techie, and I worry she will be disappointed if it isn't a Droid. I guess what I am asking is, how basic is the Ally?

 

[jamesnmandy]

I have an Evo, my daughter has a Droid (I have Sprint for business, the rest of my family is on Verizon). My other daughter and my wife have become jealous of our Android phones and their capabilities - they are currently on (I think) a Rogue and something else, but fairly basic phones with fairly difficult internet and email access. Neither of them is up for a new phone any time in the next year or so. The Ally is the cheapest Android phone at Verizon and looks like a nice step up from their plain Jane phones currently. Or should I bite the bullet and spend the money on a Droid 2? I can't imagine my wife will use it to its full abilities. Also, they both want a hard keyboard. My daughter is somewhat more techie, and I worry she will be disappointed if it isn't a Droid. I guess what I am asking is, how basic is the Ally?

its a very capable phone actually. my wife has had LG Env's since when it went from the LG "V" to "EnV", and i had an LG EnV Touch myself which is what this basically is at first glance. It's an EnV Touch, with updated hardware, slightly larger screen, capacitive touch screen instead of resistive, more memory, WiFi, etc..etc...+ Android operating system. Verizon had the two for one Blackberry deal recently for $20 so I bit, both the wife and I after like two days were like...."really? this is a smartphone?" so we promptly traded them back in for the Ally's and these are great, do NOT waste your money on the unlimited data plan unless you get at minimum the Ally

the Android OS is obviously the best part, the phone itself is very solid built, the screen pixel density is as good as the iPhone just a little smaller size-wise, the physical keyboard is considered by most to be the best, including the one on the Droid 2, it's very very good.

one in a while you hit something and it lags a second or two if you are using it heavily, its sort of something you come to expect as it is after-all "a phone" not a "computer", so lets not kid ourselves, but all in all, for $50 for two ($25 each) after rebates at Verizon you can't beat it

the Ally is both my wife and I's first foray into true smartphones running Android. It was perfect and by the time we are ready for an early upgrade the technology will have advanced so far we should be able to get a device faster than todays top of the line Droid/Droid Incredible/Droid X/Droid 2 for less than what they cost today and will already be Android "wise"

 

[Johnny Langton]

its a very capable phone actually. my wife has had LG Env's since when it went from the LG "V" to "EnV", and i had an LG EnV Touch myself which is what this basically is at first glance. It's an EnV Touch, with updated hardware, slightly larger screen, capacitive touch screen instead of resistive, more memory, WiFi, etc..etc...+ Android operating system. Verizon had the two for one Blackberry deal recently for $20 so I bit, both the wife and I after like two days were like...."really? this is a smartphone?" so we promptly traded them back in for the Ally's and these are great, do NOT waste your money on the unlimited data plan unless you get at minimum the Ally

the Android OS is obviously the best part, the phone itself is very solid built, the screen pixel density is as good as the iPhone just a little smaller size-wise, the physical keyboard is considered by most to be the best, including the one on the Droid 2, it's very very good.

one in a while you hit something and it lags a second or two if you are using it heavily, its sort of something you come to expect as it is after-all "a phone" not a "computer", so lets not kid ourselves, but all in all, for $50 for two ($25 each) after rebates at Verizon you can't beat it

the Ally is both my wife and I's first foray into true smartphones running Android. It was perfect and by the time we are ready for an early upgrade the technology will have advanced so far we should be able to get a device faster than todays top of the line Droid/Droid Incredible/Droid X/Droid 2 for less than what they cost today and will already be Android "wise"

Probably one of the best real-world descriptions of the Ally's placement in the lineup that I've seen.
JL