The future seems so dim on Verizon... maybe I'll get an iPhone

[Chopstick2U]

I'm not trolling. Consider this a suicidal plea for help. I paid full retail for my Eris and my contract is up next month. I'm running a CM7 ROM and I'm not having any hardware problems, so I suppose I don't have an urgent need to upgrade... but I really don't see any light at the end of the VZW tunnel. If I get another android device, I must be able to root and have full custom ROM/kernel access like I do with the Eris. There are plenty of new devices coming out, but each one is flawed and would require a certain degree of settling.

Thunderbolt: Seems too bulky and I'm moving to a part of Cali that doesn't yet have 4G access. Also, I'm reluctant to get a single-core device. It still stings to remember the release of Google Earth that wouldn't work on ARMv6 processors, only a couple of months after I purchased my brand new phone. I see today's new single core phones as the very last of their generation, like the Eris was the last of the premium-priced ARMv6 phones. Pretty sure a TB user will feel buyer's remorse by the end of the year. Still... the TB has been rooted and I know it'll have a future with CyanogenMOD.

Incredible 2: Single core processor. I think the 4-inch screen is just about right for me. I could see myself being happy with this world phone if it were rooted, but I've read about its signed bootloader and I wonder if it will prove invincible like the Moto phones.

LG Revolution - Bigger than Thunderbolt, single core... but rumored to have the Netflix app, which has a powerful appeal to me. Of course, that app might be ported to other devices. But then, the iPhone has always had a Netflix app...

Bionic - Motorola seems to make all the wrong decisions. I hate motoblur, I hate locked bootloaders. I'm just gonna pretend this doesn't exist.


I'd be happy to ditch Verizon and head to T-Mobile if it weren't for all my poor inlaws who are on Verizon and would have to stop feeding their kids if they had to burn actual minutes to call my wife.

Really, it's because I sense a change in the winds. Carriers are starting to impose more anti-dev policies on manufacturers, and I've even heard the rumor that Verizon is tracking rooted users for some nefarious purpose. I'm sad because this is a release season for new devices and nothing at all gets me excited. At least with an iPhone I'll have a top-of-the-line device for an entire year.

tldr, someone shake me.

 

[Thats]

Buy an HTC Thunderbolt. You WILL NOT be disappointed. I am a former Eris owner, and this phone is EVERYTHING that I loved about my Eris with more SPEED and POWER. The only complaint I ever had with the Eris was the Slow Processor. That is no more with Thunderbolt. Do it. And Smile. You will have an unlocked bootloader (albeit, adb commands will love you again), and all the custom roms you could ever want. Join the Thunder!

 

[Chopstick2U]

Yeah, if I had to make my decision next month, I'd end up with the Thunderbolt. Wonder how long we'll have to wait before we get a dual core HTC phone. Wonder if I can manage with the Eris until 4th quarter.

 

[metlcat]

I've had some similar feelings. My contract isn't up for renewal until October, so I have some time to wait. I'm really interested to see what Samsung Galaxy S II phone verizon gets. The SGSII has some of the best specs I've seen, and I've read that it doesn't feel as flimsy or cheap as the current samsung phones. If the specs for whatever model verizon gets are similar, I might go that direction.

I won't do Motorola because of the bootloader, htc has been great but if I go 4g I can't imagine how terrible my battery will be, and the LG Revolution just doesn't excite me.

 

[Chopstick2U]

Yeah, that could be promising, although it looks like they've had an inordinate amount of trouble getting CyanogenMOD to run on the Fascinate and the Nexus S supposedly had all those problems. Seeing as how Samsung has the ugliest UI skin and the Droid Charge is truly fugly... I'm cautious. Hopefully by the time the Galaxy S2 is hitting Verizon, there will be a Sensation sister there to compete with it.


Or maybe Motorola will release another phone with vanilla android on it. I'd buy that!

 

[tonyb81]

just curious why is rooting a phone so important to you, what advantages does it give you?

 

[Chopstick2U]

just curious why is rooting a phone so important to you, what advantages does it give you?

I guess I could sum it all up as "empowerment." With a stock phone, I have to wait for HTC and Verizon to work together and finally decide to push out an OTA in order to get updated software or fix the inevitable bugs. Because my phone is rooted, I can run 2.3 Gingerbread and I don't hate my old, sluggish Eris. I've been running Gingerbread for a couple of months while most brand new phones won't see it until June if ever. This is important to me because it is entertaining for me.

Also, I like to use the Wireless Tether app once in awhile.

This brings me to another point. I spend the vast majority of my "phone time" tweaking it and keeping it running and looking as good as possible. I'm like a mechanic who buys beater cars just so he has something to keep his hands busy. If I had a precision sports car of a phone, I could spend more time finding places to drive it, games to play, entertainment sources, etc. When I handle the Thunderbolt, I'm impressed, but I still immediately find little things I want to change that will require a custom ROM. Maybe with an iPhone, I could take my attention away from tweaking the phone and focus it on actually using the phone.

If I buy an iPhone, I still have like 15 days to return it and get something else, right?

 

[fierywater]

Maybe with an iPhone, I could take my attention away from tweaking the phone and focus it on actually using the phone.

Or you'll miss all of the things Android let you do that the iPhone won't and end up jailbreaking it anyhow.

In all seriousness, I've considered that route before for very similar reasons (though I own an Incredible). I actually used to own an iPhone but switched to Verizon for coverage reasons. Now that Verizon has the iPhone, it becomes tempting to get one every time something goes wrong with a custom ROM upgrade or when some ugly bug rears its head. It doesn't help that the up to date stock ROM has some pretty odd issues.

But if I went back to the iPhone, I wouldn't be able to do things like use Tasker to tell my phone to turn off WiFi when I use Pandora. Or automatically dim the screen at night so it won't blind me if I wake up in the middle of the night and go to use it.

I wouldn't blame you if you at least decided to try an iPhone and doing so may be the only way to stop yourself from thinking about one. Verizon's hardware selection is definitely lacking this year and the fact that the iPhone 4 still looks like a competitive device on the network is a testament to that. Just saying that you might find it hard to give up the perks that come with Android's relative openness.

If I buy an iPhone, I still have like 15 days to return it and get something else, right?

I believe there's a $35 restocking fee. Better to buy it from Best Buy. You get a longer amount of time to return it with no restocking fee. Just make sure that the prices are the same.

 

[Chopstick2U]

Oh yes, jailbreaking is definitely a thing I intend to do. Also, if I get an iPhone, I plan to hold out for iPhone 5.

 

[xx_bishop_xx]

I've been throwing around the idea of jumping ship and getting an iPhone as well. My wife has had one for several months. My contract is up in August; to test the Apple waters, I'm considering buying an iPad 1 that my CFO is selling (64Gb, WiFi/3G for $300). Just to see...... meh....dunno.

 

[doogald]

I get so weary of the "my platform is better and this is war" B.S. Both iOS and Android are great; both have strengths and weaknesses; why people think one has to "win" and another has to "lose" is beyond me.

I rooted only because the stock Eris 2.1 build wasn't working for me. I have played with a stock DInc and it's fine without root. I'll root only if I need to, not just to root. I'm glad that I have my Eris running well enough that I don't need to upgrade until the right device comes along, that's for sure.

 

[noah way]

I love the Eris, the form factor is nice and I've grown accustomed to the controls and interface. The only downsides are speed (fixed with root & XtrSense), the disposable nature of cell phones and VZ.

So when the Eris charger port got wanky (11 months, 3 weeks and 2 days into the 12 mo. warranty) I got a VZ warranty replacement "refurbished". It had a blown speaker which I swapped into my old phone before sending it back.

Not happy with being dependent on a refurb, I picked up an Incredible which for the most part is exactly that. The power button on top is stupid and takes some time to get used to after the Eris, but the phone is lightning fast and the interface is almost identical - a big issue for me, as I hate having to relearn how to do the very same thing in a different way. The SkyRaider ROM is very nice.

As to VZ, it's just another money grabbing corporate behemoth that could care less about it's customers. Sure, the service people are all very nice and friendly and try to be helpful but corporate policy is decidedly not. In my area it's got the best coverage and call quality, which makes it the only real choice. This will all go to hell now with the iPhone, the device that pretty much killed AT&T service. Who the hell needs voice and data at the same time? Goodbye, bandwidth.

Rather than get caught up in bleeding edge tech, get a used Incredible. You'll have 2 phones to mess with and a backup if one fries. I doubt I'll ever buy a new phone again - I'll wait until the technology is proven and fixed then buy used. VZ gets so much money for their "plans" that they should be giving away phones for free.

/rant off

 

[nathanirwin311]

I am thinking about one of the new hp palm phones if they come out on vzw. I purchased a NIB palm pixi for $50 from a deal a day site and really liked the ui and the phone overall (it was just too slow). I ended up selling it to a friend, but I learned that I should broaden my horizons and consider a move outside android. I have to wait until Sept anyway, so I'll see what is available then.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

I dropped my iPhone for the Android open platform and haven't regretted it once. Not even when I spend an entire afternoon flashing ROMs and getting everything the way I like it only to find out the WiFi doesn't work, or something equally deal-breaking. I just restore my NAND and look forward to another custom ROM or fix to catch my eye. I love the hunting, the community, and even the challenges. I have learned so much about how my phone works and I have only scratched the surface.

 

[Chopstick2U]

I dropped my iPhone for the Android open platform and haven't regretted it once. Not even when I spend an entire afternoon flashing ROMs and getting everything the way I like it only to find out the WiFi doesn't work, or something equally deal-breaking. I just restore my NAND and look forward to another custom ROM or fix to catch my eye. I love the hunting, the community, and even the challenges. I have learned so much about how my phone works and I have only scratched the surface.

Yours is the perspective that interests me. Did you jailbreak your iPhone and enjoy "hunting, community and challenges?" Because everything you described is something I enjoy about Android, and if I can have a similar experience with the iPhone, I would appreciate the greater variety of apps and a phone that's guaranteed to be the top of its platform for at least a year (if I wait until Iphone 5).

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

Yours is the perspective that interests me. Did you jailbreak your iPhone and enjoy "hunting, community and challenges?" Because everything you described is something I enjoy about Android, and if I can have a similar experience with the iPhone, I would appreciate the greater variety of apps and a phone that's guaranteed to be the top of its platform for at least a year (if I wait until Iphone 5).

I did jailbreak my iPhone, because I had to. I had to over and over. Every time I plugged into iTunes I had to worry there was some new update that would install without my permission that would re-lock my phone. Sometimes the wireless wouldn't work, sometimes there was no service at all, and I would have to find the new jailbreaking software (if it was even available) if I wanted my phone back.

I never saw anything like a NAND available, which I cannot tell you how important I see the NAND to be...

I never felt the control was ever really in my hands with the iPhone. My tinkering was focused around keeping my phone working on the T-Mobile network instead of customizing when I wanted to.

The apps are expensive. The phone is too.

I don't care as much about a phone being at the top as I do about the phone being mine. And I think the iPhone is really a matter of (misguided) opinion, especially these days (larger screens, faster CPUs, higher res cameras popping up everywhere). As far as the availability of apps, Not only as I mentioned before does the Android market seem to have more free apps, but it should soon have more apps in general. Last count I saw was Oct 2010 with the Android market 200,000 to Apple 280,000 and gaining.

Using the iPhone is like drinking the kool-aid in my eyes. The kool-aid someone else brought to the party.

I want my Manhattan with dry vermouth please.

 

[doogald]

I own both the Eris and an iPod Touch, so my comments, for what they are worth (probably not much...)

I never saw anything like a NAND available, which I cannot tell you how important I see the NAND to be...

Perhaps not, but there is nothing on Android like plugging in a new iOS device and having it restore exactly as your previous device was, except, of course, for rooted Android users and Nandroid backups. But iOS does this automagically when you plug in, and Android does it manually (at least on the Eris.)

The apps are expensive. The phone is too.

??? It costs about as much as Android phones do.

As far as the availability of apps, Not only as I mentioned before does the Android market seem to have more free apps, but it should soon have more apps in general. Last count I saw was Oct 2010 with the Android market 200,000 to Apple 280,000 and gaining.

The total number of apps means nothing. Try searching for ADW in the Google market and see how many ADW theme "apps" there are. If that's part of the 200,000, that number is a joke. Anyway, all I care about is a handful of apps. 280,000 vs. 100,000 means practically nothing when 98% of both numbers are garbage.

One thing, though - iOS apps tend to be better when the apps are the same. The Kindle app has real page numbers and is more responsive; the Dropbox app is better. Even the Google Books app is better on iOS than on Android (though, frankly, it sucks on both.) There is a Netflix app and it plays movies. Of course this is pretty esoteric, but I have EyeTV on my Mac Mini at home, and with my Touch I can watch both live and recorded TV when I am remote. There is nothing that allows me to do this on Android.

That said, there is nothing like the Tweetdeck app on Android on iOS. That app is pretty darned amazing. (That said, the iOS version is coming.) And, of course, you had better like the iOS keyboard, because that's all you're gonna get.

The fact is that both platforms have strengths and weaknesses relative to each other. I could really use either one. The iPhone remains jailbreakable, while the trend for Android phones is toward increasingly difficulty of taking similar control.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

Doogald, I appreciate you chiming in here as you are one of the more respected members and probably one of the most knowledgeable too.

...Anyway, all I care about is a handful of apps. 280,000 vs. 100,000 means practically nothing when 98% of both numbers are garbage.

...

The fact is that both platforms have strengths and weaknesses relative to each other.

+1

...the trend for Android phones is toward increasingly difficulty of taking similar control.

Scary and sad

As far as the cost, I paid $99.00 for my wife's Droid and got my Eris for free.

Chopstick2U,
Hope you are happy with whatever you end up with!

 

[Chopstick2U]

I really appreciate the discussion, folks. If I had a year to wait this out, I'm sure my decision would be easy. If Android takes the turn that we fear and ends up being impermeably closed off, then I would definitely jump to iOS. If all this alarmism amounts to nothing, then I'd stay with Android. I guess in the meantime, I could vote with my heart and buy the platform that I WANT to succeed.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

I could vote with my heart and buy the platform that I WANT to succeed.

+1

I am a big fan of that...

 

[Outlaw.99]

I really like my TB... I ordered my son an Iphone, and it just seems like a toy... The Apple OS is nice enough to play my videos or my music, but I wouldnt depend on it for real tasks such as work mail,texting and calendar...

 

[Demache]

the Dropbox app is better.

This one I err on. While I'm sure in some ways the iPhone version is better, I like the Android version better for ONE obvious reason. You can actually download the file to your phone and it is accessible by other apps. For the most part, the is only thing I use Dropbox for, is moving files between machines and my phone. And this was sort of the killer feature for me.

Granted, not everyone uses it the same, but for my use, this it is much better, due to the simple fact that Android lets apps have access to the entire filesystem.

 

[carmendiva]

lol don't get an iphone, come on over to the WIndows phone 7 side
I've been an avid android user for going on two years and was a frequent poster in this very forum for the eris(i still check in from time to time lol) and I have a lot of the concerns that you have, chopsticks.

I also have concerns over the reliability of the platform. I've always been adequately impressed with the hardware of Android, yet the OS has left a lot to be desired.
On the flipside, I remember always wanting an Iphone because my friends had it and I finally got an Iphone 4 last year and I was impressed with the software but the hardware left a lot to be desired.

you said you may wind up experimenting with the iphone or whatever else, and I say do that. Step outside the box and experience something different and who knows you may wind up liking it.

I have a special fondness for Android and I am back with Android, however Windows Phone 7 potential is what is appealing to me and the OS actually marries what is great about IOS and Android and even thrown in some Microsoft flavor and made a great OS.

But i agree, if you choose to experiment with IOS or what have you, go to best buy. I refuse to pay a restocking fee.

 

[Chopstick2U]

I've still never handled a WP7 device. Would you describe them as "developer friendly" devices? I like my phone to be a sandbox and not a walled garden.

 

[ACD168]

an iDub? that's bolt. Inc2 is awesome!, it'll be rooted in due time. (knock on wood).