Droid Eris vs Iphone

[hattrick]

I terminated my contract a few months early with AT&T and dropped the iPhone 3G in favor of VZW and the Eris. AT&T + iPhone = horrible service in my area. I'm in San Diego and would regularly drop calls all over the city. I finally got fed up and and made the switch.

The iPhone is very polished and I do miss some of the apps. However these are mostly games. The Eris has all the essential apps (tools) that I absolutely have to have and does everything I need for business. I especially love the widgets and ability to customize. I don't have any issues with lag or short battery life (seems similar or slightly better than my iPhone).

I've had my Eris for a month now and don't have any regrets. In fact I actually now prefer the Eris over the iPhone (and I can still DL and play games on what is now an iPod Touch).

Also after getting use to the Eris and going back and holding my iPhone, the thing feels like a tablet.

 

[Pitamakan]

It may not be on paper, but it does feel a lot different in your hands. I was a little surprised too.

Exactly ... in a device like this, feel is everything. The Eris fits perfectly in my hand, and is comfortable in my Pocket. The iPhone definitely isn't bad, but just isn't quite there ergonomically.

Both are way better than the Moto Droid, though ... what an awkward thing that is!

 

[tarponbeach]

I came to the Eris from a 3Gs iPhone. At first, I was happy just to be able to make phone calls on the Eris, compared to unending dropped and failed calls on the iPhone (AT&T).

Now that I've had the Eris for over a month, I actually like it better than the iPhone. I love the ability to totally customize the UI, which is not possible on the iPhone. After using the Android operating system, I can honestly say that it is superior to the iPhone operating system in every way.

IMHO, the only thing that the iPhone has over the Eris is speed, and this will be taken care of as soon as the Nexus 1 appears on Verizon.

 

[bjanow]

Exactly ... in a device like this, feel is everything. The Eris fits perfectly in my hand, and is comfortable in my Pocket. The iPhone definitely isn't bad, but just isn't quite there ergonomically.

Both are way better than the Moto Droid, though ... what an awkward thing that is!

Wow, so true re Moto. They should market that monstrosity to the shot put crowd. I showed my Eris to an iPhone user and they literally turned green.

 

[OfTheDamned]

OK, so here is my take on Apple and the iPhone. This isn't meant to be bashing or insulting or anything, it is just my opinion. Sorry in advance that it is rather long winded.

Let's take a step back a bit and think about the original iPod. Until you started seeing ads on TV for it, did any of you really know about mp3 players? Did you think you needed or wanted a way to carry every album ever recorded around in your front pocket? The answer for 98% of you should be no. The average person didn't think about this type of stuff. There were mp3 players on the market before the iPod was introduced, but it was Apple that made everyone feel like they NEEDED to have one. So the iPod became the Kleenex of the DAP market. With that it also became a status symbol to have and use an iPod. I remember seeing people shelling out $300 for an iPod when the device next to it did the exact same thing and only cost $75 or $100. I still see people buying iPods for $150 when a comparable device sitting on the same display only costs $30.

The iPhone is a cookie cutter device. It is designed to be a smartphone for the non-smartphone user. It is simple in design (user standpoint) and it does what it does and does it pretty well. However, it is 80% marketing and 20% phone. The marketing push behind the iPhone really propelled it into the forefront of the American people. Ads that show the apps and what you can do with the iPhone really made it stick out in people's minds as an impressive device. This marketing makes up a majority of why people want an iPhone. They see it on TV and think it is cool, so they want one. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, those ads have actually pushed the smartphone industry in a new direction and I actually think it is a great thing. The drive for companies to make the all important (for some reason) "iPhone Killer" has really stepped up innovation in the industry. I am sure it is one of the things that led to the creation of the Android OS. The ads making people want one also drives the development of accessories and applications for the device. The app store has grown because Apple pushes the phone as much as it does. Showing people that they NEED to have this device drives developers to create for it. It also shows other companies that the mobile market is a new avenue to use for their current business. Look at some of the apps available for the iPhone that have been created by companies that do nothing but get you to use their products or services. The FTD app and Pizza Hut app are two that come to mind. The only things that these apps do is get you to spend money with the company that delivered the app in the first place. That is great for their business and for the people that use their services. None of that would be available without the marketing push made by Apple in the first place.

At the end of the day a device is a device is a device. If it does what you need it to do then it is the device for you. Majority of smartphone users never see the full potential that their device has to offer anyway. The iPhone has a lot of apps and people rave about it, but does it really do more than other phones? If their is an app for something that is important to you on the iPhone and it isn't offered on any other device then the answer would be yes. However, the same could be said for any other device on the market. These are app phones for the most part and with out the app you need/want then they just become phones. A friend of mine asked me the other day if he should switch from BlackBerry to Android and I gave him the best answer I could. Only if you want to.

 

[heyjoojoo]

I really ike the Eris. The customizable UI is really customizable; and not like just wanting to move or change icons. I've had fun with it so far and have never had this experience with a smartphone before. HTC seems to have figured out a few things.

 

[Frisco]

Well, those of us with kids knew about the mp3 players before iPod ("knew" meaning, were told by our kids ).

 

[mike295]

I am not important enough to use 1/4 of the capabilities that the eris has.

 

[bjanow]

At the end of the day a device is a device is a device. If it does what you need it to do then it is the device for you. Majority of smartphone users never see the full potential that their device has to offer anyway. The iPhone has a lot of apps and people rave about it, but does it really do more than other phones? ..... A friend of mine asked me the other day if he should switch from BlackBerry to Android and I gave him the best answer I could. Only if you want to.

My iPhone friend proudly said to me the other day that he had 280 apps. I didn't have the heart to ask him how many he actually used... ever! As for your BB friend, the email on the BB is probably second to none if you have multiple Exchange accounts although Touchdown does a decent job. If email is not super duper important to him with multiple accounts then, other than familiarity, the Eris is hands down the winner.

 

[doogald]

Assuming all the rumors of Iphone going to verizon are true. Some one please tell me why I should get the Droid Eris instead.

I am really on the fence about this.

If you have all of your stuff in Gmail and Google Calendar, I think that Android is a better solution.

Since there are rumors about a new iPhone OS 4 being announced tomorrow, which includes more extensive multitasking, I'd think that it's a bit early to speculate what a Verizon iPhone may have. If the iPhone for VZW also includes a GSM radio and SIM slot (so it can be a "global phone"), and you want to roam internationally, that may be a strong selling point for an iPhone on VZW.

I have an Eris, but that's really only because I needed to stay on Verizon. I was planning to switch to AT&T to get an iPhone, but could not. Having used the Eris for over a month now, though, I am very pleased with this phone. I could seriously go either way with a next purchase.

One serious advantage that the iPhone may have, though: Applecare. I know people with iPhones that purchased Applecare who have had hardware problems and had them exchanged at an Apple Store with absolutely no hassle. I truly wish that Verizon had a better extended warranty program than what they do with Assurion. Seriously, I should be able to walk into a Verizon Store anywhere and get hardware swap if I purchase an extended warranty, rather than having to deal with a third party and waiting overnight for a shipped replacement (and then needing to return the old phone anyway.)

 

[ericDylan]

i am not entirely sure... i might end up getting the N1. but i am pretty sure that i will get the iphone if only for the sheer fact that i would not have to carry around a phone and my ipod touch. i am pretty scatterbrained... and making sure i leave my house with my shoes on the right foot is hard enough, let alone having to keep up with two expensive electronic devices that would cost alot to replace. just my take on things

*edit:*but i might change my mind after the fabled 2.1 update

 

[RMMahoney]

Had iPhone since 1st Gen up until 3G. Left iPhone for Eris and have had no regrets.

Multiple apps....nuff said.

 

[kdandroud]

I can't decide whether to get the iphone or not when apple is also going to be announcing the iSlate tomorrow that is going to run off the same type of OS as an iphone
(there are already big sites up with the islate name like iSlate forums so itll probably be called that) and based on what i read its going to be like an iphone but bigger and better and on verizons network. Will it be worth getting the iSlate and iPhone both? I think im just going to stick with my eris and get my apple fix with the iSlate

 

[Frisco]

I can't decide whether to get the iphone or not when apple is also going to be announcing the iSlate tomorrow that is going to run off the same type of OS as an iphone
(there are already big sites up with the islate name like iSlate forums so itll probably be called that) and based on what i read its going to be like an iphone but bigger and better and on verizons network. Will it be worth getting the iSlate and iPhone both? I think im just going to stick with my eris and get my apple fix with the iSlate

I too am fascinated by the iSlate (even though the wiki on it is has a pretty amusing first half of the page: iSlate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Hopefully, and likely, there will be non-Apple versions coming out as time goes by; I have the opposite feeling about Apple that some do here, no "fix" needed.

My little dream device would be one that had a screen something like the iSlate, but also would have cell phone capabilities, perhaps a detachable portion of the device (or something, again, this is just a dream ).

 

[gridbug]

I reeeeeally considered the iPhone for several months, especially when the 3GS came out. At the time I was using an old LG CU400 flip phone (with AT&T coverage) and while serviceable, I really wanted something that could handle multimedia as well as phone and internet browsing. And then came the day one of my coworkers shows up with her new Droid Eris. From a tactile/aesthetic sense, it felt great and looked sharp, more character than the sleek-yet-ultimately-boring iPhone. The customizable options/display, the meager (at the time) but sufficient (and getting better) apps, and most of all the Verizon network really captured my interest. It all crystallized when I discovered that I could get a company discount with Verizon, so I pulled the trigger and got one for me and one for the Missus (the BOGO offer from December) and it's been one of most satisfying consumer-win decisions I've ever made. I have absolutely no regrets and am looking forward to seeing the Android platform continue to flourish. The Eris does everything I need it to do (though the video playback is a little dodgy, but not a deal breaker) and I still pick it up and play with it when I don't really need to. It may not be an iPhone killer, but it's got me pleased as punch. And that's really what matters in the end.

 

[AwesomeIT]

I've never owned an iPhone but I have an Ipod Touch. I thought the iPod Touch was the pinnacle of hand held technology before I got my Eris. I didn't think any phone on VZW could even compare to the iPhone/Touch. Now, when I use my Touch, which is very rare, it just seems so bland. I feel that the Eris destroys the iPhone on many levels. If you're big on multimedia, the iPhone is the way to go, otherwise the Eris wins in my opinion.

I also have a friend who works for Apple. Instead of switching to AT&T to get the iPhone she went with the Moto Droid. After she got it she told me the iPhone/Touch seems like 20 year old technology in comparison. And that's somebody who works for Apple.

Another reason she didn't switch to AT&T for the iPhone is because of the lack of any real 3g coverage.

 

[drdave]

My wife and I are long-term Verizon folks but also MAC users home and office. We have really appreciated VZ Wireless (NOT land-line) customer service. We have been trying Erises for three weeks. What distinguishes the iPhone for us 1) compatibility with our MAC computers and the 2) the high quality Music player. Apple software is amazingly friendly and seamless between gadgets. It saves a lot of time. The Eris is a neat gadget and has an attractive UI. Strengths: Works well as a phone; fun; it's available on Verizon; running apps simultaneously. Weaknesses: No Bluetooth voice dialing; Internet loading can be slow; weak music player (no equalizer, not enough output volume); a huge pain to sync with our MACs. We have been working at getting iCal and Address Book to sync via Google, but it is a major nuisance. And moving music files, while possible, is also time consuming. While Android OS 2.1 is supposed to address the Bluetooth dialing issue, no specific timetable has been given, so it is just a promise at the moment, and the other issues remain. Yet the Eris actually can be used as a phone!

 

[doogald]

We have been working at getting iCal and Address Book to sync via Google, but it is a major nuisance. And moving music files, while possible, is also time consuming.

First, Address Book has "synchronize with google" built right in, right on the first page of preferences (as of 10.5.3). It works perfectly for me. iCal sync with Google can happen with a few third party apps. First, Google has a CalDAV sync tool for free, while BusySync (and it's iCal replacement BuscyCal) have Google calendar syncing, as well as Spanning Sync (which can also manage address book syncing, though I prefer Address Book syncing directly.) Both BusySync and Spanning Sync offer a bit more robust syncing with Google calendars than Google's free service. In any case, it's not that hard at all.

The free application DoubleTwist can sync your iTunes content with an Android device when it is plugged in. It can sync playlists, etc., pretty powerfully.

 

[mike295]

I got a mac I just draged the songs i wanted in to the phone blamo it worked.

 

[doogald]

I got a mac I just draged the songs i wanted in to the phone blamo it worked.

Right, that sure works, but if you want only certain songs and don't feel like going through the drudge of selecting them in the Finder, or certain playlists, and you want them organized on the phone, rather than just in a single folder, and/or you want changes that you make to playlists automatically copied over to an Eris, DoubleTwist on a Mac is a really nice solution.

 

[drdave]

For Doogald-Thanks for these ideas...I have used them. But iCal syncing is tricky and data has to be lined up exactly to avoid duplicates and lost info. If you have suggestions to simplify this, it will be appreciated.

I stand on my point that syncing with MACs and iPhones (in my case, iTouch, after all, I am a Verizon guy) is unbelievably smooth and easy. All of these other suggestions prove the point: that as delightful as the Eris is, syncing takes a lot more time and effort.

Also, I forgot one more downside of the Eris: the screen is smaller - browsing is a little harder because of it and photos are not as crisp or as large.

 

[mike295]

Right, that sure works, but if you want only certain songs and don't feel like going through the drudge of selecting them in the Finder, or certain playlists, and you want them organized on the phone, rather than just in a single folder, and/or you want changes that you make to playlists automatically copied over to an Eris, DoubleTwist on a Mac is a really nice solution.

ok solid I will have to look in to that.

 

[doogald]

For Doogald-Thanks for these ideas...I have used them. But iCal syncing is tricky and data has to be lined up exactly to avoid duplicates and lost info. If you have suggestions to simplify this, it will be appreciated.

I have been using Spanning Sync for almost three years - since May, 2007 - and have had only one issue, which was quickly resolved by their excellent and responsive tech support (that was a while ago and it may have been when I was running a beta version, actually.) The only issue with Spanning Sync to Google that has made me change my habits is that if I have an event in one calendar and want to move it to another in iCal, I must cut the entry, switch to the other calendar, and then paste, rather than just change the calendar in the entry, due to an issue with Apple Sync Services. (Or, just change it in Google Calendar and it works fine, which is what I do.) Everything works perfectly for me, from recurring events, alarms, etc. Anything I enter on any of the four places (iCal, Google Cal, my phone, or Mobile Me, as I also use that) ends up on the other calendars.

These can be complicated, too. For example, my son has a recurring music lesson on Wednesday evenings, but he has some conflicts on select weeks. No matter where I delete them - iCal or Google Cal - I can delete those specific weeks, tell it is just that event, and Spanning Sync will bring it over to the other without issue. I also have a second Mac that I use occasionally, and with that one I occasionally need to verify sync changes with Apple Sync Services - it asks which entry I should keep - but I never get lost events or duplicate events.

(I should also note that I have a calendar for myself, my wife, two for my two kids, birthdays and anniversaries, holidays, and subscribed calendars for my son's current school sport season.)

As I tend to see Google Cal as the center of everything, I tend to use it to enter calendar events, but I have also used iCal without an issue.

 

[pkopalek]

Thanks for those interesting mental images.

Anyhow, I'll confess to being a serious Apple fanboy -- I happily banished Windows from my life years ago, and there are no fewer than five Macs in my house right now. But still ... given the choice of waiting a little while for a VZW iPhone, or buying an Android device, I readily went for the Android.

That's for several reasons, including the expandable memory, removable battery, and just the overall variety of available devices and manufacturers. The big reason, though, is the Linux heritage behind the Android. There's way more flexibility in app designs, homescreen configurations, the way apps can be added and removed, and so on. In short, it's way easier to make your phone what you, personally, want it to be.

Speed for me is a non-issue. The Eris could be a bit snappier, but the UI is plenty fast, and besides ... most of the lag time people experience is a reflection of the speed of the data connection anyway, and there's not a lot the device can do about that.

iPhone = a version of OS X = Unix, the same base for Linux.

And no matter what any of us with Android do, Apple is the master of ergonomics and User Interface and experience.

Would you give your Grandma an Eris? I wouldn't.

Would you give her an iPhone? Absolutely.

 

[drdave]

I totally agree! My Mom (85) and my wife's dad (82 - a former aeronautical engineer) both had PCs that sat unused for 6-7 years. Last year we gave each of them a MacBook and now they like computing. And with iChat, it is really easy to capture their screens to show them what to do when they get stuck.