Our Motorola Droid Review

So after 3 days of Droid, here’s my good, bad and ugly in reverse order. First, background: I have been a blackberry user for ~4year (8700 and Curve).  I also own an iPod Touch

*UGLY*:

Have YET to be able to sync my Microsoft exchange with the Droid’s email feature. Droid admittedly (they say so in their manual) does not do a good job at syncing to Microsoft exchange, they offer a few solutions which all involve getting your Exchange Admin involved and then tell you to download some 3rd party apps which get around MS’s security requirements and so on.

This could be a dealbreaker for many people. I can’t say for sure if this problem is universal or if it’s just my Exchange server’s fault, or even my fault for screwing up the sync. I have been working around this by using the **AWESOME** web browser to connect to my company’s online email server but this hack won’t do me for long.

*BAD*:

*Physical Keyboard*- not good. I don’t have a ton of experience with non-blackberry QWERTY keyboards but I can say that both Blackberry models that I have used are heads and shoulders above the Droids. I have never used a slideout before, but even so I feel like it just doesn’t cut it. The buttons are shaped weird and are a little close together. I really haven’t used it much, so maybe I will get a little better with time, but frankly it’s pretty bad and I can’t really see myself using it too much.

*Battery life*- I can’t say this is too awful yet. My phone did die on me today. I think this is more to do with the awesome features and my constant using of them than a poor battery, but having your phone die mid-day sucks.

*Lack of BBM*- As a former crackberry nut, this was a hard thing to give up.
*Bulk*- the phone is bulky, even without the substantial case that it came with. Far bulkier than either blackberry that I have owned. Although I think it is a good looking phone and very well designed so I don’t mind a little bulk, but I could see people, particularly girls having an issue with this.

*App **Store*- This is a bad, but not really. The App Store (market as google calls it) is far more limited than the iTunes one, however as far as I can tell you just lose a bunch of the noise. I have found apps that I really like for Twitter, Weather, Sport Scores, Pandora, Flight/Travel and a few others. The big loss seems to be games but that’s not really my thing. There are a few apps that it has that are KILLER that you can’t get elsewhere but I will discuss those in the good.

*GOOD: *

There is so much I like about this phone, I will try to be short.

*Screen *– BEAUTIFUL

*VZW’s 3G Network* – Super Super fast I can stream Pandora in my car and using the built in speakers substitute it for the radio without noticing a skip or a hesitation. Watch youtube videos without a second of hesitation and so on.

*Messaging *– Email and SMS and Chat are great, seamless and cool interfaces
*Virtual Keyboard* – Similar to Apple’s. I picked it up very easily and the predictive text blows the iPhone’s out the water.

*Google Voice* – the Google Voice app has finally given Google voice a purpose in my life

*Google Navigation* – Like a Garmin GPS and Google had a baby and then that baby went on to be President. Best. Navigation. App. Ever.

*UI* – smooth seemless and customizable. I’ve only had the phone for 3 days and it’s already intuitive.

*Hardwear / Processing* – The Phone is fast, processor responsive and everything is running very smoothly, admittedly after only 3 days.

All and all, I’d say the Google Droid is the iPhone on a better network, a
little less beautiful and with a lot more potential due to the google juice
that it has built in and will surely benefit from. After feeling like I had
to defend my blackberry to iPhone uses for the past 2-3 years. I now can
confidently say that I have a phone that can stack up to anything Jobs and
the boyz can dish out.

Microsoft Security Essentials

I hate paying for software.  I will occasionally do it if I cannot find it easily online or if I feel the developer deserves the cash.  I’ve used many different anti-virus software packages over the years and I think I finally found one that I really like.  It also happens to be free. 

I used to use Norton Antivirus like many people. I’d pay for it because I didn’t think there was any other way.  I then moved on to a free version of McAffee that my school gave me.  I probably used that for years before moving on to the next one; AVG.

I loved AVG for a long time.  It was fairly quick, updated often but it was a little obtrusive.  I dealt with that though because the product was truly free.  About a year ago I AVG had a false positive that caused iTunes to get messed up.  I freaked out and uninstalled AVG and iTunes so nothing bad would happen to my music collection.  The next day a fix was issued but it was already too late for me.  I moved on to Avira. 

Avira was good. Very similar to AVG. It had an annoying popup that would bug you to buy the Pro version. Not terrible but annoying (I later found out how to disable this message).  Then Microsoft releases their Security Essentials package.  In a word: awesome!

It’s been a little strange that I’ve been saying that Microsoft has had some amazing products lately.  I love Windows 7. Windows Media Center is a great media experience. And now their new security software. 

Microsoft Security Essentials combines Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware protection in a small, lightweight and very silent package.  It updates automatically, detects a great number of issues and doesn’t take up my system resources.

Get it today. I highly recommend it.  Disagree? Let us know in the comments.

Keeping in touch with Friends & Family While Travelling

I've been doing a lot of international traveling as of late and keeping in touch with family and friends in the states can sometimes prove to be difficult.  I should rephrase t hat.  It's not difficult but it's difficult to do it cheaply.  I've learned a few things along the way and I'll let you know what I've been using to do this on the cheap.

1. A smartphone with unlimited internet access

This is a must.  I've been able to be on gChat and email without some people even knowing that i'm in Europe.  I've been using an unlocked iPhone 3G and a Pay as you go SIM card from O2 in London.  I put 15 pounds on the SIM card and it came with unlimited internet.  If I really wanted to I would never have to use the 15 pounds and just use the following program to make all of my calls.

2. Skype on your smartphone (or at least your laptop).

Skype has allowed me to place phone calls to the US at very cheap rates.  Using Google Voice (mentioned below) and a SkypeIN number I have unlimited calls to US numbers for $60/year. Not too bad.  I also use Skype on my laptop to talk to family and friends with audio and video.  It works surprisingly well and if the other party has Skype too it's completely free. 

3. Google Voice

I never do a good job explaining what Google Voice is so I'll just embed the following video:

Got it? When travelling back and forth between Europe and the US I am now able to be reached with just one number.  When I'm in the US I have my Google Voice number forward to my cell phone and when I'm in Europe I have it forward to Skype.  It works great for the most part.  Using Skype on the iPhone is awesome on WiFi but it can be flakey sometimes on the 3G.  Luckily if someone tries to call me and I miss it, Google Voice just transcribes their messages and sends it to my email.

4. Facebook

Pictures, messages, keeping up with the mindless stuff that people do, etc.

Got any other tips for keeping in touch with people when you're travelling?  Leave them in the comments.