Droid and Blackberry users...

[TwoBees]

Would you defect to a Verizon iPhone if it is indeed announced (officially) tomorrow?

[BillK]

Not at this point - my mind may change once I'm closer to my upgrade time and the iPhone 5 is out (or close to out).

I like being rooted on my Android phone and being able to use wireless tethering w/o paying VZW for the same data I'm already paying for a second time.

Also - Google Navigation is free vs. having to buy an app on the iPhone.

I like being able to totally customize my Android phone however I wish rather than being locked into the same boring old scheme on an iPhone.

Not that I use it a lot but I like having Adobe Flash on my Android phone - there's really not much hope of it ever being on the iPhone since SJ is so deadset against it.

I do miss the polish of the iPhone app store - the Android Market is pretty much a mess compared iPhone's.

[sunshine873]

Nope, I'm with Bill. I really like the way my Droid works, I'm used to the aps, I love having Google maps & navigation for free. I love how in syncs with my g-mail and calendar.

Am I curious about the i-Phone? Yes. But not enough to break out of my current contract. So far I'm really happy with my Droid so I have no reason to switch.

[Pinky]

I'm going to stick with my Droid. I am so happy with it and honestly have never been a big fan of apple products. I think people either love them or hate them.

[wolverine2]

I like being rooted on my Android phone and being able to use wireless tethering w/o paying VZW for the same data I'm already paying for a second time.



??
What does this mean for the technophobe?

(I will be comparing Droid and iPhone's in a month for my first smartphone)

[BillK]

From Android Central:



Here's rooting in a nutshell: Your Android smartphone is based on Linux. A big, bad, scary computer operating system known only by people with neck beards. (Only, not really. But mostly.) Anyhoo, Android apps need permission to access certain parts of Linux, and not all apps have this special "root" access. That includes a few basic things, like the camera flash, and the ability to take screen shots. There are a bunch of other apps that need root access for other reasons, too, but the basic premise is the same.

Link for FAQ's about rooting: http://www.androidcentral.com/rooting-it-me-some-qa

Barnacle WiFi Tether website: http://szym.net/barnacle/

[Pinky]

??
What does this mean for the technophobe?

(I will be comparing Droid and iPhone's in a month for my first smartphone)

Wireless tethering means you can get internet on your laptop from your cell phone.

Not sure what "being rooted" means. :)

[nov04]

I really enjoy free gps on blackberry. It's not a visual map but the text-based directions on Blackberry 'Traffic' work fine for me now. It even gives me info on construction!

There's a complete google app that's a nice starting point for their services. Yahoo also links up nicely too.

I need my physical keyboard. I used to be a palm person, I can't switch again unless it was for a really good reason. I chose BB before Android caught on.

[Pinky]

I really enjoy free gps on blackberry. It's not a visual map but the text-based directions on Blackberry 'Traffic' work fine for me now. It even gives me info on construction!

There's a complete google app that's a nice starting point for their services. Yahoo also links up nicely too.

I need my physical keyboard. I used to be a palm person, I can't switch again unless it was for a really good reason. I chose BB before Android caught on. I do like the keyboard on the front of the blackberry's! I got a Droid with a pull out keyboard but I never use it.

[BabyMine]

I really enjoy free gps on blackberry. It's not a visual map but the text-based directions on Blackberry 'Traffic' work fine for me now. It even gives me info on construction!

There's a complete google app that's a nice starting point for their services. Yahoo also links up nicely too.

I need my physical keyboard. I used to be a palm person, I can't switch again unless it was for a really good reason. I chose BB before Android caught on.

Have you seen BB's new tab?
http://us.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/?CPID=KNC-kw328392_p6&HBX_PK=rim|20f0403a-8e89-e7c8-eb1c-000047d50085

[GonnaBeNana]

I'm already on VZW and have a BB Storm 2. I won't jump ship to the iPhone. I have a 64g touch. I don't like the fact that everything must go through apple to be usable on the iPhone (ringtones, etc). iPhones are notoriously easy to hack (read, steal your info), and you can't send attachments or read PDF files on them either. It's not true push email capable either and there's no comparing the security of BB servers to ANY other device. My DS recently jump to the Droid Incredible and loves it. I tried it for 3 days and returned it to keep from throwing it through a wall.

Beth

[MamaSnoo]

Ok---I am going to be alone on this one, and I am definitely not a techno-geek, so I am sure there is a lot about this I do not know. I have a Blackberry. It is one of the older ones. I do not like it that much. I do not find that the apps are all that easy to use. I think my contract will be up fairly soon, but I usually just wait until they die to replace them.

If iphone is available at that point, I will look at it seriously. I know lots of folks IRL who do like them. Most are like me and not very tech saavy. I would not commit without looking at all my options--newer BB, Droid.......so I guess that is a maybe?

[pastrygirl]

I have a Droid X, and while it has some faults, I like it MUCH better than my iPod Touch (which is an iPhone minus the phone and camera). I can't go back to the tiny screen or typing on that keyboard. UGH.

I thought I wouldn't like the touchscreen keyboard since I hate the one on my iPod Touch, but the Swype keyboard on the Droid is SO nice.

FYI -- I never rooted my Droid, and still really like it. I'm too chicken to root it even though I'm technical. I feel like upgrades would be an issue (as they have been for other people) and I don't think I ever found easy instructions to do it with a Mac. All the instructions I've seen are Windows-based.

ETA: Oh yeah, and the lack of Flash would bug me!

[Fairy]

I love my Droid and won't be going to the iPhone. I did leave my Bberry for the Droid, and other than an LG8000 from four years ago that I loved soooo much, this is the best phone I've ever had.

I like the Droid Market, actually. Then again, I only had the god-awful Bberry App Store to compare it to, and I didn't love that. So, I dunno, maybe it sucks. But from where I"m sitting, I'm ok with the Market.

[BillK]

FYI -- I never rooted my Droid, and still really like it. I'm too chicken to root it even though I'm technical. I feel like upgrades would be an issue (as they have been for other people) and I don't think I ever found easy instructions to do it with a Mac. All the instructions I've seen are Windows-based.

This is from Android Central (no PC or Mac needed):


Here now less than an hour.

1) Z4
[APP] z4root - xda-developers (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833953)

2) bootstrapper

(nandroid backup before you install roms)
How to: Create a Full Nandroid Backup on a DROID X - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog (http://www.droid-life.com/2010/09/07/how-to-create-a-full-nandroid-backup-on-a-droid-x/)

3) Apex
Downloads | FabDroid (http://fabdroid.com/downloads/)

Apex install wiki
Installation - FabDroid Wiki (http://wiki.fabdroid.com/index.php?title=Installation)

None of these are done by me and like always be careful while working on your droid

Shot of my rooted X main screen:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vWVq6yK2ftk/TRrDF5iE8mI/AAAAAAAAACk/A9Py8gYIcek/s400/CAP201012290011.jpg

[jk3]

No. I have had my DroidX for a year and will keep it until I am eligible for an upgrade. If the iphone is a 4G iphone at that point I would consider switching but I am happy with my current phone.

[pastrygirl]

This is from Android Central (no PC or Mac needed):


Shot of my rooted X main screen:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vWVq6yK2ftk/TRrDF5iE8mI/AAAAAAAAACk/A9Py8gYIcek/s400/CAP201012290011.jpgNice! One of the things I've really wanted is a dark status bar! Right now, I hide it.

Thanks for the links! I haven't looked into it in a while and didn't realize there were lots of options now.

[kboyle]

This is from Android Central (no PC or Mac needed):


Shot of my rooted X main screen:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vWVq6yK2ftk/TRrDF5iE8mI/AAAAAAAAACk/A9Py8gYIcek/s400/CAP201012290011.jpg

i didn't open links or look thru much, but i have researched it a bit. was it easy for you to root? i just want the free tethering option...

as for OP, i will consider it once the iphone 5 is released or maybe closer to end of summer. i REALLY love my droidx, i REALLY love it's HUGE screen. when i look at our ipod touches i feel like it's teeny. plus, i LOVE swype which isn't available (right now) for Apple products.