Tech Review Part 3

This post is a continuation of my Tech Review Series.  You can read Parts One and Two here and here.

Today, I will be discussing the differences between the Droid and iPhone cell phones, and how they have worked for me in my daily life.

Apple vs. Android - Let the games begin!

 Before I go on – I know that there are many die hard fans of either platform.  I am not writing to equivocally say one is better then the other – these are just my experiences with these two phones, and how I have used them in everyday life.

Droid Evo Shift with Sprint Service

The Evo Shift with Google by Android

I had the Evo Shift for about 2 years and I loved it.  I was not a fan of the “tapping on the glass” method of text entry, so the fact that the Evo Shift had a slide out keyboard was the first very attractive quality that hooked me right away.  The Shift had a very nice display screen, and was easy to use.  The Droid Marketplace (now called Google Play) was easy to use, and I often found exactly what I needed right away.  I also loved the way that my email, calendar, contacts, etc all synced with my phone easily and effortlessly from my Google Accounts.  My Shift started off working great – it was fast and easy to use, and my favorite feature – built in voice navigated turn by turn directions from Google Maps.  Every time I had to take a trip, my trusty navigation unit was right there telling me where to go.

I do miss this...

However, after about a year or so of use, I started to notice some issues.  First off, the sync system that Droid uses is very slow and cumbersome – there was always some issue with trying to sync the phone with my PC.  Most of the time, I didn’t even bother. Second, there was a real memory/ storage issue.  When I bought my phone, the salesman did say that the Evo Shift was a great entry level to mid range smart phone, and he was not lying. The Evo Shift came with a 2 GB memory card and even less internal storage.

Not. Quite. Enough.

After about a year, I started getting low memory/ storage warnings.  Add to that, many apps could not be transferred to the SD card, so I had to start deleting apps to make room for the updates to the apps I wanted to keep.  And oh, the updates – there were just so many!  As my phone filled up, the system got slower and slower, until it got to the point of having to power down and reboot.  The time had come to upgrade.

Apple iPhone 4 with iOS 5 with Sprint Service

The iPhone 4 with iOS 5 by Apple

I was leery about moving over to the iPhone.  Many swear by it, but when it fails, I hear it fails spectacularly.  However, the time had come – Sprint was having a great deal on iPhones, and I decided to go for it. 

I have had my iPhone for about 2 weeks, and I really do love it, but it does take some getting used to.  The display screen is a bit smaller then my Droid, but not by much.  The nice thing, though, is that my screen is far more sensitive, so text typing on the glass is not as big of an issue as I though it would be.  I have also noted that apps work much better on the iPhone then on the Droid.  A perfect example is Instagram.  I enjoyed in on the Droid, but I love it on the iPhone (especially as the camera on the iPhone is fantastic). 

Instagram rules on the iPhone!

 The iCloud system is really what makes this phone awesome.  Look, as the end of the day, most phones do the same thing in one way or the other.  The iCloud, however, really does take it to the next level.  I love being able to download a song on my iPad and then have it instantly available on my iPhone and Mac.  The same is true with apps and documents – everything gets shared across multiple devices.   

The iCloud is awesome - and is a real selling point for Apple products.

My iPhone 4 is definitely faster then my Droid Evo Shift, and it can run more apps at once without a problem.  Add to that the 8 GBs of internal storage (and no need for a separate SD card), and so far, this phone really has been terrific. 

All that being said – the iPhone is not without flaws.  The first major shortcoming is its lack of on board navigation.  Really, Apple - you can’t figure that one out?  There are apps for this (and I will discuss those later), but they are not as good as the navigation system on the Droid phones.  The other downfall is the ongoing feud between Apple and Adobe.  This nonsense has to stop – Apple has to realize that not having Adobe Flash is hurting there phone (as a matter of fact – that was one of my deciding factors in getting the Shift).  At the same time, Adobe has to realize that Flash takes up a tremendous amount of space, and weekly, almost daily updates (as it feels like sometimes) is just annoying and unnecessary.  They have to get this figure out.  

Adobe Flash - Get it together guys!

The final major downside is Apple does not play well with Google.  After syncing all of my contacts from my Google Accounts, the showed up on my iPhone all messed up.  After downloading my contacts, I saw multiple entries for the same individual, information in the wrong place, and some of it just plain missing.  That was two hours of going through everything to get it all up to date.  Furthermore, the iPhone contacts list does not include entries for Facebook and Twitter with real time updates – you have to use separate apps for that.  The Droid platform lets you tie all of those accounts together, letting you see everything at a glance.  However, the apps do work much better on the iPhone, so I guess it is just a trade off at that point.

Facebook and Twitter work great on the iPhone!

So, there you go – my simple and personal reviews between the iPhone and the Droid.  I would like to point out one other thing though – I will continue to use Sprint for as long as they are as good as they are.  

Sprint: The way to go for me - for now....

 AT&T, which I have had in the past, stinks – I will never use them again.  A long time ago, I had Cingular, (inventor of the roll over minutes) which was awesome.  They had great customer service, and a terrific product line.  Then, AT&T bought them out, and the whole thing went down hill in a matter of weeks.  I actually paid the $250.00 cancellation fee; that’s how bad they were.   

AT&T: BOOOOOOOO!

I have heard Verizon service is good, but their version of the iPhone cannot multitask, which was a problem for me. 

I hope this little synopsis helps anyone toiling with the decision of purchasing an iPhone over the Droid, or vice versa.  My next post will concentrate on my favorite apps available for the iPhone. Thanks for reading!

Tech Review 2011 Part 2

Every now and then, I like to point out products and services that either really stink on ice, or perform really well and deserve praise.  I am happy to say this post revolves around the latter.  (Click here and here to read about other product and service reviews).  This post is Part 2 from my Tech Review 2011Part 1 post.

So, with every good phone, you need a good Bluetooth.  I am a very particular Bluetooth type of guy, meaning, I am weird.  I do not like things sticking in my ear; it irritates the hell out of me.  Everyone at my gym uses ear buds, and I get the chills – my ears actually hurt for them.  I am the only guy in there using full sized studio headphones while working out – I like the speakers the cup over my ears.  So, like my old phone, I held on to my old Bluetooth because it met my weirdness criteria.  It was a Motorola H350 with a partially open arm that went over the ear. 

My original Motorola H350

The speaker was relatively flat, so it did not protrude into the ear canal.  The only problem was the arm of the unit wasn’t very stiff, so if I leaned to the side that it was on, it would pull away from my ear or fall off entirely.  However, it had good sound quality, and a decent range, plus I didn’t use it that often given that when I was on the phone, I really wasn’t doing anything else, e.g., texting or web surfing, in other words, I didn’t need my hands free.  However, it finally died soon after I got my new phone.  No really, it did – I started using it everyday, and the speaker just gave out.  After 4 good years of service, it was time to replace it.  However, just like with ear buds for MP3 players, everyone loves the kind that sticks in your ear.  So, the hunt was on.  First, I tried the Motorola HK200. 

The Motorola HK200

Similar in design to the H350, this unit was lighter, and a bit more snug to the ear, however, the quality just wasn’t there.  The sound quality and volume was poor, and the person on the other end had a hard time hearing me. On top of that, there was a small ear bud type projection on the unit.  So, the thin plastic arm went around your ear, and then, through the course of the day, the ear bud piece would work its way into my ear.  This was a no go.  Unfortunately, Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target, Wal-Mart and others all carry the same basic Bluetooth headsets, and none of them were what I wanted.  It was time to hit the web (and that will be discussed next).  So, I started the hunt, just using broad search terms, which would lead me to the big outlets in the beginning – Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc.  Then I started digging deeper and deeper until I ended up on some random site at the end of the Internet universe.  But, there it was – the perfect Bluetooth headset.  It was unique looking.  It went over the ear.  The speaker was completely flat.  I must have it.  It is called the Maverick Lifestyle Nica Sunrise Bluetooth headset.  The what? 

The Maverick Lifestyle Nica Sunrise Bluetooth available in black and red.

I started looking for reviews and doing my research, and about 90% of what I read was positive.  So, I found it on Amazon.com and placed my order.

So, here is where I am an old fashioned kind of guy.  I love walking into a store, trying out an item, playing with it, asking the clerk about it, and walking out with it that very day.  I am not a fan of online ordering for several reasons.  What if they ship me the wrong thing?  What if I get double charged?  What if my credit card info is stolen?  What do you mean the shipping and handling is more then the item itself?  What if it’s defective, where is customer service so I can return it?   All of these issues and more often kept me from ordering anything off the Internet, but this Bluetooth was exactly what I was looking for and it was not available in any physical store – believe me, I looked.  So, after much assurance from Allie, I placed my order through Amazon.  After 4 days, it arrived in the mail.  I turned it on, paired it with my phone with no issues. However, some sort of weird echo type reverb could be heard during calls.  Plus, the range from my phone was about 8 inches and would randomly disconnect from the phone.  So I tried re-pairing the phone, recharging the unit, restarting my phone – nothing worked.  So, since the reviews were good, I figured it must be defective. 

Here we go – the fight to get this thing replaced.  So, I was actually pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to replace it. I went to Amazon.com, filled out the replacement request, printed out my documentation and within 4 days, my new unit arrived with 30 days to return the defective one. 

The new unit works awesome.  I leave the phone in my office, and walk to the other end of the house without an issue, the call quality is clear and it is extremely comfortable. The Sunrise also comes with arms for both the left and right ears, as well as a basic recharging cable.  You can also order custom skins for your unit, as well as an upgraded desk dock and a car charger. I highly recommend this unit and Amazon.com for a hassle free shopping experience.

The car charger.

The upgraded desk dock.

An example of available skins, or create your own!

Do you have a favorite phone?  How about a Bluetooth (or other hands free) headset that you would recommend?  What online shopping experiences have you had and with what companies?

Hope to hear from you, and thanks for reading!

Tech Review 2011 Part 1

Hello All.  It has been a while since my last post, but I have been busy working on a new concept.  As of right now, I cannot get into detail about it, but as soon as I can, I will and post images. 

Every now and then, I like to point out products and services that either really stink on ice, or perform really well and deserve praise.  I am happy to say this post revolves around the latter.  (Click here and here to read about other product and service reviews).

Cell Phones

For a long time, I mean a really long time, I had a flip style cell phone.  To be specific, it was the Sanyo SCP 7050 – key word – RUGGEDIZED flip phone from Sprint. 

My Old Sanyo SCP 7050 Flip Phone

This thing was awesome.  I could throw it at a wall, run it over with my car, drop it in water and it would just keep working every time.  I never had an issue with it, so I never upgraded the phone.  I was 4 years past due for an upgrade by the time I went to the Sprint store.  Every time I got the itch to get a new phone, the first thing I would ask the clerk was “where are the indestructible phones?”  I would often get a puzzled look, and I would proceed to explain just how durable my flip phone was.  Of course, they would proceed to tell me that there is no phone like that one, so I would leave with my trusty Sanyo.

However, eventually, my tech side got the best of me, and in the world of mini laptops and net books, iPads, iPhones, and affordable smart phones, I decided it was time for me and my wife to upgrade.  After much toiling and playing at the Sprint store, I decided to go with the HTC Evo Shift built on the Android platform, and Allie went with the LG Optimus.  

The HTC Evo Shift

The LG Optimus

This really is a great little device.  I have found that, with the exception of writing a document, this phone has essentially replaced my laptop.  It goes with me everywhere, I use it for texting (which I NEVER did on my old phone), web searches with Google Voice, GPS, as an MP3 player, portable television, and of course, Angry Birds.  The versatility of the phone has been truly amazing, and its reliability has been, well, above average.   My old flip phone had to be restarted due to lock up, seriously, twice that I can remember.  There have been a few instances with this phone due to trying to do too much at once, or an over abundance of updates.  The other thing that I really like about this model is the slide out keyboard.  At 6’-4” tall, I have been blessed with large hands so the little glass touch screen keyboard it not going to cut it.  The keyboard on the EVO Shift is a bit on the small side, but with some practice, I have managed just fine.  As far as ruggedness goes, I purchased a hard plastic cover that mounts to the back of my phone.  It then has a second hard cover that slides over the glass faceplate of my Evo and locks in place to the back piece.  When the phone is not in use, or attached to my hip, it is secured in its own hard plastic cocoon.  Should I upgrade the phone in the future, I may look more into something like the Samsung Galaxy, which my father-in-law recently purchased. 

The Samsung Galaxy

The screen is bigger then my Evo Shift’s, therefore typing on the screen is a little easier.  However, it is so light, I feel like I am holding a Noisy Cricket.

"I feel like I'm gonna break this damn thing!"