More Details on Motorola Droid Surface

[siddavis]

More like 20%. 2 grams is twice as much as 1 gram. Do you think you would note a huge difference? Not everything has to be measured in a relative way.

Uh no, it's 25%... basic math. I know, splitting hairs, but you DO have to measure it in a relative way, otherwise you don't have a baseline for the difference. While I do think you'll notice the difference, I don't think this will be an issue, and I definitely wouldn't list it as a negative for this phone.

On another note, how 'bout we give it a hands-on shot before passing so much judgment?

 

[jellomizer]

does Apple have the patent on the on-screen keyboard? Why are people still using plastic keys? What's the advantage?

Sorry real keys are better. The iPhone design unfortunately has Jobs War against buttons as part of its design. Having used an iPhone for a year in a half where I am ok typing. I had borrowed a blackberry and guess what typing on it was much easier and quicker, even after 5 minutes of use, vs. a year in a half on the iPhone.
Buttons give you feel when you type. It lets you find the key with feeling not by seeing. When I type on a keyboard, I tend to slide my fingers across they keyboard. Vs fully lifting them up and down, that way I know if I am at the next level of the keyboard or not.

 

[harlinator]

Well, the hardware appears to be much better. We'll see how it does.

I have a real camera to take really great photos and the keyboard... well, I have better things to do then text people, I have a LIFE!
The on screen KB is PERFECT for functionality, this is just a POS windows phone!

 

[_Refurbished_]

Real keys vs. virtual keys is a never ending debate. Why? Because each person adapts differently to each design. Personally, I type much faster on my iPhone, than I do with a Blackberry. I'm sure there are people who cannot get used to the iPhone's keyboard, and for that, they get a Blackberry or something similar.

I will never buy a phone with a real keyboard again.

 

[danbirchall]

Hi-res screen + capable browser + Flash 10 = what the iPhone should have been. It's about time someone gave Apple some competition.

Yeah, and it's a good thing it's using open source stuff, not like that proprietary Appl... wait, what? The browser's based on WebKit? Technology Apple brought up to snuff and released to the public? Oh.

I know Android users. They're not bad people. They're every bit as smug as Apple users, but they've chosen a different flavor of smug. But it's okay. iPhone and Android represent the future of mobile devices, and a world where iPhoneOS and Android displace WinMob and Symbian as smartphone OS market-share leaders is fine with me. I don't even mind if Blackberry and WebOS get slices of the pie.

 

[stubeeef]

since I will never go back to AT&T, this looks awesome to me!
I will have to get one when they come out. I love the removable memory, I have a 4gb mini sd in my company phone, it is awesome.

 

[PhotoPhoenix]

I'd prefer real keys...but this layout does not appeal to me. IMO, the Pre has a far better keyboard setup than this.

but have you ever actually USED the Pre keyboard? it's HORRIBLE. the keys are way too small to actually use. Especially if you're a male.

this will kill the iPhone technically but Apple will of course not lose many customers over this. and i'm an avid mac user but the fact that the iPhone has been stuck on one network has bugged and bugged me. i'm a verizon user and i've been waiting for this phone. LET'S GO.

 

[NoExpectations]

Verizon yet to be tested.

I think I will wait until Verizon experiences their growing pains as well....which they will.

 

[Caliber26]

We have no problem with ATT where I work, where we live we get 1 to 2 bars but then Verizon is the same here. I love my IPhone too but this will put pressure on Apple to stop holding back on things they put on the phone. Don't underestimate Android it's maturing. Those that tout all the apps in the app store, take out the flashlights and fart apps and the tip calculators and all the other crappy apps and we really have maybe half the amount of really good apps. kevin

LoL..."take out the flashlights and fart apps and the tip calculators..."

Hahahaa....yes! So true...all that bullsh*t about the app store and all it's trillions and trillions of apps, is just BULL. I have no more than 55 apps that are worthwhile. A lot of it is garbage. Some are GREAT, but there's A LOT of garbage. I'd rather see the app store with no more than 20K apps, if they were all true-quality apps.

 

[Number 41]

The devil is in the details.

What's the battery life like? My iPhone 3GS can go 36 hours of moderate use between charges. My Palm Treo could get 2-3 days between charges. The last Motorola phone I owned (Moto Q) had a turd battery that barely made 12 hours of moderate use between charges. When you're making a phone as slim as the iPhone but including a physical keyboard, it makes me think they cut corners on the battery.

What kind of apps are going to be available? Will certain apps only work on certain Android phones (or will apps be crippled to ensure they work on all Android phones, both low-end and high-end?)

How responsive is the phone on the OS and basic apps?

Has Verizon finally fixed that annoying problem that wouldn't let you receive calls while you were using 3g internet?

Will Verizon enable all features of the phone, or will you have to pay extra (still) for VZW Navigation, etc.?

It looks promising, but to call it the "Anything" killer at this point is beyond premature.

 

[HarryKeogh]

I look forward to all these impressive phones just for the kick in the pants they give the engineers at Apple.

Let's get a decent camera in the phone, Apple. With a flash. I have a Canon T1i but don't want to bust it out every time I want to take a halfway decent picture of my niece or that god-forsaken cat of mine.

 

[djpic]

Marketing Ploy

This was not an accident. I would bet 100% this was a marketing idea to create more hype. Did apple need to hype the iPhone? No, it was....boom, here it is, a working prototype! And this is how it preforms, here, you want to hold it?

I won't say anything about it until I actually use and see it in my hands.

 

[macfan881]

fugly.

Has a loooong way to go to even be in the same league as the iPhone.

When this thing won't measure up in a few months, it'll be relegated to everyone's ignore list.

If it can't be Revolutionary Upon Release (the new rule of you want to succeed against Apple), it's chances are slim to none.

think so toi want this to fail so hard just so the engadget fanboys can cry back to there iPhones cause they have hyped this phone like no tomorrow

 

[macleon]

Now let's see how Verizon is going to cripple this phone.
I think this is the main reason this Droid phone is not going to be a competition to the iPhone.

 

[KaneBaker]

I have a real camera to take really great photos and the keyboard... well, I have better things to do then text people, I have a LIFE!
The on screen KB is PERFECT for functionality, this is just a POS windows phone!

Wait a second you have too much of a LIFE to text. But you post on macrumors. Than you show your ignorance which is the hallmark by calling the android a POS windows phone, even though it has nothing to do with windows or MS.

Can i sell you a bridge ? It's made by apple, it's really good.

 

[mrjosh]

People who text while driving are morons who are asking for an accident to happen, no matter what phone they're using. It needs to be illegal everywhere...

+1.

Oh, and I'm on t-mobile so I will stick with my not-so-smart phone for now. I hate how Verizon mucks with their phones and nickle and dimes you. And I have not had very good experiences with their customer service.

To be more on point - someone asked about a glass screen. I see me scratching / shattering one of those pretty quickly. I'm kind of hard on my phones.

 

[Thunder82]

It's too bad 99% of motorola phones look good on paper, but end up being CRAP once they make it to the consumers hands.

I'd stick with an HTC android device, if i were to move away from an iphone.

 

[Arcadie]

After actually owning a sliding keyboard like this phone has, i can honestly say, i will never buy one again. They feel cheap and always get a little loose after a good 6-8 months of use.

 

[kdarling]

Now let's see how Verizon is going to cripple this phone.

Since Verizon doesn't mess with their smartphones, what do you think they'd do special in this case?

To be more on point - someone asked about a glass screen. I see me scratching / shattering one of those pretty quickly. I'm kind of hard on my phones.

Agreed, especially since a lot of us put on plastic screen shields anyway, and thus cover up the glass. But I can understand that some people don't like them.

 

[txhchman]

The devil is in the details.

"What's the battery life like? My iPhone 3GS can go 36 hours of moderate use between charges. My Palm Treo could get 2-3 days between charges. The last Motorola phone I owned (Moto Q) had a turd battery that barely made 12 hours of moderate use between charges. When you're making a phone as slim as the iPhone but including a physical keyboard, it makes me think they cut corners on the battery."

When using AIM on my 3G the battery lasts about 3 to 3.5 hours is all. Thats with nothing else on, no push, no location nada. kevin

 

[ChazUK]

The Pre has to do with this conversation because it was the former iPhone killer that everyone talked about. The latest device that everyone is talking about, the Droid, replaced the Pre as the phone trying to compete with/dethrone the iPhone.

The comments are not off topic, and they are quite relevant to the conversations going on in this "public discussion board". What's so confusing?

What is confusing? The concept that because the pre did poorly that this will.

What definitive proof does anyone have that the pre's marketplace performance has any relevance to a Motorola handset running Android OS?

Perhaps I should have just joined in and say that the pre is **** so this must be? Does that help at all?

 

[TeamDNA]

If anything you iPhone people should be celebrating this device. Without competition Apple really has no reason to change it. You are then going to have to go more than a year without getting a new phone. As for Verizon, if they want to start a revolution, call me I have a few ideas (You already have my number).

What you have to realize there was no competition when apple created iPhone. They INOVATED. They didn't copy. They drove themselves to innovate not the non existant competetion. Apple will create something no one thought of.

 

[mr_matalino]

Competition is very good. C'mon Apple, I know you can beat this...easily.

 

[JesterJJZ]

does Apple have the patent on the on-screen keyboard? Why are people still using plastic keys? What's the advantage?

Because it's something I wish the iPhone had? I like physical buttons. You can't really operate an iPhone without looking at it. It's nice to be able to pull out my phone and navigate to my voicemail while driving without needing to look at what I'm doing, plus it's faster and easier than trying to voice-navigate over my bluetooth.

My perfect iPhone would be dual sided. Full screen on one side but then it folds in half like a flip phone and has a small screen and a keypad on the inside like a typical flip phone. That's one thing I love about flip phones, you just flip them open to talk. I'm sure that Apple would be able to make the break in the screen seamless when opened up somehow.

 

[cababah]

The iPhone wasn't a success because of specs...

I see nothing revolutionary here. Looks like any other HTC *insert name here* floating out there with bumped up specs.