Updates Below 11/16/09
I live in the far suburbs (bordering on rural) of Raleigh, and have had the iPhone 3G (not the latest 3GS) since April. I mostly love it. It integrates well with gmail, where I maintain my contacts. It has a few really nice apps that make life easier. And the design is very nice and intuitive. In fact, I’m in discussions with some folks from Bangalore about building an app for the iPhone that relates to part of my law practice.
But AT&T’s network is terrible. Lately I’ve been dropping two or three calls a day. Back before I started my practice, it was mostly just annoying. Now it’s getting to the point where it’s interfering with business. On Friday, when I was in the midst of a major issue with a client, I dropped at least six calls.
AT&T hooked me up with a new SIM card this weekend, and I went to the Apple store where they exchanged the iPhone with a new one. But I dropped another two calls today.
So I’m thinking about switching to Verizon. The Motorola Droid is out, and I played around with it today at the Verizon store. I’ve gotten so used to the high quality of Apple software, that I was somewhat disappointed by the way the Droid moved from application to application and the fact that the same button did not have the same effect in each application.
So I’m going to stick it out for a week with the iPhone. If I continue to have phone troubles this week, I’m going to switch.
It’s unfortunate, because the iPhone has been great for me. But dropped calls are not acceptable. If you’ve got some thoughts on a Verizon phone – Blackberry, Motorola Droid or Palm – that you love, let me know. The Droid is appealing because of the open framework and the fact that apps are going to be developed for it in great quantities.
And if you know how to write an iPhone App, and are interested in having me pay you to write a simple one for my business, let me know!
UPDATE:
Walt Mossberg of the WSJ has a mostly positive review of the Motorola Droid. As does David Pogue of the NYT.
Gizmodo says “If you don’t buy an iPhone, buy a Droid.”
Ryan Hartman says:
zeitgeist man… thanks for writing this. I’ve been thinking the same thing, but probably won’t ever be able to ditch the apple silky smoothiness 🙂
November 15, 2009 — 6:55 pm
Mark A. says:
I use my Blackberry Storm 1 under Verizon in Chicago. Dropped calls are not in my dictionary – not even when I’m in my basement – but I couldn’t guarantee that for a far suburb of Raleigh. A Blackberry Storm 2 might be a very suitable replacement for your iPhone, even though the Blackberry App Store is not the same magnitude as Apple’s. But RIM is cooking up some great things (partnership with Adobe, to name one —> Flash in browser). Verizon’s network is pretty awesome though.
November 15, 2009 — 8:54 pm
Barry Lynn Miller says:
I have heard a lot about Verizon and I get tons of dropped calls and worse then that I will be at my desk and voice mail will come over with message and I was not even on phone. In today’s market if you don’t get that call they will call next on on the list. I love the iphone but hate I mean Hate the phone service,
So I will be looking at Verizon
November 15, 2009 — 10:05 pm
Thomas Johnson says:
I never understood why Apple got in bed with AT&T, although it looks like there will be a V iPhone 3Q 2010. It will be interesting to see what the monthly toll premium for unlimited data will be.
November 15, 2009 — 10:59 pm
Jeff Brown says:
The relative superiority of Verizon vs AT&T is the reason I never even considered getting an iPhone. 21st century technology hooked up to tin can connectivity is a giant FAIL.
November 16, 2009 — 7:57 am
Eric Bramlett says:
I’ve been on Android OS for a few months now (with the mytouch) and really like it. I had the opportunity to play with the Droid last week and thought it was pretty cool, though it’s not nearly as sexy as the iphone. Honestly, I wasn’t blown away by the Droid (I assumed I would be b/c of the amount of marketing going into it.) I don’t think it’s any better or worse than any other Android device I’ve played with (with the exception of the G1, which is horrible.)
You’ll notice that Android is smooth, but not as nice as the Iphone OS. The big plus to Android is its open source platform. I’ve downloaded ~30 apps and have paid for 2.
November 16, 2009 — 10:22 am
Al Lorenz says:
The I-phone should be out with Verizon in the next 6 months or so.
November 16, 2009 — 10:22 am
Allison Ables says:
I think the network and specific location a lot more important than the actual phone. Here in Gainesville (University of Florida) the iphone has brought the network to its knees. Data now crawls and calls drop all the time. Thinking about switching to Sprint or Verizon.
November 16, 2009 — 10:58 am
Jeff Brown says:
Hey Al — I wonder how many RE agents have found out too late the iPhone browser can’t access their local MLS? This is true for the vast majority of the country. Not true with most if not all of the others.
Your thoughts?
November 16, 2009 — 11:00 am
Aaron Catt says:
I have a T-Mobile MyTouch 3G by google. Love it!
November 16, 2009 — 11:45 am
Al Lorenz says:
@Jeff
I have been trying to get Smarter Agent set up for our little local MLS to make it available to customers and no luck so far because they think we’re part of the NWMLS (used in the Seattle area and most of the state). Apparently the NWMLS doesn’t want to share information that way.
But, yes, it would matter to me that the browser be able to access the local MLS it that functionality is available on competing products.
November 16, 2009 — 11:57 am
James Boyer says:
Hi Damon,
I am whispering this so don’t get to loud, but I hear you can have your Iphone hacked and then take it to Verizon who will be happy to be your service provider. That is if you want your Iphone and want good network service. I use a Blackberry storm with Verizon which I am mostly happy with. Main reason for going this direction was GE Security and being about to use my BB to unlock electronic lock boxes. Otherwise I would have to lease a smart pad for like $190 a year, no thank you.
November 16, 2009 — 1:57 pm
Eric Bramlett says:
An unlocked iphone won’t work on Verizon’s network. You can use one on t-mobile’s network w/ the edge connection, but the 3g signals aren’t compatible.
November 16, 2009 — 7:32 pm
Rod Rebello says:
I just got the new Droid, and so far very happy with it. No real experience with the iPhone, so can’t really compare them. Like the slide out keyboard and larger screen. Wanted to stay on Verizon and Droid seemed like the next best thing.
Can login to the local MLS (ARMLS/FlexMLS), but not fully compatible, missing sliders on list displays. Hope an update scheduled for early next year will fix it. Meanwhile the Flexmls mobile version works.
November 16, 2009 — 7:57 pm
Jessica Horton says:
iPhone + AT&T + Georgia = A really fancy iTunes player.
November 16, 2009 — 8:54 pm
leanne finlay says:
Why not get the Verizon service for a month (new number), keep your AT & T, and if Verizon is better, then switch the AT&T number to the Verizon phone. Might have to pay one cancellation fee, but you have a full month fo figure it out. Too many dropped calls are definitely worth a cancellation fee, plus Verizon might let you out of it.
November 17, 2009 — 1:36 am
Barry Bevis says:
Ive been using the Palm Pre for about 60 days and LOVE it…
I got my wife one to replace her iphone and she says it does everything she wants it to… and the rates and service are great here with Sprint.
November 17, 2009 — 6:29 am
Tony Gallegos says:
My wife recently dropped her iPhone for many of same reasons noted and switched to T-Mobile MyTouch 3G (Google OS) and loves it. My wife knows a little bit about this as she is in the latter stages of completing PhD in Computer Science. At least from her perspective, she is very happy with MyTouch 3G.
November 17, 2009 — 11:54 am
John Sabia says:
TMobile just released its first 3G Blackberry (9700) – So far its a great phone – I tried they mytouch and it wasn’t for me.
November 17, 2009 — 8:26 pm
Josh Hanoud says:
I have had a Palm Pre since the day it came out. Absolutely love this phone. It’s currently a bit light on the apps – but there are more every day…the functionality is great, though. Multiple programs open at once, easy access to my MLS via the browser, has a reasonably wide-angle lense on the camera (better than most point/shoot digitals), and you have no idea how handy/convenient a TouchStone charging station is until you actually use one for a week… One of those things you just don’t want to live without once you start using it. That and the fact that it automatically syncs contacts with google apps, calendar, gmail, and facebook means I never have to worry about losing my data again…Peace of mind… Priceless.
November 18, 2009 — 3:38 pm