Not-so-smart Droid

[TXGunNut]

Let me preface this by saying that my IT IQ is approximately equal to my finger and toe count, so take this FWIW. At the moment I don't have a viable landline internet available where I live although they are installing fiber optic cable along my street this week.
For over four years I've been using wireless internet; first with a thumbnail-looking thing from AT&T and for the last two years with a Droid from Verizon. Both worked, but just barely. Constant resets and some days when I just gave up. Always very slow. Tried all sorts of remedies, event made a few "company store" visits to find a solution with no results. Very frustrating but I always suspected they weren't telling me something but with my long years of LE experience I quite often feel that way.
I was ready to buy a new laptop and phone to fix the problem but the renewal offer for an i-phone (5c) came first so I finally decided to give it a try. Battery for the Droid was on it's last legs and contract was due to expire soon anyway.
WOW! Very intuitive. Good thing, very little instruction included with the phone and data transfer from my old Droid failed. I-phone's wireless internet connection is awesome, tho. No problems connecting and staying connected. With the Droid I had to reset connections multiple times every evening and quite often it wouldn't take the first time. Verizon implied it was a tower issue and that quite often they use leased towers and could only request repairs.
Now I know better. IMHO the Droid is a barely operable wireless internet connection and the i-phone is a hotrod by comparison. I have a pretty fast internet connection at work, this i-phone keeps up with it pretty well. No "spinning circles of death" when downloading video and more importantly, no issues uploading pics of my latest projects.

I wish I'd dumped my Droid long ago.

[dilly]

I won't say one is better than the other because the competition has really benefitted both platforms a lot. I will say the iphone has a much better system for buffering YouTube than android based off experience with half a dozen devices over some somewhat questionable connections.

Android developers come out with he innovative new features, iphone then copies them with rock solid implementation. Both are essential, but things just work on my iphone and that is pretty nice.

[lylejb]

Glad you like your new phone.

Honestly, some of the problem with the old phone may well have been with what carrier / network / towers your old phone was using.

I know at my house, only AT&T works. Verison, Sprint, nextel, t-mobile ect. don't. I've had relatives come over and have to stand in just the right place in the driveway to try to get 1 bar, and ofter can't.

Drive 1 mile in any direction, and they all work again.

Maybe your new phone uses a newer type of connection that your old phone can't, like 4g-lte?

I'm glad you like your new phone.

[JSnover]

It could easily be signal quality (towers) like they said. I got my android from Verizon two years ago and have not had any trouble with my web connection.

[TXGunNut]

It is a 4G LTE but I'm barely in the 3G coverage area so not sure what that means. I've had equal performance at my house with AT&T, Verizon and other phones...mostly just barely adequate. I didn't change carriers so I doubt that changed anything. If i-phones and Droids are pretty much equal then I guess this illustrates the pace of improvements happening these days.

[dragon813gt]

Now jailbreak the iPhone, if there is one for the iOS it's running, to take full control of your phone. I love the iPhone but only when jailbroken. Being locked into the stupid ways Apple says you have to do things is just stupid. The prime example is no drag and drop for music files. You have to go through iTunes to download it to the iPhone. No proper file management system on the stock iPhone is stupid as well. I'm still running iOS 5.1.1 and they just added most of the features to the latest iOS that I've had for years. Rooting a Droid device gives you more options as well. But it's not needed nearly as much a jailbreak for an iPhone.

[TXGunNut]

Guess I need to figure out what "jailbreak" means. I've often said my dumb phone was smarter than me so a smart phone is pretty much a waste for me.

[dragon813gt]

If it's new its running iOS 7.1.1. There is no jailbreak available at the moment. Jailbreak is an exploit that gives you control of the phone and allows you to run non apple approved software. It also allows you direct access to the phone's hard drive. You plug it into your computer and it brings it up like a flash drive would. Most people are happy w/ their phones the way it is. I like being able to manage files. I have a reloading folder that has a lot of information stored in it.

[TXGunNut]

Actually I have heard the term before, just don't have the need or ability to do it. It still boggles my mind that a phone has a hard drive. For all I know it is more of a computer than my teenage desktop.

[CGT80]

I had the original droid and now I have had the droid bionic for a few years (bought it a few weeks after it came out). They have been pretty good. I could never live with an apple product. I hate the fact that you can't see files and have to use i tunes on apple, and the proprietary cords, etc.

I live between two verizon towers and service has gotten worse lately. We managed to get an extender for verizon that plugs into our computer network. Luckily we have cable internet. It seems that new devices always have a better signal. I wonder if the phones are degrading over time. My wifi signals from my router have gotten worse and worse. I bought a 3rd router. The new one is the fastest that best buy had. It has 4 antennas. The signal is worse than the old one. The old one dropped the internet connection all the time. The local ethernet and wifi still worked but we lost our WAN connection. I suspected that someone had a cell blocker in the area or maybe the sheriff station a block away was interfering with their communications equipment. Verizon suspected the same, but they say they checked the signals in the neighborhood and found that they were not using more power than allowed on their wireless equipment. Looks like I will have to exchange the new router and see if that fixes it.

Electronics are a pain. I am very good with them, (build my own computers and fix problems myself) but they seem to eventually have issues, sometimes even when they are new.

My droid tablet, which came out less than two months ago, does not play certain types of videos from the internet. I use firefox and it seems like firefox is usually on top of making their browser work. I would have to try a different browser, but I suspect that the android operating system may be the problem. As much as I like android, I hate it at the same time. It seems that a lot of software is less than ideal. I often wonder how much beta testing and studying the software companies do on a new product to make sure it will satisfy their customers.

OP, I am glad you are happy with your new phone. It really sucks to buy something new and then be disappointed with it.

[starmac]

He HE I am dreading the day I have to get another phone, it will probably have a camera. lol All I do with my phone is talk on it, I have a hard time remembering how to add a new number in storage when I need to. lol

[MaryB]

When I was using cel internet I had one of these http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/usb-modem/verizon-4g-lte-551l?selectedContractTerm=2 it worked okay most of the time on 3g, when they brought in 4g is when it finally worked like it should. Verizon is crippling 3g speeds to force people into faster modems and 4g phones. And off the unlimited data contracts like I have.

[TXGunNut]

I dunno, Mary. I generally don't like Apple but my old Droid can't hold a candle to my new i-phone. I beat my head against the wall for over four years trying to make stuff work on my little spot on the prairie and all the Verizon and AT&T folks could offer was "maybes". Verizon sells both phones so they'll never badmouth anything they sell. If I'd read between the lines I'd have dumped the Droid a long time ago, upgrade charges be damned.
All I can say Mary is to try an i-phone somehow in your situation. My goal in this thread was not to bash Droids or Verizon, just to let folks know you don't have to use equipment that doesn't work.

[CGT80]

When I was using cel internet I had one of these http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/usb-modem/verizon-4g-lte-551l?selectedContractTerm=2 it worked okay most of the time on 3g, when they brought in 4g is when it finally worked like it should. Verizon is crippling 3g speeds to force people into faster modems and 4g phones. And off the unlimited data contracts like I have.

It does seem like 3g has been much slower. 4g is very fast when I have a good signal. I have the unlimited data plan as well, but I don't use a lot of data.

[Screwbolts]

TXgunnut, I understand that you are on a cast Boolit forum talking about Phones and internet connections.

Cast Boolits- Basics have not changed since the first alloy was poored

cell phone / computer tecnoligy- Changes by the minute, when you walked out the door with your new phone it is already outdated and new better/smaller products are being introduced.

Just saying, Yes your Droid may have been weak, My old Droid X is going strong and is a great hotspot when needed, but my wifes current phone does it in 4g. I have never lived were there is or will be cable TV not to mention fiber optics.

What you are able to slide in your pocket is so advanced as to what was being used 5 years ago. the credit card calcalators have more computing power than what NASA had during the moon landings.

It is awsome that your new phone works so well

Ken

[Remmy4477]

Sometimes technology just plain sucks! I fight with my smart phone daily! If it was not for my job, I'd shot mine a long time ago!

[bangerjim]

I went thru 3 Droid phones with Verizon B4 switching to an iPhone with Verizon.

Amazing difference!!!!!! Droid stuff for the most part is not ready for prime time. Anyone & everyone can put up apps without any checking or clearance. Apple controls their approvals very tightly and I have not had an app that I did not like or crashed the phone like so many did with
Droid open arc apps.

And the iPhone just plain works. Everywhere, all the time. We now have 8 of them in my company and I will not let anyone have anything else due to performance and compatibility. The oDroid phones we all had had mechanical and electronic glitches all the time. The screens started loosing touch sensitivity after about 6 months. And side by side in the same room, the Driod phone would have mabe 2 bars and the iPhone would have 4! Go figure.

My recommendation is go with iPhone. I dislike Apple for it's liberal leanings, but their stuff just plain works! Now have 8 iPhones, 9 iPads, several Apple TV's and 2 Power MacBooks that run either IOS or Win.

bangerjim

[jmort]

^ unfortunately this is true, but I have had Android phones that I liked. None were as good as my I 5

[jonp]

I've got the galaxy 4 with verizon. The uber slow dowmload/ browsing speeds may have been in due to your browser. I downloaded the Dolphin browser onto mine and it is much better. I also disabled every auto update to stop that mess

[dragon813gt]

I Apple controls their approvals very tightly and I have not had an app that I did not like or crashed the phone like so many did with
Droid open arc apps.

There are lots of app problems even though Apple has cleared them. Count yourself lucky that you haven't used any that crash the phone. One of the biggest offenders is the Netflix app. Just read the reviews anytime an app is updated. You will see lots of "app won't load, app crashes all the time, app locks up." Apple also has a problem of not addressing apps that violate their own policies. Like ones that people paid for to make them add free. Then they release a new version that is free to all but there are adds. Then there are the issues of Apple forcing the developers to change their apps to make their own products work better. Their are a myriad of calendar apps that this has effected. I'm not bashing Apple as a whole. And the app store is better as a whole. But their are lots if improvements that could be made.

[popper]

Jailbreak opens you to stuff you don't want. Android OS is a wrapper around Linux - not exactly open source so stuff doesn't get tested as it should. Apple is having the same testing problems as others; i.e. not completely 'safe'. They try to control it through the I-store & I-mail. Oh, my cell phone only dials 911, I think it still works. Beware, the internet & cell service is a loaded gun in the hands of a 3 yr old.

[dragon813gt]

Jailbreak opens you to stuff you don't want.
Being on the Internet opens you up to stuff you don't want. It's not for an entry level person. Cydia does a good job of not hosting harmful programs just like the App store does. As long as you turn SSH off no one can get into your phone remotely. This is the biggest issue. Otherwise you're downloading tweeks to modify the way your phone runs. I've had a lot of iPhones and tried most of the tethered and untethered jailbreaks over the years. You don't even know your phone is jailbroken w/ the good ones because it's just business as usual.

[bangerjim]

There are lots of app problems even though Apple has cleared them. Count yourself lucky that you haven't used any that crash the phone. One of the biggest offenders is the Netflix app. Just read the reviews anytime an app is updated. You will see lots of "app won't load, app crashes all the time, app locks up." Apple also has a problem of not addressing apps that violate their own policies. Like ones that people paid for to make them add free. Then they release a new version that is free to all but there are adds. Then there are the issues of Apple forcing the developers to change their apps to make their own products work better. Their are a myriad of calendar apps that this has effected. I'm not bashing Apple as a whole. And the app store is better as a whole. But their are lots if improvements that could be made.


Have probably over 300 different apps on the many iPhones in the company and not a crash or problem. Of course, we do NOT use stupid game/movie/social/crapola apps! If you do, beware. Apple is still more secure that Droid garbage.

We DO use our phones for what they were designed for.......PHONE CALLS!!!!! And business applications on WORD, EXCEL, PDF, and internet access to manufacturer's websites to help customers.

I have many paid apps and all are 110% above board. Guess you are trolling in the wrong areas!

bangerjim

[bangerjim]

Jailbreak opens you to stuff you don't want. Android OS is a wrapper around Linux - not exactly open source so stuff doesn't get tested as it should. Apple is having the same testing problems as others; i.e. not completely 'safe'. They try to control it through the I-store & I-mail. Oh, my cell phone only dials 911, I think it still works. Beware, the internet & cell service is a loaded gun in the hands of a 3 yr old.

"Jail breaking" a phone or any other product:
1....voids the warranty
2....eliminates any upgrades from the maker
3....leaves you with no support
4....opens you up to hacking, viri, and all kinds of tech glitches you can do nothing about because you have an illegal phone!

Just don't do it.

bangerjim

[TXGunNut]

I dunno, from what I read the Droid is going to be the phone to beat for the next/current generation of phones but I like my "free" i-phone. I have no idea why my new phone works so much better than my old one, but I like it. Never felt like I would benefit from cutting edge technology enough to pay extra for it.
Got another pleasant surprise when my McAfee subscription ran out and I replaced it with Norton last night. First thing it did was fix another nagging connectivity issue that has been bugging me for years. This IT stuff is awesome, too bad I don't understand much of it.
None of this has much to do with cast boolits but my laptop and my phone are how I get here to Castboolits and when my connection doesn't work well I get cranky. When I find something that works better for me I wonder if anyone else is having the same issues so I share my solution, just like when I'm casting and shooting.

[MaryB]

Norton and McAffee... gag. Both are garbage and you need to download an uninstaller to get rid of all the files both leave behind.

I notice Verizon has the Droid Max free if I renew my contract another 2 years... might go that route. My Droid III has been fine but I don't download a lot of stuff.

[TXGunNut]

I noticed the uninstall for McAfee took forever but didn't realize Norton wasn't any better. Some folks claim the Windows security are all I need but last time I heard that the IT guy was removing a nasty virus from my work PC. Guess it's a matter of prospective. I saw a few other security discs in the rack but don't know anything about them, will research things better next time.

Sounds like the same ad they were running for the 5c and 5s last month, Mary. My Droid X's battery was on it's last legs so it was good timing for me. Look carefully, the "free" upgrade requires a $30 upgrade fee. I caught it but it was more amusement than aggravation. Banks, phone co's and Uncle Sugar seem to enjoy lying to us.

[SciFiJim]

Actually I have heard the term before, just don't have the need or ability to do it. It still boggles my mind that a phone has a hard drive. For all I know it is more of a computer than my teenage desktop.


Indeed it does! For a wild comparison, today's smart phones have more computing power than NASA had for the Lunar Landings. The Apollo Guidance Computer had 2 kilobytes of RAM and 32 kilobytes of storage. Today's iPhone has 1 gigabyte of RAM (500 times more than the NASA computer) and the low end version has 16 gigabytes of storage (524 thousand times as much storage).


I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 (android operating system) and my kids have iPhone 5s. We are all happy with what we have.

[smokeywolf]

We've been using Blackberry Torches for the better part of 3 years. Mrs. smokeywolf and I use the cell phones primarily for "phone calls"; imagine that. Secondarily, we use them to collect our e-mail. Kids of course are more interested in texting and youtube.

We'll be replacing the Blackberries in the next few weeks. I'm leaning toward HTC's phones and staying with ATT. iPhone is just too bloody expensive.

smokeywolf

[MaryB]

Avast or AVG both have free versions that work just fine, but I also stay off bad sites and don't download much.

[RogerDat]

Droid is a product line with many models saying a Verizon Droid is about as specific as saying GM car. Actually less specific since Version Droid line has phone models from multiple manufactures. Droid as shortened version of Android is a reference to an operating system. Which is also not terribly specific due to the "overlay" that different manufactures put on top of the open source Android operating system. Galaxy phones and tablets run Android but a custom version called TouchWiz which has a different look and features than the Samsung version.

Age matters a lot. Comparing a two year old phone to a any new model is meaningless. Technology both hardware and what the latest version of the operating can do with that hardware changes in just months, less rapid change in hardware for iPhone but since Apple controls both the operating system and hardware it tends to have tighter and smoother integration between the two than at least some Android powered models.

I do not tend to like Apple products, twice as expensive for hardware specifications that are well behind what is available in Android if one does a little research before picking which Android device to choose. I also do not like devices that try to force me to conduct all my activities inside their "walled garden" where they control the gateway. Kindle fire is the same way - no thanks. As for Android in general no problem to unlock and root the device and run a lean smooth operating system minus all the bloat and garbage the phone companies cram onto the phone.

My Samsung phone is almost 4 years old and is about equivalent to a 2 year old iPhone in hardware and performance. 4G LTE delivers blazing fast internet IF tower signal is good, newer model by same company does better job of pulling in weak signal so my coverage for 4G would be better if I upgraded. Other than that I would not gain much functionally so when my battery started to wear out I purchased a new battery from Amazon for a whopping $20 swapped it out and my phone is good for 36 hrs. without a recharge in normal use. Note: I bought a battery that was competitively priced and could change it easily myself, not something one does owning an iPhone.

[shooterbob]

I just left Verizon wireless after five years and Android definitely has its pros and cons. Droid is a term that Verizon branded as there own phone that they get first rights to sell. They actually had to buy the rights from George Lucas as he copyrighted the name Droid in Star Wars. So all Droids are using the Android Os and the Droid named ones are no different. Android is an open platform that allows anyone to build an app and put it on the marketplace with approval from Google who owns the Android OS. Testing is moderately stringent with apps.being removed if they don't pass quality checks. The downside is that the free apps get their pay by adding the adds to the app. There are also info gathering softwares written in to a lot of apps that track where you shop and what online. I got the app developer software from google and was surprised at how easy it is to build an app. The biggest problem with Android is all of the junk apps added in by the Carriers and the phone producers. More than half the apps that come on the phone cannot be uninstalled. That and the myriad of different manufacturers making a phone and trying to make it compatible with the Android platform. It will be a big hitter for a long time, but something new always comes along. We didn't even have a smartphone worth having in 08 when I started with Verizon and texting was just starting. BlackBerry and Palm were the two big names then and they're gone now.

[CGT80]

I posted previously and probably should have stated that the phone I had was a Droid (the actual model of it) and it was made by motorola. My current one is also motorola and it is the droid bionic. They are both from verizon. Android is the operating system.

I agree that all the bloatware on the android phones is a bunch of BS. I hate sports, don't play games, don't care about mainstream social media, don't want to shop from my phone, etc. I will browse forums, make calls, use google maps, and once in a while I will text. I don't like being forced into using certain products. I have never liked apple products because it is their way or no way and android has done some of that as well, but they are still compatible with products from other manufacturers. Android isn't even near perfect, but it is the best option for me. I like freedom and that is why I build my own computers and use Windows. Windows works for me and I can customize it with classic shell, I don't have as much useless stuff as a prebuilt computer. I can run whatever hardware I want. Unfortunately, companies like being able to urge you into using certain products or at least they make you well aware that it is there. I hate marketers.

[TXGunNut]

Quite frankly some of us don't know any better so we generally come out ahead going with the packages thrust upon us.
Yes, Bob, I understand what a Droid is but didn't want to bore folks with all the gory details. This is a cast boolit forum, after all. ;-) I left AT&T after several years to go with Verizon even though I knew it would be like getting a divorce and marrying my ex's twin sister. Doesn't have to make sense, I was tired of dealing with AT&T. I used very few apps on my droid and will use very few on my i-phone if it keeps pestering me for passwords. It's a phone, a camera, a clock and a data link. Anything else is simply amusing and may be useful someday but probably not.

[MaryB]

Yeah, they need to wise up and make all the junk apps they preload an option. NFL? Blech, Music junk? blech etc etc.