Hi, I'm new...

[Rotaidalg]

Well, hopefully I didn't "jump the gun" w/my recent purchase of an older Droid A855. I've been a Palm Tungsten W & C user (Treo 90 before that!) since about 2001... Problem is they're all getting flakey on me (bad batteries?) and the software support is ancient. So I thought I'd better look at something else to synch w/my computer, etc. (I have an Envy2 "brick phione for my cell - no data plan. But I have to manually enter everything through the phone - I'd like something I can enter on my laptop and sych w/the device - like my Palm PDA's were...)
Anyway, I'll see if I can learn Android Os, use WiFi with an unactivated (clean ESN) smartphone as a PDA device(?)
Thanks in advance for any advice, etc. from anyone seeing this!

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Jump in & enjoy, we are happy to have ya with us!

[CJM]

Welcome to DF!

Tapped from a Galaxy Nexus using Xparent ICS

[JSM9872]

Welcome to Droid Forums!!

"Don't Panic!"
Tapatalk 2_NEXUS 7

[ambrown]

First off welcome to Druids Forums!

I'm not sure why you said you were hoping you didn't "jump the gun", were you concerned with the device's age? On the whole I'd say the original Droid isn't a bad starter device, especially coming from a Treo.

From my Eris (rooted 2.1) using Droid Forums

[Rotaidalg]

Actually, I think any of the older Android versions will be OK for all I'm looking to do. I was just not positive that the A855 would function without "activation" by Verizon (I did see a post the other day that Verizon will no longer activate these on a data-plan- which, if true, is fine by me!)
I'd love to just use the "phone" part as a dumb/"brick" phone and then use the wi-fi on campus for quick email checking, etc.
I'm presuming this should work out - at a minimum - as the Wi-fi PDA paradigm & then "best case" just activate the phone part to replace my LG Envy & have no data-plan charges! (?!?)
I'll let everyone know how this works out...

[Hawaiian Princess]

Aloha & welcome

[ambrown]

Actually, I think any of the older Android versions will be OK for all I'm looking to do. I was just not positive that the A855 would function without "activation" by Verizon (I did see a post the other day that Verizon will no longer activate these on a data-plan- which, if true, is fine by me!)
I'd love to just use the "phone" part as a dumb/"brick" phone and then use the wi-fi on campus for quick email checking, etc.
I'm presuming this should work out - at a minimum - as the Wi-fi PDA paradigm & then "best case" just activate the phone part to replace my LG Envy & have no data-plan charges! (?!?)
I'll let everyone know how this works out...

Huh, thats odd they won't allow it on a data plan. But hey, its all good. I think verizon has the worst data plans right now anyway.

Well I hope you enjoy your Droid, they are nice devices. Hardware isn't as robust as those 1½ Ghz dual core breasts on the market these days. But I found my old Droid Incredible to have sufficient hardware for what I was doing. Yeah new is awesome, but many older Android flagships are still great devices. Rooting and ROMing will give you access to everything you'll want anyway. At least thats what I would do.

From my Eris (rooted 2.1) using Droid Forums

[SFGate]

Welcome to the site.

[DevilDogMP]

Welcome to the site!