Any guesses on new Android phones from VZW?

[jsh1120]

Not sure if this is the proper forum, but since it's widely read I'll give it a shot. When I got my Droid my wife tried the Eris. Didn't work out for several reasons. She considers the Droid too big and heavy. So she's still looking for a smartphone replacement for her first generation ENV.

At the moment the Samsung Omnia II looks like the choice from VZW. Before going down the WM road, however, I'm wondering what Verizon might introduce on the Android plaform (other than the Nexus) in the next few months. Been trying to follow the rumors but not getting much of anywhere.

Truth be told, I wouldn't mind having the Omnia II around the house. Has a better camera than the Droid from what I can tell and is the only phone out there with (legal) Swype. And it appears that WM 6.5 is a far better OS than my old XV6700. I've also been checking out the apps available for the phone and while the number is dwarfed by the mushrooming Android marketplace, the apps are solid and in many cases more advanced than what I can get on the Droid.

So that's the situation. Any suggestions?

 

[tktouch12]

maybe the nexus one would work? its coming to verizon in a few months or sometime

 

[KZIWarrior]

I'd be surprised if they brought anything in within the next few months. They just spent a TON of $$$ on pushing the Droid and Eris and they are selling great. Why would they bring another direct competitor in so soon?

As for WM 6.5 it's okay but still pretty crappy. If you want decent performance you'll have to flash a cooked ROM (I used 6.5 on both the Tilt and Tilt 2 from AT&T, the latter of which is more powerful than the Omnia 2 and 6.5 still sucks, ESPECIALLY the Stock/OEM ROMs). Swype is GREAT but I wouldn't consider a reason to buy a phone (if you're worried about legality Shapewritter is available for Android 'legally').

 

[pc747]

The x10, and i think verizon will look for a phone similar to the motorola click for people who want a smaller phone then the droid but with a keyboard.

 

[jsh1120]

Some may not consider Swype a reason to own a phone but my wife certainly does. I have the unsupported version on my Droid and she loves it. (She's coming from a LG/ENV with a great physical keyboard and took her Eris back mainly because of the keyboard.)

As for the reputed "crappiness" of Windows Mobile, I don't see it. As someone whose preference for off-brand operating systems goes back to Unix when it was owned by AT&T, I certainly enjoy my Droid. But for someone who needs a mature business oriented phone that integrates well with Msoft desktop applications, WM is miles ahead of the Droid at this point. That may not be true in another 12 months, but in "phone years" it's a lifetime.

The Droid isn't bleeding edge technology, but it's close. I enjoy that. My wife wants a smartphone that integrates with her desktop, takes great photos, and handles her email seamlessly. She wants a big bright screen and a keyboard she can use easily without feeling that she might as well be carrying around a netbook. The Ominia II does all that and I've yet to find multipage threads on various forums complaining about "FC's" with the Ominia II (or other 6.5 WM phones.)

 

[jsh1120]

The x10, and i think verizon will look for a phone similar to the motorola click for people who want a smaller phone then the droid but with a keyboard.

The x10 looks like an interesting phone but from what I can tell it's headed toward T-Mobile (and perhaps AT&T) rather than VZW here in the US. Personally, I'm agnostic about the GSM vs CDMA technology, but it's pretty obvious that carriers who opt for the former have an earlier crack at new phones.

 

[mth04]

The N1 is definately coming, the Cliq with android and moto blur may also come. Not sure of what else, but the N1 will be a good reason to hold out

 

[LifeIsABeach]

Is the HTC Passion still on its way? Rumors about it have ground to a halt with the N1 being released.

 

[k wizzle]

https://www.google.com/phone/choose?locale=en_US&s7e=
Pretty sure it's coming out In March/April.

 

[Martin030908]

Is the HTC Passion still on its way? Rumors about it have ground to a halt with the N1 being released.

Passion basically is the Nexus. Passion was rumored to be an HTC device, with a snap dragon processor. We didn't know much else.
Well the Nexus is both of those

 

[SteveC]

My opinion only, but I vote for Droid 2 in two forms. With or without keyboard. I would also like to see it a little bigger, enough for it to have a minimum 4" screen. The Droid is big enough, that the extra size would not be a negative, at least for me. With a bit more size, they could use a higher capacity battery. The physical keyboard and the virtual would both be enough bigger to be easier to use. Why not use the Snapdragon processor while we're at it too.

Let's have them (the trifecta of Google, Motorola, and Verizon) time it to come out with the 2.2 update or whatever the next one after 2.1 will be. Hopefully that one will synch, multitouch, voice dial, have the rest of the 2.0.1 stuff worked out. Plus whatever will not get done in 2.1.

Personally I'd like to see them release a "partially rooted" phone. Keep the standard release to the public version like we have now, but somehow I'd like to see a more user customizable version. When the phone is first powered on, about all that would be there is a phone with an ability to tell time and make a phone call. Since this is a Google OS, I'd be fine with a few mandatory Google things, like gmail, maps, and browser. It is a Motorola phone, so maybe an app or two from them, same from Verizon. Past that there would be a menu selection of all offerings from Google, Motorola, and Verizon, apart from market that would include all of the things that come with the standard phone. Not quite fully rooted, but somewhat. This way if you didn't want Twitter (or whatever ), you don't have to have it. You wind up with apps you want, the companies retain some influence on what is on the phone, and maybe the user can get what they want without giving up warranty and service.. When you get this done to your satisfaction. go to Market for whatever suits you.


Probably not likely to happen. I really do not want to root the phone and possibly wind up on the bad side of the trifecta. But the trifecta needs to recognize that there are tinkerers out there. They could satisfy a lot of that this way. If you want control, then root the thing and go.

Personally I'd like to see a more sensitive GPS receiver put in the extra space. It would make the phone more useful in the back country away from the vehicle.

EDIT: Let's put an Office viewer AND EDITOR in the package too.

 

[tktouch12]

SteveC, that would be awesome if they would make it even more customizable, but i dont see it happening, but we can hope it does

 

[jsh1120]

https://www.google.com/phone/choose?locale=en_US&s7e=
Pretty sure it's coming out In March/April.

You're considerably more optimistic than I. The official word for the Nexus I on Verizon is "spring." And around here, "spring" lasts until late June. (Actually, it lasts until we get our four days of summer in late August, but that's just Seattle.)

I strongly suspect that Verizon is no hurry to cannibalize sales of the Droid with a phone they don't sell but are expected to support. And I also suspect that given the missteps involved in the initial release of the Nexus I, Google will want to rethink their strategy marketing/support strategy.

I'm strongly suspecting that the Nexus I won't be available from Verizon before late June and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it pushed beyond that date.

 

[DROIDMASTER]

I think the next or wwill be released android phone for verizon is going to be the Saygus V-phone. Does anyone remember when that phone was announced. well not really announced but leaked. The phone I believe will be in china or japan I think and one of those countries uses cdma networking. Even though the bands are different it will be released there and then verizon will launch it.

link:

http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac126/techgadgetsnews/saygus_vphone_v1_live_4.jpg

 

[beneharris]

As for the reputed "crappiness" of Windows Mobile, I don't see it.

The Ominia II does all that and I've yet to find multipage threads on various forums complaining about "FC's" with the Ominia II (or other 6.5 WM phones.)

you have a very good point there