Epic Fail on Motorola and Verizon

[spillner]

Could have been better (retitled)

Ok so I'm new to the whole smart phone thing but I am getting real fed up with trying to figure this phone out. Why you ask? Because they're isn't one damn instruction manual for the thing. I've had to learn how to use it through this forum, I don't even know all of this phones capabilities, I assume it does everything the iPhone does which is what they advertise.

My issues so far:
1) came with a 16gig sd card that you can't manage from the phone, you need to use a computer. Which isn't mentioned anywhere accept on this forum
2) no instruction on how to access content from the SD card, I stumbled on that answer on the this forum.
3) Can't play digital copies of dvds even though the iPhone has no problems doing it. I have to convert the WMV file to Mpeg4, which wouldn't be a problem if the copies weren't encrypted, which means I have to get another program decrypt the files ( annoying ).
4) Need an app for everything. One thing I didn't know is that you need to download an app for just about everything. The phone is a multimedia machine, to use it properly you need to know what apps to get. I'm a newb with this stuff. I had to endless search forums to figure out that to do things like play music, I would need to download an app. I had a Chocolate before the droid and even that came with a music player.

I know I'm going to get flammed for this post, but as a first time buyer with no experience on how to use the phone you have to admit that motorola and verizon dropped the ball. I know this phone is great, I love the internet access I get with it and the GPS, but why does it have to be so complicated to use? Why is there no instructions in the box? My brother has an iPhone and he has had no problems using it. He watches movies with ease. Plays music with no problems. It just seems like you have to be a computer wiz to use this phone to its potential.

 

[Hypnotic]

Verizon has been holding training sessions at their stores in multiple locations

 

[RinTinTigger]

Hey,

issue 1+2:
you got us we gonna help you out. No epic Fail

issue 3:
Just need the right format and you can play everything!

issue4:
THis is a concept based thing. Android and Linux (wich android derives from) is ment to be BASIC and customised by every user as far as he wishes too. The system is ment to be adapted on the user. not like windows systems, where the user has to adapt to the systems. Thats why you need an app for everything. Some guys dont need tethering. some guys dont need games. some guys dont need ringtone profiles....

Feel me?

No epic fail


Tigger

 

[thelion]

I feel for you, I do. But the complaint about having to d/l apps is a bit silly imo. See, this is a fully customizable phone. It is bare bones. That is the idea behind it - you get to have the apps you want and it isn't loaded down with a bunch that you don't.

There is a manual. It is linked around here somewhere. It is massive which is probably why it did not come in the box. I think they ought to have mentioned that somewhere with the phone, however.

Your best bet is to use your phone. It is a Google integrated phone! Use that search feature!

I know there is a learning curve and everyone adjusts at their own speed. There are still a ton of things I don't know about or use on my phone but I love my Droid. It does what I need it to do and more. Give it time and if you still don't love it, look at a different phone - Droid isn't for everyone.

 

[sincitygrrrl1]

This is my first smartphone also, I had a tracfone before this. Yes I expected a little bit more directions or owner manual to come with the Droid.

But...I've found half the fun of using this phone is discovering all it can do on my own, that's how I found this forum and learned and continue to learn everyday new things.

It doesn't frustrate me...I've enjoyed all these new things and how they work, all the different apps you can add to make it truely your "own phone".

 

[Jason]

Ok all you have to do to acess the sd card is download the app called astro or estrong. I'm pretty surethe iphone can't delete any music without going on the computer.
Umm what? The droid does come with a music player

 

[spillner]

I feel for you, I do. But the complaint about having to d/l apps is a bit silly imo. See, this is a fully customizable phone. It is bare bones. That is the idea behind it - you get to have the apps you want and it isn't loaded down with a bunch that you don't.

There is a manual. It is linked around here somewhere. It is massive which is probably why it did not come in the box. I think they ought to have mentioned that somewhere with the phone, however.

Your best bet is to use your phone. It is a Google integrated phone! Use that search feature!

I know there is a learning curve and everyone adjusts at their own speed. There are still a ton of things I don't know about or use on my phone but I love my Droid. It does what I need it to do and more. Give it time and if you still don't love it, look at a different phone - Droid isn't for everyone.

If you don't know you need an app then its not that silly. I understand that this is customizable, I just wish that their was more information readily available. I shouldn't have to search through forums to figure out how to use this. I'll freely admit that I'm not that computer savvy. It just seems like their should be an easier way to do things on this phone.

 

[TimChgo9]

I too was a little annoyed that the phone did not come with a manual. But, then, I found that it's kind of intuitive, but, it does take some serious sit down time to learn how to use the Droid, but, then, that holds true for any electronic device....

However, follow this link, and download and print a Droid manual.. Yeah, I know, they should have packaged one with the phone, but to me, it's only been a minor annoyance. http://cache.vzw.com/multimedia/mim/mot_droid/droid.pdf

Take some time, and get familiar with this phone, it's actually fun and easy to use. Spend an hour and a half one of these days, and discover what your phone can do, and what apps you like. I have downloaded and tried over 100 apps and widgets, and have kept the ones that I have found to be the most useful (so far, about 30 or so) and that also fit with what I am using my phone for. It's a great game player (esp. if you download the SNES, GameBoy, GBC, NES and Genesis emulators, can iPhone do that? Not sure if it can or not.....) The thing I like most about this device, is that you get to set it up to do what you want it to do, and it fits pretty good into my life..in fact, it is so handy with it's scheduling and to do apps (Astrid rocks) note pads (AK Notepad) and what have you, that my device is bordering on indispensable. The best thing about the apps is large number of free ones. All that I have downloaded has been free... and they work great.

Don't get frustrated, and by all means, hang around here. Lots of smart people who know what they are doing.

About the only thing I won't do with my Droid is root it... don't feel the need at this point.

 

[hookbill]

I know I'm going to get flammed for this post, but as a first time buyer with no experience on how to use the phone you have to admit that motorola and verizon dropped the ball. I know this phone is great, I love the internet access I get with it and the GPS, but why does it have to be so complicated to use? Why is there no instructions in the box? My brother has an iPhone and he has had no problems using it. He watches movies with ease. Plays music with no problems. It just seems like you have to be a computer wiz to use this phone to its potential.

Not going to flame you at all. I strongly disagree with you however that the phone is difficult to use. It took me about a day to get the basics down and by the way, I had a Blackberry Storm prior to this. I remember looking at the directions and simply thinking, "OK so I have to figure it out." The hard part for me was trying not to use it as a Blackberry.

Sure I used google, that's how I found this forum. But it's a pretty easy phone to use IMHO.

On second thought maybe you're right about previous smart phone experience. If anything it makes you appreciate how wonderful this phone really is.

 

[Jzaga053]

the droid has all the functions to work as a normal, multimedia phone. open up the menu, you have all you need - phone, maps, MUSIC PLAYER. apps just bring the phone to life.

 

[Donkey Hodie]

I have to agree with the zen of the OP's message though I wouldn't consider it an "epic fail". It would be nice if the Droid came with a little more info in the box for those who don't want to surf a gazillion web sites for answers and to help them get started easier. I remember my own process of discovery when I opened the box and saw the useless documentation that came with it. It took a while. For me, that was part of the fun but I can see how others would see it as a hassle they shouldn't have to go through.

 

[spillner]

Ok all you have to do to acess the sd card is download the app called astro or estrong. I'm pretty surethe iphone can't delete any music without going on the computer.
Umm what? The droid does come with a music player

I can't believe I missed it, I've looked a dozen times and didn't see it. My bad guys on complaining about the lack of a music player.

 

[aaburger85]

lol

I can completely understand frustration, however, you need to realize that the phone is only complicated because of its abilities. Before you go comparing this phone to the iphone in any way, remember the iphone doesnt come with all the applications preinstalled either. Therefore you can drop that off the list of complaints. The iphone also cant play wmv videos. I owned one for 2 years and itunes has to convert them over to .mp4. which is normal. This phone comes preinstalled with a music player, video player, picture viewer, etc. The manual is on verizon wireless's webpage. And as everyone is saying, this phone has a learning curve. You should be excited with all of the things you can do with this phone. Every new thing you learn makes the phone more useful.

 

[shademar]

Android has a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the basics (and it sounds like you have), it's incredibly flexible. It also has a very friendly and helpful community, which has proven to be the greatest resource for me as a first time smartphone user. If you have any specific questions/functions or want to find a good app or widget, ask and someone will likely have an answer.

 

[spillner]

Hey,

issue 1+2:
you got us we gonna help you out. No epic Fail

issue 3:
Just need the right format and you can play everything!

issue4:
THis is a concept based thing. Android and Linux (wich android derives from) is ment to be BASIC and customised by every user as far as he wishes too. The system is ment to be adapted on the user. not like windows systems, where the user has to adapt to the systems. Thats why you need an app for everything. Some guys dont need tethering. some guys dont need games. some guys dont need ringtone profiles....

Feel me?

No epic fail


Tigger

How can I do that? Digital copies won't play because they're WMV files and I can't convert them because of their encryption.