Migration from Blackberry, original Droid training wheels?

[nonsequitur]

So, i'm sick of my Blackberry Tour, and on top of that I really don't know what direction I want to go in with a new Android, other than that it will be through Verizon.

Here's my situation as i see it:
- I have a new every two credit coming next month
- I would prefer a 4g phone, but there's only 1 out now
- I don't really know how my fringe network status will affect my experience with 4g
- I don't know if an on screen keyboard will drive me bananas
- There are a lot of phones coming out over the next several months (yes, i realize there are always going to be a lot of phones coming out over the next several months)

Here's my plan, my question to the community, am I being foolish?

I plan on purchasing a used original Droid, getting used to the android experience, and most importantly, accessing if an on-screen keyboard will be acceptable to me.

I'd rather spend the money, use the phone for a few months, and decide what type of phone (e.g. physical keyboard, screen size), will appeal to me several months from now. At some point over the summer I'll pull the trigger on new phone, reselling (or donating) the original Droid.

 

[13th angel]

So, i'm sick of my Blackberry Tour, and on top of that I really don't know what direction I want to go in with a new Android, other than that it will be through Verizon.

Here's my situation as i see it:
- I have a new every two credit coming next month
- I would prefer a 4g phone, but there's only 1 out now
- I don't really know how my fringe network status will affect my experience with 4g
- I don't know if an on screen keyboard will drive me bananas
- There are a lot of phones coming out over the next several months (yes, i realize there are always going to be a lot of phones coming out over the next several months)

Here's my plan, my question to the community, am I being foolish?

I plan on purchasing a used original Droid, getting used to the android experience, and most importantly, accessing if an on-screen keyboard will be acceptable to me.

I'd rather spend the money, use the phone for a few months, and decide what type of phone (e.g. physical keyboard, screen size), will appeal to me several months from now. At some point over the summer I'll pull the trigger on new phone, reselling (or donating) the original Droid.

Welcome to the darkside then, we don't have cookies but we have better phones than blackberry. What type of phone is really going to depend on what you want to do with it. If you like to customize then get the original droid or most any htc phone. Motorola phones (except the OG droid) have locked bootloaders so we can't load our own custom kernels to them. If you live in an area that has 4g and you want a 4g phone so far the T-bolt seems solid (I personally would wait a little longer to get it, not a fan of getting devices at launch because of too many bugs). If you want a keyboard, id recommend the droid 2 if you want to do any customizing. The droid 2 global is an amazing phone but is more limited because of how much other work is needed to make the same customizations work on it.

Hope that helps, if you have any questions feel free to ask and ill try to answer!

Sent from my RubiXed D2G

 

[Beka27]

I think getting a "starter phone" sounds like a smart plan. Once you get used to how it operates, you'd know what you're looking for in your next, on-contract Android phone. And it will tide you over until the summer when you have a larger selection of new phones.

 

[nonsequitur]

Thanks for the comments. If i got an original Droid, I'd probably try one of the ROMs, but I don't consider it a requirement. Some of your comments only confirm my cluelessness in what I want one of these phones, and that an original Droid would be the most flexible path of entry until I figure out what I want.

 

[fireman00]

I made the jump from a BB 8330 Curve to the Droid X. My biggest concern was the difference on how the stock email app handles email and issues with the stock text msg program. I upgraded to K-9 for my email and Handcent for txt msgs and I'm VERY happy. The keyboard of the X doesn't have the same tacit feel as the BB but I got used to the X's keyboard in about a week.

Before you jump on the 4G bandwagon make sure your provider offers it in your area where you'll be most likely to use it.

 

[Nightmares]

Ive heard the battery is a huge difference.

 

[nonsequitur]

the battery will be a big change in behavior. i can go a day in between charges and not sweat it.

verizon's 4g map shows me in coverage at my house, but iffy between my house and my place of work. even then, the coverage near my house (maybe 10 or so miles, is officially fringe). i live in a pretty dense corridor between philly and nyc, so i think my area would be covered relatively soon (but who knows?!?!).

thanks again for the feedback.

 

[droidDOES.duh]

Even when ur not in a 4G area the device will be backwards compatible. So it will run 3G in those. Its expected to be fully 4G by 2013.
As for keyboard I have the D1 but I never use my slide out. I've gotten so used to the on screen and its responsiveness I can't wait to get a Droid without it, but like any phone it takes some getting used to.

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

 

[jaybuc]

I am also making the switch from my BB Bold in April. I am thinking about just jumping in with booth feet and getting the Thunderbolt I played around with it yesterday..WOW it's so fast and the screen is super sharp. I am not sure about how I will like the bad battery life.......

 

[takeshi]

- I don't know if an on screen keyboard will drive me bananas

Test drive, test drive, test drive.

I'd rather spend the money, use the phone for a few months, and decide what type of phone (e.g. physical keyboard, screen size), will appeal to me several months from now. At some point over the summer I'll pull the trigger on new phone, reselling (or donating) the original Droid.

Be very careful to make sure that you retain your subsidy and that you can use it at a later date.