Thinking of getting a Droid.. have some concerns...

[loop4zil]

oh so droid will be getting flash then? Hmm that is tempting.

So basically if I buy a droid I will have complete customizability?

Does ROOTing and custom ROMs take a lot of large files? I don't have very fast internet at the moment.

Does overclocking make a big difference in smoothing out the menu/browser?

1) Yes, Flash has been confirmed, it's just a matter of time. My bet is that when 2.1 happens, Flash will follow shortly.

2) If you can program it, you can likely do it.

3) ROMS are ~100-150Mb -- they dont take very long to download using the cell network, maybe 10 minutes.

4) I think OC helps a lot, it's sort of personal preference.

Any danger in overclocking? Is it all software driven? Like is the overclock just part of the ROM?

Also do you DL the rom straight to the phone? It runs over the standard GUI? Or does it replace it?

Is the Eris as modable at the Motorola Droid is? As in can it do all the same things? Tether ect..? Run the same apps? Be Rooted?

This is great! VzW and Moto should give us a cut of the profits when you buy your droid!

Danger in overclocking: Minimal...the worst I have seen is when someone has a processor that can't handle the frequency they chose and it goes into a bootloop. That is pretty rare...and you simply fix it by using a lesser frequency.

The Overclock is driven by custom made Kernels that super geniuses have developed. All the available kernels and rom can be found on the this forum. Droid Forums.net is a veritable cornucopia of droid hacking knowledge...I call it my-happy-fun-land-droid-place

I believe that the ROM replaces. For example I am running Ultimate 6.5 (praise be to BlackDroid) which is running the ESE53 base (don't ask I don't know). According to rumor, ESE53 is the build that Moto and VzW were going to release in order to upgrade all Droid to 2.1 (stock droids are 2.0.1). So I am running a modified 2.1 ROM that is overclocked to 1.1GHz. It COOKS

There are serveral ways to modify the GUI aspect of the phone if that is all you want to do. There are Home replacement apps that can add screens, themes, and change the way you access applications ect. There are tools that allow you to just load themes developed by artsy types. There are tools that allow you customize icons etc etc

I looked at both Droid and Eris and Hero. Droid is a better build IMO. Don't know if Eris is 'moddable'....probably is if it is running 2.0.1

 

[xythil]

Well thanks for all the help guys. I think I am going to go get one.

Just one last thing. Can somone link me to a guide to ROOTing and where to get the best ROM?

I want a ROM that allows me to overclock, is super slick with as little lag as possible while browsing , in menus, or using google maps. and enables multitouch zooming. Not the terrible multitouch where it only goes in at preset limits. I want it like the ipod touch where I can zoom in and out gradually depending on my movements. Is this all possible?

 

[bacalao]

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/ha...-phone-2-1-rom-o-c-mm-boot-animation-etc.html

This is a great place to start. I suggest read it completely and you will learn a lot step by step! Most of the ROMs are very good and go here Android Roms - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum to try out the different ones available or to stay up to date, fix issues. They have different styling (which you can change if you like) and up to you to find what you like.

 

[loop4zil]

Well thanks for all the help guys. I think I am going to go get one.

Just one last thing. Can somone link me to a guide to ROOTing and where to get the best ROM?

I want a ROM that allows me to overclock, is super slick with as little lag as possible while browsing , in menus, or using google maps. and enables multitouch zooming. Not the terrible multitouch where it only goes in at preset limits. I want it like the ipod touch where I can zoom in and out gradually depending on my movements. Is this all possible?

Here are the forums where you can find everything you need

Hacking Help - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

Android Roms - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

 

[xythil]

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/ha...-phone-2-1-rom-o-c-mm-boot-animation-etc.html

This is a great place to start. I suggest read it completely and you will learn a lot step by step! Most of the ROMs are very good and go here Android Roms - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum to try out the different ones available or to stay up to date, fix issues. They have different styling (which you can change if you like) and up to you to find what you like.

Do you guys have any suggestions on which rom would be the right fit for me?

The choices are knid of overwhelming. Which is kind of the cream of the crop

Which is the fastest and incorporates tethering and mirrors the multitouch gesture pinch zoom from the iphone?

 

[zookeeper]

As far as the contacts go, when you get the driod at the VZW store they will transfer them to your droid. Then they are pushed up to the google account they make you get when you buy the phone. Now they will be backed up in the google cloud.

 

[xythil]

As far as the contacts go, when you get the driod at the VZW store they will transfer them to your droid. Then they are pushed up to the google account they make you get when you buy the phone. Now they will be backed up in the google cloud.

Oh wow ! That is sweet. So no matter which ROm i choose Ill never lose my contacts?

 

[cpinto]

Oh and does everyone know what I am talking about in regards to the jittering in menus?

I mean the ipod touch is SO responsive with webpages.

I just flcik and it scrolls with no lag

In the store the droid I tried was jittery and laggy. Like Id move around the page and it would trail just a bit behind my motions.

Does the custom roms and overclocking fix this? 100%?

Yes, compared to the iPhone the Droid touch screen is a little laggy, but you will soon get used to it. The other fine features as well as the Verizon network will make you quickly forget about the screen.

You might consider giving the Nexus One a try. Will be at Verizon very soon. I like the fact that it has no keyboard. I NEVER use mine.

I also have a Ipod touch, and now it never gets touched.

The Droid without a case is not bulky at all. Now if you add a case, then bulk is an issue.

Good luck in your decision.

Craig

 

[bacalao]

I would follow that guide step by step and load what is there. Then you will feel comfortable to try others without much help, and you can read up on some the others. That guide gives you root and other basic programs that you will use for other ROMs.

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/ha...android-backups-custom-roms-etc-easy-way.html

Personally, I use SS v2.0.2 by ChevyNo1, with a blue ESE25 theme added on. Flawless and fast for me. Just started using xscope (from market) for internet browsing, I have positive feelings about it!

 

[xythil]

Oh and does everyone know what I am talking about in regards to the jittering in menus?

I mean the ipod touch is SO responsive with webpages.

I just flcik and it scrolls with no lag

In the store the droid I tried was jittery and laggy. Like Id move around the page and it would trail just a bit behind my motions.

Does the custom roms and overclocking fix this? 100%?

Yes, compared to the iPhone the Droid touch screen is a little laggy, but you will soon get used to it. The other fine features as well as the Verizon network will make you quickly forget about the screen.

You might consider giving the Nexus One a try. Will be at Verizon very soon. I like the fact that it has no keyboard. I NEVER use mine.

I also have a Ipod touch, and now it never gets touched.

The Droid without a case is not bulky at all. Now if you add a case, then bulk is an issue.

Good luck in your decision.

Craig

Wait its still laggy even with custom ROMs and overclocking? =/

Honestly the only thing that is making me uncomfortable about my purchase is the menu/browsing lag. As long as someone can confirm for me its as fluid and lagfree as the ipodtouch/iphone is in menus/browsing i am sold.

 

[loop4zil]

Oh and does everyone know what I am talking about in regards to the jittering in menus?

I mean the ipod touch is SO responsive with webpages.

I just flcik and it scrolls with no lag

In the store the droid I tried was jittery and laggy. Like Id move around the page and it would trail just a bit behind my motions.

Does the custom roms and overclocking fix this? 100%?

Yes, compared to the iPhone the Droid touch screen is a little laggy, but you will soon get used to it. The other fine features as well as the Verizon network will make you quickly forget about the screen.

You might consider giving the Nexus One a try. Will be at Verizon very soon. I like the fact that it has no keyboard. I NEVER use mine.

I also have a Ipod touch, and now it never gets touched.

The Droid without a case is not bulky at all. Now if you add a case, then bulk is an issue.

Good luck in your decision.

Craig

Wait its still laggy even with custom ROMs and overclocking? =/

Honestly the only thing that is making me uncomfortable about my purchase is the menu/browsing lag. As long as someone can confirm for me its as fluid and lagfree as the ipodtouch/iphone is in menus/browsing i am sold.

I use the "stock": 2.1 browser. I guess you could call it Chrome Mobile. It has multi touch, reformat text, tap zoom...all the normal stuff. It loads fine for me. I have heard great things about the xScope browser and I will likely give it a shot one of these days.

The stock 2.0.1 browser is balls (what you played with at the store). Apple's safari mobile kills it.

What exactly do you mean by "laggy". Is this load time? Scrolling? Zooming?

 

[xythil]

Yes, compared to the iPhone the Droid touch screen is a little laggy, but you will soon get used to it. The other fine features as well as the Verizon network will make you quickly forget about the screen.

You might consider giving the Nexus One a try. Will be at Verizon very soon. I like the fact that it has no keyboard. I NEVER use mine.

I also have a Ipod touch, and now it never gets touched.

The Droid without a case is not bulky at all. Now if you add a case, then bulk is an issue.

Good luck in your decision.

Craig

Wait its still laggy even with custom ROMs and overclocking? =/

Honestly the only thing that is making me uncomfortable about my purchase is the menu/browsing lag. As long as someone can confirm for me its as fluid and lagfree as the ipodtouch/iphone is in menus/browsing i am sold.

I use the "stock": 2.1 browser. I guess you could call it Chrome Mobile. It has multi touch, reformat text, tap zoom...all the normal stuff. It loads fine for me. I have heard great things about the xScope browser and I will likely give it a shot one of these days.

The stock 2.0.1 browser is balls (what you played with at the store). Apple's safari mobile kills it.

What exactly do you mean by "laggy". Is this load time? Scrolling? Zooming?

When I brush my itouch the menu/browser moved fluidly, with no jitter or visible lag

when I brush a droid it jitters/lags. Go watch any droid video of a guy fliping through hmoe screens. Things just take a spilt second to move/load more than an i touch.. which makes no sense. The droid has an equal if not better amount of processing power

 

[loop4zil]

Wait its still laggy even with custom ROMs and overclocking? =/

Honestly the only thing that is making me uncomfortable about my purchase is the menu/browsing lag. As long as someone can confirm for me its as fluid and lagfree as the ipodtouch/iphone is in menus/browsing i am sold.

I use the "stock": 2.1 browser. I guess you could call it Chrome Mobile. It has multi touch, reformat text, tap zoom...all the normal stuff. It loads fine for me. I have heard great things about the xScope browser and I will likely give it a shot one of these days.

The stock 2.0.1 browser is balls (what you played with at the store). Apple's safari mobile kills it.

What exactly do you mean by "laggy". Is this load time? Scrolling? Zooming?

When I brush my itouch the menu/browser moved fluidly, with no jitter or visible lag

when I brush a droid it jitters/lags. Go watch any droid video of a guy fliping through hmoe screens. Things just take a spilt second to move/load more than an i touch.. which makes no sense. The droid has an equal if not better amount of processing power

You can go get it...root it...try a few roms and overclock it...if you don;t like it...return the OS to stock...return it inside 30 days and get something different.

 

[bd1212]

I answered all your questions in orange. Flame on!

Hey. I current carry around an Env Touch as my phone and a ipod touch as my PDA/music/apps/internet(when I have wifi)

However a smart phone will make my life a lot easier thanks to my new job.

I love the ipod touch. I realize the iphone is a bit bulkier but still it is very sleek when compared to the boxy/bulky droid.

Aesthetics aside I notice a few things when playing around with a Verizon store Droid model.

1) Web browsing was atrocious. On my itouch moving around pages is like gliding over air. I just brush and it is perfectly accurate. By comparison the droid laged.. it was delayed enough to make me question why I would drop 200 bucks on this thing. I mean the screen looks nice but the flow of moving around a fully loaded page just felt jittery/laggy...

This can be easily fixed by rooting your phone and overclocking it. Overclocking it will make 99% of the lag go away, but if you actually want to speed up browsing experience you can also get custom ROM's for your phone. Also, the stock browser that comes on the Droid by default is quite terrible, which is why if you go into Android Market and download xScope you can easily switch to that browser which I can say is extremely fast, has multi-touch and pin-zoom, and pinch-to-zoom.

2) Web browsing, google maps.. ect.. is all missing multitouch zoom? What is this the stone age? Seriously why have a sleek capacitive touch screen and not include this most basic feature.. is there a work around?

Google Maps has an update that enables multi-touch, but if you want multi-touch on the browser and other things, you'll need to load a custom ROM.

3) Can the droid be used to tether my PC to the internet? Either through USB or BlueTooth?

Yes, you can turn the Droid into your own personal WiFi hot-spot whenever you want.

4) Could I use blue tooth to tether my jail broken ipod touch to my droids 3g?

Yes.

5) Perhaps my biggest concern is this... should I wait? Are better phones close on the horizon? I don't want to impulsively jump into this phone and see verizon get an iphone next month. I especially don't want to be left in the dust if full flash support is coming to new phones anytime soon to allow for megavideo/youtube watching on the go.. ect.. or even an overhauled faster network that I won't be able to take advantage of with a droid.

If droid can provide me with a sleek, browser experience without the jittering.. . and especially if it can tether other devices through blue tooth I would probably be interested.

My plan doesn't come up for a new phone for 6 months but they are willing to give me the 1 year price on a droid plus rebate so about 260$ for the phone. I figure this is a pretty decent deal. although if someone knows a better one I am all ears. Or maybe I should pressure verizon for a better deal?

and I guess lastly... anyone who has had experiance with both iphone/itouch and droid.. could I get a list of pros and cons from your personal experiance?
For me personally the itouch/iphone just seems like a sleeker/sexier/quicker product. It is the first phone interface I ever used that didn't have that jittery/slow lagged feeling. I want something that can capture that.

Thanks for any help/insight you can provide.

To answer your last question, since the Droid is capable of doing everything you were wondering about, then yes I'd highly suggest you buy it. I currently have my Droid overclocked and running a custom ROM and it never lags. Never.

I hope I was able to help. =]