# Decision Time: iPhone or Droid



## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

I am trying to decide between two smartphones: iPhone 4 (16GB) or Droid X by Motorola.

Many at the church are switching from Outlook to Google and are touting the interface with the Android platform. Comparing the two products, the iPhone comes with more storage on board (the 16GB is the only affordable one for me) but you are unable to add, while the Droid has less that comes with it (8 GB on board and a 2 GB sim card) but it can expand to 40 GB (by getting a 32 GB card). The Droid X would be about $60 cheaper at the point of purchase, but storage add-ons would shrink that difference. The Droid has a larger, though less-resolute, screen. 

Anybody have any insight into either product or operating system, or perhaps both? Experience with/cost of apps for either? All of this has me on the verge of being in way over my head, so any feedback is appreciated.


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## Douglas P. (Mar 24, 2011)

I have the Droid X and love it. I ultimately chose the Droid X due to its large screen, its a fantastic phone for web browsing or reading books (w/ Kindle and Google books app). My phone has also replaced my need for a camera/camcorder.

You might want to google iphone vs droid x and view some of the reviews that come up


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks for your helpful input, brother. I have watched many review videos and read many articles. It seems as though most of the reviewers end up preferring the iPhone despite the Droid "winning" the match-up of particulars. I do not know if it is because of an iPhone bias, as it was revolutionary, or exactly what it is.


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## EverReforming (Mar 24, 2011)

I've not used either, as I'm more of a Blackberry fan, so I can't comment on the virtues of either one. Though the Google/Android phones do seem to be gaining solid ground in market share and might be a good option. Doing a search for reviews comparing the two, as was suggested, might be a good idea to help with the decision process.

I do love my Blackberry though. 

---------- Post added at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 AM ----------

Oops, I see we cross-posted and that you've already looked at reviews online.

Oh well, since you're not looking at Blackberry, I got nothin'.


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## KMK (Mar 24, 2011)

KSon said:


> Decision Time: iPhone or Droid



This is why Blackberry is doomed. It's not even a part of the discussion anymore.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks George. I currently have a Blackberry and some of its limitations, with regards to work I must do while on the road, have me looking in this direction. My 4 years with a Blackberry have served me well though.


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## LawrenceU (Mar 24, 2011)

Android, pure and simple. Much more flexible. A lot of my iPhone buddies are thinking about switching after they mess with my phone; and, my phone is not a top shelf phone either.


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## Andres (Mar 24, 2011)

I have an iPhone 4 and I love it. It does everything I could possibly want it to. I have never paid for a single app either. I just download all the free ones. I take it back...I bought a football game app for like $1.99. I have several bibles and bible apps, apps of the Creeds & Confessions, and the Kindle app. Although I don't really like to read books on my phone, I prefer the real Kindle.


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## MLCOPE2 (Mar 24, 2011)

iPhone 4 gets my vote for most of the same reasons Andrew posted above.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Andres said:


> I have an iPhone 4 and I love it. It does everything I could possibly want it to. I have never paid for a single app either. I just download all the free ones. I take it back...I bought a football game app for like $1.99. I have several bibles and bible apps, apps of the Creeds & Confessions, and the Kindle app. Although I don't really like to read books on my phone, I prefer the real Kindle.



Andrew, do you have the 16 or 32 GB? Do those apps make a dent in your total storage space or are they inconsequential?


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## fredtgreco (Mar 24, 2011)

KSon said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > I have an iPhone 4 and I love it. It does everything I could possibly want it to. I have never paid for a single app either. I just download all the free ones. I take it back...I bought a football game app for like $1.99. I have several bibles and bible apps, apps of the Creeds & Confessions, and the Kindle app. Although I don't really like to read books on my phone, I prefer the real Kindle.
> ...


 
I love my iPhone 4. I find it far easier to use than my Associate's Droid. As for storage space, the only issue is music. Unless you are going to transfer over your whole music library, 16GB should be fine.


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## Herald (Mar 24, 2011)

I have the Atrix and love it. It integrates seamlessly with all my Google accounts. It's fast too - dual core processor on a smartphone. 

Sent from my most excellent Motorola Atrix


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## jfschultz (Mar 24, 2011)

If you are concerned with the price difference between the Droid and iPhone, don't bother. Differences in the cost of the data plan will be more significant.

Do you really need to be connected any time and any where? Over the long term a much less expensive and more versatile option is a plain cell phone on a voice plan and an iPad.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

jfschultz said:


> If you are concerned with the price difference between the Droid and iPhone, don't bother. Differences in the cost of the data plan will be more significant.
> 
> Do you really need to be connected any time and any where? Over the long term a much less expensive and more versatile option is a plain cell phone on a voice plan and an iPad.


 
I do indeed need to be able to be connected, as I am working outside of the church often. I am already in a plan that has unlimited data, so that component of total cost will remain fixed.


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## sdesocio (Mar 24, 2011)

I had an iphone and jumped to the evo 4g I just like the open mindset that google brings to their device.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Joshua said:


> I vote iPhone for simplicity's sake. But I'm just a peon, so . . .


 
Duly noted, brother (the vote, not the admission of peonhood). There seems to be quite of bit of loyalty amongst the iPhone users.


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## Herald (Mar 24, 2011)

jfschultz said:


> Do you really need to be connected any time and any where?



Yes. Yes I do.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

sdesocio said:


> I had an iphone and jumped to the evo 4g I just like the open mindset that google brings to their device.


 
Could you expand on that a bit, in particular exactly what caused you to "jump"?


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## Andres (Mar 24, 2011)

KSon said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > I have an iPhone 4 and I love it. It does everything I could possibly want it to. I have never paid for a single app either. I just download all the free ones. I take it back...I bought a football game app for like $1.99. I have several bibles and bible apps, apps of the Creeds & Confessions, and the Kindle app. Although I don't really like to read books on my phone, I prefer the real Kindle.
> ...


 
I have the 16GB. My understanding is that the phone takes about 2 GB just to work, therefore I am technically starting at 14GB. I just checked my info and it says I have 12.3GB still available. According to my phone, I currently have 0 songs (I don't listen to music), 3 videos, 87 photos, and 54 apps. As you can see, with all that I've only used 1.7GB. Hope this helps you.

---------- Post added at 01:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 PM ----------

oh, and can the Droid do the video chat? My wife and I called her parents the other day and I used the video chat for the first time. It's pretty cool to be able to see who you're talking on the phone with!


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Andres said:


> KSon said:
> 
> 
> > Andres said:
> ...


 
Thanks brother, that is most helpful. I do believe that the Droid is set up to handle Skype.


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## EverReforming (Mar 24, 2011)

KSon said:


> Thanks George. I currently have a Blackberry and some of its limitations, with regards to work I must do while on the road, have me looking in this direction. My 4 years with a Blackberry have served me well though.


 
Heh, I hear ya.  While I like my Blackberry, it does have some limitations. Getting an iPhone would require me to switch carriers, which I don't have plans on doing at the moment. So an iPhone isn't even a consideration for me in the foreseeable future. However, next time I'm eligible for a new phone, I may look at the Android options though. I still have a couple more months before I'm eligible for discounts on a new phone though. At that time we'll see if I move to Android or stick with another Blackberry. While Blackberry still has a large piece of the market share, they're on the decline unless they can do something to change that.


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## Herald (Mar 24, 2011)

Andres said:


> KSon said:
> 
> 
> > Andres said:
> ...


 
I use Tango with my Atrix which allows me to video chat.

Sent from my most excellent Motorola Atrix


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## Bookmeister (Mar 24, 2011)

I have an iPad and a Samsung Epic. Both environments have their advantages and I actually like have access to both. I would go with an Android phone and an iPad. iPhone data will soon be capped on all carriers and that should play into your decision. I believe AT&T already has limited data and Verizon will soon.


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## KSon (Mar 24, 2011)

Bookmeister said:


> I have an iPad and a Samsung Epic. Both environments have their advantages and I actually like have access to both. I would go with an Android phone and an iPad. iPhone data will soon be capped on all carriers and that should play into your decision. I believe AT&T already has limited data and Verizon will soon.


 
Alan, what would possess them to cap iPhone data but not Android (I have Verizon)? Also, would such a "cap" affect only those who are downloading great amounts of data, or also the commoners such as me?


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## Curt (Mar 24, 2011)

I have an iPhone 3Gs, which I just bought at the "so last year" price. I love it. It has some music on it, some downloads from iTunes U, apps that I like, a Bible, a couple of books, and several .pdf files. It picks up networks everywhere. I am not comparing it with other phones, because I haven't used them. I do love my iPhone, though.


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## jogri17 (Mar 24, 2011)

you can do more with android, but iphone 4 seems to be much more powerful. It has a better App store- its hard to get into the mac apple store. Plus Apple's warentees are the best hand down. You can hate apple all you want, but with their warentees they take care of their customers quite well. Also, when you think apps, you think apple... so lots of stuff is out for IOS before android. And let us not forget that there are official google apps that work perfectly on IOS that are free.


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## Brother John (Mar 25, 2011)

KSon said:


> Bookmeister said:
> 
> 
> > I have an iPad and a Samsung Epic. Both environments have their advantages and I actually like have access to both. I would go with an Android phone and an iPad. iPhone data will soon be capped on all carriers and that should play into your decision. I believe AT&T already has limited data and Verizon will soon.
> ...


 
Not sure what yall are referring to the cap? I just upgraded to a Verizon iPhone4 from a blackberry and I am very happy. I have an unlimited data plan and Verizon told me I would be grandfathered in with it forever. I looked at both the droid and the iPhone. After playing with both of them it was an easy decision for me. The droid is to big in my opinion for a phone. I try not to keep my phone on my person unless I am walking somewhere for health reasons, otherwise it is sitting near me. But when I do have to take it somewhere the iPhone Fits nicely in my pocket whereas the droid was just to big and made me feel like I was carrying a small book in my pocket. The iPhone screen and camera are superb. The last factor for me was one that might not matter to others but the iPhone aesthetics are better. The droid felt like a ford or chevy while the iPhone feels like a Mercedes or Porsche. 

Either way it's crazy when you compare the droid or iPhone to the phones we were all using five and ten years ago! Makes you wonder were we will be in another five or ten years.


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## LawrenceU (Mar 25, 2011)

John, make sure you have that promise about the 'forever' aspect of you data plan in clear writing, notarised, and witnessed by a judge. AND, make sure that it includes a contractual statement stating that they will not limit your bandwidth if you use a lot of data. That is really what happens in unlimited plans. You can download all you want, it will just slow to a trickle if you are a heavy user.

I used to sell mobile phones. There are a million broken promises regarding plans made a day and they are all legal. It is sad.


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## Herald (Mar 25, 2011)

jogri17 said:


> you can do more with android, but iphone 4 seems to be much more powerful. It has a better App store- its hard to get into the mac apple store. Plus Apple's warentees are the best hand down. You can hate apple all you want, but with their warentees they take care of their customers quite well. Also, when you think apps, you think apple... so lots of stuff is out for IOS before android. And let us not forget that there are official google apps that work perfectly on IOS that are free.


 
The iPhone is a great device but it's not" more powerful." Devices as the Droid X, Atrix, and Sprint EVO have faster processors and better cameras. The iPhone plays to its strengths: Apple OS, app store, iTunes, and ease of use. Android is for the geek who wants to customize his user experience. Better is in the hand of the user. 

Sent from my most excellent Motorola Atrix


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## KSon (Mar 25, 2011)

Thanks all for the feedback, and please continue sharing. I held a Droid X today and was shocked by how large it is. Good for keyboard use and display, bad for pocket storage.


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## Curt (Mar 25, 2011)

Herald said:


> Android is for the geek



You geek.


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## Herald (Mar 26, 2011)

Curt said:


> You geek.



Why thank you. I resemble that remark.


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## interalia (Mar 26, 2011)

Android - all day everyday.


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## Dwimble (Mar 26, 2011)

Everyone I know who has an iPhone seems to really like it. I know multiple people, however, who have stressed to me over and over to get a protection plan for it because their screens have broken. One friend switched to a different phone after breaking his screen for the fourth time. He still loved the iPhone, but was sick of them breaking. I have no idea how common that is though. But again, everyone seems to really like them. I know next to nothing about Android.

I have a BlackBerry Torch 9800 and LOVE it. I had a Bold before this one and liked it well enough, but it seems like garbage compared to the Torch.


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## turmeric (Mar 26, 2011)

My Droid Citrus doesn't seem to play nice with PB, not sure why. It loads ve-e-e-e-r-r-ry slowly and tends to load things I don't want, then I have to wait for that to load so I can get out of it. I tried to get on 5 times one night and then gave up. Not sure what the problem is, but I'm sure it's not supposed to be that hard. I used the Mobile skin, too. Love Droid for everything else, though.


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## ooguyx (Mar 27, 2011)

I have the HTC Thunderbolt, and I would recommend it if you are in a Verizon 4G area. My speeds are unbelievable. I regularly get 12Mbs down and 30Mbs up. I also like the interface. Iphone is great if you want to be behind the times as soon as you pay the premium price for it.


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