another smartphone question

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

DS has told me he wants a Droid for Xmas. To be honest I have needed e-mail and internet on a phone device for a while and have put it off. Time to bite the bullet. Instead of 2 turtle doves it will be 2 smartphones.

I am considering Sprint because their "everything" plan is so reasonable. Does anyone in the NY area use Sprint as their carrier? If so how is the coverage?

If I dont go to Sprint I will stay with Verizon but in either case would love to get some smartphone recommendations. I'd like to leave the laptop and take just the phone on vacation. Need internet of course but can any of these work an xl spreadsheet without me going blind?

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Are you a mac person or a windows person?

If you are mac person, there is a lot to recommend an iphone. Verizon is expected to announce an iphone on their carrier network sometime in January.

However, while I can use it to answer simple emails, or a little bit of web work, I would find it very unpleasant to "really work" with it. I'm not sure if an excel spreadsheet would be usable on an iphone specifically, or not.

[Nancy Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Nancy]

Love my Iphone. Someone over at Tug is a big Droid person, so you might want to look up their threads.

Nancy

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Are you a mac person or a windows person?

If you are mac person, there is a lot to recommend an iphone. Verizon is expected to announce an iphone on their carrier network sometime in January.

However, while I can use it to answer simple emails, or a little bit of web work, I would find it very unpleasant to "really work" with it. I'm not sure if an excel spreadsheet would be usable on an iphone specifically, or not.

Love my Iphone. Someone over at Tug is a big Droid person, so you might want to look up their threads.

Nancy

Windows. Nothing but windows. Perhaps the new samsung tab to go along with the 2 droid phones?

I'm leaning towards the droid platform. I think because it is not single carrier specific that it may, in the long run, prove to be the smarter choice. (pun intended)

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Get the Droid. It's more popular than the iPhone now. The Droid commercials creep me out, but the people I know who have Droids love them.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

Lawren,

The Droid or any smartphone is great when you are out and about traveling around on vacation, going to the supermarket etc.

If you need to depend on the net while traveling I personally take at least my netbook, or my laptap.

Navigating on that small screen on an internet browser is going to drive you nuts.

There are however many sites that have mobile versions. However those mobile sites do not deliver the same experience as they are a subset of the entire site. Usually just a modified lite version.

For example you will not be able to post and deliver your ex ops daily using a smart phone. It not feasible, you will get frustrated.

Also these devices are power hogs. They will zap the juice out of the battery in no time flat. As a consequence you have to charge it and top it off at every opportunity. In the car, while at work via the usb, or where ever.

If you are not careful then you will drain the battery and be SOL, until you can get a charge.

The response time for the internet browser is not as snappy as broadband connection either. So if you have a mediocre signal you will find yourself waiting for the screen to respond.

It is however great for other purposes. Taking photos, sending photos, posting photos on facebook (I know you are not a fan of FB) texting, GPS, other neat little apps, music, etc.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

You know, I hear you can get a 4G connection with a netbook now. So it's like a smartphone connection, but it's a netbook-sized screen and keyboard. You pay like you would for the smartphone.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

My son has the EVO 4 g with Sprint, Amazing that is all I can say has to be the best and fastest out there.

Keep away anything to do with ATT. The worst in our area, Works great in other areas but not here.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

FYI-Verizon is starting there LTE (4G) service this month. However, they won't have smartphones to work on it until next summer. Only the pads or network connecting laptops will be able to use the network until the phones come out.

My plan is to get something like the Verizon Droid 2 with the keyboard, but by then, something should have replaced it. Also, there is a Droid version coming out that will be global, I think that is GSM if I remember right.

I think it maybe the Sprint EVO or other similar phone that has the keyboard. That is what I would recommend as it will give you touch screen and keyboard functionality.