Droid presents iPhone with real competition
By Joanne Santomauro
Over six million iPhones are active in the U.S. alone. The iPhone is easily one of the most recognizable consumer electronics on the market today. It has stood unrivaled by any other cell phone -- until now. Apple's gem of a smartphone has finally met its match: the Motorola Droid.
Verizon Wireless' new Droid challenges the iPhone in both style and function. Featuring a 3.7" touch screen and a plethora of downloadable applications, the Droid brings a new level of smartphone to the table.
From the most superficial perspective, the iPhone looks better. Rounded corners and discreet side buttons make the phone seem cleaner, friendlier. The Droid's rectangular build is reminiscent of the early 2000's mass of awkward square phones (remember the RAZR?); at its best, the Droid design is ordinary.
However, the Droid earns points for function. Its most distinguishable feature is its three keyboards. In addition to the horizontal and vertical touch screen options provided on the iPhone, the Droid boasts a slide-out physical keyboard, allowing the big-thumbed texting-fiend to type without looking at the screen.
Like the iPhone, the Droid allows for downloadable applications. Droid's Android Market features 10,000 apps, while the Application Store has over ten times that amount.
Google -- developer of the Android operating system -- promotes an open market: developers can upload almost anything their techy hearts desire, whereas Apple must approve applications before they are made available to users. Because of this, iPhone application are considerably safer and more stable. In this case, the iPhone wins both battles of quality and quantity.
In contest, the Droid can run up to six applications at one time. Users are free to surf the web while making a phone call, or listen to the radio while they text. The iPhone lacks these multitasking capabilities. Ergo, bonus points go toward the Droid. Recent Droid user Chris Zuk stated, "I like the Droid -- I can play Pokemon! Also, it gets full 3G service at Santa Clara."
Freshman Brooke Levy advocates the iPhone "It's really easy to use. I have an Apple computer, so it's very convenient. [A downside is] I don't have service in my dorm room."
This article could continue for several more pages. However, both phones are agreeably the smartest of the smartphones -- for each feature that one phone lacks, the other beats by two. If you're looking for an easy to use smartphone, then the iPhone is for you. If you don't mind sacrificing simplicity for flexibility, choose the Droid. All in all, either phone makes a great companion for the computer geek and the tech-challenged.
MobileCrunch.com Editor Greg Kumparak delivers the final verdict perfectly.
"No longer can we recommend one handset over the other simply by its feature set. At this point, it's all about the person who will be carrying it."
Contact Joanne Santomauro at jsantomauro@scu.edu or at (408)-551-1918.
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