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September 16, 2010 6:10 AM

[New Smartphone Selection Filter] Droid X vs Droid 2 vs ??? Help me decide!

Well it’s that time again.

I am eligible for a phone upgrade from Verizon. I am not interested in switching providers, I am still under contract and even if I wasn’t, Verizon has the best service in my area.

My last two phones have been keyboard slider smart phones. (Samsung i760 and the HTC Touch Pro 2) Both of these phones ran Windows Mobile.

I have read this post (http://ask.metafilter.com/158401/How-many-Droids-we-got-on-this-ship-anyhow).

I know Windows Mobile 7 is coming out soon. As there always are, there are rumors of the next awesome thing right around the corner.

The Touch Pro 2 is starting to die. It’s powering off by itself sometimes when I close the keyboard, it has some weird rainbow square that is apparently a known issue with the screen. Not a huge deal right now, but I don’t feel like putting in for a warranty replacement when I want to get a new phone soon.

I know the Droid X is a BIG phone and that’s off putting to some, but I am a big guy with big hands and pockets and it doesn’t really concern me.

I need to have good ebook reader software on the phone.
I also read a decent amount of the web from the phone.

I don’t use my current phone as a MP3 player much, but I do watch videos on it at times. Having a free/affordable media application to play the most common video files without converting would be nice.

I text and email a lot, but the keyboard slider isn’t a requirement as long as the onscreen keyboard works well.

My concerns with WinMo7 are that the app store will be just like the current app store. Full of 3 useful things and the rest will be crap.

I like that the there is a healthy Android store.

I am looking forward to the future Android tablets and Google TV integration.

I am not interested in any phone running an older version of WinMo. Blackberries are out too.

So we have the Droid X, the Droid 2 (the R2D2 variant is coming out on the 30th, and I may be dorky enough to pick that one!) Or something else? I haven’t had as much time as I would have liked to look into it, so I am asking your help hive mind. I don’t want to get a phone and then have something awesome come out next month that I would have liked much better.

Planned time to upgrade would be NOW to as late as a month or two from now, unless you convince me otherwise.

Thank you!

posted by PlutoniumX to Technology (7 answers total)

Best answer: I support phones in my office, so I get to handle pretty much all of the Droid variants on a regular basis. I am personally blown away by the Droid X. The screen is great, it's very responsive and the built-in Swype keyboard is better than the beta that you can download for other Android phones. The guy in our office who nabbed one is very pleased with it and I think it would easily do everything you want and more.

But I don't think you would be disappointed with the Droid 2. I have a Droid 1 and it's changed my life for the better. I know that if I were to upgrade at this point, I'd go for the X. I never, ever use the slide-out keyboard and I don't really know anyone that does once they get Swype.

As for the R2D2 edition, if you want it, you better be aggressive because I've heard they aren't making many of them.
posted by bristolcat at 6:40 AM on September 16, 2010

Best answer: I think you are better off with the Droid X. I have played with both of them extensively and the X seems to be a little bit ahead in terms of technological capabilities. The Droid 2 is not bad but does not represent a significant change from the first one, in fact my brother who owns the original one is not interested at all in upgrading for this very same reason.
posted by The1andonly at 6:42 AM on September 16, 2010

Best answer: I have the Droid X. I LOVE it. LOVE. Haven't seen the 2 but I'll give you my experiences with the X.

I have Amazon Kindle app on the X and can easily read a whole book on it. It's not nearly as large as the Kindle itself but I'm happy with the size. The onscreen keyboard works well, especially if you turn the device horizontally while you are typing - larger keys - I was terrified of not having a physical keyboard but it really hasn't been an issue at all. I read the web pretty frequently and I prefer to read horizontally as well. Allows for larger text. I sound like an old lady but actually I'm just a 39 year old with shitty eyesight.

What else can I say. It comes preloaded (unnecessary but fine) with skype mobile, and a ton of really useful apps and the app market is full of new and useful stuff every day. Loving this little toy.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:43 AM on September 16, 2010

I think if I had to make the choice your making now I'd go with the Droid 2. The keyboard essentially gives you more screen space for free by moving the onscreen keyboard to a hardware keyboard.

I have a Nexus One and I'd love a real keyboard with it so I could see what's on screen when I'm typing other than the 1-2 lines you end up with at times when composing an email.

Also Games, If I had a real keyboard I think I'd enjoy more games, Not just native Android games but those Flash games that need a keyboard to play too.

That and SSH. It'd be great to have a terminal emulator with a big screen and a keyboard at the same time.
posted by gog at 7:49 AM on September 16, 2010

Work is in the process of getting me a Droid 2 to replace my dying Blackberry; I picked it because as a sysadmin, ssh and email are a big part of what I do, and I didn't want to have to use a on-screen keyboard while doing it. If that's not an issue for you, the Droid X looks very attractive.
posted by fings at 8:00 AM on September 16, 2010

Couple of things:
1. Technically it's not Windows Mobile 7, it's Windows Phone 7. It's not based on a previous version of Windows Mobile, and is in fact a completely new product, which means any old WinMob6 apps won't run. Since it's a new product, it will probably need a few months to work out the bugs, and for a decent number of phones to come out.
2. The size of the screen shouldn't be an issue. It will seem large at first, but you'll quickly get used to it. I've got a 4.0" inch screen on my phone, and when I look at my wife's iPhone, it looks tiny.
3. Since you're with Verizon, you choice in phones will be limited, and they'll all have similar customizations. The droid phones are great, as are most HTC phones in general. The only major differences right now in Android phones are: Screen (AMOLED/LCD/Etc), Hardware/Software Keyboard, Camera (front + megapixels). Get one you're happy with, and don't worry about it. When you buy a car you don't feel bad because a new model comes out, do you?
posted by blue_beetle at 8:09 AM on September 16, 2010

Response by poster: I picked the Droid X!

Thanks everyone!
posted by PlutoniumX at 8:18 AM on September 16, 2010