Droid?

[VABob]

Anyone been using a droid yet? Is it worth getting?

Garmin is ok for driving, but for pinpointing where a store is, google maps seems to work better. And real time radar maps are a plus when on the road.

[Ironheadziggy76]

A who? People still confuse my bag phone for a tank bag on the Wee! :lol

I was at Vanderbilt Hospital a few weeks ago, and everyone there seemed to have one. Seemed everyone was proud of them as they all had the ringer volume maxed out so everyone could hear their distinctive ringtone.

My nephew is looking to get one, and he usually has the cutting edge electronics. I'll see him tomorrow, if he has it I'll get back to you on how he likes it.

UPDATE: I just talked to nephew and he's not getting one, his girlfriend has one and she's not thrilled with it. She actually called it a "POS". But that is the opinion of a couple of 20 somethings. They think it's a good web and Google phone, but as an actual phone it's not that great. Too many steps to make a call and hang up, and no hands free. She doesn't like the four way nav rocker as well as the ball on her old Blackberry that she's going back to.

[GoldWingGL]

I have a touch screen windows mobile based phone and have been very happy with it. Google maps has always been on my phones and works well for pin-pointing as you state. phone choices are very personal. I have had 2 family members say mine does just what they want, then turn around and be sorry they got something else.....as i said...personal choice....my 2 cents

posted from my phone and opera browser....

[GoldWingGL]

Never had an issue with the batteries as i use it all day long and change it out every day. As for writing, i use/have a stylus in my phone for that.....lol....btw..i have an HTC and am looking at the touch pro or the like when i upgrade.

[ultralight]

Anyone been using a droid yet? Is it worth getting?

Garmin is ok for driving, but for pinpointing where a store is, google maps seems to work better. And real time radar maps are a plus when on the road.

I had my Omnia mountable on my Silver Wing for over a year with a GPS, etc. and it worked great.

I purchased my Droid 2 weeks ago and also picked up the vehicle mount. I've modified the mount to work with a RAM Mount. It works great, with gloves and sitting in the garage. I have yet to try it out on the road, haven't had a chance because of the weather.

The Droid does everything that I need it to do and it is Sooo much better than the Omnia.

[ImRubicon]

google maps is great so is Bing maps , either will work very well . if your phone has a GPS even better. find almost anything you are looking for . but lose that phone service and you are screwed until you have it again. not too much of a problem as you are on the road and its only a matter of time . I have a Iphone and the maps are great other things to amuse me , mine is plugged in going down the road so battery life is not too much a issue . If I had the phone before I got the GPS I most likely wouldnt have bought the GPS ecept for the truck maybe . I normally have some sort of paper map for the big area anyway but the phone does what little things I need

[Big Red]

I bought a Touch Screen Droid specifically for motocamping. It is slow compared to a home based computer and hard to operate with it's tiny keyboard but at least here is a tool that can help when your on the go

[bvail]

I had my Omnia mountable on my Silver Wing for over a year with a GPS, etc. and it worked great.

I purchased my Droid 2 weeks ago and also picked up the vehicle mount. I've modified the mount to work with a RAM Mount. It works great, with gloves and sitting in the garage. I have yet to try it out on the road, haven't had a chance because of the weather.

The Droid does everything that I need it to do and it is Sooo much better than the Omnia.

The Google Maps work real nice. I don't think I would mount on my bike because of vibration and getting it wet would be certain death for it.

Upgraded Google Maps app yesterday.

[bvail]

Anyone been using a droid yet? Is it worth getting?

Garmin is ok for driving, but for pinpointing where a store is, google maps seems to work better. And real time radar maps are a plus when on the road.

Went from an LG nVY2 dumb phone to the Motorola Droid for a hundred bucks and VZ threw in an Eris Droid for 'free', which my daughter uses.

We both like them, but there is quite a bit of learning curve compared to a dumb phone.

The Motorola Droid has a touch keyboard on just about every app AND it has a slider keyboard, which the Eris does not. Also has twice as much storage as the Eris. But the Motorola is bigger and heavier. If you get either, be sure to get a package of clear screen protectors and a good carrying holster or case to protect the screen. This phone does not have a hard glass screen.

Fairly easy to surf the net, once you get the hang of it and use the nav button on the slider keyboard.

Now for a real downside is the fact that Adobe has not developed a Flash program at this time (but they are in the process of doing so) for the Android OS. What that means is no Hulu or watching of other programs via Fox, NBC, etc.

Short battery life, but mine seems to grow better as time goes on and there are power management programs, both in the phone and apps out on the internet.

I've only had mine for a couple of weeks, but I'm pretty impressed with it.

I don't really need another GPS as I already have 3, two built in to car and motorcycle and a Garmin Zumo550, but I did try the Moto Droid out in my schoolbus (I'm driver, not rider) and it did pretty well, but needs a bit of fine tuning.

Neither have I tried the mp3 player, but surfing YouTube is just way tooooo cool.

[Mellow]

Nice comparison of the different machines.

Yesterday was my first day on the road with the droid. The touchscreen keyboard works (unlike the omnia) for the right hand but is slightly off for the left hand. The keyboard works well, but with my case on it, the top row of buttons are even more cramped. I wish the buttons were slightly rounded.

I am starting to play with google latitude, buzz, and facebook. My favorite app this morning is weatherbug elite. It has shown me a nasty line of thunderclouds headed my way so I decided to wait it out in the hotel. The radar map on wheatherbug overlays a google map, so it is very easy to see what's coming your way.

Reading motocampers.com on the droid was a little bit of a chore until I learned to zoom and hold for larger size. I haven't tried going to the archives where a mobile version is kept, albeit with out the ability to get the last read item. I wonder if there is an rss feed for this site?

Today using my minipc. Next time I might not even need to take it with the droid in hand!

I just enabled it so you should be able to get a feed...

[vfrcapn]

Thanks all. Droid it is. Picked it up this week.

So far, it is a very cool device that actually works. As ya'll predicted, I like it much better than the omnia. I bought a case and now it fits right onto the holder for my CB handset.

What programs did you get for your droid to use while motocamping?

So far, I found:
Google tracker
Google skymaps
Weatherbug

I haven't fully tested this app out on my Droid but it looks like it would be a good alternative to the Spot device for providing current location over the web. Works well enough around town. http://www.instamapper.com/

[Timmer]

I use it for gl1800riders.com. It's pretty cool for the limited time I've had it on my Touch.

Tim

Has anyone used the following program? It is supposed to make reading and posting on forums using mobile devices a lot easier.

http://www.tapatalk.com/

[bvail]

Can you use it for motocampers.com ?

Are there particular sites that it is good for and others that it is not good for?

You can use for any site (including motocampers) that doesn't require Adobe Flash 10.1. You cannot watch video on Hulu for this reason.

Here is a good Android forum: http://www.droidforums.net/

[bvail]

This forum might not have downloaded the app, hence it ai'nt gonna work:

"Tapatalk is a forum app for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia. The app provides super fast forum access to any vBulletin, IPBoard, phpBB and SMF forums that have activated Tapatalk. Forum owner can download the free plug-in to activate Tapatalk in your forum."

[flailer]

Hi, again; Yes, i'm still active here (lurking) and out riding and camping.
Added another bike to the stable .... and an Android phone too (that's why i'm posting)

i like Googlemaps fine, but i like and use "MapDroyd" a whole lot more ..... Why? because i can use the maps even when there is no cellphone or WiFi coverage. (which is VERY IMPORTANT to me, cause i Love backwoods camping, NOT city camping)

I simply downloaded VERY detailed maps onto the phone (MapDroyd uses "OpenSourceMaps" so there is no copywrite issues) and i have access to every forest-service and backroad, as well as all cities (down to backstreet alleys). Right now i have 3 States on my phone, in great detail.

The map detail is simply amazing - BETTER than google maps. BUT what really kicks is that people can go onto "OpenSourceMaps" and put in their own notes..... LIKE: Where the Bed&Breakfasts are; Seven-Eleven stores; Safeways; GAS STATIONS; and MOTORCYCLE shops ..... i sh.t you not; it is GREAT. AND; it is FREE!!!

i was riding the twistie-turnies last "weakend" in Santa Cruz Mtns (someplace i had never been before) and i had more info at my fingertips than i would have had had i had a map and a tour-guide, and had already been there a time or two. The only shortcoming: screen size means a lot of zooming-in and out.

My Son turned me into a SuperSmartPhone fan, so a BIG THANKS to him for the 20+ (free) apps i have downloaded!!!

Thumbs Down on the iPhone -- Huge Thumbs Up on the Android!!!!

Random Links, each that lead to other great sites:
http://androidforums.com/
Prolly the best forum to learn about your phone, and apps Make Sure you note that there are sub-groups for your phone, as well as your carrier!!

http://www.android.com/market/free.html
everyone already knows about this one, right?

http://www.appbrain.com/

http://androidcommunity.com/beautiful-widgets-app-now-available-on-the-android-market-20091210/
"Beautiful Widgets" hahaaa

http://www.mobihand.com/platformMain.asp?platform=13
business whilst on the road

Look up Swype, as it is the BEST and HIGHEST Rated keyboard software (will make using the keypad faster and funner) (test-drive is free)
Or, if you're like me, a cheapskate, download "ShapeWriter"

Here is a small sample of my (free) apps:
"Astro" free
Get it!! Does several things, but i use it as "windows explorer" to review all the phone's files. My trip-notes, movies (yes, full-length hollywood movies) my own pictures (i dont carry my digital camera any more, just my phone) as well as the movies taken with my phone . Astro will run the file i double-click (word, excel, pdf, avi, gpp, jpeg, etc files) , files saved on my 16GB MicroSD card. (for example; anyone want to see the file i created on the most WONDERFUL hotsprings in the world? Complete with GPS coordinates?? Well, you cant, :rolleyes: otherwise the place would become a hotspot)

"Spare-Parts" free
It is a utility. Kinda falls into the same class as "Astro" but gives analysis of your CPU usage.

"Compass" several free ones out there

"google skymaps" of course. it's cool, and fun, and free.

"stockmarket tickers" many avail

"WiFi Analysis"
This cool apps "maps" Wifi signals, so you can sit down in the coffeeshop's chair that offers the very best WiFi signals (yes, signals, all of them)

The std mp3 player works for me, and i have well over 2,000 songs loaded

And, REALLY HERE: open a Google Gmail account, and enter all contacts, calendar and finance (stock) information..... WHY YOU ASK??? Cause it all syncs-up with your phone.... you'll have the information everywhere you go!!

Again; Major Thumbs-Up for Android!!! i'd rather leave my GF at home than my Android phone, and next trip i will be ....... Really!! :D

Happy Camping to all, and please share your favorite apps, and how you use them!!!!

flailer

[flailer]

Oh yeah, and if you have questions about the things you can do with your Android phone... Or how to run software you are considering downloading -- simpy run a search on YouTube!! That's what i do. P^P^P^

[flailer]

Really? i hate carrying more stuff than i get away with. :mad: If i dont use it lots and lots, and really need it, it aint coming wiff me.

After using a SuperSmartPhone (not a smartphone, a SuperSmartPhone) i wont consider carrying a Netbook, a Notebook, or a "stupid-reader" (my words, as the iPad and Kindle are NOT input devices, just "readers")

The biggest limitation these phones have vs Kindle, iPad, and Netbook: Screen size.

So get that SuperSmartPhone - yes, that one - The one with the largest screen. Even 0.2 inches larger can be a 5% increase in screen size. ....... Just say'n ........

Edit:
Errrrr.... oops. i just saw where you were thinking about using your Android as a reader..... Hmmmm; the Zoom feature works, But i'm not sure i would do too many hours of book reading on these small screens.....

Can you PLEASE let me know how that works for you??

Peace, Joy, and Happiness to all ~