Android Platform Smart Phones

[Mike]

I've been a committed BlackBerry owner for about 6 years. When I upgraded to a new one with the new 6.0 OS, I found few of my favorite applications functioned with it and there was little to choose from in the way of compatible themes, ringtones, etc. If I wanted to use Opera as my browser and stick with BlackBerry, I'd have to hang on to an outdated device.

So I finally took the Android plunge and switched to the 4G HTC Evo Shift. What a phone!! I can't believe I hung on to the rigidity of BlackBerry for so long! This is like Firefox compared to IE. Yeah, I had to order chargers for my office, car and home, because I knew it would be draining my battery, but if I stay juiced, I'll be golden.

I just read an article suggesting the the iPhone will be driven to extinction by the Droid. If they insist on charging a premium for their minutes and don't keep up with the advancing technology of the Droid, I could see it being a distant 2nd. You'll always have your Apple-anything consumers, so I don't think it will be the death nail, but the iPhone has definitely been put in its arrogant place!

 

[joseph]

Welcome aboard. I also used Blackberries for many years and was hesitant to leave. The Android OS driven phones are awesome. I use gmail and Google calendar, so the integration and syncing is fantastic.
Since, you mentioned FireFox, their is a mobile FireFox browser for the Android phones. Also, If you use the Chrome browser on your PC, then the Chromemarks app will sync your bookmarks between the phone and your PC wirelessly.
Androidcentral.com is a great resource.
Since this is Christian forum, I have to mention their are many Christian apps. Check out Olivetree.com for Bibles and other Christian eBooks.

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the tips, Joseph!

I was hearing rumors of a BlackBerry compatible Firefox a year ago, and I kept checking in. If anyone with a BlackBerry is still waiting, I wouldn't hold your breath. Getting apps compatible with the Droid seems to be priority #1, and there's no push back like there is with RIMS BlackBerry. I don't know how many times I got interested in hearing about certain apps for phones, only to find out they didn't work with BB. :bigfrown

 

[Lewis]

I think my next phone will be a Andriod phone, I might get one soon, I am starting to collect phones like I do computers. Right now I am running a HTC HD 7 Windows 7 phone. It is much different than my Blackberry Bold 9700. But I want to try out a Android phone which I just might buy one off of ebay, which I have bought 2 Blackberries off of ebay before, my first one the 7500 and the Curve 8310 and I had no problems. But I am with T-Mobile and I am not on the Flex Account anymore so I can get what I want from T-Mobile from phones to tablets, but I just got this HTC from them, so instead of piling up another bill, ebay is the way to go.

 

[reba]

On the edge of your topic..

I would like a cordless phone for the home. We have about 3 acres i would like it to be usable in a good part of. What do i even look for? mega hurtz? what ever? ATT Unidan

 

[Mike]

Lewis, you always have great information. :yes That thread you started on batteries was golden.

It's too bad they can't keep up with the demands new technology is putting on them, because if they had longer life, phones like my HTC Evo Shift would eliminate the need for a iPod. I have a 20 Gig card which is plenty of space for my music, but the battery wouldn't seem to afford its use as an iPod with everything else it is doing. It's great to have a headset on listening to tunes and not run the risk of missing a call.

I have no doubt you will LOVE the Droid!

 

[Mike]

On the edge of your topic..

I would like a cordless phone for the home. We have about 3 acres i would like it to be usable in a good part of. What do i even look for? mega hurtz? what ever? ATT Unidan

Reba, how's the cell coverage in your area? Simple talk plans aren't expensive, and you can eliminate your land line altogether. We haven't had a land line in some time. Take that route, and you don't have to concern yourself with the signal reaching any point in your property.

 

[Hitch]

On the edge of your topic..

I would like a cordless phone for the home. We have about 3 acres i would like it to be usable in a good part of. What do i even look for? mega hurtz? what ever? ATT Unidan

So is it still going to be two longs and two shorts?

 

[reba]

Well Mike that is not an option. We are very rural and cell coverage is spotty to say the least. When they show the coverage maps we are in the white part. I can hop on the quad run 7 miles up the mt into Nevada and call home!

 

[Lewis]

Reba you have 3 acres that is a lot of land, you could let one of the phone companies put a tower on the edge of your land, and get a big check every month and free coverage. They are always looking for a place to stick towers

 

[reba]

You guys are funny the mountains rise about a mile high 1/4 mile from my back yard! I looked into a tower for a rancher friend there is not enough population at this point to cover the cost. Isolation is one of the blessings i have with it comes a lack of coverage. Ill keep the isolation! I live in the end of a valley.

 

[Lewis]

Reba I just love the isolation I don't like living in the city, I miss living in Georgia badly, and I don't know how long I can stay in Philly, I am currently looking into moving to Delaware right next to the ocean like when I was in Georgia with the marinas up the street. I love Philadelphia because I was born here and it is the birth place of our nation and the history of our nation, but I don't like like living with millions of people, give me a town with a small population like when I was in Brunswick Georgia 17,000 that is big enough or give me a town with a 100 and I will be happy, as long as I have a car I can go to the big city when I get ready.

 

[Mike]

Reba, you may get a call asking about my customer support. If you do, would you be able to say that I addressed all of your concerns? I would appreciate a "yes".

Thank you. :D

Now... How 'bout them Androids!

 

[tim-from-pa]

On the edge of your topic..

I would like a cordless phone for the home. We have about 3 acres i would like it to be usable in a good part of. What do i even look for? mega hurtz? what ever? ATT Unidan

Higher cell phone type wavelengths (MHZ) may carry better but are more "line of sight" (i.e. should be free of obstructions). Also, more wattage output would help. However, the average cordless phone can cover about 6 acres. Unless your house is on one end of the property and you want to cover the other end, or again, unless you have a lot of obstructions such as excessive trees, a typical cordless phone should cover your land area.

On a similar note, I had to secure my wireless network because I could pick it up over 300 feet away--- I thought the neighbors could not get my signal until I discovered a neighbor's signal on my computer. The nearest one is 700 feet away. And this wireless is no more powerful than my cordless phone, so even though I'm sort of in the middle of nowhere, I still watch what I say. :yes

One thing you can try is to put your cordless phone base station on a higher floor level, or as high as you can. Higher antenna height always increases range.