35% off Dell's Most Popular LaptopsIt's OK, iPhone, the Droid can be good, too
In this corner, the iPhone.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)Last June, I complained about the overused phrase "iPhone killer." I argued that it elevates the iPhone to a place that it doesn't deserve. Yes, it's a great device in many ways, but it's not the pinnacle of cell phone achievement.
As it turns out, I was a little ahead of myself. In the two-and-a-half years since the first iPhone , was born, I've seen quite a few supposed iPhone rivals pass through CNET. But I had to wait until two weeks ago before a real challenger finally landed on my desk.
The Motorola Droid challenges the iPhone on more fronts than I've seen from others--it has some multitouch, the display is magnificent, and it's packed with a multitude of features. Granted, its media player can't quite compete, and it didn't win our Prizefight, but it bests Apple's device in overall performance. And really, the iPhone won that Prizefight by the thinnest of margins.
And in this corner, the Droid
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)As you can imagine, CNET readers had passionate opinions on both sides of the battle. Some praised the Droid before even touching it, and others wondered how we could dare suggest that the iPhone was deficient in any way. I have to say the latter camp was a little more vociferous--perhaps Verizon touched a nerve with their its snarky ad campaign (they aren't any snarkier than the "I'm a Mac" commercials)--but the Droid got people riled up on all fronts.
In the back and forth, however, an important point gets lost. It's not about which device is better, it's about which device is better for you. Some will prefer the iPhone and some will prefer the Droid. There's plenty of room in this world for more than one good phone.
Apple fans shouldn't reflexively slam the Droid (seriously, there's no reason to feel threatened) and Google Android devotees shouldn't cheer for the iPhone to be vanquished (schadenfreude is not charming). Each device can can excel in its own way, and not every phone will be perfect at everything. It's all part of the gadget world. And that's OK.
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Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
Let me explain:
I can use the Droid and tether it to my Macbook Pro that's running Windows 7.
SEE WHAT TECHNOLOGY CAN DO?
However it is your right to have your opinion
(Insert Comment how the Phone is Revolutionary)
On the contrary, during the prizefight, they called the iPhone from the Droid and the iPhone did not even ring. If a phone fails in its basic function which is to make calls, then it is not the best cell phone ever made. I know that this is probably attributed to ATT's poor network, but that is still Apple's fault for putting such an advanced piece of technology on a network that is doing nothing but holding it back.
[CNET editor's note: Personal attack deleted.]
This doesn't take a lot of brain power to figure out.
The iPhone will be toppled when another technology company comes along that understands that it's not about features. It's about design.
How can you seriously say the Iphone is the greatest cell phone when thats the worst part of the device? my PSP with Skype works better than the Iphone in calls.
Its about time that an Android phone came out that wasnt lacking something, (a flash, or a headphone jack) and runs smoothly.
Lets just get some app developer to make a better media app, and move it over to T-Mobile.
The Droid strives to be an Iphone; the iphone dose not aspire to be a Droid.
Actually the droid strives to be smartphone or whatever you wish to call it. Just like the iphone does. The iphone wasn't the first it just did a really good job.
Anyway I do not agree in the last Prizefight, actually I do not agree in most prizefights because (no offense intended) Mr Tong is an apple fanboy... I know he usually accepts the bad things in apple world but giving the iPhone the win over the Droid just because the iPhone has won more prizefights in the past its cowcrap. I think I remember a tied prizefight and that was it... no sided tiebreak... hey Cnet just go along with Kent's title in this article....
Where is the objective journalism? Because there is no lack of objectivity in saying that the iPhone technology -- from the OS to the hardware -- has been eclipsed by the newest market entrant; or if you need a literal translation, the iPhone got its ass kicked not just by the Droid, but by Android altogether.
The ball is now in Apple's court to catch up. Plain and simple. Categorically, I repeat, the iPhone 3GS has been eclipsed. It will be healthy for the entire industry if Apple is cornered into confronting the reality of this crisis to fight back, rather than to rely on the good will of tech journalists like Kent German.
Face it, apple set the bar and now it's up to the competition to challenge it. Eventually 90% of phones will be smartphones not dumbphones. It's about time Verizon, Google, Palm and the rest decided to get into the ring.
And let's take it easy general public on how great the Droid is. It's got a long way to go before it gets up to snuff.
I can't wait until the dreaded data plans go down in price.
Go iPhone!
I would still give the edge to the iphone but to dismiss the android as not up to snuff is errant at best.
Nothing is going to kill the iPhone. The Droid though can replace it. Saying "iPhone replacer" just doesn't sound as good though (and replacer isn't a word)
Also, if you want your opinion respected (or even acknowledged; most people won't bother reading that block of text), then use lower-case. Also, try to look out for errors such as the one I pointed out, as they really make a difference.
And the iPhone is not the common comparison because it revolutionized the phone, but because it revolutionized the market. Face it - the actual phone on the iPhone is complete crap.
See how I stated my point without ever once using Caps Lock?
Conversely, I don't respond to "cutesy" ads like the Microsoft Windows 7 featuring that little girl spouting cute nonsense. ***?
Granted, the whole "stealth fighter / transformer" ad might not be YOUR thing, but believe me it works for many people (presumably the Target Audience).
We can assume that there'll be OTHER Droid ads. (I'm hoping for a Thundercats rip-off, but hey...)
Would you like to try again?
Would you like to try again?
iphone is an innovation. Everything that follows it has to stay behind it...Not until something new is innovated, better than iphone design..At that point, everybody can accept that innovation, as everybody accepted when iphone was born.
Agree with you on the competition! But there is a lot of difference between the companies copying a popular item and innovating it. Droid is just a new phone. What is so extra ordinary? It has all features of iphone enhanced a little bit. It may be a good phone, definitely not nicer than the iphone. That is my point.
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by burnedman9000
November 13, 2009 4:10 PM PST
- I agree with djvas. While the iphone may retain its throne of best cell phone in the USA it is still hindered by AT&T network issues, which constantly plague the network; and of course this is mainly due to all the data hogs with iphones. A paradoxial situation indeed!
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