Klawchat Thursday at noon EST.
I’ll be on ESPN 1250 in Pittsburgh on Thursday at 11:40 am EST and on KNBR in San Francisco at 12:20 pm PST. Wednesday’s hit on Mike and Mike is now online, although my voice doesn’t sound very clear. And on that note…
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So my Blackberry Curve stopped making any sounds last week, which meant no ringer on the phone and no alarm on the, uh, alarm, and after a year of getting annoyed with how difficult it was to access the Web even with the superior Opera browser (the Blackberry’s native browser was apparently coded in 1997), I decided to upgrade to a Droid – specifically, the Motorola DROID A855
without the plan
* Web browsing rocks. Clear, simple, and compatible with most sites so far. Happiest with this feature by far. In fact, switching applications and moving within applications, all of which is accomplished by tapping or sliding a finger on the screen, is easy and intuitive, and I’ve experienced no lags.
* The screen quality is absurd. This is far, far easier on my eyes than any other phone I’ve seen. Video quality is also very high.
* Pretty good set of productivity apps available. I guess this doesn’t quite compare to the apps available on the iPhone, but given time I think they’ll catch up, and while I’m disappointed that I can’t get Zooloretto on the Droid yet it’s hardly the end of the world.
* Sound quality from the speakers sucks but is better through headphones. It’s still not replacing my iPod, but it’s serviceable.
* Typing sucks. There are three options for typing – a slide-out landscape keyboard, a virtual landscape keyboard, and a virtual portrait keyboard, with the latter two depending on how you’re holding the phone. The virtual portrait keyboard is awful – the key size is appropriate for my three-year-old daughter’s hands. The true keyboard is awkwardly spaced and doesn’t play well with the protective case I bought for the device, which overlaps with the tops of the first row of keys. The virtual landscape keyboard combined with the Droid’s predictive-typing feature works best, but I think I’m only typing at about 75% of the speed I could achieve on the Curve. (I could type on the Curve with my eyes closed, which will never happen with the Droid.) A better mechanical keyboard design would have remedied this.
* I don’t think the call quality on the phone is as clear as it’s been on phones I’ve had before, although I haven’t had trouble completing calls or with calls dropping. I don’t know if the issue on Mike & Mike was my phone, my location, or both.
* The worst feature is the Sync feature, where Google syncs your contacts with … I don’t know, the master server in California where they hold all the data in the world so that they can continue to control our lives through radio waves directed at our cerebral cortices. When it’s syncing, your contacts may become temporarily unavailable, and if the sync fails, you are SOL until it syncs successfully. It’s just a stupid idea – the Contacts should reside on the phone and be accessible at all times.
Despite all those flaws, I do like the phone, since the way I use my phone has changed so much over the last two years. The ability to look things up or stay on top of information has become as important as the ability to communicate outward through the device, but that balance will vary depending on your job and travel schedule.
Also, I’ve found these apps to be useful so far:
* chompSMS. A solid management system for text messages.
* NewsRob. Excellent RSS reader.
* Seesmic. Pretty intuitive Twitter client.
* Google Maps. Impressive. If the voice giving the directions didn’t sound like a computer-generated voice from 1976, it would be a viable replacement for a GPS device.
* RingDroid. I made my own ringtone from Handsome Boy Modeling School’s “Rock and Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This).” Win.
* Pandora. I used this once for an hour and its selections were pretty good despite the fact that I had only uploaded eight songs to my Droid.
* Secrets. Password-protected password storage.
* WaveSecure. Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean Google isn’t after me.
I’ve downloaded several others, included MLB At Bat, Astro Player, Shazam, and Urbanspoon, but haven’t used them enough to comment.
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Unrelated, but if any of you have new suggestions for Phoenix-area eats, I’m all ears. We’re staying in Scottsdale and most of my travels will keep me near the various major league parks, with one brief detour to Tucson.
Two food recommendations, one near Scottsdale Stadium, the other close to Phoenix Muni.
http://www.loloschickenandwaffles.com/ – SEC of Scottsdale/Thomas
http://www.honeybearsbbq.com/ – on Van Buren, just west of the 202 (and about a mile west of the ballpark)
Hello there. Big fan! Check out Tarbell’s on 32nd and Camelback-great food and great crowd most nights. Been going there for over 10 years when we vacation in Phoenix-I promise you will love it!
Brent Chapman
@edgebrent
Great to hear you like the Droid since I’m getting it this weekend. As for food recs, I like the Blu Burger Grille in N. Scottsdale (I think you’ve mentioned it before), but I live too far west to have other recommendations. It’s all chain restaurants around my house.
I suggest downloading the Aldiko app. I think it’s one you would enjoy.
Also, on the food side of suggestions, you should check out Crust on Indian Bend & Hayden Rd, as well as Fogo de Chao on Lincoln and N. Scottsdale Rd.
Keith, I’ve left a few recommendations previously so some of these will be repeats, but here goes:
Daily Dose: New place in old town that serves from 7am to 10pm. Lots of good reviews out there although I haven’t tried it. It is on the west side of Scottsdale road almost directly across from Sugar Bowl.
Bacon: New breakfast place in Old Town on Goldwater, immediately behind Bicycle Haus.
Scratch: Pastry place in the strip mall on the NE corner of Miller and Indian School that gets rave reviews, and I believe you’re a pastry guy. They also have locally roasted, organic, free trade coffee. (www.scrathpastries.com)
Finally, another plug for my favorite restaurant Cowboy Ciao (www.cowboyciao.com).
All of these are easy walks from Scottsdale Stadium.
You should check out Green for lunch. On the Scottsdale/Tempe border, it’s a vegan place that plays well to the omnivore in me. My favorites are the green salad and mongolian bowl, each with mock chicken.
http://www.greenvegetarian.com/
Also, I have a friend that works at Culinary Dropouts in Scottsdale, near fashion square mall (a FOX restaurant). Haven’t been there yet, but he raves about it.
Good eating, and maybe I’ll see ya at a game or two.
Also, I’m sure that you’ve got hotel reservations already, but I manage the Country Inn & Suites on Scottsdale Rd., so if you ever want to check us out, I’ll be happy to get you a room.
Do you have time to eat in Tucson? If so, what are you hoping to try? Also, it would make my year if you are at the same games I am going to.
I just got the same phone on Tuesday. I agree the call quality is not as crisp as my previous phone but it is still fine. The the web browsing and apps though rock so far.
Keith,
I just got a Droid too and I mostly have the same thoughts on it as you, except that the slide out keyboards doesn’t really bother me so I find myself going to that a lot.
Also, Pandora isn’t based off of your library the way that iTunes Genius is. It chooses songs based on an analysis of the band or song you created your station with and finds similar bands and songs to the original.
Thanks for the recs so far. Blu Burger is a favorite of ours going back to spring ’08. Honey Bear is solid although their baked beans are way too spicy.
Brent, this might make me a bad person but I saw “vegan” and skipped to the next paragraph. We’re actually in a corporate apartment this trip.
John, yes, at least one meal. Only place I’ve ever been there was a sandwich place called (I think) Beyond Bread. I’ll be going to a U of A game this weekend.
Keith,
Couple of Droid comments / suggestions.
TasKiller – the beauty of the Droid is the multitasking. The downside is that programs don’t exit and can suck the battery life.
Phone Quality – search youtube for the call quality upgrade setting. Uses more battery, but calls are more clear.
Slide out keyboard gets much better with a little bit of use. I actually prefer it to my old blackberry now since it’s wider.
Sync is optional I believe.
Have you also downloaded Places and/or Layar? I’ve got both on a different Android device but haven’t had the opportunity to really utilize them. As you’re all over the place, those apps may be of some interest to you. Google Sky is actually pretty cool if you find yourself outside somewhere with not a lot of light pollution. Others that could be useful depending on what came pre-packaged with your Droid:
Evernote: Should you need something to jot notes upon
Amazon: Basically a quick link to their site, additionally their bar code scanner
Shopsavvy: Bar code scanner and web search
Astrid: To-do list – It works – Not sure if one needs this and a notepad app
Astro: File manager, not sure if 2.1 still has a need for one.
Unit Converter: Has so many conversions, handy especially for kitchen use
Movies: Very handy for current showings as well as DVD releases
iMusic: Depending on your stance on how to acquire music, this is very good, at least for downloads of popular songs – Also DRM free!
As for food, I have only a request (alas no recommendations)…never been in Phoenix. Do you really bake all the bread you consume (at home obviously)? I’d appreciate it if you could endorse a recipe or two. Thanks.
Regarding typing on phones:
QWERTY keyboards were designed for ten finger typing. The DVORAK crowd says QWERTY was designed to specifically slow typists so mechanical typewriters didn’t jam. Whether or not this is true, why are we forcing ourselves to type on phones with two thumbs or an index finger using a user interface designed for 10 finger typing? The answer is because we all already know where the letters are located. Where we shouldn’t restrict ourselves is the method typing that we use for ten finger entry.
Anyone who has access to an iPhone should try the program Shapewriter. It gives the user the familiar QWERTY keyboard. To type the word ‘plop’ the index finger touches ‘p’ and drags in a circle to ‘l,’ ‘o,’ and finally back to ‘p.’ The finger only lifts off the screen once the word is complete. Trust me, try this. It is blazingly fast. Eventually your brain will associate shapes with different words and you will be faster typing on your phone than anyone else you know. But even before you gain those shape/word associations, you will notice how much less clunky it is to write this way.
Chris: I’ve been told that killing tasks is unnecessary because of the Droid’s underlying OS. For example: “Android is built to pause all background applications so they don’t slow the system down. It will automatically free RAM if there are too many programs running.” (source)
Yeah, Shapewriter is awesome. Just downloaded it and it may be the solution I needed.
google voice is awesome as it can listen to your vm, translate it and send you a text or email of the vm without you ever having to actually listen. also 1 rec, go to tia rosa in mesa. worth it. also – tarbells is indeed awesome but it aint cheap.
I think last. fm is a must have for someone who like music
last.fm doesn’t tend to give as many repeats of songs or artists as pandora. You can listen to it for a few hours (Tucson to Phoenix?) without it getting repetitive.
Might I also suggest Better Keyboard and Open Home. I find the the keyboard to superior, though I tend to prefer portrait to landscape. Astro file manager is also a huge plus. Let’s you easily browse your SD card. Google Listen isn’t a half Podcast manager as well. I have never had the syncing problems with contacts that you speak of, so let’s hope that’s a transient issue.
The Rokerij- Great happy hour and old school smokehouse. Eat at the downstairs bar.
The Mission- close to Scottsdale ballpark downtown. Modern latin food and very good
Pasta Bar- Downtown phoenix near Dbacks stadium
St. Francis-just down Camelback rd toward Phoenix. Great food and located in a very cool historic building
The Orange Table- close to Scottsdale stadium downtown and very good breakfast
Roaring Fork- On Scottsdale Rd not to far from downtown. Great burger for happy hour
Grimaldis- It is no Pizzeria Bianco, but they are right in downtown scottsdale. Thin crust and more NY style.
The Parlor- another pizza place in Phoenix’
Four Peaks- They are the local brewery. Location in downtown Tempe
Frank & Lupe’s in Scotsdale has some great mexican food and is not a far walk from the Giant’s park.
Also, Los Dos Melino’s South of Baseline on 35th ave. is great for true mexican food as well.
I always gauge a mexican restaurant on how good their tamales are, and both of these places can’t be beat.
OBO – Shapewriter is amazing. Thank you!
Klaw you will definitely enjoy Cowboy Ciao in Old Town.
http://www.cowboyciao.com
Keith,
I noticed that you really like Ruhlman’s “Ratio”. He has an iPhone app for purchase, and he says that an app for other platforms is in the works. Here is a description of what the app does for you:
http://blog.ruhlman.com/ratio-app
KLaw, I polled some friends and if you have the time here are some food joints that we recommend within walking distance of the UofA baseball field:
No Anchovies
Bison Witches
Frog and Firkin
Sinbads
Gentle Ben’s
Fuku Sushi
Cheba Hut (right across from the field!)
Grimaldis
Which Wich
Most of these places are on restaurant row on University Blvd which is about a 1/2 mile from the field. I hope you have time to enjoy some of our great food stops!
Yes, I moved from Laveen…finally.
Check out Papago Brewing in Papago Plaza at the SW Corner of Scottsdale RD and McDowell…they have great pizza and an AMAZING beer selection. 30 taps and a huge store like cooler selection.
In Tucson here’s a good Mexican place, I went a few years back when I was there for business. Here’s the link. It’s cheap, tasty, great portions and they have a waiter walk around with grilled jalapenos during the meal.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-sur-restaurant-tucson
tucson weekly named it Best Hole in the Wall a few years back.
Matt
El Sur 5602 E. 22nd St., 748-1032
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/best-hole-in-the-wall/BestOf?oid=1085523