Wow!! Blows Blackberry away! September 3, 2010

Reviewer:  ark76 "Annie K"  (Virginia) -

I've had a series of blackberrys for 5 years and made the leap, with serious apprehension, to this phone and will not be looking back. My husband has the HTC Android and I've played around with iPhones so my comparisons are those and my blackberry pearl and curve.

Some of the things I love:
-speed and clarity and almost unlimited amount of things it can do. I went on vacation for a week with my laptop and never took it out of the bag.
- The web surfing is almost as fast as my verizon fios on my computer while the blackberry speed was more like dial up.
-Having flash makes almost all websites accessible (except viewing videos on hulu and netflix - coming soon, I hear)
-The camera and video camera are great quality.
-I read my kindle books on it easily.
- The apps are what make it more like a computer than a phone. I can't believe how many are free and how incredible they are on the Market. Using one on vacation, called Places, I was able to find the nearest anything to where I was standing (cofffee shop, atm, restaurant, etc.. and get reviews and phone numbers all at once, then directions with the navigator - no switching between apps - it is seemless), I could locate the nearest movie theatre, see movies, times, watch trailer and order tickets all at once;
- Programming my Verizon Fios DVR when I'm away from home - apparently you can turn it into your remote too, but that's going just too far (if possible).
- Watching Youtube
- news feeds - don't have to go to websites for my breaking news - great for the news junkie
- the pullout keyboard!!! I am not fan of touchscreen typing for longer texts or emails so I needed this Droid over others or the iPhone because of the pullout keyboard. Glad I did. Althought it has swype, which is a way of typing on the touchscreen without lifting your finger, I still make a lot of typos.
- google calendar - never used it before and love how I was able to share with my husband so he can always see the family schedule on his phone too.
- google everything - wirelessly, syncs everthing to your computer - calendar, contacts and email all updated on device or computer as soon as input
- the way you can enlarge anything you are viewing by pulling your fingers apart on the screen to zoom in. Took awhile to figure out and get good at, but it is great!
- easy to read attachments - word, excel, pdfs, and powerpoints.
- mP3 player - works as well as an ipod. Will be using the Amazon MP3 store for all my music purchases now.
- came loaded with newest android operating system so no waiting for the newest one to come like the others are now.
- the 5 home screens and how you can personalize them. Keep playing with them to get it most functional.

What I don't love:
battery life - it's actally pretty good considering how much I use it for, but I have to keep an eye on it because I use it so much that it can be hard to make it through the day. With my blackberry, I was fine as long as it slept at night in its charge. Now I charge it whenever I'm near a charger - car, kitchen counter, desk...
- size - its not small and is hard to slip in my pocket. But I don't think I would want it any smaller as the screen size if fabulour and to be thinner I'd need to give up the keyboard. Can't have everything.
- getting used to it. Don't know if I could have figure it all out without my husband to teach me. I'm very computer literate and gadget savvy, but I think I would have missed a lot of what it can do without him around to walk me through the basics and set me on my way.

That's it. Haven't found anything else I don't love

Switched from the Incredible. August 23, 2010

Reviewer:  bigshotnick 

When I switched to the Incredilble I couldn't stand not having a physical keyboard. So I traded my Incredible for the droid 2. From my 4 day experience I can definitely say its a keeper. Its just as fast as the incredible and same as the X. The screen is just right, not too small and not too big like the x. It fits in the hands nice. It is a little more bulky than my incredible but you get over it when you use that keyboard. I miss having the sense interface, but there are plenty alternatives. Battery life is what you would expect from a smartphone. A day at the most with moderate usage. I guess it works out good if you have a car charger. I absolutely love android and this phone runs it very well. I haven't had a crash yet in the 4 days. I am somewhat disappointed in the cases for it. I personally like rubber cases but for the droid 2, the keyboard limits that. The snap-ons are the only alternative and it causes the phone to slide harshly. Other than that I really enjoy it.

*****************UPDATE*****************
I Have had this phone for a little more than 2 weeks and it still does not disappoint. My only real complaint was the battery life, but now I have invested in the extended battery. For $50 it is a million times worth it. Before I was pushing about 12 hours and would die before I went to bed. Now it averages about 19-25 hours for me. It adds less than a millimeter and you cant even tell its an extended battery. Fits with my case perfectly. I couldn't be any happier.

Try the keyboard before buying September 10, 2010

Reviewer:  AZ Teach  (Phoenix, AZ) -

I wanted to love the new Droid 2 and waited to purchase my upgrade just for this release. But, when I tried typing on the Droid 2, the top row of keys was just too close to the edge of the screen above, which made it annoying for me to type on and I have very small hands! Also, the keys required significantly more pressure to push than my previous Blackberry phones. I would tap the key and find that it hadn't registered. I didn't like having to push that hard because it made it awkward to hold and type. Between those two tactile "issues", I decided against purchasing the Droid 2. I didn't like losing some of the features of the Droid X (e.g. the HDMI output) but had wanted the keyboard. When the Droid 2 keyboard wasn't easy for me to use, it finalized my decision to buy the Droid X instead, which I will review separately. I posted this review because I would encourage people to try typing on the Droid 2 keyboard themselves. I think this will probably be a matter of personal taste in terms of the new keyboard... and, since that's a major feature of this phone, it seems important!

Best Android phone with keyboard *yet* August 26, 2010

Reviewer:  Christopher Wanko "-C"  (Nutley, NJ USA) -

And as such, it's a moving target, as T-Mobile has a new G2 coming out (G1 Blaze, HTC Vision, etc.) with a keyboard and 1Ghz CPU. For now, this is Motorola's official update to the original Droid (which also has a keyboard), and it's a winner.

So let's start with the good stuff. It's very fast, and it has Android 2.2 (Froyo), and supports Flash, and does nice things like synchronize your settings with Google if you so desire. The keyboard is coated with the same semi-sticky plastic they use on the body, which is a good thing since this is a $600 computer and you don't wanna drop it. As I've been using Android since 2008, I can say that this device has never given me a "Force Close" on any application I've run thus far. Two years in, and this is the best Android device I've used: G1, Garminfone, MyTouch 3G Slide, HTC Incredible, LG Ally are all devices I've used, and only the Incredible would tempt me away. But, gotta have a keyboard.

Internal storage and apps2SD are two huge wins with this device. If you want to go ahead and store apps on the phone, you'll likely not run out of space. If you think you might, you can push the app right to your SD card, and it supports 16Gb microSDs. If you're an iPod user and your iPod holds less than 32Gb, this could replace it easily.

There's bad stuff though. One, this is a Verizon-branded phone, and for some reason, call signal quality is not really very good. Calls on my block are static-sounding, which is really bizarre given that I live in Essex County, NJ and Verizon has blanketed my area for years. I hope Verizon hammers this out, as it isn't a good beginning to the experience.

Also bad is the usual carrier-specific branding and lock-down: there's no way to go 2G-only to conserve battery life, but you do get a battery-use profile tool that may or may not. I have it set to max battery but by day's end, I need to recharge this. With GPS or WiFi, you might get 6 hours of solid use before you worry, 8 and you're done. The radios just use lots of power.

Flash is not supported by default for this phone from Verizon. I had to manually download it and install it. It was available, then not, and I don't know who is at fault there (likely VZW). The root procedure for the Droid 2 is out there, so maybe that's where I will need to go. But, I shouldn't have to... but that's another bit of trouble, in that Motorola is not HTC. Motorola is happily locking these down, whereas with the HTC devices, it's more of a token effort. Openness is a more effective tool for adoption than walled-gardens.

The camera works, and the flash is actually fairly effective in dark rooms. I like it, but for me a camera on a phone is your last-ditch documentary tool. It'll do the job and capture the moment, but I wouldn't rely on it due to shutter lag. It isn't the worst but it still doesn't immediately respond, so you'll get a few blurry shots.

I waited four months for this phone, and it delivered. I fully expect VZW to fix my connection issues in some fashion, and the crew at XDA to supply me a custom ROM in the future. As someone who uses his phone for more than calls, this should last me at least two years before I get the itch go upgrade.

-C

Not good w/amazon wireless October 21, 2010

Reviewer:  Ke "Ke"  (MD USA) -

This review is more of a review of my exp. w/amazon wireless. The phone was $120 cheaper with Amazon than with Verizon. I guess you get what you pay for. I think they sent me a refurbished phone first of all. the box looked like it had been opened. When I got the phone out, the plastic that covers the screen was already peeled back and bent up. I went ahead and activated the phone. It worked for an hour and then I wanted to charge it. I put it on the charger and went back to it after a while. When I turned the screen on, it had nothing but black & white lines all over it. I couldn't turn it off so I took the battery out and still black and white lines all over the screen. I emailed Amazon wireless with no response. I was finally able to get my old phone turned back on and call. I was told I could get out of the whole deal and they would email me a packing slip. I have not received the packing slip. I have emailed several more times but still no response. I'm going to try to call again and lunch but this is not looking good. I'm just going to spend the extra money with Verizon so I can get a phone that works. Good Luck!

UPDATE: Be very careful if you order with Amazon and have to send your phone back for any reason. You cannot active your new phone until they not only receive the returned phone but process it which I was told can take 2 weeks to 30 days. I now have a new phone that I purchased directly from Verizon Wireless that I cannot activate because Amazon will not let go of my account. I'm overnighting (at my cost) the old phone but they said it doesn't matter when they receive it, only when they "process" it. I'm so sorry I ever went with them. Buyer beware. I also did call them and they wouldn't budge on their "policy" at all even though they admitted they sent me a defective phone.

One slightly defective phone should not turn you off. August 31, 2010

Reviewer:  D. Wayne  (Wilkes Barre, PA United States) -

I really wanted to like this phone. I have had the iPhone 3G for 2 years. AT&T was so bad I had to change, so I went with this phone and Verizon. Initially, I was impressed with this phone. It took a while to get everything activated, but no longer then it would have with any other carrier. BUT, after a day of use, I had a hard time hearing people and had people complaining that I sounded muffled.

I called Motorola, Verizon, and eventually Amazon. Motorola said they heard some people had a problem with the noise reduction microphone and that a software fix would be coming out that should fix it ... but they never gave me a date ... (the guy even hinted that I could stuff a piece of paper over the wire (causing it to vibrate less)).

In the end, no one would give me a solid answer, so I had no choice to return the phone. Amazon is usually pretty good with returns, but the woman on the phone explained that Amazon's policy for Phone returns is 30 days FROM THE SHIP DATE. I wasn't able to get the phones activated for several days after receiving them, so I was already a week or so into their 30 day period, so I decided to play it safe and ask for an exchange.

Besides bad phone call quality for me, I really thought this phone was nice. However, I think Google and Verizon are trending toward Apple and their strict controls over your device ... for the life of me, I can't understand why they insist on telling me what I can and can not do with a device I paid for and OWN!

Once I get the new phone, give a ride around the block, I'll update the review.

UPDATE 09/03/2010
The replacement phone is much better. The phone arrived almost instantly, and as a added bonus, not only did my phone number switch to the new phone when activated, all my programs that were installed ported too.

Also, for whatever reason, this phone's charge lasts a whole lot longer. I don't understand how that could be since I am running the same programs. I know there are performance settings for power management (something I like) so my settings might have changed ...

I was so pleased, I went back and gave it another star.

Better than the competiton September 25, 2010

Reviewer:  Cpbj 

I have to start by sayn I love my Droid 2. Let's go with the Cons first. The Android O.S. is very buggy on all phones & all carriers. I've tested the HTC EVO,SAMSUNG CAPTIVATE & the first MOTOROLA DROID. All of them showed the hiccups of the Android O.S with multiple FORCE CLOSES & SCREEN FREEZES. They also had a noticeable amount of lag when navigating thru menu screens. If you can deal with these minor setbacks u r n 4 a treat. Now let's go over the Pros. The Droid 2 n my opinion is the best phone on the market simply because it has a very nice 3.7inch touchscreen & a full slideout keyboard. Also it is on the strongest network here n the United States(VERIZON). The call quality on this phone is amazin,I've had no dropped calls & the speaker on this phone is extremely loud(good for music buffs like myself). I don't have enough time to truly say everything that I like about this phone, just know that this is without a doubt the best phone I've ever owned. This coming from a former Iphone 3gs owner. I almost forgot, this phone has a very nice 5 megapixel camera with Flash n Camcorder. The best thing about this phone is it's open source format. You don't have the restrictions of itunes. Just about every format of media is supported on the Droid 2 & syncing music n video is a breeze. In closing, if you r more of tech buff than this phone is for u, if u r lookn for a simple smartphone mayne the iphone might be a better option for u.

Great phone, just don't add FLASH (comes in a update) August 30, 2010

Reviewer:  David L. Pearce 

I bought this phone last week directly from a Verizon store local to me. Awesome phone, until the 2.2.20 update was pushed to it. I didn't realize it, but that update pushed Adobe Flash 10.1 to the phone, and enabled the browser plugin. My phone suddenly became nearly a brick. Asking it to swap from the browser to another app, or from another app to the browser, and if you were sitting on a page with flash (most use it for adverts, etc. nowadays), you can plan on waiting up to 15 seconds for the phone to become responsive again. It was totally ridiculous, and I can't believe Motorola, Verizon, or Google would endorse Adobe Flash on the phone.

Uninstalled Adobe Flash and the phone was 100% again.

The keyboard is small, but it is a phone, and it feels like a football field compared to my old BB 8330 and 8530 phones (both were excellent machines). I do wish the "search", "return", "home" and "menu" "buttons" were mechanical keys, rather than touch regions on the edge of the screen. I occasionally end up touching them at the wrong time, throwing off my concentration on the task I was performing.

The phone uses a battery in about 10 hours if you are a heavy mobile web user like I am, so be sure you have charging facilities around. I don't know if the Motorola charger uses any special charger wiring to the micro-usb port, but they do separate the charging cable and charger, so if you install the charging drivers on your laptop or desktop, you can easily charge the phone with your computer, without purchasing another micro-usb cable.

The only software I'd like to see improved is the mail reader. I think Apple has a slightly better interface for mail, with the swipe to delete a single mail (rather than tap and hold to delete). Additionally, I find that the overall gmail account vs. email is somewhat confusing. When you activate the phone, it asks you for your gmail account info to setup mail, contacts, and sync. But initially, for several days even, I didn't get any mail through this account. So, I setup my gmail account as a gmail imap account in the email reader as well, and all was well for a couple days, then suddenly, my gmail starts coming through the overarching account you setup when you activate the phone. I am not sure if this was a problem on google's side or not, but it was annoying. Now I can delete the gmail IMAP account. However, even more annoying, the phone gmail account doesn't seem to integrate with the universal inbox. I find this annoying. Google needs to get on the ball with the consistency issues here with gmail and phone sync accounts. That's the only reason I knocked one star off the phone, really.

I'd recommend the phone to a friend, and I would NOT recommend waiting for the iPhone 4 (even though the iPhone 4 seems to be a well executed piece of hardware), but to each his own!

Perfect phone for me October 26, 2010

Reviewer:  E. Pratt "LP_pix"  (LA) -

I have had my Motorola Droid 2 for about two months.

I had an LG Voyager and really wanted an iPhone but everyone I know is on Verizon and I love Verizon's coverage. So some folks at work got a Droid X ("upgraded" from a iPhone) and a Droid II and they were going crazy over them. Then I read some reviews in the New York Times and became comfortable that the Motorola Droids had a lot to offer especially since iPhone 2 had a defective antenna. The reviews said that the Motorola Droids (X and II) didn't have the astounding screen resolutions of the iPhone but I have not experienced any resolution frustration whatsoever. The reviews did say that the Motorola Droids' operating system is actually better than Apple's. That's cool. The phone is fast and incredibly smart. Now I don't know how I lived without it. There are a ga-zillion apps for it that are fantastic and free. I am a big time Google user (gmail, docs, calendar, contacts) so guess how thrilled I was when I found out that that is the system the Droids sync with? OMG ! But I've heard that people who use Yahoo have no problems at all - get the same functionality.

So my favorite way to use my Droid is this: the soccer team manager enters in my daughter's soccer schedule on his Google Calendar to which i am subscribed. He enters the time, location, and record of the team we're playing, etc. I go to the calendar item, tap the location information and it asks me if i want to view the location by Google maps or Zillow (Zillow is amazing) - I select Google maps. Up pops the location! I tap the location and i have all kinds of choices like DIRECTIONS (also what's around here, etc). I select Directions, choose navigation and voila - i am being told how to get to the field. 2 seconds. No fuss. No muss. AND FREE !!

The system uses Amazon.com to buy music - again - my preferred method of buying music (I absolutely detest iTunes.) So now I no longer need my iTouch - want to buy it? - i've got all the music I want on my flippin PHONE !!! I can take great pictures with it - upload them to facebook or send out in an email (using my gmail account) and bada-boom, bada-bang it's done. It's almost too easy.

I can look at my calendar while i'm on a phone call. I can check text messages while i'm on a phone call. I guess all Droids can do this but my goodness - this is a huge leap ahead of an LG Voyager. And I no longer "lose" my calendar if / when my phone breaks because it's on Google Calendar.

PS - My children HATE the phone (because they think I like it better than them.)

Nice phone September 13, 2010

Reviewer:  Amazon Shopper "amazon shopper"  (USA) -

I bought this phone because of the physical keyboard. It is replacing a Windows Mobile smartphone. I instantly loved everything about this phone. The only thing I don't like about this phone is the actual keyboard.

Swype is amazing! I find Swype just as fast to use as the keyboard; however, it's a lot more conveniant to use. I would love to see a thiner version of this phone without a keyboard. The only reason I didn't go with the Droid X is because it's just too big! Even as thick as this phone is I find it fits comfortably in my hand and pants pocket.

The battery life is good considering what this phone does. I easly get an entire day out of the battery using the phone throughout the day. I have gotten 2 days out of the battery with minimal use.

The phone response quickly and is well laid out. I have used the phone for over a month (since it came out) and have no complaints.

Hi, I'm Mark, and I'm a former Crackberry addict November 12, 2010

Reviewer:  Mark B "Mark B"  (Ohio, USA) -

So listen: I've been a BlackBerry user since, well, before they were Blackberrys. My first model was a RIM-900 Inter@ctive in '98 or so; I beta-tested the BES; and on over the years until my last device, a Blackberry Curve. For a while around the turn of the century I personally was the top bandwidth user in the entire Blackberry world. Seriously. You get my point? Oh, and I've worked in communications security for most of my adult life and the BlackBerry is the sine qua non of secure handhelds, with a well-deserved reputation for multiple aspects of security. They're also rugged, well-built, and have an actually usable keyboard.

SO WHY THE HECK DID I SWITCH TO AN ANDROID?

Two words: Open. Applications.

Open applications are what turn a smartphone into a real computer. A nano-laptop, if you will, not just a smart dumb phone. The iPhone sort of fits that bill, but it always had two fundamental drawbacks: the AT&T network, and the closed Apple application environment. Yes, those both might change, but now is now, so I made the plunge. I considered the HTC Incredible, the Droid X, and the Droid II, and chose the II. I've had the phone for three weeks now. I quickly grew comfortable with it and don't regret my decision in the least. Some salient points about the Droid II:

Screen: 5 out of 5. I'm in bifocals now, you know? The Droid II's resolution and size are not quite what the Droid X has. But the Droid II, at 480 x 854 resolution, 3.7" diagonal is more than adequate. Like other touchscreens, it does get greasy with use. Video playblack is superb (DVD quality, though not HD).

Keyboard input: 4 out of 5. Touchscreen vs keyboard is in some respects as fundamental an opposition as Mac vs Windows, AT&T vs Verizon, or Water vs Fire. I'm firmly in the latter camp. On the one hand, I'm a darn fast typer even with my thumbs; on the other hand, my fingers are stubby and deep-ridged and don't always cooperate with touchscreens; but on the gripping hand, a real keyboard usually means a small screen or horrible form factor. The Droid 2 solves this problem with the slide-out keyboard. The keyboard is usable (though not quite with Blackberry quality) but it doesn't make the phone too big.

Applications: 5 out of 5. There's an app for that. If there isn't, write one yourself.

Form factor: 4 out of 5. The phone is a little bigger than average (4.58"x2.38"x0.54" / 6 oz.) but quite comfortable in my hand or my pocket. The slide-out keyboard seems solid. I hope so. If it lasts 2 years then I'll bump this to 5 out of 5.

I/O: 4.5 out of 5. A panoply of sensory inputs: GPS, light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer, compass, mic and 2nd noise-cancelling mic, multitouch, 5 Mpx autofocus camera, DVD quality video camera; and outputs: haptic feedback, stereo speakers, MP3/MPEG4 playback, headphones, screen. The .5 ding is because SOMETHING KEEPS TURNING MY GPS OFF. STOP THAT.

Networking: 4.5 out of 5. Wi-fi 802.11b/g/n, 3G wireless, Bluetooth 2.1, microUSB 2.0. The .5 ding is because PLEASE MAKE SWITCHING BETWEEN 3G AND WIFI WORK BETTER.

Platform. 5 out of 5. Fast. 1 GHz TI OMAP, .5 GB RAM, 3D Accelerator. Good stuff.

Security. 1 out of 5. Well, that's a little harsh (though not undeserved). Let's give it an Incomplete. We really need to build better security into the wireless-enabled cloud and into cloud-enabled wireless. The core OS remains unproven. And, unless you rooted your phone, you have to be comfortable with Google managing your data. I'm betting that the openness of the platform means that its security will consistently improve.

OS: 4.5 out of 5. Interface is actually intuitive, which is a rarity. The .5 ding is for me, for NOT STUDYING THE OS IN MORE DEPTH YET.

Telephone: Who cares any more? I mean, really. Well, unless you're stuck with AT&T, in which case I'm sorry. Otherwise, yeah, the Droid 2 is also a telephone.

Overall score: 4 out of 5. I'm nervous about security, I'm nervous about the slide-out keyboard's quality. But the phone's fast, capable, easy, open, and a joy to use. The Google integration (if you're OK with that) is a huge positive factor for any Android device; really, it changes the game from wireless device to personal cloud computer. Many of the security risks can be lessened if you just practice safe computing overall; use strong passwords, etc. But if you want a great phone, get an Android. If you need a high-end device with a real keyboard, get the Motorola Droid II.

Good gadget, weak on basics November 14, 2010

Reviewer:  Lieven Leroy  (Santa Clara, CA United States) -

My smartphone is becoming my mini office, so among the latest Droid offerings I knew I wanted the Droid 2 for its physical keys and cursor arrows. I've tried the default virtual keyboard and Swype, and for fast typing and esoteric tech words they just don't cut it.

The Droid 2 delivers as a gadget (as do all the modern Droids). Good screen, good browsing, great free apps (and sadly a few bits of bloatware which cannot be uninstalled). I like the keyboard (I wrote most of this review on it). It can handle corporate email (assuming your IT department is willing to step beyond Blackberry). For an additional fee the Droid 2 can become a wireless hotspot - I used it to connect my laptop to my company's network while on the road. (On Verizon the data charge for this is separate - unlimited data on your cell does not give you unlimited data for the other devices.)

So, what's not to like? Frankly, it's not very good at being a _phone_... voice quality is poor on some calls even when there is a strong signal. Battery life is short - I charge daily with moderate use and twice a day for heavier use.

My girlfriend and I both got Droid 2s. Understanding one another was an effort, and the speakerphone is not clear enough to use reliably in the car. I found this improved by switching voice codecs (a backdoor Motorola configuration option) but it still does not match my old G1, let alone a regular (non-"smart") cell phone. Further, both our phones had issues where they had trouble finding their memory cards, and on hers the touchscreen was flaky.

So it's good, but it could be better. In the end I kept mine (hoping software updates improve things) and she swapped hers for a Droid X (noticeably better call quality). Note Verizon's exchange policy has a restocking fee when switching to a different model, unless you return within 3 days/10 minutes of talk time. I.e., no time to really try the phone. With some persistence we got that waived.

Caveats on day to day use December 7, 2010

Reviewer:  Baltimore Dude "Baltimore Dude"  (Baltimore, MD United States) -

I've purchased the Motorola Droid 2 (Global Edition) and there are some key things I think are important in to note:

1) Display is great
2) Battery life is mediocre at best (compared to my old BB)
3) Setup is a pain

Re: #3 - I use Outlook 2007 with Windows 7 (32 Bit) and I was both annoyed and frustated that there was not a way to sync contacts, notes and tasks with the Droid 2. While there may be innovative ways to cobble together some solution, I eventually had to purchase CompanionLink software (for $40) to make sure it all worked correctly. After several hours searching for a solution and an hour of installation and tweaking, that all now works correct -- but be aware this loads additional applications on your Droid device.

Similarly I have had great frustration regarding setup of Yahoo! mail and Network Solutions mailboxes. There are online forums for both, but I have not gotten all of my mailboxes to sync at this juncture. Furthermore,

Note: I am mildly computer savvy - which is to say that I can operate most phones/computers/electronics without issue and typically go on the internet to find solutions from others when things aren't working out. However, the pain involved with setup on the Droid has been so significant it is giving me reason to believe I should ditch it and go back to my Blackberry.

On the positive side, the Marketplace that has developed for the Droid OS is great and has a bevy of options; this almost makes the phone worth it by itself. I also like the keyboard, which features ever so slightly raised keys relative to the original Motorola Droid (my wife had one).

Perfect Phone October 26, 2010

Reviewer:  Yue Chen 

This phone is amazing. I am not regretful of my decision to get this phone. The QWERTY board is awesome. I get the best of both worlds with the touchscreen surface. The battery lasts me all day and not half a day like most phones. The only issue I have with the phone is that when you hit the camera button it takes a few seconds to load. But I can live with this small detail for what all else it offers. This phone is snappy and I use the phone to text (non-stop), send emails, receive emails, look at Youtube videos, Facebook, Myspace, check bank accounts, manage those accounts, and job search on all the most popular search engines. If you can think of it, this phone can do it.

Droid 2 review July 20, 2011

Reviewer:  evalese  (USA) -

I bought this first day at a Verizon store. Use it alongside Blackberry 8320 work phone. What do I like? Google Places, and navigation. They're great for finding things. But this phone is pretty bad. A lot of it is that phone reception is horrible. I know it's a texing/apping/networking swiss army phone, but it's still a phone. And I can barely hold a conversation on it. I use my Blackberry for that. The battery life is also really bad. I bought the extended life battery. I might make it through 2 days if I don't use it much and keep the wireless, bluetooth, gps turned off. Turn them on, and you'd better have a charger near by. The apps annoy me to no end. Most apps I try, games, music players, facebook, internet, are unreliable at best. Freezing and slowness are common. Slacker plays a few songs, then poof: nothing. And what's up with the Facebook interface? It imported my contacts, but never updates their images. So I have year old stale images for everyone. It should be updating on its own without some kind of intervention. And Swype, which I started out loving, tore me down piece by piece with the wrong guesses, missing words (still!) and constant pop up box choices. It's supposed to be faster, not sloppy and irritating. I keep powering through it, but sometimes the keyboard comes out when I know it's succeeding in its evil attempts to make me lose it. And then there's Verizon. It's a good thing they don't do the 'Can you hear me now?' commercials, because the answer is 'No, sir. Not unless I'm close to a major highway. In fact, I'm not even sure how you're still in business.' My house is in a populated area, one 3G bar on average. Internet is not usable unless you want to wait a minute or two for a page to load. Phone calls are unintelligible. Girlfriend's house 25 miles outside of Philadelphia, nothing. No reception at all. Nada. I'm probably not going to make it through my two year contract for this reason alone. New York City, spotty and unreliable. Yes, it's true, Verizon, I plan to never use you again. I give this two stars because I can text with it, and it entertains me sometimes when it can get reception. Also, I've not had to pull the battery often to reset it. But I have had to power it down more frequently than I'd care to. But in summary, there's a long road to hoe before this phone is going to live up to its promise. And there's no chance for it or future versions if Verizon doesn't quit lying about it's supposedly all-encompassing reception and instead spend some of that advertising budget to go out and make it happen.

Great when it works June 9, 2011

Reviewer:  John Brooks "homewardbound-cb.blogspot.com"  (Midlothian, TX USA) -

I like my Droid 2, I really do. When it works. It's a pretty darn buggy little thing. It crashes at the drop of a hat -- or even without the hat. It's just sitting there doing nothing, and when I pick it up to use it, it's frozen. It gets into boot loops a lot.

Generally to get it out of a loop, I have to plug it into a charger -- which means I have to have one in my car, one at home, and one at work.

Also, the stock apps are a bit lacking, but you can get plenty of good stuff for free from the app store. I replaced their calendar and calculator for free. There are good, free notepad apps, too, but I did pay a little for the "pro" version of mine.

I don't know if it's the phone or android, but since my android tablet is also pretty buggy, I'm beginning to suspect the latter. As much as I hate to do it, my next smartphone will very likely by an iphone.

Beware! A important feature does not work October 25, 2010

Reviewer:  Ken "scopix55" 

In general, I like the Motorola Droid products. So, I have decided to purchase the Droid II after using the original Droid for 6 months or so. I like most of the improvements on Droid 2. I have two major problems with this product: (i) it is now loaded with "bloatware" (i.e., apps you do not want) that you cannot remove, (ii) most importantly, the problem with sync'ing with corporate email Exchange server is back - I can receive emails but cannot send on my Droid 2. All outbound emails get stuck in the Outbox folder.

I have spent in excess of 3 hours speaking with Verizon and then Motorola. Motorola has just decided to hang up on me when they agreed to send me to their level 3 support. I decide to give up. Although I like the Droid 2 a lot, it is useless to me if it is unable to handle standard email operations. That's why I can only give it a 2-star rating even though it is a great product otherwise.

So, if you are planning to link your Droid 2 to Exchange, be aware of this issue.

First Smartphone, could not be happier September 11, 2010

Reviewer:  M. Patel  (Tampa, Fl) -

After research the various Driods - Driod, Driod Incredible, and Driod X, I settled on the Driod 2. It met my needs just fine. Yes, it will have more than what I will possible ever use it for, but what it does provide, I could not be more happier.

My first smartphone November 19, 2010

Reviewer:  Kendra Gehring "nursing student/mama of 2"  (Kentucky, USA) -

I've had my Droid 2 for just a little over 48 hours, but I'm already hooked and will never go back to a non-smartphone. This phone is pretty impressive with all the various options, not to mention all the apps available in the Android Market.

I'm still trying to figure a few things out so I can get my phone customized the way I want it, but for the most part, I'm learning just by playing around with it and exploring the settings of the phone itself as well as the apps I've added. I love that I can now monitor Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, and Google Talk without having to constantly open the web browser on my phone. And I love when I click on an app, it's immediately opened, instead of having to wait for awhile to let it all load up. I've been using mostly the virtual keyboard, but having the option of the slide-out physical keyboard has been handy a couple of times. And oh yeah, since it *is* a phone, I suppose I should mention the call quality is excellent and it's not too blocky/clunky on my ear.

The only con I can come up with is battery life. I've had to charge mine a lot more frequently than I did my other phones (each night so far)...BUT...this phone does a whole lot more to run the battery down. I can keep a few apps closed unless I'm using them and that seems to help a bit, but I still need to have access to my wall charger or my car charger on a regular basis. Overall, not a big deal...but something to keep in mind.

All in all, I think this is a great phone and I look forward to keep learning about what all it can do.

Had the the phone 4 days I'm in love with it. November 7, 2010

Reviewer:  The Computer Genius "The Computer Genius"  (Tamarac Flor i duh) -

I guess if you look at my profile I did a review of the LG Ally of which I'm selling. I loved that phone but at the time I did not know the potental of the droids. Well the LG Ally was too slow and was not reconizing my voice for the dialing so I got the DROID before contract was up. Yes i shelled out bucks but I got a great deal on another site. funny thing is 4g is right around the corner but I had to get out of that phone !! So in 10 month I'll have 4g

I love this phone. The Camera is quick and takes awsum pictures, The sound quality and reception is really really Great !! The Games play super fast The keyboard is not quite as good as the LG Ally but you konw what I got used to it. At first it was a deal breaker but as I got used to it I like it. But Since the voice recognition is so so good I don't even have to use the keyboard that much. As you type it also guesses the word you are trying to type so that helps and it also has swipe whoever is cordinated enough to use it.

Speaker on it is great. So talking on speaker phone is good. voice calls are good. Before I brought it I tested the sound quality on my answering machine and the sound quality comming from that phone is awsum. . The internet is good but I'd rather use my home computer for that with comcast. But then again if you around a router indoors you can get the same speed. This phone does have the N Standard also. When 4 G comes around then let me comment about internet without the help of an indoor router. if you go on Facebook or aim, read the news or look up a price it's fast enough on verizons network. I do also play online simple games like connect 4 and it's great and thats on Verizons network so I have no complaints.

The GPS is really good also. I sometimes forget about my Garmin and use this. In fact I don't even have to type in anything all I say is an address or a store and it takes me there. it's mind boggling.

The screen is big enough. No it's not a droid X but it's clearer than one. I really like the samsung Facsinite screen but the no keyboard was a deal breaker. To be perfectly honest this screen is really really good and looks more natural then the fascinate. This is comming from a guy who Returned 3 sony 1080P TV's because of light bleed and got a 720P Pioneer TV because the video processor beat out the 1080P set's. Why you may ask I didn't get 1080P I didn't have $5000.00 + to spend on the TV. So yes the Screen is good quality on this phone.

As far as the Negitive points on this phone

I'm a complainer and I truthfully don't have anything to complain about substantial

Maybe 3 things to complain about

1. if you want to get to the memory you have to take out the battery

2. the volume button on the headset is not easy to adjust since it's on the same side of my good ear but the buttons are not shaped correctly either.

3. Battery life is short but thats to be expected on all Droid

I definitly recomend this phone to anyone but listen the 4G is comming out Wait for that one. But if you must get out of your phone because all you want to do with it is smash it on the floor and spit on it get this phone. The prices are comming down. and it's really a good phone. If it was back in it's hay day I'd say run and get it. If you must have HDMI and High Def and a bigger screen go with the X.

Just to make people aware the Droid 2 World phone is comming out around the holidays and that has a 1.2 processor vs 1 GIg processor (not sure about the memory but I think it's the same)this phone has the Same screen, same fuctions But world phone one will be able to operate around the world it has a sim card. Again it's almsost the same phone so I'd recomend this one the new one.