Anyone Use Their Droid in Europe?

[tommyz]

Update! Just took a walk outside and discovered that my GPS does work. Found my location on Maps just fine. Maps won't update unless I have a wireless connection though. So when i get too far from my access point the maps won't update. Can't have everything I guess. The important thing is that the GPS in my Droid does not depend on having a verizon network connection.

Hmmm, Interesting. This could be of some use.

Are you sure it is the GPS working or is it just the phone finding a location based on the WIFI location?

i am sure. I zoomed in on the map and can see myself walking up the street past the building where my wifi access point is located. If i go outside the range of my access point, the maps don't update anymore but my location moves along the existing map.

The GPS is working, I am positive.

Excellent... This could come in handy when Geo-Caching outside of cell coverage.

 

[fcmoss]

Making Skype calls on Droid in Europe

I am in Amsterdam right now with my Droid. i have a wireless internet connection which allows me to access the web just fine. Email works fine. Skype Mobile does not work. It requires a connection to the Verizon network, which of course i do not have in Europe. Sounds like a pretty Draconian limitation that verizon put on Skype. Why should Verizon care whether a Droid is using Skype mobile when there is no Verizon service? The GPS doesn't appear to be working either because i do not have a phone network connection.

Fring is apparently the way to make Skype calls off -network. haven't tried it yet. Trip is in July.

 

[Benton]

The good news: I used an app called Mapdroid (from the Market) last week while in Hong Kong and GPS worked fine with it, you could do this for other areas of the world. No turn by turn instructions but it does show you where you are and if you are walking you are all set. The pictures I took were tagged with the lon/lat location and show as being in Hong Kong in the Gallery's sort. Free wifi for data works good but the Starbucks coffee isn't cheap !

The bad news: Hong Kong is a roaming location for Verizon (I have data turned off for non-home network through). Calls at $1.50 per minute plus-plus...ouch!

 

[mcb0021]

The bad news: Hong Kong is a roaming location for Verizon (I have data turned off for non-home network through). Calls at $1.50 per minute plus-plus...ouch!

Hi Benton - thanks for the info. I am going to Hong Kong in 2 weeks. did you try using Skype or was the $1.50/min trying to use verizon roaming?

 

[chudilo]

Used the droid in Iceland Last week.
(GPS worked, Google maps was able to find me and display position on WIFI in hotels and cafes)
GMail and browser worked fine.
No calls via skype. (major bummer, shame on you Verizon it should be available if there is no cell coverage, assuming you're not in airplane mode)

 

[Benton]

mcb - I used the roaming network for my calls (business necessity), the $1.50 adds up. Maybe the roaming charges will drop when LTE is launched, HK is an LTE trial center too but no guarantees it will reduce the roaming charge...ahhh. A cheaper alternative if you have a GSM phone that will work on HK's network would be to purchase a pre-paid IDD SIM card, reduces costs to $0.25/minute to call people back after taking the first minute of the $1.50 call to explain why I need to call them back.

 

[evetsmd]

Droid X Outside US

This is an informative thread and may be worthy of a STICKY. Anyway, I just purchased the Trip Journal software that was so highly praised by Google. From what I'm reading it looks like this software will only work in the USA. Does anyone have any experience using Trip Planner outside the USA?

Thanks

 

[Beirut]

Im currently in Lebanon, and the Google Maps does work (using a WiFi network) but it's a few streets off. Everything else seems to work fine, and if Skype isnt working for you just use Fring

 

[basia523]

leave your phone home

My husband is in Europe this week and very very disappointed with his droid. Skype doesn't work and while his wifi does and he can receive emails, he can't respond to them. So if you need your phone to communicate then leave it home.

 

[tommyz]

My husband is in Europe this week and very very disappointed with his droid. Skype doesn't work and while his wifi does and he can receive emails, he can't respond to them. So if you need your phone to communicate then leave it home.

Actually that's not so true. I used my phone quite a bit in Europe. Everything had to be done on WiFi, because the don't have CDMA Cell Service.

I already knew going in that Skype wouldn't work, it even says that when you d/l it.

As for email, I had no problems with that or the web browser. All my apps that used data also work fine.

There were times when the internet connection itself was horrible in Europe.(more often then not), but that's not a fault of the phone.

I also had a netbook with me and it had the same internet issues.

The nice thing about having the Droid out there was if you needed to quickly check email or look something up, WiFi worked fine. You would need to drag out the laptop for a quick check.

Again, many of his problems probably stemed from the Internet connections there.

 

[pdacev]

I live in Czech Republic, central Europe. I bought Droid 2 Global over ebay and have been using it for nearly 1 year now and I can say that all systems go. The only issue I noticed is that the GSM signal appears to be weaker than on other phones. But still good enough and usable. Planning to buy Droid 3 or wait if they make Droid 4 with Global capabilities.