Droid newbie: What phone should a developer with minimal needs get?

[BzB]

So, basically everyone but Verizon uses gsm, right?

for major carriers in the US, verizon and sprint are cdma. att and tmobile are gsm.

Will any GSM network fully support any droid phone at full speed?

if it is a gsm based android phone (like the nexus or desire) you should be able to get full speed. not exactly sure though. when the nexus was first released it was intended for tmobile 3g, but compatible on att. i believe a version compatible with att 3g speeds is now available.

Do you know of a good place that compares different networks' coverage?

no. best i can suggest is going to each carrier website and pulling up their coverage map. someone else on the forum might be able to point you to a better comparative source.

Meaning, even for phone service, I'd need a data plan?

these days i don't think you can get smart phone service without a data plan. as soon as you tell them what phone you're trying to activate on their network they may require that you choose a data plan. there may be some loopholes but i don't know of any. if you buy an unlocked phone that might also get you around the data plan requirement, then you can use wifi for your data.

 

[iPirate]

Buy a used G1?

Would that be able to come without a data plan and work without a data plan (wifi-only)? Would I be able to add a limited data plan in my location?

Yes.

I have no experience with limited data plans. The phone is old and the first Android phone, so it will work for developing Android related websites and apps. But beyond that the phone is old so slower and not as good as newer phones. I have seen them for just under $100

 

[Rei]

Sounds right up my alley. Thanks!