Looking for Droid upgrade

[Yen]

I have a Droid (the original one) with Verizon and am starting to look at the current lot of latest Droid (or Android) phones. I'm a 50-something woman who is not interested in rooting, developing, or any of that stuff.... just a good reliable phone that takes good pictures and a screen I can read in bright daylight --- am I asking too much? :biggrin: I am an avid cyclist and one complaint I have about my Droid is getting a quick picture during a ride that requires several steps: (1) Swipe to unlock, (2) touch the camera app (and touch it again, and again if it doesn't respond the first/second time), (3) and take the picture, and (4) hope I got a good picture because I can't see anything on the screen in bright daylight!

I briefly considered moving to an iPhone but I would miss the built-in turn-by-turn voice navigation which has taken me to my destination in many a strange place; I can simply turn it on and listen without having to look at a map while driving. I would also like to transfer my current set-up directly to a new phone, rather than start all over. Then again, my friends' and family members' iPhones take really great pics!

My phone is not perfect but I have enjoyed using it so much that I see no reason to switch carriers or phones. Yet, there are other choices out there and I think my preferences are quite simple:

- A really good, reliable phone
- Does not need to be rooted (I have no interest in rooting)
- 4G
- A larger screen that I can actually see in bright daylight (is there such a thing???) to read and take pics
- A good camera

Is there a single phone that meets all of them?

 

[justin82]

razr maxx i believe would give you best viewing in sunlight.
the rezound or incredible 4 would have the best camera ( htc usually way better than moto)

the best suggestion is to go to VZW and play with them all .

 

[aquaholic]

another vote for the razr maxx, i just have the regular razr (same thing but mine doesnt have as much battery life. With the razr you can swipe directly to the camera. It also can put up with quite a punishment. Mine somehow rocketed out of my hand and hit a wall across the room hard enough to knock the sim card clean out. I plugged it back in and it worked like new

 

[Yen]

Thank you for your replies. We went to the Verizon store and looked at the top contenders... Razr/Razr Maxx/Rezound/Incredible. I was nearly settled on the Razr due to its price difference against the Maxx and I don't need the extended battery life of the Maxx, and the fact that it's a Motorola phone. I've been very happy with the Motorola Droid.

Then, I began wondering about users' experiences with HTC vs. Motorola. I want screen visibility for outdoor pictures but it's not #1. I'm already happy with my original Droid, except for the current lag and small screen, so it seems that any improvement would make me even happier.

If it comes down to HTC vs. Motorola, is there a leader between the two?

 

[t35rk]

I would choose the right processor over manufacturer and I would look for the Snapdragon S4 as it has the best battery managentment (although the Max runs longer) and runs the coolest.

The two latest phones run on this chip, the Galaxy S3 and the Incredible 4g. I own the Galaxy and consider it as the world's top smartphone. Okay, enouph with the boasting , its screen isn't the best for outside viewing. I think the Incredible 4g would be better.

Probably the best screen for the viewing in the sun is on the LG Lucid, but i wouldnt recommend it. I owned that for a week and while it was amazing outside, the battery severely held it back. It ran dry quickly and took forever to charge and ran way to hot while doing so.

The other great screen for outdoor use is the Droid Bionic. It's older tech but may serve your needs well. Its a love or hate type of phone though.

Good luck.

 

[jseah]

HTC screens are known to be horrible in bright sunlight. That said, the HTC cameras are also known to be the best. The S3 is pretty good as well, and the Moto cameras (in my experience) are the worst of them all. It's fine for viewing on the small screen of the phone, but try viewing it on a computer and you can definitely see how grainy the photo is.

 

[electricman58]

BIONIC (if you can find one ) Best screen to see in the sun!
Razr Maxx would be my next choice!
I like my Motos!!! And I'm stock!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Droid Forums

 

[Yen]

Thank you for the additional replies.

UGH! Six of one, half a dozen of the other.... I'm already paralyzed with indecision. If I wait until later in the year then another phone will be in the mix. They all have their pros and cons. I'm very happy with my Droid yet it wouldn't score very high next to the of new phones, so it seems that I'd be happy with whatever I choose.

 

[t35rk]

Thank you for the additional replies.

UGH! Six of one, half a dozen of the other.... I'm already paralyzed with indecision. If I wait until later in the year then another phone will be in the mix. They all have their pros and cons. I'm very happy with my Droid yet it wouldn't score very high next to the of new phones, so it seems that I'd be happy with whatever I choose.

The Samsung SG3 is an all around great android phone. Great camera, great call quality and very good external speaker, great battery and GPS performance. I use it all the time outside and the screen does fine, although I have seen better, but at least as good as my old original droid. Really this phone has no Achilles heel, and I don't know what other phone can say that. It's a bargain at $200.

 

[Yen]

Thanks everyone. I upgraded yesterday to an LG Lucid. I visited 3 different Verizon stores and was pointed to this phone at two different stores --- not to the most expensive phone on the shelf, but to the Lucid because it met the criteria I stated. (One store said it would be a step down from my Droid, but it's actually a step up at least in terms of speed!) I also selected it because the size is right for my Golla mobile case which also serves as my wallet, and also for the price. After recently being laid off, I simply cannot justify purchasing a much more expensive phone. After rebate and a $30 credit in my account, total cost for my phone is $20. Hubby also got one, his first Smartphone.

I understand the battery life is a common complaint but I'll see for myself if it meets my needs. I don't play on it all day long, I never stream videos and rarely play music. I use my phone for calls, email, texting, occasional web surfing when not at home (in the car it's always on the charger), taking pictures, storing notes, playing Solitaire.

I had quite a few free apps on my Droid and I was told I need to download each one again to the Lucid. Most of them are on the SD card and I thought the contents of the card could be transferred. Is that not true?

 

[t35rk]

I liked my Lucid but returned it because of the small battery, long charging times, and the HEAT. The extended battery is supposed to alleviate those issues. Great screen for outside viewing.

 

[Yen]

We're already noticing the short battery life and long charging time. We'll look into the extended battery but if the phone won't fit in my pack with that battery then we'll probably return it.

 

[t35rk]

You won't find an easier screen to read in bright sunlight than the Lucid's but the HTC Incredible 4G is a better phone in almost every other way.

 

[Beka27]

The S3 has the best camera out now, to my knowledge. It has a neat feature where you can open the camera just by touching the lock screen and rotating. Perfect for quick shots.

The display isn't great in sunlight, but most aren't. I think you can get screen protectors to help with outside visibility. Since this phone is worldwide and across all the major US carriers, accessories are plentiful, including really good bike mounts.

 

[dezymond]

The S3 has the best camera out now, to my knowledge. It has a neat feature where you can open the camera just by touching the lock screen and rotating. Perfect for quick shots.

The display isn't great in sunlight, but most aren't. I think you can get screen protectors to help with outside visibility. Since this phone is worldwide and across all the major US carriers, accessories are plentiful, including really good bike mounts.

I have yet to really read any reviews on the SG3 or see one in person, but I heard it's a pretty darn good device and arguably the best that VZW has to offer right now. The only other phone I'd say it needs to compete with that's Android is the Rezound, that camera is amazing for a cellphone camera.