This is a "test run" for those "GADGET GEEKS" out there to show and silence the critic's once and for all!
What better way to get to know the DROID than to compare it to its Android siblings (or is it cousins)? We've put the sharply beautiful Motorola DROID next to the Android phones you know and love: the T-Mobile G1, the HTC Magic (myTouch 3G), and the Sprint HTC Hero. Once upon a time those phones were heralded as the best Android phone available but each will have to bow out for the DROID.
And for bonus coverage, we decided to pit the DROID against the iDon't device of the iPhone 3GS!
DROID vs Sprint HTC Hero
The HTC Hero is currently the best available Android phone on the market. It packs subtle curve lines and houses a professional finish. Loved the build quality of the Hero and still do--it feels great in your hand and the soft matte finish is still wonderful. The DROID differs from the Hero in that the lines are sharp instead of curved and the styling is bold instead of safe. The DROID and Hero are about the same thickness but the DROID packs a QWERTY slider keyboard and is much weightier.
The biggest difference between the two devices is in the size of the screen. The DROID's screen simply dwarfs the Hero's and the clarity that the DROID's screen offers is truly stunning. In the end, though we prefer holding the Hero in the hand, the DROID is simply a superior styled device.
DROID vs HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G)
We've always thought the HTC Magic was the most underrated Android phone on the market. The styling was fresh and the shape of the phone was well executed--it had a slight chin and good build quality. The biggest complaint we could find about the Magic was that it felt 'plasticky' and borderline cheap. Though that's a fair complaint, the truth is, it gave more versatility to the phone--it was light, easy to hold, and fun to use.
Compared to the DROID on looks alone, we think the Magic holds up best--the solid glossy black of the Magic will surely lengthen its lifespan. But when in the hand, it's almost the opposite. For all the complaints of the 'plasticky' feel of the Magic, the DROID is the antithesis to that--it's all metal and glass. With that kind of build quality, you can't help but feel that the DROID is simply in another class than the HTC Magic.
DROID vs T-Mobile G1
Look how far Android has come in just one year. We started out with the lovable T-Mobile G1 and are now at the 'dare-you-not-to-love-me' status of the Motorola DROID. Since they're both slider devices, it feels like Android has come full circle. The DROID is sharper, weightier, bolder, thinner, and simply better in every way when compared to the G1. And that definitely should be expected.
One difference we noted was when both devices are closed and operating in 'portrait' mode, you could tell that the G1 was a slider device while you wouldn't automatically know that the DROID was one as well. That speaks to the build quality of the DROID because there are no weak points in its construction--it's so well built that you could believe it's a one slab-styled device.
DROID vs iPhone 3GS
And of course, what kind of DROID comparison would it be if we didn't bring up the iDon't device that is the iPhone 3GS? We'll definitely go more in-depth later in the week, but for the time being you should know that the DROID and iPhone 3GS are probably the two best styled, two best built, two best overall smartphones on the market. Android finally has a phone that can legitimately compete with the leader of the pack, the iPhone 3GS, in every aspect.
What's most surprising to us is that even though the DROID packs a QWERTY slider keyboard, it still manages to almost be as thin as the iPhone 3GS. In fact, the devices are of similar height and width--in pictures, the DROID looks bigger because of its hard corners vs the iPhone 3GS' rounded corners. The DROID is certainly heavier than the iPhone but that lends into the high-quality, luxury feel of the DROID.
And finally, when pitted next to each other. The DROID's screen simply puts the iPhone 3GS' screen to shame. We're not even kidding. It's impossible to capture the difference in pictures but text on the iPhone 3GS looks almost blurry when compared to text on the DROID. If you're happy with your iPhone 3GS, don't even look at the DROID's screen, you'll become instantly jealous. The specs show that the DROID packs a 3.7-inch 480x854 touchscreen at 240dpi versus the iPhone's 3.5-inch 320x480 touchscreen at 163dpi. Yeah, the DROID screen is awesome.
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