Just put the finishing touches on my latest WordPress site; officialjohntobin.com
Full WordPress. Mobile compatibility. Lightbox.
Battery issues resolved and a plan in place, I’m finally putting this device through daily driver duties. And it’s a pretty fantastic device!
So far I’ve used this telephone to broadcast live video and take 8MP photos. I’ve used this telephone to get me to where I needed to go during MTTS when I was driving with someone else or was on foot. It still amazes me that this device (and your iPhone 4) are also designed for voice communications.
You’ve read all about this phone everywhere already, but here is what you want to know. First of all, it is about the same size as an iPhone 3gs and it’s weight is also about the same. I like the way it feels in my hand and all of the buttons are where you expect to find them and are easy to operate.
About the camera; some of have said it’s just ok. I beg to differ. This shot.
Was taken with the Incredible and only lightly processed in iPhoto. As for video quality, here is a short sample.
Keep in mind that the video camera does get bumped to 720p when/if Verizon Wireless releases Android 2.2 (Froyo) for this device.
Otherwise it makes calls like a champ, plays media well and it’s fast! Never a delay switching between apps or with scrolling on a screen. Stuff happens and happens now!
If you are on VZW and are interested in getting an Android phone, don’t need a keyboard or a monster screen, then this is the phone for you. Nice too that they are finally in stock! The only thing I would do is click over to the Android Central store and pick up a 1700mh battery like I’ve mentioned before.
If you have an specific questions about the Droid Incredible, go nuts in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.
1 week ago, I spent 9 days driving a MINI Cooper from San Diego to Denver. All told, I racked up about 2,000 miles (no matter what I tell you there) from the time I picked it up to the time I got to Denver.
I’m in the process of completing my worded wrap-up of MINI Takes the States 2010. It’s going to be a multipart series spread over a few days. Why? Quite a lot happened over the course of those 9 days and it is taking more words than I thought to tell the story. So far, I’m up to day 4 and I’ve written almost 1500 words.
Usually I would have done this during the event as we went along. Usually. This event was different from any other that I have ever done which threw me off a bit trying to find, for lack of a better term, my rhythm.
Normally, when the show covers a large MINI event, it’s a process. There are people. There is the team. There is even paper (and all y’all know how much I love that). There is a process. Todd does the interviews/audio, I do the photos and video, Gabe stands around and looks pretty. That’s not it exactly, but pretty much. It’s a good system that has served us for years. Everything gets covered, everything gets posted and the MINI community rejoices.
This time however, we were separated. The boys were coming from the East, I was coming from the West solo. I was a photo taking machine as you have seen. I even managed live video twice a day. Even got the photos uploaded to flickr. But honestly, I fell short.
After spending 9 hours in and around a MINI, with a few stops thrown in for photos or bathroom breaks and, as I was told, being ‘on’, I was usually too wiped out to write. At the end of the day, there was enough time to hook everything up to charge, get photos uploading and grab a bite or do the owner event. By the time all of that was done, I was back in bed to rest for the next 400+ mile drive tomorrow.
I’m not complaining at all here, and hope it’s not coming across that way. It was this trip that made me realize a few things.
The drive and all of it’s associated events were epic. Dare I say life changing. I can’t even accurately put it into words, so you will just have to take my word on it.
All was not sunshine and unicorn feathers however. By the time I got to Denver I started getting sick. And I was tired. That combination is never good for me, and I got pissy. And I’m sure I pissed off quite a few people. If that was you, and I’m sure you know who you are, please allow me to apologize. I don’t have any excuses, it just happened.
Next time will be better.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have another 1500 words to write, proof, edit and add photos to. If you are a fan of my work with the MINI, keep an eye out for it starting, I hope, tomorrow.
I’m going into week 4 with this device and think I finally have it figured out. And I have figured out the key to getting the phone to behave a little bit better. Want to know my secret?
It’s not a phone. It’s a handheld computer.
That’s right. Go ahead and read it again. And, once more until it sinks in.
Like a computer, it’s affected by bad software. Like a computer with a more mature OS, it’s affected by power. Like a computer, it has tell tale signs that something isn’t right. For example, I would have the phone powered on, all apps shut down and all hardware services (bluetooth, wifi, 3g, gps) turned off and the screen sent to the lowest brightness setting. Even after that it was still running hot, which means something was hammering the CPU pretty good. It was the task killer I was using, so I uninstalled it.
I ran it yesterday without it. And without WiFi (which I shouldn’t have done) or bluetooth or GPS. I was able to go about 5 hours with moderate use of Twitter, Facebook and taking a few photos while I was hanging around MINI of Ontario waiting for them to sort a few things out.
Or, in other words, using it like a portable computer.
That is right on par with the ASUS EeePC battery life for normal, off the juice, battery life. Not bad for a portable computer, not good, in my opinion, for a phone. Another example would be the Blackberry Tour 9630. If I would have been carrying that yesterday, using it the same as I did the Incredible, I might have used 50% power. Maybe. Still with access to Twitter and Facebook. Still taking photos. Still replying to emails. Granted the experience isn’t nearly as rich as it is with the Incredible. And that’s the trade off.
I think an up-grade to a 1700mh battery would definitely help since the current battery only has a 1300mh capacity. The 1700 fits without replacing the back cover too, which makes me wonder why HTC didn’t include that size in the first place. That, and more diligent watching of the apps and services might make this phone useable for at least 12 hours under normal use, maybe more.
Full review to follow now that I have the battery issues narrowed down.
After spending a full week with this phone on the road, and 1 week off, I have some updates to my original notes.
I’m still compiling notes for a full review. I also want to get a call into tech support to see if the problems I’m having are particular to the phone or unique to me. I still think it’s an ok device but am starting to think that either I will be needing to switch back to the Blackberry for the battery life/reliability or purchase a charger for every room/car that I will be carrying the phone in as well as putting in the larger 1700mh battery.
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