Apparently I am pretty lucky. I pre-ordered the HTC Droid Incredible a few days before launch. This little guy ended up being so popular for Verizon (go figure) that they couldn’t keep it in stock. So now a bunch of unlucky folks are stuck waiting. And since they next top of the line phones still haven’t dropped yet, it’s purgatory for those who keep checking their order status. For those of you still waiting, or even contemplating canceling their order, I suggest you wait. This gadget is well worth it. Even though I came from the worst phone Verizon ever sold, I can honestly say the Incredible is top notch.
There are plenty of reviews out there that will go in depth and pour over the details. I’ll just stick to talking about a handful of great point, a couple negatives, & what it was like switching from the BlackBerry Storm.
HARDWARE
Wow. Such a beautiful design. Very elegant and completely different form anything Verizon had previously offered. Pictures on the internet just don’t do it justice. In fact, I was worried about the unorthodox backing and how the phone actually looked form the front. All the pictures I found made the front look very stark and sharp, in my opinion. But up close, it’s a beaut.
I have little use for the optical trackball, but honestly most times I forget it’s there. The soft keys are pretty responsive, as is the touch screen. But then again, coming from the Storm, an Samsung Rogue looks like an iPhone. The only negative I could see about the hardware is that it’s a bit light. Sometimes I was afraid that just dropping it a few inches off the ground would destroy my new toy. In fact, I did drop it a couple times and the back door and battery flew off in a blind rage. Pretty shoddy engineering here. However, I purchased a Seidio Innocase II, and that took care of the issue. More on that later.
BATTERY
Hands down the worst part of the experience. With moderate use, I would unplug at around 7:30AM and the phone would be nearly dead within 8 hours. Less if I was using it hard. In this day and age of super-phones, I accept that battery life will suffer. But this is ridiculous. Some people suggest turning off GPS, WiFi, killing apps, no push. What’s the point of owning a smart phone then? HTC should include a bigger capacity battery. That would help.
I bought a car charger so that has helped. In the end, I’ll probably splurge on an extended battery. Not a deal breaker.
SOFTWARE
Remember the gung ho early days of the world wide web. Netscape Navigator and HTML frames ruled the land. Animated gifs were badges of ninja coding skills. After moving to Android, this is exactly what I think about the BlackBerry OS. Totally stuck in the dark ages. Granted Android isn’t perfect, but from what I understand, 2.2 should bring it close. The Incredible shipped with 2.1 and it’s great. Smooth transitions, no stuttering, and apps. Glorious apps. BB App World is a joke compared to what is being developed for Android phones. Yeah, your iTunes doesn’t sync, but that’s ok by me. A little doubleTwist action and my music is now portable again.
SUMMARY
Overall, this is a great phone. An until the Droid X or Droid Shadow overtake the throne, the HTC Droid Incredible is the best phone on Verizon’s network. Would I drop it like a hot potato if the iPhone finally was offered? Yes. But for now, I am extremely happy with this purchase. Thinking back to the first couple months of owning a Storm, I remember how much I hated it. The aggravation of trying to swap out for another one of convincing a VZW rep to let me get another model was not appealing.
But here I am. Happy with my phone. If you’re looking to switch carriers, or just finally getting smart and ditching BlackBerry, this phone is for you.
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