Thanks! This is really cool
Could you maybe compare the texting experience on a BB (I'm on an 8330) versus that of an android phone (touchscreen and keyboard)? I'm looking to almost definitely get the incredible because of it's power, would you mind comparing the general performance/responsiveness of your tour or a curve versus the droid and incredible (when it's out)?
Otherwise, very helpful info!
I have a BB Curve 8330 and bought an Eris in February and returned it 30 days later to wait for this phone. However, during my 30 days, i had ample time to try out everything droid, including (most importantly for me) the typing.
The biggest advantage that a BB Curve has over any phone i've used (iPhone, Moto Droid, BB Pearl, BB Storm, Standard T9 Phones, and several others in store while waiting for a salesperson to assist) is it's keyboard. It's simply the best typing experience i've ever found.
So i was VERY nervous going from a keyboard that i got used to over the past year and could whip out texts one handed while driving w/o looking to a complete touch screen virtual keyboard.
At first, i felt like i was going to shoot myself. I hated it. But i was DETERMINED to give it a chance, and little by little, day by day, the more i used it the better i got. By the end of my 30 day trial period with the phone i actually found that i was in love with it. The best part i think was the word correction. It's SO good with HTC sense it's ridiculous.
The Moto Droid Physical keyboard is a nightmare, and the virtual keyboard was nowhere near as good as the Eris. Even though some say they like it or that it's serviceable.. no thanks.
My ONLY problems with the keyboard on the eris was i felt that sometimes the buttons were a little too small (but even though i fat fingered alot the word correction was so good it didnt seem to matter that all my words were coming out like "zjxljiuas" and by the end it was suggesting the actual word i was typing.. i was always amazed.
The other problem was the responsiveness in some apps was a little slow causing me to be ahead of the phone and having to wait for it to catch up. From all accounts this does not seem like it will be a problem with the Incredible.
SO, with the Incredibles larger screen (= Larger buttons) Sense 2.1 (better word correction, better key accuracy and MultiTouch!) and 1 GHZ CPU (uber responsiveness), I'm fully confident that the typing experience will FAR surpass that of what i regard (and what many experts regard) as one of the best keyboards on the market in the 8330 or Tour for that matter.
Trust me, after a few days/weeks of using the keyboard, you won't want to go back.
I had to go back to the curve and, although it was familiar and comfortable, i miss the virtual keyboard and can't WAIT to get the Inc. I hate having to use my dumb trackball to go back to correct words on the BBerry... ugh... so 2009.
Hope that helps - but honestly no review will take the place of first hand experience... which sounds like you'll have soon!
As far as going from BB to Android in general. I felt like i was ditching a "work" phone for a "fun" phone. Call quality was LEAPS AND BOUNDS better on the Eris than on the BBerry, Web surfing is SO much better, games are SO much more fun and the Apps provide endless hours of "wow" and "cool" factor and a good bunch are even quite useful. I was very proud of it and couldnt keep it in my pants.
But the things it didnt do well for me (looking up contacts, using calendar, tasks, dialing phone numbers, emailing, etc) just seemed to be not as productive as with the BBerry. I felt guilty. Some of this had to do with the fact the Eris was not as responsive, some had to do with my lacking skills on the keyboard (which improved greatly over time), some from the HORRENDOUS battery life, but probably most of it because you can do SO much with it that it became a distraction.
Let's just say i'm looking forward to that distraction again. And i think that Sense 2.1 will solve a lot of the issues i had with productivity and with a little research and configuring for my email/contacts/calendar/tasks i think it will be the perfect blend of work and play....
Good day.
PS - i'll give the built in SMS a whirl on 2.1, but the built-in one on the Eris with Android 1.5 sucked. ChompSMS and Handcent SMS were far superior and far more configurable. One of these will be my first app downloaded for sure.