As the OP, I thought I'd do a follow-up. I did end up switching the Droid for the Eris. There are some definite pros and cons for each phone, but I'm glad I did the switch... sorry all you Droid lovers. I would recommend either phone, but for me I like the HTC Eris.
Having had both now for about a month, here is my final analysis. It's actually similar to the first, but there are a few additions.
On the Pro side of the Droid (or negative of the Eris, depending on how you look at it):
- The screen on the Droid is amazing. The Eris one is not bad, and is still a huge upgrade from any blackberry other than the storm, but it's smaller and less detailed than the Droid. Compare it more in quality to the iPhones, only still a tad smaller (but that makes it more comfortable to hold than either, IMO).
- The Droid is running 2.0 (and the Beta GPS turn by turn directions that goes with it) and the Eris runs 1.5. Rumors still abound that the Eris will be receiving 2.0 the first quarter of 2010, but as of today, it's still 1.5 for the Eris. If/when Eris is updated, hopefully this will be moot. But honestly, the turn by turn GPS feature, while neat, is not a necessity. I can still get all the directions, the addresses, street level views, etc. I just don't get that GPS function (and I have a Garmin, so again, no big deal for me). While I had the Droid, I did use this feature a couple of times and it wasn't perfect for me. The GPS signal would get lost and have to play catch up a few times and the voice was not pleasant. I ended up preferring to use Google on the Droid and then plugging the address into my Garmin. Again, I did this while I still had the Droid, so no loss for me w/the Eris (but it was cool).
- How the Android Market is displayed. I think this has to do with 2.0 vs. 1.5, but am not sure. It could be the browser, but again I just don't know. But the Droid display of the market place was better (again, in my opinion). I liked that you could seperate paid vs. free apps and the Eris' display does not have that. Also, in the Droid's display of the market, there were often screenshots. This isn't so on the Eris. Sometimes there is a link to a developers page that has screenshots, but it's an extra step that just wasn't there on the Droid. I'm hoping this is a 2.0 vs. 1.5 thing, but even not it's a minor thing for me. But again a + on the Motorola side.
- 2.0 apps. not available in the Android Market. This one is obvious, but there is one app (a game) that I really liked (Battleship). Again, hopefully this will be moot if/when Eris upgrades to 2.0, but even if they don't it was just a game. And some smart developer would likely develop it for 1.5...
- I liked the unlock screen better for the Droid. It was more stylish, and I liked the slide right to unlock as opposed to slide down... don't know why but I did. I also loved the slide left to silence. Eris does not have this. You either have to use the volume keys on the side of the phone to silence or open open the home screen and silence (which is what I do... I put a silence all widget on my main screen, so it's very quick, but still two steps vs. Droid's one). Again, no big deal, but something I did like about the Droid.
Now for the Pros on the Eris (or Cons for the Droid in my book):
- The BIGGEST deal and the one thing that made all the above SO minor for me is the sheer ergonomics of the phone. I know this is personal preference and not "fact," but the Droid was just uncomfortable for me. It was heavy in my front pocket (where I often carry my phone) and the shape of it also made it uncomfortable to carry. Snap on cases made it even worse, as they made the phone bigger and were in two parts because of the sliding keyboard. The Eris has great hand feel and the snap on case I got is awesome. It has a hard side for the back that slides into a belt clip for when I want to carry it on my belt of clip it to a pocket.
- I really like having the physical keys for the phone in the Eris. And the trackball is awesome (and "familiar" since I moved from a BB Curve) for the fine placement of the cursor when texting. The Droid did have that mouse pad thingy (I know that's not the technical term
), but I got to where I never used the sliding keyboard anyway, and I prefer the trackball.
- Ergonomics...
- Physical key placement is much better on the Eris. Namely I HATED where the "wake-up/sleep" button was on the Droid (top right)... or the Volume buttons (top right side)... take your pick, but they were way too close, and I always (and I mean ALWAYS) accidentally adjusted the volume with the way I intuitively held the Droid. Not a problem on the Eris, and I find the physical call end button, which is also the wake-up/sleep button just downright makes sense. It's easy. And just like a regular mobile phone, I can press the physical send button and my call log is launched. I didn't realize how much I would miss this when I first chose the Droid that doesn't have any physical phone buttons. And yes, I know there are widgets to add, but that physical button is darned easy to locate, and again, familiar. Just makes sense.
- Contact list has a last name first option... Yes, I realize that I could have "tricked" the Droid by simply loading the names how I wanted, but I like that you can choose with the Eris. Also, I simply don't remember and maybe Droid had this, but I can load a phone number in my Eris without loading it in my G-Mail account. I like this for some business contacts.
- Also on the contact list, the Eris has a "My Contact" card. The Droid made you load yourself as a "regular" contact. This didn't bother some folks I spoke with in other forums, but it bothered me... I hated logging into G-Mail and seeing myself as a contact. Seemed redundant. I got asked by several folks why load yourself into your own phone in the first place. Well, there is a fantastic app called Bump for sharing contact information quickly and to use it, you have to have your contact info. loaded. Again, with Eris, it's just a more streamline and intuitive approach than I thought it was in the Droid.
- Did I say Ergonomics already?
- The intuitive texting in the Eris is amazing. I really thought I'd miss the physical keyboard which is one reason I chose the Droid in the first place. Then I tried the Eris. Let me tell you... type without looking and the most garbled garbage you typed will "correct" itself to just the word you thought you were typing ALL THE TIME. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's even easier than my BB Keyboard. I like it that much... Physical keyboard? Who needs one?
- GUI on Eris is cool... It's a gee-whiz kind of thing, and there was an App for it for the Droid, but that pinch-zoom is cool. Also, the e-mail and text apps. w/the Eris GUI are awesome. I love "flipping" through to find the message I want before launching the app. Reminds me of MS Preview or Mac Stacks. Just plain neat (though I do wish they were a bit smaller - like 1/2 page instead of a full page). And the frame placement of widgets is awesome w/this GUI.
- Finally the flip-clock/weather station. I liked the look of this App so much that when I had the Droid I purchased the one that looked like it from the Android Market place (so I obviously still have that). But I didn't know the one on the Eris did so much more... I didn't even know it until I saw a video on youtube when I was still doing comparisons... The clock ones are no big deal to me. They both had an alarm clock which I like, but with the Eris' "proprietary" one, you can do all kinds of time zones, countdowns, etc. But the Eris proprietary weather one is neat. You can load a whole bunch of cities and then flip through them. Great for planning trips.
- Finally, I'll say it one last time because for me, it makes all the other things go away... the sheer ergonomics of the Eris were better for me. I am just more comfortable with this phone in my hand, on my hip, or in my pocket, so I will be happier carrying and using it.
That's it! Thanks to all those who replied in helping me with my decision.
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