I want an Android but have questions

[bcbossuk]

So I will be switching to a Droid on Verizon in the near future but I have some concerns. I currently have a BB Tour 9630 and am done with BB uninnovative style.

I want to ask some questions first:

Is Microsoft Exchange email and Calendar supported on current Droid's or only with Froyo? If only with Froyo can someone let me know their experience with it on Froyo (Nexus One owner)?

I do love BBM is there a replacement app for this? I have heard Google Talk and such but is there a great messenger app?

Can some people respond with just a brief explanation of why Android is so great. I hear great things from Verizon and there is a lot of support, I just was wondering specific things that people love. Maybe current Verizon customers who switched from a BB would be helpful?

Thanks and btw I am new to the forums - my 1st post!

 

[acey612]

hey there, let me take a stab at a few things. Firstly, Black Berry Messenger is neat, but unless they changed something it's still only bound by those using BB devices. On android, there are lots of replacements that connect to a lot of instant messenger services.

Far as a general reason to switch to android...

I used to use a Blackberry, and I loved it.

I also used to have an iPhone, and I loved it.


I came to Android because of my general thirst for technology, and my curiosity about the platform. SO FAR, it is my favorite of the three I have tried. The reasons are many, including the customization that is there. But most of my reasons for liking the platform so much can be summed up into one thing. OPEN SOURCE.

I like feeling like I am contributing to an open source project. I like knowing that the platform is striving to give it's consumers what it wants, without shielding them from what it deems as bad. They let us decide for ourselves what we want (A fault from iPhone).

Android has pros and cons like anything else, but I chose the slightly outdated motorola droid over the iphone4 when my contract was up. I like the direction google is going, and I'm glad to be on the boat, so to speak.

Hope this helps!

 

[grainysand]

Is Microsoft Exchange email and Calendar supported on current Droid's or only with Froyo? If only with Froyo can someone let me know their experience with it on Froyo (Nexus One owner)?

You can use Touchdown.

I do love BBM is there a replacement app for this? I have heard Google Talk and such but is there a great messenger app?

TextPlus provides free app-to-app texting. Mind you, that kind of defeats the point--GTalk's advantage is that you can talk to anyone with a gmail account across all platforms, iPhone, Symbian, Android, BB, PC, Linux.

Can some people respond with just a brief explanation of why Android is so great. I hear great things from Verizon and there is a lot of support, I just was wondering specific things that people love. Maybe current Verizon customers who switched from a BB would be helpful?

Ease of use without sacrificing customizability and powerful tools. I can't emphasize ease of use enough: coming from archaic platforms like the BB OS or Symbian, you'll notice right away how smooth and wonderful and intuitive everything is. Stability too; if you're going with a high-end device in particular, no amount of multi-tasking will slow your phone down. Android manages memory very well, especially in Froyo (where it actively and automatically shuts down unused processes).

Oh, of course, media and web browsing experience is not to be compared with the turd that is the BB OS.

 

[bcbossuk]

It is helpful! I just need some in depth analysis of the Microsoft Exchange email.

I love technology but am not one to root a phone or do many of the programming things. It seems Android has a huge advantage in that way and I hope its not one of the main pros for it. More responses will be helpful!

 

[bcbossuk]

I see touchdown costs $20. I would hate to buy an Android spend $20 more bucks than get exchange supportl with Froyo. Do you think I am better off waiting until Froyo is released on Verizon phones before purchasing?

Can anyone verify Exchange email is supported with Froyo?

 

[grainysand]

It is supported. Froyo improves ActiveSync considerably. According to this page:

• Improved security with the addition of numeric pin or alpha-numeric password options to unlock device. Exchange administrators can enforce password policy across devices.
• Remote wipe: Exchange administrators can remotely reset the device to factory defaults to secure data in case device is lost or stolen.
• Exchange Calendars are now supported in the Calendar application.
• Auto-discovery: you just need to know your user-name and password to easily set up and sync an Exchange account (available for Exchange 2007 and higher).
• Global Address Lists look-up is now available in the Email application, enabling users to auto-complete recipient names from the directory.

Which seems pretty decent.

Mind you, if you don't have Froyo, you can still get Exchange support via HTC Sense. It's a UI overlay/framework mod of Android used on HTC's phones. If you're looking at Verizon, that'd be the HTC Incredible (not sure why you're getting a Droid--it's, what, over half a year outdated by now? Came out and got leapfrogged by the Nexus in a few months). Not sure how good the support is, since it's not a feature I use at all; will have to wait for other more corporate-oriented users to tell you about their experience.