#Debate: IPhone 4 vs. Droid X
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @ManiacalMorgan
Here’s the big question: “Do I run in and buy the iPhone 4 as soon as possible, or do I wait for the Droid
X?”
As you might already know, the iPhone 4 hit shelves June 24 and promptly sold out nationwide. Apple and
AT&T started taking reservations for the new iPhone on June 15th, but there were so many reservations that
stores had problems with overloading their servers. Over 600,000 reservations were made and an estimated
1.5 million units sold to date.
The Motorola Droid X was introduced by Verizon just a day before the launch of the iPhone 4. They
seemingly wanted to detour AT&T customers by showing off their goods. The stronghold that the
iPhone holds over the smartphone industry seems unscathed, but which phone is really the best?
Let’s start with the iPhone. It’s safe to say that we have all laid our hands on the industry’s top selling
smartphone. Hundreds of thousands of apps, iPod, camera, video, and any number of other functions (it‘s a
phone too!). As an iPhone owner, I’ve spent countless hours on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Safari, and
texting, but what’s so special about the iPhone 4?
The screen resolution is absolutely ludicrous. Apple doubled the resolution from 3GS to an amazing
326ppi. It is so crisp that the human eye can’t make out separate pixels. The iPhone 4 can record HD video
in 720p and edit it with just a few taps of the screen. One of the newest additions is FaceTime. Through
WiFi, Apple has introduced video calling on a handheld device. You are able to switch the 5 mega-pixel
camera on the back of the phone to the VGA camera on the front of the phone with the tap of a button.
Apple also made some improvements on battery life which is a major plus.
What about the Droid X? One of the first noticeable differences between the phones is how gigantic the
Droid X is in comparison. One of the major reasons for the size difference is the it packs a much larger
4.3 inch screen compared to the iPhone’s 3.5 inch screen. Despite the larger screen, its 854x480 resolution
is not quite as good as the iPhone 4‘s 960x640. Although it has less internal memory, with 8GB, than the
iPhone 4, it can easily be expanded to as much as 40 GB using microSD cards. The Droid and the iPhone
both offer HD video recording, but the Droid boasts an 8 mega-pixel camera. It also has an HDMI out
so you can plug your phone in to an HD and share photos and videos with friends. New to the Droid is a
multi-touch keyboard pre-loaded with swipe. This will allow the user to type full sentences without ever
lifting your finger from the screen. Lastly, the Droid X will allow owners to use it as a mobile hot-spot,
allowing up to five devices to connect to it via WiFi.
Hmmm, now comes the hard part. Which phone is better? I know I’ve had a laundry list of problems with
my iPhones daring back to the first generation. I’ve had to return my phone 5 or 6 times, never due to fault
of my own. I’ve never dropped my phone, it’s always in it’s case. It’s my baby. Both phones look like
amazing devices. Despite the mishaps I’ve had with my iPhones, I’m still an avid support of the device.
That being said, the Droid X looks fantastic with some new features that even the iPhone doesn’t have. For
me, what it all comes down to is the mobile service.
I prayed that when the iPhone 4 came out, that it would be carried by someone other than AT&T. Alas,
they still hold the contract and will continue to provide their crappy service to all iPhone customers. I feel
like every other phone call I make gets dropped, and I know that most AT&T customers feel the same way.
Also, for those of you not currently on AT&T that are looking into getting an iPhone, they no longer offer
unlimited data plans. You get 200MB of data which gives you: 1000 e-mails (no attachments) and 150
emails with attachments, 20 minutes of streaming video, post 50 photos on social media sites, and view 400
web pages (or just talknerdytomelover.com 400 times). Some of us could survive on such a conservative
plan, but give me a week and I’ll blow through that.
I think it’s time for a change. With the Droid X launch set for July 15th and my AT&T contract up in
September, you can expect to find me happily enjoying my new phone and much better service. I’m not
hating on the iPhone 4, but with a price point of $199 with a $100 mail-in rebate, the Droid X is $100
cheaper than the bottom of the line iPhone 4 and just as good.
Tell Morgan how much you LOOVEEDDD his article on twitter here!