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I bought an iPad for on-the-road internet access but the ATT 3G doesn't get it done. I also have Verizon wireless, so maybe it makes more sense to get a Verizon smart phone for internet access. If I really need it I can hotspot data to the iPad.

For smartphones Verizon now has both i-Phones and Droids. Which is the more useful for travel internet -- weather, restaurants, personal email etc?

I have a Verizon DroidX. Its a competent smartphone and can do pretty much everything. But I can't seem to get to things as fast as my friends with the iPhone4's. I admit to a certain amount of iPhone envy.

But the hdmi out on the droidx is nice for movie streaming to my flatpanels in the RV. And the hotspot feature works really well. I have fed the iPad many times when the Verizon network had signal and the ATT did not.

Bottomline though, as long as the Verizon iPhones can hotspot, Stacey and I will probably be switching to them in 2012 when our contracts are up. But part of that might be some grass is always greener talk... We've never had to live with an iPhone.

I have one of the original droids. There are a lot of things about it that annoy me, but the thing that I love is the pull-down keyboard. Everytime I have to compose a text message on an iPhone, I remember how much I hate the touch-screen keyboard...not good for fat fingers. That being said, when my contract is up in July, I'll be getting an iPhone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/1 ... oo__Hookup" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The simplest option would be to get a MiFi from Verizon, which is a mobile WiFi hotspot. Then you can use the iPad you already have on the Verizon network.

One advantage of an Android phone is that the Google mobile maps application supports voice navigation on android phones, and not on any other devices (including Apple products). The iPad Google maps will give you directions, but they are only displayed on the screen, and you have to step through them manually.

To get voice navigation on the iPad, you have to buy an application and subscribe to their service. TomTom and Garmin have apps available, among others.

John Stimson wrote:The simplest option would be to get a MiFi from Verizon, which is a mobile WiFi hotspot. Then you can use the iPad you already have on the Verizon network.

+1

John Stimson wrote:The simplest option would be to get a MiFi from Verizon, which is a mobile WiFi hotspot. Then you can use the iPad you already have on the Verizon network.

Yeah, but then I wouldn't have an excuse to buy a smartphone. ...But point taken.

The nav isn't much of a draw for me...I'm happy with my various GPS's.

Why only look at the Droid line of phones?
There are plenty of great Android phones that aren't in the Droid lineup.

Bill Martin wrote: Which is the more useful for travel internet -- weather, restaurants, personal email etc?

I like that I can see my google calenders on my Android phone. There are probably neater Apps on the Iphone, but I don't miss my old Iphone at all. I certainly don't miss dealing with Itunes.

Rooting a Driod for free Wifi hotspotting is probably easier than jailbreaking an Iphone. It certainly is on my HTC Evo, not that I would condone such criminal behavior.

Max Hayter wrote:Rooting a Driod for free Wifi hotspotting is probably easier than jailbreaking an Iphone. It certainly is on my HTC Evo, not that I would condone such criminal behavior.

Hmmmm.... don't know about rooting, but "I've heard" theirs a wonderful app called PDAnet in the Android Apps marketplace. }:) "People say" it works fine on the EVO 4G where the plans run a bit less than other networks.

Craig Naylor wrote:
Hmmmm.... don't know about rooting, but "I've heard" theirs a wonderful app called PDAnet in the Android Apps marketplace. }:) "People say" it works fine on the EVO 4G where the plans run a bit less than other networks.

PDANEt is for wired tethering, not wireless. No root required and works great. Since an Ipad needs wireless, I'm not sure that would work.

I use the Mobile Me service on the Mac / iPad / iPhone.

Synchronized email, calendar, bookmarks, etc. - I can log in from anywhere and have access to that info, plus there is public and private data storage, so you can use it like an ftp site. The best part of the on-line data storage is I never need to travel with my laptop anymore...

Also, my wife and I share our calendars this way so we can keep track of the family appointments and other important stuff, like Finn's t-ball schedule...

I personally decided to say goodbye to the iPhone & Apple's proprietary BS...

Got myself an HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon now & have absolutely NO regrets.

Karen loves her new Verizon 4G Thunderbolt. Of course, it's not an iPhone. 153 Apps and counting

?

Ive had an android phone for about w months Bill and I've been very happy with it. No issues at all.

Number of Apps is no longer an issue... whether the phone works for you is! :unimpressed:

At one time I liked iPhone but became turned off when the new OS slowed it down & I refused to succumb to Apple trying to force me to upgrade to a newer model. With HTC I also can replace the battery when it gets tired which you cannot do with the iPhone.

I don't want to turn this into a war between Apple & Android, just want to state what my experience was... Anyway, sounds like Bill may have other options than a new phone...

Okay, thanx for all the input. I'm leaning Droid, but I see no reason to buy the latest and greatest. I don't have 4G service in town, nor on the road. So I see no need for a 4G machine like the Thunderbolt. Looking at a couple of the older Droids, the -X and -2, it appears to me the biggest obvious difference is the -2 has the fold-out keyboard. So I think I need to drop into the store and fondle those -- see if I want a keyboard. And yes, I know there are other android choices, but unless there's some obvious advantage they provide, I'm trying to narrow my choices, not expand them.

If any of my facts or assumptions are wrong, I trust you'll tell me.

Karen Zaterman wrote: With HTC I also can replace the battery when it gets tired which you cannot do with the iPhone.

I don't want to turn this into a war between Apple & Android

I don't want to start a war either, but I've never experienced (or known anyone to experience) a tired battery in the iPhone. Or any other phone over the past three years. My blackberry had issues, but that was 4 years ago.

I admit I'm curious about the droids. But it is an easy decision for me since I can't hook up to corporate email. (policy issue)

Bill Martin wrote:Okay, thanx for all the input. I'm leaning Droid, but I see no reason to buy the latest and greatest. I don't have 4G service in town, nor on the road. So I see no need for a 4G machine like the Thunderbolt.

If any of my facts or assumptions are wrong, I trust you'll tell me.

Well this first sentences (I bought an iPad for on-the-road internet access but the ATT 3G doesn't get it done.) vs. your third & forth above.

4G is growing. I travel a lot too. I like to keep up on my "TV shows", watch Netflix, and follow all of the wonderful links so commonly posted here to youtube. For these purposes, most hotel internet SUCKS. It's great for email and other non video/music related internet perusing.

On Sprint I can get 4G at my house, and in Hotels in LA / OC, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Portland, some of Seattle, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, where the hotel service was to slow for my wants. I'm sure more places, but that's were I've used it so far.

RE: PDAnet. Not just wired tethering, you can tether via bluetooth according to the directions (though I haven't yet) From Junefabrics website: "If you only use Bluetooth DUN to go online, you do not need to install PdaNet on the computer side. The Bluetooth DUN feature also allows you to connect from Mac, Linux or any other Bluetooth compliant devices."

KJ Christopher wrote:But it is an easy decision for me since I can't hook up to corporate email. (policy issue)

Set up forwarding from your corp email to gmail (or whatever), then you're not hooking up *to* corporate email, *it's* doing the connecting to somewhere else! Is there a policy prohibiting that? }:)

In Soviet USA, corporate email connects to you! </yakov smirnoff>

Craig Naylor wrote:On Sprint I can get 4G at my house, and in Hotels in LA / OC, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Portland, some of Seattle, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, where the hotel service was to slow for my wants. I'm sure more places, but that's were I've used it so far.

Heh, in the last year I needed internet in Silverton, Moab, the Arizona Strip, Anza Borrego state park and the Panamint Valley. (It's called retirement ) I had four bars of Verizon each place, no service with my iPad ATT, and I'd bet big bucks no 4G. Not even close.

What's the relationship of having 3G available when you have four bars cellular? Are they one and the same, or might I not have any internet service in these remote locations?

Will Kalman wrote:

KJ Christopher wrote:But it is an easy decision for me since I can't hook up to corporate email. (policy issue)

Set up forwarding from your corp email to gmail (or whatever), then you're not hooking up *to* corporate email, *it's* doing the connecting to somewhere else! Is there a policy prohibiting that? }:)

Probably so, because they have a rule on the back end somewhere that prevents the forwarding from actually happening, no matter what rules I write. Since I'm actually okay with the iPhone, I haven't pushed it. Others might make good use of this tip though.

Bill Martin wrote:Okay, thanx for all the input. I'm leaning Droid, but I see no reason to buy the latest and greatest. I don't have 4G service in town, nor on the road. So I see no need for a 4G machine like the Thunderbolt. Looking at a couple of the older Droids, the -X and -2, it appears to me the biggest obvious difference is the -2 has the fold-out keyboard. So I think I need to drop into the store and fondle those -- see if I want a keyboard. And yes, I know there are other android choices, but unless there's some obvious advantage they provide, I'm trying to narrow my choices, not expand them.

If any of my facts or assumptions are wrong, I trust you'll tell me.

I have the Droid X. Looked at the -X and the -2. Don't (or didn't, didn't think about now having internet and responding on forums) do much texting so didn't care about the drop down keyboard with it's tiny keys on the -2. The X actually has pretty large "keys" on screen when rotated sideways. Plus the X has a better camera with high def video and an HDMI output to connect to your TV or other device. Can't compare with anything else since it's my first smart phone.

You really should check out a Verizon store and type on the keyboards. Stacey and I both thought we'd want the Droid 2 after the abysmal BBStorm touch screens. Turns out we liked the touch screen keyboards and LOVED the larger screen on the X. My buddy really prefers the actual keyboard. So, very much a personal preference thing.