There are so many opinions out there for what smart phone to buy next. There isn’t a week that goes by that someone doesn’t ask me my choice between blackberry and android or iPhone and android. Recently I did more research on what’s out there today so I decided to put some info on the blog. Since I travel to many homes and businesses off the beaten path I am limited to what carrier I choose, but my current carrier is getting too far behind in equipment releases. Right now I am using a blackberry tour for communications and data streams from the web. I also have an iPod touch to make up for the blackberry’s inability to display rich media content like high quality video and non-mobile optimized web sites. As my contract is coming to an end Verizon gets the iPhone so I decide to check out some prices and new features. I looked at the iPhone 4, Droid X, HTC Thunderbolt, and the new Motorola Bionic. After seeing what my buddy at the Verizon store accomplishes with his Droid X I am on the verge of actually prying my Blackberry from my white knuckled grip.
Initially because I love my iPod I was leaning towards the iPhone. Some people down apple’s closed system as it slows progress only allowing approved apps to be used on their products. This is actually a good thing in a way because you know that while using your apple product you will always have a great experience. They can have a snappy phone that takes advantage of every flop of its hardware resources. If you don’t allow apps that run slow on your system then it will always seem fast.
The new android based phones have dramatically improved touch response and crazy hardware to handle the ever evolving open app network. The one my buddy had and I have seen before is the Droid X which I am told is much improved and faster than the Incredible which was the highly advertised 1Ghz processing power phone. The new phones coming out for Verizon include the Thunderbolt and the Bionic which both have the front facing camera. I am leaning towards the Motorola Bionic because I have had HTC phones before and they didn’t perform to my expectations, but it could have been the operating system. The HTC Thunderbolt seems like it is going to be released to Best Buy exclusively for a short time before it shows up in the Verizon stores. The Bionic is going to be a while.  It was at this years CES and Verizon is supposed to get it.  This Android version 2.2 powered dual core processor phone is what I am looking for.  If RIM can’t give me a faster blackberry they I am going to have to move to somewhere that can give me more of the speed that I crave as i multi-task my way through the day.  Even though my carrier has great plans and coverage in my area I am going  to have to leave them also since they do not sell the new equipment.  One bit of research left to complete would be the cost of the data plan with the Bionic because it is a 4G phone.  4G is far from available in my area so I would hope that they could allow me to pay for a 3G plan and not pay more for a 4G data plan and have to drive 300 miles from my home to use it.    There will be more to come on this topic.  Once I get it I will have to connect it to all the devices in my world.   Please comment to keep the discussion going.

Here are some links:
Verizon Wireless (If you are going to the Roanoke Rapids, NC store let me know and I will tell you who to ask for)
Motorola DROID BIONIC (drool)
HTC Thunderbolt
Motorola DROID X (available now)

p.s.  The Motorola XOOM is amazing, but that’s another topic all together.

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