So you have been considering one of the two popular new “smart phones” the iPhone or the Droid X.  You have done all the research online but are still not sure of the best option for you. If you are like me, you are not a “Techie” person and the statistical reviews have baffled you on the differences. I have the good fortune to own the iPhone as my personal cell phone, and my occupation has recently issued me the Motorola Droid X as a work device. So lets do a real World comparison for real people, shall we?

Your first question should be, do you NEED a smart phone?  To answer that question, you need to determine two things: what do you want to do with it, and where will you be using it? If you do a lot of video and music editing, Internet gaming or movie downloads the honest answer is a home based computer or a high power laptop is what you need. The smart phones will be of little use for these functions. What about simpler computing?  Updating your network sites such as Facebook or Twitter, reviewing websites with HD graphics or downloading short movies such as music videos?  If most of the time you are accessing this type of information at home or within a few yards of a Wi-Fi connection, I would recommend one of the new “Tablets” such as the iPad or any of the PC based small computers. These tools are much faster at downloading data than the smart phones with an added bonus of being easier to read. Pick your favorite Tablet with Internet card, save the high monthly smart phone fees for more important items and never look back.

Now, if you spend a ton of time away from home and still need some basic Internet functions, then a smart phone is the best choice. However the question still remains, which one?  Lets get down to the nitty gritty.

Appearance and ergonomics: First the X-It is large. You definitely know this beast is in your pocket with its sharper corners, heavier weight, and lumpy backside. This extra hand-filling size comes with a huge bonus: easier viewing. The iPhone on the other hand is the opposite of the X, its as smooth and slick as a two week old bar of soap. It disappears into your pocket, and feels great in the hand.

Where my two devises are equal are stability and battery life. Guess what, both of these phones get quirky once in a while and need to be re-booted.  Additionally, neither of these phones will stay charged under heavy use all day. You will need to have a car or office charger when away from home.

Basic functions: With calls, emails, downloads and texts these phones are both very good. Emails are pushed frequently, texts go through in seconds and even the online banking is surprisingly easy (love that feature!). The phone companies make a huge deal about their networks, but the honest answer is there is not a significant difference. Yes, with the older iPhone network (they recently added options to their networks) the coverage is not as strong. That being said, dropped calls and “no signal” are not the norm. Concerning download speed, in my home where I have strong bar strength and Wi-Fi connection for both devises, clicking on my favorite websites and YouTube videos, the Droid is faster by about four seconds. By comparison both phones are about one tenth as fast as my home computer.

The Droid phones are based on common PC software. This means they are compatible with literally millions of aftermarket applications, most of which are “free”. This method of computing does have its downsides however. Simple things like finding your sent emails, deleting chat conversations on FB, and editing your phone contacts can be a daunting experience. You need to go down certain folder paths, and randomly find the way to make a simple change. This experience can be frustrating and time consuming! The iPhone does not have these issues. It is as if the iPhone knows exactly what you want to do by reading your mind. You do not have to guess how to make a simple change, it is just there.

In the end, both the iPhone and the Droid X are incredible little computers. If you are looking for high speed downloads, I would recommend the Droid phones. However, if you are like me and easy to use is at the top of your list of needs, than the iPhone is your only real choice. If you doubt the power of these mini computers, keep in mind the blog you have been reading was created, edited and posted using both of these cells.

I hope this information has been helpful. Please comment on your favorite phone choices or ask any questions.

Thanks,

Logan