Verizon to get not one, but TWO Android phones!!!

So, my LG Venus phone is not living up to my standards.  As one of the first generation of non-iPhone touch screen mobile phones, it leaves much to be desired.  Like, how about the desire for a phone that doesn't lock up more frequently than a teenage boy's desktop protected by McAfee Anti-virus?  Or what about a phone that doesn't shut itself off whenever it wants and drops a call like a hotcake fresh off the frying pan?  Needless to say, even the VZW sales department had nothing good to say about it...  ::sigh::

Well, with that, I have begun my search for a new phone.  I want an unlimited data plan, so I can surf the web all day, check my email, have a physical full QWERTY keyboard and Facebook like there's no tomorrow.  I also want VZ/GPS Navigation, a reliable 3G network and I want to keep my unlimited text/pix/video messaging.  The reliable 3G coverage was a no-brainer. Verizon has the top most rated coverage in the nation, so I'm definitely sticking with them (sorry, Sprint).  All the other features, though, depend on the phone itself, not the carrier.

My phone isn't up for an upgrade until January, but I thought I'd start looking now to get a good idea of what's out there on the Verizon mobile phone market.  With all the specs that I want, it seemed that the Blackberry Tour was the best choice.  It's a Blackberry/Smartphone, so it requires the user to have some sort of data plan, and as luck would have it, Verizon offers an unlimited data plan for all their smartphones at only $40/month.  VZ Navigation is $10/month for their unlimited access, and the Tour works overseas--cool!  So with all this, it really seemed that the Blackberry Tour was the phone for me.  That is until Verizon sent out a press release on their newest mobile phones: Motorola Droid and Motorola Calgary.

The new *Motorola Droid is the newest phone to come out running Google's OS, Android.  It will be running Android 2.0 (wow!) and will thus have access to Google's free turn-by-turn directional GPS--no need for VZ Navigation (-$10/month)!!!  It's a fully touch screen phone with a side-slide-out full QWERTY keyboard.  It is, of course, a smartphone, so a data plan is required--$40/month unlimited.  It has WiFi and Bluetooth and is connected to Verizon's 3G network.



Holy cow, I think we've just scored the big one!

With a new 2-year plan, the Motorola Droid costs about $200--with an upgrade...not sure...  I'm also not sure about the Calgary's cost either, but since it's a lower-end version of the Droid, I'd imagine that it'd about around $150 or less.  The Calgary is nearly the same as the Droid, but it's camera is a little lower quality and it will be running the Android 1.5 OS.  Meaning, it will not have access to Google's GPS, so user's wanting that will have to get Verizon's version for $10/month.  Still, if you're looking for a good, quality Android phone and you're on a budget, the Calgary looks pretty darn good.

Blackberry Tour, who?  Seems I have some decisions to make...


*Motorola Droid & Calgary to be released by Verizon in early November, 2009