Welcome to my owners review of the HTC droid Eris. I say owners review because unlike the “user” or “first look”reviewers, this is my only phone. I do not have a super power blog that creates enough interest in my own opinions that people just send me free phones for me to do half ass reviews. That being said I’ll be doing this review the only way that I can possibly have it make sense, by starting at the beginning.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, lived a man who’s only way to tweet, IM, facebook, email and youtube was on his LG dare. This man loved technology and even worked with mobile phones all day long. So he knew what was out there, like a kid with a telescope who’s parents were too lame to put him in space camp, he knew what was, but never would! That man was me and being that man sucks. So I began a mission, a mission to find a blend of hardware and OS that could do everything on the web I wanted to. Everything that I could do on a PC (which I don’t own) plus do it while looking pretty. After much searching I found this device in the droid Eris. Ill be doing this review in two parts. In the first half it will be within the first week, the second half will be after all the newness has gone away and all I’m left with is facts. So without any more delay………….
FLASHY LIGHTS:
The first thing I noticed when I held the display model at the Verizon store, was that in my hand it felt so comfortable. I mean really comfortable. The soft touch finish almost seems to eliminate the space between my hand and the case of the phone. Point being, it feels as though the device is meant to be cradled in your hand, like a robot baby. The Sense UI is beautiful, I never once have witnessed any program or app on my Eris that wasn’t very pleasing to my eyes. Having seven screens is great and having seven more scenes to play with just adds to the fun. Add to that the seemingly endless background apps in the marketplace, and you have a recipe for tech eye porn. That’s the best way I can put it, without getting vulgar.
Now, I know that most reviewers go on and on about specs. So I really didn’t want to say anything about them at all. But in fairness to the few people who’s only Intel on the Eris comes from this review, here’s the goods. It has a 3.2 inch capacitive display, with four electrostatic buttons on the bottom of the screen, a 5 mp camera, and a dedicated call and end call/lock button. The only other button on the phone is the volume rocker. “but Anthony, whats on the inside”. Well in all honesty the inside is a little dated, with a Qualcomm MSM7600, 528 MHz processor, and 288 MB of ram and not being able to save apps to the SD card, it does feel a little shallow when it comes to the hardware. But you never feel cheated or shorted, after all I purchased 2 of these devices for $100.00. An android device with sense UI and a 5 mp camera and amazing screen at $50.00 cannot be called a rip off. Which brings me to my next topic.
THE FEELING:
Its come to my understanding that just about as soon as you charge that battery up for your new phone, the device is dated. Which brings me to the only conclusion I have been able to come too. When anyone buys a new smart phone, they’re actually buying an OS trapped inside a shell. Not that hardware isn’t important, just that hardware comes and goes (remember your first gen ipod, was it the hardware you loved or the software). That being said, I think that people gravitate towards which Os’s make them feel good. Everyone has that neighbor who bought a prius because they liked the feeling of looking like they give a damn, when they actually don’t. They bought there prius because it feels good. My LG dare made me feel trapped, cut off from real apps and a real online experience. The Eris makes me feel free and connected at the same time. Both able to draw me closer to my friends and family and then say screw it and spend an afternoon making augmented reality graffiti while streaming music and ignoring every facebook update i get. So in closing, my Eris makes me feel like part of a movement. A movement for the freedom to do what we want with the devices we pay for, to make any app we want. Almost like I’m part of a team, no…… the captain of a team, no…….. like the mother fricking boss of the team.
See you in two weeks when I turn all this garble into total sense, and in the process continue to open people’s minds up to the idea of being in control of there own phone. Until then, live long and……. you know.
Like the review? Check out Anthony on Twitter and look for part two of the review coming in a few weeks.
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