Weight: solidly built, but dense. Smaller than it looks in pictures
- LANjackal
from IM
Physical Keyboard: I don't know what reviewers were complaining about, this is actually pretty damn good. The only part that's not so great is the optional protective hard shell makes the top row of keys a bit hard to press because it consumes the "overflow" space that your fingers would normally have
- LANjackal
from IM
On screen keyboard: OK, but there's not much reason to use it
- LANjackal
from IM
The only major niggle I have with the Droid is that so far I can't figure out how to make it vibrate to notify me of incoming SMS when the handset is locked and the ring volume is silenced. If I don't figure that out I'm gonna miss a LOT of text messages at work, which is not good :/
- LANjackal
from IM
All charged up! Despair's (my Droid's Bluetooth name) first night on the town. He's already texted one girl and called another from his Contacts, which is fully integrated with my Facebook account (profile, pics, email addresses, phone numbers). This last part is absolutely amazing. Wish us well, I'll tell you more tomorrow when we embark on a 16h bar crawl (no joke)
- LANjackal
WOW. I have never set a custom ringtone this easily in my life. 1)Drag and drop song into phone from Windows Explorer (where it shows up as removable disk). 2)Go to Music App, which automagically finds ALL songs on the phone, regardless of location 3)Select track 4)Select "Set as ringtone". DONE. A-mazing, especially for a Verizon device (walled garden anyone?)
- LANjackal
"...especially for a Verizon device (walled garden anyone?)" They would had to have fucked with normal Android functionality. Have you tried, "Ringdroid," I think it's called? -- for editing audio on the handset. Perhaps there's something better now.
- Christopher A Carr
Idk about that, don't need audio editing capability
- LANjackal
from Android
Google Navigation: perfection. Period. Integrates with browser which integrates with calendar so I can nav my way directly to GCal event locations
- LANjackal
from Android
My buddy BR just picked one up himself. Verdict: fucking awesome
- LANjackal
from Android
Wi-Fi: works awesome. Using it @ a pool hall now
- LANjackal
from Android
Good hardware, presently. I would flash a fancier ROM.
- Christopher A Carr
I'm not going to throw down money until there is a 1 GhZ device. Soon. In 1/2 years, people who have this phone are going to feel silly.
- Christopher A Carr
... or we'll just get a new one? Handsets are salable dude.
- LANjackal
Speed: (because Chris Carr brought it up). The Droid is plenty fast. Speed is not an issue.
- LANjackal
Battery Life: Very good, but I'd bring my charger if I were going out of town for a weekend (I always do that anyway, so I don't consider than an issue)
- LANjackal
Browser: Faaaast. I don't miss the pinch multitouch capability reviewers have been bemoaning the lack of, since the high resolution means that 95% of pages are readable as is in the first place, and there's a handy zoom-in/zoom-out icon that pops up at the lower right of the screen
- LANjackal
UNPLEASANT SURPRISE: That charging cable that you think is a mini-USB cable? It's NOT. I don't WTF the port on the side of the Droid is, but it won't accept any other cable than the one that shipped with the device. Disappointing, but not a dealbreaker IMO
- LANjackal
Fancier ROM idea: If you wanna go for it, sure. However, my phone is one of those device (like my car) that I expect to just WORK, 100% of the time. Don't wanna risk bricking it, but if you wanna do that go right ahead.
- LANjackal
Contact management: This is simply the best implementation thereof you will ever come across, not only on phones but on ANY device. Full syncing of Google Contacts and your Facebook friends (all relevant fields, even job titles and pics from Facebook profiles), automatic duplicate entry handling, with search, email ... you name it. This is one thing the Droid beats everything else at. No competition.
- LANjackal
Camera: It's not the best, but it'll do. Besides, cameras like those are merciful to those who aren't naturally photogenic like me.
- LANjackal
Audio quality: Angelic. I know this sounds like an overstatement, but wait till you hear it. The audio on this device is just stunning. Everything else you've ever heard will sound like static afterwards in comparison
- LANjackal
Does it use a regular audio connector, or a custom one like the older Android phones?
- Glen Campbell
from iPod
Visual Voicemail is great, but if you have an active Wi-Fi connection it won't be able to sync. Which it tells you nicely. Perhaps Google Voice fixes that problem. Beginning to wish I had a GV account now. Oh well. Invite, anyone?
- LANjackal
I still can't get over the monthly fee for visual voicemail. Sigh.
- Glen Campbell
That's only if you have a 450min plan. The one I have has VVM rolled in... I think. Billing info isn't very clear on that, I'll see what my first new bill looks like when it comes
- LANjackal
from IM
VZW has the weird setup where feature prices vary BOTH by plan AND phone. For example, VZ Navigator is free on some phones but paid on others. I *think* Visual Voicemail's included with the data plan when you get a Droid
- LANjackal
More on battery life: Charging takes a while (1.5h from 50% to full). Definitely enough for overnight, but people who rely on fast charge times will be in for a surprise. I'm really anal about charging, so I don't find this an issue. Less "responsible" users (read: college girls) whose phones are permanently "about to die" will run into trouble :P
- LANjackal
Hmmm, not true mini-USB, slight disappointment. How loud are the ringtones and the call itself? Do you think the phone will feel weird with an extended battery? Do you experience any lag that has been reported in apps? Can't wait to have in hand next week!
- manielse (Mark Nielsen)
Lan: You want a GV invite? Think I still have one or tww. How do you like Stanford pounding the shit out of Oregon? Wow.
- Christopher A Carr
Why do you say it's not true mini-USB? That contradicts what I've been told by a Googler who's been using the phone since August.
- Glen Campbell
It may be a smaller USB connector than the "mini" one I'm used to. Phone ringtones are LOUD. So is the call volume. I don't know any phone that doesn't feel weird with an extended battery.
- LANjackal
from IM
Lag: bear in mind that you're dealing with a mini-computer that happens to be able to make calls, not a phone in the traditional sense. As with a PC, the more apps you run, the more lag you may notice (1 -2s sometimes, "missed" touches). In normal operation with mission critical apps though, there is no lag. I'd STRONGLY suggest Taskiller though, as the OS never seems to really kill...
more...
- LANjackal
from IM
Battery Life Report: During a drinking marathon today filled with heavy use of web browsing, FB app friend adding, taking (and uploading) pics, texting, email checking, calling, hopping on and off free Wi-Fi, etc. the Droid lasted *drumroooooooollllll* 11 HOURS. Terrible for a phone, but pretty good for what's essentially a pocket computer. Word to the wise: the car charging kit? Get it. An extra USB cable for charging at work is a pretty good call too
- LANjackal
Correction about the USB connector. It's a micro-B one, NOT a min-B one, which is why the other cable I had wasn't working. So yes, it IS a standard USB cable. Sorry to have mislead anyone
- LANjackal
Nice feature: automagical backlighting that turns on and off in response to ambient light (even when going through shadows)
- LANjackal
Camera: I take back what I said about it earlier. This is pretty much the BEST party camera ever. Reviewers who complained about the pic quality were simply taking the wrong pics. No one uses smartphones to take pics of flowers idiots. They use 'em to take pics at parties. The important thing is how skin tone and color come out WITHOUT being too revealing (trust me, no one wants to see...
more...
- LANjackal
Battery life: so my buddy BR who got one is complaining about the battery life also. And his phone was almost always dead BEFORE the Droid, so I can only imagine what the situation is like now
- LANjackal
Another niggle: No character count for text message composition
- LANjackal
Love this: "This messy, difficult thing is called innovation, and while it can cause angst for those who prefer stable dysfunctionality,"
- Polly Potter
I am eagerly awaiting Stephen's reply. I love ping pong!
- mita
Is some clever person out there compiling a list of all the responses? 'Cause I was just thinking I should do that, but perhaps someone has already started.
- laura x
It's supposed to teach you how to be resilient in the face of change. It is quite difficult for me because they are asking us to draw from life experiences and share with a room full of strangers. You might as well ask me to try to pull on a pair of size 6 jeans, because that's easier for me to do than this.
- cecily
from iPhone
i think it's dodgy when we're asked at work to share deeply personal experiences for the sake of group learning and team building. if i trusted you i'd tell you...and i don't. hope it wasn't as awful as it sounds.
- Tara Robertson
Well, you could go as deep or as shallow as you cared to, but it just so happened that the change that is effecting me most right now is a deeply personal one. I felt really raw and exposed sitting in that room, and I didn't participate much because I didn't trust the people around me not to misinterpret what they were seeing.
- cecily
Sharing is nice! But being forced or pressured to share isn't sharing, it's theft or extortion or something. Or taxes, and resiliency workshops shouldn't be taxing.
- Deborah Fitchett
Yeah, I don't have a problem with sharing if I feel like I know and can trust the people I'm sharing with, but that wasn't the case here.
- cecily
from IM
Mr. 7 started an after-school karate self-defense class today. I want him to be very suspicious if the teacher starts passing out bananas.
- Steve is older than ever
from Bookmarklet
Wait - Black Eyed Peas are the opening act for U2 on this leg of the tour? Guess who's not turning up at the show until 9:00 on the dot on Wednesday night?
I don't have a capslock key. All my computers have been reconfigured to eliminate it and make it a control key. I guess I'm stuck with typing properly all day.
- DJF
I don't have any photos from my yearbook as my yearbook is still in Atlanta, but here's a photo from my senior prom. I went to a performing arts high school, so it wasn't a big deal that I went to the prom with a gay guy, the big deal was that I invited a freshman to the senior prom.
- cecily
from Bookmarklet
(From 1986, about 3 weeks before graduation)
- cecily
John, it can be nice to have the library school students around - they're typically excited about the profession, so they help me find my passion for the profession again when I've let it slide. :)
- ÉllbeeÇee
It's handy for professional reading, but mostly the students just ask irritating questions that they expect to be answered using print indexes we don't actually have anymore.
- DJF
I was a euphonium man myself, but no way in sam hell am I putting up high school photos here. You think I look like a dork now, it ain't no comparison.
- John Fink
I need to go back to my parents' and find my old marching band photos. Our uniforms were hideous!
- Kendra K
I've tucked them in twice (each), gave them bevarages, kissed two booboos, cuddled them and when none of that worked yelled.... they still came back out. Like cockroaches at night (but cuter.)
- Adrian
wiewwiewiew this is the Thread Police, RODFATHER put your hands on the keyboard where I can see them.... Cecily mentioned The Real Roxane... you're out
- Adrian
I go to sleep and there are 400 more entries, I'm gonna have to tell work I can't seem to work today as I have important things to catch up on.
- Steve C
Robin Ventura getting his ass kicked by Nolan Ryan
- Steve C
supahead's husband (darius mccrary, eddie winslow on "family matters")
- tiffany
Kid n' Play (as in, "House Party 4: We Had A Dream")
- Jason Toney
Just to reiterate, anyone in the previous 1,000 comments. :D
- DO ANYBODY NO MONIQUE
can we say "tyler perry" again? i don't think we can overstate that.
- tiffany
There is only one possibility to play Dr. King: Samuel L. Jackson. "I am TIRED of these m******f****ng RACISTS in this m******f****ng SOUTH!"
- John Craft
Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brother. EDIT: Deleting all of my contributions because John Craft is the man. I suggest to the filmmakers that he actually have a cameo in the movie.
- Derrick
anika. i was laughing so hard i hit enter too soon and almost typed the rest of this into my feed, but ahahahahahahahal YOU STUPID.
- DO ANYBODY NO MONIQUE
A worthy addition, Anika. Btw, Cecily, this is one of my all time favourite threads on ff. OF ALL TIME!
- Micah Wittman
that could be a great relationship starting right there. good for you!
- Louise Alcorn
heh. i'm on a thesis committee too...so far, i haven't had to do much, but i suspect that will change once he gets past the prospectus part of the process
- ~Courtney F.
This student's topic is pretty library-related (dealing with Banned and Challenged books, and with the "softer" censorship that can happen through normal collection development). So it makes sense to have a librarian around. I'm not sure I'm the best person for the job, but I'll do what I can.
- lris
yeah, mine too, Iris. He's doing a study of male characters in Caldecott award winning books. Apparently, I get to read a lot of them and decide what kind of character the male character is. We'll see how that goes.
- ~Courtney F.
Oooh, that's exciting, Iris! I wish I could do something like that. Sadly, our thesis/comps aren't really structured that way. I don't know who besides you would be the best person for the job.
- Catherine Pellegrino
There was a School Library Journal article (I think?) recently about self-censorship in collection development. It's a topic I'm really interested in, and I would guess you could get lots of public and school librarians talking about it.
- laura x
Neoliberalism, Corporate Culture, and the Promise of Higher Education: The University as a Democratic Public Sphere, Henry Giroux - http://her.hepg.org/content...
Your eyebrows are impeccable. Well done madame.
- EricaJoy
This photo is as impish and lovely as I believe the subject of the photo to be. (Edit: I'm not sure that makes sense, but the point is this photo is making me smile every time I look at it, so thanks Cecily.)
- Steve is older than ever
Impish. I think that describes me pretty well. >:-)
- cecily
I did an IL session a week or so ago for a 360 person class. The students seemed a bit disengaged during the session but now they're all over meebo.
- John Dupuis
When I do the monster classes, I make sure at the end to tell them that my contact info (including IM stuff) is the most important thing to remember.
- DJF
awesome, John. We should collect all these nice comments & publish them. LSW article maybe?
- Stephanie_GoBigBlue!
Fortunately, if they google their course number, they find my notes page, which has meebo as well as all my contact info. Students usually laugh when I tell them I'm on Facebook. Also, this term I've been asking about Twitter. >50% have heard of it but only <5% are on it. Most don't seem that interested, yet at least.
- John Dupuis
Future of Digital Librarianship in Academic Libraries: Trends, Prognostication, and Perhaps a Little Science Fiction | Michael Giarlo - https://docs.google.com/present...