Time Magazine ranks Motorola Droid above Apple iPhone for 2009
Time magazine has named the Motorola Droid the No. 1 gadget of 2009, besting the iPhone 3GS and calling the handset the first to truly challenge Apple's groundbreaking smartphone.
Time said that the Droid is the best hardware companion to Google's Android mobile operating system yet, earning the phone its top honors for 2009.
"The Droid is a hefty beast, a metal behemoth without the gloss and finish of the iPhone, but you don't miss it," the magazine said. "The Droid's touchscreen is phenomenally sharp and vivid, it has an actual physical (not great, but good enough) keyboard, and best of all, the Droid is on Verizon's best-of-breed 3G network. It's Android's first credible challenge to the iPhone."
Apple's iPhone still made the list, and earned praise. But the device came in fourth, behind the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader, and the Dyson Air Multiplier.
"Take the iPhone. Make it faster. There, you're done," the story said. "Yes, the 3GS has a better camera ? with video. And it has a compass and voice control. Those are all improvements over the original. But the main point of, and the best thing about, the new iPhone is speed. It has more of it. Period."
Hype surrounding the Droid continues to linger more than a month after the device first debuted. This despite the fact that the handset managed to sell 100,000 units in its first weekend, compared with over a million units of the iPhone 3GS sold in its first three days at retail.
While comparisons between the Droid and iPhone are inevitable regardless, Motorola has encouraged them with a series of advertisements geared towards men. One recent ad suggested the iPhone is feminine, comparing it to a "tiara-wearing digitally clueless beauty pageant queen." Motorola then portrays its Droid as a fast, efficient device that isn't worried about looks.
One recent study found that buzz surrounding the Droid had helped to propel the brand perception of Motorola beyond that of Apple for men ages 18 and up.
The rest of Time's top 10 gadgets list for 2009, following the iPhone 3GS, in order, is: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, Dell Adamo XPS, FinePix Real 3D W1, Casio G-Shock GW7900B-1, Beats Solo by Dr. Dre, and Panasonic G10 Series Plasma HDTVs.
Time said that the Droid is the best hardware companion to Google's Android mobile operating system yet, earning the phone its top honors for 2009.
"The Droid is a hefty beast, a metal behemoth without the gloss and finish of the iPhone, but you don't miss it," the magazine said. "The Droid's touchscreen is phenomenally sharp and vivid, it has an actual physical (not great, but good enough) keyboard, and best of all, the Droid is on Verizon's best-of-breed 3G network. It's Android's first credible challenge to the iPhone."
Apple's iPhone still made the list, and earned praise. But the device came in fourth, behind the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader, and the Dyson Air Multiplier.
"Take the iPhone. Make it faster. There, you're done," the story said. "Yes, the 3GS has a better camera ? with video. And it has a compass and voice control. Those are all improvements over the original. But the main point of, and the best thing about, the new iPhone is speed. It has more of it. Period."
Hype surrounding the Droid continues to linger more than a month after the device first debuted. This despite the fact that the handset managed to sell 100,000 units in its first weekend, compared with over a million units of the iPhone 3GS sold in its first three days at retail.
While comparisons between the Droid and iPhone are inevitable regardless, Motorola has encouraged them with a series of advertisements geared towards men. One recent ad suggested the iPhone is feminine, comparing it to a "tiara-wearing digitally clueless beauty pageant queen." Motorola then portrays its Droid as a fast, efficient device that isn't worried about looks.
One recent study found that buzz surrounding the Droid had helped to propel the brand perception of Motorola beyond that of Apple for men ages 18 and up.
The rest of Time's top 10 gadgets list for 2009, following the iPhone 3GS, in order, is: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, Dell Adamo XPS, FinePix Real 3D W1, Casio G-Shock GW7900B-1, Beats Solo by Dr. Dre, and Panasonic G10 Series Plasma HDTVs.
Comments
Uh huh, a "best of breed" 3G network that crumbles under the task of simultaneous voice and data. Nice try, Time.
They are talking about the Droid hardware not the Verizon or ATT network. Most users could care less about simultaneous voice and data, its just become a pathetic talking point for ATT users. Verizons network blows away ATT.
Seen it all before.
http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2009/...ion-benchmark/
http://palm.pdablast.com/articles/20...-Ranks-in.html
It's all fun and games until the next iPhone. Then it's back to the drawing board for everyone else.
The iPhone is like an old relationship. At first, it was exciting and "fresh" and you couldn't get enough of it. Now, it is just reliable, comfortable, and the standard you are used to. Lol, the droid is like that younger chick that looks good at first but you soon realize isn't as good as the original.
*yawn*
Seen it all before.
http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2009/...ion-benchmark/
http://palm.pdablast.com/articles/20...-Ranks-in.html
It's all fun and games until the next iPhone. Then it's back to the drawing board for everyone else.
The iPhone has reached its peak. There isn't anything major that can be added to the iPhone at this point. Sorry but there are no "game changers" as you like to put it.
They are talking about the Droid hardware not the Verizon or ATT network. Most users could care less about simultaneous voice and data, its just become a pathetic talking point for ATT users. Verizons network blows away ATT.
I have used both. Don't get me wrong, I loved Verizon when I had it. I dreaded the ATT network but I wanted the iPhone. It isn't that bad. I know where it doesn't work and I know where it does. But, data on verizon, SLOOOOOOOOOW. ATT's 3G is MUCH faster than Verizon's. Hands down. I have been on both sides of the fence.
The Droid is "just good enough" (which we've seen before), it's only been out a short time, and Time ranks it tops for the whole year? ROFL.
What surprised me most was the remark by a post-office girl I talked to. "Oh, Time? I see what you mean."
The iPhone has reached its peak. There isn't anything major that can be added to the iPhone at this point. Sorry but there are no "game changers" as you like to put it.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
Yet accessing the internet, email, organizing contacts, video, photos, music. Apple does it best.
My 3gs compliments my iMac desktop, my MB laptop and my AppleTV. It's a lifestyle choice where the iPhone is integrated and not a stand a lone product.
This Time ranking is inexplicable. The 3GS is head and shoulders above the Droid in everything, you can't even compare the OS of the two devices, Droid is so far behind. And then there's the App Store, etc.
The Droid is "just good enough" (which we've seen before), it's only been out a short time, and Time ranks it tops for the whole year? ROFL.
I don't think you get it. They're talking about what's new and exciting in the world, that's the entire point of their "Top 10 of Everything" series. I've got the iPhone 3GS and I love it, but they're very much correct in that it's more or less the same thing we've used for years. There's a lot that's new and exciting about Droid, even if you seem to think it's terrible (which I certainly do not). It made #1 because it made waves in the market, not because it's the "best phone".
The iPhone 3GS is the iPhone 3G with under under the hood tweaks. The Droid is all-new. It should not surprise anyone that it tops the iPhone in a "top X of 2009" list. Books from 2007/2008 may still be great, but they don't make the top of the Top 10 Books of 2009 list when a new edition is released.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
Yeah grabbing a quote from 1943 in regard to technology. That sounds about right for you.
This Time ranking is inexplicable. The 3GS is head and shoulders above the Droid in everything, you can't even compare the OS of the two devices, Droid is so far behind. And then there's the App Store, etc.
The Droid is "just good enough" (which we've seen before), it's only been out a short time, and Time ranks it tops for the whole year? ROFL.
You are right you cant compare the two the Droid does everything alot faster.
Glad to see some competition for the iPhone.
I think the iPhone is sissy and childish looking anyway, just like OS X, but I use OS X for it's security, not it's candy ass looks.
I like the idea of a REAL KEYBOARD, touch screens suck in my opinion. Plus the Droid (lousy name) has other features, like it's a alarm clock while charging etc.
I like the idea that the Droid appeals to REAL MEN and solves their needs.
What I really would like is some COMPETITION between carriers on prices, it's a shame carriers are leveraging products instead and raping our wallets every month.
Nearly everyone has a cell phone today, there is no reason why we should be paying outrageous monthly fees. Also a iPhone costs what $600? Almost the price of a computer. Why does a iPod Touch with a few less gizmos cost only a few hundred? Is it because the iPod Touch has COMPETITION?
It's really sad that carriers are acting like they are doing to rape us consumers, we have to call in the government (a bigger evil) to break up their wallet raping behavior.
And I'm willing to be it's AT&T who is the prime company setting the behavior for the rest of the industry, being broken up before.
AT&T is delivering phone books again, tell all your poor friends to just say NO! You'll wind up doing more in costly damage/wear/gas to your vehicle than you'll ever get paid for and you will do extremely hard labor as well. The only way to do the job is to use two people and hang the books on the mailbox, which is a Federal Offense if you get caught.
If they pay well and you make money, by all means go ahead. But they don't.
as for the droid, the initial euphoria seems to have disappeared and now they are going to have to get back to work the old fashioned way. it's going to be a herculean task.
I don't think you get it. They're talking about what's new and exciting in the world, that's the entire point of their "Top 10 of Everything" series. I've got the iPhone 3GS and I love it, but they're very much correct in that it's more or less the same thing we've used for years. There's a lot that's new and exciting about Droid, even if you seem to think it's terrible (which I certainly do not). It made #1 because it made waves in the market, not because it's the "best phone".
What's new and exciting about the Droid? The fact that it's a recast iPhone in a horrible outer shell, sporting a lousy OS with a badly implemented app store?
It's new, and it's a novelty, and it's the best iPhone knockoff yet that did indeed make waves in the market. Which we've seen before. Sure, I get it.
Yeah grabbing a quote from 1943 in regard to technology. That sounds about right for you.
Guess again about why I picked 1943....