HTC Droid Eris Phone
Filed in Phone Cell on Feb.08, 2010
- Android 1.5-powered smartphone with 3.2-inch touchscreen and easy access to your Favorite contacts, YouTube and Facebook
- Access a wealth of Google mobile services including Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions, Gmail, Google Talk, Calendar and more
- GPS-enabled for location services; Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g); 5-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth stereo music; microSD expansion (8 GB card included)
- Up to 3.5 hours of talk time, up to 373 hours (15.5 days) of standby time
- What’s in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, wall/USB charger, 8 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide, user manual
Amazon.com Product Description
Combining performance and functionality in one sleek package, the ultra-slim HTC DROID ERIS brings the power of the Android platform and the fast, reliable Verizon Wireless network together. Powered by the open-source Android operating system, it offers an intuitive interface with an easily customizable home screen and the ability to personalize it with a wide selection of free and paid downloadable apps via the Android Market. It also includes HTC Sense, a user interface overlay from HTC that makes it easy for you to create an individualized mobile experience tailored specifically to your needs.
The 3G-enabled HTC DROID ERIS runs on the fast, reliable Verizon Wireless network and is po… More >>
February 8th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Although I am trying to change my 8 year old phone (that barely does texting and doesn’t even have a camera) to a modern Droid Eris phone, I am decently tech knowledgeable.
It takes about 2-3 button pushes to even get to the phone function of this phone so that I can dial or use my phone contact list. I also have to tap the home/menu functions several times because it’s not very sensitive to touch.
On the other hand, the contact list is way too sensitive to touch. While scrolling through my contacts, I am frequently calling people that I don’t mean to call. Very, very annoying.
It’s great to have the Internet at the tips of your fingers, but I really need to use a phone quickly and hassle free and this phone just is not working for me.
Plus, the battery life really sucks. I haven’t used my phone for very long nor very often and it has zero charge after skipping 1-2 days of charging.
I’m going back to Verizon tomorrow to find another phone.
Addendum: The Blackberry Tour (which does NOT have a touch screen) is soooo much easier to navigate and to use than the Droid Eris and doesn’t have the irritatingly inappropriate reactions to touch. Good to know that I am not a complete tech idiot and that I was able to send my first text message without needing to read any manuals.
Rating: 1 / 5
February 9th, 2010 at 1:43 am
This was my first ever smartphone and I was very happy to get the HTC Droid Eris. My aunt and I both got the HTC Droid Eris because of the buy one get one free promo. It’s a great phone, very nice interface and easy to use.
Now the negatives…
The second day after my purchase, the phone FROZE! What the heck! All I was doing was listening to Pandora. I was forced to remove the battery. After it booted, I went onto Youtube and watched some music videos. But oh wait, it FROZE again! I was AGAIN forced to remove the battery. It wasn’t just me, my aunt’s HTC Droid Eris also FROZE while she was on the phone talking to a friend. Wow, we are both very unsatisfied. Also, the battery life flat out SUCKS. I have to charge the phone everyday at night time. I feel so stupid now having my aunt buying this phone for both of us because I thought it would be an improvement to our old flip phones. My aunt even said she would still rather use her 2005 Motorola flip phone. My aunt and I are thinking of going to the Verizon store, returning the HTC Droid Eris and getting the Motorola Droid or Blackberry Storm2. I do not recommend this phone to anyone unless HTC/Verizon fixes these problem.
I really wish I could keep this phone, but I can’t live with the constant freezes and a fast draining battery.
**EDIT** 01-23-10 HTC and Verizon released an Over the Air update concerning the freezing issue. The freezing issue is now fixed. This is actually a great phone once you get used to it. Also, the Droid Eris will be receiving Android OS 2.1 in the coming weeks.
Rating: 4 / 5
February 9th, 2010 at 3:02 am
Bought this phone recently.
Two issues..
1. Battery life is very bad. even w/o using internet.
2. Screen gets frozen. This is an existing bug…go to Verizon website and search in blogs for frozen screen. Replaced my phone recently because of this. New phone freezes as well but not usual as the old one.
Apps are great.
Rating: 3 / 5
February 9th, 2010 at 4:08 am
Great value for the price. Minimalist asthetic (though questionable trackball), beautiful GUI, but really nothing new worth writing about. It’s another touchscreen phone and unfortunately, the worst part about the phone is the poor touchscreen. I have been using an Ipod-touch to browse wi-fi for the past two years and haven’t had problems. On the ERIS no matter how i set it up (whether it’s horizontal screen, or with typing tutorial..) i am always making typos. The ERIS touchscreen is just too inaccurate. I thought I would be ok with a touchscreen and now realize i made a big mistake. I returned the ERIS (with a restocking fee) and switched back to a blackberry; purely, for the blackberry’s intuitive, utilitarian interface.
The droid software is also rather slow, or rather, the eris is too underpowered to run the software. There is often a lag between when you press a button (call for example) and when a function executes long enough to make you wonder whether you pressed it in the first place and causing you to touch the screen again and accidentally execute another command. Not for the inpatient, especially those with big clumsy fingers.
Rating: 2 / 5
February 9th, 2010 at 6:28 am
The voice dialer is hopelessly non-functional, and insists that you confirm your voice command with a tap. What’s the point? Blue tooth integration is barely there, though you can answer a call without tapping the phone. It’s just not safe to use this phone while you’re driving.
So far, I can only hook up my blue tooth headset to the phone audio, so I can’t use blue tooth at the gym. I’m sure there’s probably something I can buy to make this work, but I’m getting pretty tired of that.
Good luck using internet mail other than gmail. I’ve never got Yahoo! mail to work well.
The device has a GPS, but no decent on-board navigation software. You can buy navigation apps, but judging by the reviews none of the GPS apps are very good. My Nuvi isn’t going anywhere for a while.
I never would have bought this thing, it was a gift. The internet access seems good and the browser is pretty functional. Still, the software gives the short-shrift to the device’s role as a cell phone. If you love compromises, the Eris is for you. I miss my Motorola Razor.
Rating: 3 / 5