Verizon Misfit Toys Ad … ‘Hey, check out the new guy!’
Attention cell phones power users — people that need them for e-mail, web browsing, navigation and a reliable phone with a reliable network and reliable battery life:
The issues of features vs. network reliability will come into focus this holiday season.
Motorola Droid an iPhone killer? It does what iPhone doesn’t — that depends. A Retrovo study reveals a potentially unfair stereotype of iPhone users? It finds that iPhone users are more superficial than Blackberry counterparts. For example, iPhone users are more likely to breakup with someone by text message or email. And more likely to to be turned off by a potential romantic partner who has an out-of-date gadget. Ho-ho-ho, the upcoming holiday season is starting out to be predatory on Apple’s iPhone. And AT&T is suing VZW for its “There’s a Map for that” ad campaign. You see, There’s an App for that, but not a Map for that … But what Verizon Wireless is pointing out in their ads, is the superiority of their reliable network and coverage area. And that means that the most important issue for a wireless phone — its reliable coverage area — is going to be fully exposed. That’s a good thing.
Ask almost any person that has used an iPhone how it works as a phone and they are likely to complain about lackluster network reliability. AT&T just doesn’t have the network coverage that Verizon Wireless has. That means dropped calls. That means that those awesome apps that you can load on your iPhone, just don’t work in some places. That means AT&T even having a notice on their coverage map on their website that informs wireless phone users they might have to step outside to get service.
Apple, Inc. and Steve Jobs did a wonderful job designing a user friendly phone which provided freedom from many of the restrictions that might have been involved with a company like Verizon Wireless, such as paying for all ringtones, or not being able to sync your phone to your computer without dependence on the Verizon Wireless network. Apple as always has a device with a superior human interface design.
But now the new Motorola Droid with its Droid Does campaign offers a zippier browser experience, better camera, and a superior free navigation program on its phone. But it has far less applications available at least for now. And you can only have three screens of widgets, compared to iPhone’s nine additional application screens, each. Yes, the Droid does flash for its camera, but it will kill your battery. But it doesn’t do auto-dialing direct from your phone. You have to use up your software widget screen to have widgets for each number you want to be able direct dial. And one thing the Droid Does for sure. It occasionally crashes in the middle of switching from texting to handling a phone call. The Android operating system asks you if you want to force the operating system to quit. The Droid has a superior screen resolution to the iPhone, but some numbskull engineer decided to use a gray 2 point font for the time stamp on the text messages. And text messages that are from yesterday or any day before? … they no longer have the time stamp. If only they would have The Cardinal Digital Lifestyle Department to beta test these things.
Meanwhile are you still in search for the perfect phone and the perfect network? Keep looking. We are not there yet in the year 2009.
Bottom line.
A phone should be a good phone first.
It should freeze.
It should work almost anywhere in major metropolitan areas.
It shouldn’t dial by accident — ‘butt dial.’
It shouldn’t change your ringtone volume or mute without your knowledge, but it should still be easy to change — simply and quickly.
Verizon Wireless Blue Christmas Ad.
UPDATE:
Here is AT&T’s response to the Verizon Wireless ads in the form of a memo … posted on its website …
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=14002
US wide coverage map …
AT&T Sets the Record Straight on Verizon Ads
To Our Customers:
As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don’t respond to competitors’ advertising. However, some recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T’s wireless data coverage.
The key facts are:
AT&T’s wireless data coverage reaches 303 million people – or 97% of the U.S. population, where they live and work. Our data coverage consists of 3 different types of technology:
3G. 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest.
EDGE. 301 million people or more than 96% of the population are covered by EDGE.
With both 3G and EDGE coverage, customers can access the Internet, send e-mail, surf the Web, stream music, download videos, send photos, text, talk and more. The only difference – with some data applications, 3G is faster than EDGE
GPRS. Covers 303 million people, allowing you to talk, text, e-mail and access basic websites optimized for wireless.
AT&T is the #1 network for smartphones, with twice the number of smartphone customers than Verizon, our closest competitor. Some of the reasons include:
Most popular smartphones. Unlike Verizon, AT&T offers the most popular smartphones in the industry.
More wireless apps. Unlike Verizon, AT&T customers have access to more than 100,000 applications, more than with any other wireless company.
Talk and E-mail at the same time. Unlike Verizon, AT&T’s 3G network lets wireless customers simultaneously talk and surf the web or do e-mail.
Fastest 3G in the nation. Unlike Verizon, AT&T has the nation’s fastest 3G network.
Thank you for allowing us to set the record straight. We appreciate your business and will continue to work hard to deliver the best wireless data experience in the industry.
Your AT&T Team