HTC Incredible - Way over rated

[cglex]

I have been using my Incredible for 2 and half months and there are lots of shortfalls that many should know about. How important these shortcomings are to you will depend on how similar you are to me.

First, I use the Verizon network because that is the only network that provides coverage for my home and office and Northern New England where I frequently travel. So, no Iphone.

Second, I am a Mac user and have my own consulting business. That means I eat what I kill. As such, failures of any kind in the phone are a real problem and I keep an address book with over 5,500 entries (people and companies) and Mac connectivity is a must.

First the pluses: it has a great browser, is a fun gizmo, has slightly better e-mail than a Blackberry and the addresses, when they synch with my laptop, synch better than with the Blackberry.

The many negatives can be summed up in that this is an attempt to copy an Iphone by Google geeks. The result is the interface is very clumsy and not intuitive like the Iphone. There is a steep learning curve. Worse, the software is frequently updated and those updates often change the way the phone works. Because this is a Google phone it is designed to use Google everything. As a consultant a prefer Google nothing. I have my own mail server, domain name, etc., and the Google 1000 limit on contacts kills the Google synching option. I lost quit a bit of billable and marketing time ramping up the learning curve and worse, I still lose time when Google/HTC changes the way the phone works. Even worse, I usually discover those changes at the worst possible time such as when I am driving, walking in a city, under time pressure etc.

This phone in particular is very sensitive to touch in all the bad ways. If the flick, thumb pressure, etc. is just not right either nothing happens (and I miss a phone call) or things that are not supposed to happen do happen such as dialing the phone, searching a web site, etc to happen.

My phone is not sensitive to holding it vertically or horizontally like the Iphone. Which way you hold the phone for a particular application changes from software update to update.

The screen really is impossible to read in the sun including a sunny day in the car. This renders the device pretty useless on sunny days in the car when either making phone calls or using Google navigation.

The search function for names and addresses is clumsy and hard to use. My old Blackberry got more done with this even though in theory the BB has a cruder search mechanism. When I am searching my address book I don't want web links.

Synching addresses with the the Incredible is a nightmare. As I mentioned, Google synch won't work with more than 1000 entries. So I use Mark Space. This program sometimes synchs and sometimes doesn't. Unfortunately, the synch failure is often spotted when I a on the road and find no names in the address book.

When pushing on the missed/recent calls list on a Blackberry, I have the option of replying with an e-mail, calling any number in the address book, etc. Not so the Android, I can only return a call to the inbound number. Worse, just the wrong touch on the screen and out a call goes.

I had hoped to use tethering. Unfortunately, Verizon does not support this feature for Macs. I have yet to try the third party apps.

So why didn't I return this over rated gizmo? Well, the gizmo facet is addicting and I kept thinking the learning curve would level off, well past the 30 day return period.

One plus of the Incredible is when addresses do synch, unlike the Blackberry, they synch in whatever form I have on Apple Address Book. So, with the BB, if the address isn't labeled home or work or e-mail, etc. there is no synch what so ever. With the Android, when addresses are labeled direct, work, etc. everything synchs.

The browser and related internet features are really usable, versus not at all for the Blackberry and provide a nice diversion when listening to boring speakers, killing time waiting for appointments or attending events when my wife drags me along.

In short, if you need a phone/pda/e-mail device first and foremost get an Iphone if you can tolerate the ATT network or a Blackberry if you need Verizon like me. If you want a toy first and a phone/pda/e-mail device is of far less importance and you value the Verizon network, get the Incredible. Never think of putting this phone in the enterprise. The steep and lengthy learning curve and resulting massive loss in productivity multiplied by lots of people means surefire unemployment for whomever approves this phone for wide spread use in an enterprise.

[RDILLZ]

I'm sure there solutions to most of your issues, but since you have a problem with learning curves, I agree the Iphone would be perfect for you.lol

[NetCom]

You should sell your house and move where iPhone reception is better. Just be aware, those areas may have higher prices in real estate since you are getting iPhone reception - you never know.

This I think would satisfy your needs of having MAC-y equipment to work well.

[xguntherc]

wow... Just like the iphone's theres an App for that. This applies for Android in many, many ways. Now I use stock Android, not HTC's Sense User Interface that is skinned over your phone. So i'm not completely knowledgeable with Sense.

having issues hitting the wrong thing with your hands cuz the touch screen. That will happen on ANY touch screen, iphone, blackberry, Android, or a Palm. doesn't matter. That is something that will go away with time as you get more comfortable with the touch only input.

I personally find the iphone OS to tight, and not enough options and very limiting. I don't see Android OS as being clumsy in any way. Yes the iphone makes things easier, but how easy is enabling Wifi on an iphone. like 4-6 steps going into settings and enabling. Android. it's a Widget right on the homescreen. flip of the finger and 1 press and you're ready to go. Having no shortcut for things like this on iOS is very frustrating to me.

If you don't want the phone to switch from vertical or horizontal. (Portrait or Landscape) than disable the Accelerometer in settings.

Every Smartphone, including the iPhone is impossible to read well in the sun, Other than samsung's new screens.

The Search function is very very well done. it lets you search for whatever you want, or whatever you don't want to. Go into Menu, Settings, and i think Search and you can choose what it searches. Mines set for Apps, Contacts, SMS, and Web. You can disable web if you don't want it searching links.

I don't know about HTC's custom software but when I get a missed call from someone in my contacts. Instead of touching there name on the screen. I hit the icon on the left and a little menu pops up with Email, SMS, MMS, Directions, Twitter, Facebook (all for that person) for as many ways it knows. if they are in your Facebook friends, thats an option.

I hope this helps a lil

[SkittlezGTI]

sounds like you should just get an iphone. i have an Incredible, and i love it. i never have these issues. nothing clumsy about the OS or UI. if anything, it's better (IMO) because you can put anything anywhere, and make it yours.

[Jet]

Your post was awesome, I enjoyed reading it. When I see iPhone I ignore everything else and look at the next thread, I read yours. And I think I know what the problem is/was, ready? STOP comparing it to the iPhone.

[djunio]

I'm surprised ya'll read that book. Maybe I'm just lazy?

[constellanation]

How important these shortcomings are to you will depend on how similar you are to me.

I'm not at all. Enjoy your iphone.

[tylerdurdin]

me simple, me not needs no InTELLigenCe phone. Me needs gizmo, fo games and FUn tings. I's enjoY android GUY on da phone. U sound like ManN who NEEd da utter kind. bE careFul Mama always say LiFE Is LIke a bocks of eYephones, U never Know wHen YOU gonnA git SERvicE.

[kitsunisan]

Ok people, this guy does have some issues with the Incredible, lets be constructive here.

The many negatives can be summed up in that this is an attempt to copy an Iphone by Google geeks.

The biggest problem you're having is your belief that Android is an iPhone "clone" and are trying to figure out why it doesn't behave just like an iPhone. Android development began almost two years before the iPhone was released, shortly following Google's acquisition of Android Inc. How do you clone something before its been created?
Second, what is similar between the two platforms? They're both touch screen phones, that's about it.

The result is the interface is very clumsy and not intuitive like the Iphone. There is a steep learning curve.

I'll give Apple one thing, they've gone out of their way to make the iPhone the ultimate "iDiot phone". One button, no choices. Yes, Android does have a learning curve, but if you can get "this isn't how the iPhone does it" out of your head, you'll see the learning curve is because of the number of options you're given. It's called choices, son, widgets you can place anywhere on the screen you want, intuitive notifications, themes, hell, you can choose your own launcher if you want.

Worse, the software is frequently updated and those updates often change the way the phone works.

You're talking about the Froyo update? I've been on Android since RC29, have seen every single update, not one has fundamentally altered the way the phone works, requiring you to relearn everything. The 2.1 to 2.2 update added features, but did not alter the basic functions of the phone.

Because this is a Google phone it is designed to use Google everything. As a consultant a prefer Google nothing. I have my own mail server, domain name, etc., and the Google 1000 limit on contacts kills the Google synching option. I lost quit a bit of billable and marketing time ramping up the learning curve and worse, I still lose time when Google/HTC changes the way the phone works. Even worse, I usually discover those changes at the worst possible time such as when I am driving, walking in a city, under time pressure etc.

Granted, it is a Google phone, something you should have known going in, but this does not limit what domain you can link to your phone. If you don't like the default email app, there are several third party email clients to choose from(ie Touchdown, K9 Mail).

This phone in particular is very sensitive to touch in all the bad ways. If the flick, thumb pressure, etc. is just not right either nothing happens (and I miss a phone call) or things that are not supposed to happen do happen such as dialing the phone, searching a web site, etc to happen.

Friend of mine has an Incredible, I swapped my Nexus with him for a couple of hours to play with it, had no issues with the screen at all.

My phone is not sensitive to holding it vertically or horizontally like the Iphone. Which way you hold the phone for a particular application changes from software update to update.

Wut?

The screen really is impossible to read in the sun including a sunny day in the car. This renders the device pretty useless on sunny days in the car when either making phone calls or using Google navigation.

Hold an iPhone in the sun, see how that looks. As for car navigation, I have my Nexus set to change to the highest brightness setting when I plug it into the car charger, and I've never had an issue reading it. Believe me, I use Navigation a lot.

The search function for names and addresses is clumsy and hard to use. My old Blackberry got more done with this even though in theory the BB has a cruder search mechanism. When I am searching my address book I don't want web links.

How are you getting web links inside the Contacts application? User error there.

Synching addresses with the the Incredible is a nightmare. As I mentioned, Google synch won't work with more than 1000 entries. So I use Mark Space. This program sometimes synchs and sometimes doesn't. Unfortunately, the synch failure is often spotted when I a on the road and find no names in the address book.

Don't have more than 1000 contacts, so I'll take your word for this, but remember, Mark Space is one third party app out of dozens, if you don't like the way it works, check out some of the others. It's not an Android failing.

When pushing on the missed/recent calls list on a Blackberry, I have the option of replying with an e-mail, calling any number in the address book, etc. Not so the Android, I can only return a call to the inbound number. Worse, just the wrong touch on the screen and out a call goes.

If I get a missed call, I have the option of returning the call, sending a text of sending an email. I can choose which number if the contact has more than one. No, I can't choose to click on a missed call from a contact and call a different contact from there, but then if I miss a call, I'm going to want to call that person, not someone else. As for the last sentence, don't touch the wrong part of the screen.

I had hoped to use tethering. Unfortunately, Verizon does not support this feature for Macs. I have yet to try the third party apps.

I've marked your mistake there. I tether just fine, thanks.

Most of the issues you have are easily solved with a bit of follow through. The screen issues you claim to have might be a hardware defect; I haven't heard complaints like that about the phone. Bottom line for me is that I'm able, through apps and themes, to make my phone my phone, not Steve Jobs phone. I have true multi-tasking on my phone, widgets to give me the info I need when I need it, and, since I'm a Google user, all of my contacts, appointments and links together where I want them. I will admit, one huge feature the iPhone 4 has over any Android device is the second End Call button it has, conveniently located right on the outer edge of the phone. Just give the phone a little squeeze or touch any skin to it and you'll drop the call.

Wait, that's not a feature?

And everyone else, be nice, or I'll get Susan after you. You don't want that.