Welcome to Our WirelessAdvisor Community!

You are viewing our forums as a GUEST. Please join us so you can post and view all the pictures.
Registration is easy, fast and FREE!

Join Now

Verizon Droid Incredible

Discussion in 'ANDROID Phones, Tablets and Devices' started by Mark D, May 7, 2010.

  1. Mark D

    Mark D New Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2010
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    california
    Past phones and Incredible first impressions: Owning and using (on 3 lines) phones from LG VX6100 to Voyager, the huge un-improvement Verizon has made in the Incredible is to remove these convenient external buttons:
    1) the call button, for making voice dial calls, very convenient in the car, requires no looking, and acitvates voice dialing prompts -- the Incredible requires (unless there's a hidden feature somewhere I haven't discovered) pressing the unlock button to activate the screen, swiping the screen to permit tactile entry, and pressing the Voice Dial icon to activate dialing prompts (the Voice Dial buton can be, and is on my Incredible, added to the main menu -- that's easily done). How nice if they'd left an external button out there.
    2) vibrate button: my old VX6100 activates vibrate mode by holding down for 3 secondes the decrease portion of the external volume control toggle. No such convenience on the Incredible. It's all in a screen menu.
    3) Camera button: Gone. All on the screen now.

    The logic of removing so many convenient external buttons escapes me. They don't get in the way, and by requiring hold-down times of a couple of seconds to activate some features, there is seldom an error.

    USER GUIDE missing for those who are not geek geniouses: Verizon ships a skimpy 10 or 15 page user start-up booklet which is not much use in learning how to use the Incredible's many interesting, useful and cute features. On Verizon's web site (and calling Verizon tech help) I verified there is no detailed user guide available there. The only user guide for the Incredible available as of May 7, 2010, is on HTC's web site, and although that guide is branded as a Verizon guide, the disclaimer notes that some features may be different in actual use depending on Verizon's implementation, etc.

    The good: The speech to text works pretty well, but not as well as some reviews led me to believe. I haven't had time to get much into the web video. There are probably settings to make the picture quality better, but so far, you tube video is only fair. On my Voyager (and my older LG9400) I get Mobile TV on a separate Verizon line, and that picture quality is of course just about perfect (I know-- it's sent on a dedicated band). Also, you tube video takes time to load -- I presumed the fast Incredible would be pretty much instant streaming. Any suggestions to help me me activate voice calling without having to look at the Incredible's screen will be appreciated. I want to like this phone! But, it's tough to imagine looking down or up or over at a screen to make a simple voice dial phone call. What *()$#%#%# executive thinks fewer extenal buttons makes a phone easier to use?
    Mark D
     
    #1 Mark D, May 7, 2010
  2. M in LA

    M in LA Mobile 28 Years Plus
    Super Moderator Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2004
    Messages:
    8,053
    Likes Received:
    347
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    My Phone:
    iPhone 13 Pro Max, XS Max
    Wireless Provider(s):
    Verizon (since 1994)
    The Droid Incredible is designed to be a TOUCH phone. The absence of extra buttons is the intent. The Voyager is nearly 3 years old. Touch phones have come a long way since then, with a large majority of functions requiring use of the touch screen.

    As far as a user guide, it is on the Verizon site: http://cache.vzw.com/multimedia/mim/htc_incredible/incredible.pdf. I found it under the Support tab > Phones and devices (selecting the HTC Droid Incredible) > Manufacturer User Guide.

    Sounds like this isn't the phone for you. Your prior phones had Verizon-specific menu options. You now own a smartphone, which does not use Verizon's proprietary user interface (which your LG phones had).

    This is the way high-performance touch smartphones are, so if it doesn't do what you need it to do, return it for something else.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #2 M in LA, May 7, 2010
  3. Mark D

    Mark D New Member

    Joined:
    May 7, 2010
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    california
    Mike,

    Thanks for your comments. My point is that the Incredible has 7 external buttons. It's not all on the screen, including the power on/off/lock, the volume rocker, home, menu, back, & search keys, plus the optical track ball-- all those are not on the screen.

    I noticed you have a Voyager, as do I (and a VX6100), and the Voyager is basically a touch phone.

    I simply believe making a phone call is low tech, and a couple of added buttons on the Incredible would make it a much more useful phone, one I could use withou looking at the screen to make a voice dial call when I'm in my car.

    Better would be for smart phones to provide a couple of true side-of-the-unit buttons which the user could assign to whatever function desired.

    I hope we can agree that the Incredible has external, off-screen buttons -- and in the strictest logic, they're all "touch" devices, whether they're on the side of the unit, beneath the screen, or on it.
     
    #3 Mark D, May 7, 2010
  4. M in LA

    M in LA Mobile 28 Years Plus
    Super Moderator Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2004
    Messages:
    8,053
    Likes Received:
    347
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    My Phone:
    iPhone 13 Pro Max, XS Max
    Wireless Provider(s):
    Verizon (since 1994)
    I think the idea behind as few function buttons as possible (outside of the side buttons) is a response to the iPhone. The only button on the front is "Home". Somehow it all works.

    I agree it would be logical to have the send and end buttons on the front and the ability to assign buttons. That's been an option on most smartphones for a long time now.

    Phones like the Incredible are designed to have most functions utilized by the touch screen. This is the intent of these phones. Most PDA phones have had touch of some sort, though never to the level of many, but not all, current touch screen phones. Again, IMO, the iPhone had a lot to do with popularizing uber-touch capacitive phones.

    The Voyager is a touch phone, but not a smartphone. It's in the in-between of regular and smartphones. It wasn't designed to do the things the Incredible does. It's a completely different type of phone.

    Also, you went from an LG to an HTC phone. There is a world of difference between them and there will be things the LG did you'll wish the HTC did.

    I know you're wanting to like the Incredible and I hear what you're saying about what it lacks. My point is the Incredible is a night-and-day phone compared to the Voyager and other LG phones. Making a phone call should be low-tech, but there's nothing low-tech about this phone, and it wasn't designed to be.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #4 M in LA, May 7, 2010
  5. Buickman

    Buickman Gearhead/Gadget freak
    Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2003
    Messages:
    901
    Cell Tower Picture Gallery:
    1
    Likes Received:
    9
    Location:
    Bye Bye MN, Hello Cali
    My Phone:
    BB 9550, Moto Droid
    Wireless Provider(s):
    Verizon on both phones
    To initiate a voice dial or really a voice search for anything you can hold the search button (lower right hand corner of screen) for about 3 seconds and then it opens the voice command program. To quickly switch to vibrate just hold the volume down button for a few seconds.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #5 Buickman, May 7, 2010
    2 people like this.
  6. QLR

    QLR RIP Note!
    Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    Messages:
    4,004
    Cell Tower Picture Gallery:
    47
    Likes Received:
    626
    My Phone:
    Samsung Galaxy S8+
    Wireless Provider(s):
    VZW, AT&T based Tracfone, T-Mobile
    Just wanted to add my opinion to the Incredible:

    I received my phone 2 weeks ago.

    All in all, I am enjoying this phone despite the arrival of the new Droid X...

    I ended up getting this because the X is sold out and Amazon had the Incredible available (probably because every one wants the X). I wanted a smartphone after paying for data on LG enV Touch. Doing that made me miss the functionality of smartphones. I had no interest in Windows because it was going to end of life and current devices will not be upgraded. I had BlackBerry before, but I found it uninteresting. So I chose Android. I briefly considered the Ally, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to get it. So I went all in (literally all my $$$$ since I used my promo 2 months ago) on the Incredible.

    I like the size of the Incredible. Yes, The X has a 4.3" screen... but I wanted something that was a manageable size. The screen wasn't that high of a priority for me. The actual size of the is. This phone isn't that much wide rand taller than my enV Touch.

    In terms of reception, my LG and Motorola phones are better than the Incredible. However, the HTC is by no means horrible. I haven't had any dropped calls. Call quality is about average to me. Nothing negative to notice, but not stellar either.

    The touch screen is mostly spot on despite my fat fingers. Just thankful for T9 :)

    UI is fluid and fast... I didn't think a phone could be so quick!!! Makes my LG a true snail. The only thing I didnt like in the UI was video messaging... It wasn't intuitive enough for me.

    The other negative for me was the battery life. I am going to get an extended battery next month! I am not used to sitting next to a charger. I did notice an improvement when I discharged the battery twice. I am just glad that my LG USB chargers actually charge my phone :)

    I have tried out a few apps. I mainly use the StreamFurious App, Facebook, Twitter, and a few news and finance apps. I really like the pinch to zoom on the internet browser. I wonder why I didnt really use it on my previous phone or on my ZuneHD.

    I have to say that the pics taken on this phone are awesome... I will upload some shortly. I have to say that I am not a photographer...

    I am an Android newbie, but I am liking this OS. Free Apps really help LOL ;)

    I have to say that this phone is Incredible in my eyes despite the bigger brother lurking.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #6 QLR, Aug 5, 2010
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page

Copyright 1997-2023 Wireless Advisor™, LLC. All rights reserved. All registered and unregistered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
WirelessAdvisor.com is not associated by ownership or membership with any cellular, PCS or wireless service provider companies and is not meant to be an endorsement of any company or service. Some links on these pages may be paid advertising or paid affiliate programs.

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...
    Dismiss Notice