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Verizon's HTC DROID ERIS may be the best $100 smartphone

Readers here know how much I enjoyed using the HTC Hero and now we see HTC coming out with its 3rd version of the Hero and IMHO the third time is the charm. I had a chance to hold and play a bit with the HTC DROID ERIS (Verizon's version of the HTC Hero) and I could not put it down because the form factor is so compelling. It is wrapped in black soft touch material, it is narrow so it feels like a phone, it is thin, it is dense, and it has curves that make a supermodel envious. I have not yet used a Verizon DROID, but every review I read stated the keyboard was not that great so the HTC DROID ERIS without a keyboard and much more pocketable form factor may be the Android device of choice on Verizon. Amazingly, HTC was able to pack in their awesome Sense UI into the ERIS at this low $100 price point and you may just see me at Best Buy tomorrow, 6 November, picking this one up and adding a Verizon line to my mobile collection.
Written by Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer

droideris.jpg
Readers here know how much I enjoyed using the HTC Hero and now we see HTC coming out with its 3rd version of the Hero and IMHO the third time is the charm. I had a chance to hold and play a bit with the HTC DROID ERIS (Verizon's version of the HTC Hero) and I could not put it down because the form factor is so compelling. It is wrapped in black soft touch material, it is narrow so it feels like a phone, it is thin, it is dense, and it has curves that make a supermodel envious. I have not yet used a Verizon DROID, but every review I read stated the keyboard was not that great so the HTC DROID ERIS without a keyboard and much more pocketable form factor may be the Android device of choice on Verizon. Amazingly, HTC was able to pack in their awesome Sense UI into the ERIS at this low $100 price point and you may just see me at Best Buy tomorrow, 6 November, picking this one up and adding a Verizon line to my mobile collection.

Even though the HTC DROID ERIS is available for only $100 HTC did not skimp on the specifications as you can see below:

  • Qualcomm MSM 7600 528MHz processor
  • CDMA/EV-DO Rev A. support
  • 3.2 inch 320x480 HVGA capacitive touch screen and trackball interface
  • 5.0 megapixel auto focus camera
  • Expandable memory with pre-installed 8 GB microSD card
  • Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3.5 mm headset connectivity
  • Integrated GPS and a digital compass with a sensor that enables the phone to know what direction it is facing
  • Smart dialer for simplified dialing by name, number or initials
  • Dimensions of 4.45 x 2.19 x 0.51 inches and 4.23 ounces
  • 1300 mAh Li-Ion battery

DROID ERIS by HTC will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on Friday, 6 November, for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an e-mail feature or e-mail plan. If you visit a Best Buy Mobile location you can get the rebate applied instantly too.

Compared to the Motorola DROID, we see this device with a sleeker form factor, mult-touch web browser, better performing camera, and the Sense UI (with all the great HTC widgets and customizations) while the DROID has the a slightly faster processor, larger higher resolution display, hardware QWERTY keyboard, and vanilla Googla Android experience with support for the new Google Maps Navigation beta. The Motorola DROID runs Android 2.0 while the HTC DROID ERIS runs Android 1.5. HTC has stated they will be skippping 1.6 and putting Android 2.0 on Hero devices so the ERIS should also get the upgrade eventually, but there has been no confirmation of that yet.

Which Google Android device do you find more compelling on Verizon?

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