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Droid trumps iPhone for Time Gadget of the Year

updated 05:40 pm EST, Tue December 8, 2009

 

Droid picked for free nav, keyboard, more


Time today provided a minor surprise by giving the Motorola Droid a first-place finish in its Gadget of the Year countdown (video below). The Android phone won for including free turn-by-turn GPS through Google Maps Navigation as well as having both a large (3.7-inch) touchscreen and a hardware QWERTY keyboard. In comparison, the iPhone 3GS only reached fourth place, earning the spot for popularizing augmented reality through apps like Layar and Yelp.

Other highlights included the just-shipping Barnes & Noble Nook, whose secondary touchscreen and friends system put it at second place, and Dell's Adamo XPS earned sixth place for its extremely thin design.

The pick is a rare win for Motorola, which hasn't had a major device to carry its sales and garner attention since the RAZR in 2005. Apple has been a regular mainstay of Time's gadget and invention lists but this year was limited to just the iPhone's mid-field performance; many of its introductions this year were evolutions of existing designs rather than major overhauls or new creations.


By Electronista Staff

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iPhone, industry, gadgets, Dell, Google, Android, Motorola, RAZR, mobile phones, time, Apple, Adamo, Barnes & Noble, iPhone 3GS, Nook, Droid, Layar, Yelp

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Previous Comments

    Comment buried. Show
  1. eldarkus

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2004

    -10
    12/08, 06:09pm | report spam | reply

    QWERTY keyboard

    Sure it has one, but that thing is a total piece of c***. I used it for about 15 min the other day and if I did own a Droid.. would never touch it.


    Comment buried. Show
  1. Fast iBook

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2003

    -11
    12/08, 07:13pm | report spam | reply

    I second that...

    I've used several just out of the box droids, and they are horrific.

    - A


  1. chas_m

    Moderator

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -9
    12/08, 07:34pm | report spam | (3 replies) | reply

    Gimmicky

    Its a shame TIME based their choice on novelty and gimmickry rather than something that is actually better than the iPhone (or a completely different device altogether). It is far to say that Apple didn't have anything really "new" to put in the race this year, but without the iPhone NONE of these new groovy phones would even EXIST.

    People have short memories, it seems; it was the iPhone that made touchscreen mandatory, soft keyboards standard, apps a must-have, real internet browsing/real email a requirement, etc etc etc etc.

    If it had been up to me to choose "gadget of the year," I would have been torn between the rise of affordable HD video cameras (Flip HD, Kodak Zi6, et al) or the new "Micro 4/3rds" type cameras that promise to bring near DSLR-quality to hobbyists for way less than ever before.

    Both of these are genuine "innovations" in the market: the Droid, regardless of its quality, is just an iPhone knock-off at the end of the day.


  1. WiseWeasel

    Junior Member

    Joined: Apr 1999

    -3
    12/08, 08:05pm | report spam | reply

    Unsurprising

    Don't take it personally. Time can't just give this award to the iPhone *every* year; that would be boring. They've got little choice but to pick something, anything else to put on there once in a while.


  1. Redwolf

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2009

    +12
    12/08, 09:02pm | report spam | reply

    Keyboard

    Unlike you guys, I actually OWN a Droid, the keyboard is nice. You have the vertical or horizontal virtual keyboards, ala the iPhone, or you can pull out the physical keyboard and don't have to share the screen with the typing area.


    Comment buried. Show
  1. mattballew

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Dec 2009

    -13
    12/08, 09:30pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Droid, Falls Short

    Yes, I have tried Both Droids offered by Verizon.. Far from a iPhone killer... And personally i like the HTC Droid better than the Motorola Droid... You may have your pretty toys now, But when Apple releases their 4th Gen iPhone in July 2010, You droid owners will see a $350.00 Disconnection fee to get out of verizon!
    And no, Verizon will not be getting the iPhone yet again, Maybe next year guys!
    On a complete side note, Everyone complains that Verizon is SO MUCH BETTER than AT&T, But try and Look up something on google while on the phone with your precious Droid. As for me, Ill stick to my Current iPhone 3GS, And for the guy in the video, Dont quit your day job, Because your terrible at making videos.
    AT&T "The Nations Fastest 3G Network"


    Comment buried. Show
  1. dliup

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2006

    -10
    12/08, 11:57pm | report spam | (2 replies) | reply

    um

    @Redwolf,
    Good luck enjoying the no-multitouch browser phone. And good luck with your failed shilling. (note sign up date)


  1. timjones17

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2009

    -5
    12/09, 04:21am | report spam | reply

    he he he he he

    Drrrooooiiidddd

    iToy
    Faaiiilllll


  1. pairof9s

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Jan 2008

    +7
    12/09, 07:31am | report spam | reply

    Look...

    The Droid would be a piece of cr@p if the QWERTY kybd didn't work all the time or if the GPS map dropped out due to coverage gaps, but that's not the case.

    So this comes down to personal choice of what you feel is important to your mobile device/phone. Personally, I don't like the keyboards nor have a need for turn-by-turn GPS. That and I really like my iPhone...wouldn't trade it for any foreseeable device. But that's my choice...doesn't mean the Droid is cr@p. To each, his own.

    Congrats to Droid from Time.

    /


  1. JTh

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2007

    -1
    12/09, 12:09pm | report spam | reply

    That's great

    Not that Apple is perfect, but the Droid (and previous Android devices I've used) software felt slapped together. Pretty, yes, intuitive - hardly.


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