droidStory

With all of the buzz about the applications for the Motorola Droid, the first question ought to be whether it works well as a phone.  My answer is that it is almost perfect as a phone, but has a seriou fault.  Fortunately, it could be fixed with software.

First of all, lets cover what is right with the phone as a phone.   The sound is crisp and the phone is responsive.  The dialpad is easy to use and the buttons are clearly marked.  Even complicated steps, like three-way calling, are simple.  (You can add a call by clicking one button.  It graphically shows both calls and lets you easily merge the calls.  I like it.)

Without a doubt, using the phone is easier to use than the BlackBerry Curve or the Palm Treo.  As much as everyone talks about the wonderful physical keyboard on these devices, I always found it hard to dial the phone via the number pad what was mixed into the letters.  Chalk one up for the Droid and a major reason why I will keep the phone.

Other features include a nice and easy to read call log, direct access to the contact list, and a favorites list that effectively creates a speed dial.  Voice dialing is a separate application from the main menu.  It works surprisingly well.

So, what feature is missing.  PLEASE somebody make a widget or a pop-up that does the following:

I would like a big message on my screen when I have missed a call or received an SMS.  Right now, there is a tiny icon in the message area that shows a missed call or received a message.  But, the icon is easy to miss.  I want an in your face message — either a pop-up or a widget — that I cannot miss that tells me that there was an important call.