Originally Posted by
chucky
Looking more into the Droid...looks like a nice system, but it's way too locked down. The whole reason I have a computer is so I can process data how I want, where I want, when I want. I don't need a computer to have corporate propaganda beamed directly into my brain.
Maybe I'm just a dummy, but the only way I know how to preserve my freedom when computing is to get the simplest device possible from the powers that be and connect it to a general purpose device which I can control 100%. While something like the Droid is tempting, the fact that it can't be used on the data carrier of my choice with the plan of my choice is a showstopper. Plus I'm not sold on the whole touch screen thing for input/output. It's good for things like beaming corporate propaganda, but I just don't think it's a good way for me to command my computer to do my bidding.
Let me put it simply, a computer that can't be programmed to satisfy the terms of my contract with the cellular company might as well not be able to do anything at all no matter how much potential it has in theory (or at the command of the corporate behemoth which sold it to me).
Actually its not locked down like you think, its completely open source so you can use it however you want. The contract with my cellular company (verizon) just got it to me for 1/3 the price. I already had service with verizon, have since the mid 90's and am on a pretty inexpensive loyalty plan and we (wife and I) had talked about getting a data plan anyway. There are a few people that have bought droids and wither signed up for no plan and paid full price or switched back to their old phone and just use it on wifi. One of the reasons I got this phone is because its the most open available to me.
The only reason it can't replace my netbook now is storage, I just can't fit everything on a 16G microsd.