Verizon's HTC Droid Incredible - First Look

Verizon contacted me with the request that I review their new phone - the HTC Droid Incredible - and of course I said yes. I had planned to shop the review to some of my other outlets, but they already had an Incredible in house and were doing their own review of the Google phone. So, here's my take - and a quick video showing how quick the phone is in comparison to my iPhone.

By the way, the phone is not mine to keep. I have to return it to Verizon...as much as I'd like to have it for my very own.

First off, it's slim. As you can see from its profile as it sits next to the iPhone, it's tiny. It fits easily in my pocket and the only drawback right now is the limited number of cases for the phone. There will certainly be dozens of case manufacturers jumping on board, but in many instances they don't want to fill the market with cases for a phone that might not be a great seller. I think this phone will be.

Let's go through the pluses and minuses.

Pluses

Size. It's slim and easy to use.
Operating system. It's on Google and allows users to download apps from the Android/Google Marketplace.
The OS also makes it fast as does the onboard memory - 1GHz processor and 32MB of available memory.
Network. It's on Verizon and I found the signal strength and 3G availability during my test to be great. This isn't a knock on other carriers, just a comment that Verizon's network near Boston is pretty strong.
Camera. An 8MP camera took fantastic photos and also allowed me to take videos with ease.
Lock screen. The lock screen was as easy to use as the one on other phones...even the iPhone...and used a swiping, pattern recognition instead of a typed in password to unlock the phone. Cool as well.
Google integration. If you're a gmail user, this phone syncs immediately and easily so that all your information is suddenly in the palm of your hand. This is fascinating and a little scary. Just remember to lock your phone. But it helps you keep your calendar, contacts and mail all within reach at all times.
GPS/Location. I use Foursquare and Gowalla a lot. The innards of the HTC Incredible had no issue finding me and finding me quickly. This made checking in a breeze. It also made apps like Google Sky Map AWESOME. Imagine pointing the phone at the sky and being able to identify star formations from what the phone tells you. Love that app.

Minuses

Battery life. It didn't really last as long as I had hoped it would. But I was using bluetooth, Wifi, all sorts of apps and definitely putting the phone through its paces. If you shut down the haptic feedback, vibration, volume, screen brightness, bluetooth and Wifi, you're sure to get much better longevity.
Size. Not the phone's actual size, but the keyboard size. Keys - although they are onscreen and not physical - are small just because the form factor of the phone is tiny. I would have liked a key profile that was a hair bigger, but then where would you add the space?
Keyboard function. I'm used to the iPhone and how you use different key sets to get to special characters. With the Incredible, that isn't the case. To get a hash sign, an exclamation mark or a number (and many other symbols and digits) you must hold a key down. This is most frustrating when you're typing in passwords that have different characters in them. After a while I imaging typing would become natural, but it also irked some of the folks I let try the phone during my evaluation.

Random stuff....

In all, I like it. Were I not such an Apple fanboy, I might switch today. I have a Verizon account and could well justify moving to a phone that consolidates all my Google data in an instant.

The camera is cool, works fast and has a flash. All great points.

Contrary to what iPhone folks say, the Google Marketplace has a TON of apps and games and useful stuff in it. I was expecting to go there and find two minesweeper games and a maps app. There are radio streaming apps, the aforementioned star chart thing, Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook and other social networking apps and much more. You won't be wanting for stuff to load on this phone.

So take a look at the video I took, think about the $200 price tag, and make your own decision. I would say this phone wins in my book. At least until iPhone ups its processor and adds more carriers.



More photos and info are easy to find at Verizon as well.

What are you calling on these days? What do you want to be calling on? Have you used the phone? What did you think? Leave your comments here.

Networking Survival

Diane Darling is charming and upfront about her skillset and her mantras. She wants to see people succeed and has a vision in how that can happen. For even experienced networking and social media professionals, Darling's tips and insight can be valuable.

For instance, in her most recent book...

DISCLAIMER, I CONTRIBUTED A SECTION TO THIS BOOK



...Diane gets down and dirty in how professionals at all levels leverage their skills and outgoing nature to make connections and ultimately make themselves more successful financially and emotionally.

Give it a read...even if you buy it just to see my section...it's a nice primer for those who are a bit skeptical that traditional networking still can get the job done. I believe a mix of traditional and new media is the right route, but I'm a tech-head early adopter, what do I know?

ALSO, there's an event coming up on May 18 where you can meet Diane in person and get your book signed. I expect that I'll be there too and will sign anything you bring in - doesn't have to be a book.

Here's the info on that May 18 event.

Got a product you want reviewed? Share it here or ping me, perhaps I'll allow you a guest post. NO OVERT PIMPING!

Thanks!

Solutions to Water Crisis at Shanghai Summit

I caught up with Karen Weber, founder of Earth Our Only Home, Inc. and Boston GreenFest just hours before she embarked on her trip to the World Green Roofs Conference and Shanghai Summit on Solutions to the Water Crisis.

This groundbreaking summit, organized by Earth Our Only Home, Inc. explores green roof design and related technologies to address the growing drinking water shortages in China, India and neighboring countries. Hoping to find solutions as a facilitator and activist, Weber has assembled delegates from China, India, Taiwan, Korea, US, Canada, UK and Germany to share perspectives and expertise, identify challenges, connect technologies, discuss policy and finance, and to develop realistic timelines for action.

China and India are in need of short-term and long-term solutions that work with nature not against it. Now is the time plan for the future infrastructure. India plans to build the equivalent of 70 “New York Cities” over the next 20 years. It is unknown how many cities China is planning to build.

The concern is that buildings are being built without green roofs (with vegetation) resulting in hot cities that will not function in an organic way. Weber explains, “Utilizing green roofs will help regain the natural balance, creating a beautiful and cooler space that will foster the proper cycle of water. It will make a garden from the dessert, maintain cloud cover and help continue the normal water cycle. It helps the oxygen and carbon dioxide equation.”

India has mandated rainwater capture systems for buildings and homes, but there are concerns. Depending on the receptacle used, open roof collection systems will cause the water to become stagnant and open to mosquitoes, and if it’s not properly installed in the basement, it could be foster illness.

Roofs can serve as a primary filter for the collection of drinking water and help continue the water cycle. It provides moisture back into the hydrologic cycle restoring the natural balance of how water moves in and out of the atmosphere. Surprisingly, green roof design has never been linked to drinking water before.
Professor Brad Bass of University of Toronto also shares this vision.

Weber explains, “The goal is to envision how the building growth can be done to make it healthy and sustainable. Now is the time to put green roof design into the planning and policy. It puts China in a leadership role. It also makes the return on investment very economical.”

What are your thoughts?

Twitter @JohnBergdoll

Beyond the Green Monster

Kathleen Harrington, Coordinator of Boston Red Sox Planning and Development, and John Bergdoll

Scattered showers did not delay the Green Tour of Fenway Park hosted by CEN/REBN Clean Economy Network/Renewable Energy Network. Gathered at the Absolut Bar underneath the ballpark were about 100 clean and renewable energy fans to hear Kathleen Harrington, Coordinator of Boston Red Sox Planning and Development, make her presentation on the recent earth-friendly improvements at Fenway Park.

When I was in high school, I was a walking vendor at Fenway Park. I knew the park pretty well so it was refreshing to see and hear about the new sustainability initiatives and programs.

Here's what we learned:
- Fenway Park installed 28 solar panels on the upper deck behind home plate saving energy and avoiding 18 tons of CO2 emissions each year.


- There are 11 Big Belly Solar Trash Compactors that hold up to 6 times more trash than regular trash containers.
- There are 28 no-flush urinals and 23 dual flush toilets (18 in the women's room and 5 in the men's room) reducing water waste by 30%.
- Most Red Sox publications including game day programs, calendars, and yearbooks are printed on recyclable paper.
- The ground crew uses biodiesel fuel (a non-petroleum based and clean burning) to power mowers that cut the grass and leaf blowers that clean the trash left behind in the stands after games.
- Organic fertilizer is used on the grass and the grass clippings are left to naturally decompose.
- The Poland Spring Green Team collects water bottles during the game with the help of volunteers who wear green shirts made of recycled water bottles that feel like cotton. Water bottles that don’t make it to the recycling bins are sorted.

Here's sustainability improvements that I think should be made:
The carbon arc light towers at Fenway Park were installed in 1947 and have remained unchanged since then. Carbon arc lights were made between 1933 and 1944 and originally intended to search for enemy planes at night before radar was invented. The searchlight beams could reach more than five miles and could be seen more than 30 miles away.1 They represent a huge energy-efficient opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint, reduce light pollution, and save money. One of the most eco-friendly options is LED light bulbs. “LED lights contain absolutely no mercury or toxic chemicals. They don't generate RF wavelengths that cause radio interference, or emit ultraviolet (UV) light -- so LEDs will not readily attract bugs and other insects.”2

Rainwater storage is a smart way of conserving energy. It would be a valuable way to conserve water that could be used as potable water, irrigate the grass and infield, and in the flushing of toilets. Rainwater is energy. It brings life. To ignore it is wasteful and costly. In 2004, the EPA issued results of a survey indicating that, "36 states will have water shortages in the next ten years - - - even under non-drought conditions."

There is a missed opportunity for a green roof on the second level behind home plate. Right now there is a flat rooftop that absorbs the sun's energy, heats up, and reradiates that heat to the ambient air resulting in a summertime heat island effect. Urban heat islands affect energy use, air quality, human health and water quality. Instead, I propose a green roof top system that provides environmental benefits that would support hearty native ground cover and requires little maintenance. It would also beautify the space and view from the EMC Club and Pavilions. The space above center field parking garage also presents a green roof top opportunity.

Since all baseball teams incur a huge environmental impact with their airplane travel, I asked if there was any consideration to carbon offsetting the airplane travel. Travel can be made carbon neutral helping our environment in our fight against climate change. Harrington said there were no plans to do so. A member of the crowd then mentioned that occasionally the Red Sox take the Amtrak train when they are visiting the New York Yankees. Trains are more environmentally friendly and the players like it because it takes them right into the city.

I propose the idea of developing a ‘Baseball Stadium Sustainability Index (or Report Card)’. Sustainability rankings would be based on stadium energy performance, sustainability, environmental impact, reduce-reuse-recycle efforts, water conservation, renewable energy and social responsibility. There is no overall energy rating in place for Fenway Park nor with other Major League Baseball stadiums to my knowledge. The goal is to get off the grid, return power to the grid and embrace best practices in sustainability and social responsibility.

Major League Baseball rewards the best team performance on the field with a World Series Championship. It's time to acknowledge and reward Stadium Sustainability Performance as well. I commend the Red Sox for making sustainability inroads, but there is an opportunity and a social responsibility to set the standard as community leaders and Sustainability Champions. Ranking high on a Stadium Sustainability Index is attainable and something Red Sox Nation and the rest of the world could cheer about.

1. Darin McGilvra, eHow Contributing Writer, "History of Carbon ARC Lighting", May 1, 2010

2. Organic Consumers Association, “Mercury Contamination Alert: Why LED Light Bulbs Are Safer Than Compact Fluorescents”, May 1, 2010

Twitter @JohnBergdoll