The Tech Herald’s daily usage journal for the HTC Eris

by Steve Ragan - Nov 16 2009, 18:36

When the Motorola Droid hit the stores, the HTC Eris hit the streets as well. The Eris is the sexy sister to the pocket protector wearing Droid. Each has solid quality, and each run the Android operating system, but there are some interesting differences. This journal for the Eris will run much the same way as the Droid’s journal did, as a running review of the device, with daily updates.

[The original article covering the announcement of the HTC Eris is here.]

Day 6/7

As promised, below are a video and an image taken during my niece’s birthday party. I’ve also added images from my walk around downtown Indianapolis. Those images, all taken at night, show a range of results. I like the camera in the Eris (5-megapixel), but the lack of flash just leaves it flat without solid lighting. You can boost the brightness under the camera options, but that is no substitute.

The video quality is decent, but as you can tell, there is serious issue with the microphone. I was standing slightly off to the side when the singing started, and there was no forgiveness from the recording because of the enclosed kitchen.

 

 

 

 

Question-wise, I have kept up for the most part with what I have been asked in the comments or in email, but if I have forgotten anything, please let me know.

One question went unanswered in the last update. So first I want to apologize to Emily, who asked, “I know that with Blackberry you pay a monthly fee for your internet which includes all the apps (at least this is what I am told). How does this work with the Eris? Are there extra fees for the apps?”

When you purchase the Eris, you’ll need to sign a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an e-mail feature or e-mail plan. There are several plans to pick from, and the price will go up or down depending on that you want. My advice is to get something with email, data, and decent minute coverage. I wish I could price compare for you, but sometimes different markets can have different prices.

When it comes to the BlackBerry, the monthly fee for data includes any app on the device you download and install. If the application isn’t free, then you will pay for that separately. This is the same on the Eris. Any application that you pay for is on top of the cost associated with the actual service. I’ve seen applications in the Android Market place range from $0.99 USD to $4.99 USD.

To comment on making the switch, honestly depending on what you want out of the device, you can use the Eris or a BlackBerry. Both offer solid features, and could be used for either business or personal use.

Another question, related to GPS asked, “…can anyone tell me why maps can only tell me my location "accurate within 2400 meters"? Is there an app or download available to show exact location etc…”

The limitations will depend on the type of hardware and software used for GPS. Some software is seriously accurate, and others will be off by several feet. Typically, civilian GPS is accurate, but again, depending on hardware and software, the actual accuracy will differ. When testing VZ Navigator and Google Maps Navigation, both are somewhat precise when it came to location, but not 100-percent. When it comes to applications, I’ve come across nothing aside from Maps on the Eris and Navigator on the Motorola Droid that offered reliable GPS usage. (VZ Navigator is a paid service for some Verizon phones, but for the Eris and Droid testing, Google was used.) More information on GPS is here http://www.gps.gov/.

Testing-wise, over the weekend I used the mount option on the Eris to move images from the device to my computer and load up music. No issues here, and like the Motorola Droid, the ability to quickly mount the phone and charge it over USB is convenient.

I managed as well to “pocket dial” over the weekend as well. I had the Eris in my pocket, and apparently called a friend without knowing it. Im not sure if this was because something managed to trigger the unlocking pattern (screen swipe or a press on the home key), or if I didn’t have the Eris locked when I stuffed it in my front pocket. While amusing, it did demonstrate one of the drawbacks to some touchscreen devices.

Web testing in the downtown Indianapolis area went well too, with 3G picking up in every area tested. I tested in the Warehouse District, on the Circle, near Lucas Oil Stadium, and on the second and fourth floors of Circle Centre Mall.

I’ll keep testing, if you have something you want me to look at, just drop a line.

Day 4/5

For the past week, I’ve had the Eris with me constantly. I’ve showed it off to some people, I’ve let the kids play games on it (they love Teeter), but mostly I’ve been searching for all the differences between the Eris and the Motorola Droid.

After taking some time to think it over, and I’ll admit that being confined to the couch because of back troubles gives one time plenty of time to think, I can say that Droid is from Mars and Eris is from Venus.

One of the biggest differences between the HTC Eris and the Motorola Droid is the operating system. I’ve talked about this in previous journal entries. There isn’t much of a difference, but they are far from identical. For example, both have the Android Market Place, however, on the Eris the Marketplace has a slightly different feel to it. It’s darker and not as “cheery”. By now, everyone knows that Google Maps Navigation is an Android 2.0 feature, so the Eris is missing this.

The processors between the Eris and the Droid are different too. So what does this mean for you the reader? Simple, the faster the processor, the easier it is to multitask, navigate the device, or use applications. I won’t lie. There are times when the Eris simply hangs there for a second or two. I’ve noticed this with the Meebo IM application, the Teeter game, the Bejeweled clone game, Email, and when configuring the various options and settings for the device.

The touch screen on both devices is great. HTC knows how to make touch devices, and the Eris is no exception. I really like the word suggestions, as I’ve mentioned, when I type things into chat on Twitter, Facebook, or Meebo.

However, there are times when the HTC interface for touch seems to conflict with Android. Is this the fault of the device or the fault of Android? I’m not sure. I was asked in email if the SENSE UI from HTC and the Android 1.5 design work well together. They do, but the conflict is still there. HTC has some kinks to work out I think, but when they push the Android 2.0 update out, I’m looking forward to seeing if the kinks I’ve discovered are gone.

So when I talk about conflict, I’m talking about little things, like the slide to unlock the phone, to the controls (home, menu, back, and search) just below the display itself, the home row keys. The home row keys are almost blended into the display itself, but there are times when a simple touch isn’t enough to get them working. You’ll need to press down or double tap at times.

Now, it would seem that I’ve spent most of the time with the phone looking for flaws to point out. If you read the previous updates to this journal, you’ll notice I've been quite happy with the phone. I still am. The Eris is awesome, but it has some flaws that I simply cannot overlook. Perhaps testing the Droid first spoiled me. At the same time, since I noticed them, I have to write about them. I owe those of you that follow this journal, or the ones who have written me, that much at the least.

Since I listed the flaws, let’s talk about the good things. The Eris is sexy, simple as that. It’s clean looking, lightweight, and for the majority of people interested in it, affordable. At half the cost of the Droid (the Eris is only $99.99 USD) the Eris is amazing for the price, considering it uses the Android operating system. I cannot overstate how nice it is to see something truly open on Verizon.

Application-wise, everything I tested on the Droid works fine on the Eris. Lag aside, the applications will function exactly as you expect them to. You’ll get your email the same way on the Eris as you would on the Droid, only when reading several of them and flipping back and forth, the Eris will take a second or three longer to do so. If that doesn’t bother you, then you’ll love the Eris.

Battery life is just as solid on the Eris as it is on the Droid, but the more you use it (as is the case with any Smartphone), the faster the battery will drain off. Reception is the same for both devices. If I have one bar, I can make and receive calls. So far (knock on wood), despite the static when wandering the house, I’ve yet to drop a call on the Eris.

The other day, I promised pictures. Today, I’m adding some. There was video footage, but the wind ruined the sound. I’ll take more and upload later.

 

As you can see, both the Eris and the Droid have great image quality. I’m happy with the images the Eris took, but I’m also not expecting SLR quality from it either.

Mars and Venus is how I see the Eris vs. Droid comparison. They both have solid features, and solid flaws. At the same time, they hold a common thread, thanks to Android. While reading the various reviews, comments, and letters, the one thing I can say is that each phone has its own uniqueness. Despite the oomph that the Eris lacks when compared to the Droid, it still holds its own.

Later tonight, my niece is having a birthday party. This will be the perfect chance to test the video and take more images.

Day 2/3:

This Journal update will be a little brief, as I am still testing things for readers who emailed me questions and test suggestions. However, so far so good when it comes to the Eris' overall performance.

While it is smaller than the Motorola Droid, I’m finding that the feel of it when you grip it for use is form fitting. It sits well in the palm of my hand, and after some practice, simple text messages or Facebook posts using only my thumb is a handy little bonus.

I’ve used it for conference calls too, which allowed me to test both Google Voice and the normal voice service. Both were just as clear as they were on the Motorola, but I did notice that as I walked through my house talking, I would sometimes get static. The data services are still holding their own as well. So far, using Pandora to stream music is a simple process, and there is no buffering between tracks.

I had a reader ask me about QuickTime abilities on the Eris. She wanted to stream QuickTime video from her school’s site ,and neither Verizon nor HCT support could help. She asked me if I knew anything and after two days of research, I’m thinking that there isn’t an application yet that can stream QuickTime media. However, depending on the encoding, quite a few applications will allow you to play just about every media format from the phone. If anyone knows of a QuickTime player for Android, I’d be grateful if you could email me. (security@thetechherald.com)

I’ve had a few questions regarding Google Maps Navigation on the Eris. The short of it is that the service isn’t available on Android 1.5 yet, but HTC is expected to upgrade the Eris to 2.0 in the future. Once Android 2.0 is available on the Eris, then the Navigation feature will work. As of now, the Google Maps function on the Eris is the same level of access that you would get online.

Between the Motorola Droid and the Eris, battery life is also a major change. I’ve started to notice that when I run a few applications constantly (Facebook and Swift for Twitter), the battery will last. However, when I start mixing data usage and voice, the battery will quickly drain.

Talking for a total of 3 hours and using the applications consumed almost the entire full charge. I’d estimate that so far I'm getting just below spec on battery life, but depending on how I use the Eris, I can kill the battery outside of three hours. I have to admit this disappoints me some.

Doug, you ask about the quality, as in how well the Eris will last over time. To be fair the Eris isn’t built like a tank, whereas the Motorola Droid is. I’m sure if I dropped this down some stairs, it would not like the experience. The Motorola however, would likely bounce and be ok after I put the battery cover back on.

The screen on the Eris is hard, and appears scratch resistant. It hasn’t suffered once, even when I tossed it in my book bag with keys and went for a jog. (I did this with the Motorola too.) The back cover is solid, with no weak points that I can tell, and it slips firmly in place without any need to force it. I’m just not sure that it will hold up under real abuse. If I had to rate the overall quality and longevity of the Eris, I would say that if taken care of and not treated too harshly, it would last just as well as your Dare.

I spent some time surfing and testing the display as well for some added testing. When you can, use the high quality settings on YouTube video. Doing so will give you a much better image on the smaller screen. What’s interesting is that, despite the screen on the Eris being smaller than the one on the Droid, it is just as clean and clear. This is a good thing, because often smaller screens equate to poor visibility.

Sound is decent as well, but has the same issues that exist on the Droid. Namely, the sound lacks bass, and will often come off as high pitched. It's almost as if the bass and mid tones are missing while someone set the treble to eleven. Using a good pair of headphones will mitigate this, much like it did on the Droid.

Surfing with Wi-Fi is easy and offers true multitasking when on the Phone talking. However, there is no phone and surfing option on just 3G alone. Thanks to the Eris’ clear screen resolution, the images and text that you come across online will offer no eye strain. The ability to tap or gesture for zoom functions helps here too. Also worth a mention is that HTC has a flash player installed, so the Flash limitation on the Droid didn’t carry over to the Eris.

I’ll update again with Video and Images so you can see the camera tests. In the meantime, feel free to use the comment section or the email above to contact me if there is something you want tested.

Day 1:

If there is one thing that comes to mind when you first open the box and look at the Eris, it’s that HTC makes good looking phones. However, the name Eris is a little strange. Eris is the goddess of strife and discord, not really a cheery moniker to promote a device with. However, maybe I’m being too picky.

The Eris is running Android 1.5, not version 2.0 like the Droid. Already some little things stand out because of the difference, such as the GUI and the icon placement. However, the touch controls and especially the touch keyboard are great. Like the Droid, when sending a text message or an email, the handy suggested words speed up the process.

The Eris is lighter and smaller than the Droid. Yet, this weight loss also means the screen is smaller. It’s interesting to note that, while the screen on the Eris is smaller than the Droid, both offer a clear image. Text is easy to read, the back-lighting is bright, and a recent test of a seriously comical YouTube Video [you can watch it here], offered a decent image. Other videos, when watched in high quality, were clear and motion blur free.

There are three added screens for Widgets and applications or bookmarks on the Eris. You’ll use either a finger swipe or the trackball to move between them. Like the Droid, screen space is a premium on the Eris, so it will be wise to keep the important Widgets on call.

Early application testing also gave up some interesting details. The Eris has a slew of preloaded applications from HTC. There is Peep(Twitter), YouTube, Footprints (travel app), Pandora, Facebook, Gmail, Google Talk, a stock widget, office document viewer, and a PDF viewer, as well as calendar applications and voice recorder. Game-wise, there is Teeter, which is an addictive little game that uses the movement of the Eris to control a steel ball so it can be moved into a hole.

I downloaded Swift for Twitter and added Jewels (a Bejeweled clone) to the list of applications to use. Both Swift and Facebook worked great, and Jewels is just as addictive as I remembered it. I added Google Voice for call testing, and two little widgets to control Wi-Fi and Bluetooth availability that I snagged from the Android Marketplace. In reality they are simple on and off switches, but I’ve got them placed on one of the home screens for fast access.

Gmail and POP/IMAP worked as expected. There is the option for Exchange as well if needed. So with that regard, the Eris and Droid are evenly matched. The Visual Voicemail application is there as well, but while I can confirm that it works, I’m not a big user of it.

Browsing-wise, the browser works great. The touch to zoom feature allows almost any page to be read with ease, and there were no issues with browsing the New York Times this morning. HTC offers Flash, so unlike the Droid, there is Flash availability. However, the inclusion of Flash on the Eris means the loss of HTML 5 rendering that the Droid offered.

Coverage-wise, here in the house there has been a constant 2 to 3 bars and 3G services. Downtown Indianapolis maxed out the availability bars to four and offered quick surfing and download speeds. The 3G test also included testing of Pandora, which streamed clean and clear.

During testing, and high usage, I noticed that the battery would get warm. I didn’t experience this on the Droid, but I’ll need to see if this is a consistent issue before I call it a problem.

Multitasking is the same for the most part on the Eris as it was on the Droid. One of the reasons I downloaded the control application for the Wi-Fi was so I could better test and clarify the capabilities of Wi-Fi vs 3G, such as the ability to make and receive calls when browsing on Wi-Fi, a feature unavailable when using 3G. When it comes to using multiple applications at the same with Browsing, I have used four so far with no lag or issues.

As you likely know, there is a 5-megapixel camera on the Eris. I'll be testing both the video and the still images in detail during my regular updates.

I’ll update more tomorrow. If you want me to check something, whether it’s an application or feature, leave me a comment or send me an email. (security@thetechherald.com)

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