The only thing I think is stupid is that somebody on Phone Scoop not knowing that Motorola was working on an Android phone since like the begginning of 2009, and that the Droid was coming out. Anybody who comes to Phone Scoop regularly would have known about this long in advance. And thus could have planned they're phone purchase accordingly.

It wouldn't have mattered. Would YOU have seriously believed that Motorola could make a worthy advanced device? Remember the Silver Q? That's all I'm saying. Hell, I STILL don't believe it. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. Something like: "Droid eats family dog!" Or "Droids spontaneously convert to inert gas leaving Verizon customers demanding new advanced device of their choice and five years free service for their inconvenience!"

I hear that the iPhone is a good music player!

but a terrible phone on a shoddy network (especially around here) and it completely locks you into their ecosystem with your purchases.

I love genius playlists for itunes, but other than that, most of it's "innovations" don't interest me that much.

Oh, and multimedia playback (movies) are MUCH better with Meridian than they are with iphone/ipod touch. (I have a touch)

My comment was meant as sarcasm, as in "the iPhone is a good music player" but not much else. Because this is a VZW forum, I thought that would be clearer. I was making a dig that it can play music, but because of AT&T's network, isn't good for much else.

I should have finished my comment!

Well hey, if you can afford it, and want it that bad, then go for it. It is well specced!

Hey Eags. I Have a droid wanna trade?

Wait three months and you'll hate yourself for doing it, because something more awesome ALWAYS comes along.

Well, he didn't seem to have the entitlement mentality. Plus, he could spell and punctuate.

I bought my droid (and for that matter my BBerry) at retail. Yes, it's expensive, but I consider both purchases to be good ones.

I really don't get why people think that they can get a free phone whenever they want. Thankfully we've only had one person come in here and try it so far.

The other day I had someone come in and claim that Verizon tech support was going to let them do a multiple warranty switch from a Dare to a Droid. When I pulled up the account, the notes stated that they were going to do a multiple warranty exchange from the Dare to a new Dare, which didn't make any sense because the Dare is done and there are no new ones anywhere I could find them.

I told the guy it was for the same phone, and he flipped (in a very fake way). Then I told him he probably didn't want to do that kind of exchange anyway, as it takes the upgrade (he was ready for the annual upgrade and the new every two was in May). Then he really flipped, as tech support apparently didn't mention that (as they often do). Since he was fa...
(continues)

You know when the guy walked he was grinning inside that VZW got "worked".

The OP got a FREE Blackerry and he says he got "hosed" If people were not self-centered what would the world be like?

I spat on his phone before he left. 😉

So maybe I could have rephrased my question slightly differently. I apologize for wanting something better.

I was merely a few days outside of the 30 day window and thought, "hey, there are a few knowledgeable people on this board, maybe I'll check and see if there is any advice out there."

FWIW, I will gladly go buy this phone at cost...but I guess I am a bad person for checking my other options before I do that. I will go ahead and assume that you have never worked anything to see if you could get a better deal, or for that matter, changed your mind on something?

I like my tour, I think its a great phone and it is very functional...I am not trying to "stick it to verizon" and it was on my radar that this would most likely happ...
(continues)

I like you. Perhaps I over-reacted to the phrase "hosed". F.Y.I. I worked in this business for ten years which was probably about two too many, honestly. I've had phones thrown at me, been grabbed, cursed out and accused of being everything under the sun. So I am a bit raw I suppose. I don't think that I am moral, but I am particularly sensitive to people trying to beat the system, because I spent too much time in a call center seeing them try to make it happen. So I apologize if you are not like the other posters who look for ways to cheat the system. It is refreshing to get the sarcasm rather than the name calling. Thanks for that! 😎

You too? I thought it was weird that I've had a phone thrown at me. I was walking to my car when a jerk I'd been helping (before I was leaving for lunch) threw his freaking phone at me. It went past my right ear, tickling a few hairs.

I've also had someone push me down before.

Eags (and everyone reading), I think Azeron makes the best point here. I think a lot of the regulars on this board don't get defensive because they're "fanboys" or plain old VZW D-bags (though some here might be). It's because many of us here have been worked over time and time again.

JUST LAST NIGHT I had someone wanting to turn in his Env3 for a Droid, he complained that his LG was crap, and I told him no. Twenty minutes later, he came back in, now w...
(continues)

I too worked in the industry for AT&T (back before they were the devil) and Sprint. You wouldn't believe the number of times in 4 years that I had phones thrown at me. Additionally, it was a customer care vs. store war constantly...at both carriers. I had one guy come in, yell and scream at my rep, yell and scream at me, and storm out of the store...I'll tell you he was in his 3rd discounted phone in a 12 month period on a $39.99 rate plan. Long story short he came in with notes from CC stating he could purchase his new phone at the new customer price. 😡 As store manager I escorted him out of the store and asked that he didn't return. He called corporate who put him on the phone with my boss...let's just say in this one case the sto...
(continues)

Alright! Yeah, having worked in retail AND call center I will tell you right now that most supervisors in the call center just do not want to deal with customers. If they take an escalation they generally give in just to get the person of the phone. That is why you get the mess. Most retail store managers don't play that because discounted phones comes out of their commission or MBO.

While CS is certainly more likely to make exceptions, it should never be assumed (whether by the customer or by the CS rep) that the store is obligated to approve said exception. I usually call the store before guaranteeing anything to the customer, personally. If the store says no, then I'll generally just tell the customer that I need to place the order.

The guy who got hooked up last night simply by being a prick on the phone with customer care?

He came in today to return the Droid.

Turns out, he liked the Env3 more than he thought...

...and now you have a Droid that has to be broken down for a CLNR. Company loses money and everyone's STI is affected. Priceless! Can't say I miss it, brother.

Some day... I'll be able to say the same thing.

That's disgusting. What was stopping him from playing with a display model before screwing the company out of a sellable phone? He needs to implement a little something called patience into his decision-making process.

I had a store manager who would fire customers who behaved like that. Man, I miss him! He would hear them cursing one of us out, walk over and speak to them. If they gave him the same guff. He'd pull up their account and cancel them with no ETF. (This was before LNP so no port option). He was a cool dude!

We still have that policy, but no one ever uses it any more. There are a few customers I'd love to terminate. Frankly, some of them I wonder why we don't, seeing as how they cost us more than their monthly bill. Just last night I had a guy I've been fighting for about five years demand yet another replacement phone or a check from the legal department (both of which he's received previously on numerous occasions). Why don't we just get rid of him and be done with it?

Appreciate that. I'm not trying to game the system. I'm just out for a better phone, I will gladly pick up the bill...but as someone else noted, I will be frustrated again in 3 months....such is life. However, I think that in 3 months, there will be some killer apps on the Droid.

I can see where you could get a bit raw over this whole deal. Plus, I would never fling a phone....perhaps poo, but never a phone.... 😁

I've been a customer since 2001, and I've never changed my mind on a phone or even asked for anything that I wasn't already paying for. That's why I always find it so funny whenever a conversation begins with them saying, "I've been a customer with you for a long time..."

As has already been mentioned in another response, it's always a good idea to look on Phone Scoop for upcoming phones. Even I, as an employee, hear more on Phone Scoop about new phones that'll be coming out. It's sad. In fact, I recently bought the HTC Droid Eris, but I was originally planning on holding out for the Pre (assuming that we truly get it). The Droid devices are definitely underrated. Just be sure that you're always very careful with your upgrade. Don't just ...
(continues)

I'll be honest, I jumped at the BOGO because I assumed, as a previous poster identified, that the new Motorola line would be a disappointment....

I have been eligible since June '09, but I guess I wanted to get my wife into a blackberry and out of her 1903827 year old LG flip phone. Turns out I should be more selfish, eh? 😎

Meridian is great for movies. tap to pause/start swipe your finger to seek foreward/back.

Don't you get an employee discount thought? That should chop soomething off the price of the Droid.

Personally I didn't know much details about the Driod early in the 2009, but I did know that Motorola was working on an Andoid phone from headlines here on Phone Scoop. Sometimes it's just a good idea to wait and see what devices come out.

There will be no ETF for you switching devices, and it doesn't extend your contract.

As long as you maintain service with verizon, you'll be fine (ETF wise)

No fee at all??

I was told today by a rep (I went in to be sure this was all ok by the powers-that-be)...

He told me that I would be charged a $350 fee if I did this?

If you cancel her line and set her up with a new phone number to get the droids cheaper you WILL be charged the ETF.

If you buy the Droids retail(549 or whatever they are right now) there will be no fee.

But, alas, that would change dramatically if the carriers just stopped subsidizing the phones and people bought them outright.