Review: The HTC Droid Eris from Verizon

I'm not a techie. I never had a touch screen phone before. But I must admit to have gotten seduced by the commercials and watching my son use his IPhone. He IS a techie and he made the new technology really seem amazing. So, when it was time for me to get a new phone I chose the HTC Droid Eris.

I swear to you I have honestly tried to like this phone. I have downloaded the 238 page instruction manual and tried to use it to learn to appreciate the functions of this phone. When I put a subject in the search nothing ever comes up. I don't even know enough of the right terms to know what I am searching for.

I have had the phone for about 2 months and I've already returned my first because it wasn't working. The phone "sticks". I know - not a techie term. But sometimes when the phone rings you just cannot make the bar go down - it sticks - and the call is missed. I returned the first one because it stuck all the time. Even if the bar moved down it was often after about a 5 second delay. You have to place your finger right in the center of the bar to make it move down. If you don't it won't move. But for some reason -sorry that I don't know why - when I pick up a phone when its ringing the call is disconnected. I not pick it up like to most fragile baby to try to not touch it in the wrong way.

I have long finger nails. You cannot tap this phone with your nail. And there isn't any stylus that I can find for this phone. It apparently responds to the heat of your finger. I have to use my knuckle to dial because I just cannot see the tiny numbers behind my finger nail. And when I try to scroll I always seem to touch the screen wrong and a program opens up. It's very frustrating.

There are a lot of free apps. But I really haven't found more than a few that have any use for me. If you want a flashlight or a level you can get that. And the backgrounds and ringtones are nice. I've downloaded music but I'll be darned if I can find it. The camera takes a nice picture and the movie feature is nice as well.

When I have time I try to work with the phone to try to learn how to use it. But the battery runs down quickly so I have to keep it plugged in whenever I am able. And if you are on a call that last a while the phone gets very hot. Then forget it. It is totally stuck and won't move at all. You can't even shut it off until it cools down a bit.

I am sure you get read a far more technical review then this. But if you are an ordinary person who needs a phone don't give into temptation. I tried to return it but I was past my 30 days and couldn't. So for the next two years I'm stuck with it. For me it's too complicated, doesn't work well, and is very frustrating. Oh for the days of my cute princess phone!