I have a Droid X and love it. I have been staying out of this conversation until I got a chance to list some of the applications (apps) that I find useful as "survival" tools.

All of the warnings about no cell service, low battery life and such are recognized however I still find the device to be a very valuable addition to my gear. Mostly because I always have it with me. Also, I carry two additional batteries. Weigh almost nothing and provides all the power I am likely to need.

The idea of course is to avoid a problem situation and many of these apps give you a lot of help.

I intended to give a list of apps, but there are so many useful ones that to list even the best would be a task.

In general, the GPS works without cell coverage. There are lots of apps that let you download maps for offline use. So maps/gps are a valuable tool.

The built in compass works well and does not need cell service.

There is a walkie-talkie type app called "tikl" which allows you to create a talk group among smart phones (both android as well as apple phones). When you press the button, all phones in the group hear the call. Limited to 30 second messages (no problem) it is location independent. We have used it with several droids in one area and a couple of Iphones half a state away.

Reference manuals: So many are available that I have created quite a library. Most can be downloaded to the SD chip. Along with ones I find online, I have my normal equipment manuals for rsdios, GPS, etc... All easy to access and quite readable.

I could go on like this for a long time, but I need to get on with my day. We are in our pick-up camper deep in the Kaibab N.F. in Airzona. The droid will come along on our hikes. Oh another nice feature is automatic alerts from various agencies. It is fire season and getting an alert about area fires is realllllllly nice. Cell coverage here is very good and I use the internet many times on each hike.

Do I depend on it entirely for my survival needs? Of course not. I still carry a PLB, Ham Radio a second cell phone and all the rest of the stuff. But the Droid gets the most use.

Nomad