In this multi part article, we look at several smartphones and mobile carriers, and try to extract the best overall values for small businesses. We rate the phones according to several business criteria, including business productivity (email, calendar and contacts), applications, mobile network, cost, and fun factor.

Next up, the DROID from Motorola, Google and Verizon.

The Motorola DROID runs Google’s Android OS – a relatively new OS designed for mobile computing. Because of this, it aims to be more flexible than the mobile platforms from Apple and Microsoft, and one of DROID’s main marketing strategies was to tell the end user all the things that DROID does that the iPhone 3GS presumably can not do. Lets dig in.

Right out of the box we were able to connect to Microsoft Exchange and Google Apps mail within a few minutes. As quick and easy as any smartphone we’ve seen. This is a must for busy professionals, especially when you’re in Seattle for a business presentation and your phone is stolen and you need a replacement quick. It happens to our clients more often than you think. 5/5.

While the DROID does not claim to have over 200,000 apps like the Apple iPhone 3GS, the number of apps is building quickly as more people start to use the DROID. One huge advantage the DROID has over the iPhone is that anyone can write and release their own app, you can load your own software, and there are numerous stores to buy apps for the DROID (as opposed to the iTunes App store for the iPhone). So while the number of apps lags behind the iPhone, the quality and cost are comparable, and the speed which they are released is faster. Some key apps such as Dragon Dictation and Box.NET are not yet available or are coming soon, however. 4/5.

The DROID we tested was for the Verizon network, although you can get other DROIDs and other generic Android smartphones through other manufacturers and carriers. Verizon’s network in the United States is still the industry leader, both in fewest dropped calls, and customer satisfaction, as this article suggests. 5/5.

The DROID is priced similar to the iPhone 3GS, as most of the smartphones are on the high end of what consumers will reasonably tolerate. The phone itself costs close to $600, though you can get it for as low as $199.99 with a two year contract. Typical monthly cost will be about $80 for voice and full data, and apps and accessories are typically the same price, though Verizon’s in store BlueTooth accessories seem to run more than AT&T for some reason. 3/5.

The DROID can be a fun toy, if you are on the geeky side. There are plenty of games and entertainment to be had. The interface itself is definitely not as sleek and polished as the iPhone 3GS. Overall it seems more pixel-ly and the theme sounds are more in line with what a computer-jock teenager would find appropriate, rather than a business person. First thing you’ll want to do is change the sound scheme. The ability to program your own apps on the DROID can definitely be appealing to the hobbyists and software designers out there, but is not useful to a small business that does not have access to in house programmers. 3/5.

Overall the Motorola DROID from Verizon rates a 20 out of a possible 25.