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I think the tone for the Thunderbolt launch was set with HTC's ridiculously pretentious slogan "this isn't your dream phone, it's the one after that." The expectations were set high. And them came the official announcement, with no release date and lackluster specs. But then again, the dual-core phones that were announced probably wouldn't be out for awhile, so excitement for the TB remained high.
Next, the Verizon iPhone is announced and then released shortly after. Pricing information puts the Thunderbolt at $250, making it one of the most expensive phones out there. This was surprising considering the specs, despite the 32GB SD card included. Release date rumors run rampant, with rumored dates coming and going. Best Buy starts taking money for pre-orders without a date or data plan pricing announced.
Some videos of the TB get posted on YouTube, including benchmarks. Disappointingly, the Thunderbolt can't even match up to the 9 month old Galaxy S in the gaming benchmarks.
Then, the final nail in the coffin for me: the release of the Atrix. Now, I personally have no interest in buying a Motorola phone, but it beats the pants off of the Thunderbolt in all of the benchmarks, is dual-core, has more RAM (1GB vs 768MB in the TB), has a significantly higher resolution screen (despite being smaller), and is about 20% thinner/10% lighter while having a 40% higher battery capacity. It also has Gorilla Glass, which the TB may well have but we wouldn't know. And, to add insult to injury it is $50 cheaper than the unreleased Thunderbolt.
After typing all of that out, HTC's slogan seems even more ridiculous to me (which I didn't think was possible). Now, this all may seem overly harsh, but this is a phone that you're going to be stuck with for 2 years with no options for early upgrade (thanks Verizon!). As time goes on without a release date, new phones are being announced and released and the Thunderbolt is losing its luster. I can't imagine them screwing this launch up any more than they have.
Anyways, I just wanted to vent my (and my wife's) frustrations and see what everyone thought...
magnafides said:
I think the tone for the Thunderbolt launch was set with HTC's ridiculously pretentious slogan "this isn't your dream phone, it's the one after that." The expectations were set high. And them came the official announcement, with no release date and lackluster specs. But then again, the dual-core phones that were announced probably wouldn't be out for awhile, so excitement for the TB remained high.
Next, the Verizon iPhone is announced and then released shortly after. Pricing information puts the Thunderbolt at $250, making it one of the most expensive phones out there. This was surprising considering the specs, despite the 32GB SD card included. Release date rumors run rampant, with rumored dates coming and going. Best Buy starts taking money for pre-orders without a date or data plan pricing announced.
Some videos of the TB get posted on YouTube, including benchmarks. Disappointingly, the Thunderbolt can't even match up to the 9 month old Galaxy S in the gaming benchmarks.
Then, the final nail in the coffin for me: the release of the Atrix. Now, I personally have no interest in buying a Motorola phone, but it beats the pants off of the Thunderbolt in all of the benchmarks, is dual-core, has more RAM (1GB vs 768MB in the TB), has a significantly higher resolution screen (despite being smaller), and is about 20% thinner/10% lighter while having a 40% higher battery capacity. It also has Gorilla Glass, which the TB may well have but we wouldn't know. And, to add insult to injury it is $50 cheaper than the unreleased Thunderbolt.
After typing all of that out, HTC's slogan seems even more ridiculous to me (which I didn't think was possible). Now, this all may seem overly harsh, but this is a phone that you're going to be stuck with for 2 years with no options for early upgrade (thanks Verizon!). As time goes on without a release date, new phones are being announced and released and the Thunderbolt is losing its luster. I can't imagine them screwing this launch up any more than they have.
Anyways, I just wanted to vent my (and my wife's) frustrations and see what everyone thought...
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I'm upgrading from an old school flip phone so I'm happy no matter what
Chopes said:
I'm upgrading from an old school flip phone so I'm happy no matter what
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Haha I'm just upgrading my DINC but I'm happy still too
I don't care about having the cutting edge I just want a decent phone and the TB is a decent phone
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
I agree. No matter what you buy , there will be a better phone out the next week. Just get a good one and you will be happy with it. I have had my Inc almost a year and I have been very happy with it. It will be the same with the Tbolt.
Sent by my Droid Incredible
The OP is also forgetting that the Atrix is on another network.
So while it may be cheaper up front, you would end up paying far more per month for less data. Also, the Atrix is not LTE but HSPA+ so as ATT starts moving over to LTE, the ATRIX wont take advantage of it.
I agree but thunderbolt is still a good phone. Oh by the way Atrix is lte capable just reaserch it. I might be going with the atrix even though I hate Motorola. I might return.my inspire 4g since the bumped up the attic release date.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
This Best Buy commercial explains it all... I love it. The BB program kinda sucks, but the commercial hits technology to the tee.
nkd said:
I agree but thunderbolt is still a good phone. Oh by the way Atrix is lte capable just reaserch it. I might be going with the atrix even though I hate Motorola. I might return.my inspire 4g since the bumped up the attic release date.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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I thought that was debunked since the FCC papers do not show a LTE radio in there. The rumor is of a possibly refreshed Atrix down the line with an LTE chip, but I thought the current one is categorically not LTE able.
andydumi said:
I thought that was debunked since the FCC papers do not show a LTE radio in there. The rumor is of a possibly refreshed Atrix down the line with an LTE chip, but I thought the current one is categorically not LTE able.
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No I swear I read from a very credible website and even could have been one of the videos where they said. Atrix 4G will be only phone that will be able to do LTE down the line when ATT upgrades their network. It was a few months back, I am sure if you google it a little, you might be able to dig it up.
superchilpil said:
I don't care about having the cutting edge I just want a decent phone and the TB is a decent phone
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Unfortunately the price point on the TB is not appropriate for a "decent phone".
andydumi said:
The OP is also forgetting that the Atrix is on another network.
So while it may be cheaper up front, you would end up paying far more per month for less data. Also, the Atrix is not LTE but HSPA+ so as ATT starts moving over to LTE, the ATRIX wont take advantage of it.
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No I'm not forgetting that at all. If I could live with 2GB/mo AT&T would be substantially cheaper than Verizon for me, but I won't go to AT&T as a matter of principal. But I don't think the argument holds up either way, because $200 has always been the ceiling for new phones on both networks (aside from the ridiculous Droid R2-D2).
My post is really about the phones anyway--my main gripe is that HTC/Verizon are pitching (and charging for) the TB as if it's some cutting-edge device, when it's nothing more than an incremental improvement over what was already out there and has significantly inferior hardware to a phone that will be shipping before it.
And as for LTE, lots of places will be waiting 2+ years for it to come to their area.
To the OP, what was u expecting some quad core phone that can run crysis on max. Sang so what if its not the fastest dam phone stay with ur Samsung. You act like this is some type of game system lol. I don't see the price as an issue. Really is a duel core going to improve my Twitter , Facebook, angry birds experience no lol. If the bionic,GS2
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
magnafides said:
Unfortunately the price point on the TB is not appropriate for a "decent phone".
No I'm not forgetting that at all. If I could live with 2GB/mo AT&T would be substantially cheaper than Verizon for me, but I won't go to AT&T as a matter of principal. But I don't think the argument holds up either way, because $200 has always been the ceiling for new phones on both networks (aside from the ridiculous Droid R2-D2).
My post is really about the phones anyway--my main gripe is that HTC/Verizon are pitching (and charging for) the TB as if it's some cutting-edge device, when it's nothing more than an incremental improvement over what was already out there and has significantly inferior hardware to a phone that will be shipping before it.
And as for LTE, lots of places will be waiting 2+ years for it to come to their area.
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Simple as this, dont like it.. dont buy it.
if you have to gripe to world so be it, but most people wont see eye to eye with you
i agree the price tag may be high but thats all i agree with
I will never stray from HTC again after i tried other android phones. they are **** crap compared to HTC
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http://www.laptopmag.com/review/cellphones/motorola-atrix-4g.aspx?page=2
While the Atrix 4G's speed was also reflected on our benchmark tests, it didn't blow other smartphones out of the water. The handset achieved an An3DBench score of 6,305, more than 1,000 points above the current average, but just 25 points faster that the Inspire 4G. Also, both the Nexus S (6,853) and Droid Pro (7,352) handily beat the Atrix 4G on this test.
Though the Atrix 4G notched a fast Linpack score of 32.7, beating the Evo Shift 4G (29.7) and T-Mobile G2 (28.7), the Inspire 4G logged a higher 37.58. The Atrix 4G's most impressive score was on the Benchmark CPU test, where it notched a record 2,369, almost 1,500 points above average, and almost 200 points higher than the myTouch 4G (2,190)./
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the tegra 2 chip is yet to be optimize fully in 2.2 so until the update to 2.3 and beyond to utilize the two cores, it will have comparable data to the sencond generation snapdragon in the thunderbolt/inspire/mytouch 4g/desirez.
superchilpil said:
Simple as this, dont like it.. dont buy it.
if you have to gripe to world so be it, but most people wont see eye to eye with you
i agree the price tag may be high but thats all i agree with
I will never stray from HTC again after i tried other android phones. they are **** crap compared to HTC
end of discussion/
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I probably won't buy it; but as you said it's certainly within my right to post my thoughts and I was just curious how other people felt about the whole thing. I prefer HTC's skin (if I couldn't have vanilla) and build quality over the other manufacturers, however my MyTouch 3G is an absolute piece of junk and has been since the day I got it.
And no, I'm not expecting a quad core phone in 2011, that's a false dichotomy. There are shades of gray, and I don't think expecting the TB to beat a 9 month-old phone in gaming is too much to ask. Considering I'd be stuck with the phone for 2 years, I don't want to worry about whether I'm going to be able to use new apps/play new games a year and a half from now.
There will be a phone like the Atrix on Verizon released in Nov. From a very reliable source.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
Being me, money is an issue. $250 is obscene, but by pre-ordering with bestbuy, I received a $50 giftcard too. So it is actually $200. But I will be paying the tax of $250 and not $200. So $200 is the cost of current upper tier, so eh.
Actually guys the skype thing isnt a big suprise since the icon installed on the phone says "SKYPE DEMO" !!!
Even when youve seen videos online it was always a DEMO VIDEO of skype in action.
i am on att with the iphone 4 and was thinking about the atrix but when i seen the bionic and decided to wait i wish there was a release date for the bionic
I still dont see how its not cutting edge. Its one of the top phones that will be on the market. It has already been benched against 2 other "future release" phones (bionic & the samsung) and it beat them both in testing and the bionic is a dual core.
Yes its true there will be bigger and badder bad boys out there eventually but that is true for all electronics pretty much. Even when these newer phones come out this phone will still run neck and neck with them in terms of features and such. I can understand speed and memory for PC and laptops but this is a phone, how powerful do you need it. Yes I like the specs and all but I still dont think all the power it has will be fully tapped into by me.
Well said , my feelings exactly ! It is a phone , not a laptop or ipod.
It had a quadrant score of 1950, how fast does it need to be.
Sent by my Droid Incredible
Given same costs, which would you prefer?
I originally wanted to go to the Sensation, and I waited for it. But, lukewarm initial reviews, $5 more a month for a limited 2GB data cap (vs unlimited and LTE on VZW), and a more active development community with the Thunderbolt convinced me to change my order to VZW.
However, considering the terrible battery life of the Thunderbolt, the fact that I don't get LTE in my office or at home (1x and 3G are my normal connections), and the Tbolt being slightly inferior in the hardware department, I am thinking that i should switch back to the Sensation idea. I get 20% discount with Verizon, versus 12% on Tmobile.
I want to trust that upcoming Gingerbread ROMs for Thunderbolt will result in a better product on a faster network. I'm just somewhat underwhelmed with the Tbolt after a week.
Thoughts?
personally, i would look at it like this
1. what carrier has stronger signal strength where you are
2. LTE vs Hardware. your either going to get amazing download and upload speeds when LTE finally rolls out in your area and imo its amazing + its unlimited if you are grandfathered in; or you can get slightly improved specs which honestly, wont really matter in day to day usage. The only differences you'll really see are when you play high end games or something like that.
3. Which phone has a more developed community. As far as i know, the thunderbolt has a huge community just like the original incredible. Even now, after so many years the incredible is still getting roms. I saw a sense 3.0 rom on an incredible!
sooo up to you lol. your going to be using the phone not me :]
You know I was at the same exact crossroads. I just came off of my 2 year contract with T-Mobile and I was pondering buying the Sensation or switching to Verizon (which has much better coverage in my area). I like the Sensation just a tad better due to its dual core processor and how much shimmer it is. This goes without saying, the Sensation is one sexy phone. It all came down to the carrier for me. In my house I would average 1-2 bars. So I went with VZW and the Thunderbolt. Honestly I love the Thunderbolt. It's great. For you, I would say go with the carrier that has better service in your area which I believe is safe to say Verizon.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using XDA Premium App
if you don't get Ltd where you are most I would go with the sensation
Yeah, it is completely a coin toss. Look at the development community here vs. Sensation, the Tbolt is much more active.
Considering the hell that an AT&T buyout would bring to Atmosphere, I'd be far happier stuck on VZW for two years.
If I can just work around this battery misery, I think the Tbolt will be fine.
Sent from my TBolt using XDA App
BoulderGeek said:
Yeah, it is completely a coin toss. Look at the development community here vs. Sensation, the Tbolt is much more active.
Considering the hell that an AT&T buyout would bring to Atmosphere, I'd be far happier stuck on VZW for two years.
If I can just work around this battery misery, I think the Tbolt will be fine.
Sent from my TBolt using XDA App
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Im getting about 8-10 hrs. on mine right now
setup in sig
Sensation looks pretty sweet. If Verizon had it in their line up it would be a top choice.
Agreed with everybody else. Depends on the carrier. If no LTE get the sensation.
T-Mobile will throttle down your data after you hit the 2GB ceiling, get Verizon before the 7th of July and you're locked in with unltd data with no cap or throttle, be it 3G or LTE. Even if you don't have LTE yet, you will eventually. The majority of features on a smartphone use network data, so all the memory and processing power technology has to offer means absolutely **** when your data stinks.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
If you don't get LTE in your area, download LTE On/Off or a similar program and switch to CDMA Auto. This will greatly improve your battery life.
I would take a not-so-hot device on Verizon's 4G any day over a "hot device" on a non Verizon carrier any day!!
Plus, the TB is definitely hot
Let me offer my feelings, because I have just completed the exact same journey you are embarking on, meaning I had a Sensation on Tmo, and just witched to VZW for the Thunderbolt. Here are my impressions:
HTC Sensation 4G:
I used to be on my company's corporate plan with blackberrys but recently accepted a new job, which allowed me to get whatever phone/carrier I wanted. I had used Tmobile years ago and did the whole HTC HD2 custom ROM thing and had a really good time with it. The sensation always claimed to be on 4g mode and I got relatively good speeds. I could always stream music/videos without any delay, and Speedtest would report about 3mbps on average, with a peak of 8 on a couple of occasions. Coverage was excellent & no dropped calls.
The phone itself is a work of art. It's very light, had outstanding battery life under heavy usage, and Sense 3.0 is beautiful. The tweaked functionality of the camera app among other things was nice. My favorite feature of course being free built in hotspot/tethering. However something was missing.
I really missed the screensize of the HD2. While both are 4.3" diagonal, the S4G has a higher aspect ratio, so the phone is actually skinnier. I didnt like this. I really liked how readable text was on my HD2, and the proximity of icons/buttons when texting were. All in all, the HD2 was simply the perfect size for me.
Then I went to a VZW store and made then unbox a thunderbolt for me so I could try it out without those security wires attached to it. I immediately fell in love and knew within seconds that this was the phone for me. I ran out the buyers remorse period on tmobile just to make sure, and finally made the switch on Monday! I cant tell you how pleased I am. The phone just feels right in my hands.
Every time I used the S4G I was constantly judging it for its screensize. This was a huge bummer, because I could never enjoy the phone. Every time I picked it up all I could think about was how much more smushed and how much scrolling I needed to do to get the same screen real estate visible on the Thunderbolt.
Thoughts on the Thunderbolt:
People arent lying, the battery life is borderline abysmal, but this is actually fine with me since I work behind a desk. I am actually charging it via USB as we speak. I'll probably also plug it into my car charger so it's boosted by the time I get home. I seem to get about 4-6 hours of heavy usage out of it (I was recording myself giving seminars this morning, then surfing all through lunch using the kickstand). I dont mind the battery life since I can easily keep it juiced, but I would NEVER recommend this phone for anyone on the go.
The only thing I actually dont like is how bulky the phone is. Even my HD2 was slimmer/lighter. Maybe its the LTE modem, or maybe it's the kickstand, but the phone feels fat in my hand. In fact, I've basically traded one nuisance for another, nagging on the S4G due to size, and nagging on the TB due to weight. Time will tell if I begin to regret my decision, but I think the other benefits will make up for it.
On TMO, within my first week on the S4G I had already used 1gb. Granted I was playing around with it a bit more than usual, but still. I think we're all gonna hit 2GB a lot sooner than we realize, and the carriers on banking on this (hence the reason they made them). Having 100% unlimited grandfathered 4G with the TB was probably my second biggest selling point. I dont like using a phone and constantly checking the MyAccount app, or 3g watchdog to determine how close I am to running over. It kinda sours the whole experience. With the TB I can just kick back relax and know I'll never be bothered with it.
And speaking of bulk/kickstand issues, I just want to say how AWESOME this kickstand is. I am constantly using it (even though it's only been 3 days lol). I love being able to stand it up and flick through web pages with 1 finger while I eat a sandwich or pasta or something at work. I'm really shocked they arent doing this will all their phones now.
Oh yeah, one other thing, performance. Believe it or not, but the TB actually feels snappier to me running Froyo than the S4G. Dual core or not, the S4G's framerate when switching homescreens always had a little choppiness to it. This really blows and feels like you're using a bogged down phone. The TB always has wonderfully smooth transitions. Obviously this is due to lack of 3d fx, but I'd rather have a smooth simply interface than a clunky advanced one. The only feature of Sense 3.0 I actually used was the lockscreen widget. It's pretty hand to be able to open emails/sms messages from here, but it really only saves you from 1 extra step when you use a standard lockscreen. All the other upgrades apps were pretty useless. Yeah the new weather widget is awesome and I would just stare and stare at it for minutes at a time. That was on my first day. On the 2nd day I never even noticed it. I even used the weather as my wallpaper, and still I didnt notice it.
P.S. I was really nervous about this whole ATT thing too. ATT has given some blanket statement that existing 4g users on Tmo's network will be "given an opportunity to upgrade" or something along those lines. Basically you WILL have to get a new phone eventually. LTE is NOT what Tmo is using, and ATT wants that spectrum baaaaad. Believe me, once it's theirs they are going to use it, and completely redeploy it for real 4G as they can. If you're LUCKY, they MIGHT do it in a series of phaseouts, letting users of phones like the S4G exhaust their contracts before each little piece of spectrum is gobbled up and transformed into LTE space. And thats assuming they're going to play nice, and since when has ATT ever played nice? ATT is always the first carrier to impose some asinine rules or restrictions on their services. They are the last company I would trust to be fair and not just force me to renew my contract in 13 months or be dumped to 2g speeds forever.
Hope that helps!
Verizon + Unlimited 4G LTE on the Thunderbolt can't be beat.
Thank you very much for taking the time to write that up, RunNGun!
You've hit upon many of my concerns and observations. I was actually thinking that the Sensation's aspect ratio difference and smaller size would be a positive for me. the Thunderbolt with a silicone bumper case feels as massive as the old Apple Newton I had in 1994.
But, I'm a relatively substantial guy at six feet and 215lbs, so it's not overwhelmingly large. I think that the 4" AMOLED of the Samsung Galaxy S line is the sweet spot for me. but, when I had one on AT&T, I returned it within three weeks. And I am glad that I did.
I'm getting about the same battery that you are. I also have USB at work and chargers all over the house, cars and motorcycles so I'm quite covered for applying power. I might get 8 hours on the stock battery, with wifi off and green power on.
I'm holding off the root and flash until I am out of return period and whatever upgrade that may come has been seen. I did port over my TMobile number that I've had since 1998, so I am pretty much sold on the Tbolt. i did a Speedtest in the car at a stoplight the other day and got 30mbit! And, I've already burned through 5+ Gigs of data just letting the bloatware do its thing and playing some Pandora.
I had a very good experience with Tmobile on my old Nokia 5800. But that sucked so badly for data services, that i only had text and voice on it. However, i could always make a call, where my GF on iPhone 4 has about a 50/50 chance of getting service or an inbound call.
I've also had good experiences with VZW in the past, but CDMA is such dead tech, it is hard to buy into it in 2011. I'd prefer a true world phone for my travels.
Cheers again for a great synopsis.
So you got the TB then? I have to agree with you about CDMA, but with a carrier as big and powerful as VZW I guess it doesnt really matter, they've certainly proven that it is a reliable platform and they can do great things with it. I wish I could use my phone overseas too, but at least I'll always have my wife's HD2 which is GSM for those occasions.
BTW I forgot to mention that my battery life is stifled from use of bluetooth a lot. I basically leave bluetooth on 24/7, GPS too, even though I'm not really using GPS that much. I dont actually shut off the radio. WiFi is always off. The first day I actually got 12 hours out of it before charging, because I was just too busy to play with it. Hard to say what my ultimate average will really be.
Just looking for some first hand experience, or tips from a T-Mobile employee. I was just told by TMo that if this Vibrant fails me (being my 3rd one), I'll be able to get a completely different phone.
I have every intention of calling them in the next couple of days to kindly let them know that the GPS isn't working as intended, of course. I just did a road trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and my GPS failed me over and over (yes, I've done all of the fixes known to man) while my Garmin Nuvi worked flawlessly, as usual.
So, anyone know what my options will be? Since I paid $199.99 to extend my contract for this POS, I feel that I should be offered any of their smartphones at that price, but really have no idea as to how this works.
Thanks in advance!
You can get alot
As long as you are clear in your point and sound like you know what you are talking about you should be fine.
I went through this right when the sensation came out.
I got one for free and got to keep my vibe by signing a 2 year with customer loyalty. They sent me tbe sensation and it had touchscreen isues so back it went and I went through 2 alltoghether.
It wasnt a bad phone but I missed my im on it again now.
samsung
If you really like not having a heavy phone (sensation was like a weight haha) or the phone with a million issues the g2x.
I'd stick it out just 2 more months tops and we will have the htc ruby/amaze 4g and the tmobile galaxy s2 "hercules" both are rumored to be on tmos 42 mps network which os way more than double our current max of 14.4
Thanks for the response! That's a good point... I'll wait until some better phones are released here soon and then call to get my replacement. No point in doing it now since the selection isn't all that great.
Yea its funny how there are so many levels of "top teir" devices that out can be hard to keep track of. I can say I'll be way happier with a lighter phone with a more visible screen outdoors anf that they won't know my warranties gone because I used the same oems software of who made the phone. I think brand presence aside that the 42mps is worth the wait. i live in the mpls area and tmobile is very sttong here for signal so im excited for that chip.
In the meantime time try using the custom rom toxic crazy 8 with the clean and shiny theme. I put it on a guy I work withs vibrant and now he is wayyy happier with his phone that ever before. He even stopped talking about needing a new phone all the time hah
I know one of these shows up every once and a while, but now that the selection of phones has grown quite a bit over the past two days, and the holiday season is coming soon, I was curious; What phone do you plan on upgrading to?
[Edit]
Oh ya, I plan on getting the Galaxy Nexus in late November :3 I have always wanted a Nexus on Verizon. That with a grandfathered unlimited plan? YAY!
I will get whatever quad core phone is out when I can renew (in January ) as long as it's 4g, I'll be happy
Sent from my Eris using xda premium
Oops, I didn't think to include a "Better future phone" as a poll option, sorry all :3
I had a Bionic for a little while, but exchanged it for a Droid 3 the other day. The Bionic kept dropping data randomly, in spots where I knew there was a great 3G signal. I really don't need 4G bandwidth on a phone anyway, was looking for a solid radio for a change that wouldn't stutter or drop calls (so, Moto was a plus), the world phone is a plus. I know that all of the 4G phones have had data issues, and I wanted something I could count on while Verizon works out the 4G bugs. The D3 is still dual core, and has the same qHD on a smaller display. Bonus: it's a world phone. I may be traveling to Europe during this contract.
Also, the Bionic was really too big for what I wanted, so, to me, the Nexus looks like Maxwell Smart's shoe phone. I think I'd go Razr over the Nexus if I wanted a 4G phone, but that's me.
If I had to upgrade today, it would be the HTC Thunderbolt. It's not perfect, but when I played with one in the Verizon store it seemed slick and faster than the Incredible 2.
I like HTC since Motorola has been hostile to people who want to root their phones, and Samsung has lagged on updating to newer versions of Android.
Now that HTC has decided to pay blackmail to Microsoft over patent suits (like Samsung and several others), they're no longer pure. Motorola is the only company that hasn't bent over for Microsoft and I hope they stand up and sue to prove Microsoft is bluffing.
So who knows what things will look like in January when I upgrade. I might be buying a Motorola.
So, based on my lurking here, I'm going to be in a small minority on this one. I own the Electrify, have it unlocked and after running jokersax's cm10 for a while, I returned to the stock cm7 build (cybix, I believe...) cause I like the 15 hour battery life I get from it. Anyways, not the point...
My next phone will still be a Motorola. There, I said it. Why? Cause I like buying a phone from a company that's literally right next door. I know they are all made in China, but Moto's headquarters are basically 6 hours from where I live.
I've owned 3 Motorola phones now. They've all had really good radios and been stable and reliable. Granted the Electrify is my 1st smart phone. I've been in places where 3 people around me with Samsung or HTC phones have little or no signal, and my Moto is fine. It's also a good size for my hands, it fits in my palm, it fits in the car's cupholder, it's not garmungus like a lot of the new phones are becoming, but it's not iPhone small.
I like the phone, I dislike that Moto made a (sucky, yes) decision to not release any ICS/JB goodness for it, but that's how business works. They make more money by selling the masses a new phone rather than supporting the old ones. I'm not up for replacement until July of next year, but I probably won't replace my Electrify then either so long as it's still working. The specs are still pretty top-end and I suspect they still will be through 2013.
Thanks for letting me add a (hopefully) positive review on the Photon/Electrify board. It's great being able to lurk around here and learn stuff. :highfive:
I guess I'm in the minority also. This has been the best phone I've ever had, I'm unlocked, and can run whatever I want. I recommended this phone to everyone I know on sprint. It just works
CodeNamed JellyBean MoPho
Nothing wrong with that.
Is there actual proof that the radio or antenna is actually better? If it truely does get better signal across the board. I'm on board. But I need hard evidence
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2
Based on my own use I think it's better than most. I get a strong signal everywhere, including the marginal-coverage areas.
Kevets said:
Based on my own use I think it's better than most. I get a strong signal everywhere, including the marginal-coverage areas.
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I liked my photon while i had it, but was VERY frustrated with the lack of support. First Android phone i've ever owned that didn't get updated to a new version of android. I can confirm the signal is a little better as my g/f now rocks my photon and i'm pimpin' a S3 I picked up off contract, but it's marginal really. Photon still has pretty good specs, but i can attest, the S3 is FAST and the big hd screen is pretty nice. Also, the thickness of the phone is shocking compared to my photon. Oh, and one of the best things about it is the unlocked bootloader out of the box. Had CWM installed and rocking a custom ROM within an hour of buying the phone. Based on the raw deal Motorola stuck us with, i most likely will not own anymore of their products. This is coming from a home with a photon and two Motorola Xoom's. Build quality is fantastic, support sucks a fat one except for the Xoom's ofcourse..
mark112089 said:
Is there actual proof that the radio or antenna is actually better? If it truely does get better signal across the board. I'm on board. But I need hard evidence
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From my experience in selling the phone it does have one of the best radios out there. At least better than the GS2 and the most HTC devices that were comparable spec. I can't really say much for the newer devices as sprint network issues have worsened since the photon went End of life.
I just moved to Moto from iPhone (i know Im a shame to the android community), before that i had samsung and htc.
At&t has spotty service where i live, but the atrix gets service better than the other phones. Im so happy with the service i get with this phone.
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the electrify is a great phone and all. only when unlocked really. but it's done the job. i wouldn't say moto gets the best signal. my htc desire actually gets an equal to slightly better signal. so htc makes good phones to i'm testing out samsung tomorrow with the note ii. i hope it's as good as moto and htc.
i will never own another moto though. not after the update fiasco and locked bootloader situations. if i can't touch my own phone. then i don't want it. mainly why i'm moving to the note ii. so much freedom!
Moto build quality and signal quality are the stuff of legend. I don't know that hard evidence exists to prove it, though.
I live way out in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina. Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T don't provide service here. Their service is known to be spotty in the cities like Greenville, New Bern, Jacksonville, etc. Between them, if you have signal at home, generally you have US Cellular. Even with US Cellular, I have signal issues. With a Samsung or HTC, the phone has to be in the window. For the most part, so does the Motorola Electrify, but it can get service (1 bar) at the computer, in bed, or in an extreme case, the bathroom (typically a Faraday cage). So it is a little stronger. And Apple uses Samsung parts, so for the sake of argument I can say Apple=Samsung WRT signal.
Another fun anecdote (since that's all we've got). 2007. Went to visit my mother in California. A state that doesn't even know what US Cellular is. My wife and I have Kyocera KX-5 Slider Remix dumbphones. My mother says "your carrier is who now?". Anyway, we get into town, we have some Round Table (hands down the best pizza I've had), the next morning she wants to take us into the mountains to go visit my nephew. Long story. Anyway, we're out of town. East of San Francisco. There's a city after you're well out of the San Francisco metropolitan area, starts with a C, I think. We stop there for burgers and fries. Another hour, we're in the mountains, middle of nowhere. My mother decides she needs to call somebody. (Probably call ahead.) Takes out her LG flip phone, on Verizon. No Signal. My wife and I check our phones -- we both have 5 bars. She borrows my phone, the call connects, she gets great call quality, no drop, no static. To this day she thinks we have satellite phones like in that one Jurassic Park movie, that get service in the jungle. It's pretty funny. A friend of mine who has worked for Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint tells me that what US Cellular lacks in phone selection, they more than make up for in signal coverage, usually due to roaming agreements with other CDMA carriers. Since US Cellular does not carry the iPhone, I can safely say that Android goes places that iPhone cannot.
OP, you're okay with me. My wife is staying with Motorola as well, and can't understand why I hate 'em now, especially as I got my phone unlocked and running the OS I want. She only upgraded because her last phone was a bona fide piece of sh!t (Samsung Acclaim... 160MB RAM). She will probably use the Electrify until it breaks. 8 months later she has only changed the wallpaper. Unrooted, locked, running Blur Home as the launcher. I put Holo Launcher up there and she didn't like it, made me put it back, haha.
QuimaxW said:
So, based on my lurking here, I'm going to be in a small minority on this one. I own the Electrify, have it unlocked and after running jokersax's cm10 for a while, I returned to the stock cm7 build (cybix, I believe...) cause I like the 15 hour battery life I get from it. Anyways, not the point...
My next phone will still be a Motorola. There, I said it. Why? Cause I like buying a phone from a company that's literally right next door. I know they are all made in China, but Moto's headquarters are basically 6 hours from where I live.
I've owned 3 Motorola phones now. They've all had really good radios and been stable and reliable. Granted the Electrify is my 1st smart phone. I've been in places where 3 people around me with Samsung or HTC phones have little or no signal, and my Moto is fine. It's also a good size for my hands, it fits in my palm, it fits in the car's cupholder, it's not garmungus like a lot of the new phones are becoming, but it's not iPhone small.
I like the phone, I dislike that Moto made a (sucky, yes) decision to not release any ICS/JB goodness for it, but that's how business works. They make more money by selling the masses a new phone rather than supporting the old ones. I'm not up for replacement until July of next year, but I probably won't replace my Electrify then either so long as it's still working. The specs are still pretty top-end and I suspect they still will be through 2013.
Thanks for letting me add a (hopefully) positive review on the Photon/Electrify board. It's great being able to lurk around here and learn stuff. :highfive:
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You buy from a company cause its, 6 hours away? They still don't care about updating your phone.
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There's nothing wrong with staying with Motorola if that's what you like. I'm on my fifth Photon. I had the random reboot issue. Not updating our phones was the final straw with me. Going to Verizon for the galaxy note 2 when it drops.
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On GSM signal strength, my Sony Ericsson Naite is much better than Photon. Call drops are frequent on Photon. On 100$ Naite you can even make GSM video calls where all Androids and Iphones fails.
.................................................
Motorola Electrified Photon 4G
Dark Reality said:
Moto build quality and signal quality are the stuff of legend. I don't know that hard evidence exists to prove it, though.
I live way out in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina. Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T don't provide service here. Their service is known to be spotty in the cities like Greenville, New Bern, Jacksonville, etc. Between them, if you have signal at home, generally you have US Cellular. Even with US Cellular, I have signal issues. With a Samsung or HTC, the phone has to be in the window. For the most part, so does the Motorola Electrify, but it can get service (1 bar) at the computer, in bed, or in an extreme case, the bathroom (typically a Faraday cage). So it is a little stronger. And Apple uses Samsung parts, so for the sake of argument I can say Apple=Samsung WRT signal.
Another fun anecdote (since that's all we've got). 2007. Went to visit my mother in California. A state that doesn't even know what US Cellular is. My wife and I have Kyocera KX-5 Slider Remix dumbphones. My mother says "your carrier is who now?". Anyway, we get into town, we have some Round Table (hands down the best pizza I've had), the next morning she wants to take us into the mountains to go visit my nephew. Long story. Anyway, we're out of town. East of San Francisco. There's a city after you're well out of the San Francisco metropolitan area, starts with a C, I think. We stop there for burgers and fries. Another hour, we're in the mountains, middle of nowhere. My mother decides she needs to call somebody. (Probably call ahead.) Takes out her LG flip phone, on Verizon. No Signal. My wife and I check our phones -- we both have 5 bars. She borrows my phone, the call connects, she gets great call quality, no drop, no static. To this day she thinks we have satellite phones like in that one Jurassic Park movie, that get service in the jungle. It's pretty funny. A friend of mine who has worked for Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint tells me that what US Cellular lacks in phone selection, they more than make up for in signal coverage, usually due to roaming agreements with other CDMA carriers. Since US Cellular does not carry the iPhone, I can safely say that Android goes places that iPhone cannot.
.
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Click to collapse
you made that up, there is no such thing as good pizza west of Chicago
My unlocked Electrify has been a wonderful phone for me and I will keep it for a long while. That doesn't mean I will buy another Motorola though. Me and Motorola are over forever. I had the Desire (upgraded to 2.2) and the Mesmerize (upgraded to 2.2 then 2.3) before and I should have stuck with Samsung. I now use the Electrify and the Galaxy S3. My S3 has already received 2 updates and Jellybean is coming. Samsung for life.
I believe management of Motorola Mobility was screwed up since the takeover; probably lack of leadership and no clarity whatsoever from anyone at the top..
The recent transfer of Soni from Google shows that Google has decided to get serious about MM.
In terms of devices, they have started by cleaning house. EOL most phones, free up labor to concentrate on current & newer devices and creating the BL unlock program.
MM is trying to get back on track.
But for me, its useless; too little, too late.
Next device will definitely not be from Motorola.
Most likely the Note II (not that Samsung is friendly to developers either); but its just a beast of a phone.
Equalizir said:
There's nothing wrong with staying with Motorola if that's what you like. I'm on my fifth Photon. I had the random reboot issue. Not updating our phones was the final straw with me. Going to Verizon for the galaxy note 2 when it drops.
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I hope you love the logo branding on the home button
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Slighter said:
you made that up, there is no such thing as good pizza west of Chicago
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Yeah, go on telling yourself that. Northern California can keep its pizza secret.
I'm actually a big fan of both Chicago deep dish and Brooklyn wide slices. Round Table is nothing like either of them. On one hand they're just a fancy Pizza Hut or Dominoes, but on the other, they use top quality ingredients and have great recipes that justify them costing 2-3 times more than them.
Sent from my MotoFail Electrify using Tapatalk and Swype.
Motorola will steal your pizza money.
hirent said:
I believe management of Motorola Mobility was screwed up since the takeover; probably lack of leadership and no clarity whatsoever from anyone at the top..
The recent transfer of Soni from Google shows that Google has decided to get serious about MM.
In terms of devices, they have started by cleaning house. EOL most phones, free up labor to concentrate on current & newer devices and creating the BL unlock program.
MM is trying to get back on track...
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Click to collapse
I'm hoping they have their house in order by the time I decide to update. If they don't by then, perhaps I'll start looking elsewhere.
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