[Q] would you recommend this phone to me? - Thunderbolt Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

hi guys im coming from a droid 3 and i want a bigger screen but costs no more than $300 and a great dev community. is it worth getting a thunderbolt off of ebay for $300. i also want 4g and miui. thanks.

You can get one on ebay for $200 or less in very good condition,so yeah its a good deal for $200
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

Ok thanks i think ill get one end of febuary. Another question, how does the screen compare to others specifically brightness and colors?

It's a TFT display which is standard nowadays. S-LCD and IPS are better but I have no complaints. Also the pixel density isn't bleeding edge but that matters a lot less unless we're talking about pentile amoled (see: droid razr, YUCK).
The phone itself is a great device. It's big and it's heavy but the 4g standby is unmatched and the dev community, though now slow, has an enormous catalog of good software. So if you're renewing a contract I'd say get something newer but if you're buying outright online get a thunderbolt.

Not sure of your location but here in Houston there are several Thunderbolts listed on Craigslist ranging between $150 and $175.

kujayhawks77 said:
Not sure of your location but here in Houston there are several Thunderbolts listed on Craigslist ranging between $150 and $175.
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When i was in houston over new years, i got great 4g speeds on my tbolt! Love this phone!
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

If you can't afford a Nexus and want an LTE phone with lots of development done already (compared to the charge, bionic, etc), then yes, I would get it.
It's the only now cheaper LTE phone out there that will have Cyanogen.

Request serial numbers (ESN/MEID) before buying any phone on craigslist. Go to a Verizon store and all them to check if it's reported lost or stolen. You can get seriously ripped off on craigslist if you're not careful.

willis936 said:
Request serial numbers (ESN/MEID) before buying any phone on craigslist. Go to a Verizon store and all them to check if it's reported lost or stolen. You can get seriously ripped off on craigslist if you're not careful.
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+1 to that. Lots of shady cmda phones out there and if it's cheap, be even more skeptical.

The battery life sucks. The only real "fixes" are:
1. Get the LongLife battery and make a large heavy phone even
larger/heavier.
2. Root the device and install a better ROM/Kernel (Voids warranty).
3. Keep a spare battery around you at all times and swap them when
the first battery dies. (You'll spend $40+ for one worth the time. They
come with a back-plate that accommodates the larger battery, but
if you get a cheap one, the plate usually will not fit 100% correctly,
thereby disabling the antenna built into the back-plate, killing your
reception)
4. Turn off half the features that make this phone worth buying.
5. Buy a different phone.
I also hope you're not big on updates. At release, the Bolt
was Verizon's Flagship phone and it came with Gingerbread 2.3.5.
ICS is allegedly coming for T-Bolt in mid to late 2012, but considering
HTC/Verizon's track record on releasing updates for T-Bolts, I don't
suggest holding your breath.
Its by no means the worst phone on the market, but it has some issues.
Were I buying a phone, I would likely pick a different one.
As always, YMMV.
Good Luck!

sonicanatidae said:
3. Keep a spare battery around you at all times and swap them when
the first battery dies. (You'll spend $40+ )...
I also hope you're not big on updates. At release, the Bolt
was Verizon's Flagship phone and it came with Gingerbread 2.3.5.
Good Luck!
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IIRC, the bolt came with Froyo at launch, not GB. I'm positive mine did, so it was updated to GB already. When it comes to updates, HTC is best among the big boys.
I got two Rezound batteries from Verizon for about $20 each. They were selling all 4G batteries half off, and they may still be.
That said, yes, the battery life is atrocious. There is no sure fix for that.
Sent from my BAMF'd Bolt.

Why not just get the rezound?

I personally like the phone. I came over from the Incredible which I loved but we just got 4G in my area and needed to have it.
Battery life is horrible except when I bought mine on craigslist for $100 (already rooted) it came with an extended battery as well as the stock battery. I think I got a steal.
Now I can wait to use my upgrade on "the next big thing" or at least till the Nexus is a little cheaper.

sonicanatidae said:
The battery life sucks. The only real "fixes" are:....
...Its by no means the worst phone on the market, but it has some issues.
Were I buying a phone, I would likely pick a different one.
As always, YMMV.
Good Luck!
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As you say, your mileage may vary..
But you over looked another option to the battery issue... The LTE batteries are still 1/2 off. That makes the stock Rezound 1620mah battery $19.99 (got one for my wife Tuesday night). That battery makes a difference compared to the stock TB 1400mah battery, and it fits under the stock covers! (so no unsightly bulge).
Also, the External "battery only charger" was being sold for like $3.99 and lower (you need to provide your own "wall charger" for it). So you can leave the 1620 battery in the phone, and charge the stock 1400 as a "spare" outside the phone in case you ever need to carry a "spare" with you.
I have only 3 issues with my TB....
1. Bluetooth Phone book Access Profile (BT PBAP) doesn't work with my car's built in system when using the stock Verizon ROMs. (It DOES work with the leaked Open Mobile firmware.)
2. GPS can still be a little slow at times to lock onto my location more accurately than "within 10 meters" in Google maps. (sometimes its about 5 seconds to be "accurate within 3m", other times it can take up to 15 or 20 seconds, I haven't tried any of the fixes in the forums for this).
3. 3G/4G hand offs can still be slow, and during that transition, I loose data connection. Unlike the Bionic, when the 3G/4G hand off is done, data comes back automatically on the TB. I think hand offs were better/quicker with the MR2 radio, or one of the leaked radios before 2.11.605.9 got pushed out. But its still quicker/better than when I got my TB back in March.

I would recommend this phone and I am selling mine as I can't afford the data plan anymore. If you want to pm me we can discuss it further.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

Do it jump !!! you will not be sorry its fast, sexy, and you can talk n surf what better can you ask for, really all there is left is a 4g hack... suks that clear wire faded out i loved the free wimax addys.. Rumor is clear wire and Lte are joining forces, seems logical sense sprint owns %50 of the shares and there going Lte as well, will c..

I wouldn't not recommend it. You can certainly do worse. If you tend to type one-handed or own pants with smaller pockets, it's not for you.
On the other hand, the screen isn't bad, the 4G screams, the kick stand is more useful than you'd think, and it feels very solidly built.
For $200, it's a great deal off-contract on Craigslist, but if you're due for an upgrade you can do better.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

HTC Thunderbolt - Used - 30 Day Return Policy - $140
I ordered my thunderbolt from cowboom and my galaxy tab as well. Both came in really great condition. The Galaxy Tab was flawless; including retail packaging and all accessories.
The only "problem" with the Thunderbolt was that the top of the battery cover (where you use your nail....or a penny it seems in my case...) where you take it off is a bit dinged up. Otherwise, it functions perfectly and it allows you a 30 day window to decide if you like it or not.
They also have a Droid Charge, X2, and LG Revolution for around the same price on their.

Related

[Q] How is everyone enjoying their Thunderbolt/LTE 4G?

Hey Guys,
4G is coming to my area in late July so naturally I'm thinking of upgrading from my Dinc.
For those of you that have 4G in your areas, how is it in terms of speed and stability as you travel around your home town? Do you guys dig the Thunderbolt? And how is tethering with the TB on 4G? Does it rock as much as I think it does?
I'm thinking of snatching one off ebay as my discounted upgrade isn't available until March 2012. I've been reading about rooting the TB. Looks like the process is a little different from the Dinc, as there's no unrevoked method. Aside from that, is the TB easy to customize after obtaining root?
Sorry for all the stupid questions. Just trying to reaffirm my near-decision to drop $300-$400 tomorrow.
I came from the Incredible also and was a bit iffy on it. I didn't like the battery life at first, but I loved everything else about the phone. With an extended battery, and the great developers that work on this phone, I really don't have anything bad to say about it. I'm getting a constant 40+ hours out of my phone, it does everything I need it to, its quick, snappy, and responsive. GB & Sense 3.0 are great. And 4G speeds are just awesome. To sit on your phone and surf the web, at speeds that I get with FiOS on my PC, it's just great.
Plus the fact I got the TB for $280 and sold my INC for $220 made me love it even more
The 4G is awesome. It's really fast, I get atleast 10 to 15mbps, but usually 20mbps, and about 5mbps upload. Beats the s___ out of all the other 4g networks I have tried.
The only thing with the T-Bolt for me is the battery life, plus the proximity sensor is really iffy, in that it can't properly detect whether the phone is near my ear, which causes the screen to stay on during a call.
I get between 10-20 down. Phone is really fast. Battery life wasn't great stock, but if you get a good ROM/Kernel combo it's vastly improved (check out das BAMF ROMs they're one of the best).
Yeah, I can pretty much concur with everything that's been said. On 3g, battery life is about the same as the inc for me, but lte lowers that considerably. I generally cannot get an entire day on one charge. If you can live with that and have steady access to 4g, it makes the phone load pages like it's on wifi (I get around 12 mbps, which is the same speed as my home internet). If you're thinking of it as an incremental upgrade from the inc, you're on the right track. It won't be a revelation, but it is better. I think the issue is that the inc was just very, very good.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Love the thunderbolt and LTE...hate the Gps and battery life
mbrown3460 said:
Love the thunderbolt and LTE...hate the Gps and battery life
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at least its not a samsung.... You dont know how many trips to italy i took in my omnia, all while sitting in my bed lol
I am VERY disappointed in LTE, but im in love with the device. Im in the tampa area and i cannot get over 5 down 4 up at any time of day. I was expecting atleast 10 down.
But the voice + data in 3G (tested ) is pretty sick and I love the device. The battery life sucks (i use a extended now) and the GPS has a funky issue where it puts me 40 miles away for a second or two in Maps and weather, but its nothing to be mad about.
I upgraded from my D1 and I am a Flash Addict. Even when a rom is running like butter..... im flashing something else lol
altimax98 said:
at least its not a samsung.... You dont know how many trips to italy i took in my omnia, all while sitting in my bed lol
I am VERY disappointed in LTE, but im in love with the device. Im in the tampa area and i cannot get over 5 down 4 up at any time of day. I was expecting atleast 10 down.
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I hear you. My Samsung Captivate GPS never worked properly.
Do you always get less than 10mbps? My speeds vary every day. Yesterday I couldn't do better than 8, today I'm averaging 15.
sublimaze said:
I hear you. My Samsung Captivate GPS never worked properly.
Do you always get less than 10mbps? My speeds vary every day. Yesterday I couldn't do better than 8, today I'm averaging 15.
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Always, sad to say. I have done it all around west tampa/lakeland and no where can i get above 5mbs. Ive hit 6.5 once, but that was it.
Thanks to all for the great info. I got a good one on ebay last night for $385.00. Comes with a 32GB SD card (*drool*). Just ordered a black silicone case for it. Thinking of what type of screen protector to get. I've used an Invisible Shield for my Dinc for a year. Wondering if anyone has any better recommendations on those. I don't really like how the Inv.Shield peels off at the corners over time. Although I see that the newer cases cover the corners.
Anyhow, whats the best screen cover in your all's opinions?
Hackenstein said:
Thanks to all for the great info. I got a good one on ebay last night for $385.00. Comes with a 32GB SD card (*drool*). Just ordered a black silicone case for it. Thinking of what type of screen protector to get. I've used an Invisible Shield for my Dinc for a year. Wondering if anyone has any better recommendations on those. I don't really like how the Inv.Shield peels off at the corners over time. Although I see that the newer cases cover the corners.
Anyhow, whats the best screen cover in your all's opinions?
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I really like the texture of the anti glare screen protectors. Feels super smooth.
Sent from my ThunderBolt using XDA Premium App
I've read alot about the Steinheil covers. People give them so serious kudos. But, still a little undecided. I'll probably be going naked the first couple days till I figure it out. I'm so stoked for 4G!
Hackenstein said:
Thanks to all for the great info. I got a good one on ebay last night for $385.00. Comes with a 32GB SD card (*drool*). Just ordered a black silicone case for it. Thinking of what type of screen protector to get. I've used an Invisible Shield for my Dinc for a year. Wondering if anyone has any better recommendations on those. I don't really like how the Inv.Shield peels off at the corners over time. Although I see that the newer cases cover the corners.
Anyhow, whats the best screen cover in your all's opinions?
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Click to collapse
Your going to want to get the extended battery! I could not stand the battery life of the phone before purchasing one. If you need a case and desktop charger for the extended battery head to letstalk.com or seidio.com.
Yea, I'm definitely gonna go the route of an extended battery. I've read way much negative feedback to ignore it.
For any of you guys who've ever used those 3500mah batteries, does using the custom doors for those give the camera tunnel vision? Seems like it would with the opening being raised nearly an inch from the frame.
3500 mah is way overkill imo. It makes the phone oddly proportioned. I'm running the HTC extended and ill get a cool 24 hours on it with moderate usage at work, 3g only, and WiFi at home with a lot of playing on the phone.
Yea, I agree. I bought the 18oomah for my Dinc so it'd fit the original door and case I purchased.
It's be great to know I have plenty of battery power with the 3500, but I don't want my pocket to feel like I'm carrying a rock.
altimax98 said:
3500 mah is way overkill imo. It makes the phone oddly proportioned. I'm running the HTC extended and ill get a cool 24 hours on it with moderate usage at work, 3g only, and WiFi at home with a lot of playing on the phone.
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I can usually squeeze 2 days on my standard HTC 2750ma battery and I use the apps and internet moderately and use Wifi while I'm at home.
I just bought my TB, also coming from a DINC. I got mine for $395 shipped on ebay with everything except the SIM.
I immediately bought the Seidio 3200mAh battery and the Seidio Convert Extended Case. I'm getting 2 days on a charge with heavy use.
All in all, I'm very pleased. First thing I did was root, de-bloat, and turn off the LTE radio (don't have it here yet). Definitely glad I bought it!
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
any slim extended batteries out?
mbrown3460 said:
any slim extended batteries out?
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I've seen them up to an 1800mah, but people complain that they drain just as fast as the stock battery. Not sure about that, but in my situation, I have a charger just about every where I go (work, car, bedroom, couch in living room). Still debating whether or not I really need to go that route. Getting a 3500mah would be great in terms of power, but since the battery door doesn't cover the entire back like the Dinc it will make the phone lopsided and awkward as someone mentioned earlier. I don't like the sound of that, lol.

my razr review

Ive had the Motorola razr for a couple of days and after frequenting these forums I wanted to sort of write a review, from my perspective.
I was split between the resound and razr, it was the rezounds glitchy feel, htc sense and tiny battery and odd exterior that pushed me to get the razr. I got it at best buy, this way I had a month to swap it for the nexus as soon as it was released.
When I layed eyes on its packaging I was floored. I know it sounds kinda dumb. But damn it, the packaging was sweet! Nice low profile, menacing flat black, it was gorgeaous. I was immediately disappointed that it lacked an hdmi cable and earphones. Seriously, it was 300 $. My atrix came with a bloody hdmi cable atleast.
First time I held it I couldn’t believe how light n slim it was. Although shes packing Kevlar and a gorilla glass display, its so thin it makes u feel as if she were fragile. Not a bad thing, I enjoy slim. The side port can be a beyatch to manipulate, getting my 4g sim in there was a hassle. But thats because I bite my nails, if u don’t share this bad habit u wont have a problem at all. As soon as I fired her up the first time I wanted to shut it down immediately just so I can see the boot animation again! Very very cool. I was also glad to see that it doesn’t use motorolas blur services. And although it isn’t vanilla android, I feel motorolas touches were very welcomed. People here have complained about the camera, and yes it isn’t as great as my nokia n8. But its way better then my nexus s. I discovered, the secret to taking a great shot on this phone, is patience. Phone takes longer then it should to focus. Video recording at 720p is outstanding. 1080p is fine, but it has an odd stutter. It just doesn’t feel as fluid as 720p. many have complained about the pentile screen. And before booting the phone I expected an atrix/bionic like experience. Lemme tell u something. I have perfect vision and I am but a youngin. I don’t see jagged edges, artifacts during scrolling or the pin dots unless the phone is 3 inches from my face!!!!! The screen is beautiful, it over saturates the right colors and provides deep blacks. But it’s not as good as sammys super amoled plus. Either way its an outstanding screen. Motorola added a few things into this rom that I love. The ability to resize a widget. Smart actions. And the way qhd was used to fit more of an email on screen, makes zooming in and out of web pages ALMOST a thing of the past too. I have had zero ghasty reboots, she is very stable. The screen is very responsive, as good as it gets really. Battery life on 3g is super, but on 4g its not so hot. Luckily I can go from 50% battery to about 90% with just an hours charge. Im glad the volume buttons and power button are on the same side. I can imagine how it would suck for leftys though.
Calls were crystal clear, typical Motorola. My bathroom is a dead zone. Sprint tmo att Verizon whatever. U go in there u will lose service. The second I walk in my bathroom I was surprised to see that I was still on 4g. I speedtested and pulled in 3mp DL. Impressive considering my bathroom is a bermuda triangle. Texts come in quick and go out as fast too. So does mms. Indoors I fluctuate between 16mb and 20mb DL. Outside im killing at a steady 22mb. I have yet to drop a 4g signal. My friend with a droid charge cant say the same.
I hate the stock pic gallery and music app. I use quickpic and the google music app. Sounds through my cheapo skull candys (the one that costs more then 15 less then 20$) sound great. I do wish we had more equalizer control, but no biggie.
In conclusion, this phones got me spoiled. I really do like it. I hate the fact that I almost didn’t buy it cuz of people on this forum that over exaggerated the pentile screen. Im glad the rezound sucked hard enough to convince me to get the razr. And to tell u the truth, I doubt I will swap it for the nexus. I like it that much.
If ur on the fence feel free to ask a question on the thread, hijacking is welcomed.
Happy thanksgiving all!
Just remember:
Much more people will come on here to ***** and nitpick over something than the ones who are satisfied. The screen is just fine, some people just have way too much time on their hands.
sheek360 said:
I was immediately disappointed that it lacked an hdmi cable and earphones.
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What? really? This sucks, I am in Canada and we do have an HDMI Cable and earphones with it... Maybe you should double-check if it is included or not, was maybe a mistake somehow.. Especially since here, with a 3-year contract, we get it @ 149$... Besides very nice review, I think like you, she is such a hot girl haha
robstunner said:
Just remember:
Much more people will come on here to ***** and nitpick over something than the ones who are satisfied. The screen is just fine, some people just have way too much time on their hands.
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Click to collapse
Should add that those people who're lurkin in our forums and moaning about the razr, doesn't even own the phone.
Nice review btw.
Thanks for the review Sheek. I just switched from t-mobile to verizon, taking advantage of the 1 cent RAZR deal on amazon as well as the "double data" packages on Verizon. You just made me even more excited to receive my new phone!
brianbrain said:
Thanks for the review Sheek. I just switched from t-mobile to verizon, taking advantage of the 1 cent RAZR deal on amazon as well as the "double data" packages on Verizon. You just made me even more excited to receive my new phone!
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I was too impatient for the one cent sale. I promise u, ur gonna fall in love!
Btw I called big v. No HDMI cable or earphones for Americans.
Dang this sucks for you guys
dgiaffe said:
Dang this sucks for you guys
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Yeah..we seem to be getting the short end of the stick these days..thankfully I already have a mini-hdmi cable from my G2X days and some JLab earbuds I doubt I'd replace anyway...still annoying though - earbuds and a cable can't cost more than $10 - that and it's on a device that Verizon is selling for $799 off contract..sheesh.
Don't forget that us poor British get no hdmi and no 16GB microsd!
But we do get some crap looking headphones for our £450
I rate it quite highly a well. I have used many of the motorola phones
Sent from my XT910 using XDA App
brianbrain said:
Thanks for the review Sheek. I just switched from t-mobile to verizon, taking advantage of the 1 cent RAZR deal on amazon as well as the "double data" packages on Verizon. You just made me even more excited to receive my new phone!
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Click to collapse
That is exactly what I did...from TMO to Verizon with the penny deal. My Razr is on the UPS truck for delivery tonight. So anxiously waiting....
Yes IMO Pentile is extremely overblown, on the RAZR anyway.
Over saturated colors are overblown. Seeing the 2 screen technologies side by side, I might actually prefer Amoled now, and I used to love LCD's last year.
All the screens have pros n cons. Anyone who complains about the RAZR screen and claim the screen on whatever phone they or want have is perfect or better...is biased. It may be better to them, but its not better overall. None are.
The perfect screen has yet to be invented.
What type of earphones you guys get in UK or Europe? Here in Asia we got the Rokr brand. No hdmi and sdcard though
Great real world review! I've been reading reviews like a mad man but since you said you have had an N8 and an Atrix...and as I'm currently using an Atrix now and had an N8 before that it only seems logical you would be best the best person to ask a few few questions lol. You touched on my main concerns a little but I'm still hesitant for two reasons. 1.Build quality and 2.Battery life. The N8 to atrix jump left me loathing plastic phones and wishing someone out there was smart enough to shoehorn android onto an N8! My bigger concern is battery. 1930 mah + CM7 + faux's enhanced stock kernel = 30 plus hours of light to moderate use. Now I'm not expecting that but comparatively...What can I expect with say 200 or so texts sent and received, a few 5-10 minute calls, about an hour and a half of music and 15-20 minutes web browsing? I will be using the phone on AT&T so no LTE for me. As long as I can go AT LEAST 12 hours with that kind of usage on a stock rom Expansys has my $624.99. I'm not sure but I believe the unlocked model ships with an unlocked bootloader (correct me if I'm wrong) so it's only a matter of time before the roms start pouring down from the devs and this phone gets even better. Thanks again for posting your review. Any and all feedback is appreciated.
filthyfnj24 said:
Great real world review! I've been reading reviews like a mad man but since you said you have had an N8 and an Atrix...and as I'm currently using an Atrix now and had an N8 before that it only seems logical you would be best the best person to ask a few few questions lol. You touched on my main concerns a little but I'm still hesitant for two reasons. 1.Build quality and 2.Battery life. The N8 to atrix jump left me loathing plastic phones and wishing someone out there was smart enough to shoehorn android onto an N8! My bigger concern is battery. 1930 mah + CM7 + faux's enhanced stock kernel = 30 plus hours of light to moderate use. Now I'm not expecting that but comparatively...What can I expect with say 200 or so texts sent and received, a few 5-10 minute calls, about an hour and a half of music and 15-20 minutes web browsing? I will be using the phone on AT&T so no LTE for me. As long as I can go AT LEAST 12 hours with that kind of usage on a stock rom Expansys has my $624.99. I'm not sure but I believe the unlocked model ships with an unlocked bootloader (correct me if I'm wrong) so it's only a matter of time before the roms start pouring down from the devs and this phone gets even better. Thanks again for posting your review. Any and all feedback is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery should give you nice results, especially if you set up "Smart Actions." I usually turn off mobile data (3G/4G) when I'm not using it, because you can still send/receive texts, as well as calls. This makes your battery last a lot longer, so just put a widget somewhere so it's an easy toggle. It's almost a 1,800mAH battery, which is way better than what you'd get on a Rezound (1,600mAH). Build quality is great, so don't be fooled by it's thin profile and think it's a cheap phone. They also sealed the battery for a reason... there are a lot of people complaining about this, but they sealed it to protect against water splashes, as well as the internals. Overall it's a great phone, just sucks that when I received mine it didn't come with the micro SIM card, so now I need to go back to Verizon.
filthyfnj24 said:
Great real world review! I've been reading reviews like a mad man but since you said you have had an N8 and an Atrix...and as I'm currently using an Atrix now and had an N8 before that it only seems logical you would be best the best person to ask a few few questions lol. You touched on my main concerns a little but I'm still hesitant for two reasons. 1.Build quality and 2.Battery life. The N8 to atrix jump left me loathing plastic phones and wishing someone out there was smart enough to shoehorn android onto an N8! My bigger concern is battery. 1930 mah + CM7 + faux's enhanced stock kernel = 30 plus hours of light to moderate use. Now I'm not expecting that but comparatively...What can I expect with say 200 or so texts sent and received, a few 5-10 minute calls, about an hour and a half of music and 15-20 minutes web browsing? I will be using the phone on AT&T so no LTE for me. As long as I can go AT LEAST 12 hours with that kind of usage on a stock rom Expansys has my $624.99. I'm not sure but I believe the unlocked model ships with an unlocked bootloader (correct me if I'm wrong) so it's only a matter of time before the roms start pouring down from the devs and this phone gets even better. Thanks again for posting your review. Any and all feedback is appreciated.
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Click to collapse
Don't worry about the build quality. Although its a bit on the light side she feels premium as hell and well balanced.
If the GSM version is identical to the let version I can imagine that your battery life will be better then mine. Hspa battery life is typically better then lte battery life.
how's the battery life? considering is a non-removable battery
jl1030 said:
how's the battery life? considering is a non-removable battery
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If 4g is disabled its outstanding! When on wifi I set my smart action to disable 3g n 4g it yields great results. Sadly, 4g will run this bad boy down.
sheek360 said:
Ive had the Motorola razr for a couple of days and after frequenting these forums I wanted to sort of write a review, from my perspective.
I was split between the resound and razr, it was the rezounds glitchy feel, htc sense and tiny battery and odd exterior that pushed me to get the razr. I got it at best buy, this way I had a month to swap it for the nexus as soon as it was released.
When I layed eyes on its packaging I was floored. I know it sounds kinda dumb. But damn it, the packaging was sweet! Nice low profile, menacing flat black, it was gorgeaous. I was immediately disappointed that it lacked an hdmi cable and earphones. Seriously, it was 300 $. My atrix came with a bloody hdmi cable atleast.
First time I held it I couldn’t believe how light n slim it was. Although shes packing Kevlar and a gorilla glass display, its so thin it makes u feel as if she were fragile. Not a bad thing, I enjoy slim. The side port can be a beyatch to manipulate, getting my 4g sim in there was a hassle. But thats because I bite my nails, if u don’t share this bad habit u wont have a problem at all. As soon as I fired her up the first time I wanted to shut it down immediately just so I can see the boot animation again! Very very cool. I was also glad to see that it doesn’t use motorolas blur services. And although it isn’t vanilla android, I feel motorolas touches were very welcomed. People here have complained about the camera, and yes it isn’t as great as my nokia n8. But its way better then my nexus s. I discovered, the secret to taking a great shot on this phone, is patience. Phone takes longer then it should to focus. Video recording at 720p is outstanding. 1080p is fine, but it has an odd stutter. It just doesn’t feel as fluid as 720p. many have complained about the pentile screen. And before booting the phone I expected an atrix/bionic like experience. Lemme tell u something. I have perfect vision and I am but a youngin. I don’t see jagged edges, artifacts during scrolling or the pin dots unless the phone is 3 inches from my face!!!!! The screen is beautiful, it over saturates the right colors and provides deep blacks. But it’s not as good as sammys super amoled plus. Either way its an outstanding screen. Motorola added a few things into this rom that I love. The ability to resize a widget. Smart actions. And the way qhd was used to fit more of an email on screen, makes zooming in and out of web pages ALMOST a thing of the past too. I have had zero ghasty reboots, she is very stable. The screen is very responsive, as good as it gets really. Battery life on 3g is super, but on 4g its not so hot. Luckily I can go from 50% battery to about 90% with just an hours charge. Im glad the volume buttons and power button are on the same side. I can imagine how it would suck for leftys though.
Calls were crystal clear, typical Motorola. My bathroom is a dead zone. Sprint tmo att Verizon whatever. U go in there u will lose service. The second I walk in my bathroom I was surprised to see that I was still on 4g. I speedtested and pulled in 3mp DL. Impressive considering my bathroom is a bermuda triangle. Texts come in quick and go out as fast too. So does mms. Indoors I fluctuate between 16mb and 20mb DL. Outside im killing at a steady 22mb. I have yet to drop a 4g signal. My friend with a droid charge cant say the same.
I hate the stock pic gallery and music app. I use quickpic and the google music app. Sounds through my cheapo skull candys (the one that costs more then 15 less then 20$) sound great. I do wish we had more equalizer control, but no biggie.
In conclusion, this phones got me spoiled. I really do like it. I hate the fact that I almost didn’t buy it cuz of people on this forum that over exaggerated the pentile screen. Im glad the rezound sucked hard enough to convince me to get the razr. And to tell u the truth, I doubt I will swap it for the nexus. I like it that much.
If ur on the fence feel free to ask a question on the thread, hijacking is welcomed.
Happy thanksgiving all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great job, I am a very happy Thunderbolt owner, S-Off, rooted and running a custom rom of course. Your break down was very good but you left out the most complained about thing on the forums, battery time. I am seriously thinking about picking up this phone but the locked down battery is my only concern. How has it been throughout the day? I am not very happy with the new Nexus hardware, no sd card and coming with only 16 mb of interior memory just isn't going to cut it for me. I think the new Razr with ICS on it would be one hell of a phone.
Thanks,
Go Patriots.
vinnyjr said:
Great job, I am a very happy Thunderbolt owner, S-Off, rooted and running a custom rom of course. Your break down was very good but you left out the most complained about thing on the forums, battery time. I am seriously thinking about picking up this phone but the locked down battery is my only concern. How has it been throughout the day? I am not very happy with the new Nexus hardware, no sd card and coming with only 16 mb of interior memory just isn't going to cut it for me. I think the new Razr with ICS on it would be one hell of a phone.
Thanks,
Go Patriots.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I consider myself a very heavy user. My day consists of 20 - 30 minutes wasted on calls. Maybe 15 minutes worth of xxx browsing (lol). Refreshing Google reader every 3 hours and reading my feeds like a fiend. I fb n tweet like crazy. I video chat about 5 minutes a day too. I send maybe 10 mms n a trillion texts. I also IM too much. And I occasionally take the opportunity to Google something.
Oh I have a smurf ville and angry birds obsession.
My wifi is on at all times. But my 4g is off. I remove the phone from the charger at 6am. By lunch I'm already sitting on 80%. My battery hits about 30% or 40% by 8pm.
Because of the screen the battery dips quickly. I refuse to set brightness to 0% dammit!
When I leave the house I turn off wifi n turn on 4g. The phone sips battery very lightly no matter if your on wifi on 4g, it idles very generously.
But once u stomp on it, u can burn 10% battery on 4g in a matter of 30 - 45 minutes.
PS I YouTube a lot too. Maybe 20 minutes a day.

Should I jump on the rezound @ 99$?

Hey guys thanks for viewing I could really use some advice from you experts
I'm eligible for an early upgrade which is 20$+ contract price...but in exactly 2 months I have my NE2 available. The rezound is on sale right now for 99$ and it's very tempting...
I really couldn't spend more than 200 right now on a phone period and I know the nexus will be there soon @ 16gb storage capacity...It's the only other phone I'd even consider right now.
Do you guys think it would be worth it to jump on this deal now or do you think this phone will still be at the 99$ price point in 2 months?
My concerns are...
1. I absolutely hate sense and would just love stock ICS but all the roms seem to have an issue or more.
2. I hear the iBeats are kind of cheap and break pretty easily...I run/work-out a lot and the nice music would really be enjoyable. I also use google music and know that beats only works with the stock music player.
3. I read the battery life is pretty ****...I would buy the extended battery but I'm worried that it will be a tank...way to heavy?
Please help guys
1. Matter of time before stock ICS- and the senseless ones in here are pretty damn solid
2. I workout in the ibeats- I'm not a big sweater but they've been fine- it's all about how you treat them- when they're not in use- they're coiled up and put bag into the supplied bag. I know they're over-rated but they are the best set of headphones I've owned (granted, I've always bought crap)
3. Battery life is fine for me- sure it could be better but it's never failed me in a pinch.. I played a 4 hr round of golf the other day and streamed sirius/xm on 4g the whole time- still had plenty of battery when I was done w/ the round.
At 99 bucks- this phone is the biggest freakin no-brainer to me.. Sure, there are quad cores on the horizon, but they likely won't be in your 200 dollar budget. Plus- I'm waiting on some applications/OS that are actually going to take full advantage of these multi-core devices that are limited to a 4.3-4.5 inch screen (Before I left my Droid Inc I was running a sense 3.5 rom and it ran beautifully- not that I'm regretting getting the rezound in anyway..)
I have OEM extended battery and I love the added weight and grip it gives the phone and obviously all the extra juice lol usually never have a problem with my phone lasting til bedtime with moderate to semiheavy daily usage.
I would not pass up the Rezound for $99. That's a steal for sure lol. Hopefully u get it and enjoy!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App
psykotikz said:
Hey guys thanks for viewing I could really use some advice from you experts
I'm eligible for an early upgrade which is 20$+ contract price...but in exactly 2 months I have my NE2 available. The rezound is on sale right now for 99$ and it's very tempting...
I really couldn't spend more than 200 right now on a phone period and I know the nexus will be there soon @ 16gb storage capacity...It's the only other phone I'd even consider right now.
Do you guys think it would be worth it to jump on this deal now or do you think this phone will still be at the 99$ price point in 2 months?
My concerns are...
1. I absolutely hate sense and would just love stock ICS but all the roms seem to have an issue or more.
2. I hear the iBeats are kind of cheap and break pretty easily...I run/work-out a lot and the nice music would really be enjoyable. I also use google music and know that beats only works with the stock music player.
3. I read the battery life is pretty ****...I would buy the extended battery but I'm worried that it will be a tank...way to heavy?
Please help guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. ICS Sense is not as bad as previous Sense. Its very smooth and fast, they also have done a great job on de-bloating apps. The only problem I have is the Bluetooth and a minor blue screen flicker, everything else works flawlessly.
2. The ibeats are crap to other earphones that are over $80, tell me how many of those do you own? They sound VERY great and are the best phone ear phones EVER.
3. The phone is pretty heavy as is but its also no Blackberry. Its sleep slightly heavier than the original Dinc. Battery is also better than the Dinc, the extended on The rez does make it bigger but doesn't stand out as bad as the Dinc did.
All in all, I love the rez. I would recommend the rez over any phone out right now. You won't be dissapointed.
Thanks a lot guys.
I'm just pissed that I waited all these months for this "New every 2" upgrade and now I'd just be passing it up. My DX is dying out tho anyways...had this ink leak and It's beyond annoying lol.
The battery is fine, beats are garbage. But, you can make 50 of your 99 bucks back selling them to some idiot who thinks they sound good!
Wow- I guess I'm an idiot as are many on these forums. Maybe I should go back to my ipod buds??
Hag77 said:
Wow- I guess I'm an idiot as are many on these forums. Maybe I should go back to my ipod buds??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently so
Gotta love the internet..
Anyways- I'll stick with it since it's kind of on topic as the OP has questions about beats.. What other 99 dollar phone (or any priced for phone for that matter)- comes with higher quality buds? Again- not that these are the best ever- but beat anything I've owned and am willing to pay for separately. The fact that they came w/ the phone was just a plus.
Maybe I can bring them to a store that sells them and exchange them for the tours? They got that tangle free cord which is pretty cool.
Do it
Best phone I've ever had. Dual core processor, 1.5 GHz and 1 Gb of memory makes it the fastest phone on the market as of now.
4GLTE is nice too. I can download albums in less than 10 minutes. The screen is gorgeous (720p) but the battery does kind of blow, unless you pick up an extended battery (which are half off!). They add some bulk, but when it's in your pocket you don't really notice. (Click the link in my siggy for full ext. battery info) Also why so much hate on the beats? They sound nice on the phone.
Nice! Alright guys I jumped on board =) Just ordered...should have it monday.
Where is that extended batt. for half off? I can't find it for sale period lol..
The half off battery is only in store, I got mine about 2 weeks ago. Not sure if the sale is still going on. If it is they will try to sell it to you for half off 59.99 well look at the box when they go get it because there is probably a sticker on it for 49.99 so you will get half off that. I didn't notice till they rang half of the $59.99 then paid then I had them return and repurchase at the half off the $49.99. As far as exchanging the beats somewhere for a different model you will have to somehow break the ones that come in the phone box and have them send a replacement because you will get the actual ibeats in the OEM ibeats box, same as in stores with the price tag of $99.99 on the ibeats box! Great choice going with Rezound you will love it but you point on the stock battery are true it is terrible, but all of the android phones are. Something you just have to deal with till they can figure out how to make them last longer or start putting extended in from the factory. ENJOY!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk
psykotikz said:
Nice! Alright guys I jumped on board =) Just ordered...should have it monday.
Where is that extended batt. for half off? I can't find it for sale period lol..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was able to get the extended battery twice for 19.99. They are not marked on sale, but that is what they rang up. This was in December though.
hockeytown said:
The half off battery is only in store, I got mine about 2 weeks ago. Not sure if the sale is still going on. If it is they will try to sell it to you for half off 59.99 well look at the box when they go get it because there is probably a sticker on it for 49.99 so you will get half off that. I didn't notice till they rang half of the $59.99 then paid then I had them return and repurchase at the half off the $49.99. As far as exchanging the beats somewhere for a different model you will have to somehow break the ones that come in the phone box and have them send a replacement because you will get the actual ibeats in the OEM ibeats box, same as in stores with the price tag of $99.99 on the ibeats box! Great choice going with Rezound you will love it but you point on the stock battery are true it is terrible, but all of the android phones are. Something you just have to deal with till they can figure out how to make them last longer or start putting extended in from the factory. ENJOY!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
found it on the verizon website for 29.99..it didn't say it till i actually checked out..lol i thought i missed it. still a good deal, rezound/beats/extended battery for 130...really cant beat that. If I somehow manage to do what you suggested and get the tours for a few bucks more that would be like hitting the lotto with this phone haha. Anyways you guys will be seeing me around here now all the time asking a million questions. Only did roms with my X and its locked bootloader...no experience with kernels and stuff =X. Can't wait! Thanks for all the help fellas

EVO 4G LTE Impressions

Hey guys.
Some of you may know me from the Evo 3D section. Recently, my 3D's touchscreen started to fail on me (a known quality-control issue) and I evaluated my options on repairing it and came to the conclusion a new phone is a better investment.
I've been researching the living crap out of the Galaxy Nexus and the 4G LTE (The GS3 is waaaay outside my price point). It seems more and more likely that the 4G LTE is simply a better phone.
So now, this thread. Before I pull the trigger, I want the scoop on this phone from the only users I trust; XDA users. Tell me what you love about this phone, what you hate, what to watch out for, whether or not you regret it, anything. As much detail as possible, please
This phone will genuinely have to last me two years (buying it off contract). I need to know that I can count on this in the same way I was able to count on my HTC Hero (which I feel was more dependable than the Evo 3D).
Thanks guys. I look forward to possibly joining you in this forum in the future.
What's up man?! Go ahead and pull the trigger is what I say. I didn't consider it that huge of an upgrade personally but I figured id try it out for 14 days and return then try the GS3 then make my decision. I ended up keeping it and deciding to do so very quickly.Lol. Very 1st thing that got me was the thinness and how great it felt holding.....it felt really nice....and the screen is ike candy for your eyes. My experience with sense 4 and the speed made me question the need to root (blasphemy I know) but I did anyway. I love the camera software and the phone charges fast and really last....the sleeping is incredible. I live everything about it except the shiney black top....other than that in my opion its the best Evo ever and top phone now.
Sent from my htc_jewel using Tapatalk 2
After my first experience with the EVO 3D (3 lemons in under a month), I thought I'd never own an HTC phone again. I went as far as saying I'd never piss on an HTC phone if it was on fire. This phone is making me eat those words. I don't even know why I gave them another chance but I'm glad I did. I wanted a great screen, fast processor, and a relatively "future proofed" phone and this totally fit the bill. It was between this and the Gnex but with the connectivity problems, notoriously weak antennae and glacial charging I rolled the dice on the EVO.
I'm really digging the snappiness overall, running Nova launcher and MeanICS 0.5 ROM. The screen is gorgeous, especially coming from a Photon, and the camera is just about neck and neck with my 4S (work phone). I've been shooting with it for about a week and love love love the pictures it takes.
The only thing I don't like is the car dock has a really finicky usb connector and no sound comes through said connector making it a real bummer when I want to use the phone as an aux music source.
With ROM floodgates starting to open, I heartily endorse this phone to anyone who is in the market. Even stock with Nova launcher works really well, I'm not a fan of Sense but I will admit it was way better than what came stock in the Evo 3D.
Omg we need a Liquid Rom in here! I haven't ran something from you since the HREO CDMA days! Your Sense Rom was the best!
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
I sold my preordered Evo for a pretty penny and bought a Galaxy Nexus for dirt cheap. While the Nexus was good, the battery made it just OK. It just wouldn't last. The screen was nice but put it next to the Evo and nice becomes wtf. The Evo comes with a microSD slot for my 64GB card (huge plus). The battery in the Evo lasts a whole day a whole night and in to the next afternoon. With heavy use, I mean playing with it constantly from games to web to calls it easily can last 12-15 hours. That right there sold me. I had the option for the GS3 as well. I was really thinking I would switch, considering I had the Epic and the Epic Touch. I.couldn't bring.myself.to return it. Too GREAT of a phone. Plus the kickstand is great. I watch a lot of Netflix while waiting for freight. There isn't a single con and a long list of pros. BUY IT!
Sent from my htc_jewel using xda premium
neopolotin75 said:
What's up man?! Go ahead and pull the trigger is what I say. I didn't consider it that huge of an upgrade personally but I figured id try it out for 14 days and return then try the GS3 then make my decision. I ended up keeping it and deciding to do so very quickly.Lol. Very 1st thing that got me was the thinness and how great it felt holding.....it felt really nice....and the screen is ike candy for your eyes. My experience with sense 4 and the speed made me question the need to root (blasphemy I know) but I did anyway. I love the camera software and the phone charges fast and really last....the sleeping is incredible. I live everything about it except the shiney black top....other than that in my opion its the best Evo ever and top phone now.
Sent from my htc_jewel using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it feels solid in your eyes? If I grip my Evo 3D even slightly firmly, I can feel the plastic creak. How are you doing on battery life? I'm an extremely minimal user of my phone.
DB13 said:
Omg we need a Liquid Rom in here! I haven't ran something from you since the HREO CDMA days! Your Sense Rom was the best!
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heh, I've been considering starting up a project like that again.
cunnyrydah said:
I sold my preordered Evo for a pretty penny and bought a Galaxy Nexus for dirt cheap. While the Nexus was good, the battery made it just OK. It just wouldn't last. The screen was nice but put it next to the Evo and nice becomes wtf. The Evo comes with a microSD slot for my 64GB card (huge plus). The battery in the Evo lasts a whole day a whole night and in to the next afternoon. With heavy use, I mean playing with it constantly from games to web to calls it easily can last 12-15 hours. That right there sold me. I had the option for the GS3 as well. I was really thinking I would switch, considering I had the Epic and the Epic Touch. I.couldn't bring.myself.to return it. Too GREAT of a phone. Plus the kickstand is great. I watch a lot of Netflix while waiting for freight. There isn't a single con and a long list of pros. BUY IT!
Sent from my htc_jewel using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's some very promising battery life, especially for my minimal use
soopermarkus said:
After my first experience with the EVO 3D (3 lemons in under a month), I thought I'd never own an HTC phone again. I went as far as saying I'd never piss on an HTC phone if it was on fire. This phone is making me eat those words. I don't even know why I gave them another chance but I'm glad I did. I wanted a great screen, fast processor, and a relatively "future proofed" phone and this totally fit the bill. It was between this and the Gnex but with the connectivity problems, notoriously weak antennae and glacial charging I rolled the dice on the EVO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, someone who understands the build quality woes of the Evo 3D. In the short year I've owned it, the screen plate near the cap buttons has "sunk" down into the shell, the battery cover has become lose, the outer 'lining' is coming off, and the power button and volume buttons are almost hilariously mushy (never know if they're working).
I'm sorely searching for the build quality of HTC that I used to know, from the days of the Hero all the way back to the original Titan and Apache (those things were amazing). It seems you feel that they've recaptured this "Evo" namesake.
I'm really digging the snappiness overall, running Nova launcher and MeanICS 0.5 ROM. The screen is gorgeous, especially coming from a Photon, and the camera is just about neck and neck with my 4S (work phone). I've been shooting with it for about a week and love love love the pictures it takes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How's the screen at repelling fingerprints? I know that it's supposed to come with an oleo-phobic coating, but do you think it would be worth getting a screen protector?
Great phone; buy it! :good:
What's up liquid I think you should go ahead and get it there's nothing better at this point and to build quality is nothing like the evo 3d. My only issue is the lack of multitasking it reloads tabs almost..but I've heard that has been fixed on the hox...great device..makes the 3d look like a fat pig
LiquidSolstice said:
So it feels solid in your eyes? If I grip my Evo 3D even slightly firmly, I can feel the plastic creak. How are you doing on battery life? I'm an extremely minimal user of my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The quality is the best I ever felt......no plastic feel or creak like the 3d......When I first held it I was like WOW. I'm a heavy user when on station and I don't feel tethered to a plug.....it does very well but the way it sleeps is the best.....I can have 80 percent and go do 3 runs and several hrs later it still sits at 80......my 3D would have dropped by 20 lol
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
I've been a happy owner of the 3D for the past year, but after flashing the Virgin Mobile FW and finding out from Sprint that I have a free upgrade, I'm picking up the 4G LTE on Monday. I just figure the time is right to make the jump since as of now there's no downgrade for the FW, no official ICS release, and WiMax is dead. Base on this thread, I'm in!
The phone is awesome even stock I have no complaints could maybe use a radio update but that's it seeing how these dye radios are new I find signal to be acceptable for myself. Love the camera and I have no problems removed some screens tho since 7 is over kill lol
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Just don't put it in your skinny jeans pocket and you'll be fine. Would love to see your work on my LTE.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Also coming from the 3D, I decided to pull the trigger on this phone earlier this month.
Personal pros: Size, feel, battery life
Cons: Wifi/3G dropout, multitasking (primarily Sense reload)
I rooted immediately, switched to Apex Launcher, and tested a few custom ROMS.
Temp bricked it yesterday w/ the S-OFF method, and returned it to BB to swap out in hopes that it would fix the Wifi/3G dropouts. Wifi seems to be better, 3G dropouts still exist, so I'd imagine it'll be a radio/firmware fix in the future. I'd also imagine the aggressive and clumsy multitasking will also be resolved when source is released from HTC and we can get some custom kernels.
SG3 is released for the public on 7/1 @ BB, so I'll go back to play around w/ it a little bit before my 30 day window of opp. is closed. All in all, I'm leaning towards keeping the LTEvo due to the development community and overall feel of the phone.
Lastly, I was going to go right back and root after getting phone #2, but simply installing Apex over stock everything hasn't been bad. I think until source is released, I can deal with holding off on root. The apps I rely on work w/o root, FoxFi works w/o root (even though pointless w/ slow 3G data, but hey..), and honestly, until we can start overclocking, undervolting, etc., the only true benefit w/ root access is being able to F w/ the build.prop for GW purposes, density, and whatever. Not enough of a factor IMO to root just yet, though the ROMS available right now are promising!
Verdict: Go for the LTEvo. Enjoyed your work during the Hero days as well!
For the screen, the fingerprints have been less of an issue than my tbolt, but they are still there. I thought the screen really was "scratch proof" until I had it in a bag with my keys and I saw a little scratch right in the effing MIDDLE of the screen! Needless to say, I ordered a matte screen protector and will see if it kills the awesome-ness of how the screen looks and displays.
I honestly cannot agree more with what has already been said about this awesome phone. After coming from my tbolt with a rezound battery (i still use it to this day) and it's crappy battery life to this phone has totally restored my confidence in using smartphones. Instead of thinking "if i play this emulator or watch this video, I'll have to charge it again", I say "I will play this emulator or watch this video and not care because the battery WILL last". I know I sound crazy here, but the battery really is that good. In fact, it's that reason that I haven't rooted and put on a custom ROM because I'm afraid something will happen.
Performance wise, it is just plain sick. It runs the PSXEmulator tons smoother than my TBolt and sense is just awesome. I would consider rooting just for the dual-core mod where the second cpu is always running except for when the screen is off, but again, bye-bye insane battery life (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Physical feel of phone is sweet; the thinness is good and the material is nice; except for that bloody top back shiny cover that drives us OCD guys nuts with fingerprints :O But I did order a case because I'm afraid if I drop it, it will go bye-bye.
I researched heavily this phone and the galaxy nexus and from what I could tell, the nexus didn't have the same power as this phone and because of that, people complained that it ran slower than it should. Also the battery was only so-so.
I have yet to look back and do not regret the money I spent
firmbiz94 said:
What's up liquid I think you should go ahead and get it there's nothing better at this point and to build quality is nothing like the evo 3d. My only issue is the lack of multitasking it reloads tabs almost..but I've heard that has been fixed on the hox...great device..makes the 3d look like a fat pig
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that this was due to aggressive minfree values to keep Sense running smooth. Custom ROMs have already tweaked it, but I actually see this as a plus. I've always used extremely (read: ludicrous) aggressive minfree and OOM values, because I damn near never multitask, I only ever do one thing at a time.
neopolotin75 said:
The quality is the best I ever felt......no plastic feel or creak like the 3d......When I first held it I was like WOW. I'm a heavy user when on station and I don't feel tethered to a plug.....it does very well but the way it sleeps is the best.....I can have 80 percent and go do 3 runs and several hrs later it still sits at 80......my 3D would have dropped by 20 lol
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is very, VERY nice to hear. I look forward to that
NYG140 said:
I've been a happy owner of the 3D for the past year, but after flashing the Virgin Mobile FW and finding out from Sprint that I have a free upgrade, I'm picking up the 4G LTE on Monday. I just figure the time is right to make the jump since as of now there's no downgrade for the FW, no official ICS release, and WiMax is dead. Base on this thread, I'm in!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yuck, I'm sorry you had to go through the Virgin FW mess. I thankfully was late in finding out about it and hence managed to see all the problems that came with it before I flashed, so I skipped it. Glad to hear you're getting an upgrade!
ckoadiyn said:
The phone is awesome even stock I have no complaints could maybe use a radio update but that's it seeing how these dye radios are new I find signal to be acceptable for myself. Love the camera and I have no problems removed some screens tho since 7 is over kill lol
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Radio update? Are signal woes really a concern?
BrianBaker said:
Just don't put it in your skinny jeans pocket and you'll be fine. Would love to see your work on my LTE.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heh, no skinny jeans on this boy, don't worry. I might delve back into it again, we'll see.
pwrmedia said:
Also coming from the 3D, I decided to pull the trigger on this phone earlier this month.
Personal pros: Size, feel, battery life
Cons: Wifi/3G dropout, multitasking (primarily Sense reload)
I rooted immediately, switched to Apex Launcher, and tested a few custom ROMS.
Temp bricked it yesterday w/ the S-OFF method, and returned it to BB to swap out in hopes that it would fix the Wifi/3G dropouts. Wifi seems to be better, 3G dropouts still exist, so I'd imagine it'll be a radio/firmware fix in the future. I'd also imagine the aggressive and clumsy multitasking will also be resolved when source is released from HTC and we can get some custom kernels.
SG3 is released for the public on 7/1 @ BB, so I'll go back to play around w/ it a little bit before my 30 day window of opp. is closed. All in all, I'm leaning towards keeping the LTEvo due to the development community and overall feel of the phone.
Lastly, I was going to go right back and root after getting phone #2, but simply installing Apex over stock everything hasn't been bad. I think until source is released, I can deal with holding off on root. The apps I rely on work w/o root, FoxFi works w/o root (even though pointless w/ slow 3G data, but hey..), and honestly, until we can start overclocking, undervolting, etc., the only true benefit w/ root access is being able to F w/ the build.prop for GW purposes, density, and whatever. Not enough of a factor IMO to root just yet, though the ROMS available right now are promising!
Verdict: Go for the LTEvo. Enjoyed your work during the Hero days as well!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems as though I might not need to root for a while either. I've actually not needed to tether in a long, long time with my 3D. Root was soley for performance desires. These connectivity issues are getting a it worrying though...
And thanks! I didn't realize my Hero ROM had such a reputation haha.
pogibry said:
For the screen, the fingerprints have been less of an issue than my tbolt, but they are still there. I thought the screen really was "scratch proof" until I had it in a bag with my keys and I saw a little scratch right in the effing MIDDLE of the screen! Needless to say, I ordered a matte screen protector and will see if it kills the awesome-ness of how the screen looks and displays.
I honestly cannot agree more with what has already been said about this awesome phone. After coming from my tbolt with a rezound battery (i still use it to this day) and it's crappy battery life to this phone has totally restored my confidence in using smartphones. Instead of thinking "if i play this emulator or watch this video, I'll have to charge it again", I say "I will play this emulator or watch this video and not care because the battery WILL last". I know I sound crazy here, but the battery really is that good. In fact, it's that reason that I haven't rooted and put on a custom ROM because I'm afraid something will happen.
Performance wise, it is just plain sick. It runs the PSXEmulator tons smoother than my TBolt and sense is just awesome. I would consider rooting just for the dual-core mod where the second cpu is always running except for when the screen is off, but again, bye-bye insane battery life (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Physical feel of phone is sweet; the thinness is good and the material is nice; except for that bloody top back shiny cover that drives us OCD guys nuts with fingerprints :O But I did order a case because I'm afraid if I drop it, it will go bye-bye.
I researched heavily this phone and the galaxy nexus and from what I could tell, the nexus didn't have the same power as this phone and because of that, people complained that it ran slower than it should. Also the battery was only so-so.
I have yet to look back and do not regret the money I spent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like the battery usage will be insane for me. All these use-cases appear to be with heavy usage and good battery life, so I can't wait to see what my mild usage will result in.
Thanks for the feedback guys, I'm loving reading all these experiences!
No signal is fine for me as I'm in a well covered area. I could be a tad stronger but that's about it.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
ckoadiyn said:
No signal is fine for me as I'm in a well covered area. I could be a tad stronger but that's about it.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My 3D would always kill itself trying to find signal where I live. I'm hoping that won't be an issue with the LTE.
Amazon has some great prices on this phone in and out of contract.
pogibry said:
For the screen, the fingerprints have been less of an issue than my tbolt, but they are still there. I thought the screen really was "scratch proof" until I had it in a bag with my keys and I saw a little scratch right in the effing MIDDLE of the screen! Needless to say, I ordered a matte screen protector and will see if it kills the awesome-ness of how the screen looks and displays.
I honestly cannot agree more with what has already been said about this awesome phone. After coming from my tbolt with a rezound battery (i still use it to this day) and it's crappy battery life to this phone has totally restored my confidence in using smartphones. Instead of thinking "if i play this emulator or watch this video, I'll have to charge it again", I say "I will play this emulator or watch this video and not care because the battery WILL last". I know I sound crazy here, but the battery really is that good. In fact, it's that reason that I haven't rooted and put on a custom ROM because I'm afraid something will happen.
Performance wise, it is just plain sick. It runs the PSXEmulator tons smoother than my TBolt and sense is just awesome. I would consider rooting just for the dual-core mod where the second cpu is always running except for when the screen is off, but again, bye-bye insane battery life (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Physical feel of phone is sweet; the thinness is good and the material is nice; except for that bloody top back shiny cover that drives us OCD guys nuts with fingerprints :O But I did order a case because I'm afraid if I drop it, it will go bye-bye.
I researched heavily this phone and the galaxy nexus and from what I could tell, the nexus didn't have the same power as this phone and because of that, people complained that it ran slower than it should. Also the battery was only so-so.
I have yet to look back and do not regret the money I spent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running the nocturnal Rom and it has the dual core going but honestly I haven't noticed a difference. ....you should check it out.....it's been the smoothest for me so far
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
I dont mind the killing of apps as much as I do the tabs in the web browser..sometimes esp. With online banking I run into issues..it happens pretty much instantly..I've adjusted my min free settings as well as flashed about every rom besides aosp and my phone still kills apps like that's its job..I would just like the option to adjust it or have it ignore my web browser as I'm pretty good about closing things out..buts that's my only issue and it will be fixed..the build is bar none and battery is sick..camera is on par with top cell phone cameras and the UI in the camera app is best in class..i never miss a shot ..it will be good to see u in here liquid..to defend against the trolls and fanboys LOL

Still worth getting?

Hey guys, friendly, neighborhood, T-Mo Sony (Z3) enthusiast here. Congrats on the Lollipop!
So, the wife and I have been going back and forth over her wanting to leave for Verizon (because, she suffers from unreliable reliability?). Between my bias for Sony and T-mo's features (I listen to music all day at work w/o data restrictions), I'm reluctant to leave. (Note: the back has started to peel off so I'm on borrowed time with this Z anyway)
If I WERE to leave, I can't tell if Sony/Verizon relations have deteriorated after the Z4v debacle where they won't get the X, or if I should look at the Nexus 6P, the new LG, or the :shivers: S7 Edge (I've been avoiding Samsung, but that VR tho). I'm afraid of both, getting stuck with Verizon and without a new Sony phone for a while (or forever?).
A few days back, I'd told the Mrs. I could cheaply get a Z3v online but then read the complaints on these forums and backed up/out. You wouldn't believe the eye-roll I got when I said I might look at the Z again after the update, lol. So what do y'all say? Is it worth staying in the Sony ecosystem (I rarely use but enjoy the PS4 connectivity), should I look at other Verizon phones, or just stick with T-Mo and get the X later?
Thanks for reading.
Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk
It really depends on what you're looking for. The Galaxy S7 is hailing great remarks because it's now very refined in its premium body, expandable storage and waterproofing returns. For the average consumer nowadays, they just want the latest and greatest tech.
It's impossible to really tell if Sony isn't going to release anymore phones Verizon. The chances are highly slim, but who knows what they have in store about the new X series. So you may grab this phone for cheap on eBay, but you're only going to get as far as you can in playing around and customizing to an extent until it gets a bootloader unlock. I don't know if you're interested in that, but that's it now for a phone that Verizon isn't going to do much more for it.
Be aware that the USB door has problems with seal tearing, and camera in camera/video mode will overheat in hotter ambient temperatures (sometimes for no reason) and shut down, other than that nice phone.
Like the rest, don't see the Z3v getting anything past Lollipop unless it gets an unlocked bootloader, although some articles say it will see Marshmallow.
Flaps aren't a issue with the z3v because you can just wirelessly charge. Limiting wear on them. And yes I think add of right now this phone will easily hold me over another year. I'll see about the X when it comes out.
Sent from my D6708 using Tapatalk
I'm getting close to just pulling the trigger on the Z3v. I figure, its cheap enough that if something miraculous happens between Sony and Verizon, OR if Sony's next phones DON'T accommodate CDMA, it won't feel like such a financial hit if I move on, in either direction.
Now, I just have to find a good, clean, reliable version of this device. ...And possibly some way to cover that obnoxious "Verizon" logo up top.
TracerBullitt said:
I'm getting close to just pulling the trigger on the Z3v. I figure, its cheap enough that if something miraculous happens between Sony and Verizon, OR if Sony's next phones DON'T accommodate CDMA, it won't feel like such a financial hit if I move on, in either direction.
Now, I just have to find a good, clean, reliable version of this device. ...And possibly some way to cover that obnoxious "Verizon" logo up top.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a great phone, nonetheless. For how undervalued this phone is priced at, it's a great buy for a compatible phone the largest network in the US and it's a flagship spec phone from 2014, not some midrange phone.
GigaSPX said:
It's a great phone, nonetheless. For how undervalued this phone is priced at, it's a great buy for a compatible phone the largest network in the US and it's a flagship spec phone from 2014, not some midrange phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, that's the message I'm getting here in the forums. My wife is dumbfounded at my love of Sony. But she'll be pleased when my Z3v comes in the mail, later today(!)...
The sacrifices I make, amirite?
Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk
I have a cheap wireless charger ($10) from Amazon, so I never open the flap for charging. OBVIOUSLY, opening and closing the rubber flap every day is going to wear it out. Because it's . . .
-rubber.
I have a high end (as fast as Sandisk currently makes) 200GB micro SD in both of my z3vs. I have the rooted lollipop release from this site (with brighter led thanks to GigaSPX), which gives me a great variety of customization options (Xposed framework), VIPER4Android FX for INCREDIBLE sound customization, enabled the internal FM radio, updated camera (which I don't recommend yet until it's refined better), etc...
But no matter what, people seem to always want more. I liken that mentality to people camping out in cities at Apple stores awaiting the iPhone 5c. What a let-down THAT was. LOL!
This phone is an incredible device on it's own merit, in both capabilities and craftsmanship. Add just a few tweaks via root, and it serves as the penultimate "best bang for the buck" phone out there.
I got my first one on contract (line renewal) for just $99. It sat there, unloved, unattended, while people were surrounding the iPhone 6s like it was the second coming of Christ or something. I went home and did my research, and I went back the very next day and got it. I bought a second one off Amazon recently for over $300 (NIB) because to me, an average cost of $200 is still a bargain for the z3v (rooted w/ Lollipop, that is). Add 200GB to each one for an additional 100 bucks each, and still, for an average cost of $300, this phone is amazing.
Is the z3v still worth getting? IMO, Yes. Look at the hardware specs plus the camera. If you can pick one up for $250-300, add 200GB to it for $100 (Amazon), root it and upgrade to Lollipop, and pledge a few bucks to encourage complete unlock for custom ROM development, it's still a fantastic deal.
HIGHLY recommend a wireless charger to keep the flaps water tight.
A big downer is the lack of case choices out there. No argument there.
Yeah, I got one (refurbished) coming sometime today, along with the Incipio case, Sony's wireless portable charging pad, and an Illumisheild. I already have a 64gb micro SD, but maybe I'll look into a larger one. Its been a while since I've done any rooting or whatever on my own, so I might wait a bit. Seems like more than enough to hold me over 'til the next best thing from Sony drops. Its honestly a lateral move from my T-Mo Z3. I'm gaining wireless charging and I'll have yet to see if the T-mo treats (unlimited data, free music streaming, wifi router) will be missed.

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