Getting this phone in a couple of days. How much do you guys love this phone?!?! I'm switching from t-mobile to Verizon, so hopefully this phone will spank my old rooted mytouch 4g (which I know will)
ive had mine for about 3 months now and i was a motorola guy but i gotta admit the rezound is nice. even before i unlocked the bootloader it seemed to be smooth for transitions and loading apps/games. but ever since i unlocked it and currently running RezRom 3.1 i must say im very glad with my purchase. battery life is actually decent for a LTE phone but i only run a music widget and not much else on the homescreens. enjoy your new phone.
Thanks for the fast reply, but yea I can't go outside of HTC. I have played with moto and Samsung phones and they just seem too buggy for me
This is BY FAR, the best phone I have ever had And I have been a VZ customer for years.
This phone has a very strong antenna. While driving on a highway I pickup almost all the wifi signals. 4G is very strong. My uploads in 4G are actually double my wifi - simply amazing.
jmorton10 said:
This is BY FAR, the best phone I have ever had And I have been a VZ customer for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
The only thing I would change about it would be make it a non-removable battery and make it huge like the RAZR MAXX. The extended battery ruins the feel of the phone IMO.
I actually LIKE the feel of the extended battery better.
It fits my hand better and makes it easier to hold.
This is the first Phone I've had where the extended batt still looks like the stock battery.
jmorton10 said:
I actually LIKE the feel of the extended battery better.
It fits my hand better and makes it easier to hold.
This is the first Phone I've had where the extended batt still looks like the stock battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree 100%. I bought the extended battery and love it. It feels better, and at least doubles the battery life. This is by far my favorite phone.
jmorton10 said:
I actually LIKE the feel of the extended battery better.
It fits my hand better and makes it easier to hold.
This is the first Phone I've had where the extended batt still looks like the stock battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GrayTheWolf said:
I agree 100%. I bought the extended battery and love it. It feels better, and at least doubles the battery life. This is by far my favorite phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect example if to each their own, that's cool though that you guys like it better, I wish I could use them, I would love to extra batt life.
I don't regret trading my gnex for rezound, some ppl think I was crazy.
ditto what everyone else has said. i have the extended battery as well and like how it feels in my hand as well. i actually tried to return this to get the razr maxx, but glad they wouldn't let me.
Best phone I have had.... So far...
Sent from my highly modified ICS Rezound.
Best.Phone.Ever! I have owned Motorolas, Samsungs and HTC's. I am never leaving HTC again.
This is definitely the best phone I've ever owned. I had a Samsung Captivate on ATT and thought it was great aside from the terrible GPS. I truly loved that phone and hated to part with it but needed to sell it so I could afford to switch from ATT to Verizon. I was going to get a Galaxy Nexus (partially because I liked by Captivate so much and partially because of ICS) but decided to go with the Rezound after playing with a friend's (and the fact that it was $100 cheaper didn't hurt either). Honestly, I had no regrets at the time and I definitely don't at this point, after reading about all the issues with the gnex. I absolutely love this phone. Everything works the way it should, the screen is gorgeous, battery life is great, and it just feels solid and well built. I, too, have the extended battery and I think it really makes the phone feel great. It's larger and easier to grip, and I actually prefer the added weight. I find a heavier phone is easier to hold onto and I'm also one who tends to associate heft with quality.
Aside from the phone, I think making the move to Verizon was the smartest thing I could have done. Where I live, I literally had to travel five miles south to pick up 3G on ATT...or 45 miles north. There is about a 50 mile stretch of Interstate 65 where ATT is 2G only. With Verizon, I have only found a couple of very small and very rural areas where I'm unable to get 3G (and I rarely visit those areas). I get 3G everywhere I go and, as an added bonus, switch over to 4G at the same 5 mile mark south of my house. Since I work 30 miles south of where I live, that works out perfectly...and I know Verizon will have that 4G area expanded to my house within a pretty reasonable timeframe. In the three years I was with ATT, they expanded the 3G coverage in my area by a whopping three miles. That's right...I used to have to travel 8 miles south to get 3G.
RKight said:
Aside from the phone, I think making the move to Verizon was the smartest thing I could have done. Where I live, I literally had to travel five miles south to pick up 3G on ATT...or 45 miles north. There is about a 50 mile stretch of Interstate 65 where ATT is 2G only. With Verizon, I have only found a couple of very small and very rural areas where I'm unable to get 3G (and I rarely visit those areas). I get 3G everywhere I go and, as an added bonus, switch over to 4G at the same 5 mile mark south of my house. Since I work 30 miles south of where I live, that works out perfectly...and I know Verizon will have that 4G area expanded to my house within a pretty reasonable timeframe. In the three years I was with ATT, they expanded the 3G coverage in my area by a whopping three miles. That's right...I used to have to travel 8 miles south to get 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent choice man! I always choose Verizon if I could. I get strong signal everywhere. I get LTE in most places I go. Everyone I knew who were on AT&T absolutely hated it, and complained how slow and unreliable it was. But when they switched to Verizon, they were blown away by how much of a difference it made.
Just got this phone and already loving it stocked... Will probably root soon
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium
kryptik06 said:
Just got this phone and already loving it stocked... Will probably root soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the HTC Dev unlock and had it rooted on day two. I rocked the stock ROM for about a month or so and then flashed the latest ICS leak. I used that for a few days and now I'm on Scott's Clean ROM 4.1. It just keeps getting better. Lol
good phone, crappy battery life. i am getting a bit bored with no aosp or miui but overall id recommend it.
I recently came from T-Mobile as well, loving Verizon's service over T-Mobile. Didn't like their selection of phones though. As soon as I started playing with this phone in the store it was like it was meant to be. I prefer Samsung screens, touch sensitivity and ease of rooting. Out of all the phones I played with this was the only one that was remotely close enough to what I wanted. Battery life is terrible, but the service makes up for it if you have a charger all the time. Since you are an HTC person, this phone is vastly superior to other phones HTC phones I've used. I rooted a T-Bolt for my wife's father and I was just like get this away from me I'm tired of looking at it. Hopefully Verizon gets a SGS3 at some point so I can go back to Samsung. This resolution is awesome, needs some love on color and backlighting though imo. Some of my other rants about quick settings and what not don't really effect you though since you're used to HTC and not having quick settings at the top of the pull down with a quick button push instead of all crammed together with a horizontal scroll.
Related
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Currently with Sprint and have an EVO 3D. Really thinking about switching now that Verizon's offering 4GB for $30. Is the Droid RAZR as cool as it seems? Any comparisons to the Evo/Evo 3D? Thanks.
I just made the switch from the Evo 3D (had an Evo 4G before that) for the same reasons. Things I've noted:
Negative first:
- For me at least, the RAZR does have shorter battery life than the 3D. It appears to have some idle issues. Using the "smart" actions helps this, but I'm still not 100% satisfied relative to the Evo3D.
- I somewhat miss Sense on the 3D although I think the RAZR is smoother with less lag
Positives:
- Hardware is very nice. I really like the lighter weight and reduced thickness
- For my area at least, Verizon's network is a huge improvement. 3G is much faster and of course I have very fast 4G now
- Radios are better. Wifi has better range and I think the cell radio is better also. I was using the Verizon PRL hack on my Evo3D previously and it didn't perform as well as the RAZR on Verizon
Overall I'm very happy with the change, although a big part of that is just getting off of Sprint's worthless network. The only real complaint is the battery life issue and not everyone seems to be experiencing it, so YMMV. It's not horrible either. With light/moderate use I can get 10-15 hours. Basically a full day.
I'm also thinking of switching from my 3D to the Razr. With Amazon's $0.01 on new contract deal and the double data promotion, I'm very tempted. My only hesitation is whether or not to wait for the Nexus. Is the Razr worth getting or should I wait for the Nexus?
talon95 said:
I just made the switch from the Evo 3D (had an Evo 4G before that) for the same reasons. Things I've noted:
Negative first:
- For me at least, the RAZR does have shorter battery life than the 3D. It appears to have some idle issues. Using the "smart" actions helps this, but I'm still not 100% satisfied relative to the Evo3D.
- I somewhat miss Sense on the 3D although I think the RAZR is smoother with less lag
Positives:
- Hardware is very nice. I really like the lighter weight and reduced thickness
- For my area at least, Verizon's network is a huge improvement. 3G is much faster and of course I have very fast 4G now
- Radios are better. Wifi has better range and I think the cell radio is better also. I was using the Verizon PRL hack on my Evo3D previously and it didn't perform as well as the RAZR on Verizon
Overall I'm very happy with the change, although a big part of that is just getting off of Sprint's worthless network. The only real complaint is the battery life issue and not everyone seems to be experiencing it, so YMMV. It's not horrible either. With light/moderate use I can get 10-15 hours. Basically a full day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I switched from the Evo 4G on Sprint to the Razr on Verizon and I agree with everything above. The Evo was great - the Razr is better. But the big difference is how much better the Verizon network is compared to the crappy and unreliable Sprint network. It's just gotten terrible in the last year.
dstudios said:
I'm also thinking of switching from my 3D to the Razr. With Amazon's $0.01 on new contract deal and the double data promotion, I'm very tempted. My only hesitation is whether or not to wait for the Nexus. Is the Razr worth getting or should I wait for the Nexus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you know you're going to get about a dozen opinions on that question.
My reasoning, which is not 100% based on fact, is IMO Motorola has some of the best radios and fringe reception was very important to me. I've also had some so-so experiences with Samsung which turned me off from the Nexus. But getting ICS and less bloatware, more pure Android would be nice. Just depends on what is most important to you. I have a friend that has the Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and is very happy with it (except for Sprints god forsaken network of course).
And I'm really jealous I missed the $.01 deal...
talon95 said:
Well you know you're going to get about a dozen opinions on that question.
My reasoning, which is not 100% based on fact, is IMO Motorola has some of the best radios and fringe reception was very important to me. I've also had some so-so experiences with Samsung which turned me off from the Nexus. But getting ICS and less bloatware, more pure Android would be nice. Just depends on what is most important to you. I have a friend that has the Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and is very happy with it (except for Sprints god forsaken network of course).
And I'm really jealous I missed the $.01 deal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just be careful to base your decision on more than software availability. ICS will come to every top tier phone, just be patient. Hardware should drive your choice; if you like the h/w, then get the phone, cuz h/w is the bottom line. No os or ota revision can completely eclipse the actual physical capability of the device.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda premium
i also swapped from the Evo3D to the RAZR.. it's an awesome improvement. i used to think sense was great but the RAZR's UI is sooo smooth and the screen looks amazing compared to the 3vo.. not to mention the network, it's not even comparible.. i don't know how i lasted so long on sprint lol.. the look and feel of the phone is badass too..
definitely a good switch IMO
Well I still have sprint (just cant get over the unlimited data) and Have the epic 4g touch but I had an Evo 4g, and then a Evo 3d so I think I can chime in on this. Im one of what seems like only a few who loved the Evo 3d which to me the only problem I had with it was the thickness and weight. The Razr is light and thin and smooth but dont think that your going to notice a performance boost from the hardware alone, cause you wont.
Now network performance is another thing up until recently sprint had great reception for me but lately, its horrible and I know towards the end of next year and the next they will have completely changed the network and will have one of if not the best network out. But lets face it we pay our bill every month and lets just say in this instance time is most definetly money.
So to recap
Pros
Thin-Smooth-dual core- Will def see ICS sooner than later-NETWORK
Cons
No ICS currently-almost no development support as of now-camera
Get the phone you'll love it. And if your like me and getting it for .01 its a no brainer. Your practically getting the same phone as the Galaxy Nexus -ICS.
I did the $0.01 Amazon deal and ordered the RAZR today... I'm switching from Sprint and the Evo 4G. I just got so fed up with Sprint's crappy network. I go visit my mom (where I originally bought the Evo), and I have zero reception. I go to visit my dad who lives near a major city, and I have zero reception and have to charge my phone 3-4 times a day because of it unless I put it into airplane mode. Ridiculous. I was a little late placing my order today, so the phone is on back order until December 8. I'll update with my initial reactions in a couple weeks.
EDIT: Oh, and charging it 3-4 times a day because of crappy reception is with an extended battery, too!
talon95 said:
Well you know you're going to get about a dozen opinions on that question.
My reasoning, which is not 100% based on fact, is IMO Motorola has some of the best radios and fringe reception was very important to me. I've also had some so-so experiences with Samsung which turned me off from the Nexus. But getting ICS and less bloatware, more pure Android would be nice. Just depends on what is most important to you. I have a friend that has the Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and is very happy with it (except for Sprints god forsaken network of course).
And I'm really jealous I missed the $.01 deal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't miss it, it's on til the 28th! I got mine for a penny, got it delivered the next day for free, and I couldn't be happier! I switched from Sprint (OG EVO-> EVO 3D-> Photon) because their CS SUCKS. After 6 EVOs (4 for me, and 2 for my fiancée after I upgraded) and nothing offered but crappy refurbished phones and insults, with no way to escalate issues, it was time to go.
I really loved my Photon, but after their CS made my fiancée cry, it was time to go.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my RAZR! It's like my Photon, but WAY FASTER! I'm only 3 days in, and the first day, I had some worries about battery life after it dropped from 100% to 70% after an hour or 2, but I was patient, and knew that it takes a few days for everything to settle in, and OS, UI & kernels to play well together. Yesterday, I got exactly 11 hours out of it with HEAVY usage.
I'm not a big fan of Blur, but after setting everything up the way I like (LP pro, widgets, and junk), it's amazing! Looking forward to ICS early next year, too!
My opinion may be biased, since instead of hunting down the CS rep that made my lady cry, I dumped them, but either way, I'm happy!
\\Carved into this thread by my RAZR//
http://android-gz.com
Ive had my Razr since Dec and ive loved it. Im not a super user, as root is enough for me and I dont use custom ROMs. But still, everything with Moto has been frustraiting with bootloaders, ICS, ect.
I am also grandfathered in for unlim VZ data, as I typicalled use 25ish GB per month. Ive been worried about loosing it with a future upgrade.
Well it turns out that I have an upgrade at the end of this month... and the SIII is coming out (pre ordres start tomorrow). And Vz said you will keep unlim data if you preorder (supposed anyways):
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/0...erizon-and-you-keep-your-unlimited-data-plan/
http://www.droid-life.com/tag/galaxy-s3/
The SIII looks slick and I like some of the new features. Only thing I can think of right now is that it does not have HDMI, and I do use that a few times a month..
So if I chose to upgrade, Im sure I could sell my Razr for a couple hundred and basically pay for my upgrade. Or if I didnt like the SIII, i should have the 14 days to return it. Or if I didnt like it, I could sell it to another VZ customer who doesnt have an upgrade yet. I could make a little money and save them from paying full retail on it.
Really not sure what I wanna do right now.
comparision of some phones
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/0...credible-4g-lte-vs-galaxy-nexus-vs-razr-maxx/
I would be very careful about upgrading to the Galaxy S III. It uses a variation of the same radio set in the Galaxy Nexus, and the reception is *horrible* on that phone (compared to the Razr or Rezound). In many places, I had no data signal at all (-120dBm), but in those same places my RAZR Maxx and Rezound both have 2+ bars of 4G and -89dBm...which I realize is not the 4G signal strength, but the results are in the speeds.
Using the Nexus in places that I had 0 bars I'd have no signal (couldn't connect at all). Turn on the RAZR Maxx or Rezound and I connect with 2-3 bars of 4G and speedtests average around 4-7Mbps. Not awesome, but at least I have signal (and it's still faster than most 3G). That kind of compromise is a *big* one. I work close to the lake and have absolutely no data signal at work on the Nexus...yet I have a great signal all day long with my RAZR.
I'd say give it a shot and see how it performs, but make sure to pay attention to how strong of a signal you have.
Mo-to! Mo-to! Mo-to!
Only thing I can think of right now is that it does not have HDMI, and I do use that a few times a month..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then it's up to you to decide, man. The SIII also has a higher resolution screen, but I feel the Motorola screen is much more "natural looking"... Not to mention the SIII has a terrible design compared to the Razr.
Really though, look at what forum where you're asking this in.
hotleadsingerguy said:
I would be very careful about upgrading to the Galaxy S III. It uses a variation of the same radio set in the Galaxy Nexus, and the reception is *horrible* on that phone (compared to the Razr or Rezound). In many places, I had no data signal at all (-120dBm), but in those same places my RAZR Maxx and Rezound both have 2+ bars of 4G and -89dBm...which I realize is not the 4G signal strength, but the results are in the speeds.
Using the Nexus in places that I had 0 bars I'd have no signal (couldn't connect at all). Turn on the RAZR Maxx or Rezound and I connect with 2-3 bars of 4G and speedtests average around 4-7Mbps. Not awesome, but at least I have signal (and it's still faster than most 3G). That kind of compromise is a *big* one. I work close to the lake and have absolutely no data signal at work on the Nexus...yet I have a great signal all day long with my RAZR.
I'd say give it a shot and see how it performs, but make sure to pay attention to how strong of a signal you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My friend at work has the Nexus and his signal here is fine. As for what kind of signal i would get at home, well that could be a different story.
But they also just got the .04 update and it was supposed to fix some radio issues. He said he could notice a difference on it as well. Hopfully they didnt make the same mistake on the SIII
stupidchicken03 said:
My friend at work has the Nexus and his signal here is fine. As for what kind of signal i would get at home, well that could be a different story.
But they also just got the .04 update and it was supposed to fix some radio issues. He said he could notice a difference on it as well. Hopfully they didnt make the same mistake on the SIII
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know I don't work in the same place as your friend, right? lol Where *I* work, I get no signal at all in the Nexus...yet all of the other Verizon LTE phones get perfectly fine signal. It's a known problem with the Nexus radio (Samsung makes poor CDMA radios).
And that was on 4.0.4. I've had it for about 2 months already. The one going out now is the same one I've had. It did improve reception, but not at work.
If you don't use custom ROMs, why do you mind the bootloader?
My ex gets LTE on her RAZR Maxx while on my GNEX I Would get 3G. The Nexus does have a ****ty radio compared to the RAZR. Also the handoff between 3G and LTE is not that great even with the 4.0.4 radios.
SIII voice quality (outgoing) is HORRIBLE!! Call into someone's voicemail with both phones and record yourself reading a paragraph. Then listen to yourself. It's astonishing to me that people put up with such horrible outgoing quality.
+1 on the useless radio.
The SIII isn't branded as a "Nexus", so it's not a Google-pick. You'd just be buying another shackled phone... And if you're going to buy a shackled phone, buy one with a good radio.
This advice comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. If for any reason you are not satisfied with this advice, I will refund every penny you paid for it.
Not sure if this means anything to you, but I just upgraded to a RAZR MAXX knowing full well the S3 is due in a week or so. For me cost was part of the issue as I was looking to do an upgrade while still keeping my grandfathered unlimited data plan. I am just 12 months into my contract and not eligible for a new subsidized phone, but apparently they are clearing stock of the MAXX as the HD is approaching and I got the MAXX for $199.
My only complaint is the yellowishness of the whites. I'm taking this one to the store tomorrow to see if I can get one with white whites. I'm using a color calibrator to increase the blues to get me a real white, but that seems to be a work around and not a fix.
Other than that I cannot get over the thinness of the phone even though this is the thicker of the two RAZRs. Very comfortable to use. I'm not a Blur fan, but I love Moto hardware. Great voice quality.
hotleadsingerguy said:
You know I don't work in the same place as your friend, right? lol Where *I* work, I get no signal at all in the Nexus...yet all of the other Verizon LTE phones get perfectly fine signal. It's a known problem with the Nexus radio (Samsung makes poor CDMA radios).
And that was on 4.0.4. I've had it for about 2 months already. The one going out now is the same one I've had. It did improve reception, but not at work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I understand what you're saying, but you misunderstood what i was trying to get across.
Beings that my friend at work has the Nexus and gets good service... I too would get good service there... but idk about at home. Its just one of the major places i would be on my phone the most. If the S3 will have the same radio, well then it should work fine at work for me.
wingdo said:
Not sure if this means anything to you, but I just upgraded to a RAZR MAXX knowing full well the S3 is due in a week or so. For me cost was part of the issue as I was looking to do an upgrade while still keeping my grandfathered unlimited data plan. I am just 12 months into my contract and not eligible for a new subsidized phone, but apparently they are clearing stock of the MAXX as the HD is approaching and I got the MAXX for $199.
My only complaint is the yellowishness of the whites. I'm taking this one to the store tomorrow to see if I can get one with white whites. I'm using a color calibrator to increase the blues to get me a real white, but that seems to be a work around and not a fix.
Other than that I cannot get over the thinness of the phone even though this is the thicker of the two RAZRs. Very comfortable to use. I'm not a Blur fan, but I love Moto hardware. Great voice quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What phone did you upgrade from?
Since ive already got the regular Razr, I fell like it would be a waste of money to spend my upgrade on a Maxx. You can buy the conversion kits for like $127 shipped (last time i checked anyways) with everything you need.
Love the devs here for our beloved fassy but I really need 4gLTE and being unlimited I have to buy phones at full price. I really need to give up my fassy also for the fact that I miss calls that just go to voice mail. So now the question REZOUND or RAZR? I do like both and feel the rezound may be built a lil better and have a better screen. I also dig the s-off. Any thoughts? I cant afford a s3 now and I dont want to wait...VZW will not give me a replacement even though its been replaced twice!
Hate to say it, but why not just go to Sprint? You'd have unlimited data, 4G LTE, and be able to get the Galaxy 3 with a discount...
Anyway, a quick google search brought up this article that will probably help you make your decision: http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Motorola-DROID-RAZR-vs-HTC-Rezound_id2897
edit: Personally, I'd get the Razr. The display is better (super amoled), it's a lot thinner/lighter, better build quality, and bigger battery.
Crawshayi said:
Hate to say it, but why not just go to Sprint? You'd have unlimited data, 4G LTE, and be able to get the Galaxy 3 with a discount...
Anyway, a quick google search brought up this article that will probably help you make your decision: http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Motorola-DROID-RAZR-vs-HTC-Rezound_id2897
edit: Personally, I'd get the Razr. The display is better (super amoled), it's a lot thinner/lighter, better build quality, and bigger battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know I do love my samoled on the fassy and I like not being blasted in the face by the lcd backlight at night! When I looked at the razrs they had a weird green tinge to them that I a lot of people have complained about. Sprint and LTE i thought didnt go togeth4er in the same sentence lol...I dont believe LTE is coming anytime soon where im at in the metro detroit area. I told the CSR on the phone that $210 is cheap for the ECF for VZW and go over to metro pcs with the s3 and LTE!
As a person who made the move from Fascinate to Razr Maxx; please do not get the Razr/Maxx. Why not just go with a used VZW SGS3? My brother has the Rezound and he figures it loses about 1% battery per minute the screen is on at 30% battery regardless of what activity he is doing and the locked bootloader on the Razr along with one weird recovery makes it a jarring transition from Fascinate to Razr.
Definitely go with the rezound. Work on aosp is coming along nicely and is pretty close to being stable. The rezound has better specs by far, the screen resolution is amazing on it.
yeah for the price(rezound) $175 its a good bargain I basically want a cheap 4glte phone until the price drops on the gs3. I think that will pretty soon when all the new motos drop and the new iphone5 and nokia...Orig i wanted a nexus but the reception issues are a deal breaker for me.
How much is the Razr? If you haven't watched the video comparison of the 2 phones at the end of that review I linked, I strongly suggest you do because the HTC looks really bad... at least to me. The better resolution doesn't matter much when the screen is all muddled and dark
Crawshayi said:
How much is the Razr? If you haven't watched the video comparison of the 2 phones at the end of that review I linked, I strongly suggest you do because the HTC looks really bad... at least to me. The better resolution doesn't matter much when the screen is all muddled and dark
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looked like there was a weird glare on the rezound's screen, or the brightness was turned down too low.
th3b3 said:
yeah for the price(rezound) $175 its a good bargain I basically want a cheap 4glte phone until the price drops on the gs3. I think that will pretty soon when all the new motos drop and the new iphone5 and nokia...Orig i wanted a nexus but the reception issues are a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The rezound is only $100 on amazon, so you could get it for even cheaper. Have you held the gs3? The bigger size (width, not thickness) could be a factor, but not for most people.
It's definitely not bad. I got a chance to go hands-on with the G3 at work as I convinced a buddy of mine to get it. It is big, don't get me wrong, but not so big as you feel like you're holding a tablet or something. The fact that it's so thin is mostly why it doesn't feel ridiculous, because if it was bulky like the iphone it would be a different feel entirely. It's really too bad that Verizon doesn't have a version of the One X because that's pretty much the only other phone that can hold a candle to how nice the G3 is. Also, why not consider getting a used Galaxy S2? That phone is still really really nice...
teh s3 is legit!
No I cant upgrade my phone because of unlimited data on VZW so I'm stuck with buying a phone off craigslist or ebay. I might just get a rezound with a broken screen or something they are really cheap to fix. I'm basically just wanting a 4glte phone to hold me over until the s3 drops in price. Ive held the s3 its perfect in my hand.
Damn man, how much data do you use? I'm constantly on my phone browsing and watching youtube, and yet when I see what I used it's always under 2GB (their lowest tier data plan now). I'm on unlimited data now myself, but considering how it all pans out I won't really care when they take it away from me... but I guess it would be different if I needed my phone for a tether or something
seriously between 30-40GB per month! I dont have home internet...Thats all 3g too! I cant wait to start burning up some 4glte LOL!
Alright I guess I can see how you wouldn't want to drop that unlimited if you use that much But just be careful when you're on 4G, they say that Verizon throttles it's top 5%
Crawshayi said:
Alright I guess I can see how you wouldn't want to drop that unlimited if you use that much But just be careful when you're on 4G, they say that Verizon throttles it's top 5%
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL Ive been throttled one month. It actually isnt bad they only target torrenting traffic which is cured with some hiding and encryption settings in uttorent! VZW only throttles that not radio or video apps or web browsing! I also think its only for 3g as their LTE is just for data so its not an issue.
There are folks still upgrading and keeping unlimited data...you might have to haggle with vzw, but I bet you can get it done!!
This will update over time as I have more findings.
First,
The signal strength is amazing. HTC must have done it right . With completely new chips and radios??
The cubicle I am in now is a "dead spot". For HTC One-x , it stays consistently at edge (for both ATT and Tmobile sim card, even Tmobile's 1900mhz is available on the street in NYC near my building).
Galaxy Nexus and Droid Razr (Maxx) all these three can only pick up one bar of 4G or 1 bar of 3G , most of time 3G or nothing at my spot. Everyday so much battery was wasted here due to cell signal and switching between 1G/2G/3G/4G, for all ROMS. (stock, CM10, etc etc). And I don't care the displayed cell strength, but for email/news/apps, the data was simply UNUSABLE.
And guess what... 4 bars of 4G with HTC Droind DNA here, without a hiccup. It is ONE bar short of full bar , at my same cubicle here...
I think this is first surprise.
Screen is amazing , and I don't have better words for it than those reviews. But for my situation, who sits at a corner where there were almost no cell coverage, this is the very first and biggest surprise so far
Will update on Battery Life soon.
Glad to hear about your signal... My gnex was always in the middle but I do notice less switch back to 3g ... Battery life is pretty unbelievable considering the size of the device and size of the battery... Pleasantly surprised
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2
Have u used it with all these networks or only 'verizon
Thanks
Sent from my GT-P3100 using xda app-developers app
jiwengang said:
This will update over time as I have more findings.
First,
The signal strength is amazing. HTC must have done it right . With completely new chips and radios??
The cubicle I am in now is a "dead spot". For HTC One-x , it stays consistently at edge (for both ATT and Tmobile sim card, even Tmobile's 1900mhz is available on the street in NYC near my building).
Galaxy Nexus and Droid Razr (Maxx) all these three can only pick up one bar of 4G or 1 bar of 3G , most of time 3G or nothing at my spot. Everyday so much battery was wasted here due to cell signal and switching between 1G/2G/3G/4G, for all ROMS. (stock, CM10, etc etc). And I don't care the displayed cell strength, but for email/news/apps, the data was simply UNUSABLE.
And guess what... 4 bars of 4G with HTC Droind DNA here, without a hiccup. It is ONE bar short of full bar , at my same cubicle here...
I think this is first surprise.
Screen is amazing , and I don't have better words for it than those reviews. But for my situation, who sits at a corner where there were almost no cell coverage, this is the very first and biggest surprise so far
Will update on Battery Life soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While the DNA does have excellent reception, you may want to check the actual numerical value, I've caught the meter being a little overstated, but nothing terrible.
Getting better service on this phone as well. For the first time being on Verizon I'm getting full 4G bars in my area. Phone so far has been nothing less than amazing! Screen is just beautiful, and a must see in person. Phone is super fast and smooth as butter.
zepfloyd said:
While the DNA does have excellent reception, you may want to check the actual numerical value, I've caught the meter being a little overstated, but nothing terrible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a good point.
I checked before the main post to make sure the signal is actually better.
It was -95 at my current location.
Used to be easily smaller than -110 if not -120 which is completely no signal.
End of the day, it is the ability to open Google Play Store, Sync Email, use WeChat , Make phone calls that actually impressed me .
With the phone now in the wild will be interesting to see how it lives up to the expectations.
My wife picked one up this afternoon. The battery died very quickly from its 40% reported level, but will likely hold up better after we charge it properly. Also, the Sense keyboard got borked after a couple hours. It would enlarge the letter on the keyboard itself when pressed, but nothing would show up in the text field. A reboot fixed that issue (hopefully permanently).
I am still undecided between the DNA, GN2 and the Razr HD. So far the DNA looks like the best from the bunch, especially if we end up getting an AOSP ROM on it eventually.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2
nizaamh said:
Have u used it with all these networks or only 'verizon
Thanks
Sent from my GT-P3100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I plugged into my T-Mobile sim card.
It is a instance OK to go. no issues.
I didn't pick mine up in New York but I didn't want to start a new topic
Yesterday i decided I would give the DNA a try. I've been debating if I want this or the Note 2 but the Note 2 isn't out yet, so I figured if I didn't like the DNA I could always return it within 14 days.
I got the impression yesterday that the people at the store didn't really want to sell me the phone. I got there at 11:00 AM and I was told they didn't have their shipments in yet. The guy took my number and said he'd call me as soon as I got them. At 4:00 PM I have not received a call yet and I decide to call them. Lady on the phone tells me they do have them she sounded surprised when I told her about my 11:00 AM experience so she went back to double check and came back telling me they did have them. At 4:15 PM I arrive at the store and tell one of the guys that I'm t here for the phone and he tells me that they don't have them. I tel him I was just told they did and he mentions something about only having them to ship, but then he goes back and comes back telling me they do have them.
Either they didn't really want to sell them, or the people at the Verizon store in Vernon Hills, Illinois are horrible at communicating with each other.
As for the phone, I have to say that right away I started to remember how much I disliked Sense. But that's based on previous experience with the Thunderbolt. The only real complaint I have is the power button, it's quite difficult for me to get to but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon, I'm just so used to devices with the power button on the side now.
The screen is beautiful but I've never been a huge resolution freak, When I look at it next to my Galaxy Nexus they look the same to me. I mean, its bigger and brighter but what I mean is I'm not all like "oh obviously this one is so much sharper". I'm far sighted, they all look blurry to me anyway
Anyway, pretty happy with it so far. Very fast phone, very bright nice screen, good loud speaker. We'll see how well it handles a full Thanksgiving day!
Happy Thanksgiving day to those celebrating today
tsnstuff said:
Either they didn't really want to sell them, or the people at the Verizon store in Vernon Hills, Illinois are horrible at communicating with each other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're willing to drive another 15 minutes next time you need to go to a Verizon store, I'd recommend using the Northbrook store. They've always been very helpful and surprisingly knowledgeable.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW
tsnstuff said:
I got the impression yesterday that the people at the store didn't really want to sell me the phone. I got there at 11:00 AM and I was told they didn't have their shipments in yet. The guy took my number and said he'd call me as soon as I got them. At 4:00 PM I have not received a call yet and I decide to call them. Lady on the phone tells me they do have them she sounded surprised when I told her about my 11:00 AM experience so she went back to double check and came back telling me they did have them. At 4:15 PM I arrive at the store and tell one of the guys that I'm t here for the phone and he tells me that they don't have them. I tel him I was just told they did and he mentions something about only having them to ship, but then he goes back and comes back telling me they do have them.
Either they didn't really want to sell them, or the people at the Verizon store in Vernon Hills, Illinois are horrible at communicating with each other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also bought my DNA at the Vernon Hills, IL store and had the exact same experience. First they said it's not in stock, then while I'm making arrangements to have it shipped they walk out and hand me one.
jimm2 said:
I also bought my DNA at the Vernon Hills, IL store and had the exact same experience. First they said it's not in stock, then while I'm making arrangements to have it shipped they walk out and hand me one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least you were given the option to have it shipped, I didn't even get that lol.
I had a phone conversation with my sister today while I used speaker phone on the DNA, everything sounded perfect! Really liking this phone so far.