Sprint's Motorola Photon 4G available July 31 for $199 on contract - EVO 4G General

http://www.androidcentral.com/sprints-motorola-photon-4g-available-july-31-199-contract
I'm waiting on the SG2 but for all you Photon fans

Meh. I think it looks ugly and MOTOBLUR just makes it that much more undesirable.

CDKJudoka said:
Meh. I think it looks ugly and MOTOBLUR just makes it that much more undesirable.
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The locked bootloader makes it undesirable.
They unlock that and we could possibly talk.

I'm not considering it but I do like it's angular design & the kickstand.

mattykinsx said:
The locked bootloader makes it undesirable
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Click to collapse
Yeah that was something I forgot to mention.

Motorola Android phones on Verizon test well in battery life on anandtech.com. Hopefully this will be the same for their Sprint phones.
I'm probably going to save my upgrade for the next Nexus phone.
Sent from my PG06100 using XDA App

Im a former DroidX and Droid 2 owner and as far as hardware, Moto does it right. Best battery life and radios of any other phones ive had. I think Moto will follow through and unlock bootloaders later this year. So ill be getting a Photon on launch day.

mikeyinid said:
Im a former DroidX and Droid 2 owner and as far as hardware, Moto does it right. Best battery life and radios of any other phones ive had. I think Moto will follow through and unlock bootloaders later this year. So ill be getting a Photon on launch day.
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Click to collapse
Are you going to make a Rom for it once the bootloader is unlocked? Thinking about getting this phone.
I had the NS4G and really liked your rom, but had to return the phone because of the dropped calls.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

I heard they had no plans on opening / unlocking the Photon ... ?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

conqu1stador said:
I heard they had no plans on opening / unlocking the Photon ... ?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Motorola pretty much said the same thing as HTC. They will be unlocking bootloaders later this year. But, Moto also said it will be up to the carrier. Im almost certain Sprint will go with unlocked...Not to mention the Atrix has been hacked and they now have unlocked bootloaders.

Yeah, I remember hearing Moto say as much but also remember seeing, 'somewhere', that the plans didn't include the Photon even though it was a 'future' device. If I remember where, I'd hunt it down. It might not have been official but I am certain it was a Moto statement. It was a while ago ... hope it isn't the case as I know some folks are pretty interested in the device.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

mquinn24 said:
Are you going to make a Rom for it once the bootloader is unlocked? Thinking about getting this phone.
I had the NS4G and really liked your rom, but had to return the phone because of the dropped calls.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
I had to return mine too :/ But I will get another soon. I will probably do something on the Photon, probably very basic though, i.e. debloat and maybe change a few of the awful blur/gb images lol.

mikeyinid said:
I had to return mine too :/ But I will get another soon. I will probably do something on the Photon, probably very basic though, i.e. debloat and maybe change a few of the awful blur/gb images lol.
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Click to collapse
Sweet, that's all I ask for
Props to the SGII (if does make it stateside) but I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised with the Photon.
Immediate pro's I see are:
- better signal (not a given but Moto's track record suggests it might be)
- dedicated camera button like the the 3D (I know you can shortcut it from the
home screen but it's note the same as a hardware button)
- kickstand since I don't use a case and love to pop it out for the kids to watch
movies while we're out to eat
- accessories (like the car dock) and provided HDMI cable
- higher resolution screen means more screenspace
- world phone for the possible yearly trip abroad
Likely con's:
- motoblur although having given up HTC Sense I've found I like stock android
better with my aged hero
- non AMOLED screen (SGII evidently rocks)
- initial locked bootloader
- older Tegra 2 when Tegra 3 is evidently due out later this year and is 5x faster
Anxious to see how it stacks up head to head in testing with the 3D since spec wise that things a beast.

Also doesn't have the newer 800MHz band that Sprint is migrating to.. other FCC passed phones starting with the EVO 3D have this. They're supposed to start the migration at the end of the year. It'll be a long process, but it should help with coverage down the road.

spaulding-grandmaster said:
Sweet, that's all I ask for
Props to the SGII (if does make it stateside) but I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised with the Photon.
Immediate pro's I see are:
- better signal (not a given but Moto's track record suggests it might be)
- dedicated camera button like the the 3D (I know you can shortcut it from the
home screen but it's note the same as a hardware button)
- kickstand since I don't use a case and love to pop it out for the kids to watch
movies while we're out to eat
- accessories (like the car dock) and provided HDMI cable
- higher resolution screen means more screenspace
- world phone for the possible yearly trip abroad
Likely con's:
- motoblur although having given up HTC Sense I've found I like stock android
better with my aged hero
- non AMOLED screen (SGII evidently rocks)
- initial locked bootloader
- older Tegra 2 when Tegra 3 is evidently due out later this year and is 5x faster
Anxious to see how it stacks up head to head in testing with the 3D since spec wise that things a beast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock, the Photon should beat the 3D in all benchmarks, the Atrix does. And the screen is actually very nice on these new dual core Motos. Granted, its not samoled, but still nice none the less.

It's possible it won't, but this will likely have a Pentile display too, so it won't be quite as sharp as the EVO 3D's display.

I'm excited for the phone, but i don't want to wait for and upgrade, i guess ill just have to pony up the dough (im guessing around $600?) haha

The more I see about this phone the more I like it. Looks a lot like the EVO to me. More than the 3D does. The dock option is just wicked with the tablet like interface and USB ability. My phone is mostly for business so it has some better features for me. Would be nice to have a phone with better battery life without having to rely on extended battery.
I was going to wait for the SGS2 also but by the time it hits Sprint other devices will beat the pants off it as far as speed goes. Hear quad core processors are in the works for maybe even Q4 of this year.
Still on the fence about burning my upgrade.

jreuschl said:
Also doesn't have the newer 800MHz band that Sprint is migrating to.. other FCC passed phones starting with the EVO 3D have this. They're supposed to start the migration at the end of the year. It'll be a long process, but it should help with coverage down the road.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what is the 800Mhz listed here?
Bands/Modes
WiMAX 2.5, WCDMA 850/1900/2100, CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1900, CDMA EV-DO Release A, EDGE Class 12, GPRS Class 12
taken from http://mediacenter.motorola.com/Fact-Sheets/Motorola-PHOTON-4G-Fact-Sheet-36f3.aspx

CCallahan said:
The more I see about this phone the more I like it. Looks a lot like the EVO to me. More than the 3D does. The dock option is just wicked with the tablet like interface and USB ability. My phone is mostly for business so it has some better features for me. Would be nice to have a phone with better battery life without having to rely on extended battery.
I was going to wait for the SGS2 also but by the time it hits Sprint other devices will beat the pants off it as far as speed goes. Hear quad core processors are in the works for maybe even Q4 of this year.
Still on the fence about burning my upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. With quad cores possibly coming out late this year and the rumors of the Nexus Prime, really hate to get a Tegra 2 based phone. Then again, any technology buy is going to be dated the moment it's in your hands and thus as long as it does what I want it for which for me appears the Photon just might, it's probably better to get a phone sooner rather than later so that the upgrade timer becomes eligible again sooner

Related

New 4g Phones

Anyone jumping on one of these phones when they come out? I am thinking about getting the thunderbolt seeing as its all based off the dinc and they have has some success modding that.
destroyerbmx said:
Anyone jumping on one of these phones when they come out? I am thinking about getting the thunderbolt seeing as its all based off the dinc and they have has some success modding that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally do not find anything on the next gen phones ( at least the ones displayed at CES ) that I would trade my fascinate in for. I am going to wait for a bit.
4G just isn't in my area yet. I am between 2 markets.
Where I live I dont get 4g but I travel a lot and some of the places I go have 4g. I am interested in the thunderbolt because it has the large screen and its not motorola.
I have 4g coverage in my area, work and home. But going to hold onto the Fascinate until something peaks my interest. Seems like all the 4g phones have 4.3" screens. Seems kinda big to me...
jv
I am interested to see how the orion and tegra 2 do. I already have heard many say there is a large battery drain with the tegra 2.
Upon further digging the snapdragon isnt the same as the dinc, its a next gen one, still not dual core though, heres a comparison against the samsung for 3d
http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2010...htc-desire-hd-vs-samsung-galaxy-s/#more-17339
Considering 4G won't be in my area until end of year, I'll start looking then.
However, my next phone will have to have these conditions:
1. Dual Core
2. Rear Camera of 8MB or >
3. Front Camera of 2MB or >
4. Android 2.4 or >
5. USB connection
6. SD card support
7. Ability to become PC. i.e. Moto's Atrix laptop doc or similar doc that would allow connection to full screen/keyboard (or phone would be kb/mouse).
I think these requirements are easily doable by end of the year. Plus, I don't think battery is going to be very much affected as some think by dual core. Most phones now use a 1500mh battery whereas the notes for dual cores so far are 2000mh batteries. So, I'm betting life is roughly the same.
Though, by next year we need to see a newer technology for portable devices.
Yeah, I really like the Atrix, its got all the stuff, and 1gb of ram. For some reason no one else is making that much ram on the phone. I just dont like how moto locks their phones, I get 2 upgrades a year since I have two phones so I am planning, right now, on getting the thunderbolt and then something around september.
destroyerbmx said:
Anyone jumping on one of these phones when they come out? I am thinking about getting the thunderbolt seeing as its all based off the dinc and they have has some success modding that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to wait for the hardware to mature first.
1) 4G is not available in my area.
2) Battery life? Everyone is focused on 4G and dual-core... nobody has said a peep about battery life.
3) I'm in love with the Samsung Fascinate hardware. Going to an LG or HTC phone feels like a step backwards.
4) Hackability. I want to only buy phones with lots of custom ROM support, and will wait to see how the modding / ROM scene develops first.
5) I don't buy new phones. I wait at least 2 months, then buy used devices. I can use the phone for several months, then sell the phone as used for about the same price I paid. Doing this allows me to frequently switch devices, so I can switch hardware almost at-will at no cost to me.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnCYASmJQAUhdGlsbDVVZFpyNnRQWTF2RE9IZUxvN3c&hl=en
Theres a full comparison of known stuff at this time, battery life is mentioned in there
I've just come to the conclusion that I am getting an HTC when my time is up. I really love this phone but the lack of updates from Samsung is just too much. This is my 4th samsung. I had the i760, the omnia 1 and 2 and now the Fascinate. I will not throw any more money to them.
just my 2 cents.
jv
what the hell is fido? and where u get it?
johnnyv5 said:
I will not throw any more money to [Samsung]
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Yeah, the lack of post-launch updates is incredibly frustrating.
But they just make such sweet hardware... SUCH sweet hardware.
akaine2001 said:
what the hell is fido? and where u get it?
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Click to collapse
Good question and I don't know ... it was bestowed upon me!
jv
kent1146 said:
Yeah, the lack of post-launch updates is incredibly frustrating.
But they just make such sweet hardware... SUCH sweet hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly love the phone. Not that I wanna be a poser froyo boy but I think we deserve to have the latest and greatest. This phone has such potential but when you see what's coming out as far as in OS improvements and your not sure if or when it is going to be put on your phone I can't stand it. Oh well. I have one more year for a new every two so I'll just enjoy this pohone until I can get a 4G phone.
jv
Although I'm fairly sure 4g is available in my area (I live in Chicago), I'm totally content with my Fascinate at the moment. I'm planning on waiting a while for the next wave of 4g phones before I consider making the switch.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Thrillhouse847 said:
Although I'm fairly sure 4g is available in my area (I live in Chicago), I'm totally content with my Fascinate at the moment. I'm planning on waiting a while for the next wave of 4g phones before I consider making the switch.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, going to have to be sure the next phone is going to last me a few years seeing as Verizon is getting rid of it's new every two program. I wonder what they are going to replace it with, "Get Screwed every two"?
jv
big thing I am looking at with the thunderbolt is the xda community and mods possible with it, all htc phones have had great support from xda. Modding is my #1 reason for getting a phone, I thought the fascinate would have a great community since it was all unlocked and open sourced, but that fell short. Not slamming JT or Dirrk, geeknik...etc, they have all done outstanding work, but I thought it was going to be like the original droid crazy, w/ custom roms left and right. I know the HTCs pretty much carry that and I am guessing they will be able to port anything over. My 2nd phone down the road this year will be based on HW, something crazy again, I dont like having a slow phone.
My brother-in-law Facebook'ed a message earlier this morning.
He is a die-hard Apple fanboy, has been waiting for a Verizon iPhone for the past 3 years, and just got his Verizon iPhone 4 yesterday. 2 months ago, I convinced him to buy an Android phone, and taught him how to root it and play with custom ROMs.
"Not impressed with the iPhone, hate the stock OS. Wish I could put a custom ROM on it."​
That makes me happy.

Dear Motorola...it was fun but...

you had to go!!!! After having this phone for 2 weeks, it just didn't quite cut it even though on paper it was remarkable. It had a dual core processor, higher resolution, webtop capabilities on and on...
In the end I guess my old eyes couldn't handle the smaller icons due to higher resolution, I had issues with my MP3 player playing only 3/4 of song then stopping and then i wasn't liking the dual core heating up like a toaster oven. THe icons were dull colors too....Motorola likes these dull browns for icons where as HTC likes to use color and make it vivid.
I also like to play around with my phone too much so LOCKED BOOTLOADER was not cool. Did you hear me Motorola, LOCKED BOOTLOADER for a lot of people dont like that.....
So in the end I got the Inspire 4G with Sense. You really cant go wrong with HTC, although I understand the postive and negatives to each phone, mine just happen to fit more in line with HTC.
So for you hopefuls that Motorola will unlock it, wish you the best of luck or that they will do many updates, wish you the best of luck!!!
Not trying to start a huge debate, but if you are on the fence about these two phones, just spend 10 mins. with the Inspire and most people will probably like it over the Motorola.
its funny i had the inspire for 2 weeks....got rid of it a few days ago
got the Atrix...and THANK GOD I DID
4.3 inches at the **** resolution its at was a disaster, hurt my hands. Too heavy
not very fast, barely played videos (htc codecs suck)
Like you said, it comes down to opinion
but switching from inspire 4g to atrix was the best thing I ever did
PS: The battery on that thing gave me EPIC NIGHTMARES.
Can someone just make a "im returning _______" thread/topic/section?
tosh1 said:
you had to go!!!! After having this phone for 2 weeks, it just didn't quite cut it even though on paper it was remarkable. It had a dual core processor, higher resolution, webtop capabilities on and on...
In the end I guess my old eyes couldn't handle the smaller icons due to higher resolution, I had issues with my MP3 player playing only 3/4 of song then stopping and then i wasn't liking the dual core heating up like a toaster oven. THe icons were dull colors too....Motorola likes these dull browns for icons where as HTC likes to use color and make it vivid.
I also like to play around with my phone too much so LOCKED BOOTLOADER was not cool. Did you hear me Motorola, LOCKED BOOTLOADER for a lot of people dont like that.....
So in the end I got the Inspire 4G with Sense. You really cant go wrong with HTC, although I understand the postive and negatives to each phone, mine just happen to fit more in line with HTC.
So for you hopefuls that Motorola will unlock it, wish you the best of luck or that they will do many updates, wish you the best of luck!!!
Not trying to start a huge debate, but if you are on the fence about these two phones, just spend 10 mins. with the Inspire and most people will probably like it over the Motorola.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You actually can go wrong with HTC, its when they put a 1200 mah battery in a 1.8 ghz capable phone then you get to watch your battery lose a percent every 4 minutes of use. I had one it was totally BS battery life and was totally unacceptable. Then people say "just don't OC it" so then you have a 4.3 inch captivate with less ui lag, no usable internal memory storage, and GPS that works.
Sent from my Nook Color on Honeycomb 1.1 OC
Did u try launcher pro plus first motoblur is **** ill give you that but the phone is fast good battery life screen is nice... I'm loving it
i can't wait until i leave my epic 4g from sprint and come to the atrix community
i am tired of htc, samsung and sprints games so it times to give motorola and att a chance
robstunner said:
Can someone just make a "im returning _______" thread/topic/section?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or a
'I treat my phone like a dog' thread
'My phone has feelings, but my other one performs better in bed'
'I'm insecure about my decisions, so I will talk about it here'
Seconded.
robstunner said:
Can someone just make a "im returning _______" thread/topic/section?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Motorola Atrix using tapatalk
HTC phones are so GENERIC. Its insulting you would even compare such a tired, re-hash of a device to the ATRIX.
.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
SS2006 said:
Or a
'I treat my phone like a dog' thread
'My phone has feelings, but my other one performs better in bed'
'I'm insecure about my decisions, so I will talk about it here'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol ;-)
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I love HTC phones. But they have to be Android. I have the evo 4G and I couldn't be happier. It's fast, vibrant, has all the bells and whistles. I literally have a mini computer at the palm of my hands.
I've had it for about 3 weeks now and yeah the battery goes quick but thats because I can't put it down! I had the Hero before switching to evo and I love everything about this phone.
I didn't understand why it was called the supersonic until I used it. Is rather have my HTC evo over any other phone on the market. Puts the iPhone to shame with its 8.0mp camera, and its secondary front-mounted camera makes video chatting a synch, the kickstand is awesome for watching YouTube or movies and also playing games. Oh and I almost forgot it has an HDMI out. Used it and the picture on my tv is remarkable.
Keep up the good work HTC and Google....I love you
Oh and one other thing it has a 4G mobile hotspot that can provide WiFi for up to 8 devices at once. If thats not remarkable I don't know what is
Sent from my PC36100 HTC Evo 4G using XDA App
LedGrip said:
I love HTC phones. But they have to be Android. I have the evo 4G and I couldn't be happier. It's fast, vibrant, has all the bells and whistles. I literally have a mini computer at the palm of my hands.
I've had it for about 3 weeks now and yeah the battery goes quick but thats because I can't put it down! I had the Hero before switching to evo and I love everything about this phone.
I didn't understand why it was called the supersonic until I used it. Is rather have my HTC evo over any other phone on the market. Puts the iPhone to shame with its 8.0mp camera, and its secondary front-mounted camera makes video chatting a synch, the kickstand is awesome for watching YouTube or movies and also playing games. Oh and I almost forgot it has an HDMI out. Used it and the picture on my tv is remarkable.
Keep up the good work HTC and Google....I love you
Oh and one other thing it has a 4G mobile hotspot that can provide WiFi for up to 8 devices at once. If thats not remarkable I don't know what is
Sent from my PC36100 HTC Evo 4G using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i like the Evo and a lot of people i kno and see around campus have either the evo or iphone 4, very few galaxy S phone, but honestly i think the Atrix is better then all of them, even the Galaxy S II won't compare judging from the specs that were given(but i can't prove it until the phone comes out so it's just an opinion)
I've never been a fan of Motorola. I have had very bad experiences with mot. Phones. I have had nothing but good experiences with HTC w/google. I also used to have the blackberry curve 8310 and thought it was the best thing since buttered toast. But that quickly changed when I switched to sprint.
Sprint has better service than ATT & Verizon combined IMO. But thats just how I feel. They have given me good prices and great devices with no hassle and I'm not the type to ruin a good thing. Bottom line is "to each his own" but I will recommend HTC with Android until either HTC starts slacking or Google bites the dust (which they wont).
I'm sure you all have valid points about your phone's but I'm pro HTC and definitly pro Google.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I've never been a fan of Motorola. I have had very bad experiences with mot. Phones. I have had nothing but good experiences with HTC w/google. I also used to have the blackberry curve 8310 and thought it was the best thing since buttered toast. But that quickly changed when I switched to sprint.
Sprint has better service than ATT & Verizon combined IMO. But thats just how I feel. They have given me good prices and great devices with no hassle and I'm not the type to ruin a good thing. Bottom line is "to each his own" but I will recommend HTC with Android until either HTC starts slacking or Google bites the dust (which they wont).
I'm sure you all have valid points about your phone's but I'm pro HTC and definitly pro Google.
Sent from my PC36100 HTC Evo 4G using XDA App
Had Inspire and Atrix. Kept Atrix. The end.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I've had many htc phones and have always had a good experience. I had a hard time waiting for the atrix when I saw the inspire for $100. At that price point it is a steal for the features you get. In the end i'm glad I waited though. The Atrix is rediculously good!!! Super fast and great battery life (I get about 16 hours a charge... 16!!!) It is hands down the best phone i've ever used. Head shoulders and more above the rest, a GIANT among a sea of average phones.
Sent from my rediculously good Atrix using XDA App
I was impressed by the Inspire back when it came out on Sprint as the Evo... what, eight months ago? I made the mistake of buying old hardware that just came out once, the Hero. Never again.
Coming from the Captivate, the only things I miss are how vibrant the games looked on SAMOLED and flashing the new hot stuff roms.
Do not miss accidently bricking the thing and having to use a USB jig to fix it though...
I am from a another continent; a faraway country - Singapore to be exact. Smartphones is one of my hobbies. I have had several HTC phones - Windows Mobile, and now the Desire on Android which is about 9 months old, and high time for a replacement. I have been reading and eyeing the Atrix since Jan 2011 - all excited about it's superior tech specs, and particularly its innovative HDMI/TV docking unit. I have been preparing myself to be an early adopter and to purchase a unit from EBay at a premium price. I have been so impressed with what I read that I even invested in some MMI stocks. But, all these excitement, hype and high expectations of owning a Atrix (will be my first Moto) came to a complete stop last weekend - when I learnt that a famed developer (he did the unroot for the Atrix) abandoned his work because of the locked bootloader! Motorola may have their own reasons to do this, but it is unacceptable to me. So, unless I see a Moto announcement to unlock the bootloader, I am off looking for another dual core smartphone - either the LG 2X or wait for HTC to release one. Obviously I will also sell off my MMI stocks - even if I have to incur a loss, given its recent rapid decline. Sorry folks, if I have been somewhat off-topic. Just wanted to voice my opinion.
jchoong said:
I am from a another continent; a faraway country - Singapore to be exact. Smartphones is one of my hobbies. I have had several HTC phones - Windows Mobile, and now the Desire on Android which is about 9 months old, and high time for a replacement. I have been reading and eyeing the Atrix since Jan 2011 - all excited about it's superior tech specs, and particularly its innovative HDMI/TV docking unit. I have been preparing myself to be an early adopter and to purchase a unit from EBay at a premium price. I have been so impressed with what I read that I even invested in some MMI stocks. But, all these excitement, hype and high expectations of owning a Atrix (will be my first Moto) came to a complete stop last weekend - when I learnt that a famed developer (he did the unroot for the Atrix) abandoned his work because of the locked bootloader! Motorola may have their own reasons to do this, but it is unacceptable to me. So, unless I see a Moto announcement to unlock the bootloader, I am off looking for another dual core smartphone - either the LG 2X or wait for HTC to release one. Obviously I will also sell off my MMI stocks - even if I have to incur a loss, given its recent rapid decline. Sorry folks, if I have been somewhat off-topic. Just wanted to voice my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really is perplexing -the decision to lock the bootloader. I mean, are they afraid someone would engineer a program that steals fingerprints...etc?

fascinate > thunderbolt?

im just wondering if any of you fascinate users have had a chance to use the htc thunderbolt yet? im running DarkREVENGE v3.0 eb01 on my fascinate and i really like it... is it worth the switch?
i was sorta hoping for a dual core phone but it looks like the bionic is the next one up on LTE... and thats moto with their locked bootloader, so it makes it really unappealing. i read that there should be a samsung galaxy lte phone coming down the road.. but after the level of support.. im not sure if id buy another samsung (even though the dev community is amazing!)..
constructive replies welcome.
thanks,
dave
Its not worth the upgrade, but it certainly is a better phone.
I concur. I'm going to take an early upgrade option in September. 4G and dual core should have more established options by then. I wouldn't jump now.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
I don't know about it being a better phone because lots of factors play into a phone being a better phone than another. Yes, it is a more powerful phone but not really worth the upgrade right now since other more powerful phones are coming out later. Personally, I don't think I would ever want to own a phone that gets worse battery life than an EVO. I wouldn't even say the Thunderbolt is much better than the EVO at all. It's basically an EVO with 256 more RAM and terrible battery life (give or take some specs). In some instances I'd prefer it because of the support that HTC devices receive but my Fascinate is perfectly fine for me now.
Zacisblack said:
I don't know about it being a better phone because lots of factors play into a phone being a better phone than another. Yes, it is a more powerful phone but not really worth the upgrade right now since other more powerful phones are coming out later. Personally, I don't think I would ever want to own a phone that gets worse battery life than an EVO. I wouldn't even say the Thunderbolt is much better than the EVO at all. It's basically an EVO with 256 more RAM and terrible battery life (give or take some specs). In some instances I'd prefer it because of the support that HTC devices receive but my Fascinate is perfectly fine for me now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
with a next generation processor, gpu, more ram, I think the screen and the camera are slightly better as well, the body is much nicer looking too. Its much better than the evo, that's not up to debate. Its just not worth the upgrade at this moment in time.
FDro said:
with a next generation processor, gpu, more ram, I think the screen and the camera are slightly better as well, the body is much nicer looking too. Its much better than the evo, that's not up to debate. Its just not worth the upgrade at this moment in time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Next generation does not always mean better. AFAIK, the next gen Snapdragon processors are on par with the current Hummingbird. The screen is also probably better on the Fascinate, same with battery life. About the only thing the Thunderbolt would have to offer is 4G and probably better source code and software to work from.
Well, I upgraded to a TBolt from a Fascinate and I have to say, it beats the Fascinate in almost every way. Sense is 20 times better than touchwiz. The TBolt does 1700 quadrant out of the box. The battery usage is better than that on the fascinate. It's just smoother all the way around. plus you get 4g plan now, it's unlimited for $30 and you get grandfathered in. And a word on dual core. The TBolt has been shown in tests to be as fast or faster than the droid bionic so that's that. Plus HTC supports their product. I am very very happy I upgraded.
My buddy just got one, and I'm jumpin ship once I have my upgrade. Battery isn't an issue for me. Plus, I am tired of Samsung and want to get rid of it asap. Think how sweet that thing will be once Cyanogen Mod is running on it.
The phone is nice. Plain and simple. Dual Core seems cool, but i'll wait another year before i jump ship. I think HTC makes a nice phone. They always have and will.
Hey Samsung... I hate your cell products and will never buy one again. EVER!
Hey Devs... Thank you for your hard work and all the love you have shown us.
I'm considering the Tbolt. I'm about 10-15 miles away from 4G right now, so it's really tempting. I'm hoping vzw will flip the switch around here soon.
I wouldn't even be thinking about the Thunderbolt if the Bionic was made by HTC or LG. As it stands, I will not support Motorola as long as they continue to lockdown their bootloaders, and unfortunately, the LG Revolution isn't dual core.
I'm tempted to pick up the Thunderbolt used on craigslist and then truly upgrade to the first dual core, 4g phone that isn't made by Motorola (would be nice if it's a Google Experience phone too).
I got my Fascinate one week after launch, 99% new for $350 (including a case and screen protectors!), so maybe I can get that lucky with the Thunderbolt.
thanks
thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies... i went ahead and ordered one.. guess i'll see. ill use my 15 days to decide... though i normally figure it out within about 2... ill post my results.
I recommended the Thunderbolt to my sister as her first Android phone, hope the battery life isn't too bad for what she uses her phone for.
I might see if I can get one since my Fascinate's earspeaker has been very staticy recently, or I'll wait until a non-Motorola dual-core phone comes to Verizon, then see if I can make the switch.
Soon as I get paid, this Fascinate is going in the garbage and I'm getting a Tbolt too. I don't care, I'll pay the entire $600 for it. I've always liked the Evo and, being on Verizon, couldn't get one.
I still, to this day, miss my HTC Droid Eris.
I'm sick of Samsung. HTC is the way to go.
Ill get any 4G verizon phone when 4G is more widespread. I travel a lot so if im getting a 4G phone, I want 4G speeds anywhere I go.
Glad that 4G will cover 2/3 of us population by the time I get my next upgrade. (October 2012)
ataranine said:
Soon as I get paid, this Fascinate is going in the garbage and I'm getting a Tbolt too. I don't care, I'll pay the entire $600 for it. I've always liked the Evo and, being on Verizon, couldn't get one.
I still, to this day, miss my HTC Droid Eris.
I'm sick of Samsung. HTC is the way to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I kinda feel the same way.
Those that got the Thunderbolt, how is the SVDO? That is one of the main reasons I may get one, other then the sheer lack of software support from Samsung. I am done with Samsung.
I bought a tb two days ago, and from the time I've had with it all I can say to a fellow fascinate user is definitely buy the tb. The best way I can describe this phone is....it just works...everything I ever wanted my fassy to do, this phone does, and it does it fast, and without being rooted and Rom'd....admittedly, the screen isn't as vibrant, but overall this is a great phone. I've had two motorolas one Sammy and now I'm wondering why I haven't been buying HTC the whole time...everyone waiting for dual core should probably wait another year before its really worth it...plus I can't wait to have this thing overclocked to 1.6 or 1.8. Bottom line....make the switch....sorry for the rant.
Ps. Thank you fascinate devs for all the amazing work you have done
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
HTC makes great phones. Samsung could learn a thing or two from them. They also support the software which is another plus.
A few things that would stop me from buying are things like the CPU and the screen. Those two would be a step down or maybe a lateral move. Plus the charger port being on the bottom when using the kickstand.. they should have thought that one thru a bit more. That could save us $$ on a dock but no.
I only like to buy new phones when there's a significant processor or some other hardware upgrade. I'll most likely go HTC next time especially if their screens can be on par with SAMOLED, but I think I'm gonna wait.
Sent from my MIUI Fascinate using XDA app
madcow706 said:
Those that got the Thunderbolt, how is the SVDO? That is one of the main reasons I may get one, other then the sheer lack of software support from Samsung. I am done with Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I drove using google maps and talking on my BT headset without any issues, it even transitioned from LTE to 3g without dropping my call.
I also have the fascinate, I dont regret getting the TB at all. Faster, better build, love sense (why does everyone hate it?) no more plastic toy feel, and better battery life.
Also my quadrant score is at 1890, much better the fascinated with lag fix and this is on a stock rom, and not that much lower then my xoom with dual core.
What's the hype about dualcore anyway, not like there are apps that require that much processing power anyway.
I've just started the first level of angry birds seasons to compare the colors between the devices, they look exactly the same with the exception of the Thunderbolt screen being sharper. You do not see the pixels like you do on the fascinate.
I think Thunderbolt is a great phone (I love Sense UI) however, I just don't see myself buying a man-purse just to carry that huge sucker around. I think its big and heavy enough to pull your pants down. My friend has an Evo and with a case on it, its as thick as a Bible.
andersonrt said:
plus you get 4g plan now, it's unlimited for $30 and you get grandfathered in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't count on being grandfathered in to anything. It would be naive to think they won't charge anyone more for 4g just because they signed up early. Once the tiered plans hit market they will force an upgrade on data by placing everyone that is"grandfathered" in the lowest tier. Just my thoughts of course, but I like to think realistically.
Samsung Fascinate
Frankenclean 2.8
EB16-ish Voodoo Kernel
Mob87's Honeycomb theme
Sent from XDA Premium App

[Q] Which new phone are you getting this year?

I think if the Samsung Galaxy S 2 comes out for Verizon, I'll get that one. But if not, I think I'm getting the Samsung Charge, or Iphone 5. What phone are you most excited about?
iPhone
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
sgs2, I hate apple so undecided on iphone 5
SC2.8 WP7 Revolution
None. I'm stuck on the two year contract. I don't know how you are not?
SGSII definitely. I'm avaliable for an upgrade anytime til my contract ends November.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Nothing from Samsung, that's for sure.
I actually really like this phone once its de-bloated and de-crapified. Actually its probably my favorite phone I've ever had. (that includes numerous smart phones and platforms going back to the nokia 3650 on symbian os). Im going to stick around with it until there's something amazing released.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
do you know if its coming to verizon?
I'll get the SGSII, IF and only if it doesn't have anything locking it down and preventing custom ROMs/Kernels. Otherwise, I'll find something else.
imnuts said:
I'll get the SGSII, IF and only if it doesn't have anything locking it down and preventing custom ROMs/Kernels. Otherwise, I'll find something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Supercurio has been posting numerous Tweets on his Twitter bout that, seems that there's not too much to worry about that
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
This mod will be getting a Thunderbolt when his contract with ATTmobile is up.
Moderated from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium.
TheSonicEmerald said:
Supercurio has been posting numerous Tweets on his Twitter bout that, seems that there's not too much to worry about that
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, didn't see those when I posted that. Just need to make sure that VZW doesn't request that the bootloader be locked and Samsung follow through with it.
bwt_3 said:
Nothing from Samsung, that's for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What she said! F' Samsung! I've had all 3 omnia's and now the Fascinate and am sick of having to wait for updates whilest others bask in the update glory!
jv
imnuts said:
Yeah, didn't see those when I posted that. Just need to make sure that VZW doesn't request that the bootloader be locked and Samsung follow through with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saw this posted on twitter ... Wayne and company are generally a solid source.
http://www.gizmoninja.com/2011/04/15/samsung-will-not-lock-its-bootloaders/
So will unlocked bootloaders win out over slower software updates? For me personally I say yes.
Sent from my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk
bobloblaw1 said:
I actually really like this phone once its de-bloated and de-crapified. Actually its probably my favorite phone I've ever had. (that includes numerous smart phones and platforms going back to the nokia 3650 on symbian os). Im going to stick around with it until there's something amazing released.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm probably going to do the same, I'm hoping that it can get me til sometime in december of 2012 so i can leave verizon...though my contract is "up" in march of 2012 my girlfriend's line doesn't end until 12/23/2012
I just jumped ship from the Fascinate to the Thunderbolt a few days ago. Rooted and have been experimenting.
After getting a sense of the Thunderbolt and putting it side by side with the Fascinate, its not as dominant as I would have expected. The Fascinate's SAMOLED screen is just substantially better than the Thunderbolt's S-LCD. Its not even close really. Also, the latest gen Snapdragon + Adreno 205....doesn't seem as snappy as the Fascinate SoC. Fascinate definitely has better graphics. Very subtle stutters on the Thunderbolt after testing a few ROMs and Kernels. Also, its certainly a matter of opinion, but the Thunderbolt is just a tad too big compared with the Fascinate. They have the power button on top like an iPhone, and the way I would naturally grip the phone puts the power button barely out of reach of my index finger. I have to do a very small phone adjust in my hand to allow my index finger to get on top of the power button, but the Fascinate's 4 inch screen is about as large as I would imagine it could get for it to require no movement of the phone in the palm while operating it, which is preferable I think.
On the other hand - Verizon's LTE network is stupid fast. NYC with its saturated 3G networks -- the LTE network is like coming up for air after nearly drowning. Its rock solid everywhere I've been, almost like ubiquitous WiFi. When you really think about it, even the best Dual-Core Cortex A9 phones on ATT can't really touch a Cortex A8 experience on WiFi. The network makes an enormous difference and that can't be stressed enough.
The Thunderbolt is sexier than the Fascinate with its screen off. I don't really care about the kickstand, but the feel and heft is a welcome change from the Fascinate. Although not a graphics beast, it is by no means a slouch. The UI is very snappy, and I'll be very curious once CM7/AOSP gets released.
Thats the final thing about the Thunderbolt that I think is worth mentioning. The Thunderbolt forum is buzzing. Lots of devs, people are gearing up for CM7 nightlies/crackflashing. Not to say this forum wasn't Fantastic, but the Thunderbolt, and HTC in general, seem to have a slightly more robust community. I'm not at all upset with my decision to switch, but the Fascinate is by NO MEANS old hardware right now, in fact using the Thunderbolt makes me appreciate how good Samsung was on the hardware side.
sunder74 said:
Saw this posted on twitter ... Wayne and company are generally a solid source.
http://www.gizmoninja.com/2011/04/15/samsung-will-not-lock-its-bootloaders/
So will unlocked bootloaders win out over slower software updates? For me personally I say yes.
Sent from my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, and with an unlocked bootloader and a whole SLEW of awesome devs that I know are gonna jump on this beast of a phone and with Sammy leaking source code and updates like EB01/EC01 for free beta testing, we don't need official OTA updates. I WILL BE GETTING THE GALAXY S 2!
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
That is a great question. I bought a used Fascinate to hold me over, and to learn the Android system. I am hoping that later in the year I can get something with dual core and LTE. But I also don't want to give up battery life. So this may not be possible.
I like Android, but have a bad opinion of Samsung compared to my previous multiple HTC WinMo devices.
So I want:
For the OS: Android, likely not Microsoft, never Apple.
Manufacturer: HTC, maybe Moto, Samsung is low on the list.
Carrier: Verizon...........period.. What I need it for, other choices fail.
Dual core would be nice, but not at the expensive of a lot of battery life.
I want LTE. Not badly, but there is not much reason to throw away a 2 year contract and not get it.
The Thunderbolt is almost it, and may BE it, for me. Maybe I really don't want dual core just yet anyway. The new SGS II is probably nice, but I'm sure I would be returning in to Verizon as it would have the same hardware weaknesses that I see in the Fascinate.
So I'm waiting it out for now to see what else comes along. Until I smash this P.O.S. Fascinate against the ground and I'm forced to decide.
It's going to be really tough for me to buy another Samsung phone. The internal guts of the Fascinate are awesome (which is why I bought it), but the lack of support and poorly written code is a real let-down. I'm definitely going to explore other phone manufacturers and carriers to see how things compare. If another network suits my daily needs, I'll definitely switch... possibly to T-Mobile given their upcoming line-up of phones. I'm not excited about the possible AT&T merger, but I definitely won't be locking myself into any contracts in the near future. Android progresses way too quickly to get locked into anything longer than 1 year - and those contracts are going away.
As much as most would hate to hear it, if the iPhone had Google Navigation, a universal micro-USB port and maybe removable internal storage + battery... I would consider it. I doubt those things would ever happen, so no iPhone for me. An MIUI-compatible Android would be much better anyways.
Galaxy S2. Samsung is improving. I mean, GB is rolling out to the i9000 before any other phone. Their hardware is superior. With the Galaxy S2, it's EXT4. AND, the bootloader is gonna be open. It seems that they ARE listening to the consumers. Though I'm angry that we still don't have 2.2, I blame Verizon for that more than Samsung.

Why Atrix 4G still worth buying!

I wrote a review on my blog why Atrix 4G still worth buying.
Meeting expectation & meeting money, the two main factors to buy a cell phone. In this modern era, smartphone has become an integral part of our life. Many think that we are now in a post PC world (I don’t yet think so!). However, buying a smartphone needs a lot of homework (if your budget is low).
My Motorola Atrix 4G
VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL
When I was thinking to buy an smartphone, the first & foremost thing I had to think that I need to get an handset that’ll support for the next 1/1.5 years. However, I researched pretty much before buying & on that time within my budget Motorola Atrix 4G was the best budget phone. So I made the choice & bought my first smartphone from Motorola. I say after using nearly 7 months, I had made a great decision to buy this set! (Think! I’m telling this when there is Lumia 900, S2, S3, One X already released & Lumia 920, iPhone 5 in the horizon). I’ll tell you why this Atrix 4G still kicking ass!
Motorola Atrix 4G: Killer configuration with fingerprint reader
Remember when the Atrix 4G was launched in CES with the Dual Core processor? Man it’s the first Android that packs Dual Core processor! Just like S3 packed quad core for the first time! On that time, nearly every major reviewers like phonedog, phonearena, engadget, cnet – everyone took Atrix 4G pretty seriously wrote their review! Surprisingly, each one of them gave 4.0+ stars. You should’ve known already that it’s one of the best smartphone, ever Motorola produced!
More here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
saiftheboss7 said:
I wrote a review on my blog why Atrix 4G still worth buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although it does have quite possibly the worst manufacturer support known to man (and would be basically useless without this community - we're still being held back by Moto on having proper ICS where all the other Teg2 devices now have it working properly), the build quality is not so hot (My Atrix is all creaky after about a year, and the USB port has become very flaky. My old hTCs are, as far as I can tell, indestructible.) and the screen is awful.
On the other hand, I do prefer the 4" form factor for a high-end phone by some margin though, these new ones are just too f**ing big and basically unusable one-handed. Still, I like HD displays, so I may have to put up with at least 4.3"... Plus, I'm glad Moto went for a decent capacity battery over an anorexic looking device. I'm actually quite impressed by the battery life of the Atrix running JB/ICS, when I can get the damn thing to charge.
saiftheboss7 said:
I wrote a review on my blog why Atrix 4G still worth buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Atrix 4g released in February of 2011, not a 2010 smartphone. Atrix 4g not first dual core smartphone, LG Optimus 2x was.
Otherwise, yes, the Atrix 4g is a pretty respectable phone. Motorola really tried to pull out all the stops with it. It had multiple docks including the lapdock, had/has specs comparable to many mid-range phones a year and a half later, etc. I wish companies would try to do this more often. We haven't had Samsung do anything special - they've fallen into release a top of the line spec phone once a year and go from there. The Note is great, but they didn't promote it as well as they should have. Samsung and HTC and LG really need to make their phones common names. Spend money getting your name out there - it clearly works.
Atrix is the second bestieee.
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
I'm happy with my Atrix, mostly due to the community.
/I could be happier though
The Atrix is still the most innovative and coolest super phone that I ever had (what other phone has a fingerprint scanner, which phone came with higher resolution than WVGA at that time?) and I'd happily recommend it if it was still available on the market!
Sent from that Atrix... Motorola, where's my ICS?!
I would give away the fringerprint scanner if it meant faster ICS.
I used that thing 3 times. Enough to see that it works when it wants to. If I have to apply myself and make the perfect slide everytime I need to unlock my phone then it's not a security feature, it's a boring one...
tatperson said:
The Atrix is still the most innovative and coolest super phone that I ever had (what other phone has a fingerprint scanner, which phone came with higher resolution than WVGA at that time?) and I'd happily recommend it if it was still available on the market!
Sent from that Atrix... Motorola, where's my ICS?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's available on Amazon. Only $192
tatperson said:
which phone came with higher resolution than WVGA at that time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Atrix's screen is only really 960x540 in luminance, if you only ever watch old black and white movies or only ever read text in shades of grey/white/black it's great. Introduce chroma, and it's really not the equivalent of 518,400 pixels any more (in fact, it has a lot less chroma resolution than a WVGA non-PenTile screen). I guess it's better than RGBG pentile like non-plus AMOLEDs (which can only render green at full resolution), but it's still crap.
I've not played with an HD PenTile screen, but going by the Atrix and Desire, I'd never have one again anyway.
DannyBiker said:
I would give away the fringerprint scanner if it meant faster ICS.
I used that thing 3 times. Enough to see that it works when it wants to. If I have to apply myself and make the perfect slide everytime I need to unlock my phone then it's not a security feature, it's a boring one...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better use of the tech would be using it for access to your passwords. Instead info prompted for a pin number for your bank account app or your login info for your credit card app, just swipe your finger.
rancur3p1c said:
Better use of the tech would be using it for access to your passwords. Instead info prompted for a pin number for your bank account app or your login info for your credit card app, just swipe your finger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES! It totally needs a fingerprint enabled password manager app! That would be excellent!
Sent from my Atrix
saiftheboss7 said:
It's available on Amazon. Only $192
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If its that cheap, I'd consider getting another one if Im pressed for dolla bills.
Sent from my Nexus 7
No....it is not that worthy...
The build quality is an issue only if you don't use a case
and the phone is still smaller and easier to hold than all the other phones even WITH a case on it
anyone who sells this phone short either has money to blow and doesn't mind the $200-$300 extra for the "superphones" or don't recognize great tech when they see it.
I guess this would be a great to ask if the Atrix 4G is still a good phone.
You see I live in Brazil and have an iPhone 3G, and my parents live in the USA, and I want to send them some money to buy me a smart phone, the Atrix 4G seems like a REALLY good phone, and I am a phone addict, meaning that my iphone is Jailbroken and unlocked, I know all the ups and downs and etc of Cydia, so off course I would probably root and apply a custom ROM to the Atrix 4G.
On my iphone I mainly play games like Angry Birds and Where's my Water - so I guess the Atrix 4G is a good gaming phone right?
Other than that I would probably use it as an eReader when I am out of reach to my Nexus 7.
On Amazon there is this http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Atrix...words=Atrix+4G
So I guess when it says unlocked it SHOULD work at Brazil (I am always afraid of it not being unlocked to worldwide carriers and just US carries.)
Thanks in advance
probably they want better performance
for the cheaper price.
yeah. atrix is good phone but
NO NEON!!
if Tegra 2 chipset supported to NEON,
atrix will be a great device.
excluding heat...
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
kkuuo said:
probably they want better performance
for the cheaper price.
yeah. atrix is good phone but
NO NEON!!
if Tegra 2 chipset supported to NEON,
atrix will be a great device.
excluding heat...
Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't think of a single Android app I use that runs faster on a device with or without NEON. I'm sure there are some. But I wouldn't exactly call it a major failing of Tegra 2, or even consequential for most people.
And if you think the heat is bad on the Atrix, try an international SGS3 or One X running a game. Then you'll know the meaning of 'hot'

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