[Q] Why RAZR M over Droid 4? - Droid RAZR M Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So I currently have the Droid 2, but need to replace it due to screen issues, and I'm up for renewal anyway.
I have been considering the RAZR M because a good friend really recommended it, and was about to pull the trigger tonight when I began researching the Droid 4.
I realize the D4 is bulkier than the M... but I don't really mind the bulk of my D2...of course most of that bulk is because of the slide out keyboard, which is why I'm still so attracted to the D4.
The D4 seems to have a slightly slower processor, though from what I read benchmarks are comparable.
The M has a nicer screen (larger and crisper) - but I really don't mind my D2 screen, and I'm sure the D4 is at least as good.
The D4 also has HDMI support which is a nice add on.
Right now I need to pay $99 for the D4, where I can get the M for free (strange that the newer phone is cheaper!). If the D4 was $0 too, I think I would probably jump on it without even asking these questions, but....
Can someone convince me why, as someone who really likes their keyboard - why an M is really much better than the D4?
The main thing I'm really worried about on the D4 is battery life...I use an extended battery on the D2 and I get at least a full day in most cases - but I can't get an extended for the D4.

TraderJack said:
So I currently have the Droid 2, but need to replace it due to screen issues, and I'm up for renewal anyway.
I have been considering the RAZR M because a good friend really recommended it, and was about to pull the trigger tonight when I began researching the Droid 4.
I realize the D4 is bulkier than the M... but I don't really mind the bulk of my D2...of course most of that bulk is because of the slide out keyboard, which is why I'm still so attracted to the D4.
The D4 seems to have a slightly slower processor, though from what I read benchmarks are comparable.
The M has a nicer screen (larger and crisper) - but I really don't mind my D2 screen, and I'm sure the D4 is at least as good.
The D4 also has HDMI support which is a nice add on.
Right now I need to pay $99 for the D4, where I can get the M for free (strange that the newer phone is cheaper!). If the D4 was $0 too, I think I would probably jump on it without even asking these questions, but....
Can someone convince me why, as someone who really likes their keyboard - why an M is really much better than the D4?
The main thing I'm really worried about on the D4 is battery life...I use an extended battery on the D2 and I get at least a full day in most cases - but I can't get an extended for the D4.
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Hello fellow D2 user
If you can stand not having HDMI out and a physical keyboard, then the RAZR M is a great choice to make
Development for the D4 is at a good pace, but will probably faze out quicker than the M, as its an older device with an outdated processor and lacks the unlocked bootloader the M currently has (until you update to the latest from the Verizon, which does not allow for the bootloader to be unlocked)
The RAZR M is slated for a 4.2.2 upgrade (and possibly onwards), which may play a factor if you're a fan of stock (D4 is unlikely to be updated past 4.1). However, don't buy the phone expecting the update. Unofficial 4.2.2 custom ROMs are available for both devices.
Seeing as the physical keyboard is also being fazed out, it might be healthy to get used to a touch screen keyboard. IMO, I prefer using a touchscreen keyboard on a small mobile device.
I'd recommend you purchase the RAZR M, but it might be wise to think about whether the HDMI out and physical keyboard are things that you really want in the smartphone, or a gimmick.

Leraeniesh said:
Hello fellow D2 user
If you can stand not having HDMI out and a physical keyboard, then the RAZR M is a great choice to make
Development for the D4 is at a good pace, but will probably faze out quicker than the M, as its an older device with an outdated processor and lacks the unlocked bootloader the M currently has (until you update to the latest from the Verizon, which does not allow for the bootloader to be unlocked)
The RAZR M is slated for a 4.2.2 upgrade (and possibly onwards), which may play a factor if you're a fan of stock (D4 is unlikely to be updated past 4.1). However, don't buy the phone expecting the update. Unofficial 4.2.2 custom ROMs are available for both devices.
Seeing as the physical keyboard is also being fazed out, it might be healthy to get used to a touch screen keyboard. IMO, I prefer using a touchscreen keyboard on a small mobile device.
I'd recommend you purchase the RAZR M, but it might be wise to think about whether the HDMI out and physical keyboard are things that you really want in the smartphone, or a gimmick.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the input. I can stand not having the HDMI...I don't have it on the D2. I thought it would be a cool feature...but honestly probably use it once in a blue moon.
Both my wife and I do use our slide-keyboards alot. I came from a Tilt before my D2, so have been accustomed for a while.
I honestly usually end up with stock ROM, thought I do want root (just don't have the time to play the flashing game anymore ).
My biggest concern apart from the keyboard is the battery like on the 4. Its 1785mah is just shy of my 1850mah extended on D2 (which is good for me)...but with a faster proc and 4G I think it will go quicker.
I also think the 1.3mpx front camera will be a lot nicer for skyping home when I am traveling.
Can anyone speak to the battery life differences and how adequate the M front cam is for video chat compared to the D4?

So basically, is the familiarity, the keyboard, and the HDMI port worth $100 to you?
To me it isn't, hands down. But I hate phones with slide out keyboards. I love Swype, and the new default google keyboard has all the same features. I would never use a keyboard on such a small device, it adds to much bulk for something I would never use anyway.
The HDMI port is a nice feature to have, one of the things I miss about my old Atrix, but in reality I had that phone for 2 years and used the HDMI port maybe 3 times.
Also for battery life, basically every smartphone is going to need to recharge almost every day. You can take it really easy on the device and get a longer life, but then you aren't really using it like you would want to. I don't think the Razr M will take an extended battery either, as you have to have a special star bit screwdriver set to even get to the battery.
It sounds like you really like the keyboard though, so if no keyboard is enough of a deal-breaker, get the one with a keyboard.

TraderJack said:
Can anyone speak to the battery life differences and how adequate the M front cam is for video chat compared to the D4?
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Click to collapse
Posted at the same time, wow haha.
The Razr M with stock 4.1.2 has awesome battery life, with 2000mah. I actually just posted in the battery life thread with screenshots of mine, with the battery lasting all day yesterday and until about 5pm today. Close to 42 hours, but with really light use. I only recently got the phone, but under normal/heavy use I expect to get ~30-36 hours. Sounds like you use yours a bit more heavily than I would on average, but you would definitely get a day or more out of it unless you were playing games or watching videos for hours.
With 4.2.2 I get much less battery life, right around the normal 24 hours.

TraderJack said:
Thanks for the input. I can stand not having the HDMI...I don't have it on the D2. I thought it would be a cool feature...but honestly probably use it once in a blue moon.
Both my wife and I do use our slide-keyboards alot. I came from a Tilt before my D2, so have been accustomed for a while.
I honestly usually end up with stock ROM, thought I do want root (just don't have the time to play the flashing game anymore ).
My biggest concern apart from the keyboard is the battery like on the 4. Its 1785mah is just shy of my 1850mah extended on D2 (which is good for me)...but with a faster proc and 4G I think it will go quicker.
I also think the 1.3mpx front camera will be a lot nicer for skyping home when I am traveling.
Can anyone speak to the battery life differences and how adequate the M front cam is for video chat compared to the D4?
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Click to collapse
I can't personally speak for battery life, but here are reports from droid-life.com's reviews of both devices.
Droid 4
While it may not pack the 3300mAh battery of the RAZR MAXX, the 1785mAh battery inside the D4 produced enough life to at least get us through most days. With the current crop of LTE radios, we are never going to see long life on a standard battery, but the DROID 4 was able to outperform many other phones. One thing to keep in mind is that the battery is non-removable, so if you purchase this phone, you won’t be able to toss in an extended. It’s unfortunate, but this looks to be Motorola’s standard going forward.
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RAZR M
The 2000mAh battery inside the RAZR M coupled with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor seems like a match made in heaven. Well, almost anything does with this processor, however, this phone seems insanely good with this combo. I have two screenshots to talk about below that have led me to this conclusion. The first one on the left is the RAZR M after I took it through a standard day of checking emails, Twitter, snapping a few photos, making a few phone calls, listening to some music, keeping WiFi off, and not doing anything that would completely hammer on battery life (like gaming or video streaming). As you can see, a full day of use was not an issue. The screenshot on the right is day of travel and over an hour straight of Granny Smith domination with Google Music playing in the background while on a plane. I still had 33% left and probably could have made it through the rest of the day if I needed to. Now, with my Galaxy Nexus, should I have played over an hour of any game with music streaming in the background, I would have been dying to find the nearest outlet so that I could toss some juice into it. This phone is incredibly efficient.
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Click to collapse
As for the front facing camera, you will find it nice and mostly clear, but now as crisp and clear as the Droid 4.
Also, if you do go for the RAZR M and want to spare some bulk for protection, I highly recommend the Trident Aegis case.

I was a big physical keyboard guy before I got the M...
Now, having used the 4.2 swipe keyboard, I'm loving the M. It's much snappier than my brother's D4, both on CM10.1. Battery life blows pretty much every smartphone except the MAXX out of the water, and the form factor is perfect.
I don't really care about display that much either, and I can't see a difference between the M and the D4.
I'd vote RAZR M... Both phones are an excellent choice though
Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Seriously just wait another month and the Moto X will be out with all its glory.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I cant think of one reason to get the Droid 4 besides having to have a physical keyboard. The M has better processor, software, display, looks, on contract price (and same outright price), unlockable bootloader (thanks to qualcomm processor exploit) for starters. The M has DLNA capabilities, who needs a physical HDMI wire! Even my wife gave up the physical keyboard

dtraini7 said:
Seriously just wait another month and the Moto X will be out with all its glory.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Yeah...but at what price? I typically get the prior model for little or nothing...so not about to drop $200/phone.
stanlalee said:
I cant think of one reason to get the Droid 4 besides having to have a physical keyboard. The M has better processor, software, display, looks, on contract price (and same outright price), unlockable bootloader (thanks to qualcomm processor exploit) for starters. The M has DLNA capabilities, who needs a physical HDMI wire! Even my wife gave up the physical keyboard
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Click to collapse
When looking at specs and reading reviews it seems that processor/performance wise the difference is negligible. For sure the M has the 4 beat on size and screen and seems to have a real slight edge in battery. Everything else seems mostly subjective.
I also think dlna over most wifi is going to be pretty stuttery compared to a direct had I connection. Also, you can't connect say netflix over dlna. I agree the hdmi feature would be something I used only a few times a year likely...but I think it is a nice bonus.
You are right about the pricing...I hate paying for phones, so the D4 really has that going against it and vzw doesn't seem to budge for making a deal.
So...2 questions left...
1) will they let me install Skype to test the front camera on the phone in stores?
2) for all of you that were keyboard users...what made you decide to give it up? And, what features of non kb usage are you finding that seem to make you not miss it? I think for me, it isn't as much about having the tactile keyboard, but rather not being able to see as much of the screen when I type. For instance, I am typing this whole message on my ipad using the stock soft kb...but the screen is large enough I can see almost this whole message....and of course the actual soft keys are each the size of my fingertip...I always find it awkward when using my d2 soft kb which takes up almost the entire screen...especially when using Remote Desktop type software. I will also say I hate iPhone keyboards.
So what experience can those with similar trepidation a share about how you've adjusted?
Thanks

Leraeniesh said:
Also, if you do go for the RAZR M and want to spare some bulk for protection, I highly recommend the Trident Aegis case.
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Click to collapse
I was planning on a screen protector like xtreme guard, and the a relatively lightweight case. Although i dont like the TPU cases that come off easy. I was looking at the Ballistic and Body Glove cases....but not sure about either. I suppose I probably should get something to protect it from my 2 year old...but was hoping to reap the benefits of the phones natural slimness.
I was in a motorcycle accident with my d2 and seido case...the thing slid down the street 20-30 feet...only scratched a small part of the case. Apart from that I don't know if I ever would have needed a case so bulky (and seidos really aren't that bulky, compared to say an otterbox)....

I just made the switch from the d4 to the M few things I miss like the captivate keys webtop and the HDMI output... but all and all I am much happier with the M much much much better battery life I was lucky to get 11-14 hr on the d4 (on jb like 20+ when it had ICS) like 28-30 on the M I'm always on my phone too ... and the screen... wow... its like switching from a old school tube TV to one of these HD TVs ... camera takes a lot better pix FFC as well... I have used mostly physical keyboard phones (besides the month on the RAZR xt912) much much happier with the M....
Sent from my XT907 using xda app-developers app

dbreezy187 said:
... I have used mostly physical keyboard phones (besides the month on the RAZR xt912) much much happier with the M....
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So less than a month and you've changed your mind?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=42784685&postcount=3
What has changed? You feel that the extra battery life is worth giving up the keyboard? You wouldn't trade back now for the D4 if you could (for free)?

To put in my 2 cents, I have a razr M and my wife has the D4. I have owned the D1, D2, D2G, and D3, so I was really hooked on the keyboard phones. As far as the processors being close, where did you read that? The D4 feels ancient compared to the razr M, there is a significant lag in my wifes phone compared to mine. My other major thing is the screen, starting with the D3 the keyboard Droids started having really crappy looking screens, and the D4 is no exception, the razr M doesn't have the best screen, but if you look at the 2 side by side the razr M is way better, and I love having that slim bezel. Yes I really miss the keyboard, and Moto really needs to make a high end keyboard phone, but this is what we are stuck with.
Also I have been checking out Flesky Beta for my keyboard, it has an invisible mode where it is hidden, and still can be really accurate. It's beta so it still needs alot of work, but it is awesome, you can even blind type with reasonable accuracy with it.

bitz_dv said:
To put in my 2 cents, I have a razr M and my wife has the D4. I have owned the D1, D2, D2G, and D3, so I was really hooked on the keyboard phones. As far as the processors being close, where did you read that? The D4 feels ancient compared to the razr M, there is a significant lag in my wifes phone compared to mine. My other major thing is the screen, starting with the D3 the keyboard Droids started having really crappy looking screens, and the D4 is no exception, the razr M doesn't have the best screen, but if you look at the 2 side by side the razr M is way better, and I love having that slim bezel. Yes I really miss the keyboard, and Moto really needs to make a high end keyboard phone, but this is what we are stuck with.
Also I have been checking out Flesky Beta for my keyboard, it has an invisible mode where it is hidden, and still can be really accurate. It's beta so it still needs alot of work, but it is awesome, you can even blind type with reasonable accuracy with it.
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Click to collapse
Thanks blitz.. I read various review online where no one made a really big deal about the performance difference between the two, so other than some minor anecdotal evidence (like yours - which I don't discount) they appeared to not be that far off in performance. Also, realize that I'm coming from a D2 - and even though I realize it is a bit sluggish, any new phone will likely be a big performance improvement - therefore maybe I wouldn't know what I'm missing with the M if I just stuck with my D4 and keyboard.
Interesting about the screen...I didn't realize the screen are actually worse in the D3/4 then they were in the D2...that is a bit of a turnoff. I am happy enough with the clarity of the D2 screen, but if it gets worse with the 4....I dunno....
Out of interest, what are the biggest problems you personally face without the keyboard, and how have you adjusted?
It seems a lot of case reviews mention that typing with the on-screen keyboard is more difficult with a case, and that doesn't make me happy since I likely need to protect the phone from my little ones.

I think lot of people may be missing part of the point. This guy enjoys a physical keyboard. Maybe you don't, but that's irrelevant since he's the one buying the phone.
Here's my take. And I was in a similar boat to you. About 4 years ago I was lured over to Android from BlackBerry. Thank God... But my biggest reason as to how and why was one you probably don't normally think of when one switches to Android. It was the Motorola Droid Pro's BlackBerry-esque keyboard that sold me. I had gotten so used to the keyboard that the only way I would switch at the time was for a near identical keyboard. I wasn't concerned that a keyboard was passe at that point. But I switched, and liked the Droid Pro for a year and a half or so. After a while though, the small screen, slow processor, and Frodo/Gingerbread began to wear on me. I did a lot of research on keyboard phones and non-keyboard phones. This was around the same time the M was being released. After much deliberation, I ordered an M. While I couldn't possibly love it any more, there was a hurdle to jump. It was my first non-keyboard phone. And for me, this was a difficult one to swallow for a while. I still don't type amazing on the touch screen... However.... And this is the turning point for me.. The stock keyboard was alright, but I wanted to try others out. You'll hear a lot of people talk about Swype keyboard. For me, though, SwiftKey was the answer to my transition. It still has a word prediction feature I use constantly. I'm always mistyping, but with SwiftKey I barely know it. It completed the transition and I just haven't looked back since
As most will tell you, the phone battery is excellent. For me, the display is nice and for my money the camera is just fine. Maybe I'll want a powerhouse phone down the road, but until this phone is crushed by an elephant I am sticking with it and couldn't be happier.
Whew.. Talk about being long winded...
Sent from my Droid Razr M using xda app-developers app

I can't speak towards a case, I don't use one ( I can get a used RAZR m for around $100 on eBay so I view it as disposable) the onscreen keyboard I am terrible and make lots of mistakes, though flesky makes it a little better. I just really dislike the D4 and look at it as a trade off I can live with. Long emails just wait till in in front of a computer now, annoying but I'd rather have a nice phone then a crappy one with a keyboard.
Sent from my XT907 using xda premium

Jersey846 said:
I think lot of people may be missing part of the point. This guy enjoys a physical keyboard. Maybe you don't, but that's irrelevant since he's the one buying the phone. ....
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Right - thanks for that long-windedness Jersey - I'm looking for detailed experiences. I have good friend who has the M, switched from the D2G and had the D1 before that. He also says that he is good now without the keyboard and using swiftkey.
Question to most people out there... when you use your soft keyboard - are you usually in portrait or landscape mode?
I often send quick google texts in portrait mode with the soft on my D2...and don't find it horrible since it only takes up maybe 1/4-1/3 of the screen. But in landscape mode it takes up more (like half at least if not 3/4).
I think I'm used to using landscape mode *because* of the slide out keyboard...but I'm wondering if I will adapt to portrait with the M(?).

TraderJack said:
Thanks blitz.. I read various review online where no one made a really big deal about the performance difference between the two, so other than some minor anecdotal evidence (like yours - which I don't discount) they appeared to not be that far off in performance.
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When it comes to smartphones now the difference between blazing fast and slow as a turd is like a second or less difference. I mean I still have my single core thunderbolt and it runs (non sensed, CM based) GB and ICS extremely smooth and isn't what I'd call laggy at all opening apps etc. The galaxy nexus uses the same PowerVR540 GPU and similar processor (OMAP 4460 vs OMAP 4430 on the Droid) as the D4 and I have yet to see one I'd consider sluggish or slow even by today's standards.
The main factor is the software. All pre quadcore HTC Sense devices and pre RAZR M/HD/HD MAXX/Atrix HD have software induced lag (that usually goes aware with AOSP based ROMs). I don't know why Samsung is the only oem that can add a bunch of crap (more than the others) and still keep it smooth running on the same or like internal processing.

TraderJack said:
Question to most people out there... when you use your soft keyboard - are you usually in portrait or landscape mode?
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Click to collapse
I only use landscape mode for taking pictures and playing games. I actually have auto-rotate on my homescreen turned off because of how rarely I use landscape. For me typing is incredibly easy and fast in portrait mode, because of Swype/Swiftkey type keyboards. I adjusted to these really fast, but I never once used a phone with a keyboard, so there is a major difference in where we both come from.
You could install Swiftkey on your D2 and try it out in portrait mode. Just try to use it for a couple days and see if its something you can get used to, and if not then the physical keyboard is your answer.

Related

[Q] would you buy it again?

Hi guys,
first let me say I am sorry if this has already been discussed, I tried searching but didnt find much info.
Am asking your personal opinion, if you can go back would you get the droid 2 again?
i've been researching the phone, and found some people complaining that the touch screen isn't very responsive (in comparison to other high end phones)...
Also is the sound quality really that big of an issue to you?
Again sorry if this is been already discussed.
Thank you.
I would. I've been wanting to switch over to an Android phone for a while now. I had and HTC Touch Pro for over a year now and it's a great phone but I've admired the Android phone ever since they came out. I've only had mine for 2 days so maybe my opinion isn't very merited but so far I love this phone.
Screen response seems fine to me, I might have to press slightly harder but not enough to be a nuisance.
Sound quality isn't a major issue, if it were, I would connect it to my stereo or computer audio jack.
The functionality is the reason for my purchase, plus the fact I don't own anything Windows based now!
I love this phone but at the same time I want the incredible or the x or even the merge whenever that comes out, that thing looks sick
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App
I would buy it again.
I took a look at the X before I bought the 2. I don't need HDMI out; I have never been out and been like "oh let me hook my phone up to your TV and show you this vid", I usually just show it to them on my phone.
5MP camera is fine as well. My phone is for pictures when I don't have a real camera.
Keyboard is great. I love swype for an onscreen keyboard, but if I am about to type a long email, post, etc, I like having the keyboard.
The droid2 is fast, and any breakthroughs in hacking on the X usually work on the 2.
It sounds like the bootloader will be hacked soon enough, so all my issues are pretty much being fixed.
I would buy it again. I honestly cant compare it to any other smartphone because this is my first. What sold me is the qwerty keyboard and the android system. I'd rather have this over the X and Inc any day. I don't need HD video or a HDMI output
Absolutely buying it again, Swype is a great option, but when comes special word and such I just need a keyboard since there is no way to set up Swype as portrait keyboard and regular qwerty as landscape.
And I persoanlly have a feeling of other keyboards since my gf has a OG droid and I played with it a lot, and. I had a EnV3 before this droid 2 so I love this keyboard even tho it could be better.
The 1Ghz processor and dedicated GPU is a powerhouse. Again, Motorola could of played nice and leave us a open Bootloader for development.
Sent from my DROID2
Well I can't really say I would buy it again because I never bought this phone I had the D1 and had problems with it, so I kept complaining and they gave me a D2 . Overall I really like this phone and I would get it again. I like the keyboard on it because a hard qwerty keyboard is a must for me. The touchscreen seems very responsive, just like the D1. The things I wish they changed were the camera, which isn't a huge issue, but still would have been nice if they changed it a little and the sound quality does bug me a little. Speaker phone seems much quieter then it did on the D1. I would much rather have this phone than the Droid X or the Incredible. I don't really like all touch screen phones. All my phones with touchscreen always had a hard keyboard that come with it.
I'd definitely buy it again! This is my 5th Android phone (three on T-Mo, two on Vzw) and it's hands down my favorite. My previous phone was a rooted Incredible and, although the size and screen were nice, the D2 just feels like a much more solid phone. I couldn't stand not having a keyboard either, so it was a no brainer. Bonus for me is the better Quadrant scores on my un-tweaked D2 and better battery life to boot! Can't wait until the bootloader gets hacked and we can really start tweaking!
Had the X been available that's what I would have gotten. Since I don't have one though I can't be certain that I would have stayed with it.
I am however satisfied with the D2.

Anyone here go from X to INC?

I do love my X, but I have grown a little tired of the size and form factor. I am a little worried I might be disappointed with the battery life and a possible resale value on the INC if I do make the switch.
Anyone had a good experience going to the INC form the X?
I haven't had an X myself but I don't know why you should be concerned about resale value..you're using the phone.
The form factor of the DX sucks IMO, it's bulky and ugly.
The Incredible's screen is much nicer quality too, even the SLCD version. When comparing the screen sizes it's like quantity vs. quality.
If you're into custom ROMs and such, the INC is a great phone.
SynbiosVyse said:
I haven't had an X myself but I don't know why you should be concerned about resale value..you're using the phone.
The form factor of the DX sucks IMO, it's bulky and ugly.
The Incredible's screen is much nicer quality too, even the SLCD version. When comparing the screen sizes it's like quantity vs. quality.
If you're into custom ROMs and such, the INC is a great phone.
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Click to collapse
Only thinking about resale to help me buy a new phone when some newer versions come out (I had used the new every 2, even though its gone now, on X release date).
r3dlined said:
I am a little worried I might be disappointed with the battery life and a possible resale value on the INC if I do make the switch.
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Click to collapse
I can assure you not to worry about the resale value because, INC has a higher resale value than DX. INC is about $152 while DX is only about $96.
Check it out here!
https://www.trade-in.vzw.com/Home.aspx
fortesquieu said:
I can assure you not to worry about the resale value because, INC has a higher resale value than DX. INC is about $152 while DX is only about $96.
Check it out here!
https://www.trade-in.vzw.com/Home.aspx
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Click to collapse
Hrmm I wonder why that is. I have been trying to look at what people are selling these for in the forums.
I had the x and switched to the dinc. HTC does a way better job with Android if you ask me. The community does much better with HTC devices as well. Sense is a must have for me as well.
Even though the evo sold mass amount of phones, I think its too big. I the x was just as big and drove me crazy. I like the size of the dinc. With the evos 1500 mAh battery in my dinc, I can last all day no problem.
Sent from my incredible using the XDA app
I had an X and returned it for an Incredible. Part of the reason was because the Incredible was free and the X had cost me $200. That said, the Incredible feels faster, even with slightly slower hardware, thanks to HTC's superior software. Motorola's software package is pretty terrible.
I made that switch. The battery life is definitely worse on the incredible. I missed the big screen at first. Made the incredible seem extra small coming from the X. I have an slcd incredible and even that screen seems to have much more contrast than the Droid x. I like running cyanogenmod and custom kernels so im enjoying the incredible.
codyppc said:
I had the x and switched to the dinc. HTC does a way better job with Android if you ask me. The community does much better with HTC devices as well. Sense is a must have for me as well.
Even though the evo sold mass amount of phones, I think its too big. I the x was just as big and drove me crazy. I like the size of the dinc. With the evos 1500 mAh battery in my dinc, I can last all day no problem.
Sent from my incredible using the XDA app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait a minute! The Evo battery fits the DInc? Please confirm!
I'm actually confused myself. On htcpedia there is the 1500mah for $40 for the incredible .... but the 1500mah for the evo is $30... are they the same and does it matter?
Sent from my ADR6300
McDizzle said:
Wait a minute! The Evo battery fits the DInc? Please confirm!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
/10 char
X might be a nice phone but with a locked bootloader that's harder to get in than Fort knox...no thanks I will stick with my Incredible
I went from an Incredible to an X back to the Incredible
The X had nothing but issues, and screen wasn't nearly as gorgeous as the AMOLED one.
The Sense UI is the best UI you can get for Android, in my opinion hands down the best.
The hardware of the Incredible feels faster too like another poster said, on the X my friend and I were in a parking garage waiting to get a GPS signal, i pulled my Incredible out and mine found our location when the X was still looking for 10 more mins.
The X is also too tall, it doesn't use the right screen ratio like the EVO and ThunderBolt will.
The developer community is the best on EVO/Incredible vs Droid 1/2/X
and I also develop themes for Incredible which i'll be moving on to ThunderBolt
I just got an inc keeping my x to try this out. Only two things so far I don't like:
-can see the touchscreen sensors on a white background(emails or web usually)
-touch screen isn't quite as accurate as the x
-there was a hair under the glass screen. Looks like the screen isn't that tight around the body. Compressed air blew it right out though.
On a positive sense KILLS blur! The overall feel is great, better widgets, comfortable formfactor.
I had an X until 2 weeks ago. I miss it... The screen size is enough for me to be trying to get it back. I have BIG hands and I could fly texting on my X but on this, Im hitting backspace more than any other key, even with auto correct. The reason I traded was to be able to customize more which is definitely better. Another issue is with games. The Inc is slow to respond and it glitches and pauses all the time playing homerun battle 3d. The X NEVER did that. I don't know, they both have their positives and negatives but my hands alone are the reason I'm trying to trade back to an X. BUT I will come back to HTC when the Thunderbolt comes out. NO DOUBT, cause sense destroys blur. always had to use Luancherpro on the X but never on the Inc because of the custom roms...
r3dlined said:
I just got an inc keeping my x to try this out. Only two things so far I don't like:
-can see the touchscreen sensors on a white background(emails or web usually)
-touch screen isn't quite as accurate as the x
-there was a hair under the glass screen. Looks like the screen isn't that tight around the body. Compressed air blew it right out though.
On a positive sense KILLS blur! The overall feel is great, better widgets, comfortable formfactor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by the touch screen isn't as accurate? My friend and my cousin both have the X, my brother has the Fascinate, and I have the Incredible. I've used all 3 phones extensively and in my experience, the X has the least responsive touch screen of all. Do you mean accuracy as in trying to click on small links on web pages or something? If that's the case it might just be because the screen is smaller; if you're having trouble you could try highlighting the link or button that you want to click with the trackpad.
re x
i have the droid incredible and i bought the droid x on the week it came out.
Immiatlely i was dissappointed at the same time some things were great.
The low audio on the navigation even with the windows up made it unusable with turn by turn directions... im sure they fixed this.
The ****ty Moto UI = **** sammitch.
The below average quality of the lcd, it looked washed out and bland compared to my incredible.
The large 4.3 inch screen was awesome to surf on.
it was thin for a large phone.
It was new.
I have had many phones in the past and none of them gave me the same kind of user experience as HTC and sadly the iphone.
If i was technically retarded and was an old woman i would have kept my iphone..
But nobody besides HTC has made a better phone AND UI...
Samsung UI = **** , hardware = ok, software updates = ****
Motorola UI = **** see above
LG = **** **** and more ****
Sony = erickson = ****
nokia = failing ball of **** sammitch.. check their stocks.
Blackberry = corporate fail, good comm device.. everything else is 10 years behind.
iphone = boring plus your instantly enrolled in a group of 10 year olds and wanna be tech folks ... and mothers...any phone an old woman is comfortable using is a phone i do not want.
Well I had to trade the INC back because there was dust collecting under the screen. I am absolutely in LOVE with the phone compared to the X. But the big question I can't decide on now is:
Do I sell my X and go buy an INC retail so I at least have a 1 year warranty on it or buy one used and hope for the best (buying a new one would probably cost me 230 or so).
brandon2x said:
I had an X until 2 weeks ago. I miss it... The screen size is enough for me to be trying to get it back. I have BIG hands and I could fly texting on my X but on this, Im hitting backspace more than any other key, even with auto correct. The reason I traded was to be able to customize more which is definitely better. Another issue is with games. The Inc is slow to respond and it glitches and pauses all the time playing homerun battle 3d. The X NEVER did that. I don't know, they both have their positives and negatives but my hands alone are the reason I'm trying to trade back to an X. BUT I will come back to HTC when the Thunderbolt comes out. NO DOUBT, cause sense destroys blur. always had to use Luancherpro on the X but never on the Inc because of the custom roms...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah games was the only thing, but I haven't played one game on my X except for paper toss. Not such a big deal to me.
I started on an X... rooted it, ROMed it (to the extent that it can be, anyway), and tried to be patient while the devs cracked the boot...and got tired of waiting. I traded it to a friend straight up for an AMOLED DInc after 3 months, and seriously, there's no comparison. I love the freedom to load CM, or Ruby, or SkyRaider on my phone. I love the ability to remap the soft keys on my HTC or use QuickDesk or PowerStrip (neither of them can be done on the X due to the locking down of the hard keys by Moto).
The only two things that I miss about the X are the bigger screen, which I really liked, and the fact that Moto's build quality is very good (it always has been), but that is it. I'll never buy another motorola product ever again unless I hear that it is open- and not because I'm some sort of super-dev, either- simply because I get better support from the dev community whose ROMs I run when I have a problem than I've ever gotten from Moto or Verizon.
The X had pretty impressive specs, but it was absolutely weighted down under Blur... SOOOO slow. I didn't even realize how slow it was until I rooted and ROMed it using rubiX, which is truly an awesome ROM considering how locked the X is, but even then it really had a lot of stupid issues (random rebooting, etc.). Then once I found out that I couldn't connect to the 802.1x wifi at my school (a known motorola issue which STILL has yet to be fixed on the DX and D2), it was over.
I've gone DInc and never regretted it.
As far as the screen, I really think that SLCD vs. AMOLED is personal preference. The colors on AMOLED are suuuuper saturated, very "thick" looking to my eyes. I don't mind SLCD screen colors or look at all, but they're definitely toned down compared to AMOLED.
What about the processor speed? Well, both of them have 1gHz processors, and with the current battery technology we have right now, I really wouldn't want much more than a that- anything faster just eats battery, really. I get some lulz from all the spec queens out there who OC their phones to 1.5 and higher, and who have to have the latest dual-core processors- they're going to spend their whole lives plugged in to the wall cuz their batteries won't last 6 hours, and then complain about bad battery life. My 1gHz snapdragon loads pages, flash, and videos from the web with no problem. I've seen the AnandTech reviews about the DX's processor being slightly faster than the DInc's, but then you have to consider Blur and (REALLY) crappy Moto software and bloat (VZW navigator, Visual Voicemail, City ID, etc.) slowing everything down again. My CM7 / ADW EX DInc is hella snappy, and I get through almost 36 hours per charge (HTC Imagio 1700mAh battery) with frequent use. No OC/UCing, totally stock.
I AM looking forward to LTE tho. That should be a real improvement. Anyway, I'm off the soapbox. Hope this helped? I dunno. I'm sittin here drinkin coffee and saw this thread. Good luck.
-x-

Blackberry Venice, the next Android QWERTY

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-venice-slider-spotted-once-again-some-clearer-images
Anyone going to switch to this device? My Relay has been loyal to me for the last 4 years, but I think it's about time to get a new QWERTY.
I would if it wasn't so freaking huge!
That thing looks exactly like the S6 Edge with the keyboard closed. I'm intrigued, but I'm typically not one to drop the coin on a flagship phone.
I was thinking about getting this before I knew it had android. Now, I'm definitely getting it! Probably the last android qwerty ever if it flops.
hey
i think im gonna get this one ...
I cannot wait. I just hope it is real, because the company said they would not ditch their Blackberry OS because it is more secure than Android.
I will switch to this phone right the second they accept pre-orders if it is really qwerty Android.
You know they've done good when the phone makes you think about it 3 times or more. I like the Venice and I think it will have its fair share of success (Sammy Fan) :good:
Blackberry does not do preorders , once they set a release date , it will be out.
As someone writing this on my Photon Q, I am really really excited about a phone for once! I hope it will have good battery life or a removable one at least. I use my arrow keys like crazy so I'm glad to see the touch sensitive keyboard!
For sure it's a very interesting device, I want one at least for a drivetest I hope for a reasonable thinness and weight, with a battery of 2800mAh at least.
BTW, anyone has any idea about the weight?
New video:
http://m.crackberry.com/blackberrys-android-powered-venice-caught-hands-video
Looks like a really great phone, would've strongly considered it if I didn't already upgrade.
Still remember the good old days with my Motorola milestone 1 and love the idea of having a hardware keyboard again! If the bat is big enough/the phone lasts long enough i will definitly jump in this!
Looking forward for an European launch!
Cheers
it's really tempting. i love the combo of slider + curved display + nearly stock android but i need to see battery and camera tests before going for it cuz Blackberry has never been big in the camera department and battery was good only in non-touchscreen devices
I'm getting this phone for sure. I'm sure it will be locked down like fort Knox but I don't care. I'm ready to move on from 2012 galaxy relay.
mikedemoda said:
it's really tempting. i love the combo of slider + curved display + nearly stock android but i need to see battery and camera tests before going for it cuz Blackberry has never been big in the camera department and battery was good only in non-touchscreen devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what you mean by good battery only in non-touchscreen devices. My Z30 routinely lasts two days without a charge overnight easily.
Looks great. I prefer tactile keyboards instead of on-screen ones, so I'm always on the lookout for stuff like this.
I have a DROID-4, and I love it (and its keyboard) dearly, but can't deny that it's an old device that is not even supported anymore.
The Blackberry Priv / Venice will definitely be in my wishlist. I usually hate portrait-style keyboards, but for some reason it looks good on this phone. Watched a hands-on video of it, looks pretty sweet, and the specs are that of a flagship phone. I don't think we'll get a NEW Android QWERTY phone from other manufacturers anyway.
This thing looks HUGE (which is great!) so the portrait keyboard layout shouldn't be too hard to adjust to. G4 tier specs are still an upgrade over the Note 4. Only things we don't know about it are
-battery size/ life
-price
-fast charging/ wireless charging
-Fingerpring scanner on keyboard? (space bar maybe)
Pretty sure it will NOT have a fingerprint reader in the keyboard. The Priv has a capacitive sensitive keyboard like the Passport (which is used for scrolling and gestures), so I somewhat doubt it will have space for fingerprint hardware.
I currently have Motorola Droid Turbo, and I'm not going to lie I love my phone so much even though it is not new still have the latest specifications and amazing battery life even better than any phone released in the past days.
However, qwerty keyboard are magical to me so I have to have the Blackberry Priv. But do you think guys it will be updated on time and have got support? Or will it be ditched? And what would happen if Blackberry didn't sell enough from it? Would they discontinue it or even sell out the company? Haha
I hope it would be reasonably priced to be able to match the new Nexus devices.

Thoughts after trying it.

I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
devis said:
I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I moved away from a BlackBerry with a physical keyboard a few years ago, and then had to use one with a physical keyboard again, it usually makes ones thumbs hurt since on a screen you're tapping, on a physical keyboard you tap the button, but have to press down as well.
I'm interested in actually feeling what the Priv feels like, I don't think I'll be able to get it in my country for another month or so, but I thought the Priv might be heavy, BlackBerry phones usually feel heavier.
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget you can set keys as short cuts and the keyboard is capacitative so can be used like a limited track pad. Unique features for productivity.
And, of course, you do not even have to use the physical keyboard.
Im not sure how the Priv could be seen as slippery. I've played with a couple now, and also own a Z30 with the same back material. The glass weave is an extremely grippy material. I can hold my Z30 at probably a 60 or 75 degree angle with only three fingers flat on the back
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
oVeRdOsE. said:
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
devis said:
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always buy the unlocked version for a whopping $700 and return it, free of charge.
Since the keyboard looks mediocre at best, and that's the only reason I want this phone, I'll pass.
I'm getting the unlocked model and will use it on T-Mobile. I'm sure the keyboard leaves much to be desired but I'm sure this will be the " last of the Mohicans " as far as keyboard sliders go. Especially if it flops. It's been said marshmallow will come to the priv. So the only other chance could possibly be project Ara, but I haven't heard anything about that in quite some time.
I'm not surprised, to be honest at the price point there are far better Android devices out there. And I know may BB users are convinced it'll be a game changer but I'm not.
The starting price is insanez and the build quality isn't anything particularly good.
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard. Maybe if they got into Android few years earlier. How can they move on if they can't let go?
I've had mine for two days.... it runs REALLY hot. Just browsing, it gets warm instantly. Battery life is great when you're not actually using the thing. I lost something like 2 percent overnight. But as soon as you pick it up and start using it, it heats up a lot. I've been running android on my s5 for years so I know I don't have anything particularly nasty running in the background. I had a little reddit browse for half an hour in bed after waking up, and the battery went from 99 down to 85 in that short time.
The keyboard is good, but it lags. If you double type a letter, it doesn't keep up. Typing google gives me 'gole' sometimes, for example. Also, you can type from the home screen to universal search. However, because the process isn't killed upon exit, i search for 'google' the first time, and then later in the day i'm after 'spotify'. The problem is, the new search is 'googlespotify' which obviously brings up nothing.
There's also movement in the screen when the slider is closed, i can tap on the left half and feel the whole screen move.
Overall I think it could be a great phone but the software is very slow, and just very inefficient. Lags all over the place, and the physical keybaord just can't be missing inputs like that. I've got a few days left to decide if I can make it work. If not I will return it. It's too much money to be 'sort of happy'
Dejan92 said:
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
Picked this lovely device up last night, and have been putting it through its paces. Thus far, here is my analysis of things, which hopefully will answer some concerns users have had.
The heat/battery issue: I believe the causes here are largely related to apps, though reception may also be a factor. As noted in another thread, the core system apps in the phone do not immediately inform you that they require updating, and you will only know to update them by accessing the app's page on the Play Store. I've seen this with other Android 5.0 devices, though, so I suspect it might not be unique to the Priv. Once I updated all the core BB apps, the phone was significantly more stable and have had less heat and drain issues on that front.
I mention reception, as there appears to be a flaw with LTE reception. Whether it is hardware or software, I'm not certain, though I have a hard time believing it would be software, but when running the phone on LTE, I am lucky to get more than 1 bar of service anywhere in the city of Toronto, which has excellent coverage. My former device, the LG F3Q, was able to get 5 bars of LTE practically everywhere in the city, and most certainly did at my office. Right now, my Priv is seeing 0~1 bars of LTE coverage at the office. Forcing the phone to 4G/HSPA+ helps things a bit, I get 3-4 bars, but that's not really a solution. On crackberry, a lot of users are reporting the same problems with reception, so it appears to be a device-wide problem, and I'm certain BB will address it however they need to.
So, between those two factors, I believe that is the source of the heat/battery drain.
In terms of build quality otherwise, the phone is quite excellent. I don't understand the upset about the keyboard, I find it very excellent, and it's certainly more finger-friendly than pre-10 BB devices, which is all that I've used.
My only complaints on the build quality are somewhat minor nitpicks, such as placement of the power/volume buttons (I'd have preferred them reversed), the placement of the 3.5" jack (why the bottom?! even the holster case doesn't account for the placement!), and the size of the camera bezel. It sticks out so far that I'm slightly paranoid to set the device down on flat surfaces.
All-in-all, for me, this device is as close to perfection as I could have ever hoped in a device. Once the antenna problem is resolved (which I can't see not being resolved, otherwise it'll be a massive failure for the company), I'll be extremely satisfied. It may not be the device for everyone, but it is the device for me.
TPMJB said:
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Dejan92 said:
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've known people who claim they can do it, but I haven't seen it. I'm frequently on the go. I walk and text all the time. Walking and texting is such a problem that the last company I worked for would escort you off the campus for attempting it.
Meanwhile I'm looking straight ahead while doing it and don't understand it at all lol
schmandroid said:
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
oVeRdOsE. said:
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DZ had a 4 row keyboard, unlike the G1, which had a 5 row, so I consider that a step backwards.
The Priv also has a 4 row, so entering numerical data will require holding or double tapping a function key mid sentence.
Photon Q has 5 row.
Whether it is/was sold at a convenient store to you is irrelevant - with a sim mod, it is usable everywhere around the world. I guess you've missed out.
Compared to the G2/DZ, the PQ is a much more powerful & up to date device - if it wasn't, I wouldn't be using it.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app

Considering this phone, couple of questions and feedback from owners please...

I've been away from all this phone thing for a couple of years. In fact, I was never very much into it, I just used to buy whatever flagship there was at the moment as that would usually be cheaper - a phone that would last for a long time and be able to keep getting support. Seems like things~have changed quite a lot and flagship phones are waaaay too big and cost what they cost because of a lot of stuff I don't use or need.
I currently own an LG G2, which from my searches seems to be still very up to date. Best two things about it is the size and screen/body ratio that allows for single hand use; big battery (3000mah). It's getting old though and I was thinking of replacing it but I'm lost.
This X Play got my attetion mainly because of the price, battery life and the near stock Android which should be easy and quick to keep up with Android updates. Motorola being owned by Google made me think these would get a fast and prompt support.
But after reading and watching a few reviews, I'm no loner sure I should spend my money. A few specific questions and a more general one:
- Many reviews end up saying battery life is nowhere near the values claimed with regular use, with screen on times of about 4 hours (web browsing and such). Is that the case? Lower spec Snapdragon and over 3600mah sound like it would last a lot more.
- How are updates with Motorola and what would it mean in the future, now that it's going to Lenovo? Is Pure close to owning a Nexus or no?
- Do benchmark numbers like Geekbench mean anything? My old G2 wipes the floor with this one if they mean anything, making a lot less sense getting it. It would be a huge downgrade.
And the more general and probably more useful question for me...
- Are you happy with this phone and why? If you know the G2, is it worth replacing it for this one? I mainly use these things as phones, web browser, social media and light games when I need to kill some time (no crazy high spec FPS games or watching movies or playing music). An immediate disadvantage to me is that this phone is already a bit too big for my liking. Borderline too big though, so pluses could easily outweigh this.
Just to give you guys a bit more context, the Nexus 5x would be my no brainer choice if it had at least 3000mah battery. Like the OnePlus X for size, specs and price but I think my current G2 is clearly a better phone on pretty much everything.
Sorry for the long post but you see I don't have a real clear idea of things, so I can't really make very specific questions. Any thoughts appreciated regarding these generalities! :fingers-crossed:
- Considering the primitive specs sheet and the huge battery, the battery life could have been better. But still it is better than most of the other phones available now
- It's almost a Nexus except for perhaps the dialer and a few motorola goodies thrown in. From my past experiences with Motorola phones, the first update is quick, the second comes a bit late
- I like holding the Play in my hand better than G2, it feels more sturdy.
- If not for the Motorola goodies, it's not worth the upgrade (assuming your G2 is still holding up). The battery life is only slightly better (but much much better than G3).
- If it matters to you, there is no Gyroscope in Play. The camera on X play is slightly better but again there is no OIS.
- x Play is water repellent. I am one of those people who don't use a cover and am more than happy to take my phone out when it's drizzling or snowing
Personally i am disappointed with the screen on X play. The previous versions of Moto X had an AMOLED screen and the Moto Display was great on it, and up to the mark on the LCD screen.
Hope this helps and forgive my poor English
yekollu said:
- Considering the primitive specs sheet and the huge battery, the battery life could have been better. But still it is better than most of the other phones available now
- It's almost a Nexus except for perhaps the dialer and a few motorola goodies thrown in. From my past experiences with Motorola phones, the first update is quick, the second comes a bit late
- I like holding the Play in my hand better than G2, it feels more sturdy.
- If not for the Motorola goodies, it's not worth the upgrade (assuming your G2 is still holding up). The battery life is only slightly better (but much much better than G3).
- If it matters to you, there is no Gyroscope in Play. The camera on X play is slightly better but again there is no OIS.
- x Play is water repellent. I am one of those people who don't use a cover and am more than happy to take my phone out when it's drizzling or snowing
Personally i am disappointed with the screen on X play. The previous versions of Moto X had an AMOLED screen and the Moto Display was great on it, and up to the mark on the LCD screen.
Hope this helps and forgive my poor English
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Thanks for that and your English looks just fine to me, don't know why you would apologize! But then again, English is not my main language either, so I wouldn't know
I've been asking around but it seems I'm keeping my money and my G2. I can't really find a phone that is a solid, all round improvement over it and that justifies spending the cash. Oh well... :highfive:
Honestly dude, this is a very good value phone. Performance with the underpowered chip is really pretty good minus the occasional hiccup (I don't game, but I like a fluid ui... which this definitely has 99% of the time. Sometimes it'll hang for a bit under load but sorts itself out pretty quickly and is a very minor nuisance). The battery is a beast too. I dunno what setup the other guy has that he's only getting average BL (xposed cuts life in half I've noticed, so I stopped using it), but mine is great. Build quality feels kinda cheap and the way it rattles when it vibrates makes me cringe, but this is not a flagship phone. I got mine for 150 CAD outright on a carrier promo, but honestly I'd still be satisfied if I paid double that
I have the phone and found it an upgrade over my iPhone 6 and my wife's S6. I hate gimmicky features, which the S6 has.
Battery life is very nice on this phone in my opinion. I average 4 hours SOT and I'm mostly on cellular data and have a BT headset on all day. Even then I'm only down to around 45% give or take.
Performance is great for me. I had a Nexus 5 for a while and that was really the only other Android phone I have had that was as fluid or more fluid than this phone. The S6 and iPhone 6 had hiccups in the ui, even more than this phone.
All that being said though, if your G2 is still working nicely, I would highly recommend just sticking with it. Maybe invest in a new battery and a case to freshen it up. The new Qualcomm chips don't really seem to be that much more powerful than 2 or so generations ago. Even ram counts and storage space haven't gone up as much as I would have expected. Kinda like we have hit a brick wall. I expect that a flagship phone shouldn't start off with 16gb anymore... Looking at you Apple.
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brian10161 said:
I have the phone and found it an upgrade over my iPhone 6 and my wife's S6. I hate gimmicky features, which the S6 has.
Battery life is very nice on this phone in my opinion. I average 4 hours SOT and I'm mostly on cellular data and have a BT headset on all day. Even then I'm only down to around 45% give or take.
Performance is great for me. I had a Nexus 5 for a while and that was really the only other Android phone I have had that was as fluid or more fluid than this phone. The S6 and iPhone 6 had hiccups in the ui, even more than this phone.
All that being said though, if your G2 is still working nicely, I would highly recommend just sticking with it. Maybe invest in a new battery and a case to freshen it up. The new Qualcomm chips don't really seem to be that much more powerful than 2 or so generations ago. Even ram counts and storage space haven't gone up as much as I would have expected. Kinda like we have hit a brick wall. I expect that a flagship phone shouldn't start off with 16gb anymore... Looking at you Apple.
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Thanks guys! I was sort of doubting my conclusion... from what I was seeing, there's no real differences in usage for the perspective of an average user. Its a good thing though, a cheap(ish) phone like this would actually give me a better experience over some (all) the current flagships.
I might be getting old, apparently I'm no longer a member of the market when a company thinks about a new phone... From what I've seen, my perfect phone would be the combination of 3 current models and that combination doesn't exist: OnePlus X for size and looks, Nexus 5x for the stock Android and this Play for battery life.
I came across some Chinese phones that claim crazy insane MAH batteries(*) but, knowing how they go about rewrapping batteries and LiPo packs with absurd numbers that are impossible, I'm not even looking into those. If they are for real I'll eventually hear something about them...
(*) Google "Ulefone Power" just for kicks...
I know exactly what you mean there. It's frustrating but that seems how the market works these days.
I'm only 26 myself and I feel like in the older part of the market these days! I had been contemplating some of those cheap Chinese imported phones myself, but found the X Play in store and that's what changed my decision. I'm overall happy with it. Mobile CPUs have seemingly advance more in the midrange/low range sector than the high end chips.
I don't see any reason to buy a flagship phone any more, or if you do, buying an older generation phone for the cost savings. Especially if you unlock the bootloader and load other firmware.
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brian10161 said:
I know exactly what you mean there. It's frustrating but that seems how the market works these days.
I'm only 26 myself and I feel like in the older part of the market these days!
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Well, I guess one gets used to certain things and stops feeling the need for more. But apparently the good thing about flagships to us is that they make what we consider good gear mainstream and affordable. I had to buy a new PC the other day and I ended up with an odd looking and tinny HP Mini i5 8gb plugged into a 32' TV. Waaay cheaper than an entry level gaming rig, does everything I want effortlessly, doesn't take up room... so there's a good thing about getting old (I'm 38 btw)
More on topic though, and picking up your point about past flagships, I've just found the Galaxy S6 Active. I had never seen one of those things before, don't think it was ever on sale here in Portugal. Ugly as hell, looks like something made for the zombie apocalypse but it's an S6 with a top notch battery! That could be interesting, must check that one out better...
If it's not an AT&T exclusive and available everywhere, it would have been an obvious choice for some.
blankingblank said:
Honestly dude, this is a very good value phone. Performance with the underpowered chip is really pretty good minus the occasional hiccup (I don't game, but I like a fluid ui... which this definitely has 99% of the time. Sometimes it'll hang for a bit under load but sorts itself out pretty quickly and is a very minor nuisance). The battery is a beast too. I dunno what setup the other guy has that he's only getting average BL (xposed cuts life in half I've noticed, so I stopped using it), but mine is great. Build quality feels kinda cheap and the way it rattles when it vibrates makes me cringe, but this is not a flagship phone. I got mine for 150 CAD outright on a carrier promo, but honestly I'd still be satisfied if I paid double that
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I was comparing the X Play's battery to G2's battery
Compared to most flagship's available now, yes the battery is a Monster but with G2, it's only a slight bump (not the capacity but the actual performance) and i thought he was looking to replace his G2
pijes said:
If it's not an AT&T exclusive and available everywhere, it would have been an obvious choice for some.
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It can be had unlocked, I've looked into ebay and I can get one from within the EU but they look like unlocked and tested AT&T used units. Price is about the same or higher than a brand new X Play. And despite being checked units with warranty, that still doesn't tell me if it has a fresh battery in it or not - probably not. Getting one from the US is out of the question as with taxes and duties the price could easily be 30 to 40% higher.
That and the fact that it is an AT&T phone. My current one is also an AT&T branded unit and it's a PITA to update it. No OTA updates for me as I'm not in the US and the phone has to be registered to the network to get the updates - or something like that, don't really know that works but I have to manually flash it.
yekollu said:
I was comparing the X Play's battery to G2's battery
Compared to most flagship's available now, yes the battery is a Monster but with G2, it's only a slight bump (not the capacity but the actual performance) and i thought he was looking to replace his G2
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I sort of am yekollu, but it's not like I need a new phone because mine is about to die, it's more the capricious wish to have a new toy. My G2 is getting old in the way it has some scuffs to the body (mostly hidden by a low profile case) and battery went through many cycles already but its health is still good. I just thought that after a couple of years not looking into phones things would have leaped hugely and the most recent models would wipe the floor with the G2. Some do but only in high end games I don't play and at the cost of having to have the phone constantly charging.
I still haven't gave up on the idea of a replacement and the X Play is a strong candidate as battery life is more important to me than most things but I'm not yet convinced I'll feel like it was money well spent. I do appreciate your and other people's feedback as reviews have wildly different numbers and results, and I don't know how some of those numbers translate to everyday real usage. :highfive:
Kutusov said:
I sort of am yekollu, but it's not like I need a new phone because mine is about to die, it's more the capricious wish to have a new toy. My G2 is getting old in the way it has some scuffs to the body (mostly hidden by a low profile case) and battery went through many cycles already but its health is still good. I just thought that after a couple of years not looking into phones things would have leaped hugely and the most recent models would wipe the floor with the G2. Some do but only in high end games I don't play and at the cost of having to have the phone constantly charging.
I still haven't gave up on the idea of a replacement and the X Play is a strong candidate as battery life is more important to me than most things but I'm not yet convinced I'll feel like it was money well spent. I do appreciate your and other people's feedback as reviews have wildly different numbers and results, and I don't know how some of those numbers translate to everyday real usage. :highfive:
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If it's battery life, go for X play!! Like i mentioned earlier even though it's slightly better than G2, it's much better than most other phones available now (I still use my G2 as standby phone).
yekollu said:
If it's battery life, go for X play!! Like i mentioned earlier even though it's slightly better than G2, it's much better than most other phones available now (I still use my G2 as standby phone).
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I just got another email from GB about the Elephone P9000 Power... at 180 bucks from China (so import duties most likely on top of that), and from a couple of youtube reviews I've seen, might be something worth the punt. As fas as I can tell, it runs stock Android also. It's a big 5.5 screen but so is the Moto and this thing looks a lot more compact. Sounds and looks too good to be true, so I'll have to look more into it. If what they, costumers and reviewers are saying is true, this is the real flagship killer and best phone to beat by a country mile.
...man, 6050mah battery?? And stock Android so no more ties to a company I don't know on the update side of things?
Kutusov said:
I just got another email from GB about the Elephone P9000 Power... at 180 bucks from China (so import duties most likely on top of that), and from a couple of youtube reviews I've seen, might be something worth the punt. As fas as I can tell, it runs stock Android also. It's a big 5.5 screen but so is the Moto and this thing looks a lot more compact. Sounds and looks too good to be true, so I'll have to look more into it. If what they, costumers and reviewers are saying is true, this is the real flagship killer and best phone to beat by a country mile.
...man, 6050mah battery?? And stock Android so no more ties to a company I don't know on the update side of things?
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Click to collapse
Dont buy those chinese phone. Their battery capacity is only good on paper. Im not even sure that they put real capacity on it
I'll post these screenshots to give you an idea of my battery usage. It's a beast in standby with MM as well my friend. I haven't modded mine much either, just rooted and gravitybox.
Oh I actually just remembered another phone that may interest you. The Alcatel Idol 3 5.5. It doesn't have the same size battery, but similar chipset. I played with it in store and it seems quite capable. I'm not sure about software updates though, haven't heart about MM for it yet.
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These are from the other day.
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Way better battery life then when I had a G2, just saying..
dangnhap01 said:
Dont buy those chinese phone. Their battery capacity is only good on paper. Im not even sure that they put real capacity on it
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Of course not... I can't even find their site. Or maybe a do but if that's their site... To make it worst, I know the brand from the electronic cigarette world, which was the only thing that worked at stopping me from smoking. They have a very cheap device with awful QC. They sound like a brand that will trough an electronic device together if they can find some NOS parts and with no clear focus or market.
brian10161 said:
I'll post these screenshots to give you an idea of my battery usage. It's a beast in standby with MM as well my friend. I haven't modded mine much either, just rooted and gravitybox.
Oh I actually just remembered another phone that may interest you. The Alcatel Idol 3 5.5. It doesn't have the same size battery, but similar chipset. I played with it in store and it seems quite capable. I'm not sure about software updates though, haven't heart about MM for it yet.
Thanks! The more I look into this, and even without an urgent need to switch phones, the more interesting it looks. What sucks here in Europe is the price. It's a good price at just under €400 but no quick charger or anything. And the phones like the G4 or the Nexus 5x can be found cheaper. All worst on battery but still hard not to think about those for the price...
The US gets much nicer stuff, no fair! The Moto Droid 2 Turbo (or something like that) looks like a beasty, including battery life. But just like the S6 Active was an AT&T exclusive, the Droid 2 is a Verizon exclusive. No Moto Maker also but that's not a real bummer with the Play, I would end up with a similar look for it anyway. Not a fan of metal or matchy matchy colours that aren't either dark grey or black.
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xtremeed2705 said:
Way better battery life then when I had a G2, just saying..
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The G2 has a great battery life only because most flagship phones suck at that. I came to the G2 from an HTC OneX, flagship for less than a month because HTC released the OneX+ right away and without warning there would be such a thing. Essentially the same thing with a bigger battery because the original would last half the time of a G2. So the LG looked amazing to me.
I now can't say for sure but I'm pretty certain I could go through a whole day of heavy use when I owned the first Galaxy. Those AMOLED displays wouldn't use much battery... you couldn't see a thing when on the outside but they were great little phones when in dark, smoky bars frequented by ladies of dubious reputation
Kutusov said:
Of course not... I can't even find their site. Or maybe a do but if that's their site... To make it worst, I know the brand from the electronic cigarette world, which was the only thing that worked at stopping me from smoking. They have a very cheap device with awful QC. They sound like a brand that will trough an electronic device together if they can find some NOS parts and with no clear focus or market.
The G2 has a great battery life only because most flagship phones suck at that. I came to the G2 from an HTC OneX, flagship for less than a month because HTC released the OneX+ right away and without warning there would be such a thing. Essentially the same thing with a bigger battery because the original would last half the time of a G2. So the LG looked amazing to me.
I now can't say for sure but I'm pretty certain I could go through a whole day of heavy use when I owned the first Galaxy. Those AMOLED displays wouldn't use much battery... you couldn't see a thing when on the outside but they were great little phones when in dark, smoky bars frequented by ladies of dubious reputation
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You can try samsung galaxy a7 2016.
Touchwiz is better now and the screen and battery is great
Thanks for the original poster for this thread, because i am actually looking at the exact same doubt. I don't own a G2 right now, but i did in the past and i achieve 8 something hours SOT. I also found the battery life reviews tricky, with some stating massive stand by times and others just getting 4.5 hours SOT.
Also... the price difference is huge right now. We can get a decent G2 for 150 CAD$, and a moto x play on Wind carrier, still sells for 450 CAD$, plus tax, which totals 500$...
Shouldn't we be all achieve at least 8 hours with moderate usage? web browsing, calls, texts, facebook?
so... USED LG G2, or NEW Moto x play?
The difference in SOT amongst users comes down down to different usage scenarios.
Battery life will deplete according to 2g/3g/4g mode.
Also whether mobile data is used or wifi is used also counts.
The brightness at which phone is used also counts.
The signal reception of area again counts.
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