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I got bionic on the launch date .. and for some reason i hear all these nerdlings qqing about oh this phone is old hardware and what not. I came from a Nexus One which in my opinion was the dopest android phone ever made besides the touch sensor. The screen on the bionic ****s all over my n1 and in every way its a upgrade. I looked at samsung LED screens before hand and I do enjoy them, but the bionics screen is great imo unless you got the magnifier glass out lmao
am i the only one whos really loving this phone and doesnt really care about the samsung and other phones coming out -__-
this a solid phone
avniii said:
I got bionic on the launch date .. and for some reason i hear all these nerdlings qqing about oh this phone is old hardware and what not. I came from a Nexus One which in my opinion was the dopest android phone ever made besides the touch sensor. The screen on the bionic ****s all over my n1 and in every way its a upgrade. I looked at samsung LED screens before hand and I do enjoy them, but the bionics screen is great imo unless you got the magnifier glass out lmao
am i the only one whos really loving this phone and doesnt really care about the samsung and other phones coming out -__-
this a solid phone
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Solid yes... What it was chalked up to be .. No. dont get Mr wrong, I love it... BUT your comparing it to a nexus 1. If you had came from a sensation, like myself, you'd understand the let downs a little better. Great phone definitely... Could it have been better, absolutely.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using xda premium
I'm completely happy with Bionic. Samsung has pretty screens but much lower quality materials and design if you ask me. Samsung and Toshiba are both pretty crappy but they know if you put a beautiful screen on it people will overlook all the other areas costs were cut. people should pick a phone and try to live with their choice and enjoy the new toy. The Bionic is a hell of a phone. Quite being babies indecisive with too many choices.
I'm coming from an Original Droid and while I kind of hoped I'd be able to make it until the Prime released, that didn't happen....and I LLLOOOVVVEEE this phone! Now if only they can send an update to fix the network connectivity issues I'll be all set!
I love my bionic, no qestion's asked it works perfect. Have not had any problems with it, i will not give this phone up unless the pohone that replaces the bionic is 50x times better. Way better then my DX2. I perfer the cpu/gpu in the bionic then the nvidia cpu/gpu.
The 4g lte is great very fast. pretty sad my 4g lte is faster then my cable connection.
The only thing this phone is missing is CM7 or CM8 if it comes out.
I enjoy the BLUR but im to accustomed to my nexus one custom ROMs.
I honestly never use my 4g on my bionic only for specific times whe nits needed. I keep my data off completely throughout the day and oh man does the battery ****ing kill it hahah i love this phone so much the speaker/video camera/and all around feel of the phone is superb..truly superb. Samsung might have a nice screen and GPU or w.e but moto dominates with the actual phone feel.
This is comign from the guy who was like dreaming about getting a GS2 because thats my favorite phone but the bionic>>>gs2 in my opinion beside the led
avniii said:
bionic>>>gs2 in my opinion
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I would almost promise you that if you held them side by side, this wouldn't be your opinion any more. Now, I absolutely love my Bionic and it's the best phone I've used on Verizon(it's worth noting that I've owned nearly every Android smartphone to come to Verizon since the Droid 1) However, a coworker of mine imported a GSII some time ago and I've had ample opportunity to play with it. To me, it remains completely unrivaled by anything I've seen from another manufacturer to date. This is really just my 2 cents.
P.S.:When I say nearly every, I mean literally all but 3 =P I will continue this with the upcoming Rezound, as well. Nothing like having variety with my LTE.
I have tried out nearly every phone out there.
I had money just sitting here, so why not put it to good use.
When it coolness down to phones, I liked 2 the best.
GS2 and the Bionic
The GS2 screen was truley amaizing, but like sanding usually does, they increase there contrast. Pictures no longer feel... realalistic.
The GS2 was lighter. It in a way felt cheaper as well.
The main reason I chose the bionic was it's processor.
Prosesses utilize ram.
The OMAP4 is the only multiple-channel processor which makes ram access better.
Gingerbread doesn't support multiple cores or channels, but ice-cream sandwich will.
I didn't want a phone that would become old technology as soon as the next OS was released.
Not hating the GS2, but single thread benchmarks with a 1.5ghz is not that impressive when the OMAP4 is pretty close at 1ghz and working less than half as hard as the1.5ghz.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using xda premium
I'm coming from an iPhone 3GS (so, admittedly a few years of technology and freedom behind), but this is easily the best phone (smart or otherwise) that I've ever owned, and I had tried a Samsung Infuse 4G briefly a few months prior.
I'm a little apprehensive to see what the Nexus Prime is going to look like, but I just have to keep reminding myself how much joy this phone has brought me. There's always the possibility of something newer and shinier, but I'm increasingly glad that I pulled the trigger when I did. This phone is a beast
I'm coming from a Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S) and had a Droid1 before it, so I feel like I understand the strengths/weaknesses of Samsung and Motorola. I appreciate the light weight and great screens of Samsungs. But Samsung is crappy at ongoing software support/updates, and many of the things that don't get the fancy headlines (e.g., call quality, GPS locks, external speaker volume and sound quality) are inferior due to cramming so much stuff in the light/thin phone.
Both of my Motorolas have been heavier and thicker, and I don't love the Bionic screen, but man it just works well. Instant GPS, great audio and call quality, good reception, better battery life.
Sometimes the supermodel is fun to be out with, but doesn't make a great wife.
Coming off a Pantech Matrix,,,,anything is faster.
Only thing I have to complain about is...the locked bootloader
I've owned both the BB Storm and Storm 2, the HTC Imagio, Moto Droid, HTC D.Inc., Moto Droid X, Samsung Droid Charge, and the Moto Droid X2 before this. While I have to say the display on the Charge was nice, the 800x480 resolution is getting old fast. Hell, the OG Droid was the Android device that changed the smartphone "game" in the US when it was released, and it had a higher resolution screen. But the Charge's screen felt... fake and cartoonish. I wanted something in between the DX and the Charge.
The Bionic's screen isn't something to write home about, but the colors are good IMO, the high resolution is perfect, dual core and a gig of quality RAM, 4G LTE and excellent call quality. Out of all the phones I've owned, including flip phones, Motorola's have always been the best in signal and call quality, period. The worst was the D.Inc., even on EVRC-B it was still crappy. Plus the screen... while it was an AMOLED, it had an older Pentile matrix that makes the Bionic look fantastic.
Overall, I'm glad I waited and was able to get the Bionic. People have too high of an expectation when it comes to smartphones. As long as it does what you want, be happy with it. The Bionic does all of that, plus much more and this is by far the best device I've owned.
Oh... and f*ck Apple.
Mmmaannn i have high expectations for the Bionic because #1 its farking 300$ @launch. I think sgs2 was 129$?
#2: all u guys talking about ur OGdroids, I upgraded from an Omnia from 2-3 years. The only thing for me the Bionic is good for is the performance, internet speed and phone speed, and I like the screen the fact that I can clearly read in sunlight.
I'm new to Android. I only played around with it so maybe I'm not familiar with the OS. about winmo I liked was having a task bar like on your desktop where I can hold right click and actually close or minimize. And I mean actually close, when I goto open the app it loads like new. When I use task killer it tells me it killed the apps but same apps keep reapearing. And for example I would kill the browser and when I reopen the browser it opens where I left off.
Also, I played with some Samsung devices and I really like how I can change brightness, screen rotation wifi gps etc. is that like a touch wiz only thing? So apart from the OS I also need to figure the interface? Is there like a complete stock barebones gb platform I can go to? Is that just getting a nexus?
Honestly I got the phone for the specs because you can always tweak usability but you can't add ram or cpu.
Any APPS or Tweak suggestions is greatly appreciated.
Oh btw on my winmo I never had to buy apps I could dl and install cracked vers. Not that I dont want to support devs im just uuber broke (yea rite rocking a 3oo$ fone) it was a gift smarta's.
And I could load a movie on my sd card and coreplayer would play everything even HD with crz stutter bcuz phone too slow. Android I have to start converting files? Wtf? And I also had wifi tether! Wmwifitouter...
Im on the fence should I trade my phone downgrade and get some cash in my pockets or will the Bionic get better?
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App
Also to add on samsing phone if you hold the home button you get a list of recent apps BUT there's also a button for task manager anyway I can get this on Nothing-but-a-BLUR?
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App
I'm loving the bionic so far, the one thing that's really annoying me doesn't seem to be a big deal to others. I understand the increased resolution but the font is way too small. It's giving me a headache.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
harpdoc said:
I'm coming from a Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S) and had a Droid1 before it, so I feel like I understand the strengths/weaknesses of Samsung and Motorola. I appreciate the light weight and great screens of Samsungs. But Samsung is crappy at ongoing software support/updates, and many of the things that don't get the fancy headlines (e.g., call quality, GPS locks, external speaker volume and sound quality) are inferior due to cramming so much stuff in the light/thin phone.
Both of my Motorolas have been heavier and thicker, and I don't love the Bionic screen, but man it just works well. Instant GPS, great audio and call quality, good reception, better battery life.
Sometimes the supermodel is fun to be out with, but doesn't make a great wife.
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you sure hit that one on the head. i have had many phones and i like motorola phones alot. with some tweaks and stuff you can make the bionic a bad a## phone. i love the things you can do with this phone! just amazing!! zumacast is one of my favorite apps ever. despite what others say about the lapdock, i love it.
So I bought my bionic a best buy less than 2 weeks ago. I've had Bluetooth dropping out quite a bit, and tonight I lost data connection for a while for the first time, and it has me thinking of getting my money back and going for a razr. But,....seeing as most of the important stuff inside both are the same, I would think the same problems will likely persist between both. So why bother if the same problems will be there? Add on top of that I already had to buy an extended battery for the bionic (I can return obviously, but isn't offered with the razr).
I would, the bionic isn't bad but the razr is better. I would imagine some of the problems with the bionic will have been worked out for the razr, and we'll probably see the this as well in the next OTA.
Tough choice. It has slightly better specs, but I personally think its an ugly phone. If I took it back for anything it would likely be the Galaxy Nexus, but I'm not even too pumped for that. I was surprised it wasn't clocked at 1.5GHz.
I have had to do a battery pull on my bionic once since getting it. What would you do with the Razr in those situations?
It is a lot slimmer though. I probably would do an even trade, but I am not 100% sure.
Nope. I think the Bionic combines all the good qualities of all the mentioned phones. Removable battery? Check. SD card? Check Screen viewable in all conditions? Check. Now that I'm running 5.7 I really enjoy the Bionic. Besides, there's no guarantee the Razr or Nexus is going to be any less buggy than the Bionic. On the other hand, if you have the chance to sample all the current offerings, go for it. You could always trade one of those phones for a Bionic again I'm sure.
No I wouldn't. The specs are slightly better but I prefer the design of the Bionic. They're both getting ICS so there's nothing really compelling over the Bionic.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using Tapatalk
Well, I figure I'm pretty certain both use the same processor, lte/CDMA/bluetooth likely, too. So it stands to reason it will have similar problems related to these pieces. I will say I just installed shift3r 2.3 and listened to 40 minutes of Bluetooth pandora and mp3 without a single skip.
I switch between batteries alot. No removable battery is a big no.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using xda premium
The main reason I would upgrade is the screen, this is the main area the bionic lacks. It's great in bright light compared to HTC and Samsung phones but that doesn't completely make up for it. I rarely notice the black pentile squares unless I get way to close to the screen, but reading text, and the numbers on my notifications can be a pain at times. I also like the thin frame, I miss how thin my X was, and the non removable battery isn't an issue (unless you have to have a extended battery) as it should have a hard reset button combo, and if tie battery is as good as the bionic's then it should be fine for most people. I wouldn't get the nexus for two reasons, 1. It's a Samsung and they have bad radios and call quality is nowhere near as good as Motorola, 2. No removable SD card.
wseyller said:
I switch between batteries alot. No removable battery is a big no.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using xda premium
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Instant deal killer for me. I depend on multiple batteries each day.
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Maybe if there were no additional costs. It has enough "upgrades" that I might want it. I got my Bionic a few days before they officially announced these devices and I knew that new devices would be coming up soon. I definitely don't regret my choice. I got my Bionic from amazon wireless for $0.01, so I would have been stuck paying $300 more to get one of the newer devices and that simply wouldn't be worth it.
The back of the razr is nice and the fact that it's thin and light is impressive. One of my biggest concerns while I was waiting for my Bionic to arrive was the size. This is the biggest screen I've had and the phone, at the thickest point, is thicker than other devices I've used. I was extremely surprised when I got it out of the box. I actually liked the bigger size and weight! I definitely don't have large hands, but the Bionic just feels like a better fit. The weight gives it a sturdier feel too. The razr seems like it would feel a bit on the fragile side. I don't really like the angles of the razr. The subtle transition on the back of the Bionic is better, in my opinion, and I don't think I like the corner angles on the razr.
The larger screen also helps when switching between my tablet and my phone... my old phone felt tiny after using my tablet for a while. The Bionic feels a little small in comparison, but that small increase in screen size seems to really make a difference.
I also like the texture of the back cover.The razr looks nice, but I'm not sure how it would feel. I assume it's a bit slicker than the Bionic, so I'd definitely prefer the Bionic for that.
I have yet to experience any problems with my Bionic, so removing the battery is not a huge issue for me. I also manage to get satisfactory battery life, so being able to replace the battery isn't a concern. I'd be fine with getting an external battery charger if I needed more life to get through the day. From what I understand, there should still be a way to force the phone to reboot if necessary, so that might not be a problem.
I'd say people should still consider the Bionic if they're in the phone for a new phone. Try to get a feel for the phones... check out the size, weight and overall feel of holding the device. Consider any important or necessary features (expandable memory, removable battery, etc.). In terms of things like processor speeds, I don't think the average person will really notice much of a difference.
I'm still in my remorse period. I might have considered Raze except for battery. Logic says the phone has the same embedded battery and its done well. But I've never owned a phone that hadn't required a battery pull...except the iPhone. Can Motorola pull it off?
Im on Bionic #3. First one I returned to Verizon because of the amazon 1 cent deal. 2nd one was slower and rebooted. 3rd one is a week old today. Only have the sound issue in my car.
I like Motorola, and I like the Motorola DROID. I've always wanted one. Now I've got one. The Raze is ugly, IMO. Plus I see DROID Razr, and, Motorola Razr. Which means its not even uniq ue anymore. Don't want any part of AT&T.
I'LL. stick with the Bionic.
here is a review from the verge
I can't post links yet but the verge put up a review of the razr.
I'm in the same situation as you, but no removable battery and apparently worse looking screen, I'm going to stick with the bionic.
http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/7/2543626/motorola-droid-razr-review
Wow, pretty bad write up on the screen.
Battery about the same as the standard Bionic's (big surprise)
Back camera same as Bionics 8mp
Overall rating of 7.0 vs Bionic 7.6
I've actually grown to love the Pentile display, and no replaceable/extended battery is a problem. So, the Razr doesn't tempt me. The Galaxy Nexus does, but even there, I'm still on the fence.
Stick with the Bionic
After reading most of these reviews that came out today for the Razr, I would most definitely say stick with the Bionic. I know I am. Below average battery life that you can't do anything about is not good. Also, I have read in multiple reviews that even with an AMOLED screen, reviewers prefer the Bionic LCD over the Razr's. It's not a good screen. Moto made to many concessions by trying to get the "wow" thin factor. The only thing is has going for it is the form factor, in which I prefer the Bionics more, in my opinion. The only other option would be the Galaxy Nexus but as someone already pointed out, I would wait on that one. There's no telling how many bugs/issues it will have being brand new software. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, stick with the Bionic.
After running droidth3ory's new shift3r 2.3 since last night, I have to say, on initial impressions, my Bluetooth is running much better. I hope it continues. I did have one spontaneous reboot with it this morning, but I wiped cache and dalvik cache in hopes to curb it doing it again.
Sorry, I tried to 'Thank' everyone, but apparently am limited to 5 a day.
Would not get rid of my bionic for the razr but I will be ditching it next Monday for the Rezound. The bionic is my first Moto android phone and it is built very well but the locked bootloader sucks. The Rezound has root and s-off. Also it seems most of the guys that developed for the EVO 4g will be working on it. Droidth3ory has done a great job on the bionic but I am headed back the the land of HTC.
I had a Thunderbolt, and liked it OK, but the battery was horrid. The only thing worse than it was the HTC extended battery. Made it like its ass was pregnant.
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I got a GS3 because it's the last subsidized upgrade I'll ever get through Verizon (and keep unlimited data).
Pros of gs3:
Nicer screen (but too big for easy one handed use)
Lighter weight
Other than that, in the real world there are no other advantages. With the .232 leak, the Bionic seems just as fast, and this includes gaming so far. The Bionic build quality is better, the radios are at least as good, and it actually feels better in the hand (the sg3 is BIG). And I already miss my Lapdoc.
Bottom line is that the Bionic is still a great phone with a new lease on life with ics. You ain't missing much other than the latest new device buzz.
I'm actually coming to the Bionic from a different Samsung device (Charge). I wouldn't have high hopes for the radios if I were you. Samsung still hasn't proven that they can get them right as seen by complaints with the Nexus. Maybe the S3 is different...I sure hope so.
That said, they do lots of things really well. I'm anxious to put the Bionic through its paces because, for me, this is an upgrade in every sense of the word.
My girlfriend had a Droid 2 global and I have a DX2 work phone. Both the DX2 and D2g are horrible phones. Girlfriend accidently dropped the D2G in the toilet (where it belongs) and I begged and pleaded for asurion to give us a non-moto phone. She ended up getting the bionic and she's happy, and fiddling with it the other day I'm actually quite impressed as well with it.
I'll stick with my nexus till verizons contract expired and I'm done with them though.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
That is a good question: what new phone is worth upgrading to from the Bionic?
ronaldheld said:
That is a good question: what new phone is worth upgrading to from the Bionic?
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hardware wise there is nothing mind blowing right now that I would upgrade to but I would definitely suggest the Galaxy Nexus if you prefer tinkering more as the Nexus lineup is the most "open" of any Android phone and would provide you with the best user community
I'm happy with my Bionic, but the GS3 blows it out of the water.
Nothing out now is worth upgrading from a Bionic. I'll be waiting for a device with an OLED screen (not massive hopefully) and an OMAP5 beast of a processor. I'm perfectly happy with my Bionic until then.
My wife had a HTC Thunderbolt and it is quickly showing its age so we were able to get her a Galaxy S3 which I got to setup and play with.
Compared to the Bionic from a hardware standpoint, both devices are similar performance wise. The SGS3 has a little better of a gpu on it, a faster cpu and has double the ram of the Bionic, but the difference is still minimal spec wise. The biggest difference is the screen, the SGS3 has a MUCH nicer screen and the size is great. Finally I like that Samsung put a big enough battery in the SGS3 (2100mAh) compared to the Bionic's 1730 mAh battery which isnt big enough IMO.
From a software standpoint my Bionic on the ICS leak is just as smooth and seems about as fast as the SGS3. I also like the new Blur a lot more than Touchwiz though both are pretty nice. Other than that? I like the overall build quality of my Bionic better and it seems like Motorola has finally got the radios down with the basebands in the ICS leaks.
Would I trade my Bionic for a SGS if it was free? Not sure but I definitely wouldn't pay for one. Since I am grandfathered in on unlimited data with Verizon, my next phone will not have a subsidy unless I am willing to give up my unlimited data (which I am not) so I will have to pay full price. That means my next phone will have to blow my Bionic out of the water and I don't see any of the current devices out there doing that....not even the upcoming rumored Razr HD.
TY for the little review of the SGS3 vs our Bionic. I hated the fact that everyone shunned the Bionic. Coming from an OG Droid it was a definite upgrade. With the announcement of the RAZR, RAZR Maxx, and Galaxy Nexus everyone seemed to jump off ship too quick. Everyone complanied about the screen, the dropped network, etc...everyone was quick to point out what i believe are small flaws. For me the Bionic was the phone I wanted and am not dissapointed in it. The locked bootloader made the development community small. Without roms like those from Dhacker, DroidTheory, Eclipse team, and Liberty team, our phones would be very bland. I never gave hope on it. I was bummed when we lost a few of the devs due to the ungrateful people who didn't appreciate their hard work. I was really stoked with the announcement of ICS for our phones. And now with the leaks out I am much happier with my phone until the eventual upgrade. The SGS3 is nice but it not a worthy upgrade imo now that we have leaks and eventually an official ICS. Sorry if I took this off track.
amageus said:
TY for the little review of the SGS3 vs our Bionic. I hated the fact that everyone shunned the Bionic. Coming from an OG Droid it was a definite upgrade. With the announcement of the RAZR, RAZR Maxx, and Galaxy Nexus everyone seemed to jump off ship too quick. Everyone complanied about the screen, the dropped network, etc...everyone was quick to point out what i believe are small flaws. For me the Bionic was the phone I wanted and am not dissapointed in it. The locked bootloader made the development community small. Without roms like those from Dhacker, DroidTheory, Eclipse team, and Liberty team, our phones would be very bland. I never gave hope on it. I was bummed when we lost a few of the devs due to the ungrateful people who didn't appreciate their hard work. I was really stoked with the announcement of ICS for our phones. And now with the leaks out I am much happier with my phone until the eventual upgrade. The SGS3 is nice but it not a worthy upgrade imo now that we have leaks and eventually an official ICS. Sorry if I took this off track.
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I like Moto's phones i also came from the OG droid. i think Moto does a good job on quality. i want something built good not some flimsy little piece of plastic. i figured the SGSIII would blow the bionic away but from everything i have read it is not so. I will keep my Bionic and my unlimited data until Moto comes out with a quad core than i might think about moving on but not until then.
i would also like to state that it also will depend on what the dev community moves onto as well since it seems that phones from VZW will now always be locked down.
Personally I think the Bionic is the most underrated phone in Android history. I bought mine on release day, upgrading from the OG Droid, and have been happy with it ever since. Now with the ICS leak, combined with my extended battery, 32Gb Class 10 SD card, and Lapdock 500, I have to say it's the closest thing to a perfect device I've ever owned (the one flaw being the locked bootloader).
amageus said:
..... Without roms like those from Dhacker, DroidTheory, Eclipse team, and Liberty team, our phones would be very bland....
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and sparkyman216 - get on that train Bionic faithful!
I too went from a Bionic to the SGSIII. I wanted one final subsidized device so I could keep my grandfathered unlimited plan as well.
I will admit, my biggest gripe with the Bionic (aside from the lack of an official ICS release) is its pitiful camera. I'd also really like to have a 720p screen and/or a little bigger screen area and some more internal storage since you don't get the "full" 16Gb internally on the Bionic.
At any rate, I got the GSIII and I have to say I am quite underwhelmed in several key areas. The camea is awesome in comparison to all of my various Moto devices over the years but it still seems slower to focus compared to my coworkers' iPhone 4S or even the HTC One X/Evo 4G LTE.
Probably my biggest gripe with the GSIII is its diminished battery life compared to the Bionic with an extended battery. Yes, it's a lot thinner but I'd gladly add a hump to the GSIII to get another 2 hours of runtime out of it. Gaming sucks when you are in CPU power saving mode!
The GSIII is also quite slippery and if I keep it I will investiage some kind of textured battery door or thin skin case.
As far as the pros, its reception is STRONGER than my Moto in strong areas (but weaker in fringe areas) and the call quality is really superb--a first for a Samsung! That screen is fabulous and I feel that 4.7" to 4.8" is the perfect maximum usable screen sizefor a modern smartphone. The S4 CPU flies and gaming is a total job on this device.
While I didn't think it would be a problem, I have grown to DETEST the capacitive buttons on the GSIII, especially when trying to type in landscape mode. I have big hands and my right hand is always hitting the menu button by accident. I also miss a side-mounted microUSB port and I miss having a standard microHDMI port. I have the 232 leak of ICS on my Bionic and I have a new appreciation of the HDMI port due to the revamped ICS Webtop mode and losing it is gonna really suck!
Not sure which way I will end up going as I really feel 50/50 about hanging onto the ol' Moto or jumping ship to the Sammy.
unbesorgt said:
Personally I think the Bionic is the most underrated phone in Android history. I bought mine on release day, upgrading from the OG Droid, and have been happy with it ever since. Now with the ICS leak, combined with my extended battery, 32Gb Class 10 SD card, and Lapdock 500, I have to say it's the closest thing to a perfect device I've ever owned (the one flaw being the locked bootloader).
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Completely agree.
And
unbesorgt said:
Personally I think the Bionic is the most underrated phone in Android history. I bought mine on release day, upgrading from the OG Droid, and have been happy with it ever since. Now with the ICS leak, combined with my extended battery, 32Gb Class 10 SD card, and Lapdock 500, I have to say it's the closest thing to a perfect device I've ever owned (the one flaw being the locked bootloader).
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The Bionic and the Rezound are both the most underrated android devices ever, and I own both.
I'd get the G3 if it had quad core in the US. But I'm real happy with the bionic/lapdoc combo with ICS. I don't think there is a more usable/versatile use of a phone with that.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 (SGS3 from here on..) on my desk for work.
Let me start by first saying the .232 ICS leak on the Bionic finally resolved my data drop issues, where data went away for no reason and it took a battery pull or airplane mode toggle to bring it back, although 3G <-> 4G hand offs are extremely slow. The Bionic with the 6.7.232 ICS leak is what I expected the Bionic to be (except the screen is worse than I expected) when it was sent to me in Sept 2011. Camera is typical Moto "phone" camera quality. Reception (with this leak) is great, battery life is very good (for an Android phone), etc.
I still use my Thunderbolt as my "daily driver" due to its screen and camera and general phone/email performance. With the Rezound 1620mah battery, and the stock 1400 as a spare, I can last as long as I need to between charges.
I hate touchwiz (both on my T-Mobile SGS2 with GB and ICS, and the VZW SGS3). Blur on the Bionic is "just enough" to help but not get in the way, and actually looks good. While touchwiz on the SGS3 "looks" better, it still looks "cartoony."
In day to day use (so not looking at every single feature/function, but rather only those I actually use), I like the calendar of the SGS3, its camera and its display quality over the Bionic. I also like that the SGS3 supports simultaneous voice/data over 3G. Those are 3 areas the Bionic doesn't keep up. Beyond that, the Bionic (with 6.7.232 ICS Leak) now has better reception, and the rest is a tie.
Would I buy an SGS3 if my Bionic was my daily driver (ICS or GB on the Bionic, assuming I didn't have the data drop problem)... I don't think so. While the camera and screen (colors, sharpness, readability, etc) are better on the SGS3, I don't think its worth spending the money.
Will I use the TB or the Bionic as my daily driver? Because of the screen and camera, I'm back on the TB for now.
I plan on buying a GS3 once I have the money, but it will be hard for a bit. The Bionic, my first smartphone, has been damn near perfect. Awesome ROMs once I worked up the bravery, made it even better. And now with official ICS, it has a new life and I love it. But I'm ready and begging for something new to play with and the GS3 is looking perfect.
I definitely agree with others who say the Bionic is overrated. I would argue that until that besides the Galaxy Nexus, the Bionic was pretty much the best phone on the US market until 2012's powerhouse phones dropped. On Verizon alone, I would take the Bionic over any phone until the GS3.
i think the camera is software limited, the post processing "magic", jpeg compression, noise handling, or maybe the auto-focus algorithm
samsung has digital camera worked together with SGS development
Let me preface by saying that I am one of the official testers of phones for my public safety department that are issued to our administrators of which I am one. Because of Sprint's slow and horrible data connection speeds, they have been bounced in favor of Verizon's network. I also have a personal phone which until recently was also on Sprint's network. I was so impressed with Verizon's 4G data that I paid the ETF and switched to Verizon. As such my phone history has been (after we jettisoned Blackberry in obscurity which I am not counting):
Work
Motorola Xprt
Motorola Admiral
Droid 4
Bionic
Personal
Hero
Evo
Galaxy S1
Evo 3D
Galaxy S3
As such I've had the opportunity to watch "generational" leaps in phone technology. The Hero to the Evo was such a leap. The Evo to the Bionic was such a leap. And now the Bionic to the Galaxy S3 is another evolutionary leap in technology. Keep in mind that I carry (as do most of our administrators) the Bionic. I recommended the Bionic because it met our tight security standards yet was fast, well built, and did everything well. That it would eventually see the next generation of Android was a plus and of course I have already previewed the unofficial pre-release unofficially . I determined that the Razr was not the leap in technology that warranted much excitement. It wasn't an option to be fair.
Now saying all that I steadfastly disagree with the notion that the Bionic is in the same league with the Galaxy S3. Sure, they do basic functions and the Bionic which has been woefully underrated and Verizon's EOL little gem, stands toe to toe with the best of them. However, the Galaxy S3 just does everything better and gives you more. Screen to screen there is no comparison. Speed, responsiveness, smoothness, software, hidden features, ergonomics, call quality, picture quality, video the list goes on...the Galaxy just does it all better. It is in my opinion a "generational" leap in technology. This is my unbiased opinion and mind you that on my recommendation, we carry the Bionic as the official work phone for my department. But for personal use, the Galaxy is a technological wonder and is arguably the best phone on the market; yes besting the One X as an overall better kit. Unfortunately we will not see the Galaxy S3 issued due to cost and security concerns, but really don't kid yourselves, the Galaxy S3 right now is in a league of it's own.
Everyone here owns one I assume.
Should I buy a droid 4?
And what are the pros and cons?
Online video reviews are way to biased
It's all up to you. If you MUST have a physical QWERTY keyboard, then it's probably one of the best choices, but here's my own list of pros and cons:
Pros:
-Decent dual core processor, can be overclocked up to 1.4 GHz using myfishbear's scripts
-One of the best hardware keyboards you can find on a phone
-Build quality is good, feels sturdy
-Call quality is clear, haven't had any dropped calls
-Screen is pretty bright when you need it to be
-Loudspeaker is... loud.
-4G speeds are supposed to be good, but I haven't tried
-8MP camera with 1080p video
-Docks available (I use a Motorola Atrix 4G dock that I bought for a cheap price, modified it a bit and works fine)
-Global use possible due with GSM
Cons:
-Screen's Pentile - nowhere near as clear as a non-pentile screen, e.g. HTC One X, it's not HD, and black levels aren't low enough at high screen brightness
-Camera's photos may be slightly washed out, definitely doesn't beat an iPhone 4S (as much as I hate to admit it)
-Limited ROM activity, like most Motorola phones (but there are good ones available)
-Accessories limited, as with all hardware keyboard phones (few choices in cases, etc.)
-Interface lags behind slightly at times, but very little
-Internals are outdated as of 2013, since quad-cores are the rage now
-Battery life won't last with heavy use
At present, the Droid 4 is close to the best you can get with a hardware keyboard, but don't expect the screen to astound you like the newer models' would. If you want a hardware keyboard and can wait, I'd suggest waiting for a successor, maybe a Droid 5.
Droid 5? Somehow I doubt that will ever come out. :-/
nicholaslimck said:
It's all up to you. If you MUST have a physical QWERTY keyboard, then it's probably one of the best choices, but here's my own list of pros and cons:
Pros:
-Decent dual core processor, can be overclocked up to 1.4 GHz using myfishbear's scripts
-One of the best hardware keyboards you can find on a phone
-Build quality is good, feels sturdy
-Call quality is clear, haven't had any dropped calls
-Screen is pretty bright when you need it to be
-Loudspeaker is... loud.
-4G speeds are supposed to be good, but I haven't tried
-8MP camera with 1080p video
-Docks available (I use a Motorola Atrix 4G dock that I bought for a cheap price, modified it a bit and works fine)
-Global use possible due with GSM
Cons:
-Screen's Pentile - nowhere near as clear as a non-pentile screen, e.g. HTC One X, it's not HD, and black levels aren't low enough at high screen brightness
-Camera's photos may be slightly washed out, definitely doesn't beat an iPhone 4S (as much as I hate to admit it)
-Limited ROM activity, like most Motorola phones (but there are good ones available)
-Accessories limited, as with all hardware keyboard phones (few choices in cases, etc.)
-Interface lags behind slightly at times, but very little
-Internals are outdated as of 2013, since quad-cores are the rage now
-Battery life won't last with heavy use
At present, the Droid 4 is close to the best you can get with a hardware keyboard, but don't expect the screen to astound you like the newer models' would. If you want a hardware keyboard and can wait, I'd suggest waiting for a successor, maybe a Droid 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya right now I have the razr hd and I realized I really want a full keyboard.
My main concern is battery, I am a texter and thsts about all I do....will it last me a day?
harecurtis said:
Ya right now I have the razr hd and I realized I really want a full keyboard.
My main concern is battery, I am a texter and thsts about all I do....will it last me a day?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're mainly going to text, I can't see why it shouldn't last a day - as long as the screen brightness is kept low, and the Wi-fi off. You should try one out if you can first, to see if the screen's not a bother for you.
nicholaslimck said:
If you're mainly going to text, I can't see why it shouldn't last a day - as long as the screen brightness is kept low, and the Wi-fi off. You should try one out if you can first, to see if the screen's not a bother for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya I met a guy on craigslist, and didnt like the build quality
to me it seemed like a bionic with a keyboard and like a brick
Ill just wait til the droid 5 (IF there is one)
but the D4 is a decent phone im sure
Droid 5? Feel like 30/70 it wont happen. How much did the guy want for the phone?
iMaterial said:
Droid 5? Feel like 30/70 it wont happen. How much did the guy want for the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We agreed on a trade;
My razr hd for his droid 4 plus $100
We met and I felt the droid 4 was too bulky and not and style at all, so i said no
I don't know about the 100$ with it... just my opinion.. good thing you didn't get it...
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
dbreezy187 said:
I don't know about the 100$ with it... just my opinion.. good thing you didn't get it...
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gave in, the same guy met with me today (he works at verizon)
he gave me $50 and a brand new droid 4
and I gotta say, im impressed
I just hope theres a droid 5, but from what i read it looks slim:/
but hey if there is a droid 5 someday and its anything like the droid 4 (just better) ill buy it
and i know this isnt the right place to ask but.......jellybean soon?
How much is the Razr HD? You can get the D4 on ebay for $140 - 190, any day of the week.
harecurtis said:
I gave in, the same guy met with me today (he works at verizon)
he gave me $50 and a brand new droid 4
and I gotta say, im impressed
I just hope theres a droid 5, but from what i read it looks slim:/
but hey if there is a droid 5 someday and its anything like the droid 4 (just better) ill buy it
and i know this isnt the right place to ask but.......jellybean soon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
JB was announced, but unlikely before summer imo. You got shafted my friend. People who are having problems, ie broken droid 4s are being given droid razr hds. I only use keyboards, thus only the droid line....put your phone in 3g and be happy. Batter life isn't bad per se, it is small however at 1785mah. Other than that, the phone is excellent. Screen is too bright for me, but that can be fixed.
ChristianPreachr said:
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
JB was announced, but unlikely before summer imo. You got shafted my friend. People who are having problems, ie broken droid 4s are being given droid razr hds. I only use keyboards, thus only the droid line....put your phone in 3g and be happy. Batter life isn't bad per se, it is small however at 1785mah. Other than that, the phone is excellent. Screen is too bright for me, but that can be fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didnt do too bad though....I payed $199 at verizon...send a $50 rebate (so I only payed $149) and the guy gave me $50
so I essentially payed $100 for a sealed Droid 4
and im much happier as of right now
I do miss the HD screen and the big screen BUT i love the keyboard and to me its worth it
I miss read what you said... I thought you had to pay him the 100... I just sat mine on my stove... bye bye warranty... hello root...
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
dbreezy187 said:
I miss read what you said... I thought you had to pay him the 100... I just sat mine on my stove... bye bye warranty... hello root...
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO NO haha ide never do such a thing
i went to verizon and got my upgrade to razr HD (payed $199)
then verizon has a rebate for $50 (so take of $50 from that and now I only payed $150 for razr HD)
then met guy from CL, he gave me $50 plus a new droid 4
so in all actuality I only spent $100 to get this phone (with contract)
and I just bought the droid bionic lapdock (i read reviews and all says it works, even with ICS)
Im excited for that to come in the mail in a few days!
harecurtis said:
Everyone here owns one I assume.
Should I buy a droid 4?
And what are the pros and cons?
Online video reviews are way to biased
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well let me put it this way. i dont know if moto is gonna realease a D5, and im all for the fingerprint lock.. that is hot. but im going to buy a 2nd D4 and maybe even a 3rd to make sure i got a kickass qwerty to suit my needs. the d4 is great.. it's more like a computer with phone functionality than a phone.
Sent from my DROID4
jmagi said:
well let me put it this way. i dont know if moto is gonna realease a D5, and im all for the fingerprint lock.. that is hot. but im going to buy a 2nd D4 and maybe even a 3rd to make sure i got a kickass qwerty to suit my needs. the d4 is great.. it's more like a computer with phone functionality than a phone.
Sent from my DROID4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya ive had it a few days and overall love it
I just bought a lapdock for it as well
The only issues I have with it are the lag it seems to have once in a while and the battery is pretty bad.
But besides that I have to say I love this phone
Now I think droid 5 is possible...moto recently released that keyboard phone for at&t or sprint photon q or atrix q or something like that
So we will find out soon enough
i would recommend trying to freeze unnecessary apps. and uninstalling the bloatware. sped mine right up to 400mb free memory. now i can run any number of my apps and the multitasking works great too on ics. even after a reboot. didnt want to run a custom rom so i sorta cleaned up the stock to suit my needs with the root script and link2sd.
JB is supposed to be released soon. within the next 8 weeks i think, so will be looking forward to that. and we'll know if a droid 5 is on the way by the end of february.
would love a 13/16mp camera, 2 or more gigs of ram droid 5 with the new flexible unbreakable screens. that would pwn.
Sent from my DROID4
I am up for an upgrade on my company cell phone through Verizon. I have been looking forward to a physical keyboard hoping to see the Droid 5 by now.
At this stage, is the Droid 4 still a decent phone?
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
dmwagner said:
I am up for an upgrade on my company cell phone through Verizon. I have been looking forward to a physical keyboard hoping to see the Droid 5 by now.
At this stage, is the Droid 4 still a decent phone?
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course it is. Motorola is doing away with the droid series. X phone here I come!. Lol
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Sure. The phone isnt bad. The battery just comes from a subpar time period. Be ready for that going in.
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
I am coming from a Droid Charge which makes it to about 2pm each day before needing the battery changed out.
The Droid 4's battery, is it accessible to be swapped out easily?
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
dmwagner said:
I am coming from a Droid Charge which makes it to about 2pm each day before needing the battery changed out.
The Droid 4's battery, is it accessible to be swapped out easily?
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite the opposite. Its fixed to the phone by screws and a ton of glue.
Its a bit of an issue but for people who can charge often not so bad.
If im honest with you ide avoid the droid 4 now. I love it but thats only because of the fold out keyboard which i cannot survive without. So it depends on what you need it for. If there were a better option with a keyboard like this ide be straight on it
Battery life is much much better than the Droid Charge. Overall the phone itself is a pretty significant improvement over the Charge.
If a slide out physical keyboard is on your must have list, the Droid 4 is still a fantastic phone.
I take mine off the charger at 6:30 am and put it back on the charger around 11:00 pm (at @ 20% battery). I don't use it much for phone calls really....as I just don't care to talk on the phone. Texts, emails, apps primarily......
Rooted with cm10.1 and nos entropy scripts and my battery lasts all day cuz of entropies battery calibration
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Still the best qwerty on Verizon
I LOVE my Droid 4, especially after rooting and using Eclipse JB right now. Looking forward to trying out other ROMs including CM10.1, since with Safestrap this phone is so easy to play with ROMs on since you get different rom slots you can install into. I find the battery life entirely acceptable under Eclipse, which is already improved over how it was stock. The Jelly Bean update that was pushed out recently improved performance on this device and the keyboard is by far the best qwerty keyboard out there. Unless you can pick up a Photon Q on Sprint, I'd say the Droid 4 is a safe bet, and will blow away your old Droid Charge easily. If you can wait, X Phone might be something fancy if it's announced at I/O next weekend, but I doubt it'll have a keyboard or physical buttons
There is no question that the Droid 4 is still the best hardware keyboard option on VZW.
Battery life is sufficient for most users to make it through a day of use without needing a recharge but is heavily dependent on specific network conditions and usage patterns.
The radios are excellent and the 4.1.2 JB release has the closest to AOSP UI of any of the OEMs and functions well even for users that are not interested in rooting and ROMs and other modifications of the device.
I still love my Droid 4. Even though it is outdated hardware-wise, it still deals with everything thrown at it very nicely. The keyboard is incredible, and if that is important to you, it's absolutely worth it. I weep at the thought of having to get a non-qwerty phone
Thanks for all the input here.
After some serious soul searching I have concluded that the most important feature in a phone to me isn't a keyboard, it's battery life. I think I am going to go with the Droid Razr Maxx HD.
dmwagner said:
Thanks for all the input here.
After some serious soul searching I have concluded that the most important feature in a phone to me isn't a keyboard, it's battery life. I think I am going to go with the Droid Razr Maxx HD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great choice there, easily the best phone on verizon right now (............x phone anyone?)
Droid 4 is the best hardware keyboard phone there is ATM. There are phones that are better in every other way but if you want a keyboard you want the driod 4.
For battery I and others have tried the make an extended battery pack using the charge back. For my part all I got out of it was 2 bricked phones.
Sent from my DROID4 using xda app-developers app
I came from the original Droid, and swore to get another physical keyboard and ended ordering the Droid 4 on release. I've had the phone for a about a year and 3 months now, and I'm still using the same phone. That being said, there are a few things about the phone I regret, or wish it had.
There is a common problem with a crackling speaker. I don't hear as much about this issue anymore, so maybe they fixed it. I'm often working in loud enviromments where I need to turn the phones volume to max, but often times it's still not enough. I've used other peoples phones before (Blackberry, Samsung) and was able to hear just phone in the same place.
I've started using Swype in the last 9 months or so, and since then, I hardly ever use the physical keyboard. Swype just seems so "smooth" for lack of a better term. No constantly tapping on the keyboard or glass, and it's really fast just using my thumb to type. Looking back, I would have liked to get a phone without a keyboard for a thinner device.
Lack of support from Motorola to developers is a HUGE one for me, and I will mostly likely not purchase another Motorola phone unless something changes. I don't know if this is because of the contracts Motorola has with Verizon, or for other reasons. There are other brands and phones out there that are capable of running their own unique kernel, without having to use KEXEC to get around it.
On the positive side of things, I've felt no lack in this phone for horsepower or capability. I almost never have a problem with signal strength, and I've never seen this phone struggle to run any programs. The battery life is okay and enough to get me through the day to put on the charger again at bedside.
Yes, I would recommend it!
Unless the next generation of Motorola smartphones includes a high-spec QWERTY in their ranks, I'd definitely recommend this phone. The screen isn't the best, sure. But I'm a power user, and I love it. Yeah you'll have to charge it a good amount throughout the day, but for the ease of typing for a social-networking and text-maniac like myself, this thing is PERFECT!
In terms of qwerty phones, the Droid 4 is still one of the best (and on VZW it's pretty much the only). For the past few weeks I've been running Eclipse JB and my battery lasts all day and then some - that's with emails, texts, taking pictures, videos, a few games, the works. I've found that the stock JB sucks battery power, but a lot of the ROMs are much more efficient. CM10.1 has come a long way and will probably be my new main. Even the stock JB is fast and responsive, if you're not into rooting and installing a ROM.
The keyboard is excellent, and it looks like this might be one of the last qwerty phones for a while... which is discouraging, but if a hardware keyboard is big priority then I'd highly recommend grabbing a D4 before they're all gone. The lack of removable battery is a bummer, because that means that the phone will require service or some creative "surgery" when the battery eventually goes bad and needs to be replaced, but I'm hoping there will be a new flagship qwerty phone by then (or aftermarket batteries available for the D4). \
Bottom line, get this phone!
After flashing cm10 and using nos entropy and its battery tweaks and ram tweaks I have no lag or battery issues. Phone usually comes off charger at 7am and goes on charger around 1am and still has 20%+ and that's heavy use of 4g GPS and music. Absolutely get this phone. Take the time to root install safe strap and cm10 + nos entropy ram and battery scripts. Plus nova launcher? Perfection IMHO.
Sent from my XT894 using xda app-developers app
I love my D4. Still a great phone for cheap compared to what's out there now. Love the physical keyboard, and a dedicated number row is fantastic.
I looooooooove the keyboard on the D4. It's so awesome, especially with real number keys. It makes entering the MyCoke Rewards codes a breeze. I really hope to get a few years of use out of this phone or until another awesome keyboard phone comes out. If one doesn't, I suppose I'll eventually have to embrace onscreen keyboards, but am not looking forward to that day.
Don't have a droid 4 I have a sidekick 4g but I am looking into this phone
An for on screen keyboards search the phones name and bluetooth keyboard an find on that is like a case an there you go never have to deal with on screen keyboards again c:
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