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I'd like to know how important having a keyboard is to you guys. I'd like to buy a new phone soon and I'm picking between this phone, the Galaxy Nexus, and waiting for a Droid 4. The thing is, I use AT&T which none of these phones are available for. The Droid 4 is said to come with GSM bands, and I know the D3 does, so I can work with that. My question is whether it's worth giving up the Droids' keyboards for the Galaxy Nexus' superior specs.
P.S. I'm coming from a 4 year old HTC Kaiser, so anything is an upgrade.
I love my keyboard. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have one. I definitely would sacrifice a little on the processor and ram to have a keyboard phone,
Sent from my DROID3 using XDA App
I chose the droid 3 specifically because of the keyboard. That and the fact that it needed to be new and android
My droid 3 was the best phone I ever used, the keyboard is amazing. But the phone sometimes lagged with only 512mb or ram, the boot loader is not unlocked, other than that stuff it is blazing! I would suggest waiting for the droid 4 if you love qwerty keyboards that much but go for the nexus if you cant wait for a phone and want specs now.
ourtut said:
My droid 3 was the best phone I ever used, the keyboard is amazing. But the phone sometimes lagged with only 512mb or ram, the boot loader is not unlocked, other than that stuff it is blazing! I would suggest waiting for the droid 4 if you love qwerty keyboards that much but go for the nexus if you cant wait for a phone and want specs now.
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The thing is, I have AT&T, not Verizon. I don't know if the Nexus will ever come to AT&T and the Droid 4 may or may not have GSM bands.
I always go for the best phone available with keyboard. My XT860, which is the nearly identical cousin of the Droid 3 (except 4G), unlocked, works with my AT&T sim card when I travel in U.S. might be worth your considering.
Sent from my XT860 using xda premium
Thank you, that's very useful to know. I hope it's possible to do the same with the Droid 4, because this phone will become obsolete when that comes out.
My advice is not to get the Verizon version as it is a pain to get unlocked for AT&T but the 860. But other then that yes this is a good phone. If Hash can get the kinks worked out for ICS (I know he can), then it will be an amazing phone. It is still new enough hardware wise it isn't a big deal.
Sent from my DROID3 using XDA App
You can get unlocked gsm nexus online. It means you pay full price instead of using a carrier upgrade. Check out www.negrielectronics.com (I'm in no way affaliated, I just know they have gsm nexus)
Sent from my XT860 using xda premium
The physical keyboard is really a person preference thing. Generally speaking, the recent phones that have physical keyboards are usually slightly lacking in other departments like screen size/quality and/or RAM. What I'm getting at is having a physical keyboard is usually a trade off, but those of us that are willing to make that trade will swear by them because we greatly dislike having only a virtual keyboard.
The advice mentioned earlier about getting a non-Verizon version is sound advice. It is my understanding that Verizon's GSM capable phones are locked for other US GSM carriers. You could probably avoid a lot of headaches by not getting a Verizon phone if you don't plan on using them as your carrier.
But I thought this would remedy all my GSM-related needs.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=20634546
There is that hack to get At&t working on the Verizon Droid 3 and if you are comfortable doing it then go ahead. It will require rooting and unlocking.
Otherwise you could look at getting the international XT860 since it will work on At&t out of the box. You could probably grab a Canadian one off ebay and to pop in your At&t SIM and not have to do anything else.
But if you don't mind doing that hack, the US XT862 is getting more dev attention it seems so it may be a better investment.
I'm using my Verizon D3 (xt862) on T-Mobile, which only allows me to use Edge. The process to hack it to use GSM isn't hard, and it's pretty reliable still, but does require unlocking the phone through Verizon. I've heard a ton of problems coming from people who think they can get it to work using paid for unlock codes, so I'd advise being sure you can get the VZW unlock code from the source.
This phone is compatible with AT&T 3G bands, so if RAM isn't too big an issue (works fine with 512 MB IMHO), then this phone works great. I would argue that the D4 coming out won't make this phone outdated unless it comes stock with ICS. That would mean it would get a lot more developer attention probably, but wouldn't necessarily make me switch right away
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Without a doubt, i'd go with a keyboard. I picked this phone specifically because of that.
ChocolateShein said:
I'd like to know how important having a keyboard is to you guys. I'd like to buy a new phone soon and I'm picking between this phone, the Galaxy Nexus, and waiting for a Droid 4. The thing is, I use AT&T which none of these phones are available for. The Droid 4 is said to come with GSM bands, and I know the D3 does, so I can work with that. My question is whether it's worth giving up the Droids' keyboards for the Galaxy Nexus' superior specs.
P.S. I'm coming from a 4 year old HTC Kaiser, so anything is an upgrade.
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i got fat fingers soo a keyboard will be a must for me since i do heavy messaging with my phones, but bear in mind the Nexus do have a larger screen and there are keyboard apps that give a wide selection of layout for data entry, i dont know haha but i guess i am milestone used since the day when droid 1 came out, soo i have been buying every droid they ever released. i have a droid 1, 2, 3 now , i am waiting for the droid 4, but i like keyboard, cuz it feels better to type with a hardware keyboard, rather then poking at a screen.
if u are still iffy about the galaxy nexus then i'd say u wait a bit longer, new year they have to have new phones to be released
Keyboards are amazing, I have all Droid phones with keyboards (Milestone 1, Milestone 2 and finally Droid 3) and it`s impossible for me to buy a phone without HW keyboard anymore
keyboard is the major reason for me buying xt860
I'll be the dissenter. I lived for a couple of years with a virtual keyboard only and I am fine with that. I chose the D3 because I wanted a stable 3G phone, I wanted Moto because my house is in a weak cell area for Verizon and Moto has better radios, and the world phone capability I felt was a good idea for me - we are planning to do some travel in the next year and a half.
Ok, that said, once I tried the keyboard, I loved it. The original plan was just to ignore the hardware keyboard, but now I almost always use it.
I can't stand using a virtual keyboard, I am always hitting a wrong key. The Droid 3 physical keyboard is great and is a must in my book!
For me, it's the deciding factor in purchasing an Android phone. I waited and watched for the Droid 3's five-row keyboard as the first satisfactory upgrade from my HTC Dream.
My password contains numbers, so having to hit all those extra shifts on my iPod Touch poops me to tears. That and my continuous fat-fingering on the on-screen keyboard. I can use my fingernails on my Milestone 3's keyboard quite happily, with nary a mistake.
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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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
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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?
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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Of course it is. Motorola is doing away with the droid series. X phone here I come!. Lol
Sent from my XT894 using xda app-developers app
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...
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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
Sent from my XT894 using xda app-developers app
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.
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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:
Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
Anyone think there will ever be a Droid 5? I use the HW keyboard when I need to SSH into a server, and have fixed many problems from my phone. I tried to do the same with a touchscreen, and its awful. I have to use numbers a lot, as well as the ESC key (vi rocks).
However the Razr Maxx HD's battery life may trump the HW keyboard. My ultimate device would have both, but there is no sign of anything coming from Moto like a Droid 5. I'm upgrade eligible (2 devices, with year apart upgrades, so I get a yearly new device). So, should I wait a little longer? Any chance we'll see a D5?
The only thing I don't like about the Razr maxx HD is the 1GB RAM. Everything else should be fine. Also, until Samsung or HTC releases something close to vanilla android like Moto, I won't even consider them. Plus, their battery life is awful, since the device spends so much power rendering those skins.
What are others doing? Oh, and the build quality of Moto devices rock. What should I do?
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
I've had this exact same thought myself. I also own the Razr Maxx HD, and a Droid 4. Currently I'm using the Droid 4 as my daily driver (despite its underwhelming battery) as I'm far more productive being able to use a physical keyboard as opposed to onscreen. I seriously hope one does come out for Verizon at some point...
bgarlock said:
What are others doing? Oh, and the build quality of Moto devices rock. What should I do?
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Click to collapse
Hope that your Droid 4 lasts forever, and use your free upgrades to get whatever the most popular new phone is and then immediately sell it on eBay?
Motorola CEO talked about the Moto X phone, also mentioned more devices will arrive before October. I'm skeptical, but if they were going to make a new QWERTY this year, that was the clue for one.
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I think I'll hold steady.. "Good things come to those who wait" (I hope). The other idea about keeping my D4 forever, and selling my upgrade device on Ebay is also a good choice
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Well they came out with 4 of them so there should be a 5. After all moto and droid goes together like peanut butter and jelly.if there isnt a droid 5 my wife will not be happy. She only uses physical keyboard and pickens are slim on verizon. Shes very picky when it comes to her keyboard. Maybe the droid 5 will carry a razr name?
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
The last rumor I remember reading about concerning the D5 was in December... and here it is June. Could we see one this year? Sure. Would there have been at least some leak or blurrycam picture or something to prove its existence by now? Probably...
I'm hoping my D4 lasts forever now, and that when the battery eventually uses up its long life of charge cycles that there will be some way to replace it even though removing it is a royal pain in the sack.
Khiraji said:
I'm hoping my D4 lasts forever now, and that when the battery eventually uses up its long life of charge cycles that there will be some way to replace it even though removing it is a royal pain in the sack.
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Click to collapse
It's not too bad to remove actually. Mine actually came out while I was still peeling off the sticker. Problem is I hadn't noticed the damn cable!
The replacements from (I think it was) cellphonerepairshop.com come with a sticker kit that includes a little tab you can leave sticking out to pull the next one out really easily.
The hardest part is finding a T5 screwdriver. I ended up driving to a local shady repair/unlocking place who charged me £2 to borrow theirs!
Lum_UK said:
It's not too bad to remove actually. Mine actually came out while I was still peeling off the sticker. Problem is I hadn't noticed the damn cable!
The replacements from (I think it was) cellphonerepairshop.com come with a sticker kit that includes a little tab you can leave sticking out to pull the next one out really easily.
The hardest part is finding a T5 screwdriver. I ended up driving to a local shady repair/unlocking place who charged me £2 to borrow theirs!
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That's good to know! I was initially worried about the "non-removable" battery.
Khiraji said:
That's good to know! I was initially worried about the "non-removable" battery.
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I'll post a guide to battery replacement at some point. I've got another Droid 4 coming (my GF wants one too) so I can get some photographs for how to do it.
I guess it depends on how well stuck down yours happens to be. Mine wasn't, others have had to use a spudger to pry it out.
Lum_UK said:
I'll post a guide to battery replacement at some point. I've got another Droid 4 coming (my GF wants one too) so I can get some photographs for how to do it.
I guess it depends on how well stuck down yours happens to be. Mine wasn't, others have had to use a spudger to pry it out.
Hi
Im in the UK and prefer using physical keyboard. had the original milestone which i loved. Could i ask you where you are getting the D4 from for your GF ?
Been looking on ebay but looks as though i will have to import from US
Cheers
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jacmeister said:
Im in the UK and prefer using physical keyboard. had the original milestone which i loved. Could i ask you where you are getting the D4 from for your GF ?
Been looking on ebay but looks as though i will have to import from US
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eBay, from a US seller.
Thanks for the reply
just noticed the company on your other thread, will check it out.
According to the initial question I think that there IS something you can call 'Droid 5' already...
I may be missing some points and details here, I'm not an expert but the first two Droid generations were known in the Europe as 'Milestone', starting from Droid 3 it was sold only in Verizon in USA so the Droid line became tightly connected with this provider.
After the 'Droid 4' the Verizon have still the phones of 'Droid' line, but they are made by HTC. At the same time they lost a QWERTY keyboard.
After the 'Droid 4' the Motorola created very similar phone - with identical keyboard, but under the different name - Photon Q.
For me it looks, that after the Verizon/Motorola split, the V. took their name and went to another manufacturer (HTC), while the M. took their last project and upgraded it further, so I'd suppose that the Photon Q model is more similar to D4, than any of the next 'Droids' from HTC.
Sadly, I've heard that Photon Q doesn't even have a SIM slot so I can't use it on GSM :/. If it wasn't the problem I'd buy it instead of D4 .
In the states the milestone was a watered down version of the first droids.
Sent from my Infected Rezound using Tapatalk 2
I tried to use a phone without a HW keyboard, and it was so painful when using SSH. Switching from alpha to numeric and back again was the worst. I just can't do my current job efficiently without a HW keyboard. I really hope that Moto has something cooking. I would be happy with the same form factor, but with 2GB RAM, 32GB internal, and a decent 4 proc CPU, with a better screen and camera
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Ditto that, bgarlock.
@kolenda:
Actually, just to clarify, Verizon had the "Droid" license from LucasFilms, not Motorola. Most "Droid" phones were from Motorola, but some were from HTC (Eris, Incredible, etc) and Samsung (Charge), too. The latest phones released with the "Droid" license were from Moto: RAZR M, RAZR HD, and RAZR MAXX HD.
The Photon Q on Sprint is slightly higher-specced than the Droid 4 (faster CPU, bigger non-PenTile screen). But, yeah, it uses a digital SIM, so that doesn't make it very import friendly.
I, too, would love to see a successor to the Droid 4. Aside from a few issues, it has been a great phone. Easily the best phone keyboard yet. With Motorola now going through Google's design philosophy, moving towards stock Android and away from carrier branding/bloat, the prospect of a new QWERTY slider from Motorola excites me. Sadly, there haven't been any rumors or leaks of a new QWERTY phone from them (just the X Phone/ Moto X)... at least, nothing I know of.
The market for physical keys isn't dead, just hampered. Is it really for the lack of a demand, or because manufacturers aren't making high-end QWERTY phones (aside from Moto, since the Droid 4 and Photon Q were on par with other flagships at the time)? Any time Samsung comes out with a QWERTY phone, it's a mid- to low-tier affair. So, I'm hoping Google takes advantage of what Motorola is capable of, and pushes them further to make an even better QWERTY slider.
Sent from my DROID4 using xda premium
Thanks for clarifying this BPMOmega. I didn't say that Verizon had Droid license from Motorola, but that the Droid name was owned by Verizon, not Moto - so we agree here.
But I wouldn't suppose that such a name like "Droid" isn't a regular word any more, meaning some humanoid robot, but can be owned by a company... - and it's the sad thing.
kolenda said:
But I wouldn't suppose that such a name like "Droid" isn't a regular word any more, meaning some humanoid robot, but can be owned by a company... - and it's the sad thing.
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Aren't trademarks like that covered only in that specific industry. For example, Samsung couldn't release a phone or tablet called the Samsung Droid, but you can still have a car called the Ford Droid* without infringing on the trademark since nobody is going to confuse a phone and a car.
* And most likely the owners of said car will insist on making a certain star wars reference every time they get pulled over by traffic cops.
I currently have a Note 3 (Verizon) and I'm thinking about selling it and grabbing the Developer Edition Moto X ...
I don't find myself utilizing the Note Series features all that much anymore (SPen, Multi Window, etc) and use very little of the Samsung features offered. Call quality and data connectivity have been ify for me lately and I know Moto can't be beat in that department.
I'm concerned about the reduction in screen real estate for sure (ironic because the larger form factor was my concern when going to the Note 2 LOL). So, I thought I would see if any former Note 3 users made the switch and get their input ...
Thanks
Note 3 .... that is all!!
I switched from a Note 3. I bought the X for the hell of it and never picked the Note 3 back up. I just factory reset it and handed it to the wife. You won't miss that thing for a second. We're RVing for the winter and the spot we're in is really iffy on Verizon service. The note 3 is struggling to simply send a text and my X has 1-2 bars of 4g (enough to tether for some Netflix). DO IT!!
YankInDaSouth said:
I currently have a Note 3 (Verizon) and I'm thinking about selling it and grabbing the Developer Edition Moto X ...
I don't find myself utilizing the Note Series features all that much anymore (SPen, Multi Window, etc) and use very little of the Samsung features offered. Call quality and data connectivity have been ify for me lately and I know Moto can't be beat in that department.
I'm concerned about the reduction in screen real estate for sure (ironic because the larger form factor was my concern when going to the Note 2 LOL). So, I thought I would see if any former Note 3 users made the switch and get their input ...
Thanks
Note 3 .... that is all!!
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leearnold0911 said:
I switched from a Note 3. I bought the X for the hell of it and never picked the Note 3 back up. I just factory reset it and handed it to the wife. You won't miss that thing for a second. We're RVing for the winter and the spot we're in is really iffy on Verizon service. The note 3 is struggling to simply send a text and my X has 1-2 bars of 4g (enough to tether for some Netflix). DO IT!!
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Pretty much the same scenario here. Had the Note 3 and gave it to the wife when I got a cyber Monday deal X. Don't get me wrong...a 32gb Note 3 with a 64gb sd and 5.7 inch screen was quite nice (only ever used a little over half available storage) I absolutely prefer the X. It's just perfectly usable.
I picked up one free for my wife with an early upgrade. She is satisfied with her gs3. So only time will tell. I use my lg g2 more than my note 3 anyway.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I have never personally owned a note 3, but my girlfriend has one so I've played around with it. I used to have an s3 and the only thing i missed was external battery and sd card. Other than that, I wouldn't trade my Moto x for anything. Features like active display and touchless control and Motos almost stock experience and fast updates sure does make it hard for me to like any other phone.
Sent from my XT1060 using xda app-developers app
Good stuff!! Thanks for the feedback all!! I may go to a local Verizon store today and mess around with one ... I'm torn because I really like the N3 (aside from depleted signal as compared to N2) but the form factor of the N3 is not like the N2 either, not as comfortable in the hand as the N2 was. Hard to explain LOL
I may sit tight and see what the KitKat upgrade does for the N3 signal-wise, if anything. Or Sammy and Verizon may drag their feet on the update and piss me off prompting me to get the Moto X LOL
Thanks again for all your thoughts/input!!
I just sold my note 2 and my Moto X dev. edition will be here friday.
I had a Note 2, then an HTC One, then went to my current Note 3. I went back because although I DESPISE Touchwiz, I couldn't overlook the multiwindow/pen window features. For the past few months, I've stopped using those features and tried other apps for that kind of multitasking. Between the apps Viral, NinjaSMS, and Floating Apps (caught it on sale for a dollar, a complete steal), I am completely comfortable not using the Touchwiz multiapp features. And frankly, I'm over 5+ inch phones.
Now I was considering dumping this for a Nexus 5, I completely wrote off the X as a mid-tier forgettable phone. But across the net, people just never stopped talking about it, and after reading about it, I think it will be perfect. I'm looking forward to the Touchless Controls, especially as I've been using Tasker and Autovoice a lot. I have OpenMic+, but it's, of course, no substitute. I was worried about it being too small but I played with it in a Best Buy. It's fine, and the 720p screen is fine. And since I don't need roms anymore with GravityBox, and I've always been a software over hardware guy, I think the X Developer Edition will be perfect.
Sold my n2 for the x. Couldn't be happier
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Question I forgot to ask ... How's the camera on the X? Loved my N2 camera not so pleased with N3 camera. However, I owned Motorola phones before and the camera was always a friggin turd! (I'm looking at you Razr Maxx HD) ... so, has Moto improved their camera yet?
YankInDaSouth said:
Question I forgot to ask ... How's the camera on the X? Loved my N2 camera not so pleased with N3 camera. However, I owned Motorola phones before and the camera was always a friggin turd! (I'm looking at you Razr Maxx HD) ... so, has Moto improved their camera yet?
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It's not the best, but I've heard that, since the update, it's no slouch. There's a "Pictures Taken With the X" thread on the next page with some great shots, especially on the last couple pages.
Man, I probably should have went to my local Verizon store and played with the X prior to posting this thread LOL
DAMN that's one tiny phone!! There is no way in the world I can go to a phone that small again after dealing with the Note 2 and now the Note 3!! I may be able to do the Droid Maxx, but even that might be tough ... these phablets have spoiled me I tell ya LOL
I'm looking at selling my Note 3 and moving to the Moto X right now myself so this was a nice thread to find. I like the screen, and the storage (64 gig card here + 32 gig internal) but the signal and gps quality of the Note 3 just cant match anything Moto puts out and the X has some features I think I will really use unlike the features found on the Note 3 that I use some of rarely.
Local market is pretty empty for a 32 gig model Moto X but as soon as I can find one I'm doing a swap + cash or just outright selling the Note 3 and buying the Moto X.
ballisticn8 said:
I'm looking at selling my Note 3 and moving to the Moto X right now myself so this was a nice thread to find. I like the screen, and the storage (64 gig card here + 32 gig internal) but the signal and gps quality of the Note 3 just cant match anything Moto puts out and the X has some features I think I will really use unlike the features found on the Note 3 that I use some of rarely.
Local market is pretty empty for a 32 gig model Moto X but as soon as I can find one I'm doing a swap + cash or just outright selling the Note 3 and buying the Moto X.
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I agree about the many useless (to me anyway) Note 3 features and signal woes, but I just don't think I can go THAT small!
YankInDaSouth said:
I agree about the many useless (to me anyway) Note 3 features and signal woes, but I just don't think I can go THAT small!
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That's what she said? Alright, now that I got that out of my system, I know its smaller but I am looking fwd to one handing a device easily again. I'm 6'1" and have gigantic hands (2xl motorcycle gloves) and I have trouble one handing this device. Granted NFL mobile and movies look amazing on the Note 3 but the ability to use one hand to grab the phone, unlock it, click on the dialer, punch in the number and hit call is something I cant do with the Note 3. And the Moto X while smaller, well it isn't like its Droid Eris or iPhone screen sized lol.
ballisticn8 said:
That's what she said? Alright, now that I got that out of my system, I know its smaller but I am looking fwd to one handing a device easily again. I'm 6'1" and have gigantic hands (2xl motorcycle gloves) and I have trouble one handing this device. Granted NFL mobile and movies look amazing on the Note 3 but the ability to use one hand to grab the phone, unlock it, click on the dialer, punch in the number and hit call is something I cant do with the Note 3. And the Moto X while smaller, well it isn't like its Droid Eris or iPhone screen sized lol.
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LOL ... I'm right at 6' tall as well and I've always been told I have large hands (the ladies love large hands HAHA) and, while it's not easy, I can manage to do certain things one handed on the N3. But, when I went into the Verizon store to play with the X there was just no way I could type on that phone! After an typing for too long the hair on my thumb knuckles might catch on fire from all the friction LOL (I'm a hairy Italian LOL)
I liked the feel of the Droid Maxx, but sadly it's priced so high there's no way I could sell the Note 3 at a price that could offset the price of the Maxx ... Guess I have to live with the N3 and pray an update fixes things for me.
Typing is so old school, you should try swiping around the keyboard. The Moto X screen is the perfect size for it, it is very fast and works great one handed.
I'm not a very good speller, so swiping never did work out well for me LOL
I do use voice to text a lot, but that's not convenient at the office
The touchless controls and interactive display of the Moto X is very intriguing! Plus I really like the new direction and approach Motorola has taken lately ... Unlike Samsung which continues with an Apple-like confining experience. (was reading how the KitKat update "broke" third party accessories! Lame!!)
Note 3 .... that is all!!
I know it isn't exactly the same but I've come from a Galaxy Note 1 to Nexus 4 to Moto X. I told myself that I would mess around with the Nexus 4 and root it and have the X as a backup. Boy was I wrong.
Now I really did love the sheer gigantic size of the Note, mostly because it fit in my hands pretty much perfectly, but there is something about the curved back and dimple in the back of the Moto X that just forces me to hold onto it for as long as I can! In a way I do wish the phone was a bit bigger as it is a bit awkward to grasp at times, but at the same time I prefer a smaller phone for single handed use.
Battery life was a HUGE issue for me and I was presently surprised by a good 13-17 hours of use on a slow day (which is perfect!) LTE just made it so much better (4g on Nexus 4 yuck!).
The last and probably the most important reason why I'm not going back is the built in software. Now I really see the appeal of Multi-window on the Note, but from there the Moto X wins. Active notifications are amazing!! I do not think I could go back to and LED or turning on the screen. Touch less controls I find somewhat gimmicky at times (Google now is somewhat limited where I live in Canada) but is really cool when you can tell who is phoning when you are driving. The always listening function makes up for this however. The flicking of the wrist to start the camera is a strange motion that doesn't always work the first time but is extremely convenient.
Personally if I could afford the Note 3 I would probably give it a shot. However as I have a Nexus 7, if I really want a big screen at that moment I just fire up a portable hotspot and go from there. I don't think I would be giving this phone up unless Samsung makes a Note with their version of active notifications and Touch less control. Just my two cents though! Everyone have a good day!
Sent from my XT1058 using xda app-developers app
thatdude02 said:
I know it isn't exactly the same but I've come from a Galaxy Note 1 to Nexus 4 to Moto X. I told myself that I would mess around with the Nexus 4 and root it and have the X as a backup. Boy was I wrong.
Now I really did love the sheer gigantic size of the Note, mostly because it fit in my hands pretty much perfectly, but there is something about the curved back and dimple in the back of the Moto X that just forces me to hold onto it for as long as I can! In a way I do wish the phone was a bit bigger as it is a bit awkward to grasp at times, but at the same time I prefer a smaller phone for single handed use.
Battery life was a HUGE issue for me and I was presently surprised by a good 13-17 hours of use on a slow day (which is perfect!) LTE just made it so much better (4g on Nexus 4 yuck!).
The last and probably the most important reason why I'm not going back is the built in software. Now I really see the appeal of Multi-window on the Note, but from there the Moto X wins. Active notifications are amazing!! I do not think I could go back to and LED or turning on the screen. Touch less controls I find somewhat gimmicky at times (Google now is somewhat limited where I live in Canada) but is really cool when you can tell who is phoning when you are driving. The always listening function makes up for this however. The flicking of the wrist to start the camera is a strange motion that doesn't always work the first time but is extremely convenient.
Personally if I could afford the Note 3 I would probably give it a shot. However as I have a Nexus 7, if I really want a big screen at that moment I just fire up a portable hotspot and go from there. I don't think I would be giving this phone up unless Samsung makes a Note with their version of active notifications and Touch less control. Just my two cents though! Everyone have a good day!
Sent from my XT1058 using xda app-developers app
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Nice write up! Lots of interesting points you've made ... thanks for the input!
Multi-Window, Pen Window and pop-up browser are Note 3 features I would truly miss, but honestly, I did without them before and probably could do without them again (but do I want too LOL) ... I really hope Motorola comes out with a larger device that offers the same features as the Moto X ... the size of the X is really the only thing holding me back right now. Even if it were slightly bigger, say the size of the Droid Maxx or Ultra I would not hesitate ...