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I currently have a T-Mobile G1 and I have been thinking of an upgrade.
Have any of the current Vibrant owners come from a G1?
If so, are you happy with your new phone/glad you switched?
If you aren't a past G1 owner, I still value your input.
Thanks for any/all opinions.
I lost my G1 a little over a week ago, and got a Vibrant as a replacement. So far I'm pretty happy. There are a few things to know though. First of all, no matter what anyone says to the contrary, the software keyboard is a poor substitution for a real hardware keyboard, and not a day goes by that I don't miss the keyboard on my G1. That said, I have found alternatives that work for me, but might not for everyone. I was a longtime Palm user, so the addition of a capacitive stylus and Graffiti for Android went a long way toward easing my lost keyboard anxiety. Also, the speech to text on the phone is surprisingly good, and once I found a program that optimized the speech to text workflow (Ultra Keyboard), that got me set so that between those two, I can get by without a hardware keyboard.
You should also know that the compass on the Vibrant is complete garbage compared to the G1. It is slow to update, inaccurate, and sometimes just freaks out and points in a direction that has absolutely nothing to do with where the phone is pointing. Some people also report poor GPS performance, though I haven't had this problem.
The bad stuff out of the way, it is SO MUCH faster than the G1! That, and I actually like some of the additions Samsung made to Android. I don't like how the whole thing looks so iPhoney, but it all works really well, and given the choice I wouldn't go back to a G1 from the Vibrant.
The compass and gps suck. There are various settings that help the gps, but we really need a driver update from samsung. Hopefully they will get on that soon and not make us wait for 2.2.
As for the keyboard, I like swype almost as much as a real keyboard. The voice input works good as well, but swype doesn't have the button for it for some reason. Hopefully they will add it soon.
Overall, it's a great phone and the speed and screen will blue you away coming from a g1.
I came from a G1. The phone is incredible, but the hardware/drivers have their rough edges, no doubt. I might have waited a little longer in hopes of the manufacturing becoming more consistent had I known of the issues before I bought, but when all is said and done I'm quite happy. Just not as happy as I could be.
I am really picky when it comes to this kinda stuff. Loved my g1 and thought twice about getting this phone for several reasons lyk 5mp camera when others offer more, not keyboard, forward facing camera and screen size but overall i gotta say i love this phone and wouldnt think twice about it. This phone performs amazingly and the screen is beautiful the battery is great for me atleast the gps is good no issues here and lastly the speed on the phone itself and online is crazy i love it. I couldnt be happier and it fills in the g1's shoes very nicely. I loved my g1 but i think i like this phone alot more.
Yes, I like this phone more than the G1. It was time for me to ditch the qwerty keyboard anyways and I don't like how it adds bulk to any type of phone. Plus, there are already plenty of accessories for the phone already since T-Mobile was smart enough to have the dimensions very similar to the original Galaxy S.
Many of us came from the G1 (contract about up, y'all?).
With Swype, I'm not at a huge loss for the hardware kb - the slide mechanism on the G1 was always a little scary to me, so I'm glad to be rid of that. hat being said, if the option was available, I'd've taken the SGS w/the kb.
I also dislike the iPhone rip-off part of Samsungs UI, but there are many benefits, too. The notification buttons are great & save homescreen space. Many other small things.
The biggest gripe is the GPS. IT IS TERRIBLE! It will literally lock up my phone after not locking onto the 12 satellites it can see. Buncha bull****.
But, all-in-all, the G1 was getting tired, so I'm glade to move on.
-bZj
I was very hesitant about getting a phone with no physical keyboard. About a month before I bought my vibrant, I used just the virtual keyboard on the G1. I have to say, Swype is the best thing since slice bread for keyboard technology. I can actually "type" faster with Swype than I did with my G1. Like others, my only gripe about the vibrant is the gps issues. I don't use it daily but if Samsung doesn't fix this, they will never get my business again with ANY product. That said, I'm pretty sure they will fix this, it would be a PR disaster otherwise.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
lmlloyd said:
no matter what anyone says to the contrary, the software keyboard is a poor substitution for a real hardware keyboard, and not a day goes by that I don't miss the keyboard on my G1.
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That is my BIGGEST fear....
lmlloyd said:
The bad stuff out of the way, it is SO MUCH faster than the G1!
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Click to collapse
That is what I'm looking forward to...
androidmonkey said:
I was very hesitant about getting a phone with no physical keyboard. About a month before I bought my vibrant, I used just the virtual keyboard on the G1.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Great idea...
Thank you so much for your opinions.
I'm running CM6 Froyo on my G1 and it can get very laggy.
I also don't want to go back to Sprint just to get an EVO...
My T-Mobile experience in Milwaukee has been a dream compared
to my Sprint experience...
Go to a store and play with one... you will immediately buy it. I cherish my G1 and refuse to sell it, but it is so... so... dwarfed by the Vibrant it is laughable.
s15274n said:
Go to a store and play with one... you will immediately buy it. I cherish my G1 and refuse to sell it, but it is so... so... dwarfed by the Vibrant it is laughable.
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The G1 is a plastic brick...
That's definitely a reason I decided to abandon the physical keyboard--it just adds so much bulk.
s15274n said:
Go to a store and play with one... you will immediately buy it. I cherish my G1 and refuse to sell it, but it is so... so... dwarfed by the Vibrant it is laughable.
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Click to collapse
I think I will be purchasing one..
I would never sell my G1 either!
I will use it as a mini-netbook until it dies of natural causes (I still won't get rid of it).
It has a full keyboard, wifi, I paid for Docs2Go, so I have an office suite,
it has a camera, mp3 player, full web, etc...
My biggest fear was the loss of the keyboard as well. I do miss it at times (mainly games), but swype is very fast and it took all of a fe messages to start swyping as fast or faster than the keyboard. Its not the same thing, but it does a great job.
Gpa and compass... Well, you know by now. I'm confident it'll be fixed soon.
The screen is amazing, even in bright sunlight. Movies on the phone rock. And the speed is unbelievable. It's so worth the upgrade!
One other bonus... With the galaxy s being on every carrier, it had the best chance of many mods and released quickly once things get going.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Bought it and love it!!!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Check the bottom of the Sig
You can't compare the two...not only different ballparks...different sports altogether. But even with that in mind, I STILL have my trusty G1 for when I'm feeling nostalgic . If you can, go for it. You'll like it.
Well, good news guys. I am starting as a cell phone tech repair at a local store here and can't seem to decide between a HTC Evo 4G or Samsung Epic 4G. They both look awesome.
I am also with T-Mobile with the HD2 and love HTC products but the Samsung Epic looks tempting. I feel so indecisive now.
Any help here?
I feel your pain. Before Access released the new version of Graffiti that works perfectly on the Epic, I was literally within hours... maybe a day or two... of taking my Epic back and exchanging it for an Evo. It's amazing how being totally handicapped at text-input colors (darkens?) your view of pretty much everything else about the phone.
I'm still not thrilled with the Epic's jiggly-ness, but I have hope that Seidio (or maybe Otterbox) will eventually release a case that lets you latch the halves together (or clamp on a semi-temporary exoskeleton that achieves the same purpose).
The single worst problem I found with the Evo is its usb port. HTC cut corners and didn't attach it properly, so the solder connections (surface-mount, no less) end up bearing 100% of the stress and strain from attaching and removing the cable, and eventually fail. Technically, that's something I could probably fix myself if it happened (I have a hot air rework tool, solder paste, tubes of flux, tweezers, and the other usual supplies needed for homebrew surface-mount soldering), but I know *exactly* how it can fail, and it bothers me that HTC could have possibly done something that stupid. That's not the kind of mistake an engineer makes... that's the kind of screwup that happens when HTC management decides to cut corners anyway after their engineers throw a fit and threaten to quit over it.
Also, I've spent the past week lurking on the Evo development boards, and got the worst sense of deja-vu when I saw that HTC still releases useless kernel source that's unbuildable, with proprietary binaries compiled straight into it (in total violation of the GPL, not to mention common sense and human decency) so that it's nearly impossible to take an old kernel and use it as the basis of a newer one (without breaking every single binary driver in the process). Samsung might have sinned mightily and royally screwed up the GPS, but at least they had the decency to treat the kernel with respect & dignity, and implement everything that's not open-source as proper loadable kernel modules. It might be the only thing they've done right, but it's a really big, really important thing that NEEDS to be right
Both the Epic and Evo have criminally-undersized batteries, and battery life that totally sucks. The main difference is that there are multiple extended battery choices for the Evo available today, and zero extended battery choices for the Epic today (though there will probably be just as many Epic choices as Evo choices by Christmas... maybe more, since only the extended battery's back cover would be unique to the Epic, and the batteries themselves are common to the entire Galaxy S family).
Out of the box, the Evo feels a lot better in your hand. I bought the Epic originally because I wanted the keyboard, but I personally think the Epic's keyboard sucks to the point of being unusable because they made the keys too big and too flat. Had they made the keys smaller (keeping the same pitch), or made them taller and more rounded (like the Sidekick's keyboard), it would have been awesome. Thus, I'm now officially in the "I want a case with exoskeleton or latch so I can just secure the keyboard shut and forget it exists... at least, until I'm in a mood to slap on a GameGripper and play videogames with it" camp. It's a shame, because it COULD have been a really awesome keyboard if Samsung hadn't ruined it for the sake of aesthetics.
I'm a little nervous about the Epic's AMOLED screen, because I found out that they suffer from an effect that has similar appearance to burn-in. Apparently, the blue elements have a half-life of ~7,000 bright hours before they dim noticeably. The result is that if you display static bright blue content for extended periods of time, it will look like old-school yellow burn-in when white is displayed (the blue will dim, causing the brighter red and green to give the pixel a yellowish cast). LCDs can develop persistent images, but it's a temporary effect due to static electricity that dissipates over time. With AMOLED and blue-fade, by the time you see it happen, it's too late -- the panel's ruined forever.
I'll admit I've slightly warmed up to Touchwiz... especially once I replaced the homescreen with ADW, and figured out how to make the app drawer scroll vertically (god, the horizontal scrolling drove me *insane* for a couple of days). Samsung's "Phone" app is definitely prettier than HTC's was on the Hero (I've never actually used an Evo to make a call), and "Weather and Toggle Widget" (or whatever it's name is) gave me enough SenseUI look and feel to keep me happy without it.
There's still a tiny chance something will motivate me to switch to Evo before my 30 days are up in 2 weeks, but for now, I'm back to being content with my Epic.
Well, I had both the Evo and now the Epic and while the Evo was "okay," I love the Epic. Returning the Evo was the best thing I ever did. The main issues I had with the Evo where the physical size (Epic is thicker, but less surface area) and the battery. My Epic can last a full day with moderate to heavy use on a single charge. The Evo, with light use, needed to be charged about half way through the day. That is with all the usual tweaks, etc. Also, the Evo with the brightness turned down (to save battery) was almost useless, but the Epic on its lowest brightness setting is brighter than the Evo on about 50% brightness. Finally, even though Swype is cool, it is nice to have the keyboard if you do any kind of long typing or typing of words that are not in the dictionary. True, you can always add them, but if you ever do any kind of work where you type in commands, (terminal, etc) then you can do it much easier with a real keyboard.
Anyway, those are my two cents. On a 1-10 scale I would give the Evo a rating of 6 and the Epic a rating of 8.
Greetings! I have both an Epic and an Evo, both rooted, both used extensively for work. The Epic I use mainly for wireless tethering of a work issued laptop, the Epic I use primarily for fielding calls and email.
I like the ability to use a hard keyboard with the Epic but as a former blackberry owner for YEARS I still believe the best hard keyboards to exist are ones engineered by RIM. It's too bad Samsung didn't tap into RIM engineering when constructing the feel and heft of their physical keyboard.
I wasn't a huge fan of Sense before getting an Evo but it's incredibly easy to use and easy on the eyes (mine, anyways) It seems that the email functions on the Evo are easier to utilize than the ones on the Epic but again a matter of personal preference.
I've re-rooted both phones in the last week (accidentally deleted g-talk off of Evo then turned right around and bricked my Epic!) and both phones are running much smoother since doing so. I noticed my Evo was getting really sluggish as time wore on (rooted it right after I got it in July) and the Epic was displaying warning signs of brick-ville prior to it actually bricking. I've benchmarked both units and without a doubt the Epic is MUCH faster than the Evo.
I've noticed subtleties between both phones since using them so much:
SCREENS/VIBRANCY: Epic colors seem more washed out. Evo's are clearer. Evo screen reacts so much easier to the touch....I have to press buttons more than once often to get Epic touch to register....
BATTERY LIFE: Face it, phones like this suck mega power. Multiple batteries and chargers for both are a must. Since I travel between multiple offices, I have a cache of chargers/batteries at all locations along with techie travel items I never leave home without. Tip: for a quick boost to get you at least one hour of extra time on your phone grab one of those keyring battery boosters Sprint sells....they're cheap and come as advertised (****WARNING DO NOT CHARGE YOUR PHONE WITH THE BOOSTER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CHARGING THE BOOSTER FROM AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE -SPRINT ADVERTISES THIS IS POSSIBLE BUT... YOU CAN START A FIRE*****) Hopefully my Travelers agent isn't on this forum !
SOUND: Epic seems to produce better sound at higher levels. Epic's speakers seem to have a weird screeching to them at top volume.
I don't know how much this has helped you, but the bottom line here is: if you are a physical keyboard person go for the Epic. If a larger screen floats your boat get the Evo. I'm fortunate to have been able to get both for professional reasons and have learned to love the differences that both provide.
Finally, here are two programs I highly recommend:
EPIC: noLED. Terrific app. Don't need root for it. Also works on Evo but designed for phones lacking a LED.
EVO: LEDHack. Ditto. You will need root. Not applicable for Epic.
All you really have to think about is "Do I want a pure touch screen? or do I want a qwerty keyboard as well as a touch screen?", "Do I want HTC Sense, or TouchWiz?", "Do I want a kickstand?", lol.
But for a more in-depth look, I made a comparison of the tech specs and I gathered the information from Wikipedia as well as google.
Here is my post http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7788180#post7788180
Also. Playing Emulator games on the Epic is far more easier than it will be on the EVO. Due to the Epic having a physical keyboard so you can actually have buttons to press instread of tapping the touch screen. There are even keyboard covers that people have made in the shape of controllers to make the gameplay easier.
However. EVO has more developers than the Epic does for now. We only have about 4 roms and they're nothing really special. Pretty much stock roms with OC'ed kernals with a developer idea behind it. We don't even have a OTA rom developer yet. I still wish I knew how to do this stuff lol.
it's mostly personal preference, but I find the epic to be much nicer than the Evo. The keyboard is a much nicer addition for typing. Virtual keyboards just leave me wanting that tactile feel again. The epic is bigger, but also has a much nicer display and the battery life is longer. I also love the small things like the microusb port on the top, and the power button on the side. These help when I'm using it in the car.
As far as ROMs. The EVO has much more development, but I haven't really longed to change anything on the stock epic (except maybe the bloatware). It's nice and fast and TW is clean. SenseUI always bogged my Evo and made it clunky. The only time I had a smooth ROM was in CM6.So far on the Epic, I don't think I'll need to change anything until I upgrade to 2.2
Also, the Hummingbird processor feels faster than the Snapdragon QSD8650 in the EVO. The extra GPU power really makes a difference. That's why I switched.
I could never decide between the two really, there is just a list of pro's and con's for both of them!
So I got an Evo for my second line. (Girlfriend uses it).
I swore to myself that I would never get a Samsung phone. After I switched away from my Motorolla razr many years ago to the HTC Touch, I fell in love with the quality of their phones.
The Epic just makes the Evo seem so outdated. The only thing going for the Evo is the development community, accessories, and support. And of course the build quality of the phone is just PERFECT.
Unfortunately, I grew tired of Sense UI over a year ago, and much prefer the AOSP UI. I can say, side by side, the Epic just rips the Evo apart in terms of fluidness, performance, and raw GPU power... That, and the screen looks a million times better, and FEELS better too!
I like them both though! =)
one thing to also consider since you are currently a t-mobile customer, the G2 from HTC is out.
I think all of these "Epic or Evo" posts are kind of strange, honestly. The two phones fill different niches. I agree with the poster that said it really comes down to keyboard vs. no keyboard and touchwiz vs. sense. Everything else is relatively minor, and something you will easily get used to (or not even realize the difference).
For me, a better question would be something like Epic or G2, or Epic or Droid 2. It's really not that hard to switch carriers (in fact I did it to buy the Epic), and unless you're very close to the beginning of your present contract - in which case you can't upgrade yet anyway - the ETF probably won't be that much, if anything. I got out of my contract with AT&T after 18 months and they didn't charge me any ETF - though that may be because I still have a second line with my wife's iPhone on it.
I just feel like phones with or without keyboards are a completely different experience. (I had an iPhone for a *day*, and it felt like walking around on one leg to me. So I returned it. And now I'm very happy with my Epic.)
If I didn't need a keyboard, I wouldn't consider the Epic, because the keyboard just adds extra bulk and another failure point - actually several more failure points. Instead, I'd then be comparing the Evo to another Galaxy S phone on another carrier. There's usually no reason to restrict yourself to one carrier. Even if you are going to be charged an ETF, you can usually find a deal on any phone that will more than pay for it (vs. the normal subsidized price of the phone).
badasscat said:
I think all of these "Epic or Evo" posts are kind of strange, honestly. The two phones fill different niches. I agree with the poster that said it really comes down to keyboard vs. no keyboard and touchwiz vs. sense. Everything else is relatively minor, and something you will easily get used to (or not even realize the difference).
For me, a better question would be something like Epic or G2, or Epic or Droid 2. It's really not that hard to switch carriers (in fact I did it to buy the Epic), and unless you're very close to the beginning of your present contract - in which case you can't upgrade yet anyway - the ETF probably won't be that much, if anything. I got out of my contract with AT&T after 18 months and they didn't charge me any ETF - though that may be because I still have a second line with my wife's iPhone on it.
I just feel like phones with or without keyboards are a completely different experience. (I had an iPhone for a *day*, and it felt like walking around on one leg to me. So I returned it. And now I'm very happy with my Epic.)
If I didn't need a keyboard, I wouldn't consider the Epic, because the keyboard just adds extra bulk and another failure point - actually several more failure points. Instead, I'd then be comparing the Evo to another Galaxy S phone on another carrier. There's usually no reason to restrict yourself to one carrier. Even if you are going to be charged an ETF, you can usually find a deal on any phone that will more than pay for it (vs. the normal subsidized price of the phone).
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If you are coming from other carriers, then switching carrier might be a good idea.
But for Sprint customers (especially SERO), switching is usually costly. And unfortunately, at this moment, there are only 2 premium phones that we can choose from.
acegolfer said:
If you are coming from other carriers, then switching carrier might be a good idea.
But for Sprint customers (especially SERO), switching is usually costly. And unfortunately, at this moment, there are only 2 premium phones that we can choose from.
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People without SERO really dont get us sero users.
Even at 50 a month (with my 5pm nights and weekend perk) I will NEVER leave this plan.
the ones we got are evo epic pre transform to a lesser extent hero moment and even lesser extent the i1 and intercept
verizon att and tmo are lucky they have much more
My dad has the evo, I have the epic.
Grab a halloween wallpaper with lots of pumpkins on it. Then compare the screens. I couldn't believe the difference. The epic hands down has darker blacks and more vivid colors. Totally worth it.
Also a few co workers this week complimented the screen.
acegolfer said:
If you are coming from other carriers, then switching carrier might be a good idea.
But for Sprint customers (especially SERO), switching is usually costly. And unfortunately, at this moment, there are only 2 premium phones that we can choose from.
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Click to collapse
The OP is coming from T-Mobile. So there's no real reason he should only be looking at the Evo and Epic, and not much reason he'd have to compare only those phones to each other.
Coin Slot said:
one thing to also consider since you are currently a t-mobile customer, the G2 from HTC is out.
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+1 On this.. Amazing Device.. Dumb Fast.. Dumb Fast..
actually i am not leaving T-Mobile but adding Sprint as my second line. So in two months i will have a final decision.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
I am looking at purchasing a Shift 4G for my mom to upgrade her from her POS blackberry. I currently have the Big Brother to the Shift (the Supersonic), and absolutely love it, I won't give it up for anything, but my mom would be more suited to an iPhone, however sprint doesn't have the iPhone, and I get a 23% discount through my job.
Could several people respond about the Shift please:
1. Average battery life (moderate usage)
2. Size and Feel of the phone for day to day use
3. How does the keyboard feel for texting
4. How smooth does this redesigned Sense OS feel
5. How well does the camera operate
6. Does the screen size feel ok if you use the touchscreen instead of the slideout KB.
I would prefer non-rooted people to respond to these since I won't be rooting her phone. I want to hear all responses both good, and bad.
So you want us to do the research for you?
^ Shift Faced
Lol yup. Go to the store and play with one. Read the reviews online.
I have my phone rooted but nothing major done to it..even rooting it was easy under the right posts and take from here and there and waa laa it worked great, however; i love this phone..a lot..my first android was a G1 and second a Hero(CDMA) and now this..I have been trying to find something more like the G1..The hero felt like a downgrade and now this phone excites me about the new frontier of android. I OC'd my hero with no avail and to be out performed by phones like the droid and ah whatever..it seems to me this phone is the benchmark of performance and as for your questions:
1. I feel as though I get about 12 hours..when I use it to play games and stuff maybe 6-8
2. I enjoy the keyboard..both physical KB and onscreen..I use both cause I came from a hero with no physical kb but i really like both
3. both KB's work great on texting..i prefer the physical for when I have longer messages to write because its faster IMO, even so the virtual has no lag either.
4. Compared to the Sense UI from the Hero this phone is a HUGE improvement..when I first got my phone I was really impressed with the improvements to the UI because it seemed HTC logged on XDA and got all of our gripes then fixed them
5. I finally used the camera this weekend to take pictures for making invitations to my son's birthday party and I was impressed with the facial recognition. Its 5MP so its no Cannon or Sony but it still does a great job with facial recognition and all
6. As I said earlier I use both and the I have no problem with the screen size interfering with the kb..
The phone feels perfect in your hand. Almost like your holding something other than a phone. The sense UI is great, very smooth and fast. The camera also is great. The still picture quality could be improved if you want to be nit picky, however 720p recording is so amazing. The hardware keyboard is very nice and fast as well. I like it better than my blackberry tour. I would recommend this phone to anyone, anyplace, anytime.
I also have evo, and also was considering picking up a shift for my mom (she has a Samsung moment that is barely functional), I went into sprint store and was able to play with one just a little bit. Was not that impressed, sadly (and I'm a big HTC fan).
Mostly, I felt the HW keyboard was almost unusable (I kept mashing multiple buttons at the same time), yet the HW keyboard is what I thought was supposed to be the attraction to otherwise would-be evo buyers.
As for OP 'wanting others to do his research for him', that's not the case at all, he wants to hear from people who have had more than just a few moments with the shift. Give the guy a break.
***maybe I just can't type well- yet I have no issues typing on my evo ****
Sent from my virus infected and nuggified evo using XDA App
I ordered the Shift ready to exchange it for an Evo at the drop of a hat if I didn't like it, but after a while I'm really happy with this phone. It really doesn't get enough credit for how good it is.
The battery life is good enough that I can use it for moderate-heavy use of texting and internet and still have 1/4 of the battery left at the end of the day. I haven't ever used the 4G though, and I imagine that would change things up.
I came a from a Hero, and the Shift is slightly thicker and taller. It feels pretty sturdy, similar to a Droid. If you're looking for iPhone aesthetic you might be disappointed here.
Not a big fan of the keyboard, or keyboards in general really, so I can't really judge this. I find myself using the on-screen KB most of the time, and it works great. If you're curious, the sliding mechanism is the same used in the Droid and not like the G2's snap out hinge. Definitely prefer this, as the keyboard usually stays shut.
As it happens I don't really like Sense either, but it seems to operate the same as it did on the Hero (and probably the Evo.) It's fast and the widgets are cool, so if you like Sense then I guess you'll really dig it. Myself, I'll take Launcher Pro any day.
The camera is really excellent for a phone. Pictures are taken as fast as an iPhone and saved to your SD before you know it. Image quality isn't amazing and the flash function is sorta just there, but this is to be expected.
I'm really happy with this phone. While I would have preferred a Shift without a keyboard, I'm not at all bothered.
I don't have the time to give a lot of info, but I was really surprised last night.
My phone had been unplugged for almost 24 hours, with average (working most of the day) not heavy as normal usage, and i still had 40% battery left.
Coming from the Moment, this phone is so amazing. And even after seeing how my girlfriend's rooted Evo works, it's still pretty amazing.
herbthehammer said:
Lol yup. Go to the store and play with one. Read the reviews online.
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I have gone to the store and played with it, I have had my mom check it out as well, she said it seemed ok, I thought it felt like crap, the slider was stiff, the screen didnt rotate to adjust for the keyboard being kicked out. I had these issues with it on 3 different display models at 2 different stores (one sprint store, one best buy), Which is why I asked the new shift community to chime in, if it was left up to my impression at the store, i would say the phone is a piece of **** that shouldn't be sold to consumers. However I doubt that is the case, and I wanted feedback from people who already own one.
Khilbron said:
I am looking at purchasing a Shift 4G for my mom to upgrade her from her POS blackberry. I currently have the Big Brother to the Shift (the Supersonic), and absolutely love it, I won't give it up for anything, but my mom would be more suited to an iPhone, however sprint doesn't have the iPhone, and I get a 23% discount through my job.
Could several people respond about the Shift please:
1. Average battery life (moderate usage)
2. Size and Feel of the phone for day to day use
3. How does the keyboard feel for texting
4. How smooth does this redesigned Sense OS feel
5. How well does the camera operate
6. Does the screen size feel ok if you use the touchscreen instead of the slideout KB.
I would prefer non-rooted people to respond to these since I won't be rooting her phone. I want to hear all responses both good, and bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you read anything in these forums at all? wtf
Khilbron said:
I have gone to the store and played with it, I have had my mom check it out as well, she said it seemed ok, I thought it felt like crap, the slider was stiff, the screen didnt rotate to adjust for the keyboard being kicked out. I had these issues with it on 3 different display models at 2 different stores (one sprint store, one best buy), Which is why I asked the new shift community to chime in, if it was left up to my impression at the store, i would say the phone is a piece of **** that shouldn't be sold to consumers. However I doubt that is the case, and I wanted feedback from people who already own one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the slider is stiff in the store probably due to the protective plastic still being around the keyboard. Otherwise it's very nice (except mine, which is really loose).
The screen rotates just fine when the keyboard is opened. It takes a half-second, but it rotates on all screens, except perhaps the facebook app.
I would actually say this phone is similar build quality to the evo, if not better. It's also the smaller form, which many people like. Not to mention the fact that it has more potential to be OC'd and if the dev's can figure it out, the potential to be a major powerhouse.
foxsdaddy67 said:
have you read anything in these forums at all? wtf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*sarcasm* No of course I haven't *sarcasm*, however I don't think you have, the first 7 pages of this 11 page subforum are filled with people complaining about broken hinges, bad sliders, charging problems, ect... which is why I put this thread up, I want to see the positive feedback, I want a reason to buy this phone as a gift for my mother. Generally the praise is left out of the forums, and the help me this is Borked takes over. I Love HTC phones, and as I am sitting I don't have a good reason to select this phone for her or go el cheapo and get her an optimus or an intercept.
First off, I think the EVO is a solid device...one of the few on Sprint.
I really like the EVO Shift better. It has a 2nd generation processor in it so it's slightly faster than the regular EVO w/being on a stock rom. I have not done it but heard it's a beast running the modified over clocked kernel.
Keyboard does get some getting used to, and I find myself using the on-screen keyboard for short text messages and the hardware keyboard on longer emails. HTC is know for durability and extended life (compared to other *cough* Kyocera) so I'm not too worried about the keyboard being extended.
I love to hate Sense UI...there are some features that are amazing and other's that just...well, yack.
The volume key's are always getting in my way, but I just have to "de-program" myself and get used to it. I've only had the Shift for a couple days, so I'll let my body catch up.
Did I mention how fast this device is? That is...even running stock!
I haven't heard it mentioned but I think the battery cover is a nuisance and feels cheap. If I had to do a sliding scale scoring on this device, without any industry experience, I would give it a 8/10 - from a consumer review
Mom, grandma, aunt, female cousin, sister, daughter, niece...when will the madness end? Boys and men, start buying these phones for yourselves!
foxsdaddy67 said:
have you read anything in these forums at all? wtf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I was thinking. Do some research for yourself.
powered by the tears of a million orphaned alpacas...
I've said it before and I will say it again. A decent android phone that wont break the bank or make you pay the extra ten bucks a month and for someone that isn't a power user is the LG optimus.
Yeah going from a moment to a shift is, form factor wise, about the same so there wouldn't be much to adjust to operating differently besides no cursor button.
Knowing what I do now, if I couldn't afford a top tier phone and monthly bill, I'd go with the little LG. People are giving it very good ratings on sprint's site.
With the screen not going landscape, maybe in screen settings it was turned off. Plus people probably install all kinds of crap on the display phones it bogs it down and lags terribly.
herbthehammer said:
I've said it before and I will say it again. A decent android phone that wont break the bank or make you pay the extra ten bucks a month and for someone that isn't a power user is the LG optimus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All new smartphone activations will have the $10 fee now, you might as well get a 4G phone.
Sent from my HTC Evo Shift 4G using the XDA app.
wardfan220 said:
All new smartphone activations will have the $10 fee now, you might as well get a 4G phone.
Sent from my HTC Evo Shift 4G using the XDA app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So regardless if the phone is 4g or not, they are gonna charge an extra ten bucks a month?
herbthehammer said:
So regardless if the phone is 4g or not, they are gonna charge an extra ten bucks a month?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. There is a post here about it somewhere. I'm in my phone so I don't have a link atm.
Sent from my HTC Evo Shift 4G using the XDA app.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/18/sprint-data-plan-fees_n_810279.html
^ Shift Faced
Picked one up Saturday at Wal Mart knowing I'll have 14 days without penalty to see if it knocks my socks off...
Guess what? It's Tuesday, and I'm back using my N1.
Ya, the Sensation has some nice eye candy and naturally evolved features built in that currently require 3rd party apps on the N1, but it just didn't have that "Wow" factor for me.
Makes me proud to have a Sexy Nexy. It may be rare (I've yet to see another), a few years old and not as big as some of the others, but she's still got life, my friends!
The encouraging part for me, is the fact, I've yet to have the balls too root. So there's still a lot to look forward too for me.
You know what I'm gonna miss most about the Sensation? IT'S GOT TEETER!!haha, I'm serious. I love that little game.
wow if you returned to the n1, and on top of that you have not even rooted your n1, then wait till you actually root this thing! it becomes an entirely new device with a good ROM on it.
It's nice, it just seems like a nexus 1.3.
I want the omg factor that the n1 gave me when I bought it.
The major leap forward.
I just sold my MT4G after getting it to replace my semi-broken N1. Back to using the N1
I sold it because I wanted to get the Sensation, but now I'm not so sure after reading this thread and others in the MT4G and Sensation forums.
What to do? I cant rotate my screen or use camera with my broken proximity sensor, camera and led. so i am hurting and would like a new phone.
What would you guys do?
I tried replacing my N1 a few times before (MT4G, G2x) but they didn't quite cut it. The Mt4G just wasn't... better enough. I went through multiple G2x and none of them worked right.
I grabbed the Sensation and I am entirely happy with it. No issues so far after 2 weeks, and it does everything my N1 could do and more. Minus rooted things, which I do really miss. If I could just get SetCPU on the Sensation like my N1 I'm sure I'd have amazing battery life.
I had the Sensation for about a week, but just returned it today. Each device had one minor issue, which was just enough for me to go back to the Nexus. The performance increase wasn't really there, either, though I'm sure once they have root that'll be fixed.
I was on the Atrix but now I'm back to the Nexus One. I love this phone and the trackball. Nothing else seems to cut it. It's like a bad drug habit. Can't seem to let it go. Lol
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA Premium App
jabreu203 said:
I was on the Atrix but now I'm back to the Nexus One. I love this phone and the trackball. Nothing else seems to cut it. It's like a bad drug habit. Can't seem to let it go. Lol
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, I wiped my atrix and it boot looped. Unfortunately I don't have a PC and couldn't sbf flash. I'm gonna sell it as soon as soon the n3 comes out. Nexus for life
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Thanks kitinas, downey, jabreu, chongdroid.
Kitinas: You give me hope for loving the sensation. I guess I got to feel it in my hands in store to see, and, decide if its worth the $$$.. it would be nice to have a working phone.
You other guys, have given me pause too. Atrix back to N1.. wow. I'm starting so see where you guys are coming from about wanting to go back to the n1 after selling this mt4g for a loss. Maybe it isnt too bad to buy a new N1 of ebay for $298 vs a more expensive phone.
......
Kitinas said:
I tried replacing my N1 a few times before (MT4G, G2x) but they didn't quite cut it. The Mt4G just wasn't... better enough. I went through multiple G2x and none of them worked right.
I grabbed the Sensation and I am entirely happy with it. No issues so far after 2 weeks, and it does everything my N1 could do and more. Minus rooted things, which I do really miss. If I could just get SetCPU on the Sensation like my N1 I'm sure I'd have amazing battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it have docking contacts?
I'm just patiently waiting for the N3.
DirkGently1 said:
Does it have docking contacts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, no external contacts, but it does automatically go into a dock mode in the car dock, from what I've heard. People have said it responds to magnets, but I haven't experienced it personally. I haven't picked up a car dock yet cause I really can't find a good place in my car to put it. Same issue I had with my N1's dock, lol.
Can you find a 'real' girl that has a ball on his body?
actually no. Nexus One is the only one that has a 'ball' on it.
err... i mean the track ball.
alisabki said:
Can you find a 'real' girl that has a ball on his body?
actually no. Nexus One is the only one that has a 'ball' on it.
err... i mean the track ball.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC Hero
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I have a G2x and love it. Running CM7.1 RC1 which was basically the same as what I was running on the Nexus One. The G2x does have some software bugs but CM7 fixed most of those.
Would I go back? Tough choice. I LOVED my N1. If I lost or killed my G2x and someone gave me a N1, I would use it without question and it would probably subdue me for a while.
The G2x is a pretty good upgrade from the N1. Tegra games are amazing and the touchscreen recognizes 10 inputs.
The trackball is missed when correcting typing but CM has a kernel based hack to light up our touch buttons for notifications.
I can see, using CM7 on N1 to CM7 on G2x, that the upgrade may seem dismal. I do, however, use the HDMI out and bluetooth gamepad for gaming.
If gaming isn't your thing then the Nexus One is still perfect.
Everyone who is returning the Sensation seems to not be giving any real tangible reasons for doing so. The OP lists not getting "wow'ed", but obviously that will always be subjective from person to person. downey_ryan had three devices each with a "minor issue" but won't list what they were.
For those of you downing on the Sensation, I challenge you to find some tangible reasons why the N1 is better than the Sensation. I'm not saying none exist; I just want to discuss them, rather than a "I hate the Sensation but won't say why" thread.
Anyway, a week and a half ago I sold my N1 and picked up a Sensation from Amazon. And you can tell by my signature, that this was NOT an easy decision! I've been a member of the XDA N1 community for quite some time
All throughout this time I have been absolutely dying for a larger screened phone (the Sensation is T-Mobile's first 4.3" Android), and the jump from 3.7" to 4.3" is already a HUGE enough reason for me to make the switch.
With the N1 having a larger bezel due to the trackball and HTC really minimizing the bezel on the Sensation, the total difference in pocketable device size is minimal. And compared to the benefit of such a larger screen, it is amazing. I can actually read a lot of text comfortably, and certain apps display a lot more content at once due to the qHD screen.
And this is not to mention the Sensation is even thinner than the N1 anyway. It's so thin and light that my coworker held it and said "You should put a case on it to protect it", and I already have a case on it (This one if anyone's interested.)
As I said, the screen size (and thinness, and lightness) is already a big enough reason but the lack of a trackball is actually quite nice. I thought I would miss it more, but the lack of a trackball makes the phone look sleeker, and makes it easier to put a screen protector on it to protect the entire face of the phone, buttons and all. Selecting text without a trackball is a bit more difficult, but the combination of Gingerbread's text selection tool and the qHD screen make it a non-issue. (And trackballs are a thing of the past anyway. Not a single new Android phone coming out has one, so it's best to used get used to not having one anyway.)
I admittedly missed trackball LED notifications for a few days. But then installed NoLED and instantly forgot all about them. It's much better because it displays notifications using the entire screen, which is more noticeable from far away (can configure to turn off via proximity sensor when in pockets etc to save battery), as well as repeated vibration/audio reminders (extremely helpful). If I had to switch back to the N1, I'd still use NoLED in a heartbeat.
Another huge issue is fixed as well, and that is that I can finally use multitouch everywhere without having the axes get flipped and sticking. And not to mention I can finally play all the games I couldn't play on my N1 with the much-increased processing power.
Sense 3.0 is very beautiful. Every person I've shown my phone to is instantly in awe in the first 5 seconds in just unlocking the screen, with the bouncing circle unlock and the carousel homescreen animations. I've had no issues at all so far with Sense, and I'm loving the Sense widgets, namely the photo album widget. I purchased LauncherPro Plus a long time ago, but I actually like Sense better so I have not yet had the need to use LP+ even though I paid money for it.
Speaking of paying, I sold my N1 for $200 (after the buyer's downward haggling) on Craigslist and bought the Sensation on wireless.amazon.com for $179, no tax, free shipping. So the cost was a no-brainer -- I actually made money
I would encourage everyone to make the switch. You would be surprised how fast the N1 sells on Craigslist. I literally posted in the morning, found a buyer hours later, and sold it right after work the same day. It's still a great device, and I probably could have gotten more for it (the buyer haggled down), but since I already profited from the switch and it sold so ridiculously fast, I didn't care too much.
Anyway, all in all, I am extremely satisfied with my upgrade. When the Hercules is finally announced (if ever!), I'll check into it , but for now I love my Sensation and the N1 before it. The funny thing is that I had a G1 before that. All three are HTC devices, so I guess no matter what device you pick, HTC has been good to me
Yeah. I love my Nexus.
1.5 years old and still keeping up with the big boys.
It'll be a while before anything really impresses us again. The fact is, the Nexus One was a well-thought-out device and includes most all of the features one needs in a very practical and elegant package. I don't want a bigger phone or another cpu core. 4G would have been enticing if the carriers didn't start capping the data plans and NFC will hopefully become accepted and I can quit carrying a wallet around, but until then I'm in love with this device.
One last thing, even with everything Google & HTC put into this phone, it wouldn't be half as great without the wonderful support from the community. Thanks guys!
I love my N1. I have a Defy, and a Desire HD also, but keep going back to the N1. Just the overall use, feel, and sexyness of it makes me want to use it. Plus it has the best call quality I have ever used. I like the Sensation's look/features. Reminds me of a bigger brother to the N1, but I just can't pull the trigger. My N1 does everything I need it to do, and I'm sure it can do a lot more, so no reason to stop using it. If anyone is looking for a new one here are some places to get one. All are T-Mo bands. The ebay ones are cheaper by a lot, but welectronics is a safe reliable place to buy. All are new in box. I bought an extra just to have. For $260 it's cheaper than my original insurance with $150 deductible and $10 a month payments over the life of the phone.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...55428&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2578wt_1141
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...51315&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_5490wt_1141
http://www.welectronics.com/gsm/HTC/HTC-GOOGLE-NEXUS-ONE.HTML
I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
devis said:
I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I moved away from a BlackBerry with a physical keyboard a few years ago, and then had to use one with a physical keyboard again, it usually makes ones thumbs hurt since on a screen you're tapping, on a physical keyboard you tap the button, but have to press down as well.
I'm interested in actually feeling what the Priv feels like, I don't think I'll be able to get it in my country for another month or so, but I thought the Priv might be heavy, BlackBerry phones usually feel heavier.
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget you can set keys as short cuts and the keyboard is capacitative so can be used like a limited track pad. Unique features for productivity.
And, of course, you do not even have to use the physical keyboard.
Im not sure how the Priv could be seen as slippery. I've played with a couple now, and also own a Z30 with the same back material. The glass weave is an extremely grippy material. I can hold my Z30 at probably a 60 or 75 degree angle with only three fingers flat on the back
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
oVeRdOsE. said:
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
devis said:
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always buy the unlocked version for a whopping $700 and return it, free of charge.
Since the keyboard looks mediocre at best, and that's the only reason I want this phone, I'll pass.
I'm getting the unlocked model and will use it on T-Mobile. I'm sure the keyboard leaves much to be desired but I'm sure this will be the " last of the Mohicans " as far as keyboard sliders go. Especially if it flops. It's been said marshmallow will come to the priv. So the only other chance could possibly be project Ara, but I haven't heard anything about that in quite some time.
I'm not surprised, to be honest at the price point there are far better Android devices out there. And I know may BB users are convinced it'll be a game changer but I'm not.
The starting price is insanez and the build quality isn't anything particularly good.
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard. Maybe if they got into Android few years earlier. How can they move on if they can't let go?
I've had mine for two days.... it runs REALLY hot. Just browsing, it gets warm instantly. Battery life is great when you're not actually using the thing. I lost something like 2 percent overnight. But as soon as you pick it up and start using it, it heats up a lot. I've been running android on my s5 for years so I know I don't have anything particularly nasty running in the background. I had a little reddit browse for half an hour in bed after waking up, and the battery went from 99 down to 85 in that short time.
The keyboard is good, but it lags. If you double type a letter, it doesn't keep up. Typing google gives me 'gole' sometimes, for example. Also, you can type from the home screen to universal search. However, because the process isn't killed upon exit, i search for 'google' the first time, and then later in the day i'm after 'spotify'. The problem is, the new search is 'googlespotify' which obviously brings up nothing.
There's also movement in the screen when the slider is closed, i can tap on the left half and feel the whole screen move.
Overall I think it could be a great phone but the software is very slow, and just very inefficient. Lags all over the place, and the physical keybaord just can't be missing inputs like that. I've got a few days left to decide if I can make it work. If not I will return it. It's too much money to be 'sort of happy'
Dejan92 said:
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
Picked this lovely device up last night, and have been putting it through its paces. Thus far, here is my analysis of things, which hopefully will answer some concerns users have had.
The heat/battery issue: I believe the causes here are largely related to apps, though reception may also be a factor. As noted in another thread, the core system apps in the phone do not immediately inform you that they require updating, and you will only know to update them by accessing the app's page on the Play Store. I've seen this with other Android 5.0 devices, though, so I suspect it might not be unique to the Priv. Once I updated all the core BB apps, the phone was significantly more stable and have had less heat and drain issues on that front.
I mention reception, as there appears to be a flaw with LTE reception. Whether it is hardware or software, I'm not certain, though I have a hard time believing it would be software, but when running the phone on LTE, I am lucky to get more than 1 bar of service anywhere in the city of Toronto, which has excellent coverage. My former device, the LG F3Q, was able to get 5 bars of LTE practically everywhere in the city, and most certainly did at my office. Right now, my Priv is seeing 0~1 bars of LTE coverage at the office. Forcing the phone to 4G/HSPA+ helps things a bit, I get 3-4 bars, but that's not really a solution. On crackberry, a lot of users are reporting the same problems with reception, so it appears to be a device-wide problem, and I'm certain BB will address it however they need to.
So, between those two factors, I believe that is the source of the heat/battery drain.
In terms of build quality otherwise, the phone is quite excellent. I don't understand the upset about the keyboard, I find it very excellent, and it's certainly more finger-friendly than pre-10 BB devices, which is all that I've used.
My only complaints on the build quality are somewhat minor nitpicks, such as placement of the power/volume buttons (I'd have preferred them reversed), the placement of the 3.5" jack (why the bottom?! even the holster case doesn't account for the placement!), and the size of the camera bezel. It sticks out so far that I'm slightly paranoid to set the device down on flat surfaces.
All-in-all, for me, this device is as close to perfection as I could have ever hoped in a device. Once the antenna problem is resolved (which I can't see not being resolved, otherwise it'll be a massive failure for the company), I'll be extremely satisfied. It may not be the device for everyone, but it is the device for me.
TPMJB said:
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Dejan92 said:
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've known people who claim they can do it, but I haven't seen it. I'm frequently on the go. I walk and text all the time. Walking and texting is such a problem that the last company I worked for would escort you off the campus for attempting it.
Meanwhile I'm looking straight ahead while doing it and don't understand it at all lol
schmandroid said:
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
oVeRdOsE. said:
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DZ had a 4 row keyboard, unlike the G1, which had a 5 row, so I consider that a step backwards.
The Priv also has a 4 row, so entering numerical data will require holding or double tapping a function key mid sentence.
Photon Q has 5 row.
Whether it is/was sold at a convenient store to you is irrelevant - with a sim mod, it is usable everywhere around the world. I guess you've missed out.
Compared to the G2/DZ, the PQ is a much more powerful & up to date device - if it wasn't, I wouldn't be using it.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app