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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Droid X field reports?
Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 2:35 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> So with all the iPhone4 antenna hoopla, the release of the DroidX has come and gone with little buzz here at SS.
I am a ATT user coming off a severly beaten up CrackBerry 8310 that might as well be useless online it is so archaic. My contract is up next week and I am very seriously considering the DroidX on the VZW system.
I got to hold one last week at the VZW store and the screen is amazing!! I like the idea of the Android OS and thought the GUI was fine. The DroidX is about the same up front cost as going with something from ATT and then the monthly fees are negligbly different. So my decision is going to come down to hardware.
Any DroidX users out there that have any thing good, bad, or indifferent to say about it? |
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Max Gersh, Photographer, Photo Editor
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New Castle | IN | USA | Posted: 3:07 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> While I have not used the Droid X, I read a review over at Gizmodo that essentially said the amazing piece of hardware was being crippled by Motorola's preloaded software.
http://gizmodo.com/5587225/motorola-droid-x-review
I have the Droid Incredible and it is nothing short of its name. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington/Normal | IL | United States | Posted: 3:11 PM on 07.28.10 |
| ->> Wow, my VZW account shows the X and the Incredible not even shipping till the end of next week - 8/3 and 8/4... |
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Larry Lawson, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 3:57 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> If you're content with the eFuse tech that can turn it into an expensive paperweight if the bootloader fails, and you completely dissemble motoblur, and don't try to mod the phone, and can get past the clutter... I'm not a fan.
But I guess right now you either have deal with the iPhone antennae disaster, or wait for an Incredible (supply issues, I guess), or get the X if you want the latest greatest sexy tech that's available. I'm with Max in voting for the Incredible if I were to switch. My lil mytouch 3g works great. But when the contract expires, I know it'll be time to move on. |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 4:33 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> The VZW store here has both DroidX and Incredibles in stock so I am not sure what is up Alan. Now... they are getting only a few DroidX sets every week or two so the trickle is tiny. I could have walked out of the store with the DroidX that I handled if I had wanted to. The salesman said he'd sell it to me right then - "first come first serve."
The Incredible and X are the same price for the phone so I was leaning towards to the X only cause it is bigger. I may come to hate the size later but I have big hands so it does not feel overwhelming. It fits in my pocket nicely and it has an aftermarket hardshell plastic case that seems to provide pretty beefy protection.
Max I read that review and it was written in such a tone that I cannot really tell if that guy was trying to prove a point, be funny, or actually review something. Plus Gizmodo tends to be more for the types that really want to trick out the phone with all kinds of arcane hacks and ROMS. From my reading, MotoBlur has been really dialed back on the X compared to earlier phones and it is reportedly quite easy to diminish or remove if you do not like it.
I have another week almost to ponder this change. I have scoured the web for reviews but there's nothing like finding someone who has "really used" the phone for a period of time rather than just unwrapped it and done some online review. |
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Robert Boag, Student/Intern, Photo Editor
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Harrisonburg | VA | US | Posted: 7:27 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> I just got the Droid X last night. I have had a lot of experiences with the iphone and mac system and this is the first time I have really tried out an android phone. I will now list what I consider (as a mid-level tech nerd) the pros and cons.
Pros.
1.Awesome screen- video looks great, havent tried out the photos yet.
2.Call/Sound quality is really amazing. It is not something usually pay attention to much (ironicall) but the call quality and sound quality when talking or playing music is pretty amazing.
3. Very Fast. I have had no speed issues at all when it comes to the phone itself and the network. I have been able to be listening to pandora, download apps, use the navigation and check email with no slowdowns or glitches.
4. Navigation. One of the main reasons i got this phone was for its built in turn by turn directions it is really accurate and very good.
5. Widgets. Unlike the iphone which really doesnt have on screen apps able to run the with the droid x I can have my calendar, weather, sports scores, and top contacts all on one of the main screens and very accessible
6. Swype. The new way to type, it is amazing simply move your finger across the keyboard and it will write out the word for you. Very fast, very accurate, saves a ton of time.
Cons.
1. Big. Without a case it is actually a pretty sleek phone. Once you pop the case on though it does get a little on the big side.
2. Apps. The applications are definitely not as robust or as high of quality as the Apple store but I think this will change as more and more people begin to use android phones.
3. Repetition. Because the hardware is motorola but the software is google there is some repetetion in the software that is slightly annoying. For example motorola has built in a social networking widget that added all my facebook contacts to my phone contacts. By simply turning this widget off and downloading the facebook app for droid the problem has been solved.
4. Multimedia. One thing that definitely hurts the droid x is the multimedia sync. Because apple created itunes to not sync with other devices it does take some maneuvering to get your music, photos, podcasts, etc onto your droid x. I found a program called doubletwist which has helped but it is definitely not as seamless as the iphone/itunes combo.
I am no techie but I hope this helps feel free to email me with any questions. I know i have left plenty of things out that I wanted to mention. So far I really like the Droid x and it definitely has some amazing features that you can't get on the Iphone but of course also has some drawbacks. If you use google email, calendars, and contacts the value of the device definitely goes up, as it syncs amazingly with these products.
Robert |
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Robert Boag, Student/Intern, Photo Editor
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Harrisonburg | VA | US | Posted: 7:29 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> **I apologize for the typos I was ironically using my ipod touch not my droid to write this out
Boag |
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Eric Neitzel, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Ventura | CA | USA | Posted: 7:41 PM on 07.28.10 |
->> @Larry
I have the Droid X and my phone is rooted already...the eFuse thing turned out to be a big non-event. My previous Droid was heavily modded...wifi hotspot, Android 2.2, custom roms, overclocked CPU, ect...
I was really upset I wouldnt be able to do that with this phone but its totally easy.
http://gizmodo.com/5598894/droid-x-gets-one+click-rooting-app
As for me, I have had most every major Verizon smartphone that has been released in the last two years and this is my favorite. It took a day or two to get used to the touchscreen instead of a physical keyboard but the speed, screen, ninja blur and everything else makes it amazing. Its the first time I have been completely happy with a smartphone. (The BB Tour came close but lacked the apps and web interface) |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 4:15 AM on 07.29.10 |
->> I've had my Droid X since launch day on the 15th and I absolutely love it. I upgraded from a VERY SLOW BlackBerry Storm that I had to take the battery out of about 4+ times a day -- all I saw was that stupid spinning clock and I waited for everything. I couldn't multi task if my life would have depended on it.
Anyway, I am so happy now. The X is the best phone I've ever had and I wasn't going to wait any longer on the Verizon iPhone.
I've had fun for the last two weeks figuring out the apps.
My current screen setups:
Screen 1 - sports - Pro Baseball, Live Scores, Sporting News Pro Football
Screen 2 - shopping/travel - bar code scanner, coupons, calculator, OurGrocery, TripMaster
Screen 3 - games - Word Drop, Spider Solitaire, Andoku, Bubble Breaker, Balldroppings (very cool)
Screen 4 (main) - email, browser, facebook, twitter, textmsgs, awesome drop
Screen 5 - Best Sellers, political apps .. Congress
Screen 6 - Camcorder, Camera, music, photo gallery
Screen 7 - Newspapers, NPR news, Fox news, Pandora, Overdrive(downloads of books from library), iHeartRadio, Scanner Radio - police scanners, FM radio
As far as apps go, I'm extremely happy with what I have so far. I've never had an iPhone and I couldn't use any apps on the bb (had to delete most to be able to use the phone) so with nothing to judge against the 70,000 + - available apps for the Android, anything I get now is a winner.
My absolute favorites so far are:
Baseball Pro - live updates of baseball games in progress + box & play by play - My top FAVORITE so far
I heart radio - love listening to stations from everywhere
Awesome drop - drag & drop files to transfer from mac to phone
OurGrocery - shopping lists
ColorNote -
Compass -
Google Sky - Identifies the stars from your current location. Very cool.
Robert Boag, I didn't like doubletwist either check out Awesome Drop http://tinyurl.com/297h2a3
Harrison, I really think you will love this phone. It's definitely worth a try. Especially after fighting with a Crackberry.
All this plus the promised speed boost with 2.2 coming out soon: http://tinyurl.com/2c69jj5
And I haven't even had time yet to check out the video or the turn by turn, talk to me, GPS. :-)
~D. |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 4:19 AM on 07.29.10 |
->> Oh, yes. It also has 8GB onboard (compared to 1GB, if that much, on the BB) plus a 16GB card (upgradable to 32GB)
The camera isn't too bad either at 8mpx. |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 8:08 AM on 07.29.10 |
->> Robert / Diana -
Thanks. That's just what I needed. I was about 95% sure that I was going with the X and now I am absolutely certain. My sister has the Incredible and while it is very good and she likes it very much, I think that for the same price it makes good sense to go with the X.
Now I just have to wait till 8/3 when my old contract with ATT on my CrackBerry expires. So if all goes well, I'll be a X user by late next week - assuming that there are Droid X unit to be had here next week. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 8:47 AM on 07.29.10 |
->> OK, you guys almost sold me. One thing. I have a Netbook I "tether" to by Blackberry with Tetherberry. For what it is, it works well. Can any of the Droid phones do this and give your Netbook wireless functionality?
If so, it might be bye-bye time for my Crackberry. |
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Stephen Brashear, Photographer, Assistant
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Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 9:11 AM on 07.29.10 |
| ->> Scott - There are several programs that allow you to tether an Android phone to your computer. I use PDA Net (http://www.junefabrics.com/android/index.php), which works well. I used it the other day to transmit images to a client. |
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Jonathan Castner, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 10:43 AM on 07.29.10 |
| ->> I'd suggest you get a Nexus One. I've had mine for a few months and have nothing bad to say about it at all. We have had Android 2.2 for over two months and the native tethering and wifi hotspot is superb. Rock solid. |
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Larry Lawson, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 1:04 PM on 07.29.10 |
->> PDAnet is wonderful - if you can get a signal naturally :) One hiccup was when they upgraded the software and as I didn't know they had, it wouldn't connect. I spent 15 minutes getting it all good on the phone and the laptop, and I was back in business. Good thing I tried it at home before I went on a shoot! As I'm on a really tight budget, this saves me aircard costs.
As for Google Sky - that is one cool app. Pandora is pretty good too. I still haven't found a good music player for my droid (using Meridan currently - which is better than other's I found on the Market), but I sync the phone with iTunes on my desktop and it's pretty good. |
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Robert Boag, Student/Intern, Photo Editor
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Harrisonburg | VA | US | Posted: 3:46 PM on 07.29.10 |
->> @Dianna Russell
You were right..awesome drop is...awesome. Thanks for the suggestion |
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Stanley Leary, Photographer
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Roswell | GA | USA | Posted: 5:04 PM on 07.29.10 |
->> Love mine! I have had it since it was introduced.
Waiting for the upgrade coming soon to see Flash on websites. |
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Robert Boag, Student/Intern, Photo Editor
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Harrisonburg | VA | US | Posted: 1:49 AM on 07.30.10 |
| ->> This is a stretch but i swear i just missed out on something. If you have the droid x if you could try and type ac/dc using swype during a text i accidentally typed it and a message popped up saying something about a hidden word...but i accidentally got rid of the pop up before i could read it. So if someone else could try it and let me know what it said.. curiosity is killing me |
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David Welker, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 2:51 PM on 07.30.10 |
| ->> I have had a droid x since the release date (7/15) and I switched from a blackberry Storm v1. So far, all I can say is that it blows every phone I have had so far out of the water and in my mind it could only get better with the future release of the new android 2.2. The apps are great, many are free, and able to customize the droid x like non other. Each screen is selected for whatever I desire. While it is a big phone, I have no problem with its size when making phone calls or texting. In fact, texting on this phone is much more comfortable to me than the Iphone. dunno why, just is. It is a great phone and the rebate on it is not too bad either. |
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Robert Irvin, Photographer
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| NJ | USA | Posted: 11:36 PM on 07.30.10 |
->> Couple of my friends are using an app called TiKL on their Droid phones. PTT like the Sprint phones used to do.
Bob |
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Jeff Napier, Photographer
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Brush Prairie | WA | USA | Posted: 12:33 AM on 08.02.10 |
->> I had to wait till the 21st for my contract to reup with Verizon would have gotten the X sooner but one week was not to long to wait. I was told it would ship on the 8/3 but received it 7/27.
Coming from a version 1 Storm this phone is awesome and like others have said it will only get better.
Robert pretty much summed it up quite nicely, I have not got to the media (movies, music) portion as of yet so not sure there.
The speed and flexibility of this phone are nothing short of awesome in my opinion.
Not quite ready to root yet but I do intend to soon so I can use Wi-Fi tether for events and running CC’s no more bogus CC numbers after the fact…hopefully.
Had a chance to finally start organizing and plying with some of the included apps. The turn by turn and voice reorganization works great.
Best phone I have ever owned with no problems so far with the OS or unwanted apps that will be removed shortly. |
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Mark Perlstein, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 12:03 PM on 08.07.10 |
| ->> I would like to hear other favorite apps for the android phones. And is there anything like PDA.net for the Mac? |
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Stephen Brashear, Photographer, Assistant
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Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 1:35 PM on 08.07.10 |
| ->> Mark - PDA Net does work with the Mac. I tether my Incredible to my MacBook Pro using PDA Net. |
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Wesley R. Bush, Photographer
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Nashville | TN | U.S. | Posted: 2:03 PM on 08.07.10 |
| ->> PDAnet is free for 14 days. After that, it's 18 bucks. (According to my brother.) |
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Matthew Sauk, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | United States | Posted: 3:59 AM on 08.08.10 |
| ->> Pretty sure there are free stuff out there if you need to tether. |
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Mark Perlstein, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 8:50 AM on 08.08.10 |
| ->> Thanks for the replies. I see that PDA.net now supports Mac. |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 9:16 PM on 09.12.10 |
->> Finally got my my X last week and I am still trying to get a handle on it and getting it customized the way I like it. It is an amazing piece of hardware so far.
I am having an issue with txts though that I thought I would toss out there in case any of the Droid X fans had heard of it or seen a fix. I have googled it extensively and I am not alone in this situation. But there seems to be no hard and fast fix.
Sometimes and so far it appears randomly an outgoing txt will not send and I get a "txt mesage not sent" error msg. It retries to send several times so I get this mesg repeatedly I have tried every possible permutation for sending that I can think of. The problem started on the onboard msg interface and my google searches revealed that the HandCent app could fix it - but I am still having the issue with multiple apps. I plan on getting by the VZW store next week but thought I'd toss it out here at SS. Eric, you seem pretty knowledgable ont he droid x - have you ever heard of anything like this.
Other than this glitch, the DroidX is fantastic! |
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David Seelig, Photographer
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Hailey | ID | USA | Posted: 12:56 AM on 09.13.10 |
| ->> One facebook friend of mine who is a photographer hates it with a passion. Says it is a terrible phone. Not getting calls dropped calls the whole gmaut of problems |
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Randy Abrams, Photographer
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Bath | NY | US | Posted: 7:17 AM on 09.13.10 |
| ->> Do any of you actually carry the X on your belt? I saw one the other day and it is large. I have the Incredible now and can't imagine having something larger on my belt. I don't like my phone to be in my pocket. My wife's phone needs an upgrade and I thought about giving her the Incredible and I'd get an X, but I can't past the size. I would definitely have some sort of case on it as well. Question for those that have it, do you use the Wireless Hotspot? That adds another $20 to your plan right? |
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Tim Hynds, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Sioux City | IA | USA | Posted: 4:43 PM on 09.13.10 |
->> The wireless hotspot works like a charm, and yes, it does add $20 to your monthly bill.
I keep the X in my pocket and have had no issues, I use the car cradle when driving. The built-in turn-by-turn (voice guided) GPS works like a charm.
I'm SO glad I ditched my Storm V1.0 to get this phone. |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 8:37 PM on 09.13.10 |
->> I've never had a problem with outgoing or incoming texts. I'm sure they will be able to help out a the store. That would be my suggestion, to let them look at it.
There could just be a problem with the way it was set up. I think there are probably several different ways to send a text with this phone so that makes it harder to figure out if it's something you're doing or if it's the phone.
They set mine up in the store and everything has been fine. I love the phone.
Good luck.
Dianna |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 8:39 PM on 09.13.10 |
->> I've never had a problem with outgoing or incoming texts. I'm sure they will be able to help out at the store. That would be my suggestion, to let them look at it.
There could just be a problem with the way it was set up. I think there are probably several different ways to send a text with this phone so that makes it harder to figure out if it's something you're doing or if it's the phone.
They set mine up in the store and everything has been fine. I love the phone.
Good luck.
Dianna |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 1:38 AM on 09.14.10 |
->> When I went to the Android system I got an LG Ally.... It's a piece of crap!! Not enough internal memory and it would constantly go into Vapor Lock!! I upgraded to the Incredible and It's great!! Superb Internal Memory and overall a great improvement over the Ally. Phone reception is great and coupled with VZW service, it's a winner overall!!
The Speck One Piece Case is great too, but it only comes in Black/Orange and the Orange rubber soft part gets dirty really fast!! |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 7:54 AM on 09.14.10 |
->> I've been using a Droid X for a month and it's definitely the best overall smart phone I've ever owned. Reception is excellent, sound quality is amazing, and the screen is gorgeous. You get spoiled on the large bright screen...makes an iPhone4 look tiny by comparison.
The larger size doesn't really bother me. I did a lot of comparing with the iPhone4 before going with this phone. Reception issues aside, I like the form and functionality the larger size gets you. It's thin - which means it can slide into a pocket really easily. Even though the Droid X is slightly heavier, it feels better in your pocket. The iPhone feels like a lump, whereas the Droid X just lies flat against you. The screen is also fairly scratch-resistant - I accidentally colocated my keys and phone in the same pocket and it came away unscathed (don't try this at home!).
Fast, fast, fast. Really perky phone. Can't wait for 2.2 to make it even faster.
The camera is really nice in good light, so-so in low light (of course). Video mode is easy and fun.
If you happen to work for a company that uses Microsoft Exchange, you will like this phone. Before if you wanted to access an exchange server with a security certificate, it was problematic. This phone fixes the problem. It works perfectly with Exchange Server, so you don't have to spend $20 for Touchdown unless you just want the added functionality.
Pitfalls? The battery life is a challenge with that big screen - you really need to turn off things you're not using to get the battery to last as long as possible. Fortunately there are a bunch of great apps out there to help.
Verizon has started down the crapware road...there are several permanent apps installed that you can't get rid of unless you root the phone. It's easy enough to work around the crap, but it's annoying.
The integrated inbox application would be great if it included everything, but it doesn't. Some email services aren't integrated, so what's the point? I still use the individual apps.
Overall I really like this phone. It's definitely the best Android phone on the market. I looked really hard at an iPhone4 before going with the Droid X. Would I have made the same choice if the iPhone was on Verizon? Probably so...even if it was an iPhone4 with a fixed antenna. I just like the thin form factor and huge screen of the Droid X. |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 7:55 AM on 09.14.10 |
->> I got a nice Body Glove rubberized hard case that clam-shells around the phone along with the static cling clear screen protectors. This system works well and while the X is a bit larger with the case the protection it offers and then rubbery non-slip grip is well worth it.
The Droid is a GREAT phone - one of the best I have ever had. My issues are network related that more than likely has to do with rural area I live in and the extended network I am perpetually in.
I keep the droid in a pocket - either pants or shirt front - with no real issues. It is a LARGE phone, but once I have gotten deeper into using it, I really like the size and they way that let's me interact with it.
Still... I love this fone. |
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Scott Serio, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Colora | MD | USA | Posted: 11:44 PM on 09.19.10 |
->> Back to the tether v wireless hotspot conversation. I like the hotspot function thought, but the extra $20 a month FOREVER just irks me.
My crackberry is due for a replacement and the Droid seems like the only upgrade. is there a way to enable the Droid X/2 as the hotspot through software? If not, and I go with PDA.net, what will the difference in speed be.
I am not sure the upgrade in speed will warrant the extra money a month.
Thanks... |
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Matthew Sauk, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | United States | Posted: 11:49 PM on 09.19.10 |
->> you can always just get the hot spot service for the time you need it. It is 20 dollars a month, but from what I was told at verizon there is no charge to activate of disconnect the service.
So if you need it for 1 day it will cost a dollar or less. |
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Jabin Botsford, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Knoxville | TN | United States | Posted: 9:10 AM on 09.22.10 |
| ->> Version 2.2 froyo was just released for the droid x. Finally flash is supported. |
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Grant Blankenship, Photographer
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Macon | GA | USA | Posted: 11:38 AM on 09.29.10 |
->> FWIW....
I just discovered today that you don't even need PDAnet to do the Bluetooth DUN set up between a Mac (I'm on 10.5) and the Droid X.
Just go through the normal pairing scenario on the Mac end. It will find the internet services as a part of the process. Keep all the things like make and model generic. You don't need to specify a boilerplate number to dial, either.
Once paired, you should be able to find the DroidX in the Bluetooth menu in the bar top right. Connect to Network should be an option. |
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Paul W Gillespie, Photographer
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Annapolis | MD | USA | Posted: 10:28 PM on 02.22.11 |
->> Just picked up a Droid X for me and one for the wife. I know that it is late in the phones product cycle, but we are coming from 5 year old flip phones and I got a great deal on the pair at Costco, 59 dollars each. I could not see paying 500 bucks for two of the newer droids hitting the market in the next few months, that and having to wait for them.
Since it has been some time since the last post, what have all my fellow Droid X'ers learned, besides the tips already mentioned. What are the must have apps? I am looking at PDAnet to connect my laptop to the net. What is the best way to get my music into it from Itunes.
Thanks
PWG |
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Dianna Russell, Photographer
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Springfield | MO | USA | Posted: 3:55 AM on 02.23.11 |
->> Paul, Awesome Drop is the best one that I've found. I've not gone from iTunes to the X, but I've moved the music from my mac hard drive to the X.
http://labs.dashwire.com/drop/android |
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Harrison Shull, Photographer
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Fayetteville, WV | Asheville, NC | | Posted: 8:53 AM on 02.23.11 |
->> Paul - welcome aboard, you wil love the X. Below are some of the apps that I have found useful.
Handcent - texting (better than resident Motorola app)
K9 Email - email (manages 4 accounts)- (better than resident Motorola app)
AK Notepad - password protected notepad to hold all kinds of info
Pandora - Nuff said...
RealCalc - scientific calculator
BatteryLife - monitors battery life, temp, and charge rate
Flashlight - more useful than you might think
Stopwatch - X does not come with up/down timer so this app is very handy!!
Lookout Security - locate phone online, lock or wipe phone online, trigger a siren online so you can find phone if lost in your home, backup, and more... Check it out at their website.
Taskiller - absolutely essential to keep the X running smoothly and not eating to much juice |
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