What are your current thoughts on this phone?

[bebbles]

Previous Android users only!

After having the phone for a couple weeks; I have to say Im very disappointed. The phone is like a Jack of all trades that is master to none.

The phone has a lot of features, but they are faulty. The physical keyboard is nice, but has sticky key issues and is generally uncomfortable to use. The GPS is shoddy and from my 5+ Android, 4+ Blackberry phones I have never had such a problem with GPS! The camera is amazing quality, but the coloring is off. The speaker is loud, but when its set to the loudest volume it will get staticky. The phone in general is slow, once you leave an app or load the camera; theres a couple seconds of lag. No single email icon to link all non gmail to.

Im not trying to be a debbie downer - but just wondering if anyone is in the same boat I am. I mean, its not a horrible phone but seeing it have problems that other Android phones have worked out long ago sucks. And in case some of you have 'perfect' phones; I have 3 D3 in my household and a handful of my friends have the phone and we all experience the same issues for the most part.

 

[kishin14]

Previous Android users only!

After having the phone for a couple weeks; I have to say Im very disappointed. The phone is like a Jack of all trades that is master to none.

The phone has a lot of features, but they are faulty. The physical keyboard is nice, but has sticky key issues and is generally uncomfortable to use. The GPS is shoddy and from my 5+ Android, 4+ Blackberry phones I have never had such a problem with GPS! The camera is amazing quality, but the coloring is off. The speaker is loud, but when its set to the loudest volume it will get staticky. The phone in general is slow, once you leave an app or load the camera; theres a couple seconds of lag. No single email icon to link all non gmail to.

Im not trying to be a debbie downer - but just wondering if anyone is in the same boat I am. I mean, its not a horrible phone but seeing it have problems that other Android phones have worked out long ago sucks. And in case some of you have 'perfect' phones; I have 3 D3 in my household and a handful of my friends have the phone and we all experience the same issues for the most part.

The only issues I agree with you on is the GPS location. It sucks compared to my previous phone, the droid X. This is probably my biggest gripe. I also agree with the lag and redraw when coming out of the camera app, but that's really the only time I experience app lag. it really seems specific to the camera app.

I have no problems with the speaker quality, but I really don't use it that often. As for the keyboard, call me a convert. Initially, that was the thing that turned me off to the phone the most (before purchase that is). Coming from the DX, which doesn't have one, I thought I'd never use it and all it would do for me was add extra bulk. But after using it for over a month, I love the keyboard. I really like being able to see the entire web page when I need to type something in it, which I could never do with my DX. Heck, I can't even do that on my Xoom. And I've found the arrow keys very helpful for fixing typos.

I also would not say the phone is slow. Maybe compared to the newer dual core phones that are coming out, but it's miles faster than my DX. I noticed it everywhere, when opening apps and loading games, installing apps, switching between apps. This phone can also software decode 720p videos, which was something that my DX could never do without significant lag. Btw, I don't use the stock launcher. I use Go Launcher EX with 5 home screens with widgets on all of them and the phone runs smooth.

All in all, I'm satisfied with my decision to get this phone. But I'm saying this while taking into consideration the circumstances in which I got the phone. I wanted to wait for the bionic, vigor or prime but my wife's phone broke last month forcing her to upgrade earlier than I wanted her too. The plan was for me to take her upgrade and for her to take my DX. At the time, there really wasn't a lot of choices for me to upgrade too. It was down to the D3 or the Incredible 2. I chose the D3 because of its dual core processor, and much higher internal memory.

If I had upgraded strictly out of choice (and not need), I could see myself being disappointed, especially with so many potentially great devices just around the corner. Nevertheless, I think I'll be happy with this phone until my upgrade comes alone next March.

 

[bebbles]

Great input!

I had to switch because I upgraded my moms phone for her (her phone broke) and the D3 had the buy one get one free going on; so I just upgraded mine. Your POV is right, my mom upgraded out of necessity and is overall happy.. I upgraded because the opportunity to pay tax only on the phone and am disappointed.

Let us know what you end up getting March!

 

[rushmore]

Listen to me now and believe me later. All Android and iOS devices have some form of lag issue. Even my non telephone iPod4 has lag issues. Ditto for the iPad2. It has to do with the data bus, cache and ram, plus the inherent latency of activity, which still has some form of "line waiting" for operation.

Every device to date that I have used has issues and I have tested a LOT of devices. If your quest is a lag free device, it aint here yet.

 

[bebbles]

Nothing is lag free, I definitely know that. However; the lag on this is longer and more frequent than my Galaxy, Incredible or Revolution.

 

[Frisco]

It's too heavy. When it's in my front shirt pocket, my shirt sags on that side and I look like I got dressed in too big of a hurry or something.

 

[oaklane]

I too had to upgrade from Droid 1, dropped it and cracked the screen. So I went back to my HTC droid eris and it couldnt handle what I was use to putting the droid 1 through. We upgraded and got the bogo. My husband's is still almost like it was. I love it. It's fast. I haven't had any issues with the keyboard, but I don't use it either, or the gps. Only just recently when I unlock my phone, the picture on the desktop disappears and only the apps at the bottom show till I hit the back arrow. It doesn't happen all the time. I'm not sure if it's something I need to be concerned about or if it's launcher pro.

 

[Hoosiermama]

I upgraded from the D1 and got the phone just after it came out, sight unseen. Personally, I love it. I've been using Go Launcher and have no lags. Then again, my D1 lagged so badly that this phone has seemed like heaven.

I did try the GPS last week, and it was bad, but I'm hoping the soon-to-come update will correct that. I have a GPS standalone in my car, so I really don't use the GPS that much on the phone. I get the blue camera tint, but i download the photos to the computer and edit them there. I think the tint is supposed to be fixed with the update.

All in all, I love the phone and can see this being my phone for a long time.

 

[rushmore]

Nothing is lag free, I definitely know that. However; the lag on this is longer and more frequent than my Galaxy, Incredible or Revolution.

I had the Incredible for 18 months with stock and stripped down roms. The D3 I am using is a lot faster then the Inc was. Also used the Revolution. Gaming is a lot faster than the Rev.

Still, whatever makes you happy


The issue I have is the Smurf camera flash on the D3. How did they not notice this?

I still think a North Carolina fan was the camera dev.....

 

[bebbles]

It's too heavy. When it's in my front shirt pocket, my shirt sags on that side and I look like I got dressed in too big of a hurry or something.

LMAO! Best post yet!

I dont mind it being large; actually makes it easier for me to find in my purse! The longer I have the phone though, the more I wish it didnt have a keyboard. I guess thats just because I had Blackberries and this board is nowhere close to the comfiness of a BB. =T

I just think if the phone was slightly quicker to load camera, no blue tint, desktop resets within a second of leaving an app and had accurate GPS - it would be a near perfect phone. I dont think Im asking for much when so many other phones perform these functions seamlessly.

 

[Hoosiermama]

The issue I have is the Smurf camera flash on the D3. How did they not notice this?

I still think a North Carolina fan was the camera dev.....

*snicker* Thanks for the laugh! I too, wonder how they didn't notice this issue, and wonder if there was a rush to get the phone out in the wild. But then they didn't promote the thing much, either.

 

[Knitewulf]

Well its definitely the master of the keyboard considering it is the best keyboard out there and coming from the OG Droid I absolutely love it and have no problems with sticky buttons.

The lag occurs on all android phones and considering that this is one of the fastest 3g phones out there its definitely not as bad.

GPS works fine for me and all my ROMs run smoothly.

If I had the chance to take this phone back to Verizon and get any phone I wanted I would still choose the Droid 3.

 

[redsox985]

I really do like the phone...other than the camera. The deciding factor for me to upgrade from my DX to the D3 was the FFC and 1080 video. I liked the slender DX but I'm now a keyboard lover. Idk how I went without before. I guess having a Dare conditioned me. Anyways, I get hot spots wothmy camera sometimes, but do get smurf-erizer with the flash on white surfaces. Here's the hot spotting...

I sent this to a friend to confirm I was correct on this test where I was marked wrong but it shows the red spot. You can see my annotations. It's going back tomorrow.

 

[HadouGhost]

every phone will have problems. some different than others.

i love the phone. think its great. perfect screen size, keyboard, great camera (when the blue tint is gone), and i actually like motorolas new applications platform (thats right son, i called it by its actual name. its not motoblur anymore ya damn hippies!).

I would be a hypocrite if i said ''stop demanding perfection and deal with it'' because im extremely anal about my smartphones. i wont accept most dust under the glass or dead pixels. has to have proper feeling buttons and not have an extremely wack accelerometer.

that being said, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

 

[Amaroth]

The "dual-core" has really been letting me down. I dont have that many apps installed. I mean not more than any normal person i don't think. But lately I have been seeing some rather slow and sluggish behavior. Its almost like the same as my old phone which was a DROIDX. Just switching between apps, loading on the browser, hitting home etc.. I'm almost wishing the galaxy s II came out in july

 

[rushmore]

I really do like the phone...other than the camera. The deciding factor for me to upgrade from my DX to the D3 was the FFC and 1080 video. I liked the slender DX but I'm now a keyboard lover. Idk how I went without before. I guess having a Dare conditioned me. Anyways, I get hot spots wothmy camera sometimes, but do get smurf-erizer with the flash on white surfaces. Here's the hot spotting...

I sent this to a friend to confirm I was correct on this test where I was marked wrong but it shows the red spot. You can see my annotations. It's going back tomorrow.

Hey, you have troubles in trig too? I spent four years in the Marines before going to college, so was REALLY rusty (made it in class, but rough start). Still, the beer made it fun

Added:

I miss my "innocent" undergrad college days.... Still got beer though

 

[Fetch Questman]

Overall I'm very pleased.

I love the keyboard, but I wish it had more of a snap out, snap in action like my G1 has.

The battery life and the speed of the phone has been good, but I mostly use it for workie stuff.

The one thing that would make me not want this for my personal phone is the display. It looks... i don't know... cheap. It seems to have a blueish hue all the time. And when I turn it off and set it down I can see some sort of checkerboard. The displays on my G2x and iPad are beautiful in comparison.

Motoblur is nice but I prefer vanilla Andoird.

 

[rushmore]

*snicker* Thanks for the laugh! I too, wonder how they didn't notice this issue, and wonder if there was a rush to get the phone out in the wild. But then they didn't promote the thing much, either.

I would rather have a Smurf/Tarheel flash effect than other stuff being bad, but the blue is not my kind of blue Go Cats!

Still, the D3 is the best phone I have owned.

 

[HadouGhost]

Let me also say this..

everyone will find something to complain about on every phone.

Thats the way it is.

 

[bebbles]

Let me also say this..

everyone will find something to complain about on every phone.

Thats the way it is.

This is true. But thats why Im trying to get opinions on this phone from former android users to compare it to other AOS thats been used. Its a good phone, but I just think it falls flat for the standard that is out there now. That being said, I do think 99% of the problems can and will be fixed with updates as we go along....

 

[HadouGhost]

This is true. But thats why Im trying to get opinions on this phone from former android users to compare it to other AOS thats been used. Its a good phone, but I just think it falls flat for the standard that is out there now. That being said, I do think 99% of the problems can and will be fixed with updates as we go along....

Really? what ''standard'' are you speaking of?

it has a 4inch screen, it has a dualcore processor and it has a front facing camera. from there everything is just slight differences. type of lcd screen / user interface / what type of issues each phone has

I really dont understand how it falls flat of the standard. plus in antutu its slightly and i mean ever so slightly below the optimus 2x making it the 3rd fastest phone in that benchmark. the D3 is also faster than the evo 3d, G2X, and a few other dualcores out there. its also just as fast as the bionic, photon, and a few other phones.

 

[bebbles]

What it has....... What its supposed to do....... all differ from real usage. Hence why this thread was created. For people to post their real conclusions on the phone, good OR bad.

Yes its supposed to be fast blah blah blah whatnot. But from MY experience, having come from 6+ Android phones that never had any GPS issues, some of them opening/running/closing apps faster, not having color issues on camera etc.... it falls short. (But then again, people coming from other Android phones love the D3, thats fine too!)

If you want me to mention how the phone is great, sure I can do that too. The camera clarity surpasses any Ive had. It has good signal, it starts up super quick... I think its a good phone overall.

Also noting that some people have no gps issues; im just trying to get some opinions since we all have different interactions with the phone and every phone is unique. I want to know how my experience is against other peoples. Youre having a great time with your D3, and I wish I could be as happy as you!

 

[HadouGhost]

hang tight for the ota, im sure that will fix some things for you.

also, custom roms are right around the corner.

you sound pleased over all with the D3 but im seeing that you seem most dissapointed with the dualcore processor or at the very least the thought that it would have increaed snappyness to stuff.

 

[TyrannoTaurus]

Pre-leaked update I was annoyed with the short battery life and blue tinted pics. Post-update I couldn't be any happier with my phone. I never had any crazy problems with mine though. The keyboard has always worked perfectly and so has the GPS. Coming from a Droid 1, I feel that my phone is insanely fast. I don't mind occasional micro-second stutters or slow down. It's a computer that fits in my pocket. It's gonna happen. Here's a video to put it in perspective, lol.

Louis CK: Everything is amazing right now and nobody is happy - YouTube

 

[bebbles]

hang tight for the ota, im sure that will fix some things for you.

also, custom roms are right around the corner.

you sound pleased over all with the D3 but im seeing that you seem most dissapointed with the dualcore processor or at the very least the thought that it would have increaed snappyness to stuff.

Yes, you are right... I think after the Fascinate, Revolution and Incredible; it would have been noticeably faster. Maybe its just my phone *sigh*

And I am enjoying the phone... I meant I was disappointed for what I expected from the phone but for a phone, its great. I shall dream of the OTA tonight.

Did you root yours or are you planning to?

Tyranno: You know whats funny? Everytime I think about ranting about my phone, I think of that Louis skit! LOL! -_- ; Damn you for posting it!