tips for picking a new phone(like the droid x2)

[rvarn1]

Hello,
I am currently using a Motorola (Huawei) Triumph on Virgin Mobile... not happy with the coverage or with the phone. I was considering buying the DROID X2 because I can use it on Page Plus, and because it's tech specs are great (dual core, qHD, 8mp cam). Does any current owner wish that they had chosen another phone? At all? what's the ROM your using to make your phone better? any tips are welcome...
thanks!

 

[Deleted User]

I've had mine since late May/early June and am quite satisfied with the phone. Though it is not LTE, it is still quite responsive, decent battery life, good voice quality. It does all the things like spreadsheets, attached pdf's, and syncs flawlessly will all google products. Motorola has updated the system to operate better, so a satisfied customer here. Plan on keeping this device for awhile. Hope this helps.

 

[rvarn1]

I've had mine since late May/early June and am quite satisfied with the phone. Though it is not LTE, it is still quite responsive, decent battery life, good voice quality. It does all the things like spreadsheets, attached pdf's, and syncs flawlessly will all google products. Motorola has updated the system to operate better, so a satisfied customer here. Plan on keeping this device for awhile. Hope this helps.

thanks, it does help out! are you running any custom rom or just the stock 2.3.x?
Thanks.

 

[Deleted User]

Just stock 2.3.4. Since the last gingerbread update, things are running even smoother than before. I have not had a single random reboot, nor does music skip, and the camera takes beautiful pictures with no shutter lag. Good battery life, tho I do have an extended battery which lasts a good 24 hrs, no task managers, and the Motoblur is actually quite nice. Can't prove it, but I think a lot of problems are caused by custom roms and tinkering with what already is a good system. Also, a lot of people have no need to simply post the good things, just the negatives.

 

[bolski]

Just to let you know: if you want to install CM7 as a custom ROM, you won't be able to.

The bootloader is locked, so you are limited to the types of custom ROMs you can install.

You can root it, if you need to though and there is a hack out there that allows you to boot into recovery mode to install ROMs with the exception of CM7.

 

[rvarn1]

Just stock 2.3.4. Since the last gingerbread update, things are running even smoother than before. I have not had a single random reboot, nor does music skip, and the camera takes beautiful pictures with no shutter lag. Good battery life, tho I do have an extended battery which lasts a good 24 hrs, no task managers, and the Motoblur is actually quite nice. Can't prove it, but I think a lot of problems are caused by custom roms and tinkering with what already is a good system. Also, a lot of people have no need to simply post the good things, just the negatives.

Thanks... I'm mainly concerned with speed, screen size, and an all day battery. Couldn't care less if it lasts 2 days, I charge my phone at 9 pm anyway... Glad to hear an actual user is satisfied...

 

[rvarn1]

Just to let you know: if you want to install CM7 as a custom ROM, you won't be able to.

The bootloader is locked, so you are limited to the types of custom ROMs you can install.

You can root it, if you need to though and there is a hack out there that allows you to boot into recovery mode to install ROMs with the exception of CM7.

That sucks... If, however, I root... bye bye VZW bloatware that i will not be using on Pageplus anyway. thanks for the concise "it won't do non stock based roms" thing... it helps me decide.

 

[Frisco]

I'll add my voice to those very happy with the X2.

Rooted (used D3 method and noted in the ATR sub-forum). Running GoEx. Pared dozens of junk apps out using Root Explorer.

This phone was fast prior to my root work on it, but now is just about instant on all menu, screen and app/widget changes. I'm very happy with it and have no intention of replacing it as I thought I might when this or that New Monster Phone comes out.

Verizon is my carrier, and has always been first class in the town where I live. Towers everywhere and store service just fine in the few times I've been in there.

 

[rvarn1]

I'll add my voice to those very happy with the X2.

Rooted (used D3 method and noted in the ATR sub-forum). Running GoEx. Pared dozens of junk apps out using Root Explorer.

This phone was fast prior to my root work on it, but now is just about instant on all menu, screen and app/widget changes. I'm very happy with it and have no intention of replacing it as I thought I might when this or that New Monster Phone comes out.

Verizon is my carrier, and has always been first class in the town where I live. Towers everywhere and store service just fine in the few times I've been in there.

Thanks! fast before, instant later? sounds good to me! Considering these phones are only like $200 of contract, and that it sounds better than my Triumph...I don't know if you know, but Page Plus is a Verizon MVNO, so their coverage is great also. Thanks for all of the opinions y'all.

 

[Frisco]

Downside in online reviews are no 4G (not relevant to me at all) and no front facing camera (only used it once on my Droid 3).

There is a longer list of upsides. One thing I noticed right away was the quick shut down. Then the fast battery charge (about an hour to 100% starting at about 35% after 18 hours of use).

All Androids have poor battery life, of course. Lots of computer in a small device. But rooting and getting rid of junk apps/widgets and their associated services does wonders.

I do not install ROMs. I see no need, as I can tweak the thing myself with launchers and, as I say, Root Explorer. The kernel is fine, etc.

 

[rvarn1]

Downside in online reviews are no 4G (not relevant to me at all) and no front facing camera (only used it once on my Droid 3).

There is a longer list of upsides. One thing I noticed right away was the quick shut down. Then the fast battery charge (about an hour to 100% starting at about 35% after 18 hours of use).

All Androids have poor battery life, of course. Lots of computer in a small device. But rooting and getting rid of junk apps/widgets and their associated services does wonders.

I do not install ROMs. I see no need, as I can tweak the thing myself with launchers and, as I say, Root Explorer. The kernel is fine, etc.

Is no 4G really a minus?? In my area, people have no idea what that even is.... not even relevant. I though I would use the Front facing cam on my current phone more than I would... but I've used it 3 times total in like 3 months. Like I said... my phone only needs to last from like 7 AM to around 9 PM, so... fast battery charge? sounds like a beautiful thing to me. Yeah, after mucking around with CM7, I can see where Gingerbread is nice, however, if a device already has it installed, no need for a ROM. Sounds like an overall good phone. I'm just checking every option before jumping.

 

[Frisco]

Good for you. I like to see people fish around for thoughts on devices before purchase. Between doing that and being sure to spend time playing with the phones you're considering in the store, you're quite likely to be happy with what you end up with.

 

[coolpoete]

yes, I echo Frisco's last words there. For me I came from a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone which the OS sucked really badly. You HAD to customize it and add a different ROM for it to work halfway decent. It was very frustrating. I have also been with Verizon for awhile now so I'm grandfathered into the unlimited data plan and probably plan to stick with them for awhile. Knowing that I am comfortable tinkering with phones and my technical level of expertise I chose Android over the iphone. I almost bought the Thunderbolt but I started to see how much battery life they were having and I thought that I wouldn't want to go back into a situation where I would have to tinker with it just for it to work decent.

Research is best. If you are buying on contract consider that you may have to stick with the phone for 2 years, or pay more for a new phone sooner than later, so to me it's at least a 2-year investment. Originally I wanted to wait for the Bionic but I ran out of patience thinking that they would not have fixed the battery issues. Now it's Verizon's best 4G phone at the moment. The longer you wait the better models come out that you can compare with what you would also consider, and those other phones may become cheaper in lieu of newer phones coming out.

Also consider that low-end cheaper phones tend not to keep a support track in terms of the carrier offering updates. I have been hearing whispers that some Gingerbread phones will get an Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) update. It's still too early to speculate on the droid x2 though.

Also, check out the XDA-Developers forums thread. It is a great place to gage the community developers forum and what phones continue to get ROM updates and which ones don't. I learned the hard way that with the Windows Mobile 6.5 devices the HTC Touch Pro 2 had a whole heap of support as compared to the HTC Imagio, which were virtually the same device except for the keyboard. Had I chosen the Touch Pro 2 I would have enjoyed the benefits of tons and tons of great ROMs.. and Android ROMs but again, I digress. See which phones get the most attention and which ones don't and which ones people have a lot of problems with.

 

[rvarn1]

yes, I echo Frisco's last words there. For me I came from a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone which the OS sucked really badly. You HAD to customize it and add a different ROM for it to work halfway decent. It was very frustrating. I have also been with Verizon for awhile now so I'm grandfathered into the unlimited data plan and probably plan to stick with them for awhile. Knowing that I am comfortable tinkering with phones and my technical level of expertise I chose Android over the iphone. I almost bought the Thunderbolt but I started to see how much battery life they were having and I thought that I wouldn't want to go back into a situation where I would have to tinker with it just for it to work decent.

Research is best. If you are buying on contract consider that you may have to stick with the phone for 2 years, or pay more for a new phone sooner than later, so to me it's at least a 2-year investment. Originally I wanted to wait for the Bionic but I ran out of patience thinking that they would not have fixed the battery issues. Now it's Verizon's best 4G phone at the moment. The longer you wait the better models come out that you can compare with what you would also consider, and those other phones may become cheaper in lieu of newer phones coming out.

Also consider that low-end cheaper phones tend not to keep a support track in terms of the carrier offering updates. I have been hearing whispers that some Gingerbread phones will get an Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) update. It's still too early to speculate on the droid x2 though.

Also, check out the XDA-Developers forums thread. It is a great place to gage the community developers forum and what phones continue to get ROM updates and which ones don't. I learned the hard way that with the Windows Mobile 6.5 devices the HTC Touch Pro 2 had a whole heap of support as compared to the HTC Imagio, which were virtually the same device except for the keyboard. Had I chosen the Touch Pro 2 I would have enjoyed the benefits of tons and tons of great ROMs.. and Android ROMs but again, I digress. See which phones get the most attention and which ones don't and which ones people have a lot of problems with.

Thanks everyone... helpful advice! ^^^^