Droid X Vs. Incredible

[makewayhomer]

it's too bad that Motorola took a beautiful piece of hardware that would have made for an awesome phone w/ stock Android, and made it worse. arghhghggh

 

[rushmore]

Gizmodo did a review of the Droid X today. It wasn't exactly glowing...


Gizmodo's Droid X Review


Basically comes down to HTC's Sense vs. Moto's Blur. Sense wins. Blur is apparently such a drag as to ruin the whole device, in this reviewer's eyes.

I sensed a bit of a iPhone bias, though.

This review is so bad in execution and so unhidden in it's bias that I must wonder if part of their being forgiven by Apple is to slam any competition in reviews.

Still, I agree that Sense or plain Android would be much better.

 

[rushmore]

just switched this morning

love the size of the x, love the screen

but the 3g is brutally awful compared to the incredible

never read anything about that in a review, i almost wonder if i got a dud

My tests showed them to be about the same. Bars show better signal for the X, but the dBm levels are close to same. Inc's bar and signal correlation sucks.

 

[makewayhomer]

This review is so bad in execution and so unhidden in it's bias that I must wonder if part of their being forgiven by Apple is to slam any competition in reviews.

Still, I agree that Sense or plain Android would be much better.

wat? their reviews of other recent phones, like the DINC, have been great.

and the DINC came out AFTER the Iphone theft/arrest/etc

Gizmodo has posted PLENTY of pro Android news and anti Iphone news, especially wrt the antenna issue in the past couple of weeks. You can't just read every article and assume it's biased unless it reads exactly as you want it to.

 

[rushmore]

My company has an X that they are testing out and I got to spend a little quality time with it. I see alot of people on here saying the X is going to run cooler and have better reception. At my office we have pretty bad VZW service. The X was showing the same exact bars as my Inc. The X also dropped down to 1x data while I was using it while my Inc stayed on 3G. I was browsing some pages and the X was getting very hot at the bottom where the processor is, so Im not sure about it running cooler than comparable phones. The bottons on the bottom are also not of the highest quality. They have a very cheap feel when you click them. The X also seeemed a bit laggy to me. When zooming in and out of web pages there was a lot of stuttering and the text wrap feature was very sketchy. Sometimes it would resize the text and sometimes not. Its also very big. The kinda big you dont appreciate until you actually pick up the phone. When holding to your head for a phone call its akin to holding a paperback book. Yeah, its big.

Overall, I dont see the performance upgrade in the slightest. the Inc is lightening fast in everything it does. Just saying is all.

Correct. Adequate heat dissipation is key, but hard to do with small devices like this. Should be little to no difference with this and Snap in regards to heat. The key thing that helps the TI chip is the better power management the OMAP provides. This helps to offset for the huge LCD display.

 

[rushmore]

wat? their reviews of other recent phones, like the DINC, have been great.

and the DINC came out AFTER the Iphone theft/arrest/etc

Gizmodo has posted PLENTY of pro Android news and anti Iphone news, especially wrt the antenna issue. You can't just read every article and assume it's biased unless it reads exactly as you want it to.

Hey, I own an Inc (not an X). Different people post their reviews. This one writes like an Apple plant (seed). I have tested the X out and did not see the issues mentioned in the review, but agree Sense is better than Moto's solution for an interface.

Still surprised the signal reception is not any better than the Inc, especially after Moto touted the "antenna array" on the X.

 

[sontaikle]

Hey, I own an Inc (not an X). Different people post their reviews. This one writes like an Apple plant (seed). I have tested the X out and did not see the issues mentioned in the review, but agree Sense is better than Moto's solution for an interface.

Still surprised the signal reception is not any better than the Inc, especially after Moto touted the "antenna array" on the X.

I agree; their X review read as if the reviewer went in with low expectations of the phone, and while overly positive, the Incredible review wasn't much better.

A lot of them are apple fanboys I'm sure, and this is coming from an (admittedly not insane) apple fangirl.

 

[makewayhomer]

I agree; their X review read as if the reviewer went in with low expectations of the phone, and while overly positive, the Incredible review wasn't much better.

A lot of them are apple fanboys I'm sure, and this is coming from an (admittedly not insane) apple fangirl.

seriously?

here are some excerpts from the DINC Gizmodo review

this is the best Android phone you can buy on Verizon, which, at the very least, makes it the best smartphone you can buy on Verizon. It's also possibly the best Android phone you can buy in the US for now

and the takeaway from the Droid X review

All things considered, it's a showstopping phone whose potential is mutilated by ill-considered, ugly software that's poorly done.

if you think the DINC review isn't a lot better, I want what your smoking

 

[makewayhomer]

Hey, I own an Inc (not an X). Different people post their reviews. This one writes like an Apple plant (seed). I have tested the X out and did not see the issues mentioned in the review, but agree Sense is better than Moto's solution for an interface.
.

my sense is that you would think anything negative said about Android has to be coming from Apple. you seem just as biased as they are.

look, the Engadget review has the same complaints, and the poster above has them as well. plenty of people say the UI sucks and Moto did a horrendous job

Engadget:

At a quick glance, the new skin -- Blur 2.1, or whatever you want to call it -- is cleaner, prettier, and just generally more modern than the skin it replaces, but that doesn't mean it's good. In fact, it feels as though Motorola heard and just completely misinterpreted the complaints about Blur to begin with, spending its energy making it less obvious that Blur is running without actually addressing any of its fundamental problems.

I guess they are Apple plants too

 

[FrozenIpaq]

One thing I will say about Gizmodo: They don't like the Android OS very much, even evident in the Droid Inc. review. However, all the points they brought up about the Droid X are true and very important points. The software is a mess. I too had problems with the Droid X's double-click camera button - not a fan of it at least.

I put forth all my impressions on the previous page. Sadly I agree with Gizmodo on this one.

 

[sontaikle]

seriously?

here are some excerpts from the DINC Gizmodo review



and the takeaway from the Droid X review



if you think the DINC review isn't a lot better, I want what your smoking

I'm not talking about the actual end result of the review (the phone is good, the phone sucks, etc.) but the quality of the review itself. It's been some time since I read the Incredible review, but I do remember that battery life was simply skipped over, with a brief mention that it wasn't good. Most reviewers spend time going over what they did, how many hours they got from the phone's battery, etc.

I've got the impression from Gizmodo that they simply don't put the effort into their android phone reviews that other tech-blogs do. It's one of the reasons why I don't really read Gizmodo anymore and I use a variety of (other) sources to determine what tech I want to get (which everyone should do anyway).

 

[makewayhomer]

I'm not talking about the actual end result of the review (the phone is good, the phone sucks, etc.) but the quality of the review itself. It's been some time since I read the Incredible review, but I do remember that battery life was simply skipped over, with a brief mention that it wasn't good. Most reviewers spend time going over what they did, how many hours they got from the phone's battery, etc.

I've got the impression from Gizmodo that they simply don't put the effort into their android phone reviews that other tech-blogs do. It's one of the reasons why I don't really read Gizmodo anymore and I use a variety of (other) sources to determine what tech I want to get (which everyone should do anyway).

Gizmodo reviews tend to be short, yes, but they also have lots of similar ones out there. for instance, they don't go into a full Sense review on the DINC review b/c they already had on very similar phone and don't want to repeat themselves

and reviews will continue to get shorter and shorter as more people get more used to Android - you aren't going to get a full OS review each time b/c people know whats in there, besides the custom UI and the effect is has on performance and usability

 

[teufeltexan]

Spent about 2 hours this morning with both my Inc and a brand new X side by side.

DISCLAIMER - THIS IS PURELY A SAMPLE OF ONE! (But it's the one of each that I had, so that's what I've got to go off of...). I'm not a tech blogger or industry researcher, just a dude with a couple of phones in hand with the freedom to pick whichever suits ME best...

Signal Strength - Exactly equal. They were within 1-2 db of one another both in a strong signal location (-61 to -64) and a weak signal area (-95 to -99).

Screen Clarity - watched a few HD trailers via youtube simultaneously, side by side... (Avatar in particular looks incredible). The X obviously wins on size, but the colors/vibrancy were outstanding on the Inc. Text clarity seemed to be a wash, honestly. BOTH were fantastic! But I was really impressed with the deep blues of the Inc versus the washed out pale blues on the X. The explosions/fires were on par with the differences between watching my 720p HDTV versus my 1080i.

Speed - This perplexes me. The X was stock outta the box, had a little lag/choppyness when switching screens, etc. My Inc has a full load of installed apps and widgets, all running with GDE on top of it. Was smoother/faster both on screen scrolling and opening of apps (to include network apps such as Youtube and the market, as well as on board apps such as Robodefense once we installed it). The X just didn't seem to take as full advantage of the hardware in terms of speed.

3G - While both phones were sitting within 2 foot of one another, the Inc's 3g network speeds were MUCH faster. Streaming a high def youtube vid, for example, would require me to pause it on the Inc for as much as 5-7 seconds in order to let the X catch up so that we could compare them simultaneously. On 2 different vids (Avatar trailer and a random trunk monkey video), the X would pause to buffer. Only an instant, but it was there...

Size - Wow, the numbers don't really represent the size difference. The X felt HUGE! Even with my Inc sporting a 2150 battery, it was far sleeker and much easier to handle/navigate one handed.

My personal impression - despite my wife considering getting an X and trading me for my Inc, NO JOY! Ain't gonna happen. I was seriously considering this based on my love for multimedia and the size of the X's display, but you couldn't pay me to switch at this point.

I don't expect this to change anyone else's opinion. I'll freely admit that I had a bit of X envy going on in the lead-up to release - but I've got none at all left now as far as the actual device. My only real dismay is for our lack of accessories.

 

[sontaikle]

Gizmodo reviews tend to be short, yes, but they also have lots of similar ones out there. for instance, they don't go into a full Sense review on the DINC review b/c they already had on very similar phone and don't want to repeat themselves

and reviews will continue to get shorter and shorter as more people get more used to Android - you aren't going to get a full OS review each time b/c people know whats in there, besides the custom UI

Even if people are used to Android, they're going to look for details on battery life, camera, the speed of the phone, etc. That's what Gizmodo is fairly short on and that's what really counts to many people

 

[owlmatt]

I also played with the X today for a bit and one other thing is making it hard for me to switch besides the loss of sense. I usually get whatever is the newest phone.

Has anyone else noticed how much better the predictive text is on the stock android keyboard vs the x? I'm sure someone will port the evo keyboard over, but for me I enjoyed typing on INC much better and not for accuracy of touch but for the ease and more correct error fixing of the typos on my INC.

I actually made less typos on the X, but the INC correctly changed the words better making the whole process much faster.

Just my thoughts.

 

[makewayhomer]

Maybe Gizmodo is sipping the Apple Kool Aid, maybe they aren't

I guess this is the part that really gets me. anybody who has seen their constant, non stop coverage of the Iphone antenna problem and how bad it is couldn't possibly think that gizmodo is biased towards Apple. here are just links that they posted today

Apple's Brewing Shitstorm


Download iOS 4.0.1 Now: It "Improves" the iPhone's Bar Signal Display


Woz's iPhone 4 Antenna Solution: Double Fisting


US Senator Hammers iPhone 4 Antenna Problem In Letter to Steve Jobs


Top Apple Engineer Warned Jobs About iPhone 4 Antenna Problems

 

[jamor]

I guess this is the part that really gets me. anybody who has seen their constant, non stop coverage of the Iphone antenna problem and how bad it is couldn't possibly think that gizmodo is biased towards Apple.

Very true. Especially after the Gizmodo vs Apple scandal - and Apple threatening to sue and take action..

They aren't exactly friends right now.

 

[njperry]

In-store impressions: I have had the Incredible since release day and have to admit, I was getting a little bit of Droid X envy. However, after stopping in the Verizon store today I can say I am very very happy with keeping my Dinc (as if I had a choice at this point). The X is just too big for me to pick up one-handed and maneuver to the right links or side buttons etc. Also, I shot a video on both phones and I think the Incredible's looked much sharper and colorful. Also, I really saw how much of a difference HTC's Sense UI makes - I love it. Could I get used to the X's UI? Sure, but it just left me feeling like something was missing. Someone who's never had Sense probably wouldn't care.

Anyway, just my impression, thought I'd share.

 

[Ovy]

Hey, I own an Inc (not an X). Different people post their reviews. This one writes like an Apple plant (seed). I have tested the X out and did not see the issues mentioned in the review, but agree Sense is better than Moto's solution for an interface.

Still surprised the signal reception is not any better than the Inc, especially after Moto touted the "antenna array" on the X.

Oh, let's not get conspiratorial now. He may have a bit of an iPhone bias, but he's no seed. He did, however, do a poor job of delineating between Moto Blur and android proper.

 

[Bladefish]

I just went to a Verizon store and checked out the X. Yes it is big and flat. I would be afraid that it would snap in half if I put it in my front pants pocket. I wasn't very impressed with it, other than the massive screen size. Another thing that I don't like is the lack of a trackball. I have the Eris and use the trackball more than the touchscreen. The X was just confusing to me. Admittedly, I could probably get used to it. The Eris was a big learning curve for me, too.

Then I picked up the Inc and it just felt right. I guess it was more familiar, with Sense and a trackball. And since the rumor is that the Inc will get 720p and Froyo, it just makes more sense for me.

 

[Reverence]

Also tried out the X today at the store...in which when I got there at 2pm they only had 2 left in stock, lol. Anyway, a quick overview of my thoughts:

- The phone was definitely large, but I wouldn't say it would be too large for my liking to be honest. The bigger screen is a nice addition to the actually hardware aspect of the phone, alongside the dedicated camera button.
-I tested both the X's speaker and the speaker on the Dinc and the X's seemed to be a little bit clearer, but not by much, but I couldn't do a really accurate test because it was sort of loud.
- In my opinion the software is what really ruined it for me. The motorola based interface just isn't as sleek as the Sense UI and was laggy as all hell for me in comparison to the Dinc.
- Alongside the motorola software, the only other negative for me were the physical buttons. I think it is partially because I've gotten use to the simple touch buttons on the Dinc that actually having to press the physical buttons while scrolling through screens on the X just wasn't as convenient, especially with the rocker style.

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be sticking with my Dinc rather than switching over to the X. However, my brother in law is suppose to be getting the X so once he does I will try and do a more in depth comparison of he even lets me near it, lol.

 

[sta7ic]

So my gf and I went to the verizon store to check out the droid x, first off they're already sold out.
Second, I did not feel any buyers remorse for having bought the incredible.
The droid x is HUGE. Like GIGANTIC. It was nice having that huge screen, but just going to unlock it I had to "shift" the phone down in my hands to even get up to the unlock button, which i don't have to do on the incredible. There aren't many pockets I could see putting this phone in.

One other thing i noticed, maybe it was all the apps running, but it is not as smooth as the incredible is. Biggest place this showed was in scrolling through the apps menu.

In terms of screen quality, the screen is much larger, but it is not as bright nor as detailed as the incredible's screen. This is probably due to the resolution being the same but the screen being bigger.

Now in terms of advantages, build quality is definitely one. It feels a little more solid for sure. But the phone is so big I'd be scared to death I'd break it like a saltine cracker.

Just my take on a first impression. They are sold out in most stores in my area already which is an awesome thing for the platform and verizon. Lot of people coming in saying they were picking between the X and the Iphone 4, but because of the IP4's reception issues, and the fact its not on verizon they were leaning towards the X.

Just wanted to let everyone know what someone's first impressions were.

 

[freddyttt]

also looked at the X today(I have till sat. to trade in my Dinc) although-, as of now Im sticking with the Dinc. other then the screen size there was nothing i liked better on the X. the screen was not as (WOW) as the Dinc(colors) the whole user experience i guess that would be sence UI is just so much better on the Dinc. not to mention the Dinc works well texting with one hand.

 

[SirensOfTitan]

Droid X actually self-destructs if you try to mod it

I'm not sure if this was mentioned (I didn't feel like scrolling through the thread), but the Droid-X apparently has a software component that will fully brick the phone if the bootloader is tampered with.

This fact alone completely eliminates the Droid X from the competition for me.

 

[Bladefish]

Another thing to think about is the battery life. The Incredible actually has less battery life than the original Moto Droid. The battery life of the X is a big draw. Even if you get the extended battery for the Inc, it adds quite a bit of extra thickness. Although, I could not find any specs on the extended battery life for the Inc.