Okay, so I signed up for a T-Mobile contract here in the UK the other day, and the free phone on the contract was going to be a Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. I didn't want this, so I bought a used HTC HD2, and planned to sell the Neo in brand new condition.
But I got a call from T-Mobile today telling me that the Neo has been discontinued, and that they could offer me a Motorola Atrix instead for the same price.
So basically, the HD2 arrives tomorrow, and the Atrix arrives on Monday, but I'm not sure which to keep. I was looking forward to trying out WP7 on the HD2, along with various different Android versions, and being able to compare them all. But at the same time, the Atrix gives me a faster CPU and GPU, more RAM, more internal storage, a higher resolution (but smaller) display, and other cool things. 4G doesn't make a difference since I don't think there are any 4G networks in the UK right now.
Anyway, how easy is it to root and flash custom ROMs with the Atrix (UK version, just called the Atrix instead of the Atrix 4G, if that makes a difference)? I'd quite like to just run a version of Gingerbread as close to stock as possible, because Moto Blur doesn't look great. Also, are there Sense ROMs for the Atrix?
What would you pick - the more flexible HD2 with the slightly larger screen (I love typing on my dad's Galaxy SII, one of the reasons I went for the HD2) or the faster and newer Atrix?
Thanks
As much as I respect and favor the HD2 (and HTC in general), I would have to go with the Atrix. Rooting the Atrix is pretty simple. See here: http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-root-motorola-atrix-4g-on-android-2-3-4-hktw/ . It's still your decision on which device you want. If you still want to experiment, then go with the HD2. If you want a faster device (like for gaming purposes [although the HD2 does play games pretty well]), then go for the Atrix.
Theonew said:
As much as I respect and favor the HD2 (and HTC in general), I would have to go with the Atrix. Rooting the Atrix is pretty simple. See here: http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-root-motorola-atrix-4g-on-android-2-3-4-hktw/ . It's still your decision on which device you want. If you still want to experiment, then go with the HD2. If you want a faster device (like for gaming purposes [although the HD2 does play games pretty well]), then go for the Atrix.
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Click to collapse
Hm, it's proving a really difficult decision to make. Of course, I could just sell both the phones and buy something else.
Are there decent ROMs available for the Atrix which provide a more stock Android experience? Also, does it matter that it's not the US AT&T Atrix 4G and rather the UK/European Atrix model? Not sure if that makes a difference with this phone.
Thanks for your reply
It does matter if it's the USA/UK version for roms. It's said that all roms made for the UK Orange Atrix can work for the UK T-mobile one. You could try this rom: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1242721 .
Theonew said:
It does matter if it's the USA/UK version for roms. It's said that all roms made for the UK Orange Atrix can work for the UK T-mobile one. You could try this rom: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1242721 .
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Click to collapse
Oh man, sometimes Android development seems so complicated. It took my a lot of reading to understand everything I needed to know about my G1. Seeing as I've got to make a fairly prompt decision, is there any chance you could summarise it a bit? I know the information will be available elsewhere on the forums but I don't have much time to read it.
What I'm really looking for is a fairly unmodified version of Gingerbread, with pretty much everything working (doubt I'll use the fingerprint scanner though LOL). But I want WiFi, 3G, GPS, the camera, etc. working. The dock functions aren't a biggie either.
Anyway, is there a simple, fairly basic ROM out there that would work for my UK version? Because I found this for the HD2 and I thought it looked awesome.
Thanks
I don't know of any like that for the Atrix. The HD2 has far more roms than the Atrix, with many more customizations, etc. Looks like this could make your choice easier .
Theonew said:
I don't know of any like that for the Atrix. The HD2 has far more roms than the Atrix, with many more customizations, etc. Looks like this could make your choice easier .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm. I should be getting the HD2 tomorrow, and since it's already used I won't have an issue with opening it up and playing around with it over the weekend. So I guess I can form an opinion over the weekend about that, and if I decide that I'd have no use for the extra features of the Atrix, I can sell it once it arrives.
What about this though? Not sure if it would be AT&T only.
EDIT: Wait, that's not actually Gingerbread. Damn.
ellisbodds said:
Hm. I should be getting the HD2 tomorrow, and since it's already used I won't have an issue with opening it up and playing around with it over the weekend. So I guess I can form an opinion over the weekend about that, and if I decide that I'd have no use for the extra features of the Atrix, I can sell it once it arrives.
What about this though? Not sure if it would be AT&T only.
EDIT: Wait, that's not actually Gingerbread. Damn.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got an HD2 used last week for an amazing price. I wanted to try out WP7's Mango release but not lose my data plan by putting my SIM into an AT&T branded device (which happened once and I got fixed).
WP7 works VERY well on the HD2, with the exceptions of extremely poor battery life and that WP7 hijacks the SD card and renders it unusable for other future uses. There is an app that can be sideloaded that will release the SD card though.
Anyway, I played with WP7 for bit and fell in love with it. I couldn't handle the short battery life (tried all of the tricks), so I freed up my SD card and installed CM7's latest Gingerbread 2.3.6. It works fantastically, and with decent battery life.
Where I'm going with this? The HD2 is not an AT&T device. If you have a TMO HD2 and want to unlock it for use on AT&T, you will not be able to use 3G. The two carriers operate on different UMTS bandwidths. That's a bummer.
So, keep that in mind about the HD2. If you don't get a model (non TMOU-US) that has the right 3G bands, you'll miss out on high speed data.
I'm in the process of putting HD2 up for sale and am going to try to get my hands on an ATRIX that I can root and tether with at 4G speeds.
anseio said:
CM7's latest Gingerbread 2.3.6.
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Click to collapse
Gingerbread 2.3.6 is not the latest.
Theonew said:
Gingerbread 2.3.6 is not the latest.
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Click to collapse
I didn't say that it was, I said that it was CM7's latest. I did just find a 2.3.7 though, but can't seem to find any CM7 that's higher than that. Am I looking the wrong areas?
anseio said:
I didn't say that it was, I said that it was CM7's latest. I did just find a 2.3.7 though, but can't seem to find any CM7 that's higher than that. Am I looking the wrong areas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=933951 .
anseio said:
I got an HD2 used last week for an amazing price. I wanted to try out WP7's Mango release but not lose my data plan by putting my SIM into an AT&T branded device (which happened once and I got fixed).
WP7 works VERY well on the HD2, with the exceptions of extremely poor battery life and that WP7 hijacks the SD card and renders it unusable for other future uses. There is an app that can be sideloaded that will release the SD card though.
Anyway, I played with WP7 for bit and fell in love with it. I couldn't handle the short battery life (tried all of the tricks), so I freed up my SD card and installed CM7's latest Gingerbread 2.3.6. It works fantastically, and with decent battery life.
Where I'm going with this? The HD2 is not an AT&T device. If you have a TMO HD2 and want to unlock it for use on AT&T, you will not be able to use 3G. The two carriers operate on different UMTS bandwidths. That's a bummer.
So, keep that in mind about the HD2. If you don't get a model (non TMOU-US) that has the right 3G bands, you'll miss out on high speed data.
I'm in the process of putting HD2 up for sale and am going to try to get my hands on an ATRIX that I can root and tether with at 4G speeds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's a bit different over here in terms of which 3G bandwidths are used etc. but I'm not sure entirely. If the HD2 doesn't work on 3G then I'll have to find another phone.
I've received it now, anyway. So far it seems awesome - the hardware is excellent, the OS is not, but that will be changed soon enough.
ellisbodds said:
I think it's a bit different over here in terms of which 3G bandwidths are used etc. but I'm not sure entirely. If the HD2 doesn't work on 3G then I'll have to find another phone.
I've received it now, anyway. So far it seems awesome - the hardware is excellent, the OS is not, but that will be changed soon enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, whenever you are ready to change it, you could check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11215136&postcount=8 or this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=11215136#post11215136 .
Theonew said:
Well, whenever you are ready to change it, you could check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=11215136&postcount=8 or this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=11215136#post11215136 .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I was ready to change it from the very beginning.
Currently running this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=905060
Right now I'm just in the process of changing the boot animation and splash screen to suit my liking. Trying to go for a plain white screen with the green HTC text in the middle all the way through.
ellisbodds said:
Oh, I was ready to change it from the very beginning.
Currently running this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=905060
Right now I'm just in the process of changing the boot animation and splash screen to suit my liking. Trying to go for a plain white screen with the green HTC text in the middle all the way through.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great . So did you make your decision on which to keep so that this thread can be solved?
Theonew said:
Great . So did you make your decision on which to keep so that this thread can be solved?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah - I'm going to keep the HD2 and sell the Atrix to get more money. Do I need to click somewhere to mark the thread as resolved or is that somebody else's job?
ellisbodds said:
Yeah - I'm going to keep the HD2 and sell the Atrix to get more money. Do I need to click somewhere to mark the thread as resolved or is that somebody else's job?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mods can do it, but you could also do it (the normal member way). Just edit your title by placing the word "SOLVED" (in caps) in front of the title.
Theonew said:
Mods can do it, but you could also do it (the normal member way). Just edit your title by placing the word "SOLVED" (in caps) in front of the title.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done. Thanks for your help.
ellisbodds said:
Done. Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem .
Related
is it me, or is it everyone here??
i never liked CDMA i always had GSM, especial that i travel to the Middle East (Jordan) once a year for a month.
i always thought CDMA was old tech, i still do.
for X-mas i wanted a touch pro, AT&T wanted $750 deposit (which by the way is more than the deposit i put on the apartment i rent, and my rent every month is $1500) so money is low, i check out sprint.
they had the best plan for the money, $99 for simply EVERYTHING, including Navigation.
so my girlfriend bought me one at Best Buy for $199 and sprint approved me for 2 lines with no deposit.
signal here in Southern California (Orange County) is actually not bad.
ran a speed test on EVDO where i live and i got 1.6Mbs which is really cool considering i had a TYTN II on T-mobile's EDGE.
so i open XDA so i can customize this bad boy, and there isn't many ROMS to choose from, so i did the customization using apps and tweaks and the phone runs flawless, 3 days not even 1 reset
and trust me i run everything on the phone from Excel, to media to youtube to qik, Skype is running all day by the way.
i used to use TomTom on my Kaiser but i dont think i need it now with Telenav
so is the stock ROM fast enough for every one here??
i am very happy with the phone, TouchFlo 3D runs very smooth
no complaints except the fact that i cannot do DATA and Voice at the same time, too bad i guess thats why theres Skype, now i wish they would allow video calling!!
Moe
I've had this phone for about 2 weeks now & I have to say that the stock ROM seems good enough for me as well. Coming from a Tmo Wing I'm extremely pleased @ what this phone can accomplish with the stock ROM. I'm sure that I will flash a cooked ROM sooner or later (as I did many times with my Wing) & I am guessing that the new ROM can only make things better.
By the way, how did you get speedtest to run on your phone (always been curious about that)?
mrbelvedere said:
By the way, how did you get speedtest to run on your phone (always been curious about that)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.dslreports.com/mspeed
i also used my laptop to go on speedtest.net while connected to my touch pro through usb and Internet connection sharing, it wont work on its own cuz sprint doesnt want u to tether but there is hack here somewhere that lets u do it!
CDMA is old tech? Huh?
As for the original question, yep I think the Sprint ROM is pretty darn good, considering. Do the cache tweaks and it's pretty responsive and smooth.
Haven't yet felt the need to find another.
My Sprint Touch Pro with stock ROM is fast enough and works well enough that I'm completely satisfied with it. Would it work better with a tweaked ROM? Maybe, but I don't care. As I already noted, my phone works well enough and I'm not one to fix things that aren't broke. That, and I've already had my fill of problems with tweaked ROMs.
As for Sprint's features versus the other carriers, the people I know who carry a TP or Fuse from the competition all seem to be a little miffed by the fact that their phones don't include as many features as the Sprint TP.
I should also add that I live and work in Orange County, CA and have an Everything plan too.
Pete
dr g said:
Do the cache tweaks and it's pretty responsive and smooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you post a link to these "cache tweaks"?
Thanx.
Pete
PGRtoo said:
Can you post a link to these "cache tweaks"?
Thanx.
Pete
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=41770
First three items
stock rom
I agree that after the tweaks my sprint stock rom is speedy and crash proof. I love it
I actually just flashed my Sprint TP for the first time to a ROM I made through PPCKitchen. It's a little quicker and TF3D is a little smoother as well, but I don't think it was worth the trouble to get the minor (at best) boost in performance.
I did the few tweaks and have zero problems with the stock Sprint ROM. I've been with sprint for almost 6 years and with the exception of about 5 dead spots (all carriers have the same ones here in Cleveland) no problems. This is probably one of the best devices I've had from sprint.
Come to the light!
After upgrading from an AT&T Tilt that I was using with T-Mobile service, I was convinced the Sprint stock TP ROM was pretty darn good as well (I flashed/customized the crap out of my old Tilt).
I ended up keeping the stock Sprint ROM for about three months until today, I flashed the MightyROM and let me just say OMGWTFGTFOBBQ!!!
This is FCKING AMAZING!
But I figured since there are some people here still running the stock ROM, would anyone be willing to post the stock wallpapers from the Sprint ROM I forgot to copy them to my SD card before I re-flashed and there were a couple that I really liked, and I don't want to have to re-flash the stock ROM just to get those backgrounds...
There were two in particular that I really want, one was a fire-flower and the other was a bright green vine/plant on a white background.
MAD MAD MAD props to anyone who would be willing to post those up for me!
bpapa9013 said:
There were two in particular that I really want, one was a fire-flower and the other was a bright green vine/plant on a white background.
MAD MAD MAD props to anyone who would be willing to post those up for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope that helps
My hero!
That's awesome! Thanks a ton.
yet another example of why I love xda-devs!
thanks again!
B
Sprint stock rom good enough??
Has anyone tried this one from ppcgeeks.com ?
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=61966
This is supposed to work with the new touch flow 2 being developed by
XBoxMod. It looks promising
mrfett79 said:
Has anyone tried this one from ppcgeeks.com ?
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=61966
This is supposed to work with the new touch flow 2 being developed by
XBoxMod. It looks promising
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Juicy 6 is the bomb, if you want to run Rhodium.
stock ROM
When I first got the phone I was really frusterated with it. I was coming from a Motorola razor.. so u can imagine... A friend has the Fuze and he showed me how cool you could make it, I started reading this site and ppc and was doing all kinds of customizations and tried out many different ROMS, I had some issues along the way but nothing I wasnt able to fix, but then I started noticing that When I texted or used my e-mail, my keyboard was lagging real bad, and it would consistantly tyyyypppeeee the same letter over again... un usable! and the on screen key pad is real small.. I had to use the stylus to text or e-mail. I tried all the supposed cab fixes out there, and I reflashed to two different ROMs .. and back to Sprint ROM.. NOTHING worked. I was so pissed! y buy a phone with a keyboard if you cant use it... (ill take part of the blaime though.... messing with it)
Sprint sent me new one and keyboard is fine... Im sooooo scared to change ANYTHING on it now, But I think part of the fun with these phones is being able to try new things and customize it the way that you want it.
I dont know what to do ... risk trying to find a good rom that wont mess with the crucial pieces of my phone, or just trying to find good cab files to customize it... I mean in reality the sprint Rom is plenty fast. but There are so many features that it lacks....
I think the latest Sprint Stock ROM for the Touch Pro is good. But I must say, after trying some custom ROMs, they only improve upon an already good thing. For Rhodium Manila, I recommend StarROM, version 1.6a or 1.7m are in my opinion better than Juicy 7. Because with StarROM, you can make calls from Manila.
there are plenty of cdma roms over on ppcgeeks
I'm in the market to upgrade my Touch Pro2. I want badly to get the Vibrant, but I was wondering what you guys think.
I've kind of narrowed it down to Vibrant and the Defy. I like the Vibrant screen, I've heard its speaker is clear, the reception is good and the camera is nice. I absolutely love the 4 inch screen size.
I'm tempted by the Defy because of what I've read about call quality, battery life, and toughness. It seems it's classified as a mid-range phone because of processor speed, which I think can be overclocked to put it on par with Vibrant speed.
I'm interested in the mt4g and G2 but I hear the speakerphone sucks and the camera is mediocre and the reception is spotty.
Am I right in the good stuff I've heard about the Vibrant? I know about the lag and the gps--is it so bad I'd hate the phone?
Would you recommend the defy or one of the htc's?
Thanks.
Defy.
If I had it to do over, I'd get the Defy.
I was going insane trying to get out of San Francisco this evening b/c the GPS & lag is so ****ty.
-bZj
It really depends, If I could've done it again I would have waited for the Nexus S, which may or may not have the same GPS issues, or even the G2 (if you can do without super amoled screen). I've also heard the G2 is $50 on a contract and will be one of the first phones to get gingerbread (after nexus s and nexus one).
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
So two Vibrant owners respond and both say skip the Vibrant. Is that the general consensus on this board?
Thanks guys for your honest.
Gabe
I love this phone anyone who doesn't want the one they have can give them to me
GabeJ said:
So two Vibrant owners respond and both say skip the Vibrant. Is that the general consensus on this board?
Thanks guys for your honest.
Gabe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the vibrant is like any other phone.
Yes, it has problems.
Does it give you the moments when you go "DAMN MY PHONE MUST BE THE BEST ONE OUT THERE?" yes.
If your one of the Travelling type and uses GPS, i suggest you skip this phone, BUT i have been hearing they changed teh gps so it works perfectly now.
I say you get the Vibrant, overall its a perfect device, but if you want you can get NEXUS S which is the same thing, but with a few differences which kind of make it a little better.
Defy or Vibrant?
Vibrant.
My personal choice, i haven't used teh Defy so.. i wouldn't know.
I've got an earlier Vibrant so my GPS is a bit flaky, but its still good enough for an occasional GPS-guided trip for me. Lag.. Occasionally. I ran some fixes earlier on that I felt improved things. But then I see others using their different models of phone and waiting, waiting.. I think its a "grass is always greener" sort of thing. Overall, while I wish I had native AOSP and a FFC (stock, not modded), I also wish I had a million bucks .. Can't get it all, right? I'd buy Vibrant again.
So, if I bought a new Vibrant it might not have a GPS issue, but it will definitely still be laggy? And the lag fixes don't completely alleviate the problem?
I'm sorry for all the questions. I live 1 hour away from any Tmobile store and I'm stuck in snow, so I can't just go play with them.
RE lag, if you're going on what I was saying -- My point was that it may have some lag, but no phone doesn't. I don't think it has excessive lag, and there are plenty of tweaks you can try out if you just need to eke out every last bit of speed.
Oh, and I feel your pain. I'm also an hour out, and I don't particularly like that store - few hours further to get a good one. Ordered on the phone personally. Call 'em up and tell the IVR you're checking your contract dates.
I have an older Vibrant and am in love with the phone, but got fed up with the gps. Just an hour ago talked to TMO and without any effort they decided to send me a replacement. Apparently (fingers crossed) these days the replacements they are shipping are retail units (newer batches), not refurbs.
On another thread we discussed how it looks like phones built on or after october do better GPS-wise. So, a week from now if I get a new one, I will be able to compare them side by side.
Btw, check my signature. Being a fervent Nexus One user, was very excited to get a G2, but less than a week was enough for me to dislike it in every possible aspect (to me the G2 is the direct sucessor of the N1 so I had assumed that I would love it as well). I did get the mega-download speed but had the very same 3G issues my N1 up to this day has, where gets stuck switching to HSUPA or something like that. Very annoying when using maps or navigation.
Of all the choices around, if I had to choose, I'd get another vibrant even though I'm a hardcore HTC fan. To top it off, looks like we will be able to run Gingerbread sooner than later. Much sooner. Supercurio has it already running and has already published the files to do so (pretty useless right now, but it has been 36h since he started).
So, I was going to get a Nexus S but after such development, looks like I'll be able to have gingerbread *and* sd card slot, on a non-banana shaped phone...lol. Ah, on the same thread someone ran this benchmark (don't remember the name, the one that shows a comlarative graph at the end) and the gingerVibrant ranked a tad faster than the Nexus One with Froyo, which is the fastest according to that particular program. In other words, faster than any other. Looks like JIT on the Hummingbird is here to stay. Also, seems the gingerVibrant does not have any lag issues, as apparently it is natively EXT4
Hope this helps you in your decission process.
Sent from my Ideos S7 using XDA App
GabeJ said:
So, if I bought a new Vibrant it might not have a GPS issue, but it will definitely still be laggy? And the lag fixes don't completely alleviate the problem?
I'm sorry for all the questions. I live 1 hour away from any Tmobile store and I'm stuck in snow, so I can't just go play with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It WON'T have gps issue i can say that for if you live near Dallas Texas.
I was just at the mall and went to Tmobile store, saw a vibrant, GPS is working, i asked them and they said they're shipping new ones with fixed GPS issues.
Not sure about where you live though.
Lag? What lag? I've never had a lag problem, only if your doing like EXCESSIVE things, like running music, facebook, email checking every second, downloading bunch of apps etc, yes it will lag, but it shouldn't, and even if it does and your planning on Flashing Custom Roms, the new froyo roms have NO lag what so ever, even with my heavy use.
I'll recommend you get a Vibrant anyday.
I'm a G2 Nexus one, blackberry pearl, curve and iPhone 3, 3GS, 4 user.
Vibrant has filled all my needs, G2 is pretty good too, i just hate call quality.
The call quality issue is big for me. I need a good speakerphone, good reception and voice quality. Those don't seem like I'm asking much, but from what I've heard, and experienced (I'm a Touch Pro2 user), htc falls short there. The G2 included, correct.
Thanks
Bought two Vibrants a week or so ago, one for me, one for the wife... Wanted the G2 but when I got it in my hands, I had reservations about the spring and she wanted the Vibrant. The T-Mobile sales rep actually sent me to WalMart and they had the Vibrant for $50 (T-Mobile store $199.99)!!
Hers is stock and I'm running the Nero v1 ROM. She gets 6 hours of battery life (the first two days before I rooted mine was the the same) with normal use, and I get about 16. Even though its not a "4G" phone we're both getting some pretty great speeds. Neither of us have had lag or gps issues.
All in all it seems like a solid phone. It's fast, call quality is good, and the display is amazing. The speaker is good, I noticed at full volume the G2 sounded distorted and tinny, and this isn't so much the case with the Vibrant, although it does happen slightly.
There are roms out there to really let you customize it to your liking, and to address some of the phones shortcomings . Glad I didn't get the G2 because I'm lovin the Vibrant so far.
Spaternitejr,
Is the GPS working correctly/quickly on both new vibrants? Was the walmart deal for upgrades or new customers?
GPS is working just fine on both. They acquire quickly and consistently. We did upgrades, but believe it was the same price for either.
I just got my vibrant from walmart for 50...all of walmarts advertised prices are for upgrades and add a lines.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Out of curiosity, why not get the Nexus S instead of the Vibrant?
Chalup said:
Out of curiosity, why not get the Nexus S instead of the Vibrant?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheaper, SD card, broken GPS...lol, and something I just posted in another thread:
Looks like it can do 3G in AT&T (!!!). Awaiting confirmation by anyone who has an unlocked Vibrant and AT&T service. Details are here but still awaiting confirmation...
If that turns out to be true, then it would be the first phone I know of that can do 3G on both major carriers in the States (!).
fosormic said:
Cheaper, SD card, broken GPS...lol, and something I just posted in another thread:
Looks like it can do 3G in AT&T (!!!). Awaiting confirmation by anyone who has an unlocked Vibrant and AT&T service. Details are here but still awaiting confirmation...
If that turns out to be true, then it would be the first phone I know of that can do 3G on both major carriers in the States (!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I remember reading, the Vibrant radio is only compatible with one of ATT's 3G frequencies, so in some 3G areas you can only get edge.
Chalup said:
From what I remember reading, the Vibrant radio is only compatible with one of ATT's 3G frequencies, so in some 3G areas you can only get edge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would tend to agree, but just checked on my phone (on that secret menu) and found that it has both 850 and 1900 (both for 3G and plain GSM) in addition to the 1700 and 2100 TMO uses. This is AT&T's band map: http://cellularmaps.com/att_850_1900.shtml
EDIT: I confirmed what Chalup said. Only worked as 3G in one of the bands for me. Here.
I've read many complaints about the Vibrant, but those were from several months ago and may very well be fixed. I've seen a lot more results from searching "vibrant sucks" than "hd2 sucks" but again, they might be obsolete now.
With that said, would you rather have the vibrant or hd2(with android) for the long term if you could not buy another phone for 3-4 years? I am currently trying to make a decision soon--never owning a smartphone before, i know very little so i hope your input can help me out--among bold9780, hd2, or vibrant. dont plan on getting a data plan soon and want to keep the phone for a few yrs (so dont want a phone thats on the decline, getting replaced soon by newer project phones).
I noticed the HD2 pales in specs in comparison with the vibrant, so I came here for an opinion. I figure the Vibrant is more expensive so i can sell to get an HD2 if i want to in the future. Of course, the BBerry is somehow priced higher than all of them.
Feedback from real users is welcome! Thanks for your time.
the vibrant sucks rants were because we did not get the 2.2 update from samsung/tmobile on time. Now that we have vibrant should be your clear choice, amazing amoled screen and great hardware
if u clubb allot dont get hd2 i pulled mine out and it lit up the dance floor thing is big , i traded to a vibrant until i started flashing cusom roms i hated it so much i wannit to throw against the wall but 300 price tag on it stopped me , get the vibrant imo now that 2.2 ficgggyial froyo is out its lil bit less lagg and its fun as u find tons of apps on market too btw phone overclocks to 1.4 ghz and playstation emulator is on its way too
thank to both of you for the quick response! what a great forum and community of members!
its nice to know that there are no major complaints then if those were of the past. couldn't they have 'flashed' android 2.2 onto their vibrant? not sure if i am using the term correctly.
@bartek, hard to understand some parts of your post but thanks! dont understand the club+hd2 stuff.
what are the current CONS of the Vibrant, from the vibrant users, then? so far I believe GPS was a big issue.
You should just wait for the Vibrant 4G.
Cons of the Vibrant so far: GPS, that's pretty much all I know of, I'm telling you man, when Samsung releases the source code for 2.2 this phone will be amazing, I was thinking about trading my Vibrant for an hd2 because the hd2 had more updates than the Vibrant, even had Gingerbread, but as known, it's not native, and will never run as good as the vibrant will, but the design of the hd2 is way better than the Vibrant, and if you like flash, then the hd2 is your choice, the only reason I haven't traded is because I get this feeling that I'm taking a step back in technology, instead of moving forward.. I'm not sure why though.
I will say I love my vibrant even though I see a lot of people selling theirs. I had an hd2 and the digitizer went out. Though it was fun at first I got tired of trying to manage the battery. I have to admit this was before nand came out.
The support that we do have on the vibrant is top notch. Ive tried every rom out there and they all do well I just decided to stick with team whiskey.
I often ask myself would I rather have another hd2? The answer is no. fantastic phone but I love the vibrant so much more. Its a beast of a phone with a great cpu and gpu. The hd2 while versatile is dated. A lot of people had hardware buttons fail I wasnt looking forward to that at all. The ease of bring this thing back from a brick is a total plus. While It does feel cheap at first I have come to respect it as a phone.The vibrant can have a forward facing camera while the hd2 will never have one.
(so dont want a phone thats on the decline, getting replaced soon by newer project phones).
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Click to collapse
Both phones are already declining, with the Vibrant getting replaced by the Galaxy S 4G (basically a Vibrant with 4g radio, FFC, and 1gb internal but 16 external sd card)
anthonys2r said:
Both phones are already declining, with the Vibrant getting replaced by the Galaxy S 4G (basically a Vibrant with 4g radio, FFC, and 1gb internal but 16 external sd card)
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Click to collapse
I dont think its worth it to choose the galaxy s personally. I dont get much use out of 3g as it is and a ffc mod is 20 bucks minus having the offical warranty. And if i read you correctly It no longer has 16 gig internal? That just blows.
anthonys2r said:
Both phones are already declining, with the Vibrant getting replaced by the Galaxy S 4G (basically a Vibrant with 4g radio, FFC, and 1gb internal but 16 external sd card)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He already said he's not looking forward to get data plan anytime soon so hw should be fine with vibrant. I had mytouch 4g after a week or so u never use ur front facing camera unless ur taking a pic of ur self...the video chat is hella buggy and no one has it..
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
thanks everyone for their responses. isnt galaxy S and vibrant same thing? i have considered waiting for the newest version of the vibrant, which should come out in a month or so? im actually getting a phone for free from a family plan sign up, so i dont know if the new vibrant will be available. i wont be getting a data plan, so i dont know if that completely nullifies the new phone benefits (especially if it costs more).
what other phones have better specs than the vibrant thus far? hope it can stand up to the new phones in terms of specs for several years
yeah. my vibrant is godly. 4g? what 4g? whats that!? why do i need 21mbps speeds when 5-7mbps is fast as hell already. and what? $10 extra!? NO thanks!
You can get a smartphone with no data???? how?
uhh family plan. 3 people, 1 new phone. my parents already have usable ones and cant figure out technology anyways. i went with 2 other people who had their own plan and i think part of the deal was they couldnt get new phones either. big sacrifices
I still have my broken hd2. I do not suggest getting one. The phone wouls freeze often and I had a custom rom that did nandroidot help the situation. I did put androis on it and it worked flawlessly for about 10 then suddenly my touch screen started to crap out. I thought it was due to the known issue of running android on an hd2 but the actual digitizer would not respond. I reaf on the hd2 forums it was due to android causing the phone to overheat. Long story short. A friend hooked it up with the vibrant and I have been very happy. Its not perfect but what "smart" phone is? I would wait for the galaxy s 4g like everyone else is suggesting.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Coming from HD2 with android NAND (Clockworkmod), I can readily say that Vibrant(with froyo, custom or official) is much much better than the HD2 in terms of sheer performance. The video recording capability blows the HD2 out of the water. And the superamoled screen is such a treat. And the TV-out functionality is a big plus as well - you can mirror your phone activity, including HD video playback, with HD TV's
I have both, Vibrant and HD2... I'm running NAND Gingerbread on HD2 and it's slow and laggy... Snapdragon should be called Lagdragon...
That being said I don't know if I would buy another Samsung product either...
I have a HD2 Like it it has a bigger screen, sense by HTC is nice........... That's it
Way worse battery, op system is no longer supported by Microsoft. I have Android loaded via dual boot, but this means it is ported through the sd card...... slower buggy and has soft lock/boot problems from time to time.
The Vibrant,,,,,, WAY EASIER to customize, better screen, better battery life more custom things you can load, hard to really brick so it is a good phone for a novice.
And, it is so much like the Nexus S ...........that means we will be able to port their leaks to this phone..........
Vibrant is just WAY better
LMFAO.
I sold my POS HD2 a long time ago.
I haven't looked back since.
Vibrant hands down
I sent back my first smart phone which was the HD2. It was hella-laggy and buggy. The clunky Windows OS just destroyed this phone's potential.
Ordered the Vibrant, and was pleased....
ROOTED AND Installed a custom ROM and was VERY PLEASED!
Okay, so my G1 seems to be dying and it's pretty slow anyway, so I want to get a new phone.
Problem is, looking at new phones out now, they're mostly either designed for people new to smartphones (Wildfire S etc.) or they're super fast but super expensive (Sensation etc.)
So I've been looking at buying a used phone from 1-2 years ago, although I have certain requirements:
Needs to have at least a 1GHz CPU
At least 512MB of RAM
3.7"+ screen with a higher resolution than my G1
Capable of running Gingerbread well
Looking at spending maximum of £150-£160
Looking about, I thought about getting a Desire or a Nexus One, but then I noticed the HD2. I like the fact that it has a huge 4.3" screen and is capable of running WP7 as well, and it's around the same price as the other two.
So are there any reasons not to go with one now?
24 hour bump
go for it
mine has been bullet proof and I scew with it all the the time. For a few months I have been running SD versions just switched to a nand version.
Tried most of the nands found all of them had issues
I found this one
[27.Sep.2011][MAG/cLK] NexusHD2-Gingerbread V3.1a (GRK39F)(Android 2.3.6)[tytung_r12]
If You want a good nand to start with give this one a try.
had it on mine for about a week so far runs freakin fantastic an OEM rom couldn't run better. They do say the USB connection for files and stuff is flakey but I remove my card and pop in to the slot for that, so no problems for me.
There are no HTC apps but I like the ones in this build. Although I do miss the weather clock I'm sure I can find some sort of replacment.
grab it and start having a blast there is alot of great work here and I'm sure one of the roms will fit your needs.
don't forget to donate when you find something useful they deserve it for the work, after all they give us what HTC won't.
Alex
alexo1us said:
go for it
mine has been bullet proof and I scew with it all the the time. For a few months I have been running SD versions just switched to a nand version.
Tried most of the nands found all of them had issues
I found this one
[27.Sep.2011][MAG/cLK] NexusHD2-Gingerbread V3.1a (GRK39F)(Android 2.3.6)[tytung_r12]
If You want a good nand to start with give this one a try.
had it on mine for about a week so far runs freakin fantastic an OEM rom couldn't run better. They do say the USB connection for files and stuff is flakey but I remove my card and pop in to the slot for that, so no problems for me.
There are no HTC apps but I like the ones in this build. Although I do miss the weather clock I'm sure I can find some sort of replacment.
grab it and start having a blast there is alot of great work here and I'm sure one of the roms will fit your needs.
don't forget to donate when you find something useful they deserve it for the work, after all they give us what HTC won't.
Alex
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Click to collapse
Thanks Alex, I'll be sure to check that out when I get one.
At the moment I'm thinking of moving to a contract at the same time, so I'll probably sell the phone they give me and purchase a used HD2 instead.
The HD2 was one if the best phones I ever had. Was a sad day when it died lol. If it hadn't broke I would still be using it.
i think the hd2 has the biggest community here on xda (take a look at the number of posts and threads they have here) that pretty much means more development for it (as you can already; it can run windows mobile 6.5, windows phone 7, android, ubuntu, and meego). i dont think you will ever get tired of the hd2
Yes, DEFINITELY get an hd2. I have never had so much fun with a phone. I don't think there is any phone on the market at the moment which is more versatile. Depends whet you want - if you want versatility & the ability to flash all sorts of different roms, then hd2 is the way to go.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Cheers guys, I'll definitely be getting one then.
I have just ordered my first smartphone, a new unlocked AT&T Motorola Atrix 4G MB860 from Ebay to be used on Cincinnati Bells network. It has Android 2.2 installed on it now. I have found all kinds of information about updating to Gingerbread directly from the phone when I first use it, but thats where i get lost.
My Questions:
1. Given the fact there is no data saved to get lost should I update it to ICS or JB now?
2. Is there a need to upgrade past Gingerbread?
3. To do the upgrade I have read about com10 and all kinds of ROMs, EXACTLY what do I need to upload (given no mods are on the phone).
4. Is there a post that is pretty much "upgrading for dummys"?
I figured if i need to upgrade now is the time so I dont get used to one OS and then have to relearn another because this one stops being supported (like the Iphone 3G).
Given that this is your first smartphone, it would probably be best that you just use it as is for a while and NOT TOUCH ANYTHING until you get VERY familiar with all the options and terminology. Who knows, you might just get to like it the way it is. Not sure why you want to tamper with it already but it sounds like you are sure to be on your way to disaster with your current level of experience.
ravilov said:
Given that this is your first smartphone, it would probably be best that you just use it as is for a while and NOT TOUCH ANYTHING until you get VERY familiar with all the options and terminology. Who knows, you might just get to like it the way it is. Not sure why you want to tamper with it already but it sounds like you are sure to be on your way to disaster with your current level of experience.
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Its not that I want to tamper with it (infact i would rather not). Thats why I was asking the questions in advance so I dont find myself with an overpriced Frisbee. I have had the "old guy" flip phones for years but its time to get into the21st century.
I was just given an Iphone 3g locked to AT&T. I unlocked and jailbroke it but soon found that all the apps I wanted were out for ios5 not for mine. I bought an unlocked Samsing Focus S windows 7.5 phone on Ebay and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. With Cincinnati Bell though, half of the features wouldnt work. After talking to everyone but Bill Gates himself, I contacted the seller and they have offered me this Atrix 4G in exchange. I just Want to make sure Im not getting myself back into the 3G scenario again where nothing will download to it due to having an outdated OS.
It all depends on exactly what apps you want/need. Most apps should work on older phones too (no matter what OS or brand), I'm kinda starting to suspect you are mostly after very new stuff. It is true that Froyo is now considered outdated (heck, even Gingerbread is just barely hanging in there), and I suppose you can try updating through "official channels" (either OTA or a downloadable official firmware), I would just suggest you don't go the modding route until you're familiar with the territory. I'm not saying it's difficult or complicated, I'm just saying you have to know it.
Also, I'm not sure why you call this "your first smartphone" when it's quite clear that you've had plenty others...
varuum said:
Its not that I want to tamper with it (infact i would rather not). Thats why I was asking the questions in advance so I dont find myself with an overpriced Frisbee. I have had the "old guy" flip phones for years but its time to get into the21st century.
I was just given an Iphone 3g locked to AT&T. I unlocked and jailbroke it but soon found that all the apps I wanted were out for ios5 not for mine. I bought an unlocked Samsing Focus S windows 7.5 phone on Ebay and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. With Cincinnati Bell though, half of the features wouldnt work. After talking to everyone but Bill Gates himself, I contacted the seller and they have offered me this Atrix 4G in exchange. I just Want to make sure Im not getting myself back into the 3G scenario again where nothing will download to it due to having an outdated OS.
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Click to collapse
That's less of an Android problem because of the fragmentation (probably the only good thing about fragmentation). I think around 40% of all Android phones are still on gingerbread, so developers aren't about to abandon all those users for their apps. The majority of apps work with gingerbread and you won't have a problem. The only app I have that is only for 4.0+ is Nova Launcher which can easily be replaced by one of the many other launchers that are compatible with GB.
Definitely just stay on GB for a while and use it however you want. If you start running into app compatibility for some reason, then you can look into roms. But I highly doubt that will be the reason you want a 4.0+ rom. After a full year on gingerbread I finally tried a custom rom. There is no rush at all to start changing things because it can brick your device really easily. Stay with stock everything and only think about messing with more advanced things once you actually require it.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
TotalBS said:
Definitely just stay on GB for a while and use it however you want.
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He said he's on 2.2 (Froyo) now, not GB.
OP, if I were you I'd probably go ahead and upgrade it to GB by the official OTA update process and try it out for a while till you get more familiar with it as ravilov mentioned. But that's just my opinion.
Thank you folks. Now I have a better understanding of the support of android. I think Ill do the GB
The apps. in question..... Weather, facebook, calendar ...... As far as the first smart phone.... I have had smart phone service since tuesday of last week and have not been able to use either of the devices. I couldnt even send or receive pics on the windows phone. So I was told this would work with my network. this will be the first smart phone useable out of 3 in the last week.
ravilov said:
It all depends on exactly what apps you want/need. Most apps should work on older phones too (no matter what OS or brand), I'm kinda starting to suspect you are mostly after very new stuff. It is true that Froyo is now considered outdated (heck, even Gingerbread is just barely hanging in there), and I suppose you can try updating through "official channels" (either OTA or a downloadable official firmware), I would just suggest you don't go the modding route until you're familiar with the territory. I'm not saying it's difficult or complicated, I'm just saying you have to know it.
Also, I'm not sure why you call this "your first smartphone" when it's quite clear that you've had plenty others...
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Click to collapse
Doesn't the newest official AT&T firmware overwrite your bootloader making it impossible to tamper with it later on? Correct me if I'm wrong, since I might be mistaken. (I unlocked it the second I got my phone and haven't looked twice at any official firmware since then)
@ OP: I don't know you, so I don't know how computer literate you might be, but if you feel like up to the task, I would recommend unlocking the bootloader AND then staying on the official firmware (through the use of fruitcakes or Blur based ROMs), so you can get used to everything with as few bugs/quirks as possible. If you later decide to upgrade to more up to date firmware, then you'll have that option as well.
IF you're not very good with computers and other gadgets, then I would suggest you just leave it be and stay on the official firmware. But to make this choice, you need to be honest with yourself as to whether you're capable or not of doing it. How to use custom software on your phone isn't some well guarded secret or anything particularly complicated, it just requires for the user to do A LOT of reading so they understand exactly what they're doing, otherwise it's a recipe for disaster.
littleemp said:
Doesn't the newest official AT&T firmware overwrite your bootloader making it impossible to tamper with it later on? Correct me if I'm wrong, since I might be mistaken. (I unlocked it the second I got my phone and haven't looked twice at any official firmware since then)
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Click to collapse
It is uncertain really. There are some indications that the bootloader in .145 is not really changed compared to the .141, but I guess the safest thing for the OP to do is to update to .141 if possible. I've also never had anything to do with official updates so I don't really know how it goes. This phone got rooted pretty much as soon as I got it and unlocked and flashed only days later.
@OP,
You certainly have a very strange and uncommon definition of "my first smartphone". Like, this Atrix that I'm holding right now is totally my first smartphone in the last hour... :angel:
BTW, a smartphone is not defined by "a phone with the smartphone service", in fact in most countries (mine included) such a concept doesn't even exist.
Also, all of the apps you mentioned should work perfectly on Froyo or at least on Gingerbread.