1st Weekend with my Photon 4G

**BenjaSands** · 07-01-2012, 07:01 PM

So I had a Nexus S 4G that I messed up, sadly it was the USB Storage that was just completely all over the place...

So I looked for a comparable phone, all I really wanted was Android and 4G. I activated an old Blackberry and the rep told me he had a Photon 4G and how much he loved it. I also read reviews, looked at pics and read mostly positive things.

So rather than spend 400-600 dollars on a top of the line brand new device (I am not up for upgrade until next year) I bought this nice little phone on craigslist for 175 bucks. I have had it since last Wednesday.

I love the OS, the phone is fast, but my favorite part of it? The Battery! Yesterday I fully charged it at 1pm and used it throughout the day texting, e-mailing, taking pictures, video, installed several apps, downloaded them I mean the works... The Battery did not get to red until Midnight roughly and its probably the best life I have ever gotten out of a battery.

Anyway, I was just wondering what tips and suggestions you guys have to make my experience with my new phone even great. Widget suggestions? Do you guys recommend an alternative Text Messaging app? Or Apps particular to this phone and Motorola phones in general?

And the 4G thing is taking some getting used to I have no idea how it works it is confusing. Can anyone give me some info on this? I found no 4G Settings anywhere so I mean I dont know. And Im fine with it switching back and forth automatically the thing is I noticed sometimes by data is not working....

I pretty much just installed old apps I had on my other phone, (no rooting this time) and some games.

**Photon4glover** · 07-01-2012, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by BenjaSands

So I had a Nexus S 4G that I messed up, sadly it was the USB Storage that was just completely all over the place...

So I looked for a comparable phone, all I really wanted was Android and 4G. I activated an old Blackberry and the rep told me he had a Photon 4G and how much he loved it. I also read reviews, looked at pics and read mostly positive things.

So rather than spend 400-600 dollars on a top of the line brand new device (I am not up for upgrade until next year) I bought this nice little phone on craigslist for 175 bucks. I have had it since last Wednesday.

I love the OS, the phone is fast, but my favorite part of it? The Battery! Yesterday I fully charged it at 1pm and used it throughout the day texting, e-mailing, taking pictures, video, installed several apps, downloaded them I mean the works... The Battery did not get to red until Midnight roughly and its probably the best life I have ever gotten out of a battery.

Anyway, I was just wondering what tips and suggestions you guys have to make my experience with my new phone even great. Widget suggestions? Do you guys recommend an alternative Text Messaging app? Or Apps particular to this phone and Motorola phones in general?

And the 4G thing is taking some getting used to I have no idea how it works it is confusing. Can anyone give me some info on this? I found no 4G Settings anywhere so I mean I dont know. And Im fine with it switching back and forth automatically the thing is I noticed sometimes by data is not working....

I pretty much just installed old apps I had on my other phone, (no rooting this time) and some games.

A rom like cm7 to speed up Motorola's laggy user interface

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

**Cellmeister** · 07-07-2012, 01:15 PM

try quickpic instead of stock gallery, go launcher, camera ics for a few basics

did u read through the [Read Me First] Motorla Photon Tips, Reviews, Thoughts, and Issue

theres a lot off apps but it is personal taste.

Rooting is easy & will provide better battery life cuz u can freeze the bloatware with titanium back up or my backup pro apps

hope that helps

**BenjaSands** · 07-09-2012, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by Cellmeister

try quickpic instead of stock gallery, go launcher, camera ics for a few basics

did u read through the [Read Me First] Motorla Photon Tips, Reviews, Thoughts, and Issue

theres a lot off apps but it is personal taste.

Rooting is easy & will provide better battery life cuz u can freeze the bloatware with titanium back up or my backup pro apps

hope that helps

Going to do that now! Thanks. And Yeah I rooted it with a One Click Root, and installed Wi Fi Tether and I was scared at how easy everything worked (including the Wi Fi Tether on the first try) since I had read online the trouble people had with this phone and either rooting or tethering.

**Dreamliner330** · 07-09-2012, 10:20 AM

Just be careful with ROMs...a lot of them break 4G. I live in a WiMAX area, so I chose ROM. Works great!

**BenjaSands** · 07-16-2012, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by dreamliner

Just be careful with ROMs...a lot of them break 4G. I live in a WiMAX area, so I chose ROM. Works great!

Ha... I am staying away from ROMS for good. I am sticking to just changing launchers. Is it possible to change some of our phones ugly icons like the camera app icon?

**Dreamliner330** · 07-16-2012, 11:54 PM

The ROM I linked you to has zero downside, and lots of upside.

Also do this.

**tirith** · 07-17-2012, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by BenjaSands

Ha... I am staying away from ROMS for good. I am sticking to just changing launchers. Is it possible to change some of our phones ugly icons like the camera app icon?

I know launcher pro, panda home, and adw (i think it's called) have icon packs which let you customize to your will... not sure about the others. Those are the only 3 I have experience with.

I had adw themed out in ubuntu icons... People thought I was running ubuntu on the phone.

Sent using my MoPho-King photon

**BenjaSands** · 07-20-2012, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by tirith

I know launcher pro, panda home, and adw (i think it's called) have icon packs which let you customize to your will... not sure about the others. Those are the only 3 I have experience with.

I had adw themed out in ubuntu icons... People thought I was running ubuntu on the phone.

Sent using my MoPho-King photon

Haha Damn Adw sounds interesting!!!

**Airwolf79** · 07-21-2012, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by dreamliner

The ROM I linked you to has zero downside, and lots of upside.

Also do this.

I just downloaded this rom as well, and its working perfectly. It was a little laggy at first, but I switched back to Launcher Pro from Go and its perfect now. Go Launcher never gave me problems before, but for some reason with the newer update its been laggy. Loving the notification toggles and 1080p video.

**Airwolf79** · 07-21-2012, 03:07 PM

Also, if dreamliner didn't mention it already, u don't need to be unlocked to flash that rom. U can do it just being rooted and with bootstrap recovery. Qbking77 has some great tutorial vids that helped me a lot here: