Shimon Mor
Well-known member
Re: What do you NOT like about the Moto X Pure Edition?
tl;dr: hardware good, software bad
I've only had the XPE for a couple of days but my initial impressions are pretty much what I expected. Hardware is fine but the software never has enough customization options. The reason I use Android is for customization. Unfortunately, Google is locking down Android more and more and really is making it more iPhone-like. There are less and less options to customize the software with preferences. Why? If Google is dumbing-down Android for the unwashed masses then why can't they hide customization preferences under the super-secret Developer Options (or something similar)?
Of course, the real solution is rooting. Which is why I have rooted every smart-phone I've owned. I would prefer not to but many of the software choices made by Google and Motorola leave me no choice. And Motorola's policy of voiding (well, not really..."hardware" issues still honored) the warranty doesn't help. But, I'm going to wait for 6.0 to show up in case there are any issues.
What annoys me many not annoy you so please don't try to persuade me that my opinions are wrong. To each his own. Writing down my complaints is therapeutic and prevents me from taking out my frustrations on the wife and ending up in prison...so bear with my long-winded therapy session. Here is what I don't like:
1. No notification LED/Moto Display: beaten to death already. I much prefer an LED. I don't like how in a car the Moto display keeps coming on with every tiny bump. Very annoying. I keep the phone in a CD-slot cradle and the Moto display comes on constantly which is distracting.
2. No double tap on screen to turn it on or no physical key on front. Unlocking the phone is a pain. If I don't swipe down just right the screen goes dark and I have to shake the phone to get the lock to appear again. I selected "None" for screen lock but I guess that only applies to the power button. Using the power button to turn on the phone is awkward for me. I just want to press on the screen and have it turn on. I hate lock screens and never use them. I don't need another step between me and progress. Like the late, great Mitch Hedberg said (before his untimely suicide) "I don't need another step between me and toast."
3. Software menu/back keys sometimes disappear and you have to tap twice...once to get them to appear and another to activate them. Argg.
4. I have to swipe down twice to get the quick settings to appear. Double Argg. Double finger swipe sometimes works but awkward for my arthritic fingers.
5. What's with those grey half moon shapes that appear on the sides/top when you swipe and you are at the end of swipping territory? Like large, oversized, useless bump stops. Don't like them. Go away.
6. Ascending ringtone. Stupid. Hate it.
7. Can only get 64GB version through Motorola. I like buying hardware locally so if there is a problem I can take it back. Hate the shipping game. Only took 4 days to get it but prefer brick & mortar so I can pull it out and try it in the store to ensure all is ok before walking out the door. Don't care about color of phone. Black is fine. Don't need accent colors. It's a tool not a fashion accessory.
8. Dialer. Defaults to speed dial. Why not give us choice to default to keypad or contacts? Simple. Make everyone happy not just one group.
9. Would like to scroll through launcher pages in a continuous loop.
10. I don't like my cat. Has nothing to do with the phone but I like to take every opportunity to emphasize the point.
11. The recent apps card stack. What a mess.
12. In the swipe down quick settings menu no way to turn auto-brightness on/off.
13. No "reboot" in power button menu. Stupid Google.
14. Screenshot button combo awkward. Also on the dead horse pile.
Well, the rest of my complaints are more of the same. As you can see, most of my problems are with Google's dumbing down and over-simplification of Android. The XPE major complaint is the LED light/Moto display issue which is a personal preference; many people like it...many don't. Whatever. I knew the issue going in and this being my first Moto thought I may like it. Tried it. Don't like it.
Of course, once I root...just about every single one of these issues can be fixed. Which is the good news. Overall, I do like the phone. Nice screen, good size, great radios and speakers, quick and zippy interface, ok camera, etc. It's a keeper.
I'm just tired of Google. They are, after all, an ADVERTISING COMPANY first and foremost. Chrome, Android, Google Search...all tools to collect data in order to optimize ad injection. Sorry for the Google rant.
Thanks for listening.
tl;dr: hardware good, software bad
I've only had the XPE for a couple of days but my initial impressions are pretty much what I expected. Hardware is fine but the software never has enough customization options. The reason I use Android is for customization. Unfortunately, Google is locking down Android more and more and really is making it more iPhone-like. There are less and less options to customize the software with preferences. Why? If Google is dumbing-down Android for the unwashed masses then why can't they hide customization preferences under the super-secret Developer Options (or something similar)?
Of course, the real solution is rooting. Which is why I have rooted every smart-phone I've owned. I would prefer not to but many of the software choices made by Google and Motorola leave me no choice. And Motorola's policy of voiding (well, not really..."hardware" issues still honored) the warranty doesn't help. But, I'm going to wait for 6.0 to show up in case there are any issues.
What annoys me many not annoy you so please don't try to persuade me that my opinions are wrong. To each his own. Writing down my complaints is therapeutic and prevents me from taking out my frustrations on the wife and ending up in prison...so bear with my long-winded therapy session. Here is what I don't like:
1. No notification LED/Moto Display: beaten to death already. I much prefer an LED. I don't like how in a car the Moto display keeps coming on with every tiny bump. Very annoying. I keep the phone in a CD-slot cradle and the Moto display comes on constantly which is distracting.
2. No double tap on screen to turn it on or no physical key on front. Unlocking the phone is a pain. If I don't swipe down just right the screen goes dark and I have to shake the phone to get the lock to appear again. I selected "None" for screen lock but I guess that only applies to the power button. Using the power button to turn on the phone is awkward for me. I just want to press on the screen and have it turn on. I hate lock screens and never use them. I don't need another step between me and progress. Like the late, great Mitch Hedberg said (before his untimely suicide) "I don't need another step between me and toast."
3. Software menu/back keys sometimes disappear and you have to tap twice...once to get them to appear and another to activate them. Argg.
4. I have to swipe down twice to get the quick settings to appear. Double Argg. Double finger swipe sometimes works but awkward for my arthritic fingers.
5. What's with those grey half moon shapes that appear on the sides/top when you swipe and you are at the end of swipping territory? Like large, oversized, useless bump stops. Don't like them. Go away.
6. Ascending ringtone. Stupid. Hate it.
7. Can only get 64GB version through Motorola. I like buying hardware locally so if there is a problem I can take it back. Hate the shipping game. Only took 4 days to get it but prefer brick & mortar so I can pull it out and try it in the store to ensure all is ok before walking out the door. Don't care about color of phone. Black is fine. Don't need accent colors. It's a tool not a fashion accessory.
8. Dialer. Defaults to speed dial. Why not give us choice to default to keypad or contacts? Simple. Make everyone happy not just one group.
9. Would like to scroll through launcher pages in a continuous loop.
10. I don't like my cat. Has nothing to do with the phone but I like to take every opportunity to emphasize the point.
11. The recent apps card stack. What a mess.
12. In the swipe down quick settings menu no way to turn auto-brightness on/off.
13. No "reboot" in power button menu. Stupid Google.
14. Screenshot button combo awkward. Also on the dead horse pile.
Well, the rest of my complaints are more of the same. As you can see, most of my problems are with Google's dumbing down and over-simplification of Android. The XPE major complaint is the LED light/Moto display issue which is a personal preference; many people like it...many don't. Whatever. I knew the issue going in and this being my first Moto thought I may like it. Tried it. Don't like it.
Of course, once I root...just about every single one of these issues can be fixed. Which is the good news. Overall, I do like the phone. Nice screen, good size, great radios and speakers, quick and zippy interface, ok camera, etc. It's a keeper.
I'm just tired of Google. They are, after all, an ADVERTISING COMPANY first and foremost. Chrome, Android, Google Search...all tools to collect data in order to optimize ad injection. Sorry for the Google rant.
Thanks for listening.