Anybody come from a Photon?

[sfhub]

I think just like in the Olympics you throw out the top and bottom score, then avg the rest.

 

[fivegear]

I think just like in the Olympics you throw out the top and bottom score, then avg the rest.

Well said!

 

[tungsten]

How about just looking into functionality of the phone.

What will you want to use a photon for and what will you want to use the Galaxy for?

For example if I travel it will be better to own a photon.

Thank you

 

[JayWill]

How about just looking into functionality of the phone.

What will you want to use a photon for and what will you want to use the Galaxy for?

For example if I travel it will be better to own a photon.

Thank you

If travel internationally, well there's no doubt the Photon is the clear choice. For traveling within the country, that one is harder to say, but I'd probably still give the nod to the Photon. Motorola has become known for its radios and tendency towards strong signal strength. Also, the E4GT does appear to have some issues with roaming on the current firmware, so that would probably play a part when traveling as well. Don't get me wrong, the E4GT is a great phone, but my gut tells me the Photon would handle moving around the country better.

To put it simply, I feel the Photon is the better Smart"phone" while the E4GT is the better "Smart"phone. See what I did there?

 

[seanoj]

I have the photon and my wife has the E4GT.

I envy her screen and the thinness of the phone.

I actually like some of the 'blur' stuff on the moto (universal inbox).

The camera and other features seem comparable, based on results (photo qualiy, web page presentation, etc.)

The battery on my Photon lasts 1/3 as long as hers, but I hammer mine more than 3x as much. Can't make a good comparison based on different uses.

I like the fact that the E4GT is being talked about as an early ICS upgrade, but hearing Samsung is slow on the follow. According to androidcntral.com's analysis, something about the Photon's CPU that makes is less likely to get ICS quickly.

The Photon has GSM (world phone). This is key for me (travel) but not for the wife.

I also like the fact that Motorola is a US company.

They both are great phones, and I would return neither for the other. They both fit their respective missions...

-Sean

 

[tungsten]

They both are great phones, and I would return neither for the other. They both fit their respective missions...

-Sean

Which are what are the missions; are they different by choice or are they different by design?

That's what I want to know
What they were created to do?

 

[sfhub]

Also, the E4GT does appear to have some issues with roaming on the current firmware, so that would probably play a part when traveling as well. Don't get me wrong, the E4GT is a great phone, but my gut tells me the Photon would handle moving around the country better.

Your gut is probably right. Since at least the OG Epic days, Samsung radios won't roam on PCS (1900MHz). They will roam on CLR (850MHz). It can (obviously) get service on PCS, just won't roam.

It is likely a radio bug, but they haven't fixed it in over a year after many updates and the same "feature" migrated to the Epic Touch.

So how does this affect you? Well if your PRL is defined to roam VZN, you are probably fine, since most of their coverage is CLR. If your roaming is defined to use PCS (Cricket, Metro, etc.) then you won't have service in those areas.

 

[sko580]

I started out with Photon and then exchanged for the Epic Touch within my 30 days. Having the Epic Touch was a really nice experience. It had edged over the Photon as a media device. However 4 weeks later, I realized there some features I missed from the Photon. Such items were the alarm clock. I found the ?touch anywhere to snooze? and increasing volume feature an awesome feature. Having to touch a specific area of the screen or slide to snooze while crusty eyed in the early morning sometimes led to the accidental touch of the dismiss button. Photon wins here. Having a kick stand made this the best bedside clock.

I decided to browse through CraigsList and was able to find a Photon for sale for a relative low price. Now I have both devices and it is nice to have them side by side at the same time.

Boot Up Time ? The Epic Touch blows the Photon away when booting up. It loads within seconds.

Camera - The Epic Touch has as wider lens and the flash seems to be brighter and whiter despite the Photon having a dual LED as a flash. The reason I bring up the flash issue is because I tend to use the flashlight app often. The Epic Touch?s response time to take pictures is slightly snappier than the Photon. As for the quality, the Epic Touch had a very marginal advantage in colors and noise levels. The Photon tends to have oversaturated colors and a bit noisier in low light. Note that I compared these photos by downloading them onto a computer and viewing the photos from both cameras on a monitor.

Radio ? Photon has excellent cellular radio. I work in a warehouse and the Photon has no problems keeping me connected in areas of weak signals. Photon hands down.

Build Quality ? The Photon feels great in the hands. The build is quite excellent and doesn?t feel cheap. The Epic Touch does look sleeker as it is thinner, but wider. The Epic Touch does feel a bit more plastic like compared to the Photon. But at the end of the day, that really doesn?t matter because I end up using a case/skin on any phone I use. With the TPU case, the material of the phone does not matter. The Epic Touch wins as it continues to feel and look sleeker than the Photon with the case.

Microphone ? The Photon has a much better microphone. I am not sure, but I read somewhere that the Photon has a noise cancellation mic which is achievable due to the dual mic system built on the Photon.

Software/Hardware Bug ? One bug I found annoying is the inability to use the Epic Touch while plugged in and charging. The screen becomes erratic to touch responses and I noticed that this bug also affects voice input. I use this feature everyday while driving as I give the verbal command to text my wife when I am on the road. The Photon has yet to fail on me with this feature. Even verbally telling it an address for navigation is an excellent experience with the Photon.

Today I have both phones. I am still unsure which to keep. Keeping both is not an option. I ended up placing both phones for sale on Craigslist for the past 2 weeks and whichever gets sold first will be the one that goes. Unfortunately I haven?t been able to sell at the price I am looking for. I just might end up going to eBay.

 

[jfenton]

I really miss my Photons, especially since I went through THREE of them...all of which would drop calls, lock up, have dead dialing and all of the good stuff.

Now, with my ET4G, I get excellent signal strength, a camera the blows the Photon camera away (I am a nature and wildlife photographer and believe me when I tell you I can see the difference), a far better screen, battery battery life and no WIFI issues at all.

Don't gauge everything by the frigging signal bars as all manufacturers report signal strength in their own ways.

I wear hearing aids as my hearing stinks and I have absolutely zero problems with the ET4G be it using the earpiece or rear speaker.

The battery life on the ET4G is exceptional. Of course, I use it as an actual communication and internet device both for me personally and for work and not simply as a toy.

 

[seanoj]

Which are what are the missions; are they different by choice or are they different by design?

That's what I want to know
What they were created to do?

Both try to do it all. Samsung looks better, is thinner and brighter. Photon is less good looking, fatter and maybe more capable (radios).

Wife likes pretty things that work = E4GT
I like to work thigns = Photon

If you use multiple email services and want them unified, have a phone that works overseas, and powerful Motorola radios, get Photon.

If the above means less to you than a beautiful big screen, slim form factor and tons of accessories, go E4GT.

-Sean

 

[dj2big]

I bought the Epic Touch and I luv it I did play around with a Photon it was a tuff choice but the Galaxy just seemed more sleek and felt better in my hands. I know technically on paper one phone always looks superior but the bottom line is what ever phone you choose make sure you are happy with it

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[fivegear]

You guys all raise good points! I still have both phones and I am really having a tough time deciding which one to keep. A buddy of mine is interested in the Photon so that may be the deciding factor. On the other hand I have only owned the e4gt since Wednesday and I have already had roaming issues 3 times in locations that it wasn't an issue with the Photon. By roaming issues I am mean sticking in roam and having absolutely no data while in roam. Both are fantastic phones!

 

[Gator352]

I just got the E4GT and gave the moPho to my son. I couldn't be happier!

 

[dguidry12]

I really miss my Photons, especially since I went through THREE of them...all of which would drop calls, lock up, have dead dialing and all of the good stuff.

Now, with my ET4G, I get excellent signal strength, a camera the blows the Photon camera away (I am a nature and wildlife photographer and believe me when I tell you I can see the difference), a far better screen, battery battery life and no WIFI issues at all.

Don't gauge everything by the frigging signal bars as all manufacturers report signal strength in their own ways.

I wear hearing aids as my hearing stinks and I have absolutely zero problems with the ET4G be it using the earpiece or rear speaker.

The battery life on the ET4G is exceptional. Of course, I use it as an actual communication and internet device both for me personally and for work and not simply as a toy.

LMBO..THis is the most comicle, fan boyish and fabricated response ive ever seen. All factors point to the Photon being better or equal to the GS2 and you come spew some foolishness like this. Ive owned both phones and as many on this thread has stated that the gs2 has no real advantages over the photon but the screen. SMH

 

[Stearmandriver]

LMBO..THis is the most comicle, fan boyish and fabricated response ive ever seen. All factors point to the Photon being better or equal to the GS2 and you come spew some foolishness like this. Ive owned both phones and as many on this thread has stated that the gs2 has no real advantages over the photon but the screen. SMH

Contradicting yourself again.

 

[Stearmandriver]

LMBO..THis is the most comicle, fan boyish and fabricated response ive ever seen. All factors point to the Photon being better or equal to the GS2 and you come spew some foolishness like this. Ive owned both phones and as many on this thread has stated that the gs2 has no real advantages over the photon but the screen. SMH

Contradicting yourself again.

LOVE this guy! ;-)

 

[DataHawg]

LMBO..THis is the most comicle, fan boyish and fabricated response ive ever seen. All factors point to the Photon being better or equal to the GS2 and you come spew some foolishness like this. Ive owned both phones and as many on this thread has stated that the gs2 has no real advantages over the photon but the screen. SMH

Take a hike, DG. What in the h*ll makes you think jfenton's post about his experience with both phones is boyish, fabricated, foolish and comical? Because he disagrees with you? He owned both phones, too and his opinion is based on his experience just as yours is.
You're the one who is foolish and comical. Your opinions pull no more weight than anyone elses. Stop attacking anyone who disagrees with you and stop calling them names. Instead of being an ***hole you need to man up and face the fact that not everyone will agree with you. It's just the way it is. Deal with it.

 

[dguidry12]

Take a hike, DG. What in the h*ll makes you think jfenton's post about his experience with both phones is boyish, fabricated, foolish and comical? Because he disagrees with you? He owned both phones, too and his opinion is based on his experience just as yours is.
You're the one who is foolish and comical. Your opinions pull no more weight than anyone elses. Stop attacking anyone who disagrees with you and stop calling them names. Instead of being an ***hole you need to man up and face the fact that not everyone will agree with you. It's just the way it is. Deal with it.

lol..good point but words like "miles ahead", "destroys" are simply overstated.

 

[HeavemyTreo]

dguidry12, so statements like, "SG2 is just flat out horrible" are not over the top? You are the Master of OTT (over the top) my friend.

lol..good point but words like "miles ahead", "destroys" are simply overstated.

 

[DataHawg]

You are absolutely right DG as you say is a troll because he is telling the truth as he see's it I too own that piece of crap as a phone et4g and I love it it's a nice media device that's it phone wise it sucks but I only no this because I own the photon aswell which has the best radio of maybe any phone I've ever owned on sprint and I know I'm a photon fan boy because I said that it has the best wireless radio hands down and I maybe labeled a troll because I'm defending someone who is being attacked because he's trying to keep others from making the same mistake that he did wow I thought that's what forums were for

I hope you read the rest of Dg's posts by now. Now who's attacking who? Dg loves to go after those of us who are totally happy with our E4GT's and say our positive usage reports are fabricated and comical. Anyone who does that is going to get called out and that's also what these forums are for.