Photon Owner's Comments, Issues, and Reviews

[ceasernem]

Does anyones photon make a click noise when you hit the camera app?

 

[Paperino]

Mine says up to date.


One note about the unresponsive audio issue... The same issue has plagued the XPRT since it came out (I'm reading the Motorola XPRT support forums now). So, it may be across their product line. That would really suck, especially since they have no fix as of today.

 

[Septiformus]

Ok, So I've had the phone 5 hours now and here is what I've noticed.

Compared to my EVO 4G

Battery Life: About the same

Phone Speed: Noticeably better, though the unlock screen takes a second or two

Cell signal: 2 bars lower than my EVO 4G at home.

3G: Spotty, very spotty, drops in and out a lot and with speedtest it sometimes tests sub 300

4G: Doesnt pick up 4G at my house like my EVO did and my View still does.
----Where it does pick up 4G it speed tests sub 900, which is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my EVO tested which was around 2400.

So in all the antennas seem to be lacking in comparison.

After a few days of talk time I'll let you know if I notice anything different or the person on the other end mentions anything. If things stick to this pattern, I may take advantage of the 30 day return.

 

[MacBook]

Ok, So I've had the phone 5 hours now and here is what I've noticed.

Compared to my EVO 4G

Battery Life: About the same

Phone Speed: Noticeably better, though the unlock screen takes a second or two

Cell signal: 2 bars lower than my EVO 4G at home.

3G: Spotty, very spotty, drops in and out a lot and with speedtest it sometimes tests sub 300

4G: Doesnt pick up 4G at my house like my EVO did and my View still does.
----Where it does pick up 4G it speed tests sub 900, which is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my EVO tested which was around 2400.

So in all the antennas seem to be lacking in comparison.

After a few days of talk time I'll let you know if I notice anything different or the person on the other end mentions anything. If things stick to this pattern, I may take advantage of the 30 day return.

Thats very disappointing to hear that the signal strength and data speeds arent that great because thats one of the main reasons that im returning my Evo 3D tomorrow for the Photon... Hopefully its just your device and not a widespread issue.:-\

 

[mapleleaf14#AC]

My signal strength is WAY better than the Evo3D I dumped for the Photon...both 3G and 4G.

Actually, the ONLY thing I'm not liking is that I don't seem to be able to have individual mail box icons for each of my email addresses, but since the icon doesn't seem to display the number of unread emails, it probably doesn't matter.

 

[Septiformus]

My signal strength is WAY better than the Evo3D I dumped for the Photon...both 3G and 4G.

Actually, the ONLY thing I'm not liking is that I don't seem to be able to have individual mail box icons for each of my email addresses, but since the icon doesn't seem to display the number of unread emails, it probably doesn't matter.

My comparison is to the EVO 4G, not the 3D.

As far as the mailboxes, in your app menu there is a "Messages" icon that breaks it down

 

[JackG058]

I'm seriously hating the pentile screen. Everything looks checkerboarded... everything. Can't read black text on white background zoomed out. Display is bright but colors are washed out. Phone is speedy and fast, everything feels very well built, but the display is just so awful.

I'm probably going to return for a 3D.

I just don't like being able to see all the pixels.

I'm not seeing the pixels, and the colors on mine are just fine. Better than my EVO 4G. Maybe my eyes just see differently.

Hey guys. Update the motorola software if you haven't. Some issues get resolved with that like the random unresponsive moments.

What update?

Ok, So I've had the phone 5 hours now and here is what I've noticed.

Compared to my EVO 4G

Battery Life: About the same

Phone Speed: Noticeably better, though the unlock screen takes a second or two

Cell signal: 2 bars lower than my EVO 4G at home.

3G: Spotty, very spotty, drops in and out a lot and with speedtest it sometimes tests sub 300

4G: Doesnt pick up 4G at my house like my EVO did and my View still does.
----Where it does pick up 4G it speed tests sub 900, which is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my EVO tested which was around 2400.

So in all the antennas seem to be lacking in comparison.

After a few days of talk time I'll let you know if I notice anything different or the person on the other end mentions anything. If things stick to this pattern, I may take advantage of the 30 day return.

My experience is the opposite. My EVO4G runs typically 1 to 2 bars in my house (used to be better before GB update). With 1 bar on my EVO, my Photon has had 4+. My "time without a signal" on my EVO runs over 20% typically, whereas my Photon is at about 2%. That was one of my main hopes that the signal would be improved, and it definitely is.

 

[Puzzlegal]

Got one today. Mostly still trying to figure out Android. (I'm coming from a Pre.) Seems very responsive, but I'm having trouble finding options. Maybe they don't exist. for instance, I'd like an option to make the alarms be on or off when the phone is in "silent" mode. Also, I loaded K9 mail, but it only seems to update when I ask it to, and I'm a little worried about ho wit is interacting with the server. In particular, it would be really bad if it were removing anything from the server. This is probably the wrong forum for K9 questions - any suggestions as to the right forum?

 

[mapleleaf14#AC]

My comparison is to the EVO 4G, not the 3D.

As far as the mailboxes, in your app menu there is a "Messages" icon that breaks it down

Yeah, the post right above mine mentioned the 3D.

 

[truckerj93455]

all i got to say is wow i love this phone its the best has anyone tryed or order the otterbox for the photon

 

[Srycantthnkof1]

all i got to say is wow i love this phone its the best has anyone tryed or order the otterbox for the photon

Just ordered the Otterbox one for 34.95 yesterday. Make sure you search for coupon codes for the otterbox website cause i got mine at 10% off

 

[sndplace]

Just ordered the Otterbox one for 34.95 yesterday. Make sure you search for coupon codes for the otterbox website cause i got mine at 10% off

Which one? Commuter or Deffender?

 

[hatspree]

Got one today. Mostly still trying to figure out Android. (I'm coming from a Pre.) Seems very responsive, but I'm having trouble finding options. Maybe they don't exist. for instance, I'd like an option to make the alarms be on or off when the phone is in "silent" mode. Also, I loaded K9 mail, but it only seems to update when I ask it to, and I'm a little worried about ho wit is interacting with the server. In particular, it would be really bad if it were removing anything from the server. This is probably the wrong forum for K9 questions - any suggestions as to the right forum?

Definitely the wrong forum. Go to your alarm/clock application and press MENU, then SETTINGS. There is an option to turn it off in silent mode. I don't know about K9 mail. Most android phones are very similar at a basic level so a quick google search may solve that problem.

 

[Puzzlegal]

Thanks. I couldn't find anything on using k9, so i started a thread in tje applications forum. Most problems were resol wd when i turned off the phone.

Spiify macjine. The keyboard issnt as bad as i feared, althoufh the default keyboard has no comma in the main set of keys, which is annoyimg. As i expexted,the sufgested words slow me down, althoufh im sure they would omprove my accuracy.

It is awdully large, though.

 

[statdoc]

Spiify macjine. The keyboard issnt as bad as i feared, althoufh the default keyboard has no comma in the main set of keys, which is annoyimg. As i expexted,the sufgested words slow me down, althoufh im sure they would omprove my accuracy.

Perhaps they would!

 

[VDub2174]

Not sure I understand why everyone is comparing this phone with the EVO 4G. It should be faster and have better battery life.

Because that's what a lot of us are coming from.

 

[Puzzlegal]

Perhaps they would!

No doubt. My typing wasn't perfect on the Pre, but it was far better than on the Android so far. I'm sure there is a learning curve, but if I type at anything like the speed I'm used to typing on the Pre, my accuracy sucks.

I find it particularly annoying that a lot of important keys, such as the comma and the dash, aren't readily available. Guys, seriously! (Also question marks, exclamation points, all sorts of stuff that was two keystrokes on the Pre seems to be "press and hold the period, then fumble for the right one" or "switch to the number keyboard and then have to switch back, reforcusing each time.)

So I guess I am in the market for keyboards with more keys. It looks like this one might have room for more keys, except they are covered up by "suggested words" whenever I'd actually want to use them. Maybe I can turn off the "suggested word" thing.

(Typed from my computer keyboard, not my android.)

 

[Puzzlegal]

So, it's only 9:47, and my Photon battery symbol is about half way down. I can't figure out how to find the actual %left (although I know I have seen that number.)

Is that normal? That seems like really horrid battery life.

I did have a bunch of over-active stuff. I had the default facebook widgets running, and somehow google mail defaulted to updating every minute. (I've knocked that back to every 15 minutes or something.) I still have a weather widget up. I've been on the gadget a lot, readnig email, downloading a little software, mostly fiddling with settings in various apps. But still, I hope this isn't what I have to look forward to. If it is, I will have to return the thing.

 

[VDub2174]

So, it's only 9:47, and my Photon battery symbol is about half way down. I can't figure out how to find the actual %left (although I know I have seen that number.)

Is that normal? That seems like really horrid battery life.

I did have a bunch of over-active stuff. I had the default facebook widgets running, and somehow google mail defaulted to updating every minute. (I've knocked that back to every 15 minutes or something.) I still have a weather widget up. I've been on the gadget a lot, readnig email, downloading a little software, mostly fiddling with settings in various apps. But still, I hope this isn't what I have to look forward to. If it is, I will have to return the thing.

There has to be some apps running in the background. Did you go into the Task Manager to see what was running? You'd be surprised to see how many apps would be running without you knowing. I know I was when I first checked.

 

[Srycantthnkof1]

Which one? Commuter or Deffender?

Commuter... im hoping it will still fit in the hd dock