Anybody come from a Photon?

[fivegear]

I should be receiving my Epic Touch tomorrow and am really excited about it. I currently have a Motorola Photon and it is a great phone, anybody leave a Photon for the Epic Touch? Any regrets? I have gotten spoiled with the signal strength, call quality, and powerful external speaker of the Photon. I am pretty sure those are the only areas the Photon has an edge over the Epic Touch.

So anybody out there have any regrets leaving the Photon?

Thanks

 

[Mikest]

I came from a photon. The speaker was louder, and the signal strength was much better on the photon but thats about it. The Epic Touch 4G beats it every where else (at least in my brief 28 day experience with the Photon), but especially on the screen. The screen was actually my main reason for switching. The Epic screen is just gorgeous.

 

[oskar1995]

I spent a few weeks with the Photon as well. I was also a fan of the signal strength (although I spent a week in Orlando and it was horrendous). I have absolutely zero regrets in switching over to the E4GT. I believe I would have regretted not getting the E4GT.

The screen is such a huge difference. I wasn't driven nuts by the pentile screen door effect but after awhile I wasn't a fan. The Epic screen is truly that Epic. From a lag, game, loading, etc standpoint I think the two phones are close (although from a boot sequence the Epic destroys).

I found the battery on both to be better than any other Android phone I have used, but I would give a nod to the E4GT. It seems to have a bit more juice at night after I go through my normal day (both phones are great though).

In terms of call quality, I don't think anything can touch the Moto Photon. Its great. I have not been unhappy with the E4GT by any stretch, but its not as amazing. The external speaker as you noted is probably a tad better, but nothing I use a lot so it has no impact.

Overall I prefer the TouchWiz interface to the MotoBlur. Probably more preferences but the widgets and such just seem a touch better.

I wish you the best of luck with your E4GT. I think you will be happy. Both are great devices, so I don't think you can go wrong, but I feel like the E4GT is just a touch above.

 

[Mikest]

Oh I did want to add I do kinda miss the kickstand. Small price to pay though.

 

[dguidry12]

My friend the only and I mean the ONLY thing that beats the photon on this phone is the screen as I must admit. However, the important things that should matter with a "smartphone" the photon actually blows this phone away. Don't be fooled by any quadrant scores because in real world activity it doesn't show. Actually in oppening applications the original Epic 4g is faster and it has been proven in many comparisons. All you have to do is google the Epic touch and you will see a many negative experiences with it for those that actually know how a smartphone is suppose to behave.

Photon
Camera - equal
Connectivity to WIFI, 3g and 4g - Superior
Call quality - Superior
Speaker quality - Superior
Audio out quality through 3.5mm - Superior
Actual internet usage - Faster due to superior antennas
Build quality - Superior
Battery Life - Superior

Epic Touch
Screen - Superior

And that is it my friend. You can sit and listen to this nonsense if you want but this is coming from someone that just wants a phone that will work and this Samsung doesn't do that very well!!

 

[limeaid]

Photon
Camera - equal

I had to call this out-- NO WAY are the cameras equal on these two phones. The ET4G's camera is light years better than the Photon's, and it's the main reason I made the switch and have stuck with the phone

That being said, I do miss the Photon. The Photon has better battery life by far, feels better in hand, and in general is just a more stable, usable phone in terms of call quality and connectivity. The ET4G's screen might be better in terms of color saturation, but the resolution is just horrendous for a screen of this size. I would've preferred that they stuck to the original 4.3" since they weren't able to bump up the resolution. I do like touchwiz much better than motoblur, however. When I had the photon, I used launcher pro, but on the epic, I've stuck with touchwiz and am enjoying it.

 

[dguidry12]

I had to call this out-- NO WAY are the cameras equal on these two phones. The ET4G's camera is light years better than the Photon's, and it's the main reason I made the switch and have stuck with the phone

That being said, I do miss the Photon. The Photon has better battery life by far, feels better in hand, and in general is just a more stable, usable phone in terms of call quality and connectivity. The ET4G's screen might be better in terms of color saturation, but the resolution is just horrendous for a screen of this size. I would've preferred that they stuck to the original 4.3" since they weren't able to bump up the resolution. I do like touchwiz much better than motoblur, however. When I had the photon, I used launcher pro, but on the epic, I've stuck with touchwiz and am enjoying it.

Ok..I will agree I should have seperated video from still shots. The still shots are better on the SG2 I agree but the video quality on the photon is better even that it only shoots in 720. The reason I say this is because the audio recording quality on the SG2 is just flat out horrible while the photon best it by a long shot.

 

[fivegear]

Wow! I was thinking I might sell my Photon once I got the e4gt but I think I might just keep both from what you guys are saying. I have a line on my account that is under contract still but not being used, I may just throw the extra one (which ever that ends up being) on that line

Thanks for the input guys! I am still really looking forward to the e4gt I guess phones are my addiction of choice. Could be worse right?

 

[race4life]

I came from the photon and like the e4gt light years better than the photon. Screen, speed and size are just way better to me. Keep both and see which one you like best. Both are good and you can't go wrong.

 

[JayWill]

Keep both and see which one you like best. Both are good and you can't go wrong.

Sage advice in my opinion. Hands on experience from other people who've owned both is great, but only you will be able to determine which device best suits your needs and wants.

Good luck!

Sent from my E4GT via Tapatalk

 

[Stearmandriver]

My friend the only and I mean the ONLY thing that beats the photon on this phone is the screen as I must admit. However, the important things that should matter with a "smartphone" the photon actually blows this phone away. Don't be fooled by any quadrant scores because in real world activity it doesn't show. Actually in oppening applications the original Epic 4g is faster and it has been proven in many comparisons. All you have to do is google the Epic touch and you will see a many negative experiences with it for those that actually know how a smartphone is suppose to behave.

Photon
Camera - equal
Connectivity to WIFI, 3g and 4g - Superior
Call quality - Superior
Speaker quality - Superior
Audio out quality through 3.5mm - Superior
Actual internet usage - Faster due to superior antennas
Build quality - Superior
Battery Life - Superior

Epic Touch
Screen - Superior

And that is it my friend. You can sit and listen to this nonsense if you want but this is coming from someone that just wants a phone that will work and this Samsung doesn't do that very well!!

Coming from an original Epic, I can tell you there is NO WAY that device was faster at ANYTHING... and that's not even talking about a stock Epic (which WAS almost as unusable as DG tries to claim the touch is), but an Epic with a fast stable custom ROM on it. The stock Epic Touch is still WAY faster.

I don't know what DG's deal is, but he's on the border of being banned from the forum as a troll. I wouldn't put too much stock in what he says LOL. I love how quickly he backpedaled from his claim that the Photon's camera was equal, after unequivocally stating that in his very last post.

Google ANY device, and you're going to find OODLES of complaints online.. it's what the internet is for LOL. DG has some personal vendetta against this device. I actually hope they DON'T ban him, because at this point it's just entertaining. He complains, then either backpedals or disappears from the thread when someone calls him on his faulty logic or deeply spun "evidence".

I mean, look at this horrible battery life... 40% left after almost 19 hours:

 

[dguidry12]

Coming from an original Epic, I can tell you there is NO WAY that device was faster at ANYTHING... and that's not even talking about a stock Epic (which WAS almost as unusable as DG tries to claim the touch is), but an Epic with a fast stable custom ROM on it. The stock Epic Touch is still WAY faster.

I don't know what DG's deal is, but he's on the border of being banned from the forum as a troll. I wouldn't put too much stock in what he says LOL. I love how quickly he backpedaled from his claim that the Photon's camera was equal, after unequivocally stating that in his very last post.

Google ANY device, and you're going to find OODLES of complaints online.. it's what the internet is for LOL. DG has some personal vendetta against this device. I actually hope they DON'T ban him, because at this point it's just entertaining. He complains, then either backpedals or disappears from the thread when someone calls him on his faulty logic or deeply spun "evidence".

I mean, look at this horrible battery life... 40% left after almost 19 hours:
Click to view quoted image

Lol..man are you serious with this screenshot?? Your phone is basically off for the majority of the time with the screen be off for 90% of the time. You seem so blinded that there is in fact trouble with your device as others are having. Why in the heck is your phone awake when its 1. in AIRPLANE MODE 2. you barely even turn the phone on?? Also at the end you used WIFI that indeed increases battery performance. This is my point to you guys why are you thrilled at this screenshot? I doesn't show us anything good and only shows that our phone is sleep 90% of the day. Lol this is comical and you need to take your phone back because it apparently has the AOS bug. SMH

 

[dguidry12]

And I have already explained why I gave the camera a tie

 

[Stearmandriver]

There is no bug on my phone... Its awake because I'm running things that keep it awake. It's doing its job. Just because its in airplane mode some of the time does not mean its "off".. As a matter of fact, I use it often while in airplane mode. They are 2 very different things... I mean, surely you understand the difference between those two options?

Of course, the stints in airplane mode helped battery life. But look, its still at 40 percent! Suppose leaving it out of airplane mode would have caused another 40 percent drain (which would not have happened, as anyone can tell by comparing the lengths of time it spent in airplane mode vs active)... That would still mean I got almost 19 hours life with moderate use. Good god man, you call that a BUG?? Of course my screen is off for the majority of 19 hours... Whose isn't? I mean...its a phone. I check what I need, then put it away. I take a call... Then put it away. I stream Pandora for 30 minds on a break... Then put it away. I take a call... Then hang up. I send a few texts... Then turn it off. I mean, who expects to have their phone in their hands, screen on for the majority of the time? That's just silly.

LOVE this guy!

 

[Sean-Troy]

There is no bug on my phone... Its awake because I'm running things that keep it awake. It's doing its job. Just because its in airplane mode some of the time does not mean its "off".. As a matter of fact, I use it often while in airplane mode. They are 2 very different things... I mean, surely you understand the difference between those two options?

Of course, the stints in airplane mode helped battery life. But look, its still at 40 percent! Suppose leaving it out of airplane mode would have caused another 40 percent drain (which would not have happened, as anyone can tell by comparing the lengths of time it spent in airplane mode vs active)... That would still mean I got almost 19 hours life with moderate use. Good god man, you call that a BUG?? Of course my screen is off for the majority of 19 hours... Whose isn't? I mean...its a phone. I check what I need, then put it away. I take a call... Then put it away. I stream Pandora for 30 minds on a break... Then put it away. I take a call... Then hang up. I send a few texts... Then turn it off. I mean, who expects to have their phone in their hands, screen on for the majority of the time? That's just silly.

LOVE this guy!

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

 

[HeavemyTreo]

So you have taken the Photon and the SG2 videos and compared them on a 40" or greater screen to really be able to see the difference between the Photon 720 and the SG2 1080? I have had both and I am not sure you are right, I find the SG2 audio recording pretty good, say "just flat out horrible" is over the top in my humble opinion. But then you have been known to make over the top statements at times (note "at times").

This note fis or the person asking the question. I had a Photon for 3 weeks before getting the SG2, I am extremely happy with SG2. One issue that has surprised me is the good battery life, given the big screen and processor. I have also added Juice Defender Ultimate, which according to its statistics has given me a 2X increase in battery life over stock usage. It does things like auto turning off WiFi when I leave the house, versus me manually turning it off or forgetting. I think it also turns off 4G if there is not an acceptable signal.

I purchased 2 spare battiers from Anker (another great product provider) and rarely use them, but if needed, I love the quick reboot time of the SG2. I used to have a Pre and the boot time on a Pre was almost a century (ooops, sorry for over the top statement )

Photon is a great phone, especially if you travel internationally. The screen was the difference maker for me, I have not detected a phone signal difference. One issue I had with the Photon was it knocked out my Wifi at home. I couldn't use WiFi or 4g, if I did it would take down my home WiFi and cause me to reset router, AirRave and PC. I assume they have fixed that problem.

Ok..I will agree I should have seperated video from still shots. The still shots are better on the SG2 I agree but the video quality on the photon is better even that it only shoots in 720. The reason I say this is because the audio recording quality on the SG2 is just flat out horrible while the photon best it by a long shot.

 

[Slingbox]

Sage advice in my opinion. Hands on experience from other people who've owned both is great, but only you will be able to determine which device best suits your needs and wants.

Good luck!

Sent from my E4GT via Tapatalk

+1

 

[halmo20#AC]

I had photon for 29 days and I couldn't be happier with GSII...

Photon constantly shut itself down (after 2 exchanges...), requiring battery pull. Dropped data several times a day requiring reboot.

Pentile display drove me to nuts everytime I looked at it's screen (especially with white background) I wanted to dunk it in the toilet...

 

[fivegear]

I had photon for 29 days and I couldn't be happier with GSII...

Photon constantly shut itself down (after 2 exchanges...), requiring battery pull. Dropped data several times a day requiring reboot.

Pentile display drove me to nuts everytime I looked at it's screen (especially with white background) I wanted to dunk it in the toilet...

I can honestly say that there wasn't any true deal breaker for me on the Photon, the screen wasn't that great, but it was far from the worst I have had that's for sure. The power button trim cover fell off and made it rather difficult for me to get the power button to function. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but nobody stocks them yet and I was going to have to send it in for warranty, guess I can do that now.

Just received the e4gt about an hour ago and I am really liking it so far!

 

[myotherbrotherdarrell]

I had a Photon for a couple of days and my Photon's reception wasn't any better than my Epic 4G. The screen looked OK to me. Not anywhere as good as the Epic Touch but it was usable if a bit pale.