Download Enhanced Email......it has auto sync for subfolders. i messed around with it on my friends phone and it works great. Now i can finally make the jump from BB to Android
Atrix First Impressions/Reviews
- Thread starter terpitude71
- Start date
My review of the Atrix. (Bell Canada)
An evaluation of the Atrix, after 4 days of ownership
Aesthetics - 7/10
Ordinary. Most smart phones look very much alike, so this is one of the least important factors, IMO.
Screen - 7.5/10
Resolution is not as high as I would of liked it, I would have prefered 720P, but it is still quite decent. Reactive screen works well so far.
General Hardware - 8/10
Feel in hand is solid, sound is good and general computing performance is smooth and slick. One thing which dismayed me is the USB port. I woul have preferred the mini-USB used format used by most cameras and MP3 players. Now I have to purchase yet another in-car charger, or live with the added bulk of an adapter on my current charger. HDMI as a HUGE plus, and I must state that so far, it has worked flawlessly for me. Sadly, FAT32 is used on the storage devices, instead of an open-source solution like ReiserFS or a version of a NTFS-like system. Thus, a movie of over 4gb is not happening on this thing. I also tried playing an AVI with AC3 sound, it was a no-go over earphones, so no on-board AC3. I have yet to test it using HDMI output, I suspect it should work, though.
OS and default software - 5.5/10
Motoblur.
For the non initiated is a bit of a mystery, and a seriously annoyed me. I was not prepared for the need to create an account right then and there at the provider's kiosk, so I had not created an E-mail profile specific to this task. That seriously peeved me.
2 Days after purchase, I'm starting to understand my phone and it's OS, so I figure it's time to demystify this Motoblur stuff. Happens the password I chose was probably mistyped twice when it set it. Now I can't log on the service. I used the Motoblur website reset, and can now access the website account, but can't sync the phone's settings because the silly thing wants me to enter the old password. A message tells me to call my provider. This is a MAJOR caveat. Also, I do NOT use "social websites". They are a threat to privacy, and the fact that Motoblur wants to hijack all "social accounts" makes it an even scarier proposition. Perhaps it can be of use in case of theft ? I honestly believe that Motorola has done a bad job of telling user what it is, and forcing registration to it before seeing or doing anything else on the phone is STUPID, and unwarranted.
(I still Have to call my provider and resolve the login issue. This better not require a reset of the phone, or I'll be beyond peeved.... I have now have over 6 Gigs of music and a boatload of playlists which took forever to sync.)
Home screens.
The OS does not seem to have an easy setting to select the number of home screens. I only need 1. Why do I have to be stuck with a bunch of empties ?
Default app behavior after use. Why do ALL apps keep running ? Most should just shutdown when closed... Having to go through a task manager to kill them when not in use is dysfunctional. If Android should have a spec to force the software coders to make a mandatory option setting for "shutdown on quit".
Advert-ware.
My version, which is Bell Canada's, is also quite bloated with advert-ware (links to a software advertisement trying to sell you the real thing). One example is Navteq's GPS navigation. If it is not included, it should NOT be there. This crappy "AOL disk" marketing technique is a serious annoyance, as one has to go through a myriad of these things to find out what is actual software, and what is advert-ware.
Motorola's MEDIA LINK sync software.
As usual, Motorola's people have outdone themselves on stupidly lack-luster and dysfunctional software link to the phone. I despise this type of "take-you-by-the-hand-cause-you-are-a-dumb-customer". They should have made an obvious "user" directory on the phone's storage, and let use copy and paste freely using our PC's file managers. This can be done, but the directories are mostly hiden if you have the Motorola sync thingy loaded..
Motorolla Phone portal
Kudos for an almost-working on-board server. Much better than MediaLink, but it does have a major flaw: It requires the obnoxiously sad and bad browser from Redmond: Internet Explorer is required for file transfers. I'm a staunch user of Opera, and this is a major letdown. I'm glad their are noty requiring Chrome, which I also despise. I don't know if it uses active-X, Java or what, but seriously, an on-phone php-style web server style application would have been better, though I can't say if it's even possible.
Default Media playback support. 6/10
This is ugly. Why all the support for AAC, but nothing for FLAC ? I also found that the player does not want to read WAVs when selecting the file from the player directly, but when I copy to the phone, and then sync it with a playlist though the Media Link software, I can then play it. The only other way to start a WAV was to go and select it though the file manager. As I've already stated in my signature, I'm anxiously hopeful for a VLC port.
Signal reception - 10/10
So far, the Atrix is showing great reception, just like my previous Motorola did. Quite happy so far, though I have not tested it in deep underground parkings and in my city's subway. (I have not had a ride in it in the last 25 years, so it's a rather moot point anyway.)
Wi-Fi also works well. It's range is understandably limited to save power, but it is adequate and stable.
GPS and geolocation - 7/10
A free app called "Ulysse gizmo" is what made this functional for me. The fact that I had to download an app to have my coordinates easily accessible is a bit of a let-down, thus the low score. The receiver works fine though. On the other hand, I tried Motoblur's web locator, and it failed miserably.
Battery Life 6/10
My old phone lasted a whole 7 days with capacity for talking for 2~3 hours on the seventh day before it died.
Given, the ATRIX is much more than a mere phone, BUT, 1 day is all it managed under what is looking to be my future usage patern. 2 hours of music playing (WAV), 1 hour of web browsing and three 2 minute phone conversations. I'm hoping this improves has the battery settles.
Conclusion.
Final mark: 71.25/100. It's a passing grade, but definitely, Motorola's sync software needs to be improved, and multi-media support is absolutely inadequate for an appliance of this level. Android could also be tweaked a bit. I will most likely be quite happy with this device. I can forgive Android it's bad power management. I can even live with Motorola's crappy media support, but the Media Link software is Horrible, I did not expect much out of Motorola bundled software, but it is bad way beyond what I expected. I thought no software could ever be a bad as Motorola Phone Tools, but I was wrong.... Media Link gets the "Smelly Turd" award.
Pros:
- Good construction.
- OS works well, even if quirky.
- Excellent performance.
- Decent Wi-Fi capacity and instant tethering utility.
- HDMI output.
- Display is nice and sharp.
Cons:
- No on-board AC3 decoding.
- WAV support is iffy, and no FLAC support.
- Android OS requires a watchful eye on background running tasks to mitigate potential of runaway power consumption.
- Motorola's awful Media Link software.
- Internet explorer requirement for Motorola Phone portal's file manager.
- Resolution of the screen could be better. Waiting for 720P.
- Too much advert-ware.
An evaluation of the Atrix, after 4 days of ownership
Aesthetics - 7/10
Ordinary. Most smart phones look very much alike, so this is one of the least important factors, IMO.
Screen - 7.5/10
Resolution is not as high as I would of liked it, I would have prefered 720P, but it is still quite decent. Reactive screen works well so far.
General Hardware - 8/10
Feel in hand is solid, sound is good and general computing performance is smooth and slick. One thing which dismayed me is the USB port. I woul have preferred the mini-USB used format used by most cameras and MP3 players. Now I have to purchase yet another in-car charger, or live with the added bulk of an adapter on my current charger. HDMI as a HUGE plus, and I must state that so far, it has worked flawlessly for me. Sadly, FAT32 is used on the storage devices, instead of an open-source solution like ReiserFS or a version of a NTFS-like system. Thus, a movie of over 4gb is not happening on this thing. I also tried playing an AVI with AC3 sound, it was a no-go over earphones, so no on-board AC3. I have yet to test it using HDMI output, I suspect it should work, though.
OS and default software - 5.5/10
Motoblur.
For the non initiated is a bit of a mystery, and a seriously annoyed me. I was not prepared for the need to create an account right then and there at the provider's kiosk, so I had not created an E-mail profile specific to this task. That seriously peeved me.
2 Days after purchase, I'm starting to understand my phone and it's OS, so I figure it's time to demystify this Motoblur stuff. Happens the password I chose was probably mistyped twice when it set it. Now I can't log on the service. I used the Motoblur website reset, and can now access the website account, but can't sync the phone's settings because the silly thing wants me to enter the old password. A message tells me to call my provider. This is a MAJOR caveat. Also, I do NOT use "social websites". They are a threat to privacy, and the fact that Motoblur wants to hijack all "social accounts" makes it an even scarier proposition. Perhaps it can be of use in case of theft ? I honestly believe that Motorola has done a bad job of telling user what it is, and forcing registration to it before seeing or doing anything else on the phone is STUPID, and unwarranted.
(I still Have to call my provider and resolve the login issue. This better not require a reset of the phone, or I'll be beyond peeved.... I have now have over 6 Gigs of music and a boatload of playlists which took forever to sync.)
Home screens.
The OS does not seem to have an easy setting to select the number of home screens. I only need 1. Why do I have to be stuck with a bunch of empties ?
Default app behavior after use. Why do ALL apps keep running ? Most should just shutdown when closed... Having to go through a task manager to kill them when not in use is dysfunctional. If Android should have a spec to force the software coders to make a mandatory option setting for "shutdown on quit".
Advert-ware.
My version, which is Bell Canada's, is also quite bloated with advert-ware (links to a software advertisement trying to sell you the real thing). One example is Navteq's GPS navigation. If it is not included, it should NOT be there. This crappy "AOL disk" marketing technique is a serious annoyance, as one has to go through a myriad of these things to find out what is actual software, and what is advert-ware.
Motorola's MEDIA LINK sync software.
As usual, Motorola's people have outdone themselves on stupidly lack-luster and dysfunctional software link to the phone. I despise this type of "take-you-by-the-hand-cause-you-are-a-dumb-customer". They should have made an obvious "user" directory on the phone's storage, and let use copy and paste freely using our PC's file managers. This can be done, but the directories are mostly hiden if you have the Motorola sync thingy loaded..
Motorolla Phone portal
Kudos for an almost-working on-board server. Much better than MediaLink, but it does have a major flaw: It requires the obnoxiously sad and bad browser from Redmond: Internet Explorer is required for file transfers. I'm a staunch user of Opera, and this is a major letdown. I'm glad their are noty requiring Chrome, which I also despise. I don't know if it uses active-X, Java or what, but seriously, an on-phone php-style web server style application would have been better, though I can't say if it's even possible.
Default Media playback support. 6/10
This is ugly. Why all the support for AAC, but nothing for FLAC ? I also found that the player does not want to read WAVs when selecting the file from the player directly, but when I copy to the phone, and then sync it with a playlist though the Media Link software, I can then play it. The only other way to start a WAV was to go and select it though the file manager. As I've already stated in my signature, I'm anxiously hopeful for a VLC port.
Signal reception - 10/10
So far, the Atrix is showing great reception, just like my previous Motorola did. Quite happy so far, though I have not tested it in deep underground parkings and in my city's subway. (I have not had a ride in it in the last 25 years, so it's a rather moot point anyway.)
Wi-Fi also works well. It's range is understandably limited to save power, but it is adequate and stable.
GPS and geolocation - 7/10
A free app called "Ulysse gizmo" is what made this functional for me. The fact that I had to download an app to have my coordinates easily accessible is a bit of a let-down, thus the low score. The receiver works fine though. On the other hand, I tried Motoblur's web locator, and it failed miserably.
Battery Life 6/10
My old phone lasted a whole 7 days with capacity for talking for 2~3 hours on the seventh day before it died.
Given, the ATRIX is much more than a mere phone, BUT, 1 day is all it managed under what is looking to be my future usage patern. 2 hours of music playing (WAV), 1 hour of web browsing and three 2 minute phone conversations. I'm hoping this improves has the battery settles.
Conclusion.
Final mark: 71.25/100. It's a passing grade, but definitely, Motorola's sync software needs to be improved, and multi-media support is absolutely inadequate for an appliance of this level. Android could also be tweaked a bit. I will most likely be quite happy with this device. I can forgive Android it's bad power management. I can even live with Motorola's crappy media support, but the Media Link software is Horrible, I did not expect much out of Motorola bundled software, but it is bad way beyond what I expected. I thought no software could ever be a bad as Motorola Phone Tools, but I was wrong.... Media Link gets the "Smelly Turd" award.
Pros:
- Good construction.
- OS works well, even if quirky.
- Excellent performance.
- Decent Wi-Fi capacity and instant tethering utility.
- HDMI output.
- Display is nice and sharp.
Cons:
- No on-board AC3 decoding.
- WAV support is iffy, and no FLAC support.
- Android OS requires a watchful eye on background running tasks to mitigate potential of runaway power consumption.
- Motorola's awful Media Link software.
- Internet explorer requirement for Motorola Phone portal's file manager.
- Resolution of the screen could be better. Waiting for 720P.
- Too much advert-ware.
You made me bust out laughing. It all made perfect sense. I am a 9700 owner and have been wracking my brain trying to decide which new Android device to buy. Once I do switch, I know I'll never go back to RIM.
Thanks for the laugh, Sublime.
Your task manager can do exactly what you're asking.
And how is a phone getting a full day on a charge (and it will get better) a problem? What other android device goes longer? I don't see why phones need to last longer than that, plug it in at night and it'll be ready for the next day.
BTW, pretty sure the only phone with higher res is the iPhone 4, so you knocking points off for the qHD is a little harsh since no other android phone can match it
A one time comment about my original post.
All reviews of consumer hardware and software are subjective, at best. These are personal views, and not necessarily perceived as correct by all. This said, I would like to expand on my opinions, just this once, to answer some of Freakish Gnome's concerns. I don't want to start an argument or a flame war, thus this will be my sole comment about the issues raised.
"Your task manager can do exactly what you're asking."
Yes, it does, but I shouldn't have to constantly be using it. I think there should be an obligatory spec for Droid apps to include an auto-end option on "leaving the app". Allowing the current power hogging just for the sake of it, or for better data mining by coders, will probably hurt the platform more than helps it. Power on a phone is a commodity which should not be squandered. Benefits for the App Devs should not outweigh the benefits for the users. If someone likes his instant messaging apps to remain loaded and connected all day, I'm fine with it, but I don't think it should be the default behavior, I believe the user should be allowed to choose the behavior. I guess I did not make myself quite clear on that point, my bad.
"And how is a phone getting a full day on a charge (and it will get better) a problem? "
I'm a truck driver. Yes, not all android users work in a nifty and comfortable office or cubicle... In my industry, working for 18~20 hours straight is a rule, not the exception. I need this sucker to last for while. Trucks are not like cars. In many vehicles, the 12V sockets are de-comissioned and power is diverted to satellite tracking hardware.
"What other android device goes longer?"
Can't answer that. My expectations regarding power are not based on a class of device, (IE: Android sets vs other phones...) but on a type of device, as in a "phone" vs another, period. I think added functionality should be balanced be equally augmented power resources. I wouldn't mind if it weighed an extra once if it afforded 6 more hours of power under use. I consider 24Hrs of use a minimal spec.
"knocking points off for the qHD is a little harsh since no other android phone can match it"
I don't rank an I-phone as a "10", either, but Apple's device is not the one being discussed here.
Well, I hope this makes it possible to see my review in the context it was intended to be interpreted. I'm quite sure many still have reservations about it. Some may even hold diametrically opposed opinions. People usually glean information on more than one review, and base they're opinion on a perceived average, which is why I will not discuss my review any further, and instead, will be looking at what others have to say about the Atrix, and other hardware.
I'm loving this device so far, but I'm not a salesman for Motorola, nor am I partial to any OS. I'm a consumer, and as such, I'm a whore to the "most for the least" laws of the market.
All reviews of consumer hardware and software are subjective, at best. These are personal views, and not necessarily perceived as correct by all. This said, I would like to expand on my opinions, just this once, to answer some of Freakish Gnome's concerns. I don't want to start an argument or a flame war, thus this will be my sole comment about the issues raised.
"Your task manager can do exactly what you're asking."
Yes, it does, but I shouldn't have to constantly be using it. I think there should be an obligatory spec for Droid apps to include an auto-end option on "leaving the app". Allowing the current power hogging just for the sake of it, or for better data mining by coders, will probably hurt the platform more than helps it. Power on a phone is a commodity which should not be squandered. Benefits for the App Devs should not outweigh the benefits for the users. If someone likes his instant messaging apps to remain loaded and connected all day, I'm fine with it, but I don't think it should be the default behavior, I believe the user should be allowed to choose the behavior. I guess I did not make myself quite clear on that point, my bad.
"And how is a phone getting a full day on a charge (and it will get better) a problem? "
I'm a truck driver. Yes, not all android users work in a nifty and comfortable office or cubicle... In my industry, working for 18~20 hours straight is a rule, not the exception. I need this sucker to last for while. Trucks are not like cars. In many vehicles, the 12V sockets are de-comissioned and power is diverted to satellite tracking hardware.
"What other android device goes longer?"
Can't answer that. My expectations regarding power are not based on a class of device, (IE: Android sets vs other phones...) but on a type of device, as in a "phone" vs another, period. I think added functionality should be balanced be equally augmented power resources. I wouldn't mind if it weighed an extra once if it afforded 6 more hours of power under use. I consider 24Hrs of use a minimal spec.
"knocking points off for the qHD is a little harsh since no other android phone can match it"
I don't rank an I-phone as a "10", either, but Apple's device is not the one being discussed here.
Well, I hope this makes it possible to see my review in the context it was intended to be interpreted. I'm quite sure many still have reservations about it. Some may even hold diametrically opposed opinions. People usually glean information on more than one review, and base they're opinion on a perceived average, which is why I will not discuss my review any further, and instead, will be looking at what others have to say about the Atrix, and other hardware.
I'm loving this device so far, but I'm not a salesman for Motorola, nor am I partial to any OS. I'm a consumer, and as such, I'm a whore to the "most for the least" laws of the market.
Like I said, it does do auto end. There's a big tab at the top that says auto end. Pretty obvious.
As for the battery problem, I'd say grab a couple (extended) extras then or go back to BB. A broken in extended battery should get you right around 24 hours.
As for the battery problem, I'd say grab a couple (extended) extras then or go back to BB. A broken in extended battery should get you right around 24 hours.
I've had the Atrix for 24 days now after leaving my BB in the dust. No regrets there. What I love about the Atrix is the screen size and resolution. It completely buries the BB in that regard. -Completely-. I really enjoy all the incredibly useful apps available. It is a bit of a chore finding the ones that work for me personally, but at least they're there. There are no apps for the BB. Email is syncing just fine (all 5 of them), though I'm having problems getting my business email. The speaker is awesome, far better than it was on my BB Bold 9000. I don't play games, or use my phone for entertainment purposes but, I did try a free game on it and it was a real treat. Social networking on the Atrix beats the BB hands down. This phone is made for social networking. I really enjoy having several desktop screens I can customize with widgets. This is probably the best part of owning an Android phone for me. I have 4 screens, each with their own purpose. It makes quick work accessing what I want, when I want, without having to go hunting for things. For me anyway, this interface beats the BB hands down.
I still cringe a little every time I have to type something. Going from my beloved BB physical keyboard to a virtual keyboard was definitely culture shock. I'm getting used to the keyboard, but it is slow going. No more typing by feel. I have to be very deliberate and delicate when selecting the keys. I do far better using one finger than I do, both thumbs. I still hit all sorts of things on the phone, but not as often as I used to. The touchscreen buttons on the bottom of the phone are especially problematic for me. In the middle of typing an email, I inadvertently touch the home screen button, or back button, losing my email in the process. Well, it's still there, I just have to go find it. The keyboard is not wide enough for me and no, I don't have fat or big fingers. I'm female, 5'7" and I do not have fat fingers I guess I'm just virtual keyboard challenged. I would expect that after 5 years on a BB. The Atrix is not wide enough to use a wider keyboard, at least wide enough for me. This keyboard thing is still not enough to cause me to go back to RIM and their broken, substandard phones, but I must say, I really don't enjoy typing on the Atrix. I find myself putting off answering longer emails until I get home to my laptop.
As of 2 days ago, people started complaining that I sounded as if I was 1000 miles away in a tunnel behind a brick wall. No complaints at all until the 22nd day of ownership. I've read about sound quality issues with the Atrix but, since I hadn't experienced it, I thought I was one of the lucky ones. I guess not. Since the sound issue seems to degrade over time, this is a deal breaker for me.
Since getting the Atrix, I've had routine dropped calls. I rarely had dropped calls with my BB but, at first, I thought it just might be the network. Now, after 24 days, with the dropped call issue getting worse, I'm guessing it's the phone. Still, dropping a call 5 times during a conversation is/was intolerable. If it was in one particular area, I'd know it was the network, but it's not. I was in a doctors office the other day and I was unable to place a call out. I had to step outside the building to make a call and even then, I had to find the right spot in the parking lot for the other person to be able to hear me. I've been in this doctor's office before, but with my BB and never had a problem placing a call. This makes me think it's the phone. Above everything else, I need a reliable phone.
Copying, cutting and pasting on the Atrix is pretty frustrating, for me anyway. It's a different process for each app. Copying text in an email on the BB was simple. On the Atrix, using the Gmail app (don't like motoblur) I have to select options, then More, then Select Text. Then, if the text I want to copy is out of screen view, I can't copy it in one action and there is no option to copy the entire email either. Now again, that's with the Gmail app, but I didn't find it any easier when testing several other email apps. If one app makes it possible to copy the entire email or web page, at the same time, it doesn't do something else I need it to do like, select multiple emails at the same time. I don't know if this is an Android thing, or an Atrix thing, but it makes this simple task far more difficult and time consuming than I think it should be, at least for me. I realize this isn't a "Business Phone", but I do think copying, cutting and pasting should be a standard in any operating system.
All of a sudden, I can't access my bank account through the app. The latest update seems to have killed that on the phone. Since I use that every day, this is a serious problem for me.
Though I haven't loaded many apps on my phone, it's been intermittently, completely non-responsive, or maybe I should say lagging. Nothing on it works for 10-15 seconds. I know that's a short time, but being in the middle of something and having to wait for the phone to respond makes that 10-15 seconds seem like minutes. Now I could have caused this to happen somehow, so I can't say this is an Atrix thing, but it is a bit frustrating, none-the-less.
I thought I figured out why the battery wasn't lasting very long, 5 hours on a good day. I turned off wifi which was connecting on its own automatically. Well, as it turned out, after a full night's charge, the next day, the phone was at 15% after 5 hours of moderate talking. I exchanged the battery, cycled it yesterday, but today, battery is still draining dramatically. This is after auto-killing all but 17 apps I use every day. Still, this could be a noob affliction since I'm not nearly as competent with the phone as other, more experienced users.
I also have a problem video conferencing with my clients. Oddly, many companies have gone the way of the iPhone. The clients I talk to don't like it, but they're stuck with it. Unfortunately, I can't video conference with anyone on an iPhone. They use Skype and Skype is not available for the Atrix and my clients can't download other apps due to the network security policies imposed by their companies. This is a deal-breaker for me. I must be able to video conference for my work.
Now I'll get a little silly. Every time the screen times out, it locks. In order to use the phone again, I have to swipe the unlock tab to the right but first, I have to press the physical power button at the top back of the phone to wake it up. This is more of an annoyance than anything. On the BB I locked it if I wanted it locked. If I didn't, it was ready to go with one tap of the keyboard.
Speaking only for me, the Atrix is an awesome phone. In fact, it's so awesome, that I will never go back to BB. That said, it's not a productivity phone, at least for me. What you can do in one click on a BB, is 2-3 clicks or more on the Atrix. I know Motorola is going to add more productivity features to the phone and, I'd be more than willing to wait for those improvements, were it not for the issues I mentioned above and its counter productive nature. To be honest, I think this phone just offers more than I need. I'm not a tinkerer. I don't play games, watch a lot of movies, or need fancy 3d or live wallpapers. I don't even need the highest resolution screen. I just want the phone to be fast and to help me be more productive. I don't need the phone to be a computer. I have a netbook for that and my netbook cost less than the dock Motorola sells for the Atrix.
So, overall, despite the issues, I love this phone and I'm still so very happy not to have to deal with a broken, antiquated, limited Blackberry. The apps, the screen, well, it's just a very sexy, great to hold, great to customize phone. For all you BB users out there thinking about dumping your antiquated Blackberry, Android phones are the way to go. They are far better equipped to handle anything you throw at them. They seem to be updated more and the updates don't seem to be the tiny incremental updates RIM doles out. My advice? Move into the future. Move to Android and leave RIM where it belongs; in the past. You just have to find the right Android phone for you.
Sorry for the length of this behemoth post and, I hope I didn't offend anyone. I was just trying to relate my experience with the Atrix but, if I said anything that upsets anyone, please accept my apologies in advance. I do credit some of the issues I'm experiencing to my lack of experience with the phone. That must be considered when reading my post.
I still cringe a little every time I have to type something. Going from my beloved BB physical keyboard to a virtual keyboard was definitely culture shock. I'm getting used to the keyboard, but it is slow going. No more typing by feel. I have to be very deliberate and delicate when selecting the keys. I do far better using one finger than I do, both thumbs. I still hit all sorts of things on the phone, but not as often as I used to. The touchscreen buttons on the bottom of the phone are especially problematic for me. In the middle of typing an email, I inadvertently touch the home screen button, or back button, losing my email in the process. Well, it's still there, I just have to go find it. The keyboard is not wide enough for me and no, I don't have fat or big fingers. I'm female, 5'7" and I do not have fat fingers
I guess I'm just virtual keyboard challenged. I would expect that after 5 years on a BB. The Atrix is not wide enough to use a wider keyboard, at least wide enough for me. This keyboard thing is still not enough to cause me to go back to RIM and their broken, substandard phones, but I must say, I really don't enjoy typing on the Atrix. I find myself putting off answering longer emails until I get home to my laptop.As of 2 days ago, people started complaining that I sounded as if I was 1000 miles away in a tunnel behind a brick wall. No complaints at all until the 22nd day of ownership. I've read about sound quality issues with the Atrix but, since I hadn't experienced it, I thought I was one of the lucky ones. I guess not. Since the sound issue seems to degrade over time, this is a deal breaker for me.
Since getting the Atrix, I've had routine dropped calls. I rarely had dropped calls with my BB but, at first, I thought it just might be the network. Now, after 24 days, with the dropped call issue getting worse, I'm guessing it's the phone. Still, dropping a call 5 times during a conversation is/was intolerable. If it was in one particular area, I'd know it was the network, but it's not. I was in a doctors office the other day and I was unable to place a call out. I had to step outside the building to make a call and even then, I had to find the right spot in the parking lot for the other person to be able to hear me. I've been in this doctor's office before, but with my BB and never had a problem placing a call. This makes me think it's the phone. Above everything else, I need a reliable phone.
Copying, cutting and pasting on the Atrix is pretty frustrating, for me anyway. It's a different process for each app. Copying text in an email on the BB was simple. On the Atrix, using the Gmail app (don't like motoblur) I have to select options, then More, then Select Text. Then, if the text I want to copy is out of screen view, I can't copy it in one action and there is no option to copy the entire email either. Now again, that's with the Gmail app, but I didn't find it any easier when testing several other email apps. If one app makes it possible to copy the entire email or web page, at the same time, it doesn't do something else I need it to do like, select multiple emails at the same time. I don't know if this is an Android thing, or an Atrix thing, but it makes this simple task far more difficult and time consuming than I think it should be, at least for me. I realize this isn't a "Business Phone", but I do think copying, cutting and pasting should be a standard in any operating system.
All of a sudden, I can't access my bank account through the app. The latest update seems to have killed that on the phone. Since I use that every day, this is a serious problem for me.
Though I haven't loaded many apps on my phone, it's been intermittently, completely non-responsive, or maybe I should say lagging. Nothing on it works for 10-15 seconds. I know that's a short time, but being in the middle of something and having to wait for the phone to respond makes that 10-15 seconds seem like minutes. Now I could have caused this to happen somehow, so I can't say this is an Atrix thing, but it is a bit frustrating, none-the-less.
I thought I figured out why the battery wasn't lasting very long, 5 hours on a good day. I turned off wifi which was connecting on its own automatically. Well, as it turned out, after a full night's charge, the next day, the phone was at 15% after 5 hours of moderate talking. I exchanged the battery, cycled it yesterday, but today, battery is still draining dramatically. This is after auto-killing all but 17 apps I use every day. Still, this could be a noob affliction since I'm not nearly as competent with the phone as other, more experienced users.
I also have a problem video conferencing with my clients. Oddly, many companies have gone the way of the iPhone. The clients I talk to don't like it, but they're stuck with it. Unfortunately, I can't video conference with anyone on an iPhone. They use Skype and Skype is not available for the Atrix and my clients can't download other apps due to the network security policies imposed by their companies. This is a deal-breaker for me. I must be able to video conference for my work.
Now I'll get a little silly. Every time the screen times out, it locks. In order to use the phone again, I have to swipe the unlock tab to the right but first, I have to press the physical power button at the top back of the phone to wake it up. This is more of an annoyance than anything. On the BB I locked it if I wanted it locked. If I didn't, it was ready to go with one tap of the keyboard.
Speaking only for me, the Atrix is an awesome phone. In fact, it's so awesome, that I will never go back to BB. That said, it's not a productivity phone, at least for me. What you can do in one click on a BB, is 2-3 clicks or more on the Atrix. I know Motorola is going to add more productivity features to the phone and, I'd be more than willing to wait for those improvements, were it not for the issues I mentioned above and its counter productive nature. To be honest, I think this phone just offers more than I need. I'm not a tinkerer. I don't play games, watch a lot of movies, or need fancy 3d or live wallpapers. I don't even need the highest resolution screen. I just want the phone to be fast and to help me be more productive. I don't need the phone to be a computer. I have a netbook for that and my netbook cost less than the dock Motorola sells for the Atrix.
So, overall, despite the issues, I love this phone and I'm still so very happy not to have to deal with a broken, antiquated, limited Blackberry. The apps, the screen, well, it's just a very sexy, great to hold, great to customize phone. For all you BB users out there thinking about dumping your antiquated Blackberry, Android phones are the way to go. They are far better equipped to handle anything you throw at them. They seem to be updated more and the updates don't seem to be the tiny incremental updates RIM doles out. My advice? Move into the future. Move to Android and leave RIM where it belongs; in the past. You just have to find the right Android phone for you.
Sorry for the length of this behemoth post and, I hope I didn't offend anyone. I was just trying to relate my experience with the Atrix but, if I said anything that upsets anyone, please accept my apologies in advance. I do credit some of the issues I'm experiencing to my lack of experience with the phone. That must be considered when reading my post.
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I've been using the iPhone 3G for the past three years. I was so bored with it. I upgraded to the Motorola Atrix three days ago and I'm totally blown away!
This phoe is everything I've been wanting plus a whole lot more. I feel like I haven't scrached the surface yet with this awesome phone.
This phoe is everything I've been wanting plus a whole lot more. I feel like I haven't scrached the surface yet with this awesome phone.
I migrated to the Atirx and AT&T from a Blackberry Bold and T-Mobile. I really like this phone.
Chubby fingered typists should try the Swype feature. Sure it gets the wrong word from time to time, but I find that it is very forgiving as I simply swipe to text without a heck of alot of accuracy. I think it is the neatest feature of the phone.
Word to the wise, last week Swype seemed to be broken. Thought it was caused by an update. Went in to disable and then reenable to see if that would fix it. Apparently, when I was trying to do too many things at once and had it tucked under my arm, I took myself into the Swype menu and changed my default language to Spanish. Changing it back to English miraculously fixed it!
Chubby fingered typists should try the Swype feature. Sure it gets the wrong word from time to time, but I find that it is very forgiving as I simply swipe to text without a heck of alot of accuracy. I think it is the neatest feature of the phone.
Word to the wise, last week Swype seemed to be broken. Thought it was caused by an update. Went in to disable and then reenable to see if that would fix it. Apparently, when I was trying to do too many things at once and had it tucked under my arm, I took myself into the Swype menu and changed my default language to Spanish. Changing it back to English miraculously fixed it!
Kage_
Well-known member
How you like the build quality of the phone and do you find that the 4" display is to big? I though the 3.7" display was big, the 4" seems huge. Anything you've found that you don't like?
4 is definitely not too big. 4.3" is big for browsing and still a decent size but 4.5 is pushing it (i think the infuse pulls it off nicely being so slim). thats my take on size. as for what i dont like on the phone idk bc i dont have it yet although there are many reviews but it all is going to come down to personal preference. unless something better is coming out in the next month, this is definitely what im getting .
.I tried the HTC Inspire at at&t and man would that battery drain fast. It also felt to big in the hand. I originally purchased the inspire because it was an HTC after hearing all the putdowns on motoblur. But as I used the inspire for 3 weeks, the battery never lasted more than 2 hours. Many of the apps would freeze, the browser lagged plenty and onsistently. I tried to console myself by boasting of its 8mp camera until it started deleting all of my pictures and videos I had taken with it. I know it was not a bad sd card because I am using the same one on this Motorola Atrix. The pictures and video look great, even on my Tv with the use of the supplied HDMI cable. I love the customizable features w/out having to root. (Multicon and fancy widget are great!) Anyway coming from an iphone 3gs, before the HTC Inspire I am very happy with this phone and Motoblur has been exceptional.
I bought the Atrix a couple of weeks ago and am very impressed with its many functions. It is my first "smart phone". However, to just use it as a phone (which I do a dozen times a day), I really like a plain cell phone better.
Slide "on" switch
unlock
hit "home button" to clear last program used
hit phone button, then select dialer, recent, contacts, or favorites
if "contacts:
select person
select which phone number
hit tiny green "phone" symbol
This is a phone designed by a computer programmer, not a phone user!
I would like to see:
slide on switch
default to dialer, not home screen
Slide "on" switch
unlock
hit "home button" to clear last program used
hit phone button, then select dialer, recent, contacts, or favorites
if "contacts:
select person
select which phone number
hit tiny green "phone" symbol
This is a phone designed by a computer programmer, not a phone user!
I would like to see:
slide on switch
default to dialer, not home screen
I've had the Atrix for about 3 weeks. I think it's a well made phone, I've definitely had less dropped calls and since I live in Houston, one of the places where AT&T is putting up the new faster network I can see a different in my data speeds.
I'm still learning about all the apps, and I've been reading alot of the Android Centrals FAQs to understand about the OS as well. I came from a BB Curve 8900 and I was really nervous about having a touchscreen phone. I tried Swype for a day and couldn't get the hang of it so I went back to the stock multitouch keyboard but I suspect I will need to give Swype another go round.
I have OEM charger that I leave at work to keep my phone charged up but I generally can get through a day on a charge. I mostly play a few games, Tweet and FB thru the day and maybe listen to an hour or two of Pandora.
I'm not overly impressed with the quality of the 5MP camera so far. I do have the anti glare screen on my phone so I wonder if that is part of the problem. I probably need to do a bit more research on that issue.
Overall, I am satisfied with the phone and my husband wants to get one when his upgrade comes around. It's just the right size for me also. Anything over 4 inches just looks to big to me as a woman with small hands.
I definitely recommend.
I'm still learning about all the apps, and I've been reading alot of the Android Centrals FAQs to understand about the OS as well. I came from a BB Curve 8900 and I was really nervous about having a touchscreen phone. I tried Swype for a day and couldn't get the hang of it so I went back to the stock multitouch keyboard but I suspect I will need to give Swype another go round.
I have OEM charger that I leave at work to keep my phone charged up but I generally can get through a day on a charge. I mostly play a few games, Tweet and FB thru the day and maybe listen to an hour or two of Pandora.
I'm not overly impressed with the quality of the 5MP camera so far. I do have the anti glare screen on my phone so I wonder if that is part of the problem. I probably need to do a bit more research on that issue.
Overall, I am satisfied with the phone and my husband wants to get one when his upgrade comes around. It's just the right size for me also. Anything over 4 inches just looks to big to me as a woman with small hands.
I definitely recommend.
I switched from a BB 9700 to the Atrix. I knew that I wanted an Android phone based on reviews and feedback from some friends. At $49 from Wal-Mart (particularly compared to the price of the Infuse - purchase made in early September), the Atrix seemed like a relatively "future-proof" deal. I was not disappointed.
Many reviews of Motoblur were negative, but I think it comes down to individual preference. Although I was leery about merging of FB and regular Gmail contacts, I only had to edit three out of 190 (not bad, all things considered). Social feeds work very smoothly with the widget. One interesting experience to note with respect to Motoblur: an elderly lady with a HTC device (unsure of which one, I don't know all the black touchscreen slabs by sight) asked me to help her set her phone for airplane mode. It took several clicks through menus to find it (I've never used Sense before). In comparison, the Airplane Mode (and WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS, for that matter) widgets are pre-installed and easy to use. I also like the remote location/data wipe functions available from the MyMotoblur website.
As a phone, the radio and mic/speaker work quite well. I hoped this would be the case, given Motorola's history with wireless communication! My family and friends say the call quality is clear; conversations sound great on my end. I haven't had issues with dropped calls, except in one area where BB, iPhone, and other Android devices all drop due to poor signal coverage. Bluetooth pairing works well for phone and audio.
I bought the car dock ($30 at AT&T). At first, I was disappointed that it cannot handle more than thin protective screens. Once I removed the larger case (an Otterbox Defender... yep, went big!), the dock worked well. It took 30 seconds to initialize on the first use, but has responded quickly ever since. Stereo playback and Pandora work fine, as does Bluetooth. I don't use my Garmin anymore; Google Navigation works particularly well. Fortunately my unlimited data plan was grandfathered when I upgraded, so the satellite imagery integration is good to have in unfamiliar areas. I get a slow charge rate on the car dock when assisted by an AT&T Elevate mobile hot spot (LTE in appropriate areas is awesome... story for another day). The battery stays close to its initial state without the WiFi.
After two years with a BB, I was skeptical about virtual keyboards (particularly Swype). After a week, I decided to take a chance with Swype. Although the first day didn't go well, the experience improved. It's good to text and hold the phone with the same hand! Unlike the iOS auto-correct feature, which seems prone to frequent and humorous "corrections" (see DYAC website), Android/Blur/Atrix works quite well. It anticipates frequently-used words well. I can text as quickly now as I did with the BB. "Slowing" the recognition of the Swype keyboard didn't bog down the experience for me; it seems more forgiving of my "Swypes".
My biggest gripes with the phone are the battery and fingerprint reader. I can get through most days without needing a charge if there's sufficient WiFi support. If not, then I usually need a charge by late afternoon. This is with frequent checks of the device and surfing, but I rarely stream video or run apps that require the screen to stay on for considerable lengths of time. The battery can get quite warm in non-WiFi areas, too. Although the fingerprint reader (a feature that drew me to this phone initially) works well most of the time, it occasionally will require 5-10 swipes to unlock the phone. There is no rhyme or reason to when/how/why it happens. I've updated my fingerprint data once, which seemed to help.
All in all, I'm very pleased with my first Android phone. It's made here in the United States (a plus for me... and no, I have no association with Motorola or any other wireless company) and works well. No device is perfect, but the Atrix's strengths overcome the weaknesses for me. It will be the first of many Android phones for me. Hopefully ICS and more dual-core optimized apps will head our way in a reasonable amount of time!
Many reviews of Motoblur were negative, but I think it comes down to individual preference. Although I was leery about merging of FB and regular Gmail contacts, I only had to edit three out of 190 (not bad, all things considered). Social feeds work very smoothly with the widget. One interesting experience to note with respect to Motoblur: an elderly lady with a HTC device (unsure of which one, I don't know all the black touchscreen slabs by sight) asked me to help her set her phone for airplane mode. It took several clicks through menus to find it (I've never used Sense before). In comparison, the Airplane Mode (and WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS, for that matter) widgets are pre-installed and easy to use. I also like the remote location/data wipe functions available from the MyMotoblur website.
As a phone, the radio and mic/speaker work quite well. I hoped this would be the case, given Motorola's history with wireless communication! My family and friends say the call quality is clear; conversations sound great on my end. I haven't had issues with dropped calls, except in one area where BB, iPhone, and other Android devices all drop due to poor signal coverage. Bluetooth pairing works well for phone and audio.
I bought the car dock ($30 at AT&T). At first, I was disappointed that it cannot handle more than thin protective screens. Once I removed the larger case (an Otterbox Defender... yep, went big!), the dock worked well. It took 30 seconds to initialize on the first use, but has responded quickly ever since. Stereo playback and Pandora work fine, as does Bluetooth. I don't use my Garmin anymore; Google Navigation works particularly well. Fortunately my unlimited data plan was grandfathered when I upgraded, so the satellite imagery integration is good to have in unfamiliar areas. I get a slow charge rate on the car dock when assisted by an AT&T Elevate mobile hot spot (LTE in appropriate areas is awesome... story for another day). The battery stays close to its initial state without the WiFi.
After two years with a BB, I was skeptical about virtual keyboards (particularly Swype). After a week, I decided to take a chance with Swype. Although the first day didn't go well, the experience improved. It's good to text and hold the phone with the same hand! Unlike the iOS auto-correct feature, which seems prone to frequent and humorous "corrections" (see DYAC website), Android/Blur/Atrix works quite well. It anticipates frequently-used words well. I can text as quickly now as I did with the BB. "Slowing" the recognition of the Swype keyboard didn't bog down the experience for me; it seems more forgiving of my "Swypes".
My biggest gripes with the phone are the battery and fingerprint reader. I can get through most days without needing a charge if there's sufficient WiFi support. If not, then I usually need a charge by late afternoon. This is with frequent checks of the device and surfing, but I rarely stream video or run apps that require the screen to stay on for considerable lengths of time. The battery can get quite warm in non-WiFi areas, too. Although the fingerprint reader (a feature that drew me to this phone initially) works well most of the time, it occasionally will require 5-10 swipes to unlock the phone. There is no rhyme or reason to when/how/why it happens. I've updated my fingerprint data once, which seemed to help.
All in all, I'm very pleased with my first Android phone. It's made here in the United States (a plus for me... and no, I have no association with Motorola or any other wireless company) and works well. No device is perfect, but the Atrix's strengths overcome the weaknesses for me. It will be the first of many Android phones for me. Hopefully ICS and more dual-core optimized apps will head our way in a reasonable amount of time!
Well here goes, I'm new to the so-called smartphones too, after coming from a Motorola Razr v3xx which was almost bulletproof. I decided to up grade as At&t kept telling me that I needed to upgrade to newer phones as my old phone was extinct. I've had my Atrix 4G phone now for about 5 months, and I do like most everything about it. Key word here is "most".... My gripes are the facts that: 1.) I can't hear my ringtones in my headset like I used to when I had my Jawbone Icon paired with my Razr.
2.) While playing music player, my music would stop playing after 4-5 songs, the buttons would freeze me out from doing anything, then it would shut itself down and re-boot itself back to home screen. And they call these smartphones???? These are features that I consider to be important ! Motorola techs don't seem to want or even know how to fix these problems. I feel robbed as, this seems to me to be program glitches that could be debugged. But alas no one seems to know or care!!!!!
2.) While playing music player, my music would stop playing after 4-5 songs, the buttons would freeze me out from doing anything, then it would shut itself down and re-boot itself back to home screen. And they call these smartphones???? These are features that I consider to be important ! Motorola techs don't seem to want or even know how to fix these problems. I feel robbed as, this seems to me to be program glitches that could be debugged. But alas no one seems to know or care!!!!!
I agree completely!! This is not a practical cell phone, but is a great computer
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