Droid X Forum Member Initial Thoughts & Reviews

[CarbonOak]

* Aesthetics - Simple, sleek, modern.

* Screen - Big and beautiful

* Hardware - Fast processor, bonus memory

* Phone - Does exactly what it's supposed to do. I don't use bluetooth.

* Overall User Interface (including Moto's Launcher) - I like the UI, though I wish I could put more than 4 rows of icons. Otherwise the UI is clean, smooth

* Motorola Widgets - I don't use Motorola's widgets except for the messages one, though I'm considering removing that one too.

* Signal quality (Compared to other devices) - I seem to have better reception at home with the X than with my previous BB 9630

* GPS - Works great

* Social Networking - I just use the Facebook app. The stock Social Networking stuff doesn't really seem optimal to me.

* Email/Calendar - Email is great, though I wish I could put the Universal Inbox on the main screen, instead of having to go through Messaging.

* Battery Life - Seems to be okay for now, though I've been heavily using it as I tweak it while it's plugged in. I'm still trying to grasp what drains the battery and how to make optimal use of it.

* Performance - Smooth and fast. Maybe very slight occasional stuttering when browsing apps, but I think it will be resolved with Froyo. I hope Motorola comes out with Froyo soon.

* Media (music, movies, DLNA) - Does what it needs to do

* Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard - I love Swype, but I'm still getting used to it. The multitouch keyboard is a nice bonus.

* Camera (both still & video) - Haven't used much yet, but the few pictures I took looked good.

* How the X compares to your previous smartphone (if applicable) - Previously I had a BB Tour 9630. The Droid X is my first touchscreen phone (I've used an ipod touch before though) and my first true smartphone. It is leaps and bounds faster, smoother, and better. I do miss the awesome physical keyboard of my BB, but Swype is making a nice replacement. Also, I like the one consolidated place for e-mails on my BB, instead of having to go through the Messaging --> Universal Inbox app. Lastly, I'm still trying to grasp how applications are used, run, and closed (it was pretty simple on the BB).

* Disappointments (if any) - I want it to be rooted!

So far, the phone is fast and smooth; I don't have any regrets in purchasing it. Being able to safely root it and add my own customization and tweaks would make me even happier, so I hope that will come soon. Not specific to the phone, but the Android Market in general, I wish the app store was more polished like iTunes, but the Android Market is getting better as time progresses. Otherwise I'm very happy.

 

[CarbonOak]

I had the Evo and traded in for the X. So far I think I like the X better but both phones have their plus/minus. I will post something about that later.

I would be interested in hearing your comparisons to the Evo because my friend who is on AT&T is considering either the X on Verizon or the Evo on Sprint (he's leaning toward the Evo). I've played with both and I think they're both great phones, but Verizon's network is better (plus we've been with them for years and years).

 

[jahoobob]

Have had it a few hours now so i can compare it to my Storm. Call quality better. Honking big screen. I can type about 10X faster. Connected to PC and transferred pictures. Contacts transfer okay using backup Assistant. Email setups were pretty easy. Browser is fast. Twelve seconds to go from Google to Yahoo (complete page load.) Even on 3G it loads much faster than Firefox on my PC and about 15X faster than BB Browser. Works with my BB USB connect to PC and BB charger. Adding contact Favorites is easy.

 

[ChevyStorm88]

Love it, everything my Droid was lacking and more. AND we finally have a signature for our Exchange accounts!!!

 

[LeeVin]

* Aesthetics - I think it’s beautiful. I also have a burgundy hard-case on it, which I think is great. It still fits into my pocket, it just comes out the top. Otherwise, I will just drop it in my purse. It will be easy to find.

* Screen - Big and easy to see. I don’t have to get out my reading glasses!

* Hardware - So far, very pleased.

* Phone - I haven’t had time to set up the Bluetooth to my car yet. My husband says it’s the best phone I have called him on yet. No one could hear me on my Storm. I had to yell into the microphone.

* Overall User Interface - I am new to all this. I am just your average user. Every time I get a new phone it takes me days to add everything and learn to use it. I had everything loaded and most of it figured out within a few hours. I am impressed and extremely pleased.

* Motorola Widgets - I like them so far.

* Signal quality (Compared to other devices) - I have always had great reception. This is no exception.

* GPS - Haven’t had a chance to use it yet.

* Social Networking - I just use Facebook. It works well once I figured it out.

* Email/Calendar - Email lags a little, but overall it’s good. My Google calendar downloaded right away.

* Battery Life - Well, I have used it A LOT today. I am already down a quarter. But I can charge at my desk, in my car and at home so I am not too worried about it.

* Performance - Smooth and a zillion times faster than my Storm, which was mostly frozen all the time.

* Media (music, movies, DLNA) - I copied movies I had on my micro from my Storm and the X recognized them and played them. They are a little small. I probably need a new movie downloader or a new setting, but I was impressed I just dragged, dropped, and it played.

* Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard - I used Swype on my husband’s Droid and so I haven’t tried it on my phone yet. I need to spend some time with it.

* Camera (both still & video) - I took a few pictures and they are beautiful. The photos I copied from my Storm look like garbage on this phone. I guess I will have to take new pictures.
* How the X compares to your previous smartphone (if applicable) - I had a BB Storm. It would freeze all the time and seemed to know if there was an emergency, because it would freeze. I have found much better apps in the 12 hours I have played with my X. The phone is faster, clearer, bigger, prettier, well, just 100% better.

* Disappointments (if any) - It’s not telling me if I missed calls - that’s irritating. Maybe I am doing it wrong. I cannot figure out how to make the voicemail dial my password so I can make calls hands free. The sound on my alarm was too weak this morning and I couldn’t hear it and woke up late. These things are all probably user problems and not the phone.

So far it hasn’t got hot at all and I played with it and loaded things onto it, etc., for three hours straight.

 

[Cory Streater]

Hey everyone, in the spirit of the first post, please only post reviews or your overall impressions of the device. I'm going to lock this thread for a few minutes, while I move all the side discussions & questions to their own threads. I encourage you guys to discuss issues and questions, but please create new threads, so people can quickly skim through this thread for the reviews they are looking for It's a lot of work moving all the off topic stuff out and creating new threads

Edit: Cleaned up & re-openend. I moved all the posts above to their own threads, and bumped them to the top for you.

Thanks!

 

[CSI Guy]

WOW I love this beast. Lots to learn about the UI but it will be great once I get a handle on it. Made the right decision!

 

[kg6wtr]

Picked up my X yesterday. There's a lot to like and some key gripes I have about this phone.

• Aesthetics: I love the physical aesthetic of this phone. It's got some pretty sexy dimensions.
  
  
• Screen: The screen is gorgeous. It's not as sharp as the original Droid, but simple logic dictates that it won't be as sharp given the dimensions and resolution.
  
  
• Hardware: I love the hardware spec of this phone. It spanks the Droid Incredible in side-to-side comparisons I've done with a friend's DInc.
  
  
• Phone: Nothing unusual here.
  
  
• Overall User Interface: What I don't like are the Moto widgets and the tinkering that Moto's done with the UI. The changes Moto made to this phone simply take away from the stock Eclair experience I've become accustomed to on the original Droid. For example, there is a "Messaging" icon that consolidates various inboxes (Text messaging, Facebook and Exchange account) but leaves out Gmail. WTF? Shouldn't a "Universal Inbox" include all email accounts? Damn stupid if you ask me. They should have just left everything separate for the end-user to manage rather than mucking things up like that.
  
  
• Moto Widgets: SUCK. I've removed all of them from my homescreens
  
  
• Signal quality: Good ol' Verizon... same as it's always been.
  
  
• GPS: More testing needed, but doesn't seem any worse than original Droid
  
  
• Social Networking: They say Blur isn't on this device, but they found a way to work this in... I hate it. I wish they
  would have left it alone for me to manage.
  
  
• Email / Calendar: See my above remarks about the "Messaging" icon
  
  
• Battery Life: Is it only me or does it take FOREVER to charge this thing? The screen does seem to suck the life out of the battery rather quickly.
  
  
• Performance: So far so good. I do notice stuttering when playing 720p BluRay rips.
  
  
• Media: Ran into a glitch when the X was indexing my music, but a reboot fixed this problem.
  
  
• Moto Widgets reviews: I removed 'em. Don't want 'em.
  
  
• Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard: Love Swype so far. Still learning how to use it. the multitouch keyboard is nice too Accuracy using the stock keyboard improved probably because of the larger key / screen size.
  
  
• Camera: Untested
  
  
• How the X compares to your previous smartphone: It spanks my froyo'd and oc'd Droid. Almost no lag when moving about the homescreens or the launcher.
  
  
• Disappointments: Locked bootloader, too much Moto influence in the UI. I want Moto to provide the hardware in a sexy package. I want to manage the software and my info (accounts) myself.

It appears the only way I'll get my vanilla Froyo (LOL) on the Droid X is if someone manages to get around the bootloader issue.

 

[jrskero]

This phone is awesome!!

 

[TechWhore]

I got my DX today and am putting my Storm 1 in a drawer. Didn't have major issues just wanted something new!



Aesthetics: pretty sexy compared to Storm 1

Screen: very responsive again compared to S1


Phone: works great, I was prompted to get the car dock and it is nice to be really handsfree!

Overall User Interface: A little more confusing than the BB but I am sure with enough playtime I will get used to it.

Moto Widgets: like em'

Signal quality: great!


GPS: untested, point A to point b everyday for me.


Social Networking: facebook is working great

Email / Calendar: took a tutorial here to get me up to speed with e-mail since I don't have or use g-mail but rockin it now!


Battery Life: so far great for me!

Performance: super fast


Media: haven't downloaded any music or messed with ringtones


Moto Widgets reviews: nothing in particular sticks out

Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard: starting to get the hang of Swype, may prefer to MT


Camera: pretty good for a camera phone


How the X compares to your previous smartphone: Hands-down, Kicks BB ***! don't really even miss BBM


Disappointments: none so far!

 

[jahoobob]

Tried the Google navigation this evening when I went to the coast with friends to eat seafood. It had been a while since we had last been to the particular restaurant and my friends where trying to put the address in their new TomTom. It wouldn't take so I put the address in the X. It even suggested the actual restaurant when I entered the address (Pelican Point on Pelican Point Rd.) Also the navigation is voice turn-by-turn.

I discovered that you can customize the email and text message notifications - someone had mentioned that they didn't see how to do it.

I did miss one call because I didn't know to swipe the answer button like the unlock when the phone is locked.

I think the Market Place is great (I'm new to Android.) If you think of something you need or want, look for it here and download and install and you in business.

I told a friend that I would give her my Storm when I got the X but wanted to hold on to it for a while just in case I decided I didn't like the X. She can come get the Storm tomorrow.

I downloaded Flycast and checked out a few stations and it worked well. Also tried the FM and it found about 6 stations (I live in a rural area.)

 

[droidntn]

2 days now with it and I'm as amazed as I thought I would be.
-I thought Swype was just stupid until I used it. OH my..may never be able to text the ole fashioned way again.
-Size is very good and comfortable for me. Some people with smaller hands will NOT like it's size. A few women I work with have the Eris and like the size of it much more. I'm 6'4" so I have big hands. That said, my son is not tall and has small hands and he likes the size of it. It's preference.
-I haven't had any bugs so far with it. I have a buddy who has had a problem with the contacts being deleted.
-battery life is awesome.
-know where you want to go when you put it in the browser, cuz boom...........your there.
-the iPhone does have a lot more apps, but this one is coming along nicely. Mainly the only one I miss is one called WeRule. But I do find some that we had on iPod Touch that have been adapted to the Android.
-Widgets and interfaces and all that is good. Some put more focus on that than I do. 7 screens to fill with stuff. that's plenty. VERY customizable. The Blurr part did link some of my contacts together and it took me awhile to figure out how to unlink em but I did.
-I'm having problems getting Double Twist to work on it. my Win 7 machine did recognize it.
-love the green LED for notifications.
-oh yea, it is a phone......

call quality is fine.
GET YOUR X ON!

 

[RetiredJedi]

Wife approves

ok I haven't purchased an X yet cause I still have a year left on my contract...BOO HOO...however I took my wife into verizon today to show her the phone, knowing that she would roll her eyes like she always does. Well let me tell you she was all about this new phone. I used the info I got from this site and just dazzled her with its capabilities and she seemed to love it, askin me how long we have to wait to get one!...Now to really appreciate what a big deal this is, my wife is the type that she would be happy with one of the old flip phones we had when we first got a verizon plan back in 2001 and we end up arguing when it comes time to get our new every two...she wants us to stay basic and I want to go tech...so for her to keep askin me about his phone is something special. Maybe when we upgrade next year there will be some type of buy one get one deal or something...cant wait...13 months and counting.

 

[mjd9ball]

Ordered mine online at about 4:00am on Thursday, and the fedex guy showed up by 10:30am on Friday; very pleased with that. Now for the phone itself, it is everything I hoped for and read about but I am definitely amazed by the size. I don't know if I'll try to wear this thing on my hip or not. I am leaning towards protective covers (Ghost Armor for the screen and Invisible Shield for the rest of it) and a pouch. I digress again - a couple of thoughts about the DX so far:
- I want the old, plain Android photo gallery back. I am hoping Moto will allow Froyo to free us from their gallery; at least give us a choice...
- Jury is still out about the battery life. I know I've been using it very heavily (kid on Christmas thing) so I'll see how it is after a week or two and my use has equalized a bit
- Everything else is positive so far. I am pleased to have used my wife's upgrade for this phone...hehheh

 

[asabino]

I am glad I left the storm 2 in the dust blackberry is way behind, and I actually thought of waiting for os6. Since I got the Dx there's no putting this bad boy down! This phone rocks and is snappy!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[DeadSuperHero]

Got mine in the mail on Saturday, as I was 10 minutes late to getting the last one at my local store. They sold five of the things to some fat guy.

So, anyways:


Aesthetics: The phone just looks downright manly. I can't even really explain it, but it feels like the very antithesis of the iPhone. The iPhone focuses on feminine aesthetics, whereas the Droid X looks like a military-grade electronic device.

Screen: The phone is almost ALL screen. My biggest regret is that I didn't buy a screen protector, so it's looking a little smudged for right now. Aside from that though, the display is very vibrant and brilliant. HD video playback on this thing is nothing short of exceptional.

Hardware: Overall, it feels quite fast. Some people have complained about it getting a little hot, and mine has as well. But it's not really that much of a problem for now. The battery does drain somewhat quickly, it only lasted about 10 hours or so unplugged, constantly using it. But, it does last quite long if you let it sleep while you're carrying it around in your pocket.
Another remarkable thing is that it isn't nearly as big as I thought it would be. It's actually a very comfortable size for me, and slips easily enough into the pockets on my pants. (for reference though, I wear cargo shorts).

Phone: Speakers are very crisp and the call quality is exceptional. However, you have to take into account that the person on the other end of the line may have a really crappy phone, so the way you hear them might not change much in and of itself.

Overall User Interface: Didn't care much for the BLUR, but I was glad that it was quite minimal on the Droid X. I only use one Social Networking widget to update my Facebook status.


Signal quality: It's been at four bars since I got it. I live in rural Illinois, so this is really quite something for me. I also opted for the Unlimited Internet + Texting package, so it's constantly connected. Really nice stuff, too.

GPS: Definitely good. Was able to see my exact location through Google Maps. Currently I'm looking for a good navigation app for a road trip, so if anyone has any suggestions that would be great.

Social Networking: I use Twidroid for updating my identi.ca, and the Facebook app. I haven't played much with the alternative apps yet though. Facebook integration is alright, although the Facebook app seems to inhibit proper notifications of Facebook updates. Still trying to find a good way around that, but not a huge issue for me.

Email/Calendar: As far as I can tell, the calendar syncs with Google Calendar. Will have to double-check though. Universal Inbox looks a little ugly but is quite efficient, and the Gmail app is fantastic.

Battery Life: Lasts about an estimated 10 hours for me on a single charge, though it could be longer/shorter. I like how the screen fades to black when you lift the phone up to your face for a call. I haven't tried it on other power modes yet, but overall I'm satisfied. Chances are the upcoming Froyo update will improve battery life.

Performance: Very fast and efficient. My only complaint is of a SNES emulator I downloaded (SuperGNES Lite) crashes upon loading Chrono Trigger and causes the entire system to hang. Other than that though, everything is great.

Media: This particularly blew me away. As a native Linux user, I've never really gotten to see HD YouTube videos before, and so seeing everything in a crystal clear quality is a very new experience for me. I absolutely love the detail, and the sound is fantastic. Very well-engineered.

Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard: I have limited experience with Android keyboards, so for the time being I'm using the multi-touch one. It's not terrible, but it's not that great either. Trying to highlight a word to correct it takes a little thinking. I just felt like an idiot trying to use Swype, so I'll probably try it again when I have a little more experience.

Camera: I about had a heart attack at the quality. The preview on the phone itself (before the picture is taken) is grainy on photos and choppy on videos. But when you actually view the photos and the video playback, it's all phenomenally smooth. I'm now seriously looking at possibly using my phone to record my YouTube videos from now on.

Disappointments: My only disappointment was that it didn't have Flash or Froyo yet. Aside from that, amazing piece of tech. Best phone I've ever had. Actually, my disappointment resides in a lack of certain apps in the Android Market currently: iPoo, Epic Win, Cracked Reader, and a native Android Central app similar to the Engadget App. Hopefully all of those things will eventually be on Android.

 

[anon(39328)]

I finally saw one of these today at Walmart (by the way, they had several in stock. so if anybody is looking to buy one might check Walmart). My impression was mostly positive. I really didn't think I would like it because of the size, but it's not nearly as big as I imagined it would be. Really nice looking phone for sure, and only slightly larger than my Incredible. My only complaint with it are the buttons at the bottom of the screen. I like the capacitive buttons that are on the Droid and Incredible much better. The ones on the X look like they might be difficult to press consistently. Anyway... that's my initial thoughts.

 

[anon(40252)]

Initial Impressions and Evo Comparison

Okay. I owned the Evo for about 35 days and had the X about a week. Will put down initial thoughts on both.

If anyone has comparison questions I didn't answer then let me know. I tried to be objective but some stuff is simply preference bases. Both phones are awesome.

• [*]Aesthetics
  I love both. Dx seems easier to hold because it is a thinner but also top heavy if I am holding to low.
  [*]Screen
  Both are beautiful screens. However, I give slight dibs to the Dx. I like the tallness and higher res. The Evo was a little big sometimes. This wouldn't be a deal breaker on either device though.
  [*]Hardware
  Both phones are incredibly snappy. But again .. The Dx just seems to have that little extra. Again. Not a deciding factor.
  [*]Phone - including bluetooth & speakerphone usage
  Have not tested Bluetooth on either phone. The Dx has great call quality on both speakerphone and handset. Speakerphone is loud and talking on it is smooth. A big reason for returning the Evo was poor phone quality. On speakerphone I was always asking the person to repeat themself or saying Huh. The handset crackled a little at high volumes and was just not good. This was definitely a hardware thing and not network. I tested on more than one device with same results .. so I don't think it was faulty unit. I love talking on the Dx though!!!!
  [*]Overall User Interface (including Moto's Launcher)
  Everyone seems to have an opinion here. I really hated sense .. especially the contacts interface. I also don't like the UI. The Sense integration with social networks was pretty smooth though. Integration on the Dx is poor. I do not use it. I really like the Dx interface. This seems contrary to other people and I don't know why. Honestly, other than widgets, icons, a few apps .. its not like there is that much difference.
  [*]Motorola Widgets
  6 to 1. They both have nice widgets. Whatever.
  [*]Signal quality (Compared to other devices)
  The Dx gets better Wifi range and strength. However, I seemed to have a better Sprint signal (evo) on a consistent basis. (Austin & Dallas area). Sprint network was faster on both 3g and 4g. Dx on Verizon in same areas is still fast though.
  [*]GPS
  I didn't notice any difference. Maps and Nav were consistent, accurate, and fast on both phones.
  [*]Social Networking
  EVo Sense has better social networking than Dx. The Dx is kinda weak in that area. I just use the stand alone apps .. so its fine for me.
  [*]Email/Calendar
  eh. 6 to 1. They are both calendars and basically look and work the same.
  [*]Battery Life
  Dx has better battery life by far. This was the number 2 reason I returned the Evo. Battery life was terrible. I have had some really good luck with the Dx. I made it 16 hours the other day and had 30% battery. (note: I am not using any kind of ATK)
  [*]Performance
  They are both fast. The Dx seems to have a little extra kick.
  [*]Media (music, movies, DLNA)
  I have had trouble with DLNA. Movies play back nicely on both phones although I wish android supported more codecs. I liked the Evo kickstand. Music is better on the Dx along with movie audio. The Dx has some preset equalizer functions (for music) which increase the experience. Also the Dx has a better speakerphone for audio.
  [*]Moto Widgets reviews
  Eh. I like the way they look better than Evo but both are fine.
  [*]Swype vs. Multi-Touch Keyboard
  I like them both. Swype on the Moto has the voice input which is missing in Evo version.
  [*]Camera (both still & video)
  I don't use video much. I think the Evo takes better pictures. Dx just seems soft .. like the focal point is missing. I don't know. Still good pics but off somehow. I liked the Evo pics better.
  [*]Other(if any)
  Evo had front facing camera and it was pretty good quality at 1.3mpx. The Evo also had flash lite and that was a nice bonus. Froyo should fix that for the Dx though. Evo has root access and roms can be loaded to the device. This was fun and helped make improvements to the device. This is looking like a slim possibility for the Dx. (only important if you are into loading roms etc..)
  [*]Disappointments (if any)
  Dx camera is a little disappointing. Not bad .. just could be better. I am hoping for a SW fix. I had lots of trouble from Wireless N on Dx and had to turn it off. Very fast over wireless g though.
  
  

If anyone has other comparison questions then let me know.

 

[gizzyman]

have had mine since friday, some issues so far
wifi - poor reception compared to my storm 2 and moto droid
has locked up twice so far requiring a battery pull ...was not doing anything, just turned it from portrait to landscape and it froze!

 

[anon(41705)]

Screen Issues - Observation

Got the X for my wife, arrived on Friday evening. She's an IPhone fan, so was not very enthused, but after 2 days of playing with the phone, is now a convert.

I happened to notice that the screen, when taken out in bright sun light, reflects back the pattern code that one uses, to lock the phone. This is definitely something to take into consideration.

I am sure that there are more knowledgeable list mates here and can probably provide some educated fix to this issue.

Cheers,
jay