Getting Atrix or waiting for other phones.

[textiaac]

The expensive docks is kind of a deal breaker and the inspire's lack of front facing camera sux. I am going to buy the atrix, root it asap, and run vanilla android with all its side loading goodness.

This is what i recommend buying instead:

Artix + netbook + PDA Net = PWN

 

[anon(27512)]

I'm in your boat op. When the EVO first came out, I was like "That is the only android phone I want". So I waited for it to come to another carrier besides sprint because sprint isn't that good where I live. Then I saw that the Desire was coming to AT&T. I thought "well, I'm sure they will update it (front camera) before it come to AT&T".

So now I'm still waiting. I'm hoping that some other EVO like device with a front camera will be announced for AT&T but I'm not holding my breath. *sigh* I guess I'll get the Atrix unless something better is announced.

 

[btgrave]

I'm in your boat op. When the EVO first came out, I was like "That is the only android phone I want". So I waited for it to come to another carrier besides sprint because sprint isn't that good where I live. Then I saw that the Desire was coming to AT&T. I thought "well, I'm sure they will update it (front camera) before it come to AT&T".

So now I'm still waiting. I'm hoping that some other EVO like device with a front camera will be announced for AT&T but I'm not holding my breath. *sigh* I guess I'll get the Atrix unless something better is announced.

Samsung Infuse 4G? But that won't be out till April at the earliest.

 

[scaots]

With lock down and no plans to purchase laptop dock at that price, I see two options for me.
1. wait for att nexus s (likely soon, but probably unsubsidized again)
2. Get atrix to renew contract and wait for next nexus (beyond the S)
I will probably go with option 2. Nexus S is nice but not that much better than N1. However I enjoy the stock experience and options and am leary how hackable the atrix will be. If they can get cyanogen on atrix that would be great...

 

[dtboos]

Was going to get the Atrix and laptop dock, but not with the pricing I saw for the dock.

So now I'm considering the Thunderbolt (maybe Pyramid if comes to Verizon or AT&T). Will eagerly await MWC for new info / phones.

Atrix has better resolution screen, but no biggy. Probably won't much notice.

Thunderbolt has better design (my opinion)

Atrix has fingerprint scanner - nice, but no big deal if I don't have it.

Thunderbolt most likely has better camera optics (this is just from experience htc vs motorola)

Atrix has ability to dock to laptop - wont buy it, so who cares?

Thunderbolt will have easy to hack, no efuse bootloader and huge hacking community.

Atrix has more RAM, but not by much. If I remember correctly, it may even have LESS in most applications if only 1/2 gig is used when not docked to laptop / using webtop.

Atrix has more internal memory (16GB vs 8GB)

Thunderbolt comes with 32GB SD Card - Atrix comes with none.

All in all the real world performance will probably be similar, and you get a nicer looking phone, better OS overlay, and no eFuse b.s. to deal with.

 

[MarkPharaoh]

I really don't understand why these over-priced accessories are 'dealbreakers' for so many people. Unless I'm missing something insanely obvious the Atrix on its own is still a beast of a phone. You DON'T have to have the docks, just buy the phone and smile because you have the most powerful phone in the country.

 

[ka3yan]

@MarkPharaoh, I think it is because so many people are turned off by how AT&T and Moto have handled this. Who wants an Android phone that you can't hack (or hack easily)? Who wants to have all these cool accessories flaunted in your face only to be insulted by their price and tethering fees. The price of the laptop dock wouldn't be SOOOooooo bad if you could use it for other devices, but it only works with the Atrix.

Yes, the phone by itself is still a good phone at a reasonable price, but it doesn't taste as sweet when it has been soured by greed on the part of AT&T and Moto.

 

[textiaac]

@MarkPharaoh, I think it is because so many people are turned off by how AT&T and Moto have handled this. Who wants an Android phone that you can't hack (or hack easily)? Who wants to have all these cool accessories flaunted in your face only to be insulted by their price and tethering fees. The price of the laptop dock wouldn't be SOOOooooo bad if you could use it for other devices, but it only works with the Atrix.

Yes, the phone by itself is still a good phone at a reasonable price, but it doesn't taste as sweet when it has been soured by greed on the part of AT&T and Moto.

+1 I agree with this assessment.

 

[MarkPharaoh]

Fair enough, I wouldn't let that influence my purchase decision too heavily. Moto and AT&T could probably afford to set those price points because of its uniqueness in the market. I consider it similar to first-gen e-readers that were $260. My only issue is how easy it'll be for the people on XDA to rip it open.

 

[dtboos]

Fair enough, I wouldn't let that influence my purchase decision too heavily. Moto and AT&T could probably afford to set those price points because of its uniqueness in the market. I consider it similar to first-gen e-readers that were $260. My only issue is how easy it'll be for the people on XDA to rip it open.

Now that I won't be using the dock, the fact that it will be hard to root, get rid of bloat ect due to the eFuse bootloader makes other phones a bit more desirable.

The thing that was really pulling people to the phone was the webtop dock ect. Since not many will fork over that kind of money, when just considering the phone, there are other options with similar features that will not be so locked down. Yes its powerful, but Motorola & AT&T have left a bad taste in the mouth with what could have been an outstanding release.

Its unfortunate as this was a really nice device.

 

[anon(27512)]

Samsung Infuse 4G? But that won't be out till April at the earliest.

Man, I would but I know some people with other galaxy s phones and they are as mad as people on AC that they aren't updating them. I don't blame them either, even Apple gives free iOS updates.

@dtboos I agree with you the Thunderbolt looks like a great phone. I'm not sure I want to switch carriers now though. I want to see how much better AT&T will get (if they do) with a lot of the iPhone traffic leaving for Verizon.

------

I'm not so much worried about the hackability, because I'm sure if there's a will there's a way. I guess my only hang up is I want to see what comes out of MWC.

 

[dtboos]

@dtboos I agree with you the Thunderbolt looks like a great phone. I'm not sure I want to switch carriers now though. I want to see how much better AT&T will get (if they do) with a lot of the iPhone traffic leaving for Verizon.

I'm lucky that I live in Seattle, and both Verizon & AT&T are very good here. ATT is a little bit faster, but Verizon is a little more reliable. Only thing you'd notice is if you get reception inside your home from one or the other.

I have no loyalty at this point; I will go where I feel the least 'violated.'

I wanted Motorola to hit it out of the park, and AT&T to have something they could have an amazing draw for now that they lost their baby. Its too bad.

I will wait and see what else AT&T is going to release, as well as what else will be going elsewhere come MWC. Right now the Thunderbolt looks really nice, but I will also wait and see if AT&T may get the Pyramid which is going to TMobile first.

My sights are no longer set on the Atrix, unfortunately; although it still is under consideration. The eFuse really makes me not want it now that I will not use the dock though. I don't care too much about custom roms, but rooting for certain programs, and removal of bloatware ect is something I will want without having a major hassle. HTC phones are top notch for this.

 

[corneliusm]

My sights are no longer set on the Atrix, unfortunately; although it still is under consideration. The eFuse really makes me not want it now that I will not use the dock though. I don't care too much about custom roms, but rooting for certain programs, and removal of bloatware ect is something I will want without having a major hassle. HTC phones are top notch for this.

Keep in mind that rooting is not the same as flashing a custom bootloader. You can root a Droid X or Droid 2 pretty easily. And you can remove bloat very easily. I imagine the Atrix will be quickly rooted. Yes, a locked bootloader restricts your ability to flash a custom kernel or heavily-customized rom, but rooting usually doesn't require any flashing.

 

[dtboos]

Keep in mind that rooting is not the same as flashing a custom bootloader. You can root a Droid X or Droid 2 pretty easily. And you can remove bloat very easily. I imagine the Atrix will be quickly rooted. Yes, a locked bootloader restricts your ability to flash a custom kernel or heavily-customized rom, but rooting usually doesn't require any flashing.

Hmm...good to know. There any issues with the eFuse at all with just rooting them? If not, this is something that will be less likely to irk me, but I will still be contemplating all possible phones.

 

[lDaChOsEnOnEl]

Why is the atrix going to be so hard to root I dont get it?

 

[corneliusm]

Why is the atrix going to be so hard to root I dont get it?

It probably won't be hard to root, but it will be hard to flash custom roms. The reason for this is that Motorola's been using heavily-locked bootloaders. The only Motorola Android device that's been easy to flash is the original Droid, due to having weak bootloader security.

Motorola has taken a firm stance against flashing custom firmware onto devices, and there doesn't seem to be any indication that they'll stop.

But I imagine that the Atrix will be rooted within a few weeks, if not days, after its release.

 

[ozziedog]

Does it have spell check?