Surprise. Just picked up the Droid Maxx (insert spec argument here)

[sandoff]

Sorry, I felt the need to share this massive rant with my fellow (former) Verizon HTC One holdouts.

So in my haste to have a new phone I thought it would be fun to stop by the local VZW corp. store just to check up on the competition, ya know, just to validate my decision to purchase the HTC One. I was in for a surprise, as usual I directed the sales people away and proceeded to play with the new Droid devices. The Droid Ultra seemed to fit right in with the GS4 and all other android phones, in that it felt like cheap plastic.

Then I picked up the Droid Maxx.

Everything from this moment forward is IMHO (in my honest opinion).

As someone who has been obsessing over every detail of the HTC One, watching every review possible, and following this forum like a cult. I have purchased the Droid Maxx ($299 I know, INSANE). I've always wanted the latest and greatest, coming from the DNA, I used to brag to my friends (all people in the mobile industry) that I had the first 1080p screen etc etc.
I have been humbled by this phone, not a spec giant, but something between the Moto X and HTC One. The features, design, hardware, build quality, and screen. It is like no phone I've ever owned. I set this next to my DNA and the only way I can tell the difference between the two is the massive Verizon logo on the DNA. Seriously this screen is the best 720p I've ever seen. It might be "plastic" and not an all aluminum body but you wouldn't know by holding the device. It feels heavy, not heavy heavy but solid. No creaks or bending like the DNA. The software, though not sense 5, is as close to stock android as you'll ever get. Oh did I mention it has a 3500MAH BATTERY!!!!! I got the phone at 7:30ish EST and it was at 46%. I just now, after setting up everything, transferring 10GB of data over Wifi Direct (Motorola Migrate) and updating all 25ish apps I have, have 20% left. On screen time....well you all know how long you leave the phone off on the first day, just long enough too hit the unlock button again.

Im not telling you the HTC One is, by any means, outdated or out spec'd by anything on the market, or that my phone has an 8 core processor. Im not that ignorant, but what I will swear by is that specs are NOT everything.

It seems Google and Motorola are out to prove this to the world. Im convinced. Period. Experience is everything and Moto has it figured out.

Sorry, I felt the need to share that massive rant with my fellow (former) Verizon HTC One holdouts.

 

[Bm96]

I'm glad you eventually got what you wanted. It all comes down to that!

 

[ki11ak3nn]

I went to a store today after work to check out the Maxx. It's very nice phone. I tested out Droid Zap. That was fun. And the camera was pretty slick. I couldn't test out active notifications because when you turn the phone off VZ had like a "features" page come up. But from the video reviews it looks like a cool feature. I'm still holding out until I can test the One and Moto X then make a decision.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

 

[freddyttt]

Hows the speaker and camera screen res?? does it have ir blaster(tv remote)?

 

[sandoff]

Hows the speaker and camera screen res?? does it have ir blaster(tv remote)?

Never having used "Boom Sound" I would say the speakers are pretty good. Nothing special but lets be honest whens the last time I played music on them for more then 30 secs.

The camera is something ill be getting used to. Its a 10mp but one thing to work on is the auto focus shoot feature. If you tap the screen, it autofocuses and shoots right away. Sometimes this can result in blurry pics, but more testing is needed.

The IR blaster was one thing I was looking forward to on the One, but no this phone doesnt have an IR blaster, but I cant rightfully miss something I've never had.

The features you do get, that are more useful to me are as follows

Active Notifications: I have long been searching for an app to display notifications on the lockscreen like iOS does and I have never found an adequate solution, this solves that problem

Assit: Wow is all I can say. The simplest features that one might think shouldve been on a smartphone since the begining. Auto vibrate/silence when you have a meeting on your calander, reads back your texts while driving (because it know the phone is moving faster than you can run).

Touchless Control: That feature that all your Moto X fans are raving about. Yea, its got that too.

All in all I can say the features this phone has that the One doesnt make it worth it to me, then you add the 3500 mah battery and Im sold. Im going to put the battery through its paces these next few days and will report the results but currently our friends in the Droid Maxx forum are reporting 10 hrs of On Screen time, food for thought.

 

[Jules_Winnfield]

I played around with the Droid Maxx during lunch, and it's a pretty nice phone. I liked the overall feel of it, but didn't like the look so much. That kevlar pattern thing is ugly. The Ultra is a fingerprint magnet.

I'm still going with the One. My only gripe is the power button placed at the top of the phone. Would've been much better on the side.

 

[freddyttt]

Thanks but ill pass... the IR blaster is a must have that iv been looking forward to. also. I also listen to my speakers 6+ hours a day at work-.

good luck-

 

[joansin]

My HTC One gets ordered tomorrow.... I'm beyond excited. I left Moto for this DNA and I'm not looking back. Moto has the best Radio's. Period. But HTC keeps up and they are SEXII

:Nuff Said>

 

[Bm96]

Thanks but ill pass... the IR blaster is a must have that iv been looking forward to. also. I also listen to my speakers 6+ hours a day at work-.

good luck-

Yeah I agree. Being able to control your TV isn't just a really cool "showoff" feature but it actually works great if you lose you're remote or you're too lazy to look for it! I can't wait for tomorrow.

 

[Frankie15]

Yeah I agree. Being able to control your TV isn't just a really cool "showoff" feature but it actually works great if you lose you're remote or you're too lazy to look for it! I can't wait for tomorrow.

I seriously can't wait either! Almost here!

 

[benhmadison]

I played around with the Droid Maxx during lunch, and it's a pretty nice phone. I liked the overall feel of it, but didn't like the look so much. That kevlar pattern thing is ugly. The Ultra is a fingerprint magnet.

I'm still going with the One. My only gripe is the power button placed at the top of the phone. Would've been much better on the side.

Yea i really worried about that power button placement when I first got my ONE but after using it a few times it's a non issue.

OP I am happy you got a phone that serves your needs the best.

To those faithful Verizon ONE holdouts, the wait is almost over! It will be worth it

 

[lchupacabras]

It looked like a pretty good phone but with my luck if I were to buy it tomorrow they'd release an HD version the next day w/ a 1080p screen.

 

[Bm96]

It looked like a pretty good phone but with my luck if I were to buy it tomorrow they'd release an HD version the next day w/ a 1080p screen.

What do you mean? The phone already has an HD 1080p screen.

 

[karn101]

What do you mean? The phone already has an HD 1080p screen.

He's talking about the Droid Maxx. I thought the same thing when I first read it.

 

[joansin]

OP, what did you do.... Betrayed we be, One lovers! Arrg!

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 4

 

[Bm96]

He's talking about the Droid Maxx. I thought the same thing when I first read it.

Oh ok, the Maxx doesn't have a 1080p screen? What the hell

 

[Dreamliner330]

Oh ok, the Maxx doesn't have a 1080p screen? What the hell

It's a 720 AMOLED. At least it's not PenTile like the GS4.

I'm torn between the MAXX and One. The MAXX, with the 3500mah battery, is thinner than the One. The radios are most likely better too.

If I got the One, I'd most likely buy the Mophie, which makes the thing enormous. I'd also load the Google Edition ROM, which is a huge plus, though the MAXX is pretty stock. I'm really concerned about dead pixels and the Mic Failure issue on the HTC One though. I've experienced dead pixels on 3 DNA's, 2 EVO LTE's and 1 HTC One. I've experienced Mic failure on 1 EVO LTE and 1 HTC One.

I think what will make the decision is how the screen on the MAXX looks when I see it. PPI doesn't matter as the subpixel arrangement. I prefer the iPhone screen to the S4, S3, RAZR HD. I could see the digitizer on the DNA. I do like the HTC One screen.

 

[Paisley]

Oh ok, the Maxx doesn't have a 1080p screen? What the hell

It's to maximize battery life because the other features like Always Ready and active notifications consume battery life.

 

[Libby Hagen]

I have had this phone for over six months, am not very technical and love it. We RV and it does have a long working charge time. I could go a full weekend without a charge, really. Hubby never even considers a non Motorola product, so I follow suit. The only thing that really irks me is that if a loyal customer purchases a phone now from Verizon, they will not let you keep an existing unlimited data plan, where every other major carrier will. So we now won't purchase from Verizon, which is inconvenient to us, and they lose the revenue - doesn't make sense to me.

 

[hodan]

My HTC One gets ordered tomorrow.... I'm beyond excited. I left Moto for this DNA and I'm not looking back. Moto has the best Radio's. Period. But HTC keeps up and they are SEXII

:Nuff Said>

My buddy picked up a DNA on that latest deal for free, and I love the screen! Of course I'm happy with my One, but the DNA should've gotten more action, it's a nice device.

On topic, I didn't realize the Maxx was 720p, maybe I need to see one in person because there is a marked difference in my One display and the Nexus 4. Plus I've been turned off Amoled thanks to my GNex, not terrible, but not accurate colors and not very bright.