Upgrade to Photon or no?

[PLCSP]

I've been eligible for an upgrade for a year now, and my BB won't hold a charge anymore. Should I upgrade to the Photon? This will be my first touchscreen. I'm mostly concerned with easy functionality, good reception, and battery life. I've seen the discussions about wimax and LTE, but I don't live in a 4G area (I know, shocker). Plus, it looks like LTE won't be widespread for a few years anyway, and I can upgrade then. I have an ICS tablet.

I can upgrade through Costco for $99 and get a free windshield mount and spare battery/charger. What say you? Should I go ahead and look for LTE phones, or do I have time? Thanks.

 

[lkbig]

Is switching carriers an option?

The Photon is almost a year old now. When you upgrade to an android device you really want to get the most current phone you can because of the rapid releases of new phones. The photon is a fine phone but you'd do better with a newer phone. That being said, if money is a factor check Amazon and Wirefly before you buy it at Costco.

 

[PLCSP]

Switching carriers is an option. My wife's contract is up first week of June, so our family plan will be expired. I found a link after I started this thread that said our city will be getting Sprint LTE with the second roll out around late 2012. That sounds great if it's actually going to happen. I don't know how I feel about trusting Sprint after the wimax ordeal.

The Photon is my favorite phone on Sprint for the price, but I'm sure I could find some favorite phones on AT&T too. I can get the Viper 4G LTE for the same price as the Photon. Decisions, decisions...

 

[gabbott]

Nothing wrong with buying one of last years high end phones for a much cheaper price. It's better than buying the newest released lowend or midend current android phone IMO.

Just upgraded my gf's phone to a photon. Radio Shack had it for $49 on upgrade so I price matched it at Best Buy and used the $50 gift card on the promotion they were running. Cost me a total of $4.99 to cover taxes.

Anyway, I'm very impressed with the phone. It might not officially get ICS but it's dual-core and runs gb really well. Yes, phone tech moves fast, but unless you want to spend the money to have the current topend, there can be great deals on the topend phones from a year ago as long as you do your homework and know what you are getting.

 

[PLCSP]

I contacted Sprint today asking about this offer since I am considering an LTE phone as well, and they pretty much told me they don't know what I'm talking about since it's not a Sprint web page. I may wait and see what the EVO LTE looks like.
Sprint to target more customers with bigger upgrade discounts

 

[KahneFan]

(previously on Sprint), I switched from a ATT BB Torch back to Sprint for the MoPho, I have not looked back since. The plan my wife and I have together is less than the plan I had alone on ATT. I will say, she receives a discount from her work, but it would still be cheaper without the discount.

Although the MoPho is not (technically) the latest and greatest. It is still a relatively late model phone and (from all indications) will receive ICS. Since it has 8G of internal storage, PLUS an option for an external SD, you have more memory than you will probably need.

Please note, one thing I have learned. When you switch from BB to Android, you may have the desire to go crazy with apps... be careful. I learned the hard way that it is wise to install an app and give it a few days to see how your phone reacts to it. Initially I bombarded my phone with cool new app (I thought I had to have)... I didn't use hardly any of them, but they sure used my phone. I have since reset my phone to factory, slowly installed only the apps I have figured out I actually want and I am easily matching my old BB battery life.

Also, if you're switching from a BB, you're probably used to typing 1 (or 2) keys at a time. Touch screens are a little tough to get used to. Personally, I would suggest turning on SWYPE in the keyboard settings and (making yourself) use it for a week. I did this and I will not go back to non-swype. Everyone I have suggested this to, who actually committed to the week, has also stuck with swype.

 

[seanoj]

Wait until June. Sprint will want to keep you and there will be a bunch of new phones by then. The Photon is at its end of life at Sprint, so it will be free at some point in the near future (probably when the Photon II -or some similar option) gets released.

LTE and whatever comes after ICS (jellybean?) are things to consider that the Photon does not have and will not have.

Check Monoprice.com for a replacement battery for your BB to get you to June.

 

[mkoso]

I actually had the same issue about a week ago and wound up going with the Photon. It may not be the latest or the greatest but it is a solid phone and BB price matched the price of $24.88 from Sam's club so it was kind of a no brainer to me. I'm not sorry for my decision.

 

[gabbott]

Also, note that in areas that have wimax 4g coverage, that coverage will be around for a few years (Sprint has said "through 2015"). LTE on the other hand we are still waiting on. So going with the photon could give one 4g connectivity now if that is something important to them.

 

[tirith]

Wait until June. Sprint will want to keep you and there will be a bunch of new phones by then. The Photon is at its end of life at Sprint, so it will be free at some point in the near future (probably when the Photon II -or some similar option) gets released.

LTE and whatever comes after ICS (jellybean?) are things to consider that the Photon does not have and will not have.

Check Monoprice.com for a replacement battery for your BB to get you to June.

Love how everyone says this one isn't getting ICS. Its on moto's list of phones that will, and moto just contacted me to be a beta tester for it...

Either way, the photon is an amazing piece of equipment, and is currently one of the best phones on sprint.

Btw, the antenna in this phone is amazing and battery life isn't horrible.

Swyped from my Photon using t-talk 2

 

[gabbott]

Love how everyone says this one isn't getting ICS. Its on moto's list of phones that will, and moto just contacted me to be a beta tester for it...

Either way, the photon is an amazing piece of equipment, and is currently one of the best phones on sprint.

Btw, the antenna in this phone is amazing and battery life isn't horrible.

Swyped from my Photon using t-talk 2

I'm pretty sure the software they just contacted you about is actually a newer version of gingerbread, version 2.3.5...

either way I think the best thing is for everyone not to get their hopes up that ICS will definitely officially come to this phone but that it might. I agree, it is still a great phone regardless.

 

[geauxlsutigers]

To clear up a few mistakes on previous posts, the Photon has 16GB of internal storage, not 8GB, and WILL be getting ICS, Motorola / Sprint announced it already.

Although it is not the latest and greatest, it still has an Nvidia Tegra 2 Dual Core Processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB Internal Storage, 4G WiMAX, International / World Phone, qHD display, 8MP Camera, Front Facing Camera, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi N, HDMI, Moto's awesome Radios, oh and a kickstand... To me, the only thing missing is a 720p display, thats all that the newer flagships have over the MoPho.

The Photon is an excellent phone, I change phones every 6 months or so and I will be keeping this one for awhile. what has made me decide to keep it is its stability, durability and the webtop accessories. I have to say, when I bought the Photon I thought I would never get that stuff, however, everytime I went into Sprint they were out of stock of ALL Webtop accessories, the reps said they couldnt keep them in stock. I finally bit the bullet and special ordered the HD dock, it worked awesome so I ended up getting the car dock and lap dock. Once were upgraded to ICS, the Webtop experience will be much better, it will be just like Android instead of Linux.

If you're in a WiMAX market I would get it, I live in FL and I average between 6-10mbps. I have also traveled to many WiMAX markets and the speeds are similar. Honestly, I know WiMAX is not the best at building penetration but if you can get a signal, its usually pretty reliable and plenty fast for most people. That being said, I cant wait for LTE...

 

[geauxlsutigers]

Also, note that in areas that have wimax 4g coverage, that coverage will be around for a few years (Sprint has said "through 2015"). LTE on the other hand we are still waiting on. So going with the photon could give one 4g connectivity now if that is something important to them.

Sprint recently announced they will continue to support WiMAX with Virgin Mobile and Boost. I suspect this will last beyond the previously announced 2015 and will keep legacy WiMAX Sprint subscribers on, although they will probably try to get you to move over to LTE.

 

[geauxlsutigers]

Not to get off topic but, hey gabbot, how are you liking the SPCS GNEX?

 

[gabbott]

Not to get off topic but, hey gabbot, how are you liking the SPCS GNEX?

Love it so far, I came from a NS4G so in some respects it's more of the same for me but I don't consider that a bad thing since I was extremely happy with my time with the NS4G and stock android. Now I get a bigger screen/higher resolution, some more RAM and dual-core. I've only had it since the weekend so battery life is still TBD but so far it seems acceptable.

 

[geauxlsutigers]

Love it so far, I came from a NS4G so in some respects it's more of the same for me but I don't consider that a bad thing since I was extremely happy with my time with the NS4G and stock android. Now I get a bigger screen/higher resolution, some more RAM and dual-core. I've only had it since the weekend so battery life is still TBD but so far it seems acceptable.

Yeah I was going to get the EVO 4G LTE but decided to keep the Photon until the Next Photon Q LTE is released. My buddy is picking up the GNEX this weekend so that may change the gameplan.

 

[tirith]

I'm pretty sure the software they just contacted you about is actually a newer version of gingerbread, version 2.3.5...

either way I think the best thing is for everyone not to get their hopes up that ICS will definitely officially come to this phone but that it might. I agree, it is still a great phone regardless.

They are set to have ics released by the end of q3. As soon as they send me the update, I'll let you guys know

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ola-ice-cream-sandwich-news%2F&token=QjsRwO79

Swyped from my Photon using t-talk 2

 

[PLCSP]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not in a 4G wimax market, but LTE is supposed to roll out here by the end of 2012. We are on the second phase list after Atlanta and the others.

I was about to get the Galaxy Nexus for $150, and now I'm seeing alot of connectivity issues online. I may grab the HTC EVO LTE. I've been reading alot of threads saying Samsung phones tend to have crappy signals. News to me.

 

[seanoj]

Love how everyone says this one isn't getting ICS. Its on moto's list of phones that will, and moto just contacted me to be a beta tester for it...

Either way, the photon is an amazing piece of equipment, and is currently one of the best phones on sprint.

Btw, the antenna in this phone is amazing and battery life isn't horrible.

Swyped from my Photon using t-talk 2

For clarity's sake, I said it will not get whatever comes after ICS (aka Jelly Bean).

I am looking forward to ICS on my Photon and hope that is what the soak testers get. I am not giving up on my Photon. If a Photon II (Photon Q) is coming this summer (as rumored) then I think I would try to wait for it (as I did with my blackberry waiting on the OG Photon) if I were the OP.

 

[PLCSP]

Just an update, I pre ordered the HTC Evo LTE for $119. I've never had a touchscreen phone, but I have a 10" tablet that I play with at work. I made the jump to the EVO so I can leave my tablet at home.

I mostly text, surf the internet, and watch YouTube videos. The EVO screen is bigger than my entire Blackberry 8530 lol. Hope I made the right choice!