I think I have made a decision: I'm going with...the RAZR MAXX (at least initially).
I will give the MAXX a chance to lose this spot. Doesn't hurt that VZW is doing a BOGO on the RAZR and RAZR MAXX (will see if my wife wants to adopt the MAXX as a new work phone). Here is my reasoning, broken down by the 'perks' of the Rezound, then feel free to convince me otherwise:
Screen - Yes, the Rezound is better. But, honestly, is there a true NEED for 720p HD on a smartphone? On TVs (and I'll even say on Tablets and computers), yes, SD to HD is a definite benefit for all. But, with such a small screen, there is really no TRUE need, for me, to have the HD screen (I watch minimal TV/movies on my phone, typically just on trips/vacations). Just because it can be done doesn't mean it has to be done. I do have minimal burn-in concerns on the MAXX, but from what I've read, its more of a temporary ghosting than actual burn-in. I know of ways to fix that. And, Gorilla Glass...nothing wrong there.
Camera - Camera is better on the Rezound, but I don't plan to use the pictures my camera takes for anything more than Facebook or emailing to friends, so I'm not terribly concerned there. Plus, the camera on the MAXX isn't exactly terrible in itself (less native tools, yes, but nothing an app can't fix). And, as I pointed out before, the 'hot' flash on the Rezound (and most HTC devices) is not good. And 2MP on the front-facer of the Rezound v. the 1.3MP on the MAXX is negligible for my use.
Replaceable Battery - With the life the MAXX gets, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get 2 years out of the MAXX and never have to be concerned about replacing a poorly performing battery. And if I do, I'll be the first to curse my decision.
Sound/Beats - I'm a self-proclaimed audiophile....the crisper my music sounds, the better. So, this is one area I will miss with with the Rezound, being a proclaimed 'music fan phone.' The free beats headphones would have been nice as well, but I think I'll manage.
Screen Shots - The built-in feature on the Rezound is a nice touch, though other than on here and in a few isolated situations, don't really have a consistent need for this feature. Plus, some apps out there that offer it and I assume the Razr will work with these unrooted. But, still will be missed to have it natively included.
Sense - I will miss Sense, but it appeared to semi-cripple the in-store models I messed around with. Its getting too big for its own britches, and HTC needs to do something to scale it back with better functionality. People shat on Blur, and Moto did something about it. Its still kinda Blur, but they streamlined it and made it work well. Sense is all I've known, and I know I'll miss some of its features. But, I welcome the challenge of a new skin.
Hardware - The Rezound is built well, and does have SOME better guts (1.5 GHz, dual core, etc). However, as stated above, Sense renders the internals pointless (or maybe Sense is why it has a stronger and dual processor?). Plus, the radios on the MAXX are better, so that's a plus as well.
That's about it. I welcome your feedback, and I will be around at least until I make the purchase, but you'll be able to find me in the MAXX forums if you need me.
Oh, and thanks for all the help as well! Remember, we'll all on the 'droid side!
I will give the MAXX a chance to lose this spot. Doesn't hurt that VZW is doing a BOGO on the RAZR and RAZR MAXX (will see if my wife wants to adopt the MAXX as a new work phone). Here is my reasoning, broken down by the 'perks' of the Rezound, then feel free to convince me otherwise:
Screen - Yes, the Rezound is better. But, honestly, is there a true NEED for 720p HD on a smartphone? On TVs (and I'll even say on Tablets and computers), yes, SD to HD is a definite benefit for all. But, with such a small screen, there is really no TRUE need, for me, to have the HD screen (I watch minimal TV/movies on my phone, typically just on trips/vacations). Just because it can be done doesn't mean it has to be done. I do have minimal burn-in concerns on the MAXX, but from what I've read, its more of a temporary ghosting than actual burn-in. I know of ways to fix that. And, Gorilla Glass...nothing wrong there.
Camera - Camera is better on the Rezound, but I don't plan to use the pictures my camera takes for anything more than Facebook or emailing to friends, so I'm not terribly concerned there. Plus, the camera on the MAXX isn't exactly terrible in itself (less native tools, yes, but nothing an app can't fix). And, as I pointed out before, the 'hot' flash on the Rezound (and most HTC devices) is not good. And 2MP on the front-facer of the Rezound v. the 1.3MP on the MAXX is negligible for my use.
Replaceable Battery - With the life the MAXX gets, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get 2 years out of the MAXX and never have to be concerned about replacing a poorly performing battery. And if I do, I'll be the first to curse my decision.
Sound/Beats - I'm a self-proclaimed audiophile....the crisper my music sounds, the better. So, this is one area I will miss with with the Rezound, being a proclaimed 'music fan phone.' The free beats headphones would have been nice as well, but I think I'll manage.
Screen Shots - The built-in feature on the Rezound is a nice touch, though other than on here and in a few isolated situations, don't really have a consistent need for this feature. Plus, some apps out there that offer it and I assume the Razr will work with these unrooted. But, still will be missed to have it natively included.
Sense - I will miss Sense, but it appeared to semi-cripple the in-store models I messed around with. Its getting too big for its own britches, and HTC needs to do something to scale it back with better functionality. People shat on Blur, and Moto did something about it. Its still kinda Blur, but they streamlined it and made it work well. Sense is all I've known, and I know I'll miss some of its features. But, I welcome the challenge of a new skin.
Hardware - The Rezound is built well, and does have SOME better guts (1.5 GHz, dual core, etc). However, as stated above, Sense renders the internals pointless (or maybe Sense is why it has a stronger and dual processor?). Plus, the radios on the MAXX are better, so that's a plus as well.
That's about it. I welcome your feedback, and I will be around at least until I make the purchase, but you'll be able to find me in the MAXX forums if you need me.
Oh, and thanks for all the help as well! Remember, we'll all on the 'droid side!