Before you buy an X, read this.

[ricktherick]

I am a smartphone enthusiast, who has had all of the best, from every manufacturer, and has used every smartphone OS around. I currently use the Droid Incredible.

I recently purchased the Droid X. After setting it up and playing with it for one evening, it is now reset to factory defaults, back in the box, and on its way this afternoon to be returned. My Incredible is reactivated.

Here's why the X sucks: Terrible camera. It's about like the Droid 1 camera - bad focus problems, very bad indoor performance. This could be fixed in a software update, but read on.

Here's why the X really, really sucks: the hardware buttons on the bottom are horrible. They are incredibly hard to push - fatiguing for an active user. It is hard to believe that Motorola blew this one so bad. This cannot be fixed.

Do not buy this phone.

[gerio]

I liked your first title better. It was better to respond to. Your edited title is more appropriate, darn it....

Rats, I had to edit this, too. I've owned a couple of dozen smartphones, including iPhones, Blackberrys ("Blackberries"? "Blackberri"") Moto Qs, Omnia IIs, and on and on...). The Dx has been the best by far so far. I even recently sold my Garmin Nuvi for $100.00! Between my own experience of traveling for 30 years and now the GPS in the X (accurate so far), I can get sround fine without it..

Everyone I've sent pics to from my Droid X, either MMS or email, has commented on how good the pics looks, coming from a mobile phone. They are positively stoked, as I was, when they see video clips that I shoot with the X.

And I don't get the buttons comment. I've got carpal tunnel syndrome AND arthritis in my hands and I have NO problems with the buttons on my X.

To each his own.....

Did it ring loud enough for you? Oh, wait, you returned it....

Geri O

[jogro]

I am glad you responded to that neg. unhappy buyer. I am new at smart phones and though maybe I made a mistake. 

[droid-geek]

---

gerio wrote:

And I don't get the buttons comment. I've got carpal tunnel syndrome AND arthritis in my hands and I have NO problems with the buttons on my X.

To each his own.....

Did it ring loud enough for you? Oh, wait, you returned it....

Geri O

---

The capacitive touch buttons on the HTC Inc. are nice once you get used to their extreme sensitivity.  That is also their downfall for me.  Right now I've got my Inc on my right side holder and my X on my left.  I carry both, but I personally prefer the buttons on the X since I've gotten used to them.  No accidentally barely touching a button and it either going back or to the home screen.

Screen is "prettier" on the Inc.  Overall I prefer the X since my eyesight isn't what it was and it is much easier to see the larger screen even tho' the games are not in as brilliant color!

[gerio]

It appears that I will get to play with both phones for a bit at the Verizon store. My girlfriend informed me tonight that while she was leaning toward the Dx, she wants to now look at the Dinc, too. She thinks she might like the size better, although she is liking the Dx's screen.

Of coure, she might go with the Dinc simply because she can get it now!...))

My response? "You go, girl! Get the phone YOU want".

Geri O

[mortb]

Love the "hard" buttons. Had a phone with touch buttons and used to touch them all the time accidently, opening up whatever they were supposed to open up. Haven't had an accidental opening with these buttons...yet. As for the camera, I am getting better indoor pictures with my X than I have with my digital camera. Guess that old saying is true, you can't please everyone.

[easton714]

Ditto to mortb.

I have no real issues with the camera (I use it for spur of the moment photos, not for artistic quality) and I much prefer the hard rocker buttons to touchscreen buttons (I can feel them without looking and I won't press them accidentally).

Of all the things to be annoyed by regarding this phone, these two being huge issues is pretty questionable...especially for a self-described smartphone superhero.

[ricktherick]

Of course everything is a matter of preference and opinion. But here are some facts that are hard to dispute.

The ratio of the amount of force required to initiate the Home function on the Droid X vs. the Home function on the Incredible is at least 50:1.

Pick an indoor subject to photograph with medium light. Take a series of pictures with the Droid X until you are satisfied that you have tried every possible camera setting to get the best possible picture using the flash. repeat the procedure without the flash. Take one picture of the same subject matter with the Incredible on auto using the flash, and then take one without the flash. The two pictures from the Incredible will be astoundingly better than anything you took with the Droid X.

Conclusion: When compared to the Incredible, the bottom row switches on the X are very difficult to press, and  the camera on the X is terrible.

[DoneDidDroidX]

Lol, Are you serious about the buttons?

{please keep your posts courteous}

[stevenet99]

ricktherick - you should note that taking the droid x out of the box and comparing photos between the two are going to be different bc the incredible is at 8MP where the droid x is by default on 5MP from the factory. So 8MP is going to have more clearity than a 5MP. I would bet if you changed the setting from default and put it on 8MP to it's full potential you may change your views on this "issue". Any new phone is going to require a user to learn the phone and it's specific setup and features. A user is going to have to personalize/tweak the phone and it's settings to suit each user. I think you should have maybe taken at least a week to get to know the phone and use it to it's full potential before bashing it so quickly.

[ricktherick]

Both cameras were set at 8MP. It doesn't take a week to figure out that the Droix X camera is horrible - more like 5 minutes.

[mikeyflysit]

If you want great pics, buy an slr. And if you have problems pressing the buttons, hit the gym.

[basspro]

"fatiguing for an active user"?

Get real.

I have heard a lot of things, but this one takes the cake.

[Rescue814]

LOL, WUT?

[admsteck]

You want to talk about fatigueing, try typing anything on the BB Storm 1.  Especially the letters on the outside edges where you have to smash the screen to get the single button thingy behind the screen to register.  I had opera installed on it for a while and it was so relaxing to only have to touch links instead of smash them.  Can't wait for my Droid X to get here "by 7:00 PM" as FedEx says.  

[GeekGuy]

heh?   This is a joke thread...........right?

I ahve to end my post here, I have become fatigued.

[bersh]

Nice troll - go back to the Droid Inc. forum.

[gerio]

Rick, please, give it up. You are trying to sell your opinion as hard cold fact when it is not. I do agree, somewhat better pics can be made with the Dinc, but that is not at all why I bought the Dx. And I strongly disagree about the button issue. Period.

You returned your Dx for your own reasons. Stop the mis-guided crusade to convince others to do likewise. Not happening.

Good luck with the next phone.

Respectfully,
Geri O

[ricktherick]

I simply stated the fact that the X buttons push 50 times harder than a simple touch. You can take what you want from that, but you can't really argue that it is a fact. If you like pushing hard to engage buttons, then good for you.

The camera. The Dinc is "somewhat" better?. You couldn't possibly have done a head-to-head comparison as I suggested. If you had, and you were being objective, you would certainly have to say that the difference in the results is huge.

I understand that you love your X. Enjoy it. But you will always take really crappy pictures with it.

[arm-x]

Pssst...it's a TELEPHONE, not a camera!!!

[ricktherick]

And a Motorola Star-Tac was a phone, too. They're all phones. It's what else thay do that makes them fantastic, incredible, or in the Droid X's case, mediocre.

[Please keep it polite - Thanks!]