Bionic or Galaxy S.. Either Way My Droid Dies.

[redraider1]

I KNOW this is the Bionic forum but the question was asked. FWIW, I'm forsaking the Bionic in favor of the Samsung Galaxy S II (Function on Verizon). And before I get flame-sprayed by the Bionic fans, let me preface this by saying they're BOTH gonna be kick-a$$ phones with great specs and a quantum leap upward from our beloved Droids.

That said, it all comes down to a matter of 2 words:

Unlocked bootloader.

Having been rooted & ROMmed for 19 of 20 months of Droid ownership, I have grown to rely heavily on nandroid backups. Anyone who follows my postings knows I preach them. Backups have saved my proverbial butt more than once. I want a phone I can root and backup - pretty much out of the box - without waiting on the manufacturer to come through with a "promise" to unlock the bootloader sometime near the end of the year.

Will the Bionic be a great phone? You bet it will... and I wish you guys well on your new purchase, since it looks like you'll be getting the Bionic before I get the Function. If the benefits of rooting (like backups) aren't important to you, the Bionic will serve your needs well for a long time. And maybe Moto WILL actually unlock it. Better for you!

But all said, all researched, all things considered... the SGS2 is THE phone for ME to get (considering it sold 3 Million units in 55 days worldwide and they even sent one to CyanogenMod for development ) and THAT'S the phone I'm getting. My 0.02

I agree to people that dont care about messing around with their phones both of these will be great phones and it just depends on whether you want to wait or not. I think if you dont care about rooting the bionic is the way to go. It will be 4g(which function is looking like it wont) and if rumors are true even if the bootloader is locked it is supposed to get an update and unlocked like the atrix. Hopefully they dont water down the function like they did with the fascinate because otherwise it will be a huge seller for verizon maybe not as much as the iphone but a huge seller none the less. No need to flame anyone you make a great point people should go out and decide which one they like better and get that one no matter what anyone else says. Although as more and more apps and cloud services come about how do you know that you wont be able to do that without root? Not saying it will happen but it's not out of the picture by any means at the rate things are moving.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I agree to people that dont care about messing around with their phones both of these will be great phones and it just depends on whether you want to wait or not. I think if you dont care about rooting the bionic is the way to go. It will be 4g(which function is looking like it wont) and if rumors are true even if the bootloader is locked it is supposed to get an update and unlocked like the atrix. Hopefully they dont water down the function like they did with the fascinate because otherwise it will be a huge seller for verizon maybe not as much as the iphone but a huge seller none the less. No need to flame anyone you make a great point people should go out and decide which one they like better and get that one no matter what anyone else says. Although as more and more apps and cloud services come about how do you know that you wont be able to do that without root? Not saying it will happen but it's not out of the picture by any means at the rate things are moving.

What sucks is when you want the LTE and want to root.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

MicroNix, I'm not hurt. After 20 years in the Navy, it takes a lot more than that to get under my skin LOL

Much of my time as a Misguided Child was spent getting under squiddie's skin. At least now I get our relationship.

It's hard to imagine that after 3 years we're going to finally have diff phones. While it's not written in stone that I'll be getting the Bionic, it's more than likely. Mostly, I trust that it won't be long before the bootloader is worked around, if not not bypassed altogether. I can deal with it not being rooted for a bit.

I just doubt I can wait for the Function. It'll depend on how many bills I have paid on when it drops, but other than bootloader, I think the phones will be too similar for me to prefer one over the other too much.

 

[Jay3]

My OG Droid has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Limping towards a Bionic.

The one thing that gives me hope is that the Droid was a little under-powere (chip and memory) as soon as it was released. So it's not as surprising that the rapid-fire Android updates choked it out. There was a quick plateau at about the 1Ghz level within 6 months of the Droid.

I'm hoping that the Bionic represents the early wave of the next plateau at dual core, 4G LTE.

I've learned my lesson -- I don't really care about minor features. I care about horsepower under the hood that will allow my phone to fully participate in all the great improvements in Android and in applications.

 

[MicroNix]

Yes, maybe I'm making too much out of being rooted. Maybe you'll never be in that situation... I hope that's the case. But after nearly 2 years, it's simply difficult for me to imagine owning an Android phone that I can't backup, customize, overclock/underclock, modify and personalize to my heart's content. Like I said: if rooting isn't that big a deal for you, either phone will do well. Rooting has just become an integral part of Android ownership... for ME.

Don't get me wrong on this either. I was rooted not too long after picking up my D1 the day it was released. If was fun for a while and then after picking up some roms that had bugs and finding myself constantly looking for "the" rom, I became weary of the process.

If I am correct, you can still find root with a locked bootloader. This would be suffice to get rid of the bloat but this time around I am expecting more from the manufacturer. The D1 was still Android and manufacturers in their infancy. I am expecting more polish, less issues, more updates and an overall better experience. I want to start using the device more what it was for instead of "playing" with the OS. Maybe its too much to ask but with all the little (and big hardware) problems with the D1, I finally want something a step above. I am also looking for a full two years of updates from the release date of a device. And this time I will be sure to let the manufacturer know if they fail to live up to this expectation. Now with Google slowing the updates down this shouldn't be too unreasonable to ask.

Since I'll be desperate (D1 is dead) by the time the Bionic launches, I'm just holding my breathe that Moto doesn't screw this up...

 

[s1ckGhost]

My OG Droid has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Limping towards a Bionic.

The one thing that gives me hope is that the Droid was a little under-powere (chip and memory) as soon as it was released. So it's not as surprising that the rapid-fire Android updates choked it out. There was a quick plateau at about the 1Ghz level within 6 months of the Droid.

I'm hoping that the Bionic represents the early wave of the next plateau at dual core, 4G LTE.

I've learned my lesson -- I don't really care about minor features. I care about horsepower under the hood that will allow my phone to fully participate in all the great improvements in Android and in applications.

Totally agree.

 

[Rayw796]

My Droid was replaced once by insurance due to bad update. Since then, I did a factory reset due to FC's, slow downs and strange behavior. I am ready for a more powerful and capable phone. If the Bionic comes out first, the wait is over and I buy it. If the SGS2 comes out first and has LTE, then I will wait for the Bionic and compare the 2 phones and select the one I like best.

 

[gemini846]

I'm currently rocking a Dx and I don't see any phone other than one of these two being a serious upgrade. My wife's feature phone died about 4 months ago so we picked her up a OG Droid off of Craigslist for $50 and it's running fine. I personally think if both phones drop on the same date that she would get a better experience out of the GSII, but it has to be LTE, dual core with decent battery. She's a lot more of a battery hog than me.

Needless to say, I'm still upset that VZW would have the nerve to sell tiered data and still charge extra for Tether.

 

[HanSolo]

Needless to say, I'm still upset that VZW would have the nerve to sell tiered data and still charge extra for Tether.

I agree. My sister works for Verizon and this is a huge point of argument. I say "unlimited data" should be UNLIMITED freaking data. If I want to use it to tether 5 freaking computers, I should be able to freaking do it. That's why you're charging me $60 extra for 2 phones per month.

She says "Oh, no, but it's different, can't you see? Unlimited data is only what you can download to your phone!"

I think that's crap. If I go to Golden Corral, they're not going to charge me extra for putting the same crappy food on more than 1 plate that I eat off of. If I'm consuming it, UNLIMITED food means freaking UNLIMITED food. It's not like I'm sharing it with others.

When I tether, I'm not having neighbors line up to get some wifi from my phone. I'm simply doing it to surf the net myself on my own freaking computer.

Freaking money-grubbing thieves. No wonder their workers are going on strike.

Sorry, I guess this whole topic hit a nerve.

 

[AntimonyER]

I agree tethering should be included in the tiered data plans at no cost. When they switched to tiered, customers are no longer paying for just the service, they are paying for the data too. What you do with that limited data SHOULD be up to you. I have a little more sympathy for them when it comes to unlimited tethering. They have to maintain enough bandwidth to satisfy all their customers, and the relative few who would abuse it would ruin it for everyone. With unlimited data you are paying for the service, but not the data. I feel it is still Verizon's call on the data usage for unlimited customers, because we aren't paying for the data, just the service.

 

[HanSolo]

I feel it is still Verizon's call on the data usage for unlimited customers, because we aren't paying for the data, just the service.

Then don't call it data.

It's like saying that at a buffet you're not paying for the food, you're paying for the plate. Yes, there are a few glutton elephants that will abuse the system and eat 9 tons of food. Will that hurt profit? Yes, if only marginally. Will that affect the other people at the buffet waiting for those chicken wings because the elephants ate all of them? Yes, but not too long.

The number of glutton elephants that would abuse unlimited tethering would technically hurt, but there are relatively so few of them that it would be marginal. For example, I tether on the rare occasions that my wifi signal isn't working for some reason, or if I'm at a family member's house with my laptop (which happens rarely) and they don't have wifi available. I don't think that there are a huge amount of people using tethering to download torrents at 4 GB a pop. I might be wrong of course.

But unlimited food should mean unlimited food.

Geez. Now I'm hungry.

 

[bigbabys]

Then don't call it data.

It's like saying that at a buffet you're not paying for the food, you're paying for the plate. Yes, there are a few glutton elephants that will abuse the system and eat 9 tons of food. Will that hurt profit? Yes, if only marginally. Will that affect the other people at the buffet waiting for those chicken wings because the elephants ate all of them? Yes, but not too long.

The number of glutton elephants that would abuse unlimited tethering would technically hurt, but there are relatively so few of them that it would be marginal. For example, I tether on the rare occasions that my wifi signal isn't working for some reason, or if I'm at a family member's house with my laptop (which happens rarely) and they don't have wifi available. I don't think that there are a huge amount of people using tethering to download torrents at 4 GB a pop. I might be wrong of course.

But unlimited food should mean unlimited food.

Geez. Now I'm hungry.

What if those elephants ate at a rate that the food could not be replenished for other customers. Would it still be fair?

 

[HanSolo]

What if those elephants ate at a rate that the food could not be replenished for other customers. Would it still be fair?

No, that wouldn't be fair. But that's the sticking point, isn't it. Who really does know if tetherers are making it miserable for the rest of us? I don't. I don't think 3G has ever been extremely fast by any stretch of the imagination; especially not compared to my home's wifi service. But I haven't seen a huge drop off in speed over the last couple of years. It's always been kinda slow.

 

[bigbabys]

No, that wouldn't be fair. But that's the sticking point, isn't it. Who really does know if tetherers are making it miserable for the rest of us? I don't. I don't think 3G has ever been extremely fast by any stretch of the imagination; especially not compared to my home's wifi service. But I haven't seen a huge drop off in speed over the last couple of years. It's always been kinda slow.

Only Verizon knows I suppose. I was simply playing devil's advocate. Data SHOULD be unlimited. Just like text messaging always should have been. Honestly consumers are totally shafted on text messaging every month, but nobody bats an eye. Any idea how much data a text message actually uses? yea...

 

[Vehtemas]

Only Verizon knows I suppose. I was simply playing devil's advocate. Data SHOULD be unlimited. Just like text messaging always should have been. Honestly consumers are totally shafted on text messaging every month, but nobody bats an eye. Any idea how much data a text message actually uses? yea...

Texting doesn't cost the companies anything extra to send, want to know why?

Because your phone is always sending data to the towers to let it know where it is and what it is doing, texts are piggy backed on this data stream, hence the 160 character limit.

Essentially, you are paying Verizon etc for something they have to send anyways.

It is a great scam

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Texting doesn't cost the companies anything extra to send, want to know why?

Because your phone is always sending data to the towers to let it know where it is and what it is doing, texts are piggy backed on this data stream, hence the 160 character limit.

Essentially, you are paying Verizon etc for something they have to send anyways.

It is a great scam

Talk less, text more, pay extra. When you add how they charge extra for tethering, essentially making you pay for the same data twice, you see how lucrative this business is. Now, they're charging more on subsidized pricing while the manufacturing cost hasn't really increased, and it makes you wish you had your own cellphone company.

 

[Vehtemas]

Talk less, text more, pay extra. When you add how they charge extra for tethering, essentially making you pay for the same data twice, you see how lucrative this business is. Now, they're charging more on subsidized pricing while the manufacturing cost hasn't really increased, and it makes you wish you had your own cellphone company.

Well of course!

They have the best scam in history, and today's youths like my little sister are going to grow up expecting Tiered data...

It may get to a point years down the road when I am 80 or so that I am auctioning off my unlimited data as if it is some relic from the ancient past...

Or putting it in my will so it goes to the right person...

Crazy shit man.

Can you imagine someone getting killed for their unlimited data connection?

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Well of course!

They have the best scam in history, and today's youths like my little sister are going to grow up expecting Tiered data...

It may get to a point years down the road when I am 80 or so that I am auctioning off my unlimited data as if it is some relic from the ancient past...

Or putting it in my will so it goes to the right person...

Crazy shit man.

Can you imagine someone getting killed for their unlimited data connection?

Like stealing cable. lol

 

[Sportster]

For me,one day it's the Bionic...next day, want to wait for the Samsung Stratosphere or SG2 whatever it's called here. I'm so back and forth it's ridiculous! I know I can't wait, that much I do know. My Droid is driving me crazy. Seems no matter what ROM I'm running,the thing slows to a crawl, lags, camera hangs forever most of the time. Doing a simple task like opening the web browser to search for something can take minutes when it should take a few seconds. More and more I find myself waiting.....waiting.....AND waiting somemore.....c'mon already you freakin phone,let's go!!! It's really a wonder I've still got the thing in one piece. This past week I can probably count at least five times I've wanted to 1. run it over 2. throw it out the window doing 70 3. skip it across the lake like a rock 4. take a hammer to the thing or my fav, 5. take it to the local gun range and put a .223 through it!!!! I cannot wait for a new phone and one HUGE factor will be useable memory. This POS with the tiny memory will be a thing of the past soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[x026092]

Sportster, I feel your pain... My D1 is just starting to drag. I hore it can make it another month.