Going to the Atrix 4g training 2/2/2011!!

[MarcMaiden]

Yeah, my post was almost more of a "I wish" vs. what the actual situation will be now and moving forward.

At least, it can be "covered" with LP, etc.

Doesn't dilute my enthusiasm for this phone though.

Hey Marc, one thing I don't think anybody asked about, how's the GPS?

you would think this would be the first thing i mention being an ex captivate user. thanks for reminding me

GPS worked well. In fact, i was surprised how well it locked inside the AT&T HQ. Motorola has always put good gps chips/software in their phones. android 2.0 and the first google nav software came out on a motorola phone (original droid) so they have a good track record.

 

[AndreaCristiano]

That was a review unit and since AT&T has blocked it on every other phones and has it as a published policy I wouldn't expect one purchased at the store to have it unblocked.

dude review units are retail units unless they are pre production review

Also look for AT&T to be changing their Android policies very very soon

 

[Willy Willy]

That's good to know... I have an iPhone and I can't do anything in airplane mode.

 

[Willy Willy]

Quick question marc.... Can you turn on and off the 3G and or the hspa+ and run on 2g only or did they yank that like they did on the captivate?

 

[MarcMaiden]

Quick question marc.... Can you turn on and off the 3G and or the hspa+ and run on 2g only or did they yank that like they did on the captivate?

Cant comment on this...I didnt try...Was this a captivate thing or a galaxy s thing?

 

[Willy Willy]

It was an AT&T thing they blocked that feature on the captivate

 

[Komodo Rogue]

Installing non-market apps.

AT&T did this to stop you from installing apps such as tethering apps.

It can be done with root and a hack (similar to the Backflip one posted above) or through ADB (no root required, pretty easy to learn)

Ohhh I think I remember hearing about that. So I still get full access to the Android Market, but apk. and other such files will not install?

Exactly correct on the .apks not being allowed to be installed. But it isn't exactly full access to the market.

I have noticed that AT&T blocks tethering apps from the market.

This would happen if you have any AT&T SIM in any Android device (including devices purchased unlocked from other sources).

Hey quick FYI, in case you haven't heard this trick and it takes the XDA crew a while to get things going with side-loading and root:

Sometimes you can download market apps from the store if you follow the following steps.

1. go to settings --> wireless and network --> turn on airplane mode.

2. hit home button, and using the power widget (or something else) turn ON Wifi, and connect to a wireless network

3. (optional) once WiFi is on, go back into settings and make sure you're still in airplane mode

4. access market through wifi, and the missing apps should be there for your downloading pleasure

5. write at&t an angry letter!!! (optional)

THEORETICAL ALTERNATIVE:

I would not be surprised if AT&T is on to the old trick above, and insisted that moto "fixes" the problem.

1. turn off cell

2. remove SIM card

3. power up cell

4. connect to a wifi network

5. hit up the market

6. write at&t an angry letter!!! (optional)

To the noobs, that doesn't fix side-loading, but it gives you access to everything on the market, not just the at&t approved market apps.

 

[frank92612]

Hello everyone,
I'm currently an Iphone user but will be switching to the Atrix. I was wondering why everyone dislikes Motoblur? Does it not work well? Also is Motoblur 1.5 the newest version?

 

[aztooh]

Thanks, that's nice to know! My iPhone 3G (along with all At&t iPhones) disables wifi/bluetooth as well as cellular connections when in Airplane Mode.

and @ Willy Willy

I'm using an iPhone 3g currently and Wifi most certainly does work on airplane mode. When you flip airplane mode on, it turns the wifi off, but you can toggle it back on independently.

@Marc

Thanks for the pics and info! Thanks to that and others info about Android in general, very excited for this thing to get released!

 

[newwales]

How quick is the camera in getting focus & taking the picture, on my HTC Desire it takes about 2-3 seconds to get focus & take the picture but i have seen on the new sony ericsson arc it gets focus & takes a picture in 1 second or less. Thanks.

 

[barry99705]

Hello everyone,
I'm currently an Iphone user but will be switching to the Atrix. I was wondering why everyone dislikes Motoblur? Does it not work well? Also is Motoblur 1.5 the newest version?

Usually the phones with custom gui's take longer to get updates.

 

[AvengerBB]

I think he means put it in airplane mode, take out the SIM, then turn off airplane mode and use wifi.

Yes, sorry - I assumed turning on WiFi.

In my tests I don't believe just doing airplane mode and turning on wifi worked. Somehow I think it was checking the SIM in the phone to see what provider it is for even though cell service is turned off. I could be wrong though.

 

[Aaronneyer]

I had to do this a while back with my Backflip, and I'm pretty sure I had to actually take the SIM out for it to work.

 

[BumpySig]

The phone will be running moto blur 1.5, and if you want to use another launcher, the motoblur apps will not work quite right.

Will using an alternate launcher such as Launcher Pro affect the docking capabilities? I know on the Captivate it causes Kies to screw up so that you have to switch back to touchwiz. I'm just hoping I won't have to switch between Launchers just to dock.

 

[2005CTS]

Usually the phones with custom gui's take longer to get updates.

This is true - but Motorola has a good track record of updating their other Android phones running Motoblur.

We aren't talking Samsung here. Motorola has shown/proven that they can update the OS even with motoblur in a timely fashion.

 

[kyeo138]

My first post, I've been lurking on these forums for a bit. The Atrix finally drove me to register.

I'm moving over to AT&T from VZW for work reasons (on 2/14 actually so the timing is perfect!), my current phone is a BB Storm and I can't wait to get on a 'real' smart phone. The Atrix looks amazing, and I have a few other questions. I've done some searching and couldn't find these answers (at least nothing recent)

1. At the training, did anyone mention the plans for releasing the Gingerbread 2.3 OS?

2. Can you use webtop mode without a dock? ie - with BT mouse/keyboard and HDMI out.

Thanks!

 

[myriad46]

2. Can you use webtop mode without a dock? ie - with BT mouse/keyboard and HDMI out.

I'm pretty sure you can. The dock and the lapdock just initiate it. It's always in there. Plugging in something to the HDMI may intiate. Not entirely sure, though.

Definitely switching to Atric from Moto Droid, IF HSPA+ is confirmed in my city.

 

[Stadifer]

1. At the training, did anyone mention the plans for releasing the Gingerbread 2.3 OS?

I read on either Engadget, TechRepublic, Cnet, one of the many major tech news sites that Motorola was planning on putting Android 2.3 on the Atrix.

That is my biggest concern with leaving the iPhone/iOS and going to Android. The Android platform is so fragmented and you never know which phones will get the newest OS upgrade. I love how Google is building new verisons of Android every 6 months. That does the consumer absolutely no good if the MotoBlur or HTC Sense versions only get updated when the vendor decides to update them and in some cases elects to never update a certain piece of hardware past a certain version of Android.

I break out of the walled prison that is Apple only to find I'm still in a walled prison by a different name... MotoBlur. Can't I just get a vanilla base Android OS and let me decide if I want to modify it or use MotoBlur?!

I'm sure I'm beating a dead horse that has been beaten many times with that rant though!

 

[myriad46]

I read on either Engadget, TechRepublic, Cnet, one of the many major tech news sites that Motorola was planning on putting Android 2.3 on the Atrix.

That is my biggest concern with leaving the iPhone/iOS and going to Android. The Android platform is so fragmented and you never know which phones will get the newest OS upgrade. I love how Google is building new verisons of Android every 6 months. That does the consumer absolutely no good if the MotoBlur or HTC Sense versions only get updated when the vendor decides to update them and in some cases elects to never update a certain piece of hardware past a certain version of Android.

I break out of the walled prison that is Apple only to find I'm still in a walled prison by a different name... MotoBlur. Can't I just get a vanilla base Android OS and let me decide if I want to modify it or use MotoBlur?!

I'm sure I'm beating a dead horse that has been beaten many times with that rant though!

First, the most common reaction to updated versions of the Android OS is, "Really? That's it?" There have been some improvements, but most people don't even notice the difference.

If you don't like moto blur there are a number of launcher apps that completely change the way you interface with your phone. You can change and customize them as often as you like.

Further, if you're willing, once a phone is rooted, you can often get the most up to date versions of android within days of it being released.

 

[lsutigers03]

Further, if you're willing, once a phone is rooted, you can often get the most up to date versions of android within days of it being released.

Unfortunately this isn't true if Moto locks down the Atrix like people are assuming they will. Custom ROMs will have to be built off of Moto builds. A ROM based off of a source ROM won't work.

 

[wraithevolution]

I was wondering if you learned anything about the laptop? I've been in on a thread on XDA about whether or not AT&T is going to consider the laptop use as "tethering?" To most of us, it's obviously not tethering, it really wouldn't make much sense to call it that since you are simply using the laptop for a bigger screen. But I've already experienced many of the evils of AT&T and absolutely wouldn't put it past them to do this. To re-classify tethering and want to charge for this. I don't believe it to be tethering and the arguments for and against have been many. But I simply do NOT trust AT&T to not pull some kind of trickery. It seems like they can't call it tethering but then someone posted this link, just in time for the tenative release date for the Atrix;
DailyTech - AT&T Stops Being Stingy, Will Boost Tethering Data Allowance to 4GB on Feb 13

This would be a COMBO BREAKER for me...

 

[s.m.knipe]

Too bad sideloading is blocked b/c it's NOT on the Inspire 4G. Source: Video: Unboxing the HTC Inspire 4G from AT&T

 

[sarstube]

Hi Marc, longtime att customer here and current iphone user. I checked this thread and other sites but havent found a definitive answer so I joined specifically to ask this supremely important question and I would greatly appreciate your answer.

Does it come with stock swype?

It's honeslty almost a make or break question for me.

Thanks!

 

[MarcMaiden]

Hi Marc, longtime att customer here and current iphone user. I checked this thread and other sites but havent found a definitive answer so I joined specifically to ask this supremely important question and I would greatly appreciate your answer.

Does it come with stock swype?

It's honeslty almost a make or break question for me.

Thanks!

Yes it does.

 

[ranova]

I wish phones didnt come preloaded with swype - you cant update to the latest betas easily. It takes manufacturers/carriers forever to release updates, and by the time they do, the Swype version is already out of date..