It is ironic that I've been trying to get back into these forums for quite some time now and haven't been able to since my password keeps getting me a token error message. So instead I finally entered using my Google log in info only to find this bombshell of a news for the Photon.
In retrospect, I guess we can see the signs pointing to this conclusion. Promises made, promises broken. Days, weeks, months go by with the change of upgrading looking more and more slim. Its a shame really, because for all the devices I have own until recently, the ones from Motorola were in my honest opinion very well made, good designs and very good radios. They were, excuse the expression, "kick butt". Now it seems the only kicking butt being done is our own.
Other signs pointing to this is the fact that the Photon 1 got upgraded to a Photon 2 that is nothing like it before. It astonishes me how some companies decide to upgrade a device but making it totally different. The Photon 2 should have been both a keyboard version as well as a true upgrade from the first Photon. But what's done is done.
Now naturally, hearing this news one quickly turns to being angry, disappointment and we want to blame someone for it. Some have mentioned both on and off this forum blaming the admins, the reps, Moto itself, Sprint and even Google. But the fact of the matter is, it is the sign of the times. Devices come and go rather quickly, so quick that a flagship device deployed only 5 months ago can be EOL today, regardless if it got updates or not. Does it surprise me that the Photon was not upgraded, no, am I disappointed, yes.
The people have spoken numerous times asking for upgrades, updates, unlocked bootloaders, etc and while updates have come, it is the customers that in turn will dictate whether they will continue to be part of this parade of disappointments or not. I for one have not. The kicker was when the Photon Q came out with the keyboard and no Webtop in sight. Webtop in my opinion placed Motorola in the field of awesomeness, of innovation that so many strive to achieve but never get to. Regardless of being bought by Google, they saw the future and took a step in that direction. Nowadays, they got sidetracked and are taking the wrong road. Whether that is due to Google or their own shortsightedness is anyones guess at this point in time.
So as of today, I only see two other companies that are taking risks and being innovators much what Motorola was up to a year ago. Those are Asus and Samsung. And say what you may of either company, they are producing devices that folks want, and regardless of the marketing, actually need and use.
I still have 2 Photons (due to contracts), and had numerous lapdocks (Atrix modified, Bionic modified the lapdock 100, all which i gave to another forum member). I've also had the xyboard (which I like better than my previous Lenovo Thinkpad). Since then except for the Photons, I've replaced them with the Samsung Galaxy Note 1 (hopefully getting the Note 2 in a month) and the Note 10.1 tablet. Two devices that are risk taking and superb in their execution.
it is sad seeing this, but one has to move on and do what they feel is right and what works for them. Hopefully Motorola learns from this and does the right thing in the future, but for now, at least to me its a little too late. at least for those that still have the Photon, can feel comfort that there is a development community over in XDA-developers that will try to support you as much as they can. Loki is one outstanding member and what he has done is extraordinary.
Good luck all, and best wishes.
TS