Motorola DROID 2 Global Release Thread

[mick4394]

Dont worry,those issues are already fixed and put in the next release.

I'll leave the worrying to the people who actually own the thing.

[SGMD1]

Anyone know how I can create a shortcut to a Settings submenu on the D2G?

I know you can create shortcuts to the main Settings menus (battery use, bluetooth settings, etc.) by just long-pressing the screen -> Shortcuts, but I need to create a shortcut to a submenu (specifically Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Network Mode)

Anyone know how I can do this? I have LauncherPro and I know you can make shortcuts with it but programming those shortcuts seems pretty complicated. Also I know you can make additional shortcuts using the LauncherPro "Activities" menu but I can't find the "Network Mode" settings in that list either.

Any ideas?

[kion]

Hiya,

I'm planning on upgrading my phone and was thinking of getting the D2G. I can't seem to find any reviews or anything. Is the phone worth getting? I understand it probably won't be all that different from the regular D2, but still any inputs as to whether or not I should get it?

If not any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[SGMD1]

I'm planning on upgrading my phone and was thinking of getting the D2G. I can't seem to find any reviews or anything. Is the phone worth getting? I understand it probably won't be all that different from the regular D2, but still any inputs as to whether or not I should get it?

Well first and foremost I would definitely recommend an Android phone. But the rest depends on your particular preferences:
-are you a global traveler?
-will you be using your device for business?
-do you prefer more screen real estate or a physical keyboard?
-will you use lots of processor-intensive apps?

I have a D2G and am very happy with it, primarily because of the physical keyboard and global roaming capabilities. The .2 GHz processor speed increase over the D2 will certainly speed up certain processes by a couple seconds here and there, but it's nothing to write home about.

I would definitely recommend the D2G...but if you aren't much of a world traveler, save the money and stick with the D2. And if the physical keyboard isn't a priority, consider the Droid X, which has a significantly bigger screen. If you have any other specific questions let me know.

Hope this helps.

[Baturro]

Hello people! I just got my DG2 and I have a question. After reading though a few threads, I'm guessing that getting another SIM card is the way yo go if you plan to use the phone overseas, which I do (Spain). How does one get a hold of a SIm card that can be used in another country.

On a side note, man does my DG2 use alot of battery power!!

[jbinbi]

Baturro: call vzw global services, ask to get phone unlocked. When you go to spain, you would get a local sim there.

[jbinbi]

did anyone with the d2g consider waiting for the htc merge? i have the original droid, want something with kybd and global. worried about battery life on d2g as regular d1 is not great. what are general impressions?

[norbert]

Anyone know how I can create a shortcut to a Settings submenu on the D2G?

I know you can create shortcuts to the main Settings menus (battery use, bluetooth settings, etc.) by just long-pressing the screen -> Shortcuts, but I need to create a shortcut to a submenu (specifically Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Network Mode)

Anyone know how I can do this? I have LauncherPro and I know you can make shortcuts with it but programming those shortcuts seems pretty complicated. Also I know you can make additional shortcuts using the LauncherPro "Activities" menu but I can't find the "Network Mode" settings in that list either.

Any ideas?

Long press on screen > Shortcuts > Activities > Settings. I'm not sure if you can go to that exact setting or not, but this might help you do it with two clicks, but not as good as only one click.

[SGMD1]

Long press on screen > Shortcuts > Activities > Settings. I'm not sure if you can go to that exact setting or not, but this might help you do it with two clicks, but not as good as only one click.

Unfortunately it's not there

I think the only way to do it will be to program a shortcut...but I have no idea how

[GuyinLACA]

I got the Droid 2 Global yesterday. I've had the Droid 1, Droid 2, and Droid X and here are my observations on the Droid 2 Global:

The Good:
+Build Quality is solid all around. Slider is smooth, yet firm.
+Touch screen is more responsive than the Droid 1 and Droid 2
+Camera is much improved from the D1 and D2. As evidenced by the slightly raised area, this is probably a completely new mechanism.
+Speakerphone is FINALLY loud and clear. The Droid X and Droid 2 lack volume.
+The keyboard is more raised than the D1 and D2. Buttons easy to push, nice feedback.
+No lag or hiccups when navigating menus. The D1 and D2 had random hiccups all the time.

Neutral:
=Earpeice is mostly clear, but turned all the way up it sounds "buzzy", must keep it 2-3 notches lower. The Droid X is clearer at all volumes, and the Droid 2 was not as loud, but had the same bassy/buzzy earpeice.

Cons:
-Power/Lock button is recessed more than the D1, D2, or DX, making it difficult to press with your thumb.
-Unable to access Vocode in the programming menu like I was able to on the D1, D2, and DX.

Overall, the Droid 2 Global is what the Droid 2 should have been in the first place, especially with build and speed. If you already have the Droid X or Droid 2, don't even bother with this one. If you are upgrading and need a keyboard, then this might be for you.

Summary:

The Droid X and Droid 2 Global tie for my favorites. The Droid X has the edge with bigger screen, better call quality, better battery life, and slightly better camera. The Droid 2 Global is faster, smaller, has a more detailed screen, and obviously the physical keyboard is a huge plus.

[norbert]

Thanks for the comparison.

[Jakes]

So, the honeymoon with the D2G didn't last very long. Mine's back on the Fedex truck today. Here's why:

1. Horrible audio. Any audio that I played on this thing was constantly popping, whether I was using headphones or the external speaker.

2. Terrible battery life. I guess it's the price you pay for having this fast of a processor.

3. Unreliable alarm. I use my phone as my alarm clock. The Droid two seems to have a mind of its own. Sometimes it will go off. Sometimes it won't. The snooze also seems to be hit or miss.

4. The finish. Coming from a Droid, this thing is like pulling a bar of soap out of your pocket. I just know that I would have dropped this thing sooner or later.

5. Poor call quality. I don't know if mine had a blown speaker, but there was a ton of crackling and the calls were way too quiet.

6. Poor mic positioning. When I use the phone in my car dock, the dock covers the mic. This makes it so I would need a bluetooth headset to use the phone in my car, something I'd rather not deal with.

I'm not suggesting that the D2G is a terrible device. Really, there's a lot to like about the phone (namely the crazy speed of the thing), and any one of these things would not be a deal killer for me. However, the combination of them makes the device way too much of a compromise for me, especially coming from a device that handles all of these things so well.

I realize that I probably had a dud, and it may have been worth trying a different one. However, after a few days with the device, I just realized that it doesn't really offer enough over the original Droid to waste an upgrade. Basically, the only thing the D2G has on the original Droid is the speed.

That's really interesting because I haven't had any of those issues. I too use the alarm all the time and it has been nothing but reliable. The earpiece sounds great and rf has been fantastic. I really think you had a defective unit. Have you thought about giving it another chance?

And your pictures look fantastic, by the way.

Long press on screen > Shortcuts > Activities > Settings. I'm not sure if you can go to that exact setting or not, but this might help you do it with two clicks, but not as good as only one click.

The closest thing I can find along the lines of what you wanted is: long press on home screen, shortcuts, settings, and then whichever option best fits what you're looking for.


And I apologize for any mistakes my post may contain. I'm posting from my Galaxy Tab and didn't proof read my post as I normally would.

[GuyinLACA]

I've done some thorough testing with the Droid 2 Global, and have concluded that the earpiece speaker has a "sweet spot". If I hold it right to my ear, it's very clear. If I hold it away from my ear, I can distinctly hear an electronic buzzing that's very annoying. From reading the reviews, this is very commonly noticed.

I've come to the conclusion that EVERY phone sacrifices something and you have to ask yourself what you can live with. I usually use bluetooth or my speakerphone, so this issue won't be a dealbreaker, but for some it might be.

The Droid X is the call quality winner hands down, while the Droid 2 Global is faster, and better to text with.

[willzzz]

Once again as I've said in my other thread Moto/VZW have programmed the firmware of the phone to prevent the phone from connecting to any 310 MCC based GSM/WCDMA network. This simply means if the phone sees a USA-based GSM/WCDMA network it won't connect even if you have the correct SIM based authentication (ATT/T-Mobile SIM or some 3rd rural US based GSM/WCDMA carrier.) It's being hacked atm. Google if you want info. It requires a radio firmware flash to get rid of it. You can use the GSM/WCDMA portion in ANY country EXCEPT the US atm.

[xbernaut]

Save your time,money,and key strokes and just have a dev get ahold of me.it's no secret i have it done already with no hack at all.full permission rights and all for evry band insde the USA.i will be visiting the US in a few days to work on another vendingproduct but may be able to assit more on this

Once again as I've said in my other thread Moto/VZW have programmed the firmware of the phone to prevent the phone from connecting to any 310 MCC based GSM/WCDMA network. This simply means if the phone sees a USA-based GSM/WCDMA network it won't connect even if you have the correct SIM based authentication (ATT/T-Mobile SIM or some 3rd rural US based GSM/WCDMA carrier.) It's being hacked atm. Google if you want info. It requires a radio firmware flash to get rid of it. You can use the GSM/WCDMA portion in ANY country EXCEPT the US atm.