Motorola DROID RAZR HD XT926 "Vanquish" Pre-Release Thread

[jasaero]

Even with standalone cameras, the only thing marketed is megapixels

This isn't completely true anymore. Most of the more expensive P&S cameras are only around 10-12mp now. Sony is a bit higher due to confidence in their BSI tech, but still P&S could probably mostly be over 20mp pretty easy these days if they were mostly interested in getting that number to some max for marketing purposes.

Basically seems the word has started to get out MP isn't the be all end all and is mostly a marketing spec.

[jasaero]

Also, just noticed the Atrix HD is a $99 value device for AT&T. Doubt this will be the case for the RAZR HD as I am sure Moto and VZW want something that can retain that $300 price point now that even the Galaxy SIII is below it. This suggests to me we will have a Maxx version on day one or HD is standard with Maxx sized battery as our insider hinted. Would also expect a bigger screen and maybe even a new for Moto approach to the camera as I think they probably know they are falling behind in that department with the SIII now being a pretty clear step ahead, particularly in HD Video.

It would be smart if Moto also introduced a water and shock proofed version of this device. A high end ruggedized smartphone is still fictional. Casio supposedly has a G-Shock on the way, but somehow doubt that will be high end from a smartphone perspective so much as level of ruggedness perspective.

[kbman]

I and perhaps a growing number of others, are going to be paying full retail price for this phone and avoiding any and all subsidized devices from VZW, so that is not a factor in my decision.

Improved camera functions, both hardware and software, would certainly be welcome regardless of marketing buzzwords and hype.

I think Motorola already has the best materials and build quality relative to other OEMs and the Kevlar case, metal frame and water resistant coating provide substantially better protection from accidental damage and abuse than the competition.
I think a "ruggedized" smartphone with all that screen real estate is a bit much to expect in any kind of attractive form, but more attention to those features and design qualities would also be a very good step.

I fully expect to see the 3300mAh battery or larger on this phone, as suggested, given the success of the Maxx and their emphasis in marketing that distinguishing feature.

[jasaero]

Price will be higher for more premium devices, even if we are talking full prices rather than subsidized ones. Dollar amount difference should be similar, but percent difference in price will just be a lot less drastic.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Maxx sales and general complaints about the wideness of the device have Moto less focused on thinness even if they keep calling high end devices RAZR. This could lead to a lot better camera module than is possible in a TRUE RAZR.

The water coating seems mostly useless, other than for marketing, when you can't remove the battery easily. I could see it being quite helpful in stopping damage if you can kill power quickly after a dunk, but already know of atleast one RAZR water dunk kill and have rarely heard of removable battery devices being killed from a dunk if the battery was pulled swiftly. Guessing risk of damage after a dunk and swift battery pull could be reduced even further with this coating, but don't really believe it does much other than add a marketing point for a non-removable battery device.

I am pretty sure you could seal up and shock protect a device pretty well while keeping a 4.5" or so screen and reasonable thickness in the .5" range. It would be a large device yes, but I think most that need the extra protection would buy.

[TC_Mits]

The moisture resistance feature isn't gratuitous, as should be obvious. It derives from the -- very small, but still real -- danger of a shorted plastic-bag non-removable battery gassing to the point of bursting open explosively. As such, it's essentially a legal CYA on the part of Moto and vzw.

How many Moto removable battery devices boast the moisture-resisrant coating?

My experience with Moto devices shock-wise has been that they're PD close to timex-tough already. Mine have taken some pretty good lickings and still kept on ticking.


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[jasaero]

This is probably the "Vanquish" this thread was started for if "Vanquish" really is a DX replacement?? This is a smaller device as suggested at start of thread also. My guess is that RAZR HD will be a bigger screened and batteried more premium device than this somewhat sub-Atrix HD device(not an HD screen on this so much as a direct Incredible 4G competing device with qHD screen).

http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/12...o-the-razr-hd/

[jasaero]

BTW, if what I am suggesting comes true, I am kinda impressed with the choices. A small svelte, but slightly less spendy device that still probably has like 4.5" screen, but not much bezel and maybe bit more than RAZR thickness to fit it all. Along with the HD that might be a bigger device, but still minimal bezel with bigger screen and way more battery and probably good bit more thickness due to it. Basically a power user oriented device and a more pocket friendly device with less juice.

Only flaw is that this Atrix HD similar device should be as near to identical to Atrix HD as is possible and that doesn't seem to be the case with qHD screen and such. Surely will be different names also and that needs to stop.

Now for the similarly intended smaller and more affordable and then more power user oriented qwerty devices! Probably will never happen, but I can dream. I could see a D5 that is smaller and more derived from this Atrix HD variety device, but doubt they would go all out and make it a larger screened and batteried power use device derived from the RAZR HD with qwerty.

For now though I guess these are still speculative devices anyhow, but it seems Moto might be making better choices than they did with DX line, then Bionic, then RAZR, all sorta in real short order. These two new device seem they could end up more differentiated devices than those three ever were even though DX2 or whatever and the other two all hit in 6 months. Was a really big waste of device development in my opinion.

[TC_Mits]

The XT-907 does sound a lot like the handset fonesex described in the OP.

Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[jasaero]

The XT-907 does sound a lot like the handset fonesex described in the OP.

Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

Yep! Seems to fit his description almost to a T. Sounded kinda silly at the time, but if it's more a pure Incredible competitor it sorta makes sense so long as the RAZR HD is a much more robust and larger screened device comparatively. I have just been so used to Moto making huge devices with 4.3" screens ONLY and maybe varied thicknesses as a rule, that I didn't envision two such well differentiated in size and screen size devices happening with the smaller more pocketable one actually being the one with ~4.3-4.5" screen.

I could be wrong and the RAZR HD could hit as a very similar device as far as screen size, but with HD Rez, 2gb of RAM and bigger battery. That would be a HUGE FAIL, but we will see.

[TC_Mits]

So there are two new Motos in the pipe. Then maybe this xt907 is actually the 'Fighter', after all?


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[jasaero]

So there are two new Motos in the pipe. Then maybe this xt907 is actually the 'Fighter', after all?


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

No clue on code names?? But seemingly there are two. This one that seems to be an Atrix HD derivative with qHD screen and a RAZR replacement with HD screen. Still curious to see how well differentiated they are though. This xt907 isn't WAY better than the Incredible 4G simply because it's bigger screen has onscreen buttons so in the end isn't a much larger display in a way.

If the RAZR HD has like a 5" display with onscreen buttons though that would be nifty if done right. Effective size would be smaller than SGSIII, but overall size for video and such where buttons can be hidden would be better. It's really only an advantage to use these though if you can get enough device shrinkage out of their use to justify them which I am not sure has happened on the few devices that have used them to date?

[TC_Mits]

Something as simple as a user option auto-hide gesture for the on-screen buttons would make the concept far more practicable and, to me anyway, palatable.

Or give me a settings option to resize them. That would help, too.

Both would be good.


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[jasaero]

Something as simple as a user option auto-hide gesture for the on-screen buttons would make the concept far more practicable and, to me anyway, palatable.

Or give me a settings option to resize them. That would help, too.

Both would be good.


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

AOKP builds have both options actually. The resize works really well as it apparently hard sets the remaining screen size for the system somehow and all apps behave well. To hide it you can put a hide/unhide in the long hold power menu. That works whether it's resized or not, but something about the on the fly change to the system resolution freaks out some stuff. I had hoped it would work for full screen flash since Adobe never updated flash to go true full screen on these setup ICS devices, but it soft crashed flash and you have to go kill flash to get flash stuff to play again. There is something about how the system works that makes on the fly resolution changes complicated for not highly ICS+ aware apps. I wish the ICS and/or JB or future ADK/NDK supported something that allowed you to toggle the buttons, but it seems they are hardcoded as either they exist or they don't at some particular size sorta. The app can decide to hide them, but very few do that so far and only video apps really. Even a nonVideo app could probably do it and just require some gesture to bring them up.

[TC_Mits]

A hide option that always worked well without special coding in the apps would be best. But resizing can help. If I can reclaim 0.15", that changes a 5" display from GNex size to bigger than the SGSIII.
Wait, I think it has the buttons so, for most purposes, the GNex is effectively only ~4.4" anyway, right?


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[jasaero]

A hide option that always worked well without special coding in the apps would be best. But resizing can help. If I can reclaim 0.15", that changes a 5" display from GNex size to bigger than the SGSIII.
Wait, I think it has the buttons so, for most purposes, the GNex is effectively only ~4.4" anyway, right?


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

Yeah. GNex is 4.65" so it can only challenge 4.3" screens really. The tiny button option on AOKP might get you close to a 4.5" device, but not quite. For HD video content on ICS video players it's a full 4.65" 16:9 device though and that does mean something.