Phone Scoop - Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify Info

User Review: good for almost a year and then...do not buy this phone...

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:04:23 GMT

ohr729 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 1 (out of 5)

This could be the worst phone i have ever used on the Sprint system, which is pretty horrible itself
The battery drains extremely quick, phone is in sprint only mode still but doesnt help
phone always freezing up
Text messages sudenly stop working sometimes where i have to take battery off to reset to get text to work again
voice comand comes on even though turned off in settings
Got lectured by sprint cc because i went to a local sprint corp store to fix these issues and it was a "service" store, even though the rep was extremely helpful and said she is having same issues with her photon
do not buy this phone if you use it for work, rely on your phone for sales calls and client issues, or just need a reliable phone
if i wrote this review when i first got it i would be just as positive as the other reviews
if sprint didnt change the 1yr exchange policy this phone would be gone
instead at end of contract its good bye motorola good bye sprint

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User Review: LEFT FOR A WHILE, BUT BACK NOW TO STAY

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:12:30 GMT

DARRYJR submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

WELL LETS JUST , I HAVE HAD THEM ALL, EVERYONE OF SPRINTS HIGH END ANDROIDS AND CAME BACK TO THE PHOTON.SAMSUNG EPIC TOUCH WAS MY LAST DISAPPOINTMENT, I LEFT PHOTON FOR THAT PHONE, BAD MOVE. PHOTON IS STURDY, BUILD AND QUALITY IS GREAT, RECEPTION BEST ON SPRINT. ITS UNFORTUNATE THAT SPRINTS NETWORK S#$@S AND YOU CANT TRULY ENJOY ANY OF THEIR SMARTPHONES, BUT HEY, MY JOB PAYS FOR MY SERVICE SO HERE I AM. MOTOROLA WILL BE RELEASING ICS TO THE PHONE IN Q4, THAN IT WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE, EXCEPT FOR NETWORK, LOL. THE ONLY WAY I WILL GET RID OF PHONE IS IF MOTO UPDATES AND COMES OUT WITH ANOTHER HIGH END DEVICE FOR SPRINT. SORRY I LEFT FOR A WHILE PHOTON.......LOL

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User Review: Never Thought I Would Say It, But ...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:18:07 GMT

Mid1Knight submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

I really dig this phone! I coming out of a EVO 3D and an EVO 4G before that. I loved those phones. Particularly, like the HTC Sense UI (v3.25). I am such an HTC homer that I didn't think it was possible to like any other brand. In my opinion, HTC has the best compliment of Software, Hardware, Performance and Features.

So, what prompted me to make a change? My battery life on my 3D was pretty poor. Barely made it through the day if I used it. I had an upgrade available and Sprint only has 3 or 4 top-end Android phones, so I thought I would give Motorola a try. SAMSUNG was out of the running, because of the many let downs: too buggy, too Hit & Miss in performance, too much compromise for the money. So no Galaxy SII for me.

PHOTON! PHOTON! PHOTON!
Okay, so it doesn't have a cool UI like the HTC, but that is about the only thing it gives away. Performance is right there on par with the EVO. It has a great list of features that WORK. It has excellent style and display quality is neck-and-neck. But here are the points that put it over the top for me:
* Exceptional Battery life
* Great Call Quality: Speaker and Mic clarity
* Unique Motorola widgets and phone features like music player w/scrolling lyrics
* Voice Command that stands up to Siri
* And Yes again - all day battery life even when I use the phone kind of battery LIFE.

I've had it a week and the CONS are fairly negligible up to this point. And something unique came out of not having a snazzy UI. I'm having a blast searching for different Apps and Widgets to find cool ways to customize this phone. Something I wouldn't have done on my HTC. And that was worth a half a point more that made this phone go from 4.5 stars to 5 STARS!

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User Review: Great,,,but,,,Kickstand :-(

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:17:16 GMT

dpichr submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 3 (out of 5)

I have owned allot of Cell phones, since the dawn of cellular, and the advancements of technology and features are mind blowing. With that in mind it is also mind blowing when any manufacturer creates a new standard setting device and somewhere in the process the company manages to blow it due to a lack of forethought or just not paying attention. I am referring of course to the kickstand. Now keeping in mind that if one is using the kickstand its probably because they are doing something with the phone that is a long enough task that holding it would be impractical and may require the phone to be charged as well. So why oh why put the charging and HDMI port on the BOTTOM where the phone is sitting when the kickstand is deployed. I emailed Motorola on the subject and here is the reply.

Dear Valued Customer,

Thanks for reaching out to Motorola. I’ve reviewed your e-mail and I’m ready to help.
We do apologize but it cannot be changed, it is designed that way it is.
We hope that you find this information useful and look forward to assisting you in the future.
For information about Motorola products and services, please visit us at http://www.motorola.com/
Thank you for contacting Motorola e-mail support.

Best Regards,
Leony

Thank you Leony for clarifying the phone is "designed THAT way it is Leony was the one involved in the kickstand design. Deep breath,,,other than the above its a good phone with very few other shortfalls.

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User Review: Best on Sprint

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:56:38 GMT

Aeperk submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

Had an iPhone, which was okay as a phone, but am trying to rid myself of itunes. Switched to a Photon, noticed way better signal, battery life, form factor, it seemed like the perfect phone for me. On phonescoop though, the Galaxy S 2 was getting killer reviews, so I got one. Battery life and signal went way down, screen was beautiful, but my thumbs could barely reach across it. Made a stop at the Evo 3d, and came running back to the Photon. I don't get why this isn't the highest rated phone on sprint. Awesome phone.
Pros:
Battery life
Touch screen sensitivity
Camera
Build quality
Signal is amazing, truly
Volume
Kickstand
Speed
Form factor

Cons:
After using a samsung, colors do seem a little lack luster, but not too important.

Camera options (picture quality is great, but not a whole lot of control with shutter speeds and all that fun stuff).

The battery cover can be a bear to take off.

My hat is off to Motorola! Welcome back to the game!

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User Review: Blown away by the Electrify!

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:42:38 GMT

jffranco5777 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

I have this amazing device on U.S. Cellulars' awesome network, and I have to say the speed and raw power of this device is indescribable. As far as Pros well theres the great looking qhd display, but there is also the Nvidia dual core processor, the ram, the great build quality from Motorola, the list is long. As far as cons none yet that I can come up with. This is my first Android base device and am still learning its ways, however it is surprisingly an easy OS to adjust to. My 2 year contract was up and so I could have gone anywhere, but I really do love U.S.Cells network its insanely reliable and that weighed a lot on my decision. And having come out with some really nice Android devices lately kinda cinched it for me. I strongly recommend the Motorola Electrify from U.S. Cellular, trust me you'll love the device and the service!

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User Review: Is It Just Me?

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:33:19 GMT

RL718 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4 (out of 5)

Ive always been a smart phone kinda guy... palms,htc i made a pit stop with blackberry boring ass phones for about a year n came back home to my touch screen world with this android based phone the photon. gr8 phone. reliable, big enuff for my hands to grip n type, looks good n handles well, amazing speed. i have had the phone now for a month and some change, beginning of september...my first con wasn't a big deal because a download patch was out as soon as i got the phone, the issue with the calls being muted out of nowhere...no biggie. the camera quality could be a little better but no biggie, the gorilla glass offers piece of mind w falls for the most part. but ive noticed as of late whenever i place my phone down (no protection no case) on a metallic surface da phone seems 2 just simply shut itself off, not even a reset just shut itself off. ive gone 2 subways to pay for my meal and pick my phone up n its off, while in the gym the phone is on one of da machines and its off sometimes i wont know until i go 2 check my phone. ive been checking this site here n there to see if any1 else has had these problems or is it just me?...seems i may have to take this phone back to the carrier for a new one or jump on the bandwagon n hop on the 4s movement now that iphone has joined forces w sprint. I Would like 2 know has any1 else had this problem?

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User Review: Very Good Design

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:48:35 GMT

ExploderBlade submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

I have had this device for a week now, so I feel I can give it a proper review.

PROS: Very strong and clear Gorilla glass display.
-HD screen. It looks absolutely beautiful!
- Home screen rotation when kickstand is deployed. This is really a bigger bonus than you think, wait until you use it.
-Decent camera. I have no problems with the pictures it takes and they all look clear and crisp.
-The dual core processor makes this a fast device. Yes, it runs faster than the iPhone 4G.
- Loud speaker. I have used it for most media and it is louder than my former Evo 4G.
-quick gps lock

CONS
-Motoblur isn't my favorite, but it works fine fir what it does.
-Not much else...

Coming from an HTC Evo, I was just expecting a faster device. This delivers in spades. So yes, faster than the EVO. I am perfectly satisfied with it.

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User Review: What a phone!

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:22:01 GMT

qwerty2020 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

This is one of the best phones I've had so far. (Hopefully I feel that way in the upcoming months.)

Has excellent reception. Battery life is pretty good too.

The screen isn't quite as good as the Galaxy S, but it is one of the best screens I've seen on a phone, very clear and bright. The screen also feels really good with the Gorilla Glass and responds exceptionally well.

The camera is very, very good probably the best I've seen on a phone. Video playback is great and apps like Netflix look amazing.

The only cons I can think of is that not all the applications are big enough to fit on the screen. For the life of me I can't figure out why Google and the developers will not make their apps for phones with larger screens. Now most every app does work well, but I have ran across 1 or 2 that will not fit on the phone.

Another thing is the VGA camera in the front is pretty much garbage. I wish they would've at least put a 2.0mp. That's really not a big deal, but for a high end phone you would think they could've put a somewhat decent camera on front.

Other than that it seems to be a great phone with solid build quality, battery, and reception. If you're on the fence about what phone to get I would give this one a try.

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User Review: Good Phone with Problems

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:38:57 GMT

cuchanu submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 3.5 (out of 5)

I'm sure you've read reviews on the phone by people much more skilled than I, so I'll stick to what the reviews rarely mention.

It's true; battery life and 3g/4g/wifi/phone reception are great. I loved my EVO 4g but the reason I bought the Photon is the unlocked SIM slot for traveling. If it wasn't for that I would have returned the phone, it's just not that reliable.

I often have issues opening programs, performing searches, making phone calls, getting directions, the list goes on. I'm willing to admit that it could be 3rd party software, HOWEVER, I don't have any more than a couple of apps on this phone that I didn't have on my EVO with no problems.

Also, the built in software is vastly inferior to the HTC Sense experience. i don't like the way it looks or functions and have essentially replaced every bit of "MotoBlur" with new stuff: keyboard, dialer, launcher, messaging, image gallery (horrible), etc. Not to mention you can't turn off the obnoxious "snap" sound of the camera. No more sleeping kids pictures for me. There are a couple of decent Motorola widgets though.

The Bottom Line: Great hardware, but the software is simply sub-par. If you don't plan on replacing any of the essential software you better spend a lot of time with this phone at the Sprint Store before buying it!

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User Review: Review from HTC user

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:24:44 GMT

deanofpledges submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

I've had this phone for about 2 weeks now. I wanted to wait this long before giving it a review because I wanted to really get to know the phone, and it took me a while to get used to everything since I'm coming from an HTC phone.

I upgraded from a HTC hero phone. At first I got the Evo shift, but then I decided that I wanted a bigger screen. I didn't want to get the regular EVO since everybody and their mama has one, so I decided on this since it's the newest phone. Have to admit at first I was regretting my decision because I was so used to HTC's Sense UI, but after a few days of playing with the phone it blew me away.

I love the fact that this phone never freezes up on me. I did have the issue where no one could hear me on the phone once, but an update came out that resolves that issue. Phone is faster than any other phone has out. Also the voice clarity is CRYSTAL clear, and you can turn the volume up loud enough to hear in a crowded club.

The camcorder feature on this phone records with amazing clarity. Video and audio quality is OUTSTANDING, even better than some so-called HD camcorders. Also the HTC phones notoriously get very hot when you have a lot of apps running at once, but so far it has not happened with this phone. Also Motorola's Facebook app updates a lot faster than HTC's.

Motorola has definitely hit a home run with this phone, and if your on the fence about this phone, definitely give it a try.

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User Review: Great mobile device!

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 06:01:57 GMT

aknabel submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

I've been using this phone for awhile and I can say I really enjoy using this device. It is solidly built, speedy, and simple.

Motoblur gets heavy backlash from some consumers, but I think it's mainly because of previous versions of the software. Motoblur (or Moto's new name, Motorla Applications Platform) on this device is very usable. Most widgets are customizable in size and function. The social networking widgets update and cycle very fast, which is nice compared to Sense's friend stream. Compared to the dark skin other manufacturers use for android, motorola's is very refreshing. White all around, with light complimentary colors.

The dual-core 1Ghz processor does an exceptional job and obviously does well in all the benchmark applications. Applications launch seamlessly and the added 4G functionality helps websites load at broadband speeds.

The design of the phone has been appropriately inspired by sprint's motorola iDEN devices. I say that because it has a very tough, masculine feel. Very sturdy device with no loose toggles or buttons. Everything is firm, humorously including the battery cover which is something of a feat getting it off.

That brings me to the screen. Many people are upset with the so called "pixelated" screen images. When I think pixelation I think of rough corners and unbearable screens (see Samsung Intercept). I do not find a problem. You can only notice pixels if that's what you're looking for, most people will touch about without noticing.

Thing's I am disappointed in:
Speaker - many people have to restart their devices because the ear speaker will go mute and you cannot hear the other caller. I had that problem but it wasn't a BIG deal. Hoping for an update that will clear that.

Mobile Data Settings - Motoblur doesn't include a toggle to turn mobile data off. It's not even under wireless&networks. You have to go Settings-Battery&Data-Data Delivery-Data Enabled/Disabled. It's inefficient for user and battery.

Overall good phone

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User Review: Pleasantly surprised

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:24:35 GMT

tkov717 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

I've had the Photon for almost a month now and I have to admit I have been pleasantly surprised. My previous phone was an Iphone 3GS with ATT that I retired because I just couldn't take the spotty 3G coverage and dropped calls another minute.

I chose Sprint because of their rather attractive rate plans and the discount I would get through work. I initially went to go look at an Evo 3D but the rep pointed me toward this and I am glad he did.

This phone does everything I ask of it. Texting is as easy as my Iphone and the menus seem very similar. Web browsing and using the phone as a mobile hotspot on 4G is actually rather quick.

There was one problem with the phone that almost got it taken back though. Without rhyme or reason, it would turn off its speaker and microphone not allowing you to hear or be heard when taking a call or trying to make one. A call to Sprint connected me to a very pleasant customer service rep who actually knew what she was talking about. She informed me that the "muted audio" problem was a known problem and that Motorola was working on a fix.

A follow up call a couple days ago connected me to yet another pleasant and knowledgeable rep who had the pleasure to inform me that the software update to address the problem was available to download. Long story short- downloaded the update and phone has been perfect since.

I am very happy with the phone and I'm glad I gave motorola and Sprint a chance to make it right. One of the other reviewers here seemed to have the same problem but gave up on it too soon.

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User Review: perfect phone all around since sanyo 9000

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:58:50 GMT

Jonathanlc2005 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

since i got this phone, i havent had one day where i made changes to it and needed to wait to make sure this is the best phone for me. tested the wimax, tested the camera in shutter speed, and took it with me to disney. this is probably the key word everyone is looking for, but remember sanyo 9000 users we were looking for the phone to replace with best signal, best photos, and best user experience... well im confident to say this is the phone all users of the sanyo 9000 should return to. sanyo is known for the best phone signal, and this phone represents that. UI is fast and performs very well, the only gripe i have is not motoblur, but 2 things. the news widget on HTC and stock i like alot better and the blue signal bars. its hard to see compared to white.Speakerphone is perfect and my callers hasnt complained of any echo

4g works very well infact, too good. i got 7mbps speed in palm bay, fl with 1-2 bars. its hard to tell your signal strength with 4g because it is so small, and blue. grrr. but ping was around 100ms.

browsing speed is very fast with wifi,but browser is very fast and handles flash without buffer or buckle.

battery, this is where i was happy about. besides having it on wifi at home, signal is a bit better then evo. on wifi, i had it used since 10am and now its 5 and only 80percent left. i do hate the fact it doesnt go 84% or 97%, because it only has 80% or 40% so its alittle annoying when you dont know which side of the spectrum it is. with 4g on, battery on 3g lasts a good amount of time but if you want more time, go to sprint zone by *2 and on the bottom is diagnostics. you can set further battery savers.

GPS, its the real GPS, moves the arrows on google maps when you move the phone.

screen: besides the off yellow coloring.its no nexus, but its close to it.

pros:
signal, screen, battery, gps, appearence, performance

cons:blue signal indicators, sun magnet, stupid mustard yellow color on yellows

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User Review: A subjective review

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:45:16 GMT

klinger1108 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

I have owned many android devices on both Verizon and Sprint. I don't understand why some reviewers are so down on this device. My previous phones have included (VZW) OG droid,droid2, DroidX, HTC droid incredible & droid pro. (Sprint) EVO 4g, Samsung epic,Nexus S 4g and evo 3d. This is by far my favorite Sprint android phone thus far.

PROS:
-dual core T2 processor is snapy
-screen display is excellent in daylight
-earpiece and speaker volume are top notch
-battery life is above average
-build quality is nice too (i.e. button placement, overall contruction)
-HDMI port
-HD video recording is killer

CONS:
-UI is glitchy, but easily fixed by D/L launcher pro
-camera is hit or miss but satisfactory for what it is
-some pics come across pixelized because of limitations of screen
-charging port location is RETARDED

Overall this out performed the other high end android phones for sprint. The nexus and 3D didn't have the signal strength and the Photon seems to just be able to do it all. Having had other Moto phones on VZW I can say that I have come to love their products. While HTC is no slouch I just thought the #D was gimmicky and not woth the upgrade. I'm sure some HTC fanboys will harshly disagree, WHATEVER. It's all about personal preference.

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User Review: Photon 4G vs EVO 4G

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:29:56 GMT

radcloser submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4 (out of 5)

After one year with the EVO 4G I decided to do some research on the EVO 3D and Photon. I have been very happy with the EVO but was intrigued by the specs on the other two phones Sprint was now offering. I gave the EVO to my wife and decided the Photon was the better of the two options. I have now had the Photon for 10 days.

Pros:
Brighter and higher res screen
Gorilla glass screen
Slightly better battery performance
Better audio including amplifier and speaker
Faster processor and response
Video capture is awesome

Cons:
Camera exposure and focus settings are frustrating
GPS is slower to get the initial position lock

Final thoughts:
There's not enough negative to justify a return. I am honestly very pleased with the phone in general. I really enjoyed the camera on the EVO. Not to say the camera on the Photon is horrible. But I enjoy photography and have thousands of dollars in Canon camera equipment. My biggest complaint with this Photon camera is the inconsistent or unpredictable results.

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User Review: Horrible phone

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:17:35 GMT

rosloe62 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 1 (out of 5)

I traded my EVO 4G for the Photon. I was excited to start using it. Everything went smoothly for the first day. But since then, the phone has crashed at least 2 times a day. When making and receiving calls, there is nothing but silence and you have to power off the phone to get it to work again. Stick with HTC they know what they are doing! I did give half a star because the phone does look and feel nice.

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User Review: BETTER THAN THEM ALL!!! BY FAR

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:06:31 GMT

DIGGERMAN66 submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

I will try to make this short.Since the day the star tac came out I have been infatuated with phones.I have spent thousands on phones, not even kidding.I have payed too many early termination fees to even talk about.Anyhow, this is the best device I have owned by far.Recently, I have had the moment, hero, evo, evo 3d, and the nexus s. No comparison, this phone is amazing.I have a hard time with signal in my apartment, I used to shut the 3g off because phones just search for 3g thus draining battery. Not only do I now have full bars, but also 3g is always on and in service.Call quality-Outstanding, speed-Outstanding, screen-Outstanding, build quality-Outstanding. I could just keep going.But most impressive to me is the stellar battery life for such a big screen device with dual processors.I like HTC sense, Motorola not blur they are calling it took a little adjusting to but now its all good.I would refer anyone who is looking for a good,I mean great android device to this one.My wife has the old school Lg dare I am now trying to nudge her in the direction of the Photon.I hope this review was helpful to anyone thinking about buying this phone.

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User Review: better than evo 3d

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:49:00 GMT

ljmeyer submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

Great phone! The 3d was always losing 4g signal. Had a lot of dropped calls. Also the speaker wad sub par, after a month was getting crackly. difficult root afterms promised unlocked bootloader. More memory, world phone.

All problems solved with the photon.

Why 4.5?
Well, faster dual core would be nice. Sense is better than blur. Much happier customer after returning evo3d.

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User Review: Photon Phantsatic

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:54:09 GMT

bcoxwell submitted this review of the Motorola Photon 4G / Electrify:

Overall rating: 5 (out of 5)

Going from the evo3d, the Mot Photon is giving me full coverage and 3g coverage where in the evo 3d, I could not even make a call. EXCEPTIONAL service. If you are not a patient person, this phone is for you. The speed on this phone is uncomparable. If you miss certain htc apps, you can download most of them from the app market. Not only does this phone do mirror mode, but the web top app (must have the HD dock) you can do so much more (has multi window interface). Too much to list, amazing phone.

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