For modern food writers (like me), photos have become key parts to telling compelling stories. Most photos are now taken on phone cameras. I was a long-time iPhone and AT&T Wireless user before trying different phones, and phone service providers, over the past year.
Verizon Wireless sponsored two cell phones, starting with Moto X. I found the Moto X to be inadequate for several reasons:
• The battery only survived for 6-7 hours before blacking out, even after a full night’s charge.
• Not being able to use other functions while talking on the phone proved to be problematic.
• Image quality was low, with high saturation and exaggerated pixelation.
Thankfully, my sympathetic Verizon Wireless contact replaced Moto X with a DROID Turbo.
Positives:
• Verizon Wireless cellular reception was consistently stronger than either AT&T or Sprint.
• Mobile tethering was a Godsend. All too often, I would attempt to write at a coffeehouse, only to find out they either didn’t offer WiFi, or their WiFi was broken, meaning I would have to relocate. Thankfully, tethering allowed me to be anywhere I could find service – the beach, a random coffeehouse, the zoo – and still work on my laptop.
Cons:
• Photo file sizes were enormous, 7-10 MB versus 1.4-2.7 MB on an iPhone, or 500-750 KB on my Nikon D3100. That meant my memory would fill up quickly on the Droid Turbo, taking up space that could otherwise go to things like audio or video files.
• I wasn’t able to access email or apps while speaking on the phone, which was frustrating when I had to refer to something in the middle of a business call.
• Photos were oversaturated, a problem that I wasn’t able to remedy by adjusting settings.
• I wasn’t able to see emojis in text messages or in social media posts, which makes it so you’re never in on jokes from iPhone owners.
Takeaway:
Reliable phone service and the ability to tether were paramount. The lesser issues I faced all seemed to tie back to the phone, rather than the service provider. Given that, I’d suggest going with Verizon Wireless and connecting their service to an iPhone.
Blog Comments
Matt
April 12, 2016 at 9:19 AM
Hi Joshua.
Just saw this and hoping I can help at least a little.
• Photo file sizes were enormous, 7-10 MB versus 1.4-2.7 MB on an iPhone, or 500-750 KB on my Nikon D3100. That meant my memory would fill up quickly on the Droid Turbo, taking up space that could otherwise go to things like audio or video files.
File size is directly related to resolution, and with a 21 MPX camera you are going to see larger pictures. Many users value that high-res capability. You do have the ability to dial back to 15.5 MPX using the widescreen setting on the camera. You can also set up your phone to auto-backup photos. If you are not a stickler for high-res, you are in luck, since many services will upload a lower-res version for no cost. (For example, Google or Facebook Moments.) Then you can just delete the pics from the phone to keep memory free.
• I wasn’t able to access email or apps while speaking on the phone, which was frustrating when I had to refer to something in the middle of a business call.
This one we should be able to fix for you — you simply need to activate and turn on Advanced Calling. (Settings > Advanced Calling). With that enabled you can use voice and data at the same time.
• Photos were oversaturated, a problem that I wasn’t able to remedy by adjusting settings.
You might consider a third-party camera app that suits your tastes — there are many high-quality options including the Google Camera.
• I wasn’t able to see emojis in text messages or in social media posts, which makes it so you’re never in on jokes from iPhone owners.
This has been reported for some emojis, mostly when communicating with iPhone users. You should be fine with other Android users and for many iPhone users.
If you need help, we’d love to have you drop by our online community at forums.motorola.com.
Hope this helps!
– Matt