Just received my Moto-X Gen 1 phone using Republic Wireless and I'm impressed as heck.
I'm switching over from an Iphone 4s. I had nothing but trouble on Android and went to Iphone 4s around 2 years back and have been very happy with the Iphone except for one major issue.
The lowest cost programs use the Sprint Towers and my house is a Grey Spot, tower just doesn't work well .
Republic Wireless has the lowest cost programs around and does it through a innovative system of shunting everything through WIFI and only using the sprint network when no WiFi is available. If you start a call at a Wifi location and move outside of Wifi it'll almost seamlessly transfer the call to the Cellular System.
They have 3 phones at different prices.
I started with a Moto E for my Daughter $100.00 for the phone and $10.00 a month for unlimited Text , Calling, but Internet only through Wifi.
Her phone comes in and I'm amazed. Her $100.00 phone had a screen that was way bigger then my Iphone 4s and she was receiving and making calls without issue from the house.
I did the math and figured out I could buy a Moto X get a unlimited 3g plan and save around $15.00 a month which will pay off the difference in selling price of used Iphone 4s and New Moto in 7 months.
Let's talk about the Moto X in general.
Note: other Android phones aren't necessarily integrating the touch-less experience like Motorola/Google
With the Moto line of Phones Android has finally come of Age. I like this phone more than the Iphone 4s. The screen is way bigger and the form factor isn't much larger.
Suggestion to new Android users. The trick is don't add too many 3rd party apps and just work with Standard Google and Google Apps that comes with phone. If you add launchers and too much customization programs you are going to slow down the phone.
The custom Programs Added by me are as follows:
Giganticon -AWidget which allows you to make front screen Icons big without messing with the Launcher. Basically it just adds an icon with a shortcut and you can adjust the size of the Icon.
Fleksy -A keyboard available on Iphone, but Iphone doesn't allow you to substitute keyboards so you have to copy and Paste. Hurray Android. If you are Texting Challenged like me you should check out Fleksy.
To Do Reminder from App Innovations is excellent reminder/alarm program.
Battery Widget Reborn - Shows your battery % ages
Then I added the usual, Audible, Slacker, Waze, Yelp Netflix
Here is what I love.
Touchless Controls
I have always hated having to find and push buttons on my phone. I just want it to do what I want it to do without me touching it. Google and Motorola really nailed it on the Moto X ,
Initially I was hesitant about Touchless because you have to say OK Google Ready. Google is invasive enough without me having to say their name 20 times a day. Also the phrase is long. I looked on the internet and found a loophole.
There is an alternative to saying "OK Google Ready", looks like the engineers at Motorola left a Backdoor to use a simpler and shorter phrase "OK Moto". This shorter sounding phrase sounds better to my ears. It was very easy to implement when you train it to say" OK Google Ready", just say "OK Moto" instead. It'll pick it up and memorize. By the way that is the only back door, it won't remember any other wake up phrase.
Touchless Control Rules. I don't have to hit any buttons to get into voice commands. No more pressing button for 2 seconds to wake up Siri. To make calls or open/switch to apps Just say "Ok Moto" Call [Person] or open [Program]
I'm finding that Google Now is around as accurate as Siri, also they have a setting to personalize it IE Learn and if you leave that setting on it appears to keep getting more accurate.
Next Moto adds a feature called assist to the phone. It detects when I'm driving and if someone calls me, It says [Caller] is on the phone do you want to answer. HOW COOL IS THAT. And of course when I'm driving using the Touchless "Ok Moto" I can do most things without ever having to reach over and touch the phone. This is both convenient and much safer then reaching over and pushing a button for two seconds..
I'm really happy with this phone because Motorola and Google have nailed it on providing a great user experience.
Though it may not have the Latest Greatest Processor, or the Highest resolution, I find it zippy and doing the job.
Apple you've missed the boat the umpteen expensive Iphone 6 is a same old with bigger screens. Until you integrate touchless controls into your phones, Motorola and Android have surpassed you.
I'm switching over from an Iphone 4s. I had nothing but trouble on Android and went to Iphone 4s around 2 years back and have been very happy with the Iphone except for one major issue.
The lowest cost programs use the Sprint Towers and my house is a Grey Spot, tower just doesn't work well .
Republic Wireless has the lowest cost programs around and does it through a innovative system of shunting everything through WIFI and only using the sprint network when no WiFi is available. If you start a call at a Wifi location and move outside of Wifi it'll almost seamlessly transfer the call to the Cellular System.
They have 3 phones at different prices.
I started with a Moto E for my Daughter $100.00 for the phone and $10.00 a month for unlimited Text , Calling, but Internet only through Wifi.
Her phone comes in and I'm amazed. Her $100.00 phone had a screen that was way bigger then my Iphone 4s and she was receiving and making calls without issue from the house.
I did the math and figured out I could buy a Moto X get a unlimited 3g plan and save around $15.00 a month which will pay off the difference in selling price of used Iphone 4s and New Moto in 7 months.
Let's talk about the Moto X in general.
Note: other Android phones aren't necessarily integrating the touch-less experience like Motorola/Google
With the Moto line of Phones Android has finally come of Age. I like this phone more than the Iphone 4s. The screen is way bigger and the form factor isn't much larger.
Suggestion to new Android users. The trick is don't add too many 3rd party apps and just work with Standard Google and Google Apps that comes with phone. If you add launchers and too much customization programs you are going to slow down the phone.
The custom Programs Added by me are as follows:
Giganticon -AWidget which allows you to make front screen Icons big without messing with the Launcher. Basically it just adds an icon with a shortcut and you can adjust the size of the Icon.
Fleksy -A keyboard available on Iphone, but Iphone doesn't allow you to substitute keyboards so you have to copy and Paste. Hurray Android. If you are Texting Challenged like me you should check out Fleksy.
To Do Reminder from App Innovations is excellent reminder/alarm program.
Battery Widget Reborn - Shows your battery % ages
Then I added the usual, Audible, Slacker, Waze, Yelp Netflix
Here is what I love.
Touchless Controls
I have always hated having to find and push buttons on my phone. I just want it to do what I want it to do without me touching it. Google and Motorola really nailed it on the Moto X ,
Initially I was hesitant about Touchless because you have to say OK Google Ready. Google is invasive enough without me having to say their name 20 times a day. Also the phrase is long. I looked on the internet and found a loophole.
There is an alternative to saying "OK Google Ready", looks like the engineers at Motorola left a Backdoor to use a simpler and shorter phrase "OK Moto". This shorter sounding phrase sounds better to my ears. It was very easy to implement when you train it to say" OK Google Ready", just say "OK Moto" instead. It'll pick it up and memorize. By the way that is the only back door, it won't remember any other wake up phrase.
Touchless Control Rules. I don't have to hit any buttons to get into voice commands. No more pressing button for 2 seconds to wake up Siri. To make calls or open/switch to apps Just say "Ok Moto" Call [Person] or open [Program]
I'm finding that Google Now is around as accurate as Siri, also they have a setting to personalize it IE Learn and if you leave that setting on it appears to keep getting more accurate.
Next Moto adds a feature called assist to the phone. It detects when I'm driving and if someone calls me, It says [Caller] is on the phone do you want to answer. HOW COOL IS THAT. And of course when I'm driving using the Touchless "Ok Moto" I can do most things without ever having to reach over and touch the phone. This is both convenient and much safer then reaching over and pushing a button for two seconds..
I'm really happy with this phone because Motorola and Google have nailed it on providing a great user experience.
Though it may not have the Latest Greatest Processor, or the Highest resolution, I find it zippy and doing the job.
Apple you've missed the boat the umpteen expensive Iphone 6 is a same old with bigger screens. Until you integrate touchless controls into your phones, Motorola and Android have surpassed you.
