Motorola Photon 4G (Sprint)
Manufacturer: Motorola Part number: PHOTON4GSPT
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 4G speeds, enterprise-level security, and world phone credentials, the Motorola Photon 4G is a top-notch Android phone for Sprint customers.
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CNET editors' review
Motorola Photon 4G (Sprint) price range: $99.99
- Reviewed by: Nicole Lee
- Reviewed on: 08/02/2011
The good: The Motorola Photon 4G is an absolute powerhouse of a phone. It ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 4G WiMax speeds, a 4.3-inch qHD display, and a dual-mode GSM/CDMA chipset. Features include HDMI-out, DLNA support, Wi-Fi, Mobile Hotspot for up to eight devices, 720p HD video capture, 1080p HD video playback, and secure data encryption. We also like the kickstand. Call quality and overall performance were great.
The bad: The Motorola Photon 4G has a large and bulky design, which might not be to everybody's taste. The Motoblur interface isn't for everyone, and we found Sprint ID to be an unnecessary add-on. The Webtop dock functionality is pretty cool, but it requires a $129 accessory. We expected better photo quality out of the 8-megapixel camera.
The bottom line: With a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 4G speeds, enterprise-level security, and world phone credentials, the Motorola Photon 4G is a top-notch Android phone for Sprint customers.
Despite their long relationship with each other, Motorola has not always had its most innovative handsets available for Sprint. Sprint mostly relied on Samsung and HTC for its higher-end offerings, while most Motorola phones on Sprint have been of the entry-level and midrange varieties. Recently, however, the companies have renewed their alliance with top-notch Android handsets like the Motorola XPRT, which is Sprint's version of the Droid Pro, and the Motorola Photon 4G.
The Photon 4G is said to be a Sprint iteration of the Atrix 4G because of similar specs (such as a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a 4.3-inch qHD display, 16GB onboard memory, and the Webtop application), but it's not an exact copy. A big difference is that the Photon is a dual-mode GSM/CDMA world phone, and it ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and an 8-megapixel camera instead of Android 2.2 and a 5-megapixel camera. The user interface is also quite different, with a refined Motoblur overlay and the integration of Sprint ID. The Photon 4G even offers a flip-out kickstand so you can use it as a desk clock or for hands-free video viewing.
As with the Atrix 4G, the Photon 4G will have a number of accessories at launch, like a Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse, an HD multimedia dock, and a car dock.
Design
The Motorola Photon 4G is not a dainty little smartphone by any means. At 5 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep, the Photon 4G is even bulkier than the Atrix, which seems quite sleek in comparison. The Photon 4G's cut-off corners give the phone a decidedly more masculine look, as do the gunmetal gray border and the rippled texture of the side buttons. Its battery cover is clad in a soft-touch finish, which should improve finger grip, and adds to the device's premium feel. The Photon's overall aesthetic strikes us as rather utilitarian and plain, especially when compared with flashier competitors like the HTC Evo 3D.
By far the most attractive portion of the phone is its 4.3-inch qHD display. Graphics and images pop with vibrant color, and everything looks nice and sharp. However, the 960x540-pixel resolution is not quite as sharp as it should be thanks to the arranging of subpixels on a larger display. We compared it with the iPhone's Retina Display, for example, and noticed that the iPhone looked a touch sharper. The Photon 4G's Gorilla Glass display boasts a scratch-resistant and glare-reducing coating, and indeed, we had no trouble using the phone under bright sunlight.
The touch screen is remarkably responsive. Thanks to the dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset, navigation and multitasking felt very snappy, with little to no lag in between transitions. It did feel a tiny bit slower than the T-Mobile G2x, a dual-core phone that ships without any manufacturer skins. We get the feeling that Motoblur does slow down the phone just a little bit. That said we also compared it with the other Sprint hotshot, the HTC Evo 3D, and the Photon 4G felt quicker, if only by a few milliseconds. In the end, we think most consumers will only notice that the Photon 4G is a fast and responsive handset, regardless of the competition. The Photon 4G also has pinch-to-zoom functionality, a proximity sensor, and a built-in accelerometer.
Beneath the display are the typical Android shortcuts in the form of touch-sensitive keys: menu, home, back, and search. The volume rocker is on the right spine, and so is a dedicated camera key. On the top are the power/screen lock button and 3.5mm headset jack, and the Micro-USB port and Micro-HDMI ports sit on the left. The camera and dual-LED flash are on the back. Above the display is a front-facing VGA camera next to an LED indicator.
Sprint packages the Motorola Photon 4G with an AC adapter, a USB cable, and reference material.
User interface
The Motorola Photon 4G runs Android 2.3.4 with an enhanced version of Motoblur. Fortunately, you're not forced to register with a Motoblur account as you are with the Cliq 2 and the Atrix, and the interface is not quite as intrusive as previous iterations. Still, you definitely can't miss the Motoblur influence; the default Motoblur skin invites you to add your social network accounts (Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace) to its various widgets so that it can feed status and gallery updates directly to the home screen. The widgets are resizable and you can remove them if you would rather not have your friends' updates inundating your phone. Other default widgets include connectivity shortcuts for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 4G.
You can choose to completely revamp the home screen by selecting a different Sprint ID, a concept designed by Sprint to customize the standard Android user experience. Sprint ID is essentially a preset selection of themes that consist of widgets, shortcuts, wallpaper, and apps, and Sprint has partnered with a variety of companies to come up with different Sprint ID packs. For example, a Green Sprint ID pack will populate your home screen with eco-friendly widgets, while an ESPN one will have sports-related apps. As we mentioned, the default Motorola "My ID" pack includes Motoblur widgets. If you want a much more minimalist approach, you can opt for the Clean Sprint ID pack, which strips out all the widgets and wallpapers. Personally, we didn't see too much value in Sprint ID, as it might end up bloating up your phone with unwanted widgets and apps. Still, that's a personal preference, and you can choose to ignore Sprint ID if you want.
Regardless of which Sprint ID pack you choose, you'll have seven customizable home screens. When you tap the home button while in standby mode, you will see all of your home screens in thumbnail view, which is similar to HTC's Leap screen. This way, you can quickly select your desired home screen. At the bottom row of each home screen are shortcuts to the phone dialer, the browser, the Sprint ID menu, and the main menu. The menu icons have been slightly redesigned for the Photon 4G, which adds to the phone's uniqueness.
A couple of other Motoblur interface touches include a bluish tinge to the phone dialer application, and a slight flash of blue when you've maxed out the scrolling in the main menu. The phone dialer also supports predictive dialing. You can choose between the default Android multitouch keyboard and Swype.
When you pop the kickstand out, you'll be prompted to choose between the regular home screen displayed in landscape mode and a "widget clock" interface that turns the phone into a combination desk clock and weather station.
Features
We think that all high-end Android smartphones should debut with Android 2.3 Gingerbread these days, and the Photon 4G does. The new firmware gives it a much improved user interface, a faster multitouch keyboard, one-touch text selection, a power manager that shuts down CPU-intensive apps, and an overall zippier experience.
As with all Android phones, the Photon 4G comes with tight integration with all of Google's apps and services, including Gmail, Google Maps with Navigation, Voice Search, Google Talk, Latitude, YouTube, and Places. Sprint also preloaded the device with a few apps like Nascar, Sprint Mobile Wallet, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint Radio, Sprint TV and Movies, Sprint Worldwide, Sprint Zone, and TeleNav GPS Navigator. Other preinstalled apps include Quickoffice, Motorola's Phone Portal, a news feed app, Rich Location, and the usual PIM tools like a calculator, a calendar, and an alarm clock. Unfortunately, unless you root the phone, most of the preinstalled apps are not removable.
The Photon 4G is one of Sprint's business-ready smartphones, which means it should handle most of your enterprise-level needs. It supports Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync so you can sync your corporate e-mail and calendar, and it promises improved data encryption in addition to the ability to remotely wipe your phone in case it gets stolen. The remote wipe feature will delete your SD card's contents as well.
World travelers will be happy to note that the Photon 4G is a dual-mode GSM/CDMA phone. It will work with the Sprint CDMA network while you're in the U.S., and it has a preloaded SIM card that'll kick the phone to GSM once you're traveling abroad. The phone is locked to Sprint while you're in the U.S., however, so you can't just swap in an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card. It has all the usual phone functionality like a speakerphone, a vibrate mode, voice dialing, and text and multimedia messaging. It also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and can act as a hot spot for up to eight devices. The Mobile Hotspot option does cost an additional $29.99 a month.
The Photon 4G can also play Flash video within the phone's WebKit browser. Sometimes the browser will display a warning that the video is not optimized for mobile, but the phone will still play the video regardless. We didn't experience much buffering time at all, and video quality was quite good. For non-Web videos, the Photon 4G also supports full HD 1080p video playback. There's also a handy HDMI port so you can watch your HD videos on a big-screen television--the smartphone will turn into a remote control that lets you access its multimedia gallery. The Photon 4G supports 720p video capture as well, and Motorola hopes to improve upon that with 1080p video capture in a future software update. The Photon 4G also has DLNA support so you can share your media with other DLNA-enabled devices.
The camera app on the Photon 4G has a number of settings to help you take better pictures. You can adjust the resolution and the exposure, plus you can select single-shot, multishot, or panorama mode. You can choose any of eight different scene modes: Macro, Steady Shot, Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night Portrait, and Sunset. Other settings include color effects and flash. The options are mostly the same in camcorder mode.
We were mostly pleased with the Photon 4G's photo quality. Images were sharp and vibrant most of the time, but we noticed quite a bit of noise and a slight pinkish tinge in a few shots. We did expect slightly better photo quality out of an 8-megapixel camera. Video quality was very good as well: HD videos appeared crisp, and there weren't a lot of artifacts or blurry images at 30 frames per second. The Photon 4G comes with 16GB of onboard memory, which is great for storing your media files. You also have the option of expandable memory, as the phone supports cards of up to 32GB. Even though the phone has a front-facing VGA camera, it doesn't come with any VoIP apps, so you'd have to download one on your own.
The Motorola Photon 4G has one of the better custom music players for Android. It integrates podcasts, Internet radio, FM radio, and your music library in one handy interface. It also provides Media Link software that easily ports your existing MP3 library over to the phone. We're especially impressed with the recommendation engine that's linked to the Amazon MP3 store. It'll even display lyrics if available. The Photon 4G is compatible with AAC, H.263, H.264, MP3, MPEG-4, WAV, WMA9, WMA10, eAAC+, AMR WB, WMA v10, AMR NB, AAC+, WMA v9, and MIDI video and audio formats.
HD Station
If you want, you can plop down $129 for an optional dock accessory called the HD Station. It provides three USB ports and an HDMI out. The idea is that you can connect your phone to a large display, a mouse, and a keyboard, which prompts the Photon 4G to boot up in Webtop mode, similar to the Atrix 4G. This is essentially a bare-bones OS that allows PC-like functionality. It even comes with the Firefox browser ready to go. We definitely like the idea, but it's a shame that it doesn't appear to be compatible with the Atrix's laptop dock, as that seems to be a better, more integrated option. We'll add more to this portion of the review once we've spent more time with the HD Station.
Performance
We tested the Motorola Photon 4G in San Francisco using Sprint Nextel. Call quality was great. We enjoyed plenty of volume and clear voice quality on our end, and callers reported similar quality on their end. Environmental noise was sometimes an issue, however; callers definitely heard some muffled sounds in the background when we were in a cafe during the busy lunch hour, for example. However, we could still carry on a conversation just fine, so the phone did a good job of elevating our voice above the din. Speakerphone calls weren't too different from normal phone calls, except with a bit more echo on our callers' end.
Motorola Photon 4G call quality sample
Listen now:
We were highly impressed with the Photon's 4G speeds. Loading the mobile CNET page took just 4 seconds, and the full CNET page loaded in around 7 seconds. Using Ookla's Speedtest.net app, we averaged download speeds of around 8.72Mbps and upload speeds of around 1.27Mbps. The dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor also did its job as far as overall performance goes. As we mentioned earlier in the design section, overall navigation felt zippy and responsive.
The Motorola Photon 4G has a rated battery life of 10 hours talk time and 8.3 days standby time. According to the FCC, it has a digital SAR of 0.93 watt per kilogram.
Conclusion
The Motorola Photon 4G earns its spot in Sprint's high-end Android phone lineup with a blazing fast dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, dual-mode GSM/CDMA chipset, and impressive 4G speeds. We're also fans of the flip-out kickstand, and the Webtop dock functionality is a fascinating, if a bit expensive, add-on. Business users will love its enterprise-level security, and multimedia hounds will appreciate the HDMI port, DLNA support, HD video capture and playback, and custom music player. The Photon's design is a little on the bulky and plain side, but it more than makes up for it with a beautiful 4.3-inch qHD display. At $199.99 with a new two-year agreement from Sprint, we think the Photon 4G is one of the best smartphone options for Sprint customers.
User reviews
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One of the best phones on Sprint!
by Robidoux-Ge on January 15, 2012
Pros: + The Photon has amazing call quality. Voices are loud, sharp and clear
+ The screen has great brightness and clarity, with good color
+ Build quality is light but solidCons: - LED notification- It doesn't light up when you charge the phone or get notifications
- Camera's averageSummary: I have had the Motorola Photon for two weeks now after upgrading from an HTC Evo 4G. Let me preface this by saying I loved my Evo; I got it ...
Summary: I have had the Motorola Photon for two weeks now after upgrading from an HTC Evo 4G. Let me preface this by saying I loved my Evo; I got it on launch day and it was a great phone for the time I had it. However, my original unit went haywire after nine months and the replacement was... quirky. Nonetheless, I would have kept it had the Photon not come along, as I wasn't overly impressed by the Evo 3D. So what made me give up my beloved Evo for the Photon?
1. Call quality: The Photon has amazing call quality. Voices are loud, sharp and clear, and people on the other end report no noise or garbled speech. My Evo sounded like a toy compared to the Photon. A note on call quality: some people reported a "silent call" bug where they would connect a call but hear nothing, and this was admittedly a problem for a small number of users. However, Sprint recently released an update that seems to have fixed this issue for the majority of those suffering from it (for the record, I never did).
2. Battery life: I got good at managing my Evo's battery and could go a whole day with moderate use. I don't really worry about that with the Photon, however. Aside from some minor adjustments to app settings, I have done very little battery tweaking and it easily lasts all day with moderate to heavy use. It also has some basic battery management settings (reducing load at night is the default), something the Evo lacked.
3. The screen: The screen has great brightness and clarity, with good color. It also has a functioning auto-brightness function, something I gave up on using on my Evo after one week. The Photon's screen is easily visible under the direct summer sun, something my Evo struggled with. It's also more energy efficient than the Evo, helping reduce battery drain with equivalent brightness. HOWEVER: the screen is what's known as a PenTile screen, a different display technology than what many people are used to. This results in a pixelated appearance if you're not used to it. When I first looked at the Photon, I thought the screen looked terrible. After playing with some other phones and taking a second look at the Photon, however, I didn't notice it as much. Now, after two weeks, I only notice it if I look for it. When I powered my Evo up to wipe it in preparation for selling it, I was struck by how dull and muddy a screen I once considered gorgeous looked to my eyes. I recommend looking at the Photon in person before you buy it, and do it more than once if you notice the pixelation from the start.
4. Speed: It's fast. Everything seems faster than my Evo: boot up, browsing, launching apps, scrolling through screens, turning on the 4G antenna. Whatever I throw at it, the Photon handles. The few times it did lag was due to an app misbehaving, nothing a quick force close couldn't fix.
5. Signal strength: it's hard to compare across phones without a cell signal strength app (which I have not bothered with), but the Photon seems more stable than my Evo. The only times I've lost a call was talking to another cell phone user, and it was their location that caused it. My Evo was pretty solid in this regard, so for the Photon to surpass it really impresses me.
6. Build quality: the Photon is light but solid. It's comfortable to hold and the Gorilla Glass screen is not only durable but beautiful as well, with a very subtle taper where it meets the bezel. Note this does make a little gap that can attract pocket lint, but it's easy enough to blow out. My Evo was a joy to hold as well, but like many early adopters mine had minor cosmetic issues that I just don't see on the Photon.
7. It's Android!: not a plus over the Evo, of course, but I wanted to point it out as it means the phone is incredibly customizable compared to other phone OSes. If you don't like Motorola's stock UI (and I'm not overly fond of it; HTC's Sense blows it out of the water), you can easily change or hide it and not worry about it at all. Don't like the widgets? Replace them! Don't like the launcher? Replace it! Want a different lock screen? Replace it! Some people forget that the stock UI of any Android phone is not what you have to use.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the Photon. I do miss HTC Sense, but as I noted above it's easy to customize the UI to your liking. The Photon is everything I loved about the Evo, only better.
Oh, and for those for whom this is important...
8. Root: the Photon has been rooted and the bootloader unlocked, all within about two weeks of its launch. It will have good developer support.
9. Deals: before you will buy the Motorola Photon 4G, I suggest you have to check for best deal before you decide at: Dealsfine.info/motorola-photon-4g/
Thank for reading.9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Sprint's best Android Phone for Business
by rvcos on August 1, 2011
Pros: - Fast android phone with 16GB onboard ram with expansion for up to 32GB More
- Call Quality Significantly better than the HTC EVO 3D it replaced (Including Speaker Phone)
- Signal reception is the best I have experienced on any Sprint Phone. I can getCons: - Interface (Motoblur (or whatever they call it on this phone) is still not on par with HTC Sense
- While I think the color and screen are overall better than the evo 3d, items do come across pixilated at timesSummary: For a business Android phone, the Photon was really my only dual core option with Sprint. I had upgraded my original Evo to the Evo 3D and was extremely disappointed. ...
Summary: For a business Android phone, the Photon was really my only dual core option with Sprint. I had upgraded my original Evo to the Evo 3D and was extremely disappointed. I was in San Diego for comic con and my phone would leave my charger at 7am and be dead before 1pm. This is with only making 1-2 calls and no internet surfing, minimal texting. Battery life was terrible. That was with GPS / Bluetooth / 4G turned off.
I need a phone that can last the work day and the Motorola Photon does not disappoint. I am easily able to make a large amount of calls, text, email and still have 25-40% OF juice left. This is with Bluetooth and GPS on the whole time.
There is a very significant difference in call quality between the evo 3d and the Photon, which was another deciding factor for my switch. Like the evo 3d, Menus are quick; I had no problems doing video playback and the camera works great. Still need to find a good case for it though.
I like the way the phone looks cosmetically, and I purchased the Doc Station (Which by the way sells for $99.00 right now at Sprint, not $129) The trick here is to buy two accessories if you're a Premier Customer with Sprint and save 25% on both.
I was really hesitant to leave HTC when I exchanged my Evo 3D to the Motorola Photon. At the end of the day it boiled down to battery life and call quality. There difference is measurable between these two devices that justified the switch in my mind. I am not trying to knock the Evo 3D here, because in my opinion the HTC Sense interface is by far the best of any Android device, but I think HTC messed up a little on this device.
Bottom line I am happy with the device, at least until he Samsung Galaxy II comes out :)7 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The Best Hardware & Productivity Phone Out There!
by lusayalumino on December 6, 2011
Pros: Wi-Fi file transfer
Comfortable
Loud
Fast
Motorola's Expertise
Desktop Communication
Memory
Can Disable Sprint Software
Hi Rez
Gorilla Glass
Standard Ports
Kickstand
Auto/Home Dock Stations/Software
Excellent AccessoriesCons: More Function than Form (isn't as pretty as some phones)
Not as vivid as a few other phones
There are phones with better cameras.
Not all apps can take advantage of the robust resolutionSummary: PROS:
• Instantly & natively (without rooting phone or installing 3rd party apps) transfer files to and from Phone's Internal Memory and SD Memory directly to your PC ...Summary: PROS:
• Instantly & natively (without rooting phone or installing 3rd party apps) transfer files to and from Phone's Internal Memory and SD Memory directly to your PC using Windows Explorer via USB or Wi-Fi!
• Very Comfortable to hold, put up to face, and work on
• VERY Loud Ear Speaker
• Very Fast & Responsive
• Motorola are absolute experts in Hardware (they've been servicing NASA for decades)
• Desktop Communication is out of this world; tempted to stop using my Notebook
• TONS of memory (16GB + 1GB onboard; 32GB side loaded)
• You can totally disable Motorola & Sprint Skins & Programs (not that you need to -- this phone flies!). But if you do, you'll disable some fantastic Motorola widgets.
• Ridiculously high resolution really shines through on certain apps
• Super strong Corning Gorilla Glass anti-glare anti-scratch display
• Standard USB; Standard HDMI (well positioned on side of phone instead of bottom; huge advantage in many circumstances)
• Excellent and practical Kick-Stand which also works with software
• Special automatic programs to make it super easy to use with separate auto docking station (put the thing in your car's docking station and it has huge buttons and really practical car apps). Dock is only $60 and even comes with 18" jack for audio to car stereo. Dock has insert that allows phone to go into car dock with or without a case (only certain cases however)
• Special web app programs to use your phone as a computer on a TV or Monitor and still make calls, texts, emails, etc while using the phone as a computer with wireless mouse and keyboard.
• Phenomenal optional accessories including an amazing remote control (http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile+Phone+Accessories/Wireless-Accessories/Motorola-Smart-Controller-US-EN )
CONS:
• A bit business-like phone in its look, feel, and hardware (won't appeal to Gen-Y as much as other phones)
• Screen seems less vivid and to pop a little less than some other phones (but at the same time, perhaps a bit more accurate in its color reproduction)
• There are phones with better cameras.
• Not all apps can take advantage of the robust resolution
SUMMARY:
Motorola is a company that has done high-end precision tech-work for decades with NASA and other major tech industries and companies. Their experience shines through as they created this phone to be durable, practical, efficient, and productive. For Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Palm, and other users that couldn't make the jump to Android because of loss of control, features, and productivity - Motorola has made the jump easier with this phone.
Hook the phone up to your PC's USB and pull down the drop down menu from the Photon to get these options:
• Motorola Phone Portal - Instantly Downloads & Installs free software (expect it to take 20" to download, install, and update this free, but robust software suite) to your PC from Motorola.com which syncs the phone to the PC allowing you to control Music, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, Playlists, etc. Let's you sync files you choose between Windows and your phone - and you can choose which files go to your PC from your phone and vice versa. This software also has built in backup software to instantly backup your storage card to your PC. It allows you to choose the location of your backup and will remind you to do so on a regular basis at the interval you choose. I personally just use my favorite backup program to do this (more below under "USB Mass Storage").
• Windows Media Sync - Allows you to use the Windows Media Sync on your PC with the phone
• USB Mass Storage - Mounts the phone as two drives: 1)Phone Internal Storage 2)Phone's External SD. This enables your phone to operate like two separate hard drives right in Windows (just launch Windows Explorer)! You can Right-Click the drive and rename them (e.g. "DROID" and "32GB SD"). Furthermore, you can permanently assign a drive letter to your droid's two drives which will allow you to use backup software on your PC (the drive letters won't change when you hookup other peripheral devices) Seamlessly and effortlessly backup your Photon's Internal and External contents without lifting a finger. To do this on your PC make sure your phone is connected via "USB Mass Storage" and on your PC: Windows Button > Type "computer management" and launch that program > Expand "Storage" and click "Disk Management". After it scans you will see all your drives including the two Photon drives. Right-Click each, one at a time, choosing "Change Drive Letter..." I changed mine to N and O (nice and far down the alphabet). Now you can access the drive path without it ever changing so you can have backup software read/write to and from your phone/computer. So you can change a file and/or add files on your pc or phone and keep them synced and backed up.
• Charge Only - This is great if you want to use your phone while charging it via your PC's USB port.
Wi-FI FILE SHARING!
SMB File Sharing Over Wi-Fi without ROOT, Hack, or SMB 3rd Party App!
OK, now this is amazing. The Photon comes preloaded with a Motorola App which allows you to do file sharing between your PC and phone over Wi-Fi! Just tap the Red "M" icon on your phone ("Phone Port") and your phone will tell you how to access it from your PC (e.g. it will tell you to type http://192.168.77.214:8080 into your browser). Fantastic and simple!
This phone has way too many robust and hidden features to do justice in this review. Go to YouTube and start looking at the three different docks for this phone, the two different remote controls, etc. This phone will not disappoint!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Wish it worked. Has the "sleep of death"
by cswachs on September 9, 2011
Pros: - Great looking phone.
- 4G on Sprint
- Dual core processor (very fast)Cons: - Sleep of death
Summary: I had this phone active for 30 minutes before I experienced the first of what would become many sleep of deaths (google "photon 4g sleep" and you'll see). The ...
Summary: I had this phone active for 30 minutes before I experienced the first of what would become many sleep of deaths (google "photon 4g sleep" and you'll see). The phone goes to sleep and never wakes up until you pull the battery and reset the phone. The phone also gets very hot during the period when it is "dead." I did factory reset after factory reset. I took it to Sprint. They installed new software that was supposed to fix this problem. I did more factory resets. The phone kept crashing. There are tons and tons of posts about this problem, possible causes, possible fixes. Trust me, I tried them all including taping the battery into the phone (loose connections is one theory).
Nothing fixed this for me. Sprint would not replace the phone since it was bought on Ebay. I sent the phone to Motorola using the warranty they provide. They happily took the phone, kept it for 8 days and then shipped the very same phone back to me.
I wanted to badly to love this phone. It's sleek, it's fast, it can roam to GSM outside of the US. It crashes constantly and is not reliable enough to use for more than 30 minutes at a time.
If you are considering this phone, please do your own research on-line about the "sleep of death" issue. Not every Photon that shipped has it. There are many happy users out there that have never reported this problem. I am not one of them. Just make sure you buy the phone from somewhere that will take it back for a full refund incase you end up like me with a lemon.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Exchange three in two weeks????
by Raymond_son on August 16, 2011
Pros: It's lighter than the HTC cut edges make it seem smaller
Cons: Keeps hanging up on calls when I have full bars. When I do talk the other party can't hear me. The same issue has happen on all three phones.
Summary: I wish I could experience the other features but this phone was to frustrating with he drop calls. Don't waste your time with this phone.
Summary: I wish I could experience the other features but this phone was to frustrating with he drop calls. Don't waste your time with this phone.
6 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best Phone I have ever Owned.
by youngbutstrong01 on August 7, 2011
Pros: The physical design on the phone sets it apart from everything else out on the market so far. Its a pretty good sized device yet it still feels slim in the hand. The screen is beautiful and completely blows that of the Evo 3d out the water. In call sound
Cons: Kick stand it a little difficult to flip out but is very strong. I really hate Motorola widgets.
Summary: My brother, his wife, and I all got this phone within 2 days of its release... Im sooo happy i didn't buy the EVO 3d... really dodged a bullet ...
Summary: My brother, his wife, and I all got this phone within 2 days of its release... Im sooo happy i didn't buy the EVO 3d... really dodged a bullet there. Best phone I've ever used.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very Impressive Phone
by ej_badger on August 6, 2011
Pros: - Easy to use interface
- Not a Samsung
- Easily connect all my important contact accts - Linked In, Exchange etc...
- Large screen, great feel in your hands and NO physical keyboard
- Bluetooth module stays connected to my devices such as car and headsetCons: - wasn't convinced on battery life yet, i worked it over in 4 hours
- it's android but this version seems much better than the last, more to come
-Summary: - Sprint seems to be turning the corner on their phones. The only reply they could give me on my previous phone was to turn off 4G? Isn't that ...
Summary: - Sprint seems to be turning the corner on their phones. The only reply they could give me on my previous phone was to turn off 4G? Isn't that like taking a shower in cold water?
Bottom line, this is a great step for Sprint, no physical keyboard, a phone using the latest gen operating system, It feels good in your hands very nice device.
I think we are going to see Motorola as the up and comer in the phone arena2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Wonderful easy to use phone
by shortie123866 on August 4, 2011
Pros: The entire phone is great.
Cons: Had to return the first one because the speaker and microphone stopped working, but that is my luck. The new one I got is working perfect so far.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fast stable phone, little bulky.
by rgor on August 2, 2011
Pros: Fantastic Performance, ultrastable
Cons: Motorola Interface, but the beauty of Android is the fact that you can the interface. That's like hating the background wall paper of your desktop, you can change it if you don't like it. It should be considered since this is on the advantages of the op
Summary: Great phone, removable interface (motoblur or whatever they call it). Excellent for business and personal use.
Summary: Great phone, removable interface (motoblur or whatever they call it). Excellent for business and personal use.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Phone is good, Network is a disappointment.
by GotMBA on August 25, 2011
Pros: Dual core loads apps fast. 4g is pretty quick (when it works). Feature-packed.
Cons: 4g connectivity is a joke. Even the cities that supposedly have coverage, don't really have true coverage everywhere in that city. Battery life is also only mediocre. With NO voice usage and occasional web browsing, its dead in about 12 hours. I'd call th
Summary: This review is partially a review of the phone and partially the review of this phone on Sprint's network (since the two are inseparable for the time being). I ...
Summary: This review is partially a review of the phone and partially the review of this phone on Sprint's network (since the two are inseparable for the time being). I am leaving Sprint for good. First, I am not too happy about their faux "4G" network. Verizon's LTE 4G network is shockingly faster than Sprints. But that's not the worst of it. What pushed me over the edge was the fact that the cities that Sprint advertises as having 4G don't really have 4G coverage everywhere. For example, in San Jose, California - the hub of silicon valley - this phone rarely connects to the 4G network indoors. So unless you stand on the street all the time, this phone reverts back to 3G as soon as you go inside. And I think all that switching back and forth wears on the battery. But honestly the standard battery on this phone is better than ANY of the Verizon 4G phones Ive owned (Thunderbold, Droid Charge).
The thing is - this phone has a lot of potential. If it were on Verizon's 4G network it would probably be the best 4G phone on the planet. Put an extended battery in it, and put it on Verizon, and you would have a winner. But in this form, and on Sprint, its a let down.2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Motorola
- Part number: PHOTON4GSPT
- Description: Motorola PHOTON 4G provides an on-the-go edge for managing your life from anywhere around the world. The PHOTON 4G delivers a dual core processor, 1GB of powerful PC-grade RAM, combined with Sprint's 4G network, empowers you to browse, download and multitask all at maximum speeds. Get way more done with the PHOTON 4G, providing an array of versatile tools like the Motorola webtop application for accessories.
General
- Product Type Smartphone (Android OS)
- Form Factor Touch
- Phone Design PDA
- Integrated Components Voice recorder,
Wi-Fi hotspot,
GPS receiver,
2nd camera,
Digital camera,
Digital player - Width 2.6 in
- Depth 0.5 in
- Height 5 in
- Weight 5.6 oz
Cellular
- Technology CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS)
- Mobile Broadband Generation 4G
- Service Provider Bell Mobility ,
Sprint Nextel - Operating System Google Android 2.3
- Input Device(s) Touch sensitive screen
Messaging & Internet
- Cellular Messaging Services SMS,
MMS - Instant Messaging Services Google Talk
- Supported Email Protocols POP3,
IMAP4 - Supported Social Networks and Blogs Twitter,
Facebook - Messaging & Data Features Text messages,
Multimedia messages (MMS),
Instant messages,
E-Mail - Downloadable Content Ring tones,
Games,
Applications - Mobile Services Sprint TV ,
Sprint Music,
Google Play Communications
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth 2.1 EDR ,
IEEE 802.11b/g/n ,
WiMAX - Communication Features Internet browser,
Mobile Email client Phone Features
- Phone Functions Call timer,
Conference call,
Speakerphone,
Vibrating alert - Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Additional Features Multitasking,
DLNA Certified,
TV-out via HDMI Organizer
- Personal Information Management Synchronization with PC,
Calendar,
Calculator,
Reminder,
Alarm clock Processor
- Type NVIDIA Tegra 2
- Clock Speed 1 GHz
Memory
- RAM 1 GB
- ROM 16 GB
- Bult-in Memory 16 GB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSDHC - up to 32 GB
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 8 megapixels
- Video Recorder Resolutions 1280 x 720 (720p)
Navigation System
- GPS Navigation GPS receiver
Display
- Type Color
- Diagonal Size 4.3 in
- Display Resolution 960 x 540 pixels
Connections
- Connector Type HDMI
Battery
- Technology Lithium ion
- Capacity 1700 mAh
- Run Time Details Talk ( GSM ) - up to 624 min,
Talk ( WCDMA ) - up to 546 min,
Talk ( CDMA ) - up to 600 min Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Power adapter , Power adapter
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Motorola products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Motorola
- Address:
600 N. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048 - Phone: 847/576-5000
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