Probably getting an Atrix today

Executive headline:

HOLY F'ING SH*T! MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!
Atrix, how I love you, let me count the ways.

Detail to follow:

I know about 1/100th of what this thing can do.

It makes and takes calls, clearly.

I have no real Android experience, so I can't compare to others. But the boy really did not want to stop playing with it.

Play? Well, not exactly. He was setting it up for me, downloading / installing utilities that he likes, doing all the things the local tech guy should do for the novice. And showing me how to "kill" apps.

Except he was doing it on a 42" LCD TV, using the remote keyboard and mouse. He initially thought: Gadget of no use.

30 minutes later, he was really pissed at me. He really wanted my phone. He used to love his. No longer. Both the core device and how it allows external devices.

The screen is beyond crisp. It makes his Samsung Captivate look fuzzy when they are side by side. The gorilla glass "feels" hard, yet the vibration feedback is well isolated. My burned paws work fine on it, but I prefer sideways typing rather than the skinny keyboard. I need to learn swype to see if I like it. I will not be putting a shield over it.

The back is too slick. Yes, a downside. I'll put a rubber case on it while exposing the glass and all openings if possible, but I doubt it will fit in the cradle while the case it on.

I also have the car cradle, and it flips into simplified big icon mode when it goes in it. Same issue on case, the connectors are tight with little distance or play. I'm pretty sure I'll be breaking them (not on the phone, on the cradles).

The interface has 6 "desktops" on the phone by default, and you can create your own. The desktops have grouping of apps, such as News/Calendar, Messages/Email/FB, Browser/Texting/Camera, Voice Command/Contacts. The "Contacts" icons are of varying sizes (my choice), and the larger the icon the more things you can do, such as single finger call and/or text. The buttons (side and "desktop") always respond, no lag. It has Mac style "expose" when you hold the center app button, and most recent list of running apps when you hold home. A double tap on home will open last browser window.

When the HDMI cable is plugged in, it drives a 52" plasma screen in high def. Nicely. It gives you the option of simplified entertainment interface, or a moderately useful desktop with real Firefox. I get multiple large crisp readable browser screens on the TV.

I got the entertainment dock, which gives you a cradle and I/O. I needed to go to 3 stores before I found one, they are sold out everywhere. I can use either the blutooth keyboard and mouse, or a real keyboard and my Kensington trackball via direct USB plug in.

Flash works, both within the pure phone interface (by default using their browser, by add-on using firefox in the phone) and on the full desktop firefox mode, by default.

DLNA downloads files from my linux system (mini-dlna package), and work MUCH better than the Sony Blu-Ray client. It sees almost all the files (the Sony only could see the directory entry for a few), but it does not stream/play, it downloads and then plays locally. It played the various random music and video formats I threw at it, smoothly.

Oh, not just smoothly. I can have multiple videos running in multiple tabs, while streaming Pandora. It takes about 4 video until it starts to get sluggish. And these are graphics heavy pages (multiple simultaneous flash apps per page).

Pandora (through the browser on the phone) works, as well as the Android Pandora app.

Really, I won't be doing this stuff on the road, but it is NICE to have when WIFI connected, which I am almost everywhere as well.

And speaking of flash, the light for the camera is great. It really sharpens up the images. And the high def video recording mode is great. Easy to use camera gadgets combined with a default great image and audio stream. I'll have to put the largest micro-sd card in this I can, or figure storage to external hard disk. Either way, it is a great camera (at least for me, not you bman) and I'll try to really use it.

When plugged into to by TV in the bedroom, you get a full websurfing experience as if you are playing with a decent multi-media center. Wifi/Cable/Internet speed test shows 10mbit down/ 3mbit up. I could not find any firefox plugins that did not work. Plus it's a hell of a speakerphone at that point.

Voice recognition works, but I need to spend a lot more time with it. I'd like to build my own apps driven by VR, we'll see.

When setup as a USB device, I can copy from my Linux system easily.

When sitting there in the recharge cradle, it make a fine little music system, from the internal speakers. "American Woman" has some decent base! I feel "Tull". "Argent - Hold your head up" is pretty damn good. Not expected.

Phone calls at that point puts the music on hold, switches to speaker phone. A tap on the accept initiates the call. A very nice speaker phone. Conversation ends and the music kicks back on. Suwheetly.

Ok, I've just begun. Today I hope to setup ssh and cisco vpn it, along with some type of remote desktop clients.

Any suggestions?

On the other hand, today I have to get a marriage license and wedding rings. Oh, and the call told me I have a meeting at 2PM. Oops, gotta go.

Something tells me phone play time is over.

I'm not sure it doesn;t do all of that.

Its crystal clear on the screen and I can HDMI out the puppy. It accepts Bluetooth keyboard and stereo headsets with/without mics and works.

I dunno, welcome to the world of Android... its far different from the world of iOS (iPhone/etc)... to me it just feels right.

I'm now getting about 2 days reasonable use out of my phone, but many just load them up with apps galore and wonder why the battery is dreadfully bad.

My Daughter is getting about 12 hours out of hers, but then she has about 10 social apps running at one time. I don't do much with it other than phone calls, e-mail, SMS and "connectbot" ssh.

DLNA seems to work *VERY* well over the WiFi. I love my near infinite number of Alarms I can have on it. I don't use the MP3 stuffs at all.

Personally, I'm sold on the Android platform.

Post #340,451 by crazy 3/13/11 6:53:52 AM Reply	Probably getting an Atrix today Along with a couple of multi-media docs. I'll hold off on the actual laptop shell until I see how random devices (keyboard, trackball, screen) work with it. Of course, this is a week AFTER I gave up my unlimited data plan (really, I did) and allowed my account to be joined with another, which then capped me at 2GB. That's OK. I'm minimal on web based entertainment of any sort (music, video), but I really want seamless ssh interaction from my phone, with my phone then connected to a big screen or projector. This is it. Actually getting a remote and using it as a multi-media center really is a nice step up. I was about to spend ~$300 for a TV web surfing device in the next week. This is it! It's got TIGER BLOOD! IT's WINNING! hehe. We'll see.
Post #340,486 by crazy 3/14/11 9:56:59 AM Reply	ok , got it Executive headline: HOLY F'ING SH*T! MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE! Atrix, how I love you, let me count the ways. Detail to follow: I know about 1/100th of what this thing can do. It makes and takes calls, clearly. I have no real Android experience, so I can't compare to others. But the boy really did not want to stop playing with it. Play? Well, not exactly. He was setting it up for me, downloading / installing utilities that he likes, doing all the things the local tech guy should do for the novice. And showing me how to "kill" apps. Except he was doing it on a 42" LCD TV, using the remote keyboard and mouse. He initially thought: Gadget of no use. 30 minutes later, he was really pissed at me. He really wanted my phone. He used to love his. No longer. Both the core device and how it allows external devices. The screen is beyond crisp. It makes his Samsung Captivate look fuzzy when they are side by side. The gorilla glass "feels" hard, yet the vibration feedback is well isolated. My burned paws work fine on it, but I prefer sideways typing rather than the skinny keyboard. I need to learn swype to see if I like it. I will not be putting a shield over it. The back is too slick. Yes, a downside. I'll put a rubber case on it while exposing the glass and all openings if possible, but I doubt it will fit in the cradle while the case it on. I also have the car cradle, and it flips into simplified big icon mode when it goes in it. Same issue on case, the connectors are tight with little distance or play. I'm pretty sure I'll be breaking them (not on the phone, on the cradles). The interface has 6 "desktops" on the phone by default, and you can create your own. The desktops have grouping of apps, such as News/Calendar, Messages/Email/FB, Browser/Texting/Camera, Voice Command/Contacts. The "Contacts" icons are of varying sizes (my choice), and the larger the icon the more things you can do, such as single finger call and/or text. The buttons (side and "desktop") always respond, no lag. It has Mac style "expose" when you hold the center app button, and most recent list of running apps when you hold home. A double tap on home will open last browser window. When the HDMI cable is plugged in, it drives a 52" plasma screen in high def. Nicely. It gives you the option of simplified entertainment interface, or a moderately useful desktop with real Firefox. I get multiple large crisp readable browser screens on the TV. I got the entertainment dock, which gives you a cradle and I/O. I needed to go to 3 stores before I found one, they are sold out everywhere. I can use either the blutooth keyboard and mouse, or a real keyboard and my Kensington trackball via direct USB plug in. Flash works, both within the pure phone interface (by default using their browser, by add-on using firefox in the phone) and on the full desktop firefox mode, by default. DLNA downloads files from my linux system (mini-dlna package), and work MUCH better than the Sony Blu-Ray client. It sees almost all the files (the Sony only could see the directory entry for a few), but it does not stream/play, it downloads and then plays locally. It played the various random music and video formats I threw at it, smoothly. Oh, not just smoothly. I can have multiple videos running in multiple tabs, while streaming Pandora. It takes about 4 video until it starts to get sluggish. And these are graphics heavy pages (multiple simultaneous flash apps per page). Pandora (through the browser on the phone) works, as well as the Android Pandora app. Really, I won't be doing this stuff on the road, but it is NICE to have when WIFI connected, which I am almost everywhere as well. And speaking of flash, the light for the camera is great. It really sharpens up the images. And the high def video recording mode is great. Easy to use camera gadgets combined with a default great image and audio stream. I'll have to put the largest micro-sd card in this I can, or figure storage to external hard disk. Either way, it is a great camera (at least for me, not you bman) and I'll try to really use it. When plugged into to by TV in the bedroom, you get a full websurfing experience as if you are playing with a decent multi-media center. Wifi/Cable/Internet speed test shows 10mbit down/ 3mbit up. I could not find any firefox plugins that did not work. Plus it's a hell of a speakerphone at that point. Voice recognition works, but I need to spend a lot more time with it. I'd like to build my own apps driven by VR, we'll see. When setup as a USB device, I can copy from my Linux system easily. When sitting there in the recharge cradle, it make a fine little music system, from the internal speakers. "American Woman" has some decent base! I feel "Tull". "Argent - Hold your head up" is pretty damn good. Not expected. Phone calls at that point puts the music on hold, switches to speaker phone. A tap on the accept initiates the call. A very nice speaker phone. Conversation ends and the music kicks back on. Suwheetly. Ok, I've just begun. Today I hope to setup ssh and cisco vpn it, along with some type of remote desktop clients. Any suggestions? On the other hand, today I have to get a marriage license and wedding rings. Oh, and the call told me I have a meeting at 2PM. Oops, gotta go. Something tells me phone play time is over.
Post #340,529 by folkert 3/14/11 10:39:29 PM Reply	My Droid X does a lot of that... I'm not sure it doesn;t do all of that. Its crystal clear on the screen and I can HDMI out the puppy. It accepts Bluetooth keyboard and stereo headsets with/without mics and works. I dunno, welcome to the world of Android... its far different from the world of iOS (iPhone/etc)... to me it just feels right. I'm now getting about 2 days reasonable use out of my phone, but many just load them up with apps galore and wonder why the battery is dreadfully bad. My Daughter is getting about 12 hours out of hers, but then she has about 10 social apps running at one time. I don't do much with it other than phone calls, e-mail, SMS and "connectbot" ssh. DLNA seems to work VERY well over the WiFi. I love my near infinite number of Alarms I can have on it. I don't use the MP3 stuffs at all. Personally, I'm sold on the Android platform.

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