Getting set up with an online Droid X purchase

[ConstayntReader]

Would you experienced Droid X users let me know how hard it is to activate and update a Droid X purchased online from Verizon? The Verizon store clerk told me that they really need to activate and update in the store. But it doesn't sound that hard to do it at home, so if you would be willing to let me know if I'm thinking the right steps...

So first charge up phone completely without turning it on first. Yes?

Then what happens: Does the activate screen come up? Or does the sign into Google account come up first?

I'm assuming the activate screen comes up first. So then log onto Verizon account and type in number from behind battery into Verizon online and phone will activate? Is there anything else I need to do?

Then will the log into Google account screen come up? Log into Google...yes?

Then go to phone system settings and click on look for updates to bring in the 2.21 with Flash 10.1 included? Do I need to turn anything off first, given that it is a new phone with no apps to conflict? Is there anything else I need to do to bring in the Flash 10, or will it be good to go?

Then add account and add on Yahoo email account? I read somewhere it is best to download Yahoo from Android Market instead. But I don't see why that would be necessary if it allows you to add on a yahoo account right from the phone accounts?

Then, it should be good to go, yes? Test would be if that football game shows up?

Am I on track? Or should I go into the store and ask them to do it?

Also, does Droid X come with Quick Office already onboard, or do I need to buy it from android market?

I hope it works. As I posted before, the phone looks so wonderful in the store, but I keep reading of so many people having so many different problems with it... Crossing fingers...

[gerio]

You are pretty much on the right track. A few things...

When you first turn on the phone to activate it (aftet that charging cycle), the phone will kind of walk you through the process. Basically, it will tel you to dial *228. When the voice prompts come on, you want to choose option 1. Again, the phone will tell you what to do. Have your information handy as the phone (!!) might ask you to provide some account info. Once you do that, it should be activated. Sometimes, you will hear a prompt that sez they cant activate the phone. In that case, just call Verizon Customer Service and they will get it activated for you.

You should not have to do any firmware upgrades, although its possible that you might have to do the one that came out a couple of weeks ago. It should
push out to your phone without any action on your
part.

That petty much sums it up. During the activation process, it will ask you if you want to set up mail accounts. You can also do that later, if you wish.

Good luck and enjoy!

Geri O

[TaeSong]

You turn the phone on.  You get the Google Android logo, which you touch and the phone dials a special activation number.  Follow the instructions.

My activation process got stuck at entering the billing password.  I don't have one so I put in my mom's, since she is the primary account holder and my phone is an addition line.  The password would not take, so it did not activate.

I found you could bypass the activation screen by holding down the Home button and pressing power from an off state.  I just wanted to play around with it for a while, but you can't make any calls.  You can download apps via WIFI.

I was thinking of going to the store eventually to get the phone activated... but I never got around to it.  I already had a LG Dare so I was in no hurry to activate the phone and I could play around with the phone without activating it.  Anyway after about a week or so I tried the activating it again and it worked.

Issues with the phone you might want to know about.

I got the LG Dare and Droid X for the camera.  I didn't want to carry around two seperate devices.  Which is the original reason for getting a LG Dare, 3MP camera.  When I heard Droid X had an 8MP, 720p video camera I was already sold on it.

I was sorely disappointed with the camera which is little more then a high-end webcam (about 2MP quality CMOS sensor).

The pictures are saved at 3264 x 2448 resolution JPG, but it's just resized from actually a 640 x 480 picture.

720p video camera is also a disappointment.  It's resized from a 480p image and the frame rate, isn't anywhere close to 24 frames per second.  More in the 8-12 frames per second.  The picture starts to slant when you move the camera left or right.

You should also know the Droid X has a very short battery life for a mobile phone (maybe 5-6 hours).  I looked at getting a higher capacity battery, but the cost didn't justify the small increment in capacity (1540mAh to 1800mAh or increase of about 260mAh, maybe but you another hour for a cost of over $40-$60).  I bought an external laptop battery (13200mAh) to keep it going after the battery runs down.  It's bulky, but I can also use it to power my laptop, MP3 player or other devices.

Android OS is based on Linux and currently may not be fully optimized for mobile phones.  It doesn't help the fact Verizon is loading their Droid X phones with useless apps you can't uninstall and/or require another app actively running to hide or prevent from running Verizon loaded apps.

There is also the problem with Droid X not recharging sometimes with the stock recharger or even connected via USB to a PC.  It definitely looks like some kind of software, maybe OS related issue.

I really wanted a mobile phone with a 8MP camera, what I ended with is a handheld PC/mobile phone which I was thinking about getting.

Last but not least, if you have problems with booting up, you may have some apps that are not compatible with the new Android OS updates.  So you need to keep on top of managing what apps you do add especially ones that start at bootup.

[crb79]

The Droid X camera is not a webcam quality device nor does it use a 2mp CMOS and it doesn't take a "resized 640x480" picture or 420p video and "resize" it to 720p.   

Please don't spread non-factual and ridiculous rumors because unfortunately people will take them as true.  You have no factual basis for your statements, they are merely your unfounded and INCORRECT opinions.   The CMOS sensor is in fact an OmniVision OV8812 8 Mp, 1.4 µm pixel, CMOS image sensor.  Sure it's not as good as one you would find in a current line of Cannon EOS or Nikon D series, but then you can't make a phone call over either of those products.

I'm sure I'll probably get cutesy cuddley feelings friendly edited but:  Statements like that do nothing but make the person stating it look like they have no idea about what they speak.  Next thing you will tell us that Cars are enhanced horse-drawn carriages where they hide miniature horses under the hood. 

Sure you have a point that the camera and video recorder are not as good as their stand-alone counterparts, but you don't have to pollute your point with nonfactual absurd blabbering.

[gerio]

I will certainly not make any new friends with this response, but I must answer in my own unique way, so here goes...

TaeSong wrote:

Issues that I have observed during my experience with the phone you might want to know about. 

I got the LG Dare and Droid X for the camera.  I didn't want to carry around two seperate devices.  Which is the original reason for getting a LG Dare, 3MP camera.  When I heard Droid X had an 8MP, 720p video camera I was already sold on it.

I was sorely disappointed with the camera which is little more then a high-end webcam (about 2MP quality CMOS sensor).

The pictures are saved at 3264 x 2448 resolution JPG, but it's just resized from actually a 640 x 480 picture.

720p video camera is also a disappointment.  It's resized from a 480p image and the frame rate, isn't anywhere close to 24 frames per second.  More in the 8-12 frames per second.  The picture starts to slant when you move the camera left or

right.

 I'm not sure about all of these numbers. What I am sure about is that everyone I show my pics and videos to go oooh and ahhh quite a bit. From the day cameras hit mobile phones, I've said that if you need seriously good pictures or video, then get a seriously good camera. And don't go bashing an otherwise great phone. 

You should also know the Droid X has a very short battery life for a mobile phone (maybe 5-6 hours).  

Not quite true, I was getting a good 10 hours on my standard battery with a lot of surfing, email-checking and phone calls in a single-bar coverage area. I almost never have the WIFI radio turned on and I do use the GPS radio on occasion with Google Maps and Radar Now. Oh, and apparently, you've never owned a Samsung Omnia II. And the Incredible isn't doing too well, either.  

 I looked at getting a higher capacity battery, but the cost didn't justify the small increment in capacity (1540mAh to 1800mAh or increase of about 260mAh, maybe but you another hour for a cost of over $40-$60)

Again, not entirely accurate, in my case. The extended battery has given me double the battery life I had with the original battery, not to mention I have an extra battery in case I get stuck for a REALLY long time. Absolutely worth the money for the extra battery life. You are injecting your negative experience, for whatever reason, as a statement of condition with every phone. Not the case at all.. 

I bought an external laptop battery (13200mAh) to keep it going after the battery runs down.  It's bulky, but I can also use it to power my laptop, MP3 player or other devices.

Android OS is based on Linux and currently may not be fully optimized for mobile phones. 

Need to see some proof, data, or documentation that this a fact and not just your opinion of Android

It doesn't help the fact that Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cellular South, US Cellular, and almost all other carriers are loading their Droid X phones with useless apps you can't uninstall and/or require another app actively running to hide or prevent from running Verizon loaded apps.

There, fixed that for you, as well. I've been having to do this a lot lately.  

There is also the problem with Droid X not recharging sometimes with the stock recharger or even connected via USB to a PC.  It definitely looks like some kind of software, maybe OS related issue.

Inaccurate conjecture seems to be your friend. There is NO software-related or OS issue with charging the Droid X. This is not some widespread problem affecting most or all users. Man, where are you getting this crap? In fact, it is HIGHLY recommended that ONLY the stock charger be used with the Droid X. The X needs a lot of current to charge and most generic chargers are on the anemic side when it comes to current capacity (and I can provide proof of this, but I doubt it will matter under the circumstances). Again, The Droid X's hefty appetite for a higher current-charge is why they do not charge well when connected to PCs. In fact, the only devices I've ever seen charge satisfactorily are my Jawbone headset and my iPod. 

I really wanted a mobile phone with a 8MP camera, what I ended with is a handheld PC/mobile phone which I was thinking about getting.

That sounds about right. 

Last but not least, if you have problems with booting up, you may have some apps that are not compatible with the new Android OS updates.  So you need to keep on top of managing what apps you do add especially ones that start at bootup.

---

Definitely the best part of this post. read the reviews, ask around about the apps, and when a factory update comes along, perform the factory restore that doesn't reload the apps and data so that you start with a fresh phone.

Sharing your opinion about the phone is fine, but let's don't present it as the Gospel. I assure you, your experiences are not common.

Geri O

[August03]

Here's a link that will provide you with the initial activation and setup process for your Motorola Droid X.

http://support.vzw.com/clc/devices/knowledge_base.html?id=33521

[ConstayntReader]

Thanks for all the answers!

I just want to do a final check that I need to log into My Verizon and choose upgrade device and follow those instructions first before turning on phone? I can't just do it from the Droid X handset alone, can I?

[mortb]

Why go to Verizon and update? Just turn on your phone. You will see a green Droid right in the center of the screen. Tap on him and the instructions, which are quite simple to follow, will walk you through the setup processes. The whole thing probably takes less than 15 minutes.

[TaeSong]

---

crb79 wrote:

The Droid X camera is not a webcam quality device nor does it use a 2mp CMOS and it doesn't take a "resized 640x480" picture or 420p video and "resize" it to 720p.   

Please don't spread non-factual and ridiculous rumors because unfortunately people will take them as true.  You have no factual basis for your statements, they are merely your unfounded and INCORRECT opinions.   The CMOS sensor is in fact an OmniVision OV8812 8 Mp, 1.4 µm pixel, CMOS image sensor.  Sure it's not as good as one you would find in a current line of Cannon EOS or Nikon D series, but then you can't make a phone call over either of those products.

I'm sure I'll probably get cutesy cuddley feelings friendly edited but:  Statements like that do nothing but make the person stating it look like they have no idea about what they speak.  Next thing you will tell us that Cars are enhanced horse-drawn carriages where they hide miniature horses under the hood. 

Sure you have a point that the camera and video recorder are not as good as their stand-alone counterparts, but you don't have to pollute your point with nonfactual absurd blabbering.

---

I read the original article about Droid X and OmniVision OV8812 8MP... what it said was something to the effect, claiming that Droid X used something LIKE the OmniVision OV8812.  It didn't actually say it used one and worded into giving the reader the wrong impression.  I can't find the original article, which is why it might have been taken down.

There are some articles linking OmniVision OV8812 to HTC Droid Evo.  You Google this information yourself.

Don't get me wrong I like the Droid X, but it didn't have the 8MP quality camera I originally got it for.  I like the large 4.3" screen and micro-HDMI connector (which very few apps take advangae of) and it makes a great GPS and media player (video and MP3) and has some nice apps which I use constantly which might explain the short battery life.

I might go to the store to switch back the LG Dare when I get the chance.