Motorola Droid Bionic Joins the Droid Family!

[Vito.a]

What would be nice is if they gave us options for different memory cards. Price the phone with no card, then options for 8, 16, 32, and even 64gb memory cards. They could slide the card of your choice in at the store. If you have a phone, you could swap your old card to your new phone.

Wait, this makes to much sense.

 

[creaky]

In the VZW CES keynote, one of the three big wigs who answered questions at the end stated flat out that you could put a SIM in from any wireless company (yes even AT&T) and have the phone work on their network. It will not work on Sprint as they are also CDMA but as you should already know VZW and Sprint CDMA phones cannot be used back and forth. But you'd be able to move the Bionic to AT&T or T-Mobile.

I caught this too. I just listened to the response again ([video=youtube;DpW0VSSifkw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpW0VSSifkw]YouTube - Verizon Wireless Q&A Segment at CES[/video], at the 3:30 mark). I did some more research and it seems LTE SIM cards have more "security" features than GSM SIM cards. One of these features could be used to allow the vendor to remotely lock/unlock access to other bands. No doubt that will come into play.

I don't think VZW wants their devices running on other US bands. But for global, it looks like as long as you activate it in the US once (so it's in VZW's system), they'll be glad to hook you up with global GSM (and LTE as available) bands.

Just to note, AT&T and T-Mobile are global wireless carriers. Out of the US, T-Mobile has a much larger footprint, but I think AT&T is in Canada as well.

This will 100% roam globally, and I am not yet willing to concede the inability to switch to another carrier in the US. While this phone is being launched on VZW, it is Motorola's phone not VZW's. I am certain you could find one on eBay and probably run it on T-Mobile, but of course the question would then be ..... why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to?

OK, I'm a little confused now. Check out around 4:30 of the video and he clearly states that there will be global roaming with the Bionic. I have heard a lot of conflicting reports and wrote to Moto about it. This is what I got in response:

"Regarding your concern, the Motorola Bionic is designed to work inside the US. It can only work internationally if data roaming is activated by Verizon Wireless."

So it sounds like only data roaming, not voice is possible.

Now, I thought that with LTE you could have a GSM SIM card and put it in the LTE SIM slot. Maybe I'm wrong? What am I missing?

 

[shobe]

Is it just me or is anyone else concerned about the 4g-Like speeds? I'm thinking this might be like the Cliq 2 on T-Mobile that isn't really a 4G device but since it's on a 4g network, they say they have faster 3g speeds. I sincerely hope that isn't the case with the Bionic since my D1's contract is up in June and I'm eyeing this as my replacement but won't if it's not a true 4g phone.

 

[jaycemiskel]

I caught this too. I just listened to the response again (YouTube - Verizon Wireless Q&A Segment at CES, at the 3:30 mark). I did some more research and it seems LTE SIM cards have more "security" features than GSM SIM cards. One of these features could be used to allow the vendor to remotely lock/unlock access to other bands. No doubt that will come into play.

I don't think VZW wants their devices running on other US bands. But for global, it looks like as long as you activate it in the US once (so it's in VZW's system), they'll be glad to hook you up with global GSM (and LTE as available) bands.

Just to note, AT&T and T-Mobile are global wireless carriers. Out of the US, T-Mobile has a much larger footprint, but I think AT&T is in Canada as well.

This will 100% roam globally, and I am not yet willing to concede the inability to switch to another carrier in the US. While this phone is being launched on VZW, it is Motorola's phone not VZW's. I am certain you could find one on eBay and probably run it on T-Mobile, but of course the question would then be ..... why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to?

OK, I'm a little confused now. Check out around 4:30 of the video and he clearly states that there will be global roaming with the Bionic. I have heard a lot of conflicting reports and wrote to Moto about it. This is what I got in response:

"Regarding your concern, the Motorola Bionic is designed to work inside the US. It can only work internationally if data roaming is activated by Verizon Wireless."

So it sounds like only data roaming, not voice is possible.

Now, I thought that with LTE you could have a GSM SIM card and put it in the LTE SIM slot. Maybe I'm wrong? What am I missing?

I thought the sim card was only for LTE not for GSM. Unless this is gonna be a world phone. Of course once VoLTE is standardized it won't really matter because you'll be using your data for voice also.

 

[UNC]

Is it just me or is anyone else concerned about the 4g-Like speeds? I'm thinking this might be like the Cliq 2 on T-Mobile that isn't really a 4G device but since it's on a 4g network, they say they have faster 3g speeds. I sincerely hope that isn't the case with the Bionic since my D1's contract is up in June and I'm eyeing this as my replacement but won't if it's not a true 4g phone.

Don't be concerned. They say "4g-like speeds" to avoid legal red tape.
The ITU says "4g" is 100mbs, NONE of the services are that fast, so they say "4g-like speeds" instead.

LTE IS for all intents and purposes "4g"... Far faster than AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint's offerings.

 

[elvis_marmaduke]

LTE will ALSO soon be the national standard and at&t will be picking it up later this year

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums

 

[kptphalkon]

Wait, does this mean we can flash our vzw phones to att, and vice versa?

 

[pizza3]

Coming in May?

Hey! Kids!
Didja see the new thread about a "leaked" rollout of VZW stuff. It has the Bionic and Droid X2 both coming out in May and both "4G". That is news to me! I am glad that it is coming out in May (maybe) and sad that it is not coming in April (less maybe). Both phones are about the same size and weight, both keyboard less, similar resolution etc.. The only diff now seems to be dual core vs non-dual core. If I don't DL Avatar or play massive online games I just don't know what duality will do for me. I understand none of the extant software even knows what to do with twice as many cores. I assume the B will cost more than the 2. What will I get and is it worth it and what is VCU and Butler doing in the Big Dance and not UNC?

 

[JerseyFirefighter]

Is it just me or is anyone else concerned about the 4g-Like speeds? I'm thinking this might be like the Cliq 2 on T-Mobile that isn't really a 4G device but since it's on a 4g network, they say they have faster 3g speeds. I sincerely hope that isn't the case with the Bionic since my D1's contract is up in June and I'm eyeing this as my replacement but won't if it's not a true 4g phone.

Don't be concerned. They say "4g-like speeds" to avoid legal red tape.
The ITU says "4g" is 100mbs, NONE of the services are that fast, so they say "4g-like speeds" instead.

LTE IS for all intents and purposes "4g"... Far faster than AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint's offerings.

does that mean while people are hitting speeds anywhere from 8-50mbs, as the network improves the speeds SHOULD improve even with the same hardware? Can I purchase the bionic when it drops and see a considerable increase in speeds over the next year or two with the same phone, providing vzw is capable of increasing speeds within the 4g range?

 

[JerseyFirefighter]

meh.... "sometime in may"

Verizon Roadmap: DROID CHARGE and Incredible 2 Headed for April – BIONIC, X2, and Revolution in May - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

 

[shobe]

Is it just me or is anyone else concerned about the 4g-Like speeds? I'm thinking this might be like the Cliq 2 on T-Mobile that isn't really a 4G device but since it's on a 4g network, they say they have faster 3g speeds. I sincerely hope that isn't the case with the Bionic since my D1's contract is up in June and I'm eyeing this as my replacement but won't if it's not a true 4g phone.

Don't be concerned. They say "4g-like speeds" to avoid legal red tape.
The ITU says "4g" is 100mbs, NONE of the services are that fast, so they say "4g-like speeds" instead.

LTE IS for all intents and purposes "4g"... Far faster than AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint's offerings.

does that mean while people are hitting speeds anywhere from 8-50mbs, as the network improves the speeds SHOULD improve even with the same hardware? Can I purchase the bionic when it drops and see a considerable increase in speeds over the next year or two with the same phone, providing vzw is capable of increasing speeds within the 4g range?

That's good to hear. I saw on VZW web site saying it was 4g but was disturbing when I ready 4G-Like speeds. Now the choice is between Bionic and X2. Decisions decisions.

 

[elvis_marmaduke]

As much sense and the chart makes... I don't think I will be placing my faith in it

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[jaycemiskel]

The X2 is supposed to be dual core also.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[matt2783]

The X2 is supposed to be dual core also.

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That is why I don't believe that chart. What would differentiate the DX2 from the Bionic? I hope that it's correct because I'm hoping the Droid 3 will be an LTE phone but I can't imagine Verizon releasing two different phones with such smilar specs made by the same manufacturer within a month. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[kodiak799]

That is why I don't believe that chart. What would differentiate the DX2 from the Bionic? I hope that it's correct because I'm hoping the Droid 3 will be an LTE phone but I can't imagine Verizon releasing two different phones with such smilar specs made by the same manufacturer within a month. Time will tell, I guess.

I completely forgot for a second that Moto makes both phones. You're exactly right, there would be little difference between the two so wouldn't make sense for Moto.

Although I don't see the point in producing 3G phones with LTE backwards compatible. I suppose it saves a little money on the sim card, and then they can put something else in there (but other than more ram, radio and DLNA is all I can think of, maybe NFC).

Very soon the hardware should all be mostly the same, and then you have about 3 popular screen sizes and maybe a physical keyboard (which could honestly be solved with a universal accessory).