HTC Droid DNA review

[WelshBloke]

Congrats on the 10k posts!

Damn I was saving that for a meat spin post.


:biggrin:

of the case taking a 50cal round:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLpjPMQ1mW8&hd=1

That video is great. Still cant tell if the case is a piss take or not though. :awe:

 

[GTRagnarok]

Just saw the new post on the front page with an HTC phone and got excited for half a second.

 

[s44]

Just saw the new post on the front page with an HTC phone and got excited for half a second.

WP8 only supports *one* calendar!?

 

[dlock13]

So.. I've got this horrible issue that won't go away.

I'm stuck in 3G and it will not switch back over to 4G. I'm on a stock and rooted ROM with a custom kernel. I tried replacing the kernel. No good. I've tried toggling airplane mode. I've tried an app that switches the phone to LTE only. I've tried so many freaking things.

The only thing that is left that I can do is swap the SIM card which is not a problem, but I have to call customer support because I am on an employee account which doesn't allow me to use store support at all... Ugh..

Actually, I have an extra SIM card that came with the phone that is not activated at all. How do I go about swapping the SIMs?

Also, something odd is happening on VZW's site, and it won't update it to let it know that I am using the DNA. I currently have the SIM in it and have had it in there since last night, but it's still showing the Nexus on the site!

 

[Red Storm]

So.. I've got this horrible issue that won't go away.

I'm stuck in 3G and it will not switch back over to 4G. I'm on a stock and rooted ROM with a custom kernel. I tried replacing the kernel. No good. I've tried toggling airplane mode. I've tried an app that switches the phone to LTE only. I've tried so many freaking things.

The only thing that is left that I can do is swap the SIM card which is not a problem, but I have to call customer support because I am on an employee account which doesn't allow me to use store support at all... Ugh..

Actually, I have an extra SIM card that came with the phone that is not activated at all. How do I go about swapping the SIMs?

Have you tried just taking the sim out and putting it back in? That worked for me on my S3 once.

 

[dlock13]

Have you tried just taking the sim out and putting it back in? That worked for me on my S3 once.

I've tried it several times. :/

 

[WelshBloke]

So.. I've got this horrible issue that won't go away.

I'm stuck in 3G and it will not switch back over to 4G. I'm on a stock and rooted ROM with a custom kernel. I tried replacing the kernel. No good. I've tried toggling airplane mode. I've tried an app that switches the phone to LTE only. I've tried so many freaking things.

The only thing that is left that I can do is swap the SIM card which is not a problem, but I have to call customer support because I am on an employee account which doesn't allow me to use store support at all... Ugh..

Actually, I have an extra SIM card that came with the phone that is not activated at all. How do I go about swapping the SIMs?

Also, something odd is happening on VZW's site, and it won't update it to let it know that I am using the DNA. I currently have the SIM in it and have had it in there since last night, but it's still showing the Nexus on the site!

Do you have to set up the APNs on 4g? Never dealt with LTE so it's just a thought.

 

[dlock13]

Do you have to set up the APNs on 4g? Never dealt with LTE so it's just a thought.

Nope. You don't have to set up anything for 4G. I haven't changed my ROM from stock either. The only things I did were root it and install a custom kernel, but that was over 2 weeks ago, and this just happened yesterday.

I haven't had time to do a factory reset, but the few posts I found on the web on showing that it doesn't matter and won't fix it especially since when I use the SIM in another phone it works on 4G fine..

 

[Conroe]

Without A SD card and a replaceable battery the memory and/or battery will ware out by the end of contract. No cheap eBay phones for the peons. I want this phone. I can afford it. I will not support it's underhand politics. I need a new phone. I may just move my four phones to another network. I don't get 4g here anyway.

--went ahead and got it...and a 8x for my wife.

 

[GTRagnarok]

OK seriously, what's going on? Where's the review? Did something catastrophic happen?

 

[Diagrafeas]

They must be waiting for M7...or it is so bad that they are afraid to publish a review.
Hope they review Xperia Z in time...

 

[garynsa]

Indeed a review would be nice

 

[dlock13]

Indeed a review would be nice

Highly doubt one is coming out. Anand has failed in this aspect.

Honestly, any review now would just be brushed aside when the M7 comes out anyway so what's the point of them doing it?

I've honestly never come here for reviews just because of the disparity between what the writers deem review worthy. This phone was and still is a one of a kind on the market, but that apparently means nothing to Anand.

 

[dguy6789]

Yeah it has become kind of ridiculous with the stuff they choose to review on Anandtech now and the stuff they choose to opt out of reviewing.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Yeah it has become kind of ridiculous with the stuff they choose to review on Anandtech now and the stuff they choose to opt out of reviewing.

Still no Nexus 10 full review and that thing has been out for like what...3 months? And this is the same site that has no qualms getting a iPhone 4 for review on release day.

 

[dlock13]

Still no Nexus 10 full review and that thing has been out for like what...3 months? And this is the same site that has no qualms getting a iPhone 4 for review on release day.

It's pretty ridiculous when a phone that has the same software except minute modifications get's a review the same day, but a phone with.... oh, I don't know, wireless charging, NFC, 1080 screen, and quad core CPU doesn't get any kind of review... not even 3~ months after it's release.

 

[Dari]

Still no Nexus 10 full review and that thing has been out for like what...3 months? And this is the same site that has no qualms getting a iPhone 4 for review on release day.

Was it Anandtech that chose to review a white iPhone 4 after the black one was released (same everything except color)? Or am I thinking of a different website?

 

[Red Storm]

Was it Anandtech that chose to review a white iPhone 4 after the black one was released (same everything except color)? Or am I thinking of a different website?

I don't remember AT doing that, but they did review a ~$150 iPhone case months after release while we all wait for any number of Android reviews (Note 2, Razr Maxx HD, DNA, etc.). Obviously a case review is much easier to do than a full on device, but posting that review (really, a $150 case that got a recommendation?) kinda just felt like a slap in the face from AT.

 

[Face2Face]

Something is going on. We got a bunch of reviews and now nothing.....

 

[s44]

I don't remember AT doing that, but they did review a ~$150 iPhone case months after release while we all wait for any number of Android reviews (Note 2, Razr Maxx HD, DNA, etc.). Obviously a case review is much easier to do than a full on device, but posting that review (really, a $150 case that got a recommendation?) kinda just felt like a slap in the face from AT.

You forgot the part where they're patting each other on the back on Twitter for being so awesome at phone reviews.

 

[Dari]

Maybe they've just decided to focus on the annual iPhone and Galaxy S reviews and leave everything else to other sites.

 

[swilli89]

I too agree its ridiculous that we haven't seen a full review of the Droid DNA. Every single iteration, no matter how small the chipset change, every revision of iPads get a full run-down.

 

[Face2Face]

Got my Firmware update last night

Here are the fixes:

User can load videos on HuluPlus
Improvements to Hotspot connectivity have been made
Improvements to Audio Quality for wired headsets and earpieces have been made
Bluetooth connectivity and volume level for specific models have been improved
Enhanced reliability and stability of the Contacts List have been made
Wi-Fi Connectivity has been improved
Improvements to default browser for zooming capability have been made
Incoming messages display with the correct timestamp
Enhanced Recent Apps functionality has been improved

I am hoping it finally fixes the Wifi connectivity issue. When you are connected to wifi, then all of the sudden it drops then picks right back up.

I also had the sim card issue, but after pulling it out a couple of times it appears to be fixed.

 

[dlock13]

Got my Firmware update last night

Here are the fixes:

User can load videos on HuluPlus
Improvements to Hotspot connectivity have been made
Improvements to Audio Quality for wired headsets and earpieces have been made
Bluetooth connectivity and volume level for specific models have been improved
Enhanced reliability and stability of the Contacts List have been made
Wi-Fi Connectivity has been improved
Improvements to default browser for zooming capability have been made
Incoming messages display with the correct timestamp
Enhanced Recent Apps functionality has been improved

I am hoping it finally fixes the Wifi connectivity issue. When you are connected to wifi, then all of the sudden it drops then picks right back up.

I also had the sim card issue, but after pulling it out a couple of times it appears to be fixed.

I believe every phone has the SIM card issue... There are so many number of posts from here to AndroidCentral to XDA that have talked about it.

I rejected the update because I'm on VenomROM for the DNA. He said he'll incorporate the adjustments in later versions. In the meantime, my device is running smoothly and how I want it to. The only problem is that..... I'm debating keeping this guy.

 

[Face2Face]

The only problem is that..... I'm debating keeping this guy.

Don't you work for Verizon? So you have more options than most I would think I have this phone for 2 years, and I am still very happy with it. Crazy as it seem, the phone almost feels faster with this update..