Moto-G review

[lakedude]

Disclaimer: I'm fairly new to the smartphone scene so keep that in mind. There may be some easy fixes for some of my complaints, in fact please speak up if you know of solutions to my gripes. My last phone was a Motorola Admiral single core running 2.3.5. The new phone is the Moto G on Republic Wireless running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Pros:

Reasonable phone price. The 8GB version is only $150 with no contract. The 16GB version is $179 and the Flip Shell adds $20-30 more.

Low plan price, currently only $10 a month for unlimited talk, text and pictures (no data).

3G Data is available for only $15 a month more ($25 total). Switchable twice a month.

The 4.5 inch IPS screen is VERY nice. 1280 x 720 HD, 329 ppi Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3. Note that this is similar to (or slightly better than) Apple's 4th and 5th generation iPhone "Retina" displays!

The quad core is a big improvement over the previous handset. Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU and Adreno 305 GPU

Motorola Migrate is just awesome.

Hybrid calling technology works anywhere there is a Sprint or WiFi signal.

The "Flip Shell" is nice. It covers the screen, adds minimal thickness and turns the phone on automatically upon opening.

Battery life seems good, better than Republic's beta phone the Defy XT.

Thin, even with the Flip Shell.

The camera comes on quick and works good.

The charger plug is concave on top and convex on the bottom so it is easy to orient the correct way.

Cons:

No SD card available. A 275MB video took a couple of hours to upload to Google Drive on WiFi. EDIT: The slow speed is due to my slow internet upload speed. I need to figure out a way to upload to a local computer directly. That should be much faster. 2ndEDIT: I used ES File to upload the same file to a local computer and it took about 5 minutes which is acceptable.

Battery is not removable.

Republic is only selling the 3G model. To get 4G-LTE speeds from Republic one must purchase the Moto-X. Note that a LTE version of the Moto-G with an SD card slot is available elsewhere. The 4G-LTE w SD version solves most all the hardware complaints.

Republic is not for you unless you have home WiFi.

So far I'm not big on the OS and I despise several of the software applications, especially the dialer. EDIT: With some help from this thread I found some features that make the dialer tolerable. I still prefer the way my old phone worked but I can deal the things the way they are on the new phone now.

Migrating:

This is my 4th phone and 3rd migration. Motorola Migrate made this by far the easiest and best migration ever! It was so easy!! All you do is put Migrate on both phones. One phone generates a QR code and the other phone scans the code. Then all you do is sit back and almost everything transfers from one phone to the next. Pictures, videos, texts, contacts and maybe even some of your apps just go right on over to the new phone. Totally sweet!

One app gave me some trouble, "Simple Notes" did not automatically transfer my notes, however Simple Notes has several nice import/export options that should have made the migration of notes easy, but it wasn't. Exporting the notes in a "zip" file from the old phone was cake but the new phone refused to download a zip file, presumably for security reasons. Not to be outdone, I easily renamed the file on the old phone to lack the zip extension and the new phone downloaded the file, however the stinking OS on the new phone seems to lack a way rename files. The ES File Manager app solved this so the crappy stock file manager is no longer an issue for me. Once the file was renamed Simple Notes imported it and all my old notes are now on the new phone, cool!

Nitpicks:

On my old phone the settings for any app were always accessible in the lower left hand corner. On this stupid new phone settings can be hidden anywhere. They might be a swipe from the left, a swipe from the top, in the upper right or lower right. The only place they never seem to be is where I expect them to be, which is the lower left. Why the step backwards in usability?

My old phone had a darn near perfect directory/dialer. Contacts were easily searchable. There were check boxes for each contact so things could be done in groups. Each contact had either a phone or a text symbol so you could easily call or text with just a tap.

The new phone has none of this. What a bunch of garbage! The texting app isn't too bad but the phone dialer is terrible. If you touch a contact anywhere the phone starts calling that person! There are no check boxes, no easy way to group people (that I could figure out anyhow). Why the step backward in usability? The old phone was perfect. I think they are trying too hard to integrate the dialer with social media and if this is your priority you might like it. For me I just want the darn thing to organize my contacts and give me the option to call or text or make changes, just like on my old phone. I had no trouble figuring out my old phone without any directions and it was my first smart phone. This new one is taking some Googling. I'm sure there is some app that will take care of this but I've not found it yet. I tried Handscent and several other popular apps and haven't really liked any of them so far.

EDIT: Another thing I don't like about the dialer is that it seems to be stuck in portrait mode and does not rotate to landscape. My man sized fingers have trouble with the portrait keyboard.

Notes:

A word about the hybrid phone. Republic Wireless is unique in that they offer hybrid phones that make calls and texts on either Sprint cell towers or internet WiFi. This dual band feature is very handy. For example the hospital where our son was born had no cell reception but we were still able to make calls and send texts on the hospital's WiFi with our Republic phone. Same goes for our house on the lake. There is no cell service but the Republic Wireless phones still work on the WiFi! Very cool!

It is interesting how I happened upon this phone. My wife and stepson have been using the Republic Wireless beta Defy-XT for a while and their phones work great. Republic discontinued the $100 Defy-XT and went with the $300 Moto-X. I've been wanting a Republic phone for a while but $300 was just too much. When they came out with the Moto-G for $149/179 I snapped one up just to be on Republic Wireless not realizing at the time how really great the the Moto-G is for the money. I came for the service first.

Overall I really like the new phone, especially the screen. Sure the software has some annoyances and I wish there was an SD card slot but these are minor complaints compared to the versatility and low cost of the service and the overall functionality of the phone.

 

[Ottonomous]

Thank you for the informative review.

I picked up a dual SIM unlocked 16GB Moto G for ~$225 a couple of months back and I couldn't be happier!

You really don't need to need to dishout more than 300 dollars for a proper Android experience.

 

[cronos]

I'm not understanding the Contacts problem, is this a Motorola thing? I organized and managed my Contacts on Google, the way you are supposed to on Android phones (and even iPhones!). I've done it the same on several different android phones. How can the phone prevent you from doing this?

 

[Ksyder]

The texting app isn't too bad but the phone dialer is terrible. If you touch a contact anywhere the phone starts calling that person!

This is a frustrating thing that I have dealt with in the past. You have to go into the People app in order to edit contacts. Weird but no big deal once you get used to it.

Not really a fan of republic wireless but I do have and like the moto g.

I'm not understanding the Contacts problem, is this a Motorola thing?

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure its a Kit Kat thing. IIRC I had the same experience on the Nexus 5...

 

[cronos]

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure its a Kit Kat thing. IIRC I had the same experience on the Nexus 5...

My HTC One has KitKat and I see nothing of that sorts. Now that you mentioned KitKat I remember that someone else complaining about this and I didn’t get it either. So maybe this is a Motorola (and Nexus?) thing? Because it's definitely not a KitKat thing.

I still don't get how the phone interface can screw up your Contacts management though, do the groups just don't show up in the settings? That makes no sense. If someone can take a screenshot it would be great.

 

[thedosbox]

My old phone had a darn near perfect directory/dialer. Contacts were easily searchable. There were check boxes for each contact so things could be done in groups. Each contact had either a phone or a text symbol so you could easily call or text with just a tap.

The new phone has none of this. What a bunch of garbage! The texting app isn't too bad but the phone dialer is terrible. If you touch a contact anywhere the phone starts calling that person! There are no check boxes, no easy way to group people (that I could figure out anyhow).

Assuming the G has the same contacts app as the X (i.e. stock KitKat), you should be able to search contacts using the magnifying glass icon on the bottom left corner.

For contacts with multiple numbers, you can choose one to be the default by long-pressing on it from within the contacts app. You can also text a specific number by one-tapping the icon next to it.

To group people, click on the "multiple people" icon at the top right. You can then create groups or add contacts to existing groups. Alternatively, you can add an individual to a group while editing their contact card.

As for the "call person" behaviour in the dialer - what else did you expect it to do? The dialer is for making calls, not managing contacts.

In short, sounds like a case of old dog needs to learn new tricks

 

[lakedude]

Now I could totally be doing something wrong here but the reason I don't care for the dialer is that it is full screen with no visible means of searching contacts (no magnifying glass is visible under "All Contacts") other than to scroll. If you accidentally tap the screen anywhere it calls that person. So basically if you tap the screen anywhere you are calling someone by accident. On the old phone you had to aim for the little phone symbol to make a call. EDIT on the main screen on top there is a search function that I missed that makes the dialer a bit easier to use but I still don't care for it.

Also there are no check boxes so you seem to need to add contacts to groups one at a time by keying in letters corresponding to the each contact. I could be wrong, there might be better ways to do things that I've yet to discover. Thing is the old phone running 2.3.5 was super easy to figure out. On the new phone it is difficult to just play around and try to learn because doing anything seems to trigger an unintentional phone call.

I think it is a KitKat thing BTW. Someone was going on about how great the new KitKat dialer is (because of social media integration), I'm not a fan.

Not sure why anyone wouldn't like Republic Wireless. They are a big part of the Pros for this phone IMO. They have low cost and allow the phone to work in that cool hybrid fashion over the Sprint network or local WiFi giving two chances for a signal. What is not to like about that? No other phone worked at all in the hospital where our son was born. Only the Republic Wireless worked because it could use the hospital's WiFi.

Republic is selling the 8G for $150 no contract, which seems reasonable. The 16GB is a bit more.

I don't know how to post screens from the phone, I'll work on that since I don't seem to be describing the issues very well.

 

[thedosbox]

Now I could totally be doing something wrong here but the reason I hate the dialer is that it is full screen with no visible means of searching contacts (no magnifying glass is visible) other than to scroll. If you accidentally tap the screen anywhere it calls that person. So basically if you tap the screen anywhere you are calling someone by accident. On the old phone you had to aim for the little phone symbol to make a call.

Also there are no check boxes so you seem to need to add contacts to groups one at a time by keying in letters corresponding to the each contact. I could be wrong, there might be better ways to do things that I've yet to discover. Thing is the old phone running 2.3.5 was super easy to figure out. On the new phone it is difficult to just play around and try to learn because doing anything seems to trigger an unintentional phone call.

I think it is a KitKat thing BTW. Someone was going on about how great the new KitKat dialer is (because of social media integration), I hate it!

Again, the dialer is for making calls, not for managing contacts. When you click on the phone icon from your homescreen, a screen with some recently dialled contacts and a "All contacts" button will appear. Clicking on "All contacts" will take you to a list of contacts without the magnifying glass. The assumption being that you want to contact one of them.

To edit your contacts, you need to launch the "People" app. The magnifying glass will then appear for searching, as will the "multiple people" icon at the top right.

 

[lakedude]

Thanks for your help thedosbox. Maybe I'm not doing something correctly. Part of the issue might be that my old phone always had a hardware keyboard available but the new phone is all touch screen.

Even between the dialer, "People" and "Hangouts" I still can not regain the functionality of my old 2.3.5 phone.

Lets say we are in the dialer and I want to make a call to a person in the middle of the alphabet. On my old phone I'd whack in a few letters of the person's name and I'd be presented with a small list of people I could call or text all from one app. On the new phone the only way I can figure out how to get half way into the alphabet is to scroll all the way there and hopefully I don't accidentally call someone else in the process. EDIT: magnifying glass found right on top, I just missed it because it looked "grayed out".

As far as "People" goes I've not been able to figure out how to easily add people to groups for easy sorting. The old phone had check boxes. You checked boxes for all the people you wanted in a group and then added them, easy peasy. On the new phone they seem to require and alpha search follow by adding each person to a group individually. Now there is surely a better way by I don't know it.

 

[cronos]

Are you saying you can't search from the dialer? What if you just typed in their names right there?

On my phone (again, HTC One with KitKat) I could just punched in names from the dialer (either T9-style or from the full keyboard), and right next to the displayed numbers it will show me how many matches of that series of numbers (or letter) and up top it shows me the phone's best predicted match (it's usually the correct one).

Edit: here's a screenshot for easy understanding. If I was going to call my friend Pete I just typed P e t T-9 style (738, as shown in the display), and then his name comes up as the best mach, also on the left it shows that there are five other possible matches based on either 'Pet' or '738'.

 

[thedosbox]

Lets say we are in the dialer and I want to make a call to a person in the middle of the alphabet. On my old phone I'd whack in a few letters of the person's name and I'd be presented with a small list of people I could call or text all from one app.

As cronos notes, the KitKat dialer recognizes T9 input - i.e. to dial "Mike", just start typing 645.

And again, the dialer is for making calls - not texting people. If you want to text people, you can trigger the default SMS app from within the People app, or by launching Messaging or Hangouts directly.

As far as "People" goes I've not been able to figure out how to easily add people to groups for easy sorting. The old phone had check boxes. You checked boxes for all the people you wanted in a group and then added them, easy peasy. On the new phone they seem to require and alpha search follow by adding each person to a group individually. Now there is surely a better way by I don't know it.

Your previous phone had a Motorola skin that provided the check box functionality, but stock KitKat does not. Instead, you have two options:

Method #1 - use the groups icon at the top-right of the people app:

http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/android-4-4-kitkat-people-app-copy.png

You can edit the group and add people by starting to type their name. It'll bring up a list of possible matches which you can select from. Repeat for each contact you want to add to the group.

Method #2 - while in the people app, open and edit a contact. You can then select which group (or groups) to add the contact to.

 

[lakedude]

Okay I didn't know about T9 dialing, that helps for sure.

Also I missed the magnifying glass symbol on the main dialer page. The glass is light gray on a white background and hard for my old eyes to see. That box looked like a voice to text box because it had a microphone that is black on white and easy to see. Upon closer inspection this box is the search I've been looking for (I feel a bit silly now).

Still I'm not entirely happy because it is taking several separate apps and the old phone was still better in this regard.

I had previously figured out both Methods of adding contacts to groups thedosbox mentions but neither is as convenient as the check boxes on the old phone.

So this is terrific. You all have helped a bunch. Finding that search box is a huge help (silly me). This makes the new phone much more usable.

Anybody know where I can get me some check boxes?

 

[lakedude]

Thanks again for the help so far.

Outstanding issues:

Will the dialer flip from portrait to landscape?

How to upload directly to a local computer instead of Google Drive?

Check-boxes for contacts for easy grouping?

 

[thedosbox]

Thanks again for the help so far.

Outstanding issues:

Will the dialer flip from portrait to landscape?

Rotate the phone while in the dialer and find out.

How to upload directly to a local computer instead of Google Drive?

You need to use a third-party app. Some examples (no recommendation implied):

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smarterdroid.wififiletransfer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop

Check-boxes for contacts for easy grouping?

You would need to use a third-party contacts app for this, search the Play store for "contacts" and try one of them. Just bear in mind that you'll need to give them permission to access your contacts. Given this is generally a one-off activity per contact, I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

 

[lakedude]

Perfect! I already had the ES File Explorer app which worked perfectly to transfer file between a PC and the Phone. Thanks thedosbox!

Instructions: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/share-files-between-android-and-windows-with-es-file-explorer/

Verified, the stock dialer does not rotate to landscape mode. It is almost easier for me to use the texting app to first send a text and then use the texting app to make the phone call than it is to use the dialer. Even after learning how to use the dialer better I still don't like it YMMV.

Still looking for a better dialer / contact manager... I had already tried several and I liked Go Contacts Pro except it wouldn't do something. I think it wouldn't rotate to landscape mode which I prefer for the larger keyboard. I'll double check...

 

[thedosbox]

It is almost easier for me to use the texting app to first send a text and then use the texting app to make the phone call than it is to use the dialer. Even after learning how to use the dialer better I still don't like it YMMV.

No disrespect, but you need to be willing to experiment a little. Instead of focusing on the dialer, use the People app:

a) It rotates in landscape mode
b) You can start calls from the contact card by tapping on the contact name. Remember to set a default number (see above) if the contact has multiple numbers.
c) You can start a text by tapping on the box with lines next their name. The box looks like a stylized speech bubble from a comic.

 

[Ksyder]

Not sure why anyone wouldn't like Republic Wireless.

Well, Sprint network has a reputation for slow 3g speeds and overloaded network. Also with Republic you are limited in choice of phones, and then that phone is configured to work in a proprietary way that limits your usage of phone to them only. There are other ways to make your phone work on wi-fi without using Republic.

I do use a moto g, but I use the US gsm version which has the flexibility of using tmobile and at&t networks, and there is a wide variety of prepaid plans that will work with this phone. I hate to be stuck with one carrier, I tend to move around alot and its nice to pick which carrier works best where you live.

 

[Ksyder]

b) You can start calls from the contact card by tapping on the contact name. Remember to set a default number (see above) if the contact has multiple numbers.
c) You can start a text by tapping on the box with lines next their name. The box looks like a stylized speech bubble from a comic.

That sounds like a good idea. In op's case maybe he should replace the dialer button with the people app on the bottom row of shortcuts that way the dialer could be avoided entirely.

 

[lakedude]

No disrespect, but you need to be willing to experiment a little. Instead of focusing on the dialer, use the People app:

a) It rotates in landscape mode
b) You can start calls from the contact card by tapping on the contact name. Remember to set a default number (see above) if the contact has multiple numbers.
c) You can start a text by tapping on the box with lines next their name. The box looks like a stylized speech bubble from a comic.

Perfect! Thankyou! The stock dialer is gone in favor of "People".

So thanks to thedosbox I'm much happier with my phone. The dialer was difficult to experiment with because of the likelihood of making an unintended call. This had me gun-shy experimenting with the phone in general.

I'm still not big on these features being hidden or hard to find or having unintended things happen. The old phone was so simple!

 

[lakedude]

Well, Sprint network has a reputation for slow 3g speeds and overloaded network. Also with Republic you are limited in choice of phones, and then that phone is configured to work in a proprietary way that limits your usage of phone to them only. There are other ways to make your phone work on wi-fi without using Republic.

I do use a moto g, but I use the US gsm version which has the flexibility of using tmobile and at&t networks, and there is a wide variety of prepaid plans that will work with this phone. I hate to be stuck with one carrier, I tend to move around alot and its nice to pick which carrier works best where you live.

You make some good points. Sprint and T-Mobile tend to be on the bottom for data with Verizon on top and ATT in the middle.

It sounds like you are doing what is best for you in your situation, especially considering your geographic mobility.

I'm doing the same with a different situation hence different results. For me and my family the voice and text over WiFi is only half the story. The other half is the money savings because Republic assumes you will be on WiFi roughly half the time. They pass the savings of lower cell tower usage on to the customer.

I'm on the $10 a month plan with no data so data speeds are not relevant to me.

The wife and kid have the beta phones so they are on the $19 dollar a month plan which includes data. Republic's data is much faster than the Straight Talk we had previously but I'm sure Verizon's data is better and more expensive.

As the person paying the bills I love Republic's low prices.

 

[Revolution 11]

Since we are talking about the Moto G and since I am getting one in a few days, what type of case would you recommend for this phone? Do you even need a case?

What has been your experience in dropping the phone and how much traction you have with it when the surface is wet or your hands are sweaty or oily? How quickly does the back material stain or change shades?

 

[lakedude]

Revolution,

Yes I should think that you would want a case. The stock phone has fairly thin edges and is a bit on the smooth side.

I actually bought 2 cases and decided to go with the Flip Shell for a few reasons. I like that the flip shell protects the screen, wakes the phone on opening, causes the phone to sleep upon closing, has a non-slip textured surface, and does not add much thickness.

The Flip Shell does have a some drawbacks. The Flip Shell replaces the back cover so it does not really add an extra layer of protection. It also does not cover the sides or corners so it is not going to help with dropping the phone all that much. The Flip Shell gets a bit in the way during actual phone calls, the extra flap must be folded back.

The way I use my phone most of the time the Flip Shell is great. It protects the phone from the tools I typically carry in my pocket.

I'd look elsewhere if you want impact resistance. The OtterBox looks pretty bomb proof...

 

[lakedude]

Even a cheap snap on cover for $5 or so is going to protect the phone better than the Flip Shell...I"m just hoping not to drop mine.

 

[Revolution 11]

Is there a cover you recommend that is not flip-based? I don't want a extra flap on the phone, and I don't think opening it like a book will help. I am leaving a dumb (feature) phone for my first smartphone so the whole Flip shell seems like returning to flipping, sliding, etc to use the phone.

Preferably a case that hugs the phone as tightly as possible, is very thin and minimalistic, and does not have jarring design elements or colors. I don't need bomb-proof protection (I hope not), but I don't want just a paper-thin shell either. The main point is to protect the screen if dropped and to guard against scratches.

The pocket that holds this phone will be completely empty, no keys, no wallet.

 

[lakedude]

Sorry I've only got the 2 covers, the Flip and the el-cheap-o. Several friends have the OtterBox and they swear by them. They are too bulky for my taste but different strokes.

BTW I've made several changes, corrections and updates to the original post.

Now that the bugs are all out I'm really enjoying the phone. Getting rid of the stock dialer (in favor of the People app) was a big improvement and ES File Explorer has been invaluable.

Just for grins I snagged 3dMark. Got 5641 on Ice Storm and 4624 on Ice Storm Unlimited. These are not chart topping numbers but they are pretty solid for a phone in this price range. Ice Storm ran at around 22 FPS with dips into the high teens but it rarely looked choppy.

This is just amazing for someone who starting programming on a 286 (well actually punch cards). My first computer cost thousands of dollars and was just a single core Pentium 1 running something like 133 or 166 MHz. The comparison is just mind boggling. Now I've got a 1.2 GHz quad that fits in my pocket and cost under $200. We have come a long way baby!