I would wait for later this summer if you can. New phones are supposed to come out then. The Defy XT is a bit anemic in storage space for apps if you are even a moderate smart phone user.

7/13/2013 7:23:32 PM

Quote :

"The Defy XT is a bit anemic in storage space for apps if you are even a moderate smart phone user."

Decided to give it a try and ordered one a few weeks ago and aside from being stuck with gingerbread lack of memory has been my only problem. Don't remember the OG Droid being this bad. CEO has said 3 phones by this fall with one having lte and the higher end one being comparable to the gs3

7/13/2013 8:25:43 PM

If you use the facebook app, the latest version allows you to move half of it to the SD card which helps out a bit.

7/13/2013 8:32:54 PM

It'd help some more if I could get the damn thing rooted but apparently they pushed out a silent update so the root method won't work. Probably just send it back and wait until Oct-Dec since it'll be cheaper to ETF then anyways and hopefully they have a decent alternative by then.

7/13/2013 8:56:52 PM

^ jcase updated his root app and it (cyanide 2.1) should work

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=37304920#post37304920

[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 1:19 PM. Reason : better link]

7/15/2013 1:18:43 PM

^3 nice, that helps a lot.

7/15/2013 2:13:54 PM

Quote :

"^ jcase updated his root app and it (cyanide 2.1) should work"

Having the same issue as the other guy with SuperSU failing to update the binaries. Root checker app checks out but can't give any app root access. Waiting to see what jcase says

7/15/2013 6:04:05 PM

Quote :

"Decided to give it a try and ordered one a few weeks ago and aside from being stuck with gingerbread lack of memory has been my only problem. Don't remember the OG Droid being this bad. CEO has said 3 phones by this fall with one having lte and the higher end one being comparable to the gs3 "

I gave it a try to. My previous smart phone was a Samsung Galaxy S from 2009.

Pros to the Defy XT:
*Cheaper phone plan
*I don't miss calls or texts anymore (old phone glitched a ton).
*$3.21 hard cover+screencover from amazon
*Talking over wifi is awesome. Clean and crisp. Even wifi connected with a 768k DSL is very stable and clean.
*Waterproof

Cons to the Defy XT:
*Runs hotter
*Shorter battery life (about an hour when I'm using it for GPS, Pandora, and/or web surfing)
*The headphone aux output is deep in the phone. Some headphone plugs will fit fine, however others don't seat all the way in because of the body of the phone.
*Takes longer to load programs. Not terrible, just maybe an extra second or two here and there.
*Front camera is VGA (terrible quality)
*Rear camera is 5MP. (Galaxy S was 8MP)
*Comes with a 2GB micro SD card (I reformatted my old 8GB Galaxy card for increased storage. I just move what I can to the SD storage.
*Can't take screenshots
*Can't text pictures/media
*Sprint tower coverage is less reliable while inside a lot of stores. Generally 1-2 bars less than verizon network users.
*Smaller screen (3.5" vs 4") makes it harder to type.
*Autocorrect for "lol" is lollipop. (heh, this isn't really a con, just a joke...)

That's a lot of cons you might say. But I'm also being very picky and fully disclosing. Am I happy with it? Yeah. For the price, I can justify its minor setbacks, especially since my other phone was costing me almost three times as much money for relatively the same unlimited service.

I look foward to the new phones this fall. Depending on what you are paying now, I say go ahead and get the Defy Now. Setup was easy. Just turn the phone on, let it do it's updates and in 15 minutes you are good to go. I was able to keep my old verizon number and in one business day it was successfully transfered. Starting in September, I'll save ~$50/mo, which I can set aside towards a LTE phone this fall.




[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 9:12 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2013 8:52:30 PM

Quote :

"56k DSL"

wat?

7/15/2013 8:57:16 PM

^When I visit my parents, I connect to their wifi. Inside the house, I'm lucky to get 1 bar of reception, and signal comes and goes (both verizon and sprint). Stepping outside you can get a solid bar, maybe 2 on a clear day. If I connect to their DSL wifi network, it's solid.

I just checked. They upgraded They used to have 56k DSL. now it's 768 Kbps



[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 9:13 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2013 9:06:22 PM

ah. That makes more sense.

7/15/2013 9:18:36 PM

my wife's defy came with a 4GB microSD card

i don't know why, as i thought they were supposed to ship with 2GB

i could never use the defy...my bionic is pretty crappy compared to new phones these days, but i have jellybean (4.2 via kexec) and i don't think i'll ever want a smaller phone than 4.3"

we'll see what their new offerings are in a couple of months...i'd really like a 4.3" quad core running JB with LTE and 1GB of RAM, but that might be asking for too much (though that's pretty much the GS3, so maybe!)

[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 9:27 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2013 9:24:45 PM

Its ignorance, but I've never used anything other than gingerbread.

I'm really glad I switched over to RW.

[Edited on July 15, 2013 at 11:03 PM. Reason : .]

7/15/2013 11:01:49 PM

^^ Dual bands came with 4 gig and single bands came with 2 gig. I was surprised too.

7/16/2013 10:00:40 AM

Another con I just realized last night:
*No tethering

7/16/2013 7:22:11 PM

FoxFi works without root.

7/16/2013 8:01:36 PM

i couldn't get foxfi to work on my wife's phone...but i only gave it one or two tries, since tethering works fine on my phone and:

unlimited VZW 4G >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everything else



i'm definitely going to want tethering when i (very likely) switch once the new phones are out

7/16/2013 9:47:44 PM

I have tried a few programs, but not FoxFi. I'll give it a shot later.

7/16/2013 9:56:27 PM

I think we're going to try it for two weeks before committing to it. I think the hubs will have a harder time with it than I...but saving that much $$ means we can travel more.

7/17/2013 9:34:30 PM

2.2 update to Cyanide now roots the latest update.

7/20/2013 2:44:51 PM

9/18/2013 11:07:11 AM

^ where'd you find that? i don't see it on the site's front page, or on the RW blog

not saying i don't believe you...but it's hard to get my hopes up

9/18/2013 11:23:42 AM

https://www.facebook.com/republicwireless

https://twitter.com/republicwirelss/status/380346808896978944

[Edited on September 18, 2013 at 11:28 AM. Reason : supposedly out tomorrow.]

9/18/2013 11:27:09 AM

now let's see if it's actually anything worth getting.

9/18/2013 11:41:33 AM

A lot of people have been guessing the Moto X. I'm still content enough with the shitty Defy because of the cheap monthly cost, but I'd definitely enjoy a significant upgrade.

9/18/2013 11:44:51 AM

https://community.republicwireless.com/thread/15942

9/18/2013 11:53:23 AM

Quote :

"A lot of people have been guessing the Moto X. I'm still content enough with the shitty Defy because of the cheap monthly cost, but I'd definitely enjoy a significant upgrade."

Yeah that seems to be what a lot were wanting and sounds plausible based on this
http://bizjournals.com/triangle/blog/2013/09/republic-wireless-hoping-new.html

Quote :

"After his panel discussion Wednesday, I put Morken on the spot, asking him for more details about the phone or a sneak peek. "I can't," he laughed, clutching his pocket. But he did give me a hint: "You should be able to figure it out. With what you've written lately, you should be able to figure it out.""

And wonder what the 5,10,25 and 40 are. Maybe $19+$5 ($24) or $29+$10 ($39) for current customers depending on what plan they have. $25/mo for those who pay full price and $40/mo for those who get it reduced?

9/18/2013 12:12:13 PM

^^ from that, looks like someone did a screen grab and posted "proof" that it was a moto X and what the new pricing scheme was going to be...and then the post was promptly deleted by RW mods

9/18/2013 1:10:22 PM

ha saw that. Now I can't get to their site altogether. From their facebook page

9/18/2013 1:33:50 PM

i just did a bit of quick reading on the moto X...it seems to be a pretty solid phone

most surprising to me was the camera...1.4-micron sensor (same size as the iphone 5's) and if motorola's claims about their "clear pixel" sensor are even half true (they claim it lets in 75% more light than BSI), it's going to be a nice little addition to such a low-cost phone

9/18/2013 2:25:46 PM

phone plan is up in November, would love to try this out and sprint has 4g coverage in my city

9/18/2013 2:36:42 PM

i'm excited about this. Im a moto fan (not sure why), and had been considering this phone anyways.

I've been wanting to switch from Verizon to RW for the sole reason of the price tag. I've been working on relying less and less on my phone, so i'm excited about this move. I tweeted to republic about asking to see if there was any type of NCSU discount, and they said to check out the bookstore. Apparently you can buy their current phones in State's bookstore, at sometimes reduced costs.

9/18/2013 3:33:04 PM

well, they currently only have one phone...it would definitely be cool if they sold their new ones at a discount at the bookstore, though

9/18/2013 10:41:45 PM

damnit. I was really hoping they'd keep their $19/$29 plans for the new phone

9/19/2013 2:26:13 AM

Did I miss an announcement somewhere? And who on earth would spend $5/mo for wifi only use when you could just pay that once for GrooveIP and use Google Voice?

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=12938

Quote :

"Republic Wireless today announced that it will soon offer the Motorola Moto X for $299 without a contract. Republic is an MVNO that uses Sprint's network and offers unlimited everything for $19 per month. Republic Wireless uses a combination of cellular data and Wi-Fi to pass VoIP-based calls through the internet rather than through traditional voice networks. The Moto X includes improved voice call quality over Wi-Fi, and makes significant improvements to call hand-offs between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Republic did not say exactly when the Moto X will go on sale. Republic Wireless also announced that it will be overhauiling its service plans in November. The first plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data on Wi-Fi only for $5 per month. The second includes unlimited talk and text on Wi-Fi and cellular, and unlimited data on Wi-Fi for $10 per month. The third includes unlimited talk, text and data on Wi-Fi, plus 3G cellular for $25 per month. The fourth includes unlimited talk, text and data on Wi-Fi, plus 4G cellular for $40 per month. Once the new plans launch, Republic will continue to offer its original $19 plan only to the Motorola Defy XT."

9/19/2013 9:14:15 AM

I'm assuming that the 3g cellular and 4g cellular are both unlimited talk/text/data?

9/19/2013 10:04:11 AM

^^ i don't see anything on their site, blog, or facebook page...from the forum thread posted earlier, i THINK that was part of the sales graphic that the user posted, so maybe someone saved it and phonescoop got a hold of it?

the advantage of the $5/month plan is that you don't have to do anything special...not that it's hard to set up IP-only voice, but i can see a lot of users who aren't interested in tech or setting it up going with $5/month to just have it work

so what's essentially happening is they're raising the price from $19 to $25/month if you want to use a better phone

i will say that it's less enticing at $40, as that's only $5 cheaper that straight talk (but still cheaper, i suppose)

this one says that it's definitely the moto X: http://www.phonedog.com/2013/09/19/moto-x-coming-to-republic-wireless-for-299-with-no-contract/

Quote :

"I'm assuming that the 3g cellular and 4g cellular are both unlimited talk/text/data?"

i think that's a fair assumption

so, i'm wondering if the moto X to be announced today will be the "regular" phone with a 4G LTE radio (as opposed to the "DVX" version which might not)...and so the only difference is that you don't get a SIM for the $25/month option

[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 10:11 AM. Reason : carats]

9/19/2013 10:09:48 AM

Looks like more sites are starting to report it (laptopmag, cnet and engadget) but still no press release from Republic Wireless. No release date posted anywhere but probably a good assumption that it won't be until November if that's when the new plans take effect.

9/19/2013 10:49:28 AM

i'm not as hung up on 4G as i used to be, so i think i could get on board with the $25/month plan

it's a $6/month price hike, but like they posted in the blog, data usage has historically increased with newer phones/OSes...for obvious reasons (faster phone with better features means you're willing to spend more time on it, new features that rely more heavily on data connections, etc)



[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 11:06 AM. Reason : image]

9/19/2013 11:05:19 AM

yeah, I haven't really missed LTE too much after switching to Selectel. I may just stay there with my GS3 since I wouldn't really be saving any money. Mainly use GrooveIP for calls but have their $75 yearly plan which includes 2000min and 1500 texts to fall back on using Verizon's cellular network and just get the $10 flex cards which are good for 200MB of 3G data. Since switching to wifi at home/work, I average 100-200MB/mo (mainly navigation) so that ends up being $16.25/mo and I get to use Verizon's network with a phone I already had.

9/19/2013 11:12:55 AM

Quote :

"In addition to announcing its intent to carry the Moto X, Republic Wireless today revealed that it will be making over its plan selection in November. Plans will start at $5 per month for unlimited talk, text and data over Wi-Fi only. Customers that'd like some cellular connectivity can step up to the $10 plan that includes unlimited talk and text on Wi-Fi and cellular as well as unlimited Wi-Fi data. A $25 option will include unlimited talk, text and data on Wi-Fi and 3G, and the top-end $40 plan will include unlimited talk, text and data on Wi-Fi and 4G. Once these new plans go live, Republic's current $19 unlimited plan will only be available with the DEFY XT."

9/19/2013 11:29:51 AM

http://republicwireless.com/moto-x

Lol. You can't even sign up for the notification link. Gives a pop up saying the site is infected. November release and looks like they'll only be carrying the 16GB version.

http://republicwireless.com/moto-x-faqs#plans

Quote :

"What are the tech specs for the Moto X? Wi-Fi 802.11a/g/b/n/ac Android™ 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) 4G LTE capability 4.7" AMOLED™ 720p HD Touch Display E911 ready 1.7 GHz Dual-Core Processor with 2GB RAM 16GB Internal Memory Integrated 2200mAh Lithium-ion battery, mixed usage up to 24 hours 1080p HD Video Capture & Playback X8 Mobile Computing System 10 MP Camera w/ Auto-focus and LED Flash, 2 MP Front-Facing Camera Access to thousands of apps through Google Play Will I be able to switch between plans? Yes! When you purchase a new Moto X phone, you’ll be able to choose whatever plan you like—and you can also switch plans up to twice per month as your needs change. For example, if you know you’ll be taking a vacation and might require more cell data one week, you can switch to a cell data plan right from your phone and then switch back to a Wi-Fi “friendlier” plan once you return home. I’m a current Republic member. Are there any special incentives on purchasing the new service plans? Yes! Existing Republic members who own or purchase a Motorola DEFY XT on or before Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST are eligible for a Beta 10% discount off their new monthly service plan when they purchase the Moto X or any future phones for the lifetime of their relationship with Republic. This discount also applies to any Republic LG Optimus users. Note: The discount doesn’t apply to the entire account, it only applies to each PHONE you upgrade to a new pricing plan. You must be a current Republic member to receive this discount. I’m a current Motorola DEFY XT Republic member. Are there any special incentives on purchasing the Moto X? Yes. If you own a Motorola DEFY XT purchased through Republic (or any other provider, for that matter), you are eligible for Motorola’s $100 Jelly Bean Rebate."

9/19/2013 12:09:49 PM

I just signed up for the notification link no problem.

So im pretty positive im switching to Republic. This is my plan. Can y'all verify it makes sense? Sorry if its long, I just want to make sure i'm not missing something.

Sometime in the next week buy the Defy for $79 at $29/month (before 9/25). This will enable me to get a 10% discount when I upgrade to the X phone.

Quote :

"I’m a current Republic member. Are there any special incentives on purchasing the new service plans? Yes! Existing Republic members who own or purchase a Motorola DEFY XT on or before Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST are eligible for a Beta 10% discount off their new monthly service plan when they purchase the Moto X or any future phones for the lifetime of their relationship with Republic. "

Keep plan and phone until November, when X phone is released. Buy said phone for $299 on either the $25 or $40 plan (its nice you can switch your plan up to 2 times per month, every month, no problem).

After I buy the X phone, send Defy to Motorola for $100 as part of the exchange program.

Quote :

"I’m a current Motorola DEFY XT Republic member. Are there any special incentives on purchasing the Moto X? Yes. If you own a Motorola DEFY XT purchased through Republic (or any other provider, for that matter), you are eligible for Motorola’s $100 Jelly Bean Rebate."

How do I profit? Leave verizon sooner, saving $50/month while with the Defy. The Defy will be free (and actually making $21 before taxes). Then in the future receiving a 10% discount from Republic (would be saving $4/month on the $40 plan). $36/month for Unlimited 4G isnt bad.

[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 12:42 PM. Reason : ]

9/19/2013 12:41:35 PM

Quote :

"Sometime in the next week buy the Defy for $79 at $29/month (before 9/25). "

Looks like they thought of that idea and removed the $79/$29 option And sounds like they've managed to get MMS working.

https://community.republicwireless.com/blogs/republic/2013/09/19/the-next-chapter-better-phones-better-plans

Quote :

"4. We can offer an amazing product and deliver on a user experience promise that is audacious. It was very clear that Wi-Fi to cellular handover, improved call quality, and MMS were critical features for our members —we couldn’t agree more. Where other attempts have failed or abandoned, our team has succeeded —we’ve invented new technology that enables seamless Wi-Fi to cellular handover, vastly improved Wi-Fi call quality, and MMS capabilities as well as some great new features such as visual voicemail (and yes, that will be included in the price. C’mon, did you think we would charge for that?). And most importantly, we’ve built a foundation that we can continue to iterate with our members, and update the experience as we continue to learn."

9/19/2013 12:48:49 PM

that stinks. I thought my plan was seemless. Guess I should have pulled the trigger before. Maybe i'll stop by NCSU's bookstore on my lunch to see if they still have them and at what price they are selling them.


But thats great about the MMS.

[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 12:56 PM. Reason : ]

9/19/2013 12:56:13 PM

sounds about right to me...and i'm thinking about doing the same

oh, well, if i can't get the defy for less than $249, i think i'll pass

though i've already left verizon (still paying through the 26th, though ), and i've already got a $45 prepaid ST unlimited card paid through the middle of October...so i have to decide if it's worth trying to get in on that $100 credit and lifetime 10% discount...

...if i do, i'll be paying for 3 different cellular phone services - on 3 different networks - at the same time

Quote :

"Maybe i'll stop by NCSU's bookstore on my lunch to see if they still have them and at what price they are selling them."

report back and let us know, eh?

[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 1:42 PM. Reason : if only i'd added a line at $29 for the phone and $29 for the line! d'oh ]

9/19/2013 1:33:40 PM

Quote :

"we’ve invented new technology that enables seamless Wi-Fi to cellular handover"

lol, yeah they INVENTED multipath tcp

9/19/2013 2:16:04 PM

Looks like they've added a fair use policy also.

https://community.republicwireless.com/docs/DOC-1654

Quote :

"Our policy is targeted toward the top 1% of users, based on mobile data consumption —that means users who consume more that 5GB of cellular data or 100MB of roaming data. The vast majority of our users will never reach these limits. In fact, the first time you hit this threshold, we give you a free pass —once in any six-month period we’ll allow you to exceed the limit— and your speed won’t be reduced. If you hit the threshold twice within a six month period, your speed will be reduced to 2G speeds for the remainder of the month of billing. We’ll make sure you’re aware if your usage starts to approach either benchmark."

Also regarding MMS

Quote :

"Will MMS (sending photos and group texts) be available on the Moto X? Yes! Up until now, MMS hasn’t been available on Republic phones. In part, this had to do with the way we modify our phones for Hybrid Calling. We’re happy to say that the Moto X and future Republic phones will support MMS. That said, there’s one final hurdle —each wireless carrier needs to exchange MMS messages with Republic so our members can send and receive MMS to anyone, regardless of what carrier they’re on. This is a work in progress —Sprint is complete and we’re working with the other carriers to exchange MMS messages. We’ll keep you in the loop as we make progress on this. "

Sidenote- it's amusing reading their forums with all the cheap people whining. Everyone always wants something for nothing.

9/19/2013 2:41:17 PM

So on their website they are selling the Defy for $199 with the $19/month plan.

I stopped by the bookstore on campus (fyi the NCSU bookstore sells this phone in the store) and asked them how much it was. She called someone and said that they were now selling the phone for $99 and $19/month. And you can return it in the 30 days back to the bookstore. **And you get a motorola portable charger for free, which she said I can keep if return the phone.**

So I bought the phone before today before the 9/25 cutoff, so when I upgrade to the X phone i'll get 10% discount on future plans. And when I do upgrade, i'll be able to send my defy to Motorola and get a $100 VISA gift card for upgrading to a Jellybean phone.

I'll also call in the next few days and cancel my verizon, thus saving me $60/month until I upgrade. So if i'm on Republic for 2 months before I upgrade, i'll save $120, which will just eat off of the cost of the $299 phone.

So in the end I think my plan will work out. If now I have 30 days to return it to the bookstore. I'll hold off for now on ending verizon.

[Edited on September 19, 2013 at 3:15 PM. Reason : ]

9/19/2013 2:53:22 PM

i'll stop by the bookstore tomorrow, since i'm going to be on campus anyway...hopefully they haven't changed their price

and if they have, oh well

9/19/2013 4:13:01 PM