Screw the Droid Bionic - Wait for the Nexus Prime

This past January at CES, there were many announcements that seriously caught our attention in the mobile space. One such announcement was the Motorola Droid Bionic, which has since seen its fair share of mishaps, delays, and whatever could happen to a handset to keep it from store shelves. More than half a year later, the handset that made everyone swoon may soon be eclipsed by better choices soon to come.

Like we have covered before, the allure of the Droid Bionic wasn’t that it was a good phone, but the fact that it was the first handset to support a dual-core processor and Verizon’s 4G LTE network. Fast forward to today and such a handset still doesn’t sit on the shelves of the largest carrier in the US, but we do know of a few that could. The problem is that the rumored devices that may have the dual-core/LTE combo are seriously more appealing than the Bionic ever has been, and when you throw in the possibility that one of these rumored devices is a part of the Nexus line, one could say that the Bionic is already past its Prime.

When we first got our hands on the Droid Bionic, it looked a lot different from what we’ve been seeing more recently and that’s very much a good thing. The big and bulky handset has been slimmed down a bit but we’re not expecting the handset to be that thin, as we recently saw it sitting next to the upcoming Droid HD.

Techno Buffalo was recently tipped off that the Google Nexus Prime has graced the halls of Verizon’s offices. The first Ice Cream Sandwich device is said to bring one of the hottest feature sets ever seen on a handset, not to mention be the first handset of the Nexus line that would be available for Verizon. The minimal advertisement of the past two Nexus handsets yielded little fanfare outside of the uber-geek and development community but the hardware of the Prime and a carrier like Verizon backing it may prove to be much more successful than a large-scaled replica at the local Best Buy to get attention.

You’d be hard pressed to find a feature a feature the Bionic has that the Nexus Prime doesn’t. Of course, no one but a select few have even seen the latest Nexus device but we’d imagine that it’s basically going to kill everyone Android phone available today when it debuts. The rumored specs of the Nexus Prime, most of which likely will materialize completely, simply put the Bionic to shame. From the screen resolution and size to the dual-core processor’s clock speed, the Nexus takes the cake. Of course, not everyone will want a 4.5+ inch display in their pockets but we’d imagine that if you were considering a 4.3 inch display on the Bionic, an extra .2 inches isn’t going to be a deal breaker. Throw in the fact that the Nexus Prime will sport Samsung’s latest AMOLED display, the AMOLED HD, and we’re sold.

Oh yeah, and we’d take Ice Cream Sandwich over any version of Motoblur any day.

Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola may (hopefully) make the manufacturer change its ways on the software front in upcoming devices but that likely won’t happen with devices on track to ship this year. If you honestly want to know what the Bionic will be like, just go to your local Verizon store and look at the Droid X 2. Now imagine it thicker and with a LTE radio inside. If that’s all you’re asking for, grab the Bionic when it comes out.

If you’re looking for a top of the line handset that’s not a recycled version of an existing handset, wait and see what October will bring you. When Verizon LTE handsets run about $250-$300 a pop, you may find a bit more bang for your buck in the next Pure Google handset.

About The Author

Blake Stimac

Blake was born in Beaumont, Texas, about 100 miles away from Houston. Even as a youngster, technology came to him very naturally, tinkering with anything he could. His passion of technology grew with mobile phones when he dreamed that the capabilities of phones would eventually make one's life much easier. Since then it's been his mission to advocate the push of mobile technology to anyone who will listen.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9375875 Jeff Scott

Google phones while having impressive specs have had a long history a big fails, from non existent support via google, to being problematic with updates. Much is expected with the bionic, so they want to be perfect on this. I’ll make the safe bet.. waited long enough as it is.
- Brandon
  
  Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t the Nexus phones always been the first to receive available updates? Also, the fact that they always run vanilla android should mean the updates would run without hiccups, right? Now I’ve never owned a Nexus device and am going off of what I’ve read and been told. But I gotta be honest as tempting as it is to wait until october, I feel I’ve been waiting an eternity for a dual core phone on Big Reds 4G network. So the Bionic will most likely be the device I carry around with me for the next two years.
  - http://www.intomobile.com/ Stefan Constantinescu
    
    You’re absolutely right Brandon, the Nexus devices have always received software updates first, and it’s why we at IntoMobile always say that they’re the best Android devices on the market.
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
    - Austin Harris
      
      One has to consider if part of the reason that phone manufacturers release software updates later is because they spend more time verifying the hardware-software integration. For the average user, insuring that a software update doesn’t break some functionality of the phone is more important than having the latest and greatest (read: also most likely to contain bugs).
http://twitter.com/BrianB13 BrianB13

I have waited for the Bionic since CES. I’m getting a phone by the end of October so whatever dual core 4g LTE phone is the best that’s out, I will get.
Anonymous

Nobody better get the WACK Bionic. Everyone better wait for this phone or the Samsung Galaxy S ii !
alex

wow, this guy doesn’t even know the specs for the nexus and is just guessing that it will be better. I mean logically the later a phone comes out the better it will be, but when the bionic debuts there will be nothing on the market thats as good. If it is what you want(which I do) then get it. Waiting for another phone another month is ridiculous because at the pace new phones get better and come out, then you will be stuck in an endless cycle waiting for a better phone.
tl;dr Get the bionic
- http://www.intomobile.com/ Stefan Constantinescu
  
  “waiting for another phone another month is ridiculous because at the pace new phones get better and come out”
  
  we’re not talking about a lot of time; 30 days of waiting for what will undoubtedly be a better product, plus a smartphone that will be the first in line to get software updates, isn’t foolish. it shows patience.
  - alex
    
    Like I said though, at the pace new phones come out, by the time the Nexus debuts why not wait for another better phone that will come out within a month after it?
    See, it just creates an endless cycle, so what you should be looking for is not the phone with top specs thats going to be the latest/greatest for a month, but a phone with specs you are looking for that will be able to handle everything you need it to for the next two years, which the bionic will be(for me and a lot of other people).
  - Anonymous
    
    30 days would be the “ideal” launch date. We don’t know when it will officially launch (correct me if I’m wrong). Remember the Bionic was “supposed” to launch way before Sept 8th. There is no saying that this won’t be a similar situation. I’m not saying it isn’t worth the wait, but for those like myself (sporting OG Droid) might not want to continue to wait. I’m not too worried about the latest version of Android either because I’ll probably just root the phone and put on CM or MIUI anyways.