Does anyone have the Verizon Moto X yet?

[G+_Andrew Vaughan]

Does anyone have the Verizon Moto X yet?  The main thing I want to know is: how much did Verizon change it from stock?  

 

I am well aware that the X isn't a full stock/nexus phone, but I generally approve of the customizations...it's a far cry from the Sense/Motoblur/etc skinning that you are stuck with on every other Verizon Android phone.

 

I'm looking to recommend a phone for my mom, who must have Verizon to get any kind of quality service at her house.  She wants Android, but she's not adventurous enough to go down the root/flash/ROM road.  She's also highly likely to want to go the contract route, since she's on a low-cost shared plan with my dad that they're not going to want to mess with.  I've been very frustrated trying to find an Android phone for her that Verizon hasn't made awful.  A few weeks ago, I thought that I would be recommending the HTC One, and then I would put Nova Launcher on it and try to get her back as close to stock as possible.  But I live far away, and it won't be easy to help her if the setup needs maintenance.  So now I'm hopeful that the Verizon X is reasonably close to stock, and I can recommend it without qualification?

[G+_Lucas Nichols]

Just get them an old s3 or something. Seriously. Get it used for cheap. It'll be capable of doing so much more than they are. Giving them the moto X or something rooted would just confuse them anyway.

[G+_Andrew Vaughan]

Mom is using a 3-year-old Droid X right now...she's reasonably competent with it but it's truly a PoS at this point.  I'd like to get her onto Jelly Bean so that she can have a nice experience.  And I think that the closer she gets to stock, the simpler and better that experience will be.  I'd give her my N4 if she wasn't tied to Verizon.

 

In all honesty, the iPhone 5S is going to be simple, fast, stock, and $200 on contract.  I'm having to bite my tongue to not recommend that she just do that.  But the specter of having to use iTunes to manage music on the PC just makes me cringe.

[G+_Matt Wells]

I'm using a Droid X right now as well.  On the phone with Verizon to see if they can approve me to pick up my X at FedEx.  I'll let you know.

[G+_Andrew Vaughan]

Awesome, Matt Wells ! Thanks!

[G+_Matt Wells]

Turns out they won't let me drive 3 miles to pick it up.  I have to wait until Tuesday when it's delivered  I'll let you know how it goes.  

I did go and play with the one in the store.  I know it had almost 4 full pages (20 apps per page) and that's about 2 pages more than a ASOP install of Android.  

When I get it I was planning on listing the crapware and what can and can not be removed.

[G+_Matt Wells]

So here's some of the bloatware on the X.  Also if you can remove it (here's a hint, you can't remove anything)

App                 Remove

Assist             No

Backup Assist. No

Caller Name ID No

Migrate            No

Mobile Hotspot No

Verizon Mobile No

NFL Mobile      No

Quickoffice       No

Setup              No

Verizon Tones  No

Voicemail         No

VZ Navigator     No

Demo Mode      No

[G+_Andrew Vaughan]

Thanks Matt.  How about the general look and feel of the launcher?  No Motoblur, I assume...does it look mostly stock out of the box?  Are the menus all colorized or basically stock?  When you go to Contacts (People) does it give you that crap about storing things on the Sim/Phone/Google?

[G+_Matt Wells]

Outside of those apps being stuck on the phone it really does feel rather stock.  No hint of any blur apps or looks.