All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

Yep, any Nexus device is perfect for testing. It depends on what you are trying to develop as well...if it's not graphic intensive, the original Motorola Droid and HTC Evo 4G are great candidates.

 

Anyone here using a Samsung G SIII? I'm thinking of replacing my Captivate. But here is the thing, I have no desire to extend my contract, just to get a new phone. I'll probably be going overseas for a year in about 7 months. So I don't want to pay to extend the contract. My wife and I will figure out what we want when I return. So if I go the GSIII route I'd be buying it out right. Probably off eBay. May even come with me overseas as an MP3 , Movies/gaming device to help kill time.

Anyhow just wondering what any GSIII users here thought of the phone. Coming from the captivate its probably a large step forward. Thanks guys.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate/ICS CM9 via Tapatalk.

 

Coming from the Captivate, it's more than a large step.

I honestly think the GS III would be a much better device to take overseas with you. It has multiple times more power in almost every way. Plus a bigger 720p screen would be a lot better for killing time with videos.

 

If you don't want to spend $425 or more on an S III, the S II is a good option. There's an official Samsung 2000MaH extended battery out for the international S II.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

 

You know Android really disappoints me...nothing past Gingerbread for my phone. All these modded 2.3 for my phone on XDA...GIMME DAT HARDWARE ACCELERATION.

 

I'm trying to develop AOSP ROMs starting with the first device (which will serve as the testbed), including kernel development and then port to other devices. I've worked with Linux kernels before but never really had the opportunity to have a work Android device to hack and work on. I need to know which would be the most affordable place to start. Will an old LG running vanilla Android suffice? /Or do I have to get a Nexus? If so, which one?

Sorry for the trouble Hal, and thank you for your help!

 

Your device is Qualcomm MSM8660 based. There could be an ICS/JB ROM up for your phone right now if someone there at XDA put the effort in.

In that case... Nexus would be the ONLY way to go. LG's kernel source is sorely lacking.

I'd recommend getting a Galaxy Nexus. The most up-to-date kernel source available, open hardware (after unlocked) and Google's support. Can't go wrong.

No problem!

 

Thanks a ton!!

 

Trooper is selling his Galaxy Nexus at an excellent price: http://forum.notebookreview.com/everything-else/690248-fs-galaxy-nexus-factory-unlocked.html

 

Yeah I just hate how unsmooth 2.3 feels despite having GS2 specs.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

...............

 

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Aw, that's too bad. If you need someone to forward you a phone from the US, PM me.

 

^I will vouch for Mr. Mischief... very reputable guy.

 

Thanks man. Really appreciate it. Definitely love the specs of the GSIII compared to the Captivate!

Thanks. I don't think I'd mind spending the money. I think I can swing it. At keep the Captivate to toy with still. But I'll definitely be getting an invisible shield and the largest extended battery I can get my hands on. Maybe see if I can cut an Otter Box to fit around the extended battery like I did for my Captivate.


Sent from my Samsung Captivate/ICS CM9 via Tapatalk.

 

I previously owned an sgs2 and reluctantly moved to an sgs3. At first I thought it would be a slight evolutionary step forward since the sgs2 had excellent specs even compared to recent phones. I was surprised by the sgs3 once I got to use it. Here are some things that it had over the sgs2 :
Big screen that's more viewable in sunlight. I do most of my browsing from here now and movies are a joy to watch
Better dac /sound card. The difference is huge.
Bigger battery. You will get more use from your phone despite the quad cpu and bigger screen. But it doesn't double the sgs2 batter life.
Better usb otg implementation. You can connect a 500 gb external drive without the need of a powered hub. Not doable on the sgs2.

I think you will be more than happy coming from a captivate. But with all its feature list, it's really the screen that's the main attraction here.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

Well, that's that...

https://forums.motorola.com/pages/00add97d6c

The Atrix, with a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC with 1GB of RAM, "will remain on Android 2.3 Gingerbread".

May Motorola's whole design and development team burn in a fire. All of the worthless people there that are just collecting paychecks and not doing A. DAMN. THING.

 

Thanks man. That's awesome to hear.

I definitely like the idea of the screen. The screen is actually what sold me on the Captivate, as well as my M17x R2. Screen quality is definitely a priority.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate/ICS CM9 via Tapatalk.

 

Thank you, guys! Let me check the local offerings first and get back to you.

 

Funny how the Atrix isn't getting it, while someone at moto promised Droid Bionic users that they'll think of something regarding ICS/JB. Granted those Bionic owners have had an interesting ownership experience but still...

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

Got the wife a DROID razr M our first smart phone I will be getting myself a smart phone in another month or so thinking about the S3 or galaxy nexus

Sent from my HP Touchpad (CM9)

 

Galaxy Nexus is an excellent choice if updates are important to you. Yes, the Verizon and Sprint versions tend to get updates later than the GSM model but at least they still happen. Only downside to the GNex IMO is the camera and lack of removable storage.

The S3 on verizon is pretty solid too. However, if the leaked unlockable bootloader never happened, i wouldnt have been able to recommend it. If you can live with perhaps not getting the super latest updates (although samsung's been surprisingly good as of late: IIRC they're bringing JB to the GSII...) you'll get a very powerful handset with far better camera's and a bit better display.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

Ok, so my MOTHER just installed GApps through CWM on her Skyrocket with CM10.

 

That's awesome!

Sent from my Samsung Captivate/ICS CM9 via Tapatalk.

 

I'm thinking of ditching Virgin Mobile and getting on one of T-Mobile's no-contract plans. Where I live now, I get virtually zero signal in my own apartment building or at work, which is where I spend the vast majority of my time. T-Mobile happens to get excellent reception in those places, though. Right now I pay $35 per month for 300 minutes, unlimited messages and unlimited data with 3G speed for 2.5GB, then throttled down to 1x. The T-Mobile plan I'm looking at is $30 per month for 100 minutes, unlimited messages and unlimited data, with 4G up to 5GB per month then throttled down to 3G. I don't think I'll really miss those 200 minutes, and I would love faster data; even the 3G I get with VM before throttling is like dial-up...having no signal most of the time probably doesn't help though.

The main issue is the phone. I can't really do anything with my VM phone (Motorola Triumph), so I'll have to get something new. I'm looking at the Galaxy Nexus directly from Google, which is $350 with no contract. From what I understand, it's compatible with T-Mobile's network. Now, I've never used a SIM card; all my phones until now have been on CDMA networks. Does T-Mobile send me one when I subscribe to their service and activate a new phone or what? Is the Galaxy Nexus even still a good phone? I know it's been around for a while, and I haven't really been paying attention to new phones, especially not GSM ones.

 

When you purchase the service, you'll get the SIM sent to you. All you'll have to do is put it in your new phone and follow whatever instructions tmobile will give you.

The galaxy nexus is still a very good handset. If you dont need a super high end camera, removable storage, or bleeding edge internals, it's a handset I'd recommend without question

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

I just...what...how is this...not sure...what again?
How this is even possible.

 

I just don't even know anymore. I was explaining how to update her phone to her, with download.cyanogenmod.com, and she was understanding what I was talking about.

It's like the twilight zone. ಠ_ಠ

 

I've picked up some good apps during this sale that google is doing.

Two awesome games are ski safari and Granny Smith, way fun.

 

Play Store Pet Peeve: People leaving bad reviews on apps because it's not compatible/doesn't work right on a custom ROM installed on their HTC HD2 or HP TouchPad.

 

YES.

If it's a custom ROM on an Android device it's one thing... but if your device wasn't even SHIPPED with any form of Android, STHU. You're in NO position to leave a bad review just because your hacked up, half supported device can't run an app correctly.

The main one that's killing me is Sketchbook Pro. I even saw one review the other day that was complaining because the app was running sluggish on their Playbook. I'm like... REALLY? You don't say?!

 

Anybody leave Skype on there device always? Skype is strange for me will not show up in the normal app switch dialog so that I can close it, I have to kill it from the task manager.

When in the task manager it always is saying 0% cpu used but when I leave it running I can feel my phone physically warm in my pocket so I know its eating up some resources.

 

If you have a Galaxy S III and you're using a task manager, you're doing it wrong... to put it blunt. :/

With Skype, if you sign in it keeps running in the background. To quit, you basically just sign out from the upper right hand corner. It doesn't kill the app, but it does cutoff all it's network connections and basically allows the app to be suspended.

 

Instead of putting it blunt maybe you should make a suggestion on a better way?

 

I did.

Also, I meant no offense. It's just that task managers are more like battery killers nowadays, rather than helping preserve battery life with Eclair and FroYo.

 

I thought you meant application wide not skype specific, was wondering if you knew a better way to kill tasks if they are not responding or are hidden. As far as task manager its part of the OS its not like I leave it up and running to monitor things its something I bring up only to manually kill a task once in a while.

 

If an app needs to be force stopped, I just go into the settings, apps, go to that app and push force stop.

Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

Although I don't use it i still believe task manager has its uses.
There are still many badly coded apps out there. For example, vibers last update and the facebook app. I don't use them but I'd kill them if I did.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

Galaxy Note 2 Drop Test:

<iframe width='560' height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mA0r7tc6V5s" frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Please master, share your wisdom with me!

 

Anybody know where I can get a cheap verizon cell to use temporarily (for a month or two)?

 

Your best bet would be Craigslist or ebay. With craigslist you'd obviously be able to get the phone sooner.

 

Please if you are buying a cheap Verizon phone...avoid LG clamshells, I've went through 5 in the span of 4 years (4 enV2, 1 x Voyageur).

 

Well, you'll have cheap then you'll have usable. If it's usable it won't be cheap. If it's cheap it won't be usable.

On Verizon, that's just how the Äpfel fall.

 

A droid incredible or incredible 2 could work nicely. I'd also recommend the OG Droid but it's a bit too old and feeble these days...

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

I went with ebay.

LG used to make good phones of course that was 6 years ago

I just need a phone for making calls and texting for either a few weeks or months until I decided what I want to do.

Thanks, I just got a dumb phone to use for a short time period while I decided which Android phone I want.

 

Samsung Galaxy Note II review: Writing home - GSMArena.com

The iPhone's going on Craigslist so fast, it wouldn't be able to find itself on Maps once Verizon has the new Note vailable. I just hope they're not stupid enough to put their logo on the home button.

 

Watch VZW lock the bootloader. I'm just counting the minutes until that's splashed across the blogosphere.

 

It's pretty much a given IMO. And the only reason GS3 users got a hold of a unlocked bootloader was by sheer luck, who knows if that'll be on the Note 2's side this time around.

Also, that home button thing....still shocked by the sheer blatentness of it (yet not surprised...it is verizon)

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

Agreed, they'll have it locked up. Given the Note's nature though, I'm perfectly okay with the factory firmware and probably prefer to keep it due to the S-Pen apps. I only changed my Galaxy S III's launcher to Apex and that was the extent of what I did to it. Samsung has done a great job with their newer TouchWiz framework overall to where it doesn't cause negative impact to the device's performance and usability. I'd like to have root just to get SixAxis to work, but other than that I really don't have anything else that needs it.

I figure if Verizon does put their logo on the home button, I'll just replace the home button from another device or have a friend strip the paint and refinish it.

 

The Note2 is the most amazing handset I have ever seen.