All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

Wait, for 299 you can!

 

on the tablet side i am really liking this nexus 7 anybody want to buy a 32gb touchpad

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

That all seems rather insulting to networks in other countries, especially since a lot of them have been sensible and opted to use the same bands.

 

Hmm I went to Straight Talk's site and when I go to buy a SIM and I input my zip code it says that they do not provide service here. Odd. Maybe Verizon is my only choice

 

Does you area have good AT&T coverage?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

I don't know anybody that has AT&T but looking at their coverage maps they do offer coverage in the general area but mostly just along the interstates and in the bigger cities.

 

Question, is anyone familiar with the SamMobile/SamFirmware website?

The firmware files you can download from there, what program do you use to flash them?

 

Yes. ODIN. Alternative: Heimdall.

 

I thought that was the case but I couldn't be sure - there was nothing on the site seemed to say so.

Thanks.

 

Yeah Odin is freaking amazing. I hope LG has something similar as that Nexus 4 is coming..

 

All well and good, but they're still well behind the US.

 

Cracked the screen on our iPad 3 ( not me ). Should I get a kit and replace it myself (approx $80), get it replaced locally (approx $160) or let Apple do it (approx $250).

How difficult are these screen replacements?

 

I have not disassembled anything newer than the iPad 2, but given the fact that the case design has not changed since, I highly recommend having a professional do it if you are concerned about damaging it. The process of separating the LCD assembly from the back casing is difficult and the edge of that casing can be easily scratched or dented if not done carefully.

 

For you guys looking at the Nexus 4/Optimus G, you may want to keep an eye on this. Mine is showing 50-60% usage going to Keep Awake for Battery Usage stats, so there might be something going on between the OS and the S4 Pro chip.

LG Nexus 4 afflicted with poor battery life? | Mobile Bloom News

 

iFixit.com has a teardown of the iPad 3. As TailGunner said it's not an easy process, let a Pro do it if you have the money.

 

Here's that elusive 5 inch Sony phablet again.

http://www.xperiablog.net/2012/11/07/sony-c6603-yuga-pictures-leak/

 

That Sony phone is gorgeous. Might be a serious competitor for my money if it gets the right ratings and development options...

 

^Android 4.2 is running a 3.4 kernel, so they're probably going to bump it to 4.2 by the time it ships.

 

Got a samsung tab 2 7in for my birthday. Kinda surprised as I just sold my other tablet in front of the person that got it for me. But surprised in a good way. So far for quick queries or email checking its perfect.

 

Anybody here use a bluetooth headset? I'm thinking of getting one its going to be weird holding a smart phone up to my head to talk.

 

Move Over iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S III Takes First Place | Sci-Tech Today

 

I think Samsung sells way more than Apple but yet is still less profitable than Apple's iPhone (more markup, cheaper to make).

 

I just couldn't say no.

 

It's no different than holding any other phone up to your head to talk.

 

I use a wired headset. Much more convenient, unless you're driving.

 

The Sony "Yuga" will most likely be my next smartphone. I'm glad the rumours turned out to be true.

 

After talking with Mischief, I'm decided to go with the Note 2. But today, comes in my dad asking me what about the Padfone 2, again, and I'm confused now... What do you guys recommend getting?

Padfone 2

Pros :

• ASUS, so it'll get quick updates
• Future proof
• Amazing 13MP camera
• Tablet dock included
• Definitely will have development
• Great build quality

Cons :

• Much worse battery life than the Note 2
• Have to carry the tablet around as an extra piece
• No stylus features like Airview
• No Multi-Window
• Much mroe expensive than the Note 2 (800€ for the 32GB)
• No MicroSD, but I think 32GB is a fine amount
• Have to import from somewhere else since it's not in Portugal yet

Galaxy Note 2

Pros :

• Amazing 5.5" screen
• Non-pentile, SAMOLED HD+
• Impressive battery life (almost 3d)
• Unlocked bootloader
• Lots of development already
• Multi Window
• Stylus features
• MicroSD slot
• No need to carry a tablet around to get a nice tablet-life experience
• No need to import from somewhere else and is much cheaper
• Very high quality camera, deemed the best by some reviewers

Cons :

• Perhaps too big for day-to-day
• I can't see any other cons atm

So I honestly don't know what to get... Any opinions?

 

Looks like you've answered your question yourself.

 

I guess if you want to add a con for the Note 2, it's using an older SoC compared to the PadFone 2. Then again outside of benchmarks, the Exynos 4 seems to be holding its own quite well despite the outdated architecture.

After having that Optimus G for a week, the quad core Snapdragon gets quite hot during 3D gaming. Great performing SoC, but its thermal performance might not be suited for a phone chassis.

 

Yeah, that's what I've heard about the S4. Indeed, even in benchmarks it holds 1st place titles (although the padfone 2 outperforms it), and in terms of experience, it's quite a beast (multi view)... Plus, the battery life question is a big one, and it's no doubt that the Note 2 is a clear winner.

Maybe. But I'm still unsure if it's better to have a all-in-one phone, or a solution like a Padfone 2...

 

I pinned that one before it was even put in a phone type device. Also, there's throttling happening on the Nexus 4, and likely on the Optimus G as well.

It's just like putting A15 in a phone right now... it just isn't within it's thermal budget without significant throttling. Exynos 4412 in the Note is a really well optimized platform on 32NM HK-MG, where S4/Pro is a 28NM Poly-Si

 

I holded the Note 2 today at a retail store... One handed operation is impossible without the "oh it's gonna fall" sensation. Very good quality build. Fits in the pocket pretty nicely too.

TailGunner, how has your experience with the Note 2 been? How is it when you just need to quickly take it out of the pocket and check/write a sms message? Is it handy or do you always require 2 hands no matter what?

 

is the Nexus 4 that bad? My current phone can run pretty hot too.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

My experience with this device so far has been excellent. Unless you're a 7 feet tall professional basketball player, you're definitely going to be using this guy with two hands. Given the benefits of a large screen, I have absolutely no issue with working around the size. I carry my phones around in a belt clip carrying case, so it's no better or worse than other phones when retrieving it. I do like that I'm able to hold the phone two-handed in portrait position though, it allows for comfortable typing while being able to see more contents of a threaded conversation. I spent four hours catching up on older episodes of Undercover Boss on this phone, and not once did I feel like I need to move to the computer to watch the shows. My vehicle has a manual transmission, so like all phones before, I've grown accustomed to having a Bluetooth headset on hand. I can definitely see why the size would deter people away, but ultimately it's up to you to decide whether a 5.5 inch screen smartphone would enhance your daily activities or hamper it more.

 

I see, thanks for the feedback!

I usually carry my phones on my jean pockets, and the test Note 2 that I was given fitted in my pocket with spare room, so transportation isn't an issue at all!

I could only test the Note 1 in typing, and I could easily type one-handed, and in landscape mode was also very good.

Do you think this phone is good for someone that's constantly checking the sms in a quick phone "swype out of the pocket and in again"? Or any other quick activities.

How safe do you feel when, say, checking the Facebook app or the browser one-handedly?

 

If you're not ragging on it all the time, it's not bad. If you like setting your screen brightness to maximum, this might not be an ideal phone for that. The IPS screen generates quite a bit of heat when set manually to above 80% brightness and with a hot running processor, you're not doing the phone any favors.

The thing I should have mentioned earlier was that I did own the original Note as well, so when I got my hands on the Note II, most of the habits I've had with handling the original Note came back pretty quickly to me.

The best way I can describe this phone is that it has to be handled like a Galaxy S III. If you made a habit of holding the Galaxy S III a certain way, it will work for this phone as well. I learned that when holding it one handed, the most comfortable way of holding it is having the lower corner resting against the base of my thumb; this allows simple one handed operation such as tapping or scrolling something such as Facebook or SMS. The good news with the Note II is that it is more comfortable to hold than the original Note, because the corners are not as defined so it doesn't dig directly into your hand as much, and the curved contour of the back casing allows you to wrap your fingers around the phone more naturally. Because of the change in the screen's aspect ratio, the Note II is actually slightly thinner width wise than the original Note.

 

I see! It's always a matter of getting accustomed to the phone, and fortunately as I have big hands, it'll only make the job easier I think.

Yeah, I noticed, the Note II seemed to be much comfy to hold than the Note I (the test build I was given didn't have the back cover and no battery), and it was quite nice overall. The only thing I'm pretty much worried is, if I have the Note II usage the same as my GSII usage, it may fall. Usage like, being on the bus, and checking the mail/facebook/sms while holding myself to not fall due to bus movement (very trippy grounds here) and alike. Perhaps I'll have to eliminate that from my day2day.

 

I'm not ragging on it, I am planning on buying it. Just wanted to know if it had any known issues on the phone it is based off of.

 

I got my Note 2 for ATT yesterday. It is pretty sweet. Much more smooth than my original note was. And yeah it is basically a two-handed device. You can check stuff thoigh one-handed depending on where it is on your screen.

 

So it's safe to take out the phone while on the bus to check email/facebook/messages on-handed?

 

I would say so, yes. I was able to check everything fairly easily just now as a test. As you know the keyword being check and not compose haha.

 

Ah, thanks for testing! Yeah, when I'm on the bus I usually just check Facebook and all, but when I write I usually use 2 hands even on my GSII.

 

My apologies for the poor choice of words, I meant ragging as an equivalent of the term "hooning" in relations to automobiles. What I originally meant was if you are using the device within conventional smartphone means such as texting, calls, web browsing and emails, you wouldn't have any issues. The device will heat up alarmingly quick if you're trying to do extremities such as Playstation/Nintendo 64 emulation or protein folding on the phone. Mine would get pretty toasty within ten minutes of playing Dead Trigger or Asphalt 7.

 

Eh I don't do as much gaming anymore on smartphones, the battery life is already awful as it stands. If I just leave Steam and Facebook on notifications and do light use like chatting/texting, I can get through a whole day. But even light gaming I will have to charge my phone 2-3 times a day sometimes.

Now my brother has a Verizon iPhone 5 with LTE, he knows how awful smartphone battery life is lol.

 

No problem. You can do almost everything one-handed. Including texting. The top of the screen is the worst part. But still doable and I have small hands.

 

So I updated the kernel on my Nexus and now it won't switch on.
I can boot into recovery but not into the OS itself.

Just what I didn't need...

 

Go into recovery and mount USB storage, then drop a new kernel on the internal storage and flash it.

I've been in that situation MANY times.

 

I bought an Samsung galaxy s3 and the bottom 15-20mm of the screen is pink when showing a white image, i have had a few Samsung phones and the Amoled models always seems to have faults with the screens, you are lucky if you get a good one, I wish their quality control was better as i like their phones, i am getting a replacement tomorrow though i expect it will have faults with the screen also

John.

 

Never had a single issue with AMOLED screens from Samsung... except for the occasional panel that its color temperature is a bit cool. No dead pixels, no banding, no blotching and no burn in. Maybe I'm lucky, IDK.

 

That's definitely a defective screen, I remember the S3 having more of blue tint with white. Motorola AMOLED screens tend to be more biased towards yellow.

Amazingly enough, I haven't encountered any out of the box defect on my phones. Not so much for tablets and laptops...