All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

While Samsung's commercials are pretty good... they really have to work on their product unveiling skills.

And JK Shin might want to consider wearing a turtleneck... maybe that will help with his charisma... or get Psy to do it.

 

Imagine instead of "life companion," which sounds a lot like having a civil union or domestic partnership with your phone, the new slogan of the Galaxy S IV could have been "SAMSUNG STYLE!!!" complete with horse dance.

Come on, it would have been awesome.

 

I guess it's just a cheap way of trying to deflect attention from their own failings.
At this rate the S4 will be out around the same time as the HTC One, in which case it's game over IMO.

I'd quite like that actually.

Everything aside from the aesthetics has been significantly improved upon, it's a far bigger leap forward than any of Apple's 'S' models.
All these S3S comments strike me as ridiculous, just because Samsung have stuck with a look that they've built their recent handset and tablet offerings around instead of changing for the sake of it.

HTC have to try wildly different things though because what they've done previously has been a disaster.
But in some ways it's not that different to older HTCs - they've sacrificed flexibility for a cool-looking body but it's just causing problems, they've made an attempt at differentiating their software but it doesn't seem to be working (reviews I've read all but agree that Blinkfeed is distracting and annoying) and whilst the handset looks good on paper, I can't help feeling like I'm waiting for the 'but'.



Liking the look of the S4 accessories.
I think I'll be getting the wireless charging kit and the S View Cover.

 

It's already been caught by early adopters, their Snapdragon 600 is using LP-DDR2 RAM instead of LP-DDR3 like Samsung. Whether or not this actually impacts performance or the DDR2 already provides so much bandwidth that the SoC is unfazed by the cost cutting yet remains to be seen.

 

That's not a 'but', at least not an HTC-sized 'but'.
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it doesn't have one. Not that it matters though, there's so little interest in it over here.

 

I've been following the HTC One threads over at XDA intensively and fortunately there hasn't been much of the 'omg double-u tee eff' response to those receiving their handsets, so the one report of the build quality issue may be an isolated issue. Given the release timeline, I'll give the Developer version of the One a shot. Most of the issue I had with the One X+ seems to be resolved with the One (Not having the Tegra 3 SoC single-handedly brushed aside 90% of the issues IMO), so we'll see how this goes.

 

This has probably been discussed before but I like how Samsung's buttons are laid out:

Galaxy S 4 preview: Plastic design hurts beautiful hardware, software | BGR

I find myself using the menu button more than I would use a multi-task button (which I can access by just long pressing the Home button).

I know the "pure" Google experience is the multi-task button (and on tablets like on my Galaxy Tab) but I find it less useful.

 

Some of the reviews have said that for all the hype, the "ultrapixel" camera takes disastrously-bad photos. On the other hand, other reviews have said it's pretty good. But nobody has said it's great. That may be the "BUT" of the camera.

 

The GS3 is my first Android device (besides a Kindle Fire, and that's only Android in the loosest sense), and I really like the button setup. I use the menu button all the time, and holding the home button works just fine for multitasking. The only thing I'd change is I'd put the back button in the bottom left and the menu button in the bottom right. For some reason, it feels like they're each on the wrong side of the phone. But I like the overall setup (home button, hold it for multitasking, menu button, back button).

 

I wouldn't even call that a but either.
I think the acid test will be long-term reliability, that's hampered HTC handsets for the past few years.

 

I know the specs are all better (720p versus 1080p, double the cores in the processor, 13 megapixel camera instead of 8, etc). And you're right--it's a much bigger improvement than, say, the iPhone 4 versus 4S (which had the same-size screen, same pixel count, same megapixel count for the camera I think, etc). I wasn't just talking about the case design, but the overall feel and layout of the UI. Yes, it's got some new features, but the total package feels incredibly familiar even though each of the specs is improved.

And that's not a bad thing...once you've got a successful product, you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater every new generation. I think it just lacked some of the initial "wow" that, say, the HTC One did, because it did feel very much like the GS3, just a step better in every way, but still feels very much like a GS3.

 

I agree with Mitlov, back should be on the left and menu on the right (like right click).

I think it's a holdover from the original G1 where the track ball used to be in the middle, home to left and back to the right.

Speaking of... I miss the optical trackpad button... I thought that was pretty nice for one-handed operation.

 

All of the Android phones I've ever owned have had the menu button on the left with back on the right. Changing that order is one of my pet peeves. I LOATHED the button order on the Nexus S... drove me insane to have the home button on the right.

Order should be: Menu, Home, Back, Search/Multitask (if it's a four button capacitive)
For Software buttons: Nothing different than the Nexus devices.

 

When being better doesn't equal victory: Samsung's curious overshadowing of HTC

My mind boggles how some of these people get jobs writing for such high-profile sites.
Samsung aren't winning because of marketing, they're winning because they produce better handsets - better specs, far better reliability, better build quality (using aluminium ≠ good build quality), better features and, crucially, a far better understanding of the market (microSD slot, removable battery etc).



This could be interesting though:

Google X Phone to offer user customizable hardware, heavily subsidized price​

 

But the Nexus 4 is: Back, Home, Multi, different from what you prefer.

 

Picking colors would be good... and same with RAM since we know Google phones are anti-SD card slot now.

But I'd give up on picking colors if the battery will be easily replaceable (at least you remove the battery on the Nexus 4 with some sweat)?

 

I think he was referring to physical buttons? Nexus has has those software buttons for awhile now.

 

All those reasons are why Samsung kicked HTC's butt with tech-heads. Most smartphone owners I know don't know or care about removable batteries, SD card expandable memory, etc. And the Galaxy line has been massively successful with the mass-market instead of tech-heads. I think marketing and carrier support (same phones on every carrier really matters) are why the Galaxy S3 has won with the masses, and the tech specs are why it's won with the tech-heads.

 

And what causes a network to support a particular handset?

In the UK, it's generally all those reasons that you've dismissed as only being of interest to tech-heads.
Store staff would much rather recommend a handset that they know is better than the competition because they're less likely to get complaints or returns - that's where performance, reliability and all the rest come into it.

 

Well, since the iPhone also dominates with US carriers, we can be sure that removable batteries and SD card storage isn't what determines carrier support, and that was what I was saying wasn't responsible for the Galaxy's success.

I think the single biggest factor in getting support from US carriers is committing to share the load marketing-wise. Apple markets a lot. Samsung markets a lot. When is the last time HTC or Sony or LG ran a TV ad for their smartphones on mainstream US TV stations? And lo and behold, look who doesn't get widespread US carrier support.

 

While removable batteries and SD card slots may not be the reason why iPhone sell so well... it could still be a reason why Galaxy S phones do.

People who want removable batteries and an SD card slot go to Android, and one of the few that still support both is Samsung.

 

They're two small but specific examples of a larger category that is one of a number of factors that influence recommendations from staff.
The reliability one is much bigger, though the SD card slot does make a difference, especially if people are switching from older handsets that have SD cards. Things like that definitely affect which handset staff members in stores recommend (believe me, I've been on every side of this equation).

Different markets, different needs.
But it's worth remembering that just because a network chooses to stock a particular handset, that's no guarantee they'll sell many. If the staff in the stores don't feel comfortable recommending it, that'll impact sales.

 

I agree, but what percentage of smartphone buyers in the US do you think have have those two features as a make-or-break priority? I'd be surprised if it was above 5% of smartphone buyers.

Of course. The US smartphone market is very different in many ways from European or Asian markets. But Engadget's analysis was bang-on for the US market, so I didn't agree with you saying the author should be fired for getting it so wrong.

 

Adunno where you are getting this from, alot of new high end Android smartphones don't have either of those. Sony Xperia Z, Nexus 4, one of the new HTC phones don't have these. Apple users also don't really complain about removable batteries and MicroSD card slot storage..

SoC's are gonna have larger and larger capacities, so MicroSD card slots are going to disappear and most people don't care about a removable battery.

 

Cooking with the Xperia Z:

 

Oh god the Mandarin burns my ears.

 

Who said it had to be make or break?
If one handset has said features and another does not, they could simply be the difference that pushes a customer one way or the other. Customers don't have to see features as being vitally important for it to affect their purchasing decisions.

It's not though, it chooses to completely ignore other very important factors.
HTC could spend twice as much on marketing in the US than Samsung, they'd still be nowhere near Samsung because so many of their handsets from the past couple of years have been shoddy at best. Read through the comments, the number of people telling the author that their decision never to buy another HTC has nothing whatsoever to do with marketing and everything to do with terrible experiences in the past. It doesn't matter how well marketed your products are if they're objectively inferior to the competition.

I didn't say he should be fired, I questioned why Engadget would employ someone who deliberately twists the truth to fit a particular message they've clearly decided they want to convey instead of simply sticking to the facts, in the first place.

That's not entirely true.

But the reason so few people do is that Apple have never offered expandable storage, so if you decide to purchase an iPhone, then you accept it's never going to be an option.
Android on the other hand, microSD cards have always been an option, so of course people will be less than pleased that companies like HTC have chosen to stop offering a feature that can only benefit customers.

 

People who post on Engadget are not representative of the mass market. They're one-percenters, a small-but-vocal minority of tech enthusiasts. What matters to them is not what matters to the mass market. If internet posters were representative of the mass market, America would be dominated by rear-wheel-drive manual-transmission sporty hatchbacks instead of by Camries and F-150s.

What? Not everyone who reaches a different conclusion than you is "deliberately twisting the truth to fit a particular message." Maybe they've just looked at the issue and come to a different conclusion than you. I think the author was spot on when it comes to the US mass market. Does that mean I'm being disingenuous and deliberately twisting facts to fit a message, just because I don't agree with you?

 

True enough, expandable storage might not be a deciding factor for the average Joe. One storage volume is easier to manage and the phone manufacturer can rest assured that the user's experience won't be jepordized by a slow or even unreliable microSD card. However, having the option does make the device increase its appeal on the whole. It doesn't take much for a potential customer to realise that they don't have to pay a hefty premium for additional storage when expandable storage is in place. The more knowledgeable crowd is well aware of the fact that most phones don't offer nearly as much internal storage space as what you can get from microSDXC cards (currently up to 128GB, although compatibility varies). Simply put, it's another point to add to the pro/cons list of a device. How relevant it is depends on the user but it's not completely irrelevant for a phone's sales number when you include everyone. The same goes for removable batteries. If you take longer flights often and find yourself away from an outlet most of the time you operate your phone, a situation certain lines of work are known for, having that option can be a complete necessity.

Internal storage is not found within the SoC. You'll see several storage configurations for a given chip spread across different phones. The Xperia Z (and ZL) does have a microSD slot, adding to its purpose as an all-rounder.

 

Where do you get that from? If given a choice, I think people would want a removable battery because of the flexibility and convenience. There wouldn't be a market for battery cases or battery packs if iPhones had a removable battery.

It also allows people to take advantage of higher capacity batteries when they are made available.

And this isn't just about extended life (which is important), batteries are probably one of the most inefficient and most apt part to break down... not being able to end-user replace it is a shame.

 

I'm stoked for the S4. I'll probably be upgrading to the S4 upon release. It'll be quite the upgrade from my Samsung Captivate. I'll probably end up flashing the S4 within a few weeks of getting it . Through, the Captivate, running Android 4.2.2 is serving quiet well and really does everything I need. Not bad for an old phone.

I still think the Captivate, naked without a case, is one sexy phone. When I get the S4 I'll be throwing an invisible shield screen protector and an Otterbox Defender case of it. I tend to protect my phones. Captivate had an Otterbox on it for a long time so it's still in awesome shape. Now I just have the invisible shield it.

Sent from my Samsung Captivate/JB CM10.1 via Tapatalk.

 

To me, this was all about the software. Samsung's getting serious about their TouchWiz experience: while the look may be cartoony for some, the featureset is staggering and seemingly all encompassing.

The big question is: does it all work with the sort of polish that Apple or HTC pull off? That remains to be seen until reviews come out, I guess.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

Now you're just being ridiculous.
Yes Engadget readers are a minority of potential customers but that doesn't mean that their needs and experiences are incompatible with the larger market. No-one, be they an avid Engadget reader who flashes their handset etc or some 'soccer mom' who doesn't know what Android is, wants an unreliable phone.

It's got nothing to do with agreeing with me and everything to do with ignoring facts. It is a fact that HTC's handsets from the last couple of years have not been the most reliable - anyone who works in the industry can tell you that.
To ignore that fact and pretend that is has had no bearing on HTC's success or lack thereof is most definitely disingenuous.

Again it's not about coming to a different conclusion, it's about stating unequivocally that HTC's problems are due to one factor and one factor alone when there are most definitely other issues that affect it.
Simple logic alone dictates that nothing is ever that cut and dry but especially in this case, there are most definitely other large issues that have hampered HTC.

You're entitled to think whatever you want, it doesn't make you right or wrong.
But you're not passing your opinion off as insight on one of the larger online tech blogs.

 

Wow, you held on to your Galaxy S way longer than I did mine.

 

Wow who is still using a Galaxy S these days? :\

 

I kept my Epic 4G up until this past November. I consider 2 years pretty good for a smartphone's life expectancy.

 

HOLY HELL DUDE, calling someone "ridiculous" and "disingenuous" ("not candid or sincere," i.e., dishonest) because they think marketing is a much more important part of success or failure in the US market than you do?

 

Thanks to continuous support of the XDA community, the Vibrant and Captivate are still performing quite well for three year old phones.

 

Exactly. I'm running Android 4.2.2 on the Galaxy S Captivate. Really my main reason for upgrading when the S4 is out is the memory. The Captivate can get sluggish since there isn't much memory and I tend to run a lot of programs.


But yeah, I have held onto this phone for a long time. It's actually my first and only smart phone. I came to this eon an old LG CU500 clam shell phone. I rocked the CU500 for 4-5 years. That too was a great phone.

My wife upgraded to the S3 recently, making the nerd in me jealous lol.



Sent from my Samsung Captivate/JB CM 10.1 via Tapatalk.

 

Hrm well that's a good point, my friend ran 4.0 on his OG Droid, though it ran really horribly past 2.3 really..

 

I have one on my desk now. The thing has outlived so many other phones it's crazy. It runs 4.2.2 like a champ, and is 5011x smoother than my Atrix. It even runs project butter. Sure, the pixels are so big you could use them as drink coasters, but hey... it gets the job done.

 

Yup. I wish my Epic 4G could have continued on further, but the modem hardware refused to function any longer. I was apprehensive about giving up my physical keyboard, but at least Swype is there to ease the transition. One phone that's surprised me is my Mom's Inspire 4G (Desire HD). So many people were complaining their Desire went bad after about a year. She's had hers 3 years an no issues other than what she creates by pressing a bunch of buttons at the same time.

 

Light usage, 50% brightness (~4 hours 22 minutes screen time), WiFi off, Bluetooth on, all Power Saving options off, Dynamic Screen Mode, Push sync on two email accounts with 50-100 messages/day.

 

^Nice! 3 days is really quite something!

Meanwhile, Google Music chewed through 2.3GB of my dataplan yesterday in a matter of 6 hours. Wasn't even using it at the time.

 

Most I've gotten out of my Nexus 4 is ~28 hours, and I was down to like 6%

 

WAT?

What ROM is that? Pure stock?

 

Not pure stock, it's the N7105's DMB3 firmware with SMS character limitation removed. The Kernel is Saber 16+, supports undervolt and overclocking but I haven't touched those settings yet. I believe if I can at least undervolt all the frequencies on the table by 150 mV and turn on the power saving features, it could have lasted well past 4 days.

 

Is that a stock battery or extended battery? Here are the blue screen shots I have when I used CM9 on my Captivate wit an extended battery. No real power savings on other than airplane mode while my phone was locked at work since there isn't signal.

Right now I'm using my old stock 1500mah battery since I'm enjoying the skim sleek feel. But my 3300mah Siedio is a life saver. Even if it has list a little of its original capacity. The stock battery is worn and doesn't last a whole day with moderate usage. Thinking I may underclock my cpu but haven't played much with those settings.


Sent from my Samsung Captivate/JB CM 10.1 via Tapatalk.

 

I used my Note 2 as my primary camera on spring break and I have to say that this is the first time I've been impressed with a phone camera. Now, I'm not a photographer, so some of you would find flaws in the pics, but I think I got some pretty good shots. Took a few panoramics too.

I took a few hundred pictures so I need to sift through the garbage, but if there's any interest I may post an example or two..

 

I need to preorder an INTL GS4 in the US. Anyone know where I can do that?