All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

Ok, so I've been doing some really daring things lately... so I decided I'd try TouchWiz.

Spoiler

 

Do I want to get myself an i9500 or an i9505?

 

i9500, for the simple fact it is the best of the best of the best. I always feel like the Snapdragon handsets compromise on something.

 

Maybe not relevant, but I can't hear that phrase without thinking of:

 

^^^May want to add this as well:
Joe Esposito - You're The Best (LYRICS) - YouTube

 

I think I'm swapping out my s4 for the 32gb model. Should be in on Friday.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

Is it the better handset though?
Some benchmarks seem to suggest so but when Engadget compared the two handsets, they found that results were split roughly 50/50 in favour of each model. Even their experience of battery life favoured the i9505.

And there's the development aspect of it all.
I thought I'd given up on custom ROMs, I've been quite happy with an all-stock S3 but, partially to reduce bloat and partially because some of the new features the Paranoid Android team are working on (system-wide multi-tasking, chathead-style notifications for all apps), I'm finding myself thinking I'll want to play around a bit more with my new phone - and in that respect, the i9505 is likely to receive superior support.

Then there's the price aspect.
Even if the i9500 is the superior handset, I'm liable to be able to purchase an i9505 for less.

 

I9505, the LTE is worth it alone IMO, and the dev support.

 

Welcome to the dark side. We've got fun and games.

 

By the time I think LTE would be available here, I'd probably have moved on to a newer handset.

 

The i9505 is going to be ahead in development right now, because of Codearoura. But, I see it being an S III type of situation, where the Snapdragon models are released first, and the development comes in later for the Exynos based models.

See, I just don't understand that. I've had LTE phones, I've EXTENSIVELY used and even built out parts of AT&T's LTE network and I still cannot find a justification for speeds that fast on a phone. Tethering... MAYBE. But the amount of time you'd be tethered, you really won't see a difference in LTE and HSPA+, especially with data caps.

Too late. I'm back on CM. Audio in CM is better.

 

Yeah but with the i9500's smaller release and a number of Dev's swearing off Exynos, maybe that won't happen this time.

Well, in switching to Three, I'll be getting genuinely unlimited data with tethering included.
And LTE at no extra cost when the roll it out.

 

Well, in that case... i9505. LTE is only any good with high/no data caps.

 

For what it's worth, Aaron from PhoneDog is doing a 30 day challenge with the GS4...Part of that was with the international version for a point of comparision to the US versions:

 

He seemed to spend more time talking about the fact he was undertaking a '30 day challenge' than he did about the phone.
Also, it's inaccurate to refer to the i9500 as an international model and imply that the i9505 isn't - as many countries are getting one as the other.

As for what little he said about the handset, I wonder if the lag relates to switching from one set of cores to the other.

 

I've been wondering what the frequency scaling was like on 5410. It's been tempting me to get one, just to play with 8-core kernel source.

 

Code:

static struct cpufreq_frequency_table exynos5410_freq_table_CA7[] = {
	{L0, 1300 * 1000},
	{L1, 1200 * 1000},
	{L2, 1100 * 1000},
	{L3, 1000 * 1000},
	{L4,  900 * 1000},
	{L5,  800 * 1000},
	{L6,  700 * 1000},
	{L7,  600 * 1000},
	{L8,  500 * 1000},
	{L9,  400 * 1000},
	{L10, 300 * 1000},
	{L11, 200 * 1000},
	{0, CPUFREQ_TABLE_END},
};

static struct cpufreq_frequency_table exynos5410_freq_table_CA15[] = {
	{L0,  2000 * 1000},
	{L1,  1900 * 1000},
	{L2,  1800 * 1000},
	{L3,  1700 * 1000},
	{L4,  1600 * 1000},
	{L5,  1500 * 1000},
	{L6,  1400 * 1000},
	{L7,  1300 * 1000},
	{L8,  1200 * 1000},
	{L9,  1100 * 1000},
	{L10, 1000 * 1000},
	{L11,  900 * 1000},
	{L12,  800 * 1000},
	{L13,  700 * 1000},
	{L14,  600 * 1000},
	{L15,  500 * 1000},
	{L16,  400 * 1000},
	{L17,  300 * 1000},
	{L18,  200 * 1000},
	{0, CPUFREQ_TABLE_END},

Pretty linear, nothing too surprising. The Exynos 5410 is getting some criticism right now because it is not switching between the A7 and A15 efficiently as it should, so any power saving benefits it should have is lost. Current firmware has the SoC running in a cluster migration, so it's always blasting all four A7's or A15's instead of matching the work load to the ideal architecture capabilities.

 

LTE tethering is just as good as broadband... CDMA tethering isn't that bad, but there is a noticeable difference.

Just on the phone, you notice it when it comes to video... although HAL is right, HSPA+ isn't that noticeable a difference.

 

Couldn't handle the awesomeness of Touchwiz, could ya?

 

Hmm, ok.
So I think I should be able to get a 16GB i9505 for a little over £400 (~$630) - anyone aware of any cheaper way of getting one?

 

I'd jump on that if it's new, that's a pretty good price for a I9505. They're averaging $750-$800 on eBay or from other online retailers.

 

Yeah, it will be new.
I can't get it yet but that should be the price - as soon as CPW start selling it on PAYG, one of my mates will be able to get it with staff discount (£580 less 30%). Just a matter of waiting.

 

Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4 battery life tests updated with final firmware - GSMArena

Nice little bump there.

 

^ Nice. It appears the Exynos S 4 just lost its battery life advantage as well, unless XDA can get the IKS driver working on it for the more efficient core switching protocol.

A KGI Research also posted expected specifications for the refreshed Nexus 7 tablet that should be announced next week.



If the specifications are accurate, that's one beastly 7" tablet for a great price. Even the older 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro is more than capable of running any software you throw at it, and would be a massive upgrade from the Tegra 3.

EDIT: Carmageddon Promo version is also available today for free. Same version as the paid but will not receive future updates.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stainlessgames.carmageddonpromo

 

That's going to be a beast. I'll give my sister my old one and acquire a new one. Looks like they're aiming for more than $200 now. I hope only $300, I'm not going to pay 400 with the Nexus 10 about.

 

Might need to tell Santa to bring me a next-gen Nexus 7 later this year. That looks fantastic.

 

Disabling the brightness throttling on the S4 only requires a simple init.d mod, along with a kernel that supports it. There's still room for improvement. Apparently brightness is best kept at 50% or lower if you want the most accurate RGB balance you can currently get.

 

Motorola XT1058 for AT&T hits the FCC, could be XFON related

That's interesting that this hits FCC right before Google I/O. I was planning to pick up a 32 GB S 4 but I'm gonna have to hold off and see what comes out of I/O (Nexus 4 LTE, Snapdragon 600 powered Nexus 7, X Phone?).

 

What I just did to my Galaxy S3 might get my butt kicked around these parts:



Launcher8 for Android. Very polished execution, very similar in feel to actual WP8 (from the bounce-back when you scroll down to the bottom of your tiles, to the alphabet-grid function of the app list after you've swiped to the right)

 

Motorola can stick that phone where the sun don't shine.

Still bitter? Oh yes, I'm as bitter as the day is long at Motorola....

I...may have to try that.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

"Google Play Games" Leaks Out In All Its Glory Ahead Of Google I/O - Hello, Cloud Game Saves [APK Teardown]

Cloud saves, achievements, notifications, leaderboards, and matchmaking. Android-based game consoles should become more appealing.

 

Finally got Morphology updated and working good on my SGS3. No more disappearing clock, garbled notifications, or broken status bar animations. Long Live ANDROID!

 

Volume Booster App

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...2Z0LmVudGVydGFpbm1lbnQudm9sdW1lLmJvb3N0ZXIiXQ..

Haven't tried this but I will. Any comments from someone who has?

 

It just boosts digital gain. Distortion creeps in pretty quick with that kind of amplification.

 

Yeah, I hate it. My old HTC G2 and headphones are too quiet to drown out the treadmill, and so I have to use a volume booster as such (CM7 has built in DSP settings). The audio quality gets very bad. These same headphones are plenty loud when plugged into my desktop or laptop. I wonder if it's just the DAC being not so great or what... My nexus 4 is also very quiet, but I don't use that during exercise for fear of smashing.

 

HTC First discontinued by AT&T: First ‘Facebook phone’ a flop | BGR

Bummer, so much potential lost. I may stop by AT&T this afternoon and pick up a white one now that it's $350 off-contract.

 

Qualcomm DAC's, while decent in quality, are pitiful volume wise.

Why I stick with the Note II... analog headphone amp gain control.

Spoiler

 

More love for Launcher8...with transparent tiles and wallpaper options, it gives a very nice visual effect that actual WP8 can't match:

Spoiler

 

Bahaha another HTC fail!

 

I don't wish HTC failure, but I am glad to see FB Home getting the poor treatment it deserves. It's probably the worst launcher I've ever tried, and it adds no functionality over the ordinary Facebook app, even for a rabid FB user like me.

Also, putting a bad camera on a social-networking-oriented phone? COME ON GUYS.

 

Does it matter if the photos are just going on facebook?

 

Take a picture at 3MP with the GS2 and then take one at 3MP with the First. Night and day difference. And it's no contest at 5MP/8MP.

I would be embarrassed to post pictures I took with the First on Facebook.

 

Fixed for you.

 

I understand but aren't most photos on facebook a fraction of 3MP?

 

No, they were just ruined by Instagram.

 

I've never used Instagram and I'm fairly confident that not a single photo I've uploaded to facebook can be accessed in it's native resolution.

 

Of course. Can you imagine the infrastructure FB would have to have to handle 3-4MB per-photo?! Some people I know have hundreds/thousands of photos.

I was just saying that even with a 3MP common denominator, the First still takes really horrible pictures.

 

I'm sure that's true, I'm just not sure that would be a stumbling block for it's target market.

 

But see, I think it's a LARGE stumbling block. Considering that the GS2 is what most people have previous experience with, the First is a rather large downgrade. Most all of the previous 8MP sensors trump the First's 5MP. Pretty much any other budget phone takes better pictures.

 

It's not the pixel count that bothers me about the First's camera...it gives VERY dull colors with interior lighting, and social networking photos most often are going to have interior or low lighting.

HTC First review: Camera | Phone Reviews | TechRadar