All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

Why is the Moto X worth $199 on contract? Because it's assembled in America (that's worth a premium right there, whether you're looking at it from a US jobs perspective or from an employee working condition perspective), it's got a great-quality screen (Engadget: "looks great from most any angle and has that signature vibrant pop of saturated color associated with this panel type"), it offers brisk real-world performance, and because it offers something truly remarkable for a non-phablet Android device:

Moto X review

For typical consumers--not hardcore tech-heads who know or care about performance benchmarks--that's a compelling sales pitch.

 

Moto X review | The Verge

Looks like the camera software could use some tweaking. I wonder if modifying media_profiles.xml would fix some of the issues. One thing that is definitely consistent among all the reviews though -- no one is complaining about the real life performance.

 

Yeah, the sample photos I've seen have been very underwhelming. Motorola should fix that ASAP, since the non-tech-head consumer audience that the Moto X targets tends to know and understand good pictures, even if they have no idea what an "SoC" is. Thankfully, the camera issues sound to be a software issue, not a hardware issue, so a fix should be as easy as distributing a software update.

 

Doesn't matter... if the camera is a steaming pile, I don't want it. That's the reason I got rid of the First. I loved the device in general, just couldn't deal with that horrible little camera sensor.

EDIT: And that was another horrible Verge review. Seriously.

But is it really? I remember HTC's software update for the One. It helped, but there's only so much software can do... and those pictures looked pretty bad.

 

I'm curious how using a third-party camera app such as ProCapture would solve the problem (on both the One and the Moto X). I have the severe motion blur issue with my Galaxy S3 (some people are plagued by it, others have no idea what I'm talking about), and it was 100% cured by switching from the default camera app to ProCapture.

 

That doesn't seem like the best reason to pay a premium for it.
And to be clear, that isn't specific to the US, I don't think that the country that a product is made in is an important factor, let alone a reason to pay more than you would if it were manufactured elsewhere.

Also, whilst I'm sure it's a stupid cliché, I thought that similar to 'made in the UK', 'made in the US' isn't the hallmark of quality it once was?

 

The complaint is not whether or not the product isa "hallmark of quality." I have a Chinese-made 2008 MacBook Pro that's still running just fine, for example. Quality of the product itself isn't why I buy American/UK/Japanese/German/etc when possible.

When I buy from the US, UK, Japan, etc, I know that the factories follow environmental and safety regulations and the employees are adults working 40-hour weeks and paid reasonable wages. Safety and environmental compliance isn't free, so a product assembled in Japan (like my Duo 11) or the US (like the Moto X) is going to cost more than an identical product assembled in China. It's like buying "fair trade" coffee and produce--it costs more than equivalent coffee and produce that isn't. Whether or not that's worth paying extra for is a personal choice. For me, it is. I know that the more assembly and the more components come from first-world countries, the higher the price will be, but that's a price that I, personally, am willing to pay.

 

If those US Factory workers would jimmy in an SD card slot... I would buy it.

 

Yeah, I think the whole "assembled-in-the-US" is a marketing ploy, combined with practical shipping cost considerations. Much simpler to run a just-in-time customization process domestically. I don't care at all where a product is made: so long as the quality's the same, I'll take the one at the lowest price.

 

personally i only care about made in the US if it is something i use for cooking and eating...better regs and higher safety when it comes to what chemicals and minerals they can use. China throws cadmium in most of its paint when it is on a glass which is why i avoid them. Though i'll pay a premium to buy something from a US company. Buying something off amazon right now and i'll pay 10-20% more for a product shipped form amazon than from china/hong kong because i can return it easier if it breaks. After i know the product is good i'll pay the cheaper price from the Asian company.

 

Isn't "marketing ploy" another way of saying "something other people care about but I don't?" I've been known to complain that 1080p in less-than-5"-screens is a marketing gimmick (check my posts over at BrightHand, I know I've said it more than once), but for the people who want it, it's no gimmick, it's what they really want.

Motorola has put two thousand people in the Fort Worth area to work. With just this one phone. That really matters to a lot of people. I don't think that's a gimmick, even if it's not a selling point for you personally.

 

I don't think that's a good definition--a "marketing ploy" refers more to something that makes little to no difference in the actual end product when it's in the consumers' hands, but is capitalized in a company's marketing and public relations. In that sense, a 1080p display, even in a sub-5" handset, makes a tangible difference in the end-product, although many casual users probably wouldn't really see the difference. Production in the US, on the other hand, doesn't really make any difference in the final product, assuming quality assurance is the same.

I do agree that it's certainly a good move by Motorola, particularly for those workers who now have jobs. I just don't see it being anything more than a convenient good-public-relations opportunity.

 

But by your definition, good customer service, pleasant shopping experiences, ethical behavior by companies, ethical selection of subcontractors, providing local employment (no matter how desperately it's needed), involvement in local communities (no matter how significant), and charity work (no matter how sincerely performed) are all "marketing ploys." Considering the negative connotation of "ploy," implying deceit or deception, I can't agree with that. None of these factors affect the actual chattel being sold yet all are things that may legitimately affect a customer's choice about who they do business with. It's not deception.

If Motorola was saying their product was more reliable, or manufactured to tighter tolerances, because it's made in Texas, that'd be deceptive. But if they just say it's made in America, and let people decide whether they like that for patriotic reasons, they like that for ethical treatment of workers, or they don't give a rip...that's no ploy. That's useful information about their business and their product that some customers don't care about but some legitimately do care about.

 

I think it's a bit too early to write off the Moto X's camera, I'd like to see if any software modifications/updates or an alternate camera application can improve the compression algorithm. The First's camera was pretty much awful regardless of what you try to do with it, but this phone at least shows some promising results across all the reviews.

Speaking of HTC, it looks like they are poised to release their Note competitor pretty soon. Rumors point to a Snapdragon 800, 5.9" SLCD 3 screen, 3200 mAh battery.

HTC One Max leaks in another pic, imposing physique confirmed - GSMArena.com news

 

Most definitely it'll live up to expectations performance-wise. If the software and the camera are up to par and are able to beat the Note 3, I think most people will choose the HTC1 Max because of the build quality. Let's just hope they market it correctly.

 

Yep, it will be interesting how well this device does alongside the Note III and Xperia Z Ultra. Hopefully they learned from the One's manufacturing and improve in the fit and finish department. I'm wondering what that toggle switch on the left side of the phone is for...

CNET just released their Moto X review: Motorola Moto X Review - Watch CNET's Video Review - page 2

Oddly they didn't complain much about the camera other than the FOV and their biggest gripe seems to be the 16GB nonexpendable storage.

 

does it come with an S-Pen?

 

And there's a big reason why the Note will still outsell the One Max, probably 10:1.

S-Pen is a Samsung trademark, but that's all most people know to describe the stylus with the Note. It's become generic... commonplace. It has mindshare. Nothing HTC can do with the One Max can dislodge that.

IMO, since the Note line has been unchallenged in the market for so long, I don't think the sales of the One Max will impact the Note III at all. Even if the upcoming Note has the same kind of build quality as previous Notes... people will look at how much they've enjoyed their Note, how great the feature set is, and they'll go with it's successor.

If an OEM wanted to challenge Samsung's Note line, they should have done it a long time ago. That's not to say the One Max isn't a great device, it just won't sell anywhere near as good as the Note III.

 

And... does the One Max have an SD card slot?

 

According to the leaked specs, it does. It appears to have the same 4 MP UltraPixel camera too.

EDIT: There might be some conflicting info floating around. When I say "leaked specs", I'm referring to what Fudzilla put up yesterday.

 

On the subject of the One Max, I found this to be a novel take on matters.

Granted, the opinion is slapped on thick and indiscriminately but if you look past that at the underlying point, that a strategy of building a range of handsets around the One when the One itself doesn't seem to be doing well enough, it raises some interesting questions.

 

But what's the alternative? HTC needs an entry-level phone and a phablet in addition to a high-end non-phablet. They can carry on with the branding and the design language of the One, or they can start anew with establishing a brand name and designing an attractive case.

The HTC One isn't doing well for a few reasons. But whether you think it's biggest problem is a lack of advertising and carrier support, or the lack of an SD card slot, I think we can all agree that the name and the aesthetic design are good. So building their lineup around that naming language and that design language isn't a bad idea.

 

They should bring the One China Edition over to the US and see how it sells... you know... the One with an SD card slot.

I like the Boom speakers.

 

anyone have recommendation for cheap quality usb charger?

My bro keep "stealing" mine cause he leave his either at work or gf place.

 

Just get a 2.0 amp wall brick and any generic micro-USB cable? I still got my Samsung brick from my Blaze 4G, some OEMs only give 1-1.4 amp bricks, really irks me.

 

i buy the cheapest ones off amazon and never had an issue. Also bought super cheap cables from newegg that were the startech or whatever ones. Each 3 foot cable was like 1.50 and 6 foot cable was like 1.78

 

I just purchased an HTC One off of Swappa. The 4.2 update looks great, imo. Battery life percentage, no black menu bar, and the power saver notification is gone.

 

LG announces the G2 smartphone, its new 5.2-inch flagship device | The Verge

I don't think I like the idea of having the power/volume buttons on the back... Using the 2nd finger for them is absolutely unstable and non-ergonomical. Good specs tho, but quad core S800 @ 2.26GHz is way too much on my book. Nothing requires that amount of power.

 

I wonder how many people actually holds their phone in the same manner as the spokesman claimed. I tend to hold a phone with my thumb against the entire left side, and the index/middle/ring fingers wrapping to the right side.

Interesting concept nevertheless, although Panasonic's Eluga series already utilized something like this and it really didn't work out for them. If anything, enthusiasts are more interested in this phone just because it provides some insight on the Nexus 5's design and hardware specifications.

 

this might change your mind: iPhone-related death in China could be linked to fake charger | Apple - CNET News

also check out: Ken Shirriff's blog: A dozen USB chargers in the lab: Apple is very good, but not quite the best

 

Looks like LG's done a decent job with the G2, but I'm no longer a potential customer. Both leaks showed off a removeable battery, first with a 2450 mAh capacity, then a 2610 mAh rating, along with a microSD slot. Yes, the final iteration of the phone has been bumped up to 3000 mAh but making the back of the phone sealed with no microSD slot is a deal breaker to me. The yawn-inducing exterior of the phone doesn't make you want to give it a second look either. They've paired their 13-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization which the S4 doesn't have, but I doubt they can keep up with Samsung software-wise. I would have wanted to load CyanogenMod onto it as soon as I could anyway, though I don't represent the masses who would rather keep their hands free of ROM flashing. I wish LG would have ellaborated on the phone's 24-bit/192 kHz "HiFi playback". Hopefully they've put a nice DAC in it. Personally, I like having a row of navigation buttons underneath the screen. With this phone I wouldn't really want them since, unlike on the Xperia Z, there's hardly any room for them which would make for an awkward navigation experience.

At least this means Sony can most likely breathe a small sigh of relief as their Honami seems to be pretty much the same phone, albeit with a sleeker housing, a 20-megapixel camera with a high-end 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor that could sway potential Lumia 1020 buyers, and, last but not least, a microSD slot. Let's hope the rumours surrounding the Honami turn out to be true.

I, on the other hand, welcome the additional processing grunt. I doubt even the Snapdragon 800 is enough to software decode 1080p 10-bit video.

 

Well the way I see it, as long as having a quad core doesn't have such a detrimental effect on battery, why not have the extra power? I felt the Nexus 4 had good enough battery life, I could get like 2+ days on pure idle, and average 15 hours of moderate use. Now if your smartphone can't get more than 8 hours on a quad core, then there is an issue. If you could have the same power quad core vs dual core, why not go for the quad?

 

3000 mAh battery and a quad core running over 2Ghz?
I need a new laptop..

Besides, if the rumoured Nexus 5 packs a similar punch, it could very well be my next phone.

 

Google has already made Android Device Manager available, see if it works for your device(s).

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager?u=0

 

Working great on my GS3 on AT&T. Haven't tested the erase device feature yet, obviously... but, nice and simple interface, with the features that one would need!

 

Yeah this is awesome, the ring feature will help me find my phone when it slips into the deepest cracks of my couch.

 

Only other feature I can really think of that would be nice to have is a sort of lockscreen that can't be bypassed until disabled in Android Device Manager, that displays owner contact information and other customizable text. That'd be a useful addition, I think.

 

If you set up a Samsung account on your S3, Samsung's own service allows you to not only remotely lock the device, but to add a customisable message to the lockscreen. And, better yet, it also has the option to allow you to specify a single number that can be called from the device while it's locked, meaning that if someone were to find it they could contact you to arrange it's return.

It also has an option to notify you if someone puts a different SIM in the device.

 

And there lies the problem. I think it makes perfect sense to do what Sony and Motorola have done with their phones, going for less power-hungry, dual-core SoCs when their target audiences won't benefit from having additional cores. However, any flagship model needs to do its best to fend off the competition on every major front and performance is certainly one of them. Making trade-offs isn't something you should have to do when you go for the priciest option so it's nice to see that the battery capacity in the newer phones are also 'high-end' (3,000 mAh LG G2 vs 2,200 mAh Moto X) along with continuous advances in power management (big.LITTLE being a recent headline grabber).

 

What do you want to bet it's upsampled with the same WCD9300 Qualcomm DAC? I'm betting so.

My next phone will be the Togari. Sony seems to be the only one working with the community anymore.

 

Yes sir, I'm eyeballing that device six ways to Sunday. The AT&T LTE model C6806 is supposedly due for release in a few weeks.

 

I believe Verizon will be offering the G2 as well.

 

So, the combination of the i9300/FiiO E12 Mont Blanc/Bose AE2 actually makes one of the best sounding mobile setups I've ever heard.

Sidenote: If you're not amping your AE2's, you're using them wrong. They actually sound like their price point with an amp.

 

I was already wary of LG phones to begin with. But now...after an engineer got drunk and put the side buttons on the back...I can safely say I will never get an LG phone. AS good as the G2's specs are, I have heard only negative things about their Android customizations.

 

That, and they lock their bootloaders.

 

Looks nice, but I'm surprised, I can't see any branding at all?

 

Well, Verizon is usually very sedate with their branding.

/s

 

Did they real world test those volume buttons on the back?

I tried to pretend to do that on my phone and my first instinct was to press my thumb on the face of the phone as a counterbalance, which would trigger some touch thing like an app or whatever... not very smart if ask me.

 

They cant put sharper corner on phone? The really roundish design really brother me ~~

 

I think the phone you're looking for is the Sony Togari/Honami. Or if you want a bad screen, the Xperia Z.