All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

One problem I had with my nexus7 5.0 update is that they got rid of the "email" app, and imported my accounts into gmail.
Not happy.
I really don't want gmail having anything to do with my pop accounts. Now that I switched to Cyanogenmod, all is well.

 

That's odd. I've still got an "email" app on my Moto X, though it got a Gmail-style makeover.

My oddity is that I ended up with two identical "photos" apps in my app drawer, one right next to the other.

 

Just installed KOTOR on my phone. They redid the user interface to make it touch-friendly, and otherwise, it's the same great RPG it always was. I totally recommend it. Absolutely worth the $10.

Warning: based on reviews on the Google Play store, it doesn't run properly unless you're on Android 5.0.

 

It worked pretty good on my Nvidia Shield that isn't android 5.0

 

I have switched to windows for 99 percent of my devices, including tablets, desktop, winphone, notebooks. I have fired up my acer 210 again, and upgraded it to jellybean. Its pretty speedy now. I only have lmited space for apps etc. I am trying to find some cool apps. I also picked up a lepan mini, probably the best 100 bucks I have spent in a while. Its my travel exploring tablet. It is living its life in my Jeep as a nav / overland tool.

 

Ditto. I've still got the stock/native email app in addition to gmail. Maybe cause your phone is a Nexus, it vanilla Android cuts out the stock email app.

 

So I guess the new Galaxy S6 phone is doing away with the microSD slot? That was like one of the few things I actually admitted Samsung had over Apple, now they don't even have that...

 

Yeah, with the S6, Samsung goes from being "different and proud of it" (removable backs, microSD expansion, swappable batteries, etc) to being "this phone is perfect if what you really want is an iPhone running Android." Headphone jack on the bottom, ultra-thin design with a camera bulge that makes you question why they made the rest of it so thin, luxurious-but-fragile materials, no expandable memory but they'll give you 128 gb onboard if you want to pay $200 extra.

 

Oh, you didn't hear?

The Galaxy S6 (or you can call it the Galaxy S-S***!) is not only doing away with microSD card support, but it will also feature a fully glass back and sides. I wonder where they came up with that "idea"...?

 

Well, If there's one thing I've learned about technology after being on this site for over 4 years is that eventually, for better or for worse, everyone imitates Apple

 

But they've still got everything else.

 

That's not true.

...And that doesn't make any sense.

 

It is so true. Apple is the ultimate trendsetter, whether or not the trends are even good.

 

Lets not forget that they stole the whole i"putawordhere" from other companies. Who's setting trends now?

 

It's not trends, it's designs. OEMs copied Apple's designs, which is not a hard thing to do. A rectangular smartphone with gradual curved corners and a sloped back? One could argue Apple copied Blackberry's designs from way back when.

 

Apple "borrows" flat design from Windows Phone, a quick-toggle shade from Touchwiz, and notifications and widgets from Android, and Samsung "borrows" a particular hardware design from Apple, and your conclusions overall are that "Apple is the ultimate trendsetter" and "everyone imitates Apple"? Come on, that's not even a good troll, and it's certainly not accurate. There's a give and take in the smartphone world, and Apple takes at least as much as it gives.

 

Look. I'm not just talking about smartphones and I'm not saying Apple is the originator of some of these things, but once they do it, other companies get on it. All these QHD/UHD didn't become popular until the retina came out. Laptops all started getting trackpads after Apple did.

Seeing this new Galaxy just showed me that the leading Android phone has now compromised some of its distinctive features in the name of being more competitive with the iPhone.

I was not saying every smartphone feature in the history of the world was created by Apple.

 

Exactly what the iPhone 6 itself did to be competitive functionality-wise with Android flagships? Like I said, Apple takes from others at least as much as it is taken from...

 

A biased opinion always finds biased results.

You see it how you want I suppose.

 

Scan your iris to unlock your phone in Fujitsu's eye-opening concept (hands on)


http://www.cnet.com/news/scan-your-...one-in-fujitsus-eye-opening-concept-hands-on/

John.

 

Worthless unless it will work through my sunglasses. I wear them pretty much 90% of the time that I am out of the house, which also happens to be the time when I use my cellphone. Yes, I even wear them indoors.

 

Trackpads were indeed a peripheral which the Macs proved to be better than the previous eraser pointer. Point Apple.

Given the one-up-manship all these companies display, I think the gamer OEMs would have gone to qHD with or without the retina display challenging them. Point "the other guys".

Look at the sales numbers. Samsung isn't leading by much now. The reason? Just what you said: Samsung is trying to hard to create the "Android iPhone" instead of genuinely improving the shortcomings in their designs. However, you misinterpret competitiveness in the mobile world. Competitiveness there means coming up with something new or a new methodology on an old feature or spec. Copying those designs or innovations is only trying to gain lost ground.

You're "not"saying a lot of things, and I'm beginning to get lost in the poly-negatives.

It could be argued that Apple's original concept for the iPhone was based on the highly flawed BlackBerry Storm models. But then again, they've moved so far beyond their OG iPhone, no one would care now.

The Galaxy S6? Obviously trying to copy some of the iPhone's features and designs.

Will it work?

...nope.

Why? Because:

1. Users look to Android phones to have certain features like microSD, and to not have fragile glass backings that break easily. That's what makes them stand out against iPhones.

2. There are reasons these characteristics work for the iPhone and not for Android. Apple has built their devices to compensate for lack of microSD cards. Guarantee you Samsung has not done so for the S6.

 

As much as I hate derivative designs instead of people proudly doing their own thing, I suspect this (like Xiaomi's aping of Apple design) will work. Which is too bad, because I'd much rather see unique designs like HTC's and Motorola's dominating.

Then again, I'm one of those guys who liked the uniqueness of Saab hatchbacks instead of everyone and their cousin following the BMW 3-Series formula right down to the Hofmeister kink.

Glass backs...like the Nexus 4 and the Xperia family? A number of enthusiast-loved Android phones have had glass backs.

How so?

iPhone 6 storage tiers: 16 gb at base price; 64 gb for $100 more; 128 gb for $200 more
Galaxy S6 storage tiers: 32 gb at base price; 64 gb for $100 more; 128 gb for $200 more

 

Don't forget about Sony's phones!

I will admit, some of this stuff came in on Androids which Apple refused to follow suit. And it has cost them ...case in point: 1344x750 display. It was the lowest screen rez for a flagship phone when it was released, and it still is.

Remind me again, does the Nexus 5 or 6 have glass backs? I can't remember...too...many...happy...pills...

Having expandable memory is a hallmark of Android phones...and don't go mentioning the "Nexus has no microSD"! Only the Nexus One had expandable memory. But one thing the Nexus has over all other Android phones: it runs vanilla Android. So it doesn't need a huge amount of NAND space. Can the same be said about Samsung's firmware with TouchWiz?

http://bgr.com/2014/02/25/galaxy-s5-specs-storage/

And here iSheep are complaining that their iPhone 6's only have 13GB of 16GB available.

 

My point with the glass back is not that it's what I'd personally want in a phone; it's that there have been a number of Android devices before this (including pretty much every Xperia flagship in recent years) that used a glass sandwich design. It's not a fundamental defining point of the iOS-versus-Android debate that's never been crossed before the Galaxy S6.

My point with the storage is that there's no argument that Apple has built its phones to handle the lack of microSD in a way that Samsung hasn't. If the base S6 had 16 gb storage, that would be a valid complaint. But in terms of usable storage, the S6 gives you 24 gb, 56 gb, or 120 gb, whereas the iPhone 6 gives you 13 gb, 61 gb, or 125 gb. I'm not seeing how Apple has better handled the lack of microSD than Samsung has.

 

iPhone 5s used 2.9GB out of 16GB total for iOS
iPhone 6 shows 3.4GB out of 16GB total for iOS.
My HTC M8 uses 6GB for it's OS. That leaves me with with 26GB for my user available memory.

Going historical, my mom's SGS3 running JB uses 5.5GB out of 16GB on the phone's memory for OS.

My co-worker's SGS4 used 7.4GB out it's 16GB for its OS.

The SGS5 I played with at the Sprint Store last year (running KitKat 4.4) used 8.5GB out of its 16GB for OS.

I'm willing to bet the SGS6's OS will take up over 10GB, maybe even 12. So I'm skeptical about this 23GB of available user memory. To me it makes it seem like Samsung is almost forcing you to pay more for the 64GB model so you don't run out of space.

My point is not the amount of space the OEMs actually outfit the device, but rather if they're optimizing their OS to use up as little room as possible so more memory is available to the user. Obviously there needs to be some compromises as new versions of Android and iOS will be larger in volume size than the previous, but when Sammy's Android OS has ballooned from using 33% (SGS3) to 46% (SGS4) and is now at 51% (SGS5), its hard to argue that their device is optimized for a lack of expandable memory. Even if the SGS6's base model only comes in 32GB, that's still only around 60%-70% available to the user.

But that's just me...(and I'm high on happy pills right now)...

 

So it offers 20-23 gb of usable space on the base model. That's better than the base models of the iPhone 6, which give you 12-13 gb of usable space. Also more usable space than my Moto X (2014). I'm still not seeing how Apple is doing better at working around the lack of microSD than Samsung is. The practical concern for an end user is not how small the OS portion is (although that's interesting from a theoretical standpoint as to who is bloatier and such). The practical concern for an end user is how much space is available for the end-user, and by that metric, the Galaxy S6 > iPhone 6. About 50% more usable storage on the $200-with-a-contract model.

 

Now for me, it's the exact opposite. Older phones obviously had much smaller amounts of user available memory. And those can't compare to the amount of user available storage we have today.

I think Apple does better with no microSD card because they (allegedly) build iOS with this in mind. Then there's the apps. You ever notice how many (and I do mean many) apps in Google Play don't tell you the direct size? It varies depending on what version of Android you have (gotta love fragmentation). The App Store lists the size of the app right there. And it doesn't change if you're on a different version of iOS. One could argue that means an iOS app meant for newer devices takes up proportionally more space on an iPhone. It could also be argued that and Android app increases its size depending on what version of Android you're running. That to me speaks volumes on how devices with larger memory will be using more of it on OS and apps.

 

At least it's not all bad news with the GS6 from the storage standpoint:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/0...-it-blowing-all-past-phones-out-of-the-water/

 

Still doesn't negate the possibility that much of said memory will be taken up by the OS with touchwiz. Nearly every comment I've seen on the S6 review articles mention the imminent result of running out of storage space, not that it could be too slow.

 

Not everyone needs boat loads of space. I respect those who do and understand their point of view. But on the majority of my cellphones 8GB of free space would be plenty. I'd rather have a phone that wouldn't lag versus tons of extra space that I don't need anyways.

 

I want a phone that doesn't lag, but that gives me the option of having the memory I need, without buying an upgraded memory model, that I'll wind up replacing with another upgraded memory model, in the future....just my 2¢...

 

Are you looking high-end or low-end? The microSD requirement rules out the Moto X, Nexus 6, and OnePlus One, but you could go with the Moto G on the low end or the HTC One on the high end. The Moto G has the same near-Nexus software approach that my Moto X has, and performance is very stable on my Moto X. The HTC One does have the Sense skin, but from what I've heard, it's far more fluid than Sense was a few generations ago. And the One M9 has the Snapdragon 810, which should be a beast.

 

Don't forget that the LG G3 also has a SD slot.

 

I know, but I've heard a bunch of reports of momentary stutters and lag throughout the G3's interface, and the request was for a lag-free device with microSD. I guess the G3's combination of LG's skin, QHD resolution, and a Snapdragon 801 (good processor in general, but not really meant for QHD) can give some people momentary UI stutters. Don't have any first-hand experience either way.

Still, on paper, I like the G3 a lot. If I had known that the G3 was coming to US Cellular, it would have been a really tough choice between it and the Moto X. I like the Moto X's case design and software, but the G3's got the better camera and microSD expansion for all my music. Basically, LG offers everything I liked about Samsung (memory expansion, high-end specs, good cameras) without what I didn't (hardware buttons instead of on-screen, Touchwiz's dated aesthetics).

 

I loaded a CarbonRom KitKat onto my sister's T-Mo LG G3. Took care of the stutter...and it was very noticeable before. I still don't like LG's placement of buttons on the G3, but that's just me...

 

I actually kind of like the placement of them on my G2. I haven't had it open up in my pocket a single time. Every other smart phone I've had have randomly opened in my pocket and done all sorts of things, including dial 911. Trust me, you don't want them accidently listening in while you are have drunken high spirited conversations with your brothers about guns.

 

And faster than Taylor Swift can say "sabotage," the-now-independent company VAIO is making competitors to Sony's Xperia division:



More info and hands-on video: http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/12/vaio-phone/

 

I wouldn't get the G3 its a 1080p gpu paired to a 2k screen. I recently switched to Verizon from being a straight talk nexus user for years. I first tried a Droid Turbo. Was always envious of their phones and designs. The speaker doubling as the earpiece is garbage, screen is yellow. Note 4 is a lag factory, even after turning off animations and enabling the new android runtime ART, and debloating the hell out of it. Then I picked the Sony Z3V. My first Sony phone and I must say, I am blown away. Front facing speakers, excellent camera, SD card support, Wireless charging, Waterproof. The SD card is misleading in kit-kat guise, because you can't transfer apps to SD, that is supposedly remedied in the incoming 5.0.1 update. Verizon is really strict about unlocked bootloaders and ROM's. My only choice if I wanted to continue crack flashing at the time was the S5 or M8. Was so close to getting an M8. I'm a photographer and underwater shots weighed heavily for the Z3V. It should be said as well that it is a Lag-free device. Judging by that android police storage article it seems Sony doesn't like to skimp on the details. In the end get what you can live with for 2+ years if need be.

 

This is the reason I wish I could get away from Verizon. I absolutely hate how they lock their bootloaders down so tight. I don't understand why companies think they need to limit people from modifying their own devices as much as they want. GSM just doesn't work good enough in my area or I would have already switched.

 

How is US Cellular's coverage in your area? I don't know about locked/unlocked bootloaders specifically, but in general, their customer service is WORLDS better than Verizon (former Verizon customer here). Because there's no good GSM coverage in southern Oregon, pretty much everyone here is on US Cellular or Verizon. Frequent travelers and people who like the flashiest phones are on Verizon; those who like lower prices and better customer service are on US Cellular (and their hardware selection is pretty decent nowadays, including the Nexus 6, Moto X, Moto G, LG G3, and Samsung and Apple's lineups).

 

Their coverage map shows zero coverage at my house, and 'Partner Coverage' all around me in 500-1000 mile distance, and 3G only on the partner coverage areas.

Other than Verizon's terrible obsession with oppression, its great. My bill is extremely low, and I get to use alot of data, due to being on a plan with 10 other people splitting 30GB, most of whom don't use much data at all.

 

I lost belief in the plausibility of "randomly open" at the "drunken high spirited conversations" part.

I have a raging alcoholic for a sister. He G3 does a lot of "random" stuff too. Especially after she's had one too many shots.

 

No, I was there. The phone was in the pocket the entire time, until the police hung up and called back. Of course they asked why we were yelling at each other, swearing, and mentioning 'gun'. They wanted to come by but they couldn't get the address.

 

So yesterday I manually upgraded my Nexus 6 to Lollipop 5.1 and disabled encryption. My phone no longer takes forever to boot and the performance is insane.

Spoiler

The radio update also put my WiFi on over drive.

Spoiler

I'm insanely happy with my phone now. LTE seems to be faster too despite me being indoors. (T-Mobile)

Spoiler

My Nexus 6 scored around 39k in AnTuTu before the update and the fastest my WiFi went was around 50Mbps, LTE was about 12. That's not burst speed either, the WiFi is the 200MB test and the LTE is 50MB. Needless to say I'm very happy with my phone now whereas the Note 4 used to wipe the floor with it! Guess I don't need that overclock kernel I was planning to get now

 

Since upgrading to 5.0.2, my Moto X has started intermittently falling to automatically connect to wifi. When it doesn't automatically connect, it'll connect as soon as I enter the "wifi" menu in settings. Anyone else had this problem or heard of it?

 

I pretty much hate my S4 after all the recent updates making the MicroSD mostly useless outside of media storage (without root anyway). I've been trying to keep my devices vanilla and non-rooted as of late due to time constraints. I don't have time to tinker and mess with Android to make it the best.

I'll be due for an upgrade in a few months. Looking at the M9, S6, LG and Sony offerings. I recently played with a windows phone and tablet and came away impressed. I might just wait to see if Windows 10 is a decent thing.

 

If you don't want to tinker and want to use first-party solutions, Windows Phone does tend to be more polished right out of the box. But there aren't nearly as many possibilities for third-party tweaking to your preferences (it doesn't even support third-party keyboards, and even iOS does nowadays), and third-party app support is a ghost town compared to Android (especially gaming, banking apps, etc).

 

the banking apps are actually kind of big for me come to think about it. I don't think my bank has a windows app.

I've also been very happy with Google Maps and Waze. I went to so far as to buy a cheap android tablet with 200mb free for life from T Mobile to be a basic head unit for my car.