Android: Phone News and Discussion Thread
I Shoot with a Camera
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Vancouver BC
Last edited by is300eater; Aug 3, 2016 at 07:10 PM.
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Quick charge is great, but not a good idea for longevity considering the effect of heat on batteries.
It's understandable, it's all marketing. Bigger battery, removable battery, those things aren't sexy enough to put in commercials and generally don't matter enough to the majority of buyers. But water-resistant, thinner body, and seamless edges look better and are easier to represent in commercials.
I've read stories of people trying to warranty their "waterproof/water-resistant" phones only to be denied by the manufacturer. Novel idea in principle, risky in practice. I will keep my device away from water and condensation if at all possible, waterproof or not. I would rather have a phone with a bigger battery, removable if possible, rather than this crap Apple and Samsung are forcing down our throats. It's more about marketing than demand, really... nobody is absolutely demanding that their phones are waterproof, or for them to be even thinner, at least with the cons that go with those two "benefits"
It's understandable, it's all marketing. Bigger battery, removable battery, those things aren't sexy enough to put in commercials and generally don't matter enough to the majority of buyers. But water-resistant, thinner body, and seamless edges look better and are easier to represent in commercials.
I've read stories of people trying to warranty their "waterproof/water-resistant" phones only to be denied by the manufacturer. Novel idea in principle, risky in practice. I will keep my device away from water and condensation if at all possible, waterproof or not. I would rather have a phone with a bigger battery, removable if possible, rather than this crap Apple and Samsung are forcing down our throats. It's more about marketing than demand, really... nobody is absolutely demanding that their phones are waterproof, or for them to be even thinner, at least with the cons that go with those two "benefits"
Race Director
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If I didn't have the option to replace the battery in my NOTE 4 it would have been useless a year after purchase. The batteries are meant to be replaced. Samsung is toying with an excuse that their battery comes with a super special NFC chip now, so you can't replace it. I say bullshit. I love Samsung phones but their unwillingness to update old phones promptly (still no Marshmallow on Note 4) and no removable battery, it's time to switch.
Anything new and exciting is releasing this year? Same size as Note 4?
Anything new and exciting is releasing this year? Same size as Note 4?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
^100% Tekno you nailed it.
I'm looking at Moto because they're unlocked prices aren't retarded like a Samsung. One Plus 3, Moto G4 Plus, new Nexus. Not sure any has removable battery anymore. Nexus def has no SD slot
I'm looking at Moto because they're unlocked prices aren't retarded like a Samsung. One Plus 3, Moto G4 Plus, new Nexus. Not sure any has removable battery anymore. Nexus def has no SD slot
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 28,427
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From: Miami, FL
Honestly I got a Note 2 a few years back because I was suck of JB'ing my iPhone. I got a refurb for $1. When that died after a year, via insurance I got a new Note 4 like a month after launch so that was $100 deductible. Then that died and I got another one via insurance for $100 deductible.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Cloud is wifi only because data. SD card is a nice cheap always on backup. I've discussed why I never backup via Wifi. I simply forget all the time. And what's wrong with 64 GB extra for $20?
_
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- 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED 1920x1080
- Snapdragon 820
- Adreno 530
- Up to 6 GB
- Up to 256 GB
- 8MP, 85-degree front camera / 23MP Sony IMX318 f/2.0, 6-element rear camera
- 2x2 802.11ac with MU-MIMO
- Type-C USB 3.0
Starbucks(warren?), Check.
and my phone auto-uploads to the cloud, when ever wifi is available. (which is all the time)
I guess, what I'm trying to ask is, what else are you backing up? I occaisionally take photos, and apps are easily restoreable... (which dont eat my 64gb's of space at all)
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Los Angeles
Waiting for the release of Note 7!!!!
I can't stand dual edge screen anymore on the 6 edge+. I lost count how many times i dropped my phone because i could not hold the phone correctly due to the dual edge screen while playing with the phone.
I can't stand dual edge screen anymore on the 6 edge+. I lost count how many times i dropped my phone because i could not hold the phone correctly due to the dual edge screen while playing with the phone.
I Shoot with a Camera
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 23,077
Likes: 3,669
From: Vancouver BC
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 23,362
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From: Los Angeles
Last time i read the specs, Note 7 edge will have the edge screens and note 7 look like the old Note 5... something has changed????.
edit just searched.... i guess note 7 is the same as my 6 edge+..... damn....
now what... lol
edit just searched.... i guess note 7 is the same as my 6 edge+..... damn....
now what... lol
Last edited by oonowindoo; Aug 4, 2016 at 06:36 PM.
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I've been beating this dead horse for years. I knew it when I bought my Note 4 but I still got it because at the time it had the best screen and a camera that could hang with the likes of the iPhone while offering a removable battery and SD card slot. And like Doom and Tekno mentioned, my battery started taking a crap in less than a year and my phone started acting up long before that.
Nothing new. Not long after I got rid of my first Android Samsung phone (GNex), I discovered that Samsung is becoming more and more like Apple as time goes on. Get people to upgrade to a new Samsung phone each year, if possible... that's their ideology. Why not? They're a business, after all
Nothing new. Not long after I got rid of my first Android Samsung phone (GNex), I discovered that Samsung is becoming more and more like Apple as time goes on. Get people to upgrade to a new Samsung phone each year, if possible... that's their ideology. Why not? They're a business, after all
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Joined: Nov 2006
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I've been beating this dead horse for years. I knew it when I bought my Note 4 but I still got it because at the time it had the best screen and a camera that could hang with the likes of the iPhone while offering a removable battery and SD card slot. And like Doom and Tekno mentioned, my battery started taking a crap in less than a year and my phone started acting up long before that.
Nothing new. Not long after I got rid of my first Android Samsung phone (GNex), I discovered that Samsung is becoming more and more like Apple as time goes on. Get people to upgrade to a new Samsung phone each year, if possible... that's their ideology. Why not? They're a business, after all
Nothing new. Not long after I got rid of my first Android Samsung phone (GNex), I discovered that Samsung is becoming more and more like Apple as time goes on. Get people to upgrade to a new Samsung phone each year, if possible... that's their ideology. Why not? They're a business, after all
iOS 10, which will be released in the fall, will run on a 4 year old iPhone (iPhone 5). If Samsung is becoming more like Apple, then Samsung should be supporting Lollipop (released in 2014) on the Galaxy S3 (released mid 2012). The same goes with the Galaxy S4 (early 2013 release) and Marshmallow (late 2015 release). 2.5 years later and Samsung stops supporting their former flagship phones.
Samsung is one of the worst at providing OS support: Android upgrade report card: Grading the manufacturers on Marshmallow | Computerworld
- Length of time for upgrade to reach current flagship: 158 days (39.6/60 points) for Galaxy S6; 152 days (39.6/60 points) for Galaxy Note 5
- Length of time for upgrade to reach previous-gen flagship: Still waiting (0/30 points) for Galaxy S5; 172 days (18.6/30 points) for Galaxy Note 4
- Communication: Poor (0/10 points)
Samsung has two phones that are essentially equal in flagship status: the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Note. So for its score, I measured performance for both lines of devices and then averaged the figures together.
The results -- well, they ain't great: Sammy took a full 158 days to get Marshmallow out to its then-current flagship, the Galaxy S6, which first saw the software in the U.S. via the Sprint model on March 10. (Verizon got the rollout almost a month later, at the start of April, while customers on other carriers are still waiting.) The then-current Note 5 flagship was in the same league, with Android 6.0 hitting the Verizon version on March 4 (and Sprint's version a few days later, with other models still on hold). No matter how you look at it, five-plus months is way too long for a current flagship to get a major OS upgrade.
But wait -- there's more! Things are even worse with the previous-gen flagship, where Samsung took a whopping 172 days to get Android 6.0 to its Note 4 in America (via the Sprint model, which alone received the software on March 24) and still has yet to get Marshmallow onto any U.S. Galaxy S5 phone.
Adding insult to injury, Samsung seems to have a policy of keeping its customers completely in the dark about its upgrade plans and progress. Once upon a time, the company did actually provide detailed info about that stuff -- but after it repeatedly failed to keep up with its promises (and, ahem, received a fair amount of negative publicity for the way it handled those failures), Samsung sealed its corporate lips firmly shut. And it's kept 'em glued closed ever since.
It's too bad, because while Samsung's sales numbers may be strong, the company's commitment to ongoing support is steadily slipping from bad to just plain awful. And its customers are the ones who are suffering.
Last edited by AZuser; Aug 4, 2016 at 09:32 PM.
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
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From: Phoenix, AZ
am I going crazy?
I used to be able to long press a call entry in my call log and select "block" to block all calls from that number. It seems to have disappeared, though.
Any ideas?
Nexus 5x, verizon
I used to be able to long press a call entry in my call log and select "block" to block all calls from that number. It seems to have disappeared, though.
Any ideas?
Nexus 5x, verizon
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 28,427
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From: Miami, FL
i'm sure you've found the option by now, but just by viewing the number (soft touch) will bring up a list of things you can do; create new contact, add to a contact, send a message and block/report as spam
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
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From: Phoenix, AZ
I feel like Skype is clunky and I have to remember to leave it on, etc..
Was it Mozilla or Chrome that had a super easy video chat that just worked, every time. I hope Duo is like that.
If Google bakes it into the OS so it's always on and available, it will be awesome.
Was it Mozilla or Chrome that had a super easy video chat that just worked, every time. I hope Duo is like that.
If Google bakes it into the OS so it's always on and available, it will be awesome.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Another low price, high spec Chinese phone announced
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
_
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,327
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Another low price, high spec Chinese phone announced
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
The Honor 8 is probably going to live or die by its software, and it's running Android 6.0 with Huawei's "EMUI 4.1" skin. EMUI is a super-heavy skin that is very close to Xiaomi's MIUI skin. We're talking a full Android conversion to make it look and work like iOS. There's no app drawer, icons get square backgrounds with rounded corners, and overlays like the notification panel are displayed in a frosted glass panel. Recent Apps is now a horizontally scrolling thumbnail view, and the settings are an exact iOS copy. We'll have to dive in to see what stock Android features are missing from this, but it doesn't look great. We also asked Huawei if it was going to provide its customers with Android's monthly security updates. Huawei could not promise it would do so every month.
https://9to5google.com/2016/05/02/op...-driver-video/
After Chinese company Huawei introduced the phone for the US in January of this year, I gave the Honor 5X a full review. But maybe you can’t even call it that. More than a review, it was mostly just some thoughts on the phone that I had pent up after an exhausting week at CES. Basically, the gist was this (although I recommend you read the whole thing): You get a lot for your money ($200) on the hardware side of things with the Honor 5X, but the software leaves a lot (and, really, I mean a lot) to be desired. After that, the phone sat in my drawer and I hadn’t touched it since.
Until yesterday…
What spurred this experiment? I received a Huawei Mate 8 review unit just a few days ago and the software was so ugly and buggy that I felt determined to flash some custom version of Android to make the beautiful piece of hardware my daily driver. Of course there isn’t a build of CyanogenMod available for the Mate 8 (yet), but there are some slightly-modified versions of the stock Huawei-modified OS. They’re better, but — at least in my experience so far — not enough. My failure in finding a good working alternative to the lackluster EMUI on the Mate 8, though, made me wonder if I could do something with the Honor 5X.
Until yesterday…
What spurred this experiment? I received a Huawei Mate 8 review unit just a few days ago and the software was so ugly and buggy that I felt determined to flash some custom version of Android to make the beautiful piece of hardware my daily driver. Of course there isn’t a build of CyanogenMod available for the Mate 8 (yet), but there are some slightly-modified versions of the stock Huawei-modified OS. They’re better, but — at least in my experience so far — not enough. My failure in finding a good working alternative to the lackluster EMUI on the Mate 8, though, made me wonder if I could do something with the Honor 5X.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Another low price, high spec Chinese phone announced
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
Hands-on with Huawei?s Honor 8?$400 for flagship-class specs | Ars Technica
$400 but software kind of bloated. Mini-Note 7?
$399.99 for 4GB / 32GB
$449.99 for 4GB / 64GB
$50 off (via Gift Card) with pre-order. Launches Sept 4.
Race Director
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One Plus 3 is a better phone than Huawei? No?
https://oneplus.net/3/
Also, is IR blaster really dead in 2016?
https://oneplus.net/3/
Also, is IR blaster really dead in 2016?
