Android: Phone News and Discussion Thread
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Joined: Nov 2006
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I'm in serious need of a new phone (Pixel 2 right now) and really wanted to hold out for the 5. But I think the 4a might be my stopgap.
I'm still rockin' my 3a; it has multi-day battery life, has all of the features I can possibly use, and of course is still getting security updates; when those run out, new phone time. 
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From: Dirty H-Town, Amerikkka
A year ago, I set my phone up on the ground to take some long exposure pictures of fireworks... and one of my nephews stepped on it or something and put a scratch in the screen. Stupid me, and I can live with it.
But for the last 6 months or so, the USB-C port has worn out and so I've needed to rig up a rubber band on the cord plug, looping the band over the top corner of the phone to hold it in. And for the past month or so it also takes setting it down just right so the plug is at the right horizontal angle. I had one day I couldn't get all the variables right and watched it dripping down from 12% battery without making a good circuit. Scary stuff. New phone pls.
But for the last 6 months or so, the USB-C port has worn out and so I've needed to rig up a rubber band on the cord plug, looping the band over the top corner of the phone to hold it in. And for the past month or so it also takes setting it down just right so the plug is at the right horizontal angle. I had one day I couldn't get all the variables right and watched it dripping down from 12% battery without making a good circuit. Scary stuff. New phone pls.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Even with the new battery on my 3, using my work phone for some features, my phone only lasts a day. However, I'm only charging it up to 80%. Been reading that maxing the battery charge kills it. I also only do one charge when possible.
Hmmm, I charge to max every two or three days; sometimes my phone is on the charger for up to 12 hours.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Hmmm, I see you're in Florida; maybe heat is a factor? It's rare, rare as in almost unprecedented, where my phone would be charging when temperatures are above say, 72°. In fact, during all but the summer months, room temperature where I charge my phone is typically well below 65°.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Hmmm, I see you're in Florida; maybe heat is a factor? It's rare, rare as in almost unprecedented, where my phone would be charging when temperatures are above say, 72°. In fact, during all but the summer months, room temperature where I charge my phone is typically well below 65°.
Got it; next question, what is your USB-C cable plugged into? When charging at home I am always plugged into either my computer or the transformer brick which came with the phone, when on long trips I have one of those "smart chargers" which plug into the standard automotive power outlet.
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From: Dirty H-Town, Amerikkka
I've got a buddy that deals with Li-Ion batteries for work, and one of his co-workers is Kindof A Bigdeal in the battery world. From what we've discussed, it's a bit complicated.
Li-Ion batteries don't like to be hot, and they don't like to be 100% or 0% capacity. He told me that for the longest life, you want to keep it between 20 and 80%. But then, at the same time, there is another layer of the onion that has to do with the actual charging circuit... And that most devices are smart enough these days that they incorporate monitoring in the charge circuit so that it doesn't allow the battery to overcharge or overdischarge.
So it's not necessarily as easy as looking at what the battery% is showing on your phone. Because when it shows 100%, that might be the 80% point of the battery, physically. Likewise that 0% point might really be the 20% point.
Or not. Because it's not really standard.
So in the end... Well, I spent a few months doing the 80-20-80 route but then said hell with it and just plug it in and leave it.
Li-Ion batteries don't like to be hot, and they don't like to be 100% or 0% capacity. He told me that for the longest life, you want to keep it between 20 and 80%. But then, at the same time, there is another layer of the onion that has to do with the actual charging circuit... And that most devices are smart enough these days that they incorporate monitoring in the charge circuit so that it doesn't allow the battery to overcharge or overdischarge.
So it's not necessarily as easy as looking at what the battery% is showing on your phone. Because when it shows 100%, that might be the 80% point of the battery, physically. Likewise that 0% point might really be the 20% point.
Or not. Because it's not really standard.
So in the end... Well, I spent a few months doing the 80-20-80 route but then said hell with it and just plug it in and leave it.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
Got it; next question, what is your USB-C cable plugged into? When charging at home I am always plugged into either my computer or the transformer brick which came with the phone, when on long trips I have one of those "smart chargers" which plug into the standard automotive power outlet.
Given she's part of the iPhone crowd, this works out perfect for both of us.
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Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Dirty H-Town, Amerikkka
Yeah, I'm pretty chuffed the fingerprint sensor is back. I use it way more than I expected to ever use it. And use the swipe feature quite a bit too. Not sure I could go back to a sensorless phone. The $350 price point made it a no-brainer... Since they announced the 4a5G and 5 at the same time (coming soon), I did hesitate for a second since I'd really prefer the 5; but I'm tired of limping along. At $350, this'll be a good backup phone to keep in a drawer if nothing else.
Yeah, my personal phone (3xl) is still going strong despite the occasional power button issue. If it were to fail before the 5g comes out, I'll just get the 4a. My work phone is a 4xl, and not having a fingerprint sensor sucks.
lol
Honest question - aside from Apple, Google, and Samsung (with their 1 million mega pixel phones) who else sells phones these days? I guess Motorola puts out ads every few months for a new phone that ends up sucking, but...who else?
Honest question - aside from Apple, Google, and Samsung (with their 1 million mega pixel phones) who else sells phones these days? I guess Motorola puts out ads every few months for a new phone that ends up sucking, but...who else?
Ex-OEM King
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 17,876
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From: Minnesnowta
I've got a buddy that deals with Li-Ion batteries for work, and one of his co-workers is Kindof A Bigdeal in the battery world. From what we've discussed, it's a bit complicated.
Li-Ion batteries don't like to be hot, and they don't like to be 100% or 0% capacity. He told me that for the longest life, you want to keep it between 20 and 80%. But then, at the same time, there is another layer of the onion that has to do with the actual charging circuit... And that most devices are smart enough these days that they incorporate monitoring in the charge circuit so that it doesn't allow the battery to overcharge or overdischarge.
So it's not necessarily as easy as looking at what the battery% is showing on your phone. Because when it shows 100%, that might be the 80% point of the battery, physically. Likewise that 0% point might really be the 20% point.
Or not. Because it's not really standard.
So in the end... Well, I spent a few months doing the 80-20-80 route but then said hell with it and just plug it in and leave it.
Li-Ion batteries don't like to be hot, and they don't like to be 100% or 0% capacity. He told me that for the longest life, you want to keep it between 20 and 80%. But then, at the same time, there is another layer of the onion that has to do with the actual charging circuit... And that most devices are smart enough these days that they incorporate monitoring in the charge circuit so that it doesn't allow the battery to overcharge or overdischarge.
So it's not necessarily as easy as looking at what the battery% is showing on your phone. Because when it shows 100%, that might be the 80% point of the battery, physically. Likewise that 0% point might really be the 20% point.
Or not. Because it's not really standard.
So in the end... Well, I spent a few months doing the 80-20-80 route but then said hell with it and just plug it in and leave it.
Motorola, Huawei, OnePlus, LG, Sony, Nokia there are a bunch out there still.
Azine Jabroni
Joined: May 2013
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From: Austin, TX
Anything else?
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Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Dirty H-Town, Amerikkka
And the Google support answer was "clean the port out, there might be lint in there." I was sceptical but gave it a shot. First with a plastic toothpick and then with a safety pin.
This is all the crap I dug out if the USB-C port on my phone:
7gYqRYC.jpg
it just kept coming out, like a clown car, but with disgusting lint filth grime.
So, @SamDoe1 , you might give that a shot and see if it gets your port working better again. Mine is charging better and is tight again. Like my phone did kegels.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Miami, FL
I think you might be taking a bit too far. I've left literally every phone I've ever had plugged in overnight every night until it's fully charged and never had an issue with battery failure. Modern phones charge over USB and, as such, are able to dictate how much power they consume and when to stop accepting more charge on their own. You artificially limiting it to 80% isn't benefiting anything and is only robbing you of on time. There are apps that measure current consumption that your phone is either discharging or charging and I can see that my P3XL will chug down power when the battery is low but barely sip on it if the battery is full. It adapts to what it needs.
That got me thinking... So I started looking into what it would take to replace the USB-C socket. Googled "pixel USB c..." and one of the autofills was "... loose" and I thought, well that's my problem... What does the internets have to say.
And the Google support answer was "clean the port out, there might be lint in there." I was sceptical but gave it a shot. First with a plastic toothpick and then with a safety pin.
This is all the crap I dug out if the USB-C port on my phone:
it just kept coming out, like a clown car, but with disgusting lint filth grime.
So, @SamDoe1 , you might give that a shot and see if it gets your port working better again. Mine is charging better and is tight again. Like my phone did kegels.
And the Google support answer was "clean the port out, there might be lint in there." I was sceptical but gave it a shot. First with a plastic toothpick and then with a safety pin.
This is all the crap I dug out if the USB-C port on my phone:
it just kept coming out, like a clown car, but with disgusting lint filth grime.
So, @SamDoe1 , you might give that a shot and see if it gets your port working better again. Mine is charging better and is tight again. Like my phone did kegels.
Ummm, @cu2wagon, WOW!
Wow!
Ex-OEM King
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 17,876
Likes: 7,023
From: Minnesnowta
That got me thinking... So I started looking into what it would take to replace the USB-C socket. Googled "pixel USB c..." and one of the autofills was "... loose" and I thought, well that's my problem... What does the internets have to say.
And the Google support answer was "clean the port out, there might be lint in there." I was sceptical but gave it a shot. First with a plastic toothpick and then with a safety pin.
This is all the crap I dug out if the USB-C port on my phone:
it just kept coming out, like a clown car, but with disgusting lint filth grime.
So, @SamDoe1 , you might give that a shot and see if it gets your port working better again. Mine is charging better and is tight again. Like my phone did kegels.
And the Google support answer was "clean the port out, there might be lint in there." I was sceptical but gave it a shot. First with a plastic toothpick and then with a safety pin.
This is all the crap I dug out if the USB-C port on my phone:
it just kept coming out, like a clown car, but with disgusting lint filth grime.
So, @SamDoe1 , you might give that a shot and see if it gets your port working better again. Mine is charging better and is tight again. Like my phone did kegels.
Yeah 80% is definitely a guide more of an absolute. I use Accubattery which sends a notification when the phone hits 80% so that I know when to unplug. Even Cu's battery guy suggested it be best to keep it between those percentages. Again, I'm home all day so it's not a big deal. Certainly millions have done the 100 - 0 discharge and their phones lasted. This particular phone has always been a battery muncher vs the Sammy's and Moto's I've had in the past.
Ex-OEM King
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 17,876
Likes: 7,023
From: Minnesnowta
Update, cleaned mine out with a wooden toothpick and got the same or more crap out of my port as you...going to try and find a thinner needle to see if I can get more shit out.
PSA: Clean your USB-C port.
PSA: Clean your USB-C port.