4G Android phone megathread

Marceline

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bohous said:
 
Didn't realize it was going to be 5.5" screen. I honestly don't think I would want anything much larger than 5" (twss), which will already feel huge coming from a 4s. Does a 5.5" phone even comfortably fit in a standard jeans pocket?
 
I have a Note 2 with a 5.5" screen and it fits very comfortably in my jeans pocket.
 

saintnick912

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Ended up ebaying a Z2, ordered on Friday from a Taiwanese seller and it showed up yesterday while I was out of the office, so fast.  It's very big, but not enough to be a problem for me.  The screen looks pretty fantastic, but I haven't done any more because it wants my SIM card and I'm not ready to move everything over at the office.  Will post further when I get it set up.
 

bohous

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Looks like the new LG G3 will be unveiled on May 27th with a 2560x1400 display and possibly an aluminum body.
If this leaked image is legit they are doubling down on the rear button configuration but flattened out center button.
 
 

saintnick912

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Pretty battery-happy with the Z2 so far, was abusive to it last night and it was still over 50% when I went to bed.  Need to root it still and shut off a bunch of their background nonsense.
 

saintnick912

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Only gripe I have with the z2 so far is that the root method is a bit scorched earth, so I've held off. Few things I wish I could shut off or uninstall, but it has otherwise been so good that I don't mind.
 

4 6 3 DP

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Not sure if this is appropriate for this thread, but work in Boston, commute from south shore, most of my time is in quincy, on southeast expressway, or 95 south.
 
Currently have Verizon and a droid razr maxx thats contract is up. 
 
Is Verizon the best for coverage? Are any of the phones/services considered better in Boston for calls/data? For the most part I don't drop calls but Data is pretty slow and inconsistent on Verizon, sometimes great, sometimes slow-mo.
 
Any help appreciated. 
 

Trlicek's Whip

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I just broke up with Verizon to port to T-Mobile, and based on my low-level needs pulled the trigger on the M8. Should have it tomorrow. I haven't been blown away by the S5 reviews and Samsung's bloatware was noticeable in the 2nd half of my two-year contract. The Z2 would be more phone than I'd ever need and I've had HTC's in the past so it was an easier choice. 
 

MetSox1

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F it.  Based entirely on Trlicek's post, I'm going with the HTC as well.  My Samsung Nexus is running on fumes and I was never truly thrilled with it.
 

glennhoffmania

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I have the M8 and I really like it but I have one issue. When I record video it makes an annoying clicking sound. Not a big deal except you also hear it when you play a video back. I've looked in all the settings but don't see how to turn it off. Anyone know?
 

saintnick912

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If it's anything like my One X (same manufacturer, probably not much else in common) that could be the autofocus of the camera.  Mine was very loud, never really shot video on it but I could see it being distracting if that's what it is.
 

Trlicek's Whip

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Just got my M8 today but won't have time to port and charge till tomorrow. 
 
The only other data point I read were complaints about the M8's camera. I got the sense much of it was "early adopter lol boo hoo," and also that HTC gives you enough camera for your primary uses of said camera (social media, texting it, not grandiose professional shots). I'll know more after playing with it this weekend. 
 
And to follow up on "why no Z2," it was primarily because I don't watch movies nor game on my phone. So having a mini Playstation wasn't enticing at all.
 

glennhoffmania

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saintnick912 said:
If it's anything like my One X (same manufacturer, probably not much else in common) that could be the autofocus of the camera.  Mine was very loud, never really shot video on it but I could see it being distracting if that's what it is.
 
According to Sprint, it's an HTC policy to prevent people from taking pictures/videos without the subjects being aware.  Their only advice was to either try another camera app or to silence the phone before recording.  Pretty stupid policy if you ask me.  I don't mind the clicking while recording, but when it's clearly audible during playback it's very annoying.
 

bohous

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Trlicek's Whip said:
Just got my M8 today but won't have time to port and charge till tomorrow. 
 
The only other data point I read were complaints about the M8's camera. I got the sense much of it was "early adopter lol boo hoo," and also that HTC gives you enough camera for your primary uses of said camera (social media, texting it, not grandiose professional shots). I'll know more after playing with it this weekend. 
 
And to follow up on "why no Z2," it was primarily because I don't watch movies nor game on my phone. So having a mini Playstation wasn't enticing at all.
 
 
I've been digging into the M8 camera issue quite a bit while I have been trying to talk myself into buying it. If you are content using your phone's camera for social media and screen viewing it is more than capable, and actually excels in low light. However, while I would never expect any phone to be capable of "grandiose professional shots", I do occasionally get a really nice shot of my kids or something that I may want to print as large as 5"x7". I am not confident the M8's Ultrapixel technology is going to do it for me. It really struggles with bright highlights and open sky in particular. I've seen some really nice shots from the M8 but it's just not consistent. 
 

jayhoz

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Yup.  The camera is the Achilles heal of the M8 and a showstopper for me.
 

saintnick912

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The camera on the z2 has been remarkable for a phone camera so far. The M8 seemed to have better manual settings in the reviews I read, but not enough to overcome the sensor differences.

Hopefully (for me) the rumors about RAW support coming in an Android update are true.
 

Trlicek's Whip

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The battery life on the M8 is awesome. Of course I could only go up from my two-year old Samsung S3. I've been unplugged since I charged the phone Wednesday afternoon, turning it off for 8 hours last night to sleep, and still have 32% battery. As mentioned upthread I'm a low-impact user (no streaming music or video, no games) so this is just what the doctor ordered. 
 

sodenj5

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So I recently sent my iPhone through the washing machine. Tried to bag-of-rice it, but no avail. Quick history: I'm a huge Apple user. I've had an iPhone 3G, 3Gs, 4, and 4s. I was really trying to hold out and wait on the iPhone 6 to come out to cash in my upgrade (AT&T). However, I've recently opened up to the idea of possibly trying out an android phone. 
 
I'm considering the HTC One M8, Galaxy S5, and the Nexus 5 (mostly because it's contract free and would leave the door open for an iPhone 6). As a long time Apple user, what do you guys think would most appeal to me? I think I'm leaning M8, Nexus, Galaxy, in that order. 
 

teddykgb

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You're going to be much more protected spending the money on the Nexus 5, which is a fine phone and is contract free.  The M8 and S5 are better phones, but if you're really anticipating the iPhone 6 then you're going to keep your options open when the phone lust begins later.  Not to mention that the N5 has out of box android, so you won't be experiencing one of the skins the manufacturer has put on the device.  These are quite easy to replace, but if you want to check out Android then stock android is probably the best way to experience it (outside of the Moto X, which is a great phone)
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Software update pushed to my Note II this morning. The version appears to be 4.3, but I'm reading that 4.4.2 or 4.4.3 may be on the way. 
 
Anyone else seeing any upgrades?  
 

AlNipper49

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So a few months ago I had a big switching thread.  I'm going back to iPhone.
 
1. the camera on the moto-x is a complete piece of shit.  Like unusable in many circumstances relative to the pretty decent one on the iphone.
2. Notifications suck.  I've tried every app in the Play Store but nothing, for how I use them, comes close to how the iPhone delivers messages.  My big issue with using third-party apps isn't completely how they work but I do see some variable latency in how the notifications arrive.  In general I want (need) my phone to let me know ASAP.
3. I just prefer the central-management way that the iPhone does things.  I'm a big geek but I'm pretty sick digging into how each app delivers messages, to use them above example.  I like on the iphone that I can control just about anything from within the settings app.  I'm a geek but I also don't like tinkering with my phone for hours on end. 
4. iPhone integrates into my receiver.  I didn't think that I'd mis Airplaying shit from my receiver, but I do.
5. better apps on the iphone.  To use the above as an example above, I have a Denon receiver.  Their App sucks but atleast on the iphone it's updated and works.  The Android one has never worked and nobody seems to care.  I know that there are thrid party apps that I can use, but this goes for a lot of other things as well.  I also miss getting the latest and greatest games.  I feel like I am missing out. 
 

jayhoz

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6. The iPhone won't make your hands look as dainty and delicate as they really are.
 

Seven Costanza

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I had a Moto X for a few months and while it remains the best Android phone I've ever used, I ended up switching to iPhone primarily for the camera.  The Moto X camera really is shit.
 
I prefer Android notifications and the Android notifications screen, but I finally came to the realization that for all the reasons Android is superior to iOS (customization, etc) I really didn't use any of them. Personal preference and all that.
 
As an aside, if anyone wants a Verizon Moto X for cheap, holler at me.
 

fenwaypaul

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Seven Costanza said:
I had a Moto X for a few months and while it remains the best Android phone I've ever used, I ended up switching to iPhone primarily for the camera.  The Moto X camera really is shit.
 
I prefer Android notifications and the Android notifications screen, but I finally came to the realization that for all the reasons Android is superior to iOS (customization, etc) I really didn't use any of them. Personal preference and all that.
 
Is there an Android phone with a camera that isn't shit? I'm fed up with the camera on my Razr Mazz because of the awful shutter lag and poor low-light performance. I, too, am seriously considering switching to an iPhone at this point.
 

Spelunker

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PaulinMyrBch said:
Software update pushed to my Note II this morning. The version appears to be 4.3, but I'm reading that 4.4.2 or 4.4.3 may be on the way. 
 
Anyone else seeing any upgrades?  
Hasn't 4.4.2 been out for a while? Or are you referring to Samsungified updates?
 

Seven Costanza

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fenwaypaul said:
 
Is there an Android phone with a camera that isn't shit? I'm fed up with the camera on my Razr Mazz because of the awful shutter lag and poor low-light performance. I, too, am seriously considering switching to an iPhone at this point.
 
I know Foulkey has very much enjoyed the camera on his S4, but I'll let him chime in more on that.  I no longer have any love for Samsung, but by all accounts the cameras on their flagships aren't bad.
 

Foulkey Reese

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Seven Costanza said:
 
That just like, your opinion, man.
No it's a fact you disgusting iSheep. Enjoy your toy phone while I'm hanging out with hot chicks all day long who are digging on my widgets. 
 
Edit: Also, I've only had to charge my phone 3-4 times since I got it 11 months ago. So eat it.
 

Trlicek's Whip

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Seven Costanza said:
 
I know Foulkey has very much enjoyed the camera on his S4, but I'll let him chime in more on that.  I no longer have any love for Samsung, but by all accounts the cameras on their flagships aren't bad.
 
I've had the S3 for two years and the camera was fantastic - not just in phone, either. I don't need them to be great cameras for my use (and with the M8 I believe it's a big downgrade) but Samsung cameras are solid.
 
 
Foulkey Reese said:
The S4 camera is pretty great imo. Takes better pics than my wife's iPhone 5.
 
Edited to add that three iPhone users I know have all said the S3 camera clobbers iPhone.
 

Seven Costanza

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Foulkey Reese said:
No it's a fact you disgusting iSheep. Enjoy your toy phone while I'm hanging out with hot chicks all day long who are digging on my widgets. 
 
Edit: Also, I've only had to charge my phone 3-4 times since I got it 11 months ago. So eat it.
 
I now eat your fragmentation for breakfast. You wish you had a retail experience like the Apple Store.
 

Foulkey Reese

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Seven Costanza said:
 
I now eat your fragmentation for breakfast. You wish you had a retail experience like the Apple Store.
The internet is my retail store kid.
 
Edited to add that three iPhone users I know have all said the S3 camera clobbers iPhone.
 
Much like I clobbered Seven Costanza today.
 

Seven Costanza

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Hey, at least Apple doesn't have to pay celebrities to use their products.  I'm in good company with Ellen and the Kardashians.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Spelunker said:
Hasn't 4.4.2 been out for a while? Or are you referring to Samsungified updates?
It was a Verizon update. Apparently 4.4.2 has been out a while but not pushed to the GN2, just the newer devices. Wondering if any other GN2 owners are seeing udpates? Couldn't find much on the web this morning.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Ok, just found this bit of info on Droid-life.com. Nothing for me here.
 
 
If you see an update appear on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from Verizon over the next couple of days, know that it is not Kit Kat (Android 4.4). The update allows the phone to roam to TELUS in Canada, and that’s about it. The update brings the phone to build I605VRUAND3.
The Galaxy S3 on Verizon received the same update last week. 
Keep in mind that the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 have been confirmed by Samsung as phones on the list of devices scheduled to receive Kit Kat. They haven’t given us a release time frame, instead are leaving that responsibility to the carriers. With the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 on most carriers (sorry, Verizon Note 3 owners) having already received the update to Android 4.4, we should start seeing the Note 2 and S3 over the coming months. In fact, Sprint’s Galaxy S3 received Kit Kat last week.
Again, you should see an update on your Verizon Note 2 this week, just try to to get too excited.
 

glennhoffmania

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Foulkey Reese said:
 
 
Edit: Also, I've only had to charge my phone 3-4 times since I got it 11 months ago. So eat it.
 
Maybe you should try turning it on once in a while.
 

SumnerH

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http://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles attempts to measure camera performance and assign an overall rating. The single number is a little silly but the reviews are worthwile if you are really interested in camera performance.  Of the ones I've heard firsthand reports on, everything from #12 up is considered really good by some people.  (Obligatory "Hey, look, the LG G2!" comment).

Top 20 by the one-number-fits-all rating:
1. Sony Xperia Z2
DxOMark Mobile:
79
Nokia 808 Pureview
2. Nokia 808 Pureview
DxOMark Mobile:
77
Apple iPhone 5S
3. Apple iPhone 5S
DxOMark Mobile:
76
Sony Xperia Z1
4. Sony Xperia Z1
DxOMark Mobile:
76
Samsung S4
5. Samsung S4
DxOMark Mobile:
75
Nokia Lumia 1020
6. Nokia Lumia 1020
DxOMark Mobile:
74
LG G2
7. LG G2
DxOMark Mobile:
73
Nokia Lumia 925
8. Nokia Lumia 925
DxOMark Mobile:
73
Apple iPhone 5
9. Apple iPhone 5
DxOMark Mobile:
72
Samsung S3
10. Samsung S3
DxOMark Mobile:
72
Apple iPhone 4S
11. Apple iPhone 4S
DxOMark Mobile:
72
Galaxy Note II
12. Galaxy Note II
DxOMark Mobile:
72
GoPro HERO3
13. GoPro HERO3
DxOMark Mobile:
70
BlackBerry Z10
14. BlackBerry Z10
DxOMark Mobile:
67
HTC 8X
15. HTC 8X
DxOMark Mobile:
66
Nokia Lumia 920
16. Nokia Lumia 920
DxOMark Mobile:
66
Sony Xperia Z
17. Sony Xperia Z
DxOMark Mobile:
61
Apple New iPad
18. Apple New iPad
DxOMark Mobile:
59
Samsung S2
19. Samsung S2
DxOMark Mobile:
57
Apple iPhone 4
20. Apple iPhone 4
DxOMark Mobile:
50
 

milfordsoxfan

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Foulkey Reese said:
All kidding aside, has anybody else noticed that Google Now has gotten really good?
 
Like, it knows me now.
 
Yeah - I've noticed this.  One thing I like is that at the beginning of every month, a notification pops up and tells me approximately how far I walked the previous month (22 miles in April, pretty shocking considering it's basically me wandering the office or grocery store).  I can't seem to access it on other days, though.
 
Additionally, it figured out pretty quick that my office moved, and it has realized I take multiple routes to and form work, and when there is traffic on one, suggests another.  It's not super-useful presently, but in a few years I can think that it might be. 
 

SuperManny

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milfordsoxfan said:
 
Yeah - I've noticed this.  One thing I like is that at the beginning of every month, a notification pops up and tells me approximately how far I walked the previous month (22 miles in April, pretty shocking considering it's basically me wandering the office or grocery store).  I can't seem to access it on other days, though.
 
Additionally, it figured out pretty quick that my office moved, and it has realized I take multiple routes to and form work, and when there is traffic on one, suggests another.  It's not super-useful presently, but in a few years I can think that it might be. 
 
I'm a big fan of google now, although I haven't noticed the walking totals show up. One of the cool features is that when I make a reservation through OpenTable it will let me know what time I should leave, taking into account traffic, to get there on time.
 

saintnick912

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I'm very happy with the camera on the Z2 so far, for a phone camera.  Still not in the league of my RX100, but the pictures are at least passable in most cases, pretty similar quality to what I got off my Lumix LX3 in JPG mode.
 
I wish the HTC One (M8) had a better camera, because their software interface is the best I've seen in terms of manual settings.  I'm hoping the rumored "Android adding RAW capture" is true because that will be night and day better for me.
 

bohous

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I was looking at some if the leaked stuff this afternoon and the actual dimensions will be about the same as the S5 and slightly smaller than M8, which is what I was hoping for. I wouldn't want anything larger than the M8.
 

scottyno

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Does anyone have any experience with screen burn and ways to reverse it if possible?  I just noticed it on my s3 yesterday, the keyboard has become imprinted and can be seen on light colored backgrounds.  I found an app that claims it can reverse the burn, but I tried it for several hours and I didn't really notice any difference.
 

bohous

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jayhoz said:
 
 
bohous said:
I was looking at some if the leaked stuff this afternoon and the actual dimensions will be about the same as the S5 and slightly smaller than M8, which is what I was hoping for. I wouldn't want anything larger than the M8.
 
 
Amending my post above, I've see conflicting reports regarding dimensions but if this assumption is correct it will be significantly wider than both S5 and M8 making one hand use impossible and sneaking into phablet territory.
 
http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/05/21/how-big-is-lgs-5-5-qhd-monster-the-g3-maybe-not-as-big-as-youd-guess-size-comparison-mockup/
 
GSM Arena's rumored size is a bit smaller but 146.3 x 74.6 is probably more realistic given a 5.5" screen.
 
 
I wish I liked the S5 more. I think it really hits the sweet spot for large screen yet manageable size. I think the Moto X+1 will also be a 5.2" but don't think we will see it until fall.
 

deconstruction

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bohous said:
 
 
 
 
Amending my post above, I've see conflicting reports regarding dimensions but if this assumption is correct it will be significantly wider than both S5 and M8 making one hand use impossible and sneaking into phablet territory.
 
http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/05/21/how-big-is-lgs-5-5-qhd-monster-the-g3-maybe-not-as-big-as-youd-guess-size-comparison-mockup/
 
GSM Arena's rumored size is a bit smaller but 146.3 x 74.6 is probably more realistic given a 5.5" screen.
 
 
I wish I liked the S5 more. I think it really hits the sweet spot for large screen yet manageable size. I think the Moto X+1 will also be a 5.2" but don't think we will see it until fall.
 
I feel like it does this in part because it (and previous Galaxy S versions) uses below-screen buttons rather than on-screen buttons, the latter effectively shrinking screen size most of the time. 
 

jayhoz

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The Amazon App store is running a promotion where you get 1,000 Amazon coins for free.  You can combine this with another offer to get a total of 2,301 coins.
 
1) Download these shitty apps for free to earn 1,000 Amazon Coins
iHeart Radio
Food Network In The Kitchen
Strawberry Shortcake Bake Shop
Dr. Panda's Restaurant
Don't step the white tile
 
2) Purchase GTA San Andreas* with 699 Coins to earn another 2,000 coins
 
3) Nets out to 2,301 coins for free
 
*If your device isn't compatible with the game, you might have to make the purchase via web browser.