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[Android] Thread v.2015: Google tries to hardware. Effort: A+. Grade score: C-

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Posts

  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    SeñorAmor wrote: »
    Thinking about forgoing the Pixel XL and waiting until the Pixel 2 comes out. My S6 Edge works just fine so I have no need to upgrade at this point, and I figure why not just wait for the 2 to come out.

    Any reason why that would be a bad idea (other than having to wait until the end of the year)?

    No, that's a prudent strategy if you're fine with your current phone. I think the S6 Edge is still getting some security patches, too.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    a5ehren wrote: »
    Mugsley wrote: »
    It's a 5X, so...shrug.jpg

    I guess I just approached Bluetooth purely from a range standpoint and figured it wouldn't matter much making the connection if it's within 6 feet. I mean, I get it (I've dealt with enough of these issues with WiFi), I just found it interesting.

    FWIW, I get worse issues with my 6P. Like I can't even use BT headphones if the phone is in my front pocket, but they work fine with my iPad if it's in the next room.

    I have a 6P with my Jaybirds, and when I'm wearing my heavy winter coat if my phone is in the front pocket of the jacket and the inline controls for my jaybirds are under my scarf (hey it's cold here!, -22C this morning) the signal is intermittent. If I either a) un-bury the inline controls or b) move phone to left jacket pocket it's fine.

    I don't have this issue with my sony over ear bluetooth cans, but then those don't have controls that go under my scarf. In reality it's probably a combination of the phone and the headset radios/antennas.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • BasarBasar IstanbulRegistered User regular
    Hiyaaaaa!

    Finally I am an Android user. I got myself a brand new Sony Xperia Z5 Premium for $200 and I am quite happy with it. It took a day to get used to it after 7 years of iOS but I am glad to have made the switch as I enjoy being able to customize everything to my taste. I also love having a huge screen (5.5 inches) after my iPhone 5s' 4 inches screen.

    Any recommendations & advise for a recent convert would be appreciated. Thanks.

    i live in a country with a batshit crazy president and no, english is not my first language

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    So, I'm a simple man with simple tastes (I've been using a Lumia 830 for....gosh, three years?), and now I'm in a jam. My Lumia won't interface with my PC anymore.

    So I may be screwed, especially since this is a particularly bad time to pay for a new phone. But can anyone recommend a modern Android phone that has 1) wireless charging and 2) a MicroSD card slot? I don't want to lose the functionality I already had, and I don't really need a high performance phone either.

    EDIT: Also, as crazy as it sounds...I sort of want a Blackberry Priv (which has both those features apparently, along with a physical keyboard?).

    Synthesis on
  • CokebotleCokebotle 穴掘りの 電車内Registered User regular
    Basar wrote: »
    Hiyaaaaa!

    Finally I am an Android user. I got myself a brand new Sony Xperia Z5 Premium for $200 and I am quite happy with it. It took a day to get used to it after 7 years of iOS but I am glad to have made the switch as I enjoy being able to customize everything to my taste. I also love having a huge screen (5.5 inches) after my iPhone 5s' 4 inches screen.

    Any recommendations & advise for a recent convert would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Hm... Depends on what you are looking for.

    A really good sms app is Textra. If you want to try replacing the default Sony home screen/app launcher, Action Launcher 3 and Nova are highly recommended. I like using Zedge to find wallpapers or ringtones/notifications.

    And I've been getting a lot of use from Look of Disapproval, an ASCII art app for sending table flipping emoji and other random faces.

    工事中
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Cokebotle wrote: »
    Basar wrote: »
    Hiyaaaaa!

    Finally I am an Android user. I got myself a brand new Sony Xperia Z5 Premium for $200 and I am quite happy with it. It took a day to get used to it after 7 years of iOS but I am glad to have made the switch as I enjoy being able to customize everything to my taste. I also love having a huge screen (5.5 inches) after my iPhone 5s' 4 inches screen.

    Any recommendations & advise for a recent convert would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Hm... Depends on what you are looking for.

    A really good sms app is Textra. If you want to try replacing the default Sony home screen/app launcher, Action Launcher 3 and Nova are highly recommended. I like using Zedge to find wallpapers or ringtones/notifications.

    And I've been getting a lot of use from Look of Disapproval, an ASCII art app for sending table flipping emoji and other random faces.

    To add to this, Swiftkey as a keyboard replacement and MightyText if you want to send texts from your computer (I know it works with Chrome, I dont know if theres a Firefox extension)

  • SirToastySirToasty Registered User regular
    emp123 wrote: »
    Cokebotle wrote: »
    Basar wrote: »
    Hiyaaaaa!

    Finally I am an Android user. I got myself a brand new Sony Xperia Z5 Premium for $200 and I am quite happy with it. It took a day to get used to it after 7 years of iOS but I am glad to have made the switch as I enjoy being able to customize everything to my taste. I also love having a huge screen (5.5 inches) after my iPhone 5s' 4 inches screen.

    Any recommendations & advise for a recent convert would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Hm... Depends on what you are looking for.

    A really good sms app is Textra. If you want to try replacing the default Sony home screen/app launcher, Action Launcher 3 and Nova are highly recommended. I like using Zedge to find wallpapers or ringtones/notifications.

    And I've been getting a lot of use from Look of Disapproval, an ASCII art app for sending table flipping emoji and other random faces.

    To add to this, Swiftkey as a keyboard replacement and MightyText if you want to send texts from your computer (I know it works with Chrome, I dont know if theres a Firefox extension)

    I prefer Swype to Swiftkey but either way, gesture typing is the light.

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Synthesis wrote: »
    So, I'm a simple man with simple tastes (I've been using a Lumia 830 for....gosh, three years?), and now I'm in a jam. My Lumia won't interface with my PC anymore.

    So I may be screwed, especially since this is a particularly bad time to pay for a new phone. But can anyone recommend a modern Android phone that has 1) wireless charging and 2) a MicroSD card slot? I don't want to lose the functionality I already had, and I don't really need a high performance phone either.

    EDIT: Also, as crazy as it sounds...I sort of want a Blackberry Priv (which has both those features apparently, along with a physical keyboard?).

    This may be relevant...

    Edit: Ha, quoting you in the Windows thread.

    So is it your phone or the Windows bug?

    MichaelLC on
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    Trying to get your iPhone friends to switch to Android? Get them this iPhone case that's actually an android device!

    http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/3/13/14908218/eye-esti-inc-iphone-case-android-why-kickstarter

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Synthesis wrote: »
    So, I'm a simple man with simple tastes (I've been using a Lumia 830 for....gosh, three years?), and now I'm in a jam. My Lumia won't interface with my PC anymore.

    So I may be screwed, especially since this is a particularly bad time to pay for a new phone. But can anyone recommend a modern Android phone that has 1) wireless charging and 2) a MicroSD card slot? I don't want to lose the functionality I already had, and I don't really need a high performance phone either.

    EDIT: Also, as crazy as it sounds...I sort of want a Blackberry Priv (which has both those features apparently, along with a physical keyboard?).

    This may be relevant...

    Edit: Ha, quoting you in the Windows thread.

    So is it your phone or the Windows bug?

    Windows update, which was shockingly easy to fix. That being said, I don't imagine my Lumia 830 will last forever (a shame considering how its camera/flash combo are better than many phones that came out this year).

  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    So google assistant got rolled out to my 6P, which is neat and all, except that apparently there's no way to change it back so that a long press on the home button brings up google now. Super irritating!

    From what I could research, the only way of fixing this (without rooting) is uninstalling the update to the google app (which I did), or setting my language to US Virgin Islands, since it hasn't rolled out there yet or some such nonsense.

    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    So google assistant got rolled out to my 6P, which is neat and all, except that apparently there's no way to change it back so that a long press on the home button brings up google now. Super irritating!

    From what I could research, the only way of fixing this (without rooting) is uninstalling the update to the google app (which I did), or setting my language to US Virgin Islands, since it hasn't rolled out there yet or some such nonsense.

    I'm not sure what you're meaning. Before on the 6P long pressing the home button brought up the pretty useless Now On Tap feature, which took a screenshot and attempted to surface information based on what was on your screen. Google Now was (and still is) accessible as the left most panel on the launcher.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • SirToastySirToasty Registered User regular
    I liked Now On Tap. You could also highlight specific things and it would bring up a quick google search at the bottom of your screen. Although I think you can still do that.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    SirToasty wrote: »
    I liked Now On Tap. You could also highlight specific things and it would bring up a quick google search at the bottom of your screen. Although I think you can still do that.

    yea, Assistant still does that. press and hold home, and when the assistant UI comes up... swipe up.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    SirToasty wrote: »
    I liked Now On Tap. You could also highlight specific things and it would bring up a quick google search at the bottom of your screen. Although I think you can still do that.

    yea, Assistant still does that. press and hold home, and when the assistant UI comes up... swipe up.

    Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for.

    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • TL DRTL DR Not at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Ok, I need a keyboard recommendation. My new G5 is awful at words. Is Swype still the hotness?

    TL DR on
  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    I prefer Swiftkey, but they're both good. Some people like Gboard, but I haven't tried it.

  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    @emp123 This mighty text is really handy.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    gboard is the google keyboard. I like it a lot, but swiftkey is generally the 3rd party option most will recommend.

    I will say gboard has come a long way in the last year or so.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • SirToastySirToasty Registered User regular
    Swiftkey is laggy for me so I use Swype. But Swiftkey had a lot of features that I really liked.

  • SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    I always felt that, over time, Swiftkey learned how I type better than Swype did. It seemed faster since I had to make less corrections.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I've been getting a lot of errors on gboard lately (mostly related to letter deletes when I try to hit a key near the delete key), so I may give either Swype or Swiftkey a go. Gboard has been good to me, though.

    @Synthesis I think the Moto Z does what you want, but can't remember if they have both SD card and wireless charging.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I've been getting a lot of errors on gboard lately (mostly related to letter deletes when I try to hit a key near the delete key), so I may give either Swype or Swiftkey a go. Gboard has been good to me, though.

    @Synthesis I think the Moto Z does what you want, but can't remember if they have both SD card and wireless charging.

    I thought it didn't have a 3.5 mm audio jack?

    I probably should have added: must have audio jack. MicroSD (which it does have?) and Qi charging (which I don't think it does?) are optional but highly desirable by comparison.

    Thank you for the suggestion though.

  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Random question: are 6in phones kind of done?

    I have a Nexus 6 and it feels like it is getting to the end of its life, and while the recent (and final) Android update improved somethings, it also had the side effect of making the speaker (in a call) actually unusable (results in screeching and reverb for the other person).

    I really like the size, however. The Pixel only goes to 5.5, and while the next Pixel hasn't been announced, I imagine it will be similar (EDIT: plus I just don't like how the pixel looks and feels). Motorolas newest is only a 5.2, and they've been my reliable brand for ages (including the Nexus 6). Am I kind of SOL if I want a 6in now? I probably won't be upgrading till this fall/winter, assuming the phone still remains working, but anything on the horizon I'm not aware of (and isn't made by Samsung)?

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    There are a few things there. The issue with phones that are 16:9 aspect ratios is that once you get past about 5.5" the phones become so wide that a great number of people simply can't hold them with one hand. Also in the Nexus 6 days, part of the reason for the size was to cram more battery in, because android power management was terrible before Android 6 and the solution was to put more battery in the device. Since the device got bigger, they made the screen bigger too. And the newer Snapdragons (820, 821, 835) are much more power efficient.

    So what is happening is that a few different things are changing.

    This year, we're seeing it with the LG G6 and will soon with the GS8 is that they're moving to an 18:9 ratio instead of 16:9, which means a taller screen without making it wider. That seems to be the compromise, and on the LG G6 reviews it's apparently a pretty positive experience/change.

    The other thing is that as Android has become much better at power management, the processors are better on batteries, and battery density is a bit better we don't see as much of a need to increase battery sizes, or they're fitting the same size of batteries into smaller spaces, thus taking away the need for giant screens.

    So long story short: Yes, I do think 6" phones are going to become super rare. A combination of being physically difficult for the masses, and not selling well has doomed them.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • DelduwathDelduwath Registered User regular
    That's a tad frustrating, because I was - initially - annoyed by the 6P's huge size (hard to hold, annoying to slip into my pocket), but now I can't imagine going to a smaller screen. Just as I get used to this size, it starts to get phased out.

  • jjae2123jjae2123 Registered User regular
    I had a nexus 6 and moved to a pixel xl and I only notice that the screen is smaller if I use my n6 for a bit.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Something to think about, if you have any friends or family members who have an older phone and are looking for upgrade options.

    The GS8 is slated to release at the end of April. Around that time, the GS7 will get a discount to around US $400; and you'll likely see it sold via MetroPCS/Boost Mobile/other a la carte carriers. Even if you have to set up an account for 1-2 months, that's a fantastic price for a flagship-caliber phone.

    Another option is the Samsung A7 2017, which is a slightly pared-down S7 and appears to have hit the market about a month ago.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    Ended up buying a Blackberry Priv which, besides having a physical keyboard which I have long missed on a phone, and a good camera with a competent flash (you can't have one without the other), should also make an interesting conversation piece. As in, "Why the fuck do you have a Blackberry? Didn't you used to own a Nokia Lumia? What, does Pyongyang not make a unlocked phone for T-Mobile?"

    Followed by me explaining that it's an Android phone, and is half the price it was at release, and the functionality of Qi charging has grown on me from Lumias, and that sacrificing actual functionality for physical form factor design that may or may not be worthwhile is the antithesis of what I want in a phone, and that any multi-hundred dollar device that doesn't even have a MicroSD slot in 2017 seems incredibly short-sighted to me.

    Followed by, "Why the fuck do you have a Blackberry? What's wrong with you?""

    It'll come in today, I'm actually quite looking forward to it, though I'll probably spend a few hours changing the UI appearance to something more comfortable (I'm probably going to miss that the most) as well as find a competent music player (if the default one is insufficient).

  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    I preordered a G6 this weekend. I'm excited because when we switched to Sprint our account got messed up and instead of an installment plan on our phones we ended up on a lease - this will get me off of the lease. Also, apparently it's the first Sprint phone to support HPUE which claims to get better coverage into buildings and my coverage at my desk is currently lousy (but just outside my building is wonderful.)

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    @Synthesis keep us updated. Also, if you want to go that far, you can probably flash stock Android onto the Priv, if you poke into XDA.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    I was always super fascinated by the Priv, but thought it was too expensive (in Canada it was $750 at launch). It can be had for cheaper now, but I personally feel the time is passed for it.

    Also re: the flash thing. I have never once used a flash on a cameraphone. I find the flash does more harm than good unless you're on an SLR with a dedicated stand alone flash. Once you've used something like that, I don't care how good any embedded flash is, it just doesn't do the job.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Mugsley wrote: »
    @Synthesis keep us updated. Also, if you want to go that far, you can probably flash stock Android onto the Priv, if you poke into XDA.

    Will do. This is a demonstration of my unfamiliarity: I bought a completely unlocked, unbranded "Factory" model (from B&H Photo for that reason--thanks Amazon, way to let me down). So there's no branded software but apparently putting in your branded SIM card will yield things like Wifi calling and maybe some software branding? The details are really vague, which is why I ended up paying $50 more than the $300 it would've cost otherwise. I do know it'll either come with Marshmallow or (less likely) instructions how to install Marshmallow (which represents the entirety I know about Android versions). Guess I'll find out...
    wunderbar wrote: »
    I was always super fascinated by the Priv, but thought it was too expensive (in Canada it was $750 at launch). It can be had for cheaper now, but I personally feel the time is passed for it.

    Also re: the flash thing. I have never once used a flash on a cameraphone. I find the flash does more harm than good unless you're on an SLR with a dedicated stand alone flash. Once you've used something like that, I don't care how good any embedded flash is, it just doesn't do the job.

    Yeah, I wasn't willing to pay that when it was announced either. As for the time passing, yeah, I really don't have the budget for a "modern" handset with Qi and a MicroSD slot...the options from Samsung, or the equivalent models from Pixel, were literally twice the cost, sometimes more, for an unlockable unbranded variant. Of course, I'm still gambling with the Priv, I just knew it would be a lot worse to drop $700 on a 2017 phone, use it for a month, and then realize the huge mistake I'd made.

    As for flash, yeah, one thing I have learned is that a strong flash is not the same as a good one--and it exists alongside the camera itself, obviously. My Lumia 830, for a 3 year old phone, takes better pictures than iPhone 6 for that reason--the improvement in quality with a not-total-shit flash combined with a decent camera is immediately noticeable. Of course, I'm coming from an almost decade-old Canon Powershot G7, and not a modern SLR, much less anything with a dedicated flash option. But there is no denying just how shitty even +10 megapixel camera phone photos are without at least a competent flash, which at least brings it into the realm of "almost kind of acceptable for a camera" (equal to "fucking brilliant for a camera phone, why can't my iPhone do this?"). That was one thing a lot of the Lumia's had going for them: very good, immediately approachable cameras. I'll never go back to flashless phone shots, even indoors during the day...

    EDIT: Plus, I'm a pianist--ergo, my fingers are thin enough that even a okay physical keyboard is a huge improvement over an on-screen one. The Priv reportedly has a very good keyboard provided your a pianist (or otherwise inclined), especially with the Marshmallow update to the touch sensing/motion-writing to the physical keyboard (along with the physical action). Combined with me liking my phones to have some heft, no wonder I have fond memories of slider phones.

    EDIT EDIT: I should ask, what UI interfaces do people like the most for 5.6" phones? My one point of experience with Android is that the default UI isn't great, both cosmetically and in terms of use.

    Synthesis on
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Synthesis wrote: »
    EDIT EDIT: I should ask, what UI interfaces do people like the most for 5.6" phones? My one point of experience with Android is that the default UI isn't great, both cosmetically and in terms of use.

    Go check out the deep rabbit hole that is /r/androidthemes on Reddit.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    I don't know, I've never once turned the flash on on my 6P and I've taken absolute fantastic night shots. I would never even consider using the flash.

    And I'd think you'd be surprised. the 830 was a great camera in it's day, but a modern phone like a GS7 blows it out of the water now.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    The Pixel's camera is also really freaking nice.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    And frankly, where the advancements have been isn't in the actual camera sensors, it's in the processing on device, both at a hardware and software level.

    Phones are using basically the same physical sensors they were using 2 years ago. But Qualcomm has put a big emphasis on ISP (image singal processing) on the snapdragon processors. The 821 apparently had an exceptional ISP, so I'm interested to see what the 835 can do. Add in the processing that devices do at an OS level (think auto HDR+ on the Pixel phones) and you get great images.

    I I mean, yes a full frame or APS-C SLR with a high quality lens will of course take better pictures in the same conditions, but I have a sony NEX-5N that I used to take with my everywhere, but It pretty much only comes out for special occiasions becuase except for specific scenarios the camera in a high end modern phone is 100% good enough.

    EDIT: hell to be frank, this is even where actual SLR cameras are going. the Megapixel wars are over, in many ways the sensor wars are even over. If you look at the more recent cameras announced by the likes of Canon and Nikon, generally the biggest improvements on an actual image quality standpoint come from the ISP's in the cameras.

    wunderbar on
    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    While this is true, the sensors are still getting really important improvements. There's some black magic in the sensors for newer phones that handles the autofocus without relying on image contrast the way older smartphone focuses did, and part of the reason the Pixel's camera takes such good low light pictures is because the image sensor has very large pixels.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    LD50 wrote: »
    While this is true, the sensors are still getting really important improvements. There's some black magic in the sensors for newer phones that handles the autofocus without relying on image contrast the way older smartphone focuses did, and part of the reason the Pixel's camera takes such good low light pictures is because the image sensor has very large pixels.

    See, that was a thing that started in like 2013. HTC was the first to try the "big pixels" in camera sensors but their image processing was crap so the One M7 didn't take great pictures. I'll bet if you stuck that same sensor in a Pixel today you'd get image quality really close to what the Pixel does with the senor it has. The pixel's sensor is actually very similar to the sensor in a lot of phones you see right now. It's the software processing that makes the pixel's image quality that much better.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • BarrakkethBarrakketh Registered User regular
    LD50 wrote: »
    While this is true, the sensors are still getting really important improvements. There's some black magic in the sensors for newer phones that handles the autofocus without relying on image contrast the way older smartphone focuses did, and part of the reason the Pixel's camera takes such good low light pictures is because the image sensor has very large pixels.
    If I'm not mistaken the pixel size on the Pixel isn't an advantage because Google paired it with a f/2.0 aperture. Other phones have smaller pixels but a 1.6 or 1.7 aperture.

    The sensor itself has some other interesting features, like how it handles video stabilization. See here for more. The auto HDR uses a DSP on the Snapdragon to process the image faster.

    Rollers are red, chargers are blue....omae wa mou shindeiru
This discussion has been closed.