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Android |OT2| - Patent pending

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Guys my company got a couple of cheap phones that we will keep in case one of the main ones breaks or something. I can choose between a Galaxy Mini2 and a Xperia Miro, which one of the two should I choose? If I understand correctly the Miro runs a newer version of Android but which is the better phone.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Sony-Xperia-miro,Samsung-GALAXY-mini-2/phones/7150,6928

Looking at the list, the hardware is pretty much on par (cpu,gpu), the Miro has more MP, and a 0.2" bigger screen + android ICS.

I would pick the Miro.
 
Is it possible to prevent Chrome (or Chrome Beta) from reloading a tab everytime I switch to it? It's really annoying, especially when switching back and forth while gathering information from multiple sources.
 

Doopliss

Member
Going back and forth between the S4 and One. Do any of you guys read eBooks on 4.7+" phones? Coming from an iPhone it's never been very realistic, but 5" seems like that could work.

The One seems like it may be too small, but I'm not really sure .3" would make any difference... would like to hear from people who have tried to use their phones as eReaders. Thanks.
I've read quite a few books on my 4.3" Galaxy S II. I found that reading in 'night mode' (white text on black background) I was unable to distinguish the edge of the screen from the bezel so I could have zero margins around the text. I was quite comfortable with reading like that... got through Moby Dick on this thing ok!

Only haven't done it for a while because my battery isn't lasting as long these days.
 

Zeppu

Member
Is it possible to prevent Chrome (or Chrome Beta) from reloading a tab everytime I switch to it? It's really annoying, especially when switching back and forth while gathering information from multiple sources.

God I hate this so much. Even more so that it needs to reload the 'bookmarks' page. Get your shit together Google.
 

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
I love to have movies on my phone. <3

So your saying with a 64 gig version you couldn't have movies on your phone?

My music collection is the main use of storage. It currently occupies about 33 GB of space on the microSD. My phone is my music player now, I don't even use my computers or tablet for music anymore. All music playback directs out of my phone. Dat Wolfson DAC.

The internal memory is currently being occupied by the likes of Real Racing 3 (1.17 GB), NFS: Most Wanted (1.93 GB), and Mass Effect: Infiltrator (0.94 GB). I'm actually running out of internal storage because of all these huge-ass games which are hogging space. I need to eventually implement the Directory Bind trick to create dynamic links (virtual directories) so I can store space-hogging games on my microSD as well. Otherwise I'll never be able to install Asphalt 7 and Dead Space on my phone.

I get all of that. You're still not hitting that 64 gig cap (even the real number of usable space). Like I said I get needing more space than the typical 16 gig phone, but holy fucks you can store a shit ton of movies, music, and games even on a 32 gig version let alone a 64 gig version.
 
http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/21/4133428/is-google-building-a-smart-watch-of-its-own

El Goog building a smartwatch? Shut up and take my money!

So your saying with a 64 gig version you couldn't have movies on your phone?



I get all of that. You're still not hitting that 64 gig cap (even the real number of usable space). Like I said I get needing more space than the typical 16 gig phone, but holy fucks you can store a shit ton of movies, music, and games even on a 32 gig version let alone a 64 gig version.


There will always be someone who needs more memory on a phone or who will use more if you give them it. It's like building highways. The more lanes you build, the more you'll encourage people to buy cars and use them. I'm not saying that's a bad thing BTW. I do believe anything above 64 gig is fitting into a reasonably small niche category, but the consumers are there. Clearly HTC won't get those particular consumers, but they've probably estimated it's a market not worth pursuing, probably due to the size of that niche. Just means more customers for Sammy.
 

mturco

Member
Going back and forth between the S4 and One. Do any of you guys read eBooks on 4.7+" phones? Coming from an iPhone it's never been very realistic, but 5" seems like that could work.

The One seems like it may be too small, but I'm not really sure .3" would make any difference... would like to hear from people who have tried to use their phones as eReaders. Thanks.

I've read books on my Galaxy Nexus (4.65") and it was fine. I would think either would be fine and there wouldn't be too big of a difference.
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
I still don't understand the appeal of smartwatches. No one wears watches anymore, and a smartwatch conceivably only saves you a second or two from just picking up your phone.
 
Sure, some people wear them, but compare it to even a decade ago. Clearly a declining trend.

A declining trend? Do you have more than just anecdotal evidence to back this up? People wear watches as much for fashion as they do for productivity. A market which is worth $40 billion + per year is hardly dead. And what happens when a market needs to be pushed to the next level? You innovate.
 
No one wears watches anymore

InvjgEQ.jpeg

P.S I do. And yes it's scratched to hell in this shot, though it's more difficult to tell day to day.
 

Zeppu

Member
Both these statements are patently untrue.

I like and wear watches. I just don't find any use for them to be 'smart' if I've got direct access to my phone at all times anyway. Also proper watches are classier, smarter and have a higher lifetime than any smartwatch will ever have and don't require constant recharging.
 
I actually LIKE taking out my phone and looking at it. I'm not trying to avoid it.

I can see Pebble, etc. having a niche market among runners and cyclists and the like (and that's a huge niche, so there's nothing wrong with that) but not becoming as ubiquitous as smartphones.
 
I like and wear watches. I just don't find any use for them to be 'smart' if I've got direct access to my phone at all times anyway. Also proper watches are classier, smarter and have a higher lifetime than any smartwatch will ever have and don't require constant recharging.

Have you ever heard of the sales term "creating a need"? I don't need a tablet, I've already got a nearly 5" screen phone and a 15" laptop. I don't need £100 headphones. But I want them. I'm not saying that smartwatches will replace smartphones or even will better them in use cases. But for things like running/cycling and fitness they will be super useful. And for quick glance notifications. You get a text, rather than puling your phone out, you glance at your watch to see who it's from and then decide if it's worth your while replying. Reminding you of appointments. Syncing with your phone whilst it's on charge in another room so you still have access to notifications, incoming calls etc (kind of like tablet talk etc). Using it as an MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones where you can control the player with your watch rather than having to get your phone out to pause etc.

Now this product won't be for everyone, but just dismissing it out of hand as Andrex and Divvy did? That's ludicrous. Didn't Nokia do the same thing with the iPhone? Where did that land them? The Wristwatch manufacturers should rightly be shitting themselves right now.
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
A declining trend? Do you have more than just anecdotal evidence to back this up? People wear watches as much for fashion as they do for productivity. A market which is worth $40 billion + per year is hardly dead. And what happens when a market needs to be pushed to the next level? You innovate.




Well it is in decline. I was exaggerating when I said no one wears them., but people used to wear watches for utility, status and fashion and now I don't think there's so much of that first category anymore. You see the luxury end of the watch market doing well because it's still one of the few pieces of jewellery men can wear, but I'm not sure a smartwatch caters to that market.
 

gcubed

Member
Well it is in decline. I was exaggerating when I said dead, but people used to wear watches for utility, status and fashion and now I don't think there's so much of that first category anymore. You see the luxury end of the watch market doing well because it's still one of the few pieces of jewellery men can wear, but I'm not sure a smartwatch caters to that market.

nah, i dont think the smartwatch is a winning move and i have no idea why everyone is rushing to it. I'm curious to see what Apple does at least, because you need something that doesn't scream smartwatch (which the pebble does). I still think its a tiny tiny market
 

Zeppu

Member
Have you ever heard of the sales term "creating a need"? I don't need a tablet, I've already got a nearly 5" screen phone and a 15" tablet. I don't need £100 headphones. But I want them. I'm not saying that smartwatches will replace smartphones or even will better them in use cases. But for things like running/cycling and fitness they will be super useful. And for quick glance notifications. You get a text, rather than puling your phone out, you glance at your watch to see who it's from and then decide if it's worth your while replying. Reminding you of appointments. Syncing with your phone whilst it's on charge in another room so you still have access to notifications, incoming calls etc (kind of like tablet talk etc). Using it as an MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones where you can control the player with your watch rather than having to get your phone out to pause etc.

Now this product won't be for everyone, but just dismissing it out of hand as Andrex and Divvy did? That's ludicrous. Didn't Nokia do the same thing with the iPhone? Where did that land them? The Wristwatch manufacturers should rightly be shitting themselves right now.

Oh no, not at all. I am sure there will be loads of interest for smart watches. The pebble's relative success is enough to prove that. It's just that (at least in my opinion) this will be more appealing to people who currently don't wear a watch and rely on their phone to tell the time as it's another cool accessory than it'll be appealing to people who actually like and currently wear watches.

That being said, if it looks more like a face of a 'classic' watch and less like the pebble, I'd find it more appealing.
 
Oh no, not at all. I am sure there will be loads of interest for smart watches. The pebble's relative success is enough to prove that. It's just that (at least in my opinion) this will be more appealing to people who currently don't wear a watch and rely on their phone to tell the time as it's another cool accessory than it'll be appealing to people who actually like and currently wear watches.

That being said, if it looks more like a face of a 'classic' watch and less like the pebble, I'd find it more appealing.

I'm fairly sure the people driving these things will be intelligent enough to anticipate stuff like classic watch faces. Well hopefully anyway.These things will sell and sell in droves if executed correctly. Don't be surprised if this years no1 wanted Xmas present is an iWatch.
 



Well it is in decline. I was exaggerating when I said no one wears them., but people used to wear watches for utility, status and fashion and now I don't think there's so much of that first category anymore. You see the luxury end of the watch market doing well because it's still one of the few pieces of jewellery men can wear, but I'm not sure a smartwatch caters to that market.

Status and fashion is still a huge market. Now the fuel band market is picking up too. You can combine all of that with a well executed smart watch, which nobody has pulled off....yet. Smart phones were a niche market until Apple and Google executed correctly.

My point is that dismissing smart watches out of hand is an insane position to take. It might not be for everyone but it doesn't need everyone to buy one for it to be successful. And then you have the added Eco system buy in. Your iWatch only works with iPad and iPhone. You buy an iWatch then unless you give it up, your next purchase will be an iPhone. It's a smart move to get into Smartwatches now and not just sit by the sidelines waiting for it to fail and then coming to the market late if it doesn't.
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
Status and fashion is still a huge market. Now the fuel band market is picking up too. You can combine all of that with a well executed smart watch, which nobody has pulled off....yet. Smart phones were a niche market until Apple and Google executed correctly.

My point is that dismissing smart watches out of hand is an insane position to take. It might not be for everyone but it doesn't need to be to be hugely popular. And then you have the added Eco system lock in. Your iWatch only works with iPad and iPhone. You buy an iWatch then unless you give it up, your next purchase will be an iPhone. It's a smart move to get into Snartwatches now and not just sit by the sidelines waiting for it to fail and then coming to the market late if it doesn't.

I didn't dimiss it, I said I didn't understand it. It might well be a success for all I know, I've certainly been wrong before. But I just can't really wrap my head around why such a thing would be compelling to a mass market aside from brand appeal (which might very well be enough)
 

Zeppu

Member
Looks like the stock Messaging App, and Gtalk. They gotta change the app icon though.

What's up with the fonts within the chat itself and also, the serifed font they've started throwing around (like the one in keep). Also, is that how the touchwiz notification bar looks, because AFAIK they're the only ones with green (vertical) battery icons, right?

Edit: Actually that looks fake as fuck. The time in the notification shade and in chat are different.
 

gcubed

Member
what the f is going on in that picture? I'm confused

What's up with the fonts within the chat itself and also, the serifed font they've started throwing around (like the one in keep). Also, is that how the touchwiz notification bar looks, because AFAIK they're the only ones with green wifi icons, right?

Edit: Actually that looks fake as fuck. The time in the notification shade and in chat are different.

gingerbread was green i think
 
I thought I didn't mind the Babble icon when I saw it by itself, but seeing it used in the app is actually pretty horrible. Not as terrible as that Touchwiz styling, but close. I hope it's not final.
 

Ocho

Member
Really? People are dishing TouchWiz's status bar? Cmon, people. You're better than this. The bar is fine and pretty informational.
 
Really? People are dishing TouchWiz's status bar? Cmon, people. You're better than this. The bar is fine and pretty informational.
The icons take up half the bar! The status info should be just enough to let you know everything's ok. The rest of the space should be clear so that the notifications stand out when they're there. Clear status bar, clear mind.

Also, the visual style is more Matrix/Tron than Gingerbread and Honeycomb were.
 
Email Google and tell them they suck. Unfortunately not able to control it
Yeah seriously. I hate that refresh thing as well.

Just deleted Apex launcher as I never even used any of its features except to rename apps with long cluttered names to satisfy my OCD. (devs who do this should be kicked in the dick by the way)

One feature I've always felt should be in stock android is having a different home and lock screen wallpaper. Such a basic bare bones feature and it is one of my only complaints about stock at the moment.

Another (and possibly my last complaint about stock) is the call screen. Anyone else thing this is the ugliest shit ever? The blue banner just sprawled across the contact photo like that...come on Googy, you can do better.


edit: okay wait this is my final complaint about stock because I just saw it in the leaked screens posted by Zeppu. The grey empty space under the contact photo in the messaging app. Highlighted in pink for viewing pleasure. Ridiculous. Fix this shit Google!

 

DrFunk

not licensed in your state
who wants their S4 byte-sized?


I91901-225x300.jpg
I91902-225x300.jpg


I91903-300x225.jpg
I91904-225x300.jpg


Now let&#8217;s get back to the Galaxy S4 mini. The Galaxy S4 mini is expected to be launched during summer in June / July. The device will have a Super AMOLED qHD display with a pixel density of 256ppi a 1.6GHz Dual-Core CPU and based on TW Nature UX 2.0 running on Android 4.2.2. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini comes in a dual-sim variant as well, making it it available in two variants. Below are some pictures of the Galaxy S4 Mini. You will notice the device itself looks a lot like the Galaxy S4.

http://www.sammobile.com/2013/03/22/spotted-samsung-galaxy-s4-mini/#.UUyd2iHrqpQ.twitter
 
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